Social Dynamics

Aims & Scope

Social Dynamics strives to publish conceptually-informed research on Africa that addresses an interdisciplinary audience.

It is the journal of the Centre for African Studies at the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

It has been published since 1975, and is committed to advancing interdisciplinary academic research, fostering debate and engaging current issues pertaining to the African continent.

Articles cover the full range of humanities and social sciences including anthropology, archaeology, economics, education, history, literary and language studies, music, politics, psychology and sociology.

Social Dynamics is a peer-reviewed journal that runs themed symposia and publishes general papers, essays, book reviews and occasional debates and response papers across three issues per year.

Articles appearing in Social Dynamics are indexed in the Social Sciences Citation Index and other abstracting and indexing services.

The journal is edited by three academics and has received international recognition as a leading Africanist publication.

Metrics & Ranking

Abstracting & Indexing

Journal is indexed in leading academic databases, ensuring global visibility and accessibility of our peer-reviewed research.

• Scopus
• Google Scholar

Subjects & Keywords

Journal’s research areas, covering key disciplines and specialized sub-topics in Social Sciences, designed to support cutting-edge academic discovery.

Most Cited Articles

The Most Cited Articles section features the journal's most impactful research, based on citation counts. These articles have been referenced frequently by other researchers, indicating their significant contribution to their respective fields.

• Transactional Sex and the Pursuit of Modernity

  Citation: 256

  Authors: Suzanne

• The Black Atlantic Meets the Indian Ocean: Forging New Paradigms of Transnationalism for the Global South – Literary and Cultural Perspectives

  Citation: 157

  Authors: Isabel

• Grasping the unknowable: coming to grips with African urbanisms

  Citation: 126

  Authors: Edgar

• Domestic diversity and fluidity among some African households in Greater Cape Town

  Citation: 84

  Authors: Andrew, Vanessa, Peter

• The mind of apartheid: Geoffrey Cronjé (1907‐)

  Citation: 79

  Authors: J M

• Peripheries, suburbanisms and change in sub-Saharan African cities

  Citation: 79

  Authors: Alan, Siân, Robin

• Towards African-centred theories of masculinity

  Citation: 71

  Authors: Sakhumzi

• “Apostles of civilised vice”: ‘Immoral practices’ and ‘unnatural vice’ in South African prisons and compounds, 1890–1920

  Citation: 67

  Authors: Zackie

• The Debate about Household Headship

  Citation: 65

  Authors: Debbie

• “Divining” the city: rhythm, amalgamation and knotting as forms of “urbanity”

  Citation: 61

  Authors: Filip