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 bestowed annually unless described otherwise 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 list below.

• John Gaus Award [$2,000]
  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.
  2007 WINNER: Laurence E. Lynn, Jr., Texas A&M University
  
  
• Hubert H. Humphrey Award [$1,000]
  In recognition of notable public service by a political scientist.
  2007 WINNER: David Obey, U.S. House of Representatives, Wisconsin
  
  
• Carey McWilliams Award [$750]
  To honor a major journalistic contribution to our understanding of politics.
  2007 WINNER: Ronald Brownstein, Los Angeles Times, Washington Bureau
  
  
• Benjamin E. Lippincott Award [$1,500]
  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 2009.
  2007 WINNER: Anthony Downs, The Brookings Institution
  
  
• James Madison Award [$2,000]
  To an American political scientist who has made a distinguished scholarly contribution to political science.
  Given triennially; next awarded in 2008.
  2005 WINNER: Elinor Ostrom, Indiana University
  
  
• Charles Merriam Award [$500]
  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 2009.
  2007 WINNER: Robert Putnam, Harvard University
  
  
• Ithiel de Sola Pool Award [$2,000]
  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 2007.
  2007 WINNER: Lawrence Lessig, Stanford University