Professor Phillip M. Ayoub (UCL Political Science) Wins LGBTQA Outstanding Scholar Award

Professor Phillip M. Ayoub of the Department of Political Science at University College London (UCL) has been awarded the LGBTQA Outstanding Scholar Award by the International Studies Association

Congratulations to Professor Phillip M. Ayoub of the Department of Political Science at University College London, who has been awarded the LGBTQA Outstanding Scholar Award by the International Studies Association. Internationally recognised as a leading scholar, this honour reflects his outstanding contribution to political science and LGBTQ+ research.

The award recognises a senior scholar whose body of work has made significant and sustained contributions to the study of LGBTQ+ issues in international relations and political science, including excellence in research, teaching, and service to the field.

Professor Ayoub’s research examines how struggles around gender and sexuality intersect with global politics. His work bridges international relations and comparative politics, focusing on transnational activism, social movements, and the diffusion of norms related to LGBTQ+ rights across states.

Commenting on the award, Professor Ayoub said:

I am very grateful for this recognition and to those who nominated me for it. My work has always been shaped by collaborations with colleagues, students, and activists who are committed to understanding how struggles around gender and sexuality intersect with global politics. I feel especially fortunate to be part of the Department of Political Science at UCL, which has been an incredibly supportive and intellectually vibrant space for pursuing this research and teaching. This award reflects the

Phillip Ayoub headshot

The recognition comes alongside a series of recent awards for Professor Ayoub’s latest book, The Global Fight Against LGBTI Rights: How Transnational Conservative Networks Target Sexual and Gender Minorities, co-authored with Kristina Stoeckl. The book examines the global networks and strategies behind resistance to LGBTQ+ rights and draws on more than a decade of fieldwork and interviews with activists and policymakers.

Over the past year, the book has received multiple international prizes, including:

  • Silver Medal, LGBTQ+ Non-Fiction category, Independent Publisher Book Awards (2025)
  • Sage/CQ Press Award, American Political Science Association (2025)
  • Best Book Award, Human Rights Section, American Political Science Association (2025)
  • Donald Haider-Markel Best Book in the Study of Sexuality and Politics Award, American Political Science Association (2025)
  • Best Book Award, LGBTQA Caucus, International Studies Association (2025)

These recognitions highlight the book’s impact on scholarship examining global politics, social movements, and human rights, as well as the growing importance of research on sexuality and gender in international relations.