Publishing from the South: A Century of Wits University Press

Synopsis

In 2022 Wits University Press marked its centenary, making it the oldest, most established university press in sub-Saharan Africa. While in part modelled on scholarly publishers from the global North, it has had to contend with the constraints of working under global South conditions: marginalisation within the university, budgetary limitations, small local markets, unequal access to international sales channels, and the privileging of English language publishing over indigenous languages. This volume explores what the Press has achieved, and what its modes of reinvention might look like. In widening and deepening our understanding of the Press as an example of a global South scholarly publisher, this volume asks how publishing can contribute to a broader understanding of Southern knowledge production. Featuring contributions from scholars, publishers and authors this multi-voiced volume showcases the history of the Press’s publishing activities over 100 years: from documenting its evolution through book covers and giving credence to some of the leading black intellectuals and writers of the early 20th century and the success of those works in spite of their authors’ racial marginalisation, to the role of women, both in publishing and in the spaces afforded to women’s writing on the Press’s list. The collection concludes with essays by contemporary authors who detail not only their experiences of working with Southern publishers, but also the politics and influences governing their decisions to choose the Press over a Northern publisher. Publishing from the South shows the strategies deployed by the Press to professionalise Southern knowledge making, and in the process demonstrating how university presses in the global South support the scholarly missions of their universities for both local and global audiences.

Copyright:

2024

Book Details

Book Quality:

Publisher Quality

ISBN-13:

9781776149278

Publisher:

Wits University Press

Date of Addition:

02/06/25

Copyrighted By:

Sarah Nuttall and Isabel Hofmeyr

Adult content:

No

Language:

English

Has Image Descriptions:

No

Categories:

Nonfiction, Social Studies, Language Arts, Communication

Submitted By:

Bookshare Staff

Usage Restrictions:

This is a copyrighted book.

Edited by:

null Sarah Nuttall

Edited by:

null Isabel Hofmeyr

With:

null Gabeba Baderoon

With:

null Natasha Erlank

With:

null Amanda Esterhuysen

With:

null Shireen Hassim

With:

null Jonathan Klaaren

With:

null Veronica Klipp

With:

null Beth le Roux

With:

null Siphiwo Mahala

With:

null Athambile Masola

With:

null Achille Mbembe

With:

null Innocentia J Mhlambi

With:

null Hlonipha Mokoena

With:

null Sanele kaNtshingana

With:

null Kirsten Perkins

With:

null Kopano Ratele

With:

null Srila Roy

With:

null Corina van der Spoel

With:

null Ivan Vladislavić