10:00 am EDT - 11:00 am EDT
Past Event
In the midst of a highly polarized election, with an already polarized electorate, it may seem there is little hope for bridging the deep divisions in American society.
Brookings Nonresident Senior Fellow Robert Litan argues that teaching middle school and high school students the principles of competitive debate will make for more informed citizens and voters. Litan’s new book, “Resolved: How Debate Can Revolutionize Education and Help Save our Democracy,” makes the case for teaching middle school and high school students how to have reasoned debates where the participants use evidence and reason to constructively engage in civil discourse.
On October 9, Litan was joined by Darrell West, vice president and director of Governance Studies at Brookings, and Norman Ornstein, AEI resident scholar, to explore how the principles of competitive debate can improve students’ lifelong work skills while making them more informed and demanding voters, and whether an engaged electorate will in turn change the way political candidates campaign for the better, improving–and maybe even saving–our democracy.
Viewers submitted questions by emailing [email protected] or on Twitter using #Resolved.
Customers can use the code “DEBATE” for 30% off the book when ordering through our site: https://www.brookings.edu/book/resolved/
Brad Olsen, Kaja Jasińska, Samuel Kembou, Amy Ogan, Sharon Wolf, Molly Curtiss Wyss +1 more
October 30, 2026
Tara Hofkens, Kimberly Nesbitt, Karime Cameron, Elias Blinkoff, Molly Scott, Margaret Burchinal, Debbie Leslie, Susan Levine, Margaret Owen, Deborah Lowe Vandell, Dale C. Farran, Roberta Michnick Golinkoff, Andres S. Bustamante, Shelly Kessler, Renee de Kruif, Annie Wright, Kathy Hirsh-Pasek +12 more
October 29, 2026
Niam Yaraghi
October 29, 2026