Dissertation Prize Information

Each year the EHA awards dissertation prizes to two dissertations completed in the last academic year from June 1-May 31. In special situations, the society will allow for a two-year window, but those exceptions must be discussed with the chairs of the dissertation prize committee. The Allan Nevins Prize is awarded on behalf of Columbia University Press for the best dissertation on U.S. or Canadian economic history. The Alexander Gerschenkron Prize is awarded for the best dissertation in economic history on an area outside of the U.S. or Canada. 

Each year the dissertation prize committee, consisting of four members with chairs for each prize, will convene a dissertation session at the annual EHA meeting in the fall. Three finalists will be chosen by the committee for each prize, with each giving a presentation at the meeting as part of a plenary session. 

The submission deadline is May 31, 2026. Dissertations should be submitted using the form HERE. There you will fill in details regarding your current and PhD affiliations, committees, the prize category, and contact information. You can also upload your dissertation or add a link if the file is over 10mb. If you have any questions about eligibility or the prize in general contact one or both of the chairs (contact information below). If you submit your dissertation for the prize, you must commit to being able to attend and present as part of the dissertation session at the meeting. Travel subsidies are provided to finalists to be able to attend. 

EHA MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENT: You must be an active EHA member to apply for the dissertation prizes. If you are unsure of your membership status, please contact the EHA Administrative Coordinator, Taylor Land at taylorland@eh.net. If you would like to join the EHA, please click HERE.

Submit your disseration HERE.

The dissertation committee is composed by the following members:

Nevins Chair: Joshua Hausman, University of Michigan, hausmanj@umich.edu

Gerschenkron Chair: Leigh Gardner, London School of Economics, l.a.gardner@lse.ac.uk

Other committee members:

Karen Clay, Carnegie Mellon University

William Summerhill, University of California, Los Angeles