Awards

WiG confers prizes and awards annually to support our members’ research. Information regarding eligibility, selection criteria, submission guidelines, and previous winners is available below.

Dissertation Prize

Women in German issues an annual call for dissertations by WiG members in consideration for the Dissertation Prize. The recipient will receive a $500 cash award and certificate of recognition to be conferred at the following WiG conference. The recipient’s name will be published in the WiG Newsletter and on our website.

Eligibility

Candidates whose dissertations were completed, defended, accepted, and filed during the calendar year prior to the WiG conference at which the award will be announced are eligible to apply. In other words: dissertations filed in 2023 are eligible for the award presented at the 2024 WiG conference. In rare circumstances, the official graduation date may fall in the next calendar year, causing questions about eligibility. In such cases, please consult the chair of the prize committee before the deadline. In general, the official submission date recorded on the filed copy decides about the year of eligibility.

Selection Criteria 

We are looking for dissertations that reflect the values of the Women in German Mission Statement; make a substantial contribution to the current dialogue in the given area; and demonstrate solid and innovative scholarship. We welcome submissions in a variety of genres, including creative and non-traditional formats.

Submission Guidelines

Applications for the 2023 Dissertation Prize close on March 15, 2024. Electronic submissions will be accepted at dissertation@womeningerman.org.

Previous Winners

Best Article Prize

Women in German issues an annual call for articles written by WiG members to recognize excellent research and scholarship in the field of feminist German studies. The recipient will receive a $500 cash award and a certificate of recognition at the following WiG conference. The recipient’s name will be published in the WiG Newsletter and on our website. The prize was first awarded in 2004.

Eligibility

An article must have been published in a journal issue or collection with a publication date during the calendar year prior to the WiG conference at which the award will be announced. The work must present original new research that makes a significant contribution to the field of feminist German studies; collaborative publications are also accepted. The author(s) must haven an up-to-date WiG members at the time of submission. Articles may be written in either German or English.

Submission Guidelines

Applications for the prize close on April 15, 2024. Electronic submissions will be accepted at article@womeningerman.org.

Previous Winners

Zantop Travel Award for Graduate Students

Inspired by the work of Susanne Zantop, Women in German established an award in her honor to help nurture and sustain research and publication in feminist cultural studies.  The Zantop Travel Award has supported work on more than two dozen dissertations since it was established in 2002.  With the help of a generous endowment by the Zantop family, the award amounts were increased substantially in 2009. WiG grants up to two awards annually, each in the amount of $1500.

Eligibility
Graduate students who have not yet completed the Ph.D. Applicants must be WiG members with a dissertation project approved by a faculty advisor for research on a topic in feminist German cultural studies that requires travel to consult specific archives, libraries, cultural centers, or authors.

Selection Criteria
1. We seek proposals that address a significant topic with demonstrated relevance to German Studies from an approach informed by feminist cultural studies, that is, an approach that engages the intersections of gender with other relevant categories such as sexuality, class, race, citizenship, and ethnicity.  In addition, we encourage proposals that further the project of rethinking German Studies along transnational lines.
2. The proposed research travel must be for the purpose of obtaining access to materials or information not accessible by other means.
3.  The materials or information sought must be central to the success of the dissertation project.
4. The research plan must be feasible within the proposed time period.
5. The request for funding must be supported by a letter from a major professor (dissertation advisor or committee member).

Submission Guidelines

Submit your CV, 1-2 page research proposal, and letter of support by February 1, 2024. Electronic submissions will be accepted at president@womeningerman.org.

Previous Winners

Professional Development Award for Contingent Faculty

Recognizing that contingent faculty members comprise two-thirds of teaching faculty at colleges and universities today and that these faculty members often lack access to traditional funding sources, Women in German offers funding specifically for contingent faculty. One award in the amount of $1500 will be granted each year to support professional development opportunities or projects relevant to feminist German Studies.

Eligibility
Anyone holding a non-tenure track or part-time teaching position is eligible to apply. Students and tenure-track or tenured faculty are not eligible.

Selection Criteria
This award is designed to support the professional development of contingent faculty in myriad ways, including but not limited to conference travel, research, or other professional activities. We seek proposals for projects or opportunities with a demonstrated relevance to feminist German Studies that will also contribute substantially to the professional development of the applicant.

Submission Guidelines

Submit your CV and 1-2 page research proposal by February 1, 2024. Electronic submissions will be accepted at president@womeningerman.org.

Previous Winners

Faculty Research Award 

The purpose of this award is to nurture and sustain feminist research and publication in German Studies.

Eligibility

All faculty are eligible to apply for the award, but preference will be given to faculty at mid-career, with the expectation that the award can facilitate research leading to promotion to full professor. Applicants must be members of Women in German. One award in the amount of $1500 will be granted.

Selection Criteria

We seek proposals that address a significant topic with demonstrated relevance to German Studies informed by a feminist perspective. Preference will be given to projects that engage the intersections of gender with other categories such as sexuality, class, race, ethnicity, religion, and citizenship. We also encourage proposals that further the project of rethinking German Studies along transnational lines. The award funding can be used for research travel, to obtain materials, or for other demonstrated purposes necessary to the completion of the project.

Submission Guidelines

Applications for this cycle close on February 1, 2024. Electronic submissions will be accepted at president@womeningerman.org.

Previous Winners