Celebrating Ten ICAS Book Prize Editions A Multilingual Window on the World of Asian Studies I

Roundtable Convenor(s)

• 

  Paul van der Velde

  International Institute for Asian Studies (IIAS), Netherlands

Roundtable Chair(s)

• AM

  Alex McKay

  Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Australia

Roundtable Participant(s)

• MM

  Marielle Morin

  GIS Asie, France
• YC

  Ying-kit Chan

  ICAS Book Prize 2023 - Secretary Chinese Language Edition
  National University of Singapore, Singapore
• JK

  Jong-Cheol Kim

  ICAS Book Prize 2023 - Organiser and Sponsor Korean Language Edition
  Seoul National University Asia Center, Republic of Korea
• AR

  Anna Romanowicz

  Jagiellonian University, Poland
• LE

  Laura Erber

  International Institute for Asian Studies (IIAS), Netherlands
• 

  Martina van den Haak

  International Institute for Asian Studies (IIAS), Netherlands
• CL

  Carola Lorea

  Tuebingen University, Germany
• HC

  Howard Chiang

  University of California - Santa Barbara, United States
• VL

  Victoria Lee

  ICAS Book Prize 2023 - English Language Edition, Winner Best Book Humanities Category
  Ohio University, United States
• CK

  Carmel Christy Kattithara Joseph

  University of Connecticut, United States
• PS

  Peter Schoppert

  National University of Singapore Press, Singapore
• IK

  Inge Klompmakers

  Amsterdam University Press
• MD

  Michael Duckworth

  Hong Kong University Press, Hong Kong

Join us for an inspiring Roundtable discussion celebrating ten editions of the ICAS Book Prize (IBP)! This special event brings together representatives from various facets of the IBP —global partners, reading committee members, publishers, and Prize winners—to share their stories, experiences and insights. We will celebrate the collective achievements that have shaped the IBP in one of the foremost awards in Asian Studies, recognising outstanding scholarly contributions worldwide. This roundtable offers a unique opportunity to explore the rich history and impact of the Prize over the past ten editions.

Recognizing the need for a more inclusive and innovative approach, the IBP aimed to transcend the confines of existing region- or discipline-specific prizes in Asian Studies. By casting a broader international spotlight on academic publications in the dynamic realm of Asian Studies, the IBP sought to foster an enriched interdisciplinary and interregional context. Established in 2003 by the secretariat of the International Convention of Asia Scholars (ICAS) at the International Institute for Asian Studies (IIAS), the IBP initially acknowledged English-language publications, receiving tens of submissions in three categories.

Over the years, the number of submissions and prize categories has gradually grown, transforming the IBP into one of the largest book prizes in the field of Asian Studies. Through collaboration with global partners, sponsors, and reading committees, the ICAS team has expanded the horizons of the IBP, transforming it into a diverse, multilingual realm. This development has granted recognition and commendation to outstanding publications across multiple languages. In doing so, ICAS continues to redefine and decentralise the landscape of knowledge about, with, and in Asia.

For the tenth IBP edition in 2023, we received nearly 800 submissions and awarded prizes in 13 categories! Over the past 20 years, the IBP has been awarding prizes to books, dissertations, and articles of exceptional quality. Since 2013, ‘accolades’ have also been given to acknowledge specific aspects appreciated by the reading committees, such as the ‘Best Read for the General Public’ or Groundbreaking Publication.’

Reflecting on the past ten editions, we proudly find ourselves amidst a remarkable assembly of international ICAS Book and Dissertation Prize winners. The IBP award marked international recognition of their scholarly contributions, and for most it also opened new doors, offering global platforms and invaluable networks.

These past ten editions would not have been possible without the support of all publishers and authors, the IBP partnering sponsors and organisers, reading committees and colleagues who contributed to the different editions.

The IBP 2023 partners
Check out the IBP 2023 winners here: https://icas.asia/winners-ibp-2023

For the IBP 2023 edition, we welcomed three new co-organisers and sponsors: Casa Asia (sponsor Portuguese/Spanish Edition); Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization (IDE-JETRO, co-organiser Japanese Edition); and Wan Boo Sow Research Center for Chinese Culture at the National University of Singapore (organiser and sponsor Chinese Edition). We are grateful that they joined our IBP family by supporting this multilingual initiative. We also thank our longstanding partners: the Centre for Asian and Transcultural Studies (CATS, German Edition); GIS Asie, French Academic Network on Asian Studies (French Edition); IIAS and the Asian Library at Leiden University (English Edition); SEPHIS, The South-South Exchange Program for Research on the History of Development (Portuguese/Spanish Edition); Society for Hong Kong Studies (Best Article on Global Hong Kong Studies); Seoul National University Asia Center (SNUAC, Korean Edition); and Aysun Uyar Makibayshi (Secretary Japanese Edition). Their support and efforts have made these different editions possible.