Congratulations to our 2023 Halperin Award recipients!
Jing Hao Liong: Duke University
Project: “The ‘Ethics’ of Eliminating Forced Labor: Social Enterprises and Migrant Labor in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia”
Advisor: Anne-Maria Makhulu
Montserrat Perez Castro Perez: Dartmouth College
Project: “Sustainable hope: Affect, labor and social difference in the corporate sustainability of the palm oil value chain in Mexico”
Advisor: Susanne Friedberg
See past award recipients here.
ABOUT THE HALPERIN MEMORIAL FUND
The Rhoda Halperin Memorial Fund celebrates the life and work of Rhoda Halperin by supporting PhD students in anthropology who emulate her love of economic anthropology and concern for people on the social margin. In memory of Rhoda’s convivial collegiality, the Fund also encourages student professional development through participation in the scholarly meetings of the SEA and AAA. To meet these goals, students engaged in economic research focused on social exclusion and poverty are provided small grants for preliminary dissertation fieldwork and subsequent travel money to present their findings at the Society for Economic Anthropology annual conference.
Because Rhoda Halperin’s career exemplified the integration of anthropological theory with social activism, for the purposes of this award, economic anthropology is broadly defined to include applied and non-applied perspectives, research that engages with issues of poverty, exclusion from the political process, and access to education. See past awards here.
ELIGIBILITY
- Any student enrolled in an anthropology (or allied field) doctoral program, regardless of citizenship or nation, is eligible for the award.
- Strong preference is given to students early in the dissertation process rather than to those who are further along and have already developed their proposals.
- The funds are not intended for language study.
- The funds are not intended for dissertation research. For those seeking funds to support dissertation research, please apply to the SEA’s M. Estellie Smith Memorial Fund Dissertation Award.
APPLICATION AND DEADLINE
Applicants who meet the eligibility requirements may apply for the award by providing the following materials by the deadline listed below. All materials should be submitted via email to halperin@econanthro.org by January 20, 2023. Awards will be announced by late March, 2023.
Applications will include:
- Proposal Cover Sheet (download here)
- Abstract (100 words)
- Project description (500 words) describing research goals, itinerary, primary research tasks, and potential outcomes. Works cited should be listed at the end and do not count towards the 500 word limit.
- Optional: Note any restrictions on travel to your field site still in place and whether you will be able to meet those requirements.
- Curriculum Vitae
- Letter of recommendation (included or under separate cover)
THE AWARD
Recipients receive $1,500 for preliminary PhD research, issued upon acceptance of the award and notification to the Treasurer of the SEA.
Recipients receive a one-year membership in the Society for Economic Anthropology (for those already members of the American Anthropological Association).
Recipients receive $500 to supplement the costs of traveling to the SEA spring conference during the year following the research award to present a poster or paper on the dissertation research or background work.
DONATIONS TO THE FUND
The Halperin Memorial Fund is a fund of the Society for Economic Anthropology, a Section of the American Anthropological Association, which is a 501(c)3 organization. Donations to The Halperin Memorial Fund are typically exempt from federal income tax, as are membership fees, but please consult your tax advisor regarding your specific situation. Donations can be made online or by check. When you make a donation to support the Halperin Memorial Fund by check, please make your check to “SEA/American Anthropological Association” and note that the donation is for the Halperin Memorial Fund.
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