In addition to library and information science, the group’s work spans a broad spectrum of fields and specialities, including, for example, sociology of science, higher education, quantitative studies of science (or bibliometrics), and Science and Technology Studies (STS).  We employ a range of methods – from large quantitative analyses of publications conducted in collaboration with the Data as Impact Lab – to detailed ethnographically inspired studies of how knowledge is used and valued in practice.

SCALE addresses current and pressing challenges in the scholarly communication system, including: 

• Peer review in an era of mass publication
• The commercial grip on academic publishing
• The transformation towards open science
• The quest for fair and responsible assessment of research
• Trust and distrust in science
• The formation of fields and disciplines
• The role and importance of the research library
• Metadata and representation in bibliographic databases
• The impact of research on society
• Citizen science
• The effects of evaluation on academic careers and working conditions

The research group meets regularly, both on-site and online, to collaborate in joint projects, discuss research, or listen to invited talks. We are more than happy to have guests presenting or attending, so please contact Gustaf Nelhans or Björn Hammarfeldt if you are interested in participating. Regular updates on events, conferences, and publications can be found on the group’s LinkedIn page.