1. Open Access Statement
This is an Open Access Journal
This is an open access journal with no embargo period, which means that all content is freely available without charge to the user or his/her institution. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author. This is in accordance with the BOAI definition of open access.
The journal of Historical Studies Signed the Declaration of Budapest Open Access Initiative and follows it.
2. Copyright and Licensing Policy
The journal of Historical Studies is an open access scholarly journal, committed to the free, immediate, and unrestricted online access to its published content. All articles are made available without embargo and without any subscription or registration requirements.
Copyright
Copyright of all articles published in this journal is retained by the author(s) without restriction.
As part of the submission and publication process, all author(s) are required to sign the Copyright Agreement.
By signing this agreement, the author(s) confirm that:
• they retain full copyright ownership of their work;
• they grant the journal the non-exclusive right of first publication;
• they agree that the article will be published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
Submission of a manuscript to the journal implies the author(s)’ willingness to enter into this Copyright Agreement upon acceptance. However, execution of the Copyright Agreement constitutes an essential component of the journal’s formal publication workflow and is required prior to publication.
Right of First Publication
The author(s) grant the journal the non-exclusive right of first publication of the submitted work.
This right does not limit the author(s)’ ability to reuse, share, distribute, or republish the work in any form after publication, provided that the original publication in this journal is properly acknowledged.
Licensing
All articles published in the journal of Historical Studies are simultaneously licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
Under this license, users are permitted to:
Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format for any purpose, including commercial use;
Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, including commercial use;
provided that appropriate credit is given to the author(s) and to the journal as the original place of publication, and a link to the license is provided.
Additional Distribution Rights
Author(s) are free to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the published version of the article (for example, depositing it in an institutional or subject repository, or republishing it as part of a book or collected volume), provided that proper acknowledgment of the original publication in this journal is clearly stated.
Self-Archiving and Preprints
The journal permits and encourages self-archiving.
Author(s) may post any version of their manuscript (including preprints, submitted manuscripts, accepted manuscripts, and the final published Version of Record):
• prior to submission,
• during the peer-review process,
• and after publication
in institutional repositories, personal websites, or other scholarly platforms.
Posting preprints or other manuscript versions does not constitute prior publication and does not compromise the journal’s right of first publication of the Version of Record. The journal recognizes self-archiving as a practice that enhances scholarly communication, visibility, and citation impact.
Repository Policy
The journal of Historical Studies permits and encourages authors to deposit all versions of their manuscripts—including preprints, submitted versions, accepted manuscripts, and the final published Version of Record—in institutional or subject repositories, personal websites, or other scholarly platforms of their choice. Such deposits may occur prior to submission, during the peer-review process, or after publication, and do not constitute prior publication. Authors may also enter into separate, non-exclusive agreements for the further distribution of their work, provided that proper acknowledgment of the original publication in this journal is clearly stated.
3. Publication Ethics and Editorial Policies
The journal of Historical Studies adheres to the highest ethical standards in scholarly publishing, in accordance with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Core Practices. The journal is committed to integrity, transparency, and ethical oversight in all aspects of the research and publication process.
3.1. Ethical Conduct in Research
All authors submitting to this journal are required to follow ethical principles in conducting their research and disseminating results. When studies involve human participants or animals, authors must ensure that:
• Participation is voluntary, with informed consent obtained;
• Participants are aware of potential benefits and risks;
• Privacy and confidentiality are maintained;
• Appropriate institutional ethical approvals are obtained;
• Research findings are used responsibly and for the benefit of participants where applicable.
Authors may be asked to submit an ethics declaration with their manuscript confirming adherence to these principles.
3.2. Research Misconduct
The journal of Historical Studies does not tolerate any form of research misconduct, including but not limited to:
• Plagiarism or improper use of others’ work
• Data fabrication or falsification
• Duplicate, multiple, or redundant publication
• Failure to disclose funding sources or conflicts of interest
All manuscripts undergo an initial plagiarism check using tools such as iThenticate, Samim Noor and other available resources. Detailed investigation is carried out if necessary.
iThenticate
Samim Noor
3.3. Duties of Authors
Authors are expected to:
• Ensure accuracy, originality, and clarity in reporting research;
• Provide underlying data upon request for verification;
• Properly acknowledge all sources and contributors;
• List as co-authors only those who made significant contributions;
• Disclose any conflicts of interest and sources of funding;
• Report fundamental errors discovered post-publication and cooperate with corrections or retractions;
• Follow all ethical guidelines regarding hazardous materials, human or animal subjects, and informed consent.
3.4. Duties of Editors
Editors are responsible for maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record. Their duties include:
• Making publication decisions based solely on scientific merit and relevance;
• Ensuring fair play, free from discrimination;
• Maintaining confidentiality of submitted manuscripts;
• Managing conflicts of interest and requiring disclosure from all parties;
• Handling ethical complaints, including issuing corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern when appropriate;
• Applying the same peer review standards to sponsored supplements and other special sections;
• Clearly identifying non-peer-reviewed content.
3.5. Duties of Reviewers
Peer reviewers support editorial decisions by providing objective, confidential, and constructive evaluations. Reviewers must:
• Notify the editor if they cannot review promptly or feel unqualified;
• Treat manuscripts as confidential;
• Provide objective and evidence-based reviews;
• Identify uncited relevant work and potential overlap with other publications;
• Disclose any conflicts of interest and recuse themselves if necessary;
• Avoid using information from the review for personal gain.
3.6. Peer Review Process
The journal of Historical Studies implements a double-blind peer review system, where:
• Each manuscript is evaluated by external experts, independent of the editorial team;
• Reviewers remain anonymous to authors, and author identities are masked from reviewers;
• Decisions are made by the editorial board based on reviewers’ recommendations;
• The journal does not guarantee acceptance of initial manuscript submissions; all submissions are subject to full peer review;
• Any exceptions to the peer review process (e.g., editorials or invited commentary) are clearly identified;
• Dates of submission, acceptance, and publication are published with each article.
• Authors are informed of any delays in the review process and have the opportunity to withdraw their manuscript if necessary.
3.7. Corrections and Retractions
The journal of Historical Studies maintains clear policies on:
• Post-publication discussion;
• Corrections of significant errors;
• Retractions for ethical or scientific misconduct;
• Expressions of concern when applicable.
The journal maintains clear and transparent policies for post-publication issues, in order to uphold the integrity of the scholarly record. These policies include:
• Post-publication discussion
Readers and authors are encouraged to raise legitimate concerns or questions regarding published articles. The journal provides mechanisms for such discussion, including contacting the editorial office or submitting a formal comment or letter to the editor. All discussions are assessed by the editorial board and handled professionally.
• Corrections (Errata)
When significant errors or inaccuracies are discovered in a published article, whether identified by the authors, readers, or editors, the journal will issue a formal correction (erratum). Corrections are linked to the original article and clearly describe the nature of the error and the amended content.
• Retractions
Articles may be retracted in cases of serious ethical or scientific misconduct, such as plagiarism, fabrication or falsification of data, or duplicate publication. Retraction notices are published and linked to the original article, explaining the reason for retraction while preserving the integrity of the scholarly record. Authors are involved in the process and given an opportunity to respond to the allegations.
• Expressions of Concern
In situations where an investigation is ongoing or when there is reason to doubt the reliability of a published article, but conclusive evidence is not yet available, the journal may issue an expression of concern. This alerts readers to potential issues while investigations are being completed.
• Procedural Transparency
All corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern are publicly accessible and clearly identified in both the online and print versions.
The editorial office follows COPE guidance in all cases to ensure due process and fairness.
The date of the correction, retraction, or expression of concern is published alongside the notice, and the original article remains part of the scholarly record with proper linkage.
• Author Responsibility
Authors are obligated to promptly notify the editor if they discover a significant error or ethical issue in their published work and to cooperate fully with the editorial office in issuing corrections or retractions.
3.8. Compliance with COPE
The Journal of Historical Studies adheres to COPE’s Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors, Authors, and Reviewers. Editors and the publisher follow COPE’s flowcharts and guidance in handling allegations of misconduct, including plagiarism, citation manipulation, and data falsification.
References and Resources:
• COPE Core Practices
• COPE Flowcharts
4. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automated Tools Policy
The journal of Historical Studies recognizes the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) and automated tools in scholarly communication and is committed to maintaining transparency, academic integrity, and human oversight in all stages of the publication process.
Use of AI by Authors
• Authors must disclose any use of generative AI tools (including large language models and chatbots) in the preparation of their manuscript, beyond basic language correction, editing, or formatting.
• Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, validity, and integrity of all content generated or assisted by automated tools.
• AI tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors.
• Generative AI tools must not be cited as sources in the manuscript.
Use of AI by Reviewers and Editors
• Peer reviewers and editors must not use generative AI tools to create review reports or editorial assessments, due to risks related to confidentiality, bias, non-specific feedback, and inaccurate or fabricated information.
• Limited use of automated tools for editing or rewriting may be acceptable, provided that such use does not compromise confidentiality and is transparently disclosed when relevant.
Use of AI by the Journal
• Any routine use of automated tools by the journal or publisher (e.g. plagiarism detection or integrity screening) is subject to human oversight.
• Automated outputs related to integrity checks (such as text similarity, image manipulation, or undeclared AI use) are reviewed and verified by editors or journal staff before any editorial decision is made.
• Editorial decisions are never made solely by automated systems; a human decision-maker is always involved (human in the loop).
The journal’s AI policy aims to support responsible innovation while safeguarding scholarly standards, ethical publishing practices, and the integrity of the academic record.
5. Revenue, Advertising, and Direct Marketing Policy
The journal of Historical Studies operates on a non-commercial and academic basis.
The journal does not accept advertising, does not engage in direct marketing activities, and does not generate revenue from subscriptions, sponsorships, reprints, supplements, or special issues.
Author fees are stated separately on the journal website and do not influence editorial or peer-review decisions.
6. Archiving and Digital Preservation
The journal of Historical Studies has a clear policy for electronic backup and long-term digital preservation.
All published content will remain permanently available on the official website of IHCS. In addition, the journal is archived by:
• The National Library and Archives of the Islamic Republic of Iran (Iranian Scientific Journals Platform)
• The Islamic World Science Citation Center (ISC)
7. Author Fees
In accordance with the regulations of the Scientific Journals Commission of Iran’s Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology and the resolutions of the Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies (IHCS), a fee is charged for the peer review and publication of articles.
• Article Processing & Review Charge: 6,000,000 Rials (IRR) per article (for articles up to 6,000 words).
• The fee is collected in two stages:
1. 3,000,000 Rials before sending the manuscript to reviewers;
2. 3,000,000 Rials upon acceptance of the manuscript for publication.
• No waivers or discounts are currently available.
• Detailed information regarding author fees is provided on the journal website.
• Payment of fees does not influence editorial or peer-review decisions; all manuscripts are evaluated solely based on scientific merit.
• If waiver policies are implemented in the future, this will be clearly stated, including eligibility criteria and application procedures.
References to official regulations:
• Scientific Journals Commission, Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology, Notification No. 40879, dated 24/02/1401 (Persian calendar).
• Resolution of IHCS Board of Directors, No. 1/143115, dated 03/08/1402.
• Subsequent update, IHCS Board Resolution No. 1/149318, dated 23/10/1402.