Editorial Department of IWAAS

　　Historical Evolution

　　The Editorial Office was set up soon after the Institute of West Asia and Africa (IWAAS) was established in 1961. It then took the responsibility for editorial work on Collections of Translation on Asia and Africa and Data for Asia and Africa. In Oct. 1965, the Editorial Office was changed into the Editorial Team to edit and publish Collections of Translation on Asia and Africa, Reference Materials for West Asia and Africa. When IWAAS was brought back to life in 1978, the Comprehensive Editorial Office was set up to edit Developments in Africa and Data for West Asia and Africa initially and West Asia and Africa (bimonthly) since 1980. The Comprehensive Editorial Office changed its name to Editorial Office again in 1981 and Editorial Department since 1991. In Jan. 2000, approved by the Bureau of Scientific Research Management of Chinese Academy of Social Science (CASS), West Asia and Africa Press was established on the foundation of previous Editorial Department, which takes responsibility for the editing, publication and distribution of various journals of IWAAS. In Jan. 2009, West Asia and Africa Press was renamed Editorial Department.

　　Main Publications

　　Previous publications include Collections of Translation on Asia and Africa(1959-1966), Data for Asia and Africa(1963-1966), Situations in West Asia and Africa(1964-1966), Developments in Africa (1973-1980), Data for West Asia and Africa (1978-2001), Investigation and Research on West Asia and Africa (1992-2000).The current leading publication is West Asia and Africa.

　　West Asia and Africa started its restricted publication in 1980 by China Social Sciences Press, and open publication at home and abroad two years later. In Jan. 2001, West Asia and Africa enters into the nationwide postal distribution system of China and oversea distribution channel of China International Book Trading Corporation. West Asia and Africa publishes articles on politics, economy, international relations, ethnic and religious issues, cultures, history and social thoughts in West Asian and African regions. West Asia and Africa has grown into a shared academic forum and authoritative platform for Chinese scholars of Middle East and African studies. After September 2006, West Asia and Africa became a monthly journal. From July 2011 on, in order to practice measures of CASS’ Excellent Academic Periodicals Building, upgrade the quality of the journal, strengthen the selection of draft articles, and meet the needs of the journal’s development, West Asia and Africa resumed a bimonthly again, with a small 16 mo (160 pages) format instead of the previous large 16 mo (80 pages) to adapt the trend of binding and layout of academic journals and reading habits of readers.

　　Personnel Status

　　Professor Yang Guang, former Director-general of IWAAS serves as Chief Editor of West Asia and Africa, Professor Zhang Hongming, Deputy Director-general of IWAAS as Subeditor, and Professor An Chunying as Managing Subeditor.

　　There’re four full-time staff in the Editorial Department: An Chunying (Director of Editorial Department, Research Fellow), Zhan Shiming (Deputy Director, Associate Research Fellow),Feng Jihua ( Associate Research Fellow), and Fan Xiaohong (Assistant Research Fellow).