The Social Policy Association Annual Awards

The Social Policy Association is pleased to announce the call for nominations for this year’s awards, sponsored by The Guardian, Cambridge University Press and Policy Press. This year the judges we be our President, Nick Timmins (Financial Times),  Professor Marian Barnes (Brighton) Professor Gary Craig (Hull) and Professor Jan Pahl (Kent)  and judging will be chaired by the Awards Officer, Professor Kirstein Rummery (Stirling). Winners will receive their awards at the special Gala Dinner held during the annual Social Policy Association conference at the University of Edinburgh 29th June-1st July.

All nominators must be members of the Social Policy Association. Please read the rules and criteria for each award carefully before making your nominations. Nominations are invited for the following awards:

Awards

Lifetime Achievement

This award is limited to SPA members and must be nominated by five members of the Social Policy Association. It will be awarded annually to a person the judges feel:

• Has made persistent contributions to research and organisation (of major conferences, influential reports, SPA Exec posts, etc.) that has raised the external profile of the subject; and
• Has achieved recognition by non-academics with interest in social policy - journalists, campaigners and lobbyists, activists, user communities; and
• Has an acknowledged international reputation, as measured in terms of translations, citations, projects, academic posts; and
• Has made contributions to professional bodies and associations; and
• Has had an impact on political process/discourse (advisor to government, consultant to voluntary bodies/local government etc.); and
• Has achieved esteem measured in terms of journal editing/establishing, promotion of social policy within other social sciences, membership of research councils or similar bodies.

Nominations for this award must be accompanied by the candidate’s full CV.

Best Newcomer

This award will be granted to a lecturer/researcher who is within five years of their first post-graduation post, and who is judged to have made a significant early contribution to the field of social policy. They must be nominated by two members of the Social Policy Association and must themselves be members. The judges may use (but are not limited to) the following criteria in making their decision:

• Evidence of a significant publications record: eg books  and book chapters published; articles in key Social Policy journals; cited works; presentations at key national and international conferences, and/or
• Evidence of a significant contribution made to the teaching of social policy: eg contribution to authored or edited textbooks; development of new degree courses; innovations in teaching methods, and/or
• Evidence of an outstanding record in research for someone early in their career: eg securing of research grants; developing and leading research networks; a significant contribution to the development of research methodologies, and/or
• Evidence of esteem outside the academic community: eg in developing links with user communities; providing advice to voluntary, private and government agencies on policy issues.

Nominations for this award must be accompanied by the candidate’s full CV.

Outstanding Contribution from a Non-academic

This award will be granted to an individual or organization who in the opinion of the judges has made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of social policy, either through campaigning, lobbying, service provision, fundraising, journalism, funding of research, dissemination of research (particularly to practitioners and other non-academic audiences) or through other non-academic means. They must be nominated by two members of the Social Policy Association and the candidates do not need to be members of the SPA (but will be strongly encouraged to join).

Best New Publication

This award is made to the author/s of any book, book chapter or article in an academic or other general periodical published between July 2007 and July 2008. It should make a significant contribution to the discipline of Social Policy as judged by the award panel.  This can be in terms of advancement of theoretical or empirical understanding, or as a contribution to teaching and learning.  Thus, the definitive general textbook is not excluded. Nominations can be made by any two members of the SPA and the candidate/s need not be a member(s) of the SPA (but will be strongly encouraged to join).  Publishers cannot nominate publications for this award. A full copy of the publication must be included with the nomination form – this will be returned to the nominator when judging is complete.

Best Postgraduate Paper

This award is made to the author/s of any conference paper presented at a national or international social policy conference between July 2007 and July 2008 (including the Social Policy Association’s annual conference, and national postgraduate conferences) The author/s of the paper must have been studying for a recognised postgraduate qualification at the time of the presentation.  The subject matter of the paper must be directly related to and promote a greater understanding of the discipline of Social Policy. The paper must be fully written up (abstracts and/or overheads are not acceptable) and be of publishable quality. The winner of this award will have their paper published in Social Policy Review.

Nominations can be made by any two members of the SPA and the candidate/s need not be a member(s) of the SPA (but will be strongly encouraged to join).  A full copy of the publication must be included with the nomination form – this will be returned to the nominator when judging is complete.