In a time of ever-increasing specialization in our disciplines, a commitment to cross-disciplinary scholarship is more important than ever. The Sidney Prize, founded in 1967, is designed to encourage research in the study of language, literature and history from a broad and innovative perspective, with a particular focus on medieval studies and English history. It is awarded annually to a scholar who has demonstrated excellence in this field. The prize also aims to stimulate general interest in the study of medieval language, literature and history.
The Hillman Prize celebrates investigative reporting that reveals social and economic injustices in our society. Since 1950, the Hillman Foundation has awarded tens of thousands of dollars in prizes and fellowships to writers working for the daily, periodical, and labor press.
In 2024, the Hillman Prizes will honor The New York Times’ extraordinary investigation into Haiti’s colonial debt; ProPublica/New Yorker’s work on the privatization of hospice care; and More Perfect Union’s agenda-setting videos explicating corporate greed. In addition, the Hillman Prize will again award the Hillman Prize for Reporting on Racial and Economic Justice, which will be awarded to all U.S Hillman Prize winners.
AJL’s committee for the Sydney Taylor Book Awards selects titles that are both scholarly and accessible, and recommends them to students, teachers, and all readers interested in the history of technology. Winners receive a seal that can be placed on copies of their books to denote their achievement. You can listen to an interview with the 2024 committee chair on our AJL podcast, The Sydney Taylor Shmooze. You can read reviews of the winning titles, as well as other outstanding works of history of technology, on AJL’s book pages. To purchase AJL gold or silver Sydney Taylor seals for your own copies of the winning titles, visit our shop page.
The prize is named in honour of Philip Sidney Ardern, lecturer and associate professor in the Department of English at Auckland University College from 1912 to 1947. The prize was endowed by Miss A.M. Ardern and augmented by subscriptions from her friends and pupils. It is awarded each year for the best essay in any branch of the English language, and may be awarded either to an undergraduate or postgraduate student. The essay should be on any subject relating to the English language and the historical development of English, but preference will be given to essays dealing with Old or Middle English. The prize is worth $500, and will be accompanied by an engraved certificate. Regulations for the prize are available here.
