Dr Nic Cheeseman has won PSA Arthur McDougall Prize

Dr Nic Cheeseman has won this year`s PSA Arthur McDougall Prize for Best Dissertation in Elections, Electoral Systems or Representation, for his thesis, ‘The Rise and Fall of Civil Authoritarianism in Africa: Patronage, Participation in Political Parties in Kenya and Zambia`
This year`s judge, Professor David Farrell, said: This dissertation merits the McDougall Prize for a number of reasons, principal among them that it is extremely well embedded in a very wide body of theoretical and comparative literature; it is informed by a very impressive store of primary material, including a large number of in-depth elite interviews in some instances with leading actors (the extensive range of primary material is all the more impressive given the nature of the case studies); it is well-written with a strong structure maintained throughout and makes a very persuasive case, a case that - significantly, given the nature of this prize - provides unimpeachable evidence of just how much political parties can and do matter. In short, this is a case of hard graft resulting in an authoritative and complete account, one that provides plenty of added value. This dissertation is a very deserving winner.