• "An Instrument for Adoration": A Mini-manifesto Against Metrics for the Humanities (to be Elaborated Upon at a Later Date)

    Author(s):
    Eileen Joy (see profile)
    Date:
    2018
    Group(s):
    Digital Humanists
    Subject(s):
    Scholarly publishing, Evaluation, Open access publishing
    Item Type:
    Book chapter
    Tag(s):
    Academic publishing, Altmetrics, Assessment, Humanities metrics, Open-access publishing
    Permanent URL:
    http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/M6HX15Q7B
    Abstract:
    This mini-manifesto takes a firm and unwavering stand against any and all metrics that might be devised to measure scholarly productivity, "outcomes," and the value of scholarship in the humanities. Regarding the notion of a “humane” or “humanistic” metrics for scholarship produced in the Humanities, we don't need more “humane indicators of excellence” for measuring the “impact” of work in the Humanities; we need to reject metrics, period, arguing that we need to fight, with every tool and techne at our disposal, the fetishization of data (and excellence) in the Neoliberal University. Following the work of Zachary Kaiser ("CitationBomb"), Like Zachary Kaiser, this manifesto seeks “a world in which the production of knowledge becomes ‘an instrument of adoration’ for the unknown, for that which escapes language and cannot be found in the totalizing cybernetic dream of prediction and control." This mini-manifesto was published in the pamphlet "Humane Metrics / Metrics Noir" (published by Post Office Press + meson press) in a series of 7 pamphlets as part of the Radical Open Access II conference, which took place June 26-27 at Coventry University. More information about this conference and about the contributors to this pamphlet can be found at: http://radicaloa.co.uk/conferences/ ROA2. This pamphlet was made possible due to generous funding from The Post Office, a project of Coventry University’s Centre for Postdigital Cultures and the combined efforts of authors, editors, designers & printers.
    Metadata:
    Published as:
    Book chapter    
    Status:
    Published
    Last Updated:
    5 years ago
    License:
    Attribution-NonCommercial
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