Is sustainable development of scientific systems possible in the neo-liberal agenda?

Abstract

This paper discusses the evolution of large scientific systems in general and the sys- tem of formal scientific communications in particular in the context of their gradual transition to private hands. This in turn results in increased 'phony' research fronts, fueled by the interests of big business, pools of inaccessible hi-impact Anglo-American journals whose authors cite each other (author's citation cartels), and non-transparent global university rankings, which can be manipulated. Furthermore, the authors argue that the functioning of national scientific systems by means of having them linked to the global system of formal scientific communications and rank- ings is organized as an unrestrained race for publications, citations, impact factors, and rankings in which strong systems only get stronger and the weak ones get weaker. Such a race therefore cannot lead to sustainable development of the scientific system. The authors also look at the feu- dalism of knowledge and identify 3 steps to oppose this process.