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The Bloomsbury | Inclusive Histories: Thesis to Book
Bloomsbury Academic and the Institute of Historical Research work together on an Inclusive Histories partnership that seeks to improve the publishing opportunities available for early-career history researchers from a diverse range of backgrounds. This annual initiative supports recent PHD students, from anywhere in the world, in developing their thesis into a Bloomsbury monograph. It offers an online workshop on how to develop a book proposal and the opportunity for shortlisted book proposals – selected by an IHR panel – to receive full peer review.
The most successful proposal will be awarded a project completion grant of £500 (to be spent as the author chooses, on resources or expenses to enable them to complete the book) in addition to a Bloomsbury contract. We hope that this initiative will also help all participants to strengthen their book proposals and move a step closer to publication. The initiative is open to recent PhD students who are not currently in full-time, permanent, academic positions.
All forms need to be submitted via the official application system linked below, we do not accept emailed forms.
Apply today
Opening Date: 06th November 2024
Closing Date: 31st March 2025
Criteria
We are dedicated to welcoming applications from all backgrounds and identities who have faced challenges in the early stages of their scholarly publishing career due to their: minoritized racial/ethnic or global majority background, ability (physical disability or neurodivergence), age, religion or belief, gender identity, sex, sexuality, class and/or socioeconomic background, caring responsibilities, geographical location.
Your proposed project will be evaluated first by the IHR proposal evaluation panel. Shortlisted proposals will then be shared with the appropriate Bloomsbury subject editor who will send them out for anonymous peer review (feedback will be shared with all shortlisted authors). The Bloomsbury editor will consider how each project fits with our current publishing plans and if a suitable market exists that we can reach before deciding, in discussion with the IHR and the Bloomsbury publishing board, on the proposal most deserving of the £500 project completion grant and Bloomsbury book contract offer. Particularly strong proposals which don’t succeed in gaining the project completion grant may still be offered a book contract by Bloomsbury if merited.
Shortlisted proposals and accompanying material that goes out for external review will be sent to at least one anonymous reviewer. They will be asked to comment on the quality of the content and the potential audience of the proposed book. The length of the review process can vary depending on the project but we aim to have new proposals reviewed within three months. If the reviews are positive and there is evidence to support the need for the project, you may be asked to respond to the reviewers’ comments where needed.
FAQs
The Proposal will include the following. It should normally be a maximum of ten pages long.
1. Title and subtitle
2. Table of contents
3. Elevator pitch (@ 30 words)
4. Short overview (250-300 Words)
5. Detailed overview to include rationale, approach, main themes, objectives and a chapter by chapter synopsis.
6. Suggestions for reviewers
There is no cut-off date in terms of being a ‘recent’ PhD student (or age restriction). If you are early on in your career and think the initiative could benefit you then apply.
Inclusive of notes and bibliographic material, we would expect projects to be no shorter than 70,000 words and no longer than 115,000 words.
A few chapters in the monograph having been previously published in some form as journal articles will be absolutely fine. More than that may require discussion with the publisher.
Delivery of the manuscript would typically be around 1-2 years after a contract is agreed, but upwards of 5 years could be acceptable if discussed in advance.
Applications from scholars whose work straddles history and another discipline(s) are welcome, though it may prove difficult to include colour illustrations without an external financial subsidy.
Those employed on teaching only contracts at a University are welcome to apply
Please do not approach potential peer reviewers directly. We just want suggestions for project reviewers and 2-3 suggestions will be fine.
Yes - the The Bloomsbury - IHR Inclusive Histories Initiative runs annually
Researchers should submit their proposal through the IHR submission portal
The closing date for submissions will be 23.59 p.m. (UK time) on 31st January 2024
Shortlisted applicants will be notified.
