The open-access online Journal of Civic Information, published by the Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project, celebrates its 5-year anniversary this month, publishing 36 studies and 20 editorials with 15,124 downloads.

The journal was launched in September 2017 by Frank LoMonte, who directed the Brechner FOI Project, and founding editor David Cuillier, who at the time was an associate professor of journalism at the University of Arizona.

“My charge at Brechner was to do practical scholarship that equips litigators and advocates to make their best case for open government, coming at it from the background of litigator/advocate and not scholar,” LoMonte was quoted saying in an editor’s note in this quarter’s issue, published Sept. 30.

Cuillier assumed the director duties at the Brechner FOI Project in July 2023, and has since hired two new associate editors, A.Jay Wagner of Marquette University and Ahmed Alrawi of the University of Virginia.

In this issue’s editor’s note, Cuillier credits the diverse editorial board, dedicated authors, and University of Florida’s support for contributing to the journal’s success. All studies are double-blind peer reviewed and are provided to the public without a paywall, and published without expecting payment from authors.

Studies have covered access to police data, the logic behind waiving copy fees, social media posts about FOI, access to legislative records, and many other topics. The most-read issue, posted December 2020, featured four studies examining the impact of COVID on government transparency.

“This is extremely valuable research that helps us understand the state of government transparency, and more important, solutions for making it better,” Cuillier said.

Posted: September 30, 2024
Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner FOI Project, Journal of Civic Information