7 inspiring open access publications from AU faculty
Enjoy this collection of new and interesting open access publications by AU faculty
Open access refers to an academic publishing model where knowledge is free, online and easily accessible. Making knowledge freely available bridges the gap between the academy and public.
Athabasca University (AU) is firmly committed to open access research, says Dr. Andrew Perrin, associate vice-president of research.
“Minimizing barriers to knowledge is part of our DNA, so prioritizing open access in research outcomes should—and does—mean more at AU than most other universities.”
With that in mind, we are pleased to highlight some recent open access publications that show the breadth of work and diverse perspectives of AU researchers.
Exploring ancient pottery
The Stann Creek Regional Archaeology Project, which includes Dr. Maeghan Peuramaki-Brown, an associate professor of archaeology with AU, published It’s What’s Inside that Counts: Developing a paste group typology in Belize. The article, which published in the Journal of Archaeological Science this past May, is an easy-to-read summary of ceramics and pottery in and near Belize from a group of archaeologists, Indigenous potters, and traditional knowledge specialists who have been working together to study ancient pottery.
Related: AU Press shares 4 free book recommendations for International Literacy Day
Explorations of humans and the environment
Professor of anthropology, Dr. Janelle Baker, co-edits Ethnobiology Letters, a peer-reviewed journal of ethnobiology, which is the study of the relationships between humans and environments.
An expansive look at labour and higher education
Dr. Mark McCutcheon, chair of AU’s Centre for Humanities and a professor of literary studies, and alum Heather Clitheroe co-wrote An Open Access Review of the TV-series The Expanse that focuses on the show’s representations of labour and post-secondary education.
Investigating extinctions
In 2020, Dr. Suzanne McCullagh co-organized the symposium Approaching Extinction, Contesting Extinction with her colleagues in the Environmental Humanities Research Cluster at Miami University. Talks investigating entanglements between extinction narratives and political imagination and exploring the social drivers and cultural dimensions of extinctions are freely available online.
Exploring the sociology of the occult
Sociology Professor Dr. Mike Sosteric’s commitment to open access publishing is far-reaching. In fact, he only publishes open access material. His publications include a fascinating investigation of a sociology of the occult, specifically the sociology of the Western tarot card, and an exploration of the “ancient roots of our ‘modern’ secular and spiritual beliefs,” in his publication From Zoroaster to Star Wars, Jesus to Marx: The Art, Science, and Technology of Human Manipulation.
Does gamifying education work?
Can homework be a successful game? According to recent research published by Dr. Maiga Chang, a professor in the School of Computing and Information Systems, students can feel more motivation and a deeper sense of achievement when homework is gamified.
Top of the pops
As streaming music grows in popularity, it also grows in importance to the music industry. Landing a place on the top of the charts—and staying there—doesn’t necessarily follow the model of traditional music charts. Dr. Joe Cox, Canada Research Chair in Digital Disruption and Organizational Transformation with the Faculty of Business, investigates in this paper.
