Benjamín Barón Velandia
Dr. en Educación. Director de Investigaciones y Editor en jefe de la revista Praxis Pedagógica de la Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios – UNIMINUTO.
bbaron@uniminuto.edu
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4968-6336
| Como citar: Baron Velandia, B. (2023). Baron Velandia, B. (2023). The importance of having geographical variety in the journals. Telos: Revista de Estudios Interdisciplinarios en Ciencias Sociales, 25(2), 227-229. www.doi.org/10.36390/telos252.01 |
In the process of disseminating research advances and results, scientific journals play a fundamental role by serving as showgrounds for debate and collective construction of knowledge. In this sense, it is important to discuss the capacity of scientific journals to assemble multiple scientific communities that emerge from different parts of the world and in different languages, in pursuit of countless problem-solving challenges that are in a continuous state of development.
Over time, I have come to conceive of journals as living organisms that constantly evolve, recognizing the principle of Heraclitus, "The only constant is change," in its truest sense, if one can say so. This constant transformation provides answers to the needs and expectations of having up-to-date knowledge in the shortest possible time, with the sole purpose of subjecting their findings to the sieve of reason, being valued, incorporated, or applied by the diverse scientific communities that remain interconnected in knowledge networks.
Adding to the above, considering the entry of journals into the digital era at a historical moment like the one we are experiencing with the Covid-19 pandemic means understanding how the speed of communication of scientific results serves humanity and the complex challenges that human evolution brings. If we had not adapted to the possibility of disseminating advances in medical processes and procedures, facing the pandemic would have been very complicated, precisely because it was about transcending geographical borders, languages, cultures, belief systems, among others, in favor of life.
Accordingly, it is crucial to highlight the importance of a journal fostering the dialogue of epistemic, methodological, theoretical, didactic, and other discourses. The questions that arise in this context are: Why is it so important for a journal to broaden its focus to other languages? What is the significance of becoming a space where glocal academic debates converge? Is it possible that, in their desire to construct a more complex science, journals end up becoming real towers of Babel? and many others that are left unaddressed due to the nature of this text.
Let's address these three questions in a general manner to broaden the understanding of holistic editorial comprehension, avoiding conceptual reductions, but also not falling into essentialisms that deviate from the recognition of the purpose of publication, its preeminent role in the construction of society, and collaborative teaching-learning processes (Artigas et al., 2023).
First and foremost, understanding why it is so important for a journal to expand its focus to other languages is not just a matter of language or translating texts to ensure an indicator that allows entry into databases, catalogs, indexers, among others. It is a cultural stance, an understanding of the position of the observing agent and its systems of observations. In addition to this, it is about sharing how realities are interpreted, how theories and methodologies are synchronized to respond to the existential complexities of individuals in everyday life, to see how they solve problems and how science is not a mere bystander but a factor of social transformation.
Secondly, what is the purpose of becoming a space where "glocal" academic debates converge? As a major field of debate, journals, and specifically the editor and their team, inherit the great responsibility of recognizing the importance, relevance, and significance of knowledge that affects both communities in specific terms and the way in which those issues resonate in other contexts, structurally affecting how individuals live, think, feel, and act. Disseminating research advances and results allows us to understand how problems were addressed or new approaches were created from other locations. This does not imply a process of normalization or standardization, as the conditions of places and the individuals who inhabit them are different. However, it does serve as a foundation for fostering new cultural perspectives, as Isaac Newton would say, "We stand on the shoulders of giants," rewording Bernardo Bernard de Chartres.
As a response to the third and final question of whether scientific journals, in their desire to build a more complex science, might end up becoming true towers of Babel, the risk is ever-present. However, like any risk, it presents a challenge that we, as editors, are called to confront. Within the focus of journals, in addition to the topics we cover, we also determine the languages in which we accept contributions. This helps mitigate the risk of receiving submissions in languages that are unfamiliar to the journal and could potentially undermine its credibility. This does not mean that it is not possible to create a special issue that allows for the submission of articles in different languages than those specified in the journal's profile. It is also important to recognize that, in such cases, the importance of having Guest or Associate Editors to ensure the quality of contributions becomes a fundamental pillar of the journal, enabling the demonstration of its credibility, quality, and scientific rigor in the publications featured in that particular issue.
In conclusion, regarding the importance of having geographic diversity in scientific journals, the following points can be highlighted:
Artigas, W., Díaz-Chieng, L. Y., Gómez Arévalos, J. A., Camero Gutiérrez, J. S., & Baron Velandia, B. (2023). Habits of research: five practical contributions to research training. PRA, 23(34), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.26620/uniminuto.praxis.23.34.2023.1-9