Public debate is a familiar part of public life in democracies around the world. Political candidate debates are the most well-known examples but there are also student or public debates on issues that can be as controversial as abortion, gay marriage, or gun control. While there are descriptive empirical studies of public debate and plenty of popular discourse on them, there are relatively few normative or critical scholarly analyses of debates.
Debates can be useful tools for cultivating democracy because they allow citizens to hear from multiple perspectives and reasons for holding those positions. Moreover, debates may help to fulfill the democratic objectives of perspectival transmission and moral vetting, which some deliberative theorists see as necessary for a healthy democratic system (Chambers, 2022).
The debates most often discussed in the media are those that occur during presidential campaigns or on issues of broad public interest. They are usually conducted by television and radio and they have a high degree of public participation. Public debates on controversial issues have been shown to increase knowledge about the topics and to polarize the opinions of those in attendance.
Students can get a taste of this dynamic with a class debate. Begin by playing Trace Effects Chapter 2 or reading the Public Debate: International Day of Democracy Reading handout. Explain that you are going to hold a class vote for president. Have the class choose between Emma or Riley. Then have them write their support for their chosen candidate on a piece of paper that they will drop into a box. When the votes have been counted announce the winner!