British Academy Book Prize for Global Cultural Understanding

The British Academy Book Prize, worth £25,000, is awarded annually for a non-fiction book that promotes global cultural understanding.

The British Academy’s £25,000 non-fiction book prize is awarded annually for a book that contributes to public understanding of world cultures. It is designed to illuminate the interconnections and divisions that shape cultural identity worldwide.

Nominations for the British Academy Book Prize for Global Cultural Understanding are currently closed. Nominations will open again in January 2022.

Key dates 2021

Launch and opening of the 2021 Prize for nominations	19 January
Event with Hazel Carby to mark the opening of the cycle	26 January
Closing of nomination period	31 March
Shortlist announcement	7 September
Winner announcement	October (date tbc)

History of the prize

The Nayef Al Rodhan Prize for Global Cultural Understanding was created by the Academy in partnership with Professor Nayef Al-Rodhan with the aim of establishing it as a significant force in global publishing and prizegiving. Across the last eight years, these objectives have been most successfully accomplished, and there is now a high level of international awareness of the prize and a distinguished array of shortlisted authors and eventual winners. Their work explores many different aspects of global cultural understanding and combines the highest academic quality with a determined resolve to reach the broadest possible public audience.

Given the success of the prize and as we reach the end of the very generous period of seed-funding we received, Professor Nayef Al-Rodhan is keen to explore new opportunities with the Academy to develop other ventures for a similar effect for philosophy.

We will honour his generosity and foresight by continuing to award what will now be called the British Academy Book Prize for Global Cultural Understanding from 2021 onwards.