Dear Colleagues,

Recent advancements in knowledge-based AI and the increasing complexity of knowledge domains call for a rethinking of traditional methodology and usage of Knowledge Organization Systems (KOSs). This special issue invites original contributions that explore, extend and/or critique the emerging concept of Knowledge Organization Ecosystems (KOEs) understood as conceptualizing KOSs and KO infrastructures, in the context of pervasiveness of AI applications, as a larger triad of people, technology and organizations grounded in principles of socio-technical systems and AI technology ethics.

Inspired by recent works in this direction including the vision presented in [1], this special issue aims to consolidate multidisciplinary explorations at the intersection of knowledge organization, knowledge representation, artificial intelligence, technology ethics and socio-technical systems. Topics of interest include theoretical models, practical implementations, domain-specific case studies, tools and platforms for KOE development, as well as, ethical and cognitive considerations embedded in the design and deployment of such ecosystems.

By positioning KOEs as dynamic, participatory and ethics-grounded ecosystems comprising individuals, organizations, and technology components, the special issue would provide a platform for research that fosters sustainable, inclusive and explainable KO infrastructures in a data-driven socio-digital AI world.

Potential contributors are encouraged to submit papers on:

Theoretical Foundations of KOEs:

• Elucidating and expanding the conceptual model of KOEs
• KOEs vs traditional KOSs: implications for theory and practice
• Mapping KOEs to socio-technical systems (STS) theory

Ethics and Responsible Design:

• Embedding AI ethics principles into KOEs
• Transparency and explainability via metadata and datasheets

KOEs in Practice:

• Case studies of KOE implementation in specific domains (e.g., healthcare, heritage, libraries, education)
• Domain-specific KOE development frameworks
• Tools, standards, and platforms supporting version-managed KOEs

Social and Organizational Dimensions:

• Roles of designers, domain experts, ethics experts, users, and documentalists
• Governance structures and community engagement policies for KOEs
• Version control, CI/CD workflows, and KOE lifecycle management

Technical and Representational Innovations:

• KOEs, ontologies and knowledge graphs: interoperability and modularity
• Integration of KOEs with linked data and open science infrastructures
• KOEs, LLMs, VLMs integration.

Critical Reflections and Future Directions:

• KOEs and the future of information science, digital librarianship, semantic web, and open knowledge
• Challenges and critiques of implementing KOEs in real-world settings
• Interdisciplinary bridges: KO, KR, KM, AI ethics, and ecology of knowledge

[1] Bagchi, Mayukh. Towards knowledge organization ecosystem (KOE). Cataloging & Classification Quarterly. 2021; 59: 740–756.

Dr. Mayukh Bagchi
Guest Editor