Parliamentary Debate Team

What is Parli Debate?

Parliamentary Debate is an intercollegiate 2-on-2 team competition, emphasizing argumentation and persuasion, not research. Debaters improve their extemporaneous public speaking skills, sense of humor, and knowledge of current events.

What sorts of topics do you debate?

Debaters are given a new resolution shortly before each round. The topics range from the serious to the slightly silly, from whether the European Union should lift sanctions on Austria, to whether Luke Skywalker should have joined the Dark Side of the Force.

Do I need to have debated in high school?

No prior experience necessary. We have had a wide range of members, from national champions, to newcomers who were afraid of public speaking.

What about the time commitment?

We travel the Northeast to compete at other colleges (including Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Brown, Columbia, etc.), leaving on Friday, and returning usually on Saturday evening. Brief weekly meetings usually take place on Monday and Thursday at 9:00 PM, in Silsby 113. Practice rounds usually occur before tournament. Being well versed in current events is helpful, but research is not necessary. You can go to as many or as few tournaments as you like.

What if I want to go to a lot of tournaments? What if I can't go very often?

Again, you can go to as many or as few tournaments as you like. This is not an activity where you have to wait a season to debate. We've had freshman go to as many as four or five tournaments in their freshman fall. But we've also had members who enjoy debating on campus but have waited until as late as March to compete (or have never done so). People who come to practice rounds and show enthusiasm generally get preference if there is a space crunch for a particular tournament (drivers also get preference because if space is limited it's often because we don't have enough college-approved drivers).

Why is Parliamentary Debate right for me?

We don't know, you are an individual. But here's what previous debaters have to say:

" Chuck Norris does it, so I figured, ' Hey, why not?!'"

-Steve Spitz '09, current member

"Joining Parliamentary Debate was the best decision I ever made. It's helped me gain confidence, lose weight, and sound smarter at cocktail parties."
-Matt Raymer '03, former Captain

"Law School. It's all about the resume."
-Matt Curro '01, former president, now on the Princeton Law School Dean's List

"Broadway. It's all about learning dramatic interpretation of policy"
-Heather Wyckoff '02, former Vice President, and an understudy for Cats.