“I’m Cited, Therefore I Am!”: How Publishing Constructs the Scientific Identity

My dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MSc Science, Technology, and Society in the department of Science & Technology Studies at University College London.

Abstract: This phrase “publish or perish” is one of the most enduring expressions in academia. With the rise of audit culture in higher education it has been argued that academic value is increasingly becoming "monetised" and as a result academic values are being transformed (Burrows 2012). Auditing technologies not only evaluate but determine quality, and the most effective auditing technologies transform the way people perceive themselves and their work. This dissertation addresses how audit culture in higher education is transforming the identities of academic scientists and influencing how the scientific identity is dependent on peer reviewed publications.