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Contribution short abstract:

We are presenting the challenges and opportunities of the current transition to open-access publishing of three main anthropological journals in Germany.

Contribution long abstract:

Scientific publishing and science communication today primarily rely on digital formats. Databases and digital repositories are increasingly being used to store and publish research data. Open-access (OA) publishing is regarded as a desirable and contemporary publication strategy. Within this evolving landscape, Diamond journals play a key role by emphasizing non-commercial, community-driven distribution of anthropological knowledge, contrasting commercialized OA models. However, despite democratizing access to anthropological knowledge, the challenges that come with these developments often remain underexposed.

While OA enhances the visibility and representation of research and may give a voice to marginalized groups, it also introduces new vulnerabilities. Challenges include the increasing difficulty of anonymizing informants, the potential for decontextualization and appropriation of sensitive content, and the risks researchers face, exemplified by cases like Ahmed Samir Santawy's imprisonment in Egypt. Additionally, the transition from printed journals to PDF documents raises epistemological questions related to digital-material practices intertwined with OA, such as reading habits, the roles of algorithmic actors, and the increasing significance of metrics like clicks and download counts.

The EthnOA project, funded by the German Research Foundation, seeks to accompany the ongoing transformation within German Social and Cultural Anthropology and European Ethnology. Over three years, the project aims to foster critical debates on OA publishing possibilities and challenges, support journal editors and researchers, contribute to sustainable OA infrastructures, and ethnographically investigate ethical issues associated with OA. In our roundtable contribution, we aim to explore and engage in a joint discussion on the complex ethical issues surrounding OA in anthropology.