​PUBLICATION DETAILS 

• Publisher: FLAA Publishing

• Frequency: Biannual — two issues per year

• Format: Digital publication via the AJFLP website, with print-on-demand options for institutions

• Citation Style: OSCOLA

• Language: English

• Contact: info@fashionlawacademyafrica.com

 

 

CALL FOR PAPERS — VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2

Theme:

Cultural Heritage, Traditional Knowledge, and the Limits of IP Protection in African Fashion

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Submission Deadline: 31 July 2026

 

Publication Date: November 2026

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Theme Overview:

Across Africa, some of the world's most distinctive and culturally significant textile and fashion traditions such as Kente, Bogolan, Aso-Oke, Adinkra, Kitenge, and countless others, are being reproduced, commercialised, and monetised on a global scale. The communities from which these traditions originate frequently receive neither attribution nor compensation. The legal frameworks that might protect them, intellectual property law, traditional knowledge protections, geographical indications, and customary law are fragmented, under-enforced, and in many cases simply absent.

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Volume 1, Issue 2 of the African Journal of Fashion Law & Policy invites submissions that examine this protection gap from multiple angles: doctrinal, comparative, empirical, and policy-oriented. We are particularly interested in work grounded in the African legal context that engages seriously with the practical realities facing designers, communities, policymakers, and legal practitioners on the continent.

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Suggested Areas of Focus:

Submissions may engage with, but are not limited to, the following:

• The adequacy of existing IP frameworks such as copyright, trademark, design protection, geographical indications, for protecting African cultural heritage in fashion

• Traditional knowledge and the limits of Western IP paradigms in the African context

• Community rights, collective ownership, and the legal status of culturally significant textiles and designs

• Geographical indications as a protection mechanism through comparative analysis and African case studies

• The role of customary law and indigenous legal systems in protecting traditional fashion and textile knowledge

• Cultural appropriation, cultural exchange, and the law. With a focus on where legal frameworks currently draw the line

• National legislative approaches to traditional knowledge protection

• Case studies of specific communities, textiles, or disputes involving the commercialisation of African fashion heritage

 

Submission Categories:

1. Academic Articles: 1,500 to 3,000 words. Original, peer-reviewed scholarship on any aspect of the Volume 1, Issue 2 theme.

2. Case Notes: 800 to 1,500 words. Analysis of a specific case, regulatory development, or legal event relevant to the theme.

3. Book Reviews: 800 to 1,200 words. Reviews of recently published books relevant to African fashion law, IP, cultural heritage, or creative industries law.

4. Practitioner Commentary: 1,000 to 2,000 words. Reflective pieces from legal practitioners, policymakers, or industry professionals engaging with the theme from a practice or policy perspective.

 

Important Dates:

• Call Opens: April 2026

• Submission Deadline: 31 July 2026

• Notification of Acceptance: September 2026

• Final Revised Manuscripts Due: Early October 2026

• Publication: October/November 2026

 

Publication Ethics:

AJFLP adheres to international standards of scholarly integrity. The Journal enforces a peer review process to ensure fairness and academic quality. Authors are required to acknowledge all sources accurately, obtain permissions for copyrighted materials, and comply with applicable research ethics standards. Any form of plagiarism, duplicate submission, or misrepresentation will result in disqualification.

 

How to Submit:

Please read the Author Guidelines carefully before submitting. Send all submissions to info@fashionlawacademyafrica.com with the subject line: AJFLP Vol. 1 Issue 2 Submission — [Category] — [Author Surname]. Queries may be directed to the same address.