DPIR alumnus Dr Daniel Barker Flores wins top APSA Award for best dissertation in the field of comparative politics
Congratulations to DPIR alumnus Dr Daniel Barker Flores, who has won the American Political Science Association’s (APSA) Gabriel A Almond Award for the best dissertation in the field of comparative politics.
Dr Barker Flores’ award-winning thesis is entitled ‘Coercion, Capital, and The Latin American City: Understanding Territorial Control and Governance in Marginalised Urban Communities’.
It examines why some Latin American cities are successful at reducing the power of armed criminal groups in poor neighbourhoods and establishing effective government control, while others are not. Furthermore, it identifies the factors that help governments gain and maintain authority in these areas.
Dr Barker Flores is currently a Senior Teaching Associate at the University of Hong Kong’s Department of Politics and Public Administration, prior to which he studied for a DPhil in Politics at DPIR. He was also a lecturer in International Relations at Pembroke College.
Dr Barker Flores is currently developing research articles exploring the politics of police reform, how organised criminal groups influence subnational democracy, and how gangs construct systems of local-level order in urban settings.
APSA recognises and honours the work of various scholars who have made outstanding contributions to political science research, teaching and service through its awards program.
This year’s winners will be honoured at the 2026 APSA Awards Reception in Boston, MA during the 2026 APSA Annual Meeting and Exhibition in September this year.
