About Us
Welcome to the HSRC PRESS, AISA, BestRed!
HSRC Publishing is Africa’s leading scholarly book publisher in the social sciences and humanities. As an independent publishing house and external-facing cross-cutting business unit of the HSRC, with external stakeholders worldwide from authors to policymakers, our purpose is to share in the mandate and strategic planning of our parent body, the HSRC, to stimulate public debate and serve as a knowledge hub within the crucial developmental areas of poverty alleviation, equality and social justice.
We fulfil this purpose by publishing distinctive impactful globally recognisable research-based scholarly books under three imprints: HSRC Press, AISA and Best Red.
Scholarly books under both the HSRC Press and AISA imprints are double blind peer-reviewed through an independent Editorial Board to ensure the highest quality content, and world-class research publications from and about Africa and the global south. Best Red produces evidence-based non-fiction books aimed at a wide readership on relevant topics in the humanities and social sciences.
HSRC Publishing’s purpose is also enabled through key partnerships. Examples of our key partnerships in the areas of strategic co-publications and expansion of dissemination work from, to and about the global south, are CODESRIA, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and China Social Sciences Press (CSSP). Further partnerships include key universities and academic institutions, especially in Africa, that share our research and public purpose vision and mission. HSRC Publishing has also become closely partnered with research units at local universities such as Wits, UCT, UFH and UWC and NIHSS, as well as with programmes and departments in academic and social science institutions across the globe, including those in well-developed markets such as Stanford, SOAS and Michigan State University, the University of Wisconsin, Nordic Africa Institute/BRILL and IDRC.
Each year, HSRC Publishing house considers around 200 new book proposals and publishes between 15 and 25 new scholarly and general academic books. Marketing plans are tailored to the specific needs of each title, with extensive mainstream media coverage, targeted social media coverage, donations of suitable books to schools and institutions, and hosting book launches that ensure public participation and critical acclaim.
Taking African Research to the World
The HSRC Press imprint publishes scholarly books from and about South Africa, Africa and the global south, covering key questions and a wide range of topics in the social sciences and humanities. With its extensive range of reputable scholarly books on South Africa and Africa, democracy and governance, economics and development, education and skills development, gender and sexual politics, health and wellbeing, history, humanities and liberation, land, media, research and innovation, HSRC Press is a well-known and valued book imprint for Taking African Research to the World.
Development Through Knowledge
Africa Institute of South Africa, or AISA, is the leading voice of African scholarship in South Africa. It is the window into African affairs. Well-known for publishing interesting and topical scholarly books, led by African fellows through the AISA research programme of the HSRC, it also publishes reference books that provide stakeholders locally and globally with information and insights that are essential foundations for policymaking. Its distinctive books are authored by researchers from various South African and African universities and from the Diaspora and provide fresh and authentic evidence-based perspectives that enable greater understanding and solutions for Development Through Knowledge.
Books You Have To Read
Best Red is an academic non-fiction imprint covering a wide range of general non-fiction books in the humanities. The Best Red range of books are underpinned by evidence-based research but are written to appeal to the general reader as well as to the academic specialist. With topics, styles and themes that offer compelling and novel insights into the challenges of our times, Best Red books are Books You Have to Read.
Discover our step-by-step guide for publishing under us.