Sara Miller McCune to receive The London Book Fair Lifetime Achievement Award 2018

April 10, 2018The London Book Fair presented the LBF Lifetime Achievement Award 2018 to Sara Miller McCune, Founder and Executive Chairman of SAGE Publishing.

Sara Miller McCune is a visionary publisher, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. She oversaw the growth of SAGE from a start-up to one of the largest independent publishing companies in the world. For over 50 years, she has led the publishing industry in business, through her tireless support for social science research and through her passion for philanthropy.

She founded SAGE in 1965, aged just 24, and oversaw its phenomenal growth, founding major publishing offices in UK (1971), India (1981) and Singapore (2006). Guided by an entrepreneurial spirit and an unwavering dedication to academia, Ms. McCune has made it her life’s work to challenge and break down borders within publishing and society. She has been at the forefront of numerous publishing innovations from championing of urban studies, media studies, black studies, and family violence (to name only a few examples). She also supported new research methods such as evaluation research and new statistical techniques. Today, Ms. McCune remains actively involved in the company’s expansion and development, and still serves as the executive chairman.

The LBF Lifetime Achievement Award in International Publishing was presented at the International Excellence Awards, an invitation-only event on Tuesday 10 April 2018, 6.30pm in the Conference Centre, Olympia, London.

Sara Miller McCune will also speak at The London Book Fair’s Research and Scholarly Publishing Forum on Wednesday 11 April 2018.

Sara Miller McCune, SAGE Founder and Executive Chairman:

“I am extraordinarily honored to be receiving this award and grateful to The London Book Fair for recognizing the critical work that an independent academic publisher can achieve when its commitment to a noble mission is unwavering. I am a passionate supporter of what I call the four justices – economic, educational, environmental, and social – on an international scale, and I view the work of SAGE Publishing as pivotal to their advancement as we build bridges from ideas to usable knowledge. I receive this award as acknowledgment of my pledge to this work and an endorsement to continue to improve the world of scholarship and education for the long-term future.”

Dame Lynne Brindley, Master of Pembroke College, Oxford, said:

“Sara’s achievements are extraordinary in publishing and philanthropy. She is a role model for women in business and for young female entrepreneurs. We admire the company she founded and its success and endorse its enduring values, but most of all, for those many people, including myself, who are fortunate enough to count her as a friend, we hold her dear and congratulate her on this richly deserved Lifetime Achievement Award”.

Stephen Barr, President, SAGE International

“I am delighted that The London Book Fair has recognised Sara Miller McCune with the LBF Lifetime Achievement Award. Sara is a visionary and passionate publisher. Publishing for Sara has never just been a question of making money; she has always believed in the power of publishing to disseminate knowledge, to shape minds and to contribute to building a better world through improved public policy based on research and evidence. She set up SAGE to express and fulfil that vision, built it through its early years with her late husband George McCune, and has overseen its development into one of the world’s major academic and educational publishers. Her creative engagement with the advancement of knowledge is recognized by authors and researchers worldwide, and is most recently embodied in projects such as the magazine and website Pacific Standard which communicates new academic research to a wider public. Beyond publishing, Sara’s commitment to the cause of social justice has been expressed through a wide range of philanthropic projects around the world. She fully deserves the recognition of the international publishing community for her achievements.”

Jacks Thomas, Director, The London Book Fair said:

“Sara Miller McCune is a pioneer and an inspiration to those of us – perhaps especially women - in publishing. Her leadership and vision has helped SAGE grow, evolve and prosper over five decades, which is a monumental achievement. She has been at the forefront of so many changes in the sector; she is surely one of the greatest and most enduring publishing visionaries and we are delighted to recognise her at The London Book Fair.”

The London Book Fair’s Advisory Board voted for Sara Miller McCune from a shortlist of international publishing figures.

Ms. McCune is a dedicated philanthropist and co-founder and president of the McCune Foundation. The foundation supports productive change through building social capital in two counties on California’s Central Coast. In 2007, Ms. McCune founded the Miller-McCune Center for Research, Media and Public Policy, which launched the award-winning magazine Pacific Standard. In 2017, the magazine and the center’s mission were transferred to the newly launched Social Justice Foundation, a non-profit organization with a mission of informing and educating the public with content based on scientific research and supported by SAGE Publishing.

In 2012, Ms. McCune received an honorary doctorate from her alma mater, Queens College, City University of New York In 2014, she was awarded an honorary fellowship from Cardiff University and an honorary doctorate from Bath University and in 2016, Ms. McCune received honorary degrees from CSU Channel Islands and Sussex University. Ms. McCune is also an Honorary Fellow of the prestigious Pembroke College of Oxford University.

The Lifetime Achievement Award recognises an individual who has made a truly significant mark in the sphere of global publishing. It is open to publishers, agents, editors, scouts and anyone else involved in international publishing from any country in the world. Last year the award was presented to Luiz Schwartz, Companhia das Letras. Previous recipients include Deborah Rogers of Rogers, Coleridge & White, Sonny Mehta of Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., Lord Weidenfeld, Weidenfeld and Nicolson, Christopher MacLehose, now of MacLehose Press, John Lyon of Little, Brown (posthumously), Lynette Owen of Pearson Education, Peter Mayer of The Overlook Press/ Duckworth Publishers, Drenka Willen, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Antoine Gallimard, Éditions Gallimard, Jorge Herralde of Editorial Anagrama and Michael Krüger of Hanser Verlag and Baroness Gail Rebuck, Penguin Random House.

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SAGE India: Becoming a ‘Great Place to Work’

14 March, 2018: Leading academic publisher, SAGE Publications India Pvt Ltd, is the first publishing house in South Asia to be certified as a Great Place to Work® for the year 2018-19 by Great Place to Work® Institute, India.

The Great Place to Work® framework assesses the level of trust within the organisation by surveying the employees through the Trust Index Dimensions namely work environment, transparency, respect, credibility, vision & leadership.

400+ SAGE employees anonymously participated in the survey conducted in December 2017 to express their voluntary views on people practices through a cultural audit. The survey revealed that SAGE India had significantly positive employee perception and robust people practices, which identified it as an organisation with a great culture.

Mr Vivek Mehra, Managing Director and CEO, SAGE India said, “SAGE India is an organization that respects every individual and its management walks the talk. This is not some award that we have handed out to ourselves; this is an award that each one of us has contributed to directly. No individual can ever take credit but all of us can surely do that collectively.”

Every year, over 8000 companies from across 50 countries join the Great Place to Work® assessment & recognition programme in their journey to create a great workplace culture for their employees. But only a handful ever make the grade to be certified as a Great Place to Work.

23 December 2016

The release of the Hindi edition of Paul Brass ‘An Indian Political Life: Charan Singh and Congress Politics, 1937 to 1961’

SAGE Publications is pleased to announce the release of the Hindi edition of ‘An Indian Political Life: Charan Singh and Congress Politics, 1937 to 1961’ by Paul Brass. The book is being released on 23rd December 2016 at Shri Sharad Yadav’s residence in the presence of Shri Ajit Singh, son of Charan Singh and other eminent political leaders.

More than a biography, this book includes an extensive analysis of the issues, movements, and political conflicts that marked the late pre-Independence and early post-Independence era. By focusing on the role of Charan Singh in the politics of the period, it successfully provides a broader perspective on major issues, controversies, and developments of the time.

This is further coupled with a series of extensive interviews with politicians, public personalities and other fellow Indians. It provides an account of the principal issues and events of the period, including Hindu-Muslim relations, the conflict between the Nehruvian goal of rapid industrialization and the desires of those favouring primary attention to agriculture, issues of law and order, rise of corruption and criminality in politics, the place of caste and status in a modernizing society, and the pervasive factional politics characteristic of the era.

Mr Vivek Mehra, MD and CEO, SAGE Publications says “I consider it to be an honour to publish a book on Shri Charan Singh who was one of the most enigmatic political personalities of independent India. Prof Paul Brass, a very respected academic has done the memory of Shri Charan Singh and the people of India a great honour by compiling three volumes on his life. The Hindi translation of the first volume is our endeavour to bring this work to the non-English speaking readers. SAGE Bhasha, our Indian language imprint aims to transcend the boundaries of language and make scholarly publications available to every strata of society. Our vision to disseminate quality research and knowledge strengthens with the addition of this invaluable title to our erudite list.”

This book is the first volume of a three-volume series on The Politics of Northern India: 1937 to 1987, scheduled to be published in 2017.

March 10, 2015

SAGE celebrates 50 years of global academic publishing

SAGE—The world''s leading independent academic and professional publisher is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. When Sara Miller McCune founded SAGE in 1965 from a one-room office at 150 Fifth Avenue and the corner of 20th Street in New York City, she would not have anticipated the growth this company would achieve in such a short span of time.

From its first publication “Urban Quarterly” in 1965 to over 800 books and 800 journals in a year, SAGE has grown in leaps and bounds over the years. The journey till now epitomizes the belief and commitment that SAGE has always stood for—that is to publish thoughtful works of scholarship by and for educators, and other scholars throughout the world. It has gained considerable recognition and respect from global academic communities within years of its institution.

Reminiscing about the journey and growth of SAGE, Stephen Barr, President SAGE International who himself has been at SAGE for almost 30 years said “SAGE''s transformation from a new start-up in 1965 to being one of the world's leading academic publishers in 2015 is extraordinary and unique. Our future as an independent publisher is guaranteed by the estate plan of our founder, Sara Miller McCune. I would like to thank all of our authors, all SAGE's staff (both past and present), and the many other partners and customers who have helped us in this amazing journey.”

The Chief Guest, Renu Khator, Chancellor, University of Houston System and President, University of Houston, Texas, USA was the keynote speaker at the celebratory event. Speaking at the occasion, Prof Khator said “Congratulations to Sage on its 50th anniversary. Today we celebrate 50 years of success, but we also celebrate 50 years of empowerment through knowledge. Universities and academic publishers like SAGE are two sides of the same coin...both engaged in pursuit of knowledge. While universities house teachers and researchers, publishers like SAGE give them voice and tools to fulfill their mission. SAGE has played a critical role in the advancement of higher education over the last 50 years and as the landscape of higher education changes, SAGE is sure to have a key role in shaping its future.”

SAGE has globally carved out a special place for itself in the world of academic publishing by publishing and supporting quality research that transforms the society and our understanding of individual, groups and culture. SAGE India has also been an active and equal partner in this journey of transition and change. Since its inception SAGE India has been consciously fulfilling SAGE’s commitment to promote Social Sciences Research as envisioned by Sara Miller McCune and George McCune. Today SAGE India has an active front list of over 1200 book titles. It is among the largest publishers of original journals in South Asia. Vikalpa—the flagship journal of IIM Ahmedabad now publishes with SAGE India.

Taking forward the legacy and another leap, SAGE India has announced the much-awaited direct entry into Indian language publishing. The logo of SAGE Bhasha, the imprint under which this effort will be focused, was unveiled, by Sara Miller McCune (Founder, Publisher and Executive Chairman), Blaise Simqu (President and Chief Executive Officer, SAGE Inc.), Stephen Barr (President SAGE International) and Vivek Mehra (MD & CEO, SAGE India) at the celebratory event held recently.

At the unveiling Vivek Mehra, MD and CEO SAGE India said that “SAGE remains committed to quality publishing in India. SAGE Bhasha is another form of this commitment. India’s languages have a larger audience and readership than English. Yet there remains a large gap between supply (quality) and market demand. With its expertise in English language publishing, SAGE will help raise the bar for Indian language publishing too. Initially the imprint will have translated works but in 2016/17 we will begin publishing original works. In 2015 SAGE Bhasha will roll out in two languages, Hindi and Marathi.”

Today with registered publishing offices in Los Angeles, Washington DC, London, New Delhi, Singapore and Boston, SAGE continues to be the most independent, innovative, natural home for scholars and educators who share our commitment and passion for the social sciences.

The Estate Plan
The long-term guarantee of SAGE''s independence

SAGE is rare among publishers of our size in that we are still independent and privately owned. We are unique in that our founder and majority owner, Sara Miller McCune, has put in place an Estate Plan that guarantees our independence indefinitely. Under the terms of this Estate Plan, the voting shares of the company will ultimately be transferred to a trust. The non-voting shares will be gifted to a small group of new shareholders comprised of universities and charitable organizations that support social justice initiatives; meaning essentially that they are prohibited from selling SAGE in the future. The goal is for SAGE to continue in perpetuity as a unique and independent publisher.

Our guaranteed independence is something that we are extremely proud of; it enables us to plan with a very long-term view, and to invest in innovations that improve our ability to fulfill our vision of supporting education and disseminating research. By putting in place her Estate Plan, Sara has given SAGE an exceptional gift and opportunity enabling us to give our partners confidence that our independence and unique mission will remain unchanged.