Research Committees

Established in 2017. Last edition: 2018.

Purpose

The Executive Committee of Research Committee Sociology of Aging RC11 of the International Sociological Association announces a competition for an award for best original research paper by an emerging scholar submitted for presentation at the 2018 ISA World Congress of Sociology 15-21 July, 2018 in Toronto, Canada.

Eligibility

Emerging scholars include graduate students currently completing a PhD degree, and recent (five years or less) recipients of a PhD in sociology, or a related discipline, with aging or life course as a focus. Post-doctoral scholars are eligible to apply. Co-authored papers are permitted if the applicant is first author. Published work (equivalent of a ‘paper’ i.e. article or chapter) is acceptable if published in 2017 or later.

Applicants do not need to be RC11 members, but receipt of the award is conditional on membership i.e. successful applicants are expected to join RC11.

Recognition

RC11 anticipates making two awards covering the conference registration fee and reimbursement for travel costs of up to $500. Honorable mention may also be awarded to one or more applicants, covering registration fees only. Awardees are expected to attend the conference and present a synopsis of their papers at a special award ceremony at the RC11 business meeting. Applicants who received an honorable mention may also be invited to present a synopsis at this session.

Selection Process

Papers will be judged according to:

• perceptiveness with which issues are treated
• the quality of empirical materials presented (or, in the case of conceptual/theoretical papers, the quality of theorizing)
• the consistency with which an analytic framework is used
• the originality of ideas
• the clarity of style

Submissions

Papers should be submitted by January 15, 2018 to Professor Merril Silverstein merrils@syr.edu. Announcement of awardees and paper acceptance decisions will be made in late January or beginning of February 2018.