Scholarly publishing in South Africa: The global south on the periphery

Abstract

This paper highlights the challenges and limitations faced by scholarly presses in South Africa, presenting the business and operational changes required (both individually and collectively) to meet overarching political and competitive pressures. The direct competition of international commercial publishers, a disconnect between national research imperatives and the business model of scholarly presses, and the lack of support for university presses, have perpetuated the knowledge gap between publishing in the 'north' and the 'global south'. Direct engagement with institutions and the state is necessary, as is a robust and confident approach to technology and services, while clarifying and articulating specific needs and aspirations.