The Centre for Financial Accountability, a New Delhi-based organisation working to strengthen and improve financial accountability within India, invites students and researchers to participate in an essay competition on the topic of Interrogating the World Bank @ 80.
About the Essay Competition:
In October 2024, the World Bank Group and IMF will celebrate their 80th anniversary. Originally established post-World War II for the purpose of reconstruction and development, these multilateral institutions have since played a major role in shaping the development agenda of the Global South. Over the years, the World Bank and IMF have exerted considerable influence on the economic policies and governance structures of countries worldwide, including India. The interventions by World Bank and IMF have been considered controversial and faced resistance by communities across the Global South.
In this context, we encourage students and researchers to register for this essay competition to critically examine the role and complex legacy of the World Bank, IMF, and other international financial institutions. This competition encourages participants to explore how these institutions have shaped the economic trajectories, influenced environmental and social policies, and frameworks under which they operate. Essays can address both the historical and contemporary impacts of these institutions, and offer perspectives on the challenges and contradictions they present in the context of global development.
Theme/Topic
Researchers are encouraged to write a 1000 word article that critically examine the role of the World Bank in an Indian context.
Please find below some suggested questions. These are only suggestions and should not restrict other ideas or discussions. Writers are welcome to explore any topic beyond what is listed.
Suggested Questions:
- How has the World Bank’s promotion of neoliberal policies affected India’s economy and other Global South countries, especially in terms of inequality?
- Have World Bank interventions led to equitable development in India and other Global South countries? What has been the impact on social development?
- To what extent have the World Bank and other international financial institutions contributed to environmental damage through their climate financing, particularly in India and the Global South?
- Is the World Bank’s climate financing truly fair, addressing the needs of vulnerable countries and communities, or does it worsen inequalities between the Global North and South?
- How has the World Bank’s push for privatization affected access to basic services like healthcare and education in India?
- What impact have the World Bank’s infrastructure projects had on vulnerable communities in India, and how accountable are they for the social and environmental consequences?
- How have international financial institutions balanced climate finance with economic growth, and what have been the trade-offs for the environment and society in countries like India?
- Whether institutions like the World Bank and IMF remain relevant today? How can this hegemony be challenged?
Process and Deadlines:
The submission deadline is 8 November 2024. Please submit your article via the Google form after completing the required questions. If you are unable to upload your article through the form, please contact us by email before the 8 November deadline.
Link to the form: https://bit.ly/WB-80-essay
The winners will be announced on 23 November 2024.
The top three essays will receive a prize amount of Rs 5000 for first place, Rs 2000 for second place, and Rs 1000 for third place and essays will be published on the CFA website and weekly newsletter.
Essay Competition Style Guide and Advisory
We encourage originality and creativity in all submissions for this essay competition. Essays should be between 1,000 – 1,200 words. Your essay must have a well-defined structure with an introduction, body, and conclusion. Ensure your argument is coherent, with supporting evidence for each point made. Proper citation of sources is mandatory to give credit to the original authors of any material you reference.
Plagiarism: Any form of plagiarism will result in disqualification. Plagiarism includes using someone else’s ideas, words, or work without proper attribution. Ensure all information taken from external sources is properly cited and quoted. We will be conducting plagiarism checks on all submissions.
Use of AI Tools: While AI tools like grammar checkers may be used to refine the language, we expect the content, ideas, and arguments to be your original work. The use of AI for generating entire essays or large portions of text is not permitted. Essays found to be heavily reliant on AI-generated content will be disqualified.
Originality: Your submission must be original and unpublished. Each participant should offer a fresh perspective and present unique insights into the chosen topic. Essays that have been previously published or submitted for other competitions will not be accepted.
Finally, ensure that your essay aligns with the competition’s theme and guidelines. Be sure to proofread your work for spelling and grammatical errors before submission. We look forward to reading your thoughtful and well-crafted essays.
Expected Deliverables and Eligibility
- One comprehensive analytical article of 1000-1200 words on the topic proposed
- Open to all, under the age of 28 years.
- Open to submission in any Indian language
- Timeline:
– Article Submission Deadline: 8th November 2024
– Announcement of Winner: 23rd November 2024
For any further queries, please write to us at: info@cenfa.org
About CFA
Centre for Financial Accountability (CFA) engages in critical analysis, monitoring and critique of the role of financial institutions – national and international, and their impact on development, human rights and the environment, amongst other areas in India.
The Centre partners with a range of civil society groups, social movements and community groups to ensure that the financial institutions are transparent and accountable to the people they exist to serve. However, we also look at the South Asia region and seek to reflect a global perspective, especially given the globalised nature of international finance in the twenty-first century.
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