American Political Thought (Section 47)
The purpose of this section is to facilitate and encourage a uniquely integrative approach to the study of politics that will put scholars of American politics, political theory, American political development, American history, philosophy, American literature, and other related fields in ongoing and fruitful conversation with one another.
Founded: 2016
Section Membership Dues
| Student | Regular |
|---|---|
| $0 (Online Journal Access Only) $25 (Print and Online Journal Access) | $30 (Online Journal Access Only $35 (Print and Online Journal Access) |
Section Officers
Section Officers
Section Journal
American Political Thought: A Journal of Ideas, Institutions, and Culture
Donate to Section 47
Section Awards
Section awards are presented during the APSA annual meeting awards ceremony. To learn more about any award listed, contact the award committee chair for the award.
All section 47. American Political Thought awards to-date »
Best Book Award
Awarded annually to the best book in American Political Thought. The winner will receive a $400 monetary award and a framed certificate. Nomination Procedure: Nominations are accepted directly from university presses and publishers who should send copies of nominated books directly to committee members. Authors are encouraged to contact publishers to request nomination of their book for this award, but each publisher may only nominate two books. Deadline: March 1, 2026
2025 Award Recipient:
Keidrick Roy, Dartmouth College
American Dark Age: Racial Feudalism and the Rise of Black Liberalism. Princeton University Press, 2024.
Award Committee
| Name | Affiliation | |
|---|---|---|
| Emily Pears (Chair) | Claremont McKenna College | emily.pears@cmc.edu |
| Keidrick Roy | Dartmouth College | keidrick.j.roy@dartmouth.edu |
| Anne Norton | University of Pennsylvania | anorton@sas.upenn.edu |
Best Dissertation Award
The Best Dissertation in American Political Thought Award will be awarded bi-annually to the best dissertation written by a political scientist on a topic in American Political Thought. The winner will receive a $400 monetary award and a framed certificate. Nomination Procedure: Nominations are accepted from dissertation advisers and department chairs. Please send nominations to the APT Section Chair, Susan McWilliams Barndt, susan.mcwilliams@pomona.edu, and directly to committee members. Deadline for nominations: March 1, 2026
2025 Award Recipient:
Stephen Goniprow, Hillsdale College
“An Introduction to Global Justice Theory.”
Award Committee
| Name | Affiliation | |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremy Bailey (Chair) | University of Florida | jd.bailey@ufl.edu |
| Stephen Goniprow | Hillsdale College | sgoniprow@hillsdale.edu |
| Kathleen Sullivan | Ohio University | sullivak@ohio.edu |
Best Paper Award
Award annually to the best paper delivered on American Political Thought at the previous annual meeting of the American Political Association. The winner will receive a $400 monetary award and a framed certificate. Nomination Procedure: Please send nominations to all committee members. Panel Chairs and Discussants are encouraged to nominate the best paper on their panel for this award. Authors may contact chairs and discussants to nominate. Deadline for nominations: March 1, 2026
2025 Award Recipient:
Susan McWilliams Brandt, Pomona College
“A Tale of Two Liberalisms: Desegregating American Political Thought.”
Award Committee
| Name | Affiliation | |
|---|---|---|
| Gianna Englert (Chair) | University of Florida | genglert@ufl.edu |
| Susan McWilliams Barndt | Pomona College | susan.mcwilliams.barndt@gmail.com |
| Jack Greenberg | Trinity College | jack.greenberg@trincoll.edu |
Lifetime Achievement Award
Awarded annually to a political scientist who has defended American political thought as a distinct and distinguished field of inquiry within political science and made extraordinary contributions to research and teaching in the field. The winner will be honored at the award reception at APSA’s Annual Conference and receive a $400 monetary award and a framed certificate. Nomination Procedure: A one-to-two-page letter of nomination should be sent to each committee member and the Section Chair of APT, Susan McWilliams Barndt, susan.mcwilliams@pomona.edu. It should establish the outstanding contributions and lifelong service of the nominee to American Political Thought. Nomination may also be generated from discussions among committee members. Deadline for nominations: March 1, 2026
2025 Award Recipient:
Rogers Smith, University of Pennsylvania
Award Committee
| Name | Affiliation | |
| Susan McWilliams Barndt (Chair) | Pomona College | susan.mcwilliams.barndt@gmail.com |
| Jeremy Bailey | University of Florida | jd.bailey@ufl.edu |
| Keidrick Roy | Dartmouth College | keidrick.j.roy@dartmouth.edu |
| Rogers Smith | University of Pennsylvania | rogerss@sas.upenn.edu |
Best Article Award
Awarded annually to the best article published during the previous year in the flagship journal, American Political Thought. The winner will receive a $400 monetary award and a framed certificate. Nomination Procedure: The editors of American Political Thought nominate three to five articles published in the previous year to be considered by the Committee. The committee will then chose the winner from this pool. Deadline for nominations: March 1, 2026
2025 Award Recipient:
Jacob Little, Duke University
“Tough Love: James Baldwins’ Artistic Politics.” American Political Thought 13(2): 145-164. 2024.
Award Committee
| Name | Affiliation | |
|---|---|---|
| Charles Zug (Chair) | University of Missouri | czug@missouri.edu |
| Jacob Little | Duke University | jacob.little@duke.edu |
| Calvin TerBeek | Claremont McKenna College | calvin.terbeek@cmc.edu |