Deadline: 19 May 2024
For our next issue, we are looking for essays that critically discuss Soyinka: 90 Years of Kongi. On 13 July 2024, Wole Soyinka, the first Black Nobel laureate will be 90 years old.
We are currently accepting submissions for our August-October 2024 issue, in which scholars and experts will critically discuss Soyinka: 90 Years of Kongi. On 13 July 2024, Wole Soyinka, the first Black Nobel laureate will be 90 years old. In celebration of this important milestone and in recognition of his significant contribution to theatre, poetry, fiction, critical theory, political discourse, geopolitical commentary and academics, our authors will take a critical look at Soyinka’s impact. From his first major play, The Swamp Dwellers, in 1958, Soyinka has for more than 65 years continued to leave his mark on the sand of time. Through the years, Soyinka has continued to shape literary and political discourse in Nigeria and the broader African continent.
Our authors will take a more modern critical look at the life and impact of Soyinka. Authors will explore his creative and critical work and the influence of his art and acts. We welcome submissions that re-examine his works and take a contemporary lens to view how relevant they are now, assessing the following topics:
- The Meaning of Wole Soyinka’s Literary Legacy
- Wole Soyinka and the Necessity of Black Difficulty (His works have been called challenging to read; why is his difficulty a good thing?)
- The Politics of Wole Soyinka
- The Philosophy of Wole Soyinka
- Revisiting Wole Soyinka and the Négritude Debate
- Feminist readings of Wole Soyinka
- Queer readings of Wole Soyinka
- Black Diasporic readings of Wole Soyinka / Wole Soyinka in the Black Atlantic
- Extended essays and/or reviews of the following works by Wole Soyinka which are reaching milestones:
- The Strong Breed (1964) 60 years
- Before the Blackout (1964) 60 years
- Kongi’s Harvest (1964) 60 years
- A Play of Giants (1984) 40 years
- Climate of Fear: The Quest for Dignity in a Dehumanized World (2004) 20 years
- The Lion and the Jewel (1959) 65 years
- Document of Identity (1999) 25 years
- New Imperialism (2009) 15 years
- Beyond Aesthetics: Use, Abuse, and Dissonance in African Art Traditions (2019) 5 years
- Ibadan: The Penkelemes Years: A Memoir 1945–1965 (1989) 45 years
- Photography: Nigeria’s Literary Landscape
- Other relevant essays on the state of Nigerian and African literature
We are looking for analytical and engaging essays, lectures, speeches, reading lists and book reviews that, without sacrificing analytical rigour, can serve as authoritative/definitive subject-matter guides to readers who may have limited knowledge of Soyinka’s works.
We expect submissions in the range of 1,500 to 3,500 words and will be accepting first drafts until 23:59 (WAT) Sunday 19 May 2024.
Authors of accepted submissions to this issue will be paid. Read our guidelines on submitting here and our style guide for details on spelling and formatting.
To submit an entry, please upload your submission here (you will need to log in or register to fill the form)⎈