CFP: 2026 Berggruen Prize Essay Competition

The Berggruen Prize Essay Competition is calling for essay submissions in English and Chinese with a total award amount of $100,000. The competition is overseen annually by the Berggruen Institute with the goal of stimulating new thinking and innovative concepts while embracing cross-cultural perspectives across fields, disciplines, and geographies.

Inspired by the pivotal role essays have played in shaping thought and inquiry, we are inviting essays that follow in the tradition of renowned thinkers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Michel de Montaigne, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Submissions should present novel ideas and be clearly argued in compelling ways for intellectually serious readers. 

Competition Highlights:

• Prize: $100,000 USD

• Languages: Open to essays in English and Chinese.

• 2026 Theme: A New Axial Age? Might civilization yet again be at the ‘hinge of history,' in which the events that occur in this distinct point in time significantly influence the trajectory of the future? We seek original essays that offer fresh perspectives from all traditions and disciplines.

• Deadline: August 17, 2026