Please use the 2020-2021 Home link for all specific 2020-2021 DEBATE CLASS information, although the other pages also contain useful information. Thanks! Kaz

Current Topics

Policy Debate – 2021-2022 Topic
​Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its protection of water resources in the United States.
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Lincoln-Douglas Debate – Possible 2021-2022 Topics

Topic voting for the September/October topic opens August 1.
2021 September/October
  • Resolved: The member nations of the World Trade Organization ought to reduce intellectual property protections for medicines.
  • Resolved: The European Union ought to sanction member states that violate Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union.
  • Resolved: The member states of the African Union ought to further advance the goal of continental integration.
2021 November/December
  • Resolved: In the United States, the use of mandatory arbitration clauses as a condition of employment ought to be prohibited
  • Resolved: A just government ought to recognize an unconditional right of workers to strike.
  • Resolved: The United States ought to condition trade agreements on adherence to enforceable labor standards.
2022 January/February
  • Resolved: States ought to ban gain-of-function research.
  • Resolved: The United States ought to ban the use of germline genetic engineering in humans.
  • Resolved: The appropriation of outer space by private entities is unjust.
2022 March/April
  • Resolved: In the United States, single-family zoning ought to be abolished.
  • Resolved: The United States ought to restrict the power of the Supreme Court to overturn federal law.
  • Resolved: In a democracy, a free press ought to prioritize objectivity over advocacy.
2022 National Tournament
  • Resolved: A people’s right to self-determination ought to take precedence over a state’s right to territorial integrity.
  • Resolved: Radicalism is preferable to incrementalism to achieve social justice.
  • Resolved: A nation’s obligation to mitigate climate change ought to be proportional to its historical emissions.

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NOVICE Lincoln-Douglas Debate -- The NOVICE topic lasts from September through November every year.
Resolved: Civil disobedience in a democracy is morally justified.
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Public Forum Debate – Possible 2020-2021 Topics
Topic voting for the September/October topic opens August 1.
2021 September/October – Europe
  • Resolved: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization should substantially increase its defense commitments to the Baltic states.
  • Resolved: The United States should substantially increase its economic engagement in the Western Balkans.
2021 November/December – Blockchain
  • Resolved: Increased United States federal regulation of cryptocurrency transactions and/or assets will produce more benefits than harms.
  • Resolved: The United States federal government should implement a central bank digital currency.
2022 January – U.S. Drug Policy
  • Resolved: The United States federal government should legalize all illicit drugs.
  • Resolved: In the United States, the benefits of drug courts outweigh the harms.
2022 February – International Organizations
  • Resolved: The United Nations should admit the Republic of Somaliland as a member state.
  • Resolved: On balance, Turkey’s membership is beneficial to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
2022 March – Sustainability
  • Resolved: The United States should substantially increase its investment in carbon capture technology.
  • Resolved: In the United States, the benefits of increasing organic agriculture outweigh the harms.
2022 April – East Asia
  • Resolved: The People’s Republic of China should substantially decrease its control of state-owned enterprises.
  • Resolved: Japan should revise Article 9 of its Constitution to develop offensive military capabilities.
2022 National Tournament – Trade
  • Resolved: The United States should establish a comprehensive bilateral trade agreement with Taiwan.
  • Resolved: On balance, the benefits of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership outweigh the harms.