Atelier: Ethnographic Inquiry in the Twenty-First Century

Atelier: French. noun. ate·lier (a-təl-ˈyā): workshop; an artist’s or designer’s studio.

This book series in anthropology takes a ground-up approach to the acquisition and publication of new ethnographic works. The aim is to set the conditions for collaboration at each stage of a book’s development, from the earliest draft through publication. Rather than considering only those manuscripts in their finished state, this series sets out to curate a cohort of scholars committed to the idea that ethnographic writing is itself a form of intellectual work.

An Atelier book sets itself apart in at least two ways. The first is by addressing the problems and possibilities of ethnographic inquiry in the twenty-first century. These include the matter of evidence, conceptual reach, and thematic urgency, as well as narrative voice and analytical innovation. Atelier is defined by neither a particular region nor any of anthropology’s four fields, but rather by a commitment to the art of ethnography. The second is by participating in a sociality of sustained, critical reflection. The aim of this series is to generate a group of scholars from all career stages working together towards the completion of each author’s respective book project.

SUBMISSION PROCESS:

• Those interested in submitting to the series should email a CV, 2-3 page synopsis, table of contents, draft introduction, and a sample chapter to the series editor Kevin O'Neill no later than June 1, 2023 at kevin.oneill@utoronto.ca.
• The synopsis should describe the book project in no more than 2,000 words and must include: a statement about the intended audience for the book; the total anticipated word count of the full manuscript, including the main text, footnotes, bibliography, and any appendices; a description of the art program and total number of images; and, an estimated deadline for completing the full manuscript. Please let the editor know if portions of the book have or will be previously published.
• Three to four finalists will be selected and notified by August 1.
• The finalists will participate in a series workshop at the American Anthropological Association Annual Meeting, where they will workshop their manuscripts with other participants, the series editor, and the press editor. Manuscripts then go through the University of California Press’s standard review and approval process.

SERIES EDITORS:

Kevin Lewis O’Neill is Professor and Director of the Centre for Diaspora & Transnational Studies at the University of Toronto.
Kate Marshall is the Senior Editor for Anthropology at University of California Press.