Journal Policies

Editorial Oversight

The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for the overall operation of the journal. Along with two executive editors, the Editor-in-Chief screens all initial submissions and assigns the submissions to different associate editors for further review. The Editor-in-Chief makes all final decisions on submitted manuscripts.

Executive Editors help the Editor-in-Chief to screen initial submissions, assisting with the decision of whether to reject or send for further review. This is a rotating role taken on by different Associate Editors, typically for a duration of six months. Associate Editors are responsible for almost all the peer reviewing of submitted manuscripts.

The journal's Advisory Editors are a distinguished group of former editors-in-chief and associate editors who have retired from those roles, but remain as Advisory Editors to provide expert advice when asked; they also occasionally review manuscripts.

Editorial Board members are very occasionally asked to review manuscripts, and also to encourage members of the profession to submit promising manuscripts to the journal.

Each Editor is subject to reappointment on an annual basis. Editors can serve an unlimited number of terms.

Editorial Scrutiny of Submissions

Submitted manuscripts are initially screened by the Editor-in-Chief or one of the executive editors to determine if the paper should be desk rejected or sent for further review. If the paper is sent for further review, it is reviewed by one of the journal's associate editors. If that associate editor recommends something other than rejection, the paper is sent for review to a second associate editor. A decision about the paper is then made by the Editor-in-Chief on the basis of the reports and comments provided by the associate editor(s). All submissions go through this same process, including original articles, review essays, critical exchanges, and letters.

The journal uses a triple-anonymous review system for all submissions (see 'Peer Review Process' below for further information).

Peer Review Process

Submitted manuscripts are initially screened by the Editor or Executive Editors for quality and fit, and papers that are rejected at this initial screening typically do not receive comments.

Almost all peer reviewing is done by the journal's Executive and Associate Editors. Occasionally, a manuscript will be sent for review to an Advisory Editor, a member of the journal’s Editorial Board, or an outside reviewer when this seems necessary due to the subject matter or methodology. In all such cases the triple-anonymous process remains in place.

Reviewers are initially sent the anonymized manuscript for review. If a manuscript is reviewed by two reviewers, once their reports are complete, the two reviewers are shown copies of each other’s reports and given an opportunity to confer with each other and the Editor-in-Chief about a verdict. For revised manuscripts, the reviewers are also given an anonymized copy of the author’s letter to the Editor, which details the changes made in response to the earlier round of peer review reports.

Peer review reports are not made publicly available, though the reports are provided to the author.

Free & Equal does not allow for authors to suggest peer reviewers, nor will the journal use peer reviewer suggestions offered by the author as this is considered a manipulation of the peer review process.

We do not publish symposia or special collections. The journal does not accept submissions from the current Editor-in-Chief, or the current Executive or Associate Editors.

Organization and Governance

Free & Equal is governed by a Board of Directors consisting of the Editor-in-Chief, Associate, and Advisory Editors of the journal. This editorial group meets annually to decide journal policy, approve expenditures, appoint new members (if needed), and reappoint current members.

Business Practices

Advertising

This journal does not permit any advertising on the journal’s website and will never consider requests of any kind from other parties wishing to advertise in the journal or on its webpages.

Direct Marketing

This journal does not engage in any direct marketing practices.

The publisher, the Open Library of Humanities (OLH), employs a Marketing Officer who undertakes general marketing activities for the publisher including the promotion of its journals. The Marketing Officer does not, however, engage in direct marketing for any OLH journals and this does not affect the editorial decisions of OLH journals in any way.

Other Revenue

Free & Equal's long-term publishing and hosting costs and preservation is primarily funded by OLH’s Library Partnership Subsidy Model.

The journal also relies on donors to cover the costs of Managing Editor and copyediting. We encourage potential donors seeking to support the journal’s diamond open access mission to contact the Editor-in-Chief.

These streams of additional revenue this journal receives do not affect the editorial decisions of the journal in any way.

Preprint Policy

Free & Equal does not publish preprints.