The Peter Balint Memorial Prize celebrates excellence in political theory and honours the remarkable contributions of Associate Professor Peter Balint. Your support helps nurture new scholarship and strengthen the study of political theory in Australia.
The Peter Balint Memorial Prize honours the life, scholarship, and generosity of spirit of our colleague, Associate Professor Peter Balint. Peter was a distinctive and widely respected voice in political theory — a scholar who combined intellectual rigour with an uncommon humanity. His work explored citizenship, multiculturalism, liberal pluralism, and the ethical demands of living together in diverse societies.
Beyond his published contributions, Peter was known for his warmth, clarity of thought, generosity with students, and commitment to the discipline. He was a mentor who gave his time freely, a colleague who listened deeply, and a teacher who invited others into the most important questions about justice, coexistence, and democratic life.
This prize reflects Peter’s belief that ideas matter — that careful thinking, ethical curiosity, and rigorous scholarship form part of the foundation on which inclusive and resilient democracies rest.
Why This Prize Matters
In a time when the public worth of academic work is increasingly questioned — through defunding, restructuring, and pressures on free inquiry — this prize stands as a reminder of why scholarship is essential. As mentioned in the APSA President’s speech at the APSA Conference 2025, our discipline “keeps watch over democracy,” and that work is precious. Political theory, like all the humanities and social sciences, provides the tools to reason, debate, disagree peacefully, and find evidence-based paths forward.
Your donation helps ensure that this work continues. It supports emerging scholars, strengthens the study of political theory in Australia, and affirms the principle that knowledge production is a public good.
How Your Gift Helps
Your contribution will:
- Fund the annual Peter Balint Memorial Prize, awarded for outstanding scholarship in political theory
- Support early-career and emerging theorists at a crucial stage in their academic development
- Affirm APSA’s commitment to the study of political ideas, democratic health, and free inquiry
- Honour Peter Balint’s legacy as a generous mentor, thinker, and colleague
Your generosity helps sustain this legacy.
Make a Donation
Please use the secure form below to make a tax-deductible donation via PayPal.
All gifts over $2 to the Australian Political Studies Association Limited (APSA) are fully deductible. For any donations above $250, please reach out to us directly at info@auspsa.org.au.