Empowering scholarship: Young researcher-led journals as spaces for learning, envisioning, and experimenting with alternatives

Abstract

This article presents a dialogue-based reflection on the role and potential of young researcher-led journals such as plaNext – Next Generation Planning. Based on a two-hour recorded conversation among current and founding editorial members, the text explores the motivations behind creating plaNext, its evolution over a decade, and the challenges and opportunities faced by early career researchers in academic publishing. The article discusses five thematic areas: (1) the origins and motivations of those who founded or joined plaNext; (2) tensions between innovation and scientific credibility; (3) ethical and supportive editorial practice centred on kindness and rigor; (4) lessons learned and future visions for the journal; (5) recognition and valuation of reviewer labour. Overall, the article argues that young researcher-led journals can serve as empowering, inclusive spaces that promote plural knowledge, mentorship, experimentation, and community-building in an often exclusionary publishing landscape.