A project for the expression, dissemination and strengthening of humanities and social sciences on the African continent — through a series of activities whose core is the creation and sustainability of a new journal: Global Africa.
Global Africa is part of a context where, more than anywhere else, the challenge of knowledge production is a major issue. The African continent has 13% of the world’s population but contributes less than 3% to scientific publications. Even today, while the elite of African researchers publish in international journals, the vast majority remain dependent on national contexts marked by local journals and often unattractive university presses.
The crisis in higher education in Africa has indeed left the academic community without any viable, credible and efficient publishing medium capable of producing, promoting and disseminating the results of local researchers at the continental level and international, and of developing an essential level of knowledge to include African voices in global debates.
In most countries, the trade-offs between research, teaching, and consultancy are still made at the expense of research itself. This results in multiple and cumulative failures: significant aspects of ongoing political, socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental transformations remain unintelligible because they are not being internally conceptualized, and teachings do not evolve due to a lack of research.
Additionally, there is a disciplinary compartmentalization of research, predominantly produced in English or French, and heavily dominated by men. All of these factors sharply raise questions about its social legitimacy and its lack of integration into society, meaning its ability to identify and tackle the essential needs of societies and institutions.
“The African continent has 13% of the world’s population but contributes less than 3% to scientific publications.”
“Global Africa project is designed to simultaneously address these identified challenges.”
It aims to stimulate more independent and rigorous research capable of contributing to high-quality publications in the major languages of the continent (English, Arabic, French, Swahili). Strongly supported and driven by the journal of the same name, the project provides support to young researchers through mentoring, methodological workshops, assistance with publication, and increased presence in major intellectual forums.
Additionally, Global Africa sets the goal of enhancing the ecosystem of continental scientific publishing, particularly by strengthening the capacities of human resources in university presses and among professionals in scientific publishing.
With a concern for contributing to current debates, both within and outside the academic sphere, Global Africa aspires to offer an inclusive and multilingual platform where African issues intersect with global concerns. It is conceived within multidisciplinary approaches, connecting humanities and social sciences, environmental sciences, and digital sciences.
Mentoring, methodological workshops, assistance with publication, and increased presence in major intellectual forums.
Strengthening capacities of human resources in university presses and among professionals in scientific publishing.
An inclusive platform where African issues intersect with global concerns — in English, Arabic, French, and Swahili.
The project includes a journal, actions to strengthen research in Africa and a digital platform for dissemination and resources. The program was co-constructed by four institutions: LASPAD of Gaston Berger University of Saint-Louis (Senegal), the French Institute for Research and Development (France), the International University of Rabat (Morocco) and LASDEL of Niamey-Parakou (Niger-Benin) who co-manage it collectively within the framework of a consortium.
The core of the project. A peer-reviewed, multilingual, open-access journal publishing original research from and about the African continent.
Mentoring programs, methodological workshops, and editorial support to develop African research capacity at the continental level.
A dedicated digital infrastructure for hosting, indexing, and globally distributing scientific resources and results.
Four institutions across four countries co-managing collectively, with nine additional partner structures in the consortium.
Our team is composed of a steering committee and an executive committee.
Whether you are a researcher, institution, policymaker, or donor — there is a role for you in this project.
