Open Access scientific, electronic publishing and Bakhtinian dialogism

Abstract

The article explores Open Access (OA) scientific, electronic publishing in the context of recent contributions in communication and public relations theory, notably Bakhtinian dialogism. Increasingly since the 1960s, communication and public relations theory have shifted their focus away from one-way, asymmetrical to two-way, symmetrical models, thereby progressing to more equitable and interactive, multi-levelled conceptual models of dialogic and polyphonic communication (Grunig, 2001). It is in this context that Bakhtinian dialogism becomes highly relevant. OA scientific, electronic publishing is interpreted by using the Bakhtinian concepts of dialogue, polyphony and carnival. Acting together, these concepts define OA as a healthy and sustainable, consumer-led answer to the serials crisis, and a revolt against the system that has produced it, viz. hegemonic power structures and relations of traditional, subscription-based and commercially motivated scientific publishing.