A)
Introduction
The
IAG/AIG needs to develop its publications for 4 reasons
(i)
To develop geomorphology through international
collaboration;
(ii)
To promote the study and development of
geomorphology;
(iii)
To foster the dissemination of knowledge of
geomorphology;
(iv)
To increase the revenue of the IAG/AIG.
B)
The development of geomorphology through international collaboration
There
are two main ways in which to develop publication to meet this goal. The first
of these, which has already been achieved, is to publish a regular Newsletter
in the main journals associated with the IAG/AIG (Earth Surface Processes &
Landforms, Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie, Geomorphology, Geomorphologie,
Transactions of Japanese Geomorphological Union). It is desirable to extend
this circulation by encouraging the publication and translation of the
Newsletter in other languages (e.g. Spanish, Italian, Chinese and Russian).
The
second means of communication, which is likely to develop strongly both in
nature and geographical extent, is the use of a web site. This could post news,
details of IAG/AIG business, contact addresses, abstracts, conference details,
etc., providing more detail and a wider range of information than the
Newsletter. It is desirable to appoint a Web Master as a major priority.
C)
Promotion of the study and development of Geomorphology as a discipline
(i)
Theme publications
International
collaboration and the development of the discipline can be achieved by the
publication of particular themes. Some of these could be related to working
groups. Among the types of theme that could be treated are:
·
Collaborative volumes on facets of global scale
geomorphology (e.g. world sand seas, world reefs, world karst);
·
Collaborative volumes on best practice (e.g. in
land management or in new geomorphological techniques); Collaborative volumes
on some innovative approaches to geomorphology (e.g. on biogeomorphology, rock
mechanics and geomorphology, laboratory experimentation and hardware models,
etc.).
(ii)
Translations
International
collaboration and the development of the discipline can be achieved by the
publication of translations of classic or seminal works from one language to
another. This is unlikely to be commercially successful but is recognised as
being intellectually desirable.
(iii)
Works of synthesis
There
is scope for the IAG/AIG to produce a wide-ranging review of the scope and nature
of modern geomorphology (e.g. the Oxford University Press Handbook Series) and
to produce a large international encyclopaedia of the discipline
(iv)
Publications on the
geomorphology of regions were international conferences or regional conferences
are held
(v)
Conference proceedings
The
IAG/AIG will publish the Abstracts of all its conferences in both paper and
electronic form. In addition it will seek to publish papers presented at its
conferences in internationally refereed thematic volumes of journals,
especially those specifically associated with the IAG/AIG. However, given the
volume of high quality papers arising from conferences, papers may also be
published as appropriate theme volumes of other journals or in edited books.
The editing of such materials would be carried out by session convenors in
association with the Publication Officer. These editors would make special
efforts to assist the authors of papers from developing countries or whose
mother tongue was not English or French, but papers would only be published if
they met international standards set by referees. There would, therefore, be no
automatic publication of papers presented.
(vi)
Journals
Although
the IAG/AIG might be able to raise revenue by producing its own journal and by
introducing individual membership, the discipline is well served by journals
and the establishment of a new journal could have an adverse impact on existing
ones. The IAG/AIG has therefore decided it will not at this stage publish its own
journal.
D)
Fostering geomorphology externally
A
major role of the IAG/AIG should be to foster knowledge of geomorphology amongst
the general public, policy makers, other disciplines, potential students, etc.
To that end, it should develop its web site with these ambitions in mind,
produce a modest brochure on the discipline, act as a source of information and
news when extreme geomorphological events occur, and produce a popular volume
of classic world landscapes (including geomorphological World Heritage sites
and GeoParks). It might also consider producing a CD (or other electronic
medium) of world landforms.
E)
The Publications Officer
The
Publications Officer should oversee Publications Policy and co-ordinate the
work of other individuals (e.g. editors, the Web Master) involved in this
endeavour.
With
the exception of the Newsletter, the web site and a brochure, the IAG/AIG should
not be a publisher and in particular should not be responsible for the
warehousing, marketing, distribution or selling of publication.
