Conflicts of Interest Policy

Introduction
Journal of Integrative International Relations (JIIR) is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, objectivity, and credibility in scholarly publishing. Transparency regarding potential conflicts of interest is essential to maintaining trust in the editorial and peer review process. This policy outlines the responsibilities of authors, reviewers, editors, editorial board members, and journal staff in disclosing and managing any interests that could influence professional judgment or editorial decisions. In developing this policy, JIIR refers to the ethical guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Definition of Conflict of Interest
A conflict of interest (COI) arises when professional judgment related to academic responsibilities—such as conducting research, reviewing manuscripts, or making editorial decisions—may be influenced, or perceived to be influenced, by secondary interests. These interests may be financial or non-financial.

Financial interests include, but are not limited to: employment, consultancy, honoraria, research funding (current or past), stock ownership or equity, patents, royalties, paid advisory roles, expert testimony, or travel support related to the submitted manuscript.

Non-financial interests include personal relationships (family members or close associates), academic or professional affiliations (current or recent collaborations, mentor–student relationships), institutional ties, competing works in preparation, or strong ideological, political, or religious views directly related to the manuscript’s subject matter.

Having a conflict of interest is not inherently unethical; however, failure to disclose such interests compromises transparency and undermines trust in the research and publication process. This policy applies to all parties involved in JIIR, including authors, reviewers, editors, editorial board members, and journal staff.

Policy Principles
Principle of Full Disclosure

All individuals involved in the publication process at JIIR are required to disclose fully and honestly any actual or potential conflicts of interest relevant to their role. If no conflicts exist, an explicit statement declaring the absence of conflicts must be provided.

Timing of Disclosure

  • Authors must disclose all relevant conflicts of interest at the time of manuscript submission and update the disclosure if new conflicts arise during peer review or revision.
  • Peer reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts when invited to review and prior to accepting the assignment. If a conflict arises during the review process, it must be reported immediately.
  • Editors and journal staff must disclose any interests that may influence their editorial responsibilities to the Editor-in-Chief or publisher and recuse themselves when necessary.

Assessment and Management of Conflicts
JIIR will evaluate all disclosed conflicts to determine whether they may bias the research or editorial decision-making process. Management actions may include:

  • Publishing conflict-of-interest disclosures alongside the article;
  • Reassigning reviewers or editors;
  • Rejecting manuscripts where conflicts pose a serious risk to research integrity.

Publication of Disclosure Statements
All published articles must include a conflict of interest statement. If no conflicts exist, a statement such as “The authors declare no known conflicts of interest” will be included. All sources of funding must be disclosed, along with clarification of the funder’s role in study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, manuscript preparation, or the decision to publish. If the funder had no involvement, this must be clearly stated.

Post-Publication Discovery of Undisclosed Conflicts
If a significant undisclosed conflict of interest is identified after publication, JIIR will investigate the matter in accordance with COPE guidelines. Depending on the severity and impact on scholarly integrity, corrective actions may include issuing a correction, an expression of concern, or retraction of the article.

Implementation Procedures
For Authors
Authors must disclose all financial and non-financial interests that could reasonably be perceived to influence their work. All funding sources must be clearly identified, including the role of the funder. Disclosure must be made by completing a conflict of interest form (such as the ICMJE Disclosure Form or the journal’s own form) and by including a summary statement in the manuscript, typically placed before the reference list. Failure to disclose relevant conflicts may result in manuscript rejection, publication delay, correction, or retraction.

For Peer Reviewers
Reviewers must disclose any circumstances that could compromise their objectivity, including collaborations with authors, personal relationships, financial interests, prior involvement with the manuscript, or strong views that may affect impartial judgment. Reviewers with significant conflicts will be asked to withdraw from the review process.

For Editors and Journal Staff
Editors, editorial board members, and journal staff must disclose any interests that may influence—or appear to influence—their editorial duties. Those with significant conflicts must recuse themselves from handling the manuscript, and an independent editor will be appointed. Manuscripts submitted by editors or board members will undergo an independent peer review process to ensure objectivity.

Journal-Level Conflicts of Interest
JIIR and its publisher are committed to maintaining editorial independence. Editorial decisions are made free from commercial, institutional, or ideological influence. Any conflicts at the journal or institutional level will be managed transparently.

Record Keeping and Policy Review
JIIR maintains confidential records of all disclosed conflicts of interest. This policy is reviewed and updated periodically to reflect best practices and evolving ethical standards in scholarly publishing.