CALL FOR EDITORIAL REVIEW BOARD MEMBERS

Nokoko, the interdisciplinary, open-access scholarly journal of the Institute of African Studies at Carleton University, invites expressions of interest from established and emerging scholars to serve as members of its Editorial Review Board.

Committed to advancing critical, innovative, and interdisciplinary scholarship on Africa and its diasporas, Nokoko is a home to and platform for providing intellectually diverse perspectives, methodological approaches, and scholarly conversations that transcend conventional disciplinary boundaries. The journal welcomes original research and critical interventions addressing the historical, political, economic, social, cultural, and artistic dimensions of African experiences, both on the continent and across its global diasporas. The journal also publishes well-written book reviews and review essays, hosts a podcast series called Nokokopod, and archived in ProQuest.

As an open-access journal published once per year, Nokoko is dedicated to making scholarly knowledge freely accessible to researchers, students, policymakers, practitioners, and wider publics, particularly those in African institutions and communities where subscription costs can restrict access to academic research. This commitment reflects the journal’s broader mission of promoting inclusive knowledge production, intellectual exchange, and equitable access to African Studies scholarship.

Who We Are Looking For

We welcome expressions of interest from scholars across the humanities, social sciences, design, and related interdisciplinary fields, including but not limited to:

· African and Diaspora Studies

· Literature, Languages, and Cultural Studies

· History, Philosophy, and Religious Studies

· Political Science, Political Economy, International Relations, and Development Studies

· Sociology, Anthropology, and Gender Studies

· Media, Communication, Film, and Popular Culture, and the Expressive Arts

· Indigenous Studies, Decolonial Thought, Diaspora, and Critical Race Studies

· Education, Migration, and Environmental Studies

· Architecture and design

· African and African diaspora-centred socio-cultural economy of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

We particularly encourage applications from Africa-based scholars, African diaspora scholars, early-career academics, and researchers whose work advances interdisciplinary, comparative, and decolonial approaches to knowledge production.

Roles and Responsibilities

Editorial Review Board members will contribute to the journal’s scholarly development and academic quality through activities such as:

· Attending virtual editorial board meetings held twice a year.

· Serving as primary editor for coordinating expert peer reviews of manuscripts within their areas of specialization, as availability permits.

· Advising on emerging research directions, thematic priorities, and potential special issues.

· Promoting the journal within relevant academic and professional networks.

· Encouraging submissions of high-quality, original, and interdisciplinary scholarship.

· Supporting the journal’s commitment to rigorous, constructive, inclusive, and ethical scholarly publishing.

Voluntary Service and Professional Commitment

Membership on the Editorial Review Board is entirely voluntary and unpaid. It is an opportunity for scholarly service, intellectual collaboration, and contributing to the advancement of accessible African Studies research. We recognize the competing demands on scholars’ time and therefore envisage a flexible model of engagement. Members will be invited to review manuscripts according to their expertise and availability, without an expectation of continuous editorial labour. Participation offers opportunities to engage with emerging scholarship, contribute to interdisciplinary academic conversations, and support an open-access publishing platform committed to amplifying diverse African and diasporic intellectual voices.

Expression of Interest

1. Interested scholars are invited to submit a two-page cover letter outlining a) their areas of expertise and motivation for joining the Editorial Review Board; b) a short academic biography (approximately 150 words)

2. Applicants with requisite experience interested in being considered for Associate Editor (2 positions) and Book Editor (2 positions) should kindly indicate so in their cover letter

3. Attach an abridged curriculum vitae (3 pages max) or link to an institutional academic profile.

Submission email: nokoko@carleton.ca Cc: ndukaotiono@cunet.carleton.ca

Deadline: December 7, 2026. Journal website: IAS Journal: Nokoko – Institute of African Studies

Join Us in Advancing Accessible African Studies Scholarship

At a time when questions of knowledge equity, academic accessibility, and the global circulation of African intellectual production remain pressing, Nokoko seeks to strengthen an inclusively diverse and engaged international community of scholars. We invite colleagues who share our commitment to interdisciplinary inquiry, rigorous scholarship, open access, and the intellectual vitality of African Studies to contribute to the journal’s continued development.

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