Part of the politics of publication.

Travelling to conferences is one way to build an academic network. It’s expensive and you can’t do a lot of it. As someone who was an academic for 38 years, let me suggest another way to to add to your collegial network. That is is to reach out to a like minded colleague with a short email after reading one of their publications that impresses you.

Not a Rave

I’m not talking building a collegial network by sending an email that is some generic fan letter that says:. “Great article” or “fantastic job.”

I’m suggesting a line or two that acknowledges that you were impressed with the article, particularly the part the discusses XXX because it overlaps with your own interests or puts a new spin on a well-worn topic.

There May Well Be No Response

You may well receive no answer to your email. They author may block unfamiliar emails or just not respond to them. But over time, particularly if you reference them in your own writing, your name will become familiar to them.