Dec. 15th, 2022

"The Ambivalence of Gay Liberation: Male Homosexual Politics in 1970s West Germany" (Oxford University Press) by Craig Griffiths has been awarded the Waterloo Centre for German Studies Book Prize for first books published in 2021.

In selecting "The Ambivalence of Gay Liberation" as the winner, jurors called it a book that “is sure to influence scholarly work in its field and in wider historical study of modern German society.” It’s an exceptionally well written study, impressively clear yet nuanced, and its use of diverse and sometimes surprising resources demonstrates deep knowledge of the topic. The book is destined to become a benchmark for others trying to understand the cultural and political phenomenon that is gay liberation.

The Waterloo Centre for German Studies, a research institute at the University of Waterloo, promotes scholarly inquiry into all aspects of the German-speaking world. As part of this mandate, the WCGS takes great pride in sponsoring an award that celebrates the dynamic and engaging scholarship occurring in all fields of German Studies. The prize is adjudicated by a jury of German studies scholars chaired by James M. Skidmore, Director of the Waterloo Centre for German Studies. Members of the jury were Monica Black (University of Tennessee-Knoxville), Barbara Schmenk (University of Waterloo), Kathryn Starkey (Stanford University), and Joachim Whaley (University of Cambridge).

The prize consists of a cash award of 3,000 Canadian Dollar and an invitation to speak at the 2023 conference of German Studies Canada, the association of German studies scholars in Canada.

For more information, please contact wcgs@uwaterloo.ca or visit our website at wcgs.ca.