Royal Asiatic Society: The George Staunton Prize

The George Staunton Prize was initiated in 2007 for an article by a young scholar working on topics related to the history, archaeology, literature, language, religion, anthropology and art of Asia. A 'young scholar' was defined as someone in the process of completing their PhD or someone who has been awarded their doctorate within the previous five years. Award winning submissions were published in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society and the winners received a prize of £250. Since its initiation the Prize has been awarded irregularly. Winners include:
* 2007- Nile Green for the article, ‘Jack Sepoy and the Dervishes: Islam and the Indian Soldier in Princely India’.
* 2008 - S.P. Ong for the article, 'Jurisdictional Politics in Canton and the First English Translation of the Qing Penal Code (1810)'.
* 2010 - joint winners: Felicia Yap for 'Eurasians in British Asia during the Second World War' and Martin Worthington for 'On Names and Artistic Unity in the Standard Version of the Babylonian Gilgamesh Epic'.
* 2014 - Dr Fozia Bora for her article, 'Did Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn Destroy the Fatimids' Books? Historiographical Enquiry'.
* 2023 - Dr Kelsey Granger for her article, 'From Tomb-Keeper to Tomb-Occupant: The Changing Conceptualisation of Dogs in Early China'.
There is limited archival material at this stage but it contains:
__2007__
* One letter to enter an article for the prize, dated 26 May 2007.
* Official letter from Charlotte de Blois, Executive Editor, Royal Asiatic Society, to Nile Green to inform that he has been awarded the prize. Digital document, dated 30 May 2008.
* Copies of emails between Nile Green, Charlotte de Blois and Sarah Ansari, Honorary Editor, concerning receiving the prize, Typed, 1 piece, dated 2 May 2008.
__2008__
* One letter to enter an article for the prize, dated 28 May 2008.
* Copies of emails between Charlotte de Blois and Sujit Sivasundaram concerning assessment of entered essays. Typed, 2 pieces, dated 1 July - 14 November 2008.
__2010__
* Two letters to enter an article for the prize, dated 15 and 27 October 2010.
__2011__
* Two letters to enter an article for the prize, undated.
* Advertisement for submissions for both the Professor Mary Boyce Prize and the Sir George Staunton Prize.
__2014__
* 'Staunton Submissions' - list of candidates and their referees. Digital document, undated.
* 'Staunton Opinions' - summary of opinions of the judges for the articles submitted. Digital document, undated.
__2015__
* Advertisement for the Sir George Staunton Prize, articles to be submitted before 31 December 2015.

The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland was founded by the eminent Sanskrit scholar Sir Henry Thomas Colebrooke on the 15th March 1823. It received its Royal Charter from King George IV on the 11th August 1824 'for the investigation of subjects connected with and for the encouragement of science, literature and the arts in relation to Asia'. It continues as a forum for those who are interested in the languages, cultures and history of Asia to meet and exchange ideas.

Material may be closed for confidentiality reasons. Please contact the archivist for further information. Details can be found here : https://royalasiaticarchives.org/index.php/. The archive is open on Tuesdays and Fridays 10-5, and Thursdays 2-5. Access is to any researcher without appointment but it will help if an appointment is made via phone or email. Please bring photo ID.

As part of the institutional records, they have always been part of the Society's possessions.

The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland was founded by the eminent Sanskrit scholar Sir Henry Thomas Colebrooke on the 15th March 1823. It received its Royal Charter from King George IV on the 11th August 1824 'for the investigation of subjects connected with and for the encouragement of science, literature and the arts in relation to Asia'. It continues as a forum for those who are interested in the languages, cultures and history of Asia to meet and exchange ideas.

This catalogue was created by Nancy Charley, RAS Archivist, in 2024. All digital records were converted to archival documents in 2024.

Digital photography (without flash) for research purposes may be permitted upon completion of a copyright declaration form, and with respect to current UK copyright law.

These form part of the institutional records of the Royal Asiatic Society

Published

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