Inaugural AustLit Essay Prize
An award for the best use of AustLit data in a published scholarly essay.
Awarded annually at the ASAL conference for the best use of AustLit data to generate a new argument or insight about the Australian literary, publishing or cultural landscape in a scholarly essay published in English in the previous calendar year.
(For the first year that this prize will be awarded – 2027 – the essay can have been published in the previous two years.)
Essays can be on any topic or theme in Australian literature, publishing or cultural studies, broadly conceived.
The award, which comprises an AU$1000 cash prize, can have been published in any peer-reviewed academic journal, regardless of length or referencing style.
The judging panel will comprise the AustLit Director, who will chair the panel, and two other invited academics.
Criteria
The prize will be awarded to the scholarly essay of highest academic merit that uses AustLit to generate a new argument or insight about the Australian literary, publishing or cultural landscape, as determined by the judging panel.
In addition to incorporating AustLit data in the body of their argument, essays must cite AustLit in their notes or works cited/reference list.
Entries for the inaugural prize will be accepted until January 31, 2027 (and that same date each subsequent year).
Eligible essays must have been published in the previous twelve calendar months (January-December), barring the first year of the prize, when they may have been published in the preceding two years.
Entries must be submitted via the AustLit email account in the form of a pdf attachment of the publication.
Entries are welcome from scholars writing in English anywhere in the world.
Multiple entries are permitted, but each must be entered separately.
Members of the AustLit team are not eligible to apply but researchers who collaborate with AustLit on research projects are.
In addition to the $1000 prize money, winning essays will be promoted but both ASAL and AustLit via ASAL and AustLit’s social media and communications channels.
For more information, contact AustLit at [email protected]