Distinguished Scholar Award for Dr. Ann Marie Clark

Celebrating the Contributions of Dr. Ann Marie Clark

Prof. Ann Marie Clark has been awarded the prestigious Distinguished Scholar Award by the International Studies Association’s Human Rights Section. The award will be conferred at the 2025 International Studies Association Meeting in Chicago this week, where a panel discussion has been planned to honor her work.

Clark's research has focused on norms and discourse in international relations, the theory and practice of international human rights, and the influence of non-governmental organizations on state behavior. Her work has explored global justice and the ways in which changing ideas about justice take hold in global politics. Additionally, she has delved into the documentation of global human rights activism and issues related to data preservation and use. Her work has contributed significantly to the field of international relations, particularly in the areas of international human rights, and the role of non-governmental organizations. She has chaired 14 Ph.D. dissertations, and her doctoral students have won national and university-level research and dissertation awards.

Professor Clark’s latest book, Demands of Justice: The Creation of a Global Human Rights Practice (Cambridge University Press) draws on original interviews and archival research to trace the evolution of a new international human rights ethos developed by activists in language, law, and practice over the past 50 years. Clark argues that these developments have led to the enrichment of “global justice,” and she takes developments in leading global organizations like Oxfam and Amnesty International as illustrative case studies.

Her first book, Diplomacy of Conscience: Amnesty International and Changing Human Rights Norms (Princeton University Press) was widely influential, highlighting the role of non-state actors in international relations. The book traces the history of Amnesty International’s influence on international politics and identifies the organization’s role in shaping international law.

Another notable project, “Human Rights Texts for Digital Research: Archiving and Analyzing Amnesty International’s Historic 'Urgent Action' Bulletins” at Purdue University, has been instrumental in preserving and analyzing critical human rights documents. She received initial funding through a grant for Enhancing Research in the Humanities and the Arts from Purdue University’s Office of the Vice President for Research. Her recent publication with Bi Zhao, “Who did What for Whom? Amnesty International’s Urgent Actions as activist generated data,” published in the book Quantitative Human Rights Measures and Measurement, highlights the value of these data for understanding changes in human rights concepts and legal standards over time.

Clark's work has garnered national and international recognition. In 2021, she was a U.S. Fulbright Scholar, holding the position of Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Human Rights and Social Justice at the University of Ottawa. In 2002-03 she was a fellow at the prestigious Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC. She is currently participating in a collaborative book project sponsored by the Freie Universität Berlin’s SCRIPTS Cluster of Excellence.

Clark has held several recent leadership positions, including serving on the executive committee of the American Political Science Association (APSA)’s human rights division since 2023. At Purdue, she was instrumental in founding the interdisciplinary minor in Human Rights and co-Directed it for many years.

Ann Marie Clark's contributions to the academic community and her impact on the field of human rights will be appreciated and celebrated for years to come. She recently was named Professor Emerita at Purdue in conjunction with her retirement in January 2025. Her legacy of excellence and dedication to justice continues to inspire colleagues and students alike.