Theda Skocpol named AAPSS Fellow

Theda Skocpol, Ph.D. ’75, is among seven distinguished scholars named  Fellows of the American Academy of Political and Social Science.

The AAPSS, one of the nation’s oldest learned societies, elects fellows in recognition of their contributions to advancement of the social sciences.

Skocpol, the Victor S. Thomas Professor of Government and Sociology at Harvard University, is a sociologist and political scientist whose work has significantly influenced her fields of study. Her body of research has focused on health care reform, public policy, and civic engagement amidst growing inequality and polarization in our democracy. Skocpol is the AAPSS 2022 Frances Perkins Fellow.

“Each year, the academy welcomes a new class of fellows whose influential research showcases the importance of the social sciences in addressing issues ranging from racial and economic inequality to extremism in political parties,” said Marta Tienda, president of AAPSS. “The 2022 class of AAPSS Fellows includes social and political scientists whose distinguished scholarship has and continues to elevate prominent policy discussions.”

With the addition of the 2022 inductees, there will be 152 fellows of the academy in total. Most are university-based scholars responsible for research that has changed our understanding of human behavior and the world in which we live; others are public servants who have used research and evidence in institutions of government to improve the common good.

Past recipients from Harvard include Raj Chetty, Howard Gardner, Lawrence Bobo, Martha Minow, and Steven Pinker.