No later than 31 August 2012
Contributors from the African continent and other developing countries are invited to write on the topic above – addressing the theme of Men & Violence – from either a research or an activism perspective. Abstracts and contributions must be written in English and in a style accessible to a wide audience. Please submit abstracts to editorial@agenda.org.za or admin@agenda.org.za
Conceptual Rationale:
Nearly two decades after the formal end of apartheid, violence continues to flourish. This is the conundrum posed by democratic South Africa: a society not at war, yet one in which rates of murder and attempted murder, serious physical assault and rape are amongst the highest in the world. Levels of physical and sexual abuse against children are no less grave. The direct and indirect costs of this violence extend well beyond the individuals and families affected, weakening the criminal justice, health and social services systems, as well as the economy. Even though government’s major policy documents recognize how the trauma resulting from violence contributes to the country’s burden of disease, there appears to be little effort outside of the criminal justice system by government to undo this conundrum.
Men stand at the centre of this vortex of violence, overwhelmingly the perpetrators of all forms of violence, as well as disproportionately the victims of some forms of violence, as feminist scholars and gender activists have long argued. Indeed, theory and research increasingly shows the centrality of violence to the construction of dominant forms of masculinity. While some large South African studies have been conducted on men as perpetrators of rape, this issue of Agenda calls for papers that help add to this picture. We call for theory-driven research and case studies that sharpen, enrich and nuance our understanding of different forms of men’s violence against women and other men. This includes work that explores the social determinants of gender-based violence, including homophobic violence, and male-male rape. Articles critically examining interventions that address this nexus of masculinity and violence, whether at the level of programme or policy, are also sought. Above all, this issue seeks to promote critical thinking around the relationship between men and violence that will move South Africa forward in drastically reducing its levels of violence.
Submission Guidelines for Agenda Journal
The following guidelines are intended to assist authors in preparing their contributions.
General
Agenda invites contributions from feminist and gender scholars, activists, researchers, policy makers, professionals, educators, community workers, students and members of women’s organizations and organizations interested in and concerned with gender issues. Submissions should contribute to developing new thinking and fresh debate on women’s rights and gender equality in Africa and other developing countries.
Writers need to:
- Write in an accessible and understandable style;
- Inform, educate or raise debate;
- Try to pin down reasons for contradictions and point out differences of opinion;
- Provide an analysis and an argument;
- Be logical;
- Be sensitive to but not uncritical of how gender, class and race affect the reporting of an event;
- Ensure the introduction encapsulates the contents of the piece and that it attracts the reader’s attention by either making a controversial statement, providing a thought-provoking or new insight into the subject;
- Utilize a gender or feminist lens.
We publish articles in various formats, which range from 6,000 words for more theorized articles, which form the main reference pieces in an issue, to shorter pieces with a minimum of 1,500 words.
Formats of Contributions
- Article (6 000 words max) should be based on new research and contain analysis and argument.
- Briefing is an adaptable format for writers to write on a wide range of subjects (2 500 – 4 000 words)
- Focus examines an aspect of a chosen theme in detail (4 500 words max)
- Profile looks in detail at an organisation, project or legislation, or a person (2 500 – 3 500 words)
- Report-back covers reports on meetings, conferences workshops etc
- (1 500 – 4 000 words)
- Review typically reviews books or films (1 500 – 3 000 words)
- Interview can record a conversation among a group of people or a one-on-one interview in which the writer asks the interviewee/s questions on a subject (1 500 – 3 000 words)
- Open Forum is a vehicle for debate and argument, or pieces which deal with argument and difference of opinion on a subject/issue (2 500 – 4 000 words)
- Perspective is an adaptable format in which writers are able to use a more personal reflective, narrative style (1 500 – 3 000 words)
Contributions should be submitted in the following format:
File type: Microsoft Word
Font: Arial
Size: 10 pt
Line spacing: single
Justification: left
Referencing: Harvard style
All submissions should have the following:
Abstract: 200 – 300 words
Keywords: approx 5 keywords
Bio: 100 – word author biography, including email address
Bio picture: head-and-shoulders photo in 300 dpi jpeg format
Contributors are encouraged to provide photos and/or graphics to illustrate their submission
Selection and Editing Process
All submissions are peer reviewed. Articles, briefing and focus pieces go through a double blind peer review process, while all other contributions are reviewed by at least one member of Agenda’s Editorial Advisory Group.
Reviewers comment on the suitability of a text for publication in the Agenda journal, as well as provide comments to help develop the piece further for publication if required. Contributors will be asked to rework the paper accordingly.
On resubmission, the piece will be assessed by the Agenda editor and a final decision made regarding its publication in the journal.
Please note that Agenda reserves the right to edit contributions with regard to length and accessibility or reject contributions that are not suitable or of poor standard.
Agenda also invites the submission of poems on the topic of women’s rights and gender.
Please note, as per Agenda’s policy, writers who have published within the last two years WILL NOT BE ALLOWED to publish – to allow new writers to publish for Agenda.
