Now Open: 2027 Franklin L. Burdette/Pi Sigma Alpha Award for Best Paper | Deadline: February 10, 2027

2027 Franklin Burdette/Pi Sigma Alpha Award:
Nominations Now Open! 

Deadline: February 10, 2027 at 11:59 PM ET

Submit Award Nominations

The Burdette/Pi Sigma Alpha Award honors the best paper presented at the previous year’s APSA Annual Meeting. The award, supported by Pi Sigma Alpha, is presented at the APSA Annual Meeting and carries a cash prize of $750. Nomination Deadline: February 10, 2027

Nomination Information

• Eligibility: Self-nominations are accepted. Nominees do not have to be members of APSA, affiliated with an institution in the United States, or an American citizen in order to be considered for an award.Annual Meeting program division chairs are invited to nominate one paper from their panel.Papers must have been presented at the previous year’s APSA Annual Meeting (eligible papers for the 2027 award were presented at the 2026 meeting).

Meet Conner Joyce, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the School of Politics, Economics and Global Affairs at IE University

Conner Joyce Receives the 2026 Franklin L. Burdette/Pi Sigma Alpha Award for “Political Action in the Dark Web: Political Mobilization and Radicalization in Illicit Digital Networks”

Conner Joyce is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the School of Politics, Economics and Global Affairs at IE University. His research considers the impact of digital technology on international security. He studies how technology can facilitate the emergence of security threats from non-state actors and how state actors can cooperate to mitigate these threats. Prior to joining IE University, he received his PhD in Political Science from Rice University.