Citation Politics

Citation practices represent just one element of academic research and publishing; they exist in a complex ecosystem of societal and economic forces. Here are a few facts that guide our understanding of critical citational practices: 

• Citation politics is about disrupting the reproduction of sameness. If we are always citing white, male authors, we are forever drawing from a very limited set of experiences.
• Women are cited less on average than research authored by men, but if a woman co-authors with a man, the paper has a higher chance of being cited.
• Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) researchers are less cited than their white colleagues even if they have more experience and authority than white researchers.
• Well-cited scholars have authority because they are well cited. But well cited does not always mean quality, especially at the expense of those less likely to be cited.

You, as a student, have the power to decide who to cite and why. Your positionality (your identity, values, and views) matters in your research! You come to research as you and bring with you your experiences, opinions, access to information, and specific skill sets. Remember that citation selection is never passive. We make conscious decisions about who to include and exclude and discussing our intentions holds us accountable for the research we do and what we produce. 

What can you do to break the citation cycle of sameness? 

• Practice citation counting: literally count how many women, BIPOC and other marginalized researchers are included in your references. Count how many nontraditional sources you cited. Google the authors to see who they are if you need to. Don't make assumptions about gender, race or other identities. Do your research.  
• Push against the narrow definition of academic scholarship that is exclusive, misogynistic and racist. Just because someone's work has not been heavily cited does not mean it does not have value. Strive towards citation politics that are feminist, anti-racist, and inclusive.
• There are different kinds of authority. Consider the context in which you are writing and determine what kind of expert you need. Talk with your professors and peers about the type of authority and expertise that is expected or valued in your discipline. Learn more about authority and expertise in the Evaluating Information module. 
• There are more contributors to research than just the author(s). Take a critical look at the methodology section to see who contributed and who didn't.  

Adapted from Citation Politics, Dawn Stahura Links to an external site. & Graduate Student Research Institute, UW Libraries