It depends on the importance one attaches to peer review. If peer review is considered as a kind of quality filter for new studies and a barrier against inappropriate research, one cannot but be actively engaged in peer reviewering in one’s research area. Peer review, thus, highlights the civil and professional positioning of academics.

I think peer review enhances the knowledge and expertise of a person. It also open new directions for development and research. Sometime, you can find more appropriate solution to a problem.

I believe it rather ethical concern than academic obligation. If you consider yourself as prominent specialist, by rejecting peer review inviration you give way somebody else who is probably less professional

Dear Lilia Raitskaya and readers,

Peer reviewing must not just be seen as a means to proving "an academic’s expert status." It should rather be approached as an avenue for making meaningful contribution to research, and as its name implies, serve as a mechanism through which researchers guide and direct each other.

It should equally not be perceived "as a boring routine arising out of an academic’s networking" (in fact that will be a grave misconception). Assuming all researchers adopt such an attitude toward peer reviewing - we can only imagine the nature of research that will be available for society.

As researchers, we must be encouraged to see peer review as a necessity (that is, it must be an ethical obligation on our part to help shape each others views on the things that matter to humanity). This however does not imply that researchers must always feel obligated to review (especially when the subject under consideration may not be in line with their areas of specialization, or when the would-be reviewer knows too well that s/he has limited information on the subject).

If you want to pursue an academic career, it is a "must". After all, you will also get reviews from others. However, I recommend to focus on those conferences and journals that are important for your. Writing good reviews is just another possibility for networking.