What is happening to the anthropological monograph? Live Debate at the EASA conference in Ljubljana 2008 Introduction

Abstract

The question 'What is happening to the anthropological monograph?' has been spurred by the fact that in many of the audit and ranking contexts which are now spreading in academic life, peer-reviewed articles in international journals score higher than monographs, or as high as a whole book. This is often seen as disturbing by anthropologists, who argue that because of the nature of anthropology with its field studies, qualitative issues and extensive ethnographic materials, we frequently need the space of a monograph in order to make a full argument. Then of course we also need to publish the monograph. In some universities, a book is now a necessary qualification for getting a junior position, and it is also quite common that at least a second book is required for a senior position such as a full professorship. So we need publishers who value the monographs and are willing to take them on.