How the Global South is reshaping scholarly communication.

Debat, Humberto; Okafor, Izuchukwu Azuka; Shitindo, Mercury; Amaral, Olavo B; Izzati, Nurul; Basu Mallick, Chandana; Henry, Awika O; Dine, Roseline Dzekem et al. · Elife · 2025

Where this comes from

Abstract

The Global South has emerged as a beacon of innovation in scholarly publishing, championing equitable and community-driven models of knowledge dissemination. Here we explore various initiatives originating from Latin America, Africa, and Asia, highlighting platforms that are free for both readers and authors. These initiatives also promote multilingualism, public funding, and non-profit, scholarly-led governance structures. We argue that the Global South's approach offers a blueprint for a fairer, more inclusive, and more just academic publishing ecosystem.

Medical subject headings