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].