Taking Open Science Offline
Shreyashi Ray
Science is going through a major crisis at the stages of its production and consumption, in terms of accessibility, transparency, inclusivity, and public engagement. This crisis is even more pronounced in developing countries and places with high levels of inequality, where- at least for a significant part of the population- resources are scarce, journal paywalls are unaffordable, and the practice and communication of science are exclusionary on various socio-economic grounds.
Open science, an umbrella movement that includes other ‘open’ movements such as open access and open source, has been emerging as a response to this crisis. Among other things, it advocates for the incentivisation of all stakeholders in the process of science — including researchers and policymakers — such that production and consumption of science are made more accessible, transparent, and inclusive; public engagement is encouraged at all stages; and social problems receive greater focus. Some advocates argue that open science will be especially beneficial for developing countries where the existing crisis is more critical.
However, a fundamental issue in the conception of open science and other open movements — perhaps because of their Global North-centric origins and perpetuation — is their heavy, and often inherent, reliance on the internet. One can appreciate the negligible marginal costs, speed, flexibilities, and opportunities for engagement made possible by the internet; but it is intrinsically exclusionary to imagine the practice of open science without those that lack complete or partial internet access. While the ‘Open Science Manifesto’ — evolved by OCSDNet after discussion with participants from Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia — should be appreciated for recognising the need for a more inclusive understanding of open science, the practicalities of implementing it are unclear.
This presentation will elaborate upon the above-mentioned issues, and discuss the need for the open science movement to shift some of its focus to ‘offline’ avenues such as print journalism, accessible libraries and library networking, and ‘open day’ initiatives in research institutions. Initiatives undertaken in some parts of India regarding simplified and offline communication of science in the interiors of the country will also be highlighted. Moreover, in the spirit of open science, the participants of the conference will be encouraged to think about and suggest ‘offline approaches’ to scientific communication and participation that can make science truly inclusive.
Open Science India Report
Blog post about the report: Open Science for an Innovative India
Read and download the report: Open Science India Report
Audio Recording of the Paper
Author
Shreyashi Ray is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Innovation, Intellectual Property, and Competition (CIIPC) at the National Law University, Delhi. Shreyashi completed her B.A., L.L.B. degree in 2016 from the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata, and has been a research assistant on projects dealing with film piracy, free speech, and vagrancy. Her interest in socio-economic rights is aligned with the projects she is involved in at CIIPC, i.e., the Open Access Textbook on Competition Law and Open Science for an Innovative India.
Note: This paper was presented at the Internet Researchers’ Conference 2018 (IRC18): #Offline organised in Sambhaavnaa Institute, Kandbari, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, during February 22–24, 2018.
