David Pion-Berlin, a professor of political science at UCR, is the recipient of the 2019 Alfred Stepan Lifetime Achievement Award in Defense, Public Security and Democracy by the Latin American Studies Association.

Pion-Berlin was selected in December based on significant contributions to the study of civil military relations in Latin America. He has done extensive field work in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Bolivia and made major contributions in the areas of civilian control of the armed forces, the military and authoritarian regimes, the military and democracy, defense institutions, and military missions. 

The Latin American Studies Association, or LASA, is the largest professional organization in the world devoted to the study of the region. Last year, the award was given posthumously to Alfred Stepan, an important figure in the field of comparative politics, for whom the award is named.

In its announcement, LASA stated that it received a deluge of nominations for Pion-Berlin, citing his extensive contributions in scholarship, mentoring, and service. The group also described as a major accomplishment his recent book, “Soldiers, Politicians and Civilians: Reforming Civil-Military Relations in Democratic Latin America,” co-authored with Rafael Martínez.

An award presentation will be held May 25 at the LASA International Conference in Boston.

"When I received notification of the award, I was thrilled and honored,” Pion-Berlin said. “It was, for me, a confirmation that my scholarship had made an impact on so many peers in the field of civil-military relations."