GUIDE FOR SCHOLARS SUBMITTING PROPOSALS TO THE COUNCIL

  1. Historical Publications Southern Africa (formerly the Van Riebeeck Society) was founded in 1918 to print, or reprint, for distribution among the members and for sale to the public, rare and valuable books, pamphlets and documents relating to the history of southern Africa. Fifty books were published in each of the First and Second Series. At present a Third Series is in progress. Editions are usually published in English; however, a non-English text may be published in the original language together with an English translation or alternatively only in an English translation, depending on the nature and scope of the work.
  2. Proposals for a publication should be sent to the Secretary of HiPSA at the address below. The proposal should include a brief descriptive statement of the project proposed (2-4 pages), an estimate of its anticipated length and an assessment of its historical and/or literary value, together with representative extracts from the manuscript and a short bibliography. Some indication as to when the final, edited manuscript will be ready should also be provided. In certain circumstances, the Council may require that the full text of the work be submitted too. If the Council approves the proposal and recommends its adoption as a project of the Society, HiPSA will enter into a contract with the editor(s) who will then be provided with a statement of ‘Instructions to Editors’ on the editing and preparation of manuscripts.
  3. It should be noted that the Society has only very limited funds available for research expenses and proposers should be aware that they may have to fund much of the research themselves or seek funding elsewhere.
  4. Completed manuscripts must be submitted to the Secretary. One or more readers designated by the Council will read the manuscript. Any comment for alteration, elucidation, or expansion on a point will be taken up with the editor who submitted the manuscript. Once the manuscript has been approved by the Council, the Council will begin the process of publication under the supervision of a designated member/s of the Council.
  5. The Society undertakes to cover all the costs associated with the publication of the volume. The inclusion of illustrations and maps will have to be negotiated with the Council. The editor of any volume published by the Society shall, in the case of a single editor, be entitled to receive gratis 6 copies of the work. If there are two editors involved, then 10 gratis copies shall be provided and if more than 2 editors, 12 gratis copies.
  6. The Council of HiPSA invites suggestions from all interested parties of appropriate sources of southern African history, which they would like to see available in critical editions. Comments may be directed to any member of the Council or the Secretary.
  7. Contact details for the Society are given at the bottom of the page