Biennial Prizes with Competitions in 2024
Howard R. Marraro Prize
Deadline: 1 May 2024.
Definition: For an outstanding scholarly work on any phase of Italian literature or comparative literature involving Italian.
Eligibility: Books published in 2023; authors must be members of the MLA.
Copies required: Four print copies and electronic access.
This prize has been endowed by Howard R. Marraro.
Mina P. Shaughnessy Prize
Deadline: 1 May 2024.
Definition: For a work in the fields of language, culture, literacy, or literature with strong application to the teaching of English.
Eligibility: Books published in 2022 or 2023; authors need not be members of the MLA.
Copies required: Four print copies and electronic access.
Morton N. Cohen Award for a Distinguished Edition of Letters
Deadline: 1 May 2024.
Definition: For an outstanding edition of letters. Editions may be in single or multiple volumes.
Eligibility: At least one volume must have been published in 2021, 2022, or 2023; editors need not be members of the MLA.
Copies required: Four print copies and electronic access.
This prize has been endowed by Morton N. Cohen.
MLA Prize for Contingent Faculty and Independent Scholars
Deadline: 1 May 2024.
Definition: For a scholarly book in the field of English or other modern languages and literatures.
Eligibility: Books published in 2022 or 2023. At the time of research or publication of the book, author must not be enrolled in a program leading to an academic degree or hold a tenured, tenure-accruing, or tenure-track position in postsecondary education. Authors need not be members of the MLA.
Copies required: Six print copies and electronic access, plus a completed entry form.
Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Prize for Studies in Germanic Languages and Literatures
Deadline: 1 May 2024.
Definition: For an outstanding scholarly work on the linguistics or literatures of any of the Germanic languages (Danish, Dutch, German, Norwegian, Swedish, Yiddish).
Eligibility: Books published in 2022 or 2023; authors must be members of the MLA.
Copies required: Four print copies and electronic access.
This prize has been endowed by the Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Endowment Fund.
MLA Prize for Bibliographical or Archival Scholarship
Deadline: 1 May 2024.
Definition: For an outstanding enumerative or descriptive bibliography, archive, or digital project.
Eligibility: At least one volume must have been published in 2022 or 2023. Editors need not be members of the MLA.
Copies required: Four print copies and electronic access.
Fenia and Yaakov Leviant Memorial Prize in Yiddish Studies
Deadline: 1 May 2024.
Definition: For an outstanding scholarly work in the field of Yiddish.
Eligibility: Books published between 2020 and 2023; authors need not be members of the MLA.
Copies required: Four print copies and electronic access.
This prize has been endowed by the family of Fenia and Yaakov Leviant.
Note: This prize will be awarded alternately to an outstanding translation or an outstanding scholarly work in the field of Yiddish. For 2026, the prize will be awarded to an outstanding English translation of a Yiddish literary work published between 2022 and 2025.
MLA Prize for Studies in Native American Literatures, Cultures, and Languages
Deadline: 1 May 2024.
Definition: For an outstanding scholarly work in the field of Native American literatures, cultures, and languages.
Eligibility: Books published in 2022 or 2023; authors must be current members of the MLA.
Copies required: Four print copies and electronic access.