Peer Review and Oversight Policy for Special Issues

Peer Review Protocol for Special Issues
At African and Global Issues Quarterly (AGIQ), all special issues are subjected to the same high-standard double-blind peer review process applied to regular submissions. However, minor procedural adaptations may be made to align with the issue’s specific thematic emphasis.

• Guest Editors: Specialists with deep knowledge of the theme may be appointed as guest editors. Their responsibilities include conducting an initial manuscript assessment and recommending reviewers with appropriate expertise.

• Review Standards: Submissions are evaluated based on both academic rigour and their relevance to the central theme of the special issue.

• Editorial Collaboration: Guest editors coordinate with the AGIQ editorial team to ensure fairness and consistency in the peer review process.

• Final Decision-Making Authority: All final decisions regarding publication remain with the AGIQ editorial board, ensuring that journal quality standards are maintained.

Editorial Supervision of Special Issues

• Role of Guest Editors: Where guest editors are involved, they work in partnership with AGIQ’s editorial board to guarantee that all submissions meet the journal’s formatting, thematic relevance, and scholarly requirements.

• Initial Manuscript Review: Every manuscript is initially reviewed to confirm its alignment with the special issue’s theme and compliance with the journal’s submission policies.

• Editorial Board Oversight: The editorial board of AGIQ provides ongoing oversight and retains the authority to accept or reject any manuscript throughout the process.

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Policy on Guest Editor Authorship in Special Issues

To maintain the highest levels of ethical transparency and academic fairness, AGIQ enforces specific measures regarding submissions by guest editors.

1. Impartial Review Mechanism

   • Articles authored or co-authored by guest editors are reviewed under the same double-blind protocol as all other submissions.

   • Guest editors are strictly prohibited from selecting reviewers or participating in editorial decisions concerning their own work.

   • The review process for such submissions is overseen by an impartial editor or designated member of the AGIQ editorial board.

2. Submission Limitations

   • To prevent overrepresentation, guest editors may author or co-author no more than 25% of the total articles published in a single special issue.

   • This ensures a balanced and inclusive representation of diverse contributors.

Please contact the Editor

Editor: Dr. Nicholas Idris Erameh
Nigerian Institute of International Affairs
Lagos, Nigeria
Eramehnicholas@gmail.com