Editorial. Meta-research in communication: Antecedents, effects, and challenges of a standardized research and governance

Abstract

Meta-research in communication has extensively documented the main patterns of scientific production, yet scant attention has been paid to the governance structure that underpins, legitimates, and stimulates the current scientific paradigm: journals’ editorial boards. This essay examines the relevance of editorial boards in communication and illustrates their potential productive effects. Specifically, this editorial article initiates a research program aiming at better understanding the inequalities in editorial boards and their direct and indirect effects at the level of research production, outlining the main theories for their examination. Finally, based on this thematic summary, the essay offers suggestions on how to move forward and identify some of the main challenges and gaps in this promising area of inquiry.