Public Policy Section Award Recipients
More on the Public Policy section
Aaron Wildavsky Enduring Contribution Award
Best Comparative Policy Paper Award
Best Poster on Public Policy Award
Best Paper on Public Policy Award
Excellence in Mentoring Award
Hubert H. Humphrey Award
Harold Lasswell Award
Theodore J. Lowi Policy Studies Journal Best Article Award
Award for Distinguished Contribution
Aaron Wildavsky Enduring Contribution Award
The Aaron Wildavsky Enduring Contribution Award is given for the best book or article published in the general area of public policy during the past twenty (20) plus years. The book or article should have had a major impact on the field. This award carries a $500 prize.
| 2023 | Joe Soss, University of Minnesota Disciplining the Poor: Neoliberalism and the Persistent Power of Race. University of Chicago Press, 2011. |
| 2023 | Richard C. Fording, University of Alabama Disciplining the Poor: Neoliberalism and the Persistent Power of Race. University of Chicago Press, 2011. |
| 2023 | Sanford Schram, Hunter College, CUNY Disciplining the Poor: Neoliberalism and the Persistent Power of Race. University of Chicago Press, 2011. |
| 2022 | Jacob Hacker, Yale University The Divided Welfare State: The Battle over Public and Private Social Benefits in the United States. Cambridge University Press, 2002. |
| 2021 | Andrea Campbell, Massachusetts Institute of Technology How Policies Make Citizens. Princeton University Press, 2003. |
| 2020 | Thomas A. Birkland, North Carolina State University |
| 2019 | James Mahoney, Northwestern University A Theory of Gradual Institutional Change. Explaining Institutional Change: Ambiguity, Agency and Power. Cambridge University Press, 2010. |
| 2019 | Kathleen Thelen, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology A Theory of Gradual Institutional Change. Explaining Institutional Change: Ambiguity, Agency and Power. Cambridge University Press, 2010. |
| 2018 | R. Kent Weaver, Georgetown University “The Politics of Blame Avoidance.” Journal of Public Policy, 1986. |
| 2017 | Frank Fischer, Rutgers University Reframing Public Policy. Oxford University Press, 2003. |
| 2016 | Robert D. Putnam, Harvard University Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. Simon and Schuster, 2001. |
| 2015 | James C. Scott, Yale University Seeing Like A State: How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed. Yale University Press, 1998 |
| 2013 | Theda Skocpol, Harvard University Protecting Soldiers and Mothers: The Political Origins of Social Policy in the United States (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1992) |
| 2012 | Lester Salamon, Johns Hopkins University Partners in Public Service: Government-Nonprofit Relations in the Modern Welfare State (Johns Hopkins University Press,1995) |
| 2011 | Paul Pierson, University of California, Berkeley “Increasing Returns, Path Dependence, and the Study of Politics,” |
| 2009 | Peter Hall, University of Washington Governing the Economy: The Politics of State Intervention in Britain and France (Oxford University, 1986) |
| 2009 | Jennifer Hochschild, University of Washington The Shifting Politics of Multiracialism in the United States |
| 2008 | Anne L. Schneider, University of Arizona Policy Designs for Democracy (University Press of Kansas, 1997) |
| 2008 | Helen Ingram, University of Arizona Policy Designs for Democracy (University Press of Kansas, 1997) |
| 2006 | Charles Lindblom, Yale University Politics and Markets: The World's Political Economic Systems (Basic Books, 1977) |
| 2005 | Gosta Esping-Anderson, European University Institute The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism (Princeton University Press, 1990). |
| 2004 | James March, Stanford University Rediscovering Institutions: The Organizational Basis of Politics (New York: The Free Press, 1989) |
| 2004 | Johan Olsen, ARENA, University of Oslo Co-Authored with James March: Rediscovering Institutions: The Organizational Basis of Politics (New York: The Free Press, 1989) |
| 2004 | James March, Stanford University Co-Authored with Johan P. Olsen, University of Oslo: Rediscovering Institutions: The Organizational Basis of Politics (Free Press, 1989 |
| 2003 | Martha Derthick, University of Virginia The Politics of Deregulation (Brookings Institution Press, 1985) |
| 2003 | Paul Quirk, University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign The Politics of Deregulation (Brookings Institution Press 1985) |
| 2002 | Deborah Stone, Dartmouth College Policy Paradox: The Art of Political Decision-Making (W.W. Norton, 1988) |
| 2001 | Frank Baumgartner, Pennsylvania State University Agendas and Instability in American Politics (University of Chicago Press, 1993) |
| 2001 | Bryan Jones, University of Washington Agendas and Instability in American Politics (University of Chicago Press, 1993) |
| 2000 | Elinor Ostrom, Indiana University Governing the Commons: The Evolution of Institutions for Collective Action (Cambridge University Press, 1990) |
| 1999 | Michael Lipsky, Ford Foundation Street-Level Bureaucracy (Russell Sage, 1980) |
| 1998 | Roger Cobb, Brown University Participation in American Politics: The Dynamics of Agenda Building (Johns Hopkins University Press, 1983) |
| 1998 | Charles Elder, Wayne State University Participation in American Politics: The Dynamics of Agenda Building (Johns Hopkins University Press, 1983) |
| 1997 | Daniel Mazmanian, University of Michigan Implementation and Public Policy (Rowman & Littlefield, 1989) |
| 1997 | Paul Sabatier, University of California-Davis Implementation and Public Policy (Rowman & Littlefield, 1989) |
| 1996 | James Wilson, University of California-Los Angeles The Politics of Regulation (Basic Books, 1980) |
| 1994 | John Kingdon, University of Michigan Agendas, Alternatives, and Public Policy (Addison-Wesley Pub Co, 1997; 2nd Edition) |
| 1989 | David Ellwood, Harvard University Poor Support (Basic Books, 1989) |
Best Comparative Policy Paper Award
The Best Comparative Policy Paper Award recognizes an article of particular distinction published in the area of comparative public policy, awarded in collaboration with the International Comparative Policy Analysis Forum. This award carries a prize of $500.
| 2023 | Guillermo Toral, IE University “Political Bureaucractic Cycle: Public Employment and Service Delivery around Elections in Brazil” |
| 2022 | Ling Chen, Johns Hopkins University SAIS “Capital Mobility and Taxation in Non-OECD Countries: Evidence from China” |
| 2022 | Florian Hollenbach, Texas A&M University “Capital Mobility and Taxation in Non-OECD Countries: Evidence from China” |
| 2020 | Tugba Bozcaga, Massachusetts Institute of Technology “The Social Bureaucrat: How Social Proximity among Bureaucrats Affects Local Governance in Turkey.” APSA annual meeting (2019). |
| 2019 | Agustina Paglayan, University of California, San Diego “Democracy and Educational Expansion: Evidence from 200 years.” Unpublished manuscript. |
| 2018 | Amelia Peterson, Harvard University “Incentivizing higher skills – but whose? The politics of credential reform in Liberal Market Economies.” |
| 2017 | Melani Cammett, Harvard University “Political Context, Organizational Mission and the Quality of Social Services: Insights from the Health Sector in Lebanon.” |
| 2017 | Aytug Sasmaz, Brown University “Political Context, Organizational Mission and the Quality of Social Services: Insights from the Health Sector in Lebanon.” |
| 2016 | Daniel Treisman, University of California, Los Angeles “Misperceiving Inequality” |
| 2016 | Vladimir Gimpelson, Higher School of Economics “Misperceiving Inequality” |
| 2015 | Zachary Elkins, University of Texas-Austin “Micro-Level Foundations of Diffusion Theory: Experimental Evidence” |
| 2013 | Matthias Orlowski, Humboldt-University Berlin The Dynamics of Electoral Incentives. Electoral Systems and Agricultural Support in OECD countries paper prepared for the 2012 APSA Annual Meeting |
| 2012 | Claire Annesley, University of Manchester |
| 2012 | Isabelle Engeli, University of Ottawa |
| 2011 | Shaun Bevan, Pennsylvania State University “Opinion-Responsiveness of Governing Agendas in the US and the UK: Institutional Filtering of Issue Priorities of the Public” |
| 2011 | Will Jennings, University of Manchester “Opinion-Responsiveness of Governing Agendas in the US and the UK: Institutional Filtering of Issue Priorities of the Public” |
Best Poster on Public Policy Award
The Best Poster on Public Policy Award is given for the best paper or poster presented at the poster session at the previous APSA meeting. This award carries a prize of $500.
| 2020 | Renu Singh, Georgetown University “What Makes a Changemaker?” APSA annual meeting (2019). |
| 2019 | Wenhui Feng, The State University of New York at Albany “Variation in Local Health Departments’ Involvement in Implementing Obesity Policies.” Unpublished manuscript. |
| 2019 | Erika G. Martin, The State University of New York at Albany “Variation in Local Health Departments’ Involvement in Implementing Obesity Policies.” Unpublished manuscript. |
| 2017 | Philip Rocco, Marquette University “The Politics of Trial and Error: Medicare Demonstrations and Policy Change.” |
| 2017 | Andrew Kelly, Johns Hopkins University “The Politics of Trial and Error: Medicare Demonstrations and Policy Change.” |
| 2016 | Mallory SoRelle , Cornell University “Information v. Ideology: Recognizing (Government) Benefits in the Submerged State.” |
| 2016 | Delphia Shanks-Booth , Cornell University “Information v. Ideology: Recognizing (Government) Benefits in the Submerged State.” |
| 2015 | Ellen Donnelly, University of Pennsylvania “In Pursuit of Racial Justice: Assessing the Politics and Consequences of Racial Disparity Reform in the U.S. Criminal Justice System.” |
| 2013 | Nathan Mitchell, Prairie View A&M University “U.S. State Soveringn Debt Restrictions in the 50 States.” |
| 2013 | Jake Haselswerdt, George Washington University Death and Tax Breaks: Comparing the Survival Rates of Tax Expenditures and Direct Spending Programs. |
| 2012 | Lindsay Flynn, University of Virginia “The Work-Family Tradeoff: How Some Countries are Managing Better than Others.” |
Best Paper on Public Policy Award
The Best Paper on Public Policy Award recognizes the best paper on Public Policy given at the previous APSA Annual Meeting. This award carries a $500 prize.
| 2023 | Sam Workman, West Virginia University “County Budgetary Dynamics: Findings from Appalachia” |
| 2023 | Herschel “Trey” Thomas, West Virginia University “County Budgetary Dynamics: Findings from Appalachia” |
| 2023 | Corinne Connor, West Virginia University “County Budgetary Dynamics: Findings from Appalachia” |
| 2022 | Leslie Finger, University of North Texas “Politics, Markets, and Pandemics: Public Education's Response to COVID-19.” |
| 2022 | Michael Hartney, Boston College “Politics, Markets, and Pandemics: Public Education's Response to COVID-19.” |
| 2021 | Jonas Meckling, University of California, Berkeley “Strategic State Capacity: How States Counter Opposition to Climate Policy.” Presented at APSA 2020. |
| 2021 | Jonas Nahm, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies “Strategic State Capacity: How States Counter Opposition to Climate Policy.” Presented at APSA 2020. |
| 2021 | Natalia Bueno, Emory University |
| 2021 | Felipe Nunes, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais “Homeowners Unite? Homeownership, Values and Voice.” Presented at APSA 2020. |
| 2021 | Cesar Zucco, Fundacao Getulio Vargas “Homeowners Unite? Homeownership, Values and Voice.” Presented at APSA 2020. |
| 2020 | Mallory SoRelle, Lafayette College “Privatizing Financial Protection: Policy Feedback in the Credit Welfare State.” APSA annual meeting (2019). |
| 2019 | Jake Grumbach , University of Washington “When Governments only Learn From Co-partisans: Partisan Policy Diffusion.” Unpublished manuscript. |
| 2018 | Laurel Eckhouse, University of Denver “Everyday Risk: Dispraate Exposure and Racial Inequalities in Police Violence.” |
| 2017 | Melissa Sands, Harvard University “Who wants to tax a millionaire? Exposure to inequality reduces support for redistribution” |
| 2016 | Daniel Galvin, Northwestern University “Wage Theft, Public Policy, and the Politics of Workers’ Rights” |
| 2015 | Alexandra Filindra, Cornell University “A Call to Arms: White Identity and Gun Control Policy Preferences in Post-Civil Rights America” |
| 2015 | Noah Kaplan, University of Illinois-Chicago “A Call to Arms: White Identity and Gun Control Policy Preferences in Post-Civil Rights America” |
| 2014 | Alan S. Gerber, Yale University “Felony status, Participation, and Political Reintegration: Results from a field experiment” |
| 2014 | Gregory A. Huber, Yale University “Felony status, Participation, and Political Reintegration: Results from a field experiment” |
| 2014 | Marc Meredith, University of Pennsylvania “Felony status, Participation, and Political Reintegration: Results from a field experiment” |
| 2014 | Daniel R. Biggers, Yale University “Felony status, Participation, and Political Reintegration: Results from a field experiment” |
| 2014 | David J. Hendry, Yale University “Felony status, Participation, and Political Reintegration: Results from a field experiment” |
| 2014 | Daniel Aldrich, Purdue University “Social, Not Physical, Infrastructure: The Critical Role of Civil Society in Disaster Recovery” |
| 2011 | Susan Moffitt, Brown University “The Politics of Bad News: Politics, Policy and Practice in K-12 Education” |
| 2011 | David Cohen, University of Michigan “The Politics of Bad News: Politics, Policy and Practice in K-12 Education” |
| 2010 | Eric Patashnik, University of Virginia “When Policy Does Not Remake Politics: The Limits of Policy Feedback” |
| 2010 | Julian Zelizer, Princeton University “When Policy Does Not Remake Politics: The Limits of Policy Feedback” |
| 2006 | Richard Fording, University of Kentucky “The Color of Devolution: The Politics of Local Punishment in the New World of Welfare” |
| 2006 | Sanford Schram, Bryn Mawr College “The Color of Devolution: The Politics of Local Punishment in the New World of Welfare” |
| 2006 | Joe Soss, University of Wisconsin, Madison “The Color of Devolution: The Politics of Local Punishment in the New World of Welfare” |
| 2005 | Karen Mossberger, Kent State University “Race, Place, and Information Technology” |
| 2005 | Caroline Tolbert, Kent State University “Race, Place, and Information Technology” |
| 2005 | Michele Gilbert, Kent State University “Race, Place, and Information Technology” |
| 2004 | Craig Volden, Ohio State University “States as Policy Laboratories: Experimenting with the Children's Health Insurance Program” |
| 2003 | Soeren Winter, Danish National Institute of Social Research “Explaining Variation in Street-Level Bureaucratic Behaviors in Social and Regulatory Policies” |
| 1989 | Trudi Miller, Lehigh University “Designing Social Structures: A Scientific Perspective” |
The Excellence in Mentoring Award has been established to recognize sustained efforts by a senior scholars to encourage and facilitate the career of emerging political scientists in the field of Public Policy. This award carries a $500 prize.
| 2023 | James Garand, Louisiana State University |
| 2022 | Loleen Berdahl, University of Saskatchewan |
| 2021 | Richard Hall, University of Michigan |
| 2019 | Amanda Bittner, Memorial University of Newfoundland |
| 2018 | Bruce Cain, Stanford University |
| 2018 | Julia Lynch, University of Pennsylvania |
| 2017 | David Weimer, University of Wisconsin-Madison |
| 2015 | Karen M. Hult, Virginia Tech |
| 2012 | John Witte, University of Wisconsin-Madison |
| 2011 | Bryan Jones, University of Texas Austin |
| 2010 | Theda Skocpol, Harvard University |
| 2009 | Paul Sabatier, University of California, Davis |