Independent Thinking on Publishing's Future
Introduction Peer review stands as the cornerstone of academic publishing. It’s the gatekeeper, the quality control mechanism that (well, ideally) separates sound scholarship from the dubious or flawed. Yet, despite its importance, the process is plagued by challenges: sluggish turnaround times, a lack of transparency, the administrative burden on journals, and the ever-present problem of … Read more
Introduction When most people hear “blockchain,” they think of crypto bros, Silicon Valley startups, or digital gold rushes. But the potential goes far beyond finance. In publishing, blockchain provides practical tools, including smarter licensing, faster royalty payments, clearer contracts, and a means to build trust in a digital-first world. Still, despite all the talk, blockchain … Read more
Introduction Definition and Basic Concepts of Blockchain Technology Blockchain could give publishers and authors a shared record of who owns which rights and automate royalty payments through smart contracts. This article looks at where that promise is real, where it has fallen short, and what publishers should weigh before investing in it. Key points Blockchain … Read more
Introduction Blockchain promises tamper-proof records of who wrote what, who reviewed it and when, which is why it keeps coming up in debates about trust in scholarly publishing. This article explains what the technology could do for authorship, peer review and open access, why most early projects have stalled, and what a realistic role for … Read more