[Commlist] Call for Papers: ‘Reframing African Women: Media, Agency, and Representation’

Call for Papers: Journal of African Media Studies

Special Issue: ‘Reframing African Women: Media, Agency, and Representation’

View the full call here>>

https://www.intellectbooks.com/journal-of-african-media-studies#call-for-papers 
<https://www.intellectbooks.com/journal-of-african-media-studies#call-for-papers>

In Africa’s rapidly evolving media landscape, gender remains a critical 
axis for understanding societal transformation, cultural negotiation, 
and identity formation. This special issue explores how African women 
are represented, participate in, and influence media spaces while 
grappling with intersecting local and global discourses on gender, 
media, and power. By situating African women’s experiences within 
broader global debates on media and gender equality, this issue seeks to 
bridge theoretical insights with grounded empirical analyses to advance 
scholarship in media and feminist studies.

Drawing on feminist theory, media studies, cultural studies, and 
postcolonial perspectives, we aim to examine how African women navigate 
a media landscape shaped by colonial legacies, patriarchal structures, 
and globalization. Media serves as both a mirror and a tool for societal 
transformation, simultaneously reflecting entrenched stereotypes and 
offering opportunities for resistance and change (Omotoso, 2021)[1] 
<https://www.intellectbooks.com/journal-of-african-media-studies#_ftn1>.

This special issue critically investigates these dualities by addressing 
the following key themes:

 1.

    Representation and Visibility: Media representations of African
    women often oscillate between invisibility, exoticization, and
    oversimplification. This issue examines how such portrayals are
    shaped by historical, cultural, and political contexts, as well as
    their implications for societal norms and gender equality.
    Contributions might explore how global media flows reinforce or
    challenge local narratives about African women.

 2.

    Agency and Media Participation: Women in Africa are not merely
    subjects of media representation but active participants shaping
    media content as journalists, filmmakers, digital creators, and
    media professionals. This issue explores their contributions,
    challenges, and strategies for navigating male-dominated industries
    and amplifying marginalized voices.

 3.

    Intersectionality in Media Discourses: Gender cannot be disentangled
    from race, ethnicity, class, sexuality, and disability. This issue
    welcomes studies that analyze the intersections of these identities
    in media portrayals and their influence on societal perceptions and
    policies.

 4.

    Digital Media and Feminist Activism: The digital age has transformed
    how African women engage with media, providing platforms for
    self-expression, activism, and global networking. Contributions may
    investigate how digital spaces empower women to challenge
    stereotypes, mobilize for gender equality, and link local struggles
    with global feminist movements, while addressing risks like online
    harassment.

 5.

    Media Policy, Power, and Advocacy: Policy and governance shape the
    structures within which media operates. This issue seeks analyses of
    how policies and regulatory frameworks impact women’s
    representation, access, and participation in media, as well as
    advocacy efforts for gender-equitable reforms.

Objectives of the Special Issue: This issue addresses the need for more 
nuanced understandings of the complex interactions between media, 
gender, and power in African contexts. It seeks to uncover:

  *

    The transformative potential of media as a site for reimagining
    gender roles and challenging patriarchal norms.

  *

    The ways African women use media to assert agency and negotiate
    identity in both local and global contexts.

  *

    How global gender discourses intersect with African media
    narratives, influencing local practices and perceptions.

We aim to foreground the voices and lived experiences of African women, 
highlighting their challenges, resistance, resilience, and creativity in 
mediated spaces. By centering these perspectives, this issue contributes 
to a more inclusive and critical understanding of global feminist media 
studies.

Topics of Interest: We invite submissions on a wide range of topics, 
including but not limited to:

 1.

    Theoretical frameworksexploring gender representations in African
    media through feminist, postcolonial, and cultural studies lenses.

 2.

    Empirical analysesof women’s participation in media production,
    journalism, and creative industries.

 3.

    Case studiesof feminist media activism in Africa, showcasing
    successes, challenges, and transformative impacts.

 4.

    Digital feminism: How online platforms are reshaping gender
    discourses and activism in Africa.

 5.

    Comparative studiesof African media within global media discourses
    on gender and equality.

 6.

    Policy critiquesexamining the regulatory environment and its impact
    on gender dynamics in media.

Submission Details

  *

    Submission Deadline for extended 500-words abstracts: Friday 31 July
    2025

  *

    Accepted Submissions will be notified by Friday 11 August 2025

  *

    The Deadline for the completed papers is Monday 1 September 2025

  *

    Manuscripts should follow the journal’s formatting and citation
    guidelines <https://www.intellectbooks.com/asset/93137/1/JAMS_NFC.pdf>.

  *

    All submissions will undergo a double-blind peer review process.

  *

    Accepted submissions will be invited to peer review other
    submissions in the special issue.

  *

    Submit manuscripts electronically via the journal’s submission
    portal via this link
    https://submission.pubkit.co/publisher/29/journal/299/login
    <https://submission.pubkit.co/publisher/29/journal/299/login>.

For inquiries, please contact the guest editors at Rasha El-Ibiary 
(rousha /at/ aucegypt.edu) <mailto:(rousha /at/ aucegypt.edu)>, Estrella Sendra 
(estrella.sendra /at/ kcl.ac.uk) <mailto:(estrella.sendra /at/ kcl.ac.uk)>, and Maha 
Bashri (maha.bashri /at/ uaeu.ac.ae) <mailto:(maha.bashri /at/ uaeu.ac.ae)>.

[1] 
<https://www.intellectbooks.com/journal-of-african-media-studies#_ftnref1>Omotoso, 
S.A. (2021). African Women and the Mass Media. In: Yacob-Haliso, O., 
Falola, T. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of African Women's Studies. 
Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28099-4_51 
<https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28099-4_51>

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