When we cite, we are not just ensuring our work has followed the norms of scholarly discourse and provided credit to the scholars who informed our ideas. We are intentionally interacting with a community of scholars, putting our voices with theirs, and connecting our readers to other ideas they may not have found otherwise.
Citational politics is the concept that addresses inequities in citational practices within the scholarly landscape. There are historical and structural patterns to who is cited and who is not. Citations play a role in who is seen as an authority on a topic, decisions on hiring, promotion and/or tenure, and funding opportunities. Citation gaps along gendered and racial lines have been noted across disciplines, causing inequity for women and scholars of color.
Using our own scholarship to uplift the voices of scholars from minoritized communities can not only share their work more broadly, but make our own work more inclusive and impactful. Below are some resources on the politics of citations and how to expand the perspectives in your source list.
Other strategies to help you expand the perspectives in your bibliographies is to identify and intentionally search through journals associated with professional groups for minoritized populations in a field or journals on equity topics. Below are tools to help you evaluate your source lists and be transparent in your reporting.