Retraction Policy for Published Articles of the Academic Journal “Demography and Social Economy”

The Editorial Board of the scientific journal “Demography and Social Economy” recognizes that maintaining academic integrity, the reliability of research findings, and trust in published materials are fundamental principles of its editorial policy. Accordingly, the journal has established a clear procedure for the retraction of published articles in cases where significant violations of publication ethics or serious errors affecting the scientific value of a publication are identified.

Grounds for considering retraction include, but are not limited to, evidence of data fabrication or falsification, plagiarism, duplicate publication, inappropriate authorship, undisclosed conflicts of interest, as well as the identification of critical methodological or computational errors that substantially alter or invalidate the results of the study. Requests for retraction may be initiated by authors, reviewers, members of the Editorial Board, or third parties who provide substantiated concerns regarding potential violations.

Each case is reviewed by the Editorial Board in accordance with the principles of objectivity, impartiality, and confidentiality. Every submission is considered on an individual basis, taking into account its specific nature, content, and level of complexity. Decisions are made on the basis of objective and unbiased judgment, with due regard to the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). At the initial stage, a preliminary assessment of the information received is conducted, followed, where necessary, by a detailed investigation involving independent experts. Authors are given the opportunity to provide explanations, comments, and additional materials. All parties involved are expected to act in good faith and contribute to the clarification of the circumstances.

If the review confirms sufficient grounds for retraction, the Editorial Board adopts an appropriate decision. The retraction is formalized through a separate notice (retraction notice) published in the journal, clearly stating the reasons for the decision. This approach ensures transparency for readers and the scholarly community while adhering to ethical standards and avoiding unjustified harm to the authors’ reputation.

Retracted articles are not removed from the journal’s electronic archive; however, they are clearly marked as retracted across all electronic platforms where they are available. This ensures the preservation of the scholarly record while properly informing readers. Metadata and information regarding the retraction are also communicated to relevant indexing and abstracting databases.

In cases where the identified issues are not critical, the Editorial Board may issue a correction (corrigendum) or clarification (erratum) instead of a full retraction. The choice of response depends on the nature of the identified deficiencies and their impact on the study’s findings.

The Editorial Board also recognizes the authors’ right to initiate a voluntary retraction if significant errors are discovered after publication. In such cases, the procedure is carried out with the authors’ involvement; however, the final decision remains with the Editorial Board.

The journal “Demography and Social Economy” adheres to international standards of publication ethics and seeks to ensure a balance between transparency, fairness, and responsibility in all matters related to the retraction of scholarly publications.