The School of Law has recently published its much anticipated peer-reviewed journal titled ‘’Turf Law Journal’’, which seeks to create a platform for high quality research on transformative and developmental perspectives on law in South Africa and beyond.

The journal is the School of Law's first peer-reviewed journal with the purpose of providing transformative responses to legal issues in South Africa and around the world. The journal also welcomes comparative perspectives from across the African continent and other parts of the world. In addition to this, the journal accepts contributions that take multi- and inter-disciplinary approaches to law in an effort to attract high quality research from emerging scholars and established researchers.

When asked about the journal's need, Prof Hoolo Nyane - Editor-in-Chief and Adv Mashele Rapatsa  - Journal Manager, emphasised that emerging scholars often find it hard to break into research markets dominated by established scholars. According to Prof Nyane, as a result, “knowledge production continue, by and large, a monopoly of a small elitist group. Therefore, the Turf Law Journal was created in response to a need for additional platforms to increase the number of research outputs."

Prof Nyane highlighted that for an article to be accepted for publication in the journal, it must meet high quality standards and be an original piece that has never been published or is not being considered by another publication. Prof Nyane also stated that because the journal values a variety of perspectives, no author will be allowed to publish more than one full article in a single issue. He stated that an author may only publish two articles if one of them is co-authored or is a half-article.

Moreover, Adv Rapatsa highlighted that the Turf Law Journal repositions the School of Law as a historic contributor to knowledge generation and ownership. “On a strategic level, it fosters the quest of Finding Solutions for Africa.”

The journal publishes articles, book reviews, case notes, and comments. It welcomes submissions of 7 000 up to 12 000 words, including references. Authors are encouraged to submit book reviews, case notes, and comments ranging in length from 3 000 to 5 500 words (including references). All submissions to the Turf Law Journal will be subjected to double-blind peer review. Authors are encouraged to submit manuscripts only in electronic format (MS Word) to the Editor-in-Chief turflawjournal@ul.ac.za).

Moreover, authors are also encouraged to provide their relevant contact information, particularly email address and phone numbers, and guarantee that they are legally entitled to have the full submission published and that it, or a portion of it, has not previously been published elsewhere; and disclose whether it or a portion of it, has been submitted to any other journal for publication.

The journal's first issue, which currently has six (6) contributions, is available in print and electronically, for a copy, contact mashele.rapatsa@ul.ac.za.  

By Evans Khalo