About the Journal

Kala Citra: Indonesian Journal of Photography and Visual Studies is a scholarly journal managed by the Photography Department at the Institut Seni Indonesia (ISI) Surakarta. This journal is published twice a year, in March and October. Kala Citra features research, creative works, and conceptual studies in the fields of photography and visual studies, aiming to enhance the quality of knowledge and artistic-cultural practices in visual domains. The journal seeks to strengthen the wisdom of Nusantara culture through an interdisciplinary visual approach. Kala Citra serves as a platform for academics, artists, culturalists, and professional practitioners from around the world to share ideas and works within its scope, ensuring open access to the public.

Focus and Scope

Focus

Kala Citra: Indonesian Journal of Photography and Visual Studies is dedicated to the exploration and advancement of photography and visual studies as dynamic disciplines that intersect with art, culture, technology, and society. Rooted in the rich natural and cultural heritage of Indonesia, the journal highlights the pivotal role of visual media in capturing, interpreting, preserving, and innovating human experiences, with a special focus on Indonesian-ness and the wisdom of Nusantara culture. The journal serves as a nexus for the convergence of theoretical discourse and practical application, showcasing pioneering research, innovative works, and critical dialogues that extend the frontiers of photographic and visual studies within Indonesia and on a global scale.

The journal is committed to examining how photography and visual studies can capture, represent, and celebrate natural beauty, local wisdom, traditions, and identities of Nusantara, while engaging with global scientific and cultural discourses. It encourages interdisciplinary approaches, welcoming contributions that connect photography and visual studies with diverse fields such as art, anthropology, history, education, philosophy, cultural studies, sociology, tourism, archaeology, biology, geology, ecology, agriculture, paleontology, digital media, and various sciences that employ photography and visual media. Through this inclusive and collaborative approach, Kala Citra invites contributions that explore the intersections of local and global visual narratives, offering a platform for innovative research and creative works that celebrate the transformative power of images in shaping and reflecting the world around us.

Scope

The journal emphasizes Indonesian-ness and the rich wisdom of Nusantara culture as its foundation. It also welcomes global perspectives, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration across diverse fields. The journal covers a broad spectrum of subjects within the domain of photography and visual studies, including:

  1. Photography: explores diverse forms and applications of photography, from artistic and conceptual practices to documentary and scientific uses. It highlights the role of photography in storytelling, cultural documentation, and scientific research, while also examining the impact of digital technologies, such as 360 photography, drones, and AI, on photographic practices.

  2. Visual Studies: prioritizes a photographic approach within visual studies, using photography as the primary lens to explore and analyze visual culture, representation, and media. Key aspects include:

    • Photography as a tool for visual analysis, examining how it represents social, cultural, and political realities.

    • The role of photography in shaping and reflecting contemporary visual culture, including its use in media and advertising.

    • Ethical considerations in visual representation, addressing bias, stereotypes, and power dynamics in photographic images.

    • Photography as visual data in anthropological, sociological, archaeological, and historical research.

    • Comparative studies of photographic practices across cultures, highlighting the role of photography in promoting Wisdom of Nusantara culture globally.

  3. Interdisciplinary Approaches: encourages interdisciplinary contributions that connect photography and visual studies with fields such as art, anthropology, history, education, philosophy, cultural studies, sociology, tourism, archaeology, biology, geology, ecology, agriculture, paleontology, digital media, technology, and various sciences. It explores how visual methods can enhance research, teaching, and nature-culture preservation across disciplines.

  4. Global Engagement Discourses: welcomes global perspectives and comparative studies that connect local practices with international trends. It addresses universal themes such as environmental sustainability, social justice, technological innovation, and diverse discourses through a visual lens and photographic approach that encourages cross-cultural understanding and collaboration.

Kala Citra welcomes original research articles, critical reviews, book reviews, and interdisciplinary studies. By providing a space for diverse voices and perspectives, the journal strives to be a leading reference in the field of photography and visual studies, both in Indonesia and internationally.

Peer Review Process

Kala Citra: The Indonesian Journal of Photography and Visual Studies is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity and quality. All submissions to the journal are subjected to a rigorous double-blind peer review process, a procedure designed to ensure fairness, objectivity, and scholarly excellence. The following is an overview of the review process:

  1. Submission of a manuscript to this journal is subject to review by the editorial team. The purpose of this review is to ascertain that the manuscript meets the journal's scope, author guidelines, plagiarism policy, and ethical standards. Manuscripts that do not meet these criteria may be rejected without further review.
  2. Manuscripts that successfully complete the preliminary evaluation are subsequently allocated to a minimum of two independent reviewers, who are distinguished experts in the pertinent domain. The double-blind procedure guarantees that both the authors and reviewers remain anonymous to each other.
  3. The evaluation of submitted manuscripts is conducted by reviewers, who employ a set of criteria to assess the document's originality, relevance, methodological rigor, clarity, and its potential contributions to the domains of photography and visual studies. The feedback and recommendations provided by reviewers are detailed and may encompass the following: Accept Submission, Revision Required, Resubmit for Review, Resubmit Elsewhere, and Decline Submission.
  4. The Editor-in-Chief's decision regarding the acceptance or rejection of a submission is based on a comprehensive evaluation of the reviewers' feedback and the revised manuscript. Authors are formally informed of the Editor-in-Chief's decision, accompanied by a detailed analysis of the reviewers' comments.
  5. Accepted manuscripts are copyedited, formatted, and prepared for publication in the next available issue of the journal. Authors are provided with proofs for final approval before publication.

Timeline

The peer review process typically takes 5–14 weeks, depending on the complexity of the manuscript and the availability of reviewers. Authors are kept informed of the progress at each stage.

Open Access Policy

This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.

 

Publication Frequency

Published in March and October, every year.
 

Plagiarism Policy

Kala Citra: Indonesian Journal of Photography and Visual Studies is committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity and originality. Plagiarism in any form, including the unauthorized use of text, ideas, or data, is strictly prohibited. All submissions are screened using plagiarism detection software, and manuscripts with a similarity index exceeding 20% will be returned to the authors for revision. This threshold encompasses all text matches, with exceptions granted for properly cited quotations and references. Authors are accountable for ensuring their work is original, duly attributed, and free from unethical practices such as self-plagiarism or data fabrication. Manuscripts found to contain significant plagiarism will be rejected, and repeated violations may result in a ban from future submissions. 

Publication Ethic

The journal adheres to the guidelines set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Below are the ethical responsibilities of all parties involved in the publication process:

Duties of Editors

  1.  Fairness and Impartiality:
    Editors evaluate manuscripts based on their intellectual content, without regard to the authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, citizenship, or political beliefs.

  2.  Confidentiality:
    Editors and editorial staff must not disclose any information about submitted manuscripts to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, or publisher.

  3.  Conflict of Interest:
    Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in which they have a conflict of interest, and ensure that such conflicts are disclosed and managed appropriately.

  4.  Decision-Making:
    Editors are responsible for making final decisions on manuscript acceptance or rejection, based on the validity of the work, its importance to the field, and reviewers’ recommendations.

  5.  Transparency and Accountability:
    Editors must ensure that the peer review process is fair, unbiased, and transparent. They should also be willing to publish corrections, clarifications, or retractions when necessary.

Duties of Reviewers

  1.  Contribution to Editorial Decisions:
    Reviewers assist editors in making editorial decisions and help authors improve their manuscripts through constructive feedback.

  2.  Promptness:
    Reviewers must complete their reviews within the agreed timeframe. If unable to do so, they should notify the editor immediately.

  3.  Confidentiality:
    Reviewers must treat all manuscripts as confidential documents and not share or use any information from unpublished manuscripts for personal gain.

  4.  Objectivity:
    Reviews should be conducted objectively, with no personal criticism of the authors. Reviewers must express their views clearly and support them with evidence.

  5.  Conflict of Interest:
    Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest and decline to review manuscripts where such conflicts exist.

Duties of Authors

  1.  Originality and Plagiarism:
    Authors must ensure that their work is entirely original and properly cited. Plagiarism in any form is unacceptable.

  2.  Data Accuracy:
    Authors must present accurate data and avoid fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of research findings.

  3.  Multiple or Concurrent Submissions:
    Authors must not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously.

  4.  Authorship and Acknowledgments:
    Authorship should be limited to those who have made significant contributions to the research. All contributors must be acknowledged appropriately.

  5.  Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest:
    Authors must disclose any financial or personal relationships that could influence the research or its interpretation.

  6.  Compliance with Ethical Standards:
    Authors must ensure that their research complies with ethical standards, particularly when involving human or animal subjects.

Duties of Publisher

  1.  Support for Ethical Standards:
    The publisher supports the journal in maintaining high ethical standards and ensures that editors, reviewers, and authors adhere to these principles.

  2.  Transparency and Accessibility:
    The publisher ensures that the journal operates transparently and that all published content is accessible to the academic community.

  3.  Handling Misconduct:
    The publisher is responsible for investigating and addressing cases of ethical misconduct, including plagiarism, data fabrication, and authorship disputes.

  4.  Archiving and Preservation:
    The publisher ensures the long-term preservation and accessibility of published content through digital archiving.

  5.  Support for Editors:
    The publisher provides editorial independence and supports editors in making fair and unbiased decisions.

Kala Citra aligns with the standards outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), and it is incumbent upon all authors to uphold the highest ethical standards in their scholarly endeavors.

Reference Manager

Authors should use reference manager apps such as Zotero or Mendeley.

 

Manuscript Withdrawal

 Withdrawing a manuscript is strongly discouraged, as it results in the inefficient use of valuable resources provided by the publisher. However, if authors find it necessary to request a withdrawal, the following guidelines must be adhered to:

  1.  Valid Reasons for Withdrawal:
    Manuscript withdrawal is permitted only under exceptional and unavoidable circumstances. Withdrawing a manuscript because it has been accepted by another journal is not considered acceptable.

  2.  Formal Request Requirement:
    Authors must submit a formal withdrawal request to the editorial office. This request must be in the form of a letter signed by all authors, clearly explaining the reasons for the withdrawal.

  3. Confirmation of Withdrawal:
    Authors should not assume that their manuscript has been withdrawn until they receive official confirmation from the editorial office. Only after receiving this notification will the withdrawal process be considered complete.