A Political Sociology of the Beall's List Affair

摘要

Very few issues in librarianship have risen to the level of notoriety and controversy as the Beall's List affair (as I call it). It has generated national publicity, controversy, recriminations, and a retirement. After so much has been written, it would seem little more could be said. One overlooked aspect of the affair is an examination of its political sociology: What are the groups/groupings that were prominent? What were their arguments supporting, opposing, modifying, influencing, envisioning, or deciding on the issues raised in the Beall's List affair? And what were the relative power relationships among them? This article seeks to map those relationships and the arguments deployed to better situate library and information science within a broader environment and identify the forces at work within and on the field.