Call for Papers: The Future of Scholarly Communication in Economics

Call for Papers
The Future of Scholarly Communication in Economics

30-31 March 2015, Hamburg, Germany

In recent years scientific publishing has changed rapidly in response to the growth of the internet. Thanks to the internet, open access to research and data has become much more common. Apart from the increase in access to old forms of research, the internet has given rise to new forms of commentary, evaluation and publication, via social media channels, blogs, scientific wikis, and scientific networks. These internet-driven changes to the research process have changed the roles of publishers, libraries, and scientific communities.

The Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW) and the Leibniz Information Centre for Economics (ZBW) are active players in this changing landscape. Since 2007, both institutions have run a new type of academic journal, <http://www.economics-ejournal.org> Economics: The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal. This innovative journal, inspired by successful predecessors in natural sciences, follows an open-access prin­ciple. Moreover, it is the only economics journal without a publisher listed in the SSCI.

To further stimulate the discussions on this topic, IfW and ZBW are organizing a workshop on the topic “The Future of Scholarly Communications in Economics”. The event will be held in Hamburg on March 30-31, 2015. Approximately 8 papers will be selected for presentation. Mark Armstrong (Oxford University) will deliver a plenary talk.

In order to encourage more participation, collaboration, cooperation, and discourse within the scientific publication process, the e-journal is planning to publish a special issue related to the workshop (open to all submissions, not only to selected presentations made at the workshop, but not mandatory for workshop participants).

For the workshop, we invite researchers from economics and other disciplines to submit related empirical and theoretical contributions. Among the areas of interest are:

  • Pros/cons of the review process, and new ideas for improvements
  • Different methods to measure reputation
  • Impact of open access on the publication market
  • Inclusion of research data in the publication process
  • The changing role of publishers, libraries, and scientific communities
  • The potential of social media tools (blogs, wikis, twitter, facebook etc.) in scholarly communication

All selected presenters will receive financial assistance to help with their travel costs.

Submission deadline: November 30, 2014 (completed or draft papers preferred)

Please send your manuscripts to editorial-office@economics-ejournal.org

Scientific Committee:

  • Mark McCabe (Boston University and University of Michigan)
  • Dennis Snower (Kiel Institute for the World Economy)
  • Klaus Tochtermann (Leibniz Information Centre for Economics)
  • Justus Haucap (Heinrich Heine-University of Duesseldorf)