The Canadian Political Science Association announces the sixth biennial competition for the Vincent Lemieux Prize. The CPSA will award the prize, named after the eminent political scientist Professor Vincent Lemieux of the Université Laval, to the author of the best PhD thesis submitted at a Canadian university, in 2007 or 2008, in English or in French, in any sub-field of political science.

Rules

• The Vincent Lemieux Prize will be awarded to the best thesis in any sub-field of political science, written in English or in French, judged eminently worthy of publication in the form of a book or articles.
  
  
• A thesis is eligible only after nomination by the department of political science in which it was defended. A department in which five or fewer theses were defended in the two-year period may nominate one candidate. If six to ten were defended in the same period, two may be nominated. For those departments with more than ten completed PhDs, three thesis may be nominated.
  
  
• A distinguished prize jury has been appointed by the Canadian Political Science Association, which administers the prize.
  
  
• For the 2009 award, a thesis must have been defended in 2007 or 2008.
  
  
• The deadline for submission of the copies of the theses is 15 January 2009.
  
  
• The Prize winner will be announced at the 2009 Conference of the Canadian Political Science Association, to be held in Ottawa.
  
  
• The Prize winner will receive a commemorative certificate and a cheque in the amount of $1000.
  
  
• Department of Political Science Chairpersons are invited to mail one copy of each thesis submitted for adjudication directly to each member of the Prize Jury and the office of the CPSA at the addresses provided below. Packages must be clearly marked VINCENT LEMIEUX PRIZE ENTRY.
  

Vincent Lemieux Prize Jury
Canadian Political Science Association
Suite 204, 260 Dalhousie Street
Ottawa, ON
K1N 7E4

2009
Vincent Pouliot (University of Toronto)
Security Community In and Through Practice: The Power Politics of Russian-NATO Diplomacy

Excerpt from the jury report:
Vincent Pouliot’s dissertation is impressive on multiple levels. It draws on a broad range of theories in fields ranging from international relations to the sociology of knowledge. It is based on highly detailed research, including interviews in North America, Western Europe, and Russia. It is elegantly written. The empirical analysis of the post-Cold War evolution of Russia-NATO relations is highly convincing. Most importantly, the dissertation is highly innovative theoretically. It breaks new theoretical ground in an analysis of security communities without prior collective identity formation, as well as in a sophisticated account of the priority of practical knowledge and habitus to consequentialist and normative reasoning. Overall, the author makes major methodological advances in constructivist theory and international relations generally, including developing the method of “subjectivism” to interpret the behaviour of (international) actors.

2007
Ellen Gutterman (University of Toronto)
On Corruption and Compliance: Explaining State Compliance with the 1997 OECD Anti-Bribery Convention

Excerpt from the jury report:
Gutterman's thesis provides a compelling analysis of why states choose to comply or not comply with important international norms and agreements, through a comparative analysis of the response of four relatively similar states (the United States, Germany, France, and the UK) to the OECD's 1997 Anti-Bribery Convention. She provides a novel theoretical interpretation of the puzzle of(non)compliance, focusing on non-materialist considerations concerning the way in which an international norm is articulated within particular domestic political and normative contexts. Her theoretical ideas are well supported by richly textured comparative case studies. Gutterman's combination of theoretical and methodological sophistication, excellent case-based analysis,and clear and compelling presentation mark this out as a particularly outstanding thesis in an area of great interest and importance within the field of international relations.

2005
Steven Lecce (University of Western Ontario)
Liberal Equality: A Contractual Defence

Excerpt from the jury report:
Lecce’s thesis attempts to rescue liberal pluralism, and thereby liberal democracy, from “perfectionists” who would privilege certain interests and values over others. The thesis is admirable for its lucid writing, thorough and careful analysis, and original contribution to the continuing debate over liberalism. It also offers an excellent overview of the history of liberal thought, by examining three seminal debates: Locke vs. Proast, Mill vs. Stephen, and Hart vs. Devlin. The argument in favour of ethical neutrality in the public sphere is particularly thought-provoking for Canadians, who live in an unusually diverse yet peaceful society.

2003
Cornelius Chipoma (University of Toronto)
Beyond Participation: Mapping the Institutional Dimensions of Collective Action in Zambia

Excerpt from the jury report:
The Chipoma dissertation on collective action in Zambia is intellectually rich, and is developed out of extensive field research. The amount of field research done by Chipoma is truly remarkable and worthy of distinction. The author provides a strong theoretical justification for his selection of cases, and provides detailed treatment of theoretical perspectives on empowerment, institutional analysis and social capital, making an original theoretical contribution through the concept of "political capital". The case studies demonstrate the crucial role that leadership plays in collective action. The dissertation was audacious in its scope and execution, and has significant implications for the way aid programs are administered and implemented.

2003
Martin Horak (University of Toronto)
Institutional Change and Post-Communist Government Performance

Excerpt from the jury report:
The Horak thesis on post-communist government performance is a model for a dissertation in comparative politics. In addressing this extremely important subject, he provides a convincing theoretical argument justifying a middle ground between the "structure of the state" and "post-communist legacy" perspectives on effective democratic governance. The case studies are well-chosen in that they maximize leverage from the study of governance in a single city. The author makes good use of interview material and provides one of the best analyses drawing out implications for other research in his conclusions.

2001
Elizabeth Louise Moore (University of Toronto)
Science, Internationalization and Policy Networks: Regulating Genetically-Engineered Food Crops in Canada and the United States, 1973-1998

Excerpt from the jury report:
A well-written, state-of the art discussion of an important policy issue and topic. Leading edge concepts applied carefully to a complex case study. The strength of this thesis lies in the clarity of its presentation. The comparative dimension is strong and informative. The historical chronology and policy adaptations are expertly handled. The material is complex but unobtrusively incorporated into political analysis. The sources are unimpeachable.

1999
Jean-Rodrigue Paré (Queen's University)
La nation, la culture et la science. Les visages de l'engagement dans l'oeuvre de Max Weber

Excerpt from the jury report:
This thesis, which discusses commitment in Max Weber’s work, offers a very exciting reading of Weber’s contribution from an unusual angle. The author essentially emphasizes the connections between political commitment and science in Weber’s work and emphasizes the fact that these two aspects mutually support each other. In support of this thesis, Jean-Rodrigue Paré returns to the writings of the young Weber, which suggested that science must be used to serve the nation. Then, at the turn of the century, Weber focused his work on the philosophy of commitment, which ultimately results in the sociology of rational action, based on the normative nature of logical consequence as a condition for effective commitment.

The jury felt that the author develops a careful analysis of the progression of Weber’s work, in relation to the subject and its inclusion in the social and political environment. The arguments are methodical and strong and the author demonstrates excellent knowledge of the work and a highly developed analytical ability applied to the history of ideas. The author shows that he has a very good comprehension of at least three languages. This publication is a solid contribution to the history of ideas and its quality is evident. The jury notes that there are very few studies of political philosophy and is proud to encourage work in that area. This award-winning thesis is special in that it was written in French at an English-language university. The jury congratulates the author for the innovative character of his analysis and the suitability of his work for publication in a book.