Authors

This site contains information about both texts and the authors that wrote the texts. For this reason, it contains entries with information about authors, as well as entries with information about texts. That way, users can, for example

  • browse for all texts written by an author
  • when they like a text, find out more about the person that wrote it
  • develop sophisticated searches, for example 'all texts related to World System Theory written by Schumpeter'

If there is already an entry for an author on the site, you don't need to create a fresh one. Eventually, we'll allow you to edit each other's entries, Wiki-style, but we are at too early a stage to do that just yet. However, if you think we should add information to an author entry, let us know and we will put it in.

IF you want to submit a text, you will need to say who the author is (see the section on text editing). So what information should you supply about the author? Basically, the information that a librarian will look for, if handed a description of a text that the author has written, and asked to find it. You need to enter the author's name as it appears in bibliographical citations. This isn't as easy as it sounds - for example, how would you cite Gabriel Garcia Marquez?

Then, enter additional information - at present the main facility we provide is to add links to places on the internet with information about the author. Try to apply the criterion of relevant information. The aim is not to have anything and everything about the person concerned, but useful stuff that will help somebody trying to build up a picture of her or his system of thought, works, and so on. Also where to buy her or his stuff. So, for example, a link to Amazon, to the Library of Congress record, to a Wikipedia entry, or if there is one, the author's own website.

Accurate representation and right of reply

We want this site to adhere strictly to pluralistic standards. This includes an attempt to represent, as accurately as possible, what is known about a person or a theory, distinguishing interpretation clearly from fact, and supporting both theory and interpretation with evidence.For further information, you are welcome to consult the IWGVT guidelines.

It's inevitable that there will be differences as to what the facts are. We are constructing the site so that, in the event that there are two or more views on a subject or an author, site users will have access to all of them.

As regards authors, this is particularly important since an individual person has a right - if alive, a legal right - not to have you or us put misinformation about them on this site. Please therefore attempt to be as accurate as possible and do not submit links to URLS containing misinformation, libellous material or material of an offensive nature.

We are working to provide a right of reply facility on the site for authors and users alike. Meantime, please apply respect for these principles in sumitting your entry.