This year, more than 140 photos were entered into the Stanford Global Studies annual student photo contest. Winners were selected in five categories, including the natural world, people, travel, photojournalism, and animals. Photos were captured by students from across Stanford Global Studies’ 14 centers and programs, who traveled around the world to conduct research, pursue language study, and complete internships. Photos by Abbasi Program graduate student affiliate, Mélisande Genat (History Ph.D. Candidate), and Islamic Studies minor undergraduate student, Gabby Conforti, were selected finalists.
“Sinjar After the Islamic State” by Mélisande Genat was the winner in the Photojournalism category.
“This picture was taken in the Sinjar region (Iraq) in 2019, after the defeat of the Islamic State. The two women belong to the Yazidi community, one of Iraq's many ethno-religious minorities which became the target of a wholesale genocide in 2014. About half of the population has now returned to Sinjar, but many still live in makeshift camps. In addition to archival work, I have been photographing the people I interview during fieldwork. I am currently in the process of finishing the research for my Ph.D. dissertation, the title of which is Tribes, Ethno-religious Identities and Politics in the Sinjar Region (1920-2020).”
“Flares Light Up the Night in Beirut” by Gabby Conforti received an Honorable Mention.
“I took a leave of absence this past fall (2019) to enroll in the American University of Beirut for a semester to work on my Arabic and learn about regional politics. Anti-government protests erupted on October 17 in Beirut, and then spread throughout the country and to the Lebanese diaspora communities. I captured this image at night on October 25 in Riad al-Solh Square, after Amal and Hezbollah supporters had violently attacked peaceful protesters in Beirut. The protesters regrouped at night and their flares lit up the night sky.”
All of the winning photographs can be seen on the SGS Global Perspectives Blog and the Stanford Arts website.