“The success of the journal”: Personal networks in early 19th-century publishing

Abstract

In its ideal form, academic publishing is frequently presented as an objective, meritocratic, and thoroughly systematic process through which scholarly works are objectively evaluated by unbiased editors, impartially assessed by anonymous peer reviewers, and dispassionately copyedited so the tone matches a house style. Central to this ideal is the expectation that all works undergo the same review, regardless of the personalities involved. While this unbiased and egalitarian conceptualization of the review process is laudable, it is complicated by the reality that all academic interactions are shaped by the individuals involved. This article briefly argues that personal relationships have been central to shaping the scholarly process throughout the history of academic publishing, and it further suggests this legacy continues to inform modern editorial practices. As an illustrative example, this article highlights the activities of George Long (1800-1879) during his editorship of the Quarterly Journal of Education (1831-1835).