In the rhetoric, debate, and argumentation community, we are very happy to have the ALTA conference back.

But where does it go from here?

Let's look at the central issues and importance of ALTA in this episode.

In this episode we will take a look at the NSDA national tournament through the CBS Morning Show story about it and the tragic and traumatic incident that happened during the national final round. Both are deeply rhetorical; both are part of the larger force operating speech & debate which is, of course, discourse itself.

Comments welcome!

In this week's episode we look at the Alta Argumentation conference schedule, the recent Argumentation Network of the America's call for papers on debate, and a recent publication about a CEDA final round from 2016.

All three are fascinating but are made more so by thinking about them through the terms of the four discourses, a theory of human meaning making offered by Jacques Lacan.

What makes a good debate motion? Why are motions so weird these days?

In this episode I argue that the motions aren't the issue, it's our view of debate, and perhaps a writer from 1947 can help explain why.

Comments Welcome!

The British Parliamentary format (BP/WUDC) was brilliant for focusing on what matters most in practicing debate - a focus on the audience.

In this episode I focus on what happens to debate formats, why they are all destined to fail, and what BP format abandoned.

Also in this episode:

SJU Debate Reunion in Boston?

Kenneth Burke shouts out In the Bin?

Steve attempts to offer his total definition of rhetoric

AND MORE

Have a listen!

Comments Welcome!

I compare the College Debates and Discourse Alliance with the recent Qatar Debate and Dialogue Conference to show that attempts to improve argumentation and debate by removing human traits from the model is only going to fail debate and harm democracy.

Instead of saying debate and argument are failures of human communication, how about just trying to teach people how to debate well?

In this episode I take on the traitorous email I got from C-SPAN and critique the mission and perspective of Braver Angels. These are two examples of the trend of excommunicating debate from human communication instead of addressing the need for better and increased debate education.

Reflecting on my trip last weekend to Rochester NY to honor a friend and mentor in life and debate, I thought about the role of the debate coach. I've disliked the term - here's an argument why we should move away from it toward the model of the educator.

Debate Format: What is it? What could it be?

We think we are learning debate; we are learning a format. The implications are disastrous.

Comments welcome!

This is really a collection of ideas at the end of the term, but listen to see why the loss of ERIC is a loss to debate, what we can do about whack judge policies, how NCA plans to support communication graduate students on an F-1 visa, and more as we wind down the spring semester!