Congratulations to PhD student Mona Khneisser on being awarded the Erik Olin Wright Distinguished Article Award from Critical Sociology.

"In his memory and in recognition of his commitment to nurture junior scholars, the Editorial Board of Critical Sociology has created the Erik Olin Wright Distinguished Article Award recognizing an outstanding contribution published each year in Critical Sociology. This award is given to a junior scholar or scholars for an article published in the journal’s pages the previous year, one that demonstrates a critical analysis and interrogation of capitalism, social stratification, power and/or other intersectional issues of inequality in society." 

This year, Mona Khneisser received the award for her paper, "The marketing of protest and antinomies of collective organization in Lebanon." (First published 2018.) Abstract:

"With the onset of the garbage crisis in Lebanon in July 2015, the unbearable odors and mounting heaps of waste presented the tipping point for people’s growing anger and resentment against self-serving political elites, debilitating public services, and deteriorating socio-economic conditions. In response, the socio-political scene witnessed significant developments following the eruption of popular discontent, with the multiplication of media-savvy protest groups, followed by the rise of “independent” municipal electoral campaigns and, most recently, the emergence of a “non-traditional” “political party experiment.” Running under the elusive banner of “civil society,” emerging collective actions have all been attempting to advance “alternative” forms of organization and political participation. Examining three contentious and intriguing developments that have captured public attention, namely Al-Hirak, Beirut Madinati, and Sabaa, this article explores the antinomies of collective organization and action in the building of political “alternatives.”