ABOUT

MISSION STATEMENT FOR THE NEW SERIES

1. The range of material appropriate for the New Series is:

  • Historical texts that have not previously been published or are otherwise difficult to access.
  • Collections of documents assembled to address specific historical topics.
  • Reissues of classic texts hitherto only available in print in inadequate editions.

Sources for the volumes may, therefore, be (as relevant) printed, manuscript, oral or mixed.

2. The series concentrates on sources of the earlier periods but the FHA Committee will consider later sources in which African perspectives and historical experiences are strongly represented — though not collections of merely colonial or post-colonial administrative material.

Where a proposed text from the colonial era is in English and written by a European author, the committee will consider carefully what is added to this by the editor.”

3. The committee is open to any sources which meets the criteria of 1 and 2, but are especially aware of lacks in the following areas:

  • Arabic manuscripts
  • The Old Kingdom of Kongo
  • Oral Histories and Traditions
  • Southern Africa

4. Editions are published in English. In order to keep our volumes affordable and accessible, we do not always include original texts alongside English translations. Exceptions may be made for sources that of special interest for their choice and use of language and are not available elsewhere. In other cases, original texts can be displayed on our website as an accompaniment to the English translations in the volume, alongside other relevant material digitally which cannot be printed for reasons of cost (eg extensive photographic corpuses).

5. Editions will have all necessary scholarly apparatus. This normally includes detailed annotation of the text; a glossary of technical terms or words in languages other than English; maps and illustrations as necessary; a comprehensive bibliography and index.

Each volume also has an Introduction which explains the origin and authorship of the text, its relationship to other texts and its full historical context.

6. We strongly encourage authors to seek an African co-publisher; the British Academy and FHA welcome the opportunity to co-publish our volumes with African partners and can advise on suitable African publishers on request.

7. In advising on the appropriate length of a volume, the FHA Committee will bear in mind publication costs and the consequent affordability of the edition to those institutions and individuals (?) to whom the series and the edition are directed. The British Academy encourages all editors to consider applying for an outside subsidy towards the cost of publication.

8. Provided that proposed editions meet the above requirements, applications will be considered from scholars of any nationality.

9. The FHA Committee invites suggestions from all historians of Africa as to sources which they would like to see available in critical editions. Comments may be made to any member of the FHA Committee, or to the Chair.