Global Essay Competition

Submit
  1. All critical, research, and informational essays are allowed.
  2. The first prize starts at $100, the second at $50, and the third at $25. However, each submitted essay beyond the 50th will add $5 to all prizes.
  3. The deadline is 12:00 AM PST on October 31st.
  4. All submitted essays will be published.
  5. All essays will be judged without knowledge of the author’s identity.
  6. The judging team comprises Jason Xiao, Chief Adjudicator of the 2025 World Schools Debating Championships, and the Board of Directors.
  7. If you do not have (an) existing essay(s) and/or do not have something to write about, here are some prompts to ponder:
    1. Consider an island of 100 people. Every year, the sun god Pibble demands that one die, or all will. Regardless of who the islanders choose, all of the islanders' basic needs will be met. All islanders are equally morally virtuous. All islanders wish to continue living. Which is a more just method of choosing the one person: lottery or vote? Or should they abstain and perish?
    2. Is it better to let 100 guilty go than to put 1 innocent away?
    3. Is it ever just to profit from doing harm when the harm would have happened regardless?
    4. Should Europe withdraw from NATO and establish an independent military presence?
    5. Should we support the rise of left-wing populism in the Global North?
    6. Is the rise of private credit, on-balance, good?
    7. Should we be stigmatizing performativity?
    8. To what extent did Reagan end the Cold War?
    9. Should we prioritise supply-side solutions or demand-side solutions to address housing crises in major cities?
    10. Would global monetary coordination be a good thing?

Good luck!