International Society for Intellectual History - Charles Schmitt Prize

Charles Schmitt Prize

You will win about 290 EUR in cash (£250) and around 115 EUR in Routledge books (£100) for the best essay on the history of ideas, written by a early-career researcher. Your award-winning essay will also be published in the *Intellectual History Review*, the discipline’s quarterly journal, and you will receive a one-year free ISIH membership, including a subscription to this journal. The prize is awarded once a year by the International Society for Intellectual History (ISIH) in memory of the historian Charles B. Schmitt. The sum of 410 EUR stated in the info box corresponds to the total value of the cash prize and the books.

Who can apply

• Level: You are currently a PhD student or have submitted your doctoral thesis within two years of the application deadline.
• Field: Your essay should focus on any area of the history of ideas (the study of ideas over time) and cover the period from 1500 to the present day, including the history of the discipline itself.
• Your essay: It comprises no more than 9,000 words, including footnotes, and no other publisher has accepted it.
• Nationality: Anyone can apply, regardless of which country they’re from.
• University: You can apply, no matter where you’re studying.

How to apply

Please email your essay as a Microsoft Word file to the two members of the prize jury. In the email, please state that you are submitting the essay for the prize, confirm that you meet the entry criteria, and confirm that the essay may be published. The closing date for entries is 15 November.

How realistic are your chances?

This prize is awarded solely on the basis of the quality of an essay and not on the basis of a comprehensive application; therefore, a compelling essay carries particular weight. Eligibility is restricted to early-career researchers in the field of intellectual history, making it a more selective process than an open scholarship. However, as only one winner is selected each year, an original essay suitable for publication and relevant to the subject area is the decisive factor in the selection process.