Morris D. Forkosch Prize
The 2019 submission deadline has passed. Awardees will be announced this fall.
The American Historical Association offers the Morris D. Forkosch Prize annually in recognition of the best book in English in the field of British, British imperial, or British Commonwealth history since 1485. Submission of books relating to the shared common law heritage of the English-speaking world are particularly encouraged in memory of the late Professor Forkosch’s contributions to the field of legal studies and legal history. See the list of past recipients.
The general rules for submission are:
- Books with a copyright of 2019 will be eligible for the 2020 competition.
- Nomination submissions may be made by an author or by a publisher. Publishers may submit as many entries as they wish. Authors or publishers may submit the same book for multiple AHA prizes.
- Nominators must complete an online prize submission form for each book submitted.
- One copy of each entry must be sent to each committee member and clearly marked “Forkosch Award Entry.” Print copies preferred unless otherwise indicated. If only e-copy is available, please contact review committee members beforehand to arrange submission format.
Please Note: Entries must be received by May 15, 2020, to be eligible for the 2020 competition. Entries will not be returned. Recipients will be announced on the AHA website in October 2020 and recognized during a ceremony at the January 2021 AHA annual meeting in Seattle.
For questions, please contact the Prize Administrator.
The review committee contact information and prize submission form will be posted by March 1 for submissions due May 15.
2018 Forkosch Prize
Paul Ocobock, University of Notre Dame
An Uncertain Age: The Politics of Manhood in Kenya (Ohio Univ. Press)
Paul Ocobock’s ingenious study foregrounds age, gender, and generation to understand the political machinations and lived experiences of late imperialism and decolonization. Working with archives and oral testimony from two continents, Ocobock shows how the “elder state” deployed youth for the purposes of governance, only to have it turned against itself in the Mau Mau Rebellion. Ocobock makes a familiar story new and offers portable tools for the work of historians across ages and spaces.