by the Past & Present editorial team
We were delighted to learn that Dr. Gianamar Giovannetti-Singh (University of Amsterdam) has won the Royal Historical Society’s Early Career Article Prize 2026 for his article “Colonial world-making and global knowledges at the early modern Cape of Good Hope” (Open Access) which was published in Past & Present no. 268 (August 2025).
Awarded annually, the RHS Early Career Article Prize (known between 1898 and 2025 as the Alexander Prize) is for an essay or article based on original historical research, by a doctoral candidate or an early career historian within three years of being awarded a doctorate, published in a journal or an edited collection of essays.
Two prizes of £250 each are awarded annually.
In their citation the judging panel chaired by Dr Jesús Sanjurjo stated that:
“The panel is delighted to award the 2026 Early Career Article Prize to Gianamar Giovannetti-Singh for his brilliant article, ‘Colonial World-Making and Global Knowledges at the Early Modern Cape of Good Hope’.
Gianamar presents a sweeping, transoceanic history that fundamentally challenges our understanding of early modern geography and knowledge production. By seamlessly weaving together the ambitions of the Dutch East India Company, the astronomical diplomacy of French Jesuits, and the anticolonial resistance of the Indigenous Khoekhoe, the author vividly demonstrates how the Cape was actively reimagined as an extension of the East Indies. The article stands out for its staggering intellectual ambition, its rich source base, and its masterful execution of global history.”
Our congratulations to Dr. Giovannetti-Singh on his scholarship being recognised in this fashion.
The other winner of the 2026 prize was Dr. Stephanie Wanga for her article ‘Rereading Ujamaa, rethinking freedom’, in Development and Change. A full list of those shortlisted for the 2026 prize can be found here. Congratulations to Dr. Wanga and those on the shortlist, also.
Past & Present logo, 2017 all rights reserved