Organized Section Awards (Section 52)
Ostrom Award
Best Published Paper by Non-Tenure Scholar
Best APSA Paper
Best Article
The Journal of Theoretical Politics Ostrom Award
Best article published in the Journal of Theoretical Politics within the previous two calendar years.
| 2025 | Benjamin Broman, Purdue University “Indirect rule and mass threat: Two paths to direct rule.” Journal of Theoretical Politics 35(3): 232-256. 2023. |
| 2025 | Yohei Yamaguchi, Kansai University Ken Yahagi, Seikei University “Law enforcement and political misinformation.” Journal of Theoretical Politics 36(1): 3-36. 2024. |
| 2024 | Hannah Simpson, Texas A&M University “Access to Justice in Revenue-Seeking Legal Institutions.” Journal of Theoretical Politics, 2023, 35(2). |
| 2024 | Michael Gibilisco, California Institute of Technology “Mowing the Grass.” Journal of Theoretical Politics, 2023, 35(3). |
| 2023 | Anthony Fowler, University of Chicago “An information-based explanation for partisan media sorting.” Journal of Theoretical Politics, 2022, 34(4). |
| 2023 | Kisoo Kim, University of Chicago “An information-based explanation for partisan media sorting.” Journal of Theoretical Politics, 2022, 34(4). |
| 2022 | Avidit Acharya, Stanford University “Security in the absence of a state: traditional authority, livestock trading, and maritime piracy in northern Somalia.” Journal of Theoretical Politics 32,no. 4 (2020): 497-537. |
| 2022 | Robin Harding, Oxford University “Security in the absence of a state: traditional authority, livestock trading, and maritime piracy in northern Somalia.” Journal of Theoretical Politics 32,no. 4 (2020): 497-537. |
| 2022 | J. Andrew Harris, New York University “Security in the absence of a state: traditional authority, livestock trading, and maritime piracy in northern Somalia.” Journal of Theoretical Politics 32,no. 4 (2020): 497-537. |
| 2022 | Charles R. Hankla, GSU “The politics of fiscal federalism: Building a stronger decentralization theorem.” Journal of Theoretical Politics 32, no. 4 (2020): 605-639. |
| 2022 | Jorge Martinez-Vazquez, GSU “The politics of fiscal federalism: Building a stronger decentralization theorem.” Journal of Theoretical Politics 32, no. 4 (2020): 605-639. |
| 2022 | Eunice Heredia-Ortiz, DAI “The politics of fiscal federalism: Building a stronger decentralization theorem.” Journal of Theoretical Politics 32, no. 4 (2020): 605-639. |
| 2022 | Raul dePonce, DAI “The politics of fiscal federalism: Building a stronger decentralization theorem.” Journal of Theoretical Politics 32, no. 4 (2020): 605-639. |
Best Article by a Non-Tenure Track Scholar
| 2026 | Elaine Yao, Washington University in St. Louis “Brook No Compromise: How to Negotiate a United Front.” American Journal of Political Science 70(2): 643-657. 2026. |
| 2025 | Germán Gieczewski, Princeton University Korhan Koçak, New York University Abu Dhabi “Collective procrastination and protest cycles.” American Journal of Political Science, 1-14. 2024. |
| 2024 | Tara Slough, New York University “Phantom Counterfactuals.” American Journal of Political Science 2023, 67(1): 137-153. |
| 2023 | Germán Gieczewski, Princeton University “Dynamic Policy Sabotage.” American Journal of Political Science 2021, 66(3): 617-629. |
| 2023 | Christopher Li, Vanderbilt University “Dynamic Policy Sabotage.” American Journal of Political Science 2021, 66(3): 617-629. |
| 2022 | Schichao Ma, Yelp “Candidate Elimination in Competitive Autocracies.” Quarterly Journal of Political Science 15 (2020): 105–139. |
Best APSA Paper
| 2026 | Zanhui Liu, Tsinghua University Zhaotian Luo, University of Chicago Yucheng Qiu, Peking University Shuyi Yu, University of Chicago “A Relational Theory of Power Alternation.” Presented at the 2025 APSA Annual Meeting. |
| 2025 | Jack Paine, Emory University “The Threat-Enhancing Effect of Authoritarian Power Sharing.” Presented at the 2024 APSA Annual Meeting. |
| 2024 | Joseph Ruggiero, Stanford University “What Makes a World War? A Structural Analysis of Integration.” |
| 2023 | Peter Buisseret, Harvard University “Politics Transformed? Electoral Competition Under Ranked Choice Voting” |
| 2023 | Carlo Prato, Columbia University “Politics Transformed? Electoral Competition Under Ranked Choice Voting” |
Best Article
| 2026 | Brenton Kenkel, Vanderbilt University Peter Schram, Vanderbilt University “Uncertainty in crisis bargaining with multiple policy options.” American Journal of Political Science 69(1): 194-209. 2025. |
| 2025 | Steven Callander, Stanford University Dana Foarta, Stanford University Takuo Sugaya, Stanford University “The Dynamics of a Policy Outcome: Market Response and Bureaucratic Enforcement of a Policy Change.” American Journal of Political Science 68(4): 1252-1265. 2024. |
| 2024 | Edoardo Grillo, University of Padova Carlo Prato, Columbia University “Reference Points and Democratic Backsliding.” American Journal of Political Science, 2023, 67(1): 71-88. |
| 2023 | Seth J. Hill, University of California, San Diego “A Theory of Intensity, Electoral Competition, and Costly Political Action.” Journal of Politics, 2022, 84 (1): pp 291-303. |
| 2022 | Wioletta Dziuda, University of Chicago “Political scandal: a theory.” American Journal of Political Science 65.1 (2021): 197-209. |
| 2022 | Will Howell, University of Chicago “Political scandal: a theory.” American Journal of Political Science 65.1 (2021): 197-209. |
| 2022 | Michael F. Joseph, University of California, San Diego “A Little Bit of Cheap Talk Is a Dangerous Thing: States Can Communicate Intentions Persuasively and Raise the Risk of War.” The Journal of Politics 83.1 (2021): 166-181 |