From Access to Inclusion: Tackling Systemic Barriers in Global Scholarly Publishing

Open access is removing paywalls for readers, yet inequities in scholarly publishing remain. Editorial bias, language dominance, and the underrepresentation of scholars from the Global South on editorial boards continue to shape which voices and topics are visible in the global record. Financial practices also present barriers: waivers and discounts can be cumbersome, and engagement with Global South consortia in open access agreements is still limited. Improving equity means exploring new approaches — in both editorial and financial practices — that expand participation and strengthen scholarly publishing as a truly global, inclusive system.