The Geopolitics of Knowledge and Academic Publishing

Abstract

The geopolitics of knowledge describes and analyzes how states and nations, as well as geographical or linguistic-cultural areas, produce, manage, and disseminate knowledge and culture, often with the aim of maintaining or increasing their geopolitical status and thus their ability to represent, control, and shape lifestyles and worldviews. In this article, I focus in particular on the oligopolies of scientific publishing, showing how the concentration in a few hands—almost all Western and Anglophone—not only distorts the representation of research at the global level, but also constitutes a striking case of epistemic colonialism. After introducing the general context, the analysis focuses on two aspects: the geopolitical implications of the Anglophone hegemony and the open access initiatives of Latin America as a possible alternative to English-speaking oligopolies. However, open access is not sufficient to decolonize the production of knowledge. A profound rethinking of our educational systems and research infrastructures is needed to re-legitimize local knowledge, languages, and research practices, unmasking decades of cognitive subordination and reclaiming our epistemic sovereignty.