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Oct

Billion-dollar academic publishing game threatens global knowledge access

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Anwarulhaq Baig

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New Delhi | Thursday | 10 October 2024

Dr Mohammad Rizwan, Director of CSR India, recently highlighted critical issues in the global academic publishing industry, revealing how a few major publishers, including giants like Elsevier, Springer Nature, Wiley-Blackwell, and Cambridge University Press, dominate the field and amass billions of dollars each year.

 Speaking at CSR India's inaugural Intellectual Deliberation series, Dr Rizwan warned that this “money game” in academic publishing threatens equal access to knowledge, creating economic disparities that disadvantage researchers from less affluent regions.

Dr Rizwan, also a guest faculty member at Nagpur University’s Department of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, delivered an insightful lecture titled “How Knowledge Ecosystems Work.” His talk focused on the intricacies of knowledge production, exploring the epistemology, methodology, and dissemination processes. He emphasized how power dynamics, hierarchy, and funding impact the production and flow of knowledge, making the system skewed in favour of wealthy institutions and regions.

Article at a Glance

Dr. Mohammad Rizwan, Director of CSR India, highlighted the dominance of a few major publishers in the global academic publishing industry, which threatens equal access to knowledge and creates economic disparities.
He emphasized that this "money game" favors wealthy institutions and regions, limiting researchers from less affluent areas. Dr. Rizwan presented data on the revenue of major publishers, including Elsevier, Springer Nature, Wiley-Blackwell, and Cambridge University Press, and discussed the implications of their dominance. He argued that open-access publishing models are essential to remove barriers for researchers, especially in developing countries.
Dr. Rizwan's presentation sparked a conversation on the need for a more inclusive and accessible knowledge ecosystem, where knowledge is accessible to all, regardless of geographic or economic background.

Dr Rizwan presented data that exposed how a small group of publishers controls the academic publishing market. Elsevier, a major player in the field, generates approximately $3.7 billion in annual revenue, primarily through the publication of over 2,600 journals and 33,000 books in fields like economics, psychology, and social sciences. Its substantial net income of $2.6 billion highlights the profitability of the industry.

Springer Nature, another major player, earns around $1.72 billion annually, with a strong focus on philosophy, education, and social theory. Wiley-Blackwell follows closely, generating $1.8 billion each year through the publication of over 1,600 peer-reviewed journals in disciplines like anthropology and cultural studies. Taylor & Francis and SAGE Publishing, which concentrate on social sciences and education, generate about $1 billion and $400 million respectively. Cambridge University Press, one of the oldest and most prestigious university presses, also reports a revenue of around $400 million annually.

The concentration of wealth among these few publishers has sparked debates about research accessibility and the sustainability of the current model. Dr Rizwan argued that such a system creates barriers for researchers, particularly those from less wealthy countries, limiting their ability to access critical knowledge and contribute to global academic discourse.

A key part of Dr. Rizwan's presentation focused on the “politics of the knowledge ecosystem.” He emphasized how funding, resources, and academic environments contribute to “knowledge hierarchies,” allowing well-funded institutions to dominate the global narrative while marginalizing perspectives from underfunded regions. He stressed that these dynamics create inequalities in knowledge production and distribution, leading to epistemic injustice.

Dr. Rizwan elaborated, “Who gets to know what, when, and how are not just academic questions—they reflect the power structures in the global knowledge economy.” He highlighted the need for more equitable access to knowledge to create a balanced and inclusive ecosystem that values contributions from all regions.

One of the critical concerns raised by Dr. Rizwan was the proliferation of predatory journals, which exploit researchers' need to publish. These journals charge high fees but often lack proper peer review and editorial services, resulting in the publication of low-quality or even fraudulent research. Dr. Rizwan warned that such practices not only exploit researchers but also undermine the quality of academic discourse.

“These predatory practices siphon off valuable resources from genuine research efforts, muddying the academic landscape,” Dr. Rizwan cautioned. He urged institutions to guide scholars in avoiding these predatory traps and to support ethical publishing practices.

Dr. Rizwan discussed the various models of open-access publishing and their implications for researchers and institutions. He highlighted the following models:

1. Traditional Model: Readers pay for access to articles.

2. Gold Open Access: Authors pay Article Processing Charges (APCs), allowing free access for readers.

3. Green Open Access: Authors can self-archive their work after an embargo period.

4. Libre Open Access: Articles are freely accessible with additional reuse rights.

5. Bronze Open Access: Articles are free to read but lack open licenses for redistribution.

6. Diamond/Platinum Open Access: Free for both authors and readers, typically funded by institutions or philanthropists.

He emphasized that open access is an ethical necessity in the digital age, arguing, “Restrictive access to knowledge is a sin in today’s information age.” Dr. Rizwan called for a shift towards open-access models to remove barriers for researchers, especially those in developing countries.

Dr. Rizwan's presentation also included a comparative analysis of Western secular humanist and Islamic epistemological frameworks. He explained how the Western approach, which relies heavily on empirical evidence and reason, differs from the Islamic approach which integrates divine revelation alongside empirical inquiry.

In the Western framework, reason is seen as the primary path to knowledge, often independent of religious or supernatural considerations. On the other hand, the Islamic approach considers reason as a tool for understanding divine guidance, with the Qur’an and Hadith serving as central sources of knowledge.

Dr. Rizwan discussed how these differing frameworks shape scientific inquiry, textual interpretation, and the balance between rationalism and empiricism. He pointed out that while the Western approach prioritizes empirical observation, the Islamic perspective encourages empirical inquiry as a way to appreciate and understand divine creation.

The session concluded with Dr Rizwan's vision for a more equitable and inclusive knowledge ecosystem. He advocated for balancing rigorous academic standards with greater access to information, which he believes is crucial for global progress. He urged the academic community to address existing disparities and work toward a system where knowledge is accessible to all, regardless of geographic or economic background.

The event included a lively Q&A session, with participants raising concerns about the current state of academic publishing and the challenges faced by researchers from developing countries. Attendees included scholars and students from prestigious institutions like Jamia Millia Islamia, Aligarh Muslim University, and Delhi University.

Jabir K, a research assistant at CSR, noted that the Intellectual Deliberation series aims to foster discussions that bridge gaps between academia and research, tackling crucial issues that impact society. In his opening remarks, Khushhal Ahmed, a research associate at CSR, emphasized the importance of such dialogues in reshaping the future of knowledge dissemination.

The CSR India team announced plans to host more sessions in the coming months, focusing on critical topics related to knowledge production, access, and dissemination. Dr Rizwan's insights have sparked a conversation that could lead to meaningful reforms in the global academic publishing landscape, aiming for a more inclusive and accessible future for researchers everywhere.

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