Journal Policy

Contemporary Issues on Indonesian Human Rights Law and Policy is an international, peer-reviewed scholarly journal dedicated to the study of contemporary developments in Indonesian human rights law, policy, institutions, and practice. The journal is committed to promoting rigorous, original, ethical, and internationally relevant scholarship.

The journal's policies are designed to ensure academic quality, editorial independence, transparency, fairness, research integrity, and responsible scholarly communication. These policies apply to all authors, reviewers, editors, Editorial Board members, Guest Editors, and other parties involved in the publication process.

The journal's editorial and publication practices are informed by internationally recognized standards and recommendations, including the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Core Practices and the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing developed by COPE, DOAJ, OASPA, and WAME.

1. Editorial Scope and Academic Focus

The journal publishes scholarly work addressing contemporary issues in Indonesian human rights law and policy and their broader regional and international implications.

The journal welcomes legal, socio-legal, empirical, comparative, interdisciplinary, theoretical, and policy-oriented research addressing areas such as:

Constitutional and human rights law;
International human rights law;
Human rights institutions and governance;
Civil and political rights;
Economic, social, and cultural rights;
Equality and non-discrimination;
Women's rights and gender equality;
Children's rights;
Indigenous peoples' rights and customary law;
Environmental rights and climate justice;
Business and human rights;
Digital rights and emerging technologies;
Criminal justice and law enforcement;
Transitional justice and accountability;
Freedom of religion or belief;
Migration, refugees, and statelessness;
Human rights and public policy;
Access to justice and legal remedies;
Human rights education and civil society; and
Comparative and regional human rights studies.

The journal encourages research that moves beyond descriptive accounts and provides original theoretical, empirical, doctrinal, comparative, or policy contributions.

2. Types of Publications

The journal publishes several types of scholarly contributions. The Editorial Board may determine the appropriate publication category based on the content, methodology, and purpose of the submission.

2.1 Original Research Articles

Original Research Articles constitute the principal publication type of the journal.

They should present original research that makes a substantive contribution to scholarship in human rights law, policy, or related interdisciplinary fields.

Research articles may employ:

Doctrinal legal research;
Socio-legal approaches;
Empirical research;
Qualitative or quantitative methods;
Comparative legal analysis;
Case studies;
Policy analysis;
Historical research; or
Interdisciplinary approaches.

Research articles should normally contain a clear research problem or question, engagement with relevant literature, appropriate methodology, substantive analysis, findings or arguments, and a conclusion demonstrating the contribution of the study.

2.2 Comparative Research Articles

The journal welcomes Comparative Research Articles examining Indonesian human rights law and policy in relation to other jurisdictions, legal systems, institutions, or regional and international frameworks.

Comparative articles should not merely describe two or more jurisdictions. They should identify meaningful similarities, differences, patterns, explanations, or theoretical implications that contribute to human rights scholarship.

Particular attention is given to comparisons involving Indonesia and Southeast Asian, Asia-Pacific, or other relevant jurisdictions.

2.3 Theoretical and Conceptual Articles

Theoretical and Conceptual Articles develop new theoretical perspectives, conceptual frameworks, analytical models, or critical interpretations relevant to human rights law and policy.

Such articles should demonstrate substantial engagement with existing scholarship and provide a clear original contribution.

Conceptual manuscripts should not function merely as general essays or descriptive discussions. They should develop an identifiable scholarly argument or framework that advances understanding of a particular issue.

2.4 Socio-Legal and Empirical Studies

The journal welcomes Socio-Legal and Empirical Studies examining the interaction between law, institutions, policy, and social realities.

These studies may investigate:

Implementation of human rights laws;
Institutional practices;
Experiences of rights holders;
Access to justice;
Policy implementation;
Public attitudes and perceptions;
Law enforcement practices;
Social movements and advocacy;
Effects of legislation and regulation; or
Human rights outcomes at community or institutional levels.

Empirical submissions must clearly explain their research design, methods, sources of evidence, and ethical considerations where applicable.

2.5 Legal and Jurisprudential Analysis

The journal accepts scholarly analyses of significant:

Constitutional Court decisions;
Supreme Court decisions;
Other judicial decisions;
Legislative developments;
Regulatory reforms;
International human rights decisions;
Treaty developments; and
Emerging legal doctrines.

Such manuscripts should provide critical legal analysis and demonstrate significance beyond merely summarizing a judgment, statute, or regulatory development.

2.6 Policy Analysis

Policy Analysis Articles examine the design, implementation, impact, or reform of public policies affecting human rights.

Policy-oriented submissions should maintain a strong scholarly foundation and may address:

Government programs;
Regulatory policies;
Social protection;
Health and education;
Environmental governance;
Digital governance;
Security policies;
Migration policies;
Development policies; or
Institutional reforms.

The analysis should identify relevant evidence and explain the implications of the policy for human rights protection and governance.

2.7 Systematic and Critical Review Articles

The journal may publish Systematic Review Articles, Scoping Reviews, or Critical Literature Reviews that synthesize significant bodies of scholarship relevant to human rights law and policy.

Review articles should demonstrate:

A clearly defined research objective;
Transparent search and selection procedures where applicable;
Appropriate analytical or synthesis methods;
Critical engagement with the literature;
Identification of gaps or limitations; and
A clear contribution to future research.

A review article should provide more than a descriptive summary of existing publications.

2.8 Special Issue Articles

The journal may publish articles within approved Special Issues addressing a specific contemporary theme.

Special Issue articles are subject to the same:

Editorial screening;
Peer review standards;
Publication ethics requirements;
Plagiarism screening;
Authorship requirements; and
Quality standards

as articles submitted to regular issues.

Guest Editors may coordinate the thematic and review process, but the Editor-in-Chief retains ultimate editorial responsibility.

2.9 Research Notes

Where appropriate, the journal may publish Research Notes presenting focused and timely scholarly contributions, preliminary empirical findings, methodological insights, emerging legal developments, or narrowly defined research questions.

Research Notes must nevertheless provide sufficient scholarly substance and originality and are subject to editorial assessment and peer review as determined by the Editor.

2.10 Book and Literature Reviews

The journal may publish Book Reviews or Critical Literature Reviews of significant recent academic books or major scholarly works relevant to human rights law, policy, governance, and related fields.

Book reviews should provide critical scholarly assessment rather than merely summarize the content of the reviewed work.

3. Publication Frequency

The journal is published four times a year (quarterly):

January
April
July
October

Each annual volume consists of four regular issues.

The Editorial Board may publish additional Special Issues where appropriate and subject to editorial approval.

4. Regular Issues

Regular issues consist primarily of peer-reviewed scholarly articles accepted through the journal's standard editorial process.

The composition of each regular issue is determined by the Editor-in-Chief based on:

Article readiness;
Scholarly quality;
Thematic diversity;
Balance of research approaches;
Availability of accepted manuscripts; and
The journal's publication schedule.

The journal does not guarantee publication in a particular issue solely based on the date of submission or acceptance.

5. Special Issues

Special Issues are thematic collections of scholarly articles addressing a specific contemporary research area.

Special Issues may be proposed by:

Members of the Editorial Board;
Qualified scholars;
Research groups;
Academic institutions;
Research networks; or
Other appropriate academic communities.

All Special Issue proposals are subject to approval by the Editor-in-Chief and/or Editorial Board.

Special Issues are not automatically published every year and may be published as additional issues or within the journal's regular publication schedule, depending on editorial considerations.

Guest Editors may be appointed for approved Special Issues. However, all manuscripts remain subject to the journal's normal standards of peer review and publication ethics.

6. Peer Review

The journal applies a double-blind peer review process.

Research articles and other substantive scholarly contributions are normally evaluated by at least two independent reviewers with relevant expertise.

The Editor-in-Chief retains ultimate responsibility for editorial decisions.

Detailed procedures are provided in the journal's Peer Review Policy.

7. Editorial Decision-Making

Editorial decisions are based primarily on:

Originality;
Academic significance;
Relevance to the journal's scope;
Theoretical contribution;
Methodological rigor;
Quality of analysis;
Reliability of evidence;
Clarity of argument;
Engagement with relevant scholarship; and
Overall contribution to knowledge.

Acceptance is not determined solely by reviewer recommendation. The Editor may consider the overall scholarly quality and relevance of the manuscript when making the final decision.

8. Originality and Multiple Submission

Manuscripts must be original and must not be under simultaneous consideration by another journal.

Authors must disclose any:

Previous publication based on the same research;
Related manuscript;
Conference paper;
Preprint;
Thesis or dissertation chapter; or
Other substantially overlapping publication.

Substantial undisclosed overlap may result in rejection or further investigation under the journal's publication ethics policy.

9. Plagiarism and Similarity Screening

All manuscripts may undergo similarity screening using an appropriate plagiarism-detection system.

The journal does not rely solely on a numerical similarity score. Editors assess the nature, source, extent, and context of textual overlap.

The journal prohibits plagiarism, self-plagiarism, translation plagiarism, mosaic plagiarism, and other forms of inappropriate appropriation of intellectual work.

Further details are provided in the Plagiarism Prevention and Similarity Check Policy.

10. Authorship and Contributions

Authorship must reflect substantial intellectual contribution to the research and manuscript.

All listed authors must:

Have made a meaningful contribution;
Participate in drafting or critically revising the manuscript;
Approve the final version; and
Accept responsibility for the integrity of the work.

Gift, guest, honorary, and ghost authorship are not permitted.

Changes to authorship after submission require appropriate justification and agreement from all affected authors.

11. Research Ethics

Research involving human participants, sensitive personal information, vulnerable groups, or other ethically sensitive materials must comply with relevant ethical standards and applicable institutional and legal requirements.

Where applicable, authors must provide information regarding:

Ethical approval;
Informed consent;
Confidentiality;
Anonymization;
Data protection; and
Measures to minimize potential harm.

The journal pays particular attention to research involving victims of human rights violations, children, indigenous communities, refugees, detainees, survivors of violence, and other vulnerable populations.

12. Conflict of Interest

Authors, reviewers, editors, and Guest Editors must disclose actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest.

Editors and reviewers must recuse themselves where a conflict could reasonably compromise impartiality.

The existence of a conflict does not necessarily prevent publication or participation in peer review, provided that the conflict is appropriately disclosed and managed.

13. Funding Disclosure

Authors must disclose financial support or funding related to the research.

The funding statement should identify the funding organization and, where applicable, describe the role of the funder in the research.

Where no specific external funding was received, authors should provide an appropriate declaration.

14. Artificial Intelligence and Generative AI

The journal permits responsible use of AI-assisted tools subject to transparency and scholarly accountability.

AI systems cannot be listed as authors.

Authors remain fully responsible for:

Accuracy;
Originality;
Citations;
Interpretation;
Research integrity; and
Final content.

AI must not be used to fabricate evidence, references, quotations, legal authorities, data, or findings.

Where substantive generative AI assistance has been used, authors should disclose its use in accordance with the journal's AI policy.

Reviewers and editors must not upload confidential manuscripts or peer review materials into AI systems where confidentiality cannot be assured.

15. Citation and Reference Integrity

Authors must ensure that citations accurately represent the sources cited.

The journal prohibits:

Fabricated references;
Misrepresentation of sources;
Citation manipulation;
Coercive citation;
Excessive unjustified self-citation; and
Citation practices intended primarily to manipulate journal or author metrics.

References should be relevant to the argument and sufficiently engage with appropriate national and international scholarship.

16. Editorial Independence

Editorial decisions are made independently of:

Commercial interests;
Advertising;
Sponsorship;
Political influence;
Institutional pressure;
Author status or reputation; and
Citation considerations.

Editors must manage conflicts of interest appropriately and recuse themselves when necessary.

17. Corrections, Retractions, and Withdrawal

The journal is committed to maintaining the integrity of the published scholarly record.

Where errors or ethical concerns are identified, the journal may issue:

Corrections;
Clarifications;
Expressions of Concern;
Retractions; or
Other appropriate editorial notices.

Manuscripts may be withdrawn before publication in accordance with the journal's withdrawal policy.

Published articles may be retracted where substantial problems affect the reliability, originality, or integrity of the scholarly record.

18. Complaints and Appeals

Authors and other stakeholders may submit complaints or appeals concerning editorial decisions, peer review, publication ethics, authorship, or other editorial matters.

Complaints and appeals are assessed fairly and confidentially.

The journal seeks to resolve complaints through appropriate editorial procedures and may consult independent experts or relevant institutions where necessary.

19. Open Access and Copyright

The journal's access, licensing, and copyright arrangements are specified in its Open Access Policy and Copyright and Licensing Policy.

The journal is committed to transparent information concerning:

Copyright ownership;
Licensing;
Author rights;
Access to published articles; and
Any applicable publication charges.

20. Archiving and Preservation

The journal seeks to ensure the long-term accessibility and preservation of published scholarly content through appropriate digital archiving and preservation mechanisms.

Information concerning the journal's specific archiving arrangements is provided in its Digital Archiving and Preservation Policy.

21. Publication Charges

Any Article Processing Charges (APCs), submission fees, or other publication-related charges must be clearly disclosed on the journal's website.

Where applicable, editorial decisions shall not be influenced by an author's ability or inability to pay publication charges.

The journal does not guarantee acceptance or publication in exchange for payment.

22. Advertising and Commercial Relationships

Any advertising, sponsorship, or commercial relationship associated with the journal must remain separate from editorial decision-making.

Commercial considerations shall not influence:

Manuscript acceptance;
Peer reviewer selection;
Editorial decisions;
Article content; or
Publication priority.

23. Non-Discrimination and Inclusivity

The journal is committed to fair and respectful treatment of all participants in the publication process.

No person shall be disadvantaged in editorial or peer review processes on the basis of:

Nationality;
Ethnicity;
Gender;
Religion or belief;
Disability;
Institutional affiliation;
Political viewpoint; or
Other characteristics unrelated to scholarly merit.

24. Language Policy

The journal accepts manuscripts written in English.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that manuscripts are presented in clear and academically appropriate English.

Language quality may be considered during editorial screening; however, language proficiency alone should not determine the scholarly assessment of a manuscript where the academic contribution can be fairly evaluated.

25. Manuscript Processing

The general editorial process consists of:

Manuscript submission;
Editorial and scope screening;
Similarity/plagiarism screening;
Assignment to an editor;
Selection of independent reviewers;
Double-blind peer review;
Editorial decision;
Revision, where applicable;
Final editorial assessment;
Copyediting and production;
Publication; and
Post-publication maintenance of the scholarly record.

The duration of each stage may vary according to manuscript quality, reviewer availability, editorial workload, and the complexity of the research.

26. Policy Review and Revision

The Editorial Board periodically reviews the journal's policies to ensure continued alignment with developments in scholarly publishing, research ethics, human rights scholarship, and international standards of editorial practice.

Policy revisions will be communicated through the journal's official website where appropriate.

27. Commitment to Scholarly Integrity

Contemporary Issues on Indonesian Human Rights Law and Policy is committed to providing a credible, independent, and internationally oriented platform for scholarship on human rights law and policy.

The journal seeks to ensure that every published contribution is:

Original;
Scholarly rigorous;
Ethically produced;
Transparently reviewed;
Properly attributed;
Relevant to the journal's academic mission; and
Meaningful to contemporary human rights scholarship.

The journal considers the integrity of the scholarly record a shared responsibility among authors, reviewers, editors, publishers, and the wider academic community.