Open science, closed doors? Countering marginalization through an agenda for ethical, inclusive research in Communication

Fox, J., Pearce, K. E., Massanari, A. L., Riles, J. M., Szulc, Ł., Ranjit, Y. S., Trevisan, F., Soriano, C. R. R., Vitak, J., Arora, P., Sun Joo (Grace) Ahn., Alper, M., Gambino, A., Gonzalez, C., Lynch, T. L., Williamson, L. D., & Gonzales, A. L. (2021). Outstanding Article Award, International Communication Association, “Open science, closed doors? Countering marginalization through an agenda for ethical, inclusive research in Communication.” Journal of Communication, 71(5):764-84.

doi:10.1093/joc/jqab029

Abstract: The open science (OS) movement has advocated for increased transparency in certain aspects of research. Communication is taking its first steps toward OS as some journals have adopted OS guidelines codified by another discipline. We find this pursuit troubling as OS prioritizes openness while insufficiently addressing essential ethical principles: respect for persons, beneficence, and justice. Some recommended open science practices increase the potential for harm for marginalized participants, communities, and researchers. We elaborate how OS can serve a marginalizing force within academia and the research community, as it overlooks the needs of marginalized scholars and excludes some forms of scholarship. We challenge the current instantiation of OS and propose a divergent agenda for the future of Communication research centered on ethical, inclusive research practices.