Journal of Contemporary African Studies (JCAS) is an interdisciplinary journal seeking to promote an African-centred scholarly understanding of societies on the continent and their location within the global political economy.
Its scope extends across a wide range of social science and humanities disciplines with topics covered including, but not limited to, culture, development, education, environmental questions, gender, government, labour, land, leadership, political economy politics, social movements, sociology of knowledge and welfare.
JCASwelcomes contributions reviewing general trends in the academic literature with a specific focus on debates and developments in Africa as part of a broader aim of contributing towards the development of viable communities of African scholarship. The journal publishes original research articles, book reviews, notes from the field, debates, research reports and occasional review essays. It also publishes special issues and welcomes proposals for new topics. JCASis published four times a year, in January, April, July and October.
Peer Review Statement
All articles in this journal have undergone rigorous peer review, based on initial editor screening and anonymized refereeing by two referees. The Editors are responsible for the final selection of the contents of the Journal.
Journal metrics
Usage
86K annual downloads/views
Citation metrics
0.8 (2023) Impact Factor
Q2 Impact Factor Best Quartile
1.0 (2023) 5 year IF
2.2 (2023) CiteScore (Scopus)
Q2 CiteScore Best Quartile
1.039 (2023) SNIP
0.361 (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.
Nthabiseng Motsemme - Department of Sociology, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
Deputy Editor: Prof Bhaso Ndzendze- University of Johannesburg, South Africa
Co-Editors:
Kirk Helliker - Unit of Zimbabwean Studies, Rhodes University, South Africa David Fryer – Department of Economics and Economic History, Rhodes University, South Africa Vito Laterza – Department of Global Development and Planning, University of Agder, Norway Siphokazi Magadla – Political and International Studies, Rhodes University, South Africa Zethu Matebeni – Research Chair in Sexualities, Genders and Queer Studies, University of Fort Hare, South Africa Sally Matthews – Department of Politics and International Studies, Rhodes University, South Africa Paul Maylam – Department of History, Rhodes University, South Africa Uchenna Okeja – Department of Philosophy, Rhodes University, South Africa Lyn Ossome – Political Studies Department, University of theWitwatersrand, South Africa Amma Panin – CORE/LIDAM, University of Louvain, Belgium Ramola Ramtohul – Department of Social Studies, University of Mauritius, Mauritius Samaila Suleiman – Department of History, Bayero University, Nigeria Olajumoke Yacob-Haliso – Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Babcock University, Nigeria
Book Review Editor:
Thoko Sipungu – Rhodes University, South Africa
Editorial Board:
Sola Akinrinade – Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria Geoffrey Antrobus – Department of Economics, Rhodes University, South Africa Bruce Baker – African Studies Centre, Coventry University, United Kingdom William Beinart - St Anthony’s College, University of Oxford, United Kingdom Dickson Eyoh – Department of Political Science, University of Toronto, Canada Brian J. Hesse – Northwest Missouri State University, USA Gilbert Khadiagala – Department of International Relations, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa Detlev Krige – Anthropology, Archaeology and Development Studies, University of Pretoria, South Africa Tshidiso Maloka – Africa Institute of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa Zibani Maundeni - Political and Administrative Studies, University of Botswana, Gaborone Basile Njio - Department of Anthropology, University of Douala, Cameroon Oka Obono – Department of Sociology, University of Ibadan, Nigeria Kolawole Omomowo – SARChI Chair in Social Policy, University of South Africa, South Africa Deborah Posel - University of Cape Town, South Africa Oliver Saasa - Institute of African Studies, University of Zambia Samuel Sadian – Centre for Humanities Research, University of the Western Cape, South Africa Issa Shivji - Mwalimu Nyerere Professor of Pan African Studies, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Roger Southall – Department of Sociology, Society, Work and Development Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa Gizachew Tiruneh – Department of Political Science, University of Central Arkansas, USA
Journal of Contemporary African Studies is abstracted/indexed by the following services:
ABC-CLIO (America: History & Life, & Historical Abstracts)
African Studies Abstracts Online
CSA Political Science Abstracts
CSA Sociological Abstracts
CSA Social Planning / Policy Development Abstracts
Elsevier Geo Abstracts (International Development Abstracts, and Human Geography)
International Political Science Abstracts
SCOPUS
Open access
Journal of Contemporary 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.
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