About this journal

Published since 1974, Politikon: South African Journal of Political Studies is the official journal of the South African Association of Political Studies. The journal has no connection to Politikon: IAPSS Journal of Political Science, founded by the International Association for Political Science Students in 2001.

Politikon focuses primarily on South African politics and international relations, but not exclusively so. The journal is committed to publishing quality scholarship on Southern African politics, African politics and global political issues, both from a political economy and socio-political perspective. We particularly welcome submissions on topical socio-political and political economy issues in Global South.

Over the years the journal has published articles by some of the world’s leading political scientists, including Arend Lijphart, Samuel Huntington, and Philippe Schmitter. It has also featured important contributions from South Africa’s leading political philosophers, political scientists and international relations experts. It has proved an influential journal, particularly in debates over the merits of South Africa’s constitutional reforms (in 1983 and 1994), as well as South Africa’s negotiated settlement (1990–94). In the last few years special issues have focused on women and politics in South Africa, the state of the discipline in South Africa, and the status of the South African democracy. Recent articles have looked at the negotiated transition from apartheid to democracy, aspects of identity politics in post-apartheid South Africa and issues of democratic consolidation and quality of democracy.

The journal welcomes research articles, review papers, debates and book reviews focusing on, but not limited to, South African politics and international relations. Politikon is committed to the development of and advancing quality scholarship within the field of South African politics and international relations in particularly, and more broadly, Southern Africa, Africa, and the Global South.

Peer Review Statement

All research articles, review papers and debate pieces in this journal have undergone rigorous peer review, based on initial editor screening and anonymized refereeing by two referees. The Book Review Editor screens book reviews.

Editor:
Christopher Afoke Isike - University of Pretoria, South Africa

Associate Editor:
Namhla Matshanda - University of Western Cape, South Africa
Fritz Nganje - University of Johannesburg, South Africa

Editorial Board:

Heribert Adam - Simon Fraser University, Canada
Sandy Africa - University of Pretoria, South Africa
Kristina Bentley - University of Cape Town, South Africa
Pieter Fourie - Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Amanda Gouws - University of Stellenbosch, South Africa
Adrian Guelke - Queen’s University of Belfast, UK
Adam Habib - University of Witwatersrand, South Africa

Manuel Hassassian - Bethlehem University, Palestine
Shireen Hassim - University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
Joleen Steyn Kotze - Human Science Research Council, South Africa

Tom Lodge - University of Limerick, Ireland

Mahmoud Mamdani - Columbia University, USA
Christoph Marx - University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany
Robert Mattes - University of Cape Town, South Africa
Achille Mbembe - University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

Mammo Muchie - Aalborg University, Denmark

Ephraim Nimni - Queen's University of Belfast, UK

Aletta Norval - University of Essex, UK
Funmi Olonisakin - Kings College London, UK
Abdi Samatar - University of Minnesota, USA

Meenal Shrivastava - Athabasca University, Canada

Vladimir Shubin - Russian Academy of Science, Russia
Hussein Solomon - University of the Free State, South Africa

Siphamandla Zondi - University of Pretoria, South Africa

South African Association of Political Studies (SAAPS)

President:

Prof. Siphamandla Zondi - University of Pretoria

Deputy-President:

Prof. Vusi Gumede - University of South Africa

Treasurer:

Prof. Laurence Piper - University of Western Cape

Secretary:

Prof. Jo-Ansie van Wyk - University of South Africa

Members:

Prof. Sally Matthews - Rhodes University

Prof. Christopher Isike - University of Pretoria

Prof. Dirk Kotze - University of South Africa

Dr. Kgothatso Shai - University of Limpopo

Sven Botha - University of Johannesburg

Naledi Modise - North West University

Ongama Mtimka - Nelson Mandela University