Western Association of Women Historians
Bylaws of the WAWH
Barbara “Penny” Kanner Award (Approved 2007)
- The Barbara “Penny” Kanner Award is an annual award to honor distinguished achievement in two areas: 1) scholarly bibliographic and historiographic guides to research focused on women and/or gender history and 2) learned studies of autobiographical writings focused on women’s history and/or gender history published by a WAWH member. The research guide award and the autobiography award will be given in alternate years, with submissions for each award considered for two-year intervals from the date of publication.
- Applicants to the Kanner Prize mus be current members of WAWH when they submit their book. Current WAWH board members are not eligible to apply.
- The Kanner Award is intended to promote the practice of biblio-methodology. The research guide award should reflect the essential tools of the historian’s craft (historical knowledge, bibliographic and research skills) as they have been used to construct a research guide focused on women and/or gender history; the prize is not intended for a standard library catalogue. Substantial published guides of less than book length (e.g. articles or relevant chapters from a book) will be considered. The work submitted for the autobiography award should focus on women’s history and/or gender history. Critical or annotated editions of autobiographies should reflect the essential tools of the historian’s craft (historical knowledge, bibliographic and research skills). Learned studies of a person(s) autobiographical writings set in historical context will also be considered; the prize is not intended for autobiographical material presented without scholarly analysis. Entries may only be submitted for consideration once.
- Applicants for the Kanner Award must submit the following to the selection committee:
- An award application form.
- One copy of the entry for each committee member.
- Statement that the applicant is a member of the WAWH.
- The Award Committee Members shall:
- Be appointed by the President for a three-year term.
- Have terms that are staggered in a three-year cycle. Each year a new committee member will be appointed. In case of an incomplete term of service, an appointment will be made to complete the term of service
- The Award Committee Chair shall:
- Ideally have at least one year experience on the particular committee prior to taking over the position of Chair.
- Be responsible in overseeing the work of the committee, including receipt and distribution of applications to committee members, timely determination of award recipient(s), and notification of the decision to those applicants selected and not selected as well as the Executive Director.
- Present, or appoint someone to present, the award to the winner at the annual conference
- Make a summary report to the Executive Board at the annual meeting.
- The Selection Committee shall use the following criteria in selecting recipients:
a. Appropriateness and clarity of bibliographical/textual apparatus.
b. Significance of the topic.
c. Comprehensiveness and accuracy of research.
d. Clarity of prose.
- The award will be determined by the Kanner Award Committee subject to funding availability and the applicant pool.
- Each member of the Committee shall review and rate each application for the Kanner Award. From their individual ratings, Committee members shall reach a consensus on the recipient(s) of the Kanner Award.
- Kanner Award recipient(s) shall be announced at the annual conference.
Bylaws of the WAWH -
Barbara “Penny” Kanner Award (approved 2007)
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updated May 20, 2007