I just completed the Day One Project policy accelerator program and I’ve got a policy memo on Independent Scholarship Institutes to show for it. The policy memo is called “Broadening the Knowledge Economy thorough Independent Scholarship”, and it has also been incorporated by the new Center for Progress. I’m hoping that it will bring more attention to the idea of Independent Scholarship Institutes, as well as help guide the way for more strategically thinking about the future for the Ronin Institute and our peers like IGDORE. You can read the policy memo here https://progress.institute/category/metascience/ and https://www.dayoneproject.org/progressstudies. I’d love to hear your feedback on it!
Here’s the summary of the memo:
Scientists and scholars in the United States are faced with a relatively narrow set of traditional career pathways. Our lack of creativity in defining the scholarly landscape is limiting our nation’s capacity for innovation by stifling exploration, out-of-the-box thinking, and new perspectives.
This does not have to be the case. The rise of the gig economy has positioned independent scholarship as an effective model for people who want to continue doing research outside of traditional academic structures, in ways that best fit their life priorities. New research institutes are emerging to support independent scholars and expand access to the knowledge economy.
The Biden-Harris Administration should further strengthen independent scholarship by (1) facilitating partnerships between independent scholarship institutions and conventional research entities; (2) creating professional-development opportunities for independent scholars; and (3) allocating more federal funding for independent scholarship.
I’m happy to see promoting Independent Scholarship getting classified under metascience by the Institute for Progress. I’ve often thought of this as being somewhat separate (maybe more of a Sociology of Science topic?) but I think that a metascience framing could open more avenues for funding and other support.