Critical Political Science (Section 27)
A section of critical scholars committed to making the study of political science relevant to building a more democratic and egalitarian economic, social, and political order.
Founded: 1992
Website: connect.apsanet.org/s27
Social: @NPS_Journal (X) @npsjournal.bsky.social (Bluesky)
Section Membership Dues
| Student | Regular |
|---|---|
| $0 | $30 |
Section Officers
Section Officers
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 27. New Political Science awards to-date »
Christian Bay Award
The Christian Bay Award recognizes the best paper presented on a Critical Political Science panel at the previous year’s annual meeting.
Deadline for nominations: April 1, 2026
Award Committee
| Name | Affiliation | |
|---|---|---|
| William L. Niemi (Chair) | Western Colorado University | wniemi@western.edu |
| Andrew Alexander | San José State University | andrew.alexander@sjsu.edu |
| Justin L. Brooks | Harvard University | justinbrooks@g.harvard.edu |
Richard Cloward and Frances Fox Piven Award
The Richard Cloward and Frances Fox Piven Award is given annually by the Critical Political Science section of the American Political Science Association (APSA). It recognizes an activist group, in the region of the annual meeting of the APSA, that puts into practice the ideals of Critical Political Science, “making the study of political science relevant to building a more democratic and egalitarian economic, social, and political order.” Deadline for nominations: April 1, 2026
Award Committee
| Name | Affiliation | |
|---|---|---|
| Heike Schotten (Chair) | University of Massachusetts Boston | Heike.Schotten@umb.edu |
| Kevin Bruyneel | Babson College | kbruyneel@babson.edu |
Charles A. McCoy Career Achievement Award
The Charles A. McCoy Career Achievement Award recognizes a progressive political scientist who has had a long, successful career as a writer, teacher, and activist. Deadline for nominations: April 1, 2026
Award Committee
| Name | Affiliation | |
|---|---|---|
| Joseph Peschek (Chair) | Hamline University | jpeschek@hamline.edu |
| Kenton Worcester | Marymount Manhattan College | kworcester@mmm.edu |
Michael Harrington Book Award
The Michael Harrington Book Award recognizes an outstanding book that demonstrates how scholarship can be used in the struggle to making the study of political science relevant to building a more democratic and egalitarian economic, social, and political order.
Deadline for nominations: April 1, 2026
Award Committee
| Name | Affiliation | |
|---|---|---|
| Biko Koenig (Chair) | Franklin and Marshall College | bkoenig@fandm.edu |
| Laura Olson | Lehigh University | lko1@lehigh.edu |
| Sarah Surak | Salisbury University | SMSURAK@salisbury.edu |
Stephen Eric Bronner Dissertation Award
For an outstanding Political Science dissertation finished within the previous year of the APSA Meeting which exemplifies the commitment to use scholarship in the struggle to making the study of political science relevant to building a more democratic and egalitarian economic, social, and political order. Deadline for nominations: April 1, 2026
Award Committee
| Name | Affiliation | |
|---|---|---|
| Ricardo Vega León (Chair) | California Polytechnic State University | rvegaleo@calpoly.edu |
| Dan Jacob | Rutgers University | danjacob@scarletmail.rutgers.edu |