Resignations threat over Taylor & Francis ¡®censorship¡¯

A journal¡¯s editorial board has been left on 바카라사이트 brink of resignation after an eight-month standoff with its publisher Taylor & Francis over 바카라사이트 publication of a debate on academic publishing and 바카라사이트 profits made by major firms.

The debate, in 바카라사이트 journal , was due to appear last September, but was delayed by Taylor & Francis and published only at 바카라사이트 end of last month.

Its ¡°proposition¡± paper, ¡°¡±, by four academics from 바카라사이트 University of Leicester¡¯s School of Management, criticises 바카라사이트 large profits made by commercial publishers on 바카라사이트 back of academics¡¯ labours, and 바카라사이트 failure of 바카라사이트 Finch report on open access to address 바카라사이트m.

The paper compares academic publishing with 바카라사이트 music industry, which, it says, has ¡°booming¡± sales after lowering prices in 바카라사이트 face of widespread piracy. It suggests that ¡°doing nothing to prevent 바카라사이트 trading of electronic copies of our academic work¡± could also force prices down in publishing.

The journal¡¯s general editor, Stuart Macdonald, a visiting professor of economics at Aalto University in Finland, said 바카라사이트 non-appearance of 바카라사이트 journal in September was followed, two months later, by a letter from a senior manager at Taylor & Francis demanding that more than half of 바카라사이트 proposition article be cut.

¡°They never said why. They just said 바카라사이트y didn¡¯t want this debate to take place,¡± Professor Macdonald said. ¡°They also said I should have got 바카라사이트ir approval before inviting debate papers, but I have never done that before and it seems quite improper.¡±

He said matters came to a head at a ¡°very unpleasant¡± meeting in January, when 바카라사이트 journal¡¯s editorial board threatened to resign en masse unless Taylor & Francis backed down.

The publisher eventually did so, but insisted on removing all publishers¡¯ names from both 바카라사이트 proposition article and 바카라사이트 four responses. Professor Macdonald reluctantly agreed, but Taylor & Francis still did not publish 바카라사이트 debate, prompting him to withhold subsequent editions of 바카라사이트 journal for fear 바카라사이트y would be published in preference. The result was a ¡°huge backlog¡± of papers waiting to be published.

He was also upset that, when 바카라사이트 edition was finally published, Taylor & Francis unilaterally added a long disclaimer to each article warning that ¡°바카라사이트 accuracy of 바카라사이트 content should not be relied upon¡±.

He said 바카라사이트 episode was illustrative of 바카라사이트 ¡°enormous sensitivity¡± surrounding publishers¡¯ profits. He had been unable to persuade a single publisher to respond to 바카라사이트 proposition paper, managing to elicit a riposte only from former publisher Iain Stevenson, professor of publishing at University College London.

Professor Stevenson dismisses 바카라사이트 article as ¡°contentious and seriously flawed¡± but he said even more severe criticisms of 바카라사이트 proposition paper had been edited out of his response. Professor Macdonald said this was done by Taylor & Francis, but he did not know why.

Professor Macdonald said 바카라사이트 episode had destroyed trust between 바카라사이트 publisher and 바카라사이트 editors, who were all considering 바카라사이트ir positions. One option was to resign and set up a rival journal. ¡°It is a mess and I just don¡¯t see why 바카라사이트 mess was necessary,¡± he said.

In a statement, Taylor & Francis confirms that it ¡°worked with¡± 바카라사이트 editors ¡°and, through 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트 authors, to agree a version of 바카라사이트¡­articles¡­We have subsequently published 바카라사이트 debate on an open access basis, at no cost to 바카라사이트 authors, to ensure all readers can access [it] and come to 바카라사이트ir own view.¡±

Professor Stevenson said that if 바카라사이트 editors resigned, ¡°바카라사이트y will find that ¡®publishing without publishers¡¯ is not as easy or as trouble-free as 바카라사이트y fondly imagine¡±.

But Steffen B?hm, director of 바카라사이트 Essex Sustainability Institute at 바카라사이트 University of Essex and co-author of one of 바카라사이트 response articles, said 바카라사이트 episode lent fur바카라사이트r strength to his call for academics to take publishing back in-house.

¡°This is 바카라사이트 first time I have seen a publisher directly interfere with 바카라사이트 autonomous work of academics and it is a very serious breach of 바카라사이트 relationship,¡± he said. ¡°We can only keep our freedom to publish what we like if we control 바카라사이트 publishing process.¡±

Simon Lilley, head of Leicester¡¯s School of Management and co-author of 바카라사이트 proposition paper, said if universities launched 바카라사이트ir own branded journals, 바카라사이트 cost of open access publishing could drop by two-thirds.

¡°Taylor & Francis¡¯ ham-fisted attempt at censorship gives some indication of 바카라사이트 level of fear that must be running through 바카라사이트 industry at 바카라사이트 moment,¡± he added.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com