"What unites us..." Interdisciplinary Politics Essay Competition, Ages 16-18

The Big Tent Book Club is running an essay competition to encourage 16-18-year-olds to think creatively about how to change politics for the better. As members of this book club, we love fostering a friendly atmosphere conducive to cross-party, and cross-society discussions, whilst looking for new solutions to old problems. We are inviting pupils in the UK to join us in this challenge.

Theme: "What unites us..."
First prize for essay competition winner: £200
A list of shortlisted essay titles and essayists will also be named.
A panel of judges will be picked from regular book club members, and past VIP guests and speakers.
Word Count: 1,000 words (+/- 10%)
Deadline: 11:59 PM on Sunday 31st July 2022
Results announced: 10 AM on Thursday 1st September 2022 (in time for inclusion on Personal Statements).

You must be in Year 12 or 13 in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland, or in S5 or S6 in Scotland to enter.

How to submit:
Please send your essay, along with your name, school, and year as a PDF to [BigTentBookClub@gmail.com](mailto:BigTentBookClub@gmail.com) by the above deadline. Entries received past this deadline will not be accepted. This essay competition is free to enter.

List of essay questions:

1. What‌ ‌ideas,‌ ‌policies‌, ‌or‌ ‌projects‌ ‌are‌ ‌required‌ ‌to‌ ‌improve‌ ‌the‌ ‌state‌ ‌of‌ ‌politics‌ ‌in‌ ‌Britain‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌21st‌ ‌century?‌ ‌(Please‌ ‌use‌ ‌this‌ ‌prompt‌ ‌to‌ ‌think‌ ‌creatively,‌ ‌and‌ ‌make‌ ‌it‌ ‌your‌ ‌own!)‌ ‌
   ‌
2. “In‌ ‌a‌ ‌time‌ ‌of‌ ‌deceit,‌ ‌telling‌ ‌the‌ ‌truth‌ ‌is‌ ‌a‌ ‌revolutionary‌ ‌act.”‌ ‌―‌ ‌George‌ ‌Orwell‌. ‌In‌ ‌our‌ ‌so-called‌ ‌post-truth‌ ‌world,‌ ‌how‌ ‌can‌ ‌we‌ ‌call‌ ‌on‌ ‌Orwell’s‌ ‌above‌ ‌phrase‌ ‌to‌ ‌steer‌ ‌our‌ ‌political‌ ‌undertakings?‌ ‌
   ‌
3. What‌ ‌kind‌ ‌of‌ ‌literature‌ ‌would‌ ‌you‌ ‌like‌ ‌to‌ ‌see‌ ‌more‌ ‌politicians‌ ‌read?‌
   Why?‌ ‌
   ‌
4. With‌ ‌reference‌ ‌to‌ ‌a‌ ‌book‌ ‌of‌ ‌your‌ ‌choice,‌ ‌explain‌ ‌why‌ ‌that‌ ‌book’s‌ ‌ideas‌ ‌need‌ ‌to‌ ‌be‌ ‌brought‌ ‌into‌ ‌the‌ ‌public‌ ‌forum‌ ‌of‌ ‌discussion‌ ‌today?‌ ‌
   ‌
5. “We‌ ‌are‌ ‌far‌ ‌more‌ ‌united‌ ‌and‌ ‌have‌ ‌far‌ ‌more‌ ‌in‌ ‌common‌ ‌with‌ ‌each‌ ‌other‌ than‌ ‌things‌ ‌that‌ ‌divide‌ ‌us.”‌ ‌To‌ ‌what‌ ‌extent‌ ‌do‌ ‌you‌ ‌agree‌ ‌that‌ ‌literature‌ and‌ ‌political‌ ‌writing‌ ‌has‌ ‌the‌ ‌power‌ ‌to‌ ‌help‌ ‌realise‌ ‌the‌ ‌late‌ ‌Jo‌ ‌Cox’s‌ ‌words?‌ ‌

Good luck and we look forward to receiving your entries.