Academic publishing contracts - caution needed

[Raji C. Steineck]

Dear colleagues and friends

I was recently invited to contribute to a planned handbook on a subject
of interest to this list, to be published with a renowned press.

The press sent me an author contract consisting entirely of rights of
the publisher and obligations of the author. They did not even mention
the right of the author to be named in further uses of the text.
Needless to say, no honorarium, no self-archiving rights - no rights at
all. When I requested alterations in the contract to account for a
minimum of rights such as the right to review alterations in content or
to be notified and secured to be named should my contribution be sold
for automated information processing, I received no response. I was
informed by the handbook's editor, however, that this was the
publisher's standard contract and that it "could" not be altered.

I am sending this message to alert everyone to read author contracts
carefully. I understand that many are under pressure to publish with
renowned presses. Still, I would urge you to at minimum send a request
to include your rights, even if you feel you can't afford not signing in
the end. This practice goes beyond mere exploitation—to treat, in a
civil contract, one party as having solely obligations and no rights
means to transgress the border to slavery.

Kind regards,

Raji


--
Prof. Dr. Raji C. Steineck
Professor für Japanologie
Asien-Orient-Institut
Universität Zürich
Zürichbergstrasse 4
8032 Zürich


--
Prof. Dr. Raji C. Steineck
Professor für Japanologie
Asien-Orient-Institut
Universität Zürich
Zürichbergstrasse 4
8032 Zürich

[Margaret Dorothea Mehl]

Dear All,

This is why I joined the Society of Authors (UK). They campaign for author's rights. They also vet members' contracts and advise on what to ask for./insist upon I sometimes get the impression that academics don't primarily perceive themselves as authors. The SoA included an "Academic authors" group at some point (one of the reasons that motivated me to join), but it seems to be defunct.

Best regards,

Margaret


Dr. Margaret Mehl
Associate Professor
Dr. Phil. (Bonn), Dr. Phil. (Copenhagen)
 
University of Copenhagen
Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies
(Japanese Studies)
Karen Blixens Plads 8
2300 København S
 
DIR +45 35 32 74 37
me...@hum.ku.dk
http://www.tors.ku.dk/
 
 
OUT NOW! MUSIC AND THE MAKING OF MODERN JAPAN: JOINING THE GLOBAL CONCERT (Open Acess!) http://www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.11647/obp.0374
 
 




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Emne: [PMJS] Academic publishing contracts - caution needed

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[Leonardo Wolfe]

Dear Prof. Steineck,

The academic landscape is changing fast, and, in my opinion, being swiftly butchered by people that lack, not only academic qualification but also, any qualification, i.e., experience, in an academic setting at all.

We are seeing this a lot at institutions in the UK, and some, riding on the laurels of having a PhD and previous academic administrative experience, are being elevated to the role of vice-chancellor—even when you raise a grievance with the Board of Trustees, they are mute and apathetic beyond belief.

The erosion is rapidly coming from the inside, nevermind parasitic publishers.

Kind regards,

Leonardo Wolfe