The Leslie Sanders Prize for the Study of Canada recognizes a continuing Master’s student whose Master-level dissertation, MRP or equivalent on a Canadian topic best advances the knowledge of Canada. This award is offered in honour of a long-standing member of the Robarts Centre community who made substantial contributions to the study of Canada.
The criteria are as follows:
This prize is awarded to the Master-level dissertation, MRP or equivalent on a Canadian topic defended at York University in the course of the calendar year. Special attention will be given to dissertations that transcend disciplinary boundaries and demonstrate innovation in thought and/or methodology.
The wording of the criteria is not intended to exclude comparative studies.
The award is accompanied by a prize of $500. The winner of the Sanders Prize will also be nominated for the dissertation prize of the Canadian Studies Network – Réseau d’études canadiennes.
We welcome one nomination from the graduate programme director of each graduate programme at York University.
2024 Calendar Year
We will compile the pool of outstanding dissertations defended in the 2024 calendar year.
Graduate Programme Directors please submit your nominations with:
- an electronic copy of the dissertation
- CV of nominee
- nominee’s York Student number and current email
Submit applications to robarts@yorku.ca by Friday May 16, 2025
Nomination deadline: Friday May 16, 2025
For any question, please email robarts@yorku.ca.
Leslie Sanders Prize Winners
2023: Christian Costanzo-Vignale (Critical Human Geography) “Disinformation, Exclusion and its Politics: Canadian Right-Wing Extremist Community within a Digital Landscape”