main argument, narrative, or e/affect

I will preface this by saying that I struggled with this article because I found it to be abstract - dealing with broad ideas such as accessibility, neoliberalism, critical spaces, intellectual freedom, the intellectual public, trust, vulnerability, governance, and empowerment. It takes me repetition and being in conversation with others about the components in order for me to fully grasp the ideas. With that caveat: the author references their prior discussion of books (or the book-object), the development of the book as a commodity and as “a value-laden object of knowledge exchange within academia.” The article challenges the book as the traditional form of publishing within academia and provides discussion of the potential impact of new mediums. The author proclaims that without increasing openness and alternative methods of publishing, researchers are subject to and play a role in the capitalization of research. Alternatives to the traditional book were initiated through calls for open scholarship and open access, although meanings of “open access” are highly debated. While some connect open access to neoliberalism, the author proposes that radical open access facilitates critiques of those systems while acknowledging that in order for the model to gain more traction negative attitudes and perceptions about the new modality must be addressed. The author also addresses the “communicative power” of open politics using digital technologies and open access and the nuanced differences between “innovation” and “experimentation.”