Duke Human Rights Center

Oliver W. Koonz Human Rights Prize Competition

Currently enrolled undergraduates are invited to enter human rights essays or alternative projects in our annual Oliver W. Koonz Human Rights Prize competition. The Duke Human Rights Center awards one prize in each category of best essay and best alternative project on a human rights theme.

The Oliver W. Koonz Human Rights Prize honors Oliver W. Koonz (1910-2009) , who was the father of Claudia Koonz, the Peabody Family Professor Emeritus in the History Department and a founding member of the Duke Human Rights Center@FHI. The recipient of many awards, Professor Koonz is a passionate advocate of undergraduate education. She has taught and mentored hundreds of Duke students during her career at the university. Her areas of specialty include genocide, 20th century European history and Fascism. From her father, she inherited a passion for the outdoors and learning. This prize honors his memory.

$500 will be awarded to the author the best paper and $500 to the creator of the best alternative project. Papers must be no longer than 25 pages. They may take the form of analytic or critical essays, empirical research papers, term papers or personal essays on any human rights issue; projects can be photo or video-based, theater pieces or scripts, or web pages. Please send submissions to Emily.Stewart@duke.edu by April 2014. Awards will be announced in May 2014.