Submissions

Author Guidelines

Aims and scope

Kosova Anthropologica is a diamond open access double blind peer-reviewed annual academic journal of the Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Prishtina “Hasan Prishtina”. The aim of the journal is to advance anthropological knowledge of Kosova and the region. The journal is an open forum for scholars, mainly in the field of cultural/social anthropology, archaeology, and linguistic anthropology. It is addressed to national and international scholarly audiences interested in the anthropological study of culture, society and lifeworlds, focusing in Kosova and the region. 

There are no charges for authors to publish in Kosova Anthropologica. 

Kosova Anthropologica will publish papers in both languages, Albanian and English. All published papers must be of highest standards of academic publication. Kosova Anthropologica is open to contributions from researchers interested to publish on above topics and includes studies focused on empirically oriented anthropological analysis of specific themes, but it publishes work which is also theoretically oriented and book, film, documentary and other visual media reviews. 

Kosova Anthropologica publishes:

• Original (scientific) papers (6000-8000 words)
  containing previously unpublished original research
• Editorials (introductions of up to 3000 words)
• Reviews (original, concise and critical reviews of books, films, documentaries and other medial forms associated with anthropology - from 1000 up to 1500 words)

Open Access and Copyright Statement

Kosova Anthropologica is a diamond open-access journal, meaning that all content is freely available without charge to the user or their institution. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles for non-commercial purposes, as long as proper attribution is given to the original author(s) and the source.

The journal operates under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This license permits users to share and distribute articles in their original form for non-commercial purposes, provided proper credit is given. However, users may not modify or create derivate works without prior permission.

Authors retain full copyright of their work and grant Kosova Anthropologica the right of first publication. The journal supports self-archiving and allows authors to deposit the final published version in institutional or subject repositories without embargo. Deposited versions must include proper citation details, the article’s DOI (Digital Object Identifier) and a link to the official journal website.

This policy aligns with our commitment to open access and transparency, and global exchange of knowledge, ensuring unrestricted dissemination of research while respecting authors’ rights.

There are no submission fees or article processing charges (APCs) for publishing in Kosova Anthropologica.

 

Ethics Statement

Kosova Anthropologica is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in research and publication. The journal follows the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Core Practices and adheres to COPE’s guidelines on ethical publishing, peer review, authorship, and retraction policies.

Below is an overview of the ethical responsibilities for all those involved in the publishing process.

Responsibilities for authors

Authors must ensure their work is original, properly cited and free from plagiarism. All manuscripts will be screened.

Authors must adhere to Chicago Manual of Style (17 edition) for citation and referencing.

Kosova Anthropologica follows the COPE and International Committee of Medical Journals (ICMJE) authorship criteria. All listed authors must a) have substantially contributed to the research, b) have written or critically revised the manuscript, c) have approved the final manuscript before submission, and c) be accountable for the accuracy and integrity of the work.

Research Integrity & Plagiarism Policy

Authors must use reliable antiplagiarism detection software before submission. They should also follow best practice and take measures to ensure that there is no plagiarism in their paper. All plagiarism issues with the paper are sole responsibility of the author. Any case of plagiarism, data fabrication, or duplicate publication will be investigated according to COPE’s flowcharts for ethical breaches. If a published article is found to contain plagiarism or unethical research practices, the journal will issue a Retraction, Correction, or Expression of Concern, following COPE’s retraction guidelines. 

Copyright & Permission

Authors retain copyright of their work and grant Kosova Anthropologica the right of first publication

Authors may submit their manuscript in Albanian and/or English. Authors must submit a short biography (up to 150 words), including their status/affiliation, alongside their paper.

Translation of published works may only be considered if the author has explicit permission from the original publisher, with proper attribution.

Authors must obtain written permission from copyright holders to publish third party material (e.g images, tables).

Manuscript Withdrawal Policy

Authors may withdraw their manuscript at any stage before acceptance, but frequent withdrawals without valid justification may lead to submission restrictions

If authors discover an error after publication, they must notify the Editor-in-Chief immediately so the journal can issue a correction or retraction if necessary.

Ethical Breaches & Retraction Policy

In case of serious ethical misconduct, the journal reserves the right to retract a published article. A formal Retraction Notice will be published in the next journal issue, in accordance with COPE’s retraction guidelines,

Kosova Anthropologica is dedicated to ensuring research integrity and ethical publishing while promoting transparency in anthropological research.

Editorial Decision Making & Peer-Review Process

Kosova Anthropologica follows a rigorous, structured, transparent, and ethical editorial decision-making process in accordance with COPE guidelines and the best practices of leading journals.

Initial Screening of Submissions

The Editor-in-Chief conducts an initial evaluation of all submitted manuscripts within two weeks to determine their relevance, originality and adherence to journal guidelines. Manuscripts that do not meet basic standards are rejected.

If suitable, the Editor-in-Chief assigns a Section Editor to oversee the Editorial Board assessment

Editorial Board Assessment

The Section Editors manage the Editorial Board Evaluation, ensuring that manuscripts align with journal aims and quality standards

When and if needed, Editorial Board members provide structured feedback rather than voting, providing well-informed and consensual information for the Section Editor.

If the manuscript requires improvement before peer review, it is sent back to the author for revision

Double-Blind Peer Review

Once the manuscript is approved by the Editorial Board, the Section Editors assigns at least two independent reviewers. To maintain high ethical and academic standards, Kosova Anthropologica selects peer reviewers based on the following criteria:

• Reviewers mush have relevant subject-matter expertise and accept only those manuscripts for which they can provide a competent and through review
• If a reviewer feels unqualified or is unable to review the manuscript, they must decline immediately
• Reviewers should have a string research background and peer-reviewed publications in anthropology or a related field
• A Ph.D. is preferred but not mandatory, as experienced filed partitioners, independent researchers and professional may also be considered
• Reviewers should be experience and should have a history of ethical publishing and adhered to COPE research integrity standards
• Kosova Anthropologica encourages diverse reviewer backgrounds, including academics, filed practitioners and professionals from various anthropological subfields and other related social sciences
• Reviewers must disclose any personal, academic, or professional conflicts of interest that may compromise their objectivity
• If a conflict of interest is identified, the reviewer must decline the assignment immediately
• Reviewers should provide fair, unbiased and constructive feedback to authors
• Reviewers are expected to completed their review within four weeks, but if reviewers anticipate delays, they must notify editorial office to allow an extensions or reassignments
• Reviewers should be aware of potential bias (e.g. gender, regional, institutional bias) and apply an objective, merit-based evaluation. The Editorial Office may offer optional reviewer training on ethical peer review practices.

The Section Editor selects peer reviewers based on those criteria and may seek advice from Editorial Board and the Editor-in- Chief.

The double-blind peer review process ensure that the reviewers do not know the author’s identity and the author does not know the reviewer’s identities.

If reviewer reports are contradictory, an additional reviewer may be consulted.

Editorial Decision

Once the peer reviews are received, the Section Editor compiles reviewer comments and makes a recommendation to the Editor in Chief. The Editor-in-chief makes the final decision, considering peer-review reports, editorial board assessments, and manuscript quality and originality.

The following editorial decisions are possible:

• Accepted (no revision is required)
• Accepted with minor revisions (author makes small corrections before final approval)
• Major revisions required (substantial improvements needed; manuscripts may undergo further review)
• Rejected (manuscript does not meet the journal standards or reviewer recommendations)

If revisions are required,

• The author receives a structured review report summarizing all feedback from reviewers and editors
• The author must revise the manuscript accordingly and provide detailed response letter explaining how each comment was addressed
• Changes should be highlighted using track changes
• Revised manuscripts must be submitted within 21 days for minor revisions or up to 45 days for major revisions

Reevaluation Process

If minor revisions were required, the Section Editor reviews the revised submission and recommends acceptance or further changes

If major revisions were required, the revised manuscript is sent back to one or more original reviewers for reassessment.

If the revised manuscript still does not meet the standards, the Editor-in-Chief may request further revisions or reject the submission.

Appeals Process

If an author disagrees with a review decision, they may submit a formal appeal.

The appeal must include a detailed explanation addressing why they believe the decision should be reconsidered.

The appeal is reviewed by an independent Editorial Board member or an external expert who was not involved in the original decision.

The Editor-in-Chief makes the final ruling on appeals after consulting the appeal reviewer.

Appeals are only considered in cases of clear errors in reviewer assessment, misinterpretation of the manuscript, or conflicts of interest.

Copyediting, Proofreading and Translation

Once accepted, the manuscript enters Copyediting, Proofreading and Translation workflow.

This step refers also to the translation of the manuscript from English to Albanian, or Albanian to English, depending on which language the manuscript was submitted for review. Manuscripts are equally accepted in both languages.

Accepted manuscripts undergo copyediting and proofreading and necessary changes are made via tracked revisions.

Authors must approve the final copyedited version within 5 days.

The proofreading process takes up to 21 days.

After proofreading is completed, the final manuscript undergoes translation. Translations must be completed within 45 days. Translators are assigned by Section Editors or the Editor in Chief must be credited for their work by name.

Selection Criteria for Translators

Kosova Anthropologica involves translators for manuscript translation between Albanian and English. Translators are selected based on the following criteria:

• Native or near-native proficiency in Albanian and English
• Strong command of academic terminology in anthropology
• A degree in anthropology, history, translation, linguistics or related fields
• At least 3 years of experience in professional and academic translations
• Proven track record of translating research articles, books and conference materials
• Knowledge of academic writing styles
• Translators must maintain confidentiality
• They must adhere to ethical guidelines and avoid altering the meaning oft original research
• Translators must deliver within agreed deadlines
• If delays are anticipated they must inform the editorial office immediately

Albanian manuscripts will be proofread by a professional Albanian proofreader before publication.

English manuscripts will be reviewed by a native English-speaking proofreader.

Final Approval and Publication

The final version of the manuscript undergoes a last review by the Section Editor and the Editor in Chief.          

The manuscript is prepared for digital and print publication.

Authors sign an Author Agreement before final release. Once signed manuscripts cannot be withdrawn, unless there is a serious ethical concern and the journal decided to retract the manuscript. To withdraw the manuscript, the authors may submit a formal withdrawal request, which must be reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief.

After the Author Agreement is signed and the manuscript is finally prepared, the journal publishes the manuscript in digital format it is platform, using DOI, and in print format.

Editorial Board Roles and Responsibilities

Editors of Kosova Anthropologica are responsible for maintaining the quality, integrity, and ethical standards of the journal, following COPE guidelines.  

Their role encompasses overseeing the peer-review process, ensuring transparency, and fostering academic discourse.

Editors must ensure that all published content meets high academic standards in originality, clarity, and relevance. Their decisions should be free from external influences, such as commercial interests, and based purely on scholarly merit

A fair and confidential peer-review process is essential. Editors must clearly define the review process, safeguard reviewer and author identities, and ensure that all research complies with international ethical guidelines, particularly studies involving human subjects.

Editors should provide clear submission guidelines and ensure that authors disclose funding sources and potential conflicts of interest. They must also support reviewers with ethical guidelines, maintaining confidentiality throughout the review process.

Editors must address complaints promptly and investigate allegations of misconduct, such as plagiarism or data fabrication. If necessary, they should issue corrections, retractions, or involve relevant institutions in ethical breaches.

The journal should serve as a platform for scholarly debate. Editors must welcome criticisms, allow responses from authors, and ensure transparency in funding disclosures and research approvals.

Protecting sensitive data and ensuring informed consent in research is vital. Editors must also correct errors or misleading information swiftly.

Appointment of New Editors

Kosova Anthropologica follows a structured and transparent appointment process to ensure the selection of editors who uphold the highest ethical and academic standards. The appointment is based on merit, integrity.

Candidates must have a strong academic background in anthropology or a related field, a record of high-quality scholarly publications, and preferably prior editorial or peer review experience. A demonstrated commitment to ethical publishing, impartiality, and the ability to collaborate with authors, reviewers, and the editorial board are essential. Transparency in potential conflicts of interest is required to maintain editorial integrity.

The appointment process begins with a public call for applications, detailing the responsibilities and qualifications required. Interested candidates must submit a CV highlighting academic and editorial experience, a statement of interest outlining their vision for the journal, and at least two references from professionals familiar with their work.

Applications are reviewed by the editorial board or an appointed selection committee based on academic expertise, ethical commitment, and editorial experience. Shortlisted candidates may be invited for an interview before final selection. The selected editor is officially appointed by the editorial board of KA for a fixed term, typically three to five years, with the possibility of renewal based on performance and ethical compliance.

Candidates must disclose any affiliations, financial interests, or other potential conflicts that could influence editorial decisions. The editorial board will assess these disclosures to ensure impartiality. Editors undergo periodic performance reviews to assess their contributions, ethical conduct, and adherence to journal policies.

Editors may be removed if they fail to fulfill their responsibilities, violate ethical standards, or have conflicts of interest that compromise editorial integrity.

If an editor chooses to resign, they must provide sufficient notice to ensure a smooth transition.

Guidelines for Authors

Authors submitting to the journal must review the submission preparation checklist below. Submissions that do not comply with these guidelines may be rejected.

Submission preparation checklist        

• The manuscript has not been previously published and is not under consideration elsewhere
• If the manuscript is based on a preprint or conference paper, this must be disclosed and authors must cite it in the References section using a DOI or repository link (e.g. Zenodo, arXiv, SSRN).
• The submission is in Microsoft Word format
• The text is 1.5 spaced, uses 12-point font, and all figures, tables and images are embedded with the text and attached separately in JPEG formal (high resolution, min 150 DPI)
• The manuscript adheres to Chicago Manual of Style (17 Edition, author-Date system) for citations and references. The submission includes a 150-200 word abstract and five keywords
• The title page includes author names, institutional affiliations, and contact information
• All authors confirm adherence to ethical research and publication standards
• Any conflict of interest, founding sources, or acknowledgments must be disclosed in the manuscript

Author Submission Guidelines

• Original research articles: 6000–8000 words (including references and notes).
• Book, film, documentary, and media reviews: 1000–1500 words.
• Editorials: Maximum 3000 words.
• Manuscripts can be submitted in Albanian or English.
• All tables, figures, and illustrations must be numbered sequentially and cited in the text.
• Figures should be high resolution (min. 150 DPI) and submitted as separate JPEG files.
• Authors are responsible for obtaining permissions for copyrighted materials.
• In regard to peer-review process, Kosova Anthropologica follows a double-blind peer review process.
• After an initial editorial assessment, submissions are sent to two independent reviewers.
• Authors can expect a decision within 6–8 weeks from the submission date.
• If revisions are required, authors have 21 days for minor revisions and up to 45 days for major revisions.
• The final decision rests with the Editor-in-Chief, who ensures compliance with ethical publishing standards.
• In regard to authorship and contributions, Kosova Anthropologica follows ICMJE authorship criteria:
• Substantial contributions to the research and manuscript drafting.
• Critical revision of the work for intellectual content.
• Final approval before submission.
• Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
• Contributors who do not qualify for full authorship (e.g., data collectors, language editors) must be acknowledged in a separate section.
• The corresponding author is responsible for submitting the manuscript, ensuring co-author approval and handling all editorial communication
• Any changes to authorship (addition/removal) must be formally requested and approved by the Editor-in-Chief.
• All authors must declare any potential conflicts of interest relate to their research, including financial, institutional, or personal relationships that may influence the study. Conflict of Interest declarations must be included in the manuscript.
• Authors submitting empirical research should include a Data Availability Statement, specifying data set are publicly available, upon request, or restricted due to ethical/privacy reasons.

References, Citations and Bibliography

Use the Chicago Manual of Style (17th Edition, Author-Date System) for citations. Endnotes may be used for additional explanations.

Book

Bibliography:

Connerton, Paul. 1989. How Societies Remember. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

In-text citation:
(Connerton 1989, 23)

Book Chapter

Bibliography:

Cruz-Torres, M.L., and Pamela McElwee. 2017. “Gender, Livelihoods, and Sustainability: Anthropological Research.” In Routledge Handbook of Gender and Environment, edited by Sherilyn MacGregor, 133–145. London/New York: Routledge.
In-text citation:
(Cruz-Torres and McElwee 2017, 133)

Journal Article

Bibliography:

Laviolette, P., and Tatiana Argounova-Low. 2021. “Introduction: Auto-anthropocenes.” Social Anthropology 29 (4): 1008–1017.

In-text citation:
(Laviolette and Argounova-Low 2021, 1008)

Unpublished ethnographic interview

Endnote:

1. Hasan Hyseni, (teacher, “Elena Gjika” elementary school in Prishtina), semi-structured interview, 17 September 2021

For a quick guide, see:

https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/home.html

AI-Generated Content Policy

Authors must explicitly disclose the use of AI assistance in their research, writing, or data analysis. AI is not an author and cannot be credited as an author.

Permitted uses of AI include:

• AI-assisted language editing (e.g. ChatGPT, Grammarly, etc.) for grammar and clarity
• Ai-based data processing tools (e.g. machine learning models, AI-assisted image generation) when explicitly described in the methodology or acknowledgments section

Prohibited uses of AI include:

• AI-generated text or images presented as original human research
• AI-assisted content that fabricates data, citations, or mispresents findings
• Ai-generated analysis without human oversight and validation

If AI tools were used for data visualizations, modeling, or figures, authors must provide a raw dataset or detailed methodological description explaining how AI was applied.

Authors using permitted AI assistance in their manuscripts must refer to the usage somewhere in the Methods or Acknowledgements sections, and they also ought to include a statement similar to this:

“All interpretations, conclusions and critical analysis were conducted by the author/s”.

Failure to disclose AI assistance may result in manuscript rejection or ethical review.

Guidelines for reviewers

Kosova Anthropologica follows a double-blind peer review process, ensuring that both the author(s) and reviewers remain anonymous throughout the review process. Reviewers are external experts and academic consultants who contribute to the quality of assigned papers and the advancement of objective knowledge in anthropology.

Reviewer Ethical Responsibilities

Reviewers are responsible for:

• Providing a fair, objective, and evidence-based assessment of the manuscript.
• Maintaining confidentiality, which means that manuscripts must not be shared, discussed, or used for personal research.
• Declaring conflicts of interest (COI), which means that if a reviewer identifies a personal, academic, or financial COI, they must decline the review.
• Submitting reviews within the deadline
• Reporting any ethical concerns. If plagiarism, self-plagiarism, image manipulation, or research misconduct is suspected, reviewers must notify the editorial team immediately
• Avoiding biased or unprofessional language. Reviews should be professional, respectful and based on academic merit

Review Process & Submission

Reviewers assess the manuscript’s originality, arguments, presentation, and methodology using a structured review form

Reviewers submit their comments through the journals official review form provided via email or the online submission system

Reviewers are asked to provide constructive, clear and evidence-backed feedback, including: a) specific comments on originality, argumentation methodology and clarity; b) suggestions for improvement, further elaboration or clarification; c) identification of any overlap with existing literature or ethical concerns

Reviewers do not make the final decision; they provide recommendations to the Editor -in – Chief, the Section Editor and Editorial Board, who determine the publication status.

Providing Feedback & Recommending Decisions

Reviewers are expected to provide detailed comments, asking for clarifications and suggesting improvements.

The review form includes:

• Originality & Contribution: Does the manuscript provide new insights in anthropology?
• Methodology & Accuracy: Are the methods sound, well-described, and appropriate for the research?
• Structure & Clarity: Is the paper logically structured and clearly written?
• Ethical & Citation Compliance: Has the author properly cited sources and followed ethical research practices?

After evaluating the manuscript, reviewers recommend one of the following decisions:

• Accept without revisions
• Accept with minor revisions (no need for additional reviewer assessment)
• Major revisions required (reviewer must assess revised manuscript)
• Reject (manuscript does not meet academic or ethical standards)

Reviewing Revised Manuscripts

If a manuscript requires major revisions, the original reviewer(s) will be asked to assess the revised version.

If only minor revisions are needed, the editorial team may verify the changes instead of sending it for another full review

Reviewer Recognition & Ethics

All reviewers adhere to COPE’s Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers.

Reviewers may request acknowledgment from the journal (upon request, after issue publication).

Repeated failure to meet deadlines, submit quality reviews, or adhere to ethical guidelines may result in removal from the reviewer pool.

Kosova Anthropologica is committed to upholding high ethical standards in peer review, ensuring fairness, objectivity, and integrity in the publication process.

Last updated version (v2): 31 March 2025