About the Journal

ABOUT THE JOURNAL

Interações (Campo Grande) was established by the Doctoral and Master's Program in Local Development at Universidade Católica Dom Bosco (UCDB) in Mato Grosso do Sul, MS, Brazil, and is affiliated with the Office of Research and Postgraduate Studies. Since its inaugural edition in September 2000, the journal aims to provide insights into the adoption of new local forms of social behavior, with a view to fostering endogenous development through indigenous instruments, rules, and strategies. In this regard, it seeks to honor cultural diversity and promote the autonomous management of resources and techniques characteristic of various territories.

Furthermore, the journal has become an essential tool for the Stricto Sensu Postgraduate Program in Local Development - Master's and Doctoral degrees, with the goal of consolidating publications that contribute not only to the training of researchers but also to the constant updating of knowledge in the field. In this way, it intends to highlight the diversity present in the widely shared global concepts of local development.

The cover of the journal also mirrors one of the primary concerns of researchers in this realm of knowledge: human-scale development, placing the individual at the heart of the development process. The chosen cover image aims to illustrate this approach, reinforcing the focus on the significance of the individual and their needs within the context of local development.

With these objectives in mind, Interações seeks to foster discussions and disseminate research that encourages reflection on new approaches and practices in the field of local development. As such, it contributes to scientific advancement and the enhancement of knowledge in this area of study.

 

FOCUS AND SCOPE OF INTERAÇÕES

Interações aims to foster the production and dissemination of high-quality knowledge on the topic of Local Development. With a broad scope, the journal encompasses various aspects related to this field, aiming to contribute to academic advancement and the practice of Local Development.

POLICIES OF INTERAÇÕES JOURNAL

Interações employs rigorous selection policies, involving a team of experts in the field of Local Development. Furthermore, it seeks to promote interdisciplinarity and encourage contributions from both national and international researchers, establishing itself as an academic reference in the field.

  1. Originality: It stands out for accepting exclusively original articles, positioning itself as a cutting-edge publication venue. It gives preference to English-language writing to ensure global reach, though submissions in Portuguese or Spanish are also considered, provided they adhere to the journal's publication standards.
  2. Thematic Relevance: The journal maintains a strict focus on themes related to Local Development. By concentrating exclusively on this field of study, the journal positions itself as an authority on the subject, attracting contributions from highly specialized researchers and academics. This approach ensures the publication of articles addressing current and relevant issues, driving theoretical and practical advancements in Local Development.
  3. Internationalization: It aligns with Universidade Católica Dom Bosco's (UCDB) internationalization policy. It seeks to promote the dissemination and exchange of knowledge about local development on a global scale, encouraging article submissions from researchers and academics from different countries and regions. Additionally, it endeavors to establish partnerships and collaborations with international educational and research institutions, facilitating the dissemination of Local Development knowledge beyond national borders.
  4. Positioning: The journal aims to reinforce its strategic position as an academic reference both nationally and internationally. It dedicates itself to building and strengthening UCDB's reputation and academic community, establishing itself as a high-impact and relevant publication venue. The journal strives to stand out through the quality of published articles, scientific rigor, and the reach of its research, capturing the attention and recognition of renowned researchers, professionals, and institutions in the field of Local Development.
  5. Quality: It continually seeks to improve and enhance the quality of Local Development-related productions at both national and international levels. This is achieved through a rigorous and meticulous review process involving specialized reviewers in the field. The journal is committed to publishing articles of high scientific caliber that make significant contributions to the field of Local Development, fostering theoretical and practical debates and advancements.
  6. Interdisciplinary Approach: The journal is committed to promoting interdisciplinary collaboration among the research lines of UCDB's Local Development Program. It encourages collaboration across different areas of knowledge, seeking the integration of diverse theoretical and methodological approaches. The journal values the diversity of perspectives and the interaction among various stakeholders involved in local development, facilitating the exchange of knowledge and experiences between academia, governments, civil society organizations, and communities.
  7. Open Access: Interações follows an open-access policy as part of its editorial approach. This means that all articles published in the journal are freely accessible, allowing for wide and democratic access to scientific knowledge. This open-access policy aims to increase the visibility and impact of the journal, making articles accessible not only to researchers and professionals in the field but also to the general public. Furthermore, open access can attract more authors interested in contributing their work, thereby promoting continuous advancement of knowledge in the field of Local Development.
  8. Feedback and Continuous Improvement: Interações is open to feedback from authors, reviewers, and readers, constantly seeking to enhance its processes and policies. This includes analyzing received comments, implementing suggested improvements, and maintaining transparent communication with all involved parties.

By adhering to these publication policies, Interações establishes itself as a prominent journal committed to promoting cutting-edge research and contributing to the advancement of knowledge in the field of Local Development. This approach is reflected in our reputation as a reference journal, attracting renowned researchers and academics and strengthening the impact of our publications on the global scientific landscape.

 

RESEARCH LINES OF THE JOURNAL

Research Areas of Interações

Interações (Campo Grande) exclusively publishes scientific articles and research papers that unequivocally address significant themes related to Local Development, including:

  1. Culture, Heritage, and Social Inclusion: Submitted articles to the journal must explore the connection between local development, cultural identity, historical heritage, and social inclusion. This encompasses topics such as cultural preservation, cultural tourism, policies for the valorization of local heritage, and their influence on community development, with a focus on promoting social inclusion and reducing socioeconomic inequalities.
  2. Public Policies for Local Development: The journal welcomes works that discuss public policies and government actions related to this field, including analyses of social inclusion policies, poverty alleviation programs, housing and infrastructure policies, tax incentives, sustainability (SDGs), and other relevant topics.
  3. Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Local Contexts: The journal encourages the submission of articles that examine the role of entrepreneurship and innovation in local development. This includes studies on fostering local entrepreneurship, the impact of startups and small businesses on the local economy, innovation strategies in specific sectors, and other related topics.
  4. Community Participation and Engagement in Local Development: The journal accepts research that explores the importance of community participation in the local development process. This encompasses studies on mechanisms for citizen participation, strengthening civil society, participatory governance, the involvement of marginalized groups, and related subjects.
  5. Cooperation and Partnerships for Local Development: The journal values research that addresses forms of cooperation and partnerships among different stakeholders to promote local development. This can include studies on public-private partnerships, collaboration among civil society organizations, international cooperation, collaborative networks, and other relevant aspects.

Interações, therefore, focuses only on publishing scientific articles and research papers on Local Development. Articles submitted that do not adhere to this guidance will not be approved for further steps leading to final publication.

PERIODICITY AND FLOW

Continuous Flow and Agility: Interações adopts a continuous article submission flow, except when publishing special issues and thematic dossiers. This allows researchers to submit their work at any time, without strict deadlines. This policy reflects our commitment to expediting the publication process, ensuring a rapid response to authors, and fostering high-quality scientific production.

Starting in 2024, Interações transitions to the Continuous Publication model, aligning with the global trend in electronic scientific publishing. Under this model, manuscripts are published as soon as the evaluation and final review processes are completed. This approach allows for the publication of works ahead of the projected issue release date, accelerating the communication of research and contributing to specialized academic discussions.

It's important to emphasize that Continuous Publication doesn't affect the submission stage, and all evaluation and editing criteria as outlined in our editorial policy remain unchanged. Additionally, issue closures continue to align with the journal's quarterly periodicity.

PEER REVIEW PROCESS

Interações employs a rigorous peer-review process to ensure the quality and relevance of selected articles for publication. This process consists of several stages and involves a team of experts in the field of Local Development. Below, we explain the evaluation process in detail:

  1. Initial Evaluation by Chief Editors: Upon receiving submissions, the chief editors conduct an initial evaluation to assess the alignment of articles with the journal's scope and editorial guidelines. Articles meeting the criteria proceed to the next stage.
  2. Evaluation by Associate Editors and Thematic Dossier/ Special Issue Editors: Selected articles from the previous stage are sent to associate editors and editors responsible for thematic dossiers. These specialists possess expertise in the specific areas covered by the articles and perform detailed evaluations. They consider factors such as originality, relevance, methodology, structure, and contribution to the field of Local Development.
  3. Ad hoc Consultants: In certain cases, the Editorial Board may request ad hoc consultants to evaluate articles. This occurs when a more thorough analysis is needed or when the particularities of the knowledge areas require additional expertise. Ad hoc consultants are external specialists recognized in their respective research fields, offering impartial and informed assessments of the articles under review.
  4. Editorial Board Evaluation: After the associate editor and, if necessary, ad hoc consultant evaluations, the articles are submitted to the Editorial Board. The Board reviews the assessments and, based on these evaluations, makes the final decision on article publication. A positive and substantiated assessment from a member of the Editorial Board is required for an article to be published.
  5. Open Peer Review: The journal adopts an open peer review process, where partial or full reviewer names are disclosed. The peer review process employed by Interações ensures the quality and credibility of the published articles. It involves careful review by renowned experts and ensures that only relevant, original, and well-grounded works are selected. This approach contributes to the advancement of knowledge in the field of Local Development and reinforces the journal's reputation as a platform for disseminating high-level research.

SPECIAL DOSSIER/SPECIAL ISSUE PUBLICATION POLICIES

Interações has specific policies for publishing thematic dossiers/special issues, aiming to foster in-depth, interdisciplinary exploration of relevant topics in the field of Local Development. These policies ensure the quality, diversity, and timeliness of published dossiers. Below are the guidelines applied to thematic dossiers:

  1. Highlighted Themes: Thematic dossiers/special issues address emerging issues, current debates, and conceptual advancements in the field of Local Development. Relevant and innovative themes are selected, as they have the potential to significantly contribute to advancing knowledge in this area. Proposed dossiers should align with the journal's research lines and offer valuable contributions to the field.
  2. Expert Coordination: Each thematic dossier/special issue is coordinated by recognized experts in the field. These coordinators possess extensive experience and knowledge of the addressed topics, ensuring the excellence and comprehensiveness of the discussions within the dossier. They are responsible for selecting submitted articles, coordinating the peer-review process, and ensuring the quality and thematic coherence of the published articles.
  3. Open Call: Interações announces open calls for article submissions in thematic dossiers/special issues, inviting researchers and scholars to contribute their research and insights. These calls are promoted through various academic and scientific channels, aiming to attract a broad range of contributions from national and international researchers.
  4. Rigorous Evaluation: Articles submitted to thematic dossiers/special issues undergo a rigorous evaluation process, following the general peer-review guidelines of the journal. Dossier coordinators select reviewers specialized in the theme, who assess articles based on criteria such as originality, methodological rigor, relevance, and contribution to the field of Local Development.

By adhering to these dossier/special issue publication policies, Interações strengthens its commitment to academic excellence, promoting the dissemination of relevant research and encouraging interdisciplinary scientific production. Through thematic dossiers, the journal establishes itself as a privileged space for discussing and disseminating innovative knowledge in the field of Local Development.

OPEN ACCESS POLICY

Interações adopts an open and immediate access policy to its content, grounded in criteria that promote global democratization of knowledge. These criteria include freely providing access to articles, enabling unrestricted access to the general public. Furthermore, the journal follows rigorous peer-review standards, ensuring the quality and scientific validation of the content provided. By offering open access, we believe we contribute to the broad dissemination of knowledge and the promotion of a more inclusive and collaborative academic environment.

Within this policy context, Interações also applies author authorization criteria to ensure free and immediate access to content. Authors of articles published in the journal grant permission for the online dissemination and distribution of their work, allowing others to access, read, download, copy, and share without restrictions. This authorization plays a pivotal role in promoting the democratization of scientific knowledge and the global dissemination of research. By providing this authorization to Interações, authors actively contribute to building a more open, inclusive, and collaborative academic environment.

DATA SHARING POLICY

Interações follows clear criteria according to SciELO principles and other indexers for data sharing. These criteria include:

  1. Availability: Authors are encouraged to provide comprehensive and accessible datasets used in their research. This includes sharing raw data, codes, and methods used, along with necessary descriptions for understanding and replicating results.
  2. Open Access: Data should be made available in open and non-proprietary formats, enabling other researchers to access and use them without restrictions. This promotes research transparency and replicability.
  3. Proper Licensing: Authors should apply appropriate licenses to their datasets, specifying usage and reuse terms. The use of Creative Commons licenses is recommended, allowing data sharing and adaptation as long as proper credit is given to the original authors.
  4. Complete Metadata: Authors are responsible for providing comprehensive and descriptive metadata about the shared data. This should include information about data origin, collection and processing methodology, as well as any relevant limitations or peculiarities.

Interações promotes open science practices and data sharing in various ways. The journal seeks to establish its own data repository within SciELO-Data: https://data.scielo.org/, offering a dedicated space to store and access research data. Authors are required to include a "Data Availability Statement" in their articles, indicating if and where their data can be accessed. The journal also requires authors to submit an "Open Science Compliance Form," expressing their commitment to open science principles.

This form covers data availability, preprints, and transparency in peer review. By implementing these policies, Interações supports scientific integrity, collaboration, and knowledge dissemination in the field of Local Development.

PREPRINT POLICIES OF INTERAÇÕES

Interações (Campo Grande) encourages the early dissemination of research in preprint form, but does not guarantee final acceptance of the article in the journal. Submission of research to Interactions should adhere to the following guidelines:

  1. Submission: Authors submit their articles to the journal for evaluation.
  2. Initial Evaluation by the Editorial Committee: Submitted articles undergo an initial evaluation by the editorial committee to ensure quality, relevance, and alignment with the journal's criteria. Articles approved at this stage are made available in the Interactions system with the aim of enriching the exchange of knowledge in the academic community.
  3. Peer Review: Articles submitted to the journal undergo peer review by experts who assess the content, methodology, and academic contribution of the work to ensure scientific quality and validity.
  4. Citation and Acknowledgment: Researchers who use information from Interações' preprints in their research should appropriately cite them in their final articles.
  5. Continuous Publication Flow and Inclusion in Subsequent Issues: After blind peer review, approved preprint articles are included in the regular flow of the journal.

It is crucial for authors to understand that preprints are initial versions of their work. Peer review is an essential step to ensure article quality before publication. Authors are advised to consult Interações official policies for up-to-date and accurate information.