Call for Commentaries: Discussions on decolonisation and Africanisation in science

A key part of the role of the South African Journal of Science is to provide a platform for constructive debate about the role and purpose of science in South Africa and on our continent. One of the most contested questions in science in our context is that of decolonisation in science. There are also many divergent usages of terminologies and approaches to the concept, or set of concepts, that ‘decolonisation’ may embody. We believe it is important to field debate and contestation in this area.

There is considerable contention, about how, and whether, it is possible to decolonise scientific practices and whether this is an important goal for African science. This Discussion Series seeks to provide a platform for critical conversations about Africanising and/or decolonising methodologies across the sciences as broadly understood. Though we do not wish to pre-empt debate, we anticipate that some authors may suggest that engaging deeply with African epistemologies – emphasising relational accountability, community and co-flourishing – offers vital pathways for re-imagining scientific praxis as more contextually relevant, ethically grounded and innovative. There may be others who may suggest that the concepts of Africanisation and/or decolonisation are not appropriate or helpful, and others who fall somewhere in between in their views. We are interested in hosting debate across the spectrum.

The South African Journal of Science invites contributions from a range of disciplines and perspectives, and among these we welcome critiques of and suggestions for changes in our own practices; including the way in which we have framed this call.

Potential themes:

Contributions are encouraged on, but not limited to, the following themes:

• Application of principles like ubuntu in shaping collaborative models, participatory research, ethical guidelines and the co-creation of knowledge with communities.
• Critical and ethical frameworks for the participation of Indigenous Knowledge Systems within rigorous scientific practice in fields such as ecology, agriculture, pharmacology and climate science.
• Critical engagement with attempts to reform STEM curricula and pedagogy to foster relationality, positionality and decolonised scientific subjectivity.
• Reflective case studies of community-centred innovation, technology development and problem-solving informed by African epistemologies.
• Analyses of funding, publishing and institutional structures that hinder or enable decolonial scientific practice.
• Reflective case studies exploring engagement with decolonisation and/or Africanisation in higher education curricula and research.
• Issues of language in science, including the dominance of English to the exclusion of other languages, and how these should be issues can and should be dealt with.
• Intersectionalities and questions of exclusion even within notionally transformative practices and curricula.
• Robust and constructive debates, from a range of perspectives, on decolonisation in science and its implications especially for South Africa, but also for pan-African initiatives.

We welcome submissions of no more than 3000 words – please adhere to our requirements for Commentaries. All submissions will be assessed by expert readers with knowledge of the field.

Please direct any enquiries to Leslie Swartz sajs.editor@assaf.org.za

Deadline for submissions: 01 June 2026.