Ethics Statement&Policy

Publication Ethics

Part A:  Ethics Statement

Our Commitment to Scholarly Integrity

Global Frontier: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Politics is guided by the conviction that the value of a journal lies not only in what it publishes, but in the integrity, accuracy, and intellectual honesty with which it presents knowledge. As a journal focused on global politics, law, and international affairs, we recognise that the credibility of our scholarship depends entirely on accuracy, transparency, and intellectual responsibility.

The journal upholds principles of academic rigour and editorial honesty at every stage of the publication process. All content is carefully evaluated to ensure factual accuracy, contextual clarity, and analytical depth. We prioritise substance over expediency and encourage thoughtful, rigorous engagement with complex global issues.

Accuracy, Context, and Responsibility

Truth in global scholarly discourse requires both precision and context. We ensure that all published material remains faithful to the original meaning of the information it presents. Complex political and legal developments are communicated with clarity, avoiding distortion, oversimplification, or selective omission that alters meaning. The journal does not engage in sensational or misleading presentation of research.

Transparency and Source Integrity

Global Frontier operates with a strong commitment to source integrity. Where external information is referenced, proper acknowledgement is required, and readers are directed to original materials. Our practices include clear citation and attribution of all sources, respect for intellectual property rights, and the avoidance of unauthorised reproduction. The journal positions itself as a platform that interprets and presents knowledge responsibly.

Editorial Independence

Independent inquiry is the foundation of credible scholarship. Global Frontier maintains full editorial independence. Content is selected and published based on relevance, intellectual merit, and scholarly significance, free from external influence or partisan bias. Diverse perspectives are acknowledged, and analytical neutrality is maintained throughout the editorial process.

Respect for Human Dignity

Given the nature of topics covered by this journal — including human rights, governance, and political conflict — we remain attentive to the ethical implications of representation. All published material is expected to reflect sensitivity to affected communities, employ respectful and neutral language, and avoid the use of stereotypes or harmful generalisations. Global discourse must remain grounded in respect for humanity.

Clarity in Communication

Clarity is not simplification; it is responsible articulation. Our objective is to make complex global issues accessible without compromising analytical depth. We emphasise structured presentation, concise argument, and clear exposition to support informed scholarly and public understanding.

Accountability and Continuous Review

Ethical responsibility requires ongoing reflection and correction. Global Frontier acknowledges that maintaining ethical standards is a continuous process. The journal remains open to feedback and is committed to correcting inaccuracies where identified. This Ethics Policy is reviewed periodically to reflect developments in publication ethics standards and regulatory requirements.

Global Frontier is guided by the principle that knowledge carries responsibility. In presenting global political and legal developments, we aim to contribute to informed discourse grounded in integrity, transparency, and respect for truth.

Part B:  Publication Ethics & Malpractice Statement

The journal’s detailed publication ethics policies are guided by the principles established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the University Grants Commission (UGC) of India. All authors, reviewers, and editors engaging with Global Frontier are required to adhere to these principles in full. Authors are strongly advised to read this section carefully before submitting a manuscript.

1.  Authorship Policy

1.1  Definition of Authorship

Authorship carries significant academic, ethical, and legal weight. Global Frontier follows internationally accepted standards in defining who qualifies as an author. Authorship must be based on all of the following criteria:

• Substantial contribution to the conception or design of the work, or to the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data or evidence
• Drafting the work or critically revising it for important intellectual content
• Approval of the final version of the manuscript as submitted and as accepted for publication
• Accountability for all aspects of the work, including the accuracy and integrity of all parts

All individuals who meet these criteria must be listed as authors. Those who contributed but do not meet all criteria should be acknowledged in an Acknowledgements section, not listed as authors.

1.2  Unacceptable Authorship Practices

The following constitute serious breaches of publication ethics and will not be tolerated:

• Gift or Honorary Authorship — Inclusion of an individual who has not made a genuine intellectual contribution, including a supervisor, head of department, or senior colleague who did not substantially contribute.
• Ghost Authorship — Exclusion from the author list of any individual who has made a genuine and substantial intellectual contribution.
• Coercive Authorship — Addition of an author as a result of pressure, inducement, or obligation rather than genuine scholarly contribution.

1.3  Corresponding Author

One author must be designated as the corresponding author at the time of submission. The corresponding author is responsible for all communication with the editorial office, for ensuring the accuracy of the author list, and for coordinating all co-authors’ review and approval of the final manuscript.

1.4  Changes in Authorship

Requests to add, remove, or reorder authors after submission will only be considered in exceptional circumstances. Such requests must be accompanied by a written explanation and agreed upon by all listed authors. The editorial office reserves the right to refuse changes that appear to be motivated by ethical violations.

2.  Plagiarism Policy

2.1  Policy Statement

Global Frontier operates a strict zero-tolerance policy towards plagiarism in all its forms. The journal follows the UGC Regulations on the Promotion of Academic Integrity and Prevention of Plagiarism in Higher Educational Institutions, 2018.

Plagiarism is defined as the practice of taking someone else’s work, ideas, or expressions and presenting them as one’s own without proper attribution or acknowledgement — applicable to all published and unpublished material regardless of form or medium.

2.2  Forms of Plagiarism

• Direct Plagiarism — Verbatim copying of another’s text without quotation marks or attribution.
• Mosaic Plagiarism — Paraphrasing or reorganising another’s work while retaining the original meaning, without proper attribution.
• Idea Plagiarism — Presenting another’s ideas, arguments, or analytical frameworks as one’s own.
• Self-Plagiarism — Reusing substantial portions of one’s own previously published work without disclosure or appropriate attribution.
• Duplicate Submission — Submitting the same manuscript simultaneously to more than one journal.

2.3  Similarity Thresholds

All manuscripts are screened using standard plagiarism detection software. In accordance with UGC Regulations 2018, the following thresholds apply:

The UGC Regulations maintain a zero-tolerance position for plagiarism detected in core content areas — including abstract, hypothesis, methodology, analysis, results, and conclusions — regardless of the overall similarity percentage. Plagiarism in these areas results in immediate rejection.

2.4  Exclusions from Plagiarism Checks

In accordance with UGC Regulations 2018, the following are excluded from plagiarism assessment:

• Properly quoted material reproduced with full attribution and necessary permissions
• References, bibliography, table of contents, preface, and acknowledgements
• Generic terms, laws, standard symbols, and standard equations
• Common knowledge and coincidental terms, up to fourteen consecutive words

2.5  Post-Publication Plagiarism

If plagiarism is identified after publication, the journal reserves the right to retract the article. The author’s affiliated institution may be notified and the matter referred to the appropriate regulatory authority.

3.  Peer Review Ethics

3.1  The Journal’s Peer Review Process

Global Frontier operates a rigorous double-blind peer review process. The identities of both authors and reviewers are kept confidential throughout. All decisions are made on the basis of academic merit, scholarly rigour, and fit with the journal’s scope — without regard to the identity, institutional affiliation, nationality, gender, or seniority of the author(s).

3.2  Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers who accept an invitation to review a manuscript are expected to:

• Conduct the review objectively, fairly, and without personal bias
• Maintain strict confidentiality — the manuscript must not be shared with or discussed with any other person without the explicit permission of the Editor-in-Chief
• Declare any conflict of interest and decline to review if such a conflict exists
• Complete the review within the agreed timeframe, or promptly notify the editorial office if unable to do so
• Refrain from using any unpublished material, ideas, or data from the manuscript in their own work without explicit written consent of the author(s)

3.3  Confidentiality of the Review Process

Manuscripts under review are not public documents. Reviewers must not disclose the existence, content, or outcome of a review to any third party. The editorial office maintains the confidentiality of reviewer identities throughout and after the review process.

4.  Conflict of Interest Policy

4.1  Author Conflict of Interest

Authors must disclose at the time of submission any financial, institutional, professional, or personal relationships that could be perceived as influencing the research, its methodology, or its interpretation. Common examples include:

• Funding received from organisations with a financial interest in the research subject
• Employment, consultancy, or advisory relationships with relevant organisations
• Personal or academic relationships with parties whose interests may be affected by the findings

If no conflict of interest exists, authors must include the explicit statement: “The author(s) declare no conflict of interest.”

4.2  Reviewer Conflict of Interest

Reviewers must decline to review any manuscript in which they have a conflict of interest, including manuscripts authored by close collaborators, former supervisors or supervisees, or colleagues at the same institution. Reviewers who become aware of a potential conflict after accepting a review must notify the editorial office immediately.

4.3  Editorial Conflict of Interest

Members of the Editorial Board must recuse themselves from all decisions relating to manuscripts in which they have a conflict of interest. Manuscripts submitted by Editorial Board members or by the Editor-in-Chief are handled by an independent member of the board to ensure impartiality.

5.  Editorial Ethics and Responsibilities

5.1  Fair and Impartial Handling

Editorial decisions are based solely on the academic merit, originality, and scholarly significance of the work, and its fit with the journal’s scope. The identity, nationality, institutional affiliation, gender, seniority, or any other personal characteristic of the author(s) does not influence editorial decisions.

5.2  Confidentiality

All submitted manuscripts are treated as confidential documents by the editorial office and by peer reviewers. Manuscript content is not shared, discussed, or disclosed to any party other than those directly involved in the editorial process.

5.3  Editorial Independence

Editorial decisions are made independently by the Editor-in-Chief on the basis of academic criteria and reviewer recommendations. The publisher does not interfere in individual decisions regarding the acceptance or rejection of manuscripts.

5.4  Correction of Errors

The editorial office is committed to correcting errors where they are identified. Editors who become aware of factual errors in published work will initiate appropriate corrective action, including the publication of corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions as the circumstances warrant.

6.  Corrections and Retractions Policy

6.1  Corrections

If errors are identified in a published article — whether by the authors, the editorial office, or readers — the journal will publish a formal correction notice. Corrections may relate to factual errors, data errors, or significant errors in the presentation of results or arguments. Authors who identify errors in their own published work are encouraged to contact the editorial office promptly.

6.2  Retractions

A published article may be retracted in the following circumstances:

• The findings are shown to be unreliable due to data fabrication, falsification, or serious methodological error
• The article is found to be plagiarised from another work
• The article has been previously published elsewhere without disclosure (duplicate publication)
• The authorship of the article is found to be fraudulent or substantially misrepresented
• The research is found to have been conducted in violation of ethical standards

Retracted articles remain accessible on the journal’s website but are clearly marked as retracted, with the reason for retraction stated transparently. Retraction notices are published in the subsequent issue.

6.3  Expressions of Concern

In cases where a potential ethical concern about a published article cannot be conclusively resolved, the journal may publish an Expression of Concern to alert readers while an investigation is ongoing.

7.  Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy

7.1  AI Tools and Authorship

Artificial intelligence tools — including large language models such as ChatGPT and similar technologies — cannot be listed as authors of manuscripts submitted to Global Frontier. Authorship requires full accountability for the originality, validity, and integrity of the submitted work; AI tools have no legal standing and cannot fulfil these responsibilities.

7.2  Disclosure of AI Use

Authors who have used AI tools at any stage of manuscript preparation — including in drafting text, generating ideas, conducting literature searches, or processing data — must disclose this use clearly in the manuscript. The disclosure should state what tool was used, how it was used, and at what stage of the process. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of all submitted content regardless of whether AI tools were used.

7.3  Unacceptable AI Use

The use of AI tools to generate, fabricate, or misrepresent data, results, citations, or scholarly arguments is a serious breach of research integrity and will be treated as academic misconduct. Submission of AI-generated text without disclosure constitutes a violation of the journal’s authorship and plagiarism policies.

8.  Research Ethics

8.1  Human Subjects Research

Manuscripts reporting research involving human subjects — including survey research, interviews, focus groups, ethnographic work, and the use of personal data — must confirm that the research has received appropriate ethical approval from the relevant institutional review board or ethics committee. The name of the approving body and the approval reference must be stated in the manuscript.

8.2  Informed Consent

Where research involves identifiable human participants, authors must confirm that informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to the commencement of the research. Where participant anonymity is required, authors must confirm that appropriate measures were taken to ensure it throughout the research and publication process.

8.3  Transparency of Data and Sources

Authors are expected to be transparent about all sources of data and evidence used in their research. All secondary sources must be fully and accurately cited. Where primary data has been collected, authors should be prepared to provide access to that data on reasonable request, subject to applicable ethical and legal constraints.

9.  Misconduct and Complaints

9.1  Reporting Misconduct

Any person who becomes aware of suspected research or publication misconduct involving a manuscript submitted to or published in Global Frontier is encouraged to report their concerns to the editorial office. All reports will be treated with full confidentiality and investigated promptly and impartially.

Reports should be submitted in writing to:  📧  [Insert Journal Email Address]

9.2  Investigation Process

The editorial office will acknowledge all reports of suspected misconduct within 5 working days. Where the investigation confirms misconduct, appropriate action will be taken — which may include rejection of the manuscript, retraction of a published article, notification of the author’s affiliated institution, or referral to the relevant regulatory body. All investigations are conducted in accordance with COPE’s recommended guidelines.

9.3  Appeals

Authors who wish to appeal an editorial decision on grounds of suspected bias or procedural irregularity — as distinct from disagreement with the academic assessment — may submit a formal written appeal within 30 days of the decision. The Editor-in-Chief will review all appeals and communicate a final decision within 15 working days.

10.  Compliance with Regulatory Frameworks

Global Frontier operates in compliance with the following recognised regulatory and ethical frameworks:

Contact for Ethics Queries

For any queries, concerns, or reports relating to the journal’s ethics and publication policies, please contact the editorial office. The editorial team is committed to responding to all ethics-related queries within 5 working days.

📧  [ Email ]

This Publication Ethics page is reviewed periodically and updated to reflect developments in publication ethics standards and regulatory requirements. Authors, reviewers, and readers are advised to consult the most current version before engaging with the journal.