The 26^TH MGSA SYMPOSIUM

The Victor Papacosma Graduate Student Essay Prize for 2019

On behalf of the MGSA Victor Papacosma Essay Prize committee, I am happy to announce the results of this year’s competition.

The 2019 Victor Papacosma Essay Prize is awarded to Christopher Leo Jotischky-Hull (Brown University) for his paper entitled “The Crowning of the Lyre: Andréas Kálvos and the Appropriation of Pindaric Imagery in Nineteenth-Century Greek Diasporic Poetics.” Through a close consideration of the ‘lyre’ («λύρα») – a frequent piece of ‘Pindaric’ imagery in Kálvos’ poetry – the paper demonstrates that Kálvos’ use of Pindaric imagery is far more innovative and less faithful to its source than previously believed. Jotischky-Hull further argues that this ‘Pindaric’ appearance without necessarily a ‘Pindaric’ substance is dictated by Kálvos’ identity as a diaspora Greek, and one with few ties to his homeland as it struggled for independence. As a ‘modern Pindar’ Kálvos attempts to affirm the impression of his own ‘Greek’ identity. The committee found the essay to be very well researched and well-written, exemplary both in style and argumentative structure. Most importantly the essay breaks new ground on the topic while building on previous studies and recent directions in cultural Mediterranean studies. 

Christopher Leo Jotischky-Hull will be presented with the Victor Papacosma Essay Prize at the Award Ceremony of the 26th MGSA Symposium on Thursday, November 7, 2019, in Sacramento, CA:. The committee composed of Antonis Ellinas, Simos Zenios and Despina Lalaki (Chair) takes this opportunity to congratulate him and extend its gratitude to all those who submitted their excellent work. 

Respectfully,

Despina Lalaki