Conflicts of Interest and Competing Interests Policy

International Journal of Contemporary Security Studies (IJCSS) requires transparent disclosure of interests that could reasonably be perceived to influence research, review or editorial judgement. An interest does not automatically invalidate work; non-disclosure may undermine confidence in it.

Interests that must be disclosed

Relevant interests include financial relationships; employment, consultancy, grants or ownership; institutional responsibilities; professional or academic rivalry or collaboration; close personal relationships; and political or ideological commitments when they may materially affect the work. Authors must provide a clear competing-interests statement, including a statement that none exist where applicable.

Reviewers

Reviewers must decline an invitation or promptly notify the editor when relationships, recent collaboration, competition, financial interests or access to privileged information may impair impartiality. Reviewers must not use unpublished material for personal advantage.

Editors and publisher

An editor with a relevant conflict must take no part in reviewer selection, access to confidential deliberations or the decision. The manuscript is reassigned to an independent editor. Publisher ownership, funding or institutional priorities must not determine acceptance, rejection or the interpretation of findings.

Discovery during review

If an undisclosed interest is identified, review or decision-making may be paused while the editor obtains an explanation, corrects the record and appoints independent participants where necessary. Deliberate or serious non-disclosure may be treated as a publication-ethics concern.

Post-publication action

When a relevant interest emerges after publication, IJCSS assesses whether the disclosure statement or the reliability of the article is affected. Actions may include a corrected disclosure, a correction, an expression of concern or, where the omission is serious and the findings are unreliable, retraction. The response will be proportionate and documented.

Questions

Questions or disclosures should be submitted through the journal’s Contact page.

Effective date: 22 July 2026
Last updated: 22 July 2026