Featured | Announcing the USJLP Class of 2026

Richard J. Samuels
Dissertation Award in Japanese Studies

Now Accepting Nominations for the 2026 Cycle

The annual dissertation award honors the year's most exceptional doctoral thesis produced at a U.S. institution. The prize spotlights innovative research that utilizes Japanese sources and rigorous social science methods to illuminate Japan’s contemporary politics, economy, or social relations.

  • Award: $2,500 Honorarium & Featured Presentation at the AAS Annual Meeting.
  • Eligibility: Ph.D. dissertations accepted at U.S.-based research universities between January 1, 2025, and June 13, 2026. Applicants are not required to be U.S. citizens.
  • Nomination: Must be submitted by a department head or academic dean (maximum of 2 per department; no self-nominations).
  • Submission: Email a PDF of the dissertation and cover letter detailing the dissertation’s specific contributions to scholars@us-jf.org by June 15, 2026. Winner announced by September 1, 2026.

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The Award’s Mission
Administered by the United States-Japan Foundation, this annual competition aims to provide vital recognition to young social scientists in the United States and encourage emerging scholars entering the field. Originally launched in 2024 as the USJF Scholar Dissertation Award, the prize was renamed in 2026 to honor former USJF Trustee Professor Richard J. Samuels for his lifelong dedication to Japanese Studies.
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LAUREATE SPOTLIGHT
Inaugural Winner: Dr. Qiaoyan Li Rosenberg

In September 2025, Dr. Rosenberg (UCLA Department of Sociology) was named the award's first recipient for her outstanding ethnographic research on Japan’s labor migration programs and guest worker systems.

Following her selection, Dr. Rosenberg served as a Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard University and recently joined the Waseda Institute for Advanced Study as an Assistant Professor.

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ACADEMIC GOVERNANCE
The Selection Committee & Vancouver Reception

Nominations are rigorously evaluated by a distinguished committee of Japan specialists committed to academic excellence: Sabine Frühstück (UC Santa Barbara), David Leheny (Waseda University), and Kiyoteru Tsutsui (Stanford University).

The Foundation officially celebrated Dr. Rosenberg and the committee at a dedicated research presentation and reception during the Association for Asian Studies (AAS) Annual Conference in Vancouver.

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Ready to Nominate?

Submissions and program inquiries should be directed to the United States-Japan Foundation at scholars@us-jf.org.

Email scholars@us-jf.org

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