Title:
From Colonial Rule to Nationhood:
Amílcar Cabral and the Birth of Lusophone Africa
Guest Editors: Francisco Leandro (UM), João Veloso (UM) and Anabela Santiago (UAveiro, Portugal)
The 2025 marked five decades since the formal independence of the Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa. While each liberation movement reflected the unique historical and cultural context of its nation, they shared common ideological foundations and strategic approaches. Central to this shared trajectory was Amílcar Cabral (1924–1973) – a visionary leader whose synthesis of theory and praxis, and integration of disciplines such as engineering, politics, and literature, played a pivotal role in uniting liberation movements and articulating a vision for a more equitable global order.
In this context, JANUS.NET, e-journal of International Relations invites submissions for a special issue dedicated to exploring the liberation struggles, independence processes, and state formation of Lusophone African countries, with a particular emphasis on the enduring relevance of Amílcar Cabral. This peer-reviewed issue-indexed in Scopus – is the result of academic collaboration between the University of Macau (China), University of Aveiro (Portugal) and the Autónoma University of Lisbon (Portugal).
We welcome contributions from scholars across disciplines and geographies that place Lusophone Africa at the center of their analysis.
Submissions may adopt qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-method approaches and should engage with the following themes:
Themes of Interest
• Innovative epistemologies and conceptual frameworks that deepen understanding of Lusophone African liberation movements.
• Analyses of Amílcar Cabral’s role using unconventional or interdisciplinary approaches in International Relations.
• Studies highlighting cultural contributions – particularly in literature, but not limited to – that shape Lusophone Africa’s global engagement.
• Contemporary assessments of independence and post-independence trajectories by scholars in the humanistic social sciences.
• Comparative studies that bridge knowledge produced in Europe and Asia with Lusophone African contexts, fostering dialogue among Asian, European, and Lusophone Studies.
• Broader reflections on the independence processes and current international positioning of Portuguese-speaking African countries.
• Language studies that explore the role of linguistic identity, multilingualism, and language policy in the revolutionary and post-independence processes of Lusophone Africa.
Submission General Guidelines
• Manuscripts should be between 7,500 and 10,000 words, written in professional academic English.
• Authors must adhere to the JANUS.NET house style: Author Guidelines
• International co-authorship is encouraged, as is collaboration between senior and early-career scholars.
• Abstract Submission: January-February 2026
• Full paper submission: May-June 2026
• Publication: September 2026
• Interested authors are welcome to discuss their proposals with the guest editors prior to submission. Main contact: Anabela Santiago (University of Aveiro, Portugal) – anabela.santiago@ua.pt
• The guest editors reserve the right to reject submissions at any stage if they do not meet the required academic standards.
