04/06/2026
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: THE “TONGUE-TIED” PROJECT
Organized by: Neosis Afrika
Project Classification: Pan-African Literary & Socio-Cultural Archive
Submission Modality: Open Call for Manuscripts and Analytical Frameworks
Firs Draft Official Closing Date: June 15, 2026
I. BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
Neosis Afrika hereby issues a formal call for submissions for its upcoming cohort publication, an interdisciplinary literary intervention addressing critical shifts in linguistic heritage across the African continent.
The initiative examines a pressing contemporary socio-cultural crisis: the accelerating disconnect between modern African populations and indigenous languages. As globalization and post-colonial structural frameworks entrench foreign languages (English, French, and Portuguese) as primary modes of institutional and daily communication, millions of citizens experience acute cultural alienation. This phenomenon—historically termed the "tongue-tied" dilemma—compromises the preservation of oral traditions, ancestral epistemologies, and regional philosophies, threatening intangible cultural heritage.
II. THEMATIC FOCUS
Submissions must align directly with the central theme:
“THE TONGUE-TIED GENERATION: Inheriting Empires, Losing Our Mother Tongues”
Contributors are requested to critically examine or creatively document the psychological, systemic, and historical weight of navigating native heritage through foreign linguistic structures.
III. CATEGORIES OF CONTRIBUTION AND SPECIFICATIONS
A. Creative Literature & Poetry
Scope: Exploration of the emotional, imaginative, and psychological dimensions of language attrition, memory, and identity.
Permitted Formats: Poetry, Spoken Word Text, Flash Fiction, Short Stories, Dramatic Prose.
Length Guidelines: Poetry (300–800 words) | Fiction (1,000–2,000 words).
Special Instructions: Inclusion of localized expressions, idiomatic proverbs, and culturally grounded imagery is highly encouraged.
B. Academic & Analytical Research
Scope: Critical evaluation of the African linguistic crisis utilizing historical, sociological, and geopolitical frameworks.
Permitted Formats: Research Essays, Policy Commentaries, Intellectual Papers.
Length Guidelines: 1,500–3,000 words.
Core Pillars: Linguistic imperialism, institutional education reforms, Pan-African identity matrixes, and indigenous knowledge preservation.
C. Documented Non-Fiction & Journalism
Scope: Field reportage and verified personal narratives detailing contemporary linguistic shifts.
Permitted Formats: Investigative Journalism, Feature Profiles, Structured Interviews, Literary Memoirs, Cultural Dispatches.
Length Guidelines: 1,000–2,500 words.
Target Areas: Endangered dialects, intergenerational communication barriers, and localized revitalization efforts.
IV. COMPLIANCE AND GUIDELINES
All participating contributors must strictly adhere to the following baseline criteria:
1. Rigorous Timelines: Due to the accelerated nature of the publication cycle, late entries will be disqualified or deferred without exception.
2. Pan-African Lens: Manuscripts must center African perspectives, emphasizing regional self-determination, historical preservation, and structural decolonization.
3. Academic & Creative Integrity: All submissions must represent original, unpublished work matching international creative and intellectual standards.
V. DISTRIBUTION AND ECONOMIC INTEGRATION
The final compendium will be published digitally to ensure global accessibility and data distribution. In alignment with sustainable creative industry practices, accepted contributors will be granted affiliate distribution access, enabling structural participation in the monetization and circulation of the final volume.
VI. SUBMISSION PROCESS
Interested writers and scholars are directed to skip preliminary registrations and submit complete, polished first drafts via electronic mail.
Submission Address: [email protected]
Firm Deadline: Monday, June 15, 2026
For institutional tracking, please ensure the email subject line clearly states the intended category (e.g., [Academic Submission] - Name or [Poetry Submission] - Name).
NEOSIS AFRIKA
Advancing Intellectual Liberation and Continental Discourse.
