Anthony Kuhn, a international correspondent for National Public Radio, has won the American Political Science Association’s 2026 Carey McWilliams Award for his extensive coverage of Asian politics, economics, and culture. The annual prize honors major journalistic contributions to the public understanding of politics and includes a $1,000 cash prize, according to the American Political Science Association.
Geographic Scope and Political Analysis Across Asia
According to the award committee, Kuhn’s reporting spans a vast geographic footprint, covering Australia, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, North and South Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. He has also handled assignments in Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, and Pakistan. Committee chair John Sides of Vanderbilt University, alongside members Stephen Caliendo of North Central College and Erika Franklin Fowler of Wesleyan University, noted that Kuhn’s work examines how political institutions evolve and how power accumulates in varying systems.
In China, Kuhn’s coverage has tracked post-Tiananmen one-party governance, constitutional reforms in 2003, the removal of presidential term limits in 2018, and crackdowns on journalists and civil society. Beyond China, according to the committee, he has chronicled democratic transitions and pressures across the region, including aborted reform efforts in Myanmar, ongoing democratization in Indonesia, and democratic resilience and crises in South Korea.
Two Decades of On-the-Ground Reporting
Kuhn has served as an NPR international correspondent for more than 20 years, operating from bureaus in Beijing, Jakarta, London, and Seoul. His past assignments include reporting on ordinary citizens, minorities, and journalists testing the limits of reform in China. In Indonesia, his reporting focused on protecting young democratic institutions from backsliding and defending biodiversity against rapid development.
In Japan, Kuhn documented the ruling party’s efforts to ease post-World War II military constraints and address a plummeting birthrate. His reporting in South Korea examined North Korean nuclear developments and the country’s rising global cultural exports. Before joining NPR, Kuhn wrote for the Far Eastern Economic Review and contributed freelance pieces to the Los Angeles Times and Newsweek.
Did you know? The Carey McWilliams Award is named in honor of Dr. McWilliams for his intellectual forthrightness and political independence as a journalist. Past recipients include notable writers and broadcasters such as Judy Woodruff, Gwen Ifill, Jake Tapper, and Seymour Hersh.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Carey McWilliams Award?
Presented annually by the American Political Science Association, the award recognizes major journalistic contributions that enhance society’s understanding of politics.
Who is eligible for the Carey McWilliams Award?
Candidates should have a distinguished public service career in newspaper, magazine, or broadcast media, and their work must illuminate broad principles of the social and political sciences. Self-nominations are accepted, and nominees do not need to be APSA members or U.S. citizens.
Where has Anthony Kuhn reported during his career?
Kuhn has reported across East and Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and South Asia, including assignments in China, Japan, both Koreas, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
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