A sidney prize is an award that honors someone who has made significant contributions to their field. This person may be known for their research, teaching or advocacy work. It is also possible for a sidney prize to honor someone who has demonstrated courage in the face of injustice or adversity. These people can be found in a variety of fields, including business, politics and law.
Founded in 1991, the Sidney Hook Memorial Award recognizes national distinction in scholarship, undergraduate teaching and leadership in the cause of liberal arts education. It is named in honor of the distinguished American philosopher and Phi Beta Kappa member Sidney Hook. The National Association of Scholars awards a Sidney Hook prize at its annual conference to an individual who has made significant contributions in one or more of these areas.
The judges have a soft spot for essays that develop a bold theory of everything. That’s what Nils Gilman did in “The Twin Insurgency,” published this year in the American Interest. He argues that two political forces are squeezing the middle class, both of which deserve to be called insurgencies: the global plutocracy—rich elites in tech and finance who are disengaged from national obligation and common life—and deviant entrepreneurs—corrupt oligarchs in developing countries, drug dealers, black-market millionaires.
In this docu-drama, Mia Wasikowska stars as a mother who investigates her family’s history in Morocco’s 1981 Bread Riots. The film’s innovative use of doll-like figurines and its juxtaposition of public records with private family memory won it the Grand Jury prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. It also won the top prize at Sydney’s International Film Festival.
For the 2024 Neilma Sidney Short Story Contest, Overland and the Malcolm Robertson Foundation seek excellent short fiction (up to 3000 words) themed around the notion of “travel.” Stories that incorporate imaginative, creative and literary interpretations are encouraged. The winner will receive $5000 and be published in Overland’s autumn issue, and two runners-up will each get $750. The contest is open to all writers, nationally and internationally. Entry is $12 for subscribers and $20 for non-subscribers.
In memory of the founder of Consumer Culture Theory, this annual competition is for the best article based on a dissertation-based dissertation in CCT or related theoretical areas. All submissions are reviewed by the CCT editorial board. For more information and to enter, click here. Subscribers get discounted entry and access to subscriber-only events, opportunities and giveaways.