Introduction Elsevier, now a division of RELX plc, remains the dominant player in academic publishing. If you’ve glanced at headlines or overheard the occasional mutter in a faculty lounge, you’ve likely noticed that this giant isn’t just surviving. It is thriving, raking in profits that make Silicon Valley unicorns blush. But how much profit did … Read more
Introduction Scientific publishing is a colossal industry, quietly shaping academic progress, technological innovation, and global policy decisions. While academic journals tend to dominate discussions about scholarly communication, scientific books are equally vital to the field. These books, ranging from comprehensive textbooks to advanced research monographs, play a crucial role in educating future scientists, advancing knowledge, … Read more
Introduction If you’ve ever tried to cite an academic paper, you’ve likely stumbled across a string of characters starting with “10.” followed by a long string of digits and slashes. That little string is a DOI—a Digital Object Identifier. It looks unassuming, but don’t let that fool you. The DOI is arguably one of the … Read more
Introduction For all its intellectual nobility, the world of academic publishing runs on a far less romantic fuel: prestige. Prestige powers citation counts, career advancement, funding decisions, and even university rankings. It’s also the glue that holds the entire scholarly publishing ecosystem together. But there’s a paradox at its core. Prestige, in theory, should reflect … Read more
Introduction Academic publishing is in crisis. Or, to be more precise, it has been in a slow-motion, decades-long spiral where systemic inertia, commercial greed, and outdated prestige structures have created an ecosystem that’s as inefficient as it is profitable, for some. Despite the rise of digital platforms, open access initiatives, and AI tools, meaningful reform … Read more