Network Announcement: Peter Mair Prize
The Political Parties, Party Systems and Elections Research Network invites nominations for the Peter Mair Prize, awarded to the best paper on political parties, party systems, and elections presented at the CES Conference of Europeanists (Dublin 2026). The winner will receive a $300 prize, awarded to the author(s) of the best paper presented at the conference.
Eligibility and Scope
Papers should address topics related to political parties, party systems, and elections. Both single-case and comparative studies, as well as qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods approaches, are welcome. Submissions should be close to publication-ready and demonstrate strong theoretical grounding, methodological rigor, and empirical contribution. The prize particularly encourages submissions from early-career scholars. Only CES Research Network members presenting a paper at the conference are eligible for the award.
Nomination Process
- Within two weeks after the conference (no later than 3 July 2026), Panel Chairs of the Research Network may nominate the best paper presented in their respective panels.
- Active CES members may also nominate one paper from panels not chaired by Research Network members, including their own.
- Please email the selected paper to the Research Network Chairs with the subject line: Nomination for Peter Mair Prize: Research Network Awards
Evaluation
A shortlist of nominated papers (in case of more than 10 papers submitted a preselection will be guaranteed by the chairs of the RN) will be evaluated by an external committee of scholars with expertise in the relevant research areas. The selection will be based on originality, theoretical contribution, methodological quality, and overall scholarly excellence.
The selection process will be completed in autumn 2026, when the winning paper will be announced online.