Paper short abstract:

In Africa, Northern-published books are expensive. The UK & US Associations of African studies are discussing convincing their members to offer rights to African publishers, so improving the outputs of African publishing and, as an access initiative, redressing the low profile of African research.

Paper long abstract:

In Africa, Northern-published books remain expensive and discounts are not high enough to make books affordable. Even with high discounts being offered by Northern publishers to African booksellers, the end prices are affordable for very few. The Associations of African Studies in the UK and US are sympathetically considering these issues, in particular the option of convincing their members to reserve their rights for offer to African publishers when negotiating contracts with their Northern publishers. In that way scholars would be making it relatively easier for African publishers to acquire rights. As an access initiative to improve the outputs of African publishing and the availability of books in the continent, this represents a necessary intervention to address the low profile of African research.

In addition, it would redress the danger otherwise that Northern researchers are simply extracting 'raw materials' from the continent for production and consumption in African Studies in the North, with research in/from Africa remaining 'invisible'.