Art, argument, and advocacy: mastering parliamentary debate

383 Pages·2002·1.05 MB·English

by  John Meany

INTERNATIONAL DEBATE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
A , A
RT RGUMENT
A
AND DVOCACY
M
ASTERING
P
ARLIAMENTARY
D
EBATE
by John Meany & Kate Shuster
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Art
Argument
Advocacy
and
Mastering
Paliamentary
Debate
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AIDS
Art, Argument,
and Advocacy
Mastering Parliamentary Debate
JOHN MEANY
AND
KATE SHUSTER
International Debate Education Association
New York • Amsterdam • Brussels
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Published in 2002 by
The International Debate Education Association
400 West 59th Street
New York, NY 10019
© Copyright 2002 by International Debate Education Association
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
means, without permission of the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publishing Data
Meany, John
Art, argument and advocacy: mastering parliamentary debate /
John Meany & Kate Shuster. p.cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 0-9702130-7-7
1. Deabates and debating. I. Shuster, Kate, 1974- II.Title
PN4181 .M38 2002
808.53--dc21
Printed in the United States of America
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Table of Contents
Preface 6
Chapter 1 Parliamentary Debate:
Formats and Speaker Responsibilities 9
Chapter 2 Topics and Topic Interpretation 29
Chapter 3 Argument Theory for Debaters 57
Chapter 4 Case Construction 79
Chapter 5 Answering the Proposition Case 103
Chapter 6 Research and Evidence 117
Chapter 7 Opposition Strategy: Disadvantages 127
Chapter 8 Opposition Strategy: Counterplans 149
Chapter 9 Opposition Strategy: Critiquing 183
Chapter 10 Parliamentary Points 205
Chapter 11 Skills 241
Chapter 12 Tournament Administration
and Topic Selection 279
Appendix 1: Topics 301
Appendix 2: Resources 329
Sample American parliamentary
debate ballot 330
Sample British parliamentary debate ballot 331
Sample tournament calendar 332
Debate support Websites 334
Argument support Websites 335
Reference sites 335
Appendix 3: Glossary of Terms 337
Appendix 4: Sample Debate Transcripts 352
index 375
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PREFACE
P
arliamentary debate is dynamic, entertaining and challeng-
ing. The world’s most popular form of academic and con-
test debating, parliamentary debate is also the fastest
growing debating format. This is because it is uniquely accessi-
ble. Parliamentary debate teaches sophisticated skills in extem-
poraneous speaking, critical listening, critical thinking, research,
and presentation.
Parliamentary debate is different throughout the world. This book pro-
vides a comprehensive description of the American, or “two team,” format
and the British, or World Championship, “four team” format. Though not
a comprehensive description of all parliamentary debate techniques and
issues, the principles described in the text are relevant to any format.
The text is designed for novice and advanced competitors and
debate coaches, and is suitable for classroom instruction. The parlia-
mentary debate format is appropriate for public, non-competitive
debating. We strongly believe in the value of classroom and public
debates. Issues of controversy and concern for all individuals and com-
munities demand that people be able to express themselves through
voice and argument. The skill development in this text as well as the
format information we provide will assist in staging public events for
classes, community groups, non-profit organizations, government
agencies, corporations, and activist groups on important matters of
local, national, and international politics.
We have included all of the basic elements of public speaking, crit-
ical thinking, critical listening, and research skills for new debaters.
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PREFACE
The text also contains sophisticated argument skills for experienced
practitioners that include exercises, sample speeches, excerpts, and
resources, as well as a glossary and more than 1,000 potential debate
topics. All these resources are useful for novice and experienced
debaters as well as debate trainers and coaches. The best way to learn
how to debate is through constant practice. The exercises in each chap-
ter are meant to help you learn how to use the vocabulary and concepts
in parliamentary debate gradually, rather than all at once. Some exer-
cises may be profitably repeated with different topics and in different
groups of debaters.
The text presents some technical jargon associated with debate, but
whenever jargon is used, a common or plain meaning description of the
same concepts is also given. Our goal is to help debaters adapt their
speeches from the information in the text for use before inexperienced
or experienced judges or a diverse array of audiences. Jargon is not
meant to substitute for elegant rhetoric in parliamentary debates. We
have included some jargon associated with other debate formats
including a policy or Lincoln-Douglas debate because many debaters
learn their skills from textbooks or online sites that use those formats
as models. Also, parliamentary debaters frequently participate in mul-
tiple formats – international or American and others – as part of their
debating experience. Policy and Lincoln-Douglas formats are debated
in several countries, so there is substantial overlap between debate
communities. Debaters need to understand the jargon and techniques
of other formats to effectively counter those students with that experi-
ence. We keep this information related to policy debate and Lincoln-
Douglas debate to a minimum and always place it in the context of par-
liamentary debate.
This book is designed to be read and studied over a period of time,
rather than absorbed in a single sitting. While you read the text, you
may encounter vocabulary terms that you do not immediately under-
stand. Take notes on these vocabulary words and closely examine their
accompanying definitions or explanations.
We have included information on debate and argumentation theo-
ry and practice to allow practitioners to innovate the thinking, practice,
and craft of parliamentary debate. No community can remain static for
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ART, ARGUMENT AND ADVOCACY
long. Debate is particularly dynamic. The norms and practices of
debate are continuously reinvented by debaters and coaches alike. We
hope that this book will aid, rather than hinder, this process of growth
and change in the debate community. We encourage readers to use the
text to develop their own exercises, and to adapt its precepts where
necessary.
The authors wish to thank IDEA and Noel Selegzi for their sup-
port of debate and of this textbook’s production in particular.
John Meany wishes to thank Robert Branham, the former direc-
tor of debate at Bates College, an inspirational teacher of debate who
introduced this author to parliamentary debate. Bob was a brilliant
debate theorist with a commitment to debate education. John also
wishes to thanks his son, Jake Meany, for his sacrifices, patience, and
support during the production of this book and current and former
members of the Claremont Colleges Debate Union, who have shared
with him in learning the art and practice of parliamentary debating.
Kate Shuster wishes to thank her mother, Sandra Shuster, for her
unwavering support and love. She has been an inspiration in times of
trouble and prosperity alike; also her brothers, Matthew and Will; and
her father, Don Shuster, who is missed. Kate also wishes to thank her
dear friend Jon Brody, a former University of Texas debater, whose
example and guidance taught her to be innovative and creative in
thought as well as debate.
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CHAPTER 1:
Formats and
Speaker
Responsibilities
Formats
P
arliamentary debating formats vary among different countries,
even within countries in different debate leagues or at special-
ized tournaments. Rules for debating are formally established
and institutionally maintained; this chapter discusses two popular and
distinct parliamentary formats–the American format and British for-
mat. In addition to formal rules (and it is important to note that there
are few “official” rules of parliamentary debating, which is one of the
more attractive features of the event, regardless of format), there are
informal conventions. These latter guidelines are often understood, or
misunderstood, as “rules” for contest debating. The rules of debating
primarily address speaking times, number of teams and speakers, order
of speeches, and decision making.
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