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3. Social Anthropology/Anthropologie Sociale goes Open Access
The membership voted on whether to move the association’s journal to Open Access production by Berghahn. Read the outcome.
The EASA Executive is delighted to report that more than 90% of members voting in the referendum on whether the association’s journal, Social Anthropology/Anthropologie Sociale, should become fully open access voted "Yes".
The question members were asked was:
"The EASA Exec proposes to take SA/AS Open Access in a sustainable way by moving its publisher to Berghahn from 2021. Do you support this strategy? If a majority vote YES, the EASA Exec will inform Wiley that we do not plan to renew our contract in 2021 and will enter into detailed negotiations with Berghahn to publish SA/AS Open access. If a majority vote NO, the Exec will seek to develop an alternative strategy to take SA/AS Open Access in a sustainable way."
The election was held as a result of a motion on open access introduced at the 2020 AGM. After a debate, it was agreed that EASA should only proceed if it was certain that the journal could be sustained, and if a majority of the membership supported this move.
This marks an important step, both for EASA and for publishing in anthropology, and we are particularly pleased to be working with Berghahn on this project, a publisher with a dedicated and long-term commitment to anthropology, in making this change. Social Anthropology/Anthropologie Sociale is a top tier international peer reviewed journal with Clarivate SSCI accreditation, and it will in the future be freely available to anyone. Not only does this mean that our scholarship can now reach a much wider audience; it also means that the EASA Executive, with the support of the membership, is deciding how to proceed with open access, which ensures that it will be done with both anthropological scholarship and our members in mind. In addition, by taking this step, EASA is sending a message about its support for open access that is organized fairly, sustainably and in a way that responds to members’ scientific interests.
Thanks to all EASA members for their support in taking this crucial step. The journal editors, together with David Mills (EASA Treasurer) will work together with Vivian Berghahn to find the best options for a high quality journal whose content is widely open.
