Scope
As of 2026 Utafiti is a tri-annual journal, published by the University of Dar es Salaam since 1976. As a premier scholarly publication, the journal specialises in interdisciplinary research that challenges conventional assumptions about Africa and the global human condition. The journal seeks to improve global understandings of African situations, heritages, knowledge production, values, research agenda, priorities and futures, by generating papers from experts based in Africa which constitute scholarship of the highest quality possible, reaching the academic community across all disciplines worldwide. Nonetheless the journal welcomes papers from everywhere, without favouring any institution or affiliation. The primary focus is the highest quality of journal scholarship possible, through careful attention to blind peer reviewers’ feedback, whose verdicts determine acceptance or rejection of a submitted manuscript. The journal preferences critical analysis of both standard or widely received theories and methods. Strictly scientific report formatted articles lie outside the scope of this journal. The journal does not publish sections, distillations or chapters of theses or dissertations.
By prioritising innovative scholarship that centres upon and generates from Africa with particular focus upon and emanating from East African concerns, Utafiti strives to be a vital platform for intellectual exploration and academic innovation inaccessible elsewhere, yet with quality scholarship and expression as our highest priority.
Ethical and Legal Conditions
The publication of a manuscript in a peer-reviewed work is expected to follow standards of ethical behaviour for all parties involved in the act of publishing: authors, editors, and reviewers. Authors, editors, and reviewers should thoroughly acquaint themselves with Brill’s publication ethics, which may be downloaded here: brill.com/page/ethics/publication-ethics-scope-compliance.
Submission Instructions and Requirements
Authors are expected to study and follow these instructions exactly. Failure to do so will delay or defeat your successful and timely submission.
Until an online submission system is in place, please contact with questions and submission of your manuscript, the Chief Editor, Utafiti – Journal of African Perspectives, H. Lauer at helelauer@yahoo.com. For submissions of manuscripts use ONLY THIS same e-mail: helenlauer@yahoo.com. E-mail of the journal’s institutional affiliation is retained for formality. Editor’s phone: +255-743-924-800. Use the editor’s e-mail for all secure and timely correspondence. One may also consult the Editorial Advisor Prof. Andindilile at andindilile.michael@udsm.ac.tz. All typescripts must be in their final form in all respects. The Editors will not submit any typescript to referees which they do not consider to be satisfactory. Manuscripts should be original contributions between 5,000 and 8,000 words including references and abstract of maximum 150 words. Manuscripts are pre-viewed by the editorial team and any submission which contravenes copyright law and scholarly integrity will be immediately returned to the corresponding author with explanation. The journal retains the right to refuse further submissions from anyone who submits plagiarised content in any form.
File Format
Manuscripts intended for publication with Utafiti should be submitted electronically in ‘WORD’ format, double spaced, with wide margins (at least 2.5 cm on all four sides), as measured on standard A4 paper. This rule applies to the entire manuscript, including the reference list, notes and appendix materials—if any. Do not add borders; number your pages.
Manuscript Structure and Format
First page should include the following: (i) title of the article; (ii) name of the author(s) indicating corresponding author listed first, and each author’s title or rank or role in the unit, name of the department or unit within their (iii) institutional affiliation; (iv) personal email address, (v) your ORCID number. Where authors are not affiliated they should identify as Independent Scholar or Independent Researcher, in a town or city and country; (vi) abstract; (vii) key words; please (viii) insure you provide working cell phone numbers for communication with the editor. Phone numbers are not for publishing, but for managing the paper through essential contact by editor in chief with the corresponding author. Begin the main text of the paper on the same page after the key words. Abstract should be no more than 150 words, followed by 4 to 5 Keywords. The title should be succinct, no more than ten words. Running headers will be limited to five words or less.
DECLARATIONS and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
At the end of the main narrative, just before the references, author(s) must indicate details of any sources of support, financial or otherwise, which assisted the research and/or the writing of the manuscript or the production of the paper at any earlier point. Authors here must declare any conflicts of interest relevant to the views conveyed in the manuscript. These statements can take many forms, left to the authors’ discretion. When all authors have the same (or no) competing interests and/or funding it is sufficient to use one blanket statement.
Examples of statements to be used when funding has been received:
Partial financial support was received from [...]
The research leading to these results received funding from […] under Grant Agreement Number […].
This study was funded by […]
This work was supported by […] (Grant numbers […]
Examples of statements one might use when there is no funding:
The authors did not receive support from any organization for the submitted work.
The author has no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article. No funding was received to assist with the preparation of this manuscript.
No funding was received for conducting this study.
No funds, grants, or other support was received.
Examples of statements one might use when there is no funding:
The authors did not receive support from any organization for the submitted work.
The author has no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article. No funding was received to assist with the preparation of this manuscript.
No funding was received for conducting this study.
No funds, grants, or other support was received.
Examples of statements to be used when there are interests to declare:
Financial interests: Author A has received research support from Company A. Author B has received a speaker honorarium from Company Wand owns stock in Company X. Author C is consultant to company Y.
Financial interests: The authors declare they have no financial interests.
Financial interests: Author A received a speaking fee from Y for Z. Author B receives a salary from association X. X where s/he is the Executive Director.
Non-financial interests: Author C is an unpaid member of committee Z.
Non-financial interests: Author A is on the board of directors of Y and receives no compensation as member of the board of directors.
Further Requirements
All typescripts must be in their final form in all respects. The Editors will not submit any typescript to referees which they do not consider to be satisfactory.
Language
Manuscripts may be submitted entirely in English (American or UK), entirely in French or entirely in Kiswahili, whereby spelling should be consequent in the language used. When the manuscript is in Kiswahili or in French, the abstract, key words and the information (i)-(vii) above also appeartranslated in English; this English version of the title et al. appears after the Kiswahili or the French original directly before the main text.
Illustrations
Illustrations (artworks, maps, and photographs) must be set in the text with captions, of high resolution with legible captions. Each manuscript containing ANY inserted material needs to be sent in both WORD version and each insert of a table, graph, map, photograph, plate, drawing, diagram, chart must ALSO be sent as a separate file in its original software version (jpeg, png, EXCEL, or any non-WORD software type of file). Each of these separate files should be titled in the subject box EXACTLY as they are figured or numbered AND captioned in the WORD manuscript file. 300 dpi (= 1 MB) is an absolute minimum for these separate files, to ensure highest quality possible of the journal’s print version. No lower pixel density will be accepted by the publisher.
References
The reference list should appear at the end of the document, arranged in alphabetical order, using the second name of the author, or of the first author in case of multiple authors. See the following examples. DO NOT USE AUTOMATIC BIBLIOGRAPHY WORD PROCESSING FUNCTION KEYS to produce your final reference list. Insert in the manuscript as fixed type. Manuscripts containing automated bibliography lists will be returned to the author immediately for restitution. Most importantly be sure your reference entry is complete and accurate. Cross-check with your narrative to be sure there is one and only one entry for every in-text citation or footnote.
Articles in Journals or Encyclopaedias
Geerling, C. and H. Brenan. 1986. Ecology and development: an attempt to synthesize. Environmental conservation 13: 211-214. Chegere, M., Kidane, A, and Leyaro, V. 2013. Poverty Effects of Fuel and Food Price Changes in Tanzania. Utafiti 10.2: 1-33.
Books
Kjekshus, H. 1977. Ecology control and economic development in East Africa: The Case of Tanganyika 18501950. London: Heinemann. United Republic of Tanzania (URT). 1998. The Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania of 1977. Dar es Salaam: Government Printer.
Chapters in Books
Masanja, P. and Lawi, Y. 2006. African Traditional Religions. In: Justice Rights and Worship: Religion and Politics in Tanzania. Eds. R. Mukandala, S. Yahya-Othman, S.S. Mushi, and L. Ndumbaro. Dar es Salaam: Mkuki na Nyota, pp. 97-113.
Dissertations
Ferdinand, C. K. T. 1984. An econometric analysis of demand for Chibuku in Dar es Salaam. Unpublished MA thesis, University of Dar es Salaam.
Footnotes
All footnotes should be single spaced. Footnote numbers in the text (numbered consecutively throughout) should be clear (not too small) and should not be accompanied by brackets or other marks. Introduce all footnotes into your WORD document using the WORD function key for footnotes. The number should be in superscript above the line of writing, e.g.63 Footnote markers should be placed after any punctuation that appears at the end of the sentence, phrase or clause to which the footnote is attached. In the footnotes themselves, each note should begin with the footnote number (in superscript and not followed by any full stop or other punctuation).
Mathematical expressions
In case of mathematical expressions (e.g., subscripts and superscripts), they should be correctly placed or clearly marked. Greek letters and unusual symbols should be identified by writing their names in the margin, circling them, at the first occurrence in the paper. Any equation number should go at the right margin. Mathematical symbols for vectors should be labelled as such, e.g., by a wavy underscore.
Accessibility
Brill is committed to ensure our publications are accessible for everyone: brill.com/page/accessibility/access-to-brills-content-for-people-with-disabilities. We advise that you always provide not just captions for your illustrations (if any) but also alt text (alternative text) for each caption. Alt text may be inserted for a description of the illustration for the visually impaired. Tips on how to write good alt texts can be found at support.microsoft.com/enus/office/everything-you-need-to-know-to-write-effective-alt-text-df98f884-ca3d-456c-807b1a1fa82f5dc2. Please submit your alt texts in a separate Word document.
Book reviews
We welcome reviews of books recently published (in the last academic year preceding the volume issue date). These should be maximum 1,200 words; they should contain a description, analysis and appraisal of the book. Avoid disparaging condemnations. Reference lists do not apply in submitting book reviews at the end of the review. Instead when citing other texts refer to these as in-text citations and/or footnotes that are self-contained including full reference information. When citing the text under review, use double quotation marks and include page numbers. Indent completely quoted passages of 3 lines or more and keep extensive quotation to a minimum. The heading of the review should follow this format: Human Rights in Context, by J. Musalyana, 2018, Dar es Salaam: Mkuki na Nyota, xix 350 pp. ISBN 10-43290899X.
Double-Blind Review Methodology
Utafiti employs a rigorous double-blind peer review process designed to ensure the highest standards of scholarly evaluation while minimizing potential biases. This sophisticated approach maintains complete anonymity between authors and reviewers throughout the evaluation process.
The review methodology begins with meticulous manuscript preparation. The editor-in-chief carefully controls the review materials by electronically removing all personal information and metadata, ensuring that reviewers cannot identify the manuscript's authors. Authors are also required to remove firstperson references and any potentially identifying information from their texts, creating a truly anonymous submission. Reviewer selection is a nuanced and thoughtful process. Potential reviewers are initially presented only with the manuscript's title and abstract, allowing them to gauge their interest and expertise without being influenced by author identities. Reviewers are given the professional courtesy to decline review based on various factors such as current workload, potential conflicts of interest, or lack of direct relevance to their area of expertise. The journal seeks out specialists with deep knowledge in specific research areas, recognizing that meaningful review requires both broad academic understanding and specialized insight. Typically, at least two expert referees anonymously evaluate each submitted manuscript. These reviewers are provided with a standardized one-page Q&A review form that ensures comprehensive and structured evaluation while allowing space for detailed commentary. A primary goal of this double-blind review process is to mitigate various forms of potential bias that could inadvertently influence scholarly evaluation. By removing identifying information, the journal seeks to prevent discrimination based on gender, religious affiliation, political perspective, ethnicity, generational differences, or institutional reputation. This approach ensures that manuscripts are judged solely on their scholarly merit, intellectual rigor, and contribution to knowledge. Reviewers may provide tracked comments on the manuscript, which the editor carefully anonymizes before forwarding to the corresponding author. In cases where reviewers provide conflicting assessments, a third reviewer may be consulted to provide additional perspective. Throughout this process, authors are ultimately entitled to see all blind reviewers' comments, promoting transparency and supporting scholarly development.Utafiti is committed to following the advice of international peer specialists in determining manuscript acceptance, with the ultimate goal of maintaining the highest standards of academic publication. This approach reflects a deep commitment to intellectual integrity, fair evaluation, avoidance of institutional bias, and the advancement of the highest quality scholarly discourse.
Guidance for Blind Reviewers and Authors
Reviewers are invited to craft their evaluations using the review form provided by the editor or to submit a detailed critique in their own format. Reviewers are invited to submit tracked comments on the manuscript, which is anonymised and returned to the author promptly, with the review form or narrative. Feedback is intended to be both decisive and instructive, guiding authors in revising their work. Authors are encouraged to acknowledge the input of reviewers and editors in their revised submissions, either directly in their manuscripts or in a footnote. The journal recognises the substantial time commitment peer review entails and expresses its gratitude to reviewers for their invaluable contributions. The collaborative efforts of authors, reviewers, and editors uphold the journal’s mission to advance high-quality scholarship that enriches global understanding of African perspectives.
Publication Proofs
Upon acceptance, an article proof will be sent to authors by e-mail to check carefully for factual and typographic errors. At this stage in the production process, only minor corrections are allowed. Alterations to the original manuscript at this stage will result in considerable delay in publication and, therefore, are not accepted unless charged to the author. Proofs should be returned promptly.
Author Fulfilment
The Author retains the right to self-archive the submitted (pre-peer-review) version of the article at any time. The submitted version of an article is the author's version that has not been peer-reviewed, nor had any value added to it by Brill (such as formatting or copy editing). The Author retains the right to self-archive the accepted (peer-reviewed) version without any embargo period. The accepted version means the version that has been accepted for publication and contains all revisions made after peer reviewing and copy editing but that has not yet been typeset in the publisher’s lay-out. The publisher’s lay-out must not be used in any repository or on any website (brill.com/page/resources_selfarchiving).
License to Publish Publication Agreement
By submitting a manuscript, the author agrees to enter into a publication agreement if and when the article is accepted. For that purpose, the author needs to sign the License to Publish form, which will be sent with the first proofs of the manuscript.
Open Access
Should the author wish to publish the article in Open Access, they can choose non-exclusive Open Access publication under a Creative Commons license in exchange for an Article Publication Charge (APC), upon signing a special Open Access Consent to Publish form. More information on Open Access can be found on brill.com/openaccess.
