African Studies is an international interdisciplinary journal which aims to publish high quality conceptual and empirical writing relevant to Africa. Significant disciplines include but are not limited to: anthropology, critical race, gender and sexuality studies, geography, history, literary, cultural and media studies, sociology, and politics.
The journal welcomes criticalinvestigations of social dynamics in Africa, grounded in relevant illustrative, qualitative, evidentiary approaches. The journal encourages innovative contributions from established and new scholars that not only reflect current conceptual thinking but also draw upon Africa in order to question received theoretical and methodological paradigms. With an active editorial board that encompasses scholars from a variety of disciplines based at both South African and international universities, the journal seeks to foster an inter-disciplinary and global conversation from, with and about Africa.
Peer Review Statement
All research articles in this journal have undergone rigorous peer review, based on initial editor screening and anonymous double-anonymized refereeing by two referees. African Studiespublishes research articles, review articles and academic debates.
Journal metrics
Usage
64K annual downloads/views
Citation metrics
1.0 (2023) Impact Factor
Q2 Impact Factor Best Quartile
0.9 (2023) 5 year IF
1.8 (2023) CiteScore (Scopus)
Q1 CiteScore Best Quartile
1.037 (2023) SNIP
0.355 (2023) SJR
Understanding and using journal metrics
Journal metrics can be a useful tool for readers, as well as for authors
who are deciding where to submit their next manuscript for publication.
However, any one metric only tells a part of the story of a journal’s
quality and impact. Each metric has its limitations which means that it
should never be considered in isolation, and metrics should be used to
support and not replace qualitative review.
We strongly recommend that you always use a number of metrics, alongside
other qualitative factors such as a journal’s aims & scope, its
readership, and a review of past content published in the journal. In
addition, a single article should always be assessed on its own merits and
never based on the metrics of the journal it was published in.
Usage and acceptance rate data above are for the last full calendar year
and are updated annually in February. Speed data is updated every six
months, based on the prior six months. Citation metrics are updated
annually mid-year. Please note that some journals do not display all of
the following metrics
(find out why).
Usage:
the total number of times articles in the journal were viewed by users
of Taylor & Francis Online in the previous calendar year, rounded to the
nearest thousand.
Citation Metrics
Impact Factor*:
the average number of citations received by articles published in the
journal within a two-year window. Only journals in the Clarivate Science
Citation Index Expanded (SCIE), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI),
Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI) and the Emerging Sources
Citation Index (ESCI) have an Impact Factor.
Impact Factor Best Quartile*:
the journal’s highest subject category ranking in the Journal Citation
Reports. Q1 = 25% of journals with the highest Impact Factors.
5 Year Impact Factor*:
the average number of citations received by articles in the journal
within a five-year window.
CiteScore (Scopus)†:
the average number of citations received by articles in the journal over
a four-year period.
CiteScore Best Quartile†:
the journal’s highest CiteScore ranking in a Scopus subject category. Q1
= 25% of journals with the highest CiteScores.
SNIP
(Source Normalized Impact per Paper):
the number of citations per paper in the journal, divided by citation
potential in the field.
SJR
(Scimago Journal Rank):
Average number of (weighted) citations in one year, divided by the
number of articles published in the journal in the previous three years.
Speed/acceptance
From submission to first decision:
the average (median) number of days for a manuscript submitted to the
journal to receive a first decision. Based on manuscripts receiving a
first decision in the last six months.
From submission to first post-review decision:
the average (median) number of days for a manuscript submitted to the
journal to receive a first decision if it is sent out for peer review.
Based on manuscripts receiving a post-review first decision in the last
six months.
From acceptance to online publication:
the average (median) number of days from acceptance of a manuscript to
online publication of the Version of Record. Based on articles published
in the last six months.
Acceptance rate:
articles accepted for publication by the journal in the previous
calendar year as percentage of all papers receiving a final decision.
Khwezi Mkhize – African and African American Studies, Duke University, USA Candice Moore – Department of International Relations, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa Senayon Olaoluwa – Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Nigeria Margot Rubin – School of Geography and Planning, Cardiff University, UK
Editorial Board
Peter Alegi - Michigan State University, USA Shireen Ally - University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa Louise Bethlehem - Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Catherine Burns - University of Pretoria, South Africa Benedict Carton - George Mason University , USA Sarah Charlton - University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa Nicola Cloete - School of Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa Raimi Gbadamosi - University of Pretoria, South Africa Clive Glaser - University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa Liz Gunner - University of Johannesburg, South Africa Shireen Hassim - University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa Isabel Hofmeyr - University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa Judith Irvine - University of Michigan, USA Deborah James - London School of Economics, UK Maxwell Kadenge - University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa Bridget Kenny - University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa Gilbert Khadiagala - University of Witwatersrand, South Africa Peace Kiguwa – University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa Dina Ligaga - University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa Tommaso Milani - Pennsylvania State University, USA Noor Nieftagodien - University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa Tom Odhiambo - University of Nairobi, Kenya Deborah Posel - University of Cape Town, South Africa Robert Thornton - University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa Shahid Vawda - University of Cape Town, South Africa Liz Walker - University of Hull, UK
Abstracting and indexing
African Studies is covered by the following abstracting, indexing and citation services:
Abstracts in Anthropology
A Current Bibliography on African Affairs
African Studies Abstracts Online
Applied Social Science Index
International Bibliography of the Social Sciences
International Political Science Abstracts
Sociological Abstracts
Thomson Reuters Social Sciences Citation Index® (SSCI)
Open access
African Studies is a hybrid open access journal that is part of our Open Select publishing program, giving you the option to publish open access. Publishing open access means that your article will be free to access online immediately on publication, increasing the visibility, readership, and impact of your research.
Why choose open access?
Increase the discoverability and readership of your article
Make an impact and reach new readers, not just those with easy access to a research library
Freely share your work with anyone, anywhere
Comply with funding mandates and meet the requirements of your institution, employer or funder
Rigorous peer review for every open access article
Article Publishing Charges (APC)
If you choose to publish open access in this journal you may be asked to pay an Article Publishing Charge (APC). You may be able to publish your article at no cost to yourself or with a reduced APC if your institution or research funder has an open access agreement or membership with Taylor & Francis.
University of Witwatersrand and our publisher Taylor & Francis make every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the "Content") contained in our publications. However, University of Witwatersrand and our publisher Taylor & Francis, our agents (including the editor, any member of the editorial team or editorial board, and any guest editors), and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by University of Witwatersrand and our publisher Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. University of Witwatersrand and our publisher Taylor & Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to, or arising out of the use of the Content. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions .
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