Publish or perish: origin, evolution and conceptual issues

The phrase “publish or perish” (POP) describes the pressure put on academics to publish in scholarly journals rapidly and continually as a condition for employment and promotion. Contemporary academia is run according to the guidelines provided by the POP doctrine, which has changed academia in a substantial manner. There is no agreement on the origin of the term “publish or perish” or who coined it. POP may be advocated on the grounds that a good track record in publications brings attention to authors and their institutions, which can facilitate continued funding and the progress of the authors themselves. However, the perceived benefits of POP pale into insignificance compared to the adverse consequences of guiding academia by the rules of this doctrine.