Manuscript Proposals

UNU Press welcomes manuscript proposals for monographs and edited volumes from established academics and practitioners in the fields of peace and security; environment and urban issues; human rights; international trade and economics; and sustainable development. UNU Press is able to consider for publication exceptional Ph.D. theses reworked as monographs; however, please note that UNU Press is unable to publish theses in their raw format.

In submitting a proposal, please provide the following information:

1. Provisional title
2. Contents list
3. Names of authors or editors with brief biographies
4. Contributors list (for edited volumes)
5. Introduction or other sample chapter
6. Expected length of manuscript and completion date
7. Brief overview of the material, including the following:
   • What are the key ideas or themes of this work?
   • Who is the target audience?
   • What will readers gain from this book?
   • What are the unique features of this book?
   • Does this book say new things or convey accepted ideas in new ways?
   • Identify similar, competing, or complementary publications.pri
   • What is the current status of the work?

Proposals can be submitted using the “Proposal submission form” (see top of column on the right) or can be submitted as Word documents addressing all of the above points. Submitting sample chapters along with proposals is encouraged. Acknowledgement of a proposal is usually sent within a few working days. A considered response will normally take two to three weeks.

UNU Press examines all proposals on the basis of relevance and suitability for our publishing programme. If a proposal is accepted, UNU Press will evaluate the submitted manuscript internally and ask at least two noted specialists to anonymously peer review the work.

Decisions on whether to publish are based on the merits of each manuscript following the reviews.

Contractual arrangements are only required if and when a manuscript has been peer reviewed and accepted for publication. Due to budgetary constraints, UNU Press is limited in its ability to publish books arising from outside the United Nations University unless it receives financial assistance with production costs.

In these circumstances, agreement is usually reached with the organization(s) or individual(s) providing support to provide them with acknowledgement and/or copies of the book for complimentary distribution.

Manuscript Preparation

UNU Press uses The Chicago Manual of Style (15 th edition) and the Concise Oxford English Dictionary (11th edition, 2004) as its guides for all matters of style and spelling. Please see below some of the main elements to be followed:

Format: Prepare manuscripts in Times New Roman, 12-point. Main text should be single-spaced with one space between paragraphs.

Spelling: Follow spelling as given in the Concise Oxford English Dictionary. If more than one spelling is given, use the first form listed.

Punctuation: Enclose quoted matter using double quotation marks; use single quotation marks for a quotation within a quote. Punctuation should follow closing quotation marks, except for grammatically complete sentences beginning with a capital. Question marks and exclamation marks can appear inside or outside of the quotation marks depending on whether they belong to the quoted material. Do not use a serial comma in lists of three or more items [a, b and c]. A one-point space should be left after commas and periods.

Numbers: For non-technical uses, spell out whole numbers from one to nine. Should a sentence have figures of 10 or above, use Arabic numerals throughout for consistency.

Dates: Dates should be presented in the order of day, month, year, without internal punctuation.

References: Follow the author–date (Harvard) reference system. Please consult The Chicago Manual of Style or numerous online sources for examples. Notes should appear as endnotes, at the end of each chapter, with Arabic numbering.

Artwork: All artwork must be ‘press-ready’, that is suitable for printing. Artwork must also be converted to gray-scale unless permission has been received to provide colour illustrations.

Permissions: If copyrighted images or text appear in the manuscript, please ensure that permission is sought from the copyright holders. Any associated fees will be the responsibility of the authors/editors.

Printing, distribution and marketing

UNU Press typically publishes a larger number of copies of each book than do commercial scholarly publishers. An average initial print run ranges from 800 to 1,200 copies. We normally publish directly in paperback at affordable prices (e.g., $25–$40) to maximize dissemination, rather than producing high-priced editions in hardcover to maximize revenues.

We work with key distributors in North America and Europe and numerous agents worldwide. Sales orders are redirected to the most convenient location for the purchaser, and we offer substantial discounts to scholars, students and a range of others including readers in less developed countries. We actively promote low-cost reprints in developing regions and translations, where possible. Digital copies or e-books are also sold to libraries and others through a range of channels, and UNU Press books are available through major online retailers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and UN Publications.

Our marketing materials include advance information sheets, leaflets, media releases, posters and a range of other materials. We exhibit at academic meetings and other key events, advertise in selected publications, and promote titles in our own catalogues and those of key partners. Numerous complimentary copies of each book are distributed for review by journals and academics, and sample chapters are put online.

We consult closely with the authors/editors to identify key target markets, opinion leaders and publicity events, including seminars and book launches. Each contributor to a book receives a complimentary copy and the authors/editors receive multiple copies. Please note that UNU generally holds the copyright on all material published by UNU Press.