Predatory Journals and the Quest for Research Integrity in the Global South: Challenges, Realities, and Pathways Forward

Predatory publishing has become a pressing challenge to research integrity, with disproportionate impacts on scholars in the Global South, where systemic inequities, limited resources, and intense publication pressures create vulnerabilities. This article situates predatory journals within broader global academic imbalances, showing how they exploit under-resourced researchers, erode scientific credibility, and reinforce epistemic marginalization. Using insights from recent literature, case analyses, and policy documents, the study reveals that early-career academics, often lacking adequate training in publishing ethics and constrained by evaluation systems that reward quantity over quality, are especially at risk. These dynamics not only jeopardize individual careers but also weaken the global visibility and credibility of knowledge produced in the Global South. At the same time, emerging initiatives, including institutional reforms, mentorship schemes, awareness campaigns, and the growth of equitable open-access infrastructures, demonstrate promising pathways forward. The article concludes that sustainable solutions require confronting structural inequalities while strengthening local capacity, reshaping research assessment, and fostering international collaboration. Only through such integrated efforts can research integrity be safeguarded and scholars in under-resourced contexts be empowered to contribute meaningfully and equitably to global scientific discourse.