Publishing is in essence the purposeful dissemination of some work by its creator beyond just him- or herself, whether orally or using one of the many writing systems, always, as with any social institution, intermingled with politics, power, and social constraints. There have been many changes in the culture and conventions of publishing over the years, in large part because of changing technologies—in particular, print and digital reproduction. Recent developments include an arguably greater role for authors in the form of self-publishing, print on demand, ebooks, audiobooks, online publication, and open access, together with online selling and services for authors. This entry summarizes the current technological, logistical, and economic conditions under which academic publishing currently takes place.