It is a remarkably peculiar moment to be a publisher, an author, or even an enthusiastic reader. For years, the industry has operated with a certain stoic resilience, seemingly immune to the kind of seismic, near-instantaneous disruption that has fundamentally reshaped other media sectors. We published books, journals, and magazines; people bought them; and the … Read more
Introduction In the global publishing landscape, discussions of market size and influence often gravitate toward the United States and Europe. However, any serious examination of the industry would be incomplete without a thorough examination of the colossal and at times opaque Chinese market. Home to nearly 1.5 billion people, a burgeoning middle class, and a … Read more
Introduction Academic publishing in Africa is at a fascinating and frightening crossroads. It’s caught between a genuine desire to grow and a deep-seated legacy of dependency. On one hand, African scholars are bursting with ideas, eager to share knowledge relevant to their own continent, and build a research scene that’s truly their own. This is … Read more
Introduction Predicting the future of cultural taste is a bit like predicting the weather in the tropics: you might get the big picture right, but the small details will surprise you. Still, publishing, film, music, and streaming platforms leave us with enough breadcrumbs to make educated guesses. Consumer behavior, global politics, and even technology shape … Read more
Introduction The academic publishing landscape, for all its revered traditions and rigorous standards, has a darker, more opportunistic underbelly: predatory journals. These entities, masquerading as legitimate scholarly outlets, have evolved from a fringe nuisance into a sophisticated, multi-billion-dollar industry. Research indicates that more than $300 million has been spent on paying the predatory publishers, involving … Read more