EDWARD W. SOJA PRIZE

FOR CRITICAL THINKING IN URBAN AND REGIONAL RESEARCH

The Edward W. Soja Prize is an award given to the best work published in the Critical Planning Journal that advances creative, experimental urban scholarship and that speaks to critical issues of socio-spatial justice. The award is named after Edward (“Ed”) Soja (1940–2015) to celebrate his legacy as a passionate advocate for students and as a thought leader whose scholarly contributions push the boundaries of urban scholarship.

During Ed’s tenure at UCLA (1972–2015), he was a tireless advocate for its Urban Planning Ph.D. program, playing a crucial role in securing funding to support large, diverse, and intellectually dynamic planning Ph.D. cohorts. He fostered a robust academic community centered around students that has become foundational to CPJ as a student-led project, and the journal is heavily indebted to Ed’s passionate advocacy. 

Furthermore, the ethos of Ed’s scholarship closely aligns with the core values of CPJ. His innovative approach to theoretical exploration, his commitment to integrating diverse and opposing viewpoints, and his embrace of radical theoretical openness are hallmarks of his intellectual legacy. Today, his work continues to open new research directions for the theoretical and practical understanding of contemporary cities and regions. Ed’s dedication to critical inquiry and insistence upon the spatiality of justice resonates deeply with CPJ’s aspirations. In this spirit, our journal creates space for emerging scholars to present and debate bold and imaginative ideas about pursuing just futures. The award is reserved for accepted articles befitting the Edward W. Soja Prize title.

winners

2017 — Zoë Roller

2015 — Henrik Lebuhn

2014 — Derek Galey

2013 — Chirag Rabari

2009 — Alex Schafran