PSA Prizes 2018-2017

Joni Lovenduski Career Prize
 

Sophie Harman
 

“We are delighted to award the first Joni Lovenduski mid career award to Sophie Harman.  Although all the nominees were of a very high standard and it was hard to choose between them, we felt that the breadth of Sophie Harman’s achievements – including the film she has recently produced, as well as the charity she has founded, in addition to her research and publications record, did mark her out from the other nominees.”

Richard Rose Career Prize
 

Nicholas Allen
 

"Nicholas Allen of Royal Holloway is this year's winner of the Richard Rose prize for a significant contribution to the study of British politics for his major publications on political integrity and ethics. This work combines qualitative conceptual analysis, institutional concerns, and survey data to find how widespread is the popular perception of misconduct and which Britons are most likely to hold these views."

Walter Bagehot Dissertation Prize for government and public administration 
 

Muireann O’Dwyer
 

"The panel agreed that this thesis made an original and novel contribution on an overlooked but essential matter of public policy, applying the literature around ideas and gendered discourse to a traditionally functional field. This is particularly evident in the nuanced and well supported account given by the author that budget debates operate within technocratic norms, and the influence of the ideological hegemony of neoliberalism on European member states as displayed through measures such as austerity."

Ernest Barker Dissertation Prize for political theory
 

Nicola McMillan
 

"This was a robust and persuasive argument for the importance of social identity as the foundation of deliberative democracy, with a particular emphasis on gender. What this thesis does, successfully in our view, is to make an argument which defends democratic universalism whilst recognising difference and not just incorporating it into deliberative theory, but making the case for it as the very basis of deliberative democratic engagement."  

Specialist Group of the Year 
 

Parliaments
 

"We are really impressed with the legacy from their text book, and their online presence!  A weekly blog is quite an undertaking, and covers a diverse – and international – set of topics.  But it is super to see that they also think about resources for other users too.  that’s a great example of engagement.  They have also been very active in supporting younger scholars from undergraduate through to early career. It’s also super to see them enjoying their own conferences so much, and that this year they are co-hosting with the Scottish Study of Parliament group."  

Innovations in Teaching Politics (Group) Award
 

Aston EuroSim Module - Dr Helena Farrand Carrapico and Dr Patrycja Rozbicka, Politics and International Relations, School of Languages and Social Sciences, Aston University
 

"Helena and Patrycja have been teaching a combined final year and MA module called EuroSim for the last two years. Because of this module, students undergo a transformative experience enabling them to improve their self-esteem, social abilities and professional skills, and deepen their knowledge of the internal process of EU policy-making.

The judges were in agreement that the Aston EuroSim Module effectively applied a ‘learning by doing’ approach, thereby increasing knowledge and understanding of EU affairs, especially for UK-based students and having a demonstrable influence as best practice both within Aston University and beyond."

Sir Bernard Crick Prize (New Entrant) for Outstanding Teaching
 

Leonie Jackson
 

"Leonie Jackson clearly is an excellent teacher. There as examples of how she actively engages her students in their learning with examples drawn from a range of different kinds of learner. She has identified sensitive issues related to teaching politics and how she overcame them and she has shared her ideas and strategies with colleagues."

Innovations in Quantitative Methods Teaching Prize
 

Ailsa Henderson
 

"A strong submission that demonstrates a number of successful ways to address obstacles in teaching quantitative methods. Evidence of successfully addressing obstacles in the teaching of Quantitative research methods can be seen in the ways in which the tutor connects the teaching material of quantitative methods to other courses and to real life events; the incremental nature of assignments and a 'learning by doing' approach. This successful approach has been shared with colleagues through presentations, providing access to material on-line and the sharing of resources." 

Outstanding Teaching of Politics in Schools Prize
 

Paul Goldsmith
 

"Through the use of innovative teaching techniques - such as 'flipped teaching', role play, discussions the use of blogs and setting of weekend homework tasks -  this nomination  provides strong evidence of  teaching practices that actively engage students and develop their knowledge of politics."  

Arthur McDougall Fund Dissertation Prize for elections, electoral systems and representation
 

Rebecca McKee
 

"The thesis addresses a fundamentally important question - when, why, and how the substantive representation of ethnic minorities takes place in British Parliament. The judges were impressed with the amount of empirical evidence presented in the thesis and the quality of writing."

Shirin M Rai Dissertation Prize for international relations
 

Michelle Jones
 

"The focus of the research on British solider experiences of encountering children in armed conflict is original, salient and well executed. The intersection of the conceptual and empirical aspects of the research is skilfully integrated, so that each element adds value to the other rather than simply sitting in parallel. In this sense, the conceptual and empirical dimensions combine within the analysis and amount to more than their individual parts. The methodology is rigorous and robust in accordance with best practice in social science qualitative research methods and an appropriate balance has been struck between ethical considerations relating to those involved in primary data collection and the richness of the material gathered. The evidence gathered and the arguments presented are nuanced and compelling. This is very impressive work that is fully deserving of the award of the PSA’s inaugural Shirin M Rai dissertation prize."

Politics Society of the Year
 

RHUL (Jack O’Neill and Phoebe Batchelor)
 

 “RHUL Politics Society have demonstrated excellent organisational ability and are deserving winners of the inaugural PSA Politics Society of the Year. In particular, they have enjoyed some outstanding and unique achievements in relation to their participation in the United Nations scheme. They show clear and substantive improvements that are astoundingly impressive for a Politics Society driven primarily by students, and supported by staff. Where they really stand out is not simply the quantity of events they've put on, but the real quality they've achieved in doing so.”