DPIR teachers in IR win top awards from British International Studies Association

DPIR’s Professor Sir Adam Roberts and Professor Patricia Owens have been awarded top prizes by the British International Studies Association (BISA) at its annual conference on June 4.

Congratulations also to the Department’s Professor Inken von Borzyskowski, who received an honourable mention.

Professor Sir Adam Roberts, Senior Research Fellow of the Centre for International Studies, was awarded the Distinguished Contribution Prize.

The prize recognises sustained contributions to the promotion of excellence in the discipline of International Studies over the course of a career.

The judges remarked: ‘We came to our decision to award the prize to Adam due to the strength of his contributions in research, engagement and impact, and leadership in international studies, in particular. 

‘We were impressed by his outstanding, sustained publication record and his established research expertise in international studies across several key areas including international theory, war studies, and area studies.’

Professor Sir Roberts said: "This is no time for self-congratulation. In recent years we have witnessed too many instances of poor decision-making by governments, and by citizens. The work goes on."

Meanwhile, Professor of International Relations Patricia Owens won the Susan Strange Best Book Prize for her tome Erased: A History of International Thought Without Men (Princeton University Press, 2025).

The prize is to honour the work of Susan Strange, one of the most influential figures in British International Studies. It is awarded to an outstanding book published in any field of International Studies during the course of the 12 months up to 31 December 2025. 

The judges commented: ‘A bold, fascinating, and genuinely revelatory work, Erasure is an original and significant monograph that will make a lasting contribution to the intellectual history of International Relations. 

‘Grounded in extensive archival research and drawing on rich new primary material, it restores the rightful place of the discipline’s forgotten female pioneers.’

Professor Owens said: "Susan Strange transformed the field by asking big questions about power and the structures that shape world politics. To receive a prize bearing her name is therefore especially meaningful. 

"I am immensely grateful to BISA and to the prize committee, and also to the many colleagues, archivists, students, friends, and readers who helped make the book possible."

The judges also awarded an honourable mention to co-authors Professor Inken von Borzyskowski and Felicity Vabulas for Exit from International Organizations: Costly Negotiations for Institutional Change (Cambridge University Press, 2025).

The judges remarked: 'This excellent book offers an exemplary and highly original account of withdrawal from international organisations, making a major contribution to the study of global governance. 

'Built on extensive data collection and multi-archival research, it develops a unique dataset that underpins both its empirical findings and its theoretical innovations.'

BISA is a leading voice in International Studies in the UK and abroad which develops and promotes International Studies through its publications, research, academic networks and funding opportunities.