Dear all
***Newsflash: severe blockage ahead***
I have lurked on this list since its inception, and finally something has
happened to spur me into addressing you. I am a troubled soul...
In the context of discussing RAE 2000 (yawn!), someone noted
parenthetically that a rather good Geography journal (name withheld to
protect the innocent) has just finalized the content of one of its
not-so-early 1999 issues.
Stop. Rewind. 1999! Give it a few weeks, and they're virtually into the
year 2000 (Baudrillard, where are you?).
Personally, I don't really care very much about the RAE (career prospects
notwithstanding‹‹weep for the afflicted), but what I do care about is
getting interesting stuff out into the world to be read before it has
passed its 'best before date.'
I have long despaired over the growing (?) gap between submission,
revision, and publication. I have long despaired over hearing (about)
interesting research at conferences and gatherings, and waiting for an
eternity for it to come out in print. (Maybe its always been like this...).
And I have long despaired about the seemingly random responses of referees
and editors: the drawn-out undecidibility of the editorial 'thumbs up or
thumbs down' always strikes me as being a perfect re-enactment of the
infamous Schroedinger's cat!
So. Questions to those involved with editing journals: are the interesting
journals getting more and more congested? Are any journals booked up into
the next millenium? If 'yes, yes,' any ideas about unblocking research
output?
Questions to one and all: I wonder what critters like yourselves would
think about (near-as-dammit real-time) electronic journals in geography?
What would the RAE panel make of excellent work dumped on the net (assuming
that quality and the net aren't contradictions in temrs!)? Has anyone even
thought about electronic output as being 'RAE worthy' (as the Lugabaruga
corporate-speak puts it)? I am sure that many, if not all of us, have what
we think is potentially good and interesting work sitting on our hard and
floppy discs, yearning for the day when they will finally appear on paper
to be read. I am increasingly of the opinion that it would be nice to open
up our databanks. And I always liked Michel Foucault's idea of a year
without names: anonymous publishing.
(By the way, the electronic journal 'ctheory' does something that I think
is very nice indeed: they email me the papers, reviews, etcetera as they
become ready. Wouldn't it be great for critters to email each other papers:
not on the basis of given names and networks--most of us probably do that
already--, but on the basis of 'To whom it may concern: take it or trash
it.' Even after installing all manner of garbage on my Mac, I still can't
open up electronic Transactions--but that's another story.)
Here endeth the message: now I'm off for me dinner... Meanwhile, If anyone
fancies any slightly-used theoretical stuff on 'poststructuralist
geography,' drop me a line (email or snailmail). It's quick, free, and
instantly trashable.
Sleep well.
Marcus d
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email:
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snailmail:
Dr Marcus A. Doel
Department of Geography
Loughborough University
Loughborough
Leicestershire
LE11 3TU
Teletubby: +44 (0) 1509 228191
Telefaxing: +44 (0) 1509 223931
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