Today, it is a real pleasure to speak with Professor Jonathan Fisher, co-editor of African Affairs — one of the leading journals in the field of African Studies. African Affairs is a peer-reviewed academic journal published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the London-based Royal African Society.
It was established as the Journal of the African Society in 1901, then it was published as the Journal of the Royal African Society from 1936 until it obtained its current name in 1944.
The journal is broadly interdisciplinary, with a primary focus on the politics and international relations of sub-Saharan Africa, though it also draws on sociology, anthropology, economics, history, literature, and the arts where these illuminate debates on contemporary Africa.
Co-Editors
George M. Bob-Milliar
Jonathan Fisher
Amanda Lea Robinson
Gabrielle Lynch
Impact Factor: 2.2 / 5-Year Impact Factor: 2.7
Indexed: Scopus / Web of Science
Jonathan Fisher is Professor of Global Security at the University of Birmingham where he also serves as Deputy Director of Research and Knowledge Transfer for the College of Social Sciences.
His research centres on the role of ideas and legitimacy within authoritarian systems, with extensive fieldwork across eastern Africa, where his work has examined how guerrilla heritage shapes contemporary governance, conflict, and cooperation, as well as the growing phenomenon of digital authoritarianism.
Content
00:00 – Introduction
01:41 – The Journal’s Evolving Mission and Research Identity
08:00 – Balancing Intellectual Coherence with Disciplinary Diversity
11:19 – The Place of Empirical and Theoretical Research in Submissions
13:03 – Emerging Trends in Manuscripts and Desired Research Directions
16:27 – Underexplored Regions and Research Gaps across Africa
18:40 – Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed-Methods Approaches in Publication
24:04 – The Most Frequent Mistakes in Article Submissions
25:49 – Common Pitfalls for Early-Career Researchers
27:26 – Structural and Technical Weaknesses in Academic Articles
29:00 – The Impact of AI on Editorial and Peer-Review Processes
31:30 – Editorial Reforms and the Journal’s Growing Academic Standing
33:46 – The Role and Significance of the Editorial Board
37:14 – Supporting Marginalised and Underrepresented Scholars
40:37 – Contributions from Latin America, Asia, and China
41:57 – Does the Journal Encourage Authors to Suggest Reviewers?
42:43 – Future Vision, Priorities, and Strategic Goals of the Journal
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