Conflict of Interest Policy

The Arghand Journal of Social Sciences (AJSS) is committed to ensuring the integrity, transparency, and impartiality of its editorial and publishing processes. To achieve this, AJSS requires all authors, reviewers, and editors to disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest that could influence their work or decision-making.

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1. Definition of Conflict of Interest

A Conflict of Interest (COI) exists when financial, personal, academic, or professional relationships could inappropriately influence or be perceived to influence an author’s, reviewer’s, or editor’s actions.

Examples include:

✅ Financial ties (grants, employment, consultancies, stock ownership)
✅ Personal relationships (family, friends, adversaries)
✅ Academic competition or rivalry
✅ Institutional affiliations that may bias judgment

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Phase 1: Responsibilities of Authors

1.1 Disclosure Requirement

Authors must disclose all potential conflicts of interest related to their submitted manuscript.
Disclosure should include any financial or non-financial relationships that could affect the research outcomes.

Disclosure Statement Example:
“The authors declare no conflicts of interest.”
or
“Author X has received funding from Organization Y, which had no role in study design, data collection, analysis, or publication.”

1.2 Funding Transparency

Authors must clearly state all sources of funding for their research.

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Phase 2: Responsibilities of Reviewers

2.1 Recusal for Conflicts

Reviewers must recuse themselves if they have any personal, financial, or professional relationship with the author(s) or institutions involved.

2.2 Confidentiality

Reviewers must not use knowledge gained from the manuscript review process for personal or professional advantage.

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Phase 3: Responsibilities of Editors

3.1 Decision-Making Impartiality

Editors must declare any conflicts of interest that could influence their handling of a manuscript.

3.2 Editorial Recusal

Editors with a conflict of interest will not participate in decisions related to the manuscript.
An alternate editor will be assigned to handle the submission.

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Phase 4: Investigation and Handling of Undisclosed Conflicts

If a conflict of interest is discovered after publication:

The editorial office will investigate the matter within 2–4 weeks.
Depending on the severity:
- A correction or addendum may be issued to disclose the conflict.
- In severe cases, the article may be retracted.

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Cultural and Ethical Considerations

AJSS ensures that conflict of interest management respects Afghan cultural norms and Islamic ethical principles, ensuring fairness for all stakeholders.

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Review and Updates

This policy is reviewed annually to align with evolving best practices in academic publishing.

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Contact for Conflict of Interest Disclosures or Queries

Email: alimr.212@gmail.com
CC: rpashtoon@hotmail.com
Editorial Office: AJSS, Kandahar University