In our newest "how can we help you?" thread, a UK grad writes:
I sometimes see 'calls for nominations' for certain prizes, e.g. the APA Article Prize. I have no idea what the norms are for these. Is it acceptable to suggest to someone that they nominate you for the prize? If so, would you only ask someone like your supervisor who knows you well and has a stake in your success, or could you also ask someone you don't know that well but who might appreciate your work? Or, is the idea really that a nominator just nominates someone whose work they appreciate, without any prior discussion?
Good questions, and I don't know the answers. What do you all think?
I have been asked to nominate an acquaintance, which I gladly did. I've also arranged with a friend for each of us to nominate one another, which we gladly did. I think it's fine. I also try to keep recurring prizes in mind when I read new work, so that I can nominate people/papers independently.
It might be different if people kept these things in mind and were conscientious about making nominations, but they aren't. There's a lot of inertia to overcome, so I think it's fine.
Posted by: Michel | 12/09/2021 at 09:50 AM
I think it’s okay to ask others to nominate you. I would, however, encourage in particular individuals from groups that are minorities in philosophy to step forward and find mentors or colleagues or peers who can nominate them. I often see (as someone who is in a position to host people for certain fellowships etc.) that young white men are quite confident in asking for that kind of support, whereas others are more reluctant, maybe because they have been brought up differently and it’s more difficult to overcome their modesty. If you’re in a position to nominate people, that’s something to keep in mind as well.
Posted by: Lisa | 12/09/2021 at 10:31 AM
This discussion raises the issue of the biases involved in prizes that require outside nominations, when many of the candidates are basically just ones bold/confident enough to request to nominate themselves. You're already self-selecting out a huge part of the potential pool that merits consideration. Should such prizes even exist?
Posted by: shy woman who has never requested to be nominated for a prize | 12/09/2021 at 08:32 PM
I agree with 'shy woman', and I don't understand why not just ask people to apply for the prize instead of asking for nominations. What are the supposed advantages of the latter?
Posted by: ehz | 12/10/2021 at 05:48 PM