Dr. Paul Sagar, a Reader in Political Theory at King’s College London, has been awarded the prestigious British and Ireland Association for Political Thought (BIAPT) Mid-Career Prize for his significant contributions to political theory and pedagogy. 

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On September 11, 2026, the British International Association for Political Thought (BIAPT) proudly announced that Dr. Paul Sagar, a Reader in Political Theory in the Department of Political Economy at King’s College London, is the recipient of the BIAPT Mid-Career Prize. The accolade recognizes Dr. Sagar's "seismic contribution to our field over the last decade and a half, bringing a unique scholarly energy to bear on debates in the history of moral philosophy, political ethics, realism, and contemporary normative theory".

Dr. Sagar has notably impacted the field through his scholarly work on the Scottish Enlightenment, reinterpreting renowned thinkers such as Hume, Smith, and Archibald Campbell. His first book, The Opinion of Mankind: Sociability and the Theory of the State from Hobbes to Smith (Princeton UP, 2018), challenges conventional views by emphasizing Hume's progressive concepts over Hobbes's ideas. Following this, his 2022 publication, Adam Smith Reconsidered: Liberty, History, and the Foundations of Modern Politics, has achieved critical acclaim.

His latest work, Basic Equality (Princeton UP, 2026), presents a fresh perspective on human equality by integrating insights from historical anthropology and psychology, while addressing critiques from political realists.

Beyond his academic contributions, Dr. Sagar has made significant strides in pedagogy at King’s College, earning a reputation for his rigorous and engaging seminars. He actively participates in public discourse, addressing contemporary issues affecting democracy and higher education through numerous articles and podcasts.

Upon receiving the award, Dr. Sagar expressed his gratitude, stating:

"I am honoured to receive this prize. If somebody had told me three years ago that I would be collecting an award for my contributions to scholarship and teaching, I would simply not have believed them. I am extraordinarily grateful to the colleagues and friends (political theorists or otherwise) who helped me get to this point. I could not have done it alone."

Dr. Sagar completed his PhD at the University of Cambridge in 2014, having received his BA in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics at the University of Oxfordr and his MA in Intellectual History and the History of Political Thought from the University of London. He started his career as a Junior Research Fellow at King’s College, Cambridge, and since then has been based at the Department of Political Economy, King's College London​.

The award is all the more notable given Dr. Sagar's personal challenges in the preceding years: Having been a keen climber, he was left paralysed after an accident in mid 2023. After eight months in hospital he returned to academia in early 2024, continuing his work to receive this latest award. 

He is also the first person to receive both the early-career award (in 2020) and now the mid-career award from the BIAPT.

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Read more about Dr. Sagar on his LSE Profile Page or his personal website.

You can read Dr. Sagar's open and honest public diary about his recovery after injury and return to academic life on Substack.

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