Conflicts of Interest Policy

1. Introduction

The Indonesian Journal of Political Studies (IJPS) is committed to maintaining the integrity, objectivity, and credibility of the scholarly publication process. Transparency regarding potential conflicts of interest is essential to preserving trust in research and editorial decision-making. This policy outlines the responsibilities of authors, reviewers, editors, editorial board members, and journal staff in identifying, disclosing, and managing conflicts of interest. IJPS refers to ethical standards and best practices established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

2. Definition of Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest (COI) arises when professional judgment related to research, peer review, or editorial decisions may be influenced—or reasonably perceived to be influenced—by competing interests outside the primary academic responsibilities.

Conflicts of interest may be financial or non-financial, including but not limited to:

  • Financial interests, such as employment or consultancy arrangements, research funding, honoraria, stock ownership, patents or royalties, paid advisory roles, expert testimony, or travel support related to the submitted manuscript.
  • Non-financial interests, such as personal or family relationships, close academic or professional associations, institutional affiliations, competing research activities, or strong personal, ideological, religious, or political beliefs directly related to the subject matter.

The existence of a conflict of interest is not unethical in itself; failure to disclose it transparently is considered a breach of publication ethics.

3. Policy Principles
Full Disclosure

All parties involved in the publication process at IJPS are required to disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest relevant to their roles. If no conflicts exist, a clear statement declaring the absence of conflicts must be provided.

Timing of Disclosure

  • Authors must disclose conflicts of interest at the time of manuscript submission and update the information if circumstances change during review or revision.
  • Peer reviewers must disclose potential conflicts when invited to review and before accepting the assignment. Any newly identified conflicts must be reported immediately.
  • Editors and journal staff must disclose relevant interests to the Editor-in-Chief or publisher and recuse themselves when impartiality may be compromised.

4. Assessment and Management of Conflicts

Disclosed conflicts of interest are evaluated by IJPS to determine their potential impact on objectivity and research integrity. Management measures may include:

  • Publication of conflict of interest statements alongside the article.
  • Reassignment of reviewers or editors.
  • Rejection of manuscripts where conflicts pose a serious risk to ethical standards.

5. Publication of Disclosure Statements

All published articles must include a conflict of interest statement. When applicable, funding sources must also be disclosed, along with a clear explanation of the funder’s role in the research process. If the funder had no involvement in the study design, analysis, interpretation, or publication decision, this must be explicitly stated.

6. Post-Publication Disclosure

If a significant undisclosed conflict of interest is identified after publication, IJPS will conduct an investigation in accordance with COPE guidelines. Depending on the severity and impact, corrective actions may include issuing a correction, an expression of concern, or retracting the article.

7. Responsibilities of Stakeholders

Authors
Authors are responsible for disclosing all financial and non-financial interests that could reasonably influence their work. Failure to disclose relevant conflicts may result in manuscript rejection or post-publication corrective actions.

Peer Reviewers
Reviewers must decline review invitations when conflicts of interest may affect objectivity and must inform the editor immediately if conflicts arise during the review process.

Editors and Journal Staff
Editors and editorial board members must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest. Submissions authored by editors or close associates will undergo independent and impartial peer review.

8. Journal-Level Conflicts of Interest

IJPS and its publisher are committed to editorial independence. Editorial decisions are made solely on scholarly merit and are not influenced by commercial, institutional, or ideological interests. Any journal-level conflicts will be addressed transparently.

9. Record Keeping and Policy Review

IJPS maintains confidential records of all disclosed conflicts of interest. This policy is reviewed periodically to ensure continued alignment with international standards and best practices in academic publishing.