The Hypotheses research blogging platform is supported by the national research infrastructure, OpenEdition Center, and has strong roots in the humanities and social sciences. It is an accessible, open and free tool for disseminating and sharing scientific knowledge. With this in mind:
- all disciplines, themes and topics relating to the humanities and social sciences are welcome on Hypotheses
- any member of the humanities and social sciences scholarly community can apply to create a blog on the platform, whatever their professional or academic status (from Master’s level upwards, exceptional circumstances aside) or their geographical location
- academic affiliation is an important criterion when applying to create a blog on Hypotheses, but it is not an obligation, e.g. independent researchers can apply to create a blog as long as their project falls within the field of the humanities and social sciences and within Hypotheses’ editorial scope
- Hypotheses hosts blogs in all languages
- blogs can be run and updated individually or collectively
- there are no rules about how often blogs should be updated
- blogs come in all shapes and sizes, and target a variety of audiences. For example, the platform hosts blogs that are published by researchers or libraries, that popularize scientific subjects, present a research project or thesis, accompany a conference or journal, and so on. Bloggers are not obliged to follow a standard model as such. Each blogger is free to develop their own editorial project and style. Hypotheses is a place to experiment and try out new hybrid initiatives
Hypotheses’ editorial and scientific scope is a living thing whose contours can be redefined as and when by the scientific board and Hypotheses team. This is especially true with the emergence of cross-disciplinary applications, which challenge the platform’s current contours.
In addition to blogs needing to be relevant to the humanities and social sciences, Hypotheses’ editorial and scientific scope sets out other requirements too. Hypotheses does not accept blogs under the following circumstances:
- blogs used to publish a scientific journal
- blogs whose sole purpose is to showcase a scientific project in a static way
- blogs whose sole purpose is to promote a business activity, even if it is linked to the humanities and social sciences
- blogs whose sole purpose is to publish announcements for academic events (platforms specifically designed for this purpose should be used instead, such as Calenda)
- blogs whose sole purpose is to publish a CV
- blogs that do not contain any written content (e.g. those that only contain links)
- blogs mainly used to publish private posts
- blogs that only contain content already published elsewhere in another format
- blogs that express opinions, should the opinions not be directly related to a scholarly work already mentioned in the blog
- blogs in which all or part of the posts published break the law
This list is likely to be updated.
Any request to create a blog falling into one or more of the above categories will be rejected.
In addition, measures will be taken if any existing blog’s editorial and scientific project evolves in such a way over time as to fall into one of the above categories. Such measures range from issuing a warning or blocking access to the write page, to deleting the blogs concerned. Except in the event of force majeure, none of these measures will be taken without discussing the issue beforehand with the editorial team in charge of the blog(s) concerned. In any case, such measures will always be discussed by Hypotheses’ scientific board, working alongside the Hypotheses team, before any action is taken.
