The American Society for the History of Rhetoric (ASHR) invites submissions for its 2026 Dissertation Award.
The ASHR Dissertation Award honors an exemplary dissertation treating rhetorical history, broadly construed, that was defended between September 2025 and September 2026.
Please submit all materials via email (MS Word or PDF) to the selection committee chair, Wallace Golding, at wallace.golding@txstate.edu. The deadline for submissions is November 1, 2026.
To be considered for the award, please submit:
- A 1- to 2-page dissertation abstract.
- The dissertation’s table of contents.
- One representative chapter. (Complete dissertations will not be accepted.)
- A letter of recommendation from the dissertation advisor or a committee member that includes the defense date. Recommendation letters may be sent to the chair by either the applicant or the recommendation writer.
ASHR encourages a pluralistic conception of the history of rhetoric. The selection committee hopes to see dissertations treating histories of rhetoric from around the world that focus on any time period, draw on any type of archive, and use any method of rhetorical and/or historical analysis.
Submissions will be evaluated on the following criteria:
- Significance of the work’s contribution to histories of rhetorical theory, practice, and/or pedagogy.
- Quality of research and analysis.
- Ability of the writing to engage and inform readers.
ASHR membership is not required for award consideration, but please do consider the benefits of joining. For more information on ASHR awards, including a list of past winners, click here.