Susan Strange Best Book Prize 2025 shortlist announced

We are delighted to announce the shortlist for this year’s Susan Strange Best Book Prize. Three excellent books made the list, and these will be judged by a committee appointed by Professor Lee Jarvis. 

Lee said: 

“As is always the case with this prize, we received an exceptionally strong list of nominations this year, really showcasing the vibrancy and strength of our field. The books engaged with issues, case studies, theories and methods from across the discipline of International Relations and the shortlisting process was an extremely competitive one. The shortlist books all push the field of International Studies forward in important new directions, and were selected for their originality, extraordinary scholarship, and innovative perspectives. I offer my huge congratulations to the shortlisted authors, and my thanks to all those colleagues involved in this process.” 

Here are the books which made the shortlist (in alphabetical order by book title): 

• Depletion: The Human Costs of Caring, by Shirin Rai (Oxford University Press)

• Sick of It: The Global Fight for Women’s Health, by Sophie Harman (Virago)

• Struggles for the Human: Violent Legality and the Politics of Rights, by Lara Montesinos Coleman (Duke University Press).

All books were published in 2024. 

The Susan Strange Best Book Prize is awarded for an outstanding book published in any field of International Studies. The aim of the Prize is to honour the work of Susan Strange and to recognise outstanding current work being conducted in the discipline. 

The winner will be announced at our annual conference on 18-20 June, 2025 in Belfast. Book your place now. 

Photo by Ed Robertson on Unsplash