Call for Chapters: Informal Learning in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Middle East

You are invited to submit a chapter proposal to the following book (not yet under contract).

Introduction

Informal learning is a growing field of study globally, but remains underexplored in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. This book addresses a major gap by examining non-school learning networks, indigenous systems, and technology-mediated learning in these regions. It extends current debates in curriculum, lifelong learning, and education policy by focusing on lifelong and digital learning, post-pandemic and emerging technologies educational reform, and the social role of education in crisis and migration contexts.

Research in curriculum and instruction in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Middle East has changed rapidly over the past few decades, accelerating as the variety of media and learning opportunities has grown. Scholars, practitioners, and future educators face increasing challenges in keeping up with new research, policies, curricula, and teaching practices. The literature available often reports international perspectives, making it time-consuming and difficult to find useful, research-supported, and contextually grounded information on a specific area.

Education professionals at all levels in these regions need to access a comprehensive, timely, and valid source of knowledge about the emerging body of research, theory, policy, and practice. Such a body of knowledge informs researchers about new trends in research and practice, guides policymakers in making decisions, and helps practitioners and students understand emerging knowledge and best practices relevant to their contexts.

In Africa, the Caribbean, and the Middle East, informal learning represents a critical but underexamined dimension of education. Beyond schools, individuals acquire knowledge and skills through families, peers, communities, workplaces, religious and cultural practices, apprenticeships, and increasingly through digital platforms and social media. Teachers and administrators themselves rely on informal learning networks to shape professional growth and leadership practices.

This book addresses key questions such as:

• How does informal learning contribute to individual and community development?
• In what ways does informal learning complement, extend, or challenge formal education?
• What roles do culture, technology, and social context play in shaping informal-formal learning dynamics?
• What implications does informal learning hold for educational access, identity, and learning outcomes?

The book takes a broad view, considering informal learning in traditional, contemporary, and emergent contexts, with attention to the opportunities and challenges it presents for learners, educators, and policymakers.

The book aims to provide researchers, educators, policymakers, and graduate students with contextually grounded and globally relevant perspectives on informal learning. By centering Africa, the Caribbean, and the Middle East, the book contributes to broader conversations on lifelong learning, educational equity, and the future of education in rapidly changing societies.

This edited book synthesizes primary and secondary research across Africa, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. Each chapter will report original research or empirical evidence gathered by contributing authors.

The book employs a multi-method and interdisciplinary approach. We seek chapters that employ qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods, comparative, and conceptual analyses of informal learning systems in the regions under consideration. Please note that ethical approval will be required for all contributing authors reporting human subject data.

List of topic areas

Topics of interest include (but are not limited to):

• Indigenous and community-based learning systems
• Intergenerational and family learning practices
• Religious, cultural, and artistic forms of education
• Apprenticeships, vocational, and workplace learning outside formal certification
• Teachers’ and administrators’ informal professional networks
• Digital and media-driven learning (e.g., massive open online courses, online communities, open educational resources, and social media such as YouTube, as facilitative of informal learning)
• Informal learning in times and contexts of crisis (displacement, conflict)
• The role of informal learning in shaping resilience, equity, and cultural identity
• Technology-mediated informal learning, including how social media, distance learning platforms, and artificial intelligence influence students’ critical thinking, access to knowledge, and learning practices.

Submission information

Prospective contributors are invited to submit a chapter proposal of approximately 500–750 words outlining the chapter focus, research approach, and relevance to the book themes, along with a brief author biography. Also, include an Abstract of no more than 150 words in your proposal. Chapter proposals should be submitted to the book editors.

Key deadlines

• Chapter Proposal Submission Deadline: July 15, 2026
• Notification of Acceptance: August 1, 2026
• Full Chapter Submission Deadline: October 1, 2026
• Peer Review Feedback Returned: December 15, 2026
• Final Revised Chapter Submission: January 15, 2027
• Final Editorial Review and Manuscript Preparation: February 1, 2027
• Full Manuscript Submission to Emerald: March 1, 2027