McGill University is relaunching its Cundhill History Prize in its 10th anniversary year. The prize recognizes, according to a release, "the best history writing in English," and comes with a $75,000 (U.S.) purse. Two runners up each receive a Recognition of Excellence Award and a $10,000 purse.
The university decided to revamp the prize, it said, "to illuminate the truth at a time in world affairs when informed, factual debate is increasingly losing out to populism and retrenchment."
Margaret MacMillan, the author of Nixon in China and the chair of the 2017 prize jury, said: “History—good, readable, evidence-based history—is part of the toolbox of democracy. We live in a challenging world and it is more important than ever to understand ourselves and others, where we came from and where we might be going, and only history can provide those insights.”
The prize is open to any books published in English from any country in the world, regardless of nationality or residence of their authors. Works in translation are also eligible.
“At what feels like a turning point in world affairs, we at McGill believe it is more important than ever to champion the highest quality historical scholarship produced anywhere across the globe," Antonia Maioni, dean of the faculty of arts at McGill, said in a statement. “The Cundill History Prize seeks books that will appeal to a broad audience, ignite conversation, evoke a better understanding of humanity and illuminate the truth at a time when objective facts are increasingly losing out to populism.”
Submissions for the prize are open until June 16 for books published in English between June 1, 2016, and May 31, 2017. The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony in Montreal on November 16.
