The 28^th MGSA SYMPOSIUM

The Victor Papacosma Graduate Student Essay Prize for 2024

The MGSA is pleased to announce the results of the 2024 MGSA S. Victor Papacosma Graduate Essay Prize.

The S. Victor Papacosma Prize Committee has decided to award the prize to two deserving entries: to Aliosha Pittaka Bielenberg (University of California, Berkeley) for his essay, "Thinking about Music & Tradition in Cyprus" & to Dimitrios Mitsopoulos (Columbia University), whose submission was titled, "Selling Sex in Interwar Salonica: Remaking of the City & Moral Panic."

Under the direction of the Chair of our Graduate Studies Committee, Lissi Athanasiou-Krikelis, a prize committee comprised of three members-- Lissi Athanasiou-Krikelis (New York Institute of Technology), Yiorgos Anagnostou (Ohio State), & Franklin Hess (Indiana)--carefully evaluated all submissions and determined that the strongest submissions fell into two categories with distinct types of sophistication and theoretical engagement-- 1. experimental essays with a focus on auto-ethnicity and 2. historical essays following traditional conventions of scholarship. For this reason, the committee decided to award the Papacosma Prize to two candidates this year. 

Below is a short summary of each paper's merits.

     Thinking about Music and Tradition in Cyprus

The members recognized the innovation and creative style of this auto-ethnographic essay. The committee spent a considerable amount of time discussing the essay's original research-approach, which opens the frontiers of traditional scholarship. As one member put it, the paper offers an insightful blend of "personal and theoretical reflection" that is equally stimulating and thought-provoking. 

     Selling Sex in Interwar Salonica: Remaking of the City and Moral Panic

The members agree that this paper demonstrates a classic case-study of archival research. It consists of new and extensive research that throws light on the subject it examines. The members agree that its approach to theory and research is in alignment with published articles found in the JMGS as well as in the majority of the well-respected journals in the field.

It is our expectation that the winning submissions will be published in the Journal of Modern Greek Studies, but only after each has successfully passed the journal’s peer review process. 

The Victor S. Papacosma Essay Prize comes with a cash award of $250 as well as a grant of $150 for symposium travel and accommodations to each co-winner (in addition to the travel grants offered to graduate students participating in the MGSA Symposium). Each prize winner will also be given a free one-year membership, or one-year renewal of membership, to the Association. Our co-winners will be presented with the S. Victor Papacosma Essay Prize at the Award Ceremony of the 28th MGSA Symposium on Thursday, October 17, 2024, at Princeton: . Both co-winners are presenting papers at the symposium conference. 

The committee takes this opportunity to congratulate Aliosha and Dimitrios on their achievement as well as extend its gratitude to all those who submitted their excellent work! ■