About the Journal

Focus and Scope

Studies in African Languages and Cultures provides a forum for the publication of original works in various fields of African studies. Primarily focusing on African linguistics, including ethno- and sociolinguistics, it also covers African literature, African culture and history of Africa. The Journal cooperates mainly with European-based authors as well as promotes works of African researchers. 

The Journal contributes to the research based on sources in African languages.

Peer Review Process

Each article undergoes double-blind peer review process. The Reviewers are chosen among the Editorial Team members and/or from external institutions and selected for their research specialization. The judgements and findings in the peer-review process should be objective; reviewers should have no conflict of interest.

The Reviewers are asked to fill in the fixed review form in which they type their comments. Editors' decision on each article is based on two positive reviews. The peer Reviewers’ assessments inform the Editor whether the article is recommend to be published in the Journal and what revisions are required from the Author.

Publication Frequency

Articles, reviews and editorials are published collectively, as part of an issue with a unique consecutive number and table of contents. The issues are printed and uploaded on the website once a year in December.

Ethics Statement

The standards of ethics of the Journal are defined according to COPE Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors. They concern Authors, Editors, Reviewers and the Publisher.

The members of the Editorial Board, Advisory Board and the Reviewers are acquianted with the Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement of the Journal before starting the cooperation.

All manuscripts submitted to the Journal are checked in order to assure their compliance with the ethical publication standards, as well as to assess their scientific reliability and value. The Chief Editor and Warsaw University Press (the Publisher) are responsible for fulfillment of the above policy.

Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement for Studies in African Languages and Cultures is available to view and download here.

Journal History

Studies of the Department of African Languages and Cultures (ISSN 0860-4649) has been published at the University of Warsaw since 1984. To further increase its international recognition, the editorial board decided to change the journal name to Studies in African Languages and Cultures (ISSN print 2545-2134, online 2657-4187), starting with the issue of 2018.

From 1984 untill 2015, Journal's editorial work and publishing process were headed by Prof. dr hab. Stanisław Piłaszewicz, Editor-in-chief.

Till 2008 the following issues have been published that are not available online:
  • Anna Trudnos, Oromo Documentation. Bibliography and Maps
  • Rezene Araya, Library and Information Services in East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda)
  • Nina Pawlak, Expressing Spatial Relations in the Hausa Language
  • Hausa Studies
  • Hausa Studies II
  • Hausa Studies III
  • Hausa Studies IV
  • Hausa Studies V
  • Ethiopian Studies
  • Katarzyna Neumann-Czarnecka, A Glossary of Hausa Literary Terms
  • Zofia Podobińska, Constructions causatives en swahili
  • Number 12, 1989, Iwona Kraska, The Directive Form in Swahili
  • Number 13, 1991, Justyna Janas, History of the Mass Media in Ethiopia
  • Number 14, 1992, Laura Łykowska, Sentence Schemata for Amharic
  • Number 15, 1993 (miscellanea)
  • Number 16, 1994, The Clash of Europe and Africa of the 21st Century
  • Number 17, 1995 (miscellanea)
  • Number 18, 1995 (miscellanea)
  • Number 19, 1996 (miscellanea)
  • Number 20, 1996 (miscellanea)
  • Number 21, 1997 (miscellanea)
  • Number 22, 1997 (miscellanea)
  • Number 23, 1998, Janusz Krzywicki, "Le Regard du roi". Possibilités d'interprétation)
  • Number 24, 1998 (miscellanea)
  • Number 25, 1999, Rajmund Ohly, A Grammatical Sketch of Herero
  • Number 26, 1999 (miscellanea)
  • Number 27, 2000 (miscellanea)
  • Number 28, 2000 (miscellanea)
  • Number 29, 2001 (miscellanea)
  • Number 30, 2001 (miscellanea)
  • Number 31, 2002, Laura Łykowska, Temporal Relation Marker in Amharic
  • Number 32, 2002 (miscellanea)
  • Number 33, 2003 (miscellanea)
  • Number 34, 2003 (miscellanea)
  • Number 35, 2004 (miscellanea)
  • Number 36, 2004, Stanisław Piłaszewicz, "Evil Words" - a Hausa Poem from the IASAR/109 (i) Manuscript
  • Number 37, 2005 (miscellanea)
  • Number 38, 2005 (miscellanea)
  • Number 39, 2006, Kano-Warsaw Workshop on Hausa 6-9.06.2006
  • Number 40, 2006, (miscellanea)
  • Number 41, 2007, Proceedings of the Workshop "European Schools of Ethiopian Studies; Poland & Germany" October 18-20, 2006
  • Number 42, 2008, (miscellanea)