International Perspectives: Visibility in Academic Publishing
Academic publishing is not only about participating in research discourse, but also, of course, about the well-known principle of “publish or perish” — in other words, about visibility. While English is the dominant publishing language in many academic disciplines, German is still often preferred in the social sciences and education studies. However, even in these fields — the core focus of our publishing house — global visibility is becoming increasingly important.
Some of the major international publishers are multinational corporations, where personal support for authors* is not a priority. At Verlag Barbara Budrich, we have always placed great emphasis on the successful combination of individual support and international presence. This is particularly evident in our recent achievements in translation: in the past months alone, we have concluded five new licensing agreements with international partners, making the academic work of our authors* accessible in other languages.
Recent Successes at a Glance
Our latest licensing agreements include translations into various languages and markets, as shown in the table below.
| Year | Translation | Original title | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Carsten Q. Schneider, Claudius Wagemann: 社会科学集合论方法：定性比较分析指南(Set-Theoretic Methods for the Social Sciences. A Guide to Qualitative Comparative Analysis) |
orig. title: Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) und Fuzzy Sets. Ein Lehrbuch für Anwender und jene, die es werden wollen | Gezhi Press, China (PRC) |
| 2024 | Ulrich Teichler: 高等教育研究背后的故事 泰希勒教授学术研究生涯回顾与反思(Higher Education Research and the Story Behind It. An Autobiographical Review and Reflection on Professor Teichler’s Lifetime Academic Research Career) |
orig. title: Higher Education Research – What Else? | Beihang University Press, China (PRC) |
| 2023 | Ulrich Teichler: Yükseköğretim Araştırmaları – ve Ötesi |
orig. title: Higher Education Research – What Else? | Pegem Akademi Yayıncılık, Turkey |
| 2023 | Peter V. Zima: Discourse and Power An Introduction to Critical Narratology: Who Narrates Whom? |
orig. title: Diskurs und Macht. Einführung in die herrschaftskritische Erzähltheorie | Routledge, UK |
This diversity exemplifies our global reach and the relevance of our publications across different cultural contexts. However, such translations and licensing agreements are not the only international channels we cultivate.
Global Network, Individual Support
Verlag Barbara Budrich has an extensive international distribution network, with partners in Europe, North America, Asia, and beyond. We have a particularly strong presence in the English-speaking market, with a representative office in Canada and solid partnerships in the UK and the US. The latter also distributes our publications to other regions of the world – including Australia, New Zealand, and Latin America. This not only enables the effective dissemination of our publications but also allows us to actively seek licensing partners for translations.
Moreover, with the support of our strong international digital partners, we provide key academic libraries around the world with access to our eBooks and eJournals.
Flexible, Values-Based Licensing Models
Our approach to international licensing is shaped by both flexibility and our core values. We are proud of our policy of “fair licensing”: for regions with weaker economies, we offer adapted licensing models.
We take a particularly accommodating approach to publishing houses from the Global South – always with the agreement of our authors*. At Verlag Barbara Budrich, licensing income is typically split 50:50 between the author* and the publisher. So if we waive a standard licence fee, the author* usually does too.
At Budrich, quality and content integrity take precedence over commercial interests. Not long ago, we turned down a licensing agreement because the licensee wanted to make changes to the content: politically sensitive passages were to be “revised” in the course of translation. The licensee made this a conditio sine qua non. So we stood by our non.
As an independent publisher, we have the major advantage of short decision-making paths and flat hierarchies. This allows us to conclude agreements swiftly and without unnecessary bureaucracy – especially with partners who also value fairness and have the freedom to act flexibly.
This naturally applies to – and is particularly important in – our work with authors*. For example, if you already have a potential publishing partner in mind for a Chinese edition, the choice is yours: would you like us to manage a licensing agreement, or would you prefer to retain the translation rights for the Chinese edition and negotiate directly with your partner? That’s your decision – and one we can revisit even after our contract is in place.
In standard author* contracts – beyond Open Access – you typically transfer many derivative rights to us exclusively, including the right to publish translations. However, if we do not exercise this right, it can be returned to you. If in doubt, just get in touch!
A particularly successful example of cross-cultural cooperation is the translation of Johannes Schopp’s Eltern stärken (Strengthening Parents) into Farsi. Despite the lack of copyright recognition in Iran, the author’s initiative led to a trusting collaboration with an Iranian publisher – a powerful illustration of how intercultural publishing partnerships can succeed.
Multilingual Publication Strategies from a Single Source
Our expertise in multilingual publishing is also evident in our own publications. A recent example is Auffälliges Verhalten in der Schule / Managing Challenging Behaviour in Schools by Ulrike Becker, which we published simultaneously in German and English. This in-house expertise allows us to provide comprehensive support to authors* pursuing multilingual publication strategies.
Your International Perspectives
Your research and findings deserve to be recognised globally. As your publishing partner, we combine international reach with individual support. Benefit from our years of experience and our global network.
Get in touch with us today for a personal consultation about your international perspectives. Together, we will find the best path for your international publication strategy!
The Author
Barbara Budrich worked for over ten years at Leske + Budrich, her father’s publishing house, before founding Verlag Barbara Budrich in 2004. She has published, translated, and authored numerous books and articles. Since 2012, she and her team have shared their expertise in academic publishing and writing through talks, workshops, and coaching via her company, budrich training.
Photo Barbara Budrich: private | Header image: pexels.com | Maurício Mascaro
