Acceso usuarios
Hojung Kim, Seungjoo Baek, In Chull Jang
While engaging with Klein’s (1989. Schreiben oder Lesen, aber nicht beides, oder: Vorschlag zur Wiedereinführung der Keilschrift mittels Hammer und Meißel. Zeitschrift für Literaturwissenschaft und Linguistik 74. 116–119) suggestions to control the quantity of publications, this brief paper explores the reasons behind the intense publishing pressure on South Korean scholars and examines the consequences for the development of an academic public sphere. We underscore that the evaluation systems of neoliberal universities, which prioritize quantity and speed, together with a social concern with “fairness,” compel researchers to embrace a meritocratic ethos. This is further intensified by the multiple excellence benchmarks set by government research agencies. Moreover, the prevalence of insular academic networks, often formed by individuals from elite backgrounds, restricts the circulation of scholarly work within exclusive groups. Consequently, the academic environment in South Korea struggles to cultivate an academic public sphere that tackles critical issues and encourages productive debates. In response to these challenges, we propose to adopt the principles of the “slow professor” movement, foster collaboration with practitioners, and diversify scholarly genres.
