About Our Editorial Program

The University of North Carolina Press was the first university press in the South and one of the first in the nation. Today, the UNC Press imprint is recognized worldwide as a mark of publishing excellence—both in what we publish and in how we publish it.

As the first university press in the South, UNC Press pioneered in tackling issues of the day through the honest, and sometimes gritty, lens of reality, in order to challenge the status quo in a historically diverse and complex region. Our association with the oldest public university in the nation inspires in us a commitment to bring new research to academic and general audiences, a mission that informs all we do.

Working closely with our authors through the entire publishing process, our staff help shape each manuscript, from first draft to printed book; our commitment to excellence is readily apparent in every UNC Press title. Relationships cultivated during this process are highly valued by us and by our authors, many of whom return to the Press with future work.

All books on our list are rigorously reviewed, carefully edited, creatively designed, and expertly marketed. Our review process involves thorough examination by an editor, advised by senior scholars and experts in corresponding fields. Final publication decisions are made by our Board of Governors, which consists of scholars and other advisors who are leaders in their fields of specialty. Our editorial process emphasizes one-on-one work with a professional copyeditor to ensure the author’s ideas are presented clearly for the intended audience. Our design department works with authors’ ideas to create an original and eye-catching look for each title. Finally, each UNC Press title is vigorously marketed: books are publicized in national and local print, radio, and television media; events are arranged for authors to promote their books at relevant venues; titles are featured at academic and trade conferences and submitted for appropriate awards; and books are placed in both independent and chain sales outlets, as well as online sales venues.

To ensure that UNC Press books have longer and further-reaching lives, the Press is determined to remain at the forefront of digital publishing, ensuring a significant impact for each book when printed and a lasting presence for many years after publication. Most of our new titles are released in printed and electronic form simultaneously. Electronic editions of our books are available through numerous channels, for both consumer and institutional customers. Our Enduring Editions series uses the latest in digital technology to make available books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats.

UNC Press books explore important questions, spark lively debates, generate ideas, and illuminate and drive fields of inquiry. Press books have received virtually every major book award, including the National Book Award, the Pulitzer Prize in History, and numerous Bancroft prizes. UNC Press publishes approximately 100 new works per year. In our more than 90 years, we have published more than 5,400 titles, more than 4,000 of which are still in print. The Press produces books that endure.