
The Prizes subcommittee of the IAAS is delighted to announce that the winner of this year’s WTM Riches Essay Prize is Jennifer Gouck of Queen’s University Belfast.
A record number of entries were received this year, with the judging panel remarking on the high standard across all of the essays. Jennifer’s essay, entitled “The Viewer Society: ‘New Panopticism’, Surveillance, and The Body in Dave Eggers’ The Circle,” was eventually selected as the winner. The judging panel commented on the strength and quality of the essay and extends its congratulations to Jennifer who will receive €100 in book tokens. Her essay will also be considered for publication in the Irish Journal of American Studies.
Owing to the high standard of entries, the judging panel also gave honourable mentions to two runners up. The judges highly commended Kelsie Donnelly (Queen’s University Belfast) for her essay “(Sub)merged Worlds in Marilynne Robinson’s Housekeeping” and Sean Travers (University College Cork) for her essay “Empty Constructs: The Postmodern Haunted House in Mark Z. Danielewski’s House of Leaves.”
Congratulations to Jennifer, and well done to all the entrants!