Senior Book Prize

Submissions for the 2024 American Ethnological Society Senior Book Prize are now closed. The prize will be open for submission again in early 2026.

The prize goes to a work that is deeply ethnographic and speaks to contemporary social issues with relevance beyond the discipline and beyond the academy.

Eligibility

Ethnographies and critical works in contemporary theory — single-authored or multi-authored but not edited collections are eligible. The author must be an anthropologist who has held a PhD, or equivalent, for at least 10 years. This award is opened to scholars working inside or outside the academy who have already published a previous monograph or co-authored book. The book should have a publication date of either 2022 or 2023 and may not have been previously submitted for this prize.

Jury

The jury for the prize is chaired by an AES councilor, who selects two or three other scholars as jury members.

Nominations

Letters of nomination must come from scholars; self-nominations and nominations from publishers are not invited.

Criteria

Criteria may include: originality, rigor, and maturity of research; an innovative approach to ethnography; theoretical sophistication and depth; thematic prescience; and an enduring contribution to Anthropology and beyond.

Announcements

Announcements regarding the deadlines and other specifics will be posted on this website, as well as through the Anthropology News “AES Section News” column and other e-mail and social media-based publicity.

Submissions

To submit, please submit nominator, book, and author information through the form below. Please upload your nomination letter through the form. A hard copy of the book or a PDF/e-book should be mailed to each of the AES Senior Prize judges by the April 15, 2024 deadline, to the addresses below. Books and letters of nomination must be received by the deadline for full consideration.