There are four main benefits of these proposed prizes.
First, they will benefit scholars of a field through financial support of their research. Indian Ocean studies and studies of larger interactions with the Arabian Peninsula are not recognized currently by many prizes. While book prizes as monetary awards are important for scholars, the recognition
provided by a book prize can go far beyond funding. They establish a scholar’s career. They can ensure tenure or promotion to higher ranks within academia. This makes these proposed prizes especially valuable to scholars, especially since such prizes are lacking. Currently scholars of the Indian Ocean and Arabian Peninsula compete with an overly broad pool of scholars in Middle East Studies or History more generally for a limited number of prizes such as the Hourani Award by the Middle East Studies Association. As an opportunity to publicly celebrate the awarding of prizes in the press, the prizes will increase international understanding of Oman, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Indian Ocean. Third, the prizes will benefit future generations of readers and will help to further establish, over time, the reputation of Oman as a Sultanate that encourages the preservation of history, heritage, and culture, but also the deeper understanding and interpretation of that history in a way that also makes it accessible. The “public sphere” that these prizes benefit will include not only other academics but also journalists, politicians, diplomats, businesspeople, and even regular people who might be engaged with Oman, Arabia, or the Indian Ocean. Finally, the prize ceremony will be an event that encourages conversations between prize recipients, the scholarly community and graduate student attendees, inspiring fruitful interdisciplinary dialogue.

• Either authors or publishers are welcome to submit books.
• Books may also be nominated by the members of the selection committee.
• Both single authored and edited books will be welcome, although both must show a unity of theme, argument, and purpose.
• Submissions must be made by a deadline determined by the committee. Books should be submitted in as PDFs.
• Non-published manuscripts will not be accepted, only complete and published books or final proofs slated for publication before June 30, 2026.
• Books must have been published from January 1, 2024 to June 30, 2026
• Any book can only receive one prize and may not receive a new prize as a new edition.
• Peer reviewed books by University Presses or established scholarly trade presses are welcome.
• Books not peer-reviewed will not be considered except at the committee’s discretion.
• All submissions should be in English, or should be complete, published English translations of academic books.
• Both authors and publishers/editors may submit books.
• An author may submit for only one of the prizes in any given year but may resubmit for consideration in future years.
• An academic book publisher, working for a press, may submit an unlimited number of books in any given year with the consent of the authors. Authors should inform their press of their intent to submit for the prize and it will be up to authors to coordinate with their presses and editors the submission of books in time to the committee.
• In addition to a full PDF, authors and/or publishers (although this is not required for publishers) may submit a brief letter, no more than 500 words, stating their name, best contact information (email and cell phone required) affiliation and background.
• An optional author CV (no longer than 2 pages will be accepted) can also be appended to the letter.
• No late submissions will be accepted except at the committee’s discretion in extraordinary circumstances.
• Physical attendance at the ceremony is expected and we will coordinate with prize winners to pay for flight, accommodations and other logistics that may be required. If there are co-authors, only one author will be funded to come to the prize ceremony, unless the budget is available to invite both.
• Co-authors will agree to split the monetary prize.