Fear or business

Assignment Overview This is an individual, research-based academic essay. You are required to analyse a real-world example of the economic exploitation of fear by examining one clearly defined and specific case from the approved case list below. Word count: 1,500 words (+/-10%), excluding abstract, evidence table and bibliography Submission method: upload as Word file (doc or docx) Deadline: 8 March 2026 at 23:59 (London time) Objective This assignment asks you to critically analyse how fear, insecurity, vulnerability or perceived threat is converted into economic value in contemporary capitalism. Your essay must be research-driven and analytically rigorous. You may advance an argument or evaluative position; however, all claims must be supported by credible evidence and careful reasoning. The emphasis of the assignment is on analytical evaluation rather than description. Essays that remain primarily descriptive will receive a lower grade. Essay Question You must answer the following question: Analyse the economic logic of your chosen case of fear-based value creation and assess its sustainability, legitimacy and broader societal consequences. Your essay must explicitly identify: what fear, insecurity or perceived vulnerability is being activated in the case, and how this is converted into economic value (e.g. revenue generation, pricing, retention, market expansion, data extraction). Topic Selection You must select one topic from the list below and anchor your essay in one specific, clearly defined real-world case. Your case may focus on a company, platform, product, policy, market practice, business model or any other tangible format that is observable in the real world. Essays that discuss fear and capitalism only in general terms, without a clear case focus, will be penalised. 1. Longevity and anti-ageing markets How fear of ageing, decline and death is converted into consumer demand, lifestyle discipline and long-term spending in health optimisation markets. Keywords: optimisation culture, self-tracking, longevity branding, premium wellness, biohacking, mortality avoidance 2. Digital afterlife and AI memorialisation platforms How fear of loss, grief and disappearance is monetised through digital remembrance, legacy services and AI-driven simulations of the dead. Keywords: grief tech, memorialisation, legacy management, emotional dependence, synthetic presence, platform intimacy 3. Data-driven life insurance and dynamic underwriting How fear of death, illness and financial insecurity is monetised through personalised risk scoring, behavioural surveillance, and data-based pricing models. Keywords: risk scoring, wearables, behavioural premiums, underwriting, predictive analytics, financial extraction 4. Workplace surveillance and productivity monitoring software How fear of job loss, underperformance or organisational risk is monetised through monitoring tools that discipline workers and normalise control. Keywords: productivity metrics, monitoring software, compliance, managerial power, automation of oversight, performance anxiety Please note that some lectures may address themes that overlap with essay topics. In such instances, lecture content is intended to provide conceptual grounding and illustrative context only. Essays are expected to go significantly beyond lecture material through independent research, case-specific analysis and critical evaluation. If you are uncertain whether your case is appropriate, you should consult the professor in advance. Research and Sources This is a research-based assignment. You must use a minimum of eight (8) sources. At least two (2) sources must be peer-reviewed academic journal articles. All sources listed in the bibliography must be cited and discussed in the body of the essay. Sources included in the bibliography but not referenced in the text will result in a grade deduction. Where applicable, in-text citations must include page numbers. Evidence Table You must include a short evidence table in your submission. The evidence table must contain four (4) rows. Each row must contain one substantive analytical claim supported by one source. At least two (2) of the four sources must be peer-reviewed academic journal articles. The remaining sources may be credible non-academic sources (e.g., government publications, reputable journalism, industry reports, institutional data). The evidence table is excluded from the word count. Place the evidence table after the Table of Contents (or after the Table of Figures if included) and before the Introduction; see essay structure below. Your evidence table must be presented as a table with the following columns: claim | evidence | source | support Your claim must be an analytical statement you will defend in the essay (not a basic definition or background facts). The evidence must summarise what the source actually argues (not just this source talks about…). The final column must explain why the claim matters for your essays analysis. Example row (illustrative only) Your claim (1-2 sentences) Evidence (what the source shows) Source (APA 7) Support your argument (1 sentence) AI-driven automation is likely to intensify labour market polarisation rather than simply eliminate jobs. The authors show that automation tends to substitute routine tasks while increasing demand for high-skill roles, widening inequality across occupational groups. Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (2021). Title of article. Journal Name, 12(3), 123145. This supports my argument that the shock scenario produces unequal social effects rather than uniform disruption. Essay Structure You must follow the chapter structure outlined below. The suggested word ranges for each section are indicative only. Reasoned deviation is acceptable where justified by the argument. 1. Introduction (200250 words) Introduce the chosen case clearly and specifically. Explain what is being analysed and why it is a relevant example of fear-based value creation in contemporary capitalism. The introduction must include a short thesis statement of one to three sentences that clearly states the central evaluative claim of the essay. 2. Context (300350 words) Provide relevant contextual information about the case, including the market, institutional setting or broader conditions in which it operates. Identify key actors, incentives and the conditions under which fear, insecurity or perceived vulnerability becomes economically meaningful. This section should remain selective and analytically focused rather than purely descriptive. 3. Economic Logic and Value Extraction (300350 words) Analyse how economic value is created in the case. Consider revenue generation, pricing strategies, subscription models, lock-in dynamics, retention, risk monetisation, market expansion or data extraction. Your analysis should demonstrate how fear, insecurity or perceived vulnerability is translated into a stable economic mechanism. 4. Sustainability, Legitimacy and Constraints (250300 words) Assess whether the model is sustainable and what limits or pressures it faces. These may include reputational risk, regulatory pressure, market backlash, ethical concerns, public trust breakdown or political resistance. Where appropriate, distinguish between short-term and long-term risks and assess the likelihood and severity of key failure points. 5. Analysis: Selected Analytical Perspective (300350 words) Choose one analytical perspective from the list below and apply it in depth to your chosen case. The selected option must be clearly indicated in the section heading, e.g. Analysis: Inequality and Social Harm. Choose one of the following: Ethics, manipulation and legitimacy (consent, exploitation, deception, responsibility, harm) Inequality and vulnerability (who is targeted, who is exposed, who cannot opt out) Governance and accountability (regulation, oversight, institutional responsibility, enforcement gaps) Long-term societal effects (normalisation of fear, cultural change, social trust, behavioural shifts) This section should explicitly build on the preceding chapters. It is intended to deepen the argument rather than introduce an unrelated line of reasoning. 6. Conclusion (100150 words) Summarise the key analytical insights of the essay and restate your central evaluative claim. Avoid introducing new material. The conclusion should provide a clear and concise closure to the argument. Writing and Style The essay must be written in formal academic English. Colloquial or informal language is not acceptable. Clarity, coherence and logical argumentation are essential. GENERAL LAYOUT AND SUBMISSION CRITERIA All submission, layout and formatting requirements listed below are mandatory and will be applied in grading. Important Notes Late submissions within the 48-hour window after the deadline will incur a grade deduction of 10%. Submissions after the 48-hour window will be awarded a fail grade F (0%). The Turnitin plagiarism score of your submission must not exceed 15%. Plagiarism will result in academic penalties. The Turnitin AI score must not exceed 20%. You may use AI tools for limited support only: to help you research, structure your text or aid in paraphrasing. You must write your essay in your own words. All AI use must be acknowledged at the end of the essay as per Hults AI policy. Essay Format Title page (separate page) Abstract (separate page; not included in word count; 100150 words) Table of contents (separate page) Table of figures (optional only if more than three figures are included; separate page) Evidence table (separate page; excluded from word count) Essay body (chapters as outlined under Essay Structure above) Bibliography (not included in word count; begin on separate page; can be called Sources Cited or Reference List) Title Page Layout Student name Course name Selected topic title, e.g. Longevity and anti-aging markets Essay title: specific to your chosen case Word count Formatting Requirements Submit your essay in Microsoft Word format (doc or docx); no other file formats will be accepted. Format the entire document with at least 1.5-line spacing; you may also use double-spacing. Indent the first line of every paragraph except the first paragraph of each chapter. Set page margins to 2.5cm (1 inch) on all sides. Include page numbers throughout the document. Referencing and Citation Requirements Use APA 7 for all bibliographic and in-text citations. All direct quotations and in-text citations are included in the word count. Direct quotations must not exceed 5% of your total word count; the essay must be written primarily in your own words. All sources used in your essay and listed in the bibliography must be in English.