On why I resigned as a Senior Scholar in my professional association.
About a year ago, I resigned as a senior scholar in my professional association.
Senior scholars are a lifetime designation, given to past presidents, fellows, lifetime achievement awards or who play critical conference roles.
Notably, the designation was created by a group of older faculty who wanted to offer advice to the community & help shape its future.
And they did.
The first senior scholars issued a letter declaring their favorite journals as the top journals in the field & have retained control over that list for over a decade.
Notably, all of the journals are North American or UK based.
Notably, the list excludes journals based in countries like Germany and important to regions like Asia.
Having defined where people should publish, the senior scholars moved on to tackle other issues with varying success - often doing as much harm as good.
So why quit?
It’s complicated.
First, a group of senior scholars issued a flawed report - declaring there were more editors of Indian & Chinese origin at some of their journals than they expected.
The expectations were benchmarked against the demography of the professional association.
The problem was that most of the journals were not owned by that association.
There was no reason to expect editorial boards to map well to the association the senior scholars claim to represent.
My post about how I felt is here: https://lnkd.in/eqkmEmfS
Second, I am not comfortable with the group’s composition.
The senior scholars have never published their names, affiliations, or demography.
When I attended their meetings, the participants looked overwhelmingly white & male & were from privileged institutions.
While I liked the fancy free lunch, I didn’t like that the senior scholars didn’t look like my field - which is global & diverse.
Third, I am not comfortable with their journal list.
The omission of journals important to members of my community that I care for has bothered me for years.
Calls for change have largely been ignored.
Fourth, I’m not keen on academic elites calling the shots for the community.
Groups that define journal lists, editorial boards, & more should be elected, include the intellectual breadth of the community, & represent people from all types of institutions.
I do not appreciate elites telling the rest of us how to behave or where to publish.
Finally, I don’t believe in lifetime appointments.
They are anathema.
They institutionalize people in power, who frankly, might not have kept up with the times.
When the senior scholars did not listen to my concerns, I quit.
A year later. To confirm.
For people who keep asking if I really quit?
Yes. Absolutely. I have no regrets.
My time, energy, & focus is on my students & building a better academy for them - not hanging out with the old guard.
I will miss the fancy lunch; but not much else, it’s a lot more fun hanging out with the proletariat.
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