Cover of North American Society for Social Philosophy (NASSP)

North American Society for Social Philosophy (NASSP)

NASSP Book Award

Each year, the North American Society for Social Philosophy honors the book published that year that makes the most significant contribution to social philosophy with the NASSP Book Prize. "Social philosophy" is construed broadly, including social and political philosophy, philosophy of law, philosophy of social science, and social ethics. Excluded from consideration are anthologies, historical studies, works on ethics that lack a distinctly social component as well as works on a social topic that lack a substantial philosophical component. The Prize is presented at our annual conference, where the author receives a plaque and participates in a panel presentation concerning the book.  The winning book and other nominated books are displayed at the conference and publicized in our newsletter and in our refereed journal, The Journal of Social Philosophy

Previous Award Winners (selection)

  • Amartya Sen, The Idea of Justice (Harvard University Press, 2009)
  • G. A. Cohen, Rescuing Justice and Equality (Harvard University Press, 2008)
  • Will Kymlicka, Multicultural Odysseys: Navigating the New International Politics of Diversity (Oxford University Press, 2007)
  • Lucas Swaine, The Liberal Conscience (Columbia University Press, 2006)
  • Larry May, Crimes Against Humanity: A Normative Account (Cambridge University Press, 2005)
  • Seyla Benhabib, The Rights of Others: Aliens, Residents, and Citizens (Cambridge University Press, 2004

NASSP Travel Grants for International Presenters

The NASSP has limited funds for travel to the conference site for presenters living outside the U.S. and Canada. If you are interested, please indicate this at the time that you receive the acceptance e-mail.

NASSP Conference Awards for Graduate Students

To promote new scholarship focusing on social philosophy and to encourage student participation, the North American Society for Social Philosophy has established the NASSP Awards for Best Graduate Student Papers. These awards give special recognition to papers to be read by a graduate student at the NASSP annual conference. The winners of the annual prizes will each receive $300 upon attendance at the annual International Social Philosophy Conference, and will be honored at the conference. The prizes are awarded only to conference attendees, though there is no obligation to use the money for conference-related costs. Any graduate student enrolled in a program towards a degree beyond the B.A. or first university diploma is eligible. The paper should be consistent with the framework of those presented at the International Social Philosophy Conference, addressing any topic in social philosophy. The papers will be evaluated by a three-member committee. The evaluation criteria include originality and quality of philosophical writing. Papers may be drawn from thesis work or intended for eventual publication, must not exceed 3,000 words, and must conform to the requirements set out by the APA for colloquium submissions to annual Divisional meetings.