King's College London

Professor Nicola Phillips from the Department of Political Economy (School of Politics & Economics, King’s College London) has been granted the 2018 J. Ann Tickner Award by the International Studies Association. This award recognises someone who, following in the footsteps of J. Ann Tickner – an eminent feminist international relations theorist – ‘consistently combines bravery in pursuing high-quality, pioneering scholarship that pushes the boundaries of the discipline with a deep commitment to service, especially teaching and mentoring’.

The judging committee cited the ways in which Professor Phillips had made a considerable impact on the field by devoting her research career to understanding the concerns of people who are marginalised, dispossessed and vulnerable. Her work investigates how structures in the global political economy facilitate inequality and exploitation, and whether some of the harm caused can be ameliorated by global economic governance. Her most recent research focuses on child labour, forced labour and trafficking of exploited workers as central institutions of value chains that make up the current world economy. Professor Phillips’ insight on this topic has changed our understanding of global value chains and governance of the world economy.

Professor Phillips has made her mark on the international research community, as she has collaborated with researchers from across the globe (including Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, India, the United Kingdom and the United States) and has promoted social science research to communities beyond the academy. She has also committed herself to ensuring the sustainability of the discipline by serving various institutions, supporting the careers of others through mentoring and leadership, and by inspiring a younger generation of scholars and students.

We congratulate Professor Phillips on this incredible accomplishment, and we look forward to seeing how she will continue to help shape the field of International Relations and inspire the academic community at King’s College London and abroad.