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Introducing the Winners of the 2025 ACLS Open Access Book Prizes

The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) has made a significant announcement regarding the winners of the 2025 ACLS Open Access Book Prizes and the Arcadia Open Access Publishing Awards. These prestigious awards, supported by Arcadia, are designed to honor exemplary works in the humanities that make a considerable impact at a global scale. Established in 2025, this year’s awards will spotlight works published between 2018 and 2023.

The Winners

the winners have been selected by a distinguished panel of judges amongst a shortlist of five finalists for each category:

1. Environmental Humanities

Misreading the Bengal Delta: Climate Change, Development, and Livelihoods in Coastal Bangladesh by Camelia Dewan, published by the University of Washington Press in 2021.

2. History

Archipelago of Resettlement: Vietnamese Refugee Settlers and Decolonization across Guam and Israel-Palestine by Evyn Lê Espiritu Gandhi, published by the University of California Press in 2022.

3. Literary Studies

Frame by Frame: A Materialist Aesthetics of Animated Cartoons by Hannah Frank, edited by Daniel Morgan, published by the University of California Press in 2019.

4. Multimodal

Feral Atlas: The More-Than-Human Anthropocene by Anna L. Tsing, Jennifer Deger, Alder Keleman Saxena, and Feifei Zhou, published by Stanford University Press in 2020.

Additionally, Country of Words: A Transnational Atlas for Palestinian Literature by Refqa Abu-Remaileh, published by Stanford University Press in 2023, received an honorable mention.

Prize Details

Each award-winning author will receive $20,000, while the respective publishers will be granted $30,000 to facilitate the immediate open access publication of at least two new titles. This award is significant within the academic community, as it represents one of the largest honors for scholarly publications, fostering a richer ecosystem for sharing knowledge in the humanities.

The prize ceremony is set to take place at the New York Public Library on October 22, 2025, and the anticipation surrounding these awards highlights the essential role of open access scholarship in advancing human understanding across diverse domains.

The Significance of Open Access

As ACLS President Joy Connolly eloquently stated, “These authors and publishers exemplify the promise of open access top-notch scholarship with global impact that circulates freely.” The works that earned awards this year invite a wide audience into critical discussions on pressing issues such as climate change, the stories of refugees, and the intersections between art and labor.

The ACLS has a storied history of over 100 years in promoting the advancement of humanistic knowledge. By introducing initiatives like the Open Access Books Prizes, ACLS is cultivating a modern publishing landscape where scholarly work can flourish, adhering to the core belief that knowledge is a public good.

Future Initiatives

Looking ahead, submissions for the 2026 ACLS Open Access Book Prizes and Arcadia Open Access Publishing Awards will open in late October, providing further opportunities to recognize outstanding contributions to the humanities.

Formed a century ago, the American Council of Learned Societies represents a diverse federation of 81 scholarly organizations, advocating for a rich tapestry of knowledge across disciplines. With the support of organizations like Arcadia, which has dedicated substantial resources to promoting cultural heritage, conservation, and open access, the future of scholarly publishing appears bright.

Conclusion

The 2025 ACLS Open Access Book Prizes not only celebrate the remarkable achievements of authors and publishers but also signify an enduring commitment to expanding access to knowledge in the humanities. As the awards approach, the excitement builds for a celebration of scholarship that invites engagement and dialogue on vital global issues.