Ohio University Press books honored

Ohio University Press is pleased to announce that two of its recent scholarly publications have received accolades from the African Studies Association.

“Enslaved Africans and Their Descendants in Africa: Life Histories,” edited by Martin A. Klein and Stephen J. Rockel, received the 2026 African Studies Review Best Africa-Focused Anthology or Edited Collection Prize.

The award recognizes editors and contributors to an anthology of original scholarship, cohesive in structure and interdisciplinary in nature, that advances African studies in new theoretical and/or methodological directions.

“Enslaved Africans,” explores the lives and legacies of enslaved Africans and their descendants across the African continent, presenting meticulously researched life histories that illuminate experiences often overlooked in studies of slavery. Drawing on oral histories, archival sources and interdisciplinary scholarship, the contributors examine resilience, agency, identity and social transformation in African communities.

“We are grateful for the recognition of the African Studies Association for our work,” said Klein and Rockel, respectively professor emeritus and associate professor of history at the University of Toronto. “We also appreciate the quality of the submissions we received. It was a pleasure to work with a diverse group of junior and senior scholars from eight countries across three continents.”

Ohio University Press also congratulates editors Joanna Davidson and Benjamin N. Lawrance, whose book “Pathos and Power: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Widowhood in Africa, Past and Present,” received Honorable Mention for the same prize.

Bringing together scholars from multiple disciplines, the collection offers a nuanced examination of widowhood across African societies and historical periods. Through case studies spanning precolonial, colonial, and postcolonial contexts, the volume investigates questions of gender, law, social status, autonomy and identity.

“It was an honor that these eminent scholars chose Ohio University Press to publish their collections,” said Press Director Beth Pratt; “I’m pleased that both of these anthologies are being recognized for advancing their fields of research.”

The African Studies Review Best Anthology or Edited Collection Prize was established in 2019 with support from Cambridge University Press. Prior to this year, Ohio University Press books have won the prize twice. The inaugural prize was awarded to “Africa Every Day: Fun, Leisure, and Expressive Culture on the Continent,” and last year’s prize went to “Making Martial Races: Gender, Society and Warfare in Africa.”

Ohio University Press is a leading publisher of humanities and social science scholarship and is internationally recognized for its distinguished African studies list. For more information about Ohio University Press and its publications, visit ohioswallow.com.