The Editors of Litteraria Pragensia: Studies in Literature and Culture are constantly striving to meet the needs of the readers and authors and to improve the academic standard of the journal, while recognising the diversity of aims of individual journal sections and thematic issues. They propose topics of thematic issues, which open up new research issues or areas or reassess currently discussed ones, and attract renowned academics as guest editors or co-editors of individual issues. For this purpose they use existing research networks, international research projects, conferences, symposia and seminars. Publication projects arising from the last mentioned events always require substantial development of general conclusions as well as individual papers in terms of theoretical and material research. The Editors also support reviewing of topical academic books by international academics.
The general principles of editorial practice are:
- freedom of expression not only in the discussion of academic problems but always when these or their implications concern current political, cultural, social, ethical or gender issues.
- maintenance of the integrity of academic record. This is ensured by strict editorial and peer-reviewing policies (see below) and by constant cooperation with academics on the Advisory and Editorial Boards and guest-editors (co-editors) of thematic issues. The Editors are committed to revealing and pursuing any cases of academic misconduct and retracting fraudulent articles, procedures and items of information. Revealed acts of misconduct and malpractice are reported to the author’s employer and/or research-funding institution.
- priority of intellectual and academic standards before business needs. This is achieved and maintained by financing the journal from available research grants and constant search for new grant resources. Neither editorial decisions, nor peer-reviewing process are influenced by the business needs of the journal. The funding sources of the journal and individual articles are publicized in the specific issues as well as on the journal’s website.
- constant cooperation with readers. This involves the encouragement of academic debate, acceptance, assessment and implementation of their proposals for thematic issues, academic book reviews, etc. and publication of corrections, clarifications, retractions and apologies. All authors and issue editors are obliged to respond to reader’s questions and comments (their e-mail addresses are listed – with their informed consent – in the Contributors section of each issue). The Editors are ready to encourage academic debate by providing space for cogent criticism of published articles and answers of their authors.
- obligation to respond to authors’ complaints against editorial or peer-reviewing procedures and to follow the Code of Conduct publicized by The Committee on Publication Ethics.
- rules for managing conflicts of interest. Any existing or potential conflict of interest on the part of authors, peer-reviewers or members of the Editorial or Advisory Board must be declared to the journal Editors, who are responsible for its resolution. The responsibility for the resolution of any conflicts of interest on the part of the Editors pertains to the statutory representative of the publisher, i.e. the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Charles University.
