Information for Authors

Please note, your manuscript must be submitted in accordance with the African Affairs house style. Please visit this page to access the style instructions .

African Affairs is a scholarly, peer-reviewed journal, which aims to appeal to a wide audience. It welcomes submissions from all over the world, in particular from Africa. It accepts articles not just from professional academics, but from authors in a variety of occupations. African Affairs does not consider previously published work, including working papers. Because only a small percentage of submitted articles currently meet all the required standards for publication, as editors we thought it would be helpful to provide some guidelines to originality, structure, and style.

Peer Review Policy

This journal operates double-anonymised peer review, meaning that the author's identity is hidden from reviewers, and the reviewers’ identities are hidden from authors. The Editors have oversight of the reviewers and the authors names. For full details about the peer review process, see Fair editing and peer review. For further  information about authoring your article, please see OUP author FAQs.​

Guidelines for submission

1. Please visit the online submission site to submit your paper. If you have any queries about submission, please contact [email protected].
2. Articles should be accompanied by an abstract of not more than 200 words, typed on a separate page, indicating the major argument of the article and its significance as an addition to existing knowledge or analysis.
3. Articles should not be more than 8,000 words in length, including footnotes, and typed in double spacing, preferably in Microsoft Word or a compatible format. Contributors without access to electronic mail should submit three double-spaced copies on A4 paper, plus a copy on computer disk. Manuscripts are not usually returned to authors. They should be original contributions and should not be submitted to another publication simultaneously.
4. Manuscripts should be anonymized, please do not include any information or contact details for authors on the submitted article.
   Some limited information may be attached in a cover letter or email, if desired. It is helpful if authors can provide an additional email addresses or a phone number in case of difficulties in communication.
5. African Affairs has a preference for reviewing works of scholarship. Personal memoirs, unless by persons of great historical significance, are unlikely to be sent to review. We regret that we are unable to return un-reviewed books to the sender.
6. Instructions on submitting a Research Note
7. Instructions on submitting a Briefing
8. Instructions for submitting a Review Essay​
9. Our comprehensive style guide

Originality

African Affairs publishes articles based on original research . Originality is usually achieved by doing both of these things:

1. By generating new empirical data. This implies investigating an issue or phenomenon using a research methodology based on one or more of the following: a) systematic and scrupulously referenced study of primary material, such as archives, newspapers, governmental or non-governmental reports, b) surveys or questionnaires, c) interviews or d) participant-observation. Take for example an article by Ayodeji Olukoju, "Never Expect Power Always: Electricity consumers' response to monopoly, corruption and inefficient services in Nigeria" published in African Affairs 103 410 (2004), pp. 51-72. Not only does this article refer to several academic studies of the energy sector in Nigeria, it also contains numerous references to articles in local newspapers and magazines, such as The Vanguard, The PUNCH and The Nigerian Tribune. These are supplemented by observations drawn from the author's long residence in Lagos and his experience as an electricity consumer, plus interviews with key officials in the power sector.
2. By advancing a distinctive conceptual or theoretical argument and by drawing out the wider implications of this argument. Specifically, an argument that has relevance beyond the case studies covered in the paper. This requires a deep engagement with the literature beyond your case study/studies. Such arguments are typically well grounded in existing, up-to-date literature, which usually implies access to a well stocked academic library or scholarly database. Take for example an article by Crawford Young, 'The end of the post-colonial state in Africa? Reflections on changing African political dynamics' African Affairs 103 410 (2004), pp. 23-50. This article advances a distinctive argument which can be paraphrased thus: 'After Independence Africanist political scientists found the concept of the "post-colonial state" (a form of organisation that shared many features with the colonial state) to be useful; however, because of a variety of historical changes, African states no longer share these features, so the concept is increasingly redundant'. The argument is supported by examples from an impressive range of African countries, referring to 83 different academic publications.

Before submitting your article, ask yourself: 'Does my article contain substantial new empirical data?' or, 'Am I making a genuinely distinctive scholarly argument, grounded in contemporary academic literature?' If not, your article is very unlikely to be published. Each year African Affairs rejects a great many articles; the most common problem is that they are not based on in-depth original research.

Structure

Articles should begin with an introduction. There is no standard format, but here are some questions you might think about as you write yours:

What is this article about? In what way is it original? On what kind of research is it based? Why is it important to contemporary observers? Who is it going to interest? How will the argument of the article unfold?

Then you have to decide on a structure for your article. There are various possibilities, but here are some examples:

The chronological structure :

The article takes the form of a description of a historical process or period, with analytical insights along the way. The structure unfurls like a series of events in time. A good example is the article by Solofo Randrianja, '"Be not afraid, only believe": Madagascar 2002' African Affairs 102 407 (2003), pp. 309-330.

The comparative case-study structure :

The author identifies a phenomenon of general interest, describes the way in which the phenomenon has been discussed in the academic literature, and then explores it further through presenting a case study or studies. Deborah Brautigam does this for the phenomenon of ethnic business networks, using case studies from Mauritius and Nigeria, in her 'Close encounters: Chinese business networks as industrial catalysts in Sub-Saharan Africa' African Affairs 102 408 (2003), pp. 447-468.

The thematic structure :

The author identifies a phenomenon of general interest or concern, and then explores the phenomenon in a variety of different manifestations. For example, in his article on AIDS and governance in Africa, Alex de Waal examines sequentially, 'demographic', 'economic' and 'governance' implications of the pandemic, before moving on to discuss some current attempts to combat the problem, as well as its increasing political salience. See Alex de Waal, 'How will HIV/AIDS transform African governance?' African Affairs 102 406 (2003), pp. 1-24.

The keyhole structure :

The author looks into a small scale process in order to gain a perspective on a wider social landscape. Tim Kelsall, for example, looks into a local tax revolt in Tanzania in order to shed light on wider processes of governance, liberalization and democratization in that country. See his, 'Governance, local politics and districtization in Tanzania: the 1998 Arumeru tax revolt' African Affairs 99 397 (2000), pp. 533-552.

The funnel structure

The article begins with a wide focus which then narrows to a specific point, event or process. (In some ways this is a reverse of the keyhole structure). To take an example, Ogbu Kalu, in his article 'Safiyya and Adamah: Punishing adultery with sharia stones in twenty-first-century Nigeria' African Affairs 102 408 (2003) pp. 389-408, begins by explaining the emergence of sharia law in Northern Nigeria, and then narrows the focus to discuss the adultery case involving Safiyya Husseini, just one of the controversies associated with sharia . (The structure is not a perfect funnel, since at various points along the way the focus widens out again, to discuss characteristics of sharia in general).

Other types of structure, and combinations of the various types, are certainly possible. The important thing is to choose a structure that fits your argument, and that will be easy for the reader to follow.

It is common also to add a conclusion, which picks up the various threads of the argument and pulls out their wider, analytical significance. A final tip: articles often require some brief historical background. If this doesn't come in the introduction itself, it often makes sense to put it immediately after the introduction.

Style

African Affairs is a scholarly journal, and though it occasionally carries 'comment' or 'interview' pieces, the majority of its articles are written in scholarly style. There follow a number of tips on academic writing.

However you decide to structure your article, try to make the sections flow together, forming a coherent whole. The reader should be aware that a new section has arrived, and why, but the transition should be smooth.

Remind the reader, at appropriate points, why the section they are reading is integral to the wider argument. This is often called 'signposting'. By signposting, you should aim to direct the reader back and forward through the structure of your article, rather than making a simple repetition of points.

Points which are essential to your argument need to be emphasised. It can be helpful to let the reader know when such points are coming up, by telling them that they are coming up. This is sometimes called 'telegraphing' or 'flagging'.

Although complete academic 'objectivity', or even even-handedness, is an impossible ideal, it is still something to be aimed at. Normative or ideological positions ought to be argued for, or at least acknowledged.

Issues of 'objectivity' are also pertinent to articles that grow out of consultancy work. Much research in contemporary Africa is funded by consultancy. Such work can often be transformed into academic articles, but changes will probably be required. Consultancies are often undertaken to provide justification for projects that have already been decided upon by donors. Frequently, they make liberal use of the 'buzzwords' currently fashionable in donor circles. This style is usually inappropriate to academic work. While consultancy data can form the basis for an article, the style ought to be critical: existing debates should be referred to; policy options need to be scrutinised; buzzwords ought to be interrogated, even if the final conclusion is the same.

African Affairs is read by a wide audience, which demands an easily accessible style.

The journal welcomes articles containing complex ideas, but in our view a good academic writer is able to express such ideas simply. Sadly, too many submissions contain simple ideas expressed complexly. An argument, in our view, is not made better by the addition of more words.

Try to write clearly, and avoid jargon. Theoretical language is acceptable, but if it is unlikely to be widely understood, it ought to be explained. A good example of a clearly written, theoretical article, is Rita Abrahamsen, 'African studies and the postcolonial challenge' African Affairs 102 407 (2003), pp. 189-210

House Style

Please note, your manuscript must be submitted in accordance with the African Affairs house style. Please visit this page to access the style instructions.

African Affairs prefers not to publish long footnotes of a substantive nature. Points important to the argument should come in the text; notes should be for references, or brief disclaimers.

Figure accessibility and alt text

Incorporating alt text (alternative text) when submitting your paper helps to foster inclusivity and accessibility. Good alt text ensures that individuals with visual impairments or those using screen readers can comprehend the content and context of your figures. The aim of alt text is to provide concise and informative descriptions of your figure so that all readers have access to the same level of information and understanding, and that all can engage with and benefit from the visual elements integral to scholarly content. Including alt text demonstrates a commitment to accessibility and enhances the overall impact and reach of your work.  

Alt text is applicable to all images, figures, illustrations, and photographs. 

Alt text is only accessible via e-reader and so it won’t appear as part of the typeset article. 

Detailed guidance on how to draft and submit alt text. 

Preprint policy

Authors retain the right to make an Author’s Original Version (preprint) available through various channels, and this does not prevent submission to the journal. For further information see our Online Licensing, Copyright and Permissions policies. If accepted, the authors are required to update the status of any preprint, including your published paper’s DOI, as described on our Author Self-Archiving policy page.

Crossref Funding Data Registry

In order to meet your funding requirements authors are required to name their funding sources in the manuscript. For further information on this process or to find out more about CHORUS, visit the CHORUS initiative.

Copyright

Please note that the journal now encourages authors to complete their copyright licence to publish form online

Upon receipt of accepted manuscripts at Oxford Journals authors will be invited to complete an online copyright licence to publish form.

Please note that by submitting an article for publication you confirm that you are the corresponding/submitting author and that Oxford University Press ("OUP") may retain your email address for the purpose of communicating with you about the article. You agree to notify OUP immediately if your details change. If your article is accepted for publication OUP will contact you using the email address you have used in the registration process. Please note that OUP does not retain copies of rejected articles.

Open Access

African Affairs offers the option of publishing under either a standard licence or an open access licence. Please note that some funders require open access publication as a condition of funding. If you are unsure whether you are required to publish open access, please do clarify any such requirements with your funder or institution.

Should you wish to publish your article open access, you should select your choice of open access licence in our online system after your article has been accepted for publication. You will need to pay an open access charge to publish under an open access licence.

Details of the open access licences and open access charges.

OUP has a growing number of Read and Publish agreements with institutions and consortia which provide funding for open access publishing. This means authors from participating institutions can publish open access, and the institution may pay the charge. Find out if your institution is participating.

Author Toll Free Link and Discounts

All corresponding authors will be provided with a free access link to their article upon publication.  The link will be sent via email to the article’s corresponding author who is free to share the link with any co-authors.  Please see OUP’s Author Self-Archiving policy for more information regarding how this link may be publicly shared depending on the type of license under which the article has published.  

All authors have the option to purchase up to 10 print copies of the issue in which they publish at a 50% discount. Orders should be placed through this order form. Orders must be made within 12 months of the online publication date.

Author Self-Archiving/Public Access policy

For information about this journal's policy, please visit our Author Self-Archiving policy page.