OPPORTUNITIES

AND CHALLENGES

IN PUBLISHING

FOR

EASTERN AND

SOUTHERN AFRICA

2015

CAPE TOWN

Organisation for Social Science Research in Eastern and

Southern Africa (OSSREA)

History: Established in 1980; initially concentrated on Eastern

Africa, but later expanded to Southern Africa.

Headquarters: Housed in its three-storey building located on the

Main Campus of Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Geographic Reach: It operates and has Liaison Offices in 25

countries in the sub-region. These are: Angola, Botswana,

Burundi, Djibouti, Comoros Islands, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya,

Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia,

Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, South Sudan,

Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Focus: Interdisciplinary research; training in research

methodology and gender mainstreaming; policy dialogue,

academic debates, special issue journals and disseminating

research outputs.

Membership: Open to individuals, organisations and

government agencies interested or engaged in research.

INTRODUCTION

As a research and capacity building

institution, OSSREA:

promotes African scholarship

conducts independent social science

research

encourages dialogue, cooperation

and collaboration between

researchers, practitioners and policy

makers in Africa.

Research Grant Programmes

OSSREA promotes Research and

Capacity Development through:

1. Young Scholars Research Grant

2. Senior Scholars Research Grant

3. Sabbatical Research Grant

4. Post- Doctoral Fellowship

Research Grant

5. Gender Mainstreaming Training

6. Research Methodology Training

Long Term and Short Term Book

Projects

OSSREA has now started new research

grant modalities including short term (6-

12 months) and long term (12—18

months) research grants. The research

projects are based on the thematic areas

identified in its strategic plan and

culminates in books published by regional

and international publishers, policy briefs,

journals, monographs and policy

workshops, which are used by policy and

research communities as well as academic

institutions in Africa

CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAMMES

Research Methodology Training

The program is aimed at building the capacity of

young academicians and researchers in social

science research methodology in the region; and

enabling research grantees of OSSREA gain and

develop necessary research skills and techniques

relevant to their thematic areas. Since 2011 this

program is subsumed under a new project known

as the Research School in Eastern and Southern

Africa (RESSESA), which has the objective of

fast tracking PhD training programmes in

eastern and south African universities through

providing social science research methodology

training and other supports for PhD candidates

and building capacity of PhD supervisors and

trainers.

Training on Gender Research

This program aims to avail state of the art

knowledge and research skills in gender

mainstreaming, especially in

comprehensively addressing the problems

of gender power imbalance and gender-

related concerns in various social, political

and economic arenas. The program

commenced in 2005 and is run at

OSSREA member countries and regional

levels. As part of this program, OSSREA

has published teaching materials to be

used at graduate level gender studies

programs in Africa

PUBLICATIONS AND DISSEMINATION

Books and Journals

OSSREA disseminates, through its various

publications, the research results of its projects

and of other affiliated scholars. The main

publications include Eastern Africa Social

Science Research Review (a bi-annual journal),

OSSREA Bulletin (tri-annual), abstracts,

monographs, books, research reports series,

workshop reports, proceedings and policy briefs.

We also use ABC, MSU, ProQuest, AJOL,

EBSCO, and African Portal for dissemination.

For a list of publications, please visit our website

(http://www.ossrea.net).

Conferences and Policy Workshops:

Several workshops, seminars and conferences are

organised each year. Participants include academics,

researchers, policy makers, and representatives of CBOs,

NGOs, donor agencies and international organisations. In

addition, national chapters also organise their seminars

and workshops. Through its policy workshops OSSREA

disseminates research findings of OSSREA Programmes

for use by policy-makers, development planners, advocacy

groups, CBOs, CSOs, NGOs, donor agencies and

international organisations. It also facilitates the creation

of a policy and research interface in OSSREA activities;

ensures that its research findings are utilised by the widest

cross-section of the society; and encourages that policy-

making and development planning are informed by

research-based knowledge.

The Directorate is in charge of publishing all grant

research papers that have been reviewed as well as the

journal and bulletin series.

HARD PUBLISHING

Single publications: Migration, Good Governance,

Climate Change, Social Protection, Land Deals,

Human Rights etc.

Series Publications: PRSP,HIV, DHP, Conflict etc.

(Gender and Social Science series No. 26 and No.36)

Joint Publications: with IDRC, FSS, Leiden-African

Studies Centre, BICC-Bonn etc.

Chapter Publications

Thematic Areas Number of

Publications

1.

HIV/AIDS 35

2. Natural Resources Management(NRM), Agriculture

and Environment

37

3. African Conflicts, Migration, and peace 13

4. Good Governance, Democracy and Human rights 11

5. Dry-land Husbandry Project(DHP) and Pastoralism 13

6. Poverty Reduction Strategies(PRSP) 7

7. Trade, Investment and Economic Development 13

8. Miscellaneous 41

9. EASSRR- 57

10

.

Chapter publications 22

11

.

OSSREA Bulletin 27

Total 276

OSSREA Publications by thematic areas (1985-2012)

East African Social Science Research Review

(EASSRR)- Bi Annual

• Been in existence since 1985

• ISSN Number

• E-ISSN Number

• Flagship of OSSREA

• Volume 31

• Special Issues

• Special Issues Journals in Universities:

Summary Hits 2013

Days resource(s) accessed 365

Articles (full-text) viewed 6584

HTML Articles (full-text) viewed 1878

PDF Articles (full-text) viewed 4706

TOCs viewed 4469

Journals viewed 1

IPs used to access database 7871

No. Country Articles TOCs 1 USA 1552 653

2 United Kingdom 746 247

3 Ethiopia 726 129

4 Netherlands 483 125

5 Canada 353 34

6 Kenya 334 48

7 Australia 295 61

8 Zimbabwe 239 19

9 India 198 19

10 South Africa 160 60

11 Norway 147 53

12 Pakistan 85 4

13 Sweden 79 15

14 Uganda 63 14

15 Germany 57 44

16 Ghana 30 0

17 New Zealand 30 3

18 China 25 0

19 Malaysia 25 15

20 Belgium 24 16

21 Denmark 21 17

22 Bangladesh 20 1

23 Ireland 18 3

24 Switzerland 17 2

25 Indonesia 15 0

Usage by Country

SPECIAL ISSUE JOURNALS

The Special Issue Journal has also been another success

story where OSSREA’s 2010-2014 performance on this

special issue journal project was a success. It has managed

to achieve the intended objectives of the project, which is

giving African scholars opportunity to publish peer

reviewed articles as well as produce and disseminate social

science knowledge that affects the region and the countries

under study. Through this project, OSSREA has supported

more than 200 authors, who are faculty members of

universities and members of OSSREA in universities of

Eastern and Southern Africa, in their career development

at a low cost and within a relatively short time. The articles

address issues of concerns in the region and are being used

by research and academic institutions as reference and

teaching materials as well policy input by governments.

This project has continued till today and also gives the

opportunity to over 12 counties to publish in international

and local languages: French, Arabic and English

Title of the journal/ volume/Number

1 Sudan Journal of Economic and Social Studies, Vol. 9 no. 1, 2011

2 Journal of Social Development in Africa, special issue on Socioeconomic Development in

Botswana Vol. 26 no. 1, 2011

3 Egerton Journal of Humanities, Social Science and Education Vol.9 , 2010, Kenya

4 Mawazo, The Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Makerere University vol. 10 no. 1,

2011 Uganda

5 Mawazo, The Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Makerere University vol. 11 no. 1,

2012 Uganda

6 Tanzania Journal of Development Studies vol.9 no. 1&2, 2009

7 Tanzania Journal of Development Studies vol.10 no. 1&2, 2010

8 Ethiopian Journal of Development Studies vol. 33 no. 1, (October, 2011)

9 Ethiopian Journal of Development Studies vol. 33 no. 2 (April, 2011)

10 Ethiopian Journal of Development Studies vol. 34 no. 1 (April, 2012)

11 Rwanda Journal volume 22. Series B, 2011

12 UNISWA Research Journal Vol. 26 December 2011 Swaziland

Title of the journal/ volume/Number

13 Politique Sociale et Development-Madagascar 2012/2013/14

14 The Utafiti Journal. Journal of the College of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Dar es

Salaam. Vol. 9 Nos. 1 and 2 2012.

15 Journal of Social Policies and Development, Special Issue Vol. 2. Mauritius 2013/2014

16 Africa Education Review, Vol. 9 Supplementary Issue 1. South Africa.2012

17 Ethiopian Journal of the Social Sciences and Humanities, special issue Vol. IX No. 1 and 2.

2013.

18 Southern Peace Review Journal, Vol. 2 Number 2. Zimbabwe 2013.

19 UNISWA Research Journal Vol. 27, 2014 Swaziland

20 Journal of Social Development in Africa, Special Issue. Vol. 26. No. 1. Botswana. 2011

21 Journal of Humanities. Zambia. 2012.

22 Journal of Sudanese Studies. Vol. 9. 2013

23 Journal of Social Sciences. Special Issue Vol. 37. No. 2. South Africa (India) 2013

The OSSREA Bulletin

Tri-Annual

Feature Articles

Less Formal

Volume XII

Platform for publication

Formally Published in 2004 before that in

News letter form.

Ethiopia 2

Kenya 1

Zimbabwe 4

South Africa 1

Foreign 2

OSSREA Bulletin Vol. VIII No.1, 2&3- Authors’

Distribution by Country 2011

AfDB PUBLICATIONS

The PRSP Series specific objectives were to :

Assess the core element of the poverty reduction

strategies with respect to the desired targets;

Analyze the feasibility of envisaged approaches in

implementing the strategies and sustainability of

outcomes;

In relation to the above, to assess the monitoring and

evaluation indicators as well as the institutional

aspects of the implementation of startegies;and

Analyze the role of IMF conditionalities and other

regional and global issues relevant to the process,

including debt reduction, market access and foreign

investment.

Assessment of Poverty Reduction Strategies in

sub-Saharan Africa: The case of Zambia

Author: OSSREA

Year: 2008 Publisher: OSSREA

Assessment of Poverty Reduction Strategies in

sub-Saharan Africa: The case of Uganda

Author: OSSREA

Year: 2008 Publisher: OSSREA

Assessment of Poverty Reduction Strategies in

sub-Saharan Africa: The case of Rwanda

Author: OSSREA

Year: 2008 Publisher: OSSREA

Assessment of Poverty Reduction Strategies in

sub-Saharan Africa: The case of Malawi

Author: OSSREA

Year: 2008 Publisher: OSSREA

Assessment of Poverty Reduction Strategies in

sub-Saharan Africa: The case of Kenya

Author: OSSREA

Year: 2008 Publisher: OSSREA

Assessment of Poverty Reduction Strategies in

sub-Saharan Africa: The case of Ethiopia

Author: OSSREA

Year: 2008 Publisher: OSSREA

The Country Specific Cases were:

Ethiopia

Kenya

Malawi

Rwanda

Uganda

Zambia

In 2009 a Synthesis Report was done were it was

suggested that:

“PRSP assessments should be undertaken on a

continuous basis and the political will necessary to

steer the required process should be fostered and

developed in a manner that creates an overall

enabling environment with regard to broad-based

active participation and involvement of all

stakeholders”

OSSREA WEBSITE (Soft Publishing)

General Information

Open Access for previous and present Research

Output

Windows for the 25 Chapters to publish in their

own language

Call for papers

Repository (Annual Reports, Abstracts, members,

Proceedings etc.)

Services Jan-Dec

2011

Jan-Dec

2012

Jan-Dec

2013

Jan-Dec

2014

Number of page hits for

www.ossrea.net

3,852,754 5,247,054 8,756,30

9

7,441,485

Number of page hits for

publications.ossrea.net

1,719,356 2,034,629 3,508,94

1

3,982,231

Number of page hits for

members.ossrea.net

123,400 197,363 675,090 851,357

Number of E-Mail Subscribers List 8,912 18,683 33,611 15,876

Number of OSSREA’s Face book

Page Fans

848 966 1,119 1,261

Number of Twitter Followers - 519 606 698

Other Information (Jan - Dec 2011-2014)

Rank Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July August Sept Oct Nov Dec

1st Ethiopia Ethiopi

a

Ethiopi

a

S.

Africa

Ethiopi

a

Ethiopi

a

Ethiopi

a

Ethiopi

a

Ethiopi

a

Ethiopi

a

Ethiopi

a

Ethiopi

a

2nd Kenya Kenya Zimbab

we

Ethiopi

a Kenya

S.

Africa Kenya Kenya

Zimbab

we

Zimbab

we Kenya Kenya

3rd Zambia Zambia Kenya Zimbab

we Zambia Zambia

S.

Africa

Zimbab

we Kenya Kenya

Zimbab

we Zambia

4th Zimbabwe Zimbab

we Zambia Kenya

Zimbab

we Kenya Zambia

S.

Africa

South

Africa

South

Africa Zambia

Zimbab

we

5th South

Africa

South

Africa

Tanzani

a Zambia

S.

Africa

Zimbab

we

Zimbab

we Zambia Zambia Zambia

South

Africa

Tanzani

a

6th Tanzania Uganda Uganda Uganda Zambia Tanzani

a Uganda Uganda Sudan Uganda

Tanzani

a Uganda

7th Uganda Tanzani

a

Botswa

na

Tanzani

a Uganda Uganda

Tanzani

a

Tanzani

a Uganda

Tanzani

a Uganda Sudan

8th Sudan Sudan Sudan Sudan Tanzani

a

Botswa

na Sudan

Rwand

a

Tanzani

a

Botswa

na

Rwand

a

Rwand

a

Chapters rank according to website access (hits) in 2014

Rank Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Oct Nov Dec

1st Canada Canada Canada Canada Canada Canada Canada Canada Canada Ukraine Ukraine Ukraine

2nd USA Luxemb

ourg Ukraine

S.

Africa

Ukraine Ukraine Ukraine Ukraine Ukraine

Canada

Canada

USA

3rd Ukraine USA USA US

USA

US USA USA China

China

Turkey

Canada

4th China Thailan

d China Ukraine

China China Ethiopia Turkey Turkey

USA

China

China

5th Russia Turkey German

y Russia

Russia Brazil Finland Russia USA

Britain

France

Brazil

Top five countries from where OSSREA’s website is accessed in 2014

DISSEMINATION

• ABC-Print on Demand

• EBSCO

• PROQUEST

• AJOL

• Project Muse

• Africa Portal

• 25 Chapter universities (MoU)

• Stakeholders Meetings, Dissemination workshops,

Radio Programmes, Policy Briefs

• OSSREA Website

Think Tank Rankings for OSSREA-2014

- Top Think Tanks Worldwide (U.S. and non-

U.S.) - 138

- Top Think Tanks in Sub-Saharan Africa - 27

- Top Health Policy Think Tanks - 22

- Top Global Health Policy Think Tanks - 17

- Top International Economic Policy Think Tanks

- 34

- Top Social Policy Think Tanks - 35

- Best Managed Think Tanks - 41

- Think Tanks with the Best Use of the Internet -

35

- Think Tanks with the Most Significant Impact

on Public Policy - 66

THE REVIEW PROCESS

1) Call for papers

2) In house Selection

3) Peer Review

4) Re-sending to Authors

5) Correspondence with Authors

6) Editorial Board

7) Selection

8) Editing and Type Setting

9) Press

10) Dissemination

11) Challenges

1) Call for Papers OSSREA’s Vision

To remain a centre of excellence for the creation and dissemination of

social science knowledge as well as linking social science research

with public policy and practice in Eastern and Southern Africa.

OSSREA’s Mission

To enrich an African research tradition that responds to national and

regional challenges and opportunities through building capacity of

and opportunity for social science scholars in Eastern and Southern

Africa.

OSSREA’s Goals are to:

Enhance the capacity of and provide opportunities for African scholars

to conduct social science research and promote the expansion of an

African research tradition.

Enhance the visibility of OSSREA through networking and

disseminating its research outputs.

Facilitate dialogue, cooperation and collaboration between

researchers, academicians and policy-makers in Africa and strengthen

the interface between public policy and social science research

2) In house Selection

Guidelines for Selecting Journal Articles for

Reviewers

(Only manuscripts with points 75%

and above qualify to be sent to

reviewers)

ORIGINALITY OF THEME (10%)

THE RESEARCH FRAMEWORK

(85%)

LANGUAGE AND WRITING (5%)

3)Peer Reviewers

a) Data Base

b) Inside the country and outside

c) Conflicting reports then sent to

a third reviewer

d) Portfolio of the Editorial Board

4) Re-sending to Authors

a) Depends on the response of reviewers

b) Depends on how fast authors respond

c) Depends on whether they make the

changes

d) Depends on the time frame

5) Correspondence with Authors

a) Continued till publication

b) Plagiarism Declaration

c) After publication

6) Editorial Board

Duties and Responsibilities of the

Editorial Board

a) To be fully involved in the selection of

articles and give editorial advice;

b) To ensure the topicality and relevance

of issues raised in the articles

selected;

c) To ensure that the EASSRR meets

international standards; and

d) To suggest ways of improving quality

7) Selection

a) Country Representation

b) Multidisciplinary Topics

c) More than one Author

d) Topicality and Variety

e) Based on the Strategic Plan

f) Gender Representation

8) Editing and Type Setting

a) Maintaining Standards

b) Same Formats and Colours

c) Quality Paper

d) The Chicago Manual of Style

e) ISBN Numbers

f) Publishers Page

9) Press

a) Eclipse Publishers ( Local Publishers)

b) A person in charge of OSSREA publications

c) Meeting deadlines

d) Proofs

e) Off prints

You give local publishing a chance to grow

and you are more in control.

International Publishers

James Currey, International Books,

Fountain Publishers, Palgrave Macmillan,

Routledge-Taylor and Francis group

More time consuming and demanding

The only problem is that you don’t have

copyright

10) Dissemination

a) AJOL

b) Project Muse

c) EBSCO

d) PROQUEST

e) ABC Publishers for our other

publications

f) Shama Publishers

g) OSSREA Website

h) African Portal

i) 25 African Universities

OPPORTUNITIES

a) The platforms for publishing increasing,

everyone wants good publishers;

b) Many universities are coming up in the region

with academics who want to publish;

c) Many languages;

d) Theses

e) Trainings for editors

f) Trainings for writers

11) Challenges

a) Quality articles

b) Meeting Deadlines

c) Submissions that follow the style

d) Lack of a proper research framework for the social

sciences more of a literature review

e) No proper systematic analysis

f) Recommendations not based on the research

g) Open source

h) Financial transaction-payments, e-books etc.

The Way Forward

Complete Open Access (Digital Library)

More Languages

Publishing Theses

More RSS Feeds and access to information

Promoting Aggressively

Networking

Trainings

THANK YOU