INTRODUCTION
Fikrah: Jurnal Ilmu Aqidah dan Studi Keagamaan is committed to upholding the integrity, objectivity, and credibility of the academic research it publishes. Transparency regarding actual or potential conflicts of interest, also known as competing interests, is essential to maintaining trust in the scholarly publishing process. This policy outlines the responsibilities of authors, peer reviewers, editors, and journal staff in disclosing and managing interests that could compromise, or be perceived as compromising, professional judgment or editorial impartiality. Fikrah adheres to the ethical guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in formulating this policy.
DEFINITION
A conflict of interest (COI), also referred to as a competing interest, arises when an individual's professional judgment concerning primary scholarly responsibilities, such as assessing research validity, evaluating manuscript quality, or ensuring the integrity of peer review, may be influenced by secondary interests. These interests may include:
- Financial interests: Employment, consultancies, stock or equity holdings, honoraria, pending or received research funding, patent ownership or applications, royalties, paid advisory roles, expert testimony, or travel grants connected to the manuscript under review.
- Non-financial interests: Personal relationships (such as family members or close friends), academic or professional affiliations (including current or recent collaborations and supervisory roles), institutional ties, unpublished competing work, or strongly held personal, religious, or political beliefs that are directly related to the subject matter or individuals involved in the submission.
The existence of a conflict of interest is not inherently unethical. However, failure to disclose relevant interests may undermine the credibility of both the research and the publication process. This policy applies to all stakeholders involved in Fikrah, including authors, reviewers, editorial leaders, editorial board members, and journal staff.
POLICY
Principle of Full Disclosure
All individuals involved in the publication process at Fikrah must proactively and comprehensively disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest relevant to their respective roles. If no such conflicts exist, a formal declaration confirming their absence is required.
Timing of Disclosure
- Authors: Authors must disclose all potential conflicts of interest upon manuscript submission and update their declarations if new conflicts arise during the peer review or revision process.
- Peer Reviewers: Reviewers must declare any potential conflicts of interest when invited to review a manuscript and before accepting the assignment. If a conflict becomes apparent during the review process, it must be reported immediately.
- Editors and Journal Staff: Editors and journal staff must report any conflicts that could influence their editorial responsibilities to the Editor-in-Chief or publisher. They must withdraw from handling submissions when a significant conflict of interest exists.
Assessment and Management of Disclosed Conflicts
Fikrah will evaluate all disclosed interests to determine whether they could introduce bias into the research or compromise editorial decisions. Appropriate measures may include:
- Publishing authors' conflict-of-interest declarations alongside their articles.
- Reassigning peer reviewers or editors when their impartiality may be affected.
- Rejecting manuscripts when a conflict of interest poses a serious risk to research integrity.
Publication of Disclosure Statements
All published articles must include a conflict-of-interest declaration. If no relevant conflicts exist, a statement such as "The authors declare no known competing interests" must be included.
All sources of research funding must also be disclosed, together with an explanation of the funder's role in the research process. If the funder had no involvement in the research, this must be explicitly stated.
Post-Publication Discovery of Undisclosed Conflicts
If a significant undisclosed conflict of interest is identified after publication, Fikrah will investigate the matter in accordance with COPE guidelines. Depending on the severity of the conflict and its impact on research integrity, appropriate actions may include publishing a correction, issuing an expression of concern, or retracting the article.
IMPLEMENTATION PROCEDURES
For Authors
What to Disclose. Authors must declare all financial and non-financial interests that could reasonably be perceived as influencing their work.
Financial Interests: Research sponsorship; employment or consulting arrangements with interested entities; equity holdings; royalties or patents; honoraria or grants.
Non-Financial Interests: Institutional or organizational affiliations; personal or academic relationships; and strongly held ideological positions directly related to the research topic.
Funding Sources. All sources of research funding must be disclosed, along with the funder's role, if any, in the study design, data analysis, interpretation of findings, manuscript preparation, or publication decisions. If the funder had no involvement in these activities, this must be explicitly stated.
How to Disclose. Authors are required to submit a completed conflict-of-interest disclosure form when submitting their manuscripts. Fikrah may use the ICMJE Uniform Disclosure Form or a journal-specific version. A summary of the disclosed interests, or a declaration indicating that no conflicts exist, must also be included in the manuscript, typically before the reference section.
Consequences of Non-Disclosure. Failure to disclose relevant interests may delay publication or result in manuscript rejection. If undisclosed conflicts are identified after publication, appropriate measures may include publishing a correction or retracting the article.
For Peer Reviewers
What to Disclose. Peer reviewers must disclose any circumstances that could compromise their objectivity, including:
- Recent or ongoing collaborations with the authors.
- Personal relationships or professional rivalries.
- Financial interests in the research outcomes or related work.
- Previous involvement with the manuscript or similar submissions.
- Strongly held opinions that are likely to affect impartial judgment.
How to Disclose. Reviewers must report potential conflicts of interest when invited to review a manuscript. If a conflict becomes apparent at a later stage, they must immediately inform the editor.
Action on Disclosure. Reviewers with significant conflicts of interest will be asked to withdraw from the review process. The editor will assess the disclosed interests and determine the appropriate course of action.
For Editors and Journal Staff (Including Editorial Board Members)
What to Disclose. Editors and journal staff must disclose any relationships or interests that could influence, or reasonably be perceived as influencing, their editorial responsibilities. These may include:
- Financial connections to relevant commercial or institutional entities.
- Personal or professional relationships with authors or reviewers.
- Manuscripts submitted to the journal by themselves or their close associates.
- Research interests that overlap with those addressed in submitted manuscripts.
How to Disclose. Disclosures must be submitted to the Editor-in-Chief or publisher. Fikrah may maintain a publicly accessible register of editors' declarations, which will be updated periodically.
Management and Recusal. Editors or journal staff with significant conflicts of interest must withdraw from all editorial responsibilities related to the affected manuscript. An impartial editor or editorial board member will be assigned to handle the submission. Manuscripts authored by journal editors must undergo independent peer review to ensure objectivity.
Journal-Level Conflicts of Interest
Fikrah and its publisher are committed to maintaining editorial independence. The journal's editorial processes are designed to prevent commercial, institutional, or ideological interests from influencing editorial decisions. Any conflicts of interest at the journal or institutional level will be managed transparently.
Record Keeping
Fikrah maintains confidential records of all conflicts of interest disclosed by authors, reviewers, editors, and journal staff.
This policy aims to promote transparency, uphold ethical standards, and preserve public trust in the research published by Fikrah: Jurnal Ilmu Aqidah dan Studi Keagamaan. It will be reviewed and updated regularly to ensure continued alignment with evolving best practices in scholarly publishing.