Equitable Mathematics

[joyal.andre@uqam.ca]

Mike Barr is raising up an important point.
We should look at the problem from an economical point of view.
The true buyers of scientific journals are the university librairies,
not the scientists. There is a demand for low-price-high-quality
scientific journals. The mathematical community is the producer.
The publisher is the intermediate. The prices are artificially high.
We may need an organisation of Equitable Mathematics.
The organisation should be supported financially by
the university librairies and the mathematical associations.

The editorial board of Topology has resigned to protest the
price of the journal. I admire their political gesture
but unfortunately, it has a drawback:
a prestigious journal has disappeared.
I have a crazy idea:
Topology could be resurrected as a cloned called Equitable Topology.
The new journal could have the same editorial board as late Topology,
if the editors agree.
Other expensive mathematical journals could be duplicated
with an Equitable clone having the same editorial board.

I am aware of the organisational difficulties of
realising the idea of Equitable Mathematics.
To be successful, it will have to be done very seriously.
It should be economically sound.
Maybe the mathematical associations should be involved
in the organisation.

Andre



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