Winners from the Class of 2016
Kathleen Collins, "Photography in Propaganda"
Focusing on the Nazi Party in Germany and the Farm Security Administration (FSA) in the U.S., Collins analyzes how photographers created propaganda. Her research on photography in the 1930s reveals that the Nazi Party staged scenes to portray "dehumanize[d] and degrade[d]" Jews while the FSA photographers deliberately fashioned portraits of poverty. Collins points out how propagandistic photography challenges the notion that photographs record facts by calling attention to the "subjective eye of the photographer."
Julia S. Dolinger, "Alzheimer's Disease: A Look into the Enemy of the Elderly"
Dolinger investigates the "unsolved problem" that is Alzheimer's disease. Integrating an array of sources, she examines the genetic, epigenetic, and environmental causes of the disease and then examines the treatments and controversies surrounding it. Her essay presents an in-depth synthesis of information concerning "the single most common cognitive disorder among the aged."
Aidan McDonald, "Democracy in Poland and its Promise for the Future"
McDonald examines Poland's transition from "communism to popular government" and identifies "areas of improvement." He highlights Poland's development of a Parliamentary republic, strong connection to other democracies through NATO, and commitment to civil rights initiatives as integral to its transformation. At the same time, he identifies political corruption and a dysfunctional judiciary as among the challenges to this burgeoning democracy. By taking into account multiple perspectives, McDonald creates a balanced analysis of Poland's "democratic experiment."