Talk: Nubian Studies: A Case Study in Scholar-Led Open Access Publishing

Nubian studies scholar, punctum books co-director, and philologist Vincent W.J. van Gerven Oei will discuss how community-focused, scholar-led open access publishing can help launch fields of inquiry and study that otherwise would not have adequate resources to establish themselves, because most publishers would consider the discipline too “small,” and thus too risky to commit publishing resources.

Part of Vincent’s work focuses on the study of the Old Nubian language, and the development of a new grammar, which he discusses in the article “Remarks toward a Revised Grammar of Old Nubian,” from the open access journal that he is founder and co-editor of, “Dotawo: A Journal for Nubian Studies. ” The journal has essentially served as an incubator for a new, collaborative and inclusive approach to Nubian studies as an area of inquiry. Starting such a journal as a traditional subscription endeavor, with a commercial publisher, would have been incredibly difficult.

Through outreach, advocacy, and support, the Library works to create a more scholar driven and economically sustainable scholarly communication system, which improves access to scholarship and the reach and impact of UCSB scholarship.

Co-sponsored by the Interdisciplinary Humanities Center, African Studies Research Focus Group , Department of Linguistics, and punctum books