Gatekeepers of Knowledge: Journal Editors in the Sciences and the Social Sciences

Publication is the coin of the realm in the academy. Careers depend upon a strong publication record, and journal editors occupy powerful positions in the publishing process. This study examines the careers of thirty-five scholarly journal editors through in-depth interviews that cover their rise to positions of influence, their views of the work of journal publishing, their assessment of the electronic revolution, and the role played by personal networks in the conduct of their duties. Along the way some controversial issues arise including journal proliferation, the padding of curriculum vitae, and the state of craftsmanship in the academy today. The interviews are analyzed against the backdrop of paradigms pioneered by two social scientists, Kurt Lewin and Lewis Coser. Their models of gatekeeping and social connections inform the analysis throughout the text. This book provides a revealing look at a crucial part of academic life.