2019 Best Article Award honors Professor İlter Turan

Congratulations to IAPSS Politikon authors (both from Volume 39 of the journal) Paola Imperatore (University of Pisa) and Adil Nussipov (Central European University) who share this year’s award. We also express our sincere gratitude to all members of our evaluation committee, namely Chair and honouree of this year’s award Professor İlter Turan (Istanbul Bilgi University, IPSA Past President), senior members Professor Yuko Kasuya (Keio University, IPSA EC member and Publications Subcommittee Chair), Professor Petri Koikkalainen (University of Lapland, ECPR EC member and Training Subcommittee Chair), and junior member Rafael Plancarte-Escobar (Autonomous University of Querétaro, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of IAPSS Politikon).

The Award Committee concluded that both articles stood out equally for the innovative questions they raised as well as the methodological and theoretical coherence they displayed and decided that the Award be divided between the two authors. The Award Committee also noted that, though employing different modes of analysis, both articles stood out for the sophisticated operationalization of variables and use of data followed by penetrating analysis. The articles represent notable contributions to their respective subfields of Social Movements and International Organizations. While Imperatore’s article contributes to understanding the frames and discursive strategies present in the protest campaigns against infrastructure projects in the case of Italy, Nussipov’s paper, employing a quantitative model, helps us understand why International Organizations allow or deny access to Transnational Actors in their policymaking process.

Paola Imperatore commented upon receiving the Award: 'After the IAPSS international conference on “Diversity and Globalization” I had the opportunity to publish with Politikon, the IAPSS journal. Considering the value and the professionalism of this journal and its scientific committee, I then decided to submit my paper to Politikon. This was my first experience with such an important journal and I have learned a lot from it. During the process of review I received several feedbacks, which have been fundamental to improve my research and to reinforce my methodology. It has been at the same time stimulating and laborious, and both the work of peer reviewers and that of editorial board revealed pivotal for my academic development and allowed me to face future opportunities with more competence. Their work allowed me to publish in Politkon, one of the best journals in political science area, and, at the end, also to win the Politikon Best Article Award 2019, an important recognition which made be proud.'

Adil Nussipov praised the journal's evaluation procedures as well. In his words: 'Being graduate or PhD student, it is extremely challenging to compete with well-established researchers and get your work published in the top journals of your field. Politikon is unique in that sense, as it is aimed at graduate and PhD students and allows them to get skills and experience of going through article submission and revision process which are essential for anyone willing to join the academia. The experience of going through article submission and peer-review evaluation processes was of the highest academic standards. Not only I learned about this whole procedure, I also significantly improved my paper based on the feedback received. Politikon allowed me to share my little contribution to IR literature with a wider audience and start a dialogue with like-minded students.'

All research papers published in the 2019 issues of IAPSS Politikon will be automatically considered for the Best Article Award 2020. 

The Editorial Board thanks Maheen Shafeeq, IAPSS Design Coordinator, for preparing the certificate design.