1. Introduction

The Journal of Amhara Studies is a quarterly, multidisciplinary journal that publishes articles in Amharic and English. The journal’s aim is to provide a platform for the dissemination of research and critical thought on issues affecting the Amhara people, Ethiopia, and the wider region. We invite submissions from academics, researchers, policymakers, and the general public that contribute to knowledge in our key focus areas.

2. Target Readership

The journal is intended for a broad readership that includes:

• students and faculty in academia,
• researchers,
• professional associations,
• national, regional, and global policymakers, and
• the general public.

3. Types of Manuscripts Accepted

The Journal of Amhara Studies accepts a wide range of submissions, including:

• original research articles,
• review articles,
• research letters – shorter articles that report preliminary findings or highlight a specific, relevant issue,
• short communications – presenting partial findings or results that may need further validation or expansion in future work,
• comments and errata – critical responses to previously published work or corrections to earlier articles,
• review of conference proceedings – summaries and reviews of key developments from relevant academic conferences,
• index of peer-reviewed articles published on Amhara issues, and
• book reviews – critical reviews of recently published books relevant to the Amhara People, Ethiopia, or the Horn of Africa region.

4. Focus Areas

Submissions should focus on one or more of the following areas:

• economics, development, and rehabilitation;
• science and technology;
• health, education, and social services;
• agriculture, environment, and climate change;
• politics and human rights;
• law and governance;
• Amhara culture and language;
• history and heritage; and
• internal, regional, and international relations.

5. Submission Guidelines

5.1 General requirements

5.2 Formatting guidelines

• File format: manuscripts should be submitted in Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) or LaTeX (.tex) format.
• Font: Times New Roman, 12-point size.
• Line spacing: 1.5 lines for the main text.
• Margins: 1-inch margins on all sides.
• Maximum word limits:
  1. research articles: 8,000;
  2. review articles: 6,000;
  3. research letters: 2,500;
  4. short communications: 2,500;
  5. comments and errata: 2,000;
  6. conference reviews: 4,000; and
  7. rook reviews: 3,000.

5.3 Structure of research manuscripts

Each research manuscript should include the following sections:

• title page: title, author(s) name(s), affiliation(s), and contact details;
• abstract:  maximum 250 words-long concise summary highlighting the research question, methodology, and key findings;
• keywords: 4-6 relevant keywords;
• main text: a clear structure, including an introduction, methodology, results, discussion and/or conclusion; and
• reference style: follow the APA (6th Edition) for citations.

5.4 Figures, tables, and appendices

• figures: should be submitted as separate high-resolution image files (JPEG, PNG, or TIFF);
• tables: should be embedded in the manuscript and clearly captioned labeled;
• list of tables and figures: should be added at the end of the manuscript together with captions; and
• appendices: supplementary material can be included but should be referred to within the main text.

6. Peer Review Process

All submissions will undergo a double-blind peer review process to ensure the integrity and quality of the publication. The review process is estimated to take 6-8 weeks, during which reviewers will evaluate the manuscript based on originality, relevance, accuracy and clarity.

7. Ethical Considerations

The Journal of Amhara Studies follows strict ethical guidelines. Authors are expected to:

• make sure that their research has passed ethical review and certified by a competent authority – where applicable;
• avoid plagiarism and ensure all sources are properly cited;
• disclose any conflicts of interest;
• acknowledge all funding sources; and
• sign and attach the declaration form to the Editor-in-Chief as cover letter for the manuscript.

8. Submitting Your Manuscript

Submissions with attachments less than or equal to 24 MB should be sent directly to submissions@journalofamharastudies.org. Authors sending larger files should: (a) upload their files to Google Drive or One Drive, (b) allow a “Viewer” permission, and (c) share the corresponding link through the above email address. Authors will receive a confirmation email upon submission.

9. After Acceptance

Once a manuscript is accepted, authors will work with the journal’s editorial team to finalize their paper for publication. Authors are encouraged to proofread their work during this stage, as major changes will not be allowed after the approval of the proof.

10. Open Access Policy

The Journal of Amhara Studies follows an open-access policy to ensure that all research is freely available to the public. Specifically, contents appearing on the Journal of Amhara Studies are published under the Creative Commons CC BY-ND license.

11. Contact Information

For any inquiries regarding submissions, peer review, or publication, please contact the editorial team at editor@journalofamharastudies.org.