The Sidney Prizes at the University of Sydney

The University of Sydney annually awards several literary prizes. These prizes recognize written works on a given topic, which may take the form of essays or poetry submissions. All entries must be submitted under pseudonymous names for consideration for publication within University publications and website platforms, with most prizes coming with monetary awards as well.

The Sidney Hook Memorial Award recognizes outstanding scholarship, undergraduate teaching and leadership in liberal arts education on a national scale. Established to commemorate Sidney Hook – an esteemed philosopher and Phi Beta Kappa member who passed away before winning this prize – its winner will be honored during our Society’s Triennial Council Meeting.

This award recognizes the dissertation article which has made the greatest contribution to Consumer Culture Theory (CCT). Presented annually at the Consumer Culture Theory conference luncheon, it bears one of CCT’s founding fathers’ namesake.

This award, administered by the Sydney Peace Foundation with support from the City of Sydney, recognizes leading voices worldwide who foster peace through justice and nonviolence. Past recipients have included Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Mary Robinson, Joseph Stiglitz and the Black Lives Matter Global Network; Nazanin Boniadi of Uluru Statement from the Heart was this year’s recipient.

Overland Magazine hosts the Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize each year as an award for outstanding short fiction related to travel, valued at $5000 and with two runners-up being published in Overland magazine. In 2019, judges Patrick Lenton, Alice Bishop and Sara Saleh reviewed over 500 submissions in search of their winner: Annie Zhang’s story ‘Who Rattles the Night?” was chosen. Particularly striking to them was how it explored gender and identity issues while featuring characters living on unceded Wangal land.

If your entry focuses on marginalised or vulnerable identities, we ask that you indicate which you identify with so we can include your piece in our diversity coverage. While not mandatory, this question will be visible to our internal editors and thus must be filled in as soon as possible.

The Hillman Prize in Journalism honors journalists for reporting on issues that impact on society at large, and every year in both the U.S. and Canada it awards journalists who excel in this arena. Philippe Sands KC of Canada received this year’s U.S. Hillman Prize as recognition of his tireless commitment to representing those without wealth or power, epitomising what many consider an example of Citizen Lawyer ideal while upholding ethical commitment towards social justice – winning support through Sidney Hillman Foundation who administers his legacy and prize awards are administered.