On Greek American (and Diasporic) Leadership (3)

In the context of the ongoing exchange on the topic of Greek American leadership and its varying quality, the Research Center for Excellence in Greek American, Migration, and Diasporic Studies has implemented the following initiative:

Qualification exam for Greek American and Diasporic Leadership candidates

Thematic: Ethnic and Diasporic Historical and Cultural Literacy

Context

This assignment aligns with our community’s commitment to the value of educational excellence. It invites you to reflect on the significance of Greek American (or Greek-American, Greek/American, American Hellenic, Greek immigrant, and/or Greek and American) learning within your leadership vision.

All of the exam materials below are drawn from the two mandatory courses you have taken on Greek American and Diaspora Studies, administered by our Center at Super Excellent University (SEU).

Modality of the exam: In person

Duration: 12 hours

You are required to engage with all of the following questions

(the use of AI is strictly prohibited as evidence of fake leadership)

Questions

• Identify the latest scholarly book you have read about Greek American history and identity. What is the argument of the author(s)? In what ways does it contribute to your educational policy regarding the promotion of Greek American paideia?

• Identify a recent Greek American novel published by a reputable publisher. How does it inform your leadership vision?

• Identify three historians born between 1910 and 1950 who have written about the Greek American working-class past. Does knowing this past matter? Connect your answer with the 100th anniversary of the Castle Gate Mine Disaster.

• Why has Harry Mark Petrakis "raised the ire" of many Greek Americans in the past, according to Charles Moskos? Is there a Greek American museum featuring his work and outlining the controversy? If not, why is that the case? (hint: you may wish to discuss the Chicago case).

• What do you know about the Greek American working class today? Identify a sociologist who is working on this topic. What is the significance of his/her research in our understanding of Greek America and its main identity narratives?

• The narrative of “struggle and success,” which is at the core of Greek American identity, has been criticized on many counts. Discuss. How do you agree or disagree with the critique?

• Does it matter to remember Louis Tikas? What is the seminal Greek American book on this historical figure? What is a famous documentary on this topic? Discuss.

• The documentary The Greek Americans (PBS, 1998) has been criticized by Greek American studies scholars. What was the critique all about? Do you agree or disagree with the gist of the critique? Explain.

• There has recently been a community discussion about the usage of a hyphenated Greek American identity (Greek-American, Greek/American). What is your position? What is the difference between the hyphen and the slash in the two forms of the hyphenation? Provide a brief summary on how the Greek American hyphen has been theorized in connection to Greek American poetry.

• Identify a Greek American scholar who has recently reflected on the notion of “ethnic or diasporic” leadership (drawing on political and sociological theory). Summarize the argument. What are your points of agreement and disagreement?

• Do you support Greek American learning (history, culture, the arts) at all levels of Greek America’s educational network, including universities? Discuss.

• Journalists and scholars from Greek Australia and Greek America have written extensively (in Greek and English, in newspapers and journals) on the notion of Diasporic Hellenism. Identify five of the most important points they have articulated. What is your position?

• There has been discussion lately, both in Greek America and Greek Australia, about a new paradigm on the topic of Greece-Diaspora or Diaspora-Greece relations. What are the major points of this paradigm? What is your position?

Yiorgos Anagnostou

August 4, 2026