Conflicts of Interest
The Caucasus Journal of Social Sciences (CJSS) is committed to maintaining the integrity, transparency, and credibility of the scholarly publication process. All participants in the publication process—including authors, reviewers, and editors—are required to disclose any relationships or interests that could inappropriately influence, or be perceived to influence, their work.
Definition
A conflict of interest (COI), also referred to as a competing interest, exists when professional judgment concerning a primary interest may be influenced by a secondary interest, including financial, institutional, personal, or ideological relationships.
Author Responsibilities
Authors must disclose any relevant conflicts of interest at the time of submission. These may include, but are not limited to:
- Financial support, funding, or grants related to the research;
- Employment, consultancies, or advisory roles;
- Personal, academic, or institutional relationships;
- Political, ideological, or professional affiliations that may influence interpretation.
If no conflicts of interest exist, authors must explicitly state: “The authors declare no conflicts of interest.”
Reviewer Responsibilities
Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest that may affect their ability to provide an objective and unbiased review. Reviewers should decline invitations to review if they:
- Have a recent collaboration or close relationship with the author(s);
- Are affiliated with the same institution as the author(s);
- Have a direct competitive or financial interest in the work.
Editorial Responsibilities
Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in which they have a conflict of interest. In such cases, the manuscript will be reassigned to another qualified editor to ensure an impartial evaluation.
Disclosure and Transparency
All disclosed conflicts of interest will be evaluated by the editorial team. Where relevant, disclosures will be published alongside the article to ensure transparency for readers.
Undisclosed Conflicts
If a conflict of interest is identified after publication, CJSS may take appropriate editorial action. This may include issuing a correction, expression of concern, or retraction, depending on the severity of the case.
Compliance
Failure to disclose relevant conflicts of interest may result in rejection of the manuscript or other editorial actions in accordance with the journal’s publication ethics policies.
