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CC BY V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Academic publishing requires linguistically inclusive policies
Proceedings of the Royal Society. B, Biological sciences, Vol.291(2018), 20232840
2024
PMID: 38471557
Abstract
Scientific knowledge is produced in multiple languages but is predominantly published in English. This practice creates a language barrier to generate and transfer scientific knowledge between communities with diverse linguistic backgrounds, hindering the ability of scholars and communities to address global challenges and achieve diversity and equity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). To overcome those barriers, publishers and journals should provide a fair system that supports non-native English speakers and disseminates knowledge across the globe. We surveyed policies of 736 journals in biological sciences to assess their linguistic inclusivity, identify predictors of inclusivity, and propose actions to overcome language barriers in academic publishing. Our assessment revealed a grim landscape where most journals were making minimal efforts to overcome language barriers. The impact factor of journals was negatively associated with adopting a number of inclusive policies whereas ownership by a scientific society tended to have a positive association. Contrary to our expectations, the proportion of both open access articles and editors based in non-English speaking countries did not have a major positive association with the adoption of linguistically inclusive policies. We proposed a set of actions to overcome language barriers in academic publishing, including the renegotiation of power dynamics between publishers and editorial boards.
Details
- Title
- Academic publishing requires linguistically inclusive policies
- Authors/Creators
- Henry Arenas-Castro - The University of QueenslandVioleta Berdejo-Espinola - School of the Environment, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaShawan Chowdhury - The University of QueenslandArgelia Rodríguez-Contreras - The University of QueenslandAubrie R M James - Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyNussaïbah B Raja - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-NürnbergEmma M Dunne - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-NürnbergSandro Bertolino - University of TurinNayara Braga Emidio - The University of QueenslandChantelle M Derez - The University of QueenslandSzymon M Drobniak - Environmental Earth SciencesGraham R Fulton - Environmental and Conservation Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, AustraliaL Francisco Henao-Diaz - University of ChicagoAvneet Kaur - The University of QueenslandCatherine J S Kim - The University of QueenslandMalgorzata Lagisz - Environmental Earth SciencesIliana Medina - The University of MelbournePeter Mikula - Czech University of Life Sciences PragueVikram P Narayan - University of ExeterRachel Rui Ying Oh - The University of QueenslandChristopher J O'Bryan - School of the Environment, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaEkaterina Ovsyanikova - The University of QueenslandKatharina-Victoria Pérez-Hämmerle - School of the Environment, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaPatrice Pottier - Environmental Earth SciencesJennifer Sarah Powers - University of MinnesotaAstrid J Rodriguez-Acevedo - The University of QueenslandAndes Hamuraby Rozak - National Nuclear Energy Agency of IndonesiaPedro H A Sena - Centro de Tecnologias Estratégicas do NordesteNicola J Sockhill - The University of QueenslandAnazélia M Tedesco - The University of QueenslandFrancisco Tiapa-Blanco - The University of QueenslandJo-Szu Tsai - National Chiayi UniversityJaramar Villarreal-Rosas - Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, AustraliaSusana M Wadgymar - Davidson CollegeMasato Yamamichi - National Institute of GeneticsTatsuya Amano - The University of Queensland
- Publication Details
- Proceedings of the Royal Society. B, Biological sciences, Vol.291(2018), 20232840
- Publisher
- The Royal Society Publishing
- Identifiers
- 991005649566107891
- Copyright
- © 2024 The Authors.
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Environmental and Conservation Sciences
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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