PUBLICATION ETHICS

1. Ethical Commitment
ASWAJA: Journal of Islam and Pesantren Studies is a peer-reviewed academic journal committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics. This journal publishes original scholarly works focusing on Islamic studies, pesantren traditions, local Islam, and contemporary issues related to Islamic thought and practice. All parties involved in the publication process—editors, reviewers, authors, and the publisher—are expected to adhere to ethical principles based on academic integrity, professionalism, and responsibility.
This publication ethics statement refers to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines and relevant academic standards.

2. Duties and Responsibilities of Editors
Editors of ASWAJA are responsible for:

• Making publication decisions based solely on the academic merit, originality, clarity, and relevance of manuscripts.
• Ensuring a fair, objective, and confidential peer-review process.
• Maintaining the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and not disclosing any information to unauthorized parties.
• Preventing conflicts of interest between editors, authors, and reviewers.
• Taking appropriate action in cases of ethical misconduct, including plagiarism, data falsification, or redundant publication.
• Ensuring that corrections, retractions, or clarifications are issued when necessary.

Editors evaluate manuscripts without discrimination based on gender, religious affiliation, ethnicity, institutional background, or political views.

3. Duties and Responsibilities of Reviewers
Reviewers play a crucial role in maintaining the quality of published articles. Reviewers are expected to:

• Conduct reviews objectively, constructively, and within the agreed timeframe.
• Treat manuscripts as confidential documents and not use unpublished materials for personal advantage.
• Provide clear, scholarly, and evidence-based feedback to assist authors in improving their manuscripts.
• Identify relevant published works that have not been cited by the author.
• Notify editors of any potential conflicts of interest or suspected ethical violations, including plagiarism or unethical research practices.

4. Duties and Responsibilities of Authors
Authors submitting manuscripts to ASWAJA must:

• Ensure that their work is original, has not been published previously, and is not under consideration by another journal.
• Properly acknowledge and cite all sources used in the manuscript.
• Avoid plagiarism, self-plagiarism, data fabrication, falsification, and redundant publication.
• Ensure that all individuals listed as authors have made significant contributions to the research and writing of the manuscript.
• Clearly disclose any financial support or potential conflicts of interest related to the research.
• Promptly inform the editor if a significant error is discovered in a published article and cooperate in correcting or retracting the article if necessary.

5. Research Ethics and Integrity
For manuscripts involving:

• Human participants, authors must ensure that research is conducted ethically and respects participants’ rights, dignity, and confidentiality.
• Fieldwork, interviews, or ethnographic research, informed consent must be obtained, and cultural and religious sensitivities must be respected.
• Islamic texts and local traditions, authors are expected to engage sources responsibly, accurately, and respectfully.

Any form of unethical research practice is unacceptable.

6. Plagiarism Policy
ASWAJA has a zero-tolerance policy toward plagiarism. All manuscripts are subject to plagiarism screening using appropriate detection tools.

• Manuscripts with significant plagiarism will be rejected outright.
• Minor similarity issues may require revision before further consideration.
• Proper citation and quotation are mandatory for all referenced materials.

7. Conflicts of Interest
All parties involved in the publication process must disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence the evaluation or interpretation of a manuscript. Conflicts may include academic, financial, institutional, or personal relationships.

8. Handling of Ethical Misconduct
In cases of alleged ethical misconduct, ASWAJA will:

• Conduct a fair and confidential investigation.
• Provide authors with an opportunity to respond to allegations.
• Take appropriate action in accordance with COPE guidelines, which may include manuscript rejection, article retraction, or notification to relevant institutions.

9. Copyright and Licensing
Authors retain copyright of their work and grant ASWAJA the right of first publication. Published articles are distributed under the journal’s open-access policy, allowing wider dissemination of knowledge while ensuring proper attribution to the original authors.

10. Open Access Policy
ASWAJA provides immediate open access to its content based on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge, particularly in the fields of Islamic studies and pesantren scholarship.

11. Ethical Oversight
This publication ethics statement applies to all manuscripts submitted to ASWAJA. The editorial board regularly reviews and updates ethical policies to ensure compliance with evolving academic standards and best practices.