Conflict of Interest Policy

Editorial Cuadernos de Sofía SPA (RUT: 77.649.795-9, a First Category Company recognized by the State of Chile and registered with the Chilean Book Chamber) is committed to ensuring integrity and transparency in the editorial process, adhering to international ethical principles. Our simple and guided policy outlines how we identify, declare, and manage potential conflicts of interest involving editors, authors, and reviewers, ensuring a fair and impartial editorial process.

1. Definition of Conflict of Interest
A conflict of interest arises when personal, financial, professional, or other interests of an editor, author, or reviewer could influence, or be perceived to influence, their objective judgment during the editorial process. Examples include:

  • Personal relationships (e.g., family, close friendships) between editors, authors, or reviewers.
  • Financial interests (e.g., payments, stocks, or contracts related to the work).
  • Recent professional collaborations (e.g., co-authorships, joint projects within the last 3 years).
  • Academic competition or institutional conflicts (e.g., rivalry between departments).

2. Declaration of Conflicts of Interest
Before starting the review process, all parties must declare the absence or presence of conflicts of interest:

  • Editors: The Content Editor and Editor-in-Chief sign a Consent of Absence of Conflict of Interest upon assignment to a manuscript, declaring no personal, financial, or professional relationships with the Author or work that could compromise their impartiality.
  • Authors: The lead Author (and co-authors, if applicable) signs a Consent of Absence of Conflict of Interest when submitting the proposal, confirming no conflicts with proposed reviewers or the editorial team that could influence the evaluation.
  • Reviewers: Proposed and external reviewers sign a Consent of Absence of Conflict of Interest before accepting the review, declaring no personal, financial, or professional relationships with the Author or work.

The consent is digitally signed and recorded in the book’s file in Open Monograph Press (OMP). If a conflict is declared, the Editor-in-Chief assesses its severity and decides:

  • Minor Conflict: Participation is allowed with mitigation measures (e.g., additional supervision).
  • Significant Conflict: The editor, author (in co-authorships), or reviewer is reassigned to ensure impartiality.

3. Consent Signing Process

  • Editors: Upon manuscript assignment, they must sign the consent within 48 hours, confirming the absence of conflicts or declaring any relevant interests.
  • Authors: When submitting the proposal via OMP, they complete an integrated consent form, digitally signed, including a declaration of no conflict with proposed reviewers or editors.
  • Reviewers: Before accepting the review, they receive a link to sign the consent, declaring no conflicts with the Author or work.
  • Deadline: The consent must be completed before starting the review (proposal or manuscript). If not signed, the process is suspended until resolved.

4. Handling Conflicts During the Editorial Process
Conflicts of interest may arise or be identified after the consent is signed, during manuscript work. Examples include:

  • Editors: Discover a prior relationship with the Author (e.g., recent project collaboration).
  • Authors: Begin a collaboration with a reviewer during the review, compromising impartiality.
  • Reviewers: Identify an undeclared financial interest (e.g., consultancy related to the book’s topic).

Procedure for Subsequent Conflicts:

  • Notification: The editor, author, or reviewer must inform the Editor-in-Chief within 5 business days of identifying the conflict, sending an email to editorial@cuadernosdesofia.com with details.
  • Evaluation: The Editor-in-Chief, with the Editorial Committee, reviews the conflict within 5–10 business days, considering:
    • Nature of the conflict (personal, financial, professional).
    • Potential impact on the impartiality of the process.
    • Stage of the editorial process (proposal, review, editing).
  • Resolution: Based on severity, measures are taken:
    • Minor Conflict: Additional supervision (e.g., second external reviewer, Editor-in-Chief audit).
    • Significant Conflict: Reassignment of the editor or reviewer, or exclusion of the author (in co-authorships) from editorial decisions.
    • Severe Conflict: Suspension of the process until the conflict is resolved, or termination of the contract if unmitigated, per Clause 11 of the Standard Contract.
  • Record: All conflicts and resolutions are documented in the book’s file in OMP.

5. Responsibilities

  • Editors: Verify the absence of conflicts upon manuscript assignment, report any emerging conflicts, and ensure impartial decisions.
  • Authors: Declare any relationships or interests that could influence the evaluation, including conflicts with proposed reviewers, and report changes during the process.
  • Reviewers: Confirm the absence of conflicts before reviewing, refrain from evaluating manuscripts with personal interests, and report any emerging conflicts.
  • Editorial Cuadernos de Sofía: Oversee the process, ensure consent signing, and resolve conflicts transparently and ethically.

6. Examples of Conflict Management

  • Editor: A Content Editor discovers they are a colleague of the Author on a recent project. They notify the Editor-in-Chief, who reassigns the manuscript to another editor.
  • Author: A co-author begins a financial collaboration with a proposed reviewer during the review. The Author declares it, and the reviewer is replaced with an external one.
  • Reviewer: A reviewer identifies that the manuscript competes with their own work. They decline the review, and a new reviewer is assigned.

7. Contact
To report a conflict of interest or inquire about this policy, contact us at editorial@cuadernosdesofia.com or visit https://cuadernosdesofia.com. Editorial Cuadernos de Sofía ensures an ethical, transparent editorial process aligned with international standards, protecting the integrity of your work.