Canadian Women's Studies Association
L'association canadienne des études sur les femmes

UNDERGRADUATE ESSAY COMPETITION

In 2004, the CWSA/ACEF introduced a graduate and undergraduate essay competition. The undergraduate essay competition is open to all undergraduate students in Women's Studies courses. Essays are anonymously reviewed by a committee of approximately 3-5 people, and assessed using the following criteria:

i) Was a relevant argument set out in the paper? If so, was the argument fully developed throughout the paper?

ii) Were other studies/reports/research referred to? In other words, was there a detailed analysis conducted on the issue?

iii) Was this paper unique in some way? Was there any evidence of originality/creativity?

iv) Was the writing style at an acceptable level? Were there any grammatical errors or spelling errors? Did the paper flow?

v) Did I learn something from reading this paper?

vi) Was this paper relevant to Women’s Studies?

Winners receive a monetary prize of $100.00, a complimentary one-year membership to the Association, and are invited to read their papers at the Awards ceremony during the annual conference. (Up to $500.00 is available to help defray travel costs). Honorable mention receives a monetary prize of $50.00

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS for 2011-12 COMPETITION

The call for nominations for this year's competition is coming soon. A notice to all members will be sent out when it is available.


PREVIOUS WINNERS

2010-11: University of New Brunswick, Frederticton, NB

First Place Essay Prize

Sinéad Charbonneau, University of Victoria;“Space, Power, and Difference: The Murder of Ariana May Simpson.”

Second Place Essay Prize:

Tara Paterson, “Choice by any other name: The Abortion Art Controversy and the Limits of Liberalism.”

Honarable Mentions

1) Ashley Pleasant, “Safe for Whom? The Politics of Safe Space at the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival” (Women's Studies, McMaster University).

2) Shelagh Pizey-Allen, “Queering the Canadian Museum for Human Rights: Homonormativity, Settler Homonationalism, and the Erasure of Difference” (Women's and Gender Studies, University of Winnipeg).

3) Roxanne Runyon, “Navigating Two-Spirited Identities: Towards a Queer Theory of Decolonization" (Women's Studies, University of Alberta).


2009-10: Concordia University, Montreal, QC

not awarded this year (see AGM minutes for more information)


2008-09: Carleton University, Ottawa, ON

First Place Essay Prize:

Sarah Dack, "Dancing with Ellen: Queer moments and acceptable queer aesthetic" (University of Winnipeg)

Honorable Mention:

Janine Aube, "A look at racial ambiguity" (Lakehead University)


2007-08: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC

First Place Essay Prize

Molly McCullough, "A Long Way Home: A Glimpse at Transnational Adoption" (University of Victoria)


2006-07: University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK

First Place Essay Prize

Lauren Warbeck, "Problematizing Whale Rider: Maori Story, Pakeha Storytellers" (University of Victoria)


2005-06: York University

First Place Essay Prize

Trish McIntosh, "VIATHAI: White Men's Erections and Neocolonial Representations of Thai Sex Workers" (Concordia University)


2004-05: University of Western Ontario, London, ON

First Place Essay Prize

Joanna Campbell, "The Cultural Taboo of Breastfeeding in American Culture" (Concordia University)