The International Sociological Association Research Committee on Social Transformations and Sociology of Development (ISA RC09) is pleased to announce the 2027 competition for the Best Post-graduate Student Paper Award in sociological research on social transformations.  The winner(s) will present their paper in one of RC09’s scheduled sessions at the XXI ISA Congress of Sociology in Gwangju, South Korea, 4-10 July 2027, and their name(s) will be published in the RC09 Newsletter. The award consists of a certificate with a citation and a monetary prize of EUR 500 for a single-authored paper and EUR 1,000 for a paper with two or more authors. The monetary prize may be used toward expenses for attending the Congress.

Eligibility

The author(s) must be enrolled in a PhD degree programme at a degree-granting institution when the paper is submitted. Employment as academic staff or junior faculty does not disqualify PhD student applicants. 

Both unpublished papers and papers that have been published or accepted for publication are eligible, provided that the paper was written while the author(s) were enrolled in a PhD programme (or equivalent).

Papers co-authored with a faculty advisor or another person holding a PhD (or equivalent) are not eligible.

Papers submitted in a language other than English must be accompanied by an English translation.

The maximum length of the paper is 8,000 words, including the bibliography, and an abstract of no more than 500 words.

Winner(s) must be member(s) of both the ISA and RC09 at the time of receiving the award (in July 2027).

Deadline for submissions: 15 September 2026

Required documents

• an anonymized paper
• an anonymized English translation, if the paper is submitted in a language other than English.
• a brief curriculum vitae* listing the institutions attended, the years of attendance, and the degrees obtained or currently in progress
• a cover letter* including the author(s)’ names, contact details, institutional affiliation(s), paper title
• proof of current enrolment in a PhD programme (e.g., a certificate of enrolment or an official letter from the institution)*
• a signed declaration* confirming that the submission complies with all eligibility requirements, that all information provided is accurate, and that the authors agree to present the paper at the XXI ISA Congress of Sociology if selected.

* Administrative documents (cover letter, CV, proof of enrolment, and declaration) will be used solely to verify eligibility and will not be shared with the jury during the evaluation process.

How to submit?

The paper must follow scholarly standards, including proper referencing and documentation of sources. It should be typed with 2-line spacing, in Times New Roman, 12-point font, on numbered pages on A4 or US Letter paper, with 3 cm margins. Notes and the bibliography should appear at the end. The paper may be formatted in one of these two formats: Adobe PDF (*.pdf) or Word document (*.doc or *.docx). The front page should bear the paper’s title, an abstract, and up to five keywords,  but not the author(s)’ names or affiliations.

The names of degrees must be indicated in the original language; English translation or explanation of equivalency may be added.

Candidates who normally reside in the Economic South (ISA’s Category B/C countries) are encouraged to provide additional details on their residency status and periods spent abroad to be considered for special mention.

Submissions that do not conform to these rules risk rejection. The jury reserves the right to request further details.

Applications must be emailed to isa-rc09@isa-sociology.org, with copies (cc) to dorina.rosca@ase.md and rukmini@aud.ac.in. The subject line should read: “Graduate Student Award 2027”.  The paper and all required supporting documents should be attached to the email. 

Selection process

The papers will be evaluated by an international jury of distinguished scholars. The primary criteria for selection are originality of ideas, social relevance, conceptual rigor, analytical perceptiveness, and clarity of style.

In accordance with RC09’s Award Rules, the jury can decide to split the award, extend special recognition for the best paper from the Economic South (ISA’s Category B/C countries), make honorary mentions of runners-up, or withhold the award. The winner(s) will be notified by email by September 30 2026.