Western Association of Women Historians
Annual awards and prizes
- Founders' Dissertation Fellowship
- Graduate Student Conference Paper Prize
- Judith Lee Ridge Prize
- Frances Richardson Keller-Sierra Prize
- Barbara "Penny" Kanner Prize
- Gita Chaudhuri Prize
Founders' Dissertation Fellowship
The Founders’ Dissertation Fellowship is an annual award to graduate students who show promise of significant contributions to historical scholarship. Funds from these Awards may be used for purposes directly or indirectly related to the dissertation, such as expenses for research, attendance of scholarly conferences, and the preparation of the dissertation.
Applicants to the Founders’ Dissertation Fellowship mustbe current members of WAWHwhen theysubmit their application. Current WAWH board members are not eligible to apply. Applicants for the fellowship may apply for it more than once but may win only once.
All applicantsshall be actively engaged in scholarship that is historical in nature, although the degree may be in related fields, as well as have been advanced to candidacy and are writing the dissertation at the time of application. They should expect the Ph.D. no earlier than December of the calendar year in which the award is made.
Read about previous Founders Dissertation Fellowship Winners >>>
Graduate Student Conference Paper Prize
The Graduate Student Conference Paper Prize is an annual prize that recognizes the outstanding paper presented by a graduate student at the annual WAWH conference. The committee will judge the presented paper, normally 10-12 pages. The presenter must also still submit a copy to the commentator of their panel. All fields of history will be considered, and articles must be submitted with full scholarly apparatus.
Read about previous Graduate Student Conference Paper Prize Winners >>>
Judith Lee Ridge Prize
The Judith Lee Ridge Prize is an annual prize that recognizes the best article in the field of history published by a WAWH member. Applicants to the Ridge Prize must be current members of the WAWH when they submit their article. Current WAWH board members are not eligible to apply. The article must have been published in one of the two years preceding the prize year. Any articles may only be submitted once. All fields of history will be considered, and articles must be submitted with full scholarly apparatus.
Read about previous Judith Lee Ridge Award Winners >>>
Frances Richardson Keller-Sierra Prize
The Frances Richardson Keller-Sierra Prize is an annual prize that recognizes the best monograph in the field of history published by a WAWH member. Applicants to the Keller-Sierra Prize must be current members of WAWH when they submit their book. Current WAWH board members are not eligible to apply. The book must be a single-authored monograph based on original research. Anthologies and edited works are not eligible. The book must have been published in the year prior to the prize. Books may only be submitted for consideration once. Books cannot be submitted a second time as paperbacks or new editions. All fields of history are eligible.
Read about previous Keller-Sierra Prize Winners >>>
Barbara "Penny" Kanner Prize (revised for 2012)
The Barbara “Penny” Kanner Award is an annual award given to honor a book, book chapter, article, or electronic media that has been verifiably published or posted in the two years prior to the award year and which illustrates the use of a specific set of primary sources (diaries, letters, interviews etc). A published item can only be submitted once.
Read about previous Kanner Prize Winners >>>
Gita Chaudhuri Prize
The Gita Chaudhuri Prize is an annual prize that recognizes the best monograph about the history of women in rural environments, from any era and any place in the world, published by a WAWH member.
The book must be a single-authored monograph based on original research. Anthologies and edited works are not eligible. The book must have been published in one of the three years prior to the prize. Books may only be submitted for consideration once. Books cannot be submitted a second time as paperbacks or new editions. All fields of history are eligible. Entries must be in English.
The Committee shall use the following criteria in selecting recipients: originality of conception and analysis, wide research and careful documentation, and clarity of expression.
A rural community is defined by a group of people who:
- live in a given geographical area with its own natural resources serving as a major bedrock support to produce agricultural crops and food products (grains, meat, fish, poultry, egg honey etc.),
- may make profits from surplus goods taken to markets, which may include making handicraft works (potteries, needleworks, quilts, paintings on a canvas etc.) as marketable commodities.
The committee is especially interested in projects that include rural women who:
- create local employment opportunities for others,
- service others within the community for maintaining daily lives,
- build a prosperous future for themselves and their children while raising their families, and
- work in small or large ways for the well-being of the community members while advancing in their own lives
Find out more about this year's WAWH awards and prizes here.
updated June 13, 2011