Editorial Policies

Aims and Scope

The journal seeks to integrate sociological and anthropological knowledge and promotes the institutionalization of social anthropology in the Russian academic community. JSSA specializes in publishing sociological and social anthropological articles on the processes of modernization and transformation of post-Soviet societies. Particular attention is paid to research on culture, everyday life, market, power, social mobility, health, labor, and education.

The journal publishes articles based on research using quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods. In addition to research articles, the journal accepts reviews and book reviews.

Sections

Peer Review Process

The peer review procedure
Once an author submits a manuscript by e-mail (jssa@list.ru), it is checked to make sure that the submission is complete and has been prepared according to the JSSA submission guidelines. At this time a message of manuscript acknowledgement is sent to the authors to let them know that their manuscript has been received. Each manuscript is then read by an editor and assistant editor to assess its relevance for the journal according to the guidelines determined by the editorial policy. Thereby we ensure that the content falls within the scope of the journal, that it is original and follows editorial policy and procedural guidelines. A manuscript could be rejected without additional review for the reasons mentioned above, and the authors will be notified.
If a manuscript is not rejected in the first stage, it is then sent out for review to a minimum of two reviewers who are part of the JSSA's pool of reviewers. The manuscript undergoes a double-blind review: the authors and the reviewers are unaware of each other's identity. Once reviewers are chosen and they accept their assignment, we send them a checklist that covers all assessment guidelines. For each type of submissions (original research, case-study report, book review, etc.) we use different assessment criteria.
The reviewers provide their recommendations to the editor-in-chief, who assesses them in consultation with other JSSA editors and then makes one of the following decisions:

1. to reject the manuscript (either outright or with encouragement to resubmit);
2. to withhold judgment pending major or minor revisions;
3. to accept the manuscript pending satisfactorily completed revisions;
4. to accept it as written (a very rare option).

For manuscripts accepted pending revision, the authors must resubmit a revised manuscript that will pass some of the stages mentioned above. Once the final revision is completed the manuscript will be accepted and put into the production process to prepare it for publication.

Open Access Policy

The journal provides open access to all materials as soon as they are published on the Web site, thereby facilitating a broader exchange of knowledge. Open-access license: Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 CC-BY

Publication Ethics

The publication ethics of The Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology (JSSA) is based on international ethical standards, in particular those developed by the Committee on Publication Ethics: COPE's Best Practices Guidelines for Journal Editors (http://publicationethics.org/resources/code-conduct). Ethical standards concern all participants in the publishing process: the editorial board, the authors and the reviewers.

Obligations of the Editorial Board
• The Editorial Board is responsible for all published materials. This means that the Editorial Board strives to satisfy the scientific demands of readers and authors, constantly improves the journal, ensures the quality of published materials, does not interfere with the freedom of author's self-expression, excludes the satisfaction of financial and other pragmatic needs at the expense of scientific and ethical standards, is always ready to publish corrections, clarifications, refutations and apologies when it is necessary.
• The Editorial Board decides whether to publish or reject the manuscripts solely considering their professional level, on the basis of editorial policy and copyright norms, regardless of race, sex, nationality, citizenship, religious, ideological or political position of the author.
• The Editorial Board strictly follows the rules of double-blind review in which information about authors and reviewers are closed for both parties.
• Members of the Editorial Board can not, without the written consent of the authors, disclose the information contained in the manuscripts submitted for publication to third parties (with the exception of reviewers).
• The Editorial Board stops preparing the manuscript for publication if it reveals violations of the publication ethics expressed in plagiarism, sending previously published materials to the journal, appropriating the results of other scholars' research, as well as falsifying the data.
• All meaningful changes to the text are agreed with the author. In case of disagreement with the changes both parties have the right to refuse publication of the material.
• The materials published in the Journal may not reflect the views of the Editorial Board and the founders of the Journal.

Obligations of the authors
• The authors provide original works for publication. All sources used in the work are given exhaustive bibliographic references. All fragments of text and graphics borrowed from other sources are provided according to the citation rules indicating the author and the source. Plagiarism, as well as the inclusion of fragments of texts without the permission of rightholders is unacceptable.
• Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal is not acceptable. Full or partial republishing of materials should be agreed with the editor. If a permission to republish is obtained, subsequent versions of the text require a reference to the first publication.
• The authors indicate the contribution of all individuals whose work is the basis of the study. Those who made a significant contribution at the stage of preparing an article for publication but can not be considered an author, should be thanked. Persons who did not take part in the study should not be listed as co-authors.
• The research should be based on reliable results. The use and promulgation of knowingly unreliable data is unacceptable.
• The authors submit their personal data (place of work, position, e-mail address) for publication in the Journal.
• The authors agree that their article will be sent for review and undertake to cooperate with editors to improve, reduce or supplement their article in accordance with the comments of the reviewer.
• The authors should disclose in their manuscript any financial or contentious conflict of interest that could affect the results of the study. All sources of financial support for the project should be made public.
• The authors are responsible for the fact that the presented publication does not contain information that could harm the interests of people who provided the information necessary for research.
• If errors or inaccuracies are found in an article that is at the review stage or has already been published, the authors must notify the editorial office as soon as possible.

Reviewers' Commitments
• The reviewer is an expert in the field of knowledge to which the peer-reviewed manuscript belongs. The review should objectively evaluate the scientific article and contain a comprehensive analysis of its merits and demerits. The reviewer who does not, in his opinion, possess sufficient qualification for the evaluation of the manuscript, or can not be objective, or can not prepare a review in due time, must notify the editor about it, asking him to exclude him from the review process.
• Peer review is based on the principle of confidentiality: a peer-reviewed manuscript or the review itself can not be submitted for review or discussion to third parties. The reviewer should not use information about the content of the work before it is published for their own benefit or for the benefit of third parties.
• In the event of a conflict of interest that may arise from competition, cooperation or any other relationship with any of the authors, projects or organizations with which the article is linked, the reviewer should notify the editorial office thereof.
• The reviewer is obliged to give an objective and reasoned assessment of the results of the research. Personal criticism of the author is unacceptable.