The Cambridge University Press Awards for Excellence in Social Policy Scholarship recognises articles published in each of the SPA journals (Journal of Social Policy, Social Policy & Society, and the Journal of International & Comparative Social Policy) which display excellence in social policy scholarship.
Articles shortlisted and judged must display this through challenging boundaries of existing understanding, contributing to promoting an expansion of at least one area of research, teaching, practice and theoretical agendas, displaying excellence of research design, methodology and evidence-base, and engaging the interest of the journals readership.
For further details head over to the Social Policy Association's website.
In honour of the 2023 Social Policy Association Conference, enjoy temporary free access to this year's winning articles, nominated articles, and our full archive of past winners where not already open access.
2023 Winning Articles
Cambridge University Press Award for Excellence in Social Policy Scholarship – Journal of Social Policy
"Can Robots Understand Welfare? Exploring Machine Bureaucracies in Welfare-to-Work", Mark Considine, Michael Mcgann, Sarah Ball & Phuc Nguyen, JSP Volume 51, Issue 3.
Cambridge University Press Award for Excellence in Social Policy Scholarship – Social Policy and Society
"Self-funders: still by-standers in the English social care system", Melanie Henwood Steve McKay, Jon Glasby, Catherine Needham, SPS Volume 21, Issue 2
Cambridge University Press Award for Excellence in Social Policy Scholarship – Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy
“Lone mothers and child support receipt in 21 European countries", Mia Hakovirta and Merita Mesiäislehto, JICSP Volume 38, Issue 1
CUP Award for Excellence in Social Policy Scholarship – Journal of Social Policy 2023 Shortlist
CUP Award for Excellence in Social Policy Scholarship – Social Policy and Society 2023 Shortlist
CUP Award for Excellence in Social Policy Scholarship – Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy 2023 Shortlist
Previous Winning Articles
2022
Cambridge University Press Award for Excellence in Social Policy Scholarship – Journal of Social Policy
"Second Earners and In-Work Poverty in Europe", H. Xavier Jara Tamayo and Daria Popova, JSP Volume 50, Issue 3.
Cambridge University Press Award for Excellence in Social Policy Scholarship – Social Policy and Society
"Deservingness and Uneven Geographies of Asylum Accommodation", Paolo Novak, SPS Volume 20, Issue 3
Cambridge University Press Award for Excellence in Social Policy Scholarship – Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy
“Precarious but popular? The German mini-job scheme in comparative research on work and welfare", Regina Konle-Siedl, JICSP Volume 37, Issue 3
2021
Cambridge University Press Award for Excellence in Social Policy Scholarship – Journal of Social Policy
"Children and their Rights and Entitlements in EU Welfare States", Mary Daly, JSP Volume 49, Issue 2.
Cambridge University Press Award for Excellence in Social Policy Scholarship – Social Policy and Society
"Modern Monetary Theory and the Changing Role of Tax in Society", Andrew Baker and Richard Murphy, SPS Volume 19, Issue 3
Cambridge University Press Award for Excellence in Social Policy Scholarship – Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy
“Worlds of last-resort safety nets? A proposed typology of minimum income schemes in Europe”, Marcello Natili, JICSP Volume 36, Issue 1
2020
Cambridge University Press Award for Excellence in Social Policy Scholarship – Journal of Social Policy
“Reconfiguring Rights in Austerity Britain: Boundaries, Behaviours and Contestable Margins”, Lydia Morris, JSP Volume 48, Issue 2
Cambridge University Press Award for Excellence in Social Policy Scholarship – Social Policy and Society
"Understanding the Prevalence and Drivers of Food Bank Use: Evidence from Deprived Communities in Glasgow", Mary Anne MacLeod, Angela Curl and Ade Kearns, SPS Volume 18, Issue 1
2019
Cambridge University Press Award for Excellence in Social Policy Scholarship – Journal of Social Policy
"Social Transfers and Child Poverty in European Countries: Pro-poor Targeting or Pro-child Targeting?" Elena Bárcena-Martín, M. Carmen Blanco-Arana and Salvador Pérez-Moreno, JSP Volume 47, Issue 4
Cambridge University Press Award for Excellence in Social Policy Scholarship – Social Policy and Society
"A Flawed Construct? Understanding and Unpicking the Concept of Resilience in the Context of Economic Hardship", Paul Hickman, SPS Volume 17, Issue 3
2018
Cambridge University Press Award for Excellence in Social Policy Scholarship – Journal of Social Policy
"We Need to Talk about Impact: Why Social Policy Academics need to Engage with the UK’s Research Impact Agenda", Katherine Smith and Ellen Stewart, JSP Volume 46, Issue 1
Cambridge University Press Award for Excellence in Social Policy Scholarship – Social Policy and Society
"Universal Credit: Assumptions, Contradictions and Virtual Reality" Jane Millar and Fran Bennett, SPS Volume 16, Issue 2