The annual Sidney Prize honors writers whose work illuminates the great issues of our times—from the search for peace and social justice to the need for better housing, health care, education and employment. The prizes, established in memory of labor activist Sidney Hillman, recognize the best of the work being done to bring about change. This year, the prize was given to an organization—the Black Lives Matter Global Network—as well as two journalists whose reporting on state abuses in the U.S. has led to action and changes in policy.

The prestigious Sidney J. Levy Award is named in honour of one of the founders of Consumer Culture Theory (CCT) and is presented to the author of a dissertation-based article on CCT. Submissions to the prize are judged on their originality, depth of research and impact on the discipline. The winning paper is published in the journal Consumer Culture Theory.

In a new home, a couple learns to live with ghosts in a story by Annie Zhang, who won this year’s 2023 Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize, sponsored by Overland and the Malcolm Robertson Foundation. The winner and runners-up were chosen by our judges from a shortlist of eight, announced earlier this month.

Since its inception in 1950, the Sidney Hillman Foundation has honoured the legacy of the immigrant labor leader by promoting the development of a just and humane world through a commitment to the advancement of the social sciences, humanities and education. The foundation’s mission is to encourage a more just and humane world through the advancement of the social sciences, humanities, education and a commitment to nonviolence and the fostering of peaceful international relations.

The Hillman prize for journalism carries on the legacy of Sidney Hillman, an immigrant who worked for a better America. The prize honors writers whose work sheds light on the important issues of our time, including the search for a basis for lasting peace, racial equality and a world that is free from injustice and war. Laureates have included Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Mary Robinson and Joseph Stiglitz, as well as the Black Lives Matter Global Network.

Overland is proud to announce the winners of this year’s Neilma Sidney short story prize, sponsored by the Malcolm Robertson Foundation. The winning story, ‘Who Rattles the Night?’, by Annie Zhang was chosen from a shortlist of eight. Overland will publish the story alongside the autumn issue, and the runners-up will also be published online. The judges and Overland would like to thank all the writers who entered the competition this year. We encourage you to support Overland by subscribing – you can do so at the special rate for subscribers, and you’ll be eligible to enter our next contest. The full list of entries can be found here.