Ders Kitaplarında Avrupamerkezci Söylem: Güney Sudan Ortaöğretim Tarih Ders Kitapları Üzerine Bir Analiz

Burhan Acar

doi:10.54132/akaf.1958385

TR EN FR

Ders Kitaplarında Avrupamerkezci Söylem: Güney Sudan Ortaöğretim Tarih Ders Kitapları Üzerine Bir Analiz

Abstract

Tarih ders kitapları, ulusal kimliğin inşa edildiği başlıca metinler olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Bu da onları ulusal devletlerin ideolojik aygıtlarından biri kılar. Bilhassa Afrika devletlerinin sömürgecilik sonrası deneyimleri ile değerlendirildiğinde, bu metinler, dekolonizasyon sürecinin de entelektüel boyutunu yansıtmaktadır. Bu önemlidir çünkü James Blaut’un da vurguladığı üzere sömürgeciliğin bir yansıması olan Avrupamerkezciliğe karşı güçlü bir farkındalık oluşturur. Bir noktada dekolonizasyon sürecini yaşamış toplumlarda bu anlatıdan uzaklaşma çabası kendini güçlü bir şekilde gösterir. Ancak Avrupamerkezcilik, kendisini yeniden üretebilen ideolojik bir çerçeveye sahiptir. Bu da tarih ders kitapları gibi farkındalığı yüksek metinlerde, söz konusu epistemolojik kalıpların ne ölçüde varlık gösterdiği gibi önemli bir tartışma alanı oluşturmaktadır. Bu bağlamda 2011 yılında bağımsızlığını kazanan ve bir Afrika devleti olarak dekolonizasyon mirasını taşıtan Güney Sudan’da, tarih ders kitaplarının Avrupamerkezci söylemi ne ölçüde yeniden ürettiği çalışmanın temel problemini oluşturmaktadır. Çalışmada iç savaş sonrası 2018 yılında yayımlanan ortaöğretim tarih ders kitapları incelenmiştir. Bu metinlerde yer alan Avrupamerkezci söylemler tespit edilip analiz edilmiştir. Çalışma, Avrupamerkezciliğin temel söylemleri olan tarihsel zaman, mekân, anlatı, kavramlar, toplumsal modeller ile olay, olgu ve aktörler üzerinden yapılan bir çözümlemedir. Ayrıca ders kitaplarını tamamlayıcı nitelikte olan öğretmen kılavuzları da incelemeye dahil edilerek bulgular desteklenmiştir. İncelenen ders kitapları, içerik düzeyinde sömürgecilik karşıtı olmasına rağmen kimi söylemler üzerinden Avrupamerkezci epistemolojiyi yeniden üretmektedir. Özellikle de Afrika’nın tarihsel deneyiminin, çoğu zaman Avrupa merkezli bir çerçeve içinde konumlandırıldığı görülmüştür.

Keywords

Eurocentric Discourse in Textbooks: An Analysis of South Sudan Secondary School History Textbooks

Abstract

History textbooks emerge as primary texts through which national identity is constructed, thereby functioning as one of the ideological apparatuses of nation-states. Especially when considered in light of the post-colonial experiences of African states, these texts also reflect the intellectual dimension of the decolonization process. This is significant because, as James Blaut emphasizes, it fosters a strong awareness against Eurocentrism as a reflection of colonialism. In societies that have undergone decolonization, efforts to move away from this narrative become particularly pronounced. However, Eurocentrism possesses an ideological framework capable of reproducing itself. This, in turn, creates an important field of discussion regarding the extent to which such epistemological patterns persist in texts with a high level of awareness, such as history textbooks. In this context, the main problem of this study is to examine to what extent history textbooks in South Sudan—which gained independence in 2011 and, as an African state, carries the legacy of decolonization—reproduce Eurocentric discourse. The study analyzes secondary school history textbooks published in 2018 following the civil war. Eurocentric discourses present in these texts are identified and examined. The analysis is conducted through the core dimensions of Eurocentrism, namely historical time, space, narrative, concepts, social models, as well as events, phenomena, and actors. In addition, teachers’ guides accompanying the textbooks are included to support the findings. The findings indicate that although the textbooks adopt an anti-colonial stance at the level of content, they reproduce Eurocentric epistemology through certain discursive patterns. In particular, Africa’s historical experience is often positioned within a Europe-centered framework.

Keywords

Le Discours Eurocentrique dans les Manuels Scolaires : Une Analyse des Manuels d’Histoire de l’Enseignement Secondaire au Soudan du Sud

Abstract

Les manuels d’histoire apparaissent comme des textes fondamentaux dans la construction de l’identité nationale. À ce titre, ils constituent l’un des principaux instruments idéologiques des États-nations. En particulier lorsqu’ils sont évalués à la lumière des expériences postcoloniales des États africains, ces textes reflètent également la dimension intellectuelle du processus de décolonisation. Cet aspect est d’autant plus important qu’il contribue, comme l’a souligné James Blaut, à développer une conscience critique face à l’eurocentrisme, considéré comme l’un des héritages du colonialisme. Dans les sociétés ayant connu un processus de décolonisation, une volonté manifeste de s’éloigner de ce type de discours se fait ainsi observer. Toutefois, l’eurocentrisme possède une structure idéologique capable de se reproduire sous différentes formes. Cette situation ouvre un champ de réflexion important quant à la persistance de ces schémas épistémologiques dans des textes à forte portée symbolique et éducative, tels que les manuels scolaires d’histoire. Dans ce contexte, la problématique principale de cette étude consiste à examiner dans quelle mesure les manuels d’histoire au Soudan du Sud — pays ayant accédé à l’indépendance en 2011 et porteur, en tant qu’État africain, de l’héritage de la décolonisation — reproduisent le discours eurocentré. L’étude analyse les manuels d’histoire de l’enseignement secondaire publiés en 2018 après la guerre civile. Les discours eurocentrés présents dans ces textes ont été identifiés puis analysés. L’analyse repose sur les principales dimensions du discours eurocentré, notamment le temps historique, l’espace, le récit, les concepts, les modèles sociaux ainsi que les événements, phénomènes et acteurs historiques. En outre, les guides pédagogiques destinés aux enseignants, qui accompagnent les manuels scolaires, ont également été intégrés à l’analyse afin d’étayer les résultats obtenus. Les manuels étudiés, bien qu’ils adoptent à première vue une position anticoloniale au niveau du contenu, reproduisent néanmoins, à travers certains discours, une épistémologie eurocentrée. Il apparaît en particulier que l’expérience historique de l’Afrique est fréquemment replacée dans un cadre d’interprétation centré sur l’Europe.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

Turkish

Subjects

Postcolonial Studies, African Studies

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Burhan Acar ^*
0009-0000-8735-1425
Türkiye

Publication Date

September 24, 2026

Submission Date

May 25, 2026

Acceptance Date

July 30, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 8 Number: 1

DOI

https://doi.org/10.54132/akaf.1958385

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA88AX26HP

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Acar, B. (2026). Ders Kitaplarında Avrupamerkezci Söylem: Güney Sudan Ortaöğretim Tarih Ders Kitapları Üzerine Bir Analiz. Akdeniz Havzası Ve Afrika Medeniyetleri Dergisi, 8(1), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.54132/akaf.1958385

AMA

1.Acar B. Ders Kitaplarında Avrupamerkezci Söylem: Güney Sudan Ortaöğretim Tarih Ders Kitapları Üzerine Bir Analiz. AKAF. 2026;8(1):1-19. doi:10.54132/akaf.1958385

Chicago

Acar, Burhan. 2026. “Ders Kitaplarında Avrupamerkezci Söylem: Güney Sudan Ortaöğretim Tarih Ders Kitapları Üzerine Bir Analiz”. Akdeniz Havzası Ve Afrika Medeniyetleri Dergisi 8 (1): 1-19. https://doi.org/10.54132/akaf.1958385.

EndNote

Acar B (September 1, 2026) Ders Kitaplarında Avrupamerkezci Söylem: Güney Sudan Ortaöğretim Tarih Ders Kitapları Üzerine Bir Analiz. Akdeniz Havzası ve Afrika Medeniyetleri Dergisi 8 1 1–19.

IEEE

[1]B. Acar, “Ders Kitaplarında Avrupamerkezci Söylem: Güney Sudan Ortaöğretim Tarih Ders Kitapları Üzerine Bir Analiz”, AKAF, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 1–19, Sept. 2026, doi: 10.54132/akaf.1958385.

ISNAD

Acar, Burhan. “Ders Kitaplarında Avrupamerkezci Söylem: Güney Sudan Ortaöğretim Tarih Ders Kitapları Üzerine Bir Analiz”. Akdeniz Havzası ve Afrika Medeniyetleri Dergisi 8/1 (September 1, 2026): 1-19. https://doi.org/10.54132/akaf.1958385.

JAMA

1.Acar B. Ders Kitaplarında Avrupamerkezci Söylem: Güney Sudan Ortaöğretim Tarih Ders Kitapları Üzerine Bir Analiz. AKAF. 2026;8:1–19.

MLA

Acar, Burhan. “Ders Kitaplarında Avrupamerkezci Söylem: Güney Sudan Ortaöğretim Tarih Ders Kitapları Üzerine Bir Analiz”. Akdeniz Havzası Ve Afrika Medeniyetleri Dergisi, vol. 8, no. 1, Sept. 2026, pp. 1-19, doi:10.54132/akaf.1958385.

Vancouver

1.Burhan Acar. Ders Kitaplarında Avrupamerkezci Söylem: Güney Sudan Ortaöğretim Tarih Ders Kitapları Üzerine Bir Analiz. AKAF. 2026 Sep. 1;8(1):1-19. doi:10.54132/akaf.1958385

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Short quotations should be written in quotation marks. Quotations longer than 4 lines should be written as a separate paragraph, at an indent of 1 cm with 10 pt. Quotation marks should not be used for such cases.

If more than one article of an author published on the same issue is used, the letters "a, b, c, ..." should be used respectively to distinguish the publications and this usage should be included both in text and in the references part.

Orthography and punctuation of manuscripts should be based on the Turkish Language Association Orthography Guide: https://www.tdk.gov.tr/tdk/kurumsal/yazim-kilavuzu.

Citations in the Text:

Single Author: (Creswell, 2014) - (Creswell, 2014: 126)

Two Authors: (Yıldırım & Şimşek, 2013) - (Yıldırım & Şimşek, 2013: 23)

Three or More Authors: (Narin et al., 2019) – (Martin et al., 2020)

Note: Page numbers are required for direct citations.

Affiliation names:

First Citation in The Text: (World Health Organization [WHO], 2020)

Recurring Citations: (WHO, 2020).

Usage Samples in-Text Citations:

Creswell (2014), Yıldırım and Şimşek (2013), Narin et al. (2019)

For cases more than one author is cited in parenthesis, the manuscripts should be separated with “;” (semicolon): (Creswell, 2014; Yıldırım & Şimşek, 2013; Narin et al. 2019).

Reference types:

Book:

Book with a single author:

Creswell, J. W. (104). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approach (4. ed.). Sage Publications.

Narin, B. (2017). Gazetecilik 2.0: İnternet gazeteciliğinde hipermetinsellik. Gece Kitaplığı.

If the same author has published more than one article in same year:
Carlson, N. R. (2007a). Foundations of physiology and psychology. (7th edition). Pearson Allyn & Bacon.

Carlson, N. R. (2007b). Physiology of behaviour. Pearson Allyn & Bacon.

Books with two authors:
Yıldırım, A., & Şimşek, H. (2013). Sosyal bilimlerde nitel araştırma yöntemleri (9. bs.). Seçkin Yayıncılık.

Çaylı, E. & Depeli, G. (2012). İfade özgürlüğünün on yılı 2001-2012. IPS İletişim Vakfı Yayınları.

Books with more than three authors:
Telli Aydemir, A., Doğu B., Özçetin, B., İslamoğlu, G., Bayraktutan, G., Binark M. & Çomu, T., (2014). Siyasetin yeni hali: Vaka-i sosyal medya - seçimden seçime, gezi direnişi'nden hükümet cemaat çatışmasına. Kalkedon.

Books without an author:
Atlas of Anatomy. (2002). Cobham, Taj Books.

Note: In APA 7th edition, there is no “publication place” information in book tags. If there is a DOI number, it should be added to the bottom as “http…”. In APA 7th edition, instead of writing “Doi:…” the web address starting with “http” is to be added.

Translated Books:
Castro, F. (2008). My life (A. Hurley, Trans.). Dover. (Original work published 2006).

Fiske, J. (2003). İletişim çalışmalarına giriş (S. İrvan, Çev.). Bilim ve Sanat. (Original publication date 1990).

Books with Editors:
Mansell, R., Avgerou, C., Quah, D., & Silverstone R. (Eds.). (2007). The Handbook of Information and Communication Technologies. Oxford University Press.

Hülür, H., & Yaşın, C. (Eds.). (2017). Yeni medya geleceğin gazeteciliği. Ütopya.

Note: In books with a single editor, the term (Ed.), and in books with multiple editors the term (Eds.) is used. In APA 7th edition, usage of “Doi:…” format while writing Doi number is replaced by the rule of writing the whole web address starting with "http".

Chapter in an Edited Book
Kayıhan, B. (2019). Toplumsal hareketlerin Twitter’a yansımaları ve hashtag aktivizm ile ilgili çalışmalar. İçinde H. Hülür & C. Yaşın (Eds.), Bilgi doğruluk ve Twitter. (ss. 140-157). Ütopya Yayınevi.

Greenstein, S., & Prince, J. (2007). Internet diffusion and geography of the digital divide in the United States. In E. Mansell, C. Avgerou, D. Quah & R. Silverstone R. (Eds.), The Handbook of Information and Communication Technologies (pp.168-195). Oxford University Press.
Note: DOI numbers must be added if available. In APA 7th edition, usage of “Doi:…” format while writing Doi number is replaced by the rule of writing the whole web address with “http”.

Article:
Yetkin, B. (2020). Siyasal iletişimde bilişimsel propaganda: Türkiye’de 23 Haziran 2019 İstanbul Yerel Seçimleri ve botlar, cyborglar, troller. İletişim Kuram ve Araştırma Dergisi, 2020(52), 24-45.

Gallacher, J. D., Heerdink, M. W., & Hewstone, M. (2021). Online engagement between opposing political protest groups via social media is linked to the physical violence of offline encounters. Social Media + Society, 7(1), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305120984445

Note: In APA 7th edition, the usage of the “Doi:…” format while writing the Doi number is replaced by the rule of writing the whole web address with “http”. DOI numbers must be added if available. In articles, the name of the article should be written in lower case in a plain font, and the name of the Journal should be written in italic with capital initials. Journal volume number should be italic, issue number should be in the parentheses and plain font.

Dissertation / thesis:
Çiçek, T. (2020). Dijital gazetelerde hayvanların ideolojik temsili [Unpublished postgraduate thesis]. Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli Üniversitesi.

Proceedings:
Turancı, E. (2020, 21-23 October). Public Relations and advertising students’ attitude of Moodle: Open-source learning platform. [Conference presentation abstract]. 7th International Communication Days Communications Education In The Digital Age Symposium, Istanbul, Turkey.

Kayıhan, B. (2020, 4-6 Kasım). Fail ile Yapı Arasında İlişkisel Haber Okuma Süreci. [Conference presentation abstract]. IV. İlişkisel Sosyal Bilimler Kongresi, Ankara, Türkiye.

Electronic Sources:

World Health Organization. (2018, May 24). The top 10 causes of death. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/the-top-10-causes-of-death

Citation of the news on a web page:
Toner, K. (2020, September 24). When Covid-19 hit, he turned his newspaper route into a lifeline for senior citizens. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/04/us/coronavirus-newspaper-deliveryman-groceries-senior-citizens-cnnheroes-trnd/index.html

Newspaper:
Exploration of the Coast (1987, November 24). The Guardian.

Movie:
Ledoux, P. (Producer) & Besson, L. (Director). (1994). Léon [Movie]. ABD: Columbia Pictures & Gaumont.

Facebook post:
News From Science. (2019, June 21). Are you a fan of astronomy? Enjoy reading about what scientists have discovered in our solar system—and beyond? This [Image attached] [Status update]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/ScienceNOW/photos/a.117532185107/10156268057260108/?type=3&theater

In the text: (News From Science, 2019)

Instagram post:
Philadelphia Museum of Art [@philamuseum]. (2019, December 3). “It’s always wonderful to walk in and see my work in a collection where it’s loved, and where people are [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/B5oDnnNhOt4/

In the text: (Philadephia Museum of Art, 2019)

Twitter post:
APA Databases [@APA_Databases]. (2020, September 2). We have curated a collection of Journal articles from APA PsycArticles on #COVID19. View: https://bit.ly/2QrWj76 for recent coverage [Image attached] [Tweet].Twitter. https://twitter.com/APA_Databases/status/1301175576703664128.

Gates, B. [@BillGates]. (2019, September 7). Today, it's difficult for researchers to diagnose #Alzheimers patients early enough to intervene. A reliable, easy, and accurate diagnostic would [Thumbnails with a link attached] [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/BillGates/status/1170305718425137152.

In the text: (APA Databases, 2020; Gates, 2019)

For more citation examples: https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/references/examples/

Submission and Tracking: All submissions and the subsequent review process are managed via the DergiPark system.

You can download the copyright form from here.

The Journal of Mediterranean Basin and African Civilisations (AKAF), published by Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University, operates in full compliance with international publication ethics standards.
All works are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). This licence allows users to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of articles, or otherwise use them for any non-commercial purpose, provided that appropriate credit is given, a link to the licence is included, and any changes made are indicated.
AKAF follows the ethical standards issued by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), the Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (OASPA), and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME). The Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors and the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing, as set out by COPE, have been adopted by the journal’s editorial board. The principles can be accessed at: https://publicationethics.org/resources/guidelines-new/principles-transparency-and-best-practice-scholarly-publishing.

Committee on Publication Ethics, COPE) https://publicationethics.org/)

Directory of Open Access Journals, DOAJ) https://doaj.org/apply/transparency/

Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association, OASPA) Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing - OASPA

Transparency Principle
The journal’s operations are conducted with transparency and in accordance with established procedures.
As the scientific publication of the Mediterranean Basin and African Civilisations Research and Application Centre at Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University, AKAF began its international e-journal publishing activities in 2019. It publishes original scholarly works at both national and international levels on the languages, histories, literatures, arts, and cultures of Mediterranean and African countries with which Turkey has historical and cultural ties.
While research- and analysis-based studies from all disciplines within the context of the social sciences and humanities relating to Mediterranean and African civilisations are considered, the journal particularly welcomes articles, translations, reviews, and book notices in Turkish or English in the fields of language, literature, translation studies, history, folklore, sociology, psychology, philosophy, anthropology, archaeology, art history, and related interdisciplinary areas.
The journal is published tcontinuously. The system remains open for submissions year-round. The article submission and review process is conducted via the DergiPark platform, allowing relevant parties to access information and track each stage of the process.
Authors submit their manuscripts through DergiPark, a platform providing hosting and editorial process management for peer-reviewed academic journals in Turkey. For more information on DergiPark, see: https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/page/about.
All correspondence and processes of the journal are conducted through DergiPark’s highly secure and continuously updated system. Article files, correspondence, and process records are archived via DergiPark.
As a rule, accepted articles are published in the next available issue. However, the Editorial Board may decide to schedule certain articles for a later issue depending on the number of accepted works or their thematic focus. In such cases, authors will be informed accordingly.
Open Access Policy and Copyright
AKAF is an open-access journal. Authors retain the copyright of their works published in AKAF, which are licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). This licence permits the sharing, copying, and reproduction of the work in any medium or format, as well as its adaptation, transformation, and building upon it—provided that appropriate credit is given, a link to the licence is included, and the work is not used for commercial purposes. However, without written permission, neither the whole nor any part of the journal or its contents may be reproduced or quoted inappropriately or without proper citation.
AKAF does not charge any fees for submissions. Articles are published via the DergiPark system in accordance with its open-access policy. Submissions may be in Turkish or English. [The Copyright Agreement Form can be downloaded here.]

Authors’ Responsibilities
• Submitted manuscripts must align with the journal’s aims and scope. Authors are responsible for ensuring their work complies with scientific and ethical standards. Practices such as plagiarism, duplication, fabricated authorship/denial of authorship, data fabrication, redundant publication, copyright infringement, and undisclosed conflicts of interest are considered unethical. If an ethical breach is discovered after publication, the article will be removed from the system.
• Manuscripts must be prepared in accordance with the journal’s submission guidelines. Submissions not meeting these requirements will be rejected before editorial evaluation and peer review. In such cases, the author must make the necessary revisions and submit a new application.
• Authors must upload a signed, scanned copy of the Ethics Statement Form, confirming that the work is original, has not been published elsewhere, and is not under consideration in another journal or language.
• Authors are required to obtain a plagiarism report and upload it as an additional file to the system. The similarity rate must not exceed 20%. For works with a similarity rate of 20% or higher, the editorial board has the right to request revisions or reject the submission, depending on the nature of the similarity. Manuscripts found to contain plagiarism will be returned, and responsibility for such violations lies entirely with the author.
• Manuscripts should be submitted via the Article Tracking System at https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/akaf. Authors can track the peer review process through their personal account using their email address and password.
• Material subject to copyright (e.g., tables, figures, or extended quotations) may be used only with the necessary permissions and acknowledgements. The works or contributions of other authors, as well as consulted sources, must be used appropriately and cited in the references. Individuals who did not make a direct academic or scientific contribution to the research should not be listed as authors. The order of authorship must reflect the collective agreement of all authors, and all authors must confirm this order by signing the Copyright Agreement Form. A digital copy of the signed form must be uploaded to the system at the submission stage.
• For translated works, written permission must be obtained from the author or copyright holder and included with the submission.
• Individuals who do not meet the criteria for authorship but contributed to the study (e.g., technical support, editorial assistance, general guidance, financial or material support) should be acknowledged in a “Thanks / Acknowledgements” section.
• Authors must disclose any financial relationships, conflicts of interest, or competing interests that could influence the results of the research or its interpretation.
• If an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, they are obliged to promptly notify the editor and cooperate to correct or retract the article as necessary.
• Authors must hold the rights to use the data presented in the work, have obtained the necessary permissions for research/analysis, and, if applicable, possess documentation of consent from research participants.
• Manuscripts may not be submitted to more than one journal at the same time. A new submission can be made only after the conclusion of the previous submission’s review process.
• Changes to author responsibilities (e.g., adding or removing authors, changing the order of authors) cannot be proposed once the review process has begun.
• Submissions derived from theses, or presented as papers at congresses, symposia, or meetings, are eligible for publication. In such cases, authors must indicate to the editor which event the work was derived from, and this information must also be provided as a footnote in the article.
• Submissions must be received at least 30 days prior to the publication of the next issue in order to be considered for that issue; otherwise, they may be scheduled for a subsequent issue, depending on the journal’s publication capacity.
• The scientific, content-related, linguistic, and legal responsibility for works published in the journal rests entirely with the author(s).
Research Ethics
The Journal of Mediterranean Basin and African Civilisations (AKAF) upholds international standards of research ethics. Compliance with ethical principles is the responsibility of the author, and internationally recognised research ethics must be observed.
• For research involving human participants (e.g., surveys, interviews, experiments), Ethics Committee Approval must be obtained from the relevant institution. Studies lacking such approval will not be accepted. The Ethics Committee Approval document must be uploaded to the system along with the manuscript.
• In human research, it must be stated in the methodology section that informed consent has been obtained from participants.
• Participants in human studies must be informed about the purpose, method, and any potential risks of the research. Participation must be voluntary, not mandatory.
• If the research is conducted in an institution or organisation, documentation proving that the necessary permissions have been obtained from that institution must be provided.
• Any conflicts of interest in the research must be disclosed.
• For research involving children, individuals under guardianship, or those with a documented illness, consent from their legal guardian must be obtained and documented when required.
Responsibilities of Editors and Associate Editors
• The editor is responsible for overseeing the entire editorial and peer review process, from submission to publication, and for ensuring the quality and performance of the journal.
• The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for coordination among editors and associate editors, as well as for maintaining the overall quality of the publication. As a rule, editors handle manuscripts within their areas of expertise.
• Editors evaluate manuscripts independently of the authors’ ethnicity, gender, nationality, religious beliefs, or political views.
• Each manuscript is assigned both an editor and an associate editor, whose names are visible to authors in the DergiPark system. The assignment of manuscripts is based on the expertise of the editors and associate editors and is determined in advance, although exceptions may be made in cases of workload or leave.
• Editors assess submissions in terms of quality, content, and contribution to the field, and decide whether the manuscript will proceed to the review process. At this stage, manuscripts may be rejected without entering peer review.
• Associate editors check whether the manuscript files are complete and compliant with the journal’s author guidelines, ensuring that authors make any necessary revisions. Once the preliminary review is complete, associate editors forward the manuscripts to the relevant field editor for referee assignment.
• Associate editors maintain communication with authors, provide editors with updates and reminders, and help ensure an efficient process.
• Following the initial editorial evaluation, manuscripts deemed suitable are sent for peer review according to the principles of double-blind peer review and the transparent peer review model as applicable. Suitable manuscripts are sent to two national or international referees for evaluation.
• Editors prevent any conflicts of interest among authors, editors, and reviewers. If a referee fails to complete the review within a reasonable period, editors may contact them to expedite the process or appoint a new referee. Editors also monitor referees’ performance in terms of content, timeliness, and tone.
• Referees are selected from among experts in the relevant academic field who hold a doctoral degree and have published in that area. Since AKAF operates via the DergiPark system, referees must also be registered with DergiPark. Care is taken to avoid appointing referees from the same institution and/or department as the author, and peer evaluation principles are considered in referee selection. Information on referees from Turkish universities is obtained from the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) Academic website, while referees from abroad are identified via Publons.
• Following referee evaluation, editors review the reports, and the Editorial Board decides whether to accept the manuscript, send it to a third referee, or reject it. In cases of rejection, the reasons and referee reports are sent to the author.
• All information regarding submitted manuscripts remains confidential until publication. The Editor-in-Chief may, with the author’s knowledge, issue a correction or publish an erratum when necessary.
• The final decision on publication rests with the Editorial Board.

Reviewer Responsibilities
• Reviewers must evaluate manuscripts submitted for review objectively.
• Reviewers should accept or decline review requests based on whether the manuscript aligns with their field of expertise, and they should inform the editors of their decision as promptly as possible to ensure the smooth operation of the journal.
• Reviewers must maintain the confidentiality of all information related to the manuscripts they agree to review. If they detect any copyright infringement or plagiarism, they must report this—along with their reasoning—to the Editorial Board and prepare a written statement on the matter.
• By accepting a review invitation, reviewers confirm that they will complete the evaluation within the specified time frame. If this is not possible, they are expected to notify the editors without delay.
• Reviewers are expected to provide reasoned and constructive feedback. This practice supports the development of academic work and ensures that authors understand the basis of editorial decisions regarding their submissions.
• Reviewers must record their decision—together with a detailed rationale—in the “Notes to the Author” section of the review form.

Owner

MB

Mehmet Naci BOSTANCI

Communication Studies

Editor-in-Chief

Ayşe TOMAT YILMAZ

French Language, Literature and Culture

Editor

Mustafa TEKELI

Comparative Language Studies, Cultural Studies of Nation and Region, Turkish and Social Sciences Education (Diğer), European and Region Studies, African Studies

Editorial Assistants

Ayşegül DEMIR

Language Studies, British and Irish Language, Literature and Culture, Comparative and Transnational Literature

Esra ÇIMEN KARAYÜREK

Translation and Interpretation Studies, Translation Studies, French Language, Literature and Culture, Postcolonial Literature, Postcolonial Studies

Field Editor (Language and Literature Editor)

Yasin Murat DEMIR

Arabic Language, Literature and Culture

Nesibe ERKALAN ÇAKIR

Translation Studies, Textlinguistics, Literary Studies (Other), New Media, Environment and Culture

Field Editor (History)

Nasrullah UZMAN

Turkish Political Life, Migration Sociology, Turkish Foreign Policy, International Migration, History of The Republic of Turkiye, Political History, Ataturk's Principles History of Revolution, Late Modern Renewal History

Halil KAYA

African Studies, Political History, African Political History, Middle Eastern and North African History, Late Modern African History

Field Editor (Asian-African Studies)

Cansu KÖRKEM AKÇAY

Asian Language, Literature and Culture, Chinese Language, Literature and Culture, Asian Cultural Studies, Studies of Asian Society, Contemporary Asian History