Book authored by Professor Naila Kabeer and published by LSE Press shortlisted for prestigious prize
A book authored by Professor Naila Kabeer from the Department of International Development has been shortlisted for the ACLS Open Access Book Prize.
Renegotiating Patriarchy: Gender, Agency and the Bangladesh Paradox has been shortlisted as one of five finalists in the Political Science category of the awards, which recognise and reward the authors and publishers of exceptional, innovative, and open humanities books published from 2019 to 2024.
The author of the winning monograph will be awarded $20,000 whilst the publisher will be awarded $30,000 to support forthcoming open access books. The winning titles will be announced in Autumn 2026.
Published by LSE’s non-profit, open-access publisher LSE Press, Renegotiating Patriarchy explores the idea of the ‘Bangladesh paradox’- the unexpected social progress that Bangladesh has made in recent decades.
Professor Kabeer investigates how norms and practices can change in progressive ways despite unpropitious circumstances due to the efforts of poor women in Bangladesh to renegotiate what had been described as one of the most non-negotiable patriarchies in the world.
Commenting on the shortlisting of her book, Professor Kabeer said: “I am delighted to have been shortlisted for the ACLS Open Access Book Prize for several reasons. It recognises a book that has been a true labour of love. The book traces how generations of women in Bangladesh, where I grew up, have struggled to build better lives for themselves and their daughters. It highlights the strategic pragmatism that shaped their efforts and makes an important contribution to feminist theories of change. It is also a story of perseverance against the odds, which gives it particular resonance in today’s difficult times.
“Publishing the book as open access with LSE Press has made it available to the readers I most hope to reach around the world. This recognition is meaningful both for me and for LSE Press, because it shows the wider reach that open access publishing can offer—something that matters to a growing number of academics.”
Professor Dame Sarah Worthington, Chair of LSE Press added: "Naila Kabeer's Renegotiating Patriarchy is an outstanding publication in the field of gender and development studies, and we at LSE Press are immensely proud to be the publisher.
“Professor Kabeer's book has already had a significant impact in its field: it has received endorsements from Nobel Peace Prize winner Professor Muhammad Yunus, Monica Ali and Professor Deniz Kandiyoti; and has featured in the Population and Development Review journal, Agricultural Extension in South Asia, The Daily Star Bangladesh, and the From Power to Poverty Blog. It has also had print republication in a special Bangladesh-only print edition.
“Renegotiating Patriarchy is an impressive addition to LSE Press’s growing list of publications and we are delighted it has been selected to represent the very best of open access publishing.”