The Society of Dix-Neuviémistes is delighted to announce that the winner of the SDN Publication Prize for 2019, which is awarded for the best journal article published by a postgraduate student, or an early-career researcher who has not yet entered their first permanent full-time post.

On  our  winning  entry,  the  judges  commented  that  this  is  a  ‘really  sophisticated piece  of  writing,  demonstrating  both  depth  and  breadth  in  its  critical engagement  with  one  of  Balzac’s  more  difficult  novels.  It  challenges conventional  critical  wisdom  about  Balzac  in  interesting  and  illuminating  ways, notably  in  its  suggestion  that  his  work  can  be  less  ‘lisible’  than  it  is  usually considered  to  be.  The  engagement  with  literary  theory  and  history  was  lucid and  confident.  I  think  it  is  an  important  piece  of  writing.’

The  publication  prize  is  awarded  to:  Rebecca  Sugden  for  her  article,  ‘Terre(ur): Reading  the  Landscape  of  Conspiracy  in  Balzac’s  Une  ténébreuse  affaire’, published  in  Nineteenth  Century  French  Studies. 

The  judges  also  wish  to  highly  commend  the  runner  up:  Max  McGuinness  for  his article  ‘Literature  and  ‘Universel  Reportage’  in  Mallarmé’s  ‘Livre’  published  in Dix-Neuf.

The winner of the SDN Postgraduate Essay Prize for 2019, awarded by the Executive Committee for the best paper submitted in advance of the conference, is Beatrice  Fagan,  University  of  Kent, for her paper, ‘Reading  the  female  body:  Medical  exploration  of  criminal abortion’, which is a promising and important contribution.

Félicitations to our winners!