Current characteristics of the social practice of publishing in science

Abstract

The editorial takes a look at the historical evolution and current characteristics of scientific publishing as a social practice; it also highlights the need to validate knowledge through academic criticism and how the printing press, modernity, and the scientific method transformed its legitimacy. Today, interdisciplinarity, collaborative work, and co-authorship are prominent, democratizing the production and dissemination of knowledge. Likewise, globalization and digital technologies expand the circulation of knowledge, while institutionalization imposes strict regulations and the overabundance of publications generates a parallel system of scientific management and market.