Emotions in IR Thesis Prize recognises outstanding research

The Emotions in Politics and International Relations Working Group (EPIR) are delighted to announce the winners of our 2023 Thesis Prize, held in tandem with Brill's Critical Emotion Studies book series.

First prize went to Jamal Nabulsi (University of Queensland) for the thesis Affective Resistance: Feeling Through Everyday Palestinian Struggle, while an Honourable Mention was awarded to Jack Bonnamy (University of St Andrews) for the thesis "Too Much internet and not enough real life makes Jack a paranoid boy": The Affective Attraction of the Manosphere.

Jamal's thesis, titled Affective Resistance: Feeling through Everyday Palestinian Struggle, earned high praise from the judging panel for its innovative incorporation of decolonial methods into emotions research. Moreover, the thesis was commended for its dynamic and engaging structure and style, making it a standout piece of work. Jack's thesis, titled "Too much internet and not enough real life makes Jack a paranoid boy”: The Affective Attraction of the Manosphere, garnered recognition for its sensitive and thought-provoking exploration of the author's personal entanglement with online spaces of masculinity.

Our esteemed panel of judges, consisting of Emma Hutchison (University of Queensland), Tom Gregory (University of Auckland), and Ali Bilgic (Loughborough University), were impressed by the quality of all the submissions. They noted the exceptional standard of work being produced in the field of emotions research by emerging and early career scholars. We extend our congratulations to all the entrants for their outstanding theses.

To celebrate these remarkable achievements, we are organising a virtual prize-giving event scheduled for Thursday 19 October, from 9.30-10.30am (UK time). During this event, you will have the opportunity to hear from Jamal and Jack about their cutting-edge research, as well as gain valuable insights from our distinguished panel of judges. The editors of the Brill’s Critical Emotion Studies will also introduce the series. It promises to be an enlightening and inspiring occasion that showcases the future of emotions research in international relations. 

Photo by Erwan Hesry on Unsplash