Call for Proposals

Publishing mission

Our mission is to publish, disseminate, and promote the most forward-looking, vanguard research in premodern studies. We seek projects that are historically grounded and theoretically expansive, with the aim of fostering dialogues that reach into the present moment and point us to different, more inclusive, futures. We welcome manuscripts that analyze pre-modern history, literature, and/or culture through the lenses of ecocriticism, disability studies, critical race studies, women’s studies, postcolonial studies, new media studies, quantitative studies, performance studies, and more. Furthermore, we value manuscripts that explore these complex topics in a manner that is accessible so as to reach as wide an audience as possible, including but not limited to classroom use.


Editorial board

Suzanne Akbari, University of Toronto
Jeffrey Jerome Cohen, Arizona State University
Dan-el Padilla Peralta, Princeton University
Gabriel Egan, De Montfort University
Carissa Harris, Temple University
Jonathan Hsy, George Washington University
Kathleen Perry Long, Cornell University
Kathryn Vomero Santos, Trinity University


Publish with ACMRS Press

At ACMRS Press, we’re with you from your initial proposal to the publication of your manuscript. All of our titles and projects are published in open access at no cost to the authors/editors or their institutions. We regularly publish projects in the following three categories:

  • Scholarly monographs and edited collections that represent vanguard work in premodern studies as defined in the ACMRS Press mission
  • Groundbreaking and forward-thinking open access pedagogical projects and resources
  • Open access versions of primary and secondary works from traditionally underrepresented voices in premodern studies


Proposing a project

Our acquisitions team (Manager of Publishing Futures Geoff Way and Managing Editor Roy Rukkila) are available to answer questions and work with you to develop your project proposal to submit to the ACMRS Press board. Our board serves as the first round of review for the project, looking over the proposal materials and providing feedback for the authors/editors. If the board agrees to offering a contract, we then move into the development phase of the process. If the board decides not to offer a contract at this point, we will use the board’s feedback to work with you on revising the proposal for resubmission.

If you are ready to submit a proposal now, visit our Author Resources page to download the appropriate proposal template.


The shepherding process

Rather than using a double-anonymous peer review, a shepherd works with the current draft of your project to prepare it for publication. Instead of using the review process as an evaluative step, we ask our shepherds to establish what work needs to be done to prepare the project for publication. Given the more extensive commitment of the shepherding process, we compensate our shepherds for their efforts. We also work to ensure that the shepherd for your project is someone we and you can trust to shepherd the project towards publication. Once the shepherd has completed their review and we are happy with the feedback, we then will provide you with the feedback and connect you with the shepherd for your project so that you have the chance to follow up and ask questions as you revise the manuscript.


Production schedule

On average, ACMRS Press publishes projects on an 18-month timeline from delivery of the initial project or manuscript. Below is a breakdown of the average timeline for publishing with ACMRS Press:

  • Shepherding (3 months): We allot 3 months for the shepherding process, which includes identifying and commissioning a shepherd for the project, the time for the shepherd to review, and then an opportunity for the author and the shepherd to connect and discuss the project.
  • Revisions (2 months): After the completion of the shepherding process, we move forward with a 2-month window for any author revisions of the project. Once this step is complete, we move the project into the production process.
  • Copyediting (3 months): In the first step of the production process, we identify and commission a copyeditor we know will be a good fit for the project. Given the length and complexity of most projects, we provide copyeditors with a 3-month window to complete their review of the project.
  • Review of copyedits (1 month): Upon receiving and reviewing the copyedits, we return the project to the author for review and to make any necessary changes. This is the last point any significant changes can be made to the text of the project.
  • Typesetting (1 month): Generally, we schedule 1 month for the initial typesetting of the project. However, depending on the complexity of the project, typesetting may take longer. In such cases, we will update you on the revised schedule.
  • Author Review of Page Proofs (1 month): Once we have completed typesetting the project, the author has one month to review the page proofs for errors as we prepare the print and Pressbooks versions of the project for publication.
  • Pressbooks Review (1 month): In the final review step, you will have the opportunity to review the open access version of the project in Pressbooks ahead of printing and marketing the project.
  • Final Production/Printing and Marketing (6 months): During the final phase of the process, we will work with you to build a marketing plan for your project as we complete the final steps to publication.


Editorial staff

ACMRS Press does not review manuscripts until a proposal has been submitted. Please contact the Managing Editor if you are interested in submitting a proposal.