Round 1Crime and Justice
Preliminary rounds
Round 2Economy and Work
This house supports job security legislation
Round 3Ethics and Philosophy
This house would redefine the criterion for excessive force in the US to be any use of force beyond what is reasonable given all the facts of the case, including the benefit of hindsight (e.g. whether the individual had a gun, not whether it was reasonable to believe he had a gun).
Round 3Ethics and Philosophy
This house would redefine the criterion for excessive force in the US to be any use of beyond what is reasonable given all the facts of the case, including the benefit of hindsight (e.g. whether the individual had a gun, not whether it was reasonable to believe he had a gun).
Info slide
The current criterion in the US as to whether a police offices used excessive force is whether he acted reasonably given his perspective at the time and without the benefit of hindsight. Academic research has shown that when using this criterion, juries consistently conclude that officers harming or killing black individuals acted reasonably in almost all circumstances.
Round 4Society and Culture
This house would limit the amount of time that a museum can display a given piece of art to 3 months out of every 10 year period, rather than allow museums to display their works as long as they choose
Round 5Politics and Government
This house would allow citizens to vote on individual bills in place of their elected representative, with the representative retaining the voting power of those of their constituents who did not directly vote on that specific bill
Round 5Politics and Government
This house would allow citizens to vote on individual bills in place of their representative, with the representative retaining the voting power of those of their constituents who did not directly vote on that specific bill.
Round 6Science and Technology
This house believes that all states should mandate that research on and use of CRISPR technology be exclusively carried out by institutions funded entirely by the state
Round 7Society and Culture
This House, as Iran, would cease all support for militant groups in the Middle East (e.g. Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, etc.)
Round 8Ethics and Philosophy
This house prefers a world in which all individuals who have achieved a middle class standard of living choose to pursue the highest level of achievement in their chosen career, rather than a world in which those individuals prioritise day-to-day enjoyment over work
Round 8Ethics and Philosophy
This house prefers a world in which all individuals who have achieved a middle class standard of living choose to pursue the highest level of achievement in their chosen career, rather than a wold in which those individuals priorities day-to-day enjoyment over work.
Round 9Crime and Justice
This house would not allow out of court settlements for workplace discrimination and harassment
Break rounds
Partial double-octofinalsInternational Relations
This house believes that ASEAN should negotiate all investment deals with Chinese government entities as a bloc (with decisions made by majority vote of its members), so that no member state can enter into investment deals without the rest of the world
OctofinalsCrime and Justice
This house supports the court's decision to acquit Tehlirian
QuarterfinalsEconomy and Work
This house, as a parent of a child of ASPD, would enable and support that child given that child's aims based on their current psychological makeup, instead of trying to make them more empathetic
QuarterfinalsEconomy and Work
This house, as a parent of a child with ASPD, would enable and support that child given that child’s aims based on their current psychological makeup, instead of trying to make them more empathic.
Info slide
Individuals with Anti-Social Personality Disorder (ASPD), formerly known as sociopathy, have a highly reduced ability to feel empathy. People with ASPD do potentially have the ability to feel empathy, and, as with other emotions, their capacity to feel empathy can be increased based on exposure to certain experiences and relationships, yet is unlikely to reach what is considered a “normal” level.
SemifinalsCrime and Justice
This house would create an international court with the ability to classify national debt as "odious debt" at the debtor nation's request and remove the obligation of that nation to repay
Grand FinalSociety and Culture
This house would rather save the life of a single child, over extending the life of 5 adults by 10 years
Grand FinalSociety and Culture
This house would rather save the live of a single child over extending the life of 5 adults by 10 years
ESL break rounds
For speakers of English as a second language.
ESL QuarterfinalsInternational Relations
This house, as the Chinese Communist Party, would lift all restrictions on foreign investments in China, except restrictions critical to national security
ESL SemifinalsSociety and Culture
This house prefers a non-adversarial legal system
ESL FinalPolitics and Government
In democratic post-colonial states, This house believes that opposition parties to the party of independence should claim and use the legacy of anti-colonial resistance.
EFL break rounds
For speakers of English as a foreign language.
EFL SemifinalsHealth and Medicine
This house believes that Catholic religious officials in Mexico should not make statements in support of governmental policies, political parties, or candidates.
EFL FinalCrime and Justice
This house believes that it is better for the general population to be more optimistic about the current and future state of the nation (including societal cohesion, peace processes, the state of the economy) than an objectively accurate judgement.
About WUDC
The World Universities Debating Championship, often called Worlds, is the largest debate tournament in the world. Hundreds of university teams debate in British Parliamentary style, with 15 minutes of prep for each motion.
Motions from the tournament's tab site. Prep notes are written by the Debatery Editing Team to help you start thinking; they are not the only way to run either side.