Isabel M. Perera, assistant professor of government in the College of Arts and Sciences, is the winner of the 2026 European Studies Book Award from the Council for European Studies for “The Welfare Workforce: Why Mental Health Care Varies Across Affluent Democracies,” an open-access publication from Cambridge University Press.
Chosen by a multidisciplinary jury composed of scholars from the humanities and social sciences, Perera’s book stood out this year “for its theoretical rigor, scope and impact,” said Abigail E. Lewis, executive director of the Council for European Studies (CES).
In the book, Perera investigates the wide variation in services provided to those with mental health challenges – including schizophrenia, chronic depression and severe bipolar disorder – in countries with otherwise similar health systems and social policies, such as Norway and Sweden.
“In some countries, such as the United States, policymakers closed hospitals but failed to replace them with adequate social and medical supports,” Perera writes. “Other countries, though, developed much more expansive public mental health care systems.”
The comparative analysis, Perera writes, offers a window into how government employees are shaping social policy. She based the book on her dissertation, which received several awards, including the 2019 National Academy of Social Insurance John Heinz Dissertation Award and the 2021 Georges Lavau Best Dissertation Award.
“I am very honored by this recognition from the Council for European Studies, whose annual meetings have played a key role in the project since its inception,” Perera said. “That a marginalized subject such as mental illness is receiving such attention is especially encouraging. I hope the award motivates others to read and learn about this important area.”
The CES Book Award is given periodically and recognizes the best book in European Studies published during a two- or three-year period in either the humanities or social sciences.
