Introduction In the high-stakes world of academia, research papers have long been the ultimate flex. It’s the scholar’s magnum opus, a polished work that shows off their intellect, hard work, and novel findings. But what happens when the architect of this monument to human thought is no longer a person, but an algorithm? This isn’t … Read more
Introduction In the hushed, hallowed halls of academia, a new and decidedly unhushed guest has arrived: TikTok. For centuries, the dissemination of knowledge has been a deliberate and solemn process, codified in scholarly journals, monographs, and conference presentations. These forms of communication, while robust and peer-reviewed, are also notoriously slow, often insular, and almost entirely … Read more
Introduction For centuries, university presses have been the quiet backbone of academic publishing, producing scholarly books and journals that often would not see the light of day in a purely commercial marketplace. Yet in the age of digital platforms, open access policies, and billion-dollar publishing conglomerates, it is fair to ask: Are university presses still … Read more
Introduction It’s a question many academics ponder, often while staring at a five-figure invoice for a journal subscription or an equally outrageous article processing charge. We, the researchers, write the articles, peer review them for free, and serve on editorial boards for no financial gain. The entire enterprise, from conception to final manuscript, is a … Read more
Introduction Few debates in academia are as heated as the one about commercial publishers. On one side, defenders argue that publishers play a vital role in ensuring scientific research is vetted, accessible, and archived for future generations. On the other hand, critics view commercial publishers as gatekeepers who exploit the unpaid labor of academics while … Read more