About the Journal

Journal History

The Tydskrif vir Letterkunde is a peer-reviewed scholarly journal, published twice a year by the Tydskrif vir Letterkunde Association. The journal publishes peer-reviewed articles, overviews, review articles, reviews, essays, and book reviews in Afrikaans, Dutch, English and French.

In 1936 the Afrikaanse Skrywerskring under the leadership of C. M. van den Heever, Abel Coetzee and others started the Jaarboek van die Afrikaanse Skrywerskring. This annual review continued until 1950 when it was transformed into a new quarterly.

As from 1951 its successor, the Tydskrif vir Letterkunde, with C. M. van den Heever as its first editor, concentrated exclusively on Afrikaans Literature and appeared quarterly.

In the early 1960s the Journal was briefly (for one issue) renamed Sestig -- Tydskrif vir Letterkunde – during the editorship of Abel Coetzee. In 1963 the Journal reverted to its previous title, restarting the series from vol 1, no 1.

Thereafter the journal was edited successively by Coenie Rudolph, Elize Botha and Henning Pieterse.

With the editorship of Hein Willemse (from 2003 to 2019) fundamental changes were brought about:

from a journal publishing only on Afrikaans Literature its mission was enhanced to embrace African literature broadly;
the publication frequency changed from four times per year to twice per year;
the format of the print journal was changed to a primarily peer-reviewed literary journal. Previously the journal maintained a mixed format of creative literary writing, scholarly writing and annual literary reviews on Afrikaans literary happenings.
its policy on languages of publication was changed from Afrikaans only to Afrikaans, Dutch, English and French.
editors and associates from Africa, North America and Europe were appointed.
its focus also changed from a general informed Afrikaans readership to an advanced academic readership.

Since 2020, Jacomien van Niekerk is the editor of the journal.

Focus and Scope

Tydskrif vir Letterkunde (Journal for Literature) invites the submission of original, previously unpublished research and overview articles on theoretical, applied or comparative aspects of African literatures and cultural practices.