Scholar-led Open Access Publishing Challenges Neoliberal Knowledge Production Models
Scholar-led Open Access publishing initiatives can actively disrupt established academic publishing norms by adopting feminist and intersectional approaches to knowledge creation and dissemination.
Revista Diseña · 2020
Key Findings
- 01Commercial academic publishing often perpetuates existing inequalities based on gender, class, and race.
- 02Neoliberal frameworks influence policy and funding, driving Open Access as a business model that can exacerbate these inequalities.
- 03Scholar-led Open Access initiatives offer a pathway to more horizontal and inclusive knowledge production.
- 04Publishing itself can be viewed as a performative act that shapes and legitimizes knowledge.
Application
Design takeaway
Rethink the fundamental structures and values embedded in knowledge production and dissemination systems, moving beyond purely commercial or institutionally driven models towards more equitable and inclusive alternatives.
How to apply
When designing platforms or systems for sharing research or creative work, consider how to mitigate existing biases and actively promote diverse voices and perspectives.
Project actions
- 01Consider the ethical implications of your design choices on knowledge dissemination.
- 02Explore how your design project can challenge existing power structures within a specific field.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Provides a critical perspective on academic publishing.
- +Offers a theoretical framework for designing more equitable knowledge systems.
Limitations
The findings are based on theoretical analysis and may not fully capture the practical challenges of implementing new publishing models.
Reliability & validity
The study's validity relies on the author's interpretation of existing literature and theoretical frameworks. Reliability would depend on consistent application of these frameworks across different analyses.
Think critically
To what extent can design interventions truly dismantle deeply entrenched institutional and neoliberal frameworks in academic publishing, or do they merely offer alternative spaces within the existing system?
Design Principles
"Design for equitable knowledge systems by challenging existing power structures and promoting inclusive participation."
This research highlights how design thinking can be applied to the systems of knowledge production itself. By questioning the underlying structures and motivations of academic publishing, designers can explore alternative models that foster greater inclusivity and equity.
What This Means for Your Design
Academic publishing can be unfair, but new ways of sharing research online, led by scholars themselves, can help make it more equal and inclusive for everyone.
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference this study when discussing the broader societal impact of design choices in knowledge sharing platforms or academic systems.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
(2020). Publishables. Revista Diseña. https://doi.org/10.7764/disena.16.58-87 Retrieved from https://designdex.org/study/3a1d7a2e-445f-4741-9675-ec437a21e2c7/scholar-led-open-access-publishing-challenges-neoliberal-knowledge-production-models
Paragraph starter
This research highlights how academic publishing systems can perpetuate inequalities, suggesting that scholar-led Open Access initiatives, informed by feminist and intersectional perspectives, offer a design-driven approach to creating more equitable knowledge production and communication frameworks.
Source
Questions about this research
- What does the research say about scholar-led open access publishing challenges neoliberal knowledge production models?
- Rethink the fundamental structures and values embedded in knowledge production and dissemination systems, moving beyond purely commercial or institutionally driven models towards more equitable and inclusive alternatives. Evidence: Revista Diseña (2020).
- Why does "Scholar-led Open Access Publishing Challenges Neoliberal Knowledge Production Models" matter for design?
- This research highlights how design thinking can be applied to the systems of knowledge production itself. By questioning the underlying structures and motivations of academic publishing, designers can explore alternative models that foster greater inclusivity and equity.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Rethink the fundamental structures and values embedded in knowledge production and dissemination systems, moving beyond purely commercial or institutionally driven models towards more equitable and inclusive alternatives.
- What were the main findings?
- Commercial academic publishing often perpetuates existing inequalities based on gender, class, and race.. Neoliberal frameworks influence policy and funding, driving Open Access as a business model that can exacerbate these inequalities.. Scholar-led Open Access initiatives offer a pathway to more horizontal and inclusive knowledge production.. Publishing itself can be viewed as a performative act that shapes and legitimizes knowledge.
- What research method was used?
- Literature Review and Theoretical Analysis.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2020 journal from Revista Diseña.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing platforms or systems for sharing research or creative work, consider how to mitigate existing biases and actively promote diverse voices and perspectives.
- What are the limitations?
- The study is primarily theoretical and relies on existing literature, with limited empirical data on the long-term impact of scholar-led initiatives.
- Is there evidence that knowledge production affects design outcomes?
- The study found that while commercial academic publishing can reinforce societal biases, scholar-led Open Access models offer a powerful means to create more equitable and inclusive systems for sharing knowledge. This research highlights how design thinking can be applied to the systems of knowledge production itself. Source: Revista Diseña (2020).
- Where does this scholar-led open research apply?
- Academic Publishing and Knowledge Production It sits within innovation & design research on designdex.org.
Related research topics
knowledge production design research · evidence on knowledge production · does knowledge production improve design outcomes · scholar-led open studies for designers · knowledge production and scholar-led open findings · innovation & design research evidence