£1,000 Prize for the Best Article on Islamic Studies

The British Association for Islamic Studies (BRAIS) and De Gruyter are delighted to announce the third round BRAIS – De Gruyter Prize in the Study of Islam and the Muslim World.

This international prize will be awarded annually to the best doctoral thesis or unpublished first monograph based on a doctoral thesis. English-language submissions on any aspect of the academic study of Islam and the Muslim world, past and present, including Muslim-minority societies are accepted. Applicants can be based in any country, and manuscripts will be assessed on the basis of scholarly quality and originality.

The award includes publication of the winning manuscript and a prize of £1,000, and it will be officially presented at the Annual Conference of BRAIS. The selection process will be undertaken by a seven-member prize committee comprising established academics from across the field.

Rules and Regulations: 

1. To be eligible, a submission must either be a doctoral thesis, or an unpublished first monograph based on a doctoral thesis. The thesis must have been completed, successfully defended, and accepted no more than two years before the submission deadline. The thesis must have been submitted as part of the requirements for a doctoral degree at any university in the world.
2. The subject(s) covered by the submission should fall within the remit of BRAIS. For details, see www.brais.ac.uk/about-brais. The Prize Committee will make the final decision on whether submissions are of sufficient relevance.
3. De Gruyter will publish the award-winning manuscript after it has been revised into a publishable book manuscript, upon acceptance by De Gruyter, at the sole discretion of De Gruyter.
4. An annual award ceremony will be organised at the BRAIS Annual Conference.
5. The BRAIS-De Gruyter Prize is open to BRAIS members from any country. There is no age limit.
6. Submissions are accepted in English only (with selections in other languages, where relevant), and must adhere to internationally recognised standards and conventions of academic writing, including of transliteration. Entries must include:
   1. A brief covering letter stating (i) the applicant’s name, (ii) contact details and (iii) BRAIS membership number, (iv) the dates of the defence and acceptance of the thesis at the awarding institution, and (v) the name(s) and contact details of the supervisor(s).
   2. The manuscript. The minimum word limit is 80,000 words. There is no maximum limit. The thesis must be submitted in anonymised form, with all references to the author and his/her institution, acknowledgements and any other material that might help to identify the origins of the thesis removed, within reason. This is to maximise impartiality during the review process.
   3. The applicant’s curriculum vitae, of a maximum of 2 pages.
   4. A statement, of a maximum of 750 words, summarising the submission and highlighting its originality and contribution to the field.
   5. A scanned copy of the formal confirmation of the completion, successful defence and acceptance of the doctoral thesis from the awarding institution. If in doubt on the nature of this document, please enquire at your institution.
7. Items a-d should be in PDF format. All files must contain the applicant’s surname in the file name. Documents must be submitted to prize@brais.ac.uk by 5.00 pm GMT, 1 October 2017.
8. The applicant should also arrange for the supervisor or another academic, who is more senior than the applicant and is familiar with the submission, to submit a supporting statement that highlights its contributions to the field. This should be submitted by the supervisor or senior academic confidentially and directly to prize@brais.ac.uk by 5.00 pm GMT, 1 October 2017. The full name of the applicant should be stated in the title of the email.
9. Failure to follow all submission requirements will result in an automatic disqualification.

The Prize Committee

Sophie Gilliat-Ray (Cardiff University)
Robert Gleave (Exeter University)
Carool Kersten (King’s College)
Judith Pfeiffer (Oxford University)
James Piscatori (Durham University)
Ayman Shihadeh (SOAS, University of London), Chair
Nicolai Sinai (Oxford University)

Prize Co-ordinator: Omar Anchassi (Exeter University)