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Public Policy Section Award Recipients

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.

2021	Andrea Campbell, Massachusetts Institute of Technology How Policies Make Citizens. Princeton University Press, 2003.
2020	Thomas A. Birkland, North Carolina State University After Disaster: Agenda Setting, Public Policy, and Focusing Events. Georgetown University Press, 1997.
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.

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.

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 “Homeowners Unite? Homeownership, Values and Voice.” Presented at APSA 2020.
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"

Excellence in Mentoring Award

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.

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
2006	Kenneth Meier, Texas A&M University
2005	Frank Baumgartner, Pennsylvania State University

Hubert H. Humphrey Award

1989

Charles Levine

Harold Lasswell Award

The Harold D. Lasswell prize is awarded annually by the American Political Science Association for the best dissertation in the field of public policy. It is co-sponsored by the Policy Studies Association and the APSA Public Policy Section. The award carries a $1,000 prize.

2014	Sarah Anzia,Stanford University “Election Timing and the Political Influence of the Organized."
2013	Nicholas Carnes, Duke University "By the Upper Class, For the Upper Class? Representational Inequality and Economic Policymaking in the United States."

Theodore J. Lowi Policy Studies Journal Best Article

The Theodore J. Lowi Policy Studies Journal Best Article Award is given to recognize an article of particular distinction published at any time in Policy Studies Journal. This award carries a prize of $500.

2021	Sarah E. Anderson, University of California, Santa Barbara “Policy entrepreneurs, legislators, and agenda setting: information and influence.” Policy Studies Journal, 2020.
2021	Rob A. DeLeo, Bentley University “Policy entrepreneurs, legislators, and agenda setting: information and influence.” Policy Studies Journal, 2020.
2021	Kristin O’Donovan, Wayne State University “Policy entrepreneurs, legislators, and agenda setting: information and influence.” Policy Studies Journal, 2020.
2020	Daniel Mallinson, Penn State-Harrisburg “Who Are Your Neighbors? The Role of Ideology and Decline of Geographic Proximity in the Diffusion of Policy Innovations." Policy Studies Journal.
2019	Anne L. Schneider, Arizona State University "Social Constructions, Anticipatory Feedback Strategies, and Deceptive Public Policy." Policy Studies Journal 47(2): 206-236.
2019	Helen M. Ingram, University of California, Irvine "Social Constructions, Anticipatory Feedback Strategies, and Deceptive Public Policy." Policy Studies Journal 47(2): 206-236.
2018	Manuel Fischer, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology “Drivers for Policy Agreement in Nascent Subsystems: An Application of the Advocacy Coalition Framework to Fracking Policy in Switzerland and the UK.” Policy Studies Journal. 45(3).
2018	Karin Ingold, University of Bern “Drivers for Policy Agreement in Nascent Subsystems: An Application of the Advocacy Coalition Framework to Fracking Policy in Switzerland and the UK.” Policy Studies Journal. 45(3).
2017	Hongtao Yi, The Ohio State University "Policy Networks in Complex Governance Subsystems: Observing and Comparing Hyperlink, Media, and Partnership Networks." Policy Studies Journal, 44(3): 248-279.
2017	John Scholz, Florida State University "Policy Networks in Complex Governance Subsystems: Observing and Comparing Hyperlink, Media, and Partnership Networks." Policy Studies Journal, 44(3): 248-279.
2016	Elizabeth Rigby, George Washington University “Laboratories of (In)equality? Redistributive Policy and Income Inequality in the American States” Policy Studies Journal. 43(2): 163-187. May 2015.
2016	Megan E. Hatch, Cleveland State University “Laboratories of (In)equality? Redistributive Policy and Income Inequality in the American States” Policy Studies Journal. 43(2): 163-187. May 2015
2015	Jeronimo Cortina, University of Houston “Subsidizing Migration? Mexican Agricultural Policies and Migration to the United States.” Policy Studies Journal. 42 (1) 2014: 101-21.
2014	Evan Ringquist,Indiana University “Campaign Promises, Democratic Governance, and Environmental Policy in the U.S. Congress." Policy Studies Journal 41(2): 365–387.
2014	Milena Neshkova, Florida International University “Campaign Promises, Democratic Governance, and Environmental Policy in the U.S. Congress." Policy Studies Journal 41(2): 365–387.
2014	Joseph Aamidor, Indiana University “Campaign Promises, Democratic Governance, and Environmental Policy in the U.S. Congress." Policy Studies Journal 41(2): 365–387.
2014	Christian Breunig, University of Konstanz "The Tortoise or the Hare? Incrementalism, Punctuations, and Their Consequences." Policy Studies Journal 40(1): 45-67.
2013	Chris Koski, Reed College "The Tortoise or the Hare? Incrementalism, Punctuations, and Their Consequences." Policy Studies Journal 40(1): 45-67.
2012	Peter May, University of Washington "Constructing Homeland Security: An Anemic Policy Regime." Policy Studies Journal 39(2).
2012	Ashley Jochim, University of Washington "Constructing Homeland Security: An Anemic Policy Regime." Policy Studies Journal 39(2).
2012	Joshua Sapotichne, Michigan State University "Constructing Homeland Security: An Anemic Policy Regime." Policy Studies Journal 39(2).
2011	Deborah Phillips, Georgetown University "Head Start's Comparative Advantage: Myth or Reality?"
2011	William Gormley Jr., Georgetown University "Head Start's Comparative Advantage: Myth or Reality?”
2011	Shirley Adelstein, Georgetown University "Head Start's Comparative Advantage: Myth or Reality?”
2011	Catherine Snow, Federal Bureau of Investigation "Head Start's Comparative Advantage: Myth or Reality?”

Award for Distinguished Contribution

The Award for Distinguished Contribution recognizes creative policy analysis that has had a significant influence on the course of American public policy.

1993

Mollie Orshansky, Social Security Administration