Douglas Dillon Book Award
The Douglas Dillon Book Award
for Books of Distinction on the Practice of American Diplomacy
Since 1995, the American Academy of Diplomacy has celebrated distinguished writing about US diplomatic efforts and achievements with an annual award.
The deadline for submission of nominations for this year’s award is August 4, 2023. A committee of Academy members will review nominated books and determine the winner, with concurrence by the Academy’s Board of Directors. The award for the winning entry this year includes a cash prize of $5,000. The awards are customarily presented at the Academy’s Annual Awards Luncheon ceremony in the Benjamin Franklin Room at the US Department of State in the late fall/early winter.
Eligibility Requirements
Submitted books must meet the following four criteria to be accepted for consideration: (1) The book is written by an American citizen, (2) the book is published in the U.S., (3) the book is published within the period of August 3, 2022 to August 2, 2023, and (4) the focus of the book fits within the thematic scope described below.
In selecting the winner, the Academy seeks to honor books, and their authors, dealing with the practice of American diplomacy with emphasis on the way US foreign policy is developed and carried out, rather than international theory, studies of broad foreign policy issues, or analyses of intelligence and security operations. Biographies, autobiographies, and personal memoirs that relate to diplomatic practice and process are welcome. Both official diplomatic relations between governments and non-official “Track Two” and other activities that supplement government-to-government diplomacy fall within the scope of this competition. We are particularly interested in books that focus on the opportunities diplomacy offers as well as its limitations.
Details about the 2023 call for entries can be accessed here: Dillon Award Call for Entries 2023
For any questions or to be added to our distribution list of publishers, please contact academy@academyofdiplomacy.org.
History of Douglas Dillon Book Award Recipients
To access an extended list of previous award winners, click here.
Recipient
Michael Krepon
Winning and Losing the Nuclear Peace: The Rise, Demise and Revival of Arms Control
by Michael Krepon
Published by Stanford University Press
Michael Krepon is the cofounder of the Stimson Center, a prolific author, and the winner of a lifetime achievement award from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace for his work to reduce nuclear dangers.
Winning and Losing the Nuclear Peace tells a remarkable story of high-wire acts of diplomacy, close calls, dogged persistence, and extraordinary success. Michael Krepon brings to life the pitched battles between arms controllers and advocates of nuclear deterrence, the ironic twists and unexpected outcomes from Truman to Trump. What began with a ban on atmospheric testing and a nonproliferation treaty reached its apogee with treaties that mandated deep cuts and corralled “loose nukes” after the Soviet Union imploded.
After the Cold War ended, much of this diplomatic accomplishment was cast aside in favor of freedom of action. The nuclear peace is now imperiled by no less than four nuclear-armed rivalries. Arms control needs to be revived and reimagined for Russia and China to prevent nuclear warfare. New guardrails have to be erected. Winning and Losing the Nuclear Peace is an engaging account of how the practice of arms control was built from scratch, how it was torn down, and how it can be rebuilt.