Congratulations to Yasmina Burgan (MSc Strategic Communications, Department of Media and Communications), Maya Fawzi (MSc Conflict Studies, Department of Government) and Sara Albertini (MSc International Social and Public Policy, Department of Social Policy) for their prize-winning dissertations!
The field for the 2021 Master's Dissertation Prize was strong and covered a range of topics within the field of Middle East Studies. We are pleased to award a joint first prize to Yasmina’s dissertation on digital activism in Palestine and also Maya’s study of the emotional experiences of second-generation Iraqis in the UK. The judges award the second prize to Sara’s analysis of the impact of higher education reforms for a knowledge economy in the Middle East and North Africa.
For the joint winning dissertation by Yasmina Burgan, the selection committee remarked: 'This systematic study of Palestinian digital activism was very impressive. With a strong command of the scholarly literature and in-depth qualitative interviews, the author generates a rich series of original insights on digitally mediated activism.'
For the other joint winning dissertation by Maya Fawzi, the selected committee commented: 'This is an outstanding dissertation on the emotional connections to Iraq of second-generation British Iraqis. Informed by a theory of emotional transnationalism, the author sensitively engages with her interviewees to uncover, and account for, their diverse place-based attachments.'
The selection committee also commended the runner-up dissertation by Sara Albertini, stating: 'This dissertation on higher education reforms in Jordan features an incisive analysis of the reasons why efforts to create a knowledge economy remain elusive. The findings on the marketisation of education have high policy relevance across the Middle East and North Africa.'
Launched by the LSE Middle East Centre in 2018, this prize is awarded annually to the most innovative and significant LSE Master’s dissertation focussing on the MENA region.
For all enquiries, please contact Kendall Livingston, Projects Coordinator: k.livingston@lse.ac.uk
Yasmina Burgan | MSc Strategic Communications
Joint 1st Prize: 'Digital Mediated Activism and the Palestinian Struggle for Liberation'
Maya Fawzi | MSc Conflict Studies
Joint 1st Prize: 'Connecting to Iraq: Understanding Second-generation Experience through Emotion'
Sara Albertini | MSc International Social and Public Policy
2nd Prize: 'An Analysis of the Impact of Higher Education Reforms for a Knowledge Economy in the Middle East and North Africa'