Neglected Voices in African Studies Series

The African Studies Review invites brief proposals (500 words) for a new series, Neglected Voices in African Studies. With this initiative, the journal seeks to provide a space to highlight important, neglected or understudied works by African and African diasporic thinkers whose contributions have broadened the horizons of their respective fields. Many such scholars worked on the continent in the mid to late 20th century, where they developed theories and ideas drawn from African epistemes and experiences. Nonetheless, their work has not been adequately examined or received the attention it merits.  Now is the time to recuperate these important voices by bringing together articles and forums to highlight these scholars’ contributions to African studies. We aim to generate renewed attention to the epistemological richness of African scholarship while also contributing to the urgent, ongoing decolonizing efforts in academic scholarship.

Potential contributors can propose a standalone article or a forum (2-3 articles) examining the contribution and significance of the proposed thinker’s scholarship and its continuing relevance for African studies. Articles should be 7000-10000 words in length (including notes and bibliography) and will be subject to the journal’s peer review process.

Process 

Submit a 500-word proposa to managingeditor@africanstudiesreview.org. The proposal should explain the rationale for studying the identified scholar/thinker and offer a timeline for completing the essay(s). If proposing a forum, include the names of contributors and brief abstracts of their essays. The proposal will be reviewed by the editorial collective and if approved, the author(s) will be invited to write and submit the manuscript for review following the journal’s guidelines. Accepted essays will appear in the journal at the completion of the production process.