The journals will be the inaugural publications of shift+OPEN, a MIT Press initiative to transition traditional journals to diamond open access.
Cambridge, MA – December 20, 2023– The MIT Press is thrilled to announce a groundbreaking partnership with the European Sociological Association (ESA), marking a significant step forward in the world of academic open access publishing. We are proud to welcome European Societies and European Journal of Cultural and Political Sociology to MIT Press as premier diamond open access publications, with new issues commencing in 2025.
Lígia Ferro, President of the European Sociological Association, notes that the decision to leave Taylor & Francis to publish open access with the MIT Press stems from intensive dialogues within the association, spurred by the changing landscape of open access, more widespread acceptance of open access in their core academic fields, and external influences such as the European Union’s new open access requirements.
Ferro emphasized the European Union’s growing commitment to open access as a driving force behind this pivotal decision: “Several sociology, social sciences, and humanities journals have already embraced open access, highlighting the community’s shared commitment to this transformative approach. Open access to publish and read is the optimal strategy for the years ahead, making this the ideal moment to transition.”
Ferro affirms that the journals’ core missions will remain the same. Both journals, European Societies (2022 Impact Factor: 8.1; 2022 CiteScore/Scopus: 11.4) and European Journal of Cultural and Political Sociology (2022 CiteScore/Scopus: 1.8) will continue to seek to publish sociological and interdisciplinary contributions from outstanding research with an impact on society.
“The difference will be that both authors and their institutions and readers will be granted open access to all their contents, and we expect this will improve both the reach and the quality of the journals,” explains Ferro.
Ferro also underscored the MIT Press’s reputation as a trailblazer in open access publishing as a pivotal factor in their decision: “The MIT Press leads the academic publishing field by promoting high-quality research while using knowledge as a tool to empower individuals and societies. Our confidence in making the open access transition was bolstered by the MIT Press’s recent successful journal conversions like Imaging Neuroscience or Quantitative Science Studies. Our firsthand experience with the Press’s unwavering professionalism and high standards during the bidding process cemented our decision.”
The European Sociological Association journals are the inaugural beneficiaries of the shift+OPEN program, an initiative by the MIT Press aimed at facilitating the transition of traditional journals to diamond open access. This program includes three years of funding for the new open access journals, comprehensive editorial, production, marketing, and distribution support from the MIT Press, and assistance in creating a sustainable open access funding model.
Nick Lindsay, Director of Journals and Open Access at the MIT Press, expressed his enthusiasm for this collaboration: “We are thrilled with the outcome of our inaugural round of shift+OPEN and eagerly look forward to aiding the European Sociological Association in breaking down barriers to accessing crucial research in these dynamic and timely fields. We commend Ferro and her team for their bold and public commitment to equality and broad access to top-tier research.”
Applications for the 2024 round of shift+OPEN will open in January 2024. More information will be available at mitpress.mit.edu/shiftopen. We gratefully acknowledge funding support from Arcadia.
About the Journals
European Societies publishes peer-reviewed work on the socio-economic and socio-political challenges that European societies face and on all aspects of social life and socio-culture. Impact Factor (2022): 8.1; CiteScore/Scopus (2022): 11.4
European Journal of Cultural and Political Sociology is also a peer-reviewed journal that seeks to explore the relationship between culture and politics through a sociological lens. It welcomes considerations of cultural phenomena in relation to political context, work that situates political phenomena within a cultural framework, and all points between these poles. CiteScore/Scopus (2022): 1.8
About the MIT Press Established in 1962, The MIT Press is one of the largest and most distinguished university presses in the world and a leading publisher of books and journals at the intersection of science, technology, art, social science, and design. Learn more at mitpress.mit.edu.
About the European Sociological Association The European Sociological Association (ESA) is a professional organization that aims to promote sociological research and teaching in Europe. With a diverse membership and a commitment to advancing the field of sociology, the ESA serves as a hub for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and scholarly excellence. Learn more at europeansociology.org.
Contact Jessica Pellien, Director of Marketing and Communications, The MIT Press, pellien@mit.edu
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