Including, but not limited to:  

• philosophical theory and intellectual history  

• literature and the arts  

• sociological theory and the study of social phenomena  

• linguistics and language education  

• anthropology and ethnographic research  

• cultural studies and cross-cultural communication

Publication Ethics

Maiasi Press requires every individual involved in the editorial and publishing process to uphold the core practices of publication ethics and to follow strictly the guidelines set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) for handling allegations of misconduct.

The journal treats all allegations of misconduct with the utmost seriousness. Editors, authors, or readers who suspect academic fraud, research misconduct, or publication malpractice in a submitted or published article may bring their concerns to the journal. All allegations, doubts, or complaints received will be addressed promptly and appropriately. Complainants should direct all inquiries and related correspondence to the Editors.

The Editors have zero tolerance for plagiarism. Where appropriate, similarity-checking software will be used to verify the originality of every submission. Any manuscript found to contain substantial or unmistakable plagiarism will be rejected outright, either at the initial editorial screening stage (desk reject) or during peer review. Authors are therefore strongly urged to adhere to contemporary standards of academic writing and publication ethics.

Editorial Workflow

Maiasi Press operates a rigorous peer-review system. Most journals employ single-blind review—reviewers know the authors’ identities, but authors remain unaware of the reviewers’. Each manuscript is assessed by at least two independent experts, and the final accept/reject decision is made by the Editor-in-Chief or an authorized academic editor (e.g., Guest Editor). The Editor-in-Chief bears overall responsibility for the scholarly quality of the publication process, including manuscript acceptance, approval of Guest Editors and special issues, and the appointment of new editorial board members.

Pre-screening  

Upon submission, every manuscript first undergoes a preliminary assessment by the Editor-in-Chief, which covers:  

• Relevance to the journal’s/section’s/special issue’s scope;  

• The author(s)’ qualifications and background;  

• Immediate rejection of submissions that are clearly substandard.

In the following circumstances, the relevant academic editor—such as the Editor-in-Chief handling regular submissions, a Guest Editor managing a special issue, or an editorial-board member when a conflict of interest exists—will be notified of the manuscript’s submission and invited to oversee the review and suggest reviewers.

Peer Review  

As noted earlier, most journals operate under single-blind review—reviewers know the authors’ identities, while authors remain unaware of the reviewers’. Some journals use double-blind review, in which neither party knows the other’s identity.

Every submission must receive at least two referee reports. At the pre-screening stage, the assigned academic editor may propose reviewers. The publisher’s editorial office will also identify qualified reviewers from the editorial board, an internal reviewer database, or by searching the recent literature for new experts.

All reviewers must satisfy the following criteria:  

1. Absence of any conflict of interest with the author(s), including no co-authored publications within the past five years;  

2. A doctoral degree (exceptions may be granted for highly relevant expertise);  

3. Recent publications in the subject area of the submission;  

4. No recent history of frequent invitations to review for Maiasi Press journals.

To support the academic editors, Maiasi Press staff handle all correspondence with reviewers, authors, and external editors. Academic editors can access manuscript status and reviewer identities at any time. Reviewers are normally given two weeks to submit their reports; for revised manuscripts, they must return their reports within three days. Extensions may be granted upon reasonable request in either case.

Authority to Accept

A manuscript can be accepted for publication only by an academic editor—the Editor-in-Chief or an editor specifically delegated by the Editor-in-Chief. Salaried staff employed by Maiasi Press are empowered solely to reject submissions; allowing them to approve an acceptance would create a clear conflict of interest, as part of their remuneration is derived from article-processing charges (APCs) paid for accepted papers.

Retractions & Corrections  

Maiasi Press is committed to upholding scholarly standards and preserving the integrity of the academic record, ensuring that every published article rests on a verifiable and stable history. Nevertheless, occasional irregularities or inadvertent author errors—despite rigorous editorial scrutiny—cannot always be prevented. When such issues arise, amendments to the scholarly record may be required.

Amending the scholarly record is a serious matter. The publisher will adopt the appropriate measure on a case-by-case basis, chiefly in the following forms:

1. Editorial Note / Expression of Concern  

   A statement alerting readers to potential issues whose veracity remains uncertain or for which evidence is insufficient.

2. Correction (Erratum or Corrigendum)  

   To remedy typographical or other non-substantive errors in the article.

3. Retraction  

   Formal withdrawal of the article when significant flaws—such as data errors, research misconduct, plagiarism, or duplicate publication—render its conclusions unreliable.

4. Removal / Withdrawal  

   In exceptional circumstances (e.g., legal constraints, privacy violations), the article is removed from the online platform; bibliographic information is usually retained and the reason for removal is stated.

The above measures are intended solely to correct the scholarly record and to alert readers; they are never punitive. The journal has a duty to monitor and examine any inadvertent or intentional irregularities in published articles, and any review process will involve both the authors and the reviewers. Guided by the publisher’s retraction guidelines and other recognized scholarly principles, the editors will select the most appropriate course of action.

Cost Policy  

When a measure (e.g., correction or retraction) is initiated by the authors themselves, no additional fees will be charged to the authors.  

If the measure is taken at the journal’s initiative without the authors’ request, or if it is carried out solely by the authors without agreement with the publisher, the publisher is not liable for any economic loss to the authors and the article-processing charge (APC) already paid will not be refunded.

Editorial Board  

Editor-in-Chief: Changchun Qu, Zhejiang Normal University  

Associate Editors: Donghai Li, Shanghai Normal University  

Members of the Editorial Board:  

Dong Li, Fujian Normal University  

Huali Zhang, Hebei University  

Jiudong Cui, Guangzhou University  

Jingwei Sun, Tianjin Normal University  

Haishun Wang, University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences 

Qingwei Kong, Southwest University of Political Science and Law  

Fanwu Meng, Dongbei University of Finance and Economics  

QianZhang, Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics