Instructions for Authors

The Journal of Afro-Asian Studies welcomes original scholarly contributions that advance knowledge and promote interdisciplinary dialogue on the political, economic, social, cultural, scientific, and strategic dynamics shaping Africa and Asia. Published by the Arab Democratic Center, Berlin, Germany, the journal accepts manuscripts in English and French and publishes original research addressing issues relevant to its aims and scope.

Authors are requested to read and comply with the following instructions before submitting a manuscript.

1. Scope and Types of Contributions

Manuscripts must fall within the journal’s aims and scope and make a clear contribution to scholarly research. The journal welcomes theoretical, empirical, comparative, and interdisciplinary studies using qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods approaches.

Relevant research areas include, but are not limited to:

  • Political studies, international relations, diplomacy, governance, and geopolitics;

  • Economics, international trade, investment, and development studies;

  • Social and cultural studies, migration, education, and identity;

  • Science, technology, digital transformation, and innovation;

  • Environmental studies, sustainability, and natural resource management;

  • Afro-Asian relations, South–South cooperation, and global affairs.

Submissions must demonstrate originality, methodological rigor, academic relevance, and a clear relationship to the journal’s thematic and geographical scope.

2. Originality and Exclusive Submission

Submitted manuscripts must constitute original scholarly work and must not have been previously published, either in print or electronically. Manuscripts must not be under consideration for publication by another journal or publisher during the evaluation process.

Authors are required to confirm that the manuscript is original, has not been submitted elsewhere, and complies with applicable standards of research integrity and publication ethics. A signed declaration may be requested by the editorial office.

All manuscripts are subject to plagiarism screening. Any suspected plagiarism, duplicate publication, fabrication or falsification of data, or other form of research misconduct may result in rejection or further action in accordance with the journal’s publication ethics policies.

3. Language and Length

Manuscripts must be written in English or French, using clear, accurate, and academically appropriate language. Authors are responsible for ensuring the linguistic quality of their submissions.

Research articles should contain between 4,000 and 8,000 words, in accordance with the journal’s published guidelines. Authors should ensure that their manuscripts are coherent, well structured, and proportionate in their treatment of the research question, theoretical framework, methodology, analysis, and conclusions.

4. Manuscript Formatting

Manuscripts should be prepared in Microsoft Word and formatted according to the following specifications indicated in templates.

Authors should use consistent heading levels and maintain a logical hierarchy throughout the manuscript. Tables, figures, maps, and other illustrations must be clearly numbered, appropriately titled, and cited in the text. Their sources should be indicated whenever applicable.

5. Title Page and Author Information

The manuscript must include the following information:

  1. The full title of the article;

  2. The full name of each author;

  3. The author’s academic degree or qualification, where applicable;

  4. The full institutional affiliation and country;

  5. The email address of the corresponding author.

For multi-authored papers, all authors must approve the submitted version and agree to its submission. The corresponding author is responsible for communication with the editorial office and for ensuring that all co-authors have approved the manuscript.

Where required for anonymous peer review, author-identifying information should be provided separately from the anonymized manuscript.

6. Abstract and Keywords

Each manuscript must include an abstract of 150–200 words summarizing the research in a concise and informative manner.

The abstract should clearly identify the research topic, objectives, methodological approach, principal findings, and main contribution to the relevant field of study.

Authors must also provide five to eight keywords immediately after the abstract. Keywords should accurately represent the principal concepts, geographical areas, and research themes addressed in the article and should facilitate indexing and retrieval.

7. Structure of the Manuscript

Research articles should follow a clear and logical academic structure appropriate to their subject and methodology. The journal recommends the following organization:

Introduction: Introduce the research topic and its context, formulate the research question or hypotheses, explain the significance and objectives of the study, review relevant previous research, and outline the methodological approach and structure of the article.

Theoretical Framework and Literature Review: Present the relevant theoretical concepts and critically engage with the existing scholarly literature.

Methodology: Describe the research design, methods, data sources, analytical procedures, and other information necessary to assess the rigor and reproducibility of the research, where applicable.

Results and Discussion: Present the findings systematically and interpret them in relation to the research questions, theoretical framework, and relevant literature.

Conclusion: Summarize the principal findings, identify the study’s contribution, acknowledge relevant limitations, and provide recommendations or directions for future research where appropriate.

References: Include the complete bibliographic information for all sources cited in the manuscript.

The structure may be adapted to the specific requirements of theoretical, conceptual, historical, comparative, or other forms of scholarly research.

8. Citation and Referencing Style

Authors must follow the APA style for citation and referencing and ensure the accuracy and completeness of all bibliographic information.

Authors must verify every citation and reference before submission. Digital object identifiers (DOIs) should be included when available, and all quotations, paraphrases, data, and ideas derived from other sources must be appropriately acknowledged.

9. Research Ethics and Author Responsibilities

Authors must adhere to the principles of scientific integrity, transparency, and responsible research. They are responsible for ensuring that their submissions comply with applicable ethical standards and that all sources and references are correctly acknowledged.

Authors must:

  • Ensure that the manuscript is original and accurately represents the research conducted.

  • Obtain the necessary permissions to reproduce copyrighted material, including figures, tables, maps, and other illustrations.

  • Disclose relevant conflicts of interest.

  • Ensure that all listed co-authors have made appropriate contributions and approved the final manuscript.

  • Obtain any necessary ethical approval and informed consent for research involving human participants or sensitive data, where applicable.

  • Notify the editorial office of any significant error or relevant change identified after submission.

  • Refrain from submitting the same manuscript simultaneously to another publication.

The opinions and conclusions expressed in published articles remain the responsibility of their authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the journal or its publisher.

10. Peer-Review Process

Manuscripts considered suitable for further evaluation are sent to independent reviewers with relevant subject expertise. According to the journal’s publication ethics policy, two reviewers are normally appointed for each manuscript, with the possibility of consulting a third reviewer when necessary.

Further information is available on the journal’s Peer Review Process .

11. Submission Procedure

Authors should prepare their manuscripts in Microsoft Word and ensure that all required components are included before submission.

To submit your article, you may use the designated article submission section or send your manuscript directly to :

afro-asian@democraticac.de

The editorial office will inform authors of the initial decision and any subsequent requirements.

12. Copyright and Open Access

Authors should consult the journal’s Open Access Policy and Copyright Policy before submitting their manuscripts.

 

13. Editorial Correspondence and Final Responsibility

Authors are responsible for ensuring that their submissions comply with the journal’s requirements. Manuscripts that do not meet the stated conditions may be returned for correction or rejected without external review.

The journal reserves the right to make necessary editorial and linguistic corrections, provided that the scientific content of the manuscript is not altered without appropriate consultation.

Submission of a manuscript does not guarantee acceptance or publication. All publication decisions remain subject to the journal’s editorial procedures, peer-review process, and applicable ethical standards.

For questions concerning manuscript preparation, submission requirements, or the editorial process, authors are encouraged to contact the journal’s editorial office afro-asian@democraticac.de .