Call For Papers

Call For Papers: Ghana Studies Special Forum
“New Directions in Northern Ghana Studies”

Guest Editors: Felix Y.T. Longi (University for Development Studies, Ghana); Eliasu Mumuni (University for Development Studies, Ghana); Alice Wiemers (Davidson College, USA)

In this special forum for Ghana Studies, we seek to highlight a range of new and exciting conversations taking place in studies of northern Ghana. The forum grows out of the Ghana Studies Association 2022 Triennial Conference, which was held in Tamale in July of 2022 with the theme “Ghana at Crossroads.”1 Scholars of northern Ghana are bringing new perspectives to established literature in the region to explore topics such as land, belonging, religion, and development. They are also breaking ground in fields such as architecture, visual and performing arts, material culture, media and activism.

For this Ghana Studies forum we are generating debate and showcasing the vitality of northern Ghana studies, and we invite scholars to think broadly about potential formats for scholarly work. For example, submissions can take the form of traditional research articles, “state of the field” essays, or collections of short contributions by multiple authors gathered in a “roundtable” or “forum” format.2 We will also consider interviews and profiles of artists, activists, and others based in northern Ghana. We hope to include entries from scholars at different career stages and at institutions in and beyond northern Ghana. We invite submissions from all scholars whose work fits the forum's goals. A typical article may be 8,000 words, but we will consider shorter pieces depending on the form and goals of the piece.

If you have any questions, please send an email that copies all three Guest Editors: Felix Longi ([email protected]), Eliasu Mumuni ([email protected]), and Alice Wiemers ([email protected]). 


1The Tamale Triennial showcased a wide range of research from the Ghana Studies Association community, and we were particularly pleased to see that the conference featured a substantial focus on scholarship in Ghana’s northern regions and by scholars at institutions in the North.
2See, for example, the “forum” format in the International Studies Review, which invites scholars to submit a collection of short (3-5 page) entries that discuss a central topic. 

Submission Guidelines

March 15th, 2024: Deadline for 300-500 word abstract/proposal to Guest Editors
April 1st, 2024: Contributors notified of decisions
July 1st, 2024: Deadline for submission of full manuscripts 
All articles will undergo editorial peer review.

 

About Ghana Studies
Ghana Studies is the peer-reviewed journal of the Ghana Studies Association, an international affiliate of the African Studies Association (U.S). Its current editors are Victoria Ellen Smith (University of Bristol) and Nana Yaw Boampong Sapong (University of Ghana). Since its first issue in 1998, the journal has published significant work by leading scholars based in Ghana, the United States, Canada, and Europe. It is published annually by the University of Wisconsin Press.