Dan David Prize Awards $2.7 Million to Nine Emerging Historians

The 2026 cohort marks the fifth anniversary of the prize’s relaunch, which shifted the foundation’s focus toward supporting innovative historical and archaeological practice. Since the transition in 2021, the organization has awarded more than $13.5 million to 45 scholars across six continents, aiming to provide financial stability during a period of widespread funding cuts for humanities research. The selection committee, comprised of experts from institutions such as Oxford and Sciences Po, chose this year’s winners based on their ability to challenge established narratives and connect past events to contemporary social issues.

This year’s recipients include Max Bergholz, who documents the dynamics of Balkan conflict; Roland Betancourt, an art historian analyzing the automation of the 20th century through the lens of Disneyland; and Dagomar Degroot, who examines how environmental changes beyond Earth have influenced human history. Other honorees include Matthew Champion, Howard Chiang, Andrew Lipman, Giancarlo Marcone, Verena Meier, and R. Isabela Morales. Beyond traditional academic publishing, many of the winners utilize the grant to produce documentary films, exhibitions, and community-based programs. According to Ariel David, a board member of the prize, the funding is intended to grant historians the freedom to pursue ambitious projects that bring nuanced perspectives of the past to broader public audiences.