The American Ethnological Society has awarded the Sharon Stephen Prize to a United States-based professor for her book on the Bhopal gas tragedy, which occurred exactly 19 years ago.

The book, Advocacy After Bhopal: Environmentalism, Disaster, New Global Orders, brought the prize to Kim Fortun, associate professor of science and technology at the Renesselaer Polytechnic Institute of New York.

In the book, Fortun investigates the disaster at the Union Carbide chemical plant at Bhopal on the intervening night of December 2 and 3 in 1984, the resulting litigation, the effects of the gas tragedy on subsequent legislation, environmental advocacy and how people think about social responsibility in both India and the US.

"I am very honoured to be awarded this prize for Advocacy After Bhopal," Fortun said.