The Publications Committee of the African Studies Association Board of Directors announces a Call for Statements of Interest in the Editorship of the ASA’s journal, History in Africa (HIA), published by Cambridge University Press, for the 2020-2025 editorial term.
The ASA welcomes expressions of interest from individual editors, teams of editors, and/or lead editors. These statements will be reviewed, and a select group of applicants will be invited to submit full proposals near the close of 2018.
The ASA is looking for individuals or teams with creative ideas about the future of History in Africa. In almost a decade as editors, Michel R. Doortmont, John H. Hanson, Jan Jansen, and Dmitri van den Bersselaar transformed HIA into a peer-reviewed journal that not only engages a broad range of historical issues, but commands respect throughout the field. Building upon their work, the new editor(s) will be called upon to consider critical issues such as the ideal number of issues that should be published per year (currently the journal is only published once a year) and the format of the journal. In particular, the ASA would like to see a new editorial structure that includes Africa-based editors and diverse representation in the Editorial team.
EDITOR RESPONSIBILITIES
- Maintain and enhance HIA’s stellar reputation in the field by soliciting and enhancing cutting edge articles.
- Receive and manage new manuscripts year-round. Select multiple reviewers for each submission once a manuscript is received, and follow-up with reviewers to ensure articles are blind-reviewed in a timely fashion.
- Assemble accepted pieces into issues, including working directly with authors to ensure that revisions are done in a timely manner.
- Maintain a database of reviewers and continually recruit and identify new reviewers.
- Liaise with Cambridge University Press on all aspects of the journal’s production. The Editorial Team will work in close collaboration with the ASA Publications Committee, the ASA Secretariat, and the CUP team on all aspects of the journal’s production.
- Compile an annual report to circulate ahead of the ASA annual meeting.
- Participate as an ex-officio member of the ASA Publications Committee throughout tenure.
- Present a report to the ASA Board, at the ASA Annual Meeting, and meet with the Publications Committee to discuss future plans for the journal and allocation of the journal development funds.
The ASA provides both financial and in-kind support to the editorial office including:
- Travel funds for the editorial team to attend the ASA Annual Meeting
- Funds to subsidize copy-editing expenses
- A development fund to cover Editors’ attendance at international conferences to promote the journal and/or other initiatives identified by the Editorial Team to increase the outreach of the journal and to encourage more submissions, especially from those in African Institutions
QUALIFICATIONS
- PhDs in African History. Successful applicants will be respected scholars with demonstrated ability to think creatively, explore innovation, and implement new initiatives.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively, under tight deadlines, and with close attention to detail
- Strong leadership, interpersonal and teamwork skills, with an ability to communicate and collaborate effectively.
The ASA Board requests that Statements of Interest be forwarded to the chair of the ASA Publications Committee, Nwando Achebe at achebe@msu.edu. Expressions of interest should reach the chair by October 1, 2018 and should include the following:
- Copy of professional CV of individual(s) interested in the editorship
- A 250-500-word summary of the Editor(s) evaluation of the current state and future direction of the journal.
- A description of any institutional support that might be available to the Editor(s)
Questions about the process of selecting the editor(s), or the editorial duties involved, may be addressed to the Chair of the Publications Committee of the Board of Directors of the African Studies Association, Nwando Achebe, at achebe@msu.edu or to the ASA’s Executive Director Suzanne Moyer Baazet at suzanne@africanstudies.org or (848)445-1369. Please submit your expressions of interest by October 1, 2018. Women and Minority candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. The ASA is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.