Ubuntu: Journal of Conflict and Social Transformation
Volume 5, Number 1, 2016
Guide to Contributors
Editorial Policy
Ubuntu: Journal of Conflict and Social Transformation is a biannual Journal. The journal
will feature articles on the range of issues that not only affect and shape conflict or
social transformation and peacebuiding efforts but also the achievement of
sustainable peace or social order. Article contributions and book reviews should
reflect constructively on any of those issues or the nexus between them and
associated issues of development. The journal welcomes innovative scholarship
from both young and senior scholars.
Articles that are submitted for publication in Ubuntu must be original work, and
may not currently be under review for possible publication elsewhere. A statement
that the article is original and has not been published elsewhere should be included.
Manuscripts are peer reviewed to ensure that they are appropriate for publication
and of outstanding quality. Authors are informed whether submissions have been
accepted for publication, require revision prior to possible publication, or are
rejected. Contributions which appear in the journal should be edited for adherence
to its format and style, clarity, syntax and punctuation.
Length and Presentation
Length: Submitted articles should not exceed 6,000 words including abstracts (200
words), figures, tables, footnotes and references. Book reviews should not exceed
1000 words, and must be accompanied by the following: a front cover scan, title of
the book, author(s), publisher, place of publication, publishing date, ISBN, number
of pages, and binding (paperback or hard cover). Book reviews are generally (but
not exclusively) limited to books published in the last year.
Contributions bearing title but without the names of author(s) must be sent in
electronic format in MS Word. The cover page of the article should carry the details
of the author(s), including title, preferred name and surname, designation,
organizational affiliation, postal address, telephone, facsimile, e-mail address and
cellular phone numbers, must be included on separate files. The name should not
appear anywhere in the main text.
House Style: Double quote marks must be used for quotes taken directly from
another source. Single quote marks must be used for indirect quotes. Quotations
longer than three lines should be indented on both sides and without quotation
marks. Numbers of 10 and higher should be in figures and dates should be in the
form of 5 September, 1990; 1994-1998; or, the 1990s. Endnotes could be used and
they should be in the text designated by superscript (numbers). Abbreviations and
acronyms should be given in full when they first occur, with the
abbreviation/acronym in brackets. English (UK) should be used. Titles of books,
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periodicals, etc, as well as foreign language phrases and words, should be italicised.
Capital letters should be used in moderation for names and official designations
(President Julius Nyerere), institutions (the African Union), or article titles
(“Towards an Indigenous Model of Conflict Resolution: Reinventing Women's
Roles as Traditional Peace-Builders in Neo-Colonial Africa”).
References: Ubuntu favours the Harvard or the author-date reference system
(Uzodike, 2008:35). However, explanatory footnotes may be used as well. Do not
use “Ibid” in-text; simply repeat the citation. In-text references for publications
which include different authors should be separated by a semicolon. If there are
more than two authors, mention the surname of the first author followed by 'et al.'
If there are two authors, both names should be separated by 'and' and not ‘&’. In
the Bibliography/Reference section, publications by the same author(s) in the same
year should be classified into a, b, c. Also, do note that for articles with multiple
authors, all authors must be listed in the section.
Contributions should be sent to:
Ufo Okeke uzodike
The Editor, Ubuntu: Journal of Conflict and Social Transformation
E-mail: [email protected]
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