The Dan David Prize, endowed by the Dan David Foundation and headquartered at Tel Aviv University, was founded in 2001 by entrepreneur and philanthropist Dan David.
Dan David lived through Nazi and Communist persecution in his native Romania before becoming a global business leader and philanthropist. He was passionate about history, archaeology and the study of the past and believed profoundly in the power of knowledge, scholarship and the exchange of ideas to benefit our world.
In July 1960, a young man who yearned for freedom was finally able to flee Communist Romania, along with his mother and grandmothers. They were allowed to board the train carrying them to the border with just one suitcase each and 10 dollars. Despite starting out with almost nothing, that young man soon became a successful international entrepreneur and philanthropist. Born May 23, 1929, in Bucharest, Dan David endured many personal and historical tragedies before achieving freedom and success. Dan David passed away on September 6, 2011, in London,(1929-2011)
The Dan David Prize, the largest history prize in the world, today announced its 2023 winners – nine early and midcareer scholars and practitioners, whose work illuminates the past in bold and creative ways. Each of the winners – who work in Kenya, Ireland, Denmark, Israel, Canada and the United States – will receive $300,000 (USD) in recognition of their achievements and to support their future endeavors.
“Our winners represent a new generation of historians,” said Ariel David, board member of the Prize and son of the founder. “They are changing our understanding of the past by asking new questions, targeting under-researched topics and using innovative methods. Many of the winners we are recognizing today are still in the early stages of their careers, but they have already challenged how we think about history. Understanding the past, in all its complexity, is critical to illuminating the present and confronting the challenges of the future.”
The 2023 Dan David Prize winners are: Saheed Aderinto, Florida International University; Ana Antic, University of Copenhagen; Karma Ben Johanan, Hebrew University; Elise Burton, University of Toronto; Adam Clulow, University of Texas at Austin; Krista Goff, University of Miami; Stephanie Jones-Rogers, University of California Berkeley; Anita Radini, University College, Dublin; Chao Tayiana Maina, a public historian based in Kenya.
Among these winners are those redefining the ways students and the public can engage with history, including a professor who develops video games and VR to immerse audiences in different eras, and a public historian who uses digital technologies to reveal previously hidden or suppressed historical narratives in Kenya.
The Prize is also recognizing scholars employing innovative methodologies, such as analyzing dental plaque to understand working conditions in the past, and the history of genetics, physical anthropology, evolutionary biology, and biomedicine in the Middle East.
Based on press release from Dan David Foundation, selected as relevant, shortend and regrouped by VonNaftali
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