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Career Awards

Career awards are bestowed for significant achievements related to political science. A separate committee appointed by the President and approved by the Council reviews nominations and determines the award recipient. They are presented annually unless otherwise described below.  To learn more about an award or to view the names and addresses of the nominating committee for an award, click on the name of the award in the following list. 

  • John Gaus Award To honor the recipient's lifetime of exemplary scholarship in the joint tradition of political science and public administration and, more generally, to recognize achievement and encourage scholarship in public administration. The recipient delivers the Gaus Lecture at the Annual Meeting. [$2,000]
  • Hubert H. Humphrey Award In recognition of notable public service by a political scientist. [$1,000]
  • Carey McWilliams Award To honor a major journalistic contribution to our understanding of politics. [$750]
  • Benjamin E. Lippincott Award For a work of exceptional quality by a living political theorist that is still considered significant after a time span of at least 15 years since the original publication. Given biennially; next awarded in 2011. [$1,500]
  • James Madison Award To an American political scientist who has made a distinguished scholarly contribution to political science. Given triennially; next awarded in 2011. [$2,000]
  • Charles Merriam Award To recognize a person whose published work and career represent a significant contribution to the art of government through the application of social science research. Given biennially; next awarded in 2011. [$500]
  • Ithiel de Sola Pool Award To be "given to a scholar selected to present a lecture exploring the implications of research on issues of politics in a broad range of scholarship pursued by Ithiel de Sola Pool." Given triennially; next awarded in 2010. [$2,000]


Organized Section Career and Lifetime Achievement Awards

Several of the APSA Organized Sections also bestow career and lifetime achievement awards at each Annual Meeting.  For detailed and up-to-date information on section awards, see the individual organized section's page, which can be accessed from the Organized Section index