Peer-reviewers

Peer Review Process

Religion and Policy Journal (RPJ) implements a rigorous double-blind peer-review process to ensure the academic quality, originality, and relevance of all submitted manuscripts. Throughout the review process, the identities of both authors and reviewers are kept confidential.

1. Initial Screening

Each submitted manuscript undergoes an initial assessment by the editorial team to evaluate:

• Relevance to the journal’s focus and scope on religion, public policy, governance, and ethics

• Compliance with submission guidelines and formatting requirements

• Originality, assessed using plagiarism detection software (maximum similarity index: 20%)

Manuscripts that do not meet these criteria may be rejected or returned to the authors for preliminary revision prior to peer review.

2. Assignment of Reviewers

Manuscripts that pass the initial screening are assigned to at least two or three independent reviewers who:

• Possess expertise relevant to the manuscript’s subject matter

• Are not affiliated with the same institution as the authors

• Agree to complete the review within the specified timeframe (typically within 21 days of accepting the invitation)

All identifying information is removed from the manuscript to preserve the anonymity of authors and reviewers.

3. Review Process

Reviewers evaluate manuscripts based on the following criteria:

• Originality and contribution to scholarship on religion and public policy

• Analytical rigor and methodological soundness

• Theoretical and ethical engagement with issues of governance and policy

• Clarity, coherence, and academic quality of writing

Reviewers conduct their assessments in accordance with the journal’s review guidelines and evaluation template. Authors are therefore expected to ensure that their submissions fully comply with RPJ’s formatting, citation style, and structural requirements prior to review.

Reviewers provide detailed and constructive feedback and recommend one of the following decisions:

• Accept

• Minor Revision

• Major Revision

• Reject

The review period typically ranges from two to three weeks.

4. Editorial Decision

The final decision is made by the Editor-in-Chief, taking into account the reviewers’ reports and editorial judgment. In cases of substantially divergent reviewer recommendations, an additional reviewer may be consulted. Authors are generally notified of the editorial decision within approximately 60 days of submission.

5. Revision and Resubmission

Authors are required to revise their manuscripts in accordance with reviewer and editorial feedback:

• Minor revisions: to be completed within 14 days

• Major revisions: to be completed within 30 days

Revised submissions must include:

• A revised manuscript with tracked changes

• A detailed response letter addressing each reviewer comment

Manuscripts requiring major revisions may be returned to the original reviewers for further evaluation.

6. Final Submission and Publication

Manuscripts accepted for publication undergo copyediting, layout formatting, and DOI assignment. The estimated time from final acceptance to publication is 2–4 weeks.

Peer Review Ethics and Integrity Statement

Religion and Policy Journal is committed to upholding the highest standards of peer review ethics and academic integrity. This commitment includes:

• Confidentiality: All manuscripts and review communications are treated as confidential documents.

• Objectivity: Reviews are conducted solely on the basis of scholarly merit, without regard to personal, institutional, or ideological affiliations.

• Timeliness: Editors and reviewers are expected to adhere to review timelines, and authors are kept informed of progress.

• Transparency: Editorial decisions are grounded in documented reviewer evaluations and editorial assessment.

• Conflict of Interest: Editors, reviewers, and authors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest and recuse themselves when necessary.

• Plagiarism and Academic Misconduct: Allegations of plagiarism or unethical conduct are investigated thoroughly and may result in rejection or retraction.

• Reviewer Recognition: RPJ acknowledges reviewers’ contributions through formal recognition and certificates.

Religion and Policy Journal is dedicated to maintaining a transparent, ethical, and rigorous peer review process to ensure the publication of high-quality and impactful scholarly research.