The Modern Language Review (MLR), established 1905, is one of the best-known modern language journals in the world and has a reputation for scholarly distinction and critical excellence. The editors, on behalf of the Modern Humanities Research Association, are pleased to announce the inaugural Modern Language Review prize, to be awarded for an outstanding article published in volume 118 of the journal, which will appear in four issues in 2023. Submissions can be on any topic appropriate to the journal’s remit: we publish articles on any aspect of English, American, French, Germanic (including Dutch and Scandinavian languages), Hispanic, Italian, Slavonic and Eastern European languages, literatures and cultures, from the medieval period to the present, and including visual culture and cinema. We also publish comparative and general pieces, but we do not publish material on language pedagogy or on linguistics.

Lucy O’Meara, General Editor, writes:

‘I’m really looking forward to being involved in this new initiative. It’s a great way for us to show appreciation for our contributors, and also to draw the attention of the wider academic community to the breadth and quality of material being submitted to the Modern Language Review across a range of disciplines, media, and periods.’

The competition is open to all researchers. Submissions will be evaluated by a panel of the journal’s editors. Any piece accepted for publication in volume 118 will be considered for this prize. The cut-off for volume 118 falls in March 2023; articles finalized by the end of that month would be eligible for consideration for the prize.

The winner will receive a prize of £700 and be interviewed for the Modern Humanities Research Association website. At the judges’ discretion, an Editorial Commendation prize of £300 may also be awarded.

Articles must be written in English and conform to MLR guidelines. Articles are typically about 8000 words in length, including footnotes. Articles should conform to MHRA style and be accompanied by an abstract of maximum 100 words. See full submission guidance in this PDF document.

In addition to publishing 5 to 10 original articles in each issue, MLR often carries as many as 30 reviews, aiming to cover a wide range of topics. Reviews are only a few hundred words in length and are not eligible for the Prize, but writing them is a service to the community, and we need many voices. So the Editors always welcome expressions of interest, and early-career researchers who may not have reviewed before are very much included in that.

For queries, contact the General Editor of MLR, Dr Lucy O’Meara: leo@kent.ac.uk

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