Can Shinto influence the environment? It's a very open question...
ISSA Shinto Essay Competition, 2015
Sponsored by International Shinto Studies Association
Topics: (1) Shrine Festivals in Contemporary Japan; (2) Shinto and Christianity; (3) Can Shinto Influence the Environment?
1st prize: A round-trip ticket and a week’s accommodation expenses in Japan (or an equivalent amount of prize money). The 1st prize winner will be awarded at the International Shinto Seminar on October 31, 2015 in Tokyo, Japan. 2nd prize: JPY100,000. 3rd prize: JPY50,000
Shinto festivals can take many forms - a great subject to write about.
Regulations
The competition is open to university students (undergraduates, graduates) and researchers. Applicants should submit an essay of up to 5000 words (including footnotes and bibliography) on one of the above topics.
Essays will be judged on their originality and the clarity of their argument. Essays should be e-mailed as Word file attachments in 12-point type, double-spaced, on A-4 format to info@shinto.org. All entries must be received before July 31, 2015. Applicants must attach a brief biography (including nationality, current postal and email addresses) on a separate sheet.
Important Advice
1. We strongly recommend that non-native speakers of English have their essays checked by a native speaker.
2. It is vital for all applicants to cite all sources used. Failure to do may constitute plagiarism, and lead to the disqualification of the submitted essay. Sources can be cited as either footnotes or endnotes. For examples of how to cite sources, the applicant can refer to one of the following: a) The footnotes as used in Japanese Journal for Religious Studies (JJRS articles can be accessed on line at Nanzan Institute’s website; b) The end-notes as used in Breen and Teeuwen, A New History of Shinto, Wiley-Blackwell, 2010.
3. We ask that all applicants append to the essay a bibliography of the sources used in the writing of the essay.
Notes
1. Those who have already been awarded prizes in previous years’ competitions are not eligible to participate.
2. All entrants will be notified of competition results, and winners will be publicly announced in October 2015. Winners will receive prize money by PayPal account or bank transfer unless arranged otherwise. All submissions become the property of International Shinto Studies Association. Winning papers will be presented on the ISSA web site.
Inquiries
Please address all e-mail inquiries regarding the Shinto essay competition to info[at mark]shinto.org.
Shinto and Christianity: a memorial for Hidden Christians killed in the seventeenth century on the island of Ikitsuki, Nagasaki Prefecture
Hello Dr. Dougill,
Thank you for informing your readers about this essay competition.
As a former prize recipient, I am not eligible to enter further contests. I wish I could – the prizes have significantly improved. This is an excellent opportunity for Green Shinto readers to do some research and writing in a very international forum. If anyone has questions about this competition, please feel free to contact me.