Germany
CALL FOR MANUSCRIPTS
African Studies: Humanities, Social Sciences & Law – Regional Perspectives
GALDA VERLAG is a Berlin-based, academic publisher specializing
in African Studies. It is entirely financed by Galda + Leuchter GmbH,
an international library supplier and academic bookseller established
in 1985. Because our publishing is cross-subsidized by our bookselling
operations (import/export), we operate free from commercial pressures,
author fees, or institutional dependencies. This allows us to focus
entirely on academic quality and the promotion of African scholarship
in Western academic libraries and global research communities.
EDITORIAL PHILOSOPHY:
We believe that the best African Studies scholarship comes from
scholars who are rooted in the regions they study. We are primarily
interested in work by researchers based in Africa — scholars who bring
firsthand knowledge of local realities, languages, and communities to
their research. We seek regionally-grounded, interdisciplinary
scholarship across the full breadth of the humanities, social sciences,
and law. Too often, African Studies privileges continental
generalizations over the rich diversity of local cultures, social
structures, legal traditions, and intellectual production. Our
publishing program seeks to counter this by providing a platform for
African scholars to bring their voices and perspectives to
international academic audiences.
AREAS OF INTEREST:
Humanities & Cultural Studies:
- Literature, literary criticism, and African-language literatures
- Film, cinema, and visual culture
- Theater, performance, music, and sonic cultures
- Philosophy and intellectual history
- Oral traditions, folklore, and mythology
- Art, aesthetics, and material culture
- Cultural memory, heritage, and preservation
- Religion, spirituality, and belief systems
- Translation studies and multilingual literary cultures
- Digital humanities and new media
Social Sciences:
- Political science and governance
- Sociology and social organization
- Anthropology and ethnography
- Economics and development studies
- Demography and population studies
- Education and knowledge production
- Gender studies and feminist scholarship
- Migration, diaspora, and transnational communities
- Urban and rural transformations
- Environmental studies and political ecology
- Peace, conflict, and security studies
- Public health and medical anthropology
Law & Legal Studies:
- Customary and traditional law
- Indigenous legal systems and practices
- Legal pluralism and hybrid legal orders
- Constitutional development and human rights
- Land law, property rights, and resource governance
- Transitional justice and reconciliation
- Criminal justice and penology
- International law and African institutions (AU, regional courts)
- Commercial law and economic regulation
- Family law and personal status
- Environmental law and natural resource management
- Colonial legal legacies and postcolonial legal reform
- Law and society in African contexts
- Comparative legal studies across African regions
History:
- Regional and local histories
- Community histories and micro-regional developments
- Colonial and postcolonial history
- Resistance movements and decolonization
- Labor and migration history
- Trade networks and economic history
- Social and economic history
- Environmental history and land use
- Intellectual and institutional history
- Oral history and narrative traditions
Languages & Linguistics:
- Documentation of indigenous and minority languages
- Endangered languages and revitalization
- Sociolinguistics and language policy
- Linguistic anthropology
- Translation and preservation of oral sources
- Script traditions and literacy history
GEOGRAPHIC EMPHASIS:
While we welcome proposals from all African regions, we have particular
interest in:
- Central Africa (Great Lakes region, Congo Basin)
- West Africa (Sahel, coastal regions)
- East Africa (Horn of Africa, Swahili coast)
- Southern Africa
- Understudied or marginalized regions across the continent
- Comparative and cross-regional studies
- Transnational and diaspora perspectives
WE ARE SEEKING:
We welcome submissions from scholars based in Africa and from
researchers worldwide whose work is grounded in African regional
realities. We particularly encourage submissions from early-career
scholars at African universities and research institutions.
Doctoral Dissertations:
- Recently defended dissertations
- Dissertations in final revision
- Revised dissertations adapted for broader academic audiences
Monographs:
- Original research by early-career scholars
- Major works by established scholars
- Comparative and transnational studies
- Critical editions and scholarly translations
Edited Volumes & Collaborative Works:
- Thematic collections with multiple contributors
- Conference proceedings of high academic quality
- Research outputs from collaborative projects
- Multi-author studies from research teams
Festschriften:
- Volumes honoring distinguished African scholars
- Contributions celebrating scholarly careers and impact
PUBLICATION DETAILS:
Book Series: "African Studies – Regional Perspectives"
Languages: We publish in both French and English.
Format: High-quality print editions and digital/ebook formats
Distribution: Our international bookselling network ensures placement
in major Western academic libraries, research institutions, and
specialized bookshops worldwide. International cataloguing & WorldCat
visibility.
WHAT WE OFFER AUTHORS:
✓ No publication fees or author charges
✓ Professional editorial support throughout the process
✓ International promotion and marketing
✓ Representation at African Studies conferences
✓ Long-term commitment to keeping works in print
✓ Ethical publishing practices
✓ Passion for books
OUR COMMITMENT:
As a non-profit publishing project funded by our bookselling and
library supply operations since 1985, we are not driven by profit
margins, commercial trends, or institutional agendas. This unique
model allows us to:
- Prioritize scholarship by Africa-based researchers
- Take risks on important but unmarketable scholarship
- Support early-career scholars and emerging voices
- Publish works from understudied regions and topics
- Champion interdisciplinary and regionally-grounded research
- Maintain high editorial standards without commercial compromise
- Keep all publications permanently in print and internationally visible
We are particularly committed to amplifying the work of scholars who
live and work in Africa, whose research reflects deep engagement with
local realities, and who are often underserved by mainstream academic
publishing.
SUBMISSION PROCESS:
Please send your manuscript OR a brief proposal (3–5 pages) in French
or English including:
1. Project abstract (short) explaining:
- Research questions and arguments
- Contribution to scholarship
- Regional focus and methodology
- Intended audience
2. Sample chapter (preferably introduction or substantive chapter)
3. Estimated completion date (for works in progress)
4. Any special considerations
We welcome preliminary inquiries and are happy to discuss potential
projects informally before formal submission. If you are unsure
whether your project fits our scope, please contact us.
TIMELINE:
We aim to provide initial feedback within 2–3 weeks of submission.
CONTACT:
Michael Galda
GALDA VERLAG
Email: michael.galda@galda.com
Website: www.galda-verlag.de
DEADLINE: This is an open, rolling call. We accept and review
submissions throughout the year.
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APPEL À MANUSCRITS
Études Africaines: Sciences Humaines, Sciences Sociales & Droit –
Perspectives Régionales
GALDA VERLAG est un projet éditorial académique à but non lucratif
spécialisé dans les études africaines. Il est entièrement financé par
Galda + Leuchter GmbH, un fournisseur international de bibliothèques
et libraire académique fondé en 1985. Grâce à ce modèle de
financement croisé par nos activités de librairie, nous opérons sans
pressions commerciales, sans frais pour les auteurs et sans dépendance
institutionnelle.
PHILOSOPHIE ÉDITORIALE:
Nous croyons que les meilleures recherches en études africaines
proviennent de chercheurs ancrés dans les régions qu'ils étudient.
Nous nous intéressons principalement aux travaux de chercheurs basés
en Afrique — des universitaires qui apportent une connaissance directe
des réalités locales, des langues et des communautés à leurs recherches.
Notre programme éditorial offre une plateforme pour une recherche
interdisciplinaire, ancrée régionalement, couvrant les sciences
humaines, les sciences sociales et le droit.
DOMAINES D'INTÉRÊT:
Sciences Humaines et Études Culturelles:
- Littérature, critique littéraire et littératures en langues africaines
- Cinéma, arts visuels et culture visuelle
- Théâtre, musique et arts performatifs
- Philosophie et histoire intellectuelle
- Traditions orales, folklore et mythologie
- Mémoire culturelle, patrimoine et préservation
- Humanités numériques et nouveaux médias
Sciences Sociales:
- Science politique et gouvernance
- Sociologie et organisation sociale
- Anthropologie et ethnographie
- Économie et études du développement
- Études de genre et recherche féministe
- Migration, diaspora et communautés transnationales
- Transformations urbaines et rurales
- Études environnementales et écologie politique
- Paix, conflit et études de sécurité
- Santé publique et anthropologie médicale
Droit et Études Juridiques:
- Droit coutumier et traditionnel
- Systèmes juridiques autochtones
- Pluralisme juridique et ordres juridiques hybrides
- Développement constitutionnel et droits de l'homme
- Droit foncier et gouvernance des ressources
- Justice transitionnelle et réconciliation
- Droit international et institutions africaines
- Droit commercial et régulation économique
- Droit de la famille et statut personnel
- Droit de l'environnement
- Héritages juridiques coloniaux et réformes postcoloniales
- Études juridiques comparatives à travers les régions africaines
Histoire:
- Histoires régionales et locales
- Histoire coloniale et postcoloniale
- Mouvements de résistance et décolonisation
- Histoire sociale et économique
- Histoire orale et traditions narratives
Langues et Linguistique:
- Documentation des langues autochtones et minoritaires
- Langues menacées et revitalisation
- Sociolinguistique et politique linguistique
- Anthropologie linguistique
EMPHASE GÉOGRAPHIQUE:
Nous accueillons les propositions de toutes les régions africaines,
avec un intérêt particulier pour:
- Afrique centrale (Grands Lacs, bassin du Congo)
- Afrique de l'Ouest (Sahel, régions côtières)
- Afrique de l'Est (Corne de l'Afrique, côte swahilie)
- Afrique australe
- Régions sous-étudiées et communautés marginalisées
- Études comparatives et transrégionales
- Perspectives transnationales et diasporiques
NOUS RECHERCHONS:
Nous accueillons les soumissions de chercheurs basés en Afrique et
de chercheurs du monde entier dont les travaux sont ancrés dans les
réalités régionales africaines. Nous encourageons particulièrement
les soumissions de jeunes chercheurs dans les universités et
institutions de recherche africaines.
- Monographies (jeunes chercheurs et chercheurs confirmés)
- Ouvrages collectifs et travaux collaboratifs
- Éditions critiques et traductions savantes
- Mélanges en l'honneur de chercheurs africains distingués
CE QUE NOUS OFFRONS:
✓ Aucun frais de publication
✓ Soutien éditorial professionnel
✓ Distribution internationale
✓ Promotion lors de conférences internationales
✓ Engagement à long terme
✓ Pratiques éditoriales éthiques
SOUMISSION:
Envoyez votre manuscrit ou une proposition (3–5 pages) comprenant:
1. Résumé du projet
2. Chapitre échantillon
3. Date d'achèvement estimée
Nous accueillons volontiers les demandes préliminaires.
CONTACT:
Michael Galda
GALDA VERLAG
Courriel: michael.galda@galda.com
www.galda-verlag.de
DATE LIMITE: Appel ouvert – soumissions continues acceptées
Michael Galda
GALDA VERLAG
