Latin American Student Essay Contest

As a means to foster the study and appreciation of Latin America, the Center of Latin American Studies at Boston University announces

The Latin American Studies Student Essay Contest

Eligibility Guidelines

The competition is open to all graduate and undergraduate students in all concentrations and classes at Boston University. Submissions are limited to one paper per student.

Deadline

April 30, 2020

Topics

Essays should address any topic related to the societies and cultures of Latin America and the Caribbean as viewed from regional and global perspectives.  Latinx topics are also welcome. We are looking for essays that inform, engage, and entertain readers.

Essays may be written in English, Spanish, or Portuguese.

Essays should not exceed 3000 words.

Graduate student essays should be closer to a short publishable article. They should conform to APA, Chicago or the MLA style format.

Professors may encourage their students to submit revised versions of their final or mid-term papers for the competition.

Judging

A committee of core faculty members in the Latin American Studies will select the winners.

The award will be based on:

  • Quality of the argument
  • Originality of the analysis
  • Clarity of the writing
  • Writing that engages both hearts and minds

The winner will be announced within two weeks of the April 30th, 2020 deadline.

Submissions should be emailed to Elizabeth Amrien. Please do not include your name or any identifying information on the essay itself. In the body of the email, include your full name, degree program, and anticipated graduation date.

Essay Contest Awards

First Place:  $1000.00

Second Place:  $600.00

Third Place:  $400.00

The winning essays will be published on the Center for Latin American Studies website.

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