Publish and still perish? Learning to make the ‘right’ publishing choices in the Ghanaian academy

ABSTRACT

Publication in ‘reputable’, peer-reviewed and indexed journals has become a key requirement for promotion and career advancement in African universities. There is little research into how bibliometric measures of journal reputation are shaping the publishing strategies and practices of Africa-based researchers. This study, drawing on 43 in-depth interviews, explored the publishing choices, tactics and discourses of early-career academics at two different public universities in Ghana. Most participants felt under constant pressure to publish, and more than half invoked the ‘publish or perish’ aphorism unprompted in conversation. They were also very aware that one could ‘publish and perish’ by choosing the ‘wrong’ journals, such as those not on university-approved lists or in the main global citation indexes. Some regretted the journal choices they had made at the start of their careers, and had since learnt to make every publication ‘count’. Many invoked a moral and spatial dichotomy of low-quality ‘local’ journals versus reputable ‘international’ journals. Most participants felt that more training, supervision and mentorship would help them make the ‘right’ publishing choices. In a global research economy that sustains geographical inequalities and reputational hierarchies, journals published from Africa are increasingly viewed as the ‘wrong’ choice.

KEYWORDS:

• Publish and perish
• publication practices
• Ghana

Acknowledgement

The authors of this work wish to thank all the study participants who shared their views and publication experiences with the study team. We are also very grateful to all individuals who have helped us in one way or the other during the study, including the Deans of the selected schools and the Heads of Department of selected departments in both UG and UDS.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by Research England GCRF, KCD 00141