Abstract

The publishing industry has a variety of gatekeepers that play a role in deciding which works become books. This article acknowledges the main gatekeepers as the agent and publishers, but also draws attention to the author, who is the first gatekeeper, and the reader, who is the last. The connections between gatekeepers highlight the role of power in these positions. Using Foucault’s theories of archaeology and genealogy, this article argues that positions within the industry provide space for the gatekeepers to say what works deserve to be published. In doing so it highlights the dynamic flow of power, which rises from the bottom and provides a hierarchical structure within the industry.