The Folklore Society

McDowall Essay Prize

Wishing to encourage the study of folklore by those who are not attached to academic institutions, The Folklore Society announces that there will be an annual prize of £500 for an unpublished article on any aspect of folklore by any member of this Society not attached in any capacity to an academic institution of higher education. We are very grateful to Robert McDowall for funding this initiative.

  1. The prize is open to members of The Folklore Society only.
  2. Candidates for the Prize must not be attached in any way to any academic institution of higher education.
  3. The prize is for an unpublished work only, minimum length 5000 words, maximum 10,000 words. The essay should contribute to our further understanding of an aspect of folklore, should have a clear conclusion, and contain references and a bibliography of sources used.
  4. Deadline for submission: 15 December annually. Four Copies must be submitted to the McDowall Prize Judges, The Folklore Society Office, The Warburg Institute, Woburn Square, London WC1H 0AB. Alternatively submissions can be emailed to enquiries@folklore-society.com
  5. The submission must include a statement on a separate sheet of paper giving the author's name and confirming that he or she is a member of the Society, is not currently attached to any academic institution of higher education, and that the essay has not been published.
  6. There will be three judges who are recognised folklore scholars.
  7. The judges will assess the various submissions and the Prize will be awarded at the subsequent AGM of The Folklore Society. The candidates will be informed of the judges' decision shortly after a report is made to the Committee of the Society.

© The Folklore Society 2012. Our journal Folklore is published on behalf of The Folklore Society by Taylor and Francis. How to join.

Registered Charity No.1074552. The Folklore Society is a Company Limited by Guarantee with Charitable Status, Company No.368496