Rules for the 2018 ESSE Book Awards

For books first published in 2016 and 2017

ESSE Book Award (Category A): A book prize of €1,500 will be awarded by ESSE in 2018, coinciding with the 14th Conference to be held in Brno, Czech Republic, for books first published in 2016 or 2017 in each of the following fields:

  1. English language and linguistics
  2. Literatures in the English language
  3. Cultural and area studies in English

ESSE Book Award for Junior Scholars (Category B): A further book prize of €1,500 will be awarded by ESSE in 2018 to a junior scholar for a first research book published in English in each of the three fields mentioned above, provided that publication was in 2016 or 2017.

The deadline for submission of books is 1 February 2018. The winners will be announced on the occasion of ESSE-14 in Brno, Czech Republic.

The requirements are as follows:

  • Books eligible for prizes will be those published in English; they should have an ISBN. PhD dissertations published in book format, with an ISBN, are accepted. Editions of collected essays will NOT qualify for these prizes. The books must be works of scholarly research in the field of English studies. Undergraduate textbooks will not be considered.
  • Any number of books may be submitted by the same author (provided that they are published within the admitted period of time), except for category B, since junior scholars are expected to submit their first research book published in English.
  • All books will be evaluated strictly on the basis of their academic value, without regard to publisher, country of publication or nationality of the author.
  • Authors must be members of national associations affiliated to ESSE.
  • Three copies must be provided of each book submitted for consideration. No book will be considered for an award unless three copies have been received. The copies will not be returned.
  • Candidates should write an email to the President of ESSE, Prof. Liliane Louvel liliane.louvel@wanadoo.fr, with copy to the Treasurer of ESSE, Prof. Alberto Lázaro alberto.lazaro@uah.es, informing them of their intention to participate, declaring their affiliation to a national association which is a member of ESSE, giving their university address, mentioning the field to which their book belongs, and indicating whether the copies of the book will be sent by the author or by the publisher. Candidates for the Category B award should also include a brief CV which must contain at least their date of birth, university affiliation, main field(s) of research and previous publications.

After receiving the President’s approval, the three review copies should be sent to one of the addresses below by 1 FEBRUARY 2018. The deadline must be observed.

Books in English language and linguistics should be sent to the following address:
Prof. Smiljana Komar
Oddelek za anglistiko in amerikanistiko
Filozofska fakulteta
Askerceva 2
1000 Ljubljana
SLOVENIA

Books in Literatures in the English language should be sent to the following address:
Prof. Alberto Lázaro
Departamento de Filología Moderna
Universidad de Alcalá
C/ Trinidad, 3
28801 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid
SPAIN

Books in Cultural and area studies in English should be sent to the following address:
Prof. Liliane Louvel
2 rue de Bois Frémin
86190 Quincay
FRANCE

The selection committees (three members each) will be appointed by the Board of ESSE in each of the three fields and for the two categories named above. Their composition will not be made public. Board members shall not pass on any information concerning this matter to the members of their associations. The Executive of ESSE will replace any members who are unable to carry out their duties. The Chairs of the selection committees will report progress regularly to the President of ESSE. The members of the committees can be Board members or ESSE members invited by the Board to do the selection job. The members of the committees and the ESSE Board are excluded from submitting their own books.

  • Two months before the opening of the conference a shortlist of a maximum of five books in each field and category will be announced on the ESSE Website. Board members are asked to report to the President any misgivings that they may have about the propriety of awarding a prize to any book on the shortlist, with the President passing on such comments to the committees if he deems it appropriate. The committees will recommend the awards to the Board, or they may recommend that no award be made in a particular field. Each committee can also recommend the conferment of one honourable mention. The President will report to the Board whether the work of the committees has been satisfactorily conducted. The Board may then approve the recommendations of the committees or they may reject a recommendation, in which case no award will be given in that field or category. Winners will be informed immediately in confidence, and the awards will be publicly announced at the General Meeting of ESSE, in Brno, Czech Republic.