Editors Workshop

Rethinking Academic Publishing: Challenges and Innovations in the Age of AI, Equity, and Open Access

Sponsored by: Political Communication divisions of the International Communication Association (ICA) and American Political Science Association (APSA)

Organizers: Taberez A. Neyazi & Regina Lawrence

Date: Friday, 10 April, 2026: Time: 8:30am – 6:15pm

Venue: MPA 307 (Media and Public Affairs building), George Washington University

The workshop brings together journal editors across Communication, Journalism Studies and Political Science to engage in meaningful discussion around some of the most pressing issues facing academic publishing today.

Themes:

  1. The peer review process has been facing significant challenges lately, particularly in finding willing and qualified reviewers, which has been causing delays. These delays disproportionately affect early-career scholars, for whom timely publication is often closely tied to academic promotion and job security. This challenge has several sources, including the increasing demands on faculty time and a culture shift among some scholars who have become skeptical toward providing what they see as uncompensated labor, particularly for profitable publishing houses. As submission rates to many journals rise, new ways must be found to incentivize and reward peer reviewers and to streamline the review process.
  2. Strategies for further diversifying authorship and editorial boards, with a focus on publishing more research from the Global South and underrepresented regions, while grappling with questions of epistemology, publishing standards, and related questions. For example, as submissions increase from a wider array of scholars from around the globe, journals may need to adjust their submissions policies, more actively mentor submitting authors, et cetera.
  3. The impact of generative AI on academic publications, from authorship ethics and the integrity of submitted work to establishing rigorous standards for the use of generative AI and LLMs in academic research.

Other Issues:

  • Open access pressures and the financial sustainability of journals remain a concern. Many researchers in low- and middle-income countries cannot afford article processing charges, raising issues of equity, especially as more journals adopt hybrid models or expand open access options alongside traditional subscriptions.
  • Editorial transparency and accountability, especially in light of growing scrutiny of journal practices.

 

Program Details