Scientific Journals and The Construction of “Gender Studies”: a “Peripheral” Look

Abstract

This paper deals with the role of scientific journals on the constitution of the field of gender studies in a peripheral country, Brazil. Studies in sociology of science, the role played in the fields of history of science and R&D policy by scientific papers and the author’s experience as editors of CADERNOS PAGU constitute the tools to analyze the interaction of publishing and feminist agency in the production of knowledge. Our aim is to discuss the effect of tensions and “negotiations” in the publication of scientific journals and in the constitution of the field of gender studies. The political agency, tensions, “negotiations”, peer-review processes, “gate-keeping” of scientific knowledge, editorial and translation policies and so on are dealt with in the framework of science publication, the “speciation” of a field of research and the reproduction of centrality and periphery within our own country. Finally, we pointed to directions to increase journal visibility, content diversification and to foster cooperation with Latin American and international researchers.