History Student Awarded University Medal

History Student Awarded University Medal
Friday 12 July 2013

Stephanie Wright has been awarded a University medal for her history thesis. Stephanie is one of two students from the College of Arts and Social Sciences awarded the medal this semester. The University makes the award each semester to recognise first class honours candidates who also have an outstanding academic record. Stephanie was nominated by academic staff within the School of History.

Stephanie came to ANU to embark on the Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) (PhB) program after initially starting her academic career at the University of Melbourne.

“I really enjoyed the PhB program at ANU – it’s so flexible and gave me a unique opportunity to pursue my own research interests. It’s more autonomous than any other undergraduate degree I found offered in Australia,” says Stephanie.

Her thesis, From ‘Mahometan Tyranny’ to ‘Oriental Despotism’: The Secularisation of Islam in French Political Thought, 1610-1798, investigates representations of Islam in France during this period, analysing the ways in which images of Islam both reflected and helped to shape processes of political secularisation in France.

“I developed an interest in Islam, particularly questions of identity, while on a trip to Jordan, Isreal, Palestine,” says Stephanie.

“My thesis was a way to combine my experience in history with my new interest in Islam.” She came up with the idea while on a subsequent trip to University of California, Berkeley.

Stephanie starts her PhD in Islamic Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara in September this year.

 

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