We currently have two open calls; a call for submissions for the special collection 'The Politics of Climate Change Resilience in Africa: The Intersection between Communities, Unions and Institutions' and a rolling call for abstracts on Approaches to Global Social Challenges by Early Career Researchers in the Global South and Diasporas.

Call for submissions - The Politics of Climate Change Resilience in Africa: The Intersection between Communities, Unions and Institutions

Guest Editor: Thokozani Chilenga-Butao, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

Abstract submission deadline: 30 May 2025

Background

Climate change is undeniable, prompting many countries to respond to this challenge through international cooperation, targeted policies and specialised finance to facilitate transitions away from fossil fuel industries.  The latter can be termed climate change resilience, with strategies such as the use of green energy, decarbonisation and moving workers into less fossil fuel intensive industries. However, climate change resilience in African countries is not without its challenges. There are serious and legitimate contentions between various climate change resilience stakeholders. 

This special collection critically examines the intersection between African local communities, trade unions, governments and continental institutions in their responses to climate change. It will provide an analysis of the problems that arise at the intersection of various stakeholders. These problems are characterised as the politics of climate change, because they reflect competing ideologies, (in)actions and methods for applying climate change resilience. Where this competition is present, it is important to understand and generate knowledge about the underlying politics. This politics is most obvious in local communities and national governments, and is often complex and contradictory.

Additionally, this special collection will provide a critical analysis of the meaning of climate change resilience for various stakeholders. Regional, continental and international institutions usually ascribe climate change resilience actions to a greater global goal of sustainability. However, their sources of funding, methods, and internal understanding of the climate crisis reveal political dynamics and motives for their actions. 

Scope

This special collection seeks papers that explore the politics of climate change in African countries or institutions. This complexity should be demonstrated through critical analysis of ideologies; theories; or, methodological approaches to climate change resilience. In analysing the ideologies, theories and methodological approaches surrounding climate change resilience, the articles should address the following questions:

• How does the use of political ideology advance or inhibit climate change resilience in an African community, amongst stakeholders, within an African country, or a relevant institution? 
• How does a political theory explain the intersection of stakeholder responses to climate change? 
• How do implemented methodological approaches demonstrate political contradictions or complexities in climate change resilience strategies? 

The articles should be clear about the level of the state or type of institution where the critical analysis occurs. Whether the analysis is a case study of local communities or local governance structures, national or state actions on policies for climate change resilience, the role of regional or continental institutions, papers should articulate where the analysis focuses and explain why this matters for the politics of climate change resilience. 

This special collection is particularly interested in contributions from, and/or reflecting case studies in: 

• East Africa
• North Africa
• West Africa

Abstract Submission and Publication Timeline

Abstracts of 250 words should be emailed to Thokozani1.chilenga@wits.ac.za.

The deadline for abstract submission is 30 May 2025.  

Notification of successful abstracts will be sent by 31 July 2025.

First draft of full article is due on 01 December 2025.  

Approaches to Global Social Challenges by Early Career Researchers in the Global South and Diasporas: An open call for abstracts

Global Social Challenges Journal is a not-for-profit, open access journal with a mission to address urgent global social issues through interdisciplinary research. We invite Early Career Researchers (who we define as in at least the third year of PhD studies, or within three years of PhD completion) from the Global South and diasporas to propose either full length articles (up to 8500 words excluding references) or ’interventions’ addressing any contemporary global social challenge. ‘Interventions’ are our shorter (3500 word) format, offering lively and timely interjections on a particular global challenge. They are written in highly accessible language, engaging practically and intellectually beyond a narrowly conceived academy, and often include a call for action. They fall into three categories: policy and practice, provocations and debates. Learn more about interventions.

We publish on sixteen main challenges, but we encourage scholars to propose fresh formulations if they wish. The challenges are:

• Cities and communities
• Climate change, energy and sustainability
• Conflict, security and peace
• Democracy, power and governance
• Education and Learning
• Equity, diversity and inclusion
• The future of work, finance and the economy
• Health and wellbeing
• Hunger, food, water and shelter
• Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches
• Justice, law and human rights
• Life stages and intergenerationality
• Migration, mobilities and movement
• Poverty, inequality and social justice
• Society, culture and arts
• Technology, data and society

We will be looking for a clear sense of the global social challenge, its location within a broader scholarly literature, and an attempt to engage plausible ways ahead to address the challenge meaningfully. 

We are particularly receptive to submissions from a new generation of Early Career Researchers located in the global South (or in diasporas) to address a specific global social challenge from their distinct vantage point. The intent is to stimulate further reflection on how social scientists identify contemporary global social challenges as well as process them. We remain particularly curious to learn more about how context (historical, cultural, political and economic) may have a direct bearing on what we deem significant, and on how we perceive and attempt to resolve these challenges. The journal is based in the social sciences, while engaging with research from all disciplines: we will not privilege any specific disciplinary persuasion, but encourage interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary perspectives.

We invite Early Career Researchers to submit a short (250 word max) abstract outlining the scope and argument of their proposed paper, and some supplementary information about the submission. Download the supplementary information form. The abstract and the accompanying form should be emailed to the Managing Editor, Sarah Bird, at info@globalsocialchallenges.com. The Editors in Chief of the journal will consider all abstracts and either decline the abstract or offer constructive feedback to help the author to develop the paper. 

The Editors in Chief will nominate a member of the editorial team to provide ongoing mentoring to the author as they write up their paper. 

Please note that all papers will then be subject to double anonymous peer review, and will only be accepted for publication if they meet the quality standards of the journal. No Article Processing Charges are payable. This is an open call for abstracts with no fixed timetable.

From 2025, Global Social Challenges Journal will institute two awards for the best annual research article and intervention from an Early Career Researcher in the Global South and diasporas – all papers submitted will be considered for this award.

Interventions 

Interventions are our shorter (3500 word) publication format. They offer accessible, lively and timely interjections on a particular global social challenge, and are designed to give our readers a more textured sense of the events, impacts and debates that inspire, shape and sometimes challenge the core research contributions of the journal. Interventions fall into three categories:

Policy and practice

Policy and practice papers explore the processes of knowledge exchange, co-production and impact that widen the research community and/or adapt research to the needs of particular groups or stakeholders. Contributing to the journal’s commitment to foster dialogue between academics, policy makers, thought-leaders, NGOs, practitioners and the public, these interventions will develop understanding of how research can be set to meet one or more global social challenges. Some will follow the making of specific policy briefings, tracing processes of design and dissemination, where others will document journeys of co-production or participatory learning. We encourage a full spectrum of methodological underpinnings, from impact evaluation to co-production and other participatory approaches. For this category only, internal review may be supplemented by input from an external individual with relevant policy knowledge or experience.

Browse Policy and practice

Provocations

A provocation is a genre of writing that stimulates or incites new ways of thinking and acting, sketches a new trajectory or links different fields of enquiry, provides a springboard for ongoing discussion of pressing issues and articulates the global reach of its central problem or question, even when highlighting a particular geographical example.

Browse provocations

Debates

Debates address contemporary matters of concern, strategies for change or forms of organisation that respond to global social challenges, where there is an element of debate and disagreement around contentious issues. The intervention is unlikely to pose a resolution, but rather lays out the lines of contention so as to invite further reflection and response. Opposing views on an important new book might constitute one possible focus, or issue-focused debates written either as one voice with multiple perspectives, or as a dialogue, or two separate mutually responsive sections. We also welcome debate contributions that respond to arguments in papers we have published, and in turn invite other responses. 

Browse debates