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Stephen Nilsen Joins the SuperDebate Advisory Board

A cultural brand architect who builds movements, not campaigns — joining SuperDebate to make competitive debate impossible to ignore.

Dr. Iain Lampert Joins the SuperDebate Advisory Board

An active national champion, executive communication coach, and connector across every major speech and debate community joins SuperDebate to help bridge competitive debate into the modern adult world.

SuperDebate Analysis #001: AI Governance — To Regulate or Not to Regulate

Daniel Kokotajlo vs. Dean Ball on who should control superintelligence. Hosted by Liv Boeree in the Anti-Debate format. The first installment of our debate breakdown series.

John Hines Joins the SuperDebate Advisory Board

A debate educator, AI researcher, and startup founder brings competitive coaching, institutional leadership, and forward-looking product vision to SuperDebate.

Matthew Rolnick Joins the SuperDebate Advisory Board

A partnerships and live events veteran brings Fortune 500 experience to the future of competitive debate.

Why America Forgot How to Argue: And How We Can Remember

Part 4 of 4: Crisis and Possibility (2010-Present). Sixty-five percent of Americans say they always or often feel exhausted when thinking about politics. These are not the feelings of a democracy that has figured out how to argue productively. These are the feelings of a people who have forgotten what productive argument looks like.

Debate for All: The Fight to Democratize America's Most Elite Activity

Part 3 of 4: Urban Debate and the Evidence Revolution (1980s-2010). In 2003, CBS correspondent Lesley Stahl introduced 60 Minutes viewers to the Walbrook High School Warriors, the champion debate team of Baltimore. The segment brought national attention to a movement that had been building for nearly two decades.

From Ripon to the Living Room: How Debate Became an Institution

Part 2 of 4: Institutionalization and Expansion (1890s-1960). On March 28, 1925, Bruno E. Jacob received the first membership application for an organization that did not yet exist. By the time he retired in 1969, the National Forensic League had grown to over 1,200 chapters.

Words as Weapons: How Debate Built the American Republic

Part 1 of 4: The Foundations (1787-1890). In 1858, crowds of up to 20,000 people traveled to small Illinois towns to watch Lincoln and Douglas argue for three hours. Debate was mass entertainment, civic ritual, and the primary way citizens engaged with democracy.

6 months ago

15 min read

John Connor

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