The vicious circle of scientific journals and the progressive irrelevance of public science
Abstract
The impact factor and big publishing houses have become a hot topic from a scientific point of view. Their comprehension requires a historical understanding. Precisely, this history shows the complex process by which big publishing houses and impact indexes become indispensable for scientific knowledge’s dissemination and evaluation. The shift from basic science to a more applied one in the middle of the twentieth century consolidated these private agencies that both evaluate and publish (SCOPUS and Elsevier). In this situation, the public sphere experiences a profound transformation that leads to the privatization of science and the progressive irrelevance of public knowledge. Proposals such as Article Processing Charges (APC) and SCI-HUB fail to change this accumulation process. In conclusion, the debate has only begun and the seriousness of its consequences is made visible in the medium and long term.
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