Joan Leach Memorial Graduate Student

Essay Prize

The Gaskell Journal runs a biennial Graduate Student Essay Prize in honour of Joan Leach MBE, founder of the Gaskell Society.

Aims of the Prize

The essay competition is open to all graduate students currently registered for an MA or PhD in Victorian Studies. Entries are welcome which consider Gaskell’s writings within Victorian cultural, religious, aesthetic and scientific debates, and which have an inter-disciplinary aspect. Also welcome are essays which offer innovative and focused readings of Gaskell’s works, including those enlightened by critical theory.

In all cases, the essay must show a sound grasp of existing scholarship on the issue, and must clearly offer an original contribution to the field of Gaskell studies. Clarity of argument and expression are also required.

The Prize

The winning essay will be published in The Gaskell Journal (after revisions if necessary, as guided by the editor), and its author will receive £200 from the Gaskell Society, and a complimentary copy of the Journal. High quality submissions other than the winner will also be considered for publication in the journal.

Conditions

Essays should be no longer than 7,000 words, and not under consideration for publication elsewhere. We request that you follow the conventions of the Gaskell Journal stylesheet (see Authors on journal website).

Judging

Essays will be judged by members of The Gaskell Journal Editorial Board, with the final decision being made from a shortlist by a leading scholar in Gaskell studies.

IMPORTANT: All judging will be anonymous. Please keep your name and affiliation separate from your article. Please complete the below form, and send with your anonymised essay to The Gaskell Journal editor by the deadline stated on the website.

JOAN LEACH MEMORIAL GRADUATE STUDENT ESSAY PRIZE

Name:

Date:

Institutional Affiliation:

Position:

Supervisor/Advisor + their position + their email address:

Title of Essay:

DECLARATION

I certify that the attached essay is not under consideration for publication elsewhere and is all my own original work.

Signature: (Typing your name here, and sending this form from your named email address, will be taken as equivalent to signature)

Contact Email:

Postal address: