Announcement
PSA Academic Prize Winners 2025-26
14 April 2026

Congratulations to this year’s academic prize winners!

We are thrilled to celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of our members through this esteemed awards programme, and would like to extend a huge thank you to all who participated, whether it was by entering, nominating or judging the prizes.

In recognition of our 2025-26 prize winners outstanding contributions, we are delighted to share their achievements. Join us in congratulating their well-deserved success!

The PSA is proud to highlight the exceptional work of our members and showcase the excellence and impact of our discipline.

Dissertation Prizes

Sir Ernest Barker Prize - Joint Winner

Outstanding dissertation on political theory 

Martina Zago

University of British Columbia

Civilization as an aesthetic concept: Eugène Delacroix, Paul Gauguin and Juan Luna, 1798 – 1903  

This dissertation made an immediate impression through its confidence and depth of thinking. The manuscript is engaging and ambitious, with a strong sense of purpose throughout. It handles complex ideas with assurance and clarity, offering a thoughtful and compelling piece of work that stood out clearly to the judges.

Sir Ernest Barker Prize - Joint Winner

Outstanding dissertation on political theory 

Ricky Zici Li

University of Warwick

The Moral Foundations of Data Protection Laws      

This dissertation was highlighted for its thoughtful approach and confident handling of big ideas. The manuscript is clearly driven by strong intellectual curiosity and makes its case in an engaging and persuasive way. It is a well-judged and assured piece of work that left a strong impression on the judges.

PSA Dissertation Prize for Government and Public Administration

Outstanding dissertation on government and pubic administration

Guillermo Alonso Simón

University of Warwick

The Limits of Fiscal Convergence: A Practice-Based Account of the Fiscal Politics of Eurozone Design, Accession, and Crisis in Italy and Spain

The judges found this dissertation to be a highly accomplished and persuasive piece of scholarship. It is well organised, intellectually sharp, and consistently engaging. It shows a strong grasp of its subject area and develops its ideas with care and precision, making it a standout entry in this year’s competition.

Shirin M. Rai Prize - Joint Winner

Outstanding dissertation on international relations

John Helferich

University of Oxford

Overcoming the Community Dilemma: Defence Integration in a Post‑Heroic European Union

This manuscript was praised for its perspective and confident voice. The dissertation tackles its central themes with insight and curiosity, developing arguments that are both thoughtful and convincing. Written with clarity and energy, it reflects a high level of scholarly maturity and significant promise for future work.

Shirin M. Rai Prize - Joint Winner

Outstanding dissertation on international relations

Veronica Barfucci

University of Warwick

The Politics of Japan’s Remilitarisation Ontological Security, Gender, and Status-Seeking

The judges praised this dissertation for its originality and clear sense of direction. The manuscript develops its arguments with confidence and balance, showing careful thought throughout. Written in a clear and engaging style, it is a strong and compelling piece of doctoral research that stood out within a very competitive field.

McDougall Trust Prize

Outstanding dissertation on elections, electoral systems and representation

Lucas Paulo da Silva

Universität Zürich

Ideological Media Markets, Cross-Pressured Voters, and Spatial Voting: A Computational and Experimental Approach

The dissertation impressed the panel with its focus, coherence, and analytical strength. The manuscript moves steadily through its main arguments, showing careful attention to detail and a clear sense of direction. It is a polished and engaging piece of work that makes a meaningful contribution to its field.

PSA Dissertation Prize for Comparative Politics

Outstanding dissertation on comparative politics

Tobias Schillings

University of Oxford

The Political Economy of Universal Healthcare: A Global Comparative Perspective

The judges commended this dissertation for its clarity and consistency. The manuscript presents a well-defined set of ideas and explores them with confidence and balance. Its clear writing and thoughtful engagement with key debates make it an impressive and rewarding piece of doctoral research.

Elizabeth Wiskemann Prize

Outstanding dissertation on the study of (in)equality and social justice

Sabrina Ahmed

University of East Anglia

Understanding everyday security in the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh: a vernacular perspective

This outstanding contribution combining empirical richness with methodological innovation and insightful engagement with perspectives from both within and beyond camp settings. While rooted in a focused case study, it advances important theoretical thinking and demonstrates significant broader relevance, marking it as a valuable and impressive contribution to the field.

Professional Contribution Prizes

Joni Lovenduski Prize

Outstanding professional contribution by an early career scholar

Dr William Allen

University of Southampton

Dr Allen demonstrated a wide and sustained record of professional contribution since completing their PhD. This includes time as deputy editor of a journal, membership of UK Research and Innovation peer review colleges, conference and event organisation, and extensive mentoring.

Sir Isaiah Berlin Prize

Outstanding professional contributions to political studies

Professor Matthew Flinders

University of Sheffield

Professor Flinders has a sustained record of intellectual and organisational leadership in the discipline. Contributions include serving as Chair of the Political Studies Association, Chair of the Universities Policy Engagement Network, and currently as Chair of the Politics REF 2029 sub panel, alongside original high-quality publications across research, leadership, and policy engagement.

Teaching Prizes

Vicky Randall Prize

Outstanding contributions to teaching and learning

Dr Jeremy Moulton

University of York

Dr Moulton is recognised for demonstrating the shaping of political science teaching at the classroom, institutional, and international level. MOOCs (massive open online courses) and impressive scholarship set the nomination apart, supported by evidence including student feedback.

Sir Bernard Crick Prize

Outstanding contributions to teaching and learning by an early career scholar

Dr Barbara Piotrowska

King's College London

Dr Piotrowska’s notable and forward-looking contribution to the development of AI-enhanced teaching within her institution, demonstrated clear leadership in shaping internal policy and practice, with genuine commitment and intellectual ambition.

Jacqui Briggs Prize

Outstanding teaching and learning by a team or group

Politics and International Studies (POLIS)

Open University

The OU MA in International Relations presents a thoughtful application, committed to delivering a high-quality educational experience to a diverse and globally distributed cohort of distance learners. An inclusive curriculum, innovative simulation activities, and strong student feedback marked it as the worthy winner.

Research Prizes

Richard Rose Prize

Outstanding research contributions by an early career scholar

Dr Ashlee Christoffersen

York University, Toronto

Dr Christoffersen was awarded due to her impressive and widely cited body of research. Her typology and broader work demonstrated clear academic and practitioner impact, supported by strong engagement strategies. She is emerging as a leading voice on intersectionality in policy.

Carole Pateman Prize

Outstanding research contributions

Professor Susan Banducci

University of Birmingham

Dr Banducci is an exceptional research academic with outstanding record of publications, major grant income, and significant impact. Her work has earned notable recognition. She has contributed methodological innovation through roles including being a Senior Fellow at the UK’s National Centre for Research Methods, and a Fellow of the Alan Turing Institute. She is a leading figure in electoral studies with extensive quantitative expertise.

Pippa Norris Prize

Outstanding contribution to advancing knowledge in political studies by a research team

The Northern Ireland General Election Study

A long-established team with a 15-year record of influential academic and non-academic impact. The project demonstrates excellence in its core outputs and adds an innovative dimension through a documentary film produced with an NGO. The team’s intensive, longitudinal, and multidisciplinary approach has generated robust evidence and informed policy responses on major social and political challenges.

Specialist Group of the Year — Joint Winners

Italian Politics

The Italian Politics Specialist Group stood out for exceptional commitment to collaboration across the PSA community, meaningful engagement with other specialist groups, and consistent support for early career scholars.

Autocracy and Regime Change

The Autocracy and Regime Change Specialist Group is recognised for remarkable energy and impact as a relatively newly established group — building an impressive and growing membership base, convening events, and fostering dialogue within the field.

W.J.M. MacKenzie Book Prize Winner

Disability and Political Representation

For the best book in the field of Political Studies

By Professor Elizabeth Evans and Professor Stefanie Reher

This timely and empirically rigorous intervention is the first study to focus on disability and political representation in the UK. The authors bring together perspectives from political science and disability studies, and draw upon methodologically diverse empirical data, much of it original. In so doing, they challenge dominant understandings of representation in theory and practice that marginalise and exclude disabled people. Beautifully written and clearly argued for both generalist and specialist reader, it deftly avoids getting mired in definitional disputes and theoretical dead-ends. At its core is an ethical stance which centres the experiences of disabled people and seeks to produce useful knowledge with real world implications for policy change, public understanding, and improvements to democratic politics.

Thank you to all who have helped us make awarding the #PSAPrizes such a special occasion, including a special thanks to our judges for their time and dedication.

Academic Judging Panel:

Donna Smith
PSA Trustee; Open University
Jon Tonge
PSA Fellow; University of Liverpool
Philip Davies
PSA Fellow; De Montfort University
Georgina Blakeley
PSA Trustee; University of Huddersfield
John Craig
PSA Trustee; University of Hull
Kimberley Hutchings
PSA Fellow; Queen Mary, University of London

Teaching Judging Panel:

Emma Foster
PSA Trustee; University of Birmingham
Susan Kenyon
PSA TLN Lead; Canterbury Christ Church University
Gregory Stiles
PSA TLN Lead; University of Sheffield

Specialist Group Judging Panel:

Aleida Borges
PSA Trustee; King’s College London
Claire Davies
PSA Team
Joan Fisher
PSA Team

WJ.M Mackenzie Book Prize Judging Panel:

Iain McLean (Lead)
Univeristy of Oxford
Barbara Piotrowska
King’s College London
Roger Awan-Scully
PSA President; Hong Kong Metropolitan University
Fiona MacKay
PSA Fellow; University of Edinburgh
Dena Arya
University of Birmingham

If you are interested in being a judge or keen to learn more about our PSA Prizes Programme please contact [email protected].

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