Rules and Entry Form

The Society for the Social History of Medicine (SSHM) invites submissions to its 2022 Book Development Prize Competition.

The Prize

Two prizes of £2000.00 each will be awarded to proposals contracted in 2022 in the book series, Social Histories of Medicine, published by Manchester University Press (MUP) for the SSHM.  One prize will be awarded for an authored monograph, and the other for an edited collection. 

If no prize is awarded in one category, it may be applied to the other. The assessment panel (below) can also decide not to award any prizes or only one.

For information on the book series see:  https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/series/social-histories-of-medicine/

Aims of the Prize

This prize is intended to support applicants in turning their proposal into a book.   Prizes will only be awarded to contracted proposals in the series Social Histories of Medicine, which have undergone peer review.

Normally, it takes about 3-4 months for a proposal to be reviewed, revised and contracted.  While we cannot guarantee that a proposal will be contracted within this timeframe, it is recommended that those wishing to apply for the prize submit their proposal by 15 August 2022. The 31 December deadline (Deadline below) is for applications for the prize, not submission of proposals.

For MUP’s submission and review process see: https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/resources/publishing-your-book-with-mup/

What to submit

The submission package should include a cover letter (max 2 pages) and a budget and cost justification (max 1 page).  These should be sent to the SSHM’s Executive Secretary (sshmexecsec@gmail.com). The cover letter should outline:

• a) Details of the prize you are applying for — authored monograph or edited volume.
• b) The reasons why you are applying.
• c) How the prize money will be used to turn your proposal into a book.

Uses might include funding for copyright permissions for images, Open Access, translation, indexing, manuscript workshops, research trips, research equipment.

Applicants are encouraged to contact, prior to their submission, one of the series editors to discuss other acceptable uses of the prize money

David Cantor: djcantor@hotmail.com

Anne Hanley: a.hanley@bham.ac.uk

Elaine Leong: e.leong@ucl.ac.uk

On Receipt of Your Application

The series editors will submit your letter to the assessment panel together with

• The proposal package you submitted to MUP, comprising the MUP proposal form and at least two sample chapters, one of which should be the introduction. 
• The anonymized referee reports and the response of the authors/editors
• The comments (if any) of MUP’s editorial board.

By applying for this prize, you agree that members of the assessment panel can review all these materials.

The Assessment Panel

The prizes will be awarded by an assessment panel appointed by the Executive Committee of the SSHM, which includes the Chair of the Society or their representative, and the editors of the series with the assistance of members of the editorial board of the book series.

Eligibility

• Anyone awarded a book proposal contract in the book series Social Histories of Medicine published by Manchester University Press for the Society for the Social History of Medicine in 2022.
• As this prize is intended to help scholars develop proposals into book, we accept only contracted proposals not full manuscript submissions.  Authors and editors are encouraged to submit a proposal package before the full manuscript.
• Applicants may prepare their prize application before their contract is awarded.  However, should the contract not be awarded in 2022, it will not be considered that year.
• Proposals submitted in 2022 but not awarded a contract before the deadline will be eligible for consideration the year their contract is awarded, assuming that the prize competition is still being offered by the Society. 
• All entrants must be members of the Society by the date of submission and state their membership number in their cover letter. (For edited volumes, we only require the editors to be members.)
• You can join the Society by subscribing at https://academic.oup.com/shm. (The membership requirement may be waived for residents of developing countries, as listed on the Oxford University Press website. Please contact the Executive Secretary (sshmexecsec@gmail.com) for further guidance).
• Members of the Executive Committee of the SSHM or the Editorial Board of the book series Social Histories of Medicine may not enter the competition, even if otherwise eligible.
• Candidates who are uncertain as to their eligibility should contact the Executive Secretary before preparing their entry.

Deadline

The deadline for applications is 23:59 GMT 31 December 2022.

Please note that this deadline is for applications for the prize, not submission of proposals (see Aims of the Prize above)

Announcement of the Winner  

A decision will be made by 15 April 2023 and the prize winner will be announced in summer 2023. All entrants will be notified of the outcome, but the panel regrets it is unable to provide feedback on unsuccessful entries.

Other points

• The prize will include the offer of mentoring by the book series editors.
• The prize will be awarded to individuals, not institutions.
• The winners will be expected to give a recorded talk, either via an online platform or in person, that will then be made publicly available on the SSHM YouTube channel.