Home Front Studies invites submissions for the inaugural New Voices Prize in Home Front Studies, an annual essay competition recognizing innovative scholarship on civilian life and communities during times of conflict. Home Front Studies is a peer-reviewed academic journal published by the University of Nebraska Press.

The New Voices Prize seeks to support and promote emerging scholars whose work advances the interdisciplinary and global study of the home front. In keeping with the mission of Home Front Studies, the competition welcomes submissions examining civilian experiences during war and conflict from 1850-1989, across all geographic regions.  The recipient of the New Voices Prize will be recognized in Home Front Studies and invited to submit their manuscript for publication consideration in the journal.

Eligibility

The competition is open to:

• Graduate students
• Postdoctoral scholars
• Non-tenure-line faculty
• Faculty members on the tenure track who have not yet attained tenure
• Independent scholars
• Public historians

Applicants may not hold a tenured position at the time of submission. Co-authored submissions are permitted provided all authors meet eligibility requirements.

Topics and Approaches

Submissions may address any aspect of civilian life and the home front during periods of conflict. The New Voices Prize encourages interdisciplinary and globally oriented scholarship, including, but not limited to, research on:

• Foodways and material culture
• Gender and family life
• Propaganda, citizenship, and public discourse in propaganda
• Migration and displacement
• Labor, finance, consumption, and domestic economies
• Race, identity, and citizenship
• Emotional and psychological experiences of war
• Role of art, music, culture, and identity
• Comparative and transnational perspectives

Submission Guidelines

• Manuscripts must be original, unpublished work and may not be under review elsewhere.
• Essays should not exceed 9,000 words, including endnotes.
• Submissions must follow the Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition, using humanities-style endnotes.
• Manuscripts must be fully anonymized for double-blind review.
• Submit completed manuscripts to Dr. Justin Nordstrom, Associate Editor, at jan13@psu.edu with the subject heading: “New Voices Prize Submission”

Following submission, applicants will receive a short electronic form requesting contact information and confirmation of eligibility.  For complete formatting and submission requirements, please consult the Home Front Studies submission guidelines.

Timeline

• Submission Deadline: October 1, 2026
• Prize Announcement: December 2026

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Questions about the prize may be directed to:

Justin Nordstrom
Associate Editor
jan13@psu.edu

James Kimble
Editor
James.Kimble@shu.edu