The Comitas Institute Award for Public Knowledge and Engagement is named for the Comitas Institute for Anthropological Study (CIFAS), founded by Professor Lambros Comitas to support the application of anthropology to human and planetary problems. Professor Comitas, who held the Gardner Cowles Professorship in Anthropology and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, demonstrated the value of anthropology grounded in rigorous ethnographic methods and high ethical standards.

The Comitas Institute Award for Public Knowledge and Engagement celebrates ethnographic research that generates public knowledge and engagement and advances a robust understanding of contemporary human problems and solutions.

This award is a collaboration between the Comitas Institute for Anthropological Study and the Society for Applied Anthropology (SfAA). To learn more about the Comitas Institute and Professor Comitas’ work and legacy, visit https://www.cifas.us.

Comitas Institute for Anthropological Study logo featuring a stylized black sailboat with wave lines to the left of 'COMITAS' in bold dark blue text, with 'Institute for Anthropological Study' in black text below.
SfAA Logo

This $5,000 cash prize honors anthropological research that:

  • Is rooted in rigorous ethnographic fieldwork
  • Resulted in an outstanding publication (in any type of media – book, film, graphic novel, etc.) that advances public knowledge on socially significant topics
  • Generates impactful public engagement that benefits society and enhances public understanding of anthropology’s contributions to solving human and social challenges

Two prizes will be awarded.

Eligibility:

  • The award is open to researchers at academic institutions or beyond, in any stage of their career. International submissions are welcome.
  • The publication under consideration must be authored by the applicant and have been first published (in any language) no earlier than two years prior to the submission of the award application and no later than the present year’s deadline for applications. Jointly authored books may be considered but not edited volumes. Similarly, jointly created multimedia works may be considered but not compilations.
  • Works using languages other than English must include a certified translation of the written material into English. Works that include audio as a part of the publication should include a transcription.

Selection Criteria:

  • Intellectual merit
  • Broader impact
  • Social relevance
  • Clarity and accessibility of the publication
  • Creativity in approach and execution
  • Demonstrated commitment to advancing public knowledge and public engagement through anthropology

Submission Information:

A complete submission is required for the application to be reviewed. It includes:

  1. The applicant’s curriculum vitae, abbreviated to 5 pages or less in 12-point font.
  2. A statement from the applicant describing their research and its demonstrated commitment to public knowledge and engagement. The statement should specify:
    • A project description, including its rationale, field methods, participants, and results. 500 words.
    • The intellectual merit of the work (i.e., how the work advances understanding). 250 words.
    • The broader impact of the work (i.e., how the work benefits society). 250 words.
    • The social relevance of the work (i.e., why the work is socially significant and how it generates public knowledge and engagement). 250 words.
  3. A digital copy of the public-facing publication (book or other type of media) that was produced as part of this work.
  4. Supplementary materials: For example, links to online media, videos, photographs, news articles, and other relevant documents that demonstrate the work’s public engagement, broader impact, and social relevance.

The Comitas Institute Awards will be presented at a dedicated award session at the SfAA Annual Meeting, where award winners will have the opportunity to share about their work. In-person attendance at the SfAA Annual Meeting is expected and strongly encouraged. It will be supported by a $500 travel stipend per award. Award winners are also expected to participate in a half-day workshop (breakfast and lunch provided) on Saturday during the SfAA Annual Meeting. The workshop will be an opportunity for current and previous award winners to have more in-depth exchanges about doing publicly engaged ethnographic work and to produce a tangible outcome of their choice (e.g., co-produced written or multimedia piece) together following the workshop.

Submission deadline: October 15

To apply for this award, please send your complete application materials to info@appliedanthro.org.

Previous Recipients