MACLAS - Prizes and Awards

MACLAS awards prizes at its annual Meeting in four categories

The Arthur P. Whitaker Prize for the best book published by a MACLAS member in the past two years. Authors must have been members of MACLAS for the previous two years in order to be eligible.
The Harold Eugene Davis Prize for the best article published by a MACLAS member. Authors must have been members of MACLAS for the previous two years in order to be eligible.
The James Street Prize for the best article published by a MACLAS member in Latin American Essays.
The John D. Martz III Prize for the best paper presented by a graduate student at the annual conference.

The Juan Espadas Prize for the best paper presented by an undergraduate student at the annual conference.

2010 Prize and Award Submission Information

Prize Winners

BRIEF BIOS OF THOSE FOR WHOM THE PRIZES ARE NAMED

Arthur P. Whitaker (1895-1979) was a distinguished professor of Latin American history for almost thirty years at the University of Pennsylvania until his retirement in 1965. He published some twenty books and numerous articles over a fifty-year career, including a series of books on U.S. relations with Latin America . His alma mater, the University of Tennessee , describes Dr. Whitaker as having been “a pioneer in the development of the study of Latin American history in the U.S. ”

Harold Eugene Davis (1902-1988) was professor of Latin American history from 1947 to 1973 at American University, where who also served as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences from 1952-1957. He was perhaps best known for his book Latin American Thought: A Historical Introduction, and for his multidisciplinary approach to the history of ideas.

John D. Martz III (1934-1998) served as chair of the political science department at Penn State from 1978-1985, and as Penn State Distinguished Professor of Political Science until his sudden death in Caracas while conducting research. He was an expert on the politics of the northern Andes, and served as editor of Latin American Research Review from 1973-1978, and was editor of Studies in Comparative International Development to 1998. Professor Martz was a founding member of MACLAS and served as its president from 1983-1984.

Juan Espadas (d. 1998) was Professor in the Modern Languages Department at Ursinus College until his untimely death in 1998. His research focused on poetry and theatre. Professor Espadas was a long-time member of MACLAS, serving as editor of the MACLAS Latin American Essays and of the MACLAS Newsletter. He was MACLAS president-elect at the time of his death. Professor Espadas was a strong advocate of undergraduate education and participation in MACLAS, thus it is appropriate that the award for the best undergraduate paper presented at MACLAS be named in his memory.

James Street (1916-1988) was professor of Economics at Rutgers University from 1952-1986, and also served a period as department chair. His published work included Technological Progress in Latin America and Latin America’s Economic Development. He was an early recruit to MACLAS, along with his colleagues at Rutgers.