Choose Your Test
Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 55 great debate topics for any project.
General Education
A debate is a formal discussion about a topic where two sides present opposing viewpoints. Debates follow a specific structure: each side is given time to speak either for or against the topic at hand.
Many students study debate in high school to improve their speaking skills. As a debater, you learn how to clearly structure and present an argument. The skills you develop as a debater will help you on everything from a college admissions interview to a job presentation.
Selecting debate topics is one of the most important parts of debating. In this article, we’ll explain how to select a good debate topic and give suggestions for debate topics you can use.
How to Select Good Debate Topics
A good debate topic is one that lets the participants and the audience learn about both sides of an issue. Consider the following factors when selecting a debate topic:
Interest: Are you interested in the topic? Would the topic be interesting to your fellow classmates, as well as to the audience listening to the debate? Selecting a topic that you’re interested in makes the preparation part of the debate more exciting , as well as the debate more lively.
Argument Potential: You want to choose a debate topic that has solid argument potential. If one side is clearly right, or if there isn’t a lot of available information, you’ll have a hard time crafting a solid debate.
Availability of Data: Data points make an argument more robust. You’ll want to select a topic with lots of empirical data that you can pull from to bolster your argument.
Now that we know how to select a debate topic, let’s look at a list of good debate topics.
Debate Topics Master List
If you’re searching for your next debate topic, here are some suggestions.
Social and Political Issues Debate Topics
- All people should have the right to own guns.
- The death penalty should be abolished.
- Human cloning should be legalized.
- All drugs should be legalized.
- Animal testing should be banned.
- Juveniles should be tried and treated as adults.
- Climate change is the greatest threat facing humanity today.
- Violent video games should be banned.
- The minimum wage should be $15 per hour.
- All people should have Universal Basic Income.
- Sex work should be legal.
- Countries should be isolationist.
- Abortion should be banned.
- Every citizen should be mandated to perform national public service.
- Bottled water should be banned.
- Plastic bags should be banned.
Education Debate Topics
- Homework should be banned.
- Public prayer should not be allowed in schools.
- Schools should block sites like YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram on their computers.
- School uniforms should be required.
- Standardized testing should be abolished.
- All students should have an after-school job or internship.
- School should be in session year-round.
- All high school athletes should be drug tested.
- Detention should be abolished.
- All student loan debt should be eliminated.
- Homeschooling is better than traditional schooling.
- All schools should have armed security guards.
- Religion should be taught in schools.
- All schools should be private schools.
- All students should go to boarding schools.
- Sexual education should be mandatory in schools.
- Public college should be tuition free.
- All teachers should get tenure.
- All school districts should offer school vouchers.
Health Debate Topics
- Healthcare should be universal.
- Cosmetic procedures should be covered by health insurance.
- All people should be vegetarians.
- Euthanasia should be banned.
- The drinking age should be 18.
- Vaping should be banned.
- Smoking should be banned in all public places.
- People should be legally required to get vaccines.
- Obesity should be labeled a disease.
- Sexual orientation is determined at birth.
- The sale of human organs should be legalized.
- Birth control should be for sale over the counter.
Technology Debate Topics
- Social media has improved human communication.
- The development of artificial intelligence will help humanity.
- Individuals should own their own DNA.
- Humans should invest in technology to explore and colonize other planets.
- Governments should invest in alternative energy sources.
- Net neutrality should be restored.
- Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies should be encouraged or banned.
- Alternative energy can effectively replace fossil fuels.
- Cell phone radiation is dangerous and should be limited.
How to Prepare for a Debate
Once you’ve selected your debate topic, the next step is to prepare for your debate. Follow these steps as you get ready to take the podium.
Read Your Evidence
The most important step to building your debate confidence is to familiarize yourself with the evidence available. You’ll want to select reputable sources and use empirical data effectively.
The more well read on your topic you are, the better you’ll be able to defend your position and anticipate the other side’s arguments.
Anticipate the Other Side’s Arguments
As part of your debate, you’ll need to rebut the other side’s arguments. It’s important to prepare ahead of time to guess what they’ll be talking about. You’ll bolster your own side’s argument if you’re able to effectively dismantle what the other side is saying.
Plan to Fill Your Speech Time
Each speaker at a debate is limited to a certain amount of time. You should plan to use every second of the time that you’re allotted. Make sure you practice your talking points so that you know you’re within the time frame. If you’re short, add in more evidence.
Practice to Build Confidence
It can be scary to take the stage for a debate! Practicing ahead of time will help you build confidence. Remember to speak slowly and clearly. Even if your argument is great, it won’t matter if no one can understand it.
Final Thoughts
Debate is a great way to hone your public speaking skills and get practice crafting and defending an argument. Use these debate topics if you're searching for a focus for your next debate.
What's Next?
Looking for ways to keep the debate going in non-academic life? Then you'll love our list of 101 "this or that" questions to argue over with your friends.
Thinking about how you can use your argumentative skills in a future career? Read up on the five steps to becoming a lawyer to see if that's a path you want to pursue.
Getting ready to take an AP test? Here’s a list of practice tests for every AP exam, including the AP literature exam .
It can be hard to schedule time to study for an AP test on top of your extracurriculars and normal classwork. Check out this article on when you need to start studying for your AP tests to make sure you’re staying on track.
Need more help with this topic? Check out Tutorbase!
Our vetted tutor database includes a range of experienced educators who can help you polish an essay for English or explain how derivatives work for Calculus. You can use dozens of filters and search criteria to find the perfect person for your needs.
Hayley Milliman is a former teacher turned writer who blogs about education, history, and technology. When she was a teacher, Hayley's students regularly scored in the 99th percentile thanks to her passion for making topics digestible and accessible. In addition to her work for PrepScholar, Hayley is the author of Museum Hack's Guide to History's Fiercest Females.
Student and Parent Forum
Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com , allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Ask questions; get answers.
Ask a Question Below
Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!
Improve With Our Famous Guides
- For All Students
The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points
How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer
Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:
Score 800 on SAT Math
Score 800 on SAT Reading
Score 800 on SAT Writing
Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:
Score 600 on SAT Math
Score 600 on SAT Reading
Score 600 on SAT Writing
Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests
What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?
15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay
The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points
How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer
Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:
36 on ACT English
36 on ACT Math
36 on ACT Reading
36 on ACT Science
Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:
24 on ACT English
24 on ACT Math
24 on ACT Reading
24 on ACT Science
What ACT target score should you be aiming for?
ACT Vocabulary You Must Know
ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score
How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League
How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA
How to Write an Amazing College Essay
What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?
Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide
Should you retake your SAT or ACT?
When should you take the SAT or ACT?
Stay Informed
Get the latest articles and test prep tips!
Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?
Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:
GRE Online Prep Blog
GMAT Online Prep Blog
TOEFL Online Prep Blog
Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”
- Choosing Good Topics
- Controversial
- Demonstration
- Extemporaneous
- Informative
- School/College
- Special Occasion
- Public Speaking Help
- Writing a Speech
- Free Sample Speeches
- Share Your Speech
Debate Speech Topics
This page is devoted to debate speech topics for high school and college level students. If you're responsible for picking the subjects about which these students will talk, here are some tips to guide you and help you come up with the best choice for your group.
Age and Maturity Levels
Teaching kids debating skills can be a tough job.
For many kids, debating means arguing or fighting! And in a sense, debating IS arguing - but in a formal, respectful manner, where students exchange views without aggression and voices are heard.
It's a new concept to some kids (!) but a valuable one to master. It can be an incredibly useful skill throughout adulthood, no matter what particular course their lives take.
Debating at a school/college level can also be very enjoyable for the students, as long as the topics chosen are right for them!
To keep them interested and to spark their imaginations and get them thinking, you need to use topics that are appropriate, yet challenging, for their age and maturity levels.
Debate Speech Topics for Younger Kids
If you're working with kids at the elementary level, you probably don't want to pick anything too controversial. You should also avoid subjects that may rely on lots of facts and figures.
Nevertheless, you still want to have the students push their boundaries a bit, for them to grow and mature their debating skills.
Ideas include:
- How much should children be expected to help with housework?
- Should schools offer ONLY healthy lunch options?
- Should children be allowed to choose which subjects they want to study?
- Would it be a good idea for ALL school children to wear a uniform?
- Are kids expected to take part in too many extracurricular activities, leaving no time for play?
Interesting Topics for Middle School Students
- Should homework be banned from schools?
- Should kids be allowed to use their mobile phones at school?
- Is Big Foot real or just a legend?
- Is there life in outer space?
Debate Speech Topics for High School
While there's certainly nothing wrong with using some of the standards, like "Does television violence influence children negatively?", there are indeed a lot of other topics that can be used at this level to keep things fresh and exciting.
- Should laboratory animal testing be banned?
- Is global warming real, or just a myth?
- Should the death penalty still be used today?
- Censorship of the media - is it justifiable?
- Are we allowing social media to replace our social lives?
Interesting Debate Speech Topics for College Students
- Which is the real truth: evolution or creationism?
- Should the United States decriminalize all illegal drugs?
- Should families be responsible for the care of their elderly members?
- Is the assassination of a dictator morally justifiable?
These topics are all challenging and appropriate to the age and maturity levels but are thought-provoking and likely to trigger some fascinating debates.
Tip to Help Students Hone Their Debating Skills
Students need preparation and study for a good debate - but it's also a good idea to plan a 'surprise' session once in a while, where you introduce a topic and ask students to debate it there and then.
Throwing a surprise curve-ball every once in a while helps them to think on their toes.
As you know, debates can take some unusual twists and turns. By holding a few sessions with surprise debate speech topics, you will be equipping students to react quickly and come up with good responses during real debates.
Return to the Top of the Page
Recommended pages:
How to Convince People Your Ideas are Valid
A Sample Pro/Con Speech about Children and Cell Phones
Controversial Speech Topics (1)
Controversial Speech Topics (2)
You might like these
Pro Con Speech on Attorney-Client Privelege
A pro con speech about the rights and wrongs of the attorney-client privilege provides ideas on how to write a controversial speech.
Controversial Speech Topics - Top Tips for a Great Presentation
Learn how to choose the best controversial speech topics and follow these guidelines to put together a great presentation.
Extemporaneous Speech Topics
Extemporaneous speech topics tend to frustrate even the most experienced speakers. But in actuality they can be one of the easier speech topics to write on.
Easily search your speech type
Just check out the sitemap for best-speech-topics.com , which lists all the pages on the site, or use the search box below:
Get to Know Us
- Privacy Policy
Attention Grabbers
- Positive Quotes for Kids
- Quotes for Graduation Speeches
- Poems & Quotes on Death
- Quotes on Retirement
Most Popular Pages
- Free Samples
- Good Speech Topics
- Hypnotize Your Audience
- Welcome Speech
Select a Speech Topic
- Argumentative
- Commemorative
- Inspirational
- Interesting
- Other Topics
Let Us Help You
- How To Write a Speech
- Demonstration Outline
- Informative Outline
- Introductions
- Using a Microphone
- Speech Help
- Speeches Made Easy
The Edvocate
- Lynch Educational Consulting
- Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
- Write For Us
- The Tech Edvocate Product Guide
- The Edvocate Podcast
- Terms and Conditions
- Privacy Policy
- Assistive Technology
- Child Development
- Classroom Management
- Early Childhood
- EdTech & Innovation
- Education Leadership
- First Year Teachers
- Gifted and Talented Education
- Parental Involvement
- Policy & Reform
- Special Education
- Best Colleges and Universities
- Best College and University Programs
- HBCU’s
- Higher Education
- Higher Education EdTech
- International Education
- The Awards Process
- Finalists and Winners of The 2021 Tech Edvocate Awards
- Finalists and Winners of The 2020 Tech Edvocate Awards
- Finalists and Winners of The 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards
- Finalists and Winners of The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards
- Finalists and Winners of The 2017 Tech Edvocate Awards
- Award Seals
- GPA Calculator for College
- GPA Calculator for High School
- Cumulative GPA Calculator
- Grade Calculator
- Weighted Grade Calculator
- Final Grade Calculator
- The Tech Edvocate
- AI Powered Personal Tutor
Bullying/Cyberbullying: Everything You Need to Know
Cryptography essay topics, research topics about cryptocurrency, research topics about crusades, fascinating essay topics to write about cruelty to animals, fascinating cross-cultural management essay topics to write about, critical thinking essay questions, research topics about crisis management, fascinating crisis communication essay topics to write about, criminal justice research questions, 120 debate topics for high and middle school students.
Are you looking for debate topics for your middle and high school students? Well, you have come to the right place. Check out our list of 120 debate topics for middle and high school students.
General Debate Topics
- Should we ban homework: does homework promote learning?
- How essential is a college education?
- Banning mobile devices (cell phones, smartphones) at schools: yes or no?
- Is it appropriate to allow students to create their own curricula?
- Is abortion murder?
- Are violent video games appropriate entertainment for teenagers?
- Does social media contribute to teenage suicide?
- Does modern social media make people less socially active?
- How should modern society respond to teenage pregnancies?
- Is higher education a necessary prerequisite for an individual’s financial success in the future?
Topics Related to Education
- Are private schools better than public schools?
- Should education be privatized entirely?
- Are student loans exploitative?
- Does the traditional classroom address contemporary society’s needs?
- Is allowing teachers to carry guns on campuses a good idea?
- Does the contemporary grading system work?
- Should college education be compulsory?
- Is it appropriate to teach religion in schools?
- Is homeschooling better than a public or private school education?
- Is it fair to require that all students learn at least one foreign language?
Social Debate Topics
- Does the contemporary policing of marginalized communities in the United States contribute to the criminalization of youth?
- Should the death penalty be abolished in the United States?
- Is it ethical to have an abortion in the early stages of pregnancy?
- Does peer pressure absolve deliquent teens from cupabilty?
- Will electronic databases fully substitute brick and mortar libraries?
- Is cloning ethically acceptable?
- Is the legalization of marijuana a food idea?
- Should euthanasia be legalized?
- Is there any reason to raise minimum wages?
- Drug addicts: Do they need help or punishment?
- Is nationalism beneficial or dangerous in the context of globalization?
Environmental Issues
- Is climate change already irreversible?
- Banning plastic bags and packaging: yes or no?
- Are genetically modified foods a viable solution?
- Banning zoos: yes or no?
- How does tourism affect the environment?
- Should there be more national parks in the United States?
- Is banning fracking a good idea?
- All people should become vegetarian.
- What is organic farming’s role in agriculture’s future?
- Are live animal exports ethically acceptable?
Political Debate Topics
- Political campaigns should not be allowed to accept money from.
- Democracy is the best form of government.
- Is it appropriate for governments to limit their citizens’ freedom of speech?
- Are taxes that increase at accelerating rates fair?
- Limiting terms for U.S. senators and representatives brings more harm than good.
- Former offenders should preserve their voting rights.
- Modern patterns of incarceration that affect minorities more than whites contribute to racial inequality in the US.
- Is it necessary for a political leader to be active on social media?
- Is the US Constitution a living document?
- Should the Supreme Court judges be appointed for predetermined fixed periods?
Debate Topics Related to Parenting
- Should children use smartphones without parental supervision?
- Teenage girls having access to birth control without parental supervision: yes or no?
- Should parents decide which career their children will pursue?
- Parents always treat their children fairly: yes or no?
- Is it ethically permissible for parents to pick the genders of their future children?
- Gay couples are adopting children: pros and cons.
- Should parents control their children’s activities on social media?
- Is parental supervision the same as parental control?
- Teenage children and completely autonomous decision-making: should parents allow this?
- Is parental support essential for the future success of children?
Technology Topics
- Will technology make people smarter?
- Is artificial intelligence dangerous?
- Will robots increase people’s quality of life?
- How do technological advances influence us?
- Will humans colonize another planet soon?
- Can all cars become electric?
- Does technology intensify human communication?
- Recent developments in technology transform people’s interests: yes or no?
- Can people save nature using technology (or destroy it)?
- Do laws effectively keep up with changes in technology?
Healthcare Topics
- Justifying the legalization of recreational marijuana: yes or no?
- Is mandatory vaccination constitutional?
- Alternative medicine and its impact on the future of healthcare.
- Does technology promote our health?
- Modern healthcare and antibiotics.
- Is drug legalization a good idea?
- Does globalization promote universal healthcare?
- Should healthcare services for all citizens be fully funded by the government?
- Should the government be allowed to force parents to take their sick children to the hospital?
- Can competition improve the quality of healthcare services?
Debate Topics Related to Leisure
- Is a summer vacation better than a winter vacation?
- Encouraging teenagers to read books: are the outcomes encouraging?
- Has technology changed the way young people spend their leisure time?
- Has social media taken over our leisure time?
- Can daily leisure time be a substitute for a yearly vacation?
- Is leisure time essential for workplace effectiveness?
- Playing video games during leisure time: pros and cons.
- Has work-life balance changed with the advent of technology?
- Has globalization and our increased mobility changed the way we view vacations?
- Women spend their leisure time differently than men.
Debating Financial and Policy Matters
- Can the U.S. government ensure the country’s financial stability?
- How secure is mobile banking?
- Does the credit industry promote or hinder economic development?
- Is there any economic justification for wars?
- Should wealthy people pay higher taxes than the poor?
- How would lowering the voting age impact America’s future?
- Mass incarceration and its impact on U.S. politics.
- Mandatory financial education: pros and cons.
- Should online financial advice be available for every citizen?
- Can high profitability alone justify environmentally hazardous practices?
Debating Historical Matters
- History is an important subject that all students should learn: yes or no?.
- Is King Arthur a real historical figure or myth?
- Knowledge of history enriches one’s worldview: yes or no?
- What role did Britain play during the First World War?
- How have different historians interpreted World War Two?
- Was there any justification for the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the US?
- How shoudl we interpret the Revolutionary War?
- Ancient Roman culture versus contemporary culture.
- History & its impact on the future.
- Modern interracial conflicts evaluated from a historical perspective.
Topics for Fun Filled Debates
- Are men stronger than women?
- Daydreaming versus dreaming at night: which is better?
- Communication between the sexes: do men and women have different approaches?
- Choosing the best pizza topping: healthy versus tasty.
- Do fairy tales affect children’s perception of reality?
- Is living together before marriage appropriate nowadays?
- Should teenagers get after-school jobs?
- Gender and life expectancy: what factors explain life expectancy gaps?
- From a historical perspective, are women smarter than men?
136 Persuasive Speech Topics for Students
Should we take a zero-tolerance approach to ....
Matthew Lynch
Related articles more from author.
What You Need to Know for Evaluating Reform
Should we stop the use of test data for educator evaluations?
Three Hot Topics in the Argument Around Free Speech and Student Rights
29 Genius Techniques for Motivating Students to Control Their Anger
15 Strategies to Help Students Who Run Away from School Experiences
How to Implement the Fishbowl Teaching Strategy in Your Classroom
21 comments.
[…] Start with a question you want your students to explore. You can find a big list here. […]
You have no idea how helpful this was for planning speaking sessions! Thank you so so much
[…] DEBATE […]
[…] factors contribute to students’ success in summative assessments. Factors like the test type (120 debate topics), when the test occurs, the school environment, etc., can affect a student’s result on a summative […]
[…] relationships and quantities of a specific mathematical problem. This is used to help the learner (120 debate topics) develop a clearer understanding of a problem and assist them in solving […]
[…] be getting paid to study, making it a win-win situation. Charging money for your class notes is a highly debated topic, but I can ensure you that is nothing illegal or unethical about the […]
[…] may be produced due to the drawbacks of the formative assessment system. Where you stand on this debate topic will probably be guided by your philosophy of […]
[…] There are plenty of ways that schools can improve the learning opportunities for special needs students. For instance, the use of EdTech has proven to be quite helpful for such students. The IEPs are revised almost once a year to make sure it meets the requirements of your child. Many people will say that IEPs are better than service plans, and because of this, it is a topic of debate. […]
Well written post thank you for sharing!
This comment was extremely unnecessary and violated many of this website’s guidelines. I, a professional student, was just happily scrolling through the comments trying to learn and make the best out of my education. This comment completely ruined my day and I am politely asking you to delete it before I make a report to the administration of this website.
Ramona, this comment was incredibly unnecessary and rude. I, a professional student, was just trying to scroll through comments and learn more with my education I have been going through for 6 years! (I’m a professional 5th grader) Your comment wasn’t needed and not only distracted me but also ruined my whole entire day. I am politely going to ask you to delete this before I get the website’s administration involved. Do better next time.
Thank you- Carol
[…] to make an educated and informed argument, and find their own unique voice. If you are looking for debate topics for high school students, check out the list […]
[…] It supports diversity: Connectivism supports the diversity of opinions and individual perspectives, theoretically providing no hierarchy for knowledge’s value. One way to use connectivism would be to teach students how to use debate topics. […]
[…] Difficulty with coordination and motor skills: Some kids with Asperger’s might find essential motor skills, such as walking or running, challenging. They may lack coordination and have trouble with riding a bike or climbing. Students with ADD would have a hard time using a debate topics. […]
[…] digital literacy is so important, educators are increasingly required to teach students digital literacy in the classroom. In many ways, this is similar to what educators have always done […]
God bless You
you to you absolute legend ❤️
[…] debate topics […]
[…] Here are some of the advantages of debating: […]
[…] • San Francisco, the headquarter of Silicon Valley, attracts one-third of all venture finance investment in the United States. Teamwork, creativity, and risk-taking are encouraged in the area’s entrepreneurial atmosphere. Silicon Valley now has over 2,000 technological businesses, including several of the world’s largest. Startup entrepreneurs may discuss information on employment, funding, and other topics. […]
Leave a reply Cancel reply
Speech And Debate
Debate Topics
Last updated on: Feb 9, 2023
Debate Topics (2022) - Top 100+ Compelling Topics
By: Cordon J.
14 min read
Reviewed By: Melisa C.
Published on: Oct 20, 2020
Choosing an interesting topic for a debate can be a little tricky. There are several factors that are to be considered before you choose a topic.
- Is the topic debatable?
- Do you have content for it?
- Is the content easily available for research?
- Are you genuinely interested in the topic?
- Is the topic good enough to impress your audience?
Get all the answers below and get some creative and great debate topics and ideas.
On this Page
What is the Debate?
A debate and speech writing is a process or an activity that involves presenting relevant arguments in support of a viewpoint. Normally, debates take place in academic institutes, public meetings, and legislative and lawmaking assemblies.
It is a common part of our lives, and we all have argued at some point in our lives. Through a debate, a participant tries to cancel the views and arguments of the opponent while safeguarding its own views with solid proof and arguments.
In an academic and scholarly environment, it is considered quite a fun and enlightening activity that engages the audience and adds to their knowledge.
What are the Types of Debate?
The debate is divided into four types. Each type is used for a specific type of debate, and all of them are conducted differently and could take place for different purposes. Below are the four types of debate:
- Lincoln-Douglas Debate
- Rebuttal Debate
- Oregon-Oxford Debate
- One-Rebuttal Debate
No matter what kind of debate you are planning or participating in, you will not need a unique or out-of-the-box type of topic for it. Your topic should be interesting and relatable for your audience, and this is enough to make your debate a winner.
How to Choose Good Debate Topics?
Some important factors need to be considered when it comes to choosing a good debate topic. A good debate topic will help the audience understand both sides of the issues and keep them engaged to make better and informed decisions.
Here are a few tips that will help you choose a good topic for your debate.
- Interest – It is necessary that you should be interested in your topic since you are the one who is going to write and deliver it to your audience. If you are not interested in the topic, there is no way that your debate will be convincing enough to persuade your audience.
- Research – To debate effectively, you should be aware of the pros and cons of your topic. This will help you convince the audience by opposing the opponent’s viewpoints.
- Target Audience – This is the essential factor to consider while choosing a debate topic. Your topic should be according to the intellectual level of your audience. Only this way, they will actually understand what you are trying to deliver in your debate.
- Argument Potential – Pick a topic that has a solid argument potential. If only one side is right or if there is limited information available, you will face a hard time crafting a good debate.
Best Debate Topics for Students
Below we have compiled some great topics for debate competition;
Debate Topics for Middle School
Following middle school debate topics are added to give you some good debate topics for middle school.
- Along with studies, there should be chores for students as well.
- Sports should be an essential part of middle school.
- School debate should be compulsory for all students.
- There should be a monarch system in the United States.
- Is the death penalty effective as a punishment?
- There should be no school uniforms or a dress code.
- Junk food should not be banned in schools.
- Energy drinks should be banned from students.
- Students should volunteer for community service.
- Students should not be allowed gadgets in school.
- Children should not be allowed to play violent video games.
- Pros and cons of using social media.
- Zoos should be banned.
- Mobile phones should not be allowed in schools.
- Why do kids need privacy?
- Students should not be allowed to use Facebook.
- Importance of saving money.
- Every student should adopt a family pet.
- Why do most kids start smoking?
- Importance of reading books.
Debate Topics for High School
High school debate topics are less profound than what you get in college and graduation. The following topics will give you an idea of how to come up with interesting debate topics for your debate.
- Is it ethical to use animals for testing?
- High school students should not be allowed cell phones in school.
- Global warming and its impacts on humanity.
- Causes of increasing racism in the United States.
- Marijuana should be legal for its use in medicines.
- Impact of social media on teenagers and high school students.
- Effects of violent cartoons on the mental development of children.
- Is it ethical to clone animals?
- Celebrities have the leverage to get away with crimes more than any non-celebrity.
- Nuclear weapons should be banned across the globe.
- Police should be allowed to use lethal force.
- Does technology intensify human communication skills?
- Religion does more harm than good.
- Why can it be done to stop wars?
- Online learning vs. traditional learning. Which is better?
- Is animal testing necessary?
- How can technology help to improve education?
- Is global warming a real issue?
- How can we engage high school students in the class?
- How is outdoor learning beneficial?
Debate Topics for College Students
- Social networking sites are used for stalking instead of communicating.
- Torture is never justified, no matter what the situation is.
- How badly can peer pressure affect an innocent soul?
- Violent games should be banned for teenagers.
- The modern college education system is better than the traditional one.
- Beauty pageants are another way to objectify women.
- Cigarettes should not be allowed in public places.
- Homework should be banned in schools.
- Models are setting the wrong standards of beauty.
- Fast-food chains are the major cause of the increase in the obesity rate.
- We are living in a dystopian society.
- Animals should have the same rights as humans.
- Is the Paris Agreement relevant anymore?
- How can homework help to abolish learning skills?
- How can a college education help you get a good job?
- Why should religion be avoided to discuss in schools?
- Is history an important subject area?
- Why is it important for the students to play sports regularly?
- Arts vs. science. Which is better?
- Boarding school is harmful to the mental health of the students.
Debate Topics on Different Subjects
Great speech and debate topics are essential for memorable debates and speeches. This is why we suggest that you do your research properly before deciding on a specific topic. To help you get some memorable topic ideas, we have gathered lists of topics that could be used in any type of debate like Lincoln-Douglas debate topics, rebuttal debates, and others.
Here is a complete list of engaging debate competition topics and ideas. Continue reading, and you will definitely find a great topic.
Controversial Debate Topics
- Alcohol should not be sold on weekends.
- Pharmacists should not be allowed to prescribe medicines.
- Animal testing should be banned.
- Public speaking boosts the confidence of students.
- Children are not supposed to play video games.
- Beauty pageants are setting ridiculous standards in society.
- Obesity in children is increasing because of parents’ lack of control over their children.
- Children should not be allowed to use gadgets.
- There should be no advertisements on kids’ channels.
- People should be fined according to their income.
- Can drug addicts deal through help or punishment?
- Are men stronger than women?
- Obese people should pay more for healthcare.
- Healthcare should not be free for everyone.
- Rich people should pay more taxes.
- Women should be paid less than men,
- Wars are never justified.
- Marriage is no longer necessary.
- Celebrities should earn less.
If you want top debate topics, we have combined a list of controversial and argumentative topics for a strong debate.
Tough Essay Due? Hire Tough Writers!
Funny Debate Topics
Following fun debate topics are great if you are looking for topics that are light in mood and offer humorous matters.
- Women are much more complicated than men.
- Which one is better? Eat to live or live to eat?
- Children should not be allowed to watch cartoons as they portray violence.
- Why can men date younger women, but women can’t date younger men?
- Are there some discrete messages in nursery rhymes?
- Morals or money? Which one is necessary to survive?
- Which gender is better? Male or female?
- How does sunlight affect vampires?
- Can vampires get AIDS?
- How will life be after death?
- Barbie is a good role model for young girls.
- Do fairy tales affect children’s reality perception?
- Has the #MeToo movement gone too far?
- Which is the better pet? Dogs or cats.
- What comes first? Chicken or eggs.
- Winters are better than summer.
- Do you want to live forever?
- What is a better dessert? Cake or ice cream.
- What is the best topping for pizza?
- No one should ever tell a lie.
Political Debate Topics
- Monarchy should end worldwide.
- Everyone should be allowed to keep weapons.
- Free speech is an individual right.
- Religious schools and churches should also be charged with taxes.
- Is freedom of speech necessary for a nation to grow?
- What should be the penalty for illegal immigrants?
- There should be more members of the jury.
- Refugees should not be allowed to acquire any sort of nationality.
- Is it ethical to carry an automatic weapon?
- Is patriotism a good or a bad thing?
- Is the US Constitution a living document?
- Political campaigns must be organized on money borrowed by corporations.
- Limiting terms for US senators and representatives brings more harm than benefit.
- Why should churches pay more taxes?
- Police should use deadly force. Discuss why.
- Why must the royal family be abolished?
- People should own guns. Why?
- Why are automatic weapons legalized?
- Voting should be made mandatory for everyone.
- Importance of freedom of speech.
Public Forum Debate Topics
- Abortion is the right of every woman.
- Genetic engineering is not a natural process and should not be legalized.
- Birth control pills should be accessible to teenagers.
- There should be an equal ratio of male and female employees in the workplace.
- Barbie is not a practical example of a role model.
- Feminism is causing more harm than good.
- Gay couples should be allowed to adopt children.
- Marijuana has its advantages.
- The MeToo movement is being misused, forgetting its real purpose.
- The media should be free to express their opinions and criticism.
- Public prayer should not be allowed in schools.
- Smoking should be banned worldwide.
- The form of government should provide free birth control.
- Can we trust banks?
- Financial issues destroy a nation.
- Is taxation good or bad?
- How can humans affect animals?
- Discuss the importance of financial stability.
- We should lower the voting age for everyone.
- Mobile banking is not a safe procedure. Why?
Interesting Debate Topics
- Is sex education necessary for middle school students?
- Nuclear powers are the major cause of wars.
- Same-sex marriage should not be allowed.
- Gay relationships are against nature.
- Students are becoming way too dependent on technology.
- Money is a major source of motivation in the workplace.
- Girls should be encouraged and supported to enter the STEM research field.
- Is money a key factor in getting exoneration from crimes?
- Alternative energy resources should be explored and used to preserve natural resources.
- Censorship should be made less lenient for educational documentaries.
- The sale of fur must be banned.
- Reality television is harming society.
- Why is paintball a real sport?
- Sports are more important than arts.
- What are the differences between cricket and hockey?
- Why is it important to ban late-night alcohol sales?
- Unpaid internships should be made illegal.
- Beauty contests should be banned.
- Gay couples should not be allowed to adopt children.
Debate Topics for Kids
- Traditional teaching methods should be replaced with AI-powered education.
- The curriculum should be designed according to the individual needs of the children.
- Physical activities and real-life teaching skills should be mandatory in schools.
- Visits to zoological and botanical gardens are great fun and educational activities for kids.
- Sports should be encouraged at the school level.
- Children should be given the right to vote.
- School hours should be revised.
- School lunches should be properly planned by a dedicated dietician.
- Parents should give a weekly allowance to the kids.
- Parents should be held responsible for their kids' mistakes.
- Dance can be considered a sport.
- Schools should block sites like YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram on their computers.
- Why should we encourage students to read books?
- How can we replace teachers with computers?
- Why are Olympics important?
- Are zoos beneficial to animals?
- Why is it important to explore space?
- Do children really need privacy in their lives?
- Why should children save their pocket money?
- Parents should be punished if their child makes a mistake.
Debate Topics for Teens
- The minimum wage for all countries should be the same.
- Parents should not hit children in front of others.
- Censorship is necessary for the media.
- Passion or patriotism can be harmful in certain situations.
- Effects of social media on teenagers.
- Social media is a cause of increasing depression among the youth.
- The use of drugs should be considered a mental issue.
- How is peer pressure different from bullying?
- How are humans destroying the habitat of animals?
- Being too religious can be dangerous.
- Can people save nature by using technology?
- Are student loans exploitative?
- How secure is mobile banking?
- Does homework really promote learning?
- Is abortion murder?
- Should students be allowed to create their own curriculum?
- Why is college and university education necessary?
- Teachers should be allowed to carry guns on campuses.
- How should modern society respond to teenage pregnancies?
- All students must learn at least one foreign language.
Debate Topics 2022
Here are some current debate topics for your next debate;
- Education is becoming costlier with every passing day while the quality is not improving.
- Children and teens in underprivileged neighborhoods should be given free education.
- The rise of augmented reality in contemporary Hollywood and its results.
- Video games and animated movies are promoting violence and sexism.
- Google is transforming into an online patrol. Discuss.
- Orwell’s novel 1984 is becoming a quick reality. Discuss and explain with examples.
- Dating in the workplace should be discouraged.
- Parents should monitor their kid’s computer and phone usage.
- Racial profiling is a new form of discrimination.
- Reasons for substance abuse in high school and college-going children.
- Values or wealth? Which one is necessary to survive?
- There is no third gender.
- Homosexual relationships are against nature.
- Do drug addicts need help or punishment?
- Are animal supports acceptable?
- Parental support is essential for the future success of children.
- Technology makes people smarter. How?
- How can all cars become electric?
- A robot can increase people’s quality of life.
- Discuss the recent development in the technological field.
Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!
Debate Topics 2023
- The public electoral college should be tuition-free.
- All teachers should get tenure.
- All school districts should offer school vouchers.
- The sale of human organs should be legalized.
- Birth control should be for sale over the counter.
- Net neutrality should be restored.
- Alternative energy can effectively replace fossil fuels.
- Cell phone radiation is dangerous and should be limited.
- Euthanasia should be banned.
- The drinking age should be 18.
- Vaping should be banned.
- All high school athletes should be drug tested.
- Detention should be abolished.
- How can we improve the quality of healthcare services?
- How should parents handle a bad report card?
- Our privacy is more important than national security.
- Why is football so dangerous for players?
- Should schools offer educational bonuses?
- Why do kids need recess?
- Steps to stop cyberbullying.
Hopefully, you would have found interesting topics for your debate by now.
If you need more topics, you can check out our essay topic generator . You will find a list of topics you can choose from.
Yes, choosing a topic itself is a great struggle. Once you have chosen a topic, you will have to prepare a strong debate by researching every aspect of the topic. Is that too much work for you?
Don’t panic; we have a good idea. Choose a topic from the given list and hire a professional writer from an essay writing service to do the rest for you.
Wondering where you will find an essay writer?
5StarEssays.com is the place for you. All you have to do is provide your topic along with the instructions, and the expert writers will do the job for you.
For some students, composing a debate is harder than selecting a topic. We can help you with that as well. Now that you have selected a topic, you can give it to one of our essay writers by requesting ‘ write my essay? ’ and get one written according to your requirements.
Place your order now to get a debate on the topic of your choice.
Cordon. is a published author and writing specialist. He has worked in the publishing industry for many years, providing writing services and digital content. His own writing career began with a focus on literature and linguistics, which he continues to pursue. Cordon is an engaging and professional individual, always looking to help others achieve their goals.
Was This Blog Helpful?
Keep reading.
- How to Write a Speech - Outline With Example
- Informative Speech Topics - Interesting Ideas By Experts
- Commemorative Speech: Guide to Craft an Engaging Speech
- Persuasive Speech Topics - 150+ Topics for Students
- 50+ Demonstration Speech Ideas for Your Next Great Speech
- Impromptu Speech Topics - 150+ Interesting Ideas
- Motivational Speech Topics for an Inspirational Speech
- Extemporaneous Speech - How to Write One Successfully?
- Graduation Speech - Write Your Best Graduation Speech
People Also Read
- how to write a compare and contrast essay
- speech writing
- synthesis essay writing
- writing case study
- essay topics
Burdened With Assignments?
Advertisement
© 2023 - All rights reserved
2000+ SATISFIED STUDENTS
95% Satisfaction RATE
30 Days Money-back GUARANTEE
95% Success RATE
Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Contact Us
© 2022 5StarEssays.com. All rights reserved.
LOGIN TO YOUR ACCOUNT
SIGN UP TO YOUR ACCOUNT
- Your phone no.
- Password Password must be minimum 8 characters.
- Confirm Password
- I have read Privacy Policy and agree to the Terms and Conditions .
FORGOT PASSWORD
- SEND PASSWORD
20 Topics for Debate
This page lists suggested subjects that can be discussed to practise agreeing and disagreeing in English.
Here are 20 topics to discuss with a friend or group. Practise agreeing and disagreeing even if you have to argue against something you actually believe in. One way to have fun with this is to make up a bunch of cards that say agree or disagree . Each person has to pick up a card and then the topic is read out. It is more fun to have a debate this way because you don't have to play your true self. Try to continue each discussion for at least five minutes. Use the expressions that you learned, including agreeing, disagreeing, asking for opinions, interrupting, etc.
- Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
- Swimming in the ocean is better than swimming in a public pool.
- Alcohol should be illegal.
- Children should provide room and board for their aging parents.
- Studying grammar is more important than practising conversation skills.
- Television is the leading cause of violence in today's society.
- Dogs make better companions than cats.
- Smoking should be permitted in public places.
- Females are better students than males.
- A parent shouldn't pierce a baby's ears.
- Women should be allowed to go topless in public.
- Lawyers should make a higher salary than nurses.
- Everyone should plan their own funeral.
- Reading English is more difficult than writing English.
- Summer is the best season of the year.
- Children under 13 should not be allowed to babysit.
- High school students should wear uniforms.
- 21 should be the legal driving age around the world.
- Rock and Roll is the best kind of music.
- The government should pay for post secondary education.
Related links
- Talking Point Discussion - many topics for debate
- Discussion Online links
Current Topics
We invite you to incorporate issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion into your speech and debate activities. Explore our Extemp questions , Impromptu questions , and Congress legislation focused on these important topics.
Lincoln-Douglas Debate – 2023 January/February Topic
- Resolved: Justice requires open borders for human migration.
A total of 662 coaches and 2,637 students voted for the resolution. The winning resolution received 39% of the coach vote and 37% of the student vote.
Lincoln-Douglas Debate – 2023 March/April Topic
- Resolved: The justices of the Supreme Court of the United States ought to be term-limited.
A total of 787 coaches and 3,155 students voted for the resolution. The winning resolution received 41% of the coach vote and 38% of the student vote.
Lincoln-Douglas Debate – Novice Topic
Resolved: Civil disobedience in a democracy is morally justified.
Note: The novice Lincoln-Douglas topic is an optional topic that coaches and tournaments may choose to use each year in September/October, or the first two months of the novice season. The same topic is used each year, and it was created to be accessible to new debaters so that coaches can have a consistent, beginner-friendly topic to guide their novice LD curriculum using educational materials provided by the NSDA. The Competition Rules Board received feedback from the Black/African-American Coaches’ Caucus that the current novice LD topic, Resolved: Civil disobedience in a democracy is morally justified, is putting new students in a position to argue or refute arguments that are not aligned with their own beliefs about issues of social equity and justice, especially in the context of protests against racism and police brutality that have occurred across the world in recent years. A new novice Lincoln-Douglas topic and accompanying resources will be released in time to be used for the 2023-2024 season. Coaches are encouraged to check with tournament hosts in their area before exclusively prepping for one topic over another.
LD Topic Analysis March/April 2023
Public forum debate – 2023 february topic area: economy.
- Resolved: In the United States, right-to-work laws do more harm than good.
A total of 302 coaches and 1,656 students voted for the resolution. The winning resolution received 68% of the coach vote and 50% of the student vote.
Public Forum Debate – 2023 March Topic Area: South and Southeast Asia
- Resolved: The Republic of India should sign the Artemis Accords.
Based on a recommendation from the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, a change to the wording of the March Public Forum topic was made on February 6, 2023, to replace the word “ratify” with “sign.” This adjustment better implies that the Artemis Accords are not legally binding. Thank you for your flexibility, and good luck in your preparations!
A total of 774 coaches and 3,037 students voted for the resolution. The winning resolution received 71% of the coach vote and 67% of the student vote.
Public Forum Debate – 2023 April Topic Area: Technology
- Resolved: The United States Federal Government should ban the collection of personal data through biometric recognition technology.
A total of 663 coaches and 2,027 students voted for the resolution. The winning resolution received 55% of the coach vote and 49% of the student vote.
PF Topic Analysis March 2023
Policy debate – 2022-2023 topic.
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its security cooperation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in one or more of the following areas: artificial intelligence, biotechnology, cybersecurity.
Read a synopsis of the problem areas proposed for the 2022-2023 Policy Debate resolution.
Novice Case Limits for the 2022-2023 Policy Debate Topic
- Artificial Intelligence: Restrict development and/or use of Lethal Autonomous Weapons (LAWs)
- Biotechnology: Ban the use of germline genetic engineering in humans
- Biotechnology: Substantially increase funding for vaccine research
- Cyber: Ban offensive cyber operations
Policy Debate Starter Files
Policy debate – 2023-2024 topic.
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase fiscal redistribution in the United States by adopting a federal jobs guarantee, expanding Social Security, and/or providing a basic income.
Read a synopsis of the problem areas proposed for the 2023-2024 Policy Debate resolution.
Visit the NFHS website for a complete map of how states voted as well as the press release .
Novice Case Limits for the 2023-2024 Policy Debate Topic
Big questions – 2022-2023 topic.
Resolved: Humans are primarily driven by self-interest.
Big Questions Starter Pack 2022-2023
Congress legislation, march 2023 congress legislation, diversity and inclusion legislation, women's history month legislation, extemp questions, march 2023 extemp practice questions, diversity & inclusion extemp questions, world schools debate, march 2023 sample motions, world schools debate sample round, points of information activity, potential topics, lincoln-douglas debate 2022-2023 potential topics.
The Lincoln-Douglas Wording Committee has developed a variety of potential resolutions for the 2022-2023 season. Member students and one chapter advisor per active school may vote for each topic one week prior to the topic release date. Topic voting for the September/October topic opens August 1.
2022 September/October
- Resolved: The United States ought to implement a single-payer universal healthcare system.
- Resolved: The United States should legalize the sale of human organs.
- Resolved: The United States ought to ban the use of germline genetic engineering in humans.
2022 November/December
- Resolved: The People’s Republic of China ought to prioritize environmental protection over economic growth.
- Resolved: Singapore’s Ethnic Integration Policy is unjust.
- Resolved: The Republic of Korea ought to abolish military conscription.
2023 January/February
- Resolved: The United States federal government’s plenary power over Indigenous Nations ought to be substantially limited.
- Resolved: The European Union has an obligation to accept climate refugees.
2023 March/April
- Resolved: In the United States, municipal governments ought to adopt participatory budgeting.
- Resolved: In the United States, public K-12 schools ought to eliminate academic tracking.
2023 National Tournament
- Resolved: It is unethical for individuals to consume the meat of non-human animals.
- Resolved: Deterrence is a morally just function of punishment.
- Resolved: Government employees have a moral obligation to leak classified information to address injustice.
Public Forum Debate 2022-2023 Potential Topic Areas and Resolutions
The Public Forum Wording Committee has developed a variety of potential resolutions for the 2022-2023 season. Member students and one chapter advisor per active school may vote for each topic one week prior to the topic release date. Topic voting for the September/October topic opens August 1.
2022 September/October – Topic Area: Environmental Infrastructure
- Resolved: The United States Federal Government should substantially increase its investment in high-speed rail.
- Resolved: The United States should substantially increase domestic extraction and production of rare-earth minerals.
2022 November/December – Topic Area: Military Strategy
- Resolved: The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue should establish a formal security alliance.
- Resolved: The United States’ strategy of Great Power Competition produces more benefits than harms.
2023 January – Topic Area: West Asia
- Resolved: On balance, Israeli rapprochement towards Arab states produces more benefits than harms.
- Resolved: The United States Federal Government should increase its diplomatic efforts to peacefully resolve internal armed conflicts in West Asia.
2023 February – Topic Area: Economy
- Resolved: On balance, the United States’ adoption of the Ultra-Millionaire Tax Act of 2021 would produce more benefits than harms.
2023 March – Topic Area: South and Southeast Asia
- Resolved: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should formally recognize the National Unity Government (NUG) as the legitimate government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.
2023 April – Topic Area: Technology
- Resolved: The United States Federal Government should establish global standards for artificial intelligence.
2023 National Tournament – Topic Area: Civics
- Resolved: The United States should adopt ranked-choice voting for its federal elections.
- Resolved: The United States should end lifetime appointments for Article III judges.
Past Topics
Past topics - big questions.
2021-2022 – Resolved: On balance, societies benefit from religious belief and practice.
2020-2021 – Resolved: Mathematics was discovered, not invented.
2019-2020 – Resolved: Objective morality exists.
2018-2019 – Resolved: Humans are primarily driven by self-interest.
Past Topics - Lincoln-Douglas Debate
- March/April – Resolved: The justices of the Supreme Court of the United States ought to be term-limited.
- January/February – Resolved: Justice requires open borders for human migration.
- November/December – Resolved: The People’s Republic of China ought to prioritize environmental protection over economic growth.
- September/October – Resolved: The United States ought to implement a single-payer universal healthcare system.
- Nationals 2022 – Resolved: Radicalism is preferable to incrementalism to achieve social justice.
- March/April – Resolved: In a democracy, a free press ought to prioritize objectivity over advocacy.
- January/February – Resolved: The appropriation of outer space by private entities is unjust.
- November/December – Resolved: A just government ought to recognize an unconditional right of workers to strike.
- September/October – Resolved: The member nations of the World Trade Organization ought to reduce intellectual property protections for medicines.
- Nationals – Resolved: A public health emergency justifies limiting civil liberties.
- March/April – Resolved: The United States ought to guarantee universal child care.
- January/February – Resolved: States ought to ban lethal autonomous weapons.
- November/December – Resolved: The United States ought to provide a federal jobs guarantee.
- September/October – Resolved: In a democracy, voting ought to be compulsory.
- Nationals – Resolved: The intergenerational accumulation of wealth is antithetical to democracy.
- March/April – Resolved: Predictive policing is unjust.
- January/February – Resolved: States ought to eliminate their nuclear arsenals.
- November/December – Resolved: The United States ought to eliminate subsidies for fossil fuels.
- September/October – Resolved: In the United States, colleges and universities ought not consider standardized tests in undergraduate admissions decisions.
- Nationals – Resolved: Violent revolution is a just response to political oppression.
- March/April – Resolved: The illegal use of drugs ought to be treated as a matter of public health, not of criminal justice.
- January/February – Resolved: The United States ought not provide military aid to authoritarian regimes.
- November/December – Resolved: In a democracy, the public’s right to know ought to be valued above the right to privacy of candidates for public office.
- September/October – Resolved: In the United States, reporters ought to have the right to protect the identity of confidential sources.
- Nationals – Resolved: The United States’ use of targeted killing in foreign countries is unjust.
- March/April – Resolved: The United States ought to provide a universal basic income.
- January/February- Resolved: Plea bargaining ought to be abolished in the United States criminal justice system.
- November/December – Resolved: Wealthy nations have an obligation to provide development assistance to other nations.
- September/October – Resolved: In the United States, national service ought to be compulsory.
- Nationals – Resolved: A just government ought to prioritize civil liberties over national security.
- March/April – Resolved: The United States ought to guarantee the right to housing.
- January/February – Resolved: Public colleges and universities in the United States ought not restrict any constitutionally protected speech.
- November/December – Resolved: The United States ought to limit qualified immunity for police officers.
- September/October – Resolved: Countries ought to prohibit the production of nuclear power.
- 2016 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Immigration ought to be recognized as a human right.
- March/April – Resolved: The United States ought to promote democracy in the Middle East.
- January/February – Resolved: In the United States, private ownership of handguns ought to be banned.
- November/December – Resolved: In the United States criminal justice system, jury nullification ought to be used in the face of perceived injustice.
- September/October – Resolved: Adolescents ought to have the right to make autonomous medical choices.
- 2015 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: Inaction in the face of injustice makes individuals morally culpable.
- March/April – Resolved: Just governments ought to ensure food security for their citizens.
- January/February – Resolved: Just governments ought to require that employers pay a living wage.
- November/December – Resolved: The “right to be forgotten” from Internet searches ought to be a civil right.
- September/October – Resolved: A just society ought to presume consent for organ procurement from the deceased.
- 2014 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: The United States ought to prioritize the pursuit of national security objectives above the digital privacy of its citizens.
- March/April – Resolved: Placing political conditions on humanitarian aid to foreign countries is unjust.
- January/February – Resolved: Developing countries should prioritize environmental protection over resource extraction when the two are in conflict.
- November/December – Resolved: In the United States criminal justice system, truth-seeking ought to take precedence over attorney-client privilege.
- 2013 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Oppressive government is more desirable than no government.
- March/April – Resolved: The United States is justified in intervening in the internal political processes of other countries to attempt to stop human rights abuses.
- January/February – Resolved: Rehabilitation ought to be valued above retribution in the United States criminal justice system.
- November/December – Resolved: The United States ought to guarantee universal health care for its citizens.
- September/October – Resolved: The United States ought to extend to non-citizens accused of terrorism the same constitutional due process protections it grants to citizens.
- 2012 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: A government has the obligation to lessen the economic gap between its rich and poor citizens.
- March/April – Resolved: Targeted killing is a morally permissible foreign policy tool.
- January/February – Resolved: It is morally permissible for victims to use deadly force as a deliberate response to repeated domestic violence.
- November/December – Resolved: Individuals have a moral obligation to assist people in need.
- September/October – Resolved: Justice requires the recognition of animal rights.
- 2011 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: When forced to choose, a just government ought to prioritize universal human rights over its national interest.
- March/April – Resolved: The United States is justified in using private military firms abroad to pursue its military objectives.
- January/February – Resolved: In the United States, juveniles charged with violent felonies ought to be treated as adults in the criminal justice system.
- November/December Topic – Resolved: The abuse of illegal drugs ought to be treated as a matter of public health, not of criminal justice.
- September/October – Resolved: States ought not possess nuclear weapons.
- 2010 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: Compulsory inclusion of non-felons’ DNA in any government database is unjust.
- 2010 NCFL Nationals° – Resolved: That the United States government has a moral obligation to afford the same constitutional rights to all people on United States soil.
- March/April – Resolved: In the United States, the principle of jury nullification is a just check on government.
- January/February – Resolved: Economic sanctions ought not be used to achieve foreign policy objectives.
- November/December – Resolved: Public health concerns justify compulsory immunization.
- September/October – Resolved: Public High school students in the United States ought not be required to pass standardized exit exams to graduate.
- 2009 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: Military conscription is unjust.
- 2009 NCFL Nationals° – Resolved: When in conflict, the preservation of minority cultural values ought to be valued above the preservation of a unified national culture.
- March/April – Resolved: Vigilantism is justified when the government has failed to enforce the law.
- January/February – Resolved: The United States ought to submit to the jurisdiction of an international court designed to prosecute crimes against humanity.
- November/December – Resolved: In a democratic society, felons ought to retain the right to vote.
- September/October – Resolved: It is morally permissible to kill one innocent person to save the lives of more innocent people.
- 2008 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: Limiting economic inequality ought to be a more important social goal than maximizing economic freedom.
- 2008 NCFL Nationals° – Resolved: That secondary education in America should value the fine arts over athletics.
- March/April – Resolved: Hate crime enhancements are unjust in the United States.
- January/February – Resolved: It is just for the United States to use military force to prevent the acquisition of nuclear weapons by nations that pose a military threat.
- November/December – Resolved: In the United States, plea-bargaining in exchange for testimony is unjust.
- September/October – Resolved: A just society ought not use the death penalty as a form of punishment.
- 2007 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: On balance, violent revolution is a just response to political oppression.
- 2007 NCFL Nationals° – Resolved: That judicial activism is unjust in a democracy.
- March/April – Resolved: The United Nations’ obligation to protect global human rights ought to be valued above its obligation to respect national sovereignty.
- January/February – Resolved: The actions of corporations ought to be held to the same moral standards as the actions of individuals.
- November/December – Resolved: A victim’s deliberate use of deadly force is a just response to repeated domestic violence.
- September/October – Resolved: A just government should provide health care to its citizens.
- 2006 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: In matters of collecting military intelligence, the ends justify the means.
- 2006 NCFL Nationals° – Resolved: When in conflict, an individual’s freedom of speech should be valued above a community’s moral standards.
- March/April – Resolved: Juveniles charged with violent crimes should be tried and punished as adults.
- January/February – Resolved: The use of the state’s power of eminent domain to promote private enterprise is unjust.
- November/December – Resolved: Judicial activism is necessary to protect the rights of American citizens.
- September/October – Resolved: In matters of U.S. immigration policy, restrictions on the rights of non-citizens are consistent with democratic ideals.
- 2005 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: the pursuit of scientific knowledge ought to be constrained by concern for societal good.
- 2005 NCFL Nationals° – Resolved: the primary purpose of formal education ought to be to impart knowledge.
- March/April – Resolved: to better protect civil liberties, community standards ought to take precedence over conflicting national standards.
- January/February – Resolved: democracy is best served by strict separation of church and state.
- November/December – Resolved: the United States has a moral obligation to promote democratic ideals in other nations.
- September/October – Resolved: individual claims of privacy ought to be valued above competing claims of societal welfare.
- 2004 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: civil disobedience in a democracy is morally justified.
- 2004 NCFL Nationals° – Resolved: a nation’s citizens’ rights ought to take precedence over its security.
- March/April – Resolved: as a general principle, individuals have an obligation to value the common good above their own interests.
- January/February – Resolved: a government’s obligation to protect the environment ought to take precedence over its obligation to promote economic development.
- November/December – Resolved: the U.S. has a moral obligation to mitigate international conflicts.
- September/October – Resolved: in the U.S. judicial system, truth seeking ought to take precedence over privileged communication.
- 2003 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: rehabilitation ought to be valued above punishment in the U.S. criminal justice system.
- 2003 NCFL Nationals° – Resolved: capitalism is the most just economic system.
- March/April – Resolved: when in conflict, the letter of the law ought to take priority over the spirit of the law.
- January/February – Resolved: when in conflict, globalization ought to be valued above national sovereignty.
- November/December – Resolved: when in conflict, academic freedom in U.S. high schools ought to be valued above community standards.
- September/October – Resolved: when the United States is engaged in military conflict, the demands of national security ought to supersede conflicting claims of individual rights.
- 2002 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: laws which protect citizens from themselves are justified.
- 2002 NCFL Nationals° – Resolved: the people’s right to know outweighs the government’s need for confidentiality.
- March/April – Resolved: limiting the freedom of expression of adults is justified by society’s interest in protecting children.
- January/February – Resolved: oppressive government is more desirable than no government.
- November/December – Resolved: a lesser developed nation’s right to develop ought to take priority over its obligation to protect the environment.
- September/October – Resolved: decentralized governmental power ought to be a fundamental goal of democratic society.
- 2001 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: on balance, violent revolution is a just response to oppression.
- 2001 NCFL Nationals° – Resolved: providing for basic human needs of citizens in a society ought to be valued above individual property rights.
- March/April – Resolved: the public’s right to know ought to be valued above the right to privacy of candidates for public office.
- January/February – Resolved: the possession of nuclear weapons is immoral.
- November/December – Resolved: establishing a safe educational environment in grades K-12 justifies infringement of students’ civil liberties.
- September/October – Resolved: colleges and universities have a moral obligation to prohibit the public expression of hate speech on their campuses.
- 2000 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: inaction in the face of injustice makes an individual morally culpable.
- 2000 NCFL Nationals° – Resolved: discriminations made by society on the basis of chronological age alone are justified.
- March/April – Resolved: the intervention of one nation in the domestic affairs of another nation is morally justified.
- January/February – Resolved: violent juvenile offenders ought to be treated as adults in the criminal justice system.
- November/December – Resolved: the use of economic sanctions to achieve U.S. foreign policy goals is moral.
- September/October – Resolved: when they conflict, respect for cultural sensitivity ought to be valued above the commercial use of free speech.
- 1999 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: capitalism is superior to socialism as a means of achieving economic justice.
- 1999 NCFL Nationals° – Resolved: the objectives of democracy are best fulfilled through a separation of executive, legislative and judicial powers.
- March/April – Resolved: human genetic engineering is morally justified.
- January/February – Resolved: in the United States, a journalist’s right to shield confidential sources ought to be protected by the First Amendment.
- November/December – Resolved: capital punishment is justified.
- September/October – Resolved: the individual ought to value the sanctity of life above the quality of life.
- 1998 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: in the United States’ justice system, due process ought to be valued above the pursuit of truth when they are in conflict.
- 1998 NCFL Nationals° – Resolved: individuals ought to sacrifice their ideals for the sake of compromise.
- March/April – Resolved: civil disobedience is justified in a democracy.
- January/February – Resolved: a just social order ought to place the principle of equality above that of liberty.
- November/December – Resolved: an adolescent’s right to privacy ought to be valued above a parent’s conflicting right to know.
- September/October – Resolved: global concerns ought to be valued above conflicting national concerns.
- 1997 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: the public’s right to know is of greater value than the individual’s right to privacy.
- March/April – Resolved: on balance, individuals ought to have a greater obligation to themselves than to their community.
- January/February – Resolved: in United States policy, the principle of universal human rights ought to take precedence over conflicting national interest.
- November/December – Resolved: when they are in conflict, a business’ responsibility to itself ought to be valued above its responsibility to society.
- September/October – Resolved: when in conflict, society’s goal of eliminating discrimination ought to transcend an individual’s right to participate in exclusive, voluntary associations.
- 1996 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: That limiting constitutional freedoms is a just response to terrorism in the United States.
- March/April – Resolved: when in conflict, American cultural unity ought to be valued above cultural diversity.
- January/February – Resolved: an oppressive government is more desirable than no government.
- November/December – Resolved: the pursuit of feminist ideals is detrimental to the achievement of gender equality.
- September/October – Resolved: individuals with disabilities ought to be afforded the same athletic competition opportunities as able-bodied athletes.
- 1995 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: when in conflict, the safety of others is of greater value than the right to privacy of those with infectious diseases.
- March/April – Resolved: on balance, institutional censorship of academic material is harmful to the educational development of the students.
- January/February – Resolved: laws which protect citizens from themselves are justified.
- November/December – Resolved: when in conflict, community standards are of greater value than individual liberty.
- September/October – Resolved: an individual’s freedom of expression is of greater value than political correctness.
- 1994 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: when in conflict, protection of the innocent is of greater value than prosecution of the guilty.
- March/April – Resolved: terminally ill patients have the right to die when and how they choose.
- January/February – Resolved: when called upon by one’s government, individuals are morally obligated to risk their lives for their country.
- November/December – Resolved: the public’s right to know is of greater value than the right to privacy of candidates for public office.
- September/October – Resolved: secondary education in the United States ought to be a privilege, not a right.
- 1993 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: the protection of domestic order justifies the curtailment of First Amendment rights.
- March/April – Resolved: the principle of majority rule ought to be valued above the principle of minority rights.
- January/February – Resolved: when in conflict, the spirit of the law ought to take priority over the letter of the law.
- November/December – Resolved: in the criminal justice system, truth seeking ought to take precedence over privileged communication.
- September/October – Resolved: the U.S. military interference in the internal affairs of other countries is justified.
- 1992 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: the United States government ought to provide for the medical care of its citizens.
- March/April – Resolved: the possession of nuclear weapons is immoral.
- January/February – Resolved: a victim’s deliberate use of deadly force is justified as a response to physical abuse.
- November/December – Resolved: human genetic engineering is morally justified.
- September/October – Resolved: a liberal arts curriculum is preferable to an employment-readiness curriculum in U.S. secondary schools.
- 1991 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: members of the United States Congress ought to value the national interest above constituent’s interests when the two are in conflict.
- March/April – Resolved: the pursuit of scientific knowledge ought to be limited by a concern for societal good.
- January/February – Resolved: showing disrespect for the American flag is antithetical to fundamental American values.
- November/December – Resolved: government limits on the individual’s right to bear arms in the United States are justified.
- September/October – Resolved: competition is superior to cooperation as a means of achieving excellence.
- 1990 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: individual obedience to law plays a greater role in maintaining ethical public service than does individual obedience to conscience.
- March/April – Resolved: development of natural resources ought to be valued above protection of the environment.
- January/February – Resolved: communities in the United States ought to have the right to suppress pornography.
- November/December – Resolved: all United States citizens ought to perform a period of national service.
- September/October – Resolved: that the United States ought to value global concerns above its own national concerns.
- 1989 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: the American criminal justice system ought to place a higher priority on retribution than on rehabilitation.
- March/April – Resolved: the public’s right to know ought to be valued above U.S. national security interests.
- January/February – Resolved: limitations upon the content of student publications by secondary school administrators are justified.
- November/December – Resolved: affirmative action programs to remedy the effects of discrimination are justified.
- 1988 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: violent revolution is a just response to oppression.
- March/April/May – Resolved: when they are in conflict, the principle of privileged communication ought to be subordinate to the maintenance of law and order.
- December/January/February – Resolved: the protection of society’s health interest through broad based mandatory testing of AIDS ought to be more important than personal privacy rights.
- September/October/November – Resolved: the protection of public safety justifies random, mandatory drug testing throughout society.
- 1987 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: when they are in conflict, the right to a free press is a higher priority than the right to a fair trial.
- March/April – Resolved: a parliamentary system of government would better fulfill the values underlying the American Constitution.
- January/February – Resolved: That decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court in criminal cases ought to reflect the values of the American people.
- November/December – Resolved: an unjust government is better than no government at all.
- 1986 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: giving sanctuary to illegal refugees in the United States justifiably places moral law above positive law.
- March/April – Resolved: allowing innocent people to be harmed is preferable than giving into terrorists’ demands.
- January/February – Resolved: the restriction of civil liberties in the United States for the sake of combating terrorism is justified.
- November/December – Resolved: the brotherhood of man transcends the sovereignty of nations.
- September/October – Resolved: the use of sanctions to achieve U.S. foreign policy goals ought to be immoral.
- 1985 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: the American media works against the best interest of the American public.
- March/April – Resolved: a just social order ought to place the principle of equality above that of liberty.
- January/February – Resolved: nothing is politically right that is morally wrong.
- Resolved: U.S. immigration policy is inconsistent with American ideals.
- 1984 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: uniformity in education leads to mediocrity.
- January/February – Resolved: even in a democratic society morality can be legislated.
- 1983 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: Liberty is more precious than law.
- March/April – Resolved: protection of the environment should take precedence over the development of natural resources.
- January/February – Resolved: funding for human services programs should take precedence over a balanced budget.
- Resolved: the right to a free press outweighs the right to a fair trial.
- Resolved: the right to die takes precedence over other ethical and moral considerations.
- 1982 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: the economic health of a nation is more important than the social programs for its citizens.
- March/April – Resolved: it is undesirable to expend societal resources on the enforcement of laws against victimless crimes.
- January/February – Resolved: the rights of the victim should take precedence over the rights of the accused in felony cases.
- 1981 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: That the protection of human rights should have a higher priority in shaping America’s foreign policy.
- March/April – Resolved: military conscription is a superior alternative to a voluntary army.
- January/February – Resolved: it is morally unjustifiable to require an individual to join a labor organization as a condition of employment.
- 1980 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: The strength of the present methods of funding the social security system outweighs the weaknesses.
Past Topics - Public Forum Debate
- April – Resolved: The United States Federal Government should ban the collection of personal data through biometric recognition technology.
- March – Resolved: The Republic of India should sign the Artemis Accords.
- February – Resolved: In the United States, right-to-work laws do more harm than good.
- January – Resolved: The United States Federal Government should increase its diplomatic efforts to peacefully resolve internal armed conflicts in West Asia.
- November/December – Resolved: The United States’ strategy of Great Power Competition produces more benefits than harms.
- September/October – Resolved: The United States Federal Government should substantially increase its investment in high-speed rail.
- Nationals 2022 – Resolved: The United States should establish a comprehensive bilateral trade agreement with Taiwan.
- April – Resolved: Japan should revise Article 9 of its Constitution to develop offensive military capabilities.
- March – Resolved: In the United States, the benefits of increasing organic agriculture outweigh the harms.
- February – Resolved: On balance, Turkey’s membership is beneficial to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
- January – Resolved: The United States federal government should legalize all illicit drugs.
- November/December – Resolved: Increased United States federal regulation of cryptocurrency transactions and/or assets will produce more benefits than harms.
- September/October – Resolved: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization should substantially increase its defense commitments to the Baltic states.
- Nationals 2021 – Resolved: In the United States, social media is beneficial for democratic values.
- April – Resolved: The benefits of the International Monetary Fund outweigh the harms.
- March – Resolved: On balance, the benefits of creating the United States Space Force outweigh the harms.
- February – Resolved: On balance, the benefits of urbanization in West Africa outweigh the harms.
- January – Resolved: The National Security Agency should end its surveillance of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents.
- November/December – Resolved: The United States should adopt a declaratory nuclear policy of no first use.
- September/October – Resolved: The United States federal government should enact the Medicare-For-All Act of 2019.
- Nationals 2020 – Resolved: On balance, charter schools are beneficial to the quality of education in the United States.
- April 2020 – Resolved: The United States should remove nearly all of its military presence in the Arab States of the Persian Gulf.
- March 2020 – Resolved: The United States should increase its use of nuclear energy for commercial energy production.
- February 2020 – Resolved: The United States should replace means-tested welfare programs with a universal basic income.
- January 2020 – Resolved: The United States should end its economic sanctions against Venezuela.
- November/December 2019 – Resolved: The benefits of the United States federal government’s use of offensive cyber operations outweigh the harms.
- September/October 2019 – Resolved: The European Union should join the Belt and Road Initiative.
- Nationals 2019 – Resolved: The United States federal government should enforce antitrust regulations on technology giants.
- April 2019 – Resolved: The United Nations should grant India permanent membership on the Security Council.
- March 2019 – Resolved: The United States should promote the development of market rate housing in urban neighborhoods.
- February 2019 – Resolved: The United States should end its arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
- January 2019 – Resolved: The United States federal government should prioritize reducing the federal debt over promoting economic growth.
- November/December 2018 – Resolved: The United States federal government should impose price controls on the pharmaceutical industry.
- September/October 2018 – Resolved: The United States should accede to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea without reservations.
- Nationals 2018 – Resolved: On balance, the benefits of United States participation in the North American Free Trade Agreement outweigh the consequences.
- April 2018 – Resolved: The United States federal government should increase its quota of H-1B visas.
- March 2018 – Resolved: On balance, the current Authorization for Use of Military Force gives too much power to the president.
- February 2018 – Resolved: The United States should abolish the capital gains tax.
- January 2018 – Resolved: Spain should grant Catalonia its independence.
- December 2017 – Resolved: NCAA student athletes ought to be recognized as employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
- November 2017 – Resolved: The United States should require universal background checks for all gun sales and transfers of ownership.
- September/October 2017 – Resolved: Deployment of anti-missile systems is in South Korea’s best interest.
- Nationals 2017 – Resolved: In East Africa, the United States federal government should prioritize its counterterrorism efforts over its humanitarian assistance.
- April 2017 – Resolved: The United States ought to replace the Electoral College with a direct national popular vote.
- March 2017 – Resolved: The United States should no longer pressure Israel to work toward a two-state solution.
- February 2017 – Resolved: The United States should lift its embargo against Cuba.
- January 2017 – Resolved: In order to better respond to international conflicts, the United States should significantly increase its military spending.
- December 2016 – Resolved: The United States should end Plan Colombia.
- November 2016 – Resolved: On balance, the benefits of the Internet of Things outweigh the harms of decreased personal privacy.
- September/October 2016 – Resolved: In United States public K-12 schools, the probable cause standard ought to apply to searches of students.
- 2016 National Speech & Debate Tournament – On balance, a one-day national primary would be more beneficial for the United States than our current presidential primary process.
- April 2016 – Resolved: To alleviate income inequality in the United States, increased spending on public infrastructure should be prioritized over increased spending on means-tested welfare programs.
- March 2016 – Resolved: The United States should withdraw its military presence from Okinawa.
- February 2016 – Resolved: The United States federal government should adopt a carbon tax.
- January 2016 – Resolved: On balance, economic sanctions are reducing the threat Russia poses to Western interests.
- December 2015 – Resolved: On balance, standardized testing is beneficial to K-12 education in the United States.
- November 2015 – Resolved: In response to the current crisis, a government should prioritize the humanitarian needs of refugees over its national interests.
- September/October 2015 – Resolved: The United States Federal Government ought to pay reparations to African Americans.
- 2015 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: The benefits of First Amendment protection of anonymous speech outweigh the harms.
- April 2015 – Resolved: Committing United States ground combat troops to fight ISIL is in the best interest of the United States.
- March 2015 – Resolved: In the United States, students should be guaranteed two years of free tuition to a community or technical college.
- February 2015 – Resolved: On balance, economic globalization benefits worldwide poverty reduction.
- January 2015 – Resolved: United Nations peacekeepers should have the power to engage in offensive operations.
- December 2014 – Resolved: For-profit prisons in the United States should be banned.
- November 2014 – Resolved: On balance, the benefits of genetically modified foods outweigh the harms.
- September/October 2014 – Resolved: On balance, public subsidies for professional athletic organizations in the United States benefit their local communities.
- 2014 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: NATO should strengthen its relationship with Ukraine in order to deter further Russian aggression.
- April 2014 – Resolved: Prioritizing economic development over environmental protection is in the best interest of the people of India.
- March 2014 – Resolved: Single-gender classrooms would improve the quality of education in American public schools.
- February 2014 – Resolved: The Supreme Court rightly decided that Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act violated the Constitution.
- January 2014 – Resolved: Development assistance should be prioritized over military aid in the Sahel region of Africa.
- December 2013 – Resolved: Immigration reform should include a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants currently living in the United States.
- November 2013 – Resolved: The benefits of domestic surveillance by the National Security Agency outweigh the harms.
- September/October 2013 – Resolved: Unilateral military force by the United States is justified to prevent nuclear proliferation.
- 2013 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: The benefits of American drone strikes against foreign targets outweigh the harms.
- April 2013 – Resolved: The continuation of current U.S. anti-drug policies in Latin America will do more harm than good.
- March 2013 – Resolved: The U.S. government should not require its citizens to have health insurance.
- February 2013 – Resolved: On balance, the rise of China is beneficial to the interests of the United States.
- January 2013 – Resolved: On balance, the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission harms the election process.
- December 2012 – Resolved: The United States should prioritize tax increases over spending cuts.
- November 2012 – Resolved – Current U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East undermines our national security.
- October 2012 – Resolved: Developed countries have a moral obligation to mitigate the effects of climate change.
- September 2012 – Resolved: Congress should renew the Federal Assault Weapons Ban.
- 2012 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: Stand Your Ground laws are a legitimate expansion of the doctrine of self defense.
- April 2012 – Resolved: State mandated administration of childhood vaccinations is justified.
- March 2012 – Resolved: The United States should suspend all assistance to Pakistan.
- February 2012 – Resolved: Birthright citizenship should be abolished in the United States.
- January 2012 – Resolved: The costs of a college education outweigh the benefits.
- December 2011 – Resolved: In the United States, current income disparities threaten democratic ideals.
- November 2011 – Resolved: Direct popular vote should replace electoral vote in presidential elections.
- October 2011 – Resolved: Private sector investment in human space exploration is preferable to public sector investment.
- September 2011 – Resolved: The benefits of post-9/11 security measures outweigh the harms to personal freedom.
- 2011 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: That the United States should intervene in another nation’s struggle for democracy.
- April 2011 – Resolved: The United States federal government should permit the use of financial incentives to encourage organ donation.
- March 2011 – Resolved: North Korea poses a more serious threat to United States national security than Iran.
- February 2011 – Resolved: Wikileaks is a threat to United States national security.
- January 2011 – Resolved: In the United States, plea bargaining undermines the criminal justice system.
- December 2010 – Resolved: Cyberbullying should be a criminal offense.
- November 2010 – Resolved: High school Public Forum Debate resolutions should not confront sensitive religious issues.
- October 2010 – Resolved: NATO presence improves the lives of Afghan citizens.
- September 2010 – Resolved: Allowing deep water offshore oil drilling is in the best interest of the United States.
- 2010 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: Current trends in American political dialogue compromise meaningful democratic deliberation.
- 2010 NCFL Nationals° – Resolved: That the constitutional right of freedom of religion has wrongly evolved into freedom from religion.
- April 2010 – Resolved: On balance, government employee labor unions have a positive impact on the United States.
- March 2010 – Resolved: Affirmative action to promote equal opportunity in the United States is justified.
- February 2010 – Resolved: In the United States, organized political lobbying does more harm than good.
- January 2010 – Resolved: President Obama’s plan for increasing troops in Afghanistan is in the United States’ best interest.
- December 2009 – Resolved: That merit pay based on student achievement should be a significant component of K-12 teacher compensation in United States public schools.
- November 2009 – Resolved: Failed nations are a greater threat to the United States than stable nations.
- October 2009 – Resolved: When in conflict, the United Nations should prioritize global poverty reduction over environmental protection.
- September 2009 – Resolved: United States policy on illegal immigration should focus on attrition through enforcement rather than amnesty.
- 2009 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: That the United States should normalize relations with Cuba.
- 2009 NCFL Nationals° – Resolved: A society has an obligation to ensure adequate health care for its citizens.
- April 2009 – Resolved: That the Employee Free Choice Act of 2009 serves the best interest of the American people.
- March 2009 – Resolved: That, on balance, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 has improved academic achievement in the United States.
- February 2009 – Resolved: That, on balance, the rise of Brazil, Russia, India, and China (BRIC) has had a positive impact on the United States.
- January 2009 – Resolved: That, by 2040, the federal government should mandate that all new passenger vehicles and light trucks sold in the United States be powered by alternative fuels.
- December 2008 – Resolved: That, on balance, social networking Web sites have a positive impact on the United States.
- November 2008 – Resolved: That the United States government should implement universal health care modeled after the French system.
- October 2008 – Resolved: The United States should significantly increase its use of nuclear energy.
- September 2008 – Resolved: That the United States should implement a military draft.
- 2008 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: US policies established after September 11, 2001 have substantially reduced the risk of terrorist acts against the United States.
- 2008 NCFL° Nationals – Resolved: That the US Government should increase social services for indigenous peoples in America.
- April 2008 – Resolved: That the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 will successfully mitigate economic slowdowns over the next year.
- March 2008 – Resolved: The US system of presidential primaries is contrary to democratic values.
- February 2008 – Resolved: That Russia has become a threat to U.S. interests.
- January 2008 – Resolved: In a democracy, civil disobedience is an appropriate weapon in the fight for justice.
- December 2007 – Resolved:That the United States would be justified in pursuing military options against Iran.
- November 2007 – Resolved: That eliminating United States government budget deficits should be prioritized over increasing domestic spending.
- October 2007 – Resolved: That the United States should encourage the implementation of a soft partition of Iraq.
- September 2007 – Resolved: That the Fairness Doctrine should be reinstated.
- 2007 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: That the private ownership of handguns should be banned in the United States.
- 2007 NCFL Nationals° – Resolved: That the President and Vice-President of the United States should be elected by a direct vote of the American citizens.
- April 2007 – Resolved: United States corporations should honor all prior commitments to employee pensions.
- March 2007 – Resolved: That the quantity of credit available to American consumers should be significantly reduced.
- February 2007 – Resolved: The costs of legalized casino gambling in the United States outweigh the benefits.
- January 2007 – Resolved: That lobbyists negatively influence the legislative process in the United States.
- December 2006 – Resolved: Colleges and Universities in the United States should end their early admission programs.
- November 2006 – Resolved: That participating in multinational diplomatic efforts is beneficial to U. S. interests.
- October 2006 – Resolved: Current immigration laws in the United States should be enforced.
- September 2006 – Resolved: That the benefits of NASA’s space exploration programs justify the costs.
- 2006 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: That the United States government should ratify the Kyoto Protocol.
- April 2006 – Resolved: That the American media work against the best interest of the American public.
- March 2006 – Resolved: That big box retailers benefit the communities in which they are located.
- February 2006 – Resolved: That the policy decisions of the current Israeli government toward the Palestinian state have improved prospects for peace in the Middle East.
- January 2006 – Resolved: In the United States, public high school science curriculum should include the study of the Theory of Intelligent Design.
- December 2005 – Resolved: That the National Basketball Association (NBA) should rescind its dress code.
- November 2005 – Resolved: That the United States federal government should fund Hurricane Katrina relief and rebuilding by ending President Bush’s tax cuts.
- October 2005 – Resolved: That the United Nations should be the primary agent to lead and direct the fight against terrorism around the world.
- September 2005 – Resolved: In the United States, colleges and universities should be permitted to pay stipends to their Division I athletes.
- 2005 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: That, when a choice is required for public high schools in the United States, government funding should prioritize vocational education over college preparatory education.
- April 2005 – Resolved: The United States should issue guest worker visas to illegal aliens.
- March 2005 – Resolved: Student aptitude should be assessed through standardized testing.
- February 2005 – Resolved: In the United States, the current system of federal income taxation should be replaced by a flat rate income tax.
- January 2005 – Resolved: The United States Constitution should be amended to establish a mandatory retirement age for Supreme Court Justices.
- December 2004 – Resolved: Corporate offshoring aids in the economic development of the United States.
- November 2004 – Resolved: The United States government should allow Americans to purchase prescription drugs from other countries.
- October 2004 – Resolved: In the United States, public opinion polls positively affect the election process.
- September 2004 – Resolved: That he United States should establish a cabinet-level position to oversee its entire intelligence community.
- 2004 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: All young adults in every nation should be required to perform at least one full year of national service.
- April 2004 – Resolved: English should be the official national language of the United States.
- March 2004 – Resolved: The United States should provide universal health care insurance to all U.S. citizens.
- February 2004 – Resolved: Americans should be allowed to share copyrighted media over the internet.
- January 2004 – Resolved: The United States is losing the War on Terror.
- December 2003 – Resolved: Congress should repeal the No Child Left Behind Act.
- November 2003 – Resolved: That Federal judges should be elected in their district for a limited term rather than appointed by the President for a life term.
- October 2003 – Resolved: That the United States should comply with United Nations’ decisions concerning international peacekeeping operations.
- September 2003 – Resolved: Use of a cell phone should be prohibited while operating a motor vehicle.
- 2003 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Resolved: That the United States should assume primary responsibility for the rebuilding of Iraq.
- April 2003 – Resolved: Awards for pain and suffering in medical malpractice cases should be limited to $250,000.
- March 2003 – Resolved: Affirmative action should not be practiced in college and university admission.
- February 2003 – Resolved: The death penalty should be abolished in America.
- January 2003 – Resolved: The Federal Government should authorize oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve.
- December 2002 – Resolved: The the “Bush” tax cuts should be made permanent.
- October/November 2002 – Resolved: Commercial airline pilots should be armed in the cockpit.
Past Topics - Policy Debate
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its protection of water resources in the United States.
Resolved: The United States federal government should enact substantial criminal justice reform in the United States in one or more of the following: forensic science, policing, sentencing.
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially reduce Direct Commercial Sales and/or Foreign Military Sales of arms from the United States.
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially reduce its restrictions on legal immigration to the United States.
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its funding and/or regulation of elementary and/or secondary education in the United States.
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its economic and/or diplomatic engagement with the People’s Republic of China.
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially curtail its domestic surveillance.
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its non-military exploration and/or development of the Earth’s oceans.
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its economic engagement toward Cuba, Mexico or Venezuela.
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its transportation infrastructure investment in the United States.
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its exploration and/or development of space beyond the Earth’s mesosphere.
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially reduce its military and/or police presence in one or more of the following: South Korea, Japan, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Iraq, Turkey.
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase social services for persons living in poverty in the United States.
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase alternative energy incentives in the United States.
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its public health assistance to Sub-Saharan Africa.
Resolved: The United States federal government should establish a policy substantially increasing the number of persons serving in one or more of the following national service programs: AmeriCorps, Citizen Corps, Senior Corps, Peace Corps, Learn and Serve America, Armed Forces.
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially decrease its authority either to detain without charge or to search without probable cause.
Resolved: That the United States federal government should establish a foreign policy substantially increasing its support of United Nations peacekeeping operations.
Resolved: That the United States federal government should establish an ocean policy substantially increasing protection of marine natural resources.
Resolved: That the United States federal government should substantially increase public health services for mental health care in the United States.
Resolved: That the United States federal government should establish a foreign policy significantly limiting the use of weapons of mass destruction.
Resolved: That the United States federal government should significantly increase protection of privacy in the United States in one or more of the following areas: employment, medical records, consumer information, search and seizure.
Resolved: That the federal government should establish an education policy to significantly increase academic achievement in secondary schools in the United States.
Resolved: That the United States should substantially change its foreign policy toward Russia.
Resolved: That the federal government should establish a policy to substantially increase renewable energy use in the United States.
Resolved: That the federal government should establish a program to substantially reduce juvenile crime in the United States.
Resolved: That the United States government should substantially change its foreign policy toward the People’s Republic of China.
Resolved: That the United States government should substantially strengthen regulation of immigration to the United States.
Resolved: That the federal government should guarantee comprehensive national health insurance to all United States citizens.
Resolved: That the United States government should reduce worldwide pollution through its trade and/or aid policies.
Resolved: That the federal government should significantly increase social services to homeless individuals in the United States.
Resolved: that the United States Government should significantly increase space exploration beyond Earth’s mesosphere.
Resolved: That the federal government should adopt a nationwide policy to decrease overcrowding in prisons and jails in the United States.
Resolved: That the federal government should implement a comprehensive program to guarantee retirement security for United States citizens over age 65.
Resolved: That the United States government should adopt a policy to increase political stability in Latin America.
Resolved: That the federal government should implement a comprehensive long-term agricultural policy in the United States.
Resolved: That the federal government should establish a comprehensive national policy to protect the quality of water in the United States.
Resolved: That the federal government should provide employment for all employable U.S. Citizens living in poverty.
Resolved: That the United States should establish uniform rules governing the procedure of all criminal courts in the nation.
Resolved: That the United States should significantly curtail its arms sales to other countries.
Resolved: That the federal government should establish minimum educational standards for elementary and secondary schools in the United States.
Resolved: That the federal government should initiate and enforce safety guarantees on consumer goods.
Resolved: That the United States should significantly change its foreign trade policies.
Resolved: That the federal government should establish a comprehensive program to significantly increase the energy independence of the U.S.
Resolved: That the federal government should establish a comprehensive program to regulate the health care in the United States.
Resolved: That a comprehensive program of penal reform should be adopted throughout the United States.
Resolved: That the development and allocation of scarce world resources should be controlled by an international organization.
Resolved: That the United States should significantly change the method of selection of presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
Resolved: That the federal government should guarantee a minimum annual income to each family unit.
Resolved: That governmental financial support for all public and secondary education in the United States be provided exclusively by the federal government.
Resolved: That the jury system in the United States should be significantly changed.
Resolved: That the federal government should establish, finance, and administer programs to control air and/or water pollution in the United States.
Resolved: That Congress should prohibit unilateral United States military intervention in foreign countries.
Resolved: That the United States should establish a system of compulsory service by all citizens.
Resolved: That Congress should establish uniform regulations to control criminal investigation procedures.
Resolved: That the foreign aid program of the United States should be limited to non-military assistance.
Resolved: That the federal government should adopt a program of compulsory arbitration in labor-management disputes in basic industries.
Resolved: That nuclear weapons should be controlled by an international organization.
Resolved: That Social Security benefits should be extended to include complete medical care.
Resolved: That the United States should promote a Common Market for the western hemisphere.
Resolved: That the federal government should equalize educational opportunity by means of grants to the states for public elementary and secondary education.
Resolved: That the United Nations should be significantly strengthened.
Resolved: That the federal government should substantially increase its regulation of labor unions.
Resolved: That the United States should adopt the essential feature of the British system of education.
Resolved: That the United States foreign aid should be substantially increased.
Resolved: That the federal government should sustain the prices of major agricultural products at not less than 90% of parity.
Resolved: That the government subsidies should be granted according to need to high school graduates who qualify for additional training.
Resolved: That the federal government should initiate a policy of free trade among nations friendly to the United States.
Resolved: That the President of the United States should be elected by the direct vote of the people.
Resolved: That the Atlantic pact nations should form a federal union.
Resolved: That all American citizens should be subject to conscription for essential service in time of war.
Resolved: That the American people should reject the Welfare state.
Resolved: That a federal world government should be established.
Resolved: That the federal government should require arbitration of labor disputes in all basic industries.
Resolved: That the federal government should provide a system of complete Medical care available to all citizens at public expense.
Resolved: That ever able-bodied male citizen of the United States should have one year of full time military training before attaining age 24.
Resolved: That the legal voting age should be reduced to eighteen years.
Resolved: That the United States should join in reconstituting the League of Nations.
Resolved: That every able-bodied male citizen in the United States should be required to have one year of full-time military training before attaining the present draft age.
Resolved: That the power of the federal government should be increased.
Resolved: That the federal government should own and operate the railroads.
Resolved: That the United States should establish an alliance with Great Britain.
Resolved: That the several states should adopt a unicameral system of legislation.
Resolved: That all electric utilities should be governmentally owned and operated.
Resolved: That the several states should enact legislation providing for a system of complete medical service available to all citizens at public expense.
Resolved: That the federal government should adopt the policy of equalizing educational opportunity throughout the nation by means of annual grants to the several states for public elementary and secondary education.
Resolved: That the United States should adopt the essential features of the British system of radio control and operation.
Resolved: That at least one half of all state and local revenues should be derived from sources other than tangible property.
Resolved: That the several states should enact legislation providing for compulsory unemployment insurance.
Resolved: That chain stores are detrimental to the best interests of the American public.
Resolved: That installment buying of personal property as now practiced in the United States is both socially and economically desirable.
Resolved: That the English cabinet method of legislation is more efficient than the committee system is in the United States.
Past Motions - World Schools Debate
Sample prepared motions:.
- THW eliminate all occupational licensing requirements for practicing the law.
- TH supports the creation of LGBT schools.
- THW establish an international cap and trade system for refugees.
- THBT a two party system is preferable to a multi party system.
- TH supports the privatization of all government owned energy companies.
Sample Impromptu Motions:
- THW place pictures of suffering animals on all animal based products.
- THW relocate the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
- THW compensate individuals who are criminally prosecuted and found not guilty.
- THBT developed nations should pay developing nations to not exploit their natural resources.
- THW require a quota of voters be met to consider national elections legitimate.
- THW institute a basic minimum income equal to a national living wage.
- THW ban alternative medicine.
- THW begin experimenting on non-viable human embryos through CRISPR.
- THB the FBI should stop attempting to force Apple to betray its own encryption system.
- TH supports the Brexit.
- THBT memes are a detriment to politics.
- THW gender de-segregate public bathrooms.
- THBT needle exchanges benefit society while harming addicts.
- THBT E-Sports are the future of competitive entertainment.
- THBT predictive policing is unethical.
February 2016
- TH prefers high oil prices to lower oil prices.
- THBT drug companies would rather treat the symptoms than cure the disease.
- THW create graffiti areas in public spaces.
- THBT digital currencies will cause more harm than good.
- THW ban the sale of military weapons between countries.
- THBT people who vote against their own interests are a sign of a failed democracy.
- THBT arranged marriages are better than finding love by chance.
- THBT workaholics should seek therapy.
- THBT man-made climate change denial should be a justification for impeachment of those holding public office.
- THBT discussing feminism as “the feminist movement” is counterproductive.
January 2016
- TH regrets the embargo on Cuba.
- THBT the sharing economy will lead to a more socially just marketplace.
- TH opposes the militarization of police departments.
- THW eliminate plant biotechnology patents.
- THBT illegal immigrants create a net gain in the economy.
- THBT the climate summits are a waste of time.
- THW not bring a child into this world.
- THBT imperialists have an obligation to aid their former colonies.
- THW trust Iran.
- THBT equal opportunity is more important than equal outcomes.
December 2015
- THBT the war on terror can only be won through the use of soft-power.
- THW ban direct advertising by drug companies to consumers.
- THBT the International Criminal Court should be abolished.
- THBT universities have an obligation to reject students applying to low demand employment areas.
- THW ban the ownership of drones for private use.
- THBT Bert and Ernie should get married.
- THBT Democracy may not be the best form of government for developing countries.
- THBT Facebook is on its way out.
- THW require that all student athletes that practice with the team are given equal playing time.
- THW support space colonization.
November 2015
- THBT the Arab Spring has done more harm than good.
- THW ratify the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP).
- THW prohibit prisons from requiring or allowing prisoners to perform labor in exchange for money or other benefits.
- THW ban the use of artificial turf by student athletes.
- THW present a military challenge to China’s artificial islands.
- THW press criminal charges against individuals who intentionally put themselves in danger if they require first responder’s assistance (refusing to evacuate, mountain climbing, extreme sports, etc.).
- THBT parents have a moral obligation to buy their children genderless toys.
- THW allow persons to legally identify with a race they were not born into.
- THBT that there is an Illuminati-like group that controls world politics.
- THBT employers and universities have no right to see a candidate’s personal social media accounts.
October 2015
- THW support the Kurds in their plight for self-determination.
- THBT African problems require African solutions.
- THBT the rise of Socialism has not served Latin America well.
- THBT the West should join Iran and Russia in resolving the conflict in Syria.
- THBT cultural appropriation is a positive aspect of globalization.
- THBT political correctness has gone too far.
- THBT Banksy’s crimes should be forgiven.
- THW require the state to pay for elective sexual reassignment surgery for convicted prisoners.
- THBT the music industry is all about the industry and not about the music.
- THW ban all big game hunting for sport.
Topic Release Schedule
Topic release schedule - lincoln-douglas debate.
The LD Wording Committee selects a number of debate resolutions and gathers feedback from the community during its summer meeting. The three topics that will be voted on for each topic cycle are released in June. Member students and one chapter advisor per active school will vote for each topic one week prior to the topic release date. Topic voting for the September/October topic opens August 1.
If you would like to submit an LD resolution for consideration, please submit by May 2 for the following school year.
In addition, we have established a separate LD resolution for the first two months of the novice season. Coaches are encouraged to check with tournament hosts in their area before exclusively prepping for one topic over another.
Topic Release Schedule - Public Forum Debate
The PF Wording Committee selects a number of debate resolutions and gathers feedback from the community during its summer meeting. The two topics that will be voted on for each topic cycle are released in June. Member students and one chapter advisor per active school will vote for each topic one week prior to the topic release date. Topic voting for the September/October topic opens August 1.
If you would like to submit a PF topic area or resolution for consideration, please submit by May 2 for the following school year.
The first two Public Forum topics are two-month topics in September/October and November/December, and then it reverts to a month-to-month topic. This schedule benefits novices who have more time to learn and improve their skills without switching topics.
Topic Release Schedule - Policy Debate
Topic release schedule - big questions debate, topic release schedule - congressional debate.
My Speech Class
Public Speaking Tips & Speech Topics
205 Controversial Topics for your Essay, Speech, or Debate
Amanda Green was born in a small town in the west of Scotland, where everyone knows everyone. I joined the Toastmasters 15 years ago, and I served in nearly every office in the club since then. I love helping others gain confidence and skills they can apply in every day life.
Do you think social media platforms should censor politicians? No matter how important you feel this issue is relative to other issues of the day, you’re likely to have an opinion one way or the other. Why? Because it’s a controversial matter, and it immediately pushes some buttons in our brains.
What makes issues like this so engaging?
Controversial topics have two features that almost instantly grab people’s attention. On one side, they are both simple and familiar, and so are understandable without any effort. On the other side, they touch on sensitive matters that society as a whole has not yet come to terms with. This makes them tickle our inherent desire for closure. We want to make up our minds once and for all!
So if you’re looking for such a topic for your essay, speech, or debate, you’ve come to the right place!
We’ve compiled a list of hundreds of controversial issues organized by subject matter (You can visit our page on how to write a persuasive controversial essay if you want to improve your base skills). Whether you’re trying to come up with a topic for your science, psychology, history class – or nearly any other topic! – you’re sure to find an issue below that will keep your audience engaged, and even stir up some discussion.
In this article:
Political Debate Topics
Controversial criminal justice topics, controversial religious topics, controversial topics for teens, controversial science topics, controversial sports topics, controversial food topics, controversial nutrition topics, controversial animal topics, controversial topics in psychology, controversial relationship topics, controversial medical topics, controversial topics in nursing, controversial topics in biology, music controversial topics, controversial art topics, controversial history topics, funny controversial topics, what are the pros and cons of controversial topics.
As mentioned earlier, picking a controversial topic almost guarantees that you’ll command your audience’s attention. But such issues have downsides too. We go over the advantages and disadvantages of hot-button issues to help you make the right choice for your essay, speech, or debate.
Can We Write Your Speech?
Get your audience blown away with help from a professional speechwriter. Free proofreading and copy-editing included.
- Immediately engaging – Your readers or listeners are unlikely to doze off.
- Easy to find information on – You won’t have to look far to find credible information on controversial issues.
- Likely to keep you absorbed while researching – What’s interesting for your audience will probably keep boredom at bay for you too.
- Too sensitive for some people – These issues often have a strong emotional charge and may even be taboo for some, causing awkward situations.
- Hard to review all points – A huge debate has probably been raging on such topics, so it’s not so easy to cover all your bases and appear knowledgeable on the issue at hand.
- Hard to wrap up – These matters are controversial for a reason. It may be hard to come to a satisfactory conclusion, whether you’re presenting or debating.
Interesting Controversial Topics by Field
Below, we’ve compiled a catalog of fascinating controversial topics by field. Keep in mind that many of these spill over from one category to another, so there is some overlap. Is climate change a political or scientific issue? There’s a controversial question for you!
Controversy is where politics are born. There’s usually some point of disagreement about any matter related to public affairs – that’s why a politician’s main job is to debate and come to an agreement (ideally) on how to handle these issues. Or, as political scientist Harold Lasswell put it succinctly, politics is, “Who gets what, when, how.”
So political issues are controversial by definition. We’ve worked hard to provide you with the longest, most comprehensive list you’ll find anywhere, and any of these topics may be instantly captivating.
- Is democracy the best form of government?
- Should there be a minimum wage?
- Should the government intervene in the free market?
- Should the US government intervene in foreign affairs?
- Should there be term limits for US senators?
- Should the Electoral College be abolished in the US?
- Are there exceptions to the freedom of speech?
- Should hate speech be banned?
- Should the government ensure the protection of privacy?
- Is the gender pay gap real?
- Does institutional racism exist in the US?
- Is affirmative action helping or hurting?
- Is immigration helping or hurting the US?
- Should all illicit drugs be legalized?
- Should prostitution be legalized?
- Should abortion be banned?
- Should there be stricter gun control laws?
- Should automatic weapons be banned?
- Should military service be mandatory?
- Should water be a commodity or a human right?
- Should the government forgive all student debt?
Is justice being served? Few things get under people’s skin as much as perceived injustices. We are more or less programmed to seek fairness both for ourselves and for others. That’s why, similar to political topics, criminal justice issues are naturally engaging.
Appropriate punishment is salient now especially in the US after years of debates and protests related to the killings of minorities like George Floyd, Michael Brown, and Tamir Rice. More recently, the storming of the US Capitol, the role the President’s words had in inciting the perpetrators, and how liable they are when following their President’s words, are also hot-button issues. It’s hard to go wrong with a criminal justice topic.
- Is the death penalty ethical?
- Should people be jailed for drug-related offenses?
- Should police officers be charged for inappropriate use of force?
- Why are minorities disproportionately represented in the US prison population?
- Why does the US have the largest prison population in the world?
- Should mentally unstable people be charged with crimes?
- Should underage repeat offenders be tried as adults?
- Should there be more than 12 jurors in a jury?
- Should felons be allowed to vote?
Religion is a sensitive issue everywhere. Since it often concerns people’s innermost beliefs and principles, it’s not difficult to capture your audience’s attention with a religious topic. But beware that it’s also very easy to offend someone if you’re not careful.
Take religious freedom, for example – a concept interpreted in very different ways by different people. When in 2012 a Christian baker in Colorado refused to bake a wedding cake for a gay couple, was he exercising his religious freedom or discriminating against LGBTQ people?
- Is atheism a religion?
- Does religion do more harm than good?
- Should creationism be taught in schools?
- Should there be religious education in schools?
- Should religious symbols be banned from schools?
- Should schools’ curriculums consider religious points of view?
- Should public prayer be allowed in schools?
- Should religious institutions pay taxes?
- Are most religions inherently sexist?
- Is Buddhism more peaceful than other religions?
The teenage years are a transition period between childhood and adulthood, which causes a natural struggle between treating teens as children or adults. Can we hold teenagers accountable for crimes they committed? Or should their parents be responsible? Issues like this make a lively debate inevitable.
- Should we lower the voting age to 16?
- Should we lower the drinking age to 18?
- At what age should teens be allowed to date?
- At what age is it appropriate for teens to have sex?
- Should sex education be mandatory in school?
- Should teenage pregnancies be terminated?
- Should teens have access to birth control?
- Is cyberbullying as bad as real-life bullying?
- Is peer pressure good or bad?
- Does social media cause an increase in teenage suicide?
- Are beauty pageants harmful to teenagers’ self-esteem?
- Should teens be allowed to keep secrets from parents?
- Should energy drinks be banned for teenagers?
- Should mobile devices be banned at school?
- Is the school grading system effective?
- Should school uniforms be mandatory?
- Should teens be allowed to get tattoos?
- Should vaping be prohibited for teens?
Are you looking for more controversial topics for teens? Check out our other article where you can find 170+ controversial debate topics for teens , as well as the dos and don’ts when debating controversial topics.
Science has a very specific way of addressing controversies – by looking at evidence. When scientists disagree on something, they have to back their views with data and logical arguments. But scientific questions are often taken outside the realm of the experts and turn into social, political, or economic issues.
That’s why it’s important to be familiar with the concept of false equivalence – a fallacy in which a flawed or misleading argument is presented as equivalent to a sound and logical one. For instance, scientists have shown that the preponderance of evidence points to the reality of climate change. Media outlets and some politicians, however, sometimes present the issue as not settled. No matter whether climate change is real or not, saying that a politician’s opinion is as valid as a scientist’s – when we’re talking about that scientist’s field – is a false equivalence. Issues like that are bound to create a heated (pun intended) debate.
- Can scientists ever be objective?
- Should corporations fund research?
- Should science be optional in school?
- Why are women underrepresented in science?
- Is STEM education more valuable than training in humanities?
- Should cryptocurrencies be regulated?
- Should net neutrality be restored?
- Should robots have rights?
- Is AI a menace to humans?
- Is AI the next stage in evolution?
- Is technology helping or destroying Earth?
- Can renewable sources of energy replace fossil fuels?
- Is climate change a threat to humanity?
- Is cell phone radiation dangerous?
- Is climate change reversible?
- Should all cars be electric?
- Is nuclear energy safe?
- Does alien life exist?
- Could alien life have found Earth?
- Should humans try to colonize Mars?
Professional sports hold a lot of potential to create controversy. Hardly a week goes by without some major sports issue making the news. Whether it’s deflated footballs, kneeling during the anthem, or equal pay for male and female athletes, sports topics usually carry an emotional charge as most people have a strong opinion one way or the other .
- Should performance-enhancing drugs be allowed in sports?
- Are professional athletes paid too much?
- Are professional athletes good role models?
- Should college athletes be paid beyond scholarships?
- Should college athletes be tested for drugs?
- Is dance a real sport?
- Is video gaming a real sport?
- Is bodybuilding a real sport?
- Is cheerleading a real sport?
- Should mixed martial arts be banned?
- Should women compete against men in sports?
- Should female athletes be paid the same as male athletes?
- Should transgender athletes who used to be male compete in women’s sports?
- Do the Olympics do more harm than good for the cities hosting them?
- Are professional sports too damaging to athletes’ health?
- Is American football too dangerous for athletes?
- Should athletes who kneel for the anthem be sanctioned?
Sharing a meal with others unites us, but our opinions on food often divide us. Why is one part of the world starving, while another struggles with obesity? Is famine a result of a shortage or a distribution problem? Questions about food are important for humanity, which makes them compelling topics for discussion.
- Are genetically modified foods dangerous?
- Should genetically modified foods be labeled?
- Is organic food better than regular food?
- Is fast food responsible for obesity?
- Is food waste unavoidable?
- Is organic farming sustainable?
- Is factory farming unsustainable?
- Is grass-fed beef better than corn-fed beef?
- Is palm oil production causing deforestation?
- Can biotech foods save us from hunger?
- Should butter be stored in the fridge?
Nutrition is one of the most controversial scientific fields – dietary guidelines seem to be changing by the day. Is it OK to eat more than two eggs a day? Are carbs more unhealthy than fats? Issues like that are notoriously hard to resolve as even a carefully designed scientific study struggles to untangle the many factors that go into human health.
- Should we have nutrition classes in schools?
- Can a vegan diet help the environment?
- Is it healthier to be vegetarian?
- Is an all-meat diet healthy?
- Is dieting ever effective?
- Does fasting help or harm the body?
- Are gluten-free diets overhyped?
- Should we ban trans fat?
- Is sugar addictive?
- Are artificial sweeteners unhealthy?
Bring up the practice of eating dog meat in some countries to a dog lover, and you’ll more than likely evoke a very strong reaction. But how is it different from eating other social and intelligent mammals, such as pigs? There are many unresolved animal issues that can make for a captivating paper or presentation.
- Should animals have the same rights as humans?
- Should animals be considered individuals?
- Do animals have emotions?
- Do animals have consciousness?
- Is animal testing ethical?
- Should the fur industry be restricted?
- Are zoos helping or hurting animals?
- Should there be animals in circuses?
- Should we try to reverse extinction?
- Are humans destroying animal habitats?
- Is selective dog breeding unethical?
- Should bullfighting be banned?
- Should whaling be banned?
Many argue that psychology as a science is still in its infancy. There’s no consensus on a lot of the big questions related to people’s minds. Is there even a way to know what’s happening inside someone else’s head besides our own? A behaviorist would insist there isn’t.
- Is psychology a real science?
- Is depression a real disease?
- Are antidepressants effective?
- Is ADHD a real mental disorder?
- Is drug abuse a mental health issue?
- Is mental illness equivalent to physical illness?
- Should psychologists be allowed to prescribe drugs?
- Is prejudice against different people inherent?
- Is it ethical to “treat” homosexuality?
- Are social media sites addictive?
- Is social media connecting us or making us more isolated?
- Is pornography harmful to the psyche?
- Do video games cause violence?
- Is intelligence inherited?
Being in a romantic relationship involves constantly negotiating and renegotiating issues ranging from the most mundane to the most profound. On top of that, most adults are or have been part of a couple, making this a relatable and attention-grabbing subject.
- Is monogamy natural?
- Does divorce harm children?
- Should dating between co-workers be allowed?
- Should people date people much older than themselves?
- Is romantic love a prerequisite to marital satisfaction?
- Should arguments in a couple be avoided or encouraged?
- Should men and women have different functions in a relationship?
- Is it OK to keep secrets from your partner?
- Are long-distance relationships worth it?
- Is sex before marriage wrong?
- Is online dating good or bad?
- Are homosexual relationships natural?
- Should same-sex marriage be banned?
- Should LGBTQ people be allowed to adopt children?
Health is arguably the most important thing for a person. So it’s no surprise that we take issues related to health and medicine very seriously. Is there any point in prolonging a dying patient’s pain through life support? Questions like this are hard to give a definitive answer to, making them potent discussion topics.
- Are vaccines safe?
- Is Covid-19 manmade?
- Should immunization be mandatory?
- Should euthanasia be allowed?
- Is alternative medicine any good?
- Should healthcare be free?
- Is obesity a disease?
- Is circumcision healthy?
- Is stem cell research ethical?
- How harshly should medical malpractice be punished?
- Should Big Pharma be banned from charging too much for life-saving drugs?
- Should prescription drug manufacturers be held responsible for the opioid crisis?
- Should cannabis be prescribed as medicine?
- Should surrogate pregnancy be allowed?
- Should we use gene-editing in humans?
- Should the sale of human organs be allowed?
- Should genetic screening of embryos be legal?
If nurses are essential workers, why do they get paid so little? To get to the bottom of this, we need to go beyond the nursing profession and take a hard look at society as a whole. Besides, just like doctors, nurses face ethical dilemmas in their work every day, which creates a lot of room for debate.
- Are nurses compensated fairly?
- Should nurses’ shifts be shortened?
- Should nurses be allowed to prescribe drugs?
- Is the nursing profession better suited for women?
- Should nurses use artificial hydration and nutrition?
- Should nurses treat non-compliant patients?
Biology deals with nothing less than life itself! And what’s a more fascinating question than the origin of life? Although we seem to be far from deciphering this mystery, there are many other issues that both scientists and laypeople have good reason to debate.
- Is evolution up for debate?
- Did life emerge out of inorganic matter?
- Is there a viable alternative to the theory of evolution?
- How significant are the physiological differences between men and women?
- Is behavior determined by our genes or by our upbringing?
- Are there more than two genders?
If you’re a classical music lover, you’ll very likely scoff at the assertion that rock ‘n’ roll is the best musical genre. But who’s to say? Maybe someone will argue that there are objective measures of the quality of music. As with any issue that’s close to many people’s hearts, music can be an excellent topic for discussion.
- Is music getting worse over time?
- Is the pursuit of profit ruining music?
- Do music streaming services such as Spotify help or harm musical artists?
- Are violent or explicit lyrics harmful to society?
- Are rock stars a bad influence on children?
- Are The Beatles overrated?
Do you think Banksy will go down in history as one of the great artists, or do you see his works as cheap stunts? Either way, you’ll probably agree that art has changed almost beyond recognition since the time of Rembrandt. Whether that’s a good or bad thing is just one topic worth exploring.
- Is the value of art subjective?
- Should explicit art be censored?
- Who decides what constitutes art?
- Should an art piece always carry a message?
- Is contemporary art as good as classical art?
- Should any topic be out of bounds for art?
Hardly anyone would disagree that we should learn from history to avoid making the same mistake twice. But what exactly are history’s lessons is up for debate, and so make for great discussion topics.
- Are the two World Wars responsible for the relative state of peace since?
- Should the US pay reparations to African Americans because of slavery?
- Should Confederate statues in the US be taken down?
- Was Christopher Columbus a hero or a villain?
- Was the French Revolution inevitable?
- Is history always written by the victors?
- Is history bound to be repeated?
Are cats better pets than dogs? Does pineapple belong on a pizza? These are the kind of age-old debates we look into in our Funny Controversial Topics page.
Top 5 Extraordinary Motivational Speakers
130 Awesome Speech Topics for Kids
7 thoughts on “205 Controversial Topics for your Essay, Speech, or Debate”
Which is better, Chicago pizza or New York pizza?
Hey Nicole, just to answer your question personally I think Chicago pizza is too thick and I would choose New York pizza any day.
In my opinion Chicago pizza is clearly superior, and its thickness is one of its best attributes.
In my opinion New York pizza is clearly superior, and its thinness is one of its best attributes.
I second Chicago pizza lover’s statement, I think that Chicagos pizzas are much better!
In my very Italian opinion, true real pizza is Made in Italy only – the best. Cheers x 🙂
The Meaning of Evangelion.
Leave a Comment
I accept the Privacy Policy
Reach out to us for sponsorship opportunities
Vivamus integer non suscipit taciti mus etiam at primis tempor sagittis euismod libero facilisi.
© 2023 My Speech Class
Get $30 referral bonus and Earn 10% COMMISSION on all your friend's order for life! Start Earning
- Writing Services
- Online Courses
New User? Start here.
- My Dashboard
- Persoanl A/c Manager NEW
- My Online Courses
- My Notification
- My Loyalty Points
- Turnitin Report
- My Subscription
Popular Search
- Order an assignment
- Track your order
- Why Order us
- Free Samples
- Order discount now
Securing Higher Grades Costing Your Pocket? Book Your Assignment at The Lowest Price Now!
Phone no. missing.
Enter phone no. to receive critical updates and urgent messages !
Error goes here
Files Missing!
Please upload all relevant files for quick & complete assistance.
Guaranteed Higher Grade!
Great debate speech topics, get best ideas here.
Guaranteed Higher Grade Or Get Your Money Back!
Get help instantly, debate speech topics.
In the event that you're searching for some of the most popular argument themes, you've arrived at the correct spot. Continue reading for good/interesting ideas, political and contentious issues to discuss, funny/silly topics to discuss, and much more. Continue reading for all of the information you need, including some amusing and contentious subjects!
Debates, among other things, are an excellent method to acquire information, develop critical thinking abilities, and enhance communication skills among peers. Despite the fact that arguing is important in and of itself, the subject you pick may make or break a debate at times. When you're charged with arranging a discussion, it's critical to choose a topic that will engage the audience.
Using humour to connect with people is a wonderful approach to build relationships. It goes without saying that it is also a lot of fun. Choosing amusing subjects virtually ensures that you will interest both your audience and your participants in your event.
However, you may be concerned that a light-hearted argument will be much too ridiculous to add any value to the conversation or help you to improve your rhetorical abilities. Moreover, although you should pick a fun debate subject with caution, they have a lot to offer in any debate setting. Posing a humorous question does not rule out the potential of a spirited discussion, since humour is just an additional characteristic of contentious issues. A good subject may lift people's mood while also evoking other feelings at the same time. If you're searching for something more controversial, check out our pages devoted to humorous controversial subjects and convincing controversial topics , which are both available on our website.
Take a look at some of the finest argument themes that you may want to use in class.
- All children should be required to do household duties.
- All pupils should be required to wear school uniforms at all times.
- Marijuana should be made legal in all 50 states.
- Online education is inferior to traditional classroom instruction.
- Women are objectified in beauty pageants.
- Cigarettes should be prohibited in all public areas, including workplaces.
- Homework should be prohibited at educational institutions.
- The legalisation of same-sex marriage is essential.
- Obesity is exacerbated by fast-food consumption.
- My government should make significant investments in renewable energy sources.
- Feminism is more harmful than beneficial.
- The minimum wage should be raised to a higher level.
- Consumerism is widespread, and it does a great deal of damage.
- Do males engage in more gossip than women?
- Is it true that women are more complex than men?
- Would the world be a better place if more women held leadership positions?
- Is there a distinct benefit to being a male as opposed to being a woman, or vice versa?
- Is it essential to have a significant age gap between two partners in an adult relationship?
- If given the choice, would you prefer to be impoverished and honest or wealthy and dishonest?
- Which superhero role would you like to play: the main protagonist or the sidekick?
- Which would you prefer: travelling 100 years ahead or 100 years back in time?
- Which would you prefer: the ability to fly or the ability to read people's minds?
- Which superpower would you pick if you had the opportunity to have one?
- Which would you prefer: to be deaf or blind?
- Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
- What if you ask the genie for an unlimited number of wishes?
- Which do you prefer: being a ninja or a pirate.
- How can you become good friends with your employer while you're working for him or her?
- Is it better for people to eat in order to live or to live in order to eat?
- What do you think: Is social media making us more connected, or is it simply making it easier for individuals to stalk one another?
- Is Twitter contributing to a poisonous society or is it assisting us in staying connected?
- Is it preferable to be famous on TikTok than to be renowned on Instagram?
- Should Facebook include a 'dislike' option on its site?
- Is iOS a superior operating system to Android?
- Is DC a superior force to Marvel?
- Is Coca-Cola better than Pepsi?
- Are hotdogs sandwiches?
- Are square pizza slices better than triangles?
- Is the law too easy on celebrities?
- Which is the best Star Wars character?
- Are books better than movies?
- Does intelligent alien life exist?
- Is Friends better than How I Met Your Mother?
- What’s the best television show of all time?
- Is beauty more important than brains?
- Is rock n roll better than hip hop?
- Are introverts too quiet, or are extroverts too loud?
- Which is the real football – soccer or American football?
- Is music getting better or worse over time?
Enjoy Custom Speech Topic Assistance
Enjoy Custom Speech Topic AssistanceConsult with professional elocutionists to discover innovative topics
Trending Speech Topics
Looking for innovative speech topics?
Writer of The Month
Simon Harper
Renowned rhetorician with a stellar record
Research Proposal
Order a premium Research proposal and score your desired grades.
Editing & Proofreading
Enjoy 100% error-free speeches
Article Publication
Get your article published in an internationally renowned journal.
What is the most effective method of capturing the attention of college students? What about beer pong? That's a possibility, but it's outside of our purview at this time. In order to keep university students interested in a discussion, it may be helpful to choose a subject that is relevant to them - something that has something to do with their college experience!
- Which is more important to you: being excellent in tests or being good at sports?
- Is finals week a difficult time for students to endure?
- Are our graduation ceremonies becoming too monotonous?
- Are college degrees inherently overvalued?
- Which degree is more valuable: a medical degree or an engineering degree?
- STEM education is seen to be more useful than training in the humanities.
- Is it really worth it to get a business degree these days?
- Is it possible that college campuses have grown too "woke"?
- Should there be a "safe place" on every campus?
- Should dormitories be mixed-gender environments?
- Is spring break a waste of time?
- Should alcoholic beverages be permitted in dorms?
- Are college students consuming an excessive amount of alcoholic beverages?
- Is it preferable to be a member of the "jocks" or a member of the "nerds"?
- Are sports scholarships providing certain kids an unfair edge over their peers?
- Is cheerleading considered a sport?
Why Should You Choose Funny Debate Topics?
The explanation for this is pretty straightforward: everyone loves a good chuckle at someone's expense. Most of this is because laughing produces a "feel-good-chemical" known as endorphin, which is essentially a natural painkiller in its own right. Oh my goodness, isn't it cool? An entertaining discussion subject is sure to be warmly accepted, especially given the current state of the globe (mass devastation, hate crimes, and terrorism, to name a few examples). So, what exactly is it that's holding you back? What is the point of participating in discussions in the first place?
Participating in debates is a fantastic method to improve your oratory abilities while also giving yourself a confidence boost at the same time. This is also a fantastic technique to overcome stage fright and overcome your apprehension of performing in front of a big group of people.
However, if you are not ready, to begin with, a contentious persuasive speech , a lighthearted discussion is an excellent option. A humorous discussion will also allow you to show off your personality in front of the audience. Who knows, it may even assist you in making a few new acquaintances.
Topics for a Laughable Debate
- Are you unable to think of any subjects you would want to discuss? Here are a few entertaining suggestions that the audience is sure to enjoy:
- What do you prefer: 15 minutes of glory or remaining behind the scenes?
- American Idol vs. The X Factor: Who Will Win?
- Bon Jovi vs. The Rock in the race for the White House
- Reasons why Friends is a superior show than How I Met Your Mother
- Going out or staying home and watching Netflix?
- The most memorable Star Wars character
- Is it true that age is a factor in a relationship?
- Men are more likely than women to gossip.
- Why it is important for kids to get their Hogwarts letter
- Which pizza toppings are the most delicious?
- Which is more important, attractiveness or brains?
- Medico-technical competition against.
- What qualities do women look for in a man?
- Why Coca-Cola is superior to Pepsi
- Which would you want to play: the hero or the sidekick?
- Everything in love and war is equal, right?
- Which is more famous, Instagram or Twitter?
- Twilight vs. The Vampire Diaries: Who Will Win?
- Is it possible for you to be best friends with your boss?
- Should people consume in order to survive or live in order to eat?
- Is it really essential to wear school uniforms?
- Is social media just making it simpler for individuals to monitor their friends and acquaintances?
- Is it better to listen to rock and roll or hip hop?
- What's the big deal about bottled water vs tap water?
More Related Speech Topics:-
https://myassignmenthelp.com/us/speech-topics/self-introduction-speech.html
https://myassignmenthelp.com/us/speech-topics/purposive-communication-topics.html
https://myassignmenthelp.com/us/speech-topics/5-minute-speech-topics.html
https://myassignmenthelp.com/us/speech-topics/public-speaking-topics.html
https://myassignmenthelp.com/us/speech-topics/elevator-speech.html
https://myassignmenthelp.com/us/speech-topics/extemporaneous-speech.html
https://myassignmenthelp.com/us/speech-topics/policy-speech.html
https://myassignmenthelp.com/us/speech-topics/vote-of-thanks-speech.html
https://myassignmenthelp.com/us/speech-topics/school-speech-topics.html
https://myassignmenthelp.com/us/speech-topics/award-presentation-speech.html
https://myassignmenthelp.com/us/speech-topics/1-minute-speech-topics.html
https://myassignmenthelp.com/us/speech-topics/econtroversial-speech.html
TO DOWNLOAD " Company Law Case Studies
The best expert top experts, fraser kirk.
MS in Biology...
I am skilled to do research to find proper content for research papers, thesis and dissertation. I give only verified co...
Frost Barlow
MS in Statistics...
I am skilled in creative writing to craft any kind of assignment especially essays, thesis and dissertations of any kind...
Fernando Orr
I took a MBA degre...
Along with an in-depth knowledge in marketing I am also skilled in composing assignments especially case studies with pr...
Fisher Long
Msc in Nursing fro...
I am in this field for 15 years, which helps me come up with unique topics and cases for students’ papers. I have comp...
Forbes Dennis
Masters in Account...
I am thorough with the changing financial scenario in US and the factors behind it. I am also updated with the changing ...
Fitzgerald Ru
M.sc in Electronic...
Allotting responsibilities and giving directions on achieving the targets within the team. Excellent research and creati...
Finley Estrad
MS in Computer Sci...
I boast excellent observation and analysis skills. I am excellently thorough with the subject knowing all the aspects, a...
5% Cashback
On APP - grab it while it lasts!
Download app now (or) Scan the QR code
*Offer eligible for first 3 orders ordered through app!
GET BEST PRICE FOR YOUR WORK.
5000+ experts.
ONLINE TO HELP YOU 24X7
GUARANTEED GRADE
OR GET MONEY BACK!
RATED 4.9/5
OUT OF 38983 REVIEWS
Business Intelligence
Received my assignment before my deadline request, paper was well written. Highly recommend.
Have any Query?
Contact with us.
Only one step away from your solution of order no.
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Social and Political Issues Debate Topics · All people should have the right to own guns. · The death penalty should be abolished. · Human cloning
Debate Speech Topics for High School · Should laboratory animal testing be banned? · Is global warming real, or just a myth? · Should the death penalty still be
Are private schools better than public schools? · Should education be privatized entirely? · Are student loans exploitative? · Does the traditional classroom
Political Debate Topics · Monarchy should end worldwide. · Everyone should be allowed to keep weapons. · Free speech is an individual right.
20 Topics for Debate · Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. · Swimming in the ocean is better than swimming in a public pool. · Alcohol should be
September/October – Resolved: Countries ought to prohibit the production of nuclear power. 2015-2016. 2016 National Speech & Debate Tournament – Immigration
He wrote over 300 free speech topic ideas and how-to guides for any kind of public speaking and speech writing assignments at My Speech Class.
Political Debate Topics · Should the Electoral College be abolished in the US? · Are there exceptions to the freedom of speech? · Should hate
More Controversial Debate and Argumentative Essay Topics · Abortion is a human right. · Advertising should be banned during children's programs.
An entertaining discussion subject is sure to be warmly accepted, especially given the current state of the globe (mass devastation, hate crimes, and terrorism