James W. Jackson Award for Excellence in Library Research in the Social Sciences

Purpose and Eligibility

The purpose of the James W. Jackson Award is to recognize and encourage excellence in the use of library research skills in the social sciences (Economics & Management, Education, Environmental Studies, Geography, Global Studies, History, School of Leadership Studies, Journalism, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology, Gender and Sexuality Studies).

Upper division students are eligible, based on a research paper completed during the present academic year. Papers previously submitted are ineligible.

The winning paper should demonstrate a depth and breadth of effective use of research materials in the social sciences and clear evidence of thoughtful command of these resources. Excellent research projects which do not make significant use of library research materials (e.g., experimental projects) cannot, regrettably, be considered. Undergraduate honors theses are not eligible for the Jackson Award. Winning papers from previous years can be accessed in the UR Scholarship Repository.

Procedure

Nominations must be made by a faculty member. Each faculty member may nominate up to two students by submitting their research paper(s). The deadline for submission will be announced during the Spring semester.

Please submit all papers via e-mail to JacksonAward@richmond.edu. No written recommendation required; just attach the paper in PDF or Word format. Make sure to include the student’s name.

2025 Deadline: Monday April 17, 2025 at 5pm

The Jackson Award Committee is comprised of members of the Faculty Senate University Libraries Faculty Committee and one of the Social Sciences Librarians. Members of the Jackson Award Committee will read the eligible submissions and select a winner. For more information, email JacksonAward@richmond.edu or contact Kyle Jenkins or Paul Rosenstein with any additional questions.

Award

The winner's name will be inscribed on a plaque in Boatwright Memorial Library.

2025 James W. Jackson Award Winner

Student: Kerin Debany

Paper Title: “Non-Migration and Contamination: Understanding Why People Are Not Migrating from the Quintero-Puchuncaví Sacrifice Zone”

Nominated by: Dr. Michelle Kahn, Associate Professor of Modern European History