Research Committees

Established in 2004. Last edition: 2024.

For the 2024 edition, go to the RC website. 

The ISA Research Committee on the Sociology of Law established the Podgórecki Prize in 2004, to honour the memory of Adam Podgórecki, the founding father of RCSL and a leading figure within the international sociological community.

A jury of RCSL, chosen by the RCSL President, awards the prize annually for outstanding achievements in socio-legal research, in alternate years for either distinguished and outstanding lifetime achievements, or outstanding scholarship of a socio-legal researcher at an earlier stage of his or her career.

The prize for lifetime achievements will be awarded as an honorary prize, symbolised by a commemorative certificate, to honour outstanding and exemplary colleagues who have produced guiding and inspiring work. The prize for emerging socio-legal scholars will be a commemorative certificate and a money prize, to honour and encourage colleagues that have yet to leave a mark on the international level of production of socio-legal research but who have published one or more significant works within no later than 10 year of his or her doctorate.

Purpose

In honour and memory of the lifetime achievements of Adam Podgórecki and his inaugurate place in the history of RCSL, the Board of RCSL established the annual RCSL-ISA Podgórecki Prize at its 2004 meeting. Gifts from donors have made it possible to endow the Prize.

Eligibility

The Prize is awarded for outstanding achievements in socio-legal research, either (1) in the form of distinguished and outstanding lifetime achievements in one year or (2) in the form of outstanding scholarship of a socio-legal researcher at an earlier stage of his or her career, in the next year of the award.

Recognition

1. The prize for lifetime achievements will be awarded as an honorary prize, symbolised by a commemorative certificate, to honour outstanding and exemplary colleagues who have produced guiding and inspiring work.
2. The prize for emerging socio-legal scholars will be a commemorative certificate and two times RCSL 4 years membership free, to honour and encourage colleagues that have yet lo leave a mark on the international level of production of socio-legal research but who have published one or more significant works within no later than 10 year of his or her doctorate (date of reference: 1 January of the first year).

Nominations

Nominations for the RCSL-ISA Adam Podgórecki Prize require two or more supporting RCSL members. Nominations will be solicited every year through the Fall issue of the RCSL Newsletter.

Selection Process

All nominations will be reviewed by an Award Subcommittee, consisting of three socio-legal scholars nominated by the RCSL Board. Publications can be in any language. For works in languages other than those known by the prize committee, the nominators should give some indications of the values of the work and ideally provide selected translations. To consider works in less well-known languages, the Prize committee can co-opt further members and consult with other members of the research committee.

Costs

The money prize awarded to emerging legal scholars amounts to the bi-annually accrued amounts set aside yearly in the Budget of the RCSL.

Timetables

The RCSL Board nominates the Award Subcommittee during the Board annual meeting. Nominations are received by the committee usually by March 15. The Prize is awarded at the RCSL annual meeting (usually June-July).

Institutional Recognition of emergent legal scholars

“The winner of the Podgórecki Prize for emergent legal scholars shall be a non-voting member of the Board for the subsequent two years.” (RCSL Statutes, art. 5.6.)