13th Annual University Press Week Begins

The 13th annual University Press Week, a celebration of the contributions of university presses to book publishing, is being held Nov. 11-15, under the theme “Step UP.” The event is organized by the Association of University Presses (AUPresses), which comprises 161 publishers worldwide.

To commemorate the occasion, AUPresses has put together a StepUP reading list of 123 books presenting “thought-provoking concepts, new points of view, and inspiring ideas, many of which advocate for social change.” Titles include Big Box USA, edited by Bart Elmore, Rachel S. Gross, and Sherri Sheu (University of Wyoming Press); Resisting the Dehumanization of Refugees, edited by Yasmeen Abu-Laban, Michael Frishkopf, Reza Hasmath, and Anna Kirova (Athabasca University Press); The Painful Truth About Hunger in America by Mariana Chilton (MIT Press); and more. Further titles highlight military history and veterans’ experiences, including Coalition Leadership by retired Colonel James L. Creighton (Marine Corps University Press) and Why the European Union Failed in Afghanistan by Oz Hassan (Bristol University Press/Policy Press).

“Every day, university presses worldwide step up to educate and enlighten, motivate and inspire, support and act,” said AUPresses executive director Peter Berkery, in a statement. “University Press Week 2024 offers the opportunity to explore the myriad ways that university press publications give context to current issues and events, offer solutions to global challenges, and present diverse voices in a broad range of disciplines.”

The week will also feature a number of author events across the U.S., U.K., and Europe, many of which will be held at bookstores across the country including the Book Cellar in Chicago, P&T Knitwear in New York, Third Place Books in Seattle, and Busboys and Poets in Washington, D.C.