Publishing Sociological Scientific Journals in Argentina: Problems and Challenges

Transcription

1 Publishing Sociological Scientific Journals in Argentina: Problems and Challenges Alicia Itatí Palermo President Council of Professional Sociologists Editor Revista Argentina de Sociología Conference of National Associations: Challenges for the sociology in an unequal world International Sociological Association Taipei, 2009

2 Topics Importance of the Scientific Journals. Brief history of Sociology s scientific journals in Argentina. Characterization of their current situation, analyzing its problems, within the Latin American context. Challenges they have ahead.

3 Importance of the Scientific Journals. The scientific journals are not only a means of communicating the scientific knowledge but also that from the sociological point of view they constitutes a link in the evaluation system of the research activity. Editing a journal is a key element: - institutionalization of any discipline - scientific evaluation system.

4 Brief history of scientific journals of Pereyra points out (2004): Sociology in Argentina - This history shows us the absence of several decades of a journal targeted to define the scientific field of sociology, established disciplinary boundaries and channel their discussions about their issues, problems and challenges, as other countries have carried out some publications, despite several attempts that had no continuity. - Revista Argentina de Sociología (CPS) is an opportunity to establish a new communication channel for the Argentinian sociologists.

5 Brief history of scientific journals of Sociology in Argentina 1898: first subject in sociology (UBA) 1941: Institute of Sociology (UBA) 1957 Creation of the course of studies of Sociology (UBA) Journals of Sociology. Until 1941, literary journals and in university annals : Bulletin of Institute of Sociology : Journal of the Institute of Sociology

6 Sociology s Journals in history of Argentina The 60 s: 1962: Journal of Sociology at the Universidad Nacional de La Plata 1957 and 1973: the Bulletin of the Institute of Sociology Raúl Orgaz, National University of Cordoba 1962 and 1970:Research in Sociology, Institute of Sociology, National University of Cuyo 1961 and 1965: Sociological Studies, by Editorial Omega, under the auspices of the Argentine Society of Sociology and the International Institute of Sociology Militarry goverment complicated even more the lack of journals. The 80 s: and the 90,s Investigation reports from centers of investigation at universities

7 Actually Catalog Latindex : Regional Information System for Online Scientific Latin American, Caribbean, Spain and Portugal. 281Journals in Argentina; only16 are classified as sociology: Contributions to Latin American integration, Science, Technology and Society, Education, Language and Society, New Series spaces; Studies Labor Migration Studies Latinoamericanos; Geode; The Aljaba, Medicine and Society; Mythological; Mora, Population and Society, Reason and Revolution, Revista Argentina de Sociología; Scripta Ethonológica and Labor and society. As we can see, not all are specific to sociology, and some of them refer only to a branch of sociology.

8 Journals from Latin American social sciences Payva (2003) points out: Latindex s directory: 190 scientific journals from Latin American social sciences, distributed as follows: Brazil: 33%, Mexico 25%, Argentina 17%, Colombia 5% and Venezuela 5%. This shows that Argentina, despite its low number of magazines, is in third place in the region in many social science journals.

9 Revista Argentina de Sociología Published by the Council of Professional Sociologists since In these few years, has become a specific academic journal first level in Catalog Latindex (Regional Information System for Online Scientific Latin American, Caribbean, Spain and Portugal); Núcleo Básico de Revisas Científicas Argentinas (journals published, recognized and clasificated level 1 by Argentine Center of Scientific and Technical Information); SCA Sociological Abstract, Cambridge Científics Abstracts

10 Problems of scientific journals in Argentina (Latin American context) Editing a scientific journal of sociology in Argentina in a time of social and economic crisis like the present is a challenge. low visibility; low recognition by agencies of national science and technology and the authors themselves; poor preparation of the editors in the process and the rules of publishing scientific journals; the lack of funding; difficulties remain and / or edit the numbers provided on time; the absence of policies that support these journals in most of Latin American countries.

11 Challenges for social science journals in Argentina and Latin America. Since the policies state: is needed to assess national scientific journals, financial support and training for editors. CAICYT CONICET has joined Latindex System, SciELO and promoted the creation of the core of Argentine scientific journals (Núcleo Básico de Revistas Científicas Argentinas) From Scientific Journals: requires a collective effort that would be difficult to solve by a single publication or organization.. The formation of networks has the potential to mobilize efforts, skills and editorial policies Revista Argentina de Sociología (RAS) is committed to an important task for the visibility of Latin American scientific journals.

12 REVISTALAS (Latin American Association of Sociology) Coordinators: Eduardo Sandoval Forero (Mexico) Alicia Itati Palermo (Argentina) Same of the agreements that established of Revistalas are: 1. Develop a Directory of Scientific Journals of Latin American Social Sciences and Humanities. 2. Implementing editorial strategies through cooperation: exchange of articles, referees, etc. 3. Organizing meetings of the network in the National and Latin Ameriian Congress of Sociology, as well at any activities that serve to discuss the situation of Latin American journals and seek strategies to assess this journals

13 Conclusion Finally, I am convinced that joining forces and working cooperatively, we go beyond steps to assess the Latin American journals. For this, we need also to specific policies and to participate as editors in the establishment of these policies. Thank for your attention!!