deletionism

Deletionism describes a stance within collaborative knowledge projects, especially Wikipedia, that emphasizes removing content deemed not notable, poorly sourced, or non-encyclopedic. Proponents favor deletion or merging of such material rather than broad inclusion.

The term arose in the mid-2000s during debates over article creation and maintenance. It is commonly contrasted with inclusionism, which prioritizes retaining and expanding content that might be marginally notable or verifiable.

Practices associated with deletionism include using deletion processes such as Articles for Deletion (AfD), requiring reliable sources, avoiding original research, and removing stubs or topics lacking verifiable coverage.

Critics argue deletionism risks erasing minority topics, stifling knowledge, and reflecting systemic biases. Supporters contend it preserves quality, prevents content fragmentation, and keeps the encyclopedia focused on significant, well-sourced topics.

In Wikipedia and similar projects, deletionism is part of a broader debate over notability, sourcing, and editorial scope. Notability guidelines, verifiability standards, and the use of deletion discussions are the formal tools used to implement deletion choices.

See also: inclusionism, notability, verifiability, articles for deletion, encyclopedia quality control.