No one is saying that they can't charge a production fee to cover production cost. But why do they have to charge a review/handling fee at the front end of the process? Why not simply charge a production fee post-review? Dele Ashiru has offered at least two responses and clarifications and he still hasn't made a convincing case for charging a fee that has to be paid when submitting an article. The idea of paying reviewers to perform a service that is part of their academic service remit is unacceptable. Paying them from funds extracted from those who submit articles for review is egregiously unethical. Even in Nigeria. What is wrong is wrong, even in Nigeria. Invoking the familiar challenges of the Third World just won't cut it. If a potential reviewer can't do the review, find another who will. If a reviewer won't meet the deadline, send reminders or find a replacement. That's what editors and managing editors do. Why have a journal editor who cannot find reviewers for articles without extorting money from authors with which to "incentivize" reviewers? The entire process is corrupted when the reviewer knows that the author is paying his review fee. This is a simple ethical matter.
The more I think about this controversy the more I realize that the journal in question and its commercialization of the review process mirrors the monetization of all aspects of Nigerian life. Even things that used to be sacred provinces of community and humanistic service have now caught the bug of commercialization. What kind of neoliberal capitalist disease is ravaging our academy? I know that this trend is not specific to Nigeria as the Western academy has been struggling to fend off the invidious implementation of corporatist ethos and policies. But this instance is egregious and should be critiqued with the appropriate vehemence. Instead of rising above this morass with creative fund raising and sustenance strategies as has been suggested, the editors of the Unilag Journal of Politics seem to have embraced it. However reluctant this surrender may have been initially, it is now clearly central to the journal's operations, hence the editors' aggressive defense and rationalization of it.
On Mon, Sep 2, 2013 at 9:22 AM, Michael Afolayan <mafolayan@yahoo.com> wrote:
One has to be in Nigeria to appreciate the position of the gentleman, Dele Ashiru. While it would be regarded a "no-no" on this side of the Great Divide to elicit money for submitting and publishing a standard academic paper, it would be difficult, it not altogether impossible, to see how a high quality, peer reviewed journal could be produced in Nigeria without the financial support of the authors, whether the journals are "e-" versions or paper copies. Until we have home-grown promoters and financiers of quality higher education culture, these kinds of conditions for submissions and acceptance of academic papers would prevail; they may just need to be controlled and strictly monitored.My two cents . . .Michael O. AfolayanUSA
From: Olumide Olaniyan <olumydes@yahoo.co.uk>
To:"usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com" <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Monday, September 2, 2013 7:44 AM
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Unilag Journal Of Politics: Call for Papers-Some Clarifications--Hallo Dele Ashiru:Is it possible that this journal is also circulated in e-format for wider audience; your clarification is very important and appreciated.For instance, you may want to sent some of the previous editions via this forum, especially since you got sponsorship and affirmed that it is not for profit.many thanksolumide------------------------------------------------------------Let us go ahead. The struggle for a better world never ends - Victor Valle
From: Dele Ashiru <ashirudele@yahoo.co.uk>
To:"usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com" <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Monday, 2 September 2013, 13:25
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Unilag Journal Of Politics: Call for Papers-Some Clarifications--I have followed with keen interest the controversy which my initial post on Unilag Journal of Politics: Call for Papers have generated. While I share the sentiments of great many scholars who have reacted to the post about the propriety of "paying" to ventilate research findings, I think it is important to make the following clarifications at least for posterity:1) The Journal started with a grant from the Ford Foundation to the Department of Political Science, University of Lagos.2) When the Funds from Ford dried up, the Editors resorted to self help in order to keep the journal alive by asking contributors to pay for assessment and production.3) The money is often paid to assessors as honourarium to encourage them read and return manuscripts within the stipulated deadline.4) Ridiculous as this may sound, this is the reality and tragedy of knowledge production and dissemination in Nigeria5) For the avoidance of doubt, the Journal is not "cash and carry" as insinuated by some commentators. The payment of fee is not a guarantee that the paper will or must be published.6) Manuscripts are blind peer reviewed by established scholars in the field and their assessment is sacrosanct.7) Indeed, papers submitted by colleagues in the Department and Faculty have been rejected following assessors comment of 'poor quality' even after the payment of fees.8) The journal is highly rated as this could be verified from the quality of papers published therein.9) Finally, flowing from this controversy and in line with some suggestions by those who have reacted to the post, the Editorial team may want to review the question of payment or the modalities of payment and make such public for the benefit of all. This may include a commitment to publish well researched quality papers in the Journal whether the author agrees to pay or not.What must not be lost is that we solicit for scholarly contributions from you all for the survival of the Journal and we are open to suggestions and criticisms.Thank you.'Dele Ashiru.
Department of Political Science,
University of Lagos,
Lagos,Nigeria.
+234-8026274712, +234-8019119573.
http//:www.politicalscienceunilag.org
http//:www.unilag.edu.ng
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