The American Academy of Religion offers Awards for Excellence in order to give recognition to new scholarly publications that make significant contributions to the study of religion. These awards honor works of distinctive originality, intelligence, creativity, and importance — books that affect decisively how religion is examined, understood, and interpreted.

Awards for Excellence are given in four categories: Analytical–Descriptive, Constructive–Reflective, Historical, and Textual Studies. In addition, there is a separate competition and prize for the Best First Book in the History of Religions. For eligibility requirements, awards processes, and a list of current jurors, please see the Book Awards rules.

The AAR is pleased to announce this year’s recipients of the Awards for Excellence in Religion and the Best First Book in the History of Religions:

Analytical-Descriptive Studies
Pamela E. Klassen. Spirits of Protestantism: Medicine, Healing, and Liberal Christianity. University of California Press, 2011.
Constructive-Reflective Studies
Elliot R. Wolfson. A Dream Interpreted within a Dream: Oneiropoiesis and the Prism of Imagination. Zone Books, 2011.
Historical Studies
Thomas A. Tweed. America's Church: The National Shrine and Catholic Presence in the Nation's Capital. Oxford University Press, 2011.
Textual Studies
David M. Freidenreich. Foreigners and Their Food: Constructing Otherness in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic Law. University of California Press, 2011.
Best First Book in the History of Religions
Ronit Ricci. Islam Translated: Literature, Conversion, and the Arabic Cosmopolis of South and Southeast Asia. Chicago University Press, 2011.