Open Access Explained! (by phdcomics)
Transformative Works and Cultures, the open access fan studies journal that Fanhackers is affiliated with, will be publishing a new issue on boys’ love fandom very soon. Expect shiny. By way of celebration, we’ll be posting a few things on open access and why it’s such a big deal, both in general and for TWC and fan studies in particular.
First of all, what is open access and why should anyone care? Basically, the traditional system of distributing academic works has become very costly and very inefficient. It shuts many people out of conversations and prevents them from putting the important information that’s produced in academia to good use. Open access is a first step towards making academic research truly accessible and useful for everyone in a variety of ways. This video is a great and fun introduction to very many sides of the issue. By Nick Shockey, Jonathan Eisen, and PhD Comics creator Jorge Cham.