Category: News

Exterior of Cgis Knafel Building

18 Government seniors elected to Phi Beta Kappa

Harvard Sanders Theatre with green trees in front

We are thrilled to announce that 18 Government concentrators from the Class of 2025 have been elected to the prestigious Alpha Iota of Massachusetts, Harvard’s historic chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. The Department of Government proudly congratulates: Oluchi Amadife, Liz Benecchi, Joyce Chen, Mert Geyiktepe, Andrew Gong, Conner Huey, Eric Hwang, Isabelle King, Hazel Koh,…

An extraordinary year: celebrating our prize-winning senior thesis writers

20 senior thesis writer headshots

Each year, we have the privilege of witnessing our senior thesis writers tackle some of the most pressing and complex issues facing our world. This year, our students have truly distinguished themselves—not only through the creativity and rigor of their research, but also through a fantastic array of prizes and honors. We are thrilled to…

Ten senior thesis writers win prestigious Government Prizes

lots of mini gold trophies

We are delighted to announce that ten of our senior thesis writers have received top honors in this year’s Government Prizes, recognizing their extraordinary scholarship and commitment to critical inquiry. Conner Huey, Danny Laughary, Emory Paul, and Mateo Velarde-Berrios have each won the coveted James Gordon Bennett Prize for their thought-provoking theses exploring U.S. policy,…

Melani Cammett and Andrew O’Donohue named Radcliffe Institute Fellows for 2025–2026

Andrew O'Donohue and Melani Cammett

We are proud to announce that two distinguished members of our community—Melani Cammett and Andrew O’Donohue—have been named Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellows for the 2025–2026 academic year. They join the Institute’s 26th class of fellows, a highly selective group that includes leading voices across the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences. Each fellow is selected…

A record eight Government Students awarded the 2025 Hoopes Prize

gold stars confetti on blue background

The Government Department is proud to celebrate eight of our talented undergraduates who have been awarded the 2025 Thomas T. Hoopes Prize, the most in the department’s history. The Hoopes Prize, one of Harvard College’s highest honors, recognizes exceptional scholarly work and research by undergraduates across disciplines for their senior theses. This year’s Government student…

Yuhua Wang named Harvard College Professor for excellence in Undergraduate teaching

Yuhua Wang, Ford Foundation Professor of Modern China Studies, has been named a recipient of the prestigious Harvard College Professorship. This honor, announced by Edgerley Family Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Hopi Hoekstra on May 6, recognizes Wang’s outstanding contributions to undergraduate teaching, mentorship, and research. Wang joins four other distinguished faculty…

Andrew O’Donohue wins APSA Best Conference Paper Award for research on Democratic Backsliding in Turkey

Ph.D. Candidate Andrew O’Donohue has been granted the 2024 Best Conference Paper Award from the American Political Science Association’s (APSA) Law and Courts Section. O’Donohue was recognized for his paper, “Law versus Democracy: Minoritarian Courts, Audience Costs, and Democratic Backsliding in Turkey”, an in-depth study examining how judicial institutions may inadvertently contribute to democratic erosion….

Ashley Adirika named Truman Scholar, honored for her Dedication to Public Service

Ashley Adirika

The Harvard Government Department proudly celebrates Ashley Adirika, a junior concentrator, on being named a 2025 Truman Scholar — one of the most prestigious awards in the nation for students pursuing careers in public service. Ashley was selected alongside fellow Harvard junior Eva Frazier, a Social Studies concentrator, from a competitive pool of 743 candidates…

Melani Cammett and Taeku Lee appointed to American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Melani Cammett and Taeku Lee have been elected to the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences, joining a distinguished class of nearly 250 new members. Their election recognizes their outstanding contributions to political science and public policy, as well as their commitment to advancing research that informs contemporary challenges. Melani Cammett, Clarence Dillon Professor…

Julio Solis Arce and Chengyu Fu Awarded Prestigious Traveling Fellowships for 2025–26

Julio Solis Arce and Chengyu Fu

We are pleased to announce that two Ph.D. candidates from the Department of Government, Julio Solis Arce and Chengyu Fu, have been awarded competitive traveling research fellowships for the 2025–26 academic year. Administered by the Committee on General Scholarships at the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS), these fellowships support…