Student Interview: Cady Hockman
Bio:
My name is Cady Hockman (they/them). I am a first-year student in GW’s publishing program and a member of GWJEP’s Editorial Committee. I currently work in financial services and data acquisition, and am eager to break into the publishing industry. In my free time, I like to read about the end of the world, dance with my partner, and explore ponds with my dog. I am passionate about using my skills to uplift marginalized voices and expand open source access to literature and research.
What does ethics in publishing mean to you?
To me, ethics in publishing means evaluating stories on the basis of content and their impacts on the world. By this I mean that publishers have a responsibility to assess context, influence, and impact for the stories that are told, and consider what silences the stories that aren’t. Ethics in publishing is actionable, and it is achieved through a never-ending dialogue on creativity, power, and public interest.
What recent ethical topics in publishing are you interested in and why?
I am interested in generative AI and the regulations that corporations and governing bodies are formulating around the use of artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence is a frequent sidebar in my classes. It can be challenging to find information for AI use policies on the websites of many large corporations and platforms, because in some instances those decisions remain internal or have yet to be codified. Fanfiction is also a topic of growing interest for me. The gift economy of fanfiction was one of my first introductions to open source media, and I emerged from childhood with the wholly incorrect assumption that fanfiction was a utopian landscape largely untouched by greed or conflict. However, the prevalence of unauthorized fan-bindings on online shops and the infringement foundational to the form complicate my adolescent impressions of the genre, and make fanfiction an increasingly interesting topic in publishing.
How would you describe your experience with the journal?
Working on the journal’s editorial committee gives me the opportunity to try on many different hats throughout a publication cycle. In addition to evaluating and editing article submissions, our committee engages directly with authors and peer reviewers to mold articles into a published state. When we aren’t working on articles, we are researching and formulating guidelines for submissions or resources for publishing scholars. Serving as a member of the Journal of Ethics in Publishing is a deeply rewarding and dynamic experience.
How has ethics in publishing influenced your job/career/profession? How has it influenced your education/learning?
Ethics in publishing has made transparency and actionability my major focus when drafting company resources and correspondences. In my academic life, it has led me to act with more intentionality than I would have thought myself capable of, specifically while working to develop a business plan for a niche publishing startup. As a newcomer to an industry dominated by giants, the task of building a sustainable small business model while adhering to all of my own expectations of ethical behavior can seem unattainable. Yet, the concerns of ethics in publishing are the issues that I wish to grapple with and those I am responsible for upholding as a publishing professional.
Do you feel that the classes you have taken so far have discussed ethics enough?
Ethics is the undercurrent of every publishing course I have taken at GW thus far. Because my professors are industry leaders, they are concerned not only with our effectiveness as members of the publishing world, but also with shaping us into conscientious professionals. I have found my professors and course material reinforce a fundamental commitment to ethical practices in publishing. Like most topics, what is ethical in publishing is neither static nor always conspicuous. My classes give myself and my peers the time and space to engage in dialogues about the nature and practice of these changing topics. I am grateful for a place to have these conversations because, as I transition into professional publishing, I understand that I will not be present to discuss the application of ethics in publishing at every juncture in which it applies to myself and my work. I value the opportunity to research context and formulate opinions on these issues in advance of taking on a publishing job and being required to follow pre-existing guidelines.
What is something you would like to see the journal do in the future?
I would like to see a review column that can help professionals discover trade resources by offering critiques on publishing books and articles.