IU Press celebrates award-winning year

Winner of the 2023 Edelstein Prize, Stephan F. Miescher (left), and Society of History of Technology President Gabrielle Hecht. (Photo from S. Miescher, downloaded from the Society of History of Technology)

Written by Barb Berggoetz, Guest Journalist

Last year alone, Indiana University Press published 120 books. Its staff bring to life many hard-wrought academic works of scholars and authors worldwide in fields from international studies, philosophy, and folklore to music and cinema. 

In 2023, eight of those authors received awards or prizes recognizing their work in advancing knowledge in key fields of study. 

“The fun part about working in publishing is every day you talk to a variety of authors with different experiences,” said Dave Hulsey, Associate Director. "They write about topics often on the leading edge of research from different points of view for scholars in their fields or for more general audiences," he said. 

Decades of Disseminating Knowledge

In its 74th year, IU Press is internationally recognized as a leading academic publisher specializing in the humanities and social sciences. It is among 160 university presses in 16 countries. The 26-member staff, led by Gary Dunham, Director, IU Press and Digital Publishing, includes four project managers and three acquisitions editors who, in addition producing 100 to 120 books annually, also publish 38 academic journals, and maintain a back list of some 3,500 titles. IU Press is a non-profit academic publisher, part of Indiana University Libraries in Bloomington. 

Ultimately, Hulsey said, IU Press’ objective is to disseminate knowledge. About three-quarters of the books are scholarly works, some written by IU professors and researchers. IU Press also publishes trade books on cooking, travel, paleontology, rails, transportation, and regional topics. “We’re very lucky that we get a nice percentage of awards for our books,” he added. 

IU Press helps its authors apply for these prizes, which often come with cash awards. The national and international awards received this year recognize the Best Edited Collection, best Writing Based on Archival Material, an Outstanding Book Award and even an ALA Book of the Year.  Winners are listed below. 

An award 17 years in the making

In 2023, the prestigious Sidney M. Edelstein prize from the Society for the History of Technology was awarded to Stephan Miescher for “A Dam for Africa: Akosombo Stories from Ghana.” Miescher, African history professor and Department of History chairman at the University of California, Santa Barbara, said he worked on this 572-page book for 17 years. 

“It’s a monumental book,” he said. “Akosombo is a famous dam, but nobody has written such an extensive history. I wrote about the dam’s place in the history of Ghana and the history of Africa from the 1950s to the 2000s.” Miescher said his work is a “cross-over” book, finding readers interested in African studies and the history of technology. 

It focuses on the technopolitics of building a hydroelectric dam within the context of national politics, Pan-Africanism, the Cold War, and the international aluminum industry and exploring the huge role the dam played in Ghana becoming an industrialized nation, although not all expectations were achieved, he said. “People are interested in the cultural context in which technology is being developed. My book is a very good example of that.” 

From Proposal to Award

Each year, said Hulsey, IU Press acquisitions editors review proposals received and select those supporting the Press’ publishing goals. Proposals are assessed on scholarship, how the subject fits the Press’ publishing program, and market needs. Not all proposals are selected. Acquisitions editors also seek authors to write about topics important to the Press’ specialties. Editors present proposed books to the internal staff, and an editorial board of IU professors and scholars vets them, Hulsey said. Then the decision to publish is made, with Dunham’s approval. 

For 2024, IU Press books has a variety of books getting ready for publication. Among them are: 

• “Pop Islam: Seeing American Muslims in Popular Media,” by Rosemary Pennington; April publication
• “Death to Beauty: The Transformative History of Botox,” by Dr. Eugene M. Helveston; January publication
• “Folklore of Lake Erie,” by Judith S. Neulander; May publication