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Best Book Prize

Awarded for the book that has made the most substantial and original contribution.

Best Book Prize

The Best Book Prize recognises an outstanding book that makes the most substantial and original contribution to knowledge in contemporary European Studies. Applications are currently open and will close on Monday 25 May 2026 at 23:59 BST.

The Best Book Prize is open to anyone. You do not need to be a UACES member to apply though only current members are eligible to receive the award. If you are not yet a member, you can join at www.uaces.org/membership

Self‑application is warmly encouraged. Applications from colleagues and publisher submissions are equally welcome. 
 

Eligibility

  • The work must be a first edition book
  • Edited volumes, journal articles, book chapters and textbooks are not eligible
  • The book must have been published between 1 January and 31 December 2025
  • Co‑authored books are eligible. All authors must be named in the application
  • Publishers may submit one book only
     

Prize 

  • A commemorative glass award
  • A certificate
  • Three‑day attendance at the UACES 56th Annual Conference in Prague
  • An opportunity to speak in the UACES Award Winner webinar series
  • Promotion across UACES social media channels
     

How to Apply

If you meet the eligibility criteria and would like to apply for this award, either for yourself or on behalf of someone else, please complete the online application form.

The form will ask for basic information about the applicant and nominee (where applicable), along with details relevant to the award. You will also be asked to provide a supporting statement addressing the criteria for the award.

To help you structure your statement, you may wish to consider the following questions.

- What is the central argument or contribution of this work?
- What is the significance of this work for the field of European Studies? How does it advance knowledge or open new directions?
- Has this work had any broader impact on policy, practice, public debate or other disciplines? Please give specific examples where possible.
- Is there anything about this work's approach, focus or perspective that you feel the judging panel should be aware of?

Previous Winners

Year
Year

Author
Author

Book
Book


Year
2025

Author
Fiona Costello, Catherine Barnard and Sarah Fraser Butlin

Book
Low Paid EU Migrant Workers: the House, the Street, the Town


Year
2024

Author
Luke Dimitrios Spieker

Book
EU Values Before the Court of Justice


Year
2023

Author
Mary C. Murphy and Jonathan Evershed

Book
A Troubled Constitutional Future: Northern Ireland after Brexit


Year
2022

Author
Elena Baracani

Book
EU-Turkey Relations - A new Direction for EU Foreign Policy?


Year
2021

Author
Vestert Borger

Book
The Currency of Solidarity: Constitutional Transformation during the Euro Crisis


Year
2020

Author
Simon Bulmer & Willie Patterson

Book
Germany and the European Union: Europe’s Reluctant Hegemon


Year
2020

Author
Eleni Frantziou

Book
The Horizontal Effect of Fundamental Rights in the European Union


Year
2019

Author
Jan Zielonka

Book
Counter-Revolution: Liberal Europe in Retreat


Year
2018

Author
Thomas Winzen

Book
Constitutional Preferences and Parliamentary Reform - Explaining National Parliaments' Adaptation to European Integration


Year
2017

Author
Michaël Tatham

Book
With, Without, or Against the State? How European regions play the Brussels game


Year
2016

Author
Theresa Kuhn

Book
Experiencing European Integration: Transnational Lives and European Identity


Year
2015

Author
Kenneth Dyson

Book
States, Debt, and Power: Saints and Sinners in European History and Integration


Year
2014

Author
Claudia Schrag Sternberg

Book
The Struggle for EU Legitimacy: Public Contestation 1950-2005


Year
2013

Author
Christopher Bickerton

Book
European Integration: From Nation-States to Member States


Year
2012

Author
Mai’a K. Davis Cross

Book
Security Integration in Europe: How Knowledge-based Networks Are Transforming the European Union


Year
2011

Author
Kenneth Armstrong

Book
Governing Social Inclusion: Europeanization through Policy Coordination


Year
2010

Author
Robert Schütze

Book
From Dual to Cooperative Federalism: The Changing Structure of European Law


Year
2009

Author
Urfan Khaliq

Book
Ethical Dimensions of the Foreign Policy of the European Union: A Legal Appraisal


Year
2008

Author
Jo Shaw

Book
The Transformation of Citizenship in the European Union: Electoral Rights and the Restructuring of Political Space


Year
2007

Author
Andrew Jordan & Adriaan Schout

Book
The Coordination of the European Union: Exploring the Capacities of Networked Governance


Year
2007

Author
Lynn Dobson

Book
Supranational Citizenship (Europe in Change)


Year
2006

Author
Georg Menz

Book
Varieties of Capitalism and Europeanization: National Response Strategies to the Single European Market


Year
2005

Author
Stefan Auer

Book
Liberal Nationalism in Central Europe