Featured byUniversity of North Dakota
Overview
Scholarship type
Merit based
Number of scholarships to award
Multiple
Grant
$1,000
Scholarship coverage
- tuition fee reduction
Description
The purpose of this essay is to explore what it means to be a citizen in a capitalist society. Is citizenship a political activity no longer meaningful when people are governed by their self-interest? Has participation in the marketplace replaced activity in the political sphere? Is it the case that all ways of life are equal? Ultimately, in this essay, we’d like you to answer the main question: is there something particularly noble in citizenship and if so, what might we do to encourage our fellow citizens to fulfill their duties and obligations to our political society?
The point of this essay is to examine the controversy and connect to its key philosophical ideas. You may take any position you want, including finding some middle ground, but you must explain the opposing positions in the debate. Compare claims and evidence for each side—persuasively argue against yourself while you defend your conclusion. Do not rely on straw man arguments; make the best case for each position and then come to a defensible conclusion.
The essay must conclude with a clear and definitive position. It should strive to be fair, not polemical, and can connect examples from popular culture, literature, science, or any other arena that helps clarify the controversy. It may also use evidence from political science, anthropology, psychology, history, economics, sociology, or other disciplines that ask about the human social experience.
Benefits
Prize money will be disbursed through UND in the form of a scholarship. The scholarship is worth $1,000.
Eligibility
- Entrants will have to be enrolled as a UND student next year, 2025-2026.
- Part-time students, international students, and graduate students are all eligible, including those at the law and medical school.
- Only one’s own work can be submitted, and group essays are not eligible. Essays must be original, never published, and be between 1500 and 2000 words.
Scholarship requirements
Disciplines
Any
Locations
United States
Nationality
Any
Study experience required
High school
Age
Unknown
Application
Application deadline
01 Mar 2027
In essay format of between 1,500 and 2,000 words, please answer the following question: Is it still noble to be "a citizen"?
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