Vietnam Studies Group 2021 Graduate Paper Prize Competition

UPDATED AUGUST 14, 2020

** Please note ** The Vietnam Studies Group Paper Prize Committee has determined that membership in the Association for Asian Studies (AAS) is NO LONGER a requirement for entry in this competition. However, we do ask that all submissions come from current (dues-paying) Vietnam Studies Group members, as membership dues help provide funding for this award. The suggested membership rate for students is $10/USD; information on how to join is provided below.


Deadline: Friday, August 28, 2020

The Vietnam Studies Group (VSG) is pleased to announce a call for submissions for its annual graduate student paper prize competition. The competition encourages the direct involvement of graduate students in the growth of Vietnamese studies and supports their professional development. The competition is open to full and part time graduate students, regardless of their disciplinary specialization. Preference will be given to sole-authored papers based on original field, archival, and/or statistical research. However, thematic reviews that critically synthesize existing literature on a particular topic related to Vietnamese studies will also be considered.

The winner will receive a $500 prize and a one-year subscription to the Journal of Vietnamese Studies. If the winner agrees to pick up their award in person at the VSG annual meeting during the AAS Annual Conference (March 25-28, 2021 in Seattle), then the winner will also receive a $400 travel prize. In addition, they will receive a free year-long membership in VSG, as will the honorable mention(s), if the sub-committee designates them. The winner(s) will be notified in Fall 2020.

Papers may be written in English or Vietnamese. Submissions will be reviewed by a VSG sub-committee, which will evaluate the entries on the basis of their scholarly merit, theoretical and/or methodological originality, clarity, and style. Papers should also have implications that transcend their disciplinary boundaries to reach a broader academic audience. Only unpublished papers will be considered.

Submissions are due by 11:59 PM (BST) Friday, August 28, 2020, to Sean Fear, S.Fear@leeds.ac.uk. The committee regrets that late submissions will not be accepted. In the email please attach (1) a PDF of the conference paper and (2) a letter of good standing from the applicant’s graduate department.

Additionally, it is a requirement that all submissions come from current (dues-paying) VSG members. The AAS secure online payment link is: https://myaas.asianstudies.org/About/Committee-Payment-Donations. If you don’t already have an account, click on this link first and register one: https://myaas.asianstudies.org/Registration. People can make donations of any size; the recommended donation for student participants in VSG is $10. You will be provided an online receipt that you should send to the VSG Treasurer Tuan Hoang at tuannyriver@gmail.com or tuan.hoang@pepperdine.edu. VSG is a “study group” of the Association for Asian Studies, and its primary mission is to foster greater participation among Vietnam specialists in AAS and at the annual meeting.

It is strongly desired, but not required, that students who have submitted a paper for consideration attend both the VSG meeting and the AAS conference. Graduate students are eligible for additional AAS travel stipends and reduced conference fees.