Contribution Guidelines

We invite comments on blog entries as well as your own contributions (usually between 500 and 1200 words) on any aspect of humanitarianism on the continent, or comparisons between humanitarianism in Africa with other regions of the world.

In addition to typical blog entries, here are ways you can contribute:

  • An analytical news article or report that aligns with one of the Blog’s themes for “In the News”
  • Online content that has problematic assumptions, framing, or language that can be critiqued for “Track Changes”
  • Problematic and helpful examples of humanitarianism in Africa for “What People Who Want To ‘Help Africa’ Should Know”
  • Job, grant, or conference opportunities available to those on the African continent for “Opportunities”
  • Upcoming events open to the public for “Events”

We especially encourage those submissions that incorporate analyses of religion, faith-based humanitarianism, or the ethics of mercy and charity. Submissions can be theoretical or conceptual, policy related, artistically inspired, commentaries on current events, or a combination of any of the above. We also welcome suggestions for additional participants; relevant news articles from around the continent, updates from NGOs, etc.

We recognize that the worlds of scholarship, faith-based institutions, NGOs, foundations, donors, international organizations, and policy-makers each have their own vocabularies and terminologies, some of which have become well-known to members internal to the group, some of which are shared among groups, and some of which can be difficult to decipher to those outside a given group. These terms and vocabularies have social and ethical as well as practical implications. We cannot always avoid the use of particular terms, but we can strive to make them understood across discourses whenever possible. Therefore, we encourage contributions that explain if they cannot avoid organizational terminology and that provide the necessary context for the issues addressed.

The CIHA Blog aims to continue to expand a network that includes faculty and graduate students across the African continent, at the University of California, Irvine, and at other institutions in North America, Africa and elsewhere. We also seek to establish ongoing relationships with religious groups, NGOs, and international organizations. If you or your institution would like to be part of this network, please contact one of the co-editors.