Best MA Thesis in American Studies 2024 Award
We proudly announce the results of the 14th annual Polish Association of American Studies Award for the Best MA Thesis in American Studies, written at a Polish university in the academic year 2023/2024.
The members of this year’s jury, consisting of Prof. Aneta Dybska (chair, University of Warsaw), Dr.Patrycja Antoszek (John Paul II Catholic University) and Dr. Jarosław Hetman (Nicolaus Copernicus University), read and evaluated each of the seven anonymized submissions applying a 1-to-10 rating scale in four categories. Based on the final score, the jury decided to award two first places ex aequo to:
– Piotr Dąbrowski, the author of “Writing Men in the (M)Anthropocene: An Ecocritical Analysis of Masculinity in Contemporary Fiction,” written under the guidance of Prof. Anna Pochmara-Ryżko at the Institute of English Studies, University of Warsaw. The jury emphasized the original, insightful treatment of masculinity as well as the thesis’ multi-level analysis and consistent application of contemporary ecofeminist theories with accurate and convincing results. The jury found that the argumentation was conducted in a mature and often brilliant manner;
and
– Matin Nikookar Ardestani, the author of “Identity, Crisis, Stasis: An Investigation of the Leftist Critiques of Identity Politics,” written under the guidance of Prof. Agnieszka Graff at the American Studies Center. The jury praised the author’s in-depth knowledge of the subject and the original nature of the project as well as the thesis’ coherent theoretical framework, balanced and nuanced analysis of the division of the American left around the issue of identity politics, and erudite exploration of Marxist theories.
Additionally, honorable mention was awarded to Joanna Alicja Perzyna for “(Un)masking the Self: Confessional Exposure in the Works of Sylvia Plath and Tracey Emin,” written under the guidance of Prof. Tomasz Basiuk at the American Studies Center. The jury emphasized the author’s knowledge of the literature on the subject, the originality of her approach as well as her enthusiasm and research curiosity.
We also need to add that according to the jury the four remaining finalists in this year’s competition also deserve praise for the high quality of their submissions.
Here they are (listed in alphabetical order):
1. Nikola Maciejczyk, the author of “The Masculinity Crisis in Selected 20th-Century Novels and Contexts,” written under the guidance of Prof. Kacper Bartczak at the Department of North American Literature and Culture, University of Łódź
2. Mirari Narvarte Suescun, the author of “Echoes of Crossing Borders. Navigating Identity and Belonging: Iliana’s Historia de Vida,” written under the guidance of Prof. Grażyna Zygadło at Faculty of Philology, University of Łódź
3. Konrad Zaręba, the author of “The Beauty of Terror and the Terror of Beauty: Hellenistic Aesthetics and Dionysian Rites in The Secret History by Donna Tartt,” written under the guidance of Prof. Tadeusz Pióro at the Department of North American Cultures and Literatures, University of Warsaw
4. Ewa Żebracka, the author of “Transformations of the Body in Selected Works of David Cronenberg,” written under the guidance of Dr. Paulina Korzeniewska at the Department of Philology, University of Zielona Góra.
Congratulations to all the finalists!
As the organizers of the competition, we join the jurors in congratulating all the authors and their advisors. We strongly encourage the two winners to submit papers based on their MA research to the Polish Journal for American Studies. While their work will be subject to the regular double-blind review process, we believe its quality already meets the journal’s standard.
At the beginning of 2025, we will send the Best MA Thesis Award diplomas to the advisors, with the request that they forward them to the authors.
We take this opportunity to thank the jurors for generously volunteering their time to read and evaluate the submissions. We also want to encourage PAAS members to consider submitting their students’ theses for the Best MA Thesis Award in the fall of 2025.
Edyta Frelik
Justyna Wierzchowska