Close Look at the Concept of Authority in Information Literacy

Abstract

The concept of authority—its definition and the consequences thereof—receives intense scrutiny in library scholarship. This article intervenes in that conversation by arguing for a particular approach to authority within librarianship. The article begins by reviewing the significant areas of contention within library scholarship on authority. It then analyzes the theoretical literature on authority—specifically cognitive authority, or the question of where we place our intellectual trust—from philosophy and information studies in order to explicate the concept. Finally, it builds on that explication to argue that librarians should embrace a fully constructionist view of cognitive authority, because committing to constructionism will make information literacy pedagogy both more rigorous and more just.

The framing of authority in the ACRL framework on information literacy: multidisciplinary perspectives on truth, authority, expertise and belief

“…Wilson (1983) calls this "cognitive authority," the term now generally used in the social sciences. Bluemle (2023) stresses the need for librarians to distinguish between cognitive authority and political authority, but to recognize that they may interact. She also notes that the status of librarians as cognitive authorities may be compromised if they are seen as allied with the dominant (white) group and the political power of their institutions.…”

“…Roh (2016) observes that the lack of diversity in both authors and editors reinforces a “feedback loop in scholarship that privileges and publishes the majority voice” (p. 82). In similar fashion, linguistic racism privileges so-called “standard English” as a measure of authority (Bluemle, 2023) and a means of maintaining the status quo in scholarly publishing.…”

“…This reflects the idea of authority based on rhetoric rather than truth: “authority rests with those who can persuade others of their opinion” (Saunders and Budd, 2020, p. 4). Bluemle (2023) gives a detailed discussion of cognitive authority and information literacy in the current political environment, which emphasizes that cognitive authority “ultimately comes from people …. Which means shifting information literacy instruction from a focus on what sources to trust to why we trust the sources that we do” (p. 17).…”

“…Engaging with information that conflicts with our world view can result in cognitive dissonance – an unpleasant experience that many will take pains to avoid (White, 2022). Commitment to the values and opinions of one’s social groups and fear of alienation (“identity protective cognition”) may also outweigh more rational approaches to information (Bluemle, 2023, p. 16).…”

“…Because it challenges traditional concepts of authority and implicitly addresses the lack of diversity in scholarly publishing, the first Frame "authority is constructed and contextual," hereafter referred to as the Frame, has drawn particular attention and debate (e.g. Bluemle, 2018Bluemle, , 2023Saunders and Budd, 2020).…”