Call for 2024 Eric R. Wolf Prize Submissions

Graduate students, the Society for the Anthropology of Work (SAW) invites you to submit your scholarly work to the Eric R. Wolf Prize. Submissions are due on September 1.

The Prize honors excellence in graduate student research on the topic of the anthropology of work, broadly defined. We take inspiration from the life and work of Eric Wolf, which integrated political economy into the analysis of social life and value conflict, and engaged in bold political action. The Prize will go to the paper that best demonstrates an engaged anthropological approach to the study of work, in ways that reflect the values of Wolf’s legacy broadly construed. SAW invites graduate students to submit previously unpublished manuscripts for consideration. Black, Indigenous, and LatinX students, and students based at institutions outside the US and Europe are especially invited to apply. 

The recipient of the Eric R. Wolf Prize will receive a $250 cash award, along with an invitation to develop the essay further for possible publication in the Anthropology of Work Review. We also invite the winners to receive the award at our 2024 AAA Business Meeting (Virtual) in November. 

Submissions must be received by Sept 1, 2024 to be considered for this year's prize.  All submissions should be emailed as attached PDF documents to Lilly Irani ([email protected]), chair of the Wolf Prize Committee. Only members of SAW will be considered for the prize. Membership is free for students with a membership in the AAA. Your membership supports the section, and we hope the section supports you!

Submission format: Please submit one document in PDF format. Research essays should be 25 pages or less, double-spaced. All identifying information should be removed from the submission and only appear in the accompanying email (i.e., your name and affiliation and any citations of your own work should be removed before sending the document). In the PDF submission, you may also include an optional 1-page statement explaining any political or activist work you have engaged in that relates to the submitted manuscript. Please direct any questions about the Eric R. Wolf Prize to Lilly Irani at [email protected].