The “Journal of the Institute for African Studies” is a unique scientific quarterly periodical in Russia devoted exclusively to Africa. It publishes articles and other materials on international relations, political, economic and social processes on the African continent, its history and cultural anthropology. The Journal places a particular emphasis on African issues and, in doing so, offers readers insights into research conducted in the following fields of science: world economy, international relations, political science and history, provided that the issues under discussion are of sufficient importance and directly impact the development of African countries. Furthermore, the articles are expected to reflect the relevance of the problems under consideration for the countries of the continent.
The Journal’s contributors, distinguished Russian and international scholars in African Studies, address both the pressing issues and the fundamental challenges faced by the region. The Journal is recognized both in Russia and internationally for its socio-political and economic research in the field of African studies. The Journal introduces the achievements of African social sciences to its readers on a systemic basis, featuring contributions from a diverse range of researchers. These include economists, political scientists, and historians from national research centers in African countries and professors from the continent’s leading universities. Additionally, the Journal publishes articles by researchers from leading non-regional research centers.
The founder and the publisher of the Journal is the Institute for African Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences. The Journal was established in 1998.
The Journal is indexed in the Russian Science Citation Index (RSCI) and in the electronic scientific library CyberLeninka. The Journal is listed in the Register of peer-reviewed scientific publications approved by the Higher Attestation Committee (VAK) of the Ministry of Higher Education and Science of the Russian Federation for publishing of the main scientific results of dissertations for the academic degrees of PhD and DSc in political, historical and economic sciences.
Special Issues, 2025
№ Issue | Focus of the Issue | Deadline |
№ 1 | Religions in Africa / Religions of Africa | November 15, 2024 |
№ 2 | Education (primary, secondary and tertiary) and science in Africa | February 15, 2025 |
№ 3 | Industrialization 2.0, energy and infrastructure in Africa | May 15, 2025 |
№ 4 | Security Providers in Africa in the Context of International Transformation | August 15, 2025 |
Thematic issues also include articles on other topics in the Journal’s regular thematic sections, including “Economics”, “International Politics”, “History”, “Political Science” and “Social Anthropology”. A particular emphasis is placed on articles addressing contemporary issues within such sections as “Human Capital”, “Cultural Space”, “Spatial Development of the Continent”, “Challenges of Modernity”, “Russia-Africa”, “Theory for Practice”, which facilitate the conceptualization of the dynamically changing international realities.
The publication of short reviews (3-4 pages) of Russian and international monographs published in the year of publication of the review or in the previous two years (not earlier!) is also welcomed, especially those that align closely with the focus of the thematic issues.