Peer Review Process

The Journal of Religious and Cultural Studies (RELACS) applies a rigorous double-blind peer review process to ensure the quality, originality, and scholarly integrity of all published articles. Neither the authors nor the reviewers are informed of each other’s identities throughout the review process.

Initial Editorial Screening

Each submitted manuscript is first evaluated by the Editor-in-Chief or an assigned Section Editor to assess its suitability with the journal’s focus and scope, academic relevance, originality, and compliance with the author guidelines. Manuscripts that do not meet these criteria may be rejected at this stage without external review.

Plagiarism Check

Manuscripts that pass the initial screening are subjected to a plagiarism detection process using reliable similarity-checking tools. Submissions with unacceptable levels of similarity or ethical concerns will be returned to the authors or rejected.

Peer Review

Eligible manuscripts are sent to at least two independent reviewers who are experts in the relevant field. Reviewers evaluate the manuscript based on academic merit, methodological rigor, theoretical contribution, clarity of argumentation, and relevance to current scholarly discourse.Reviewer Recommendations

Reviewers provide constructive feedback and recommend one of the following decisions:

  1. Accept without revision
  2. Accept with minor revisions
  3. Revise and resubmit (major revisions)
  4. Reject

Editorial Decision

The editorial team considers the reviewers’ reports and makes the final decision. In cases of differing recommendations, the editor may seek additional reviews or make a decision based on academic judgment.

Revision and Resubmission

Authors are required to revise their manuscripts in accordance with the reviewers’ and editors’ comments. A revised manuscript may be returned to the original reviewers for further evaluation if necessary.

Final Acceptance and Publication

Once a manuscript is accepted, it undergoes copyediting, layout editing, and proofreading before publication. The final version is published in the scheduled issue of RELACS.

Through this peer review process, RELACS ensures that all published works meet high academic and ethical standards and contribute meaningfully to the fields of religious and cultural studies.