Joensuu debates!

THE ART OF DEBATING

WHAT IS ILSS?• The International Law Students’ Society, shortly

the ILSS, is founded at the Department of Law in Joensuu at the University of Eastern Finland.

• The ILSS is addressed to foreign or international students of law at the Department.

• The most fundamental purpose of the ILSS is to organize scientific events, carry out the research in the law and similar areas of science and integrate a group of foreign or international students of law in Joensuu.

WHAT IS ILSS?The ILSS organizes, especially in the field of the law research, but also

in similar areas of science such as economy, politics, history, sociology, philosophy, theology, culture and so on:

• Joensuu Debates Club based on the British format debates idea,• seminars, • lectures,• reading groups, • another events,• official, organizational, and unofficial meetings.

• The ILSS is open for everybody who wants to participate in the ILSS activity.

• The ILSS is an open society also in this sense that any new forms of activity are required.

http://www.facebook.com/groups/joensuudebates

JOIN US!

WHAT IS DEBATING?

Debating tournament in Karelia, Russia.December 2012

The winners

OUR COLLEAGUES

TURKU http://www.facebook.com/UtuDebate HELSINKIhttp://www.facebook.com/helsinkidebatinghttp://www.facebook.com/AaltoDebatingSocietyTAMPEREhttp://www.facebook.com/groups/utadebatesociety

WHY DEBATING?• Become a part of a large, welcoming social

network of debaters, the easy way to make friends at university, especially for international students.

• Think critically when analyzing arguments.• Learn the proper structure of arguments to

improve your academic progress• Gain the ability to speak persuasively • Get the chance to travel to different

tournaments, have fun at socials after day of tense debating and just meet new people.

SPEAKERS• Prime Minister• Leader of the Opposition• Deputy Prime Minister• Deputy Leader of the Opposition• Member for the Government• Member for the Opposition• Government Whip• Opposition Whip

Opening factions The first faction on each Government and Opposition team,

known as the Opening Factions, has four basic roles in a British Parliamentary debate.

They must:• Define the motion of the debate.• Present their case.• Respond to arguments of the opposing first faction.• Maintain their relevance during the debate.• The Opening Government team has the semi-divine right of

definition, preventing the opposition from challenging their definition of the motion unless it is either a truism or clearly unreasonable.

Closing factions The first faction on each Government and Opposition team,

known as the Opening Factions, has four basic roles in a British Parliamentary debate.

They must:• Define the motion of the debate.• Present their case.• Respond to arguments of the opposing first faction.• Maintain their relevance during the debate.• The Opening Government team has the semi-divine right of

definition, preventing the opposition from challenging their definition of the motion unless it is either a truism or clearly unreasonable.

Second factions• The role of the second two factions are to:• Introduce a case extension.• Establish and maintain their relevance early in

the debate.• Respond to the arguments of the first

factions.• Respond to the case extension of the

opposing second faction.

The role of whips• They must respond to both opposing factions' arguments;• They should briefly sum up their Opening Faction's case;• They should offer a conclusion of their own faction's case extension

Points of information (POI)

POI allows the first two factions to maintain their  relevance  during the course of the debate, and the last two factions to introduce their arguments early in the debate.

The first and last minute of each speech is considered "protected time", during which no points of information may be offered.

Preparation time• Brainstorm ideas• Discuss arguments with partner• Distribute arguments• Think of reaction from the opponents and inventcontrarguments

THIS HOUSE BELIEVES THAT…=MotionPreparation time=15 mins

Prime Minister Model for the reformWhy status quo is bad and why we need changes?Which major interests and what major actors can be affected by introducing the motion? 2 NEW ARGUMENTS

Opposition Leader Opposing modelWhy status-quo should be saved? 2 CONTRARGUMENTS+2 NEW ARGUMENTS

Deputy Prime Minister Deputy Opposition Leader

2 SUPPORTS (of the arguments of Prime Minister)+2 CONTRARGUMENTS (arguments against arguments of opposing party)+1 NEW ARGUMENT

2 SUPPORTS+2 CONTRARGUMENTS+1 NEW ARGUMENT

Member for the Government

Member for the Opposition 

SUPPORT+CONTRARGUMENTATION+EXTENSION(argument which looks at the problem from unusual side of view)

SUPPORT+CONTRARGUMENTATION+EXTENSION(argument which looks at the problem from unusual side of view)

Government Whip Opposition Whip

Summing up the arguments, sorting them by the points of clash (most provocative and serious issues raised in the debate, 3-4 points of clash) and proving how the arguments of the government were stronger

Summing up the arguments, sorting them by the points of clash (most provocative and serious issues raised in the debate, 3-4 points of clash) and proving how the arguments of the opposition were stronger

THE JUDGE`s VERDICT (5-10 mins are given for judge to think before making verdict)

READ MORE

http://idebate.org

• Debatabase http://idebate.org/content/about-debatabase• Main ideas about what debating ishttp://idebate.org/about/debate• Neill Harvey Smith. Practical guide to debatinghttp://debate.uvm.edu/dcpdf/Neill_Harvey_Smith_Practical_Guide_to_Debating_Worlds_Style_2011.pdf

• Steven Johnson. Winning debates. A Guide to Debating in the  Style  of  the  World  Universities  Debating Championships

http://debate.uvm.edu/dcpdf/Steven_Johnson_Winning_Debates_2009.pdf

• Short  guide  into  debating  made  by  one  of  debating societies 

http://aberdebating.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/dfn.pdf?9d7bd4