VOICES  AGAINST TORTURE

SECTION POLICIES

Contributions to Voices Against Torture are published without cost to authors or readers (i.e., without APCs).

‍VAT regrets that, at this time, the Journal is unable to accept books and media for review in languages other than English. Voices Against Torture publishes a variety of work from an interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary perspective. Accordingly, the Journal welcomes contributions across the following broad categories:
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Research Articles (6,000 – 8,000 words)
Editors: Dr. Poulomee Datta (lead), Dr. Fizza Sabir, Dr. Patrick SwanzyOriginal, previously unpublished, and fully referenced research articles likely to interest and inform researchers and practitioners. Articles will be peer-reviewed in an anonymised process by a minimum of two reviewers.
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Review Essays (< 6,000 words)
Editors: Dr. Wajid Pirzada (lead), Dr. Patrick Swanzy, Dr. Farooq MehdiExpert overviews of a body of literature, traditional knowledge, activist, educator, and healer experiences, relating to torture. Intended for those unfamiliar with and new to this area of work, review essays will be peer-reviewed in an anonymised process.
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Notes from the Field (< 4,000 words)
Editors: Dr. Fizza Sabir (lead), Dr. Poulomee DattaCase reports, commentaries, and personal accounts from non-academic and academic sectors and spaces, which may include reports on research, innovations in methodologies and approaches, activist movements, educational practices, and more. These contributions will be reviewed by the editorial board, with help given to shape submissions for publication.
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Policy Reviews (< 3,000 words)
Editors: Dr. Patrick Swanzy (lead),  Dr. Wajid Pirzada, Dr. FarooqShort, concise analyses of policy issues, debates, regulations, and legislative processes. These are subject to editorial review.
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Creative Interventions and Embodiment Practices (< 3,000 words)
Editors: Leila Johnson (lead), Dr. Wajid PirzadaThis section is intended for a variety of perspectives from a bottom-up approach in treating trauma and supporting mental health.  Submissions can include essays, commentaries, and personal accounts from community leaders, individuals, and health care professionals on creative, innovative, and adjunctive interventions for everyday healing.  Subject ranges may describe peer support, healing circles, storytelling, theatre, yoga, mindfulness practices, expressive arts, traditional cultural approaches, and transformational and community-led strategies by those working with refugees or survivors of torture.EditorialAn overview of the issue, to be written by the Editor-in-Chief, guest editor, or other members of the Editorial Board.
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Book Reviews (1,000 – 2,000 words)
Editors: Leila Johnson (lead),Vetted by the editorial board, but not subject to peer review, book reviews should examine important theoretical and research works as well as creative non-fiction and other works written by and for survivors of torture. Letters to the Editor. Editors: Dr. Farooq Mehdi (lead)Please contact the Editor if you are interested in proposing or guest editing a themed section or special issue.


‍PEER REVIEW PROCESS
‍As described in Section Policies, some contributions to VAT will be subject to peer-review. This includes evaluation of submitted manuscripts based on:The contribution the article makes to advancing knowledge and collaboration in the sectorThe article’s originality and noveltyThe soundness and coherence of the article’s theory, methodology, and analysisThe article’s strength of communication (based on grammar and style).Anticipated time from receipt of submissions to publication is 4-6 months.

All submissions should be sent via email to vat@vast-vancouver.ca. Editors will then vet submissions for suitability and pass on suitable articles to peer reviewers or editors as outlined.For conventional research articles and reviews, two reviewers will assess contributions according to an anonymised review process. Identifying information pertaining to authorship should be removed from these articles before submission.


‍OPEN ACCESS
‍VAT is committed to open access in the interest of enhancing global knowledge and awareness of the impact of torture on individuals and society and the urgent need to eradicate all forms of torture.VAT adheres to the Budapest Open Access Initiative definition of open access, which means that it gives its users the right to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of these articles. Creating derivative works is not covered by the BOAI and is thus subject to permission from the Journal.For details of the Budapest Open Access Initiative, please visit the Initiative website here: https://www.budapestopenaccessinitiative.org/.


‍EDITORIAL BOARD
‍The journal’s international team includes Editorial Board members from numerous academic disciplines and intellectual traditions, as well as from non-academic areas of healing and social justice practice.
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‍Editor-in-Chief
‍Dr. Farooq Mehdi, Director Voice Against Torture Pakistan, VAST Board Member, Vancouver
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‍Editorial Board Members
‍Dr. Poulomee Datta, Senior Lecturer, Macquarie School of Education | Faculty of Arts, Macquarie University, Australia
Leila Johnson, Certified in Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY-F), North America
Dr. Wajid Pirzada, CEO and Founder, Roots Pakistan, Pakistan
Dr. Fizza Sabir, Adjunct Fellow, University of Adelaide, Australasia
Dr. Patrick Swanzy, Research Fellow, Institute for Post School Studies, University of the Western Cape, South Africa
Dr. Rubina Hanif, Pakistan


‍PUBLICATION ETHICS
‍The Editorial Board, peer-reviewers, authors, and all others involved in the publication of VAT are expected to comply with the following ethical standards, based on the Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines For Journal Editors by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

‍Responsibilities of the General Journal Editors
‍Non-discriminationEditors and peer-reviewers are to evaluate submissions for their quality and originality without regard to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religious or ethical beliefs, or nationality of the submitting authors.

ConfidentialityThe editors and editorial staff are not to disclose information about any submission to anyone other than the corresponding author, the (potential) reviewers or other editorial advisers.

Disclosure and Conflicts of InterestNeither editors nor other Journal staff are to reference unpublished content in a submission in their own research except with the explicit written consent of the author(s).

Publication DecisionsThe editors of the Journal are responsible for final decisions about the publication of submissions. The editors are guided by the policies set out in the Focus and Scope section and constrained by any legal requirements as shall be in force regarding libel, copyright infringement and plagiarism. The editors may confer with reviewers in making this decision.Withdrawal of ManuscriptsIf an author wishes to withdraw their paper prior to publication, they can submit a written request to the Editor at: vat@vast-vancouver.ca.

Confirmation Regarding Scientific MisconductIn the event of alleged or proven misconduct, fraudulent publication, or plagiarism, the Journal editors will take all appropriate measures to clarify the situation and to amend the article in question. This includes the prompt publication of an erratum or, if necessary, the complete retraction of the work in question.

BOOKS/MEDIA FOR REVIEW
‍Books and media for review should be sent to:
Dr. Farooq Mehdi
VAST2610 Victoria Dr. - Vancouver, BC -V5N 4L2
Email: vat@vast-vancouver.ca.
‍VAT regrets that, at this time, the Journal is unable to accept books and media for review in languages other than English.


‍ADVERTISING AND FUNDING
VAT is grateful for the financial support of VAST and welcomes private donations and funding from organizations and institutions whose aims and ethos aligns with that of the Journal. The Journal also accepts suitable advertisements that are in alignment with the values and mission of VAT and VAST. A schedule of charges will be available upon request. A schedule of charges will be submitted each year for the following year, in an annual report to VAST. All correspondence related to funding and advertising should be sent to vat@vast-vancouver.ca