Call for Book Launch Proposals

The World Anthropological Union (WAU) Congress 2025 invites scholars, practitioners, and activists from around the world to submit book launch proposals for this landmark event, which will take place in Antigua, Guatemala, from November 3–8, 2025.

This congress seeks to provide an inclusive and dynamic platform for exploring critical global challenges and redefining our collective understandings of humanity. Book launches will celebrate and showcase new works that contribute to anthropological research, theory, or practice.

Book Launch Objectives

Book launches provide an opportunity to present and promote recently published works to a diverse audience of scholars, practitioners, and students. These sessions are intended to highlight the significance of the book’s contribution to the field, generate interest, and facilitate connections between authors and potential readers.

 

We kindly encourage authors to consider donating a copy of their book to the library of the Centro de Investigaciones Regionales de Mesoamérica (CIRMA), a prestigious local and regional research institute based in La Antigua, Guatemala. CIRMA hosts one of the best social sciences libraries in the country, and your donation will enrich their collection and provide access to a wide variety of anthropological knowledge for those who consult their resources. To learn more about CIRMA, please visit their website: https://cirma.org.gt. CIRMA is one of the Guatemalan institutions that supports and collaborates with the WAU 2025 Congress.

 

Submission Guidelines

  1. Eligibility:

– Books published within the last two years (2023–2025) are eligible for submission.

– Both single-author and edited volumes are welcome.

  1. Launch Structure:

– Each book launch will include a 30-minute presentation by the author(s) or editor(s), followed by a 15-minute Q&A session with the audience.

– The presentation should focus on the book’s main themes, its relevance to contemporary anthropology, and the story behind its creation.

  1. Format:

All book launches will be conducted in a hybrid format, allowing both in-person and online participation.

  1. Proposal Requirements:
    Proposals should include the following information:

– Title: Full title of the book.

– Abstract: A concise description of the book, including its central arguments and contribution to anthropology (maximum 300 words).

– Keywords: Three to five keywords summarizing the book’s main themes.

– Image of the Book Cover: A high-resolution image of the book’s cover.

– Presenter Details: Name(s), institutional affiliation(s), and contact information of the presenter(s).

 

Outcomes and Impact

Book launch participants will have the opportunity to share their work with an engaged, international audience at WAU 2025 Congress. Additionally, they will be invited to submit a summary of their presentation for inclusion in the WAU 2025 Congress repository, ensuring long-term accessibility and scholarly recognition. These contributions will be assigned permanent identifiers and metadata. Detailed guidelines for submitting summaries will be provided closer to the Congress date.

We look forward to receiving your proposals and celebrating new contributions to the field of anthropology and related disciplines.