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    <div class="tc-breadcrumb"><a href="/">Home</a> › Terms &amp; Conditions</div>
    <h1>Terms &amp; Conditions</h1>
    <p class="tc-tagline">Communeglobal — Open Access Research Journal</p>
    <div class="tc-updated">
      <svg width="13" height="13" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" viewBox="0 0 24 24"><circle cx="12" cy="12" r="10"/><path d="M12 6v6l4 2"/></svg>
      Last updated: June 1, 2025
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      Please read these Terms &amp; Conditions carefully before using <strong>Communeglobal</strong> (<a href="https://communeglobal.com/">communeglobal.com</a>). By accessing or using our website and services, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these terms. If you do not agree, please do not use our platform.
    </div>

    <!-- 1. Acceptance -->
    <div class="tc-section" id="s1">
      <h2><span class="n">1</span> Acceptance of Terms</h2>
      <p>
        These Terms &amp; Conditions ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you ("User," "Author," "Reviewer," or "Visitor") and <strong>Communeglobal</strong>, governing your access to and use of the website located at <a href="https://communeglobal.com/">communeglobal.com</a> and all related services, tools, and content provided by us ("Services").
      </p>
      <p>
        By registering an account, submitting a manuscript, applying as a reviewer, or simply browsing our website, you agree to comply with and be bound by these Terms and our <a href="/privacy-policy.php">Privacy Policy</a>, which is incorporated by reference.
      </p>
      <p>
        We reserve the right to update or modify these Terms at any time. Continued use of the Services after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.
      </p>
    </div>
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    <!-- 2. Services -->
    <div class="tc-section" id="s2">
      <h2><span class="n">2</span> Description of Services</h2>
      <p>Communeglobal provides an open-access academic publishing platform that includes, but is not limited to:</p>
      <ul>
        <li>Online manuscript submission, peer review management, and publication of research articles.</li>
        <li>Hosting and distribution of published journal issues and individual articles.</li>
        <li>Access to editorial board membership, reviewer registration, and author guidelines.</li>
        <li>Indexing and archiving of published research for maximum global discoverability.</li>
        <li>Communication tools between authors, reviewers, and editors throughout the publication process.</li>
      </ul>
      <p>We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of our Services at any time, with or without notice.</p>
    </div>
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    <!-- 3. User Accounts -->
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      <h2><span class="n">3</span> User Accounts &amp; Registration</h2>
      <p>To access certain features of our platform, you must register for an account. By registering, you agree to:</p>
      <ul>
        <li>Provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration.</li>
        <li>Keep your account credentials confidential and not share them with any third party.</li>
        <li>Notify us immediately of any unauthorised use of your account or suspected security breach.</li>
        <li>Take responsibility for all activities that occur under your account.</li>
        <li>Use your account solely for lawful academic and research purposes.</li>
      </ul>
      <p>We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms, contain false information, or are used for fraudulent or unethical purposes.</p>
    </div>
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    <!-- 4. Manuscript Submission -->
    <div class="tc-section" id="s4">
      <h2><span class="n">4</span> Manuscript Submission</h2>
      <p>By submitting a manuscript to Communeglobal, you confirm and warrant that:</p>
      <ul>
        <li>The work is original, has not been previously published, and is not currently under review at any other journal or publication.</li>
        <li>All named authors have contributed meaningfully to the research and have approved the final manuscript for submission.</li>
        <li>The manuscript does not infringe the copyright, intellectual property, or other rights of any third party.</li>
        <li>All data, results, and findings reported are accurate and have not been fabricated, falsified, or manipulated.</li>
        <li>Appropriate ethical approvals have been obtained for research involving human subjects, animals, or sensitive data.</li>
        <li>Any conflicts of interest — financial or otherwise — have been fully disclosed.</li>
        <li>Proper attribution has been given to all sources, and plagiarism detection tools may be used to verify originality.</li>
      </ul>
      <div class="tc-warn">
        ⚠️ Submission of a manuscript does not guarantee acceptance for publication. All submissions are subject to editorial assessment and peer review. The editorial decision is final.
      </div>
    </div>
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    <!-- 5. Peer Review -->
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      <h2><span class="n">5</span> Peer Review Process</h2>
      <p>All submitted manuscripts undergo a rigorous peer review process. By participating in peer review — as an author or reviewer — you agree to:</p>
      <ul>
        <li><strong>As an Author:</strong> Accept that editorial and reviewer decisions are made in good faith and based on academic merit. Revisions requested must be addressed thoroughly and honestly.</li>
        <li><strong>As a Reviewer:</strong> Provide objective, constructive, and timely evaluations. Maintain strict confidentiality of all manuscripts reviewed. Declare any conflicts of interest with the submitted work.</li>
        <li><strong>Both Parties:</strong> Respect the confidentiality of the review process. Reviewer identities are not disclosed to authors unless explicitly agreed upon.</li>
      </ul>
      <p>Any attempt to influence, manipulate, or circumvent the peer review process will result in immediate disqualification and may be reported to the author's institution.</p>
    </div>
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    <!-- 6. Publication Ethics -->
    <div class="tc-section" id="s6">
      <h2><span class="n">6</span> Publication Ethics &amp; Misconduct</h2>
      <p>Communeglobal is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics. The following constitute serious violations:</p>
      <ul>
        <li><strong>Plagiarism:</strong> Presenting another person's work, ideas, or text as your own without proper attribution.</li>
        <li><strong>Data Fabrication or Falsification:</strong> Inventing or manipulating research data or results.</li>
        <li><strong>Duplicate Submission:</strong> Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously.</li>
        <li><strong>Duplicate Publication:</strong> Publishing the same content in more than one journal without disclosure.</li>
        <li><strong>Authorship Manipulation:</strong> Including individuals who did not contribute to the work ("gift authorship") or excluding those who did ("ghost authorship").</li>
        <li><strong>Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest:</strong> Failing to declare financial or personal interests that may influence the research.</li>
        <li><strong>Image Manipulation:</strong> Altering images or figures in a way that misrepresents the original data.</li>
      </ul>
      <p>Violations may result in manuscript rejection, article retraction, reporting to the author's institution, and a permanent ban from our platform. We follow the guidelines established by the <strong>Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)</strong>.</p>
    </div>
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    <!-- 7. Article Processing Charges -->
    <div class="tc-section" id="s7">
      <h2><span class="n">7</span> Article Processing Charges (APC)</h2>
      <p>To support open-access publishing and operational costs, accepted manuscripts are subject to an Article Processing Charge (APC). By submitting a manuscript, you acknowledge that:</p>
      <ul>
        <li>APC rates are listed on our <a href="/journals/social-science/registration">Registration &amp; APC</a> page and are subject to change.</li>
        <li>Payment of the APC is required <strong>after</strong> acceptance of the manuscript, not at submission.</li>
        <li>Submission does not obligate Communeglobal to accept the manuscript or waive any fees.</li>
        <li>All payments are non-refundable once the article has been published or formatted for publication.</li>
        <li>Fee waivers or discounts may be available in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the editorial office.</li>
        <li>We accept payment through secure, authorised payment gateways only.</li>
      </ul>
    </div>
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    <!-- 8. Open Access & Copyright -->
    <div class="tc-section" id="s8">
      <h2><span class="n">8</span> Open Access &amp; Copyright</h2>
      <p>
        Communeglobal operates under an <strong>open-access publishing model</strong>. All published articles are freely available to readers worldwide at no cost. By submitting and publishing with us, you agree to the following:
      </p>
      <ul>
        <li>Authors retain copyright of their published work.</li>
        <li>Published articles are licensed under a <strong>Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY)</strong> licence, allowing others to share and adapt the work provided appropriate credit is given.</li>
        <li>By submitting, authors grant Communeglobal a non-exclusive, worldwide licence to publish, distribute, archive, and promote the article in all formats and media.</li>
        <li>Authors confirm they have the right to grant this licence and that the work does not infringe any third-party rights.</li>
      </ul>
      <p>For full details, please refer to our <a href="/journals/social-science/copyright-statement">Copyright Statement</a>.</p>
    </div>
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    <!-- 9. Intellectual Property -->
    <div class="tc-section" id="s9">
      <h2><span class="n">9</span> Intellectual Property</h2>
      <p>
        All website content not attributed to published authors — including but not limited to the Communeglobal logo, website design, graphics, text, software, and editorial materials — is the exclusive intellectual property of Communeglobal and is protected by applicable copyright and intellectual property laws.
      </p>
      <p>You may not reproduce, copy, modify, distribute, or create derivative works from any such content without our prior written permission. Unauthorised use of our intellectual property may result in legal action.</p>
    </div>
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    <!-- 10. Acceptable Use -->
    <div class="tc-section" id="s10">
      <h2><span class="n">10</span> Acceptable Use Policy</h2>
      <p>When using our website and services, you agree <strong>not</strong> to:</p>
      <ul>
        <li>Use the platform for any unlawful, fraudulent, or harmful purpose.</li>
        <li>Upload or transmit viruses, malware, or any other malicious code.</li>
        <li>Attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of our systems, servers, or databases.</li>
        <li>Scrape, harvest, or collect data from our website without express written permission.</li>
        <li>Impersonate any person or entity or falsely represent your affiliation with any organisation.</li>
        <li>Interfere with or disrupt the integrity or performance of our platform or third-party services.</li>
        <li>Use automated bots, scripts, or crawlers to interact with the website without authorisation.</li>
        <li>Post, transmit, or distribute any content that is defamatory, abusive, obscene, or otherwise objectionable.</li>
      </ul>
      <p>Violation of this policy may result in immediate termination of your account and, where appropriate, referral to relevant authorities.</p>
    </div>
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    <!-- 11. Disclaimer -->
    <div class="tc-section" id="s11">
      <h2><span class="n">11</span> Disclaimer of Warranties</h2>
      <p>
        Our website and services are provided on an <strong>"as is" and "as available"</strong> basis without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. Communeglobal does not warrant that:
      </p>
      <ul>
        <li>The platform will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free from viruses or harmful components.</li>
        <li>The content published on the platform is accurate, complete, or up to date. Published articles represent the views of their authors and not necessarily those of Communeglobal.</li>
        <li>The results obtained from using our services will meet your specific requirements or expectations.</li>
      </ul>
      <p>To the fullest extent permitted by law, Communeglobal disclaims all implied warranties including those of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.</p>
    </div>
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    <!-- 12. Limitation of Liability -->
    <div class="tc-section" id="s12">
      <h2><span class="n">12</span> Limitation of Liability</h2>
      <p>
        To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Communeglobal, its directors, employees, partners, and affiliates shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from:
      </p>
      <ul>
        <li>Your use of, or inability to use, our website or services.</li>
        <li>Any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in published content.</li>
        <li>Unauthorised access to or alteration of your data.</li>
        <li>Any third-party content linked to or referenced on our platform.</li>
        <li>Service interruptions, system failures, or data loss.</li>
      </ul>
      <p>Our total liability to you for any claim arising under these Terms shall not exceed the amount paid by you, if any, in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim.</p>
    </div>
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    <!-- 13. Third-Party Links -->
    <div class="tc-section" id="s13">
      <h2><span class="n">13</span> Third-Party Links &amp; Resources</h2>
      <p>
        Our website may contain links to external websites, academic databases, indexing services, and institutional resources. These links are provided for your convenience and informational purposes only.
      </p>
      <p>
        Communeglobal does not endorse, control, or take responsibility for the content, privacy practices, or availability of any third-party websites. We encourage you to review the terms and privacy policies of any external sites you visit.
      </p>
    </div>
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    <!-- 14. Termination -->
    <div class="tc-section" id="s14">
      <h2><span class="n">14</span> Termination</h2>
      <p>
        We reserve the right to suspend or permanently terminate your access to our Services at any time, with or without notice, if we reasonably believe you have:
      </p>
      <ul>
        <li>Violated any provision of these Terms.</li>
        <li>Engaged in fraudulent, unethical, or illegal conduct.</li>
        <li>Provided false or misleading information during registration or submission.</li>
        <li>Engaged in publication misconduct as outlined in Section 6.</li>
      </ul>
      <p>Upon termination, your right to use our Services ceases immediately. Provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination — including intellectual property rights, disclaimers, and limitation of liability — shall continue to apply.</p>
    </div>
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    <!-- 15. Governing Law -->
    <div class="tc-section" id="s15">
      <h2><span class="n">15</span> Governing Law &amp; Dispute Resolution</h2>
      <p>
        These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with applicable laws. Any disputes arising from or in connection with these Terms or your use of our Services shall be resolved through good-faith negotiation in the first instance.
      </p>
      <p>
        If a dispute cannot be resolved amicably, it shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts of the applicable territory. Nothing in this clause limits your statutory rights under applicable consumer or academic protection laws.
      </p>
    </div>
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    <!-- 16. Changes -->
    <div class="tc-section" id="s16">
      <h2><span class="n">16</span> Changes to These Terms</h2>
      <p>
        We may revise these Terms &amp; Conditions from time to time. When material changes are made, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify registered users via email. Your continued use of our Services after any changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.
      </p>
      <p>We encourage you to review these Terms periodically to stay informed of any updates.</p>
    </div>
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    <!-- 17. Contact -->
    <div class="tc-section" id="s17">
      <h2><span class="n">17</span> Contact Us</h2>
      <p>If you have any questions or concerns about these Terms &amp; Conditions, please contact us:</p>
      <div class="tc-contact">
        <h3>Legal &amp; Editorial Enquiries</h3>
        <p><strong>Communeglobal — Open Access Research Journal</strong></p>
        <p>Website: <a href="https://communeglobal.com/">communeglobal.com</a></p>
        <p>Email: <a href="mailto:editor@communeglobal.com">editor@communeglobal.com</a></p>
        <p>Editorial Office: <a href="https://communeglobal.com/journals/social-science/board-members">Contact Editorial Office</a></p>
        <p style="margin-top:12px; font-size:0.82rem; opacity:0.65;">We aim to respond to all enquiries within 30 business days.</p>
      </div>
    </div>

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