PHILADELPHIA — The Middle East Quarterly is pleased to announce the winners of its Albert J. Wood Student Writing Contest.
Ali Alfoneh, University of Copenhagen, won the first place prize of $1,000 for his article, “The Revolutionary Guards and Militarization of Politics in Iran,” which examines how the empowerment of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards by the regime has further radicalized Tehran’s political culture. His article will be published in the special MEQ Fall 2008 issue on Iran.
Samuel J. Spector, Georgetown University, won second place for his article, “The Western Sahara Dispute: Taking a Critical Look at Self-Determination,” which reviews the legal nature of the Western Sahara land dispute between Morocco and Algeria. In addition to an award of $250, his article will be published in a forthcoming issue of the MEQ.
Honorable mention goes to three other students, who will receive a free year’s subscription to the Middle East Quarterly for placing in third through fifth positions in the contest:
- Jason Guberman-Pfeffer, Sacred Heart University, “Truth and Falsehood: Islamists on Their Own Terms";
- Jonathan Haseley, Niagara University, “The Coming of Islam and Early Christian-Muslim Dialogue";
- Michael Davies, George Mason University, “Autocracies, Islamists and Democratic Transitions.”
The contest, named after the founding chairman of the Middle East Forum, who had a special connection to the Quarterly, seeks the best university student writing in Middle East studies each year.
All entrants are full-time undergraduate, graduate, or professional school students, and submissions are original, unpublished works of 4,000-7,000 words. The Quarterly received submissions from all over the world, representing more than twenty academic institutions.
The Middle East Forum, under the direction of Daniel Pipes, works to define and promote American interests in the region and to shape the intellectual climate in which U.S. policy is made. The Forum is publisher of the Middle East Quarterly, edited by Michael Rubin, providing insightful analysis and policy recommendations.
For immediate release
Contact Judy Goodrobb for more information
(215) 546-5406, ext. 19; MEQ@meforum.org.
