Abstract Deadline: April 1, 2026
The Anthropology and Environment Society of the American Anthropological Association is pleased to announce the 2026 Rappaport Student Prize competition.
Application
To apply, we invite interested Ph.D. students to submit by April 1, 2026 an abstract of a paper that they plan to develop into a publication. The abstract should present a summary of the entire paper, including a statement of the central question and argument, methods undertaken, the results of the study, the theoretical context that inspired it, and the significance of the research. The abstract should not exceed 500 words; abstracts that exceed this word limit will not be reviewed.
We invite submissions that chart a capacious understanding of environmental anthropology, with its multiple traditions and contemporary possibilities. The purpose of the prize is to gather a cross-section of works that will define the future of anthropological investigations of “environment,” broadly conceived. The Rappaport Prize competition is open to students working in a wide array of disciplinary and anthropological modes. We welcome, for instance, papers that develop a conceptual argument based on ethnographic fieldwork, those working at the cutting edge of applied work, and those who embrace more interdisciplinary, artistic, and engaged methods that challenge and expand disciplinary convention. The competition is open to all PhD students. We particularly welcome applications from scholars working beyond historically dominant research institutions, including those based outside North America and Western Europe.
Abstracts, along with the author’s name, institutional affiliation, and email, should be e-mailed to the organizer of this year’s competition, Alyssa Paredes ([email protected]), Jerry Zee ([email protected]), and Eduardo Romero Dianderas ([email protected]).
Review Process
All submitted abstracts will be reviewed by the Rappaport Prize Committee consisting of officers of the Anthropology and Environment Section. The review process focuses on the originality of the research and analysis as well as the contribution to the field of environmental anthropology. A maximum of five (5) papers will be selected for participation in the Rappaport Prize Panel at the Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association, to be held this November 2026 in St. Louis, MO.
The five finalists will be invited to develop an article-length paper based on their abstracts, not exceeding a maximum of 8,000 words, including notes and bibliography, to be submitted to the A&E Rappaport Prize Committee before October 1, 2026. These five papers will be reviewed by the same A&E panel, judged for their originality, contribution to the field, and writing style appropriate to a journal manuscript for submission, and one will be selected for the 2026 Rappaport Student Prize. The Prize winner receives $1,000 and each runner-up receives a $250 stipend to support meeting travel or registration. All five finalists will be expected to present 15-minute versions of their papers during the Rappaport Prize panel at the AAAs in New Orleans and to participate in the panel discussion. All finalists will also be required to register as A&E members.
Mentorship
The Rappaport Prize and Panel is part of an effort to improve the mentoring process for graduate students as they pursue environmental anthropology related careers. Participating provides an opportunity for students to receive constructive feedback on their work by scholars in the A&E community. In addition to the feedback received during the panel presentations at the AAAs, all five finalists will be assigned a mentor from within the wider A&E community of scholars; mentors will work with the graduate student authors to revise their papers to submit for publication.
NOTE: A&E award committees follow NSF guidelines regarding potential conflict of interest between applicants and reviewers.
