Juliette and Alexander L. George Outstanding Political Psychology Book Award

The Juliette and Alexander L. George Outstanding Political Psychology Book Award is given for the best book published in the field of political psychology during the previous calendar year. Befitting the extraordinary and far-reaching contributions to scholarship of Juliette and Alexander George, the award winning work should be one that demonstrates the highest quality of thought and makes a major substantive book-length contribution to the field of political psychology, broadly defined.

The award winner will be determined by an interdisciplinary committee. As judged by the award committee, the book should increase substantially our understanding of an issue (or issues) that is central to the concerns of political psychology and the world in which we live.

How to Nominate:

Published books carrying a 2024 copyright may be nominated for the award by individuals or publishers. Self-nomination is acceptable and encouraged. All nominations must include the following: An argument as to why this particular book deserves the award. A copy of the book should be made available to the Award Committee. To complete a nomination, simply send these materials to the Committee Chair by the deadline.

The award recipient will be strongly encouraged to attend the Annual Meeting and Awards Reception.

2025 Award Committee:

Chair: Bethany Albertson, University of Texas – Austin

Email

Committee: Mirra Noor Milla (Universitas Indonesia), Elif Erisen (Yeditepe University)

THE NOMINATION PROCESS FOR 2025 NOW OPEN.  The deadline for nominations is 15 December 2024. 

Winners will be notified by early April 2025.

First awarded in 2004.

Current Winners

  • 2024 Juliette and Alexander L. George Outstanding Political Psychology Book Award

    Alessandro Nai, University of Amsterdam; and Jürgen Maier, University of Koblenz-Landau
    For Dark Politics: The Personality of Politicians and the Future of Democracy

    Alessandro Nai (University of Amsterdam) and Jürgen Maier’s (University of Koblenz-Landau) book Dark Politics: The Personality of Politicians and the Future of Democracy, published by Oxford University Press, establishes a new frontier in research on the electoral implications of politicians’ personalities. The book introduces new data on the “dark triad” of narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism among electoral candidates worldwide. They explore how “dark” politicians campaign, when they win, how they govern, and which voters find dark personalities appealing. This agenda-setting book has important implications for understanding the rise of dark politics and the future of democracy around the world.

Past Winners

  • 2024 Alessandro Nai and Jürgen Maier (Dark Politics: The Personality of Politicians and the Future of Democracy)
  • 2023 Allison P. Anoll (The Obligation Mosaic: Race and Social Norms in US Political Participation)
  • 2022 John T. Jost (Left and Right: The Psychological Significance of a Political Distinction)
  • 2021 Meghan Condon & Amber Wichowsky (The Economic Other); Steven W. Webster (American Rage: How Anger Shapes Our Politics)
  • 2020 Markus Prior (Hooked: How Politics Captures People’s Interest)
  • 2019 Suzanne Mettler (The Government-Citizen Disconnect)
  • 2018 Evgeny Finkel (Ordinary Jews: Choice and Survival During the Holocaust)
  • 2017 Joshua D. Kerstzer (Resolve in International Politics) and Alex Mintz and Carly Wayne (The Polythink Syndome: US Foreign Policy Decisions On 9/11, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Syria and ISIS)
  • 2016 Marc Hetherington and Thomas Rudolph (Why Washington Won’t Work: Polarization, Political Trust, and the Governing Crisis)
  • 2015 Not Awarded
  • 2014 Christian Welzel (Freedom Rising: Human Empowerment and the Quest for Emancipation)
  • 2013 Ned Lebow (The Politics and Ethics of Identity)
  • 2012 Ervin Staub (Overcoming Evil: Genocide, Violent Conflict and Terrorism)
  • 2011 Claude M. Steele (Whistling Vivaldi: How Stereotypes Affect Us and What We Can Do About It)
  • 2010 Maria Rost Rublee (Nonproliferation norms: Why states choose nuclear restraint)
  • 2009 Sharon R. Krause (Civil Passions: Moral Sentiment and Democratic Deliberation)
  • 2008 Alan S. Zuckerman, Josip Dasovic, and Jennifer Fitzgerald ( Partisan Families: The Social Logic of Bounded Partisanship in Germany and Britain)
  • 2007 Jacques E.C. Hymans (The Psychology of Nuclear Proliferation) Richard R. Lau and David P. Redlawsk (How Voters Decide)
  • 2006 Daniel Bar-Tal and Yona Teichman (Stereotypes and Prejudice in Conflict)
  • 2005 Ned Lebow (Ethnics, Interest and Order: The Tragic Vision of Politics)
  • 2004 James Gibson and Amanda Gouws (Overcoming Intolerance in South Africa: Experiments in Democratic Persuasions)

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