Submission Guidelines

1. Open Access

Rupkatha signed on to the Budapest Open Access Initiative. In conformity with this, the content of publications is primarily guided by the open nature of knowledge, and the journal is free to access from any corner of the world. The journal allows readers to freely read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full text of its articles and to use them for any other lawful purpose. The articles, book reviews, and other published items are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. 

2. Article processing charge (APC)

• Article Processing Charge: 250 USD. 
• This fee covers all publication costs: web hosting and administration, editorial and review activities, formatting, indexing, marketing and publicity, permanent archiving and preservation of contents, DOI registration, post-publication care etc. It will be charged only after an article is recommended for publication.
• Authors from countries designated “Lower-middle income economies” including India may apply for a 50% waiver in fees. Check the list>>
• Authors from countries designated “Low-Income Economies” can apply for a 100% waiver. Check the list>>
• Application for a waiver needs to be submitted at the time of submission.
• The authors keep the copyrights of their articles. They can distribute and reprint their articles on any platform or with a publisher in any medium.
• The published articles are immediately and permanently made free to access under the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 License.

3. Publication Policies

3.1: Aims and scope

Authors are requested to read the Aims and Objectives carefully.

3.1.1. Aims and scope:

The scope of the Rupkatha Journal is fundamentally rooted in the concept of interdisciplinarity, driven by an evolutionary necessity to address and comprehend complex systems. No longer can an entity under study be examined solely within the confines of a single discipline. Instead, it must be analysed as a hierarchical amalgamation of components that can be explored through various branches of knowledge.
With this understanding, we encourage authors to engage in interdisciplinary discussions, encompassing a wide range of topics within the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. This may even involve an antidisciplinary approach, where the research transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries altogether.
We look forward to receiving submissions that embody this spirit of interdisciplinary inquiry.

3.1.2. Areas of discussion

• Interdisciplinary approaches to language, literature and arts
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) in human culture, language, literature, and arts.
• Health & medical humanities
• Gender Studies
• Fine arts, film & communication & media Studies
• Performing arts, performance studies
• History of arts
• Historiography, memory, history of emotions
• Music: ethnomusicology, systematic musicology
• Archaeology: material culture, human behaviour, cultural resources management
• Tourism and heritage
• Cultural Studies: cultural anthropology, ethnography, area studies
• Scientific philosophy: artificial intelligence, biology, economics, neuroscience, and psychology
• Animal Studies: ethics, law and rights
• Law: human rights, intellectual property rights, digital rights management
• Library and information studies: knowledge production, information literacy, open access
• Psychology: educational psychology, applied psychology
• Ecological humanities
• Transhumanities
• The humanities debate: critical university studies and higher education

• The humanities debate: critical university studies and higher education

3.2: Types of content we publish

We publish original research papers and book reviews. Sometimes we publish innovative creative works and interviews.

3.3 Word Limits

Research articles: 5000-7000 words including the Reference section. Articles beyond 7000 words will also be considered.

Book Reviews: Word limit: 1500-3000 words

4. Editorial Process: Submission, Peer Review and Production

4.1 Submission Process

Authors should read the Terms and Conditions and the Policies of the journal before submission:

• Terms and Conditions
• Self-archiving Policy
• Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement
• Generative AI Policies

Book Review: For reviewing books, please get the complete guidelines here>>

4.1.1 Submission Portal

Authors must sign in or register with the Rupkatha Submission Portal and follow the instructions for setting up an account.

4.1.2 Manuscript Preparation

Authors prepare their manuscripts in accordance with the submission guidelines of the journal, following proper formatting, citation style, and adhering to other requirements.

4.1.3 Formatting

File Types: We process the Ms Word files. Normally we do not accept images or any graphic content separately. Graphic materials need to be incorporated by the authors in the text document.

Reference Style: Authors must follow the APA style (http://www.apastyle.org) (Quick guidelines can be found here).

Visual Images: We encourage authors to incorporate visual images like diagrams, maps and pictures in their writings in innovative ways so that the reader gets some multimedia experience. All kinds of visual images should be treated as ‘Figures’, and if possible, authors are requested to present the figures in the hyperlinked state. Authors should note that they should get permission from the concerned person or authority to reproduce the visual images before submission. We will not remain responsible for any copyright violation by the authors.

Language: The journal is published in the English language and we accept both UK and US spellings. However, mixing the two in an article is not recommended. Authors should refrain from using racist and sexist terms.

4.1.4 Submission of the Files

Authors need to submit and upload two doc files

• Cover letter (Download the Template)
• Blinded manuscript. (Download the Template)

4.1.5 Best Practices for Authors:

• Sign up with www.orcid.org and send your ORCID Id to us.
• Use institutional email id if possible.
• Include a link to your profile on your institutional website if available.
• In the Reference section, avoid including long URLs. Use DOI whenever available. Do not keep the links in the blue underlined state. Remove underlined state and the color.
• Declare funding if any.

4.1.6 Final Submission after Acceptance

• Authors need to download the Final Submission Template and format the final submission accordingly and upload in the portal.
• Author/s will have to sign “Declaration by Authors” and upload scanned copies of the same after acceptance of the article concerning:
  • Acceptance of the Terms and Conditions
  • Authenticity of the research work
  • Claim of authorship
  • Plagiarism
  • Generative AI
  • Conflicts of Interests.
  • Agreement of Publishing the Version Records.

4.1.7 Post-acceptance Process

• Author/s will have to complete the journal contributor’s publishing agreement after the acceptance of the paper.

4.2 Double-Blind Review Process

The journal follows a Double-Blind Peer Review system. The editors primarily consider the submitted articles to confirm the standard and scope of the journal. If any submitted article fails to fulfill the primary standard, it will be rejected, and the author will be informed of the decision promptly. If the editors are satisfied, two reviewers are selected for detailed consideration of the articles. The rule also applies to the members of the Editorial board.

Reviewer Selection: The Managing Editor invites qualified reviewers who hold a PhD, have recent publications in the field, and have no recent collaborations with the authors. The confidentiality of both reviewers’ and authors’ identities is strictly maintained and mutual anonymity of the parties is ensured.

Peer Review: Reviewers evaluate the manuscript’s originality, methodology, significance, and clarity. They provide detailed feedback and recommendations for acceptance, revision, or rejection as per the instructions and guidelines.

Review Reports: At least two review reports are collected for each manuscript, and a third report is sought if the first two differ significantly.

Decision Making: Based on the reviewers’ reports, the Editor-in-Chief, Guest Editor, or a suitable Editorial Board member makes a decision. The decision may involve requesting revisions, accepting the manuscript, or rejecting it.

Author Revisions: If revisions are requested, authors submit a revised manuscript addressing the reviewers’ comments. This process may involve one or two rounds of major revisions.

Plagiarism Check: Plagiarism check including Generative AI may be conducted at any stage.

Final Decision: After revisions, the Editor-in-Chief, Guest Editor, or Editorial Board member makes the final acceptance or rejection decision.

Review Period: We do NOT have any system for fast or rapid review nor do we encourage it. A decision on a submitted article along with reviewers’ comments is communicated to the author within 3 months. Authors should not send any queries before the period is over. However, after three months of submission, if no decision is taken, authors can naturally withdraw and submit elsewhere.

4.3 Production Process

Once the manuscript is accepted, the in-house editorial team organises its production. The manuscript undergoes copyediting to correct grammar, punctuation, and formatting issues, ensuring clarity and consistency. It is also reviewed for language quality, improving readability and ensuring that it meets the journal’s standards. The final version is proofread to catch any remaining errors and prepare for publication.

The edited manuscript is published online immediately after acceptance and production, even before the full issue is compiled. The articles are organised into yearly volumes and quarterly issues. The finalised issues are made available on the journal’s website.

5. Publication Policy

5.1 Publication Ethics

We are committed to upholding publication ethics in every possible manner. We try to adhere to the norms and guidelines formulated by various scholarly societies to achieve international standards by maintaining quality in publication and updating our publication system. We expect and encourage all the concerned parties associated with the journal to follow the norms mentioned on our website.

5.2 Authorship

All published materials—articles, book reviews, poems or art pieces, must contain appropriate attribution of authorship. Since we follow the online medium, it is the sole responsibility of the corresponding author—who initiates the submission process online- to ensure the integrity of publication ethics by complying with the following:

5.2.1 Appropriate attribution and acknowledgement

The corresponding author should ensure that

• The submitted manuscript is genuine research work produced by the author/s,
• All the other authors are made aware of the submission,
• Permission is taken from other authors for publication,
• The contribution of the authors is appropriately acknowledged,
• The contribution of other persons or parties, who/which add value to the work in any way, is sufficiently acknowledged,
• The Conflicts of Interest document must be signed properly and sent to us on time.

5.2.2 Changes in authorship

Authors can send a request for changes to authorship to the Chief Editor. The Editorial Board of the journal reserves the right to take the final decision on the request. Changes will be made only if there is a valid reason and full agreement among the authors. Public notification may be made in the case of any post-publication change.

5.2.3 Ghost,’ ‘guest,’ or ‘gift’ authorship

We condemn the unethical practice of ‘Ghost,’ ‘guest,’ or ‘gift’ authorship (or anything that does not have any proper contribution to an article) and take appropriate steps against such practices.

5.3 Publication Policy

We insist that all concerned with the publication of the journal—editors, reviewers and website managers, must strictly follow international norms. We are constantly trying to raise the standards of our publications. We expect the same kind of commitment from authors to conform to the international ethical norms as formulated by various scholarly organizations.

5.3.1 Malpractices

While submitting to our journals, authors should strictly follow our guidelines. We reserve the right to take action against any of the practices mentioned below:

• Simultaneous Submission to Other Publication Agency: We accept manuscripts on the belief that the same has not been submitted or will be submitted to other journals while the review process is going on. Concrete action is taken against the authors who make simultaneous submissions during the period of peer review.

• Plagiarism: Plagiarism is a curse upon the scholarly world. Authors submitting with us are expected to have a proper understanding of plagiarism issues. Nothing should be copied in any form without proper acknowledgement or legal permission in any way that may violate the other person/party’s rights. While they should include an acknowledgement of others’ works, they should also get permission to use any material from the parties concerned themselves. The journal will not initiate any process nor will it remain responsible for any kind of copyright violation.
• Generative AI: The use of Generative AI in our processes is strictly prohibited. Authors are allowed to utilize Generative AI tools solely for the purposes of enhancing readability and conducting grammar checks. Any other application of Generative AI is not permitted. Read more>>
• Defamation or Promotion: We do not expect authors to include anything that may turn out to be defamatory or promotional.
• Gender, Racial and Language Bias: We are deeply committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the academic community. As such, we uphold the highest standards to ensure that our publication processes are free from any form of bias or discrimination.

5.3.2 Steps against Misconduct

We may take any one or all of the following steps against unethical practices:

• The published content is retracted via notification.
• Modified content is published with justification for modification.
• The author is blacklisted and barred from future submissions.
• Notification along with the evidence of misconduct is communicated to an author’s institution, superior, and/or any concerned authority.

5.4 Conflict of Interest

In order to maintain transparency in publication, we encourage all authors, editors, reviewers, and other persons/parties involved in the publication process to avoid any form of conflicts of interest. Our publication policies and guidelines are regularly revised to address these issues.

5.4.1 Authors

Authors with our journals need to be careful of any kind of conflict of interest—be it financial, promotional or honorary. The corresponding author is responsible for sending us the Conflict of Interests document, which has been agreed to and signed by other authors.

5.4.2 Editors and reviewers

Editors and reviewers of our journals are encouraged to avoid any form of potential conflict of interest while performing their duties in concerned capacities in order to maintain the integrity of our publication ethics and raise the standard of the journal. They are requested to follow the guidelines sent to them via email communication. All forms of internal conflict of interest are handled by the Chief Editor, who maintains privacy and takes appropriate measures.

The publisher strictly maintains the professional independence of the editorial board members. The board enjoys full autonomy in performing its scholarly duties. The publisher does not interfere with anything regarding this.

• Instructions and Guidelines for Peer Reviewers
• Instructions and Guidelines for Editors