Book Awards
MPCA/ACA Book Awards
Each year, the Midwest Popular Culture/Midwest American Culture presents book awards at its annual conference.
Procedures
Entries are due by May 1st of the year in which works are to be considered for the award. The Awards Coordinator, elected by the Executive Council of MPCA/ACA, oversees the committees that select the winners. Recipients and publishers will be notified before the conference where the awards are presented. Recipients need not be present to receive the award. Please anonymize your submission (by removing names of authors).
Awards Criteria
Book award submissions will be judged on:
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Quality of research and scholarship
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Originality
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Contribution to popular and/or American studies scholarship
The award for BEST SINGLE WORK BY ONE OR MORE AUTHORS:
Purpose: To recognize the most notable, newly published, English-language monograph in the field of popular and/or American culture studies.
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Eligibility: Best Single work by one or more authors in Popular and American Culture must have been published in the previous two years (e.g., the 2025 prize will be given to a book published in 2023 or 2024). Second editions of monographs, edited collections, and textbooks are not eligible.
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Application Process: Nominations, including self-nominations and nominations by presses, are made by sending one electronic, published copy of the book to the Awards Coordinator of MPCA/ACA. Applicants may submit only one title during an application cycle. Please ensure your submission is anonymized (remove or redact all the authors' names).
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Application Deadline: Postmarked by May 1 of the year in which the works are to be considered for the award. Send Application To: Awards@mpcaaca.org
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The award for BEST EDITED COLLECTION​
Purpose: To recognize the most notable, newly published English-language edited collection in the field of popular and/or American culture studies.
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Eligibility: The collection must have been published in the previous two years (e.g., the 2025 prize will be given to a book published in 2023 or 2024). Second editions or subsequent editions are not eligible.
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Application Process: Nominations, including self-nominations and nominations by presses, are made by sending one electronic, published copy to the Awards Coordinator of MPCA/ACA. Applicants may submit only one title during an application cycle. Please ensure your submission is anonymized (remove or redact all the authors' names).
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Application Deadline: Postmarked by May 1 of the year in which the works are to be considered for the award. Send Application To: awards@mpcaaca.org
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The award for BEST CREATIVE WORK
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Purpose: To recognize the most notable, newly published English-language book that is categorized as a fictional novel in the field of popular and/or American culture studies.
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Eligibility: The book must have been published in the previous two years (e.g., the 2025 prize will be given to a book published in 2023 or 2024). Second editions or subsequent editions are not eligible. Please ensure your submission is anonymized (remove or redact all the authors' names).
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Application Process: Nominations, including self-nominations and nominations by presses, are made by sending one electronic, published copy of the book to the Awards Coordinator of MPCA/ACA. Applicants may submit only one title during an application cycle.
​
Application Deadline: Postmarked by May 1 of the year in which the works are to be considered for the award. Send Application To: Awards@mpcaaca.org
Any questions regarding awards should be directed to Aisha Powell, chairperson of the Awards Committee, at Awards@mpcaaca.org