Państwo i Społeczeństwo / State and Society

General rules

Before submitting a manuscript, authors should read the full Guide for Authors available at: https://journals.uafm.edu.pl/sas/guide-for-authors

Manuscript length:
Original research articles and case studies should not exceed 40,000 characters, including spaces. Review articles are not subject to a fixed character limit; however, their length should be proportionate to the scope of the review, methodology, and breadth of the literature.

File format:
Manuscripts should be submitted in Microsoft Word format: .doc or .docx.

Required submission files:

1. Title Page

The Title Page must contain all author-identifying information and all required declarations. It should be submitted as a separate file and must include:

• full name and surname of each author;
• affiliation of each author, including the name of the university, hospital, research institute, public institution, organisation, or other entity;
• country of affiliation;
• ORCID iD of each author, where available;
• e-mail address of each author;
• corresponding author details;
• Author Contributions statement, preferably using the CRediT taxonomy;
• Funding statement;
• Ethics Approval Statement, where applicable;
• Informed Consent Statement, where applicable;
• Data Availability Statement;
• Declaration of Generative AI Use;
• Acknowledgments, if applicable;
• Conflicts of Interest statement.

Declaration of Generative AI Use

The Declaration of Generative AI Use must be included on the Title Page, regardless of whether generative AI or AI-assisted technologies were used. It must not be placed in the Acknowledgments section.

If no generative AI or AI-assisted technologies were used, authors should include the following statement:

“The authors declare that no generative artificial intelligence or AI-assisted technologies were used in the preparation of this manuscript.”

If generative AI or AI-assisted technologies were used, authors should include the following statement:

“During the preparation of this manuscript, the authors used [name of tool, version] for [specific purpose]. The authors subsequently reviewed and edited the content and take full responsibility for the final version of the manuscript.”

Generative AI tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, references, data, and final content of the manuscript.

2. Main Manuscript File

The Main Manuscript File must be fully anonymised and must not contain information that directly or indirectly identifies the authors.

The manuscript file should include:

• article title in English;
• article title in Polish, where applicable;
• abstract in English;
• abstract in Polish, where applicable;
• 3–5 keywords in English;
• 3–5 keywords in Polish, where applicable;
• main text of the article;
• references;
• tables, figures, charts, and illustrations placed close to their first mention in the text, where possible.

The abstract should be between 250 and 500 words. It should clearly summarise the purpose of the study, methods or analytical approach, main findings, and conclusions. Keywords should be specific and searchable and should not merely repeat words used in the title.

Recommended maximum number of references:

• Original research articles: up to 30 references;
• Case studies: up to 15 references;
• Review articles: up to 60 references.

References and in-text citations should be prepared according to APA style. Authors are responsible for the accuracy, completeness, and consistency of all references. Active DOI numbers should be provided where available.

3. Cover Letter

A cover letter signed by the corresponding author should be submitted as a separate file. The cover letter should confirm that the manuscript is original, has not been published previously, is not under consideration elsewhere, and has been approved by all authors.

Text formatting

The manuscript should be prepared in Times New Roman, 12-point font, with 1.5 line spacing. Foreign terms and expressions, as well as titles of articles, books, journals, legal acts, and other works, should be written in italics. Authors should avoid using bold or underlined text for emphasis. Abbreviations should be used consistently and explained at first use.

Recommended article structure

Original research articles should generally include:

• Introduction;
• Materials and Methods / Methods;
• Results;
• Discussion;
• Conclusions.

Review articles should include:

• Introduction;
• thematic sections relevant to the topic;
• Summary / Conclusions.

Case studies should include:

• Introduction;
• Case Description;
• Discussion;
• Summary / Conclusions.

There is no need to number subheadings.

Tables, figures, charts, and illustrations

Tables, figures, charts, photographs, and illustrations should be numbered separately and consecutively. Each element must have a clear title or caption and must be referred to in the main text.

Figures and photographs should be inserted into the manuscript close to the place where they are discussed and should also be provided as separate graphic files with a resolution of at least 300 dpi, preferably in .jpg, .png, .tif, or .tiff format.

Charts should be clear, readable, and preferably prepared in greyscale. Three-dimensional charts should be avoided. Where applicable, charts should also be provided as separate editable files, for example in Microsoft Excel format.

Each table and chart must include a source note, such as “own work” or “own work based on…”. Units of measurement should be provided in square brackets. Tables should preferably be formatted without vertical lines.

Copyright Notice

Privacy Statement

Privacy Statement

Państwo i Społeczeństwo / State and Society respects the privacy of authors, reviewers, editors, readers, and all users of the journal’s website and submission system.

The personal data entered into this journal site and the Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform are used exclusively for the purposes of managing the editorial, peer review, publishing, indexing, archiving, and communication processes of the journal. These data will not be used for purposes unrelated to the journal and will not be sold or made available to third parties for commercial purposes.

Data Controller

The controller of personal data processed in connection with the journal and the journal website is Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Krakow University, Gustawa Herlinga-Grudzińskiego 1, 30-705 Kraków, Poland.

The University has appointed a Data Protection Officer, who may be contacted regarding the processing of personal data at: iodo@uafm.edu.pl.

Categories of Personal Data

Depending on the user’s role and activity in the journal system, the following categories of personal data may be processed:

- name and surname;
- e-mail address;
- affiliation and institutional address;
- country;
- ORCID iD and other scholarly identifiers, if provided;
- user account details;
- correspondence with the Editorial Office;
- submission metadata;
- authorship and contributor information;
- reviewer interests and review history;
- editorial decisions and workflow records;
- technical data related to the use of the website and the OJS platform, such as IP address, browser type, access logs, and cookies, where applicable.

Purposes of Processing

Personal data are processed for the following purposes:

- creating and maintaining user accounts in the journal system;
- enabling manuscript submission;
- managing the editorial and peer review process;
- communicating with authors, reviewers, editors, and readers;
- publishing articles and article metadata;
- ensuring the correct identification of authors, contributors, reviewers, and editors;
- assigning reviewers and editors to submissions;
- indexing, abstracting, archiving, and disseminating published content;
- ensuring the security, integrity, and proper functioning of the journal website and the OJS platform;
- fulfilling legal, institutional, editorial, and publishing obligations.

Legal Basis for Processing

Personal data are processed in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), in particular where processing is necessary for the performance of tasks related to the publication and dissemination of scientific research, for the legitimate interests of the journal and the Publisher, for compliance with legal obligations, or on the basis of the user’s consent where required.

The legitimate interests of the journal and the Publisher include managing scholarly communication, conducting the editorial and peer review process, maintaining the integrity of the academic record, ensuring transparency of authorship and publication metadata, and protecting the security of the journal platform.

Publication of Author Data

By submitting a manuscript to the journal, authors acknowledge that, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, selected personal data necessary for scholarly publishing will be made publicly available. This may include the author’s name and surname, affiliation, country, ORCID iD, e-mail address where provided for correspondence, article metadata, acknowledgements, funding information, conflict of interest statements, and other information required by scholarly publishing standards.

Published article metadata may be shared with indexing databases, abstracting services, repositories, DOI registration agencies, library catalogues, and other scholarly communication systems.

Reviewer and Editorial Data

Personal data of reviewers and editors are processed for the purposes of managing the peer review and editorial process. Reviewer identities are treated in accordance with the journal’s peer review model. Where the journal applies double-blind peer review, reviewer identities are not disclosed to authors.

Review records, editorial decisions, and related correspondence may be retained as part of the journal’s editorial documentation in order to ensure the integrity, accountability, and transparency of the publication process.

Data Sharing and Recipients

Personal data may be accessed by authorised members of the Editorial Office, editors, reviewers, technical administrators, the Publisher, and service providers supporting the operation, maintenance, indexing, archiving, and security of the journal platform.

Personal data may also be transmitted to indexing and abstracting databases, repositories, DOI registration agencies, metadata aggregators, and other scholarly communication services to the extent necessary for the publication, identification, dissemination, and archiving of scholarly content.

The journal does not sell personal data.

Data Retention

Personal data are retained for as long as necessary to achieve the purposes for which they were collected, including the management of the editorial and publishing process, maintenance of the academic record, indexing and archiving of publications, compliance with legal obligations, and protection of legitimate interests of the journal and the Publisher.

Data related to published articles and their metadata may be retained permanently as part of the scholarly record. Data related to rejected or withdrawn submissions may be retained for the period necessary to document the editorial process, prevent duplicate submissions, respond to queries, and protect the integrity of the review process.

User Rights

Under the GDPR, data subjects have the right to request access to their personal data, rectification of inaccurate data, erasure of data, restriction of processing, data portability, and objection to processing, where applicable.

Requests concerning personal data should be addressed to the Data Protection Officer at: iodo@uafm.edu.pl.

Data subjects also have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority, in particular the President of the Personal Data Protection Office in Poland.

Cookies and Technical Data

The journal website may use cookies and similar technologies necessary for the proper operation of the website and the OJS platform, including user login, session management, security, statistics, and website administration. Users may manage cookie settings through their web browser; however, disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the website or submission system.

Automated Decision-Making

The journal does not use personal data for automated decision-making or profiling that would produce legal effects concerning users or similarly significantly affect them.

Contact

Questions concerning the processing of personal data by the journal may be addressed to the Editorial Office or to the Data Protection Officer of Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Krakow University at: iodo@uafm.edu.pl.