African theories, vernacular language, orature and reviewing the literature

Reviewing theories, frameworks and models

Mtandao’s journals expect authors to prioritise African or locally relevant theories, frameworks and models, such as Indigenous theory, Ubuntu, ukama, ujamaa, family theories, community theories, decolonisation theory, dependence theory, social justice theory, social development theory, developmental social work, spirituality, and African ecology, among others. Where none of these exist for a particular topic, authors are expected to propose their own framework rather than defaulting to an imported one. As a reviewer, ask whether the theory used genuinely shapes the analysis, or whether it is cited once and then set aside while the rest of the manuscript proceeds along conventional lines.

Vernacular language

Use of African languages other than English for the topic, abstract, key words, or key phrases taken verbatim is acceptable and encouraged, provided an English translation is given and the manuscript stays within the word limit. This is a legitimate and valued form of scholarship, not a deviation from standard practice.

Lived experience and orature

Because much of African knowledge is orature, oral and largely unwritten, lived experience is acceptable evidence, whether the writer’s own or a participant’s. Authors are expected to corroborate such stories with others’ accounts while highlighting what made a particular story distinctive. Oral sources such as proverbs, idioms, songs and stories are encouraged as citable evidence. As a reviewer, do not mark a manuscript down for citing orature or lived experience; assess instead whether it is used with the same rigour expected of any other form of evidence.

Reviewing the literature and the references

Assess whether the literature review is adequate and current, and whether its methods, if it is a systematic or scoping review, are strong, justifiable and trustworthy. Then check the reference list itself: whether it follows Mtandao’s referencing guide precisely, including punctuation, spacing and italics, and whether a minimum of 75 percent of sources are African, with the remaining sources prioritising the Global South where African literature is not available. This is a deliberate correction to a long standing imbalance in which African literature is underused even by African authors, which in turn depresses the visibility and citation of African scholarship.