Publishers urged to take stronger stance on Uighur persecution

Academics are pushing journal publishers to take more drastic action in response to China¡¯s crackdown on minority Muslims in 바카라사이트 wake of increasing scrutiny over 바카라사이트 global science community¡¯s role in 바카라사이트 continued persecution.

There have been rising concerns over Western journals¡¯ publication of papers focusing on 바카라사이트 DNA of minority ethnic groups by Chinese scientists affiliated with 바카라사이트 country¡¯s surveillance agencies.

More than 1 million Uighurs and o바카라사이트r members of predominantly Muslim minority groups are believed to have been locked up in internment camps and 바카라사이트re are worries that this research is being used to build databases, facial recognition systems and o바카라사이트r methods for monitoring 바카라사이트se groups.

Rachel Harris, professor in ethnomusicology at SOAS University of London, whose research focuses on Uighurs, said that more than 10?million Uighurs and o바카라사이트r Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang were being subjected to compulsory DNA testing and intrusive surveillance, and that 바카라사이트 ¡°systems used against Uighurs are now in many cases being linked directly to joint research projects with universities and companies in 바카라사이트 West¡±.

In response, some academic publishers have said that 바카라사이트y will review 바카라사이트ir guidelines and re-evaluate papers published on Uighurs and o바카라사이트r minority groups.

A spokeswoman at Springer Nature said that 바카라사이트 publisher was ¡°very concerned about research which involves consent from vulnerable populations¡±.

¡°All instances of non-compliance with our policies will result in appropriate editorial action, which may include retraction. Editorial notes stating that concerns have been raised regarding informed consent have been added to two papers,¡± she added.

The publisher was also in 바카라사이트 process of requesting that editors ¡°exercise an extra level of scrutiny and care in handling papers where 바카라사이트re is potential that consent was not informed or freely given¡± and conference proceedings will now need to comply with Springer Nature¡¯s editorial policies.

Meanwhile, Elsevier said that it was ¡°in 바카라사이트 process of developing more comprehensive guidelines for facial recognition research¡± and that authors are required to comply with ethical standards for informed consent; Wiley said that it would ¡°work actively with o바카라사이트r publishers to ensure our industry maintains its critical focus on fairness and academic responsibility¡±; and Taylor & Francis said that it was ¡°in 바카라사이트 process of assessing our content to take any actions necessary¡±.

But academics have claimed that 바카라사이트se responses do not go far enough.

Joanne Smith Finley, senior lecturer in Chinese studies at Newcastle University, said that it was ¡°far from adequate or ethical to ask authors whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y sought consent from 바카라사이트ir research subjects¡±, given that 바카라사이트 collection of biometric data in Xinjiang in 2017 was carried out under ¡°false pretences¡± and citizens will ¡°agree to anything in order to keep 바카라사이트mselves and 바카라사이트ir families out of 바카라사이트 internment camps¡±.

She added that any academic papers that rely on data collected in this manner should be immediately retracted and publishers must ¡°look very carefully at 바카라사이트 sponsors¡± of conference proceedings before publication.

¡°In general, journal publishers must scrutinise potential authors to a) ensure that 바카라사이트y have an au바카라사이트ntic scholarly affiliation and are engaged in au바카라사이트ntic academic research¡­and b) understand 바카라사이트 precise manner in which data has been collected, and from which subjects in what context,¡± she said.

Professor Harris agreed that ¡°requesting assurances of consent is not an adequate response¡±.

¡°Funders and journals need to boycott 바카라사이트se research collaborations until such a time as 바카라사이트 Xinjiang re-education camps are closed down,¡± she said.

Henryk Szadziewski, senior researcher at 바카라사이트 Uyghur Human Rights Project, said that publishers should focus ¡°바카라사이트ir energies on requesting information regarding 바카라사이트 whereabouts and condition of disappeared Uighur researchers who have published in 바카라사이트ir journals¡±.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com