American Political Science Association’s Award Given for Best Published Book on Women and Politics

Northeastern University associate professor of sociology, Kathrin Zippel, was the co-winner of the 2007 Victoria Schuck award, given each year from the American Political Science Association to the author of the best book published on women and politics. Titled “The Politics of Sexual Harassment: A Comparative Study of the United States, the European Union, and Germany,” Zippel’s book offers a detailed, nuanced and well-researched comparative analysis of legal measures against workplace sexual harassment on both sides of the Atlantic.

“It is a great honor to receive this award,” Zippel said. “As a sociologist, I am particularly proud and pleased about the recognition of my work by political scientists. This demonstrates the increased importance of doing work across disciplinary boundaries as pioneered by the innovative, interdisciplinary research in Women’s and Gender Studies and as illustrated by the formation of the School of Social Sciences, Urban Affairs and Public Policy at Northeastern University,” Zippel said.

The book answers crucial questions such as why states and supranational organizations have responded to the problem of sexual harassment with different laws and employer policies, and why the United States was on the forefront of policy and legal solutions. Zippel delves into the politicization of workplace sexual harassment in the U.S. and compares these dynamics to important reforms in the European Union devised to prevent abuse in the workplace.

“Zippel has made a stunning contribution to the discipline’s understanding of sexual inequity, transnational politics, social movements, law and public policy,” said Amy Elman, chair of the 2007 Schuck Committee. “Zippel’s work is a must-read for comparativists, scholars of EU politics, social movements, public policy and political culture,” Elman said.

The award carries a prize of $1,000 and was developed to honor Victoria Schuck’s life-long commitment to women and politics and recognizes and encourages research and publication in this field. Schuck took her Ph.D. in 1937 from Stanford University and played a leading role in opening doors for women in the profession. She was not only an outstanding mentor for women, but her service in senior administrative roles at Mt. Holyoke and Mount Vernon College opened doors for future generations of women leaders.

Zippel was presented the award August 30 at the APSA meetings in Chicago.

Zippel will be on sabbatical leave from Northeastern University for the 2007/2008 academic year as a Visiting Scholar at the Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies at Harvard University.

For more information, please contact Jason Kornwitz at 617-373-5471 or j.kornwitz@neu.edu.

About Northeastern
Founded in 1898, Northeastern University is a private research university located in the heart of Boston. Northeastern is a leader in interdisciplinary research, urban engagement, and the integration of classroom learning with real-world experience. The university’s distinctive cooperative education program, where students alternate semesters of full-time study with semesters of paid work in fields relevant to their professional interests and major, is one of the largest and most innovative in the world. The University offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs leading to degrees through the doctorate in six undergraduate colleges, eight graduate schools, and two part-time divisions. For more information, please visit www.northeastern.edu