It is with grave concern that we, the undersigned Somali academics, researchers, students, writers, activists, community members and our non-Somali academic and activist allies, write to you today.

We are deeply troubled by the extraordinary omission of Somali academics and researchers from the board of editors, international advisory board, and published authors of the newly launched academic journal Somaliland Journal of African Studies (SJAS). We are further disturbed by comments made publicly on Facebook by advisory board member and social anthropologist Dr. Markus Hoehne in response to and dismissive of the Somali-led critique of academic exclusion and Western dominance in SJAS and the field of Somali Studies more generally.

In its recent inaugural issue, the Somaliland Journal of African Studies described itself as an academic journal “covering African affairs at large, but with a particular focus on East Africa and the Horn.” It also stated that the journal was the product of collaboration “with students and scholars of the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies of the University of Hargeisa.” It was brought to our collective attention in late March that the editorial and advisory boards do not reflect this supposed partnership with UofH. Not a single Somali student or scholar from Hargeisa, the broader Somali region, or the vast Somali diaspora is represented in SJAS. Instead, the editorial and advisory board is made up of 9 Europe and US based academics – as well as two graduate student editors – and three Ethiopian academics affiliated with Addis Ababa University.

In response to this exclusion of Somali researchers and scholars from SJAS, there were conversations on Facebook between young Somali academics and activists on how to respond, and the announcement of a Twitter-based discussion on March 26th under the hashtag #CadaanStudies. “Cadaan” is the Somali term for whiteness, and the hashtag was intended to capture important questions of power, authority and knowledge production about the Somali territories, and how Somalis continue to be marginalized in academic and policy discussions concerning them.

Read more: Collective response to Dr Marcus
Halkan ka akhri Af Soomaali: Jawaab Wadajir ah oo ku Socota Dr Marcus

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