Margaret Mead, for years among the best known women in the world, was also the best known anthropologist, with a particular talent for bringing anthropology fully into the light of public attention. The Margaret Mead Award, initiated by the Society for Applied Anthropology in 1979, and awarded jointly with the American Anthropological Society since 1983, continues to celebrate the tradition of bringing anthropology to bear on wider social and cultural issues.
The Margaret Mead Award is presented to a younger scholar for a particular accomplishment such as a book, film, monograph, or service, which interprets anthropological data and principles in ways that make them meaningful and accessible to a broadly concerned public. The award is designed to recognize a person clearly associated with research and/or practice in anthropology. The awardee's activity will exemplify skills in broadening the impact of anthropology -- skills for which Margaret Mead was admired widely.
Nominations Due Feb. 15, 2025
Nominees for the 2025 award must have received the Ph.D. degree after January 1, 2015 (ten years or less ago). Each application must include the nominee’s curriculum vitae, two letters of recommendation* describing the accomplishment and documenting its impact on relevant publics beyond the discipline, and five copies of the book or film.