Dr. Elena Pnevmonidou is Assistant Professor in the Department of Germanic and Russian Studies at the University of Victoria. Her research interests include Classicism and Romanticism, LIterature of the Weimar Period and Expressionist Film, LIterary Theory, and Gender Studies. Courses: Goethe’s Faust. Modern Germany, Intro to German Literature, Dark Stide of Enlightenment: Madness in Literature

The Dissertation Prize Committee is pleased to report that it has unanimously selected Dr. Elena Pnevmonidou’s dissertation, entitled “‘Liebes-Töten’. Zur Objektwerdung der Frau im Roman der Frühromantik. Novalis’ Heinrich von Ofterdingen, Friedrich Hölderlin’s Hyperion, Friedrich Schlegel’s Lucinde” (McGill University: 2004, supervisor: Paul Peters) as Best Canadian Dissertation in German Studies in the academic year 2004/2005 from among the dissertations submitted.

Members of the committee were impressed by Dr. Pnevmonidou’s knowledge of the vast critical literature – traditional and more contemporary feminist and “deconstructivist” – in the field as well as her understanding of Kant, Fichte and Hegel’s thought as impulse-generators in this period. Her interpretations are very convincing, and there can be no doubt that all future examinations of these novels will have to take account of what she has written.

The Committee extends its congratulations and very best wishes to Dr. Pnevmonidou.

Manfred Prokop
(on behalf of the Committee)