@africaspectrum.bsky.social
#OpenAccess journal @giga-hamburg.de publishing original research on politics, societies, and economics in Africa @sagepub.com. Editors-in-Chief: @maxinerubin.com, @marthacj.bsky.social & Dr. Kendra Dupuy Website: https://journals.sagepub.com/home/afr
🆕Lotfi Sour analyses Russia’s multi-layered strategy in the Sahel through the “Matryoshka” model. The author argues that Russia’s engagement in Sahelian states is not only opportunistic but a deliberate effort to reshape regional power dynamics.
🔗 doi.org/10.1177/0002...
CC: @giga-hamburg.de
🆕 @edle100.bsky.social, @peteralalbrecht.bsky.social & Karuti Kanyinga examine Somali diaspora humanitarianism in Nairobi's Eastleigh & Mogadishu. They argue 'altruistic' acts of giving reinforce hierarchies, reciprocal obligations & claims to legitimacy.
🔗 doi.org/10.1177/0002...
@giga-hamburg.de
📕Ada Johnson-Kanu reviews Nicholas Kerr's "Electoral Commissions and Democratization in Africa", praising it for challenging single-dimensional approaches to studying electoral administration. It also shows how minor administrative failures can threaten democratic legitimacy.
🔗 bit.ly/4cNEQRF
Another set of exciting picks from our past Editor-in-Chief, Julia Grauvogel!
I am fortunate to work with @grauvogelj.bsky.social at the @giga-hamburg.de. Drawing on her experience as Editor-in-Chief of Africa Spectrum, she’s always generous with advice and ideas.
2️⃣Humphrey Asamoah Agyekum, “Peacekeeping Experiences as Triggers of Introspection in the Ghanaian Military Barracks”.
🔗 doi.org/10.1177/0002...
#AFR60yrs
🔔Consider following us here. We’ll be sharing more reflections from our former editors in the coming weeks.
1️⃣ @deacurtis.bsky.social, “What Is Our Research For? Responsibility, Humility and the Production of Knowledge about Burundi”.
🔗 doi.org/10.1177/0002...
#AFR60yrs
CC: @giga-hamburg.de @sagepub.com @marthacj.bsky.social @maxinerubin.com @afrlib.bsky.social @cambup-polsci.cambridge.org @cam.ac.uk
Celebrating Africa Spectrum at 60 🎉
➡️Former Editor-in-Chief @grauvogelj.bsky.social (2018–2022) highlights articles from her tenure that impressed her for their strong empirical grounding & for raising important ethical questions for Global North-based #Africanstudies scholars.
Thread 🧵
Here's the first of our "Past Editors' Picks" posts 👏 🤓 ⬇️
We are also fortunate to still benefit from the support of @he-mel.bsky.social and @mehler.bsky.social who readily provide advice when we ask and generously act as peer reviewers when asked despite their busy schedules! 🌟
3️⃣Francis B. Nyamnjoh, “From Quibbles to Substance: A Response to Responses”.
🔗 bit.ly/4kAVIx2
🔔 Stay tuned, we’ll be sharing more reflections from other editors on their selections.
@giga-hamburg.de @sagepub.com @maxinerubin.com @marthacj.bsky.social @humauct.bsky.social @abi-freiburg.bsky.social
2️⃣ Andrew Hartnack, “On Gaining Access: A Response to Francis Nyamnjoh’s ‘Blinded by Sight: Divining the Future of Anthropology in Africa”.
🔗 bit.ly/4aqCPYU
1️⃣ Francis B. Nyamnjoh, “Blinded by Sight: Divining the Future of Anthropology in Africa”.
🔗 bit.ly/4aqCPYU
Celebrating Africa Spectrum at 60 🎉
🔷 @he-mel.bsky.social & @mehler.bsky.social (former Editors-in-Chief 2009–2018) highlighted these articles from their tenure that sparked debate about anthropological research in African studies.
#AFR60yrs
Thread 🧵
Disclosure: @mehler.bsky.social and I were asked separately and did not consult each other. We were unaware that we selected the same article - which seems to suggest that it was indeed a noteworthy one (and: great minds...)
18.02.2026 19:00 — 👍 3 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
1️⃣Francis B. Nyamnjoh, “Blinded by Sight: Divining the Future of Anthropology in Africa”.
🔗 journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
#AFR60yrs
CC: @humauct.bsky.social @maxinerubin.com @marthacj.bsky.social @divinefuh.bsky.social @abi-freiburg.bsky.social @miasa-ug.bsky.social
It was a tough choice...
17.02.2026 09:40 — 👍 2 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
Celebrating Africa Spectrum at 60🎉
To mark the anniversary, our former & current Editors-in-Chief have chosen articles from their tenures that stood out to them.
We'll be sharing their reasons for the selection later. For now, explore the full list 👉 bit.ly/4tFNacs
@giga-hamburg.de @sagepub.com
CC: @giga-hamburg.de @sagepub.com @maxinerubin.com @marthacj.bsky.social
13.02.2026 16:17 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
📕Buyisile Ntaka reviews @falo2.bsky.social "Quasi-Armies and State-building in Africa", highlighting its rich historical analysis and its insightful explanation of the complex relationship between state-building and military institutions in Central Africa.
#OpenAccess
🔗 doi.org/10.1177/0002...
My latest article, co-athored with Dr. Nauja Kleist and Professor & Karuti Kanyinga. I am deeply grateful to my co-authors who supported this work throughout the process.
via @africaspectrum.bsky.social 👇🏾
🆕 Sahra Ahmed Koshin, Nauja Kleist, & Karuti Kanyinga analyse #Somali diaspora businesswomen in #Zambia, showing how humanitarian relief during the 2020 #Qardho flash floods blends care, commerce & politics, challenging neat divides between "pure" aid & "partisan" care.
🔗 doi.org/10.1177/0002...
🆕Jonathan Fox et al. examine governmental religious discrimination against 243 religious minorities in 50 Sub-Saharan African countries (1990–2023), finding that both societal discrimination & state religious support predict state-led discrimination.
🔗 doi.org/10.1177/0002...
CC: @giga-hamburg.de
📕Haijie Wang et al. review Mudavanhu et al.’s Decolonising Media and Communication Studies Education in Sub-Saharan Africa, describing it as a cornerstone contribution that combines rigorous critical analysis with actionable decolonial strategies.
🔗 doi.org/10.1177/0002...
CC: @giga-hamburg.de
#polisky #polrel
Happy to announce my latest open access pub w/ Jonathan Fox and Jeffrey Haynes at @africaspectrum.bsky.social, wherein we use RAS4 data to examine correlates of governmental religious discrimination v. religious minorities in Sub-Saharan Africa from 1990-2023.
Happy reading!
Our book was reviewed in @africaspectrum.bsky.social. I was not here for a while - belated thanks for engaging with the work and the generous remarks!
05.02.2026 19:20 — 👍 6 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
It is exciting to announce that this year is Africa Spectrum's 60th anniversary!
We've had a lot of fun planning some things to celebrate the journal's 60th year, so keep an eye on our socials to stay up to date!
🎉Africa Spectrum turns 60!🎉
This week, we kick off our 60th anniversary celebrations, marking six decades of African studies scholarship.
Expect more posts, reflections & highlights throughout the year. Keep an eye on our social media platforms!
CC: @giga-hamburg.de @sagepub.com
Congratulations on this exciting addition to the @africaspectrum.bsky.social editorial team. Welcome on board, Kendra Dupuy! 🎉
29.01.2026 17:08 — 👍 4 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0
👏 We’re pleased to welcome our former Associate Editor, Dr. Kendra Dupuy, in her new role as Co-Editor-in-Chief.
She is an Assistant Professor at Western Washington University, researching energy, natural resources, environmental management & climate change in sub-Saharan Africa.
@giga-hamburg.de
🆕Through the perspectives of Ghanaian peacekeepers, Paa Kwesi Wolseley Prah analyses why UN peacekeeping operations faltered in #Mali, identifying that misaligned #MINUSMA mandates clashed with local realities.
🔗 doi.org/10.1177/0002...
CC: @giga-hamburg.de @sagepub.com @dublincityuni.bsky.social
🚨 #JobAlert: We are looking for a #StudentAssistant (m/f/d) to support @africaspectrum.bsky.social. As part of the team, you will assist with managing manuscripts, social media accounts and inboxes, and more.
➡️ For more details and application: www.giga-hamburg.de/en/career/st...