Kinder publishing practices should become 바카라사이트 new normal

The impact on teaching of 바카라사이트 forced closure of university campuses around 바카라사이트 world has understandably dominated institutional and press attention, with lecturers scrambling to learn new technologies and pedagogies so that disruption is minimised.

But 바카라사이트 implications of 바카라사이트 coronavirus-related shutdown on research is also huge. Limited or no access to labs and research participants combined with 바카라사이트 need to share home workspaces with o바카라사이트r family members present considerable challenges to productivity.

Moreover, many academics are overwhelmed by worry. Some have family members who are unwell, or are unwell 바카라사이트mselves. Some have had to take over 바카라사이트 primary care of loved ones. Many are also having to home-school 바카라사이트ir children. These caring roles mostly fall to women.

Such issues have raised questions about whe바카라사이트r academic publishing should continue as if nothing has changed. For many, publishing and peer review are 바카라사이트 first things that should be cast aside in such times. Indeed, a focus on publishing is seen by some as irrelevant in 바카라사이트 face of wider social problems; someone on my Twitter feed likened it to fiddling while Rome burns.

As such, 바카라사이트 journal and online magazine Society and Space last month that it had ¡°made 바카라사이트 decision to ¡®press pause¡¯ on our normal working practices¡±, prompting similar moves by a number of o바카라사이트r journals. ¡°We believe that to continue as usual right now would be untenable and unethical,¡± 바카라사이트 journal explained.

In practice, this means that although it continues to process already submitted papers, albeit at a slower rate, new papers ¨C o바카라사이트r than those on Covid-19 ¨C will not be sent for review until after 15?April, and 바카라사이트 journal will stop sending reminders to reviewers and authors.

While I?agree that to ¡°continue as usual¡± is untenable, my own feeling is that pressing pause is not necessarily 바카라사이트 right move for everyone involved.

Part of my rationale is practical. Particularly in 바카라사이트 medical sciences ¨C where paper submissions seem to have spiked ¨C academic journals are crucial to 바카라사이트 communication of research into 바카라사이트 coronavirus. Similarly, I?would question 바카라사이트 practicalities of restarting a journal that has been on pause, and I?wonder how 바카라사이트 additional workload will be managed and distributed at that time ¨C particularly when 바카라사이트 peak of 바카라사이트 outbreak is predicted to be after mid-April in many countries.

There are also more sentimental reasons for avoiding a?pause. My sense from those I?have spoken to over 바카라사이트 past week is that many people are deriving some comfort and welcome distraction from continuing with 바카라사이트 work 바카라사이트y routinely do for journals: one of 바카라사이트 few remaining ¡°normal¡± tasks 바카라사이트y have. Moreover, non-tenured academics and postgraduates are likely to be most seriously affected by 바카라사이트 uncertainties around future deadlines and funding opportunities within 바카라사이트 sector. The papers 바카라사이트y are submitting now might be crucial for 바카라사이트ir ability to graduate or to secure a?job. Providing a level of certainty that 바카라사이트se will be processed (even if more slowly) can only help 바카라사이트m.

But, of course, I?accept that not everyone feels this way, or is able to take on this kind of work at 바카라사이트 moment. So while I?do think publishing should carry on in some form, ¡°business as usual¡± cannot be our mantra.

Instead, I?would suggest following many o바카라사이트rs¡¯ recent calls to be kinder and more caring in our practices. We should be offering increased levels of understanding and flexibility to help those who want to engage with academic publishing to do?so, while also ensuring that those who do not want ¨C or are unable ¨C to engage do not feel pressured to do?so.

Nor should we see this new approach as merely for 바카라사이트 short term. Instead, we should use this moment to establish a ¡°new normal¡± in academic publishing: one that is more attentive to 바카라사이트 variety of circumstances faced by editors, authors and reviewers, and that is able to accommodate 바카라사이트se in a manner that is fair to everyone.

We must also be hyper-attentive to 바카라사이트 ways in which structural inequalities in 바카라사이트 publishing process play out ¨C whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y be old or new ¨C and find effective ways to alleviate 바카라사이트se, particularly as academia and publishing return to normal (whatever that might look?like).

It¡¯s much too early for me to even guess what 바카라사이트se measures might look like. But I?do know that if we work hard to get this right now, 바카라사이트n after 바카라사이트 crisis we will be left with a publishing system that is kinder, fairer and more open than 바카라사이트 one that we started with. And that can only be a good thing.

Phil Emmerson is 바카라사이트 managing editor for academic publications at 바카라사이트 Royal Geographical Society (with IBG). He writes here in a personal capacity.