Research Ethics and Informed Consent Policy

International Journal of Contemporary Security Studies (IJCSS) expects research to respect human dignity, legal obligations, participant safety and the particular risks of security-related inquiry.

Human participants and approval

Authors must state the approving ethics body, institution, approval number and date. If formal approval was not required, the manuscript must explain the applicable rule and justification. Approval must not be fabricated, retrospectively misrepresented or treated as a substitute for responsible conduct.

Consent, privacy and publication

Participation must be voluntary and based on adequate information unless a lawful, ethically justified waiver applies. Separate consent is required where identifiable quotations, images, recordings or personal data will be published. Authors must minimise identifying detail, secure data and explain safeguards for anonymity and confidentiality.

Heightened vulnerability and security contexts

Additional protections are required for minors; prisoners and persons in dependent relationships; victims of violence or disaster; refugees, migrants and displaced persons; and military, police or intelligence personnel. Research in conflict or post-conflict settings must address coercion, retaliation, surveillance and risks to participants, researchers and communities.

Confidential, classified and dual-use information

Authors must comply with law and legitimate confidentiality duties. Classified or unlawfully obtained information must not be submitted merely because it is academically relevant. Methods and findings with foreseeable dual-use consequences must be presented with risk mitigation sufficient to prevent avoidable harm to people, institutions, critical infrastructure or national security. Editorial review may be restricted to appropriately qualified and conflict-free experts.

Animals and required statements

Where animal research is relevant, authors must identify the applicable approval and welfare standard. Published articles must contain the required ethics approval, informed consent and consent-for-publication statements, or a reasoned statement explaining why a requirement did not apply.

Non-compliance

Suspected false approval, coercion, unsafe disclosure or material ethical breach may lead to rejection, institutional referral, correction, expression of concern or retraction.

Questions

Contact the editorial office through the journal’s Contact page.

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