2017 Recognising Exceptional Contributions to Politics in 2017 5th December 2017 Church House, Dean’s Yard, Westminster, London SW1P 3NZ Launch of the PSA – British Library Lecture Series 2018 The Political Studies Association is pleased to announce the launch in 2018 of a new lecture series in partnership with the British Library. Complementing the British Library’s richly curated and diverse programme of exhibitions and events, the lecture series will help the public engage with and develop a better understanding of politics, especially within wider historical and cultural contexts. The inaugural lecture will be given by Mark Laity, one of NATO’s foremost experts and thinkers on communications and a former BBC Defence Correspondent: Storytelling and Politics: How History, Myths and Narratives Drive Our Decisions Monday 19th February 19.00 - 20.30 Post dinner entertainment provided by Ceilidh Minogue The British Library MARK LAITY Director of Communications at SHAPE, NATO’s Military Headquarters Shared myths, accepted legends and historical assumptions: how can we make rational decisions when we are so dominated by the stories handed down to us? Stories that draw upon legends testify to the power of narrative to entertain but can also inform us about how storytelling can influence politics. In the so-called post-fact era Mark Laity will discuss the influence of history, culture and narrative on today’s politics. We may think we make rational decisions, but how much is that really so, and is the same thing that makes us love legends and stories driving our decision-making in real life? Mark Laity is the Director of Communications at SHAPE, NATO’s Military HQ. At a time when the influence of information and the internet on international security is rising, Mark is regarded as one of NATO’s foremost experts and thinkers on communications, with extensive experience in conflict zones such as Afghanistan. Also, as a former BBC Defence Correspondent, he reported from the frontlines of many wars, and he is a sought-after speaker on the role of information in modern conflict. For further details on the PSA - British Library Lecture Series 2018 please visit www.psa.ac.uk/events Contents 5 PSA Chair’s Welcome 7 Welcome from SAGE Publishing 8 Politician of the Year 9 Parliamentarian of the Year 1 0 Backbencher of the Year 11 Best Use of Evidence – Politician 1 2 Campaigner of the Year 1 3 Journalist of the Year 1 4 Broadcaster of the Year 1 5 Contribution to the Arts and Culture 1 6 Sir Isaiah Berlin Prize for Lifetime Contribution to Political Studies 1 7 Political Studies Communicator 1 8 Innovation in Teaching Politics (Group) Award 1 9 Jo Cox Prize for Public Service and Active Citizenship 2 0 Special Recognition Award 21 W.J.M. Mackenzie Book Prize 22 PSA Student Short Video Competition 2017 23 Shortlist for Political Image of the Year 24 Join the PSA Political Studies Association Awards 2017 3 Date for your diary: PSA Annual Conference 2018 Cardiff City Hall 26 - 28 March 2018 Welcome It is a pleasure to welcome you to the 2017 Political Studies Association Awards Ceremony. My favourite political commentator, Molly Ivins, once noted, “The thing about democracy is that it is not neat, orderly, or quiet. It requires a certain relish for confusion”. If that is the case, our current political climate, where democracy has led to some unexpected outcomes, should be uniting those of us who are experts in political research, in political observation and analysis – those of us who have a “relish for confusion”. There are however a growing number who question the need for political expertise, for careful academically-informed study of democracy, governing, and the shifting winds of social values. Our profession, as both social and political scientists, is increasingly doubted by those who fail to see the worth of knowledge about who we are – as a society, as a polity, as a changing nation. As such challenges gain credence, we must remember who we are. In times of democratic confusion, we are called, not to write for the sake of outputs, but to engage with our fellow citizens. We are called to share our expertise not just within academia but with external stakeholders and the wider public. We are called to listen not just to the political noise but to those silenced by it. It is our professional responsibility to bridge the gap between the confusion and the political possibilities. As the new Chair of the Political Studies Association, I believe that the profession is well equipped to meet such challenges. The PSA aims to promote and develop the study of politics. Our five-year Strategy commits us to a robust period of growth. With approximately 2,000 members, from the UK and beyond, the community of students of politics – professors and practitioners included – is expanding and deepening. Our initiatives support those just beginning to learn about politics in schools including arranging visiting lectures from leading professionals; assist those teaching A-Level students with our Teachers’ Network; and encourage those new to the profession via our Early Career Network. Our new PSA Lecture Series at the British Library will engage the wider public both in London and, aided by technology, across the UK providing timely expertise on contemporary politics and culture. The PSA commitment to three values - ambition, professionalism and visibility – will drive our operational priorities as well. In 2018 we will launch a redesigned website which will provide space for our members and specialist groups to discuss leading research issues as well as giving external stakeholders access to expert commentary and updates on PSA public events. The PSA is a leading voice as a professional organisation and will continue to grow as a proud conduit for expert research and knowledge sharing. This year’s Awards Ceremony – our sixteenth – provides an opportunity to recognise those who have made an exceptional contribution to the study and the practice of politics. It goes without saying that the Awards Committee had a tough job and none of their decisions were easy and the competition in each category was very strong. Moreover, just like politics itself, it was clear from the debate surrounding specific prizes that the Awards Committee were not going to be able to please ‘all of the people, all of the time’. Debate, controversy and surprise are therefore, to some extent, inevitable but they are also exactly those factors that make politics such a special discipline to either study or work within. Many thanks too to those who made this evening possible: our Awards Committee; our Master of Ceremonies Jon Snow; Avnish Patel, Phil Sooben and all the other members of PSA staff for organising the evening; and our sponsors and partners SAGE, the Alliance for Useful Evidence, Elsevier, and YouGov. It is a delight to welcome you to this event on behalf of the PSA and I hope you have a wonderful evening. Professor Angelia R. Wilson Chair, Political Studies Association of the United Kingdom Political Studies Association Awards 2017 5 SAGE is proud to publish the journals of the Political Studies Association Political Studies, Political Studies Review, The British Journal of Politics and International Relations (BJPIR), Politics and Political Insight. Join the PSA Not only does the PSA exist to develop and promote the study of politics, it also aims to help its members develop their skills and advance in their professional careers, through a wide range of activities and world-class journals that help enrich the discipline. Exciting Bene ts for PSA Members As part of the publishing partnership between the PSA and SAGE, PSA members have free access to an exciting range of bene ts. • Adam Matthew Archives Direct, a vast curated • SAGE’s latest data product in Political Science, digital archive sourced from the National Archives U.S Political Stats, an easy-to-use visualisation at Kew. and research tool. • Over 500 books and reference works on Politics • Access to a selection of high-quality journals from and International Relations, hosted on the e-book SAGE’s Politics, International Relations, and Public platform, SAGE Knowledge. Administration journals programme including • The Digital CQ Press Library which hosts Public Policy and Administration and Teaching everything from the Encyclopedia of the American Public Administration. Government to the Supreme Court Collection. • SAGE Research Methods, the ultimate methods library, with more than 1000 books, reference works, journal articles, and instructional videos. For full information please visit the PSA website Or visit SAGE: www.psa.ac.uk www.sagepub.com 7JA866 PSA Awards Advert.indd 1 23/11/2017 10:26 It’s a great thrill to co-sponsor the Political Studies Association Annual Awards this year. As proud publishers of the PSA’s suite of journals we have long admired the role they play as one of the major learned societies in the social sciences. Not only has the PSA contributed hugely to research and scholarship in this vibrant field, it has done so by maintaining influential links with policy makers and the media and recognising that the practice and study of politics are deeply intertwined. This awards night is a great way to recognise these interconnecting themes and an opportunity to congratulate some of the most prominent figures in 2017. Given SAGE’s own commitment to social science since our founding over fifty years ago, it is obvious why our two organizations are so deeply aligned. We remain an independent publishing company supporting and championing the work of social scientists globally in the belief that their research can and should influence the development of healthy minds and healthy cultures. But what about the next fifty years? The rise of big data and new technologies presents unique opportunities and challenges for social scientists.