LSE: The Ballpark | How democratic citizenry can shape America’s role in the world - Master’s students essay competition 2026
In 2026 the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. During this important year for the US, there are increasingly questions about its role in the world and how its citizens can shape its domestic and foreign policy.
In 2026, the Phelan US Centre ran an essay competition for LSE master’s students with the prompt, "What role can democratic citizenry play in shaping America’s role in the world as it enters its 250th year?"
In this episode we spoke to the author of the winning essay, Alexander Minford, and the runners-up, Iman Shaikh and Kristýna Šimonová. We discussed their essays, the competition, what it’s like for students to engage with a wider audience, and the opportunity they had to present their essays in the UK parliament to MPs and the British-American Parliamentary Group.
This episode was produced by Chris Gilson and Avan Fata.
Read the essays from the winner and runners-up on the Phelan US Centre’s USAPP blog
- The most important act of American global leadership may be winning a local primary- Alexander Minford - LSE School of Public Policy (winner)
- Finding Tocqueville in Times Square: how lessons from America’s vibrant civic past can reinvigorate its citizenry in the present - Iman Shaikh - LSE Department of Government (runner-up)
- At 250, the world's oldest democracy is autocratising at a global cost that its citizens have the power to stop - Kristýna Šimonová - LSE Department of International Relations (runner-up)
This episode was produced by Chris Gilson and Avan Fata.
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