The Sally Mitchell Dissertation Prize is awarded annually to the best Ph.D. dissertation, defended in the previous calendar year, that explores the British periodical press of the long nineteenth century (including magazines, newspapers, and serial publications of all kinds) as an object of study in its own right, not as a source of material for other historical topics. Winners of the prize receive a monetary award of $1,000 and a two-year membership to RSVP.

Eligible applicants for the Sally Mitchell Dissertation Prize will have successfully defended their dissertation within the previous calendar year (i.e., the 2026 prize winner defended in 2025). Projects range from a variety of disciplinary perspectives focused on any aspect of the periodical press within Britain itself, or in the many countries within and outside of the Empire where British magazines and newspapers were bought, sold, and read during the long nineteenth century.

Applicants should submit the following via our online application portal by March 1:

• An applicant information form with full contact information
• A title page, abstract, and table of contents
• A sample chapter (do not submit the full dissertation!)
• The name and email address of their dissertation advisor

Applicants’ advisors will be asked to confirm the successful viva/defense date. After reviewing these materials, the prize committee will solicit full dissertations for further consideration.

The Mitchell Prize winner is typically announced in July or August of the prize year.

More information about this award can be found here: https://rs4vp.org/awards/mitchell-dissertation-prize/ 

The award guidelines can be found here: https://rs4vp.org/awards/mitchell-dissertation-prize/guidelines/