Debates are a resource that allows us to generate discussions and exchange different opinions on the same topic, as well as to broaden our vision about current issues that generate controversy.
In this article we propose 25 examples of current debate topicsthat can be used both for academic purposes and for conversations with friends.
- Related article: “20 topics of conversation (ideal to break the ice)”.
What is a debate and what is its function?
Debates are discussions between two or more people on the same topic, in which each party presents and argues their ideas and opinions to defend their point of view. These discussions make it possible to to approach the same topic of debate from different points of view and help us to and help us to broaden our vision of reality, thanks to the exchange of ideas and different opinions.
They are a very interesting educational resource to use in schools, as they serve to work on aspects such as mental flexibility, critical thinking and putting oneself in the other’s place. They also allow working on reasoning skills, critical listening, verbal expression and dialectics.
The topics of debate are usually controversial issues on which there may be very different, often opposing, opinions, which end upoften opposing opinions, which end up generating controversy and long discussions. Here is a selection of 25 topics for discussion, which you can use to start interesting and controversial conversations.
25 current and controversial topics for discussion
This list of topics for debate is made up of different themes from different fields, which can be approached from different points of view and allow for an exchange of ideas.
They are ideal topics to start a discussion, both in the classroom in the classroom as well as in meetings with friends, favoring the knowledge of other points of view.
1. Social networks
One of the most popular topics of debate in recent times is the great impact that social networks have had on our society. For many it is a great technological advance without which they could no longer live; for others it has become a form of human slavery.
Some of the most controversial opinions that can be debated are the following are the advantages or disadvantages of social networks, whether they have affected the way we relate to each other for the worse, or whether they help us to be informed or rather uninformed.
2. Privacy
Another interesting topic of debate is the right to privacy and intimacy, which can also arise from the conversation about social networks. Without going any further, the latest scandals about the sale of private user information by Facebook have generated a controversy in the media that can give rise to many discussions..
Some interesting questions to raise in a debate are the following: To what extent are we willing to dispense with our privacy? What are the implications of publishing our life on social networks? What are the consequences of exposing our private information?
3. Freedom of expression
Another current topic of debate is that related to freedom of expression and censorship. Some ways of thinking or expressing opinions contrary to the established power are censored in many countries, with more or less repression, and expressing certain ideas on the Internet or joking about certain topics is persecuted and punished as a crime.
It is also controversial to what extent to what extent it is permissible to joke about certain sensitive topics such as terrorist attacks, diseases, religions or authority figures.
Where are the limits of freedom of expression, can any kind of opinion be expressed, should written opinions on social networks be punished, where are the limits of humor?
4. Equal rights
Equal rights for many historically discriminated groups is another controversial topic of debate. Equal rights in the LGTB community is an example of the diversity of opinions that can be confronted in a debate, specifically on issues such as same-sex marriage or adoption rights.The debate on the issue of same-sex marriage or the right to adoption is still a long way off.
Every day a little more progress is made in tolerance and non-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, but there is still a long way to go when the debate is still going on.
5. Feminism
The struggle for women’s rights is another hot topic of debate today, as every day new questions and new ways of understanding what feminism is, seeking to break with the established imaginary to achieve true equality.
This diversity of opinions has generated controversy. about what we understand by feminism or machismo, what attitudes are considered macho, to what extent full equality can be achieved or to what extent we can get rid of the beliefs so deeply rooted in our society that violate the image of women.
6. Gender violence
Gender-based violence is another topic for discussion that can be approached from different points of view, ranging from from debating what attitudes are considered gender-based violence to discussing how it can be to discussing how it can be avoided as a society.
- Related article: “41 powerful phrases against gender violence”.
7. Legality of abortion
Another of the most controversial and current topics of debate is the one that revolves around the legality of abortion. The different ethical aspects that raise controversy are mainly the consideration of the fetus as a human being, the mother’s right of choice over her own body and the consequences it has for the individual.
8. Surrogate motherhood
Surrogacy is another topic of recent interest that has generated much debate. that has generated much debate. Better known as surrogate motherhood, this practice is one in which a woman becomes pregnant with a baby that will be adopted by another person or couple at birth.
This topic generates controversy because many consider it a commodification of pregnancy. Surrogacy can put the health of many mothers at risk, especially those from the poorest sectors of the population, who could see in this practice a way to enrich themselves.
It also has other ethical implicationsThe practice also has other ethical implications, such as the bond that is formed between mother and child during gestation, which could pose a problem for both of them after delivery.
- Related article: “This is the best age to have children, according to science”.
9. Euthanasia
Euthanasia is the name given to assisted suicide, another classic topic of debate.another classic topic of debate. The right to a dignified death in certain irreversible circumstances, as in the case of some degenerative diseases or those that cause suffering, is a right that many people fight for and that still generates much controversy.
Does the patient’s suffering justify assisted suicide? In what cases can this option be considered? Who decides if the patient is unable to express his or her will? These are some of the questions that can be debated.
10. Death penalty
Although not applied in all countries, the death penalty is an easily debated topic. Opinions vary. Some believe it is a fair way to punish certain crimes, while others see it as an “eye for an eye” that does not serve as a deterrent punishment. Is it fair, is it ethical, and what if it is applied to someone who is innocent?
The same debate can be extrapolated to the relevance of life imprisonment, as well as to other debates about the possibility or not of rehabilitating prisoners.The same debate can be extrapolated to the relevance of life imprisonment, as well as to other debates on the possibility or not of rehabilitating prisoners.
11. Legalization of weapons
Another popular debate is that of the legality of weapons in some countries.. Every year the same controversy is repeated, following some shooting in countries like the U.S. Should firearms be legalized and regulated in our country? Who should be able to have access to these weapons?
12. Illegal Immigration
Illegal immigration is another issue that generates controversial opinions.. Some of the issues that can be discussed are the regulations that should be in place, the treatment of illegal immigrants, or what drives these people to migrate so desperately to other countries.
13. Globalization
Thanks to globalization we can more easily enjoy what other cultures have to offer, we can communicate more easily and better understand what is happening in the world. But at what cost? The different cultures are becoming more and more immersed in a single global model of society. What are the benefits and drawbacks?
14. Climate change
Climate change is real and is affecting us, but many people still doubt it.What consequences can it have, and what measures can we take? We can discuss about its effects, about who is responsible and about the ways of life that are affecting the planet, such as the abusive use of plastic or the use of water.
15. Computer piracy
Illegal downloading of content on the Internet is a widespread crime. and normalized in our society, but they are still an infringement of copyright. It is possible to discuss why the use of watching movies or series online has become so widespread, the consequences this has on culture and what measures could be taken to prevent it.
16. Legalization of drugs
The use of psychoactive substances or drugs is already a topic of debate in itself, due to the effects it has on the health of the person who consumes them and the serious addictions they produce. However, there is often However, there is often talk of the possible legalization of certain types of drugs in order to control and What effects would it have on our society? What advantages or disadvantages could it have?
17. Artificial intelligence
The advance of technology allows us to begin to have the first creations of artificial intelligence. the first creations of artificial intelligenceFrom the simplest ones, such as Siri or Google Assistant, to those robotic creations that look like humans and are already starting to think for themselves.
How far will we be able to go, what problems could these advances entail, and what implications would they have for jobs that can be robotized?
18. Animal abuse
This is a very broad topic of debateThere are a number of issues to be discussed. One of them may be the legislation that exists on the subject and the punishments that should be imposed on those who mistreat an animal.
Another hotter issue is the prohibition or maintenance of festivities and traditions such as bullfighting. There can also be a debate on animal experimentation or the treatment of animals in certain food industries.
19. Transgenic foods
The alteration of food by genetic techniques is widespread in the food industry. is widespread in the food industry. Transgenic foods make it possible to create more resistant and durable plants, but they also have serious effects on the environment and may pose a health hazard.
20. Childhood obesity
Obesity is a health problem that is affecting more and more people, to the point where it can be considered a health hazard.to the point where it can be considered an epidemic in the most developed countries. Poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle are the main causes of this problem, which reaches worrying figures in childhood. What responsibility do parents have, and should processed foods or junk food be banned?
21. Prostitution
The activity of prostitution and its illegality has been another controversial topic of debate in recent years.What ethical problems does the commercialization of sex present? What are the responsibilities of the clients? What are the benefits of its legality?
22. Religions
Religions are one of the millenary topics of debate, but the impositions or customs that derive from them are are topics that can raise controversy on a daily basis, due to the different cultures we live with.because of the different cultures with which we coexist.
Some topics that can raise debate are the use of Islamic veils or burqa in some areas, the compulsory study of religion in some schools or the separation of Church and State.
23. Stigmatization of mental disorder
There have always been all kinds of prejudices against people suffering from some kind of mental disorder, and this is one of the most stigmatized groups of people. one of the most stigmatized groups in the world.. Culturally, it is a subject that has been treated very little, so there is still a lot of ignorance about it.
This topic allows us to discuss what is understood by mental disorder, what prejudices exist, how it is seen in society and how it is represented in the different media.
24. Video games
Video games have always been a matter of debateWhether because of the violent content of some of them or because of the addictions they could generate. The debate is still going on, but more and more emphasis is being placed on their educational aspect and the possibilities they may have in this field. Some of the issues to be debated may be whether they really encourage violence, what their use in the home should be or what benefits they may have.
25. Love
Does love exist? What do we mean by love? What is romantic love?What types of love exist or what types of romantic relationships exist today are some of the topics of debate that can be used to discuss this widespread but misunderstood term.
- Related article: “Types of romantic relationships: love in millennial times.”