About the Journal

About the Journal

Editorial Mission & Academic Scope
SINTA 2 Accredited

The Journal of Government and Civil Society (JGCS) (p-ISSN: 2579-4396; e-ISSN: 2579-440X) is an open-access, peer-reviewed academic publication dedicated to advancing empirical research, theoretical developments, and critical policy perspectives in the fields of public administration, political science, and subnational governance.

While firmly rooted in regional governance research, JGCS actively encourages international submissions, comparative policy inquiries, and cross-national studies that offer globally relevant insights grounded in subnational and local civil society contexts. The journal serves as an international platform bridging academic scholars, policy analysts, and civil society practitioners to foster inclusive, accountable, and innovative democratic governance.

Editorial Independence & Academic Rigor

Editorial decisions at JGCS are guided strictly by scientific merit, methodological validity, original scholarly contributions, and independent peer evaluations—entirely uninfluenced by institutional affiliations or commercial considerations.

Standard Operating Procedure

Editorial Review Workflow

Journal of Government and Civil Society (JGCS)
Initial Submission

Manuscript Submission via OJS Portal

↓
Stage 1: Editorial Desk Screening
Pre-Review
  • Scope & Format Verification: Adherence to official article template and guidelines.
  • Similarity Index Check: Verified via Turnitin (< 20% limit).
↓
Pass Initial Desk Screening?
YES ↙ ↘ NO
Stage 2: Double-Blind Review
Peer Review
  • Concealed Identities: Authors and reviewers remain anonymous.
  • Independent Evaluation: Evaluated by 2+ expert reviewers.
Desk Reject / Decline
Terminated

Submission rejected due to out-of-scope themes, critical methodological flaws, or high similarity index.

↓
Editorial Board Decision Matrix
ACCEPT SUBMISSION
Direct to Production
REVISIONS REQUIRED
Minor Revisions → Verify
RESUBMIT FOR REVIEW
Major Revisions → Round 2
↓
Stage 3: Copyediting & Production
Final Preparation
• Language Proofreading • Galley Layout • DOI Registration
↓
Official Release

Stage 4: Official Online Publication

Biannual Schedule: Issue 1 (APRIL) & Issue 2 (OCTOBER)

Editorial Stage Breakdown

Detailed Lifecycle Descriptions
Workflow Reference
Stage 1 • Initial Assessment 01

Submission & Desk Screening

Submitted manuscripts undergo initial administrative and technical evaluations. Editors assess alignment with the journal's Focus & Scope, compliance with author guidelines, and verify text originality via Turnitin (similarity index must remain strictly under 20%).

Output: Advance to Peer Review or Desk Rejection
Stage 2 • Blind Peer Review 02

Double-Blind Peer Evaluation

Qualifying papers are assigned to at least two independent expert reviewers. Following a rigorous double-blind protocol, author and reviewer identities are fully masked to ensure unbiased scholarly critiques based on theoretical depth and empirical validity.

Output: Peer Review Reports & Quality Recommendations
Stage 3 • Decision & Revision 03

Editorial Determination & Revisions

The Editorial Board issues one of four formal determinations: Accept, Revisions Required (minor touch-ups), Resubmit for Review (major structural modifications requiring Round 2 evaluation), or Decline. Authors resubmit refined files accompanied by a rebuttal matrix.

Output: Final Decision (Acceptance or Rejection)
Stage 4 • Production & Publication 04

Production & Biannual Online Issue

Accepted manuscripts undergo copyediting, layout formatting, galley proofing, and DOI assignment. Articles are published online on a biannual cycle in April (Issue 1) or October (Issue 2), ensuring global open-access indexing.

Output: Published Open-Access Article with DOI

Publication Frequency & Timeline Schedule

 Rolling Admission & Target Milestones
Publishing Workflow Stage Issue 1 (April Publication) Issue 2 (October Publication)
1. Manuscript Submission Open Year-Round (Continuous Submissions)
Manuscripts are processed dynamically upon receipt
2. Double-Blind Peer Review Rolling review cycle (typically 4 – 12 weeks post-desk screening)
3. Revision, Copyediting & Layout Finalized by  March - April Finalized by  September - October
4. Official Online Publication APRIL OCTOBER
Editorial Note: Submissions completing the review and production process ahead of target deadlines are immediately assigned to the nearest scheduled publication issue (April or October).
Editorial Inquiries: For inquiries concerning journal scope alignment, submission status, or editorial workflows, please contact the secretariat at [email protected].