Call for Papers and Copy Editors
Call for Papers for Special Issue
MAA KHERU: HONORING OUR ANCESTORS’ CONTRIBUTIONS TO AFRICANA STUDIES
The Special Issue
Over the past few years, countless elders who have contributed to the development of Africana/Black Studies have transitioned to the ancestral plane. These scholar/activists were pivotal in the creation and establishment of the discipline, both inside and outside the academy, and their loss can be felt throughout the entire African world. They have left behind foundational theories, histories, policies, narratives, performances, organizations, paradigms, and other discourses about struggle and freedom, and solutions for making a more humane world. Current and emerging Africana/Black Studies scholar/activists can build upon their work as we take Africana/Black Studies into the future. This special issue is, therefore, dedicated to the ancestors: their work, their legacy, and their influence on Africana/Black Studies; Black communities; the African world; the academy; on us, personally; and more.
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We encourage longer essays and research articles, as well as oral histories, institutional reports, book reviews, commentaries, artwork, and creative works such as poetry, short stories, and narratives. Essays, research articles, reports, and oral histories/interviews should not exceed 10,000 words; review essays, film reviews, and commentaries should not exceed 3,000 words; and book reviews should not exceed 1500 words. The length and medium of all creative work will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
The following are ancestors who could be included:
Prof. Ama Ata Aidoo
Prof. Pamela Bobo
Dr. Stephanie Camp
Dr. James L. Conyers
Dr. James Dennis
Dr. Keith Dye
Dr. Brenda Ellis
Dr. Munashe Furusa
Dr. bell hooks
Mr. Theo Jamison
Dr. Martin Kilson
Prof. Carey Latimore
Miss Joan Peters
Dr. Runoko Rashidi
Dr. Malidoma Some’
Dr. Eileen Jackson Southern
Mr. Greg Tate
Dr. Robert Farris Thompson
Dr. James E. Turner
Dr. Kariamu Welsh
Dr. Valree Wynn
Dr. Wosene Yefru
Prof. Johnnie Scott
Submission Guidelines
Manuscripts should be submitted as a Microsoft Word document, double spaced, written in Times New Roman, size 12 font, and adhere to the most recent edition of the Chicago Manual of Style, APA Publication Manual, or MLA Handbook in terms of format and citation.
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For this special issue, the editors are asking for authors to submit a 300 to 400 word abstract for initial consideration before submitting a longer work. The abstract should include the tentative title, author(s), affiliation(s), type of submission, detailed summary of the proposed submission, and representative sources. Abstracts are due no later than August 15, 2023, and decisions on acceptance will occur no later than August 31, 2023.
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Once abstracts are accepted by the editors, completed submissions are due no later than December 15, 2023, and should adhere to the guidelines stated above including a title page with title of submission and type of submission (research article, interview etc.), name of author(s), affiliation(s), and email(s).
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Submission Timeline:
Abstracts Due: August 15, 2023
Notification of Acceptance: August 31, 2023
Completed Submission Due: December 15, 2023
Publication: Winter 2024
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All abstracts and submissions should be uploaded to the submissions page on the journal website at https://www.journalofafricanastudies.com/submissions.
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For inquiries, please contact us at https://www.journalofafricanastudies.com/contact.
Open Call for Special Editions
​The Journal of Africana Studies intentionally positions itself as an inclusive and affirming discipline-based African-centered entity. Pan-African in scope, it simultaneously provides intellectual space for discourse about community social justice activist work and liberation struggles on the continent and within African world communities. Timely and radical intellectual research and creative pieces on the prison industrial complex; Africana/Black digital humanities; Africana genders and sexualities and Africana queer theory; the Black radical tradition; political prisoners; Africana/Black Psychology; mental health, nutrition, and holistic health; the African/Black Aesthetic; Africana spiritual philosophy; Black liberation theology; and Afrofuturism and Afropessimism are, therefore, welcome.
​If scholars, independent authors, writers, activists, and artists would like to edit a special edition that reflects the aim and scope of the journal, please submit a 500-word abstract summarizing the purpose of the special edition, including the tentative title, guest editor(s) of the proposed special edition, affiliation(s), and email(s) of the guest editor(s).
All abstracts should be uploaded in the Submissions form here.
General Submission Guidelines
Siyabonana encourages longer essays and research articles, as well as oral histories, institutional reports, book reviews, commentaries, and creative works. Essays, research articles, reports, and oral histories/interviews should not exceed 10,000 words; review essays, film reviews, and commentaries should not exceed 3,000 words; and book reviews should not exceed 1700 words. The length of all creative work will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
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Manuscripts should be submitted as a Microsoft Word document, double spaced, written in Times New Roman, size 12 font, and adhere to the most recent edition of the Chicago Manual of Style, APA Publication Manual, or MLA Handbook in terms of format and citation.
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At the top of your submission, please include the following information in this order:
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Title of article (in Bold)
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Author’s first name and last name, highest degree (ex. Kwame Martin, Ph.D.)
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Email address
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Academic title (ex. Associate Professor of Sociology)
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Department (ex. Department of Sociology and Social Work)
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University (ex. University of Cape Coast)
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Repeat for all authors​
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Abstract
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Include a 150-200 word abstract under the heading Abstract.
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Keywords
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Include 3 to 5 keywords that best reflect the content of the manuscript under the heading Keywords
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Peer Review Process:
The journal has a double-blind peer review process. For all submissions, other than book reviews, the author’s name will be removed from the submission during the review process, and the author will not be informed about who reviewed their submission. We will attempt to have at least two reviewers from the editorial board and/or volunteer external reviewers comment on the academic quality of the submission, and submit a review report to the author.
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​Publication Timeline:
Siyabonana: The Journal of Africana Studies will publish an issue every winter, summer and fall.
Call for Copy Editors
Siyabonana: The Journal of Africana Studies is an open access online peer-reviewed academic journal that publishes original research and creative intellectual work on key issues within the discipline of Africana Studies and across the global African world. We are currently in need of several service-oriented scholars, writers, and editors who can serve as copy editors.
Copy Editor's Role
As part of the final stages of the publishing process, copy editors will review and correct punctuation, spelling, and small grammar errors on select submissions. Copy editors will also review and correct citations to ensure that submissions have consistent and accurate formatting in accordance with either MLA, APA, or Chicago citation style.
Contact
If interested in serving as a copy editor, please email joafst@gmail.com
by August 31, 2023.