Author Guidelines

Literature Review Articles

Tapuya welcomes literature review articles. What is a literature review article?

A literature review article is an original research manuscript that traces the history of a particular issue, in the context of several recent (and older) books on the topic. It can be up to 7000 words, or considerably shorter. It will be peer reviewed. The books and articles mentioned in the review may be in any language. For examples, see the following:

N. Hernandez Vidal, “Territorializando STS: an analysis of current discussions about agro- biotechnology governance in Latin America, Europe, and the USA.” Volume 1, p. 70-83.

G. Elisa Sued, “The cyborg metaphor in Ibero-American science, technology and gender literature.” Volume 1, p 95-108.

D.J. Hess, “The anti-dam movement in Brazil: expertise and design conflicts in an industrial transition movement.” Volume 1, p. 256-279.

Antonio Sanchez, ”The ‘Empirical Turn’ in the historiography of the Iberian and Atlantic science In the early modern world: from cosmography and navigation to ethnography, natural history and medicine.” Volume 2, p. 317-334.

Imagine this as the article that you would like to assign to your students on day 1 of a course in your field. It will provide a map of the dimensions of the issues in the field historically, geographically, culturally, and/or in any other relevant way. It will identify the central debates and controversies, the important authors and their distinctive contributions. It will evaluate the strengths and limitations of these debates and controversies from the perspective of the 3-6 (or more) books that are in special focus, at least some of which are recent, to which the review gives special attention. Its references will provide a useful reading list.

Doctoral students frequently have to provide in Chapter 1 of their dissertation such a review of the literature in the field of the dissertation topic. This chapter could make the basis of a good literature review article. Moreover, all of us regularly read new books in our own fields. Literature reviews by more senior scholars are very much welcomed.

If you would like to do a literature review article, please contact the Tapuya editors. We are happy to discuss such a possibility before you write it.

Updated: April 2, 2020.