john locke essay competition citation

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The Ultimate Guide to the John Locke Essay Competition [Everything you need to know]

Humanities and social sciences students often lack the opportunities to compete at the global level and demonstrate their expertise. Competitions like ISEF, Science Talent Search, and MIT Think are generally reserved for students in fields like biology, physics, and chemistry.

At Lumiere, many of our talented non-STEM students, who have a flair for writing are looking for ways to flex their skills. In this piece, we’ll go over one such competition - the John Locke Essay Competition. If you’re interested in learning more about how we guide students to win essay contests like this, check out our main page .

What is the John Locke Essay Competition?

The essay competition is one of the various programs conducted by the John Locke Institute (JLI) every year apart from their summer and gap year courses. To understand the philosophy behind this competition, it’ll help if we take a quick detour to know more about the institute that conducts it.

Founded in 2011, JLI is an educational organization that runs summer and gap year courses in the humanities and social sciences for high school students. These courses are primarily taught by academics from Oxford and Princeton along with some other universities. The organization was founded by Martin Cox. Our Lumiere founder, Stephen, has met Martin and had a very positive experience. Martin clearly cares about academic rigor.

The institute's core belief is that the ability to evaluate the merit of information and develop articulate sound judgments is more important than merely consuming information. The essay competition is an extension of the institute - pushing students to reason through complex questions in seven subject areas namely Philosophy, Politics, Economics, History, Psychology, Theology, and Law​.

The organization also seems to have a strong record of admissions of alumni to the top colleges in the US and UK. For instance, between 2011 and 2022, over half of John Locke alumni have gone on to one of eight colleges: Chicago, Columbia, Georgetown, Harvard, Pennsylvania, Princeton, Stanford, and Yale.

How prestigious is the John Locke Contest?

The John Locke Contest is a rigorous and selective writing competition in the social sciences and humanities. While it is not as selective as the Concord Review and has a much broader range of students who can receive prizes, it is still considered a highly competitive program.

Winning a John Locke essay contest will have clear benefits for you in your application process to universities and would reflect well on your application. On the other hand, a shortlist or a commendation might not have a huge impact given that it is awarded to many students (more on this later).

What is the eligibility for the contest?

Students, of any country, who are 18 years old or younger before the date of submission can submit. They also have a junior category for students who are fourteen years old, or younger, on the date of the submission deadline.

Who SHOULD consider this competition?

We recommend this competition for students who are interested in social sciences and humanities, in particular philosophy, politics, and economics. It is also a good fit for students who enjoy writing, want to dive deep into critical reasoning, and have some flair in their writing approach (more on that below).

While STEM students can of course compete, they will have to approach the topics through a social science lens. For example, in 2021, one of the prompts in the division of philosophy was, ‘Are there subjects about which we should not even ask questions?’ Here, students of biology can comfortably write about topics revolving around cloning, gene alteration, etc, however, they will have to make sure that they are able to ground this in the theoretical background of scientific ethics and ethical philosophy in general.

Additional logistics

Each essay should address only one of the questions in your chosen subject category, and must not exceed 2000 words (not counting diagrams, tables of data, footnotes, bibliography, or authorship declaration).

If you are using an in-text-based referencing format, such as APA, your in-text citations are included in the word limit.

You can submit as many essays as you want in any and all categories. (We recommend aiming for only one given how time-consuming it can be to come up with a single good-quality submission)

Important dates

Prompts for the 2023 competition will be released in January 2023. Your submission will be due around 6 months later in June. Shortlisted candidates will be notified in mid-July which will be followed by the final award ceremony in September.

How much does it cost to take part?

What do you win?

A scholarship that will offset the cost of attending a course at the JLI. The amount will vary between $2000 and $10,000 based on whether you are a grand prize winner (best essay across all categories) or a subject category winner. (JLI programs are steeply-priced and even getting a prize in your category would not cover the entire cost of your program. While the website does not mention the cost of the upcoming summer program, a different website mentions it to be 3,000 GBP or 3600 USD)

If you were shortlisted, most probably, you will also receive a commendation certificate and an invitation to attend an academic ceremony at Oxford. However, even here, you will have to foot the bill for attending the conference, which can be a significant one if you are an international student.

How do you submit your entry?

You submit your entry through the website portal that will show up once the prompts for the next competition are up in January! You have to submit your essay in pdf format where the title of the pdf attachment should read SURNAME, First Name, Category, and Question Number (e.g. POPHAM, Alexander, Psychology, Q2).

What are the essay prompts like?

We have three insights here.

Firstly, true to the spirit of the enlightenment thinker it is named after, most of the prompts have a philosophical bent and cover ethical, social, and political themes. In line with JLI’s general philosophy, they force you to think hard and deeply about the topics they cover. Consider a few examples to understand this better:

“Are you more moral than most people you know? How do you know? Should you strive to be more moral? Why or why not?” - Philosophy, 2021

“What are the most important economic effects - good and bad - of forced redistribution? How should this inform government policy?” - Economics, 2020

“Why did the Jesus of Nazareth reserve his strongest condemnation for the self-righteous?” - Theology, 2021

“Should we judge those from the past by the standards of today? How will historians in the future judge us?” - History, 2021

Secondly, at Lumiere, our analysis is that most of these prompts are ‘deceptively rigorous’ because the complexity of the topic reveals itself gradually. The topics do not give you a lot to work with and it is only when you delve deeper into one that you realize the extent to which you need to research/read more. In some of the topics, you are compelled to define the limits of the prompt yourself and in turn, the scope of your essay. This can be a challenging exercise. Allow me to illustrate this with an example of the 2019 philosophy prompt.

“Aristotelian virtue ethics achieved something of a resurgence in the twentieth century. Was this progress or retrogression?”

Here you are supposed to develop your own method for determining what exactly constitutes progress in ethical thought. This in turn involves familiarizing yourself with existing benchmarks of measurement and developing your own method if required. This is a significant intellectual exercise.

Finally, a lot of the topics are on issues of contemporary relevance and especially on issues that are contentious . For instance, in 2019, one of the prompts for economics was about the benefits and costs of immigration whereas the 2020 essay prompt for theology was about whether Islam is a religion of peace . As we explain later, your ‘opinion’ here can be as ‘outrageous’ as you want it to be as long as you are able to back it up with reasonable arguments. Remember, the JLI website clearly declares itself to be, ‘ not a safe space, but a courteous one ’.

How competitive is the JLI Essay Competition?

In 2021, the competition received 4000 entries from 101 countries. Given that there is only one prize winner from each category, this makes this a very competitive opportunity. However, because categories have a different number of applicants, some categories are more competitive than others. One strategy to win could be to focus on fields with fewer submissions like Theology.

There are also a relatively significant number of students who receive commendations called “high commendation.” In the psychology field, for example, about 80 students received a commendation in 2022. At the same time, keep in mind that the number of students shortlisted and invited to Oxford for an academic conference is fairly high and varies by subject. For instance, Theology had around 50 people shortlisted in 2021 whereas Economics had 238 . We, at Lumiere, estimate that approximately 10% of entries of each category make it to the shortlisting stage.

How will your essay be judged?

The essays will be judged on your understanding of the discipline, quality of argumentation and evidence, and writing style. Let’s look at excerpts from various winning essays to see what this looks like in practice.

Level of knowledge and understanding of the relevant material: Differentiating your essay from casual musing requires you to demonstrate knowledge of your discipline. One way to do that is by establishing familiarity with relevant literature and integrating it well into their essay. The winning essay of the 2020 Psychology Prize is a good example of how to do this: “People not only interpret facts in a self-serving way when it comes to their health and well-being; research also demonstrates that we engage in motivated reasoning if the facts challenge our personal beliefs, and essentially, our moral valuation and present understanding of the world. For example, Ditto and Liu showed a link between people’s assessment of facts and their moral convictions” By talking about motivated reasoning in the broader literature, the author can show they are well-versed in the important developments in the field.

Competent use of evidence: In your essay, there are different ways to use evidence effectively. One such way involves backing your argument with results from previous studies . The 2020 Third Place essay in economics shows us what this looks like in practice: “Moreover, this can even be extended to PTSD, where an investigation carried out by Italian doctor G. P. Fichera, led to the conclusion that 13% of the sampling units were likely to have this condition. Initiating economic analysis here, this illustrates that the cost of embarking on this unlawful activity, given the monumental repercussions if caught, is not equal to the costs to society...” The study by G.P. Fichera is used to strengthen the author’s claim on the social costs of crime and give it more weight.

Structure, writing style, and persuasive force: A good argument that is persuasive rarely involves merely backing your claim with good evidence and reasoning. Delivering it in an impactful way is also very important. Let’s see how the winner of the 2020 Law Prize does this: “Slavery still exists, but now it applies to women and its name in prostitution”, wrote Victor Hugo in Les Misérables. Hugo’s portrayal of Fantine under the archetype of a fallen woman forced into prostitution by the most unfortunate of circumstances cannot be more jarringly different from the empowerment-seeking sex workers seen today, highlighting the wide-ranging nuances associated with commercial sex and its implications on the women in the trade. Yet, would Hugo have supported a law prohibiting the selling of sex for the protection of Fantine’s rights?” The use of Victor Hugo in the first line of the essay gives it a literary flair and enhances the impact of the delivery of the argument. Similarly, the rhetorical question, in the end, adds to the literary dimension of the argument. Weaving literary and argumentative skills in a single essay is commendable and something that the institute also recognizes.

Quality of argumentation: Finally, the quality of your argument depends on capturing the various elements mentioned above seamlessly . The third place in theology (2020) does this elegantly while describing bin-Laden’s faulty and selective use of religious verses to commit violence: “He engages in the decontextualization and truncation of Qur'anic verses to manipulate and convince, which dissociates the fatwas from bonafide Islam. For example, in his 1996 fatwa, he quotes the Sword verse but deliberately omits the aforementioned half of the Ayat that calls for mercy. bin-Laden’s intention is not interpretive veracity, but the indoctrination of his followers.” The author’s claim is that bin-Laden lacks religious integrity and thus should not be taken seriously, especially given the content of his messages. To strengthen his argument, he uses actual incidents to dissect this display of faulty reasoning.

These excerpts are great examples of the kind of work you should keep in mind when writing your own draft.

6 Winning Tips from Lumiere

Focus on your essay structure and flow: If logic and argumentation are your guns in this competition, a smooth flow is your bullet. What does a smooth flow mean? It means that the reader should be able to follow your chain of reasoning with ease. This is especially true for essays that explore abstract themes. Let’s see this in detail with the example of a winning philosophy essay. “However, if society were the moral standard, an individual is subjected to circumstantial moral luck concerning whether the rules of the society are good or evil (e.g., 2019 Geneva vs. 1939 Munich). On the other hand, contracts cannot be the standard because people are ignorant of their being under a moral contractual obligation, when, unlike law, it is impossible to be under a contract without being aware. Thus, given the shortcomings of other alternatives, human virtue is the ideal moral norm.” To establish human virtue as the ideal norm, the author points out limitations in society and contracts, leaving out human virtue as the ideal one. Even if you are not familiar with philosophy, you might still be able to follow the reasoning here. This is a great example of the kind of clarity and logical coherence that you should strive for.

Ground your arguments in a solid theoretical framework : Your essay requires you to have well-developed arguments. However, these arguments need to be grounded in academic theory to give them substance and differentiate them from casual opinions. Let me illustrate this with an example of the essay that won second place in the politics category in 2020. “Normatively, the moral authority of governments can be justified on a purely associative basis: citizens have an inherent obligation to obey the state they were born into. As Dworkin argued, “Political association, like family or friendship and other forms of association more local and intimate, is itself pregnant of obligation” (Dworkin). Similar to a family unit where children owe duties to their parents by virtue of being born into that family regardless of their consent, citizens acquire obligations to obey political authority by virtue of being born into a state.” Here, the author is trying to make a point about the nature of political obligation. However, the core of his argument is not the strength of his own reasoning, but the ability to back his reasoning with prior literature. By quoting Dworkin, he includes important scholars of western political thought to give more weight to his arguments. It also displays thorough research on the part of the author to acquire the necessary intellectual tools to write this paper.

The methodology is more important than the conclusion: The 2020 history winners came to opposite conclusions in their essays on whether a strong state hampers or encourages economic growth. While one of them argued that political strength hinders growth when compared to laissez-faire, the other argues that the state is a prerequisite for economic growth . This reflects JLI’s commitment to your reasoning and substantiation instead of the ultimate opinion. The lesson: Don’t be afraid to be bold! Just make sure you are able to back it up.

Establish your framework well: A paragraph (or two) that is able to succinctly describe your methodology, core arguments, and the reasoning behind them displays academic sophistication. A case in point is the introduction of 2019’s Philosophy winner: “To answer the question, we need to construct a method that measures progress in philosophy. I seek to achieve this by asserting that, in philosophy, a certain degree of falsification is achievable. Utilizing philosophical inquiry and thought experiments, we can rationally assess the logical validity of theories and assign “true” and “false” status to philosophical thoughts. With this in mind, I propose to employ the fourth process of the Popperian model of progress…Utilizing these two conditions, I contend that Aristotelian virtue ethics was progress from Kantian ethics and utilitarianism.” Having a framework like this early on gives you a blueprint for what is in the essay and makes it easier for the reader to follow the reasoning. It also helps you as a writer since distilling down your core argument into a paragraph ensures that the first principles of your essay are well established.

Read essays of previous winners: Do this and you will start seeing some patterns in the winning essays. In economics, this might be the ability to present a multidimensional argument and substantiating it with data-backed research. In theology, this might be your critical analysis of religious texts .

Find a mentor: Philosophical logic and argumentation are rarely taught at the high school level. Guidance from an external mentor can fill this academic void by pointing out logical inconsistencies in your arguments and giving critical feedback on your essay. Another important benefit of having a mentor is that it will help you in understanding the heavy literature that is often a key part of the writing/research process in this competition. As we have already seen above, having a strong theoretical framework is crucial in this competition. A mentor can make this process smoother.

If you’d like to supplement your competitive experience with independent research, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs ! 

This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from. 

You can find the application link here

Lumiere Research Scholar Program

If you’re looking for a mentor to do an essay contest like John Locke or want to build your own independent research paper, then consider applying to the Lumiere Research Scholar Program . Last year over 2100 students applied for about 500 spots in the program. You can find the application form   here .

You can see our admission results here for our students.

Manas is a publication strategy associate at Lumiere Education. He studied public policy and interactive media at NYU and has experience in education consulting.

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John Locke Institute Essay Competition: All You Need to Know

By Eric Eng

The philosopher John Locke left a big mark with his ideas. His work has inspired people to think about how we’re governed, our freedoms, and what role the state should play. The John Locke Institute Essay Competition keeps his ideas alive by inviting young minds to think about how his ideas relate to today’s world.

Let’s talk about the John Locke Institute Essay Competition. We’ll give you an overview of the rules and share some helpful tips to craft a winning essay. This comprehensive guide will help you make your essay submission shine.

What Is the John Locke Institute Essay Competition?

The John Locke Institute Essay Competition—also called the John Locke Institute’s Global Essay Prize—is a yearly event hosted by the John Locke Institute , an organization passionate about encouraging young people to excel academically and enjoy learning. Named after the famous English philosopher John Locke, it aims to honor his legacy by inspiring young students to think deeply and critically.

Students from anywhere in the world can enter by writing an essay on topics like politics , economics , philosophy , and history . You can pick from a wide range of topics for your essay, so you can write about what you’re really interested in and show off how curious you are. A group of experts will read all the essays and pick winners based on how original, well thought out, and clear they are.

If you win, you’ll get a scholarship and your work will get published on the John Locke Institute’s website, which is a big deal for your academic record.

What Are the John Locke Institute Essay Competition’s Prizes?

If you win in any subject category or the Junior category of the John Locke Institute Essay Competition, you’ll get a US$2000 scholarship. This scholarship can be used for any program offered by the John Locke Institute, and your winning essay will be published on the Institute’s website.

Plus, if you’re chosen as the overall best essay writer, you’ll become an honorary John Locke Institute Junior Fellow. This includes a US$10,000 scholarship for participating in the Institute’s summer schools or visiting scholars programs.

The prize-giving ceremonies take place in London, where you’ll have the chance to meet judges and faculty members. And whether you win a prize or not, if you’re short-listed, you’ll receive an eCertificate to recognize your achievement.

What Are the John Locke Institute Essay Competition’s Guidelines?

If you’re thinking about joining the John Locke Institute Essay Competition, it’s important to know the rules. Here’s a handy guide to get you started:

Eligibility

Students from any country and school can take part. There are two levels: one for high schoolers aged 15 to 18, and the Junior Prize for middle schoolers aged 14 and under.

There are seven categories to choose from: Philosophy, Politics, Economics, History, Psychology, Theology, and Law. Each category has its own set of questions (listed in the next section).

Essay format

Your essay should only answer one question from your chosen category. It should be no more than 2000 words, not counting diagrams, tables, bibliography, or authorship declaration. Don’t include footnotes, but you can have endnotes and a bibliography.

Your essay needs to be in PDF format and follow the filename format: FirstName-LastName-Category-QuestionNumber.pdf. Example: John-Locke-Economics-1.pdf.

Registration starts on April 1, 2024, and ends on May 31, 2024. Essays must be submitted by June 30, 2024.

You’ll find out if you’re short-listed by July 31, 2024. The academic conference is scheduled for September 20-22, 2024, and the awards night is on September 21, 2024.

Other requirements

There’s no submission fee. It’s free for everyone.

You’ll also need to provide the email address of an academic referee who knows your academic work well. They can be a teacher or another adult who’s not related to you. The institute will email them to verify that your essay is your own work.

If you have any questions, you can email [email protected] . Don’t forget to read through these guidelines carefully before submitting your essay.

John Locke Institute Essay Competition: Topics

Now that you’re familiar with the contest guidelines, it’s time to choose a topic for your essay . Here are the topics you can choose from, organized by category and question number. Remember to use the category and question number in titling the file you will submit:

• Q1. Do we have any good reasons to trust our moral intuition?
• Q2. Do girls have a (moral) right to compete in sporting contests that exclude boys?
• Q3. Should I be held responsible for what I believe?
• Q1. Is there such a thing as too much democracy?
• Q2. Is peace in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip possible?
• Q3. When is compliance complicity?
• Q1. What is the optimal global population?
• Q2. Accurate news reporting is a public good. Does it follow that news agencies should be funded from taxation?
• Q3. Do successful business people benefit others when making their money, when spending it, both, or neither?
• Q1. Why was sustained economic growth so rare before the later 18th century and why did this change?
• Q2. Has music ever significantly changed the course of history?
• Q3. Why do civilisations collapse? Is our civilisation in danger?
• Q1. When, if ever, should a company be permitted to refuse to do business with a person because of that person’s public statements?
• Q2. In the last five years British police have arrested several thousand people for things they posted on social media. Is the UK becoming a police state?
• Q3. Your parents say that 11pm is your bedtime. But they don’t punish you if you don’t go to bed by 11pm. Is 11pm really your bedtime?
• Q1. According to a study by researchers at four British universities, for each 15-point increase in IQ, the likelihood of getting married increases by around 35% for a man but decreases by around 58% for a woman. Why?
• ​Q2. There is an unprecedented epidemic of depression and anxiety among young people. Can we fix this? How?
• Q3. What is the difference between a psychiatric illness and a character flaw?
• Q1. “I am not religious, but I am spiritual.” What could the speaker mean by “spiritual”?
• Q2. Is it reasonable to thank God for protection from some natural harm if He is responsible for causing the harm?
• Q3. Does God reward those who believe in him? If so, why?

Junior Prize

• Q1. Does winning a free and fair election automatically confer a mandate for governing?
• Q2. Has the anti-racism movement reduced racism?
• Q3. Is there life after death?
• Q4. How did it happen that governments came to own and run most high schools, while leaving food production to private enterprise ?
• Q5. When will advancing technology make most of us unemployable? What should we do about this?
• Q6. Should we trust fourteen-year-olds to make decisions about their own bodies?

John Locke Institute Essay Competition: Writing Tips

The contest website states: “The John Locke Institute encourages young people to cultivate the characteristics that turn good students into great writers: independent thought, depth of knowledge, clear reasoning, critical analysis, and persuasive style .”

Let’s zoom in on the five main things they’re after:

1. Independent thought

Independent thought means coming up with your own ideas that challenge the status quo or offer unique insights. Don’t just analyze existing literature. Try to bring new perspectives or suggest innovative solutions to complex problems.

For example, in the Philosophy category, instead of just discussing whether girls should be allowed to compete in sports that exclude boys, you could explore deeper ethical principles. This might involve thinking about fairness and equal opportunity, or looking at how gender segregation in sports affects society.

2. Depth of knowledge

Having a deep understanding is super important for nailing the John Locke Institute Essay Competition. Know the key concepts, theories, and historical contexts of your topic. This could also mean checking out different views on historical events, analyzing primary sources, or considering other theories. You should be able to analyze information effectively, making connections and spotting patterns that deepen your understanding.

In the History category, for example, if you’re writing about the fall of civilizations, it’s not enough to just list events. You need to dig into why it happened, like economic pressures or cultural changes.

3. Clear reasoning

It’s essential to think logically when writing your essays. This means laying out your arguments in a way that makes sense, so each point flows smoothly into the next.

To do this well, you’ll want to avoid common mistakes like using emotional appeals instead of solid reasoning. If you’re debating whether news agencies should be funded by taxes, you’d need to make your case using economic principles and real-world evidence.

Another important aspect of clear reasoning is addressing counterarguments. Acknowledging and responding to opposing views shows that you understand the complexity of the issue. This not only makes your argument stronger but also demonstrates respect for different perspectives. By presenting a well-rounded argument, you can make a compelling case for your position in the competition

4. Critical analysis

Thinking critically means going beyond just summarizing facts. You need to analyze and interpret data, arguments, and evidence to come up with a thoughtful conclusion.

To do this effectively, you can’t just focus on your own viewpoint. You also need to think about other perspectives and respond to them. This shows that you’re open to different ideas and can think critically. For instance, when talking about the ideal global population, you should consider what environmentalists, economists, and policymakers might think, and then integrate those views into your analysis.

Another important part of critical analysis is choosing your sources carefully. Make sure you’re using reliable, up-to-date sources to back up your arguments. Avoid using biased or outdated information. By carefully evaluating your sources and selecting the most relevant and reliable ones, you can make your argument stronger and show that you’ve done thorough research.

5. Persuasive style

In any writing competition , having a persuasive writing style is key. You need to be able to convince the judges of your ideas and arguments. If you’re debating whether a company should be allowed to turn away business based on public statements, you’d need to make a strong, well-supported argument. This could involve citing legal cases, analyzing examples, and providing clear explanations to back up your point.

To make your essay even more persuasive, try using rhetorical devices like ethos, pathos, and logos. Ethos means showing why you’re a credible source, pathos means appealing to the judges’ emotions, and logos means using logic and reason. Using these devices can make your argument stronger and more compelling.

It’s also important to think about your tone and voice. You want to sound confident but also open-minded. Acknowledge any potential counterarguments or limitations to your argument, and respond to them respectfully. Strike the right balance in your tone, and you can make sure your essay is persuasive and engaging to the judges.

John Locke Institute Essay Competition: Sample Winning Works

Another sure way of standing out in the John Locke Institute Essay Competition is to read and study past winning works. Here are a few 1st placers and let’s see what we can learn from them:

1. Hosai Kishida – 1st place, Philosophy Category, 2023

Question: Is tax theft?

Summary: The essay says that taxation is like stealing, even though some people think it’s okay because we agree to it in the social contract. But the author argues that no one would really agree to give up their money to the government if they had a choice, because governments don’t always do a good job of protecting our rights and are often influenced by people who just want to make money. In the end, the author says that because taxation isn’t something we agree to, it’s basically stealing from us.

Analysis and tips

In the winning essay, Kishida used several smart writing tricks to argue against taxation. First off, they made sure to define important terms, like theft and rational consent, right at the start. This helped lay the groundwork for their argument and made sure readers were on the same page. For example, they defined theft as taking someone’s stuff without their okay, setting things up to argue that taxation is a type of theft.

The essay was also well-organized, with each point building on the last. This made for a clear and convincing argument. They started by talking about rational consent and how it relates to state power, then moved on to critique Kant’s ideas about the state, and finished up by discussing why some people think taxation is okay. This logical progression made it easy for readers to follow along.

Kishida also used rhetorical techniques, like logos and ethos, to make their argument stronger. They used logos by giving logical explanations and examples to back up their points. They also used ethos by mentioning famous philosophers like Locke, Kant, and Friedman, which made their argument seem more credible.

To make their argument even stronger, Kishida used real examples and evidence. They talked about bad things that governments have done in the past and argued that not everyone values the goods and services that governments provide equally, which weakens the case for taxation.

Lastly, Kishida kept things respectful and reasonable. Even though they were making a controversial argument, they stayed calm and used logic and evidence to back up their points, instead of using angry or rude language. This helped them keep their credibility with the audience.

2. Joonyoung Heo – 1st place, Junior Category, 2021

Question: Should the law ever prevent people from freely making self-harming decisions? If so, what should and shouldn’t be forbidden — and according to which principles?

Summary: In the essay, the author talks about why it’s not cool for the government to make laws that try to protect people from themselves, which is called legal paternalism. The main idea is that while it might make sense for the government to step in and make laws that protect people (like seatbelt laws), it’s not okay when those laws stop people from making choices that only affect themselves. The author thinks this principle is strong because it respects individual choice, even when the government doesn’t think it’s the best choice.

The winning essay shows how to write a great essay for the John Locke Institute Essay Competition. First, Heo starts by clearly explaining important terms and ideas. This makes sure everyone knows what they’re talking about. For example, they explain legal paternalism and the harm principle right at the start.

Next, the essay is put together in a logical way. Each point builds on the last. This makes the argument strong and easy to follow. The author also uses real examples and evidence to back up their points. They talk about things like Michael Bloomberg’s soda ban and the recent change in Germany’s laws about assisted suicide to support what they’re saying.

Another smart move is how the author thinks about and answers arguments against their own. They show they really know their stuff by considering other viewpoints and responding to them in a smart way. Finally, the author keeps a cool and respectful tone throughout the essay. This helps them stay believable and makes their argument even more convincing.

Joining the John Locke Institute Essay Competition is a great chance to tackle some big philosophical and ethical questions, while also sharpening your critical thinking and writing skills . You’ll get to dive into topics that are not just interesting, but also really relevant to what’s going on in the world today.

So, it’s not just about winning a prize—it’s about growing intellectually, opening up new perspectives, and becoming part of a community of people who love exploring the big ideas that shape our lives.

Who can join the John Locke Institute Essay Competition?

Any student from any country and school can join in. High schoolers aged 15 to 18 can compete in the regular categories, while the Junior Prize is for middle schoolers aged 14 and under.

Can you submit more than one entry to the John Locke Institute Essay Competition?

Yes. Feel free to submit as many essays as you’d like in any or all categories.

Does the John Locke Institute Essay Competition have an entry fee?

The good news is that there’s no entry fee. However, if you miss the regular deadline, there’s a 20.00 USD fee for late submissions.

What is the John Locke Institute?

The John Locke Institute is an educational organization that’s all about encouraging independent thinking, critical thought , and clear reasoning among young people. They run the annual Essay Competition to get students thinking about important philosophical and ethical questions.

Who was John Locke?

John Locke was a 17th-century philosopher and physician, known as one of the most influential Enlightenment thinkers. His thoughts on liberty, property, and the social contract had a big impact on modern political thought.

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Everything You Need to Know About John Locke Essay Competition in 2024

Indigo Research Team

John Locke Essay Competition is one of the most popular and international essay competitions for high school students. Those who were first and honorable mention in this competition went on to attend Princeton, Oxford, and other Ivy League universities.

Not to mention placing in the top three of the competition, even receiving an honorable mention is a fantastic addition to your admissions resume and is viewed by admissions officers from Harvard to Stanford and beyond as one of the most distinguished accomplishments a high school student can accomplish! Keep reading this blog to know more about this essay competition.

What is the John Locke Essay Competition?

The John Locke Writing Competition is hosted by the non-profit John Locke Institute, a university with offices in Oxford, UK. Professors from top colleges like Oxford, Princeton, Brown, and Buckingham University work at the John Locke Institute.

The John Locke Global Essay Competition Institute helps young people to develop the qualities of great writers, such as critical analysis, persuasiveness, independence of thought, and range of knowledge. Students are allowed to investigate a wide range of topics that fall outside the scope of their coursework.

Why should you participate?

Participating in the John Locke Competition 2024 is a great idea if you want to improve your academic performance and stand out on your college application. Securing a prize or simply making the shortlist might attract the attention of elite university admission panels, demonstrating your commitment to and proficiency in the classroom.

Along with offering participants a great opportunity to interact with current global concerns through engaging themes, the competition also helps participants hone their critical thinking skills by having them write insightful, well-researched essays.

Essay topics 

Students must submit an argumentative essay that is at most 2000 words long. The main subjects of the John Locke Institute Essay Competition 2024 include philosophy, politics, economics, history, psychology, religion, and law.

The following are the topics for the 2024 John Locke Essay Contest.

• Philosophy 

Tips for Students 

• Essays can only deal with one of the topics in the subject category you have selected, and they should be at most 2000 words (not including copyright declarations, examples, tables of data, or footnotes).
• If you follow an in-text referencing style like APA, the word count includes your in-text citations.
• You can submit an unlimited number of essays in all categories. (Considering how difficult it may be to produce a single high-quality submission, we recommend going for just one.)

Pay close attention to the structure and flow of your essay in the John Locke Essay Competition 2024. If justifications and logic are your primary weapons in this contest, then your writing's fluidity is your weapon. What is meant by a smooth flow? It suggests the reader must understand your line of argument easily. This is especially true for articles that explore otherworldly topics.

Important dates

• Registration starts on April 1, 2024.
• The deadline for registration is May 31, 2024.
• Deadline for submissions: June 30, 2024.
• Deadline for late entries: July 10, 2024.
• Essayists on the shortlist will be notified on July 31, 2024.
• Academic conference, September 20, 22nd, 2024.
• Dinner for awards: September 21, 2024.

For students passionate about Philosophy, Politics, Economics, History, Psychology, Theology, or Law, our next IRIS summer program offers a unique opportunity. You will have access to a specialized course taught by esteemed Harvard faculty, designed to teach you how to articulate and reason through sophisticated arguments effectively. This program is ideal for anyone looking to excel in competitions like the John Locke Essay Competition and beyond. Join us to sharpen your analytical skills and bring your critical thinking to the next level.

Read the questions and make a connection to John Locke's ideas.

You can present a sophisticated and perceptive analysis that thoroughly comprehends both the essay prompt and Locke's thoughts by linking the philosopher's ideas and the essay prompt. This method demonstrates your understanding of the subject matter and helps you interact critically with it. Along with do consider John Locke's most famous work to increase the chance of success.

Outline Thoroughly

Before diving into writing, create a clear outline outlining your main arguments and supporting evidence. This helps maintain focus and coherence throughout the essay, ensuring each paragraph contributes meaningfully to your overall argument.

Clear arguments 

Once you've determined your position on the matter, it's essential to support it with solid information from reliable sources and logical reasoning. Scholarly articles, books, and academic journals are just a few of the resources available to students to help them gather pertinent data and craft well-reasoned arguments. Furthermore, ensure that your essay has a compelling thesis statement and that the organization and ideas are presented in a way that makes it easy for the reader to follow. Also, reading John Locke's essay competition’s past essays can help you to understand complete assignments.

Revise Strategically

Take breaks between writing and revising to gain a fresh perspective. When revising, pay attention to sentence structure, grammar, and coherence. Ensure each paragraph flows logically into the next, and that your ideas are expressed with clarity and precision.

Seek Feedback

Share your essay with peers, teachers, or writing groups for constructive criticism. Consider their feedback thoughtfully and use it to refine your work. Embrace constructive criticism as an opportunity for growth, allowing you to identify blind spots and strengthen your writing skills over time

Common Questions Related to the John Locke Essay Competition

Which skills of students is the john locke essay competition assessing.

• Fundamental understanding of concepts and theories in economics, politics, history, psychology, theology, or law
• Proficiency at writing argumentative essays and mastery of basic writing frameworks
• Logical analysis methods, independent thought, and written persuasive

What are the awards for the John Locke Essay Competition?

• As part of their award, each topic category winner will receive a scholarship worth $2000 (US dollars) for any program offered by the John Locke Institute.
• A scholarship worth $10,000 (USD) to attend one or more of our summer schools and gap year programs will be awarded to the writer of the overall winning essay.
• The Institute will make the pieces available online.
• Networking opportunities with judges and other academics at the John Locke Institute.

This essay competition is one of the best ways to bring out the essence of youth, freedom of expression, and a student’s critical thinking ability. Thus, we encourage high school students to take part in it and convey their enthusiasm and revolutionary thoughts to shape the world. Participating in the John Locke Essay Competition 2024 demands innovative ideas and clever solutions. To hone these skills, begin with some research. Indigo offers a platform for curious high school students eager to explore more and transform their bright ideas into reality. If you're interested in learning to write about politics, consider joining this summer's IRIS Program . You'll be mentored by Harvard faculty who will help you excel in writing your argumentation.

Everything You Should Know about the John Locke Institute (JLI) Essay Competition

By Jin Chow

Co-founder of Polygence, Forbes 30 Under 30 for Education

3 minute read

We first wrote about the world-famous John Locke Institute (JLI) Essay Competition in our list of 20 writing contests for high school students . This contest is a unique opportunity to refine your argumentation skills on fascinating and challenging topics that aren’t explored in the classroom.

The Oxford philosopher, medical doctor, political scientist, and economist John Locke was a big believer in challenging old habits of the mind. In that spirit, the JLI started this contest to challenge students to be more adventurous in their thinking. 

While not quite as prestigious as getting published in The Concord Review , winning the grand prize or placing in one of the 7 categories of the John Locke Essay Competition can get your college application noticed by top schools like Princeton, Harvard, Oxford, and Cambridge. Awards include $2,000 scholarships (for category prize winners) and a $10,000 scholarship for the grand prize. (The scholarships can be applied to the JLI’s Summer Schools at Oxford University, Princeton University, or Washington DC, or to its Gap Year programs in Oxford University, Guatemala, or Washington DC) 

But winning isn’t necessarily the best thing about it. Simply entering the contest and writing your essay will give you a profound learning experience like no other. Add to that the fact that your entry will be read and possibly commented on by some of the top minds at Oxford and Princeton University and it’s free to enter the competition. The real question is: why wouldn’t you enter? Here’s a guide to get you started on your essay contest entry.

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Eligibility

The John Locke Institute Essay Competition is open to any high school student anywhere in the world, ages 15-18. Students 14 or under are eligible for the Junior prize. 

John Locke Essay Competition Topics

The essay questions change from year to year. You can choose from 7 different categories (Philosophy, Politics, Economics, History, Psychology, Theology, and Law). Within each category, there are 3 intriguing questions you can pick from. When you’re debating which question to write about, here’s a tip. Choose whichever question excites, upsets, or gives you any kind of strong emotional response. If you’re passionate about a topic, it will come through in your research and your writing. If you have any lived experience on the subject, that also helps. 

There are some sample questions the 2023 contest for each of the seven JLI essay subject  categories and the Junior Prize (the questions change each year):

Philosophy: Is tax theft? 

Politics: Do the results of elections express the will of the people?

Economics: What would happen if we banned billionaires?  

History: Which has a bigger effect on history: the plans of the powerful or their mistakes?

Psychology: Can happiness be measured?

Theology: What distinguishes a small religion from a large cult?

Law: Are there too many laws?

Junior Prize: What, if anything, do your parents owe you?

John Locke Writing Contest Requirements

Your essay must not exceed 2,000 words (not counting diagrams, tables of data, endnotes, bibliography, or authorship declaration) and must address only one of the questions in your chosen subject category. No footnotes are allowed, but you may include in-text citations or endnotes. 

Timeline and Deadlines

January - New essay questions are released

April 1st - Registration opens

May 31st  - Registration deadline

June 30th - Essay submission deadline

We highly recommend you check the JLI website as soon as the new questions are released in January and start researching and writing as soon as you can after choosing your topic. You must register for the contest by the end of May. The deadline for the essay submission itself is at the end of June, but we also recommend that you submit it earlier in case any problems arise. If you start right away in January, you can have a few months to work on your essay. 

John Locke Institute Essay Competition Judging Criteria

While the JLI says that their grading system is proprietary, they do also give you this helpful paragraph that describes what they are looking for: “Essays will be judged on knowledge and understanding of the relevant material, the competent use of evidence, quality of argumentation, originality, structure, writing style and persuasive force. The very best essays are likely to be those which would be capable of changing somebody's mind. Essays which ignore or fail to address the strongest objections and counter-arguments are unlikely to be successful. Candidates are advised to answer the question as precisely and directly as possible.” (We’ve bolded important words to keep in mind.) 

You can also join the JLI mailing list (scroll to the bottom of that page) to get contest updates and to learn more about what makes for a winning essay.

The words will fly off the page!

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Research and Essay Writing Tactics

Give yourself a baseline. First, just write down all your thoughts on the subject without doing any research. What are your gut-level opinions? What about this particular question intrigued you the most? What are some counter-arguments you can think of right away? What you are trying to do here is identify holes in your knowledge or understanding of the subject. What you don’t know or are unsure about can guide your research. Be sure to find evidence to support all the things you think you already know. 

Create a reading/watching list of related books, interviews, articles, podcasts, documentaries, etc. that relate to your topic. Find references that both support and argue against your argument. Choose the most highly reputable sources you can find. You may need to seek out and speak to experts to help you locate the best sources. Read and take notes. Address those questions and holes in the knowledge you identified earlier. Also, continue to read widely and think about your topic as you observe the world from day to day. Sometimes unrelated news stories, literature, film, songs, and visual art can give you an unexpected insight into your essay question. Remember that c is a learning experience and that you are not going to have a rock-solid argument all at once.

Read past essays . These will give you a sense of the criteria judges are using to select winning work. These essays are meant to convince the judges of a very specific stance. The argument must be clear and must include evidence to support it. You will note that winning entries tend to get straight to the point, show an impressive depth of knowledge on the subject with citations to reputable sources, flow with excellent reasoning, and use precise language. They don’t include flowery digressions. Save that for a different type of writing.

Proof your work with a teacher or mentor if possible. Even though your argument needs to be wholly your own, it certainly helps to bounce ideas around with someone who cares about the topic. A teacher or mentor can help you explore different options if you get stuck and point you toward new resources. They can offer general advice and point out errors or weaknesses. Working with a teacher or mentor is important for another reason. When you submit your entry, you will be required to provide the email address of an “academic referee” who is familiar with your work. This should be teachers, mentors, or other faculty members who are not related to you.

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Ultimate guide to the john locke institute essay competition.

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The John Locke Institute Essay Competition is a long-running writing contest for teens who are interested in humanities and social science in the United States. In this post, we provide a comprehensive overview of the John Locke Institute Essay Competition, including key dates , application requirements , and why you should apply.

By the way, Rishab Jain, a Harvard student who has achieved success in numerous international competitions has made his  FREE Student STEM guide  public with a a list of 50+ more opportunities and competitions. You should definitely check it out next.

What is the John Locke Institute Essay Competition?

John Locke Institute annual dinner gala.

The John Locke Institute (JLI) is an organization that provides high school summer and gap year courses in humanities and social sciences , with affiliations from Oxford and Princeton University.

The JLI Essay Contest is a highly prestigious writing competition that invites high school/secondary students from around the world to submit a piece falling in one of several humanities categories . See these below along with sample questions:

• Philosophy (e.g. Do we have any good reasons to trust our moral intuition?)
• Politics (e.g. When is compliance complicity?)
• Economics (e.g. What is the optimal global population?)
• History (e.g. Has music ever significantly changed the course of history?)
• Law (e.g. When, if ever, should a company be permitted to refuse to do business with a person because of that person’s public statements?)
• Psychology (e.g. There is an unprecedented epidemic of depression and anxiety among young people. Can we fix this? How?)
• Theology (e.g. Does God reward those who believe in him? If so, why?)
• Junior Prize (e.g. Is there life after death?)

Each year, tens of thousands of entries are submitted from students in more than 150 countries. Pieces may win prizes or commendations, and top contestants are invited to an academic conference and gala ceremony in London each year.

What are the prizes?

The John Locke Institute Essay Competition awards first, second, third prizes, and commendation titles to top students . Students whose essays exemplify extreme merit are first “shortlisted” and invited to the annual dinner gala, where prize winners will be announced.

The prize winner of each subject category will be awarded a scholarship worth US$2000 towards the cost of attending any John Locke Institute program, and the essays will be published on the Institute’s website.  The best essay overall receives a US$10,000 scholarship of such nature.

Am I Eligible for John Locke Institute ?

The only eligibility criteria for the John Locke Institute Essay Competition is that students must not be 19 years of age before or on June 30, 2024 for the 2024 contest. There is a separate Junior category for students whose fifteenth birthday falls after June 30, 2024.

Each essay entry must be original work written by the student. Only individual works are allowed.

How do I apply to the John Locke Institute Essay Competition?

To apply for the John Locke Institute Essay Competition , students must submit an essay that does not exceed 2,000 words in length. Students may add endnotes and/or a bibliography for citations. Additionally, the application requires a verification from an academic referee of the participant to ensure their essay is their original work.

See below for key dates for the 2024 contest:

• Registration opens: 1 April, 2024.
• Registration deadline: 31 May, 2024. (Registration is required by this date for subsequent submission.)
• Submission deadline: 30 June, 2024.
• Late entry deadline: 10 July, 2024. (Late entries are subject to a 20.00 USD charge, payable by 1 July.)
• Notification of short-listed essayists: 31 July, 2024.
• Academic conference: 20 – 22 September, 2024.
• Awards dinner: 21 September, 2024.

Why should I apply to the John Locke Institute Essay Competition?

Aside from being a highly competitive and prestigious competition, there are a plethora of reasons why you should apply to the John Locke Institute Competition. See some of these below.

Gain recognition

If you’re an aspiring artist, winning awards from these types of competitions can thrust your work into the spotlight and be received by many people. Especially because young creatives typically don’t have a lot of chances to gain recognition for their pieces, submitting them to contests can be an excellent way to receive good exposure.

Additionally, winning a prestigious award can validate the quality of your work and your artistic merit. Receiving a distinction from the John Locke Institute means that your work went through a rigorous round of selection and deserved its spot among the top recognized entries.

Get a boost on your college application

Entering art competitions shows your passion in the creative field . Adding such an honor in your college application can round out your profile and provide a good contrast with your other extracurriculars, or if your sole focus is on the arts, can help develop your spike.

Participating in contests like the John Locke Institute Competition shows that you actively seek out opportunities in whichever field you’re interested in and avidly develop your passions. Individuals who have such an intrinsic drive and sense of self are received well in college admissions.

Win scholarships

The John Locke Institute Competition offers many distinctions, out of which multiple offer scholarships for high school students. For example, the overall winner receives $10,000 in cash scholarships, and category winners $2,000 towards a JLI program.

Winning awards that are attached to monetary scholarships therefore adds additional value to the honor that translates well into college applications and artistic portfolios.

Gain an artistic community

Participating in the John Locke Institute Competition exposes you to a community of other like-minded artists and creatives. Thousands of students apply to this contest every year, and for winners, attending award ceremonies and interacting with other students can expand your worldview in many positive ways. Having a community in your corner in any kind of endeavor is a great thing, and can act as a support system as you pursue this field.

Concluding Remarks —John Locke Institute Competition

In conclusion, we provided a comprehensive overview of the John Locke Institute Competition as well as reasons for why it’s worth it to apply . Participating in creative competitions and winning them can enhance your college application, bring exposure and recognition to your works, and earn scholarships.

However, the John Locke Institute Competition isn’t the only well-known creative-based competitions for high schoolers. Check out this list of the top 10 writing competitions for high school students to elevate your writing endeavors to the next level.

Rishab Jain, a Harvard student who has achieved success in numerous international competitions has made his  FREE Student STEM guide  public with a a list of 50+ more opportunities and competitions. You should definitely check it out next.

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2024 John Locke Essay Competition is open!

We are thrilled to announce the opening of the John Locke Essay Competition, providing a unique platform for aspiring minds to engage with profound ideas and express their perspectives! Hosted by the John Locke Institute, this prestigious competition encourages participants to delve into a range of thought-provoking topics inspired by the influential philosopher John Locke. Why write an essay?Aspiring writers and thinkers are invited to explore questions related to politics, philosophy, and economics, contributing to the rich tradition of intellectual discourse. With a commitment to fostering critical thinking and analytical skills, the competition offers a remarkable opportunity for participants to showcase their talents and vie for recognition in a global community of scholars. What can I write about?The competition prompts vary depending on the various subject categories. The John Locke Essay Competition provides prompts about Philosophy, Politics, Economics, History, Law, Psychology, and Theology. Further informationThe deadline for registration is May 31st and submissions are due by June 30th. Essays have a maximum length of 2000 words. For detailed guidelines and submission information, please visit the official competition website at https://www.johnlockeinstitute.com/essay-competition.

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John Locke Essay Competition

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Competition Overview

Must be 18 years old, or younger on the date of june 30, 2024, june 30, 2024, july 10, 2024, july 31, 2024, september 21, 2024, competition details.

1. Eligibility Students from all countries and schools can participate. There are two levels of the competition, one for high school students from 15 to 18 years old and the Junior Prize, focused on middle school students 14 years old and younger.

2. Subject categories There are seven subject categories (excluding Junior Category): Philosophy, Politics, Economics, History, Psychology, Theology, and Law. Each essay must address only one of the questions in your chosen subject category, not exceeding 2000 words (not counting diagrams, tables of data, footnotes, bibliography or authorship declaration).

3. Results Shortlisted essays will be notified by July 31 and receive an invitation to Oxford for an academic conference and awards dinner in September, where the prize-winners will be announced. The dinner is completely optional.

4. Prizes Winners of the subject categories and the Junior category will receive a $2000 scholarship towards the cost of attending any John Locke Institute program, and the essays will be published on the Institute’s website. The winner of the best essay overall will be awarded an honorary John Locke Institute Junior Fellowship, which comes with a US$10,000 scholarship to attend one or more of our summer schools and/or gap year courses.

How to Win the John Locke Essay Competition?

Take the time to understand the essay prompt and what the question is asking for. Students could approach questions in several ways, but it should always link to John Locke’s philosophy.

Once you decide on your stance about the question, it’s important to present your argument with logical reasoning and strong evidence from reputable sources. Students can utilize a variety of reputable sources, including academic journals, books, and scholarly articles, to gather relevant information and develop a well-informed argument.

In addition to providing reasoning and evidence that support students’ arguments, students can also examine alternative perspectives to show that they have the ability to evaluate evidence critically– specifically the strengths and weaknesses of different viewpoints.

Competition Questions

1. Philosophy Q1. Do we have any good reasons to trust our moral intuition? Q2. Do girls have a right to compete in sporting contests that exclude boys? Q3. Should I be held responsible for what I believe?

2. Politics Q1. Is there such a thing as too much democracy? Q2. Is peace in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip possible?​ Q3. When is compliance complicity?

3. Economics Q1. What is the optimal global population? Q2. Accurate news reporting is a public good. Does it follow that news agencies should be funded from taxation? ​Q3. Do successful business people benefit others when making their money, when spending it, both, or neither?

4. History Q1. Why was sustained economic growth so rare before the later 18th century and why did this change? Q2. Has music ever significantly changed the course of history? Q3. Why do civilisations collapse? Is our civilisation in danger?

5. Psychology Q1. According to a study by researchers at four British universities, for each 15-point increase in IQ, the likelihood of getting married increases by around 35% for a man but decreases by around 58% for a woman. Why? Q2. There is an unprecedented epidemic of depression and anxiety among young people. Can we fix this? How? Q3. What is the difference between a psychiatric illness and a character flaw?

6. Theology Q1. “I am not religious, but I am spiritual.” What could the speaker mean by “spiritual”? Q2. Is it reasonable to thank God for protection from some natural harm if He is responsible for causing the harm? Q3. Does God reward those who believe in him? If so, why?

7. Law Q1. When, if ever, should a company be permitted to refuse to do business with a person because of that person’s public statements? Q2. In the last five years British police have arrested several thousand people for things they posted on social media. Is the UK becoming a police state? ​Q3. Your parents say that 11pm is your bedtime. But they don’t punish you if you don’t go to bed by 11pm. Is 11pm really your bedtime?

8. Junior Prize Q1. Does winning a free and fair election automatically confer a mandate for governing? Q2. Has the anti-racism movement reduced racism? ​Q3. Is there life after death? ​Q4. How did it happen that governments came to own and run most high schools, while leaving food production to private enterprise? ​Q5. When will advancing technology make most of us unemployable? What should we do about this? Q6. Should we trust fourteen-year-olds to make decisions about their own bodies?

John Locke Essay Competition Past Winning Essays

Submission details

All entries must be submitted by 11.59 pm BST on the submission deadline: Sunday, 30 June 2024.

1. Word Limit 2000 words (not counting diagrams, tables of data, endnotes, bibliography or authorship declaration)

2. Filename format  FirstName-LastName-Category-QuestionNumber.pdf

3. Academic Reference Each candidate will be required to provide the email address of an academic referee who is familiar with the candidate’s written academic work. This should be a school teacher, if possible, or another responsible adult who is not a relation of the candidate. The John Locke Institute will email referees to verify that the essays submitted are indeed the original work of the candidates.

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High commendations? (2023 John Locke Essay Competition)

Some people were shortlisted by did not receive top 3. I searched online to see whether this year, JLI will award high comm to the top 5% of entries. The results page says that 'all shortlisted applicants receive a commendation' and I'm not sure what that means:

It could mean all of us who didn't get top 3 walk away with a commendation

However, (1) apparently people who physically attended the ceremony were informed if their essay got 'distinction', which is what high comm was renamed to (2) the description of the comp states that all participants would be emailed an eCertificate, which hasn't been done (3) the phrasing of the quote above is ambiguous as it also suggests top 3 prize winners also receive a commendation (i.e. commendation and other awards are not mutually exclusive)

So I wanted to ask this community, what do you think would happen? Have you heard anything through the grapevine? How did you interpret the message?

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John Locke: The Empirical Educator

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• First Online: 22 August 2024
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• J. B. Jordan 2  

John Locke is known as the founder of the philosophical school of empiricism. This school of thought is that knowledge must be gained through experience. In addition to this seminal philosophical work, Locke’s treatise on liberty and the role of government was a fundamental building block used by the American founding fathers such as Madison and Jefferson. What is less known is Locke’s thoughts concerning how to set up an educational system to teach individuals how to be a functioning and contribution member of civil society. Together, this triad of philosophy: understanding knowledge, setting up a government that protects liberty, and creating an educational system that teaches and passes on knowledge for maintaining a civil society continues to drive governments in the present day.

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Further Reading

Locke, J. (1996a). The essential John Locke collection an essay concerning human understanding (K. Winkler, Ed.). Cambridge.

Locke, J. (1996b). Some thoughts concerning education and of the conduct of the understanding (R. W. Grant & N. Tarcov, Ed.). Hackett.

Locke, J. (1997). Locke: Political essays. (Mark Glodie, Ed.). Cambridge.

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Jordan, J.B. (2024). John Locke: The Empirical Educator. In: Geier, B.A. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Educational Thinkers. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25134-4_51

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 Competition Results

Announcing the 2023 essay prize winners special congratulations to those who achieved a distinction or high distinction in this year's competition. those who did so but did not attend the prize-giving ceremony will be contacted by email, providing access to their ecertificates by the end of the month . p hotographs from our prize-winning ceremony and related events in oxfo rd will be emailed to those who attended.  , grand prize, hosei kishida, shanghai american school, china.

Junior Prize

Winner:    Xibei Kuang, Pinehurst school, New Zealand

Second Prize:  Alissa Song, Kambala, Australia

Third Prize:   Iris Zhu, Bement School, USA

ECONOMICS Prize

Winner:  Kit Young Tham , Hwa Chong Institution, Singapore

Second Prize:  Kevin Hao, Knox Grammar School, Australia

Third Prize:   Zhong Yang M. Yeh, Shanghai High School International Division, China

PHILOSOPHY Prize

Winner:    Hosei Kishida, Shanghai American School, China

Second Prize:  Amanda Sun, Princeton High School, USA

Third Prize:   Qianyu Lin , Raffles Institution, Singapore

POLITICS Prize

Winner:  William Zhou, Hunter College High School, USA

Second Prize:  Ziyi Wei, Westridge School for Girls, USA

Third Prize:   Xiaoya Du , The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China, China

HISTORY Prize

Winner:    Yoo Jin Cho, Presbyterian Ladies' College, Australia

Second Prize:  Hannah Fareed, Karachi Grammar School, Pakistan

Third Prize:   Quynh Anh La Le, Saigon South International School, Vietnam

Winner:  Youran Wu, Nanjing Foreign Language School British Columbia Academy, China

Second Prize:  Kayson Hu, Reddam House Sydney, Australia 

Equal Third Prize:  L ucienne Keyoung, Manhasset High School, USA

Equal Third Prize:  Esme Vallois-Davies, Colchester Royal Grammar School, UK

THEOLOGY Prize

Winner:    Hanyu Li, High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China, China

Second Prize:  Shivraj Sharma, Neerja Modi School, India

Third Prize:   Scarlet Strogov, South Orange Middle School, USA

PSYCHOLOGY Prize

Winner:    Claire Yura Kim, Berkshire School, USA

Second Prize:  Arnav Pandey, The International School Bangalore, India 

Third Prize:   Hannah Kim, La Canada High School, USA

RECENT Essay Prize Winners

Grand Prize

Benjamin Who, The Hotchkiss School, USA

Winner: Selena Teng, Millburn High School, USA

Second Prize: Jinchuan Li, The Experimental High School attached   to Beijing Normal University, China

Third Prize: Vivian Li, Magdalen College School, UK

Winner: Pengzhe Lin, Cranbrook Schools, USA

Second Prize: Brandon Ma, Living Word Shanghai Bilingual School, China

Third Prize: Fengshuo Wang, Allendale Columbia School, USA

Winner:  Benjamin Who, The Hotchkiss School, USA

Second Prize: Ke Ren, Ulink Beijing, China

Third Prize: Yixi Zhang, Experimental High School Attached to Beijing Normal University, China

Winner: Yifan Liu, Independent Schools Foundation, Hong Kong

Second Prize: Xiaoyi Shi, Shanghai Foreign Language School Affiliated to SISU, China

Third Prize: Chenrui Dai, Ruian High School International Department, China

Winner: Shahmeer Bukhari, Karachi Grammar School, Pakistan

Second Prize : Sujeong Park, North London Collegiate School Jeju, Republic of South Korea

Third Prize: Samantha Shim, Phillips Academy, USA

Winner: Jonathan Pan, The King's School, Australia

Second Prize: Xinyue Zhu, Bard College at Simon's Rock, USA

Third Prize: Chloe Huang, Westminster School, UK

​Winner: Gabriel Stoney, Rugby School, UK

Second Prize: Yifei Chen, Wuxi Big Bridge Academy, China

Third Prize: Donghong Wei- Shenzhen College of International Education, China ​

Winner:   Cheuk Hei Chung, Chinese International School, Hong Kong

Second Prize: Teresa Yan, PS/MS 219 Paul Klapper, USA

Third Prize: Jia ning Zhang, Veritas Christian Academy, USA

Huaming Li, Xi’an Gaoxin No.1 High School, China

Winner: Austin Swaffer, Knox Grammar School, Australia

Second Prize: Chongwen Gu, YK Pao School, China​

Third Prize: Dana Song, Horace Mann, USA

Winner: Andre Pancholi, Latymer Upper School, UK

Second Prize: Yuhan Wang, Dunman High School, Singapore

Third Prize: Justin Chan, Harrow School, UK

Winner:  Marc Kadir, The Manchester Grammar School, UK

Second Prize: Arshiya Jain, Modern School Vasant Vihar, India

Third Prize: Alexander Chen, Archmere Academy, USA

Winner: Major Shokar, Aylesbury Grammar School, UK

Second Prize: Zoya Fasihuddin, Karachi Grammar School, Pakistan

Third Prize: Stella Zhu, Northfield Mount Hermon, USA​

Winner: Eugene Choi, International School Manila, Philippines

Second Prize: InChan Yang, Winchester College, UK

Third Prize: Sarah Carr, Sidcot School, UK

Winner: Aiden Whitham, St. Paul's School, UK

Second Prize: Laura Koscielska, The Purcell School For Young Musicians, UK

Third Prize: Naciima Mohamed, Columbia Heights High School, USA

​Winner: Hao Tian, Beijing New Talent Academy, China

Second Prize: Huaming Li, Xi’an Gaoxin No.1 High School, China

Third Prize: Corey Koh, Raffles Institution, Singapore ​

Winner:  Joonyoung Heo, Pacific Cascade Middle School, USA

Second Prize: Stephanie Mo, Indian Mountain School, USA

Third Prize: Rena Kim, Menlo School, USA​​​

Ethan Christian Tan, Anglo-Chinese School, Singapore

Winner: Ethan Christian Tan, ACS (Independent), Singapore

Second Prize: Min-Jun Kang, Korea International School, Korea

Third Prize: Ali Haider, Wallington County Grammar School, UK

Winner: Helny Hobbs, Newstead Wood School, UK

Second Prize: Elizabeth Zhu, University of Toronto School, Canada

Third Prize: Calvin Xu, Appleby College, Canada

Winner:  Raphael Conte, Sir William Borlase's Grammar School, UK

Second Prize: Saskia Poulter, The Tiffin Girls' School, UK

Third Prize: Jaimin Shah, King Edward VI Grammar School, UK

Winner: Runan Lin, Georgetown Preparatory School, USA

Second Prize: Christopher Conway, King's College School, UK

Equal Third Prize: Sungjin Park, Wellington College, UK and

                                  Megan Cui, Phillips Andover Academy, USA

Winner: Tianyi Jia, Princeton High School, USA

Second Prize: Henry Barker, Felsted School, UK

Third Prize: Jessica Na, Interlake High School, USA

Winner: Noah Buckle, Watford Grammar School for Boys, UK

Second Prize: Zheng Wei Lim, Raffles Institution, Singapore

Third Prize: Varun Venkatesh, Tanglin Trust School, Singapore

​Winner: Sirui Cai, Raffles Institution, Singapore

Second Prize: Junfang Zhang, Hwa Chong Institution, Singapore

Third Prize: Christopher Bong, ARCH Education, Hong Kong ​

Winner:  Jason Hausenloy, UWCSEA East Campus, Singapore

Second Prize: Anna Rantakari, Wellington College, UK

Third Prize: Alexander Fletcher, St Paul's School, UK

Luke Duthie, Germantown Academy, Pennsylvania, US

Winner: Younghoon Seo, Chadwick International School, South Korea

Second Prize: Jiajun Chung, Anglo-Chinese Junior College, Singapore

Third Prize: Maximilian Fawcett, St Paul's School, UK

Winner: Nayah Victoria Thu, Oslo International School, Norway

Second Prize: Daniel Craig-McFeely, St Paul's School, UK

Third Prize: Haritha Kumar, Cupertino High School, US

Winner:  Luke Duthie, Germantown Academy, US

Second Prize: Janusha Uthayakumar, Woodford County High School for Girls, UK

Third Prize: Harry Toube, City of London School, UK

Winner: Rosie Ashmore, Hagley Roman Catholic High School, UK

Second Prize: Mihira Philip, Sutton Grammar School, UK

Equal Third Prize: George Chadney, The Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School, UK

                                  Clemmie Read, St Paul's Girls' School, UK

Winner: Zikai Zhou, Xiaoshi High School, China

Second Prize: Claire Yoonsuh Kim, Chadwick International School, South Korea

Third Prize: Sophie Kelly, Millfield School, UK

Winner: Elijah Lee, Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), Singapore

Second Prize: Cindy Xin, Albany High School, US

Third Prize: Andrzej Karpiński, II High School In Poznan, Poland

​Winner: Judy Hyojoo Rhee, University Hill Secondary School, Canada

Second Prize: Jonathan Lee, Abingdon School, UK

Third Prize: Alexander Archer, Eton College, UK ​

Equal First Prize: Ethan Zhu, The King's School, Australia

                                Indigo Lee-Wilson, Ascham School, Australia

Third Prize: Jason Hausenloy, UWC South East Asia East Campus, Singapore​​​

John Locke Essay Competition Shortlist 2024

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