Members’ misrepresentation practices: The case of Russian journal editorial boards
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Author(s)Alex PlastunLink to Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/plastun-alexey/57/7bb/444/Link to ORCID Index: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8208-7135
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Inna MakarenkoLink to ORCID Index: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7326-5374
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Anna VorontsovaLink to ORCID Index: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0603-3869
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Tetiana Hryn'ovaLink to ORCID Index: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5914-8614
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Liudmyla SliusarevaLink to ORCID Index: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6845-9307
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Oksana KazakLink to ORCID Index: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2088-9022
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DOIhttp://dx.doi.org/10.21511/kpm.10(1).2026.01
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Article InfoVolume 10 2026, Issue #1, pp. 1-11
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3 Downloads
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Type of the article: Research Article
Editorial boards are vital components of scholarly journals, ensuring the integrity, quality, and academic rigor of published research. They play a key role in guiding a journal’s vision, selecting content, and upholding ethical standards. Journal reputations are reinforced by the endorsement of recognized scholars. Although many scientists worldwide have chosen to distance themselves from Russian institutions following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, we noticed that members of the global scientific community were still included on the editorial boards of journals published by an international publisher and edited by academic institutions in the Russian Federation. Given their importance, during 2024, we performed an email survey of members of non-Russian institutions serving on the editorial boards of 140 such journals and sent the letters to 709 international members of these boards. Based on 165 responses received, the findings reveal that 70.9% of international members of these editorial boards were either unaware of their membership, or did not fulfill their editorial duties, or were retired, or were deceased (17 cases). Inclusion of these individuals without their knowledge or consent clearly constitutes an unauthorized misrepresentation as to editorial board memberships, which might be harmful to the reputation of specific scientists. After the inquiries, 60.1% of respondents reported their decision to withdraw their names from these editorial boards as an ethical conflict resolution. The results of the analysis help to understand how journals and researchers respond to ethical and geopolitical challenges, ensuring that their practices comply with international standards and values.
Acknowledgment
Alex Plastun gratefully acknowledges financial support provided by Volkswagen Foundation, Ref.: 9C853, Project “Sustaining Ukrainian Scholarship”, hosted by New Europe College.
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JEL Classification (Paper profile tab)LLC “Consulting Publishing Company “Business Perspectives”
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References40
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Tables4
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Figures3
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- Figure 1. Survey geography: by number of letters sent, letters
- Figure 2. Survey geography: by the number of confirmations received, letters
- Figure 3. Survey geography: share of responses, %
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- Table 1. Overview of scientists contacted in this study
- Table 2. Categorization of 148 replies received in %*
- Table 3. Positions of publishers on fictitious editorial boards of Russian journals
- Table A1. Letters sent and responses received from members of the editorial boards of Russian journals in May-August 2024
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