Submission Period Now Open for George L. Mosse First Book Prize
The University of Wisconsin Press and the George L. Mosse Program in History are pleased to announce that the submission period is now open for this year’s Mosse First Book Prize.
The prize was established in 2020 to honor Mosse’s commitment to scholarship and to mentoring new generations of historians. Winning books are published as part of the George L. Mosse Series in the History of European Culture, Sexuality, and Ideas, and the recipient receives a $5,000 prize, payable in two installments. An honorable mention winner may also be selected to receive a $1,000 prize and publication.
“George L. Mosse was a prolific and innovative scholar who significantly enriched our understanding of multiple aspects of European history: cultural symbolism and intellectual history, fascism and gender, Jewish and LGBTQ+ history. He was also a legendary mentor to aspiring scholars,” says series advisor David Sorkin. “This prize perpetuates George’s dual legacy of scholarship and mentorship by rewarding the next generation of historians with the opportunity to publish an outstanding monograph with the University of Wisconsin Press.”
The most recent winner is Yanara Schmacks, researcher and lecturer in history at the University of Bremen, whose book Reproductive Nation: Cold War Fantasies and German Unification is scheduled for publication in 2028.
“George L. Mosse’s groundbreaking scholarship on how sex and gender are constitutively enmeshed with the rise of nationalist movements and antisemitic and racist discourses as well as the work of generations of historians building on his crucial insights have been a profound inspiration for my inquiry into the history of the politics of motherhood and reproduction in Germany,” says Schmacks. “Examining ideological battles, moral struggles, and emotional appeals around motherhood, my book demonstrates how controversies in the intimate realm were central for an array of complicated social and political developments, such as the resurfacing and promotion of overt national-conservative, racist, and eugenic thought but also the formation of oppositional groups critically challenging state socialism. I am truly honored to publish in the Mosse book series and contribute to its focus on the legacies of fascism in Europe and the ways in which memory and gender politics are inextricably linked.”
The 2026 George L. Mosse First Book Prize is open to original, previously unpublished monographs of historical scholarship in English (whether written in English or translated), and aims to support and engage early-career scholars writing on topics related to the history of European culture, sexuality, or ideas.
Proposals will be accepted through September 1, 2026; all submissions will be reviewed by the Press and series advisors. Finalists will then be invited to submit full manuscripts, which will be read by a jury of expert readers to select the winning project.
Entrants should begin by sending a proposal to UW Press editor in chief Dan Crissman at dcrissman@wisc.edu. The subject line should contain “Mosse First Book Prize” as well as the author’s last name and a keyword. Please do not send the complete manuscript until requested to do so. Proposals should follow the guidelines detailed at https://uwpress.wisc.edu/Submissions/Publish-Your-Book and should include the following elements:
- the scope and rationale for the book and its main contributions,
- how the work fits with the Mosse series,
- the audience and market for the book,
- the manuscript’s word count,
- an annotated table of contents,
- two sample chapters (ideally an introductory chapter and one interior chapter), and
- a curriculum vitae.
Please note whether the book is under consideration elsewhere at the time of prize submission; work submitted for consideration must not be under contract elsewhere and should be complete at the time of submission.
About the University of Wisconsin Press
The University of Wisconsin Press is a not-for-profit publisher of books and journals. With more than 1,500 titles and more than 8,000 peer-reviewed articles in print, its mission embodies the Wisconsin Idea by publishing work of distinction that serves the people of Wisconsin and the world.
About the George L. Mosse Series in the History of European Culture, Sexuality, and Ideas
The Mosse series promotes the vibrant international collaboration and community that historian George L. Mosse created during his lifetime by publishing major innovative works by outstanding scholars in European cultural and intellectual history.
About George L. Mosse
A legendary scholar, teacher, and mentor, Mosse (1918–1999) joined the Department of History at UW–Madison in 1955. He was an early leader in the study of modern European culture, fascism, and the history of sexuality and masculinity. In 1965 Mosse was honored for his exceptional teaching by being named UW’s first John C. Bascom Professor. He remained famous among students and colleagues for his popular and engaging lectures, which were often standing-room only. A Jewish refugee from prewar Germany, Mosse was appointed a visiting professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1969 and spent the final decades of his career traveling frequently between Madison and Jerusalem.