Reed Elsevier isn’t just charging high prices for journals, no, they’ve also got some rather nasty side projects going on:
From the British Medical Journal: “While promoting world health through its publications, including The Lancet, Reed Elsevier also organises international trade fairs for the arms industry.”
From The Independent: “New allegations on Reed Elsevier’s links to the most controversial parts of the arms trade have emerged, as peace protesters descend today on the AGM in London of the conference and publishing company.”
And a Petition: “Please consider signing the petition below so that Reed Elsevier know that the academic & medical communities disapprove of their supporting the arms trade.”
Petition and boycott: “We consider Reed-Elsevier’s involvement in the global arms trade to be reckless and morally wrong, and we urge Reed-Elsevier to stop organising arms fairs. Until they do, we will not submit our papers to Reed-Elsevier journals.”
More general info from Wikipedia: “He suggested that if academics began to disengage with Reed Elsevier, the company would be likely to end their arms fairs, as arms fairs only comprise a small proportion of their business.”
With thanks to Paul.
-SIO