Decolonial Perspectives accepts manuscripts written in English or Indonesian. In the spirit of epistemic decolonisation, the journal affirms the validity of Indonesian as a language of academic knowledge production and welcomes high-quality scholarly submissions in both languages.

English manuscripts should conform to standard academic English. Either British or American English is acceptable, provided usage is consistent throughout. Authors whose first language is not English are strongly encouraged to have their manuscripts reviewed by a proficient English speaker prior to submission.

Indonesian manuscripts must conform to the standard rules of Bahasa Indonesia as stipulated by the Badan Pengembangan dan Pembinaan Bahasa. The abstract must be provided in both Indonesian and English regardless of the language of the main text.

General Formatting Requirements

Manuscripts must be submitted as Microsoft Word (.docx) files. The following formatting specifications are mandatory:

• Font: Times New Roman, 12pt for main text
• Line spacing: 1.5 throughout, including references
• Margins: 2.5 cm on all sides (A4 page size)
• Paragraph alignment: Justified
• Tables and figures: Numbered sequentially and accompanied by a descriptive caption; placed near the relevant passage in the text or appended at the end of the manuscript
• Do not use decorative fonts, unusual formatting, or embedded macros

Word Count

The total manuscript length, inclusive of all sections from the Introduction through to the Conclusion (and including the Theoretical Framework, Methods, Results, and Discussion sections), but exclusive of the Abstract, Acknowledgements, and References, must fall within the range of 5,000 to 7,000 words. Manuscripts falling outside this range without prior editorial approval will not be accepted for review.

Section	Min Words	Max Words	Notes
Abstract	200	250	Structured or unstructured; not counted in 5,000–7,000 word total; required in both English and Indonesian
Keywords	—	—	5–7 keywords; not counted in word total
Introduction	500	800	Approx. 10–12% of total; context, problem statement, research gap, objectives
Theoretical Framework	600	900	Approx. 12–15% of total; not a literature review; see Section 4.3.3
Method	400	600	Approx. 8–10% of total; research design, site, data, analysis procedures
Results	800	1,200	Approx. 15–20% of total; factual presentation of findings, with tables/figures
Discussion	1,200	1,800	Approx. 22–28% of total; interpretation, theoretical engagement, limitations
Conclusion	300	500	Approx. 6–8% of total; synthesis, contributions, future directions
Acknowledgements	—	100	Optional; not counted in word total
References	—	—	Not counted in word total; see Section 4.4
TOTAL (Intro–Conclusion)	5,000	7,000	Mandatory range

• Manuscripts must be original, unpublished, and not under review elsewhere.
• Language: English or Bahasa Indonesia (inclusive, non-discriminatory, and free of bias).
• Length:
  • Articles: 5,000–7,000 words
  • Conceptual essays: 3,000–6,000 words
  • Field reports / ethnographic notes: 2,000–3,000 words
  • Book / film / art reviews: 1,000–2,000 words

Style and Language Conventions

Quotations

Short quotations of fewer than 40 words should be incorporated into the main text and enclosed in double quotation marks. Longer quotations of 40 words or more should be presented as block quotations, indented 1.25 cm from the left margin, without quotation marks, and in the same font size as the main text. All quotations from non-English sources must be accompanied by an English translation, provided immediately after the original language quotation in square brackets.

Terminology and Sensitivity

Authors must exercise sensitivity in their choice of terminology, particularly when writing about marginalised, indigenous, or historically oppressed communities. Authors should use the terminological preferences of the communities they are writing about where these are known. Outdated, pejorative, or contested terminology should be avoided unless it is the subject of critical analysis, in which case it should be clearly framed as such.

Footnotes and Endnotes

Footnotes may be used sparingly to provide supplementary information that, if incorporated into the main text, would disrupt the flow of the argument. Footnotes should not be used as a substitute for proper in-text citation. The use of endnotes is not recommended. Authors should not use footnotes to introduce new arguments or data central to the manuscript.

Abbreviations and Acronyms

Abbreviations and acronyms must be defined at first use in the text, with the full term provided, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses: e.g., Global South (GS). Thereafter, the abbreviation alone may be used. Standard abbreviations for well-established organisations or terms (e.g., UNESCO, GDP) may be used without definition.

Statistics and Quantitative Data

Manuscripts reporting quantitative data must include appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics as required by the research design. Statistical results should be reported in accordance with the guidelines of the American Psychological Association (APA 7th Edition), including effect sizes and confidence intervals where relevant.

Tables, Figures, and Illustrations

All tables must be created using the table function of the word processor and must not be submitted as images. Each table should have a concise descriptive title positioned above the table (e.g., Table 1. Summary of Participant Demographics). All figures, photographs, graphs, and diagrams must be submitted at a minimum resolution of 300 dpi in TIFF, EPS, or high-resolution JPEG format. Captions for figures should be positioned below the figure (e.g., Figure 1. Conceptual Framework of the Study). Colour figures should be designed to be legible in both colour and greyscale.

Authors are responsible for obtaining written permission for the reproduction of any copyrighted material, including figures, tables, photographs, or extended textual extracts, from the original publisher. Proof of such permission must be submitted together with the manuscript.

Required Sections

Title

The title should be concise, informative, and no longer than 15 words. It should reflect the core argument or contribution of the manuscript and be free of abbreviations unless universally understood. A subtitle may be used where necessary to provide additional specificity.

Abstract

The abstract must be included in both English and Indonesian and must not exceed 250 words in either language. The abstract should succinctly present: (1) the problem or research question being addressed; (2) the theoretical framework or perspective adopted; (3) the methodological approach; (4) the principal findings or arguments; and (5) the significance or contribution of the work. The abstract must not contain references, footnotes, or undefined acronyms. For manuscripts written in Indonesian, the English abstract must be a faithful translation, not a condensed or abbreviated version.

Keywords

Authors must provide 5 to 7 keywords following the abstract. Keywords should be selected with precision to reflect the key concepts, geographical or theoretical scope, and methodological orientation of the manuscript. Keywords should not merely replicate terms already present in the title. Authors are encouraged to include terms that will facilitate discoverability in academic databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, or Google Scholar.

Introduction (Recommended: 500–800 words)

The Introduction serves to establish the scholarly context, articulate the problem or research gap being addressed, and clearly state the objectives and significance of the study. It should move from a broad contextualisation of the field to a specific identification of the gap or problem, and conclude with a concise statement of the research questions or aims. The introduction should not be used to present an extended review of the literature, nor should it pre-empt findings. Authors should avoid excessive citation of foundational or widely known texts unless directly pertinent to the argument.

Theoretical Framework (Recommended: 600–900 words)

The Theoretical Framework is a mandatory and distinct section of the manuscript. It is not equivalent to, nor should it be conflated with, a Literature Review. Authors must understand and observe the following distinctions:

Literature Review	Theoretical Framework
Describes and synthesises existing research on the topic; maps the field; identifies debates and gaps	Identifies and elaborates the specific theoretical lens(es), concepts, and assumptions that guide the study
Primarily descriptive and evaluative in orientation	Primarily analytical and generative in orientation
Answers: What has been written about this topic?	Answers: What theoretical tools are being used, and why are they appropriate for this study?
May or may not appear as a standalone section in all journal types	Required as a standalone section in Decolonial Perspectives
Can be incorporated into the Introduction or Background	Must be presented in a dedicated section, separate from the Introduction

The Theoretical Framework section must accomplish the following: (1) identify the primary theoretical tradition(s) or school(s) of thought underpinning the study (e.g., decolonial theory, Afrocentrism, postcolonial feminism, subaltern studies, critical race theory); (2) explain the key concepts or constructs drawn from those traditions and define them operationally within the context of the study; (3) articulate clearly why the chosen theoretical framework is appropriate and productive for addressing the research question; and (4) indicate how the framework positions the researcher and shapes analytical decisions.

Authors engaging in purely theoretical or conceptual work should use this section to develop the theoretical argument central to the manuscript. In such cases, the Theoretical Framework may be extended in proportion to the manuscript's overall argument.

In this part, authors are permitted to include additional subsections where deemed necessary to enhance the clarity, depth, and coherence of the manuscript. Any added subsections should remain relevant, well-organized, and consistent with the overall structure and academic rigor expected in scholarly publications.

Method (Recommended: 400–600 words)

The Method section must describe the research design and procedures with sufficient precision and transparency to allow for independent replication or critical evaluation. The journal welcomes both empirical (field-based) and non-empirical (library-based or desk-based) methodologies. The following conventions apply:

Empirical Studies (including ethnographic, interview-based, survey, archival, and action research): Authors must describe the research setting and participants or data sources; the sampling or selection strategy and rationale; data collection instruments and procedures; ethical considerations and approvals; and the analytical approach employed (e.g., thematic analysis, discourse analysis, grounded theory, content analysis).

Library-Based or Desk-Based Studies (including systematic literature reviews, bibliometric analyses, conceptual analyses, and historical-textual studies): Authors must describe the corpus of primary or secondary sources used; the inclusion and exclusion criteria applied; the search strategy (databases, keywords, date ranges) where applicable; and the analytical or interpretive framework applied to the sources.

Regardless of approach, authors must be explicit about the epistemological and ontological positioning informing methodological choices, a reflection that is particularly important within the decolonial scholarship this journal advances.

Results (Recommended: 800–1,200 words)

The Results section presents the empirical or analytical findings of the study in a systematic and logical manner, without interpretive commentary. Data should be presented clearly, using tables, figures, or excerpts from primary sources where appropriate. All tables and figures must be numbered sequentially, accompanied by descriptive captions, and referenced in the text. For library-based studies, the Results section may present the thematic, conceptual, or analytical categories derived from the literature corpus. Quantitative data must be accompanied by appropriate statistical reporting. Qualitative data excerpts (e.g., interview quotations, field notes) must be presented verbatim and attributed to a participant identifier, not a proper name, unless explicit written consent has been obtained to use identifying information.

In this part, authors are permitted to include additional subsections where deemed necessary to enhance the clarity, depth, and coherence of the manuscript. Any added subsections should remain relevant, well-organized, and consistent with the overall structure and academic rigor expected in scholarly publications.

Discussion (Recommended: 1,200–1,800 words)

The Discussion constitutes the intellectual core of the manuscript and is expected to be the most substantive section in terms of analytical depth and theoretical engagement. Authors are expected to: (1) interpret the findings in relation to the study's theoretical framework and research questions; (2) situate the findings in dialogue with relevant existing scholarship, identifying convergences and departures; (3) articulate the theoretical, methodological, or empirical contribution of the study; (4) address limitations of the study honestly and constructively; and (5) discuss the implications of the findings for scholarship, policy, practice, or future research.

The Discussion section should reflect genuine intellectual engagement with the decolonial stakes of the research. Authors are encouraged to reflect on the positionality of the researcher(s) and the power dynamics embedded in the research process where relevant.

In this part, authors are permitted to include additional subsections where deemed necessary to enhance the clarity, depth, and coherence of the manuscript. Any added subsections should remain relevant, well-organized, and consistent with the overall structure and academic rigor expected in scholarly publications.

Conclusion (Recommended: 300–500 words)

The Conclusion should synthesise the principal arguments and findings of the manuscript, restate the study's contribution in relation to the field, and identify directions for future research. The Conclusion must not introduce new data, evidence, or arguments that have not been addressed in the preceding sections. Authors should avoid restating or summarising the abstract in the conclusion. The Conclusion may include brief reflections on the broader significance of the study for decolonial scholarship or social change.

Acknowledgements

Authors may include a brief Acknowledgements section (maximum 100 words) after the Conclusion and prior to the References. This section should acknowledge funding sources (including grant numbers), institutional support, assistance with data collection or analysis, and any individuals who contributed to the manuscript but do not meet the criteria for authorship. The journal follows COPE's guidance that acknowledgement does not imply endorsement of the study's conclusions.

Declaration Statements

The following mandatory declarations must be included at the end of the manuscript, after the Acknowledgements and before the References:

• Conflict of Interest Statement
• Ethics Approval Statement (if applicable)
• Data Availability Statement
• Author Contributions Statement (recommended format: CRediT taxonomy)
• AI Disclosure Statement (if applicable)

References

Decolonial Perspectives employs the APA 7th Edition referencing style for all manuscripts. Authors must ensure that all in-text citations have corresponding entries in the reference list, and vice versa. The reference list must be arranged alphabetically by the first author's surname and must be formatted with a hanging indent.

The following citation conventions are mandatory:

• In-text citations must follow the author-date format: (Quijano, 2000) or Quijano (2000) states that...
• For three or more authors, use the first author's name followed by 'et al.' from the first citation: (Mignolo et al., 2018)
• Direct quotations must include a page number: (Fanon, 1963, p. 37)
• Non-English sources should be cited in their original language with an English translation of the title provided in square brackets
• Authors are encouraged to cite scholarship from scholars based in, or writing about, the Global South, and to critically evaluate the over-reliance on Western canonical sources

Reference Examples

Journal Article: Quijano, A. (2000). Coloniality of power and eurocentrism in Latin America. International Sociology, 15(2), 215–232. https://doi.org/10.1177/0268580900015002005

Edited Book Chapter: Mignolo, W. D. (2007). Delinking: The rhetoric of modernity, the logic of coloniality and the grammar of de-coloniality. In W. D. Mignolo & A. Escobar (Eds.), Globalization and the decolonial option (pp. 303–368). Routledge.

Monograph: Fanon, F. (1963). The wretched of the earth (C. Farrington, Trans.). Grove Press. (Original work published 1961)