Talcott Parsons Prize
First awarded in 1974, this prize was established to recognize significant contributions to the social sciences (broadly defined). An effort is made to rotate the prize among the various social science disciplines, including law, history, and linguistics. The prize was originally called the Social Science Prize for the Academy of Arts and Sciences when established in 1971. In October 1976 the award committee proposed to change the name to the Talcott Parsons Prize for Social Science, in honor of the noted sociologist and former Academy president.
Learn more about the American Academy of Arts & Sciences and the prizes it awards.
Recipients
2023
Robert D. Putnam, Harvard University (Political Science)
Prize press release
Honoree introduction and remarks
2019
William Labov, University of Pennsylvania (Linguistics)
Prize press release
Honoree remarks
2016
Joan Wallach Scott, Institute for Advanced Study (History)
Prize press release
Honoree remarks - On Free Speech and Academic Freedom
Daniel Kahneman, Princeton University (Psychology)
Prize press release
Honoree remarks - Two Systems in the Mind
2003
William Julius Wilson, Harvard University (Sociology)
1997
Joseph H. Greenberg, Stanford University (Anthropology, Linguistics)
1992
Daniel Bell, Harvard University (Sociology)
1988
C. Vann Woodward, Yale University (History)
1983
Albert Hirschman, Institute for Advanced Study (Economics)
Robert K. Merton, Columbia University (Sociology)
1977
Robert Dahl, Yale University (Political Science)
1974
Clifford Geertz, Institute for Advanced Study (Anthropology)