Affiliation:
1. Institute for Research and Scholarship and Department of Political Science Villanova University Villanova Pennsylvania USA
2. Library and Information Services Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville Illinois USA
3. iSchool at the University of Missouri and French Department, School of Languages, Literatures and Culture University of Missouri Columbia Missouri USA
Abstract
AbstractDespite their professed enthusiasm for open science, faculty researchers have been documented as not freely sharing their data; instead, if sharing data at all, they take a minimal approach. A robust research agenda in LIS has documented the data under‐sharing practices in which they engage, and the motivations they profess. Using theoretical frameworks from sociology to complement research in LIS, this article examines the broader context in which researchers are situated, theorizing the social relational dynamics in academia that influence faculty decisions and practices relating to data sharing. We advance a theory that suggests that the academy has entered a period of transition, and faculty resistance to data sharing through foot‐dragging is one response to shifting power dynamics. If the theory is borne out empirically, proponents of open access will need to find a way to encourage open academic research practices without undermining the social value of academic researchers.