Open Access Futures in the Humanities and Social Sciences

The LSE Public Policy Group and SAGE, in association with the British Academy and the Academy of Social Sciences, present this must-attend event for humanities and social science researchers as part of Open Access Week 2013.

Focusing on the opportunities and challenges that open access presents for the humanities and social sciences, the conference will provide stimulating contributions from all sides of the OA debate, with the goal of encouraging and shaping HSS-relevant engagement. Featuring panellists from academia, funders, publishers and learned societies, it will address the foundational questions of ‘Why Open Access?’ and ‘What type of Open?’ before considering the potential benefits that OA could provide for HSS and the possible routes towards more open futures.

Leading up to the event, the LSE Impact of Social Sciences blog will also be covering the on-going discussion over open access in the humanities and social sciences. Join in on the debate at lseimpact.com.

Agenda

09.45 Registration

10.15 Welcome: Ziyad Marar, Global Publishing Director, SAGE

10.25 Opening Address: Professor Nigel Vincent, Vice President for Research & Higher Education Policy, British Academy

10.45 Panel 1: Why OA? Which OA?

How well do the ideas behind open access fit with characteristics of HSS? What are the drivers, goals and costs of open access in HSS; is open access the only means of achieving those goals? What is the most appropriate model (or models) of open access for the HSS disciplines, especially in relation to the re-use of scholarly works?

• Chair - Professor Adam Tickell, Pro Vice Chancellor, Research, Birmingham, Academy of Social Sciences Council and Chair of Nominations Committee, Finch Committee member
• Jonathan Gray, Director of Policy, Open Knowledge Foundation
• Professor Peter Mandler, President, Royal Historial Society
• Professor Charlotte Waelde, Chair of Intellectual Property Law, University of Exeter
• Brian Hole, Researcher and publisher, University College Longon, Ubiquity Press

12:15 Lunch

13.15 Afternoon Address: David Sweeney, Director, HEFCE

As HEFCE’s consultation on the role of open access in the next REF period comes to a close, their Director for Research, Innovation and Skills talks about HEFCE’s strategy in relation to the HSS subject areas.

14.45 Panel 2: New Horizons? Open Access and the potential for positive change in HSS research communication

Where could open access take us in HSS? How might it bring positive change to established systems of peer review, research presentation, scholarly collaboration and data-sharing? What are the dangers of such shift in practice, and how might they be mitigated?

• Chair - Professor Patrick Dunleavy, Professor of Political Science and Public Policy, LSE
• Dr. Caroline Edwards, Lecturer in Modern & Contemporary Literature, Birkbeck, University of London
• Dr. Paul Kirby, Lecturer in International Security International Relations, University of Sussex and author of Disorder of Things blog
• Ian Mulvany, Head of Technology, eLife

15.15 Coffee Break

15.35Session 3: What Next? Transition mechanisms and next steps in HSS

What open access future(s) do we want for HSS and how do we get there? Do we want revolution or evolution, and how do we overcome the collective action problems that stand in the way of change? What are the roles in this process for the university, the learned society, the librarian, the funder, the publisher and the academic?

• Chair - Dr. Paul Ayris, Director UCL Library Services and UCL Copyright Officer
• Professor Steffen Bohm, University of Essex, Mayfly Books
• Ziyad Marar, Global Publishing Director, SAGE
• Sally Hardy, CEO of the Regional Studies Association
• Simon Kerridge, Director of Research Services at the University of Kent and Chair, Association of Research Managers and Administrators (UK)
• Professor Ian Walmsley,Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and University Collections) University of Oxford

16.55 Closing Remarks: Professor Jane Tinkler, Public Policy Group, LSE

A drinks reception will follow

Attendance is free but demand is high and places are strictly limited. Book your ticket now to avoid disappointment.