Jared Davidson's Blood and Dirt: Prison Labour and the Making of New Zealand has received an 'Honorable Mention' Award in the 2023 International Labor History Association Awards.
On Blood and Dirt, the judges said that, '[i]n this unique account of prison labor and the development of New Zealand from the 1790s to the recent past, Davidson has unearthed a history of forced labor and how it shaped the landscape, development, and building of a country. ... this work brings to light the work of many generations of prisoners who created roads, infrastructure, housing, public works, and lands for farming. This book’s definitive contribution to prison-labor history, underscores the need for historians to give greater future attention to the topic of prison labor.'
Jared is one of three international authors to receive this recognition.
See here for the full release featuring all winners.