From: Richard Poynder <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tue, 9 May 2017 14:51:36 +0100

Many of us join causes and movements at different times in our lives,
if only because we like to feel part of something bigger than
ourselves, and because most of us have a healthy desire to improve the
world. Unfortunately, movements often fail to achieve their
objectives, or their objectives are significantly watered down – or
lost sight of – along the way. Sometimes they fail completely.



When their movement hits a roadblock, advocates will respond in a
variety of ways: “True believers” tend to carry on regardless,
continuing to repeat their favoured mantras ad nauseam. Some will give
up and move on to the next worthy cause. Others will take stock, seek
to understand the problem, and try to find another way forward.



Jutta Haider, an associate professor in Information Studies at Lund
University, would appear to be in the third category. Initially a
proponent of open access, Haider subsequently “turned into a sceptic”.
This was not, she says, because she no longer sees merit in making the
scientific literature freely available, but because the term open
access “has gained meanings and tied itself to areas in science,
science policy-making, and the societal and economic development of
society that I find deeply problematic.”



But she has not given up on open access, as will be evident from
reading the Q&A with Jutta Haider here:



http://poynder.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/the-open-access-interviews-jutta-haider.html

Richard Poynder