If you’ve written a philosophy book and are in need of a publishing house, below we’ve featured 17 top philosophy book publishers for your perusal.
1. Princeton University Press
Princeton University Press was established by Whitney Darrow in 1905 in Princeton, New Jersey. At present, they also have offices in Beijing, China, and in Woodstock, England. After over a century of publishing exceptional books, their purpose has remained that of enriching the knowledge of their audience.
Their backlist includes subjects such as philosophy, sociology, history, mathematics, or education. In terms of philosophy, they are interested in Eastern philosophy, aesthetics, and metaphysics & epistemology, to give some examples. “Philosophies of India”, by Heinrich Robert Zimmer, and “The Sin of Knowledge”, by Theodore Ziolkowski are just two titles worth checking out.
Interested in submitting a proposal? Make sure to read the guidelines first.
2. Rowman & Littlefield
Headquartered in Lanham, Maryland, Rowman & Littlefield have several offices in both the US and the UK. Their backlist is comprised of textbooks, scholarly materials, professional books, and general books.
In terms of subjects, they are interested in philosophy, Slavic studies, linguistics, performing arts, and many more. If you check out their philosophy section, ethics, epistemology, and metaphysics are just a few categories you will find. To become familiar with their preferences, you could read about “Modernity between Wagner and Nietzsche”, by Brayton Polka, or “Revolts in Cultural Critique”, by Rosemarie Buikema.
Luckily, they are open to submissions – you can learn more here.
3. Columbia University Press
Columbia University Press was founded in 1893 in New York, NY. By aiming to promote original research in many important subjects, such as history or economy, the press is constantly expanding the perspectives of their readers.
Philosophy, Asian studies, religion, psychology, business, and science are just a few subjects featured on their backlist. To see what they’re interested in, you could check out “Gender and Finance”, by Brigitte Young, and “Of Time and Lamentation”, by Raymond Tallis.
If you would like to collaborate with them, make sure to send a proposal that includes a short description of your book, a chapter outline, and a market analysis, along with a few other details mentioned here.
4. Duke University Press
Based in Durham, North Carolina, Duke University Press was founded in 1921. They add around 140 new titles to their backlist every year, and they provide their readers with digital collections and journals as well.
A few of the many subjects they’re interested in are philosophy, sociology, medicine & health, mathematics, law, and disability studies. “The Wombs of Women”, by Françoise Vergès, and “A Democratic Enlightenment”, by Morton Schoolman are two books that could help you get an idea about their preferences.
If you’re a prospective author, your submission should include your CV, a cover letter, a chapter outline, essay abstracts, and 1-2 sample chapters. If you’re a Duke University Press author, your guidelines are available here.
5. Fairleigh Dickinson University Press
With headquarters in Vancouver, British Columbia, Fairleigh Dickinson University Press was founded in 1967. At present, they have more than 1,500 titles on their backlist.
Their range of interests varies widely, and it includes philosophy & theory, Eastern European literature, Canadian history, art, music, and women’s studies. Two titles worth checking out are “Habermas’s Public Sphere – A Critique”, by Michael Hofmann, and “Aesthetic Ecology of Communication Ethics”, by Özüm Üçok-Sayrak.
To collaborate with them, you can send a proposal that should contain your name, email address, book description, and the reason why it would be a relevant contribution to its field. If they take interest in your project, they will ask you to send the full manuscript. Read more about the guidelines here.
6. Hackett Publishing Company
Hackett Publishing Company was founded in 1972 and it has offices in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Indianapolis, Indiana.
Philosophy, theatre & film, literature, classical studies, history, and religion are some of the subjects you will find on their backlist. In terms of philosophy, their range of interests includes critical thinking, existentialism, moral philosophy, and aesthetics & literary theory. “A Rulebook for Decision Making”, by George Pullman, and “A Companion to Plato’s Republic”, by Nicholas White are just two of their best titles.
Interested in collaborating with them? If so, make sure that your submission contains a 1-page table of contents, a book description, a CV copy, and a sample of your work. To learn more about their guidelines, click here.
7. Indiana University Press
Based in Bloomington, Indiana, this internationally acclaimed press was established in 1950. Their current backlist consists of over 3,500 titles, and they publish around 120 new books on a yearly basis.
Some of the subjects they’re interested in are philosophy, nature, poetry, history, cooking, and archaeology. If you would like to see a few of their recent publications, check out “The Way of the Platonic Socrates”, by S. Montgomery Ewegen, and “Thinking the Event”, by François Raffoul.
Book proposals can be submitted through this form – for more information about their guidelines, click here.
8. Michigan State University Press
A division of Michigan State University, this press was founded 1947 in East Lansing, Michigan. As they are aiming to generate change in the world, their authors approach important matters in both books and journals.
If you would like to see some of their philosophy titles, you can look up “Philosophy’s Violent Sacred”, by Duane Armitage, and “Desire and Imitation in International Politics”, by Jodok Troy. Other subjects they’re interested in are education, family & relationships, psychology, transportation, and architecture, to give some examples.
Before sending them a manuscript, make sure to read the full submission guidelines, as they have numerous requirements in terms of organization and formatting.
9. Wilfrid Laurier University Press
Based in Waterloo, Ontario, Wilfrid Laurier University Press was established in 1974. With a backlist of over 700 titles, they publish around 25-30 new books every year, as they aim to constantly bring valuable contributions to the scholarly community.
Philosophy, literature, business & economics, ethnography, sports & recreation, and geography are just a few examples of subjects they feature on their website. Two of their most recent titles are “Wittgenstein’s Ethics and Modern Warfare”, by Nil Santiáñez, and “The End(s) of Community”, by Joshua Ben David Nichols.
Luckily, they are open to submissions, so feel free to send a proposal including your CV, chapter descriptions, competing titles, samples of your work, and a few other details listed here.
10. Yale University Press
With offices in New Haven, Connecticut, and London, England, Yale University Press was founded by George Parmly Day in 1908. Besides books, the press also publishes other materials that generate curiosity and debate among its readers.
Their backlist includes works of philosophy, business, performing arts, political science, and language, to give some examples. “The Art of Solitude”, by Stephen Batchelor, and “The Most Good You Can Do”, by Peter Singer are just two titles that could help you better understand what they’re looking for.
To send them your work, you will have to find a suitable editor and read the complete guidelines first.
11. Ohio University Press
Ohio University Press is located in Athens, Ohio, and it was formed in 1947. With 45-50 new titles being added to their backlist every year, the press also publishes high-quality works through the Swallow Press imprint.
Some of their interests are law, religion, Latin American studies, development & public health, US history, and sports. In terms of philosophy, they feature ethics, continental philosophy, philosophy of religion, phenomenology, and aesthetics on their website – “Motivation and the Primacy of Perception”, by Peter Antich, and “The Birth of Sense”, by Don Beith are two books you should definitely check out.
If you would like to work with them, feel free to send a proposal that includes 1-2 sample chapters, a table of contents, your CV, and a few other details listed here.
12. Imprint Academic
Based in Exeter, Devon, Imprint Academic is a non-fiction publisher that specializes in peer-reviewed journals, such as History of Political Thought, Mind and Matter, or Journal of Consciousness Studies.
Their favorite subjects are philosophy, religion, politics, history, and psychology. To get an idea about what they like, you should check out “Thomas Reid on Religion”, by James J.S. Foster, and “Myth, Meaning, and Antifragile Individualism: On the Ideas of Jordan Peterson”, by Marc Champagne. Other genres on their backlist are science, biography/memoir, and education, to give some examples.
If you want to send them a book proposal, make sure to include your CV, a book outline, a brief summary, and several other details you will find here.
13. Edinburgh University Press
A top UK-based academic publisher, Edinburg University Press only features exceptional works on their backlist. Since their goal is that of providing their audience with as many high-quality scholarly writings as possible, they also publish journals on numerous topics, such as law or history.
In terms of genres, they’re interested in philosophy, architecture, botany, language & linguistics, Scottish studies, politics, and archaeology, to give some examples. “The Henri Meschonnic Reader”, by Henri Meschonnic, “Heidegger’s Ontology of Events”, by James Bahoh, and “Shakespeare and the Truth-Teller”, by David Hershinow are just three of their best titles.
Book proposals should include your CV and some samples of your work. To learn more about their guidelines, click here.
14. Oxford University Press
A publisher of international renown, Oxford University Press sets high standards when it comes to scholarship, education, and research. While providing valuable contributions to the academic community, they also try to make their materials accessible for scholars from all around the world.
Their range of interests varies widely, and it includes philosophy, music, art, society & culture, civil law, psychotherapy, and computer science. When it comes to philosophy, their website features metaphysics, practical ethics, moral philosophy, and many other categories. “A Most Detestable Crime”, by Keith Burgess-Jackson, and “Accessing Kant”, by Jay F. Rosenberg are just two titles worth checking out.
Before submitting your work, you should read their proposal guidelines and instructions for authors.
15. Polity
With offices in New York, Boston, Oxford, and Cambridge, Polity is a global publisher founded in 1984. Their main goal is that of providing their audience with thought-provoking ideas, which is why you can find the works of numerous famous thinkers on their backlist.
Philosophy, gender studies, sociology, art & aesthetics, criminology, and psychoanalysis are just a few of the genres they’re interested in. To get an idea about what they like, you should look up “There Is No Such Thing as Cultural Identity”, by François Jullien, and “The Early Foucault”, by Stuart Elden.
Book proposals should include a title, a chapter outline, the approximate length, the main themes/arguments, and a few other details which are mentioned here.
16. University of Illinois Press
Founded in 1918 in Champaign, Illinois, University of Illinois Press is well-reputed publisher of writings that make a difference both in the scholarly community and in the lives of their readers.
Anthropology, Asian studies, poetics, exploration & travel, Marxism, and animal rights are just a few of the 122 book subjects featured on the website. If you’re a writer of philosophy, make sure to check out “Signs of the Spirit”, by Tony Perman, and “Myths America Lives By”, by Richard T. Hughes – these two titles might help you learn what they like.
In terms of submissions, your proposal should include 2 sample chapters, a cover letter, your CV, a table of contents, and a book description of 5-10 pages. To learn more, click here.
17. Allen & Unwin Australia
With offices in Sydney, Melbourne, London, and Auckland, Allen & Unwin Australia is an internationally renowned publisher that produces approximately 250 new titles on a yearly basis. They recently earned the 2020 Publisher of the Year prize, so their work is highly appreciated.
The main categories featured on their website are fiction, children’s, general books, and other books. If you’d like to learn more about their preferences in philosophy, you can read about “The Six Secrets of Intelligence”, by Craig Adams, and “The Godless Gospel”, by Julian Baggini.
They accept submissions through The Friday Pitch. You can read more about it here.
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