The SEVEN Fund’s global competition on the morality of profit is inviting essays of up to 3000 words. There is a grand prize of US $20,000, a second prize of US $10,000 and a third prize of US $5000. Besides, the best essays will be collected into a manuscript and it is intended to be published. Further, the program will also culminate with an international conference in 2010.
Since capitalistic greed has been identified as one of the factors for the global economic crisis, it is relevant to debate upon issues related to profitability. Therefore, this program seeks to raise important questions such as: “Are markets moral? Is profit a means, or an end? What is the relationship between greed and profit? Can the pursuit of profit be understood as a good in itself or a necessary evil? What are our core ethical responsibilities as we seek profits? What are the implications of the morality of profit to the cause of international development, and enterprise solutions to poverty?”
“In the River They Swim: Essays from Around the World on Enterprise Solutions to Poverty” is a recent publication from SEVEN Fund which comprises of some model essays that can be referred to for understanding the type of essays that it is seeking under this competition. According to its website, “These essays are not meant to provide an exhaustive range of models. Rather, they display the kind of insight that we are seeking, and, together, they show the diversity that we are looking for in a similar collection on The Morality of Profit. We fully expect that some submissions to the project will be paradigmatic in fresh and unanticipated ways.”
The criteria to be used for evaluating the submissions are: “an engaging hook or premise; a clearly defined agenda or thesis; emotional appeal; compelling data; well-crafted arguments; robust discussion; and a powerful close.” Submissions should be innovative, thoughtful and engaging.
Essays have to be submitted electronically in an MS Word or PDF format and should contain a 100-word abstract at the beginning of the document along with contact details. The deadline to make the submissions is 28 February 2010. For more information, visit this link.
