scholarlyadjacent

Scholarlyadjacent is an informal adjective used to describe people, practices, or spaces that are closely connected to scholarly work without being central to it. The term is often applied in discussions of the broader ecosystem around academia, indicating proximity to research activities, scholarly communication, or institutional infrastructures without implying that the subject itself produces original scholarship.

The concept encompasses a range of roles and activities. Examples include librarians, archivists, editors of scholarly journals, grant administrators, data managers, research software engineers, science communicators, journalists covering research, policy analysts, and other professionals who interact with research materials, methods, or institutions. It can also describe audiences or participants who engage with scholarly output—such as readers of academic work or attendees of scholarly events—without authoring new research.

Usage notes and limitations. Scholarlyadjacent signals proximity to the epistemic and infrastructural systems of academia while clarifying that the subject is not a primary producer of new scholarly knowledge. It is an informal, sometimes broad descriptor, and its meanings can vary by context. Critics warn that the term can obscure power dynamics or blur boundaries between different professional roles; in some situations, more precise labels (for example, alt-ac or nonfaculty researcher) may be preferable.

See also. alt-ac, academic-adjacent, knowledge work.