Entrenched marginalization -- based on sexism, racism or other forms of discrimination -- is a larger structural problem in academe. We focus on citational policy as one way to begin to address bigger issues. Citations are powerful technologies of knowledge production, yet they may simultaneously produce ignorance. Failure to cite the work of particular groups of scholars, whether intentional or not, distorts our understandings of the past and of contemporary inequities. [...]

Absences and silences matter. Many professional decisions are tied to impact and influence. Undercited scholarship affects who gets hired, tenured, funded, published and promoted. It undermines morale and well-being. Undercitation impedes participation in networks, communities and decision-making bodies that are the locus of evaluation and power. Undercited scholarship trivializes the contributions of women and marginalized groups, making disciplines appear whiter and more male.

[...] We urge scholars and reviewers to consider whether the manuscript reflects the full range of diversity in the field. The strategies we propose also shift the historiographic dialogue to emphasize recent works.