First Book Manuscript Workshop

The Center for the Study of Liberal Democracy at the University of Wisconsin–Madison invites submissions for its annual First Book Manuscript Workshop. The manuscript selected will be the subject of a day-long conference at which each chapter will receive critical commentary from scholars with related areas of expertise. The workshop will be held in Madison, Wisconsin during the winter/spring of 2024, on a date that best accommodates the availability of participants. The Center will cover the costs of travel, accommodation, and meals for the author of the selected manuscript. In addition to providing comments for each part of the book, the Center will also sponsor an invited keynote discussant.

Submissions from political theory and political philosophy are welcome. Priority will be given to manuscripts that engage meaningfully with topics integral to the mission of the Center.

The 2023 Workshop, featuring Dr. Luke Foster, will be held at The University of Notre Dame. The tentative schedule can be found here.

First Book Manuscript Workshop applications for 2024 will open soon.

Manuscript Workshop Information

Eligibility

The workshop’s aim is to generate feedback for strengthening an almost-completed manuscript. To be considered, submissions must meet the following criteria:

  1. Authors should have the Ph.D. in hand by the submission date. Submissions based on dissertation work should have undergone extensive revisions.
  2. The manuscript must be single-authored.
  3. The submission must be the author’s first book.
  4. The draft must be complete and ready for distribution to commentators two month prior to the event..
  5. The manuscript must not be accepted for publication.

Submission instructions

Applicants should submit the following materials, as a single PDF file, to CSLD@wisc.edu:

  • CV
  • Brief description of the book, not exceeding 250 words, including a note on the current state of the manuscript.
  • Table of contents
  • Longer abstract (up to 3000 words), including a description of each chapter

Deadline

The deadline for submission is November 19 for the following year.