Welcome to the African Journals Initiative Newsletter!
As we prepare to announce the 2026 journals under the African Journals Initiative (AJI), a collaborative project between Pluto Journals and African Books Collective, we are pleased to begin by spotlighting the Ghana Journal of Sociology and Anthropology (GJSA).
Today, Ghana marks 69 years of independence from British colonial rule, a historic milestone coinciding with GJSA launching its first issue as part of the AJI collection. We caught up with the journal’s managing editor, Akosua Keseboa Darkwah, who reflected on the symbolic resonance of this moment:
“6th March 1957 marked new beginnings for Ghana; its independence from Britain. This March also marks new beginnings for the Ghana Journal of Sociology and Anthropology (GJSA) as it launches its first issue as part of the African Journals Initiative (AJI). As Managing Editor of GJSA, I hope that Kwame Nkrumah, our first president, will be proud of this achievement of ours. Nkrumah was a fierce supporter of African intellectuals. In his African Genius speech delivered at the opening of the Institute of African Studies, at the University of Ghana, he urged Ghanaian scholars to develop African material in our various disciplines and to make it known to the world. GJSA’s association with the AJI is a step in this direction. As we celebrate Ghana’s independence, let’s celebrate this milestone as well.”
Volume 9, Issue 1 of GJSA features a collection of thought-provoking articles addressing a range of contemporary social issues:
The issue opens with a powerful editorial note by Daniel Yaw Fiaveh, who reflects on the current volume as marking a fresh start in the journal’s history and setting the tone for renewed scholarly engagement.
The first paper by Modestus Fosu, Daniel Odoom, Ebenezer Malcalm and Richmond Yeboah delves into public perception of stakeholder campaigns against illegal mining in Ghana, particularly focusing on the Media Coalition Against Galamsey (MCAG).
The second paper by Susan Langmagne, Adobea Yaa Owusu and Solomon Kofi Amoah investigates the sexual behaviour and HIV transmission risk of older adults living with HIV in the lower Manya Krobo Municipality, Ghana. The study underscores that older adults, like everyone else, are sexually active, and various sociocultural beliefs and economic considerations significantly influence their risk of reinfection and onward transmission to their sexual partners.
The third paper by Kamal Yakubu, Paul Bowen and Rajen Govender examines the factors associated with reluctance to test for HIV among male construction workers in Western Cape, South Africa using four different behavioral change theories.
The fourth paper by Kofi Takyi Asante and Rosina Foli investigates the paradox of pro-poor targeting: social policy in Ghanda during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study argues that Ghana’s COVID-19 relief packages were ineffective.
The fifth paper by Steve Tonah examines the integrated but unique: social policy in Ghana during the COVID-19 pandemic. It explores the experiences of the Afro-Brazilian Tabon community, who reside among the Ga-speaking people in Ghana.
The issue concludes with a book review of Migrants Who Care: West Africans Working and Building Lives in US Health Care by Akosua K. Darkwah. The book delves into the lives of immigrant healthcare workers in the United States, exploring the complexities of remittances from family members back home in Africa.
Volume 33, Issue 2, is now available on ScienceOpen
The latest issue of the Journal of Humanities, Volume 33, Issue 2, is now available on ScienceOpen. This wide-ranging issue features articles on Wole Soyinka’s new poetry, Oyinkan Braithwaite’s My Sister, The Serial Killer, religion and wellbeing, youth disillusionment in the Malawi 2020 post-electoral campaign and more. Contributors hail from Nigeria, Malawi, India, and Ghana reflecting the journal’s international scope. 
Benefits and cost-effective pathways to open research
Join Dianna Bell, Project Manager for the African Journals Initiative, for an insightful webinar on the essentials and benefits of Open Research, with a special focus on cost-effective pathways. She will be joined by Prof. Tandi Lwoga from the Department of Mathematics and ICT at the College of Business Education, Tanzania, who will share her first-hand experience publishing Open Access.
Date:25th March 2026, Time: 3:00 pm CET/ 4:00 pm SAST
Register here.
The initial six AJI journals are Diamond Open Access and all articles are free to read. You will be able to see the issues as they are published on ScienceOpen and JSTOR.
If you have any colleagues that might be interested, please share this newsletter with them. We will continue to highlight the latest articles from the African Journals Initiative, and they can sign up here.
