Ethics Statement

It is of fundamental importance to the editorial board of Ciklus Journal of Social and Cultural Theory that its operation complies with the highest ethical standards in all respects. To this end, it fully shares the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the recommendations of the Council of Science Editors (Recommendations for Promoting Integrity in Scientific Journal Publications). Compliance with these guidelines is mandatory for all contributors to the journal – authors, editors, reviewers, and other contributors.

 

Principles of the Peer Review Process

In order to ensure scientific objectivity and impartiality, the editorial board of Ciklus uses a double-blind review system in all cases. All submitted manuscripts are reviewed by at least two independent experts who do not know the identity of the author and whose identity remains unknown to the authors. Communication between authors and reviewers takes place exclusively through the editors, ensuring that academic standards prevail exclusively in the process.

 

Ethical Responsibilities and Obligations of Authors

  • With the exception of translations, authors may only submit manuscripts based on their own original work, avoiding any form of plagiarism, whether verbatim or paraphrasing. Plagiarism is a serious violation of academic integrity, towards which the editorial board has a zero-tolerance policy.
  • Authors are required to accurately identify all contributors who participated in the research or preparation of the manuscript.
  • Authors may only submit work for review that has not been previously published in any other outlet, whether in print or digital form.
  • They may also not submit manuscripts that are under review at another journal.
  • They must treat the work of other researchers with respect and objectivity, avoiding personal or offensive language.
  • Authors take full responsibility for ensuring that the data used in their research was obtained using the methods and methodological decisions described in the manuscript.
  • They must indicate in the manuscript any form of support they have received, whether in the form of financial funding, scholarships, or institutional backing.
  • They must accept the editorial and review procedures related to manuscripts and actively cooperate with the editors during the publication process. (However, this does not mean that they are obliged to accept all suggestions made by the editorial board or anonymous reviewers.)
  • Authors are required to immediately notify the editorial board of any conflict of interest that may affect objective evaluation.
  • If they notice any errors or omissions in the publication, either during preparation or after publication, they are required to inform the editorial board so that the necessary corrections or retraction can be made.

 

Ethical Responsibilities and Obligations of Editors

  • Editors are responsible for ensuring adherence to ethical standards and avoiding conflicts of interest at all stages of the publication process.
  • Editors must guarantee that the evaluation of manuscripts is independent of the authors' origin, gender, religion, institutional affiliation and status, prestige, or age.
  • Editors are required to adhere to the ethical, data protection, and legal statements published on the journal’s website.
  • Editors must ensure that the quality of reviews is satisfactory and that all manuscripts are reviewed by scholars with relevant expertise.
  • The final decision on whether to accept or reject manuscripts rests solely with the editors.
  • Editors must ensure that no conflicts of interest influence the review or editing process.
  • Editors are responsible for protecting the identity of authors and reviewers.
  • Editors are responsible for thoroughly investigating all complaints and disputes, ensuring that all parties involved are treated fairly.
  • If editors themselves submit a manuscript to the journal, the review and editing processes need to be conducted by other editors in order to maintain objectivity, in accordance with ethical standards.

 

Ethical Responsibilities and Obligations of Reviewers

  • Reviewers may only accept requests for which they have the appropriate expertise.
  • If reviewers notice any conflict of interest or ethical issue, they are obliged to notify the editors immediately.
  • Reviewers must complete their reviews by the agreed deadline, using clear language, providing thorough justifications and applying professional judgment.
  • They must refrain from making any personal comments; their reviews must be based solely on professional grounds.
  • Reviewers must pay particular attention to adequate citation sources in the manuscript.
  • They are required to treat the materials received for review as strictly confidential.