In academic systems, credit is predominantly tied to authorship and publication. The individual who formally describes a new species becomes permanently associated with it, as their name is linked to the species in perpetuity. This often creates the misleading perception that the descriptor also “discovered” the species — even if they never encountered it in the wild. In truth, they described it, not discovered it; yet the emphasis on authorship tends to obscure this distinction. Ultimately, those with a strong publication record accrue recognition, awards, and career advancement, while the actual discoverer is often relegated to the role of a high-profile field collector, their intellectual contribution overlooked or minimized.
Why restrictive academic authorship practices perpetuate inequality
Authorship plays a central role in the credibility and career progression of academics. Yet as Joseph Mellors and Stroma Cole argue, restrictive authorship practices risk perpetuating inequalities and sidelining important contributions to knowledge...
"Authorship in academia is more than just seeing your name in print. It’s about recognition, credibility and career progression. But while publishing is at the heart of academic success, the way authorship is assigned more often reflects power structures than actual intellectual contributions. Too often, those who do the heavy lifting (early-career researchers, industry partners and scholars from the Global South) find themselves left out of the equation...
Authorship should reflect the full scope of intellectual contributions – regardless of geography, institutional affiliation or language. The first step is admitting the system is broken and committing to fixing it. Only by bringing early-career researchers, senior scholars, journal editors and funders together can we create an academic environment where everyone gets the credit they deserve."
https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2025/05/21/why-restrictive-academic-authorship-practices-perpetuate-inequality/
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