USA Scholarships
Oscar Kenshur Book Prize 2027 - $1,000
The Oscar Kenshur Book Prize recognizes an outstanding English-language monograph that speaks to scholars of the long eighteenth century across history, literature, art history, musicology, and neighboring fields. Indiana University''s Center for Eighteenth-Century Studies runs the award in honor of Oscar Kenshur, professor emeritus of comparative literature and a founding member of the Center. Historical cycles paid $1,000 to the winning author, invited them to a dedicated symposium where colleagues discuss the book from multiple angles, and covered travel to Bloomington or, in recent years, hosted the Kenshur symposium online. Submissions in English are welcome from any discipline, and citizenship is not a barrier. Multi-author edited collections, translations, and books by IU Bloomington faculty do not qualify. Nominations for the 2027-28 Kenshur Prize were expected to open soon on the Center website, following the annual pattern of three copies sent to the ASECS office in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, clearly marked for the Kenshur Prize.
What is the Oscar Kenshur Book Prize?
The Oscar Kenshur Book Prize sits at the crossroads where literary scholars, historians, and art historians argue about what the eighteenth century still has to teach us. Indiana University's Center for Eighteenth-Century Studies created the award to celebrate monographs that travel across departmental lines, the same spirit Oscar Kenshur brought as a comparative literature professor and founding Center member. Winning is less about a huge cash payout and more about joining a short list of books that define the field for a given year.
Publishers and authors watch the Center website because the logistics are old-school: print copies, a January postmark pattern, and ASECS acting as the mailroom. That is why CareerOneStop and other directories list asecs.org even though Indiana faculty choose the winner. You are not filling out an online form; you are putting three marked copies in the mail once the 2027-28 cycle opens.
If you are a graduate student, remember this prize judges finished books, not dissertations. Faculty authors elsewhere in the United States routinely appear on the winner roll, from Atlantic history to musicology. The symposium piece matters too. Winners explain their arguments while specialists from other disciplines push back, which is exactly the conversation Kenshur wanted the Center to host.
When nominations reopen, double-check copyright-year rules and the IU Bloomington faculty exclusion before you ship anything. The $1,000 check is real, but the professional visibility from a Kenshur win often outlasts the stipend.
Eligibility
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✓Single-author scholarly monographThe Kenshur Prize targets one-author books, not edited collections of essays by multiple scholars. Anthologies and conference volumes are ineligible even when every chapter is strong.
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✓English-language publicationSubmissions must be monographs published in English. Translations of works originally written in another language do not qualify under standard Kenshur rules.
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✓Eighteenth-century studies relevanceThe book should interest scholars working on the eighteenth century in more than one discipline. Recent winners span Atlantic slavery, Enlightenment science, print culture, and global trade.
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✓Copyright year matches the competition cycleHistorical announcements required a copyright date from the calendar year before the January submission deadline. Confirm the exact year rule when the 2027-28 instructions post.
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✓Not by Indiana University Bloomington facultyMonographs authored by current IU Bloomington faculty are excluded. Affiliates at other institutions may be eligible if they meet the other rules.
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✓Publisher or author may nominateEither the press or the author can send copies. You do not need ASECS membership to have a book considered, though ASECS handles prize logistics.
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✓Three print copies to ASECSPast cycles required three physical copies delivered to the ASECS office by the posted January deadline, marked Kenshur Prize. Wait for the updated mailing address if the Center revises instructions.
Benefits
- Cash award $1,000 (historical amount)
- Kenshur symposium Dedicated workshop on the winning book
- Travel to symposium Center covered author travel in past cycles
- National visibility Listed among top eighteenth-century monographs
- Full research grant Not a project funder
- Guaranteed publication subsidy Prize follows publication
Document checklist
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✓Three print copies of the monographSend hardcover or paperback copies as specified when nominations reopen. Label the shipment clearly for the Oscar Kenshur Book Prize so staff can route it to judges.
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✓Publisher nomination letter (optional)Presses often nominate prize-worthy lists. A brief letter identifying the author, ISBN, and copyright year helps administrators track eligibility.
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✓Author contact detailsInclude email and institutional affiliation on any cover letter so the Center can invite the winner to the Kenshur symposium.
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✓Bibliographic data sheetList publisher, publication city, page count, and copyright year on one page. Judges compare many titles and appreciate clean metadata.
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✓Proof of English original textIf your book is in English but draws on non-English archives, no extra step is required. Translated editions of foreign originals remain ineligible.
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✓ASECS shipping confirmationKeep tracking numbers for packages sent to the ASECS office in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in case copies arrive close to the deadline.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
What is the Oscar Kenshur Book Prize?
It is an annual award from Indiana University's Center for Eighteenth-Century Studies for the best English-language monograph in interdisciplinary eighteenth-century studies. The prize honors Oscar Kenshur, a comparative literature scholar and Center founder.
How much is the Oscar Kenshur Book Prize worth?
Historical announcements listed a $1,000 cash award plus a symposium dedicated to the winning book. The Center also covered the author's travel to the Kenshur event in past cycles.
Who is eligible for the Kenshur Book Prize?
Single-author scholarly monographs published in English on eighteenth-century topics qualify when they are not translations, not edited collections, and not by Indiana University Bloomington faculty. Authors of any citizenship may be nominated.
How do I submit a book for the Oscar Kenshur Prize?
When nominations are open, publishers or authors send three print copies marked Kenshur Prize to the ASECS office by the posted January deadline. Confirm current instructions at voltaire.indiana.edu/kenshur-prize.html before mailing.
What is the relationship between ASECS and the Kenshur Prize?
The American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies (asecs.org) historically received submission copies at its Winston-Salem office while Indiana University's Center judged the monographs. CareerOneStop listings point to ASECS because of that mailing arrangement.
Can edited volumes win the Kenshur Prize?
No. Multi-author essay collections and translations are explicitly ineligible. The prize targets standalone monographs.
When is the Kenshur Prize deadline for 2027?
The Center stated that 2027-28 nominations would open soon with updated instructions. Past cycles used a January 31 receipt deadline at ASECS. Do not rely on an old date until the live page confirms it.
Who won the most recent Kenshur Prize?
The Center announced Winnie Wong as the Kenshur winner for The Many Names of Anonymity: Portraitists of the Canton Trade (University of Chicago Press, 2025), with a virtual symposium scheduled for September 2026.
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