[BOAI] The Open Access Interviews: Jutta Haider

[Richard Poynder]

Many of us join causes and movements at different times in our lives, if
only because we like to feel part of something bigger than ourselves, and
because most of us have a healthy desire to improve the world.
Unfortunately, movements often fail to achieve their objectives, or their
objectives are significantly watered down - or lost sight of - along the
way. Sometimes they fail completely.

 

When their movement hits a roadblock, advocates will respond in a variety of
ways: "True believers" tend to carry on regardless, continuing to repeat
their favoured mantras ad nauseam. Some will give up and move on to the next
worthy cause. Others will take stock, seek to understand the problem, and
try to find another way forward.

 

Jutta Haider, an associate professor in Information Studies at Lund
University, would appear to be in the third category. Initially a proponent
of open access, Haider subsequently "turned into a sceptic". This was not,
she says, because she no longer sees merit in making the scientific
literature freely available, but because the term open access "has gained
meanings and tied itself to areas in science, science policy-making, and the
societal and economic development of society that I find deeply
problematic."

 

But she has not given up on open access, as will be evident from reading the
Q&A with Jutta Haider here:

 

http://poynder.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/the-open-access-interviews-jutta-haide
r.html

 

Richard Poynder

 

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