Short Abstract:

This lab discusses first-hand experiences with publishing and writing workshop aimed at addressing the underrepresentation of Global South scholars in leading journals. Organisers will critically reflect on their workshops, but also look at wider conceptual issues and challenges to discuss whether such initiatives mitigate or perpetuate asymmetries in knowledge production.

Long Abstract:

Attempts to decolonise African Studies and the way it produces knowledge are widespread. Among the immediate steps taken were measures to address asymmetries in knowledge production on Africa between the Global South and North by supporting exchange and building writing and publishing capacities of academics from the Africa continent. The issues of underrepresentation of Global South scholars in leading journals have been long known. Yet, measures taken by journals to address these imbalances were either unsuccessful or not sufficient. With recent debates shedding light on these discrepancies again, several funders have initiated calls for writing and publishing workshops that support scholars from the Global South to publish their research in high-ranking academic journals.

The round table discusses these activities, engages with workshop convenors, examines differences in organisation and evaluates the outcomes of these workshops. Organisers of four of these workshops will critically reflect and discuss their experiences. In doing so, they will inter alia engage with the following questions that relate to practical issues as well as underlying epistemological debates:

• How did the workshops go (challenges, lessons learned) and what would you do differently next time?

• What did these workshops achieve?

• Do writing workshops address or perpetuate asymmetries in knowledge production on Africa and if so, how?

• How do they relate to the wider aim of decolonising knowledge?