Conflicts of Interest

Al-‘Arabiyya: Journal of Arabic Language, Literature, and Pedagogy is committed to maintaining the highest standards of transparency and ethical conduct in scholarly publishing. This policy outlines the definitions and procedures for identifying and managing conflicts of interest involving authors, reviewers, editors, and publishers, whether identified before or after publication. The journal adheres to the Core Practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Definition of Conflicts of Interest

A conflict of interest arises when financial, personal, professional, or academic relationships or interests could influence, or be perceived to influence, an individual’s objectivity, integrity, or decision-making in the research, review, editorial, or publication process.

Identification of Conflicts of Interest

All parties involved in the publication process are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest, including but not limited to:

• Financial interests: funding sources, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or honoraria.
• Personal relationships: close personal or family relationships with individuals involved in the research or publication.
• Academic relationships: collaborations, institutional affiliations, or supervisory relationships that may affect objectivity.
• Competing affiliations: associations with organizations that may benefit from or be affected by the research outcomes.
• Intellectual property: patents, copyrights, or other intellectual property interests related to the work.

Handling Conflicts of Interest

The journal manages conflicts of interest with diligence and transparency.

• Authors: must disclose all potential conflicts of interest during submission and notify the editorial board if conflicts are identified after publication.
• Reviewers: should decline review invitations if conflicts may compromise impartiality, or immediately inform the editor if a conflict arises during review.
• Editors and editorial staff: must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest. Alternative editors will be appointed where necessary.
• Publishers: are expected to ensure that conflicts of interest do not influence editorial decision-making.

Transparency and Disclosure

All declared conflicts of interest will be clearly disclosed in the published articles, reviews, or editorials where applicable. Individuals with conflicts of interest will be restricted from participating in editorial or review decisions related to the affected submissions.

Review of the Policy

This policy is subject to periodic review and revision in accordance with best practices in scholarly publishing. Any updates will be publicly announced on the journal’s website.