Kothanak: An International Journal on Social Sciences and Humanities
Committed to Integrity, Honesty, and Scholarly Excellence
At Kothanak, we are dedicated to maintaining the highest ethical standards in all aspects of the publication process. As a peer-reviewed journal rooted in the disciplines of humanities, social sciences, and cultural studies, we believe that ethical publishing is fundamental to the credibility, transparency, and intellectual value of academic discourse.
The following principles guide the conduct of our authors, reviewers, editors, and publishers:
Authorship should accurately reflect individuals who have made substantial scholarly contributions to the research or writing
All authors must approve the final manuscript prior to submission
Practices such as ghost authorship, guest authorship, or gift authorship are strictly discouraged and considered unethical
Submissions must be original, unpublished work that is not under consideration elsewhere
Proper citations must be provided for all references, quotations, or adapted ideas
Any form of plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, will lead to rejection or retraction, as it undermines scholarly trust
Authors are expected to present accurate, unaltered, and verifiable data
Data fabrication, falsification, or selective reporting of results is a serious breach of ethical standards
In case of research involving human subjects or sensitive information, appropriate ethical clearances must be ensured
All authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest—financial, institutional, or personal—that may affect objectivity
Transparent declarations help preserve the credibility and neutrality of published work
All manuscripts undergo double-blind peer review to ensure fairness, scholarly rigor, and relevance
Reviewers are expected to provide objective, respectful, and constructive feedback and must maintain confidentiality at all stages
Any suspected bias, conflict, or misconduct during peer review should be reported immediately
Editorial decisions at Kothanak are based solely on the intellectual merit and academic value of the manuscript
Editors operate free from commercial or institutional pressure and uphold the principles of impartiality and academic integrity
Kothanak maintains a clear policy for addressing issues such as:
In cases of suspected misconduct, the editorial board follows a transparent, step-by-step resolution process in line with COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines.
Our publisher is committed to fostering an ethical publishing environment by:
Supporting editors and reviewers with proper resources
Promoting responsible authorship practices
Taking swift action when allegations of misconduct arise
Ensuring that all policies are accessible and up-to-date
At Kothanak, we view ethical publishing not just as a responsibility, but as a collective commitment to academic honesty, cultural sensitivity, and intellectual growth. We invite all contributors to uphold these standards in the spirit of respectful scholarship and critical inquiry.
