1. Submission Overview
2. Submission Preparation
3. Suggesting / Excluding Reviewers
4. Editors and Journal Staff as Authors
5. Policy on Corrections, Expressions of Concern, and Retractions
6. Complaints and Appeals Policy 

 

1.  Submission Overview

Before you decide to publish with Politics and Security Governance (PSG), please read the following items carefully and make sure that you are well aware of Editorial Policies and the following requirements.

1.1 Topic Suitability

The topic of the manuscript must fit the scope of the journal. Please refer to Aims and Scope for more information.

1.2 Open Access and Copyright

The journal adopts the Gold Open Access publishing model and distributes content under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License(CC BY 4.0). Copyright is retained by authors. Please make sure that you are well aware of these policies.

1.3 Publication Fees

Please refer to Article Processing Charge for publication fees. There are no additional charges based on color, length, figures, or other elements.

1.4 Language Editing

All submissions are required to be presented clearly and cohesively in good English. Authors whose first language is not English are advised to have their manuscripts checked or edited by a native English speaker before submission to ensure the high quality of expression. A well-organized manuscript in good English would make the peer review even the whole editorial handling more smoothly and efficiently.

2.  Submission Preparation

2.1 Cover Letter

Each manuscript may optionally be accompanied by a cover letter. It should be concise and explain why it fits the scope of the journal, why it would be attractive to readers, and so on.

2.2 Types of Publications

The journal publishes Original Research Article, Editorial, etc. There is no restriction on the number of figures, tables, and references, provided that the manuscript is concise and comprehensive. For more details about paper type, please refer to the following table.

Manuscript Type	Definition	Word Limit	Abstract	Keywords	Main Text Structure
Original Article	In-depth original research that offers new insights and contributions to the fields of political science, security studies, and governance. These articles should be grounded in strong theoretical frameworks or empirical analysis.	No less than 5000	Unstructured abstract. No more than 250 words.	3-8 Keywords	The main text may consist of several sections with unfixed section titles. We suggest that the author include an "Introduction" section at the beginning, several sections with unfixed titles in the middle part, and a "Conclusion" section in the end.
Review	Comprehensive essays that critically review recent developments in security governance or synthesize existing research. These articles provide a broader overview of key debates, emerging trends, and future directions in the field.	No less than 2000	Unstructured abstract. No more than 250 words.	3-8 Keywords	The main text may consist of several sections with unfixed section titles. We suggest that the author include an "Introduction" section at the beginning, several sections with unfixed titles in the middle part, and a "Conclusion" section in the end.
Commentary	Concise, thought-provoking commentaries that engage critically with recent developments in political science, security studies, and governance.	1000-3000	Unstructured abstract. No more than 250 words.	3-5 Keywords	The main text may consist of several sections with unfixed section titles. We suggest that the author include an "Introduction" section at the beginning, several sections with unfixed titles in the middle part, and a "Conclusion" section in the end.
Case Study	Detailed analyses of specific cases in security governance, focusing on real-world applications, regional studies, or unique security challenges. These articles highlight practical implications and lessons learned.	3000-6000	Unstructured abstract. No more than 250 words.	3-5 Keywords	The main text may consist of several sections with unfixed section titles. We suggest that the author include an "Introduction" section at the beginning, several sections with unfixed titles in the middle part, and a "Conclusion" section in the end.
Fieldwork Notes	Fieldwork-based notes that present on-the-ground observations, data, and reflections from researchers conducting empirical studies in the field of security governance. These contributions highlight practical experiences, methodologies, and challenges faced in diverse regional contexts.	2000-5000	None required.	None required.	/
Book Review	Analytical reviews of recent publications in the fields of security governance, political science, and international relations. These reviews critically assess the contributions of new works, providing thoughtful critique and discussing their relevance to ongoing scholarly debates.	800-1000	None required.	None required.	/

2.3 Manuscript Structure

In addition to referring to the Instructions for Authors set out in the following, we also recommend using our templates to prepare the submission files.

2.3.1 Title Page & Back Matter

2.3.1.1 Title

The title of the manuscript should be concise, specific and relevant, with no more than 16 words if possible.

2.3.1.2 Authors and Affiliations

Authors' full names should be listed. The initials of middle names can be provided. Institutional addresses and email addresses for all authors should be listed. At least one author should be designated as corresponding author. In addition, corresponding authors are suggested to provide their Open Researcher and Contributor ID upon submission. Please note that any change to authorship is not allowed after manuscript acceptance.

2.3.1.3 Abstract

The abstract should provide the context or background for the study and should state the study's purpose, basic procedures (selection of study participants, settings, measurements, analytical methods), main findings (giving specific effect sizes and their statistical and clinical significance, if possible), and principal conclusions. It should emphasize new and important aspects of the study or observations, note important limitations, and not overinterpret findings. It is not allowed to contain results which are not presented and substantiated in the manuscript, or exaggerate the main conclusions. Citations should not be included in the abstract.

2.3.1.4 Keywords

Please provide up to six keywords that best represent the content and focus of your submission.

2.3.1.5 Acknowledgments

This is an optional section where authors can acknowledge people and/or institutions that provided non-financial support and/or helped with the research and/or preparation of the manuscript. People to be acknowledged include those who do not qualify as authors. Examples of non-financial support include externally-supplied equipment/biological sources, writing assistance, administrative support, and contributions from non-authors. Authors are responsible to obtain the permission for acknowledging people and/or institutions to be included in this list. If none of the above is pertinent, state “Not applicable”.

2.3.1.6 Funding

Authors should declare all financial support and sources that were used to perform the research, analysis, and/or article publication. Financial supports are generally in the form of grants, royalties, consulting fees and others. Organizations that provide the grants and grant numbers should be declared. If the study is not involved with this issue, state "None." in this section.

2.3.1.7 Conflict of Interest

At the time of submission, authors must declare any (potential) conflicts or competing interests with any institutes, organizations or agencies that might influence the integrity of results or objective interpretation of their submitted works. For more information, see our Conflict of Interest Policy. State “The authors declare they have no competing interests” or words to that effect, if the authors do not have anything to declare.

2.3.1.8 Authors' Contributions

Each author is expected to have made substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work, or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data, or the creation of new software used in the work, or have drafted the work or substantively revised it. We encourage authors to use Contributor Roles Taxonomy (CRediT) in describing each contributor’s specific contribution to the scholarly output in the Author Contributions section.

Below shows a sample Author Contributions section written based on the CRediT:

Conceptualization: Author 1, Author 2

Investigation: Author 3, Author 4, Author 5

Methodology: Author 6

Formal analysis: Author 7

Writing – original draft: Author 8

Writing – review & editing: Author 9

If an article is single-authored, please include "The author contributed solely to the article." in this section.

2.3.1.9 Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate

Research involving human subjects, human material or human data must be performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by an appropriate ethics committee. An informed consent to participate in the study should also be obtained from participants, or their parents or legal guardians for children under 16. A statement detailing the name of the ethics committee (including the reference number where appropriate) and the informed consent obtained must appear in the manuscripts reporting such research.

Studies involving animals and cell lines must include a statement on ethical approval. More information is available at Editorial Policies.

If the manuscript does not involve such issue, please state "Not applicable." in this section.

2.3.1.10 Consent for Publication

If human subjects were involved, state what form of consent (e.g., written and/or verbal) and whether or not permission was obtained from each of the subjects to publish their data and/or images. Efforts must be made by the authors to at least mask or conceal any identifying information of the patients that appear in writing or within photograph. If consent taking was not performed when human subjects were involved, provide a justification herein.

If none of the above is pertinent, state "Not applicable".

2.3.1.11 Availability of Data

In order to maintain the integrity, transparency and reproducibility of research records, authors should include this section in their manuscripts, detailing where the data supporting their findings can be found. Data can be deposited into data repositories or published as supplementary information in the journal. Authors who cannot share their data should state that the data will not be shared and explain it. If a manuscript does not involve such issue, please state "Not applicable." in this section.

2.3.1.12 Further Disclosure

In line with best practices in academic publishing and the principles set out by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), authors are required to provide full and transparent disclosure of the following:

(i) Whether part or all of the findings have been previously presented at a conference, academic meeting, workshop, or similar forum. Please include details such as the name, date, and location of the event.

(ii) Whether the manuscript, in whole or in part, has been previously made publicly available via a preprint server. If applicable, please provide the name of the server and the associated accession number or DOI.

(iii) Whether any form of artificial intelligence (AI), including generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Grammarly, or others), has been used during the preparation of the manuscript.

• Permitted Use: AI tools may be used solely for language editing and improvement, such as enhancing grammar, spelling, or clarity.
• Prohibited Use: AI tools must not be used to generate content related to the conceptualization, methodology, data interpretation, analysis, or conclusions of the research.

Any AI-assisted editing must be clearly disclosed in the acknowledgments or a separate disclosure statement, specifying the tool used and the nature of its contribution.

Authors remain fully responsible for the integrity, originality, and accuracy of all submitted work, including any content where AI tools have been applied.

Failure to disclose relevant prior dissemination or the use of AI tools may be considered a breach of publication ethics and could lead to editorial action, including rejection or retraction.

2.3.2 Main Text

Manuscripts of different types are structured with different sections of content. Please refer to Types of Manuscripts to make sure which sections should be included in the manuscripts. 

All manuscripts must be fully anonymized for peer review. This includes removing any identifying information and anonymizing self-citations where authors refer to their own previous work.

2.3.3 References

Authors are responsible for the accuracy and completeness of their reference lists and in-text citations. Every source cited in the text must appear in the reference list, and vice versa. Where available, please include DOIs in the APA 7th edition format. All references must follow APA style.

Examples of reference style:

[1] Aguinis, H., & Lawal, S. O. (2013). eLancing: A review and research agenda for bridging the science–practice gap. Human Resource Management Review, 23(1), 6-17.  

[2]Cooke, F. L., Dickmann, M., & Parry, E. (2022). Building sustainable societies through human-centered human resource management: Emerging issues and research opportunities. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 33(1), 1-15.

[3] Inglehart, R. (1997). Modernization and postmodernization: Cultural, economic, and political change in 43 societies. Princeton University Press.

*For more informaion on APA referencing please refer to APA condensed guide.

2.3.4 Supplementary Materials

Additional data and information can be uploaded as Supplementary Materials to accompany the manuscripts. The supplementary materials will also be available to the referees as part of the peer-review process.

2.4 Manuscript Formats

2.4.1 File Formats

Manuscript files must be submitted in DOC, or DOCX formats. Files should not be locked or password-protected to ensure accessibility for editorial and review processes.

2.4.2 Length

Word limits for each submission type are specified in the "Types of Publications". Please note that the word count includes references. There are no restrictions on the number of figures or the volume of supplementary materials. However, authors are encouraged to present and discuss their findings as clearly and concisely as possible.

2.4.3 Language

Manuscripts must be written in English.

2.4.4 Figures &Tables

Figures and tables should be cited in numerical order and placed after the paragraph where they are first cited. All figures and tables should be clear and readable. Please use three-line tables.

Permission for use of copyrighted materials from other sources, including re-published, adapted, modified, or partial figures and images from the internet, must be obtained. It is authors' responsibility to acquire the licenses, to follow any citation instructions requested by third-party rights holders, and cover any supplementary charges.

3. Suggesting / Excluding Reviewers

As part of the submission process, authors are encouraged to suggest up to three potential reviewers with relevant expertise. While the editorial team is not obliged to invite suggested reviewers, such recommendations can be helpful. Please include complete contact information for each suggested reviewer (name, affiliation, and email address).

Suggested reviewers must:

• Not be current collaborators of any co-author;
• Be affiliated with different institutions from those of the authors.

You may propose suitable Editorial Board members or scholars you frequently cite in the manuscript.

Authors may also request the exclusion of up to three individuals as potential reviewers or editors. If you wish to exclude more than three, please provide a brief justification. This information will assist editors in determining whether the request can be accommodated while maintaining a fair and rigorous peer review process.

4. Editors and Journal Staff as Authors

PSG upholds the highest standards of editorial independence. Editorial Office staff do not interfere with editorial decisions under any circumstances.

Editors or journal staff who submit their own academic work to the journal will not be involved in any stage of the review or decision-making process for their submission. Such manuscripts will be handled by other qualified Editorial Board members with no conflict of interest and will be reviewed by at least two independent external reviewers.

Journal staff are similarly excluded from the processing of their own submissions to ensure transparency, impartiality, and the integrity of the editorial process.

5.Policy on Corrections (Erratum), Expressions of Concern, and Retractions 

PSG is committed to upholding the accuracy and integrity of published research. The journal undertakes all necessary measures to address errors identified in published papers, which may include the issuance of corrections or, where deemed appropriate, the retraction of articles to safeguard the integrity of the research findings.

Authors bear the responsibility of promptly notifying the journal should they identify any concerns regarding their published work, encompassing both minor inaccuracies and significant issues that could potentially affect the conclusions of the paper. 

Correction (Erratum)

In instances of minor errors that do not compromise the core conclusions of a publication, the online and PDF versions will be updated with an accompanying notice of update.

For errors that affect the accuracy of a publication, a formal Correction (Erratum) will be published online in conjunction with the corrected manuscript, providing a detailed account of the revisions. Subsequent notification in print will follow. Authors are expected to collaborate in the rectification of errors to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.

Retractions and Expressions of Concern

If errors or issues of replicability invalidate a paper's core findings, a Retraction will be issued. Accumulated errors may also lead to retraction if they undermine confidence in the integrity of the data and its interpretation.

In cases of potential major errors or research misconduct, the journal may inform the author's institution and publish an Editorial Expression of Concern pending the outcome of institutional inquiry.

Retractions are issued in confirmed instances of research misconduct, adhering to the guidelines set forth by COPE. The purpose of such notices is to inform readers and safeguard the transparency and integrity of the scholarly record. Responsibility for investigating misconduct rests with the relevant institutions, and retraction notices may include references to institutional findings.

Through these measures, PSG endeavors to promote transparency, accountability, and trust in social science research.

"COPE. (2019). RETRACTION GUIDELINES. Retrieved from https://publicationethics.org/guidance/guideline/retraction-guidelines”

6. Complaints and Appeals Policy

PSG is committed to addressing concerns in a fair and timely manner. Complaints regarding editorial decisions, ethical matters, or journal management should be submitted via email to PSG@ppipress.com, accompanied by documented evidence. The journal aims to acknowledge receipt of complaints within five working days and to resolve them within thirty days. Appeals against initial decisions must be submitted within fourteen days of receiving notification of the decision.