Debate motions from 2024

Koryo-in (고려인) are Korean diasporas residing in post-Soviet countries, mainly in Central Asia. Koryo-ins moved to the Far East and Primorsky regions during the 1910s to organise resistance against Japanese colonisation, until the Soviet Union forcefully relocated them to other territories in 1937. There are around 500,000 Koryo-ins, most of whom still identify as Korean descendants. The South Korean government helps Koryo-ins abroad to settle in their respective countries of residence by providing foreign aid in education, job training, etc.

Australia's 501 policy refers to section 501 of the Migration Act 1958, which deals with the cancellation of visas on character grounds. Under the policy, the Australian government has the authority to cancel the visas of and deport non-citizens who fail the character test, regardless of how long they have lived in Australia. The policy is typically applied to individuals who have been sentenced to at least one year imprisonment.

Irregular migrants are those who enter another country without official permission. In response to border crossings by irregular migrants, several countries adopt 'pull-back' measures, cooperating with migrants' countries of origin to stop them from exiting (e.g. providing support for border controls).

In 'integrated religious education', all students are taught material encompassing many major religions. In 'separated religious education', students study different religions in distinct classrooms (i.e. Catholic students attend Catholic class, Buddhist students attend Buddhist class, etc.).

The 1986 People Power Revolution was a nonviolent protest that led to the end of Ferdinand Marcos Sr.'s 20-year dictatorship and the inauguration of Corazon Aquino as President of the Philippines. An estimated two million people participated in the revolution. Religious groups played a significant role in the protest, alongside opposition political parties, military defectors who opposed Marcos, and militant groups. Religious groups were led by then-Archbishop of Manila, Cardinal Jaime Sin, who called on Filipinos to surround the police and military headquarters to protect military defectors. Additionally, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) wrote a statement opposing Marcos, calling out the government's systematic voter disenfranchisement, widespread vote-buying, tampering of election results, and political violence.

Malaysia's recently announced National Semiconductor Strategy (NSS) aims to secure at least 500 billion ringgit (US$106 billion) in fresh semiconductor investments. To support the industry's expansion, the government will develop a global research and development hub, train 60,000 local engineers and set aside 25 billion ringgit (US$5.3 billion) for related incentives.

In 2019, the Indonesian government ratified a plan to move the capital of Indonesia from Jakarta, a city on the northwest coast of Java, to Nusantara, a planned city in Borneo.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project is an infrastructure network connecting China to the Arabian Sea through Kashmir, which was first inaugurated in 2015. In March 2024, the project was faced with militant attacks targeting Chinese workers, investments, and sites of geostrategic significance. The attacks occurred amidst a surge in jihadist militant activity in the CPEC region of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan.

In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) constructed strict recommendations on institutional, national, regional and global governance mechanisms for human genome editing (e.g. the establishment of a database of all ongoing clinical trials involving human genome editing). The WHO recommendations were a consequence of the He Jiankui controversy, involving the unprecedented and unregulated birth of twin "designer babies". Currently, experiments on human genome editing do not require WHO approval, and are instead overseen by domestic laws and regulators (e.g. the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) in the UK).

US state medical boards are responsible for licencing doctors and investigating complaints made against them. Where a doctor is found to have committed malpractice, the board is empowered to discipline them, including through the suspension or revocation of their medical licences.

Microsoft has made a series of investments in OpenAI totalling around US$13billion. Instead of receiving equity in OpenAI, the investment was structured as a "strategic partnership" in which Microsoft receives the exclusive right to integrate some of OpenAI's developments into Microsoft products.

In a class action lawsuit, one or more plaintiffs bring a lawsuit on behalf of a larger "class". Typically, plaintiffs sign a litigation funding agreement that sets out their legal representation's fees if successful. Plaintiffs may apply to the Court for a funding order, which requires all members of the class to contribute to these fees out of the proceeds of a judgment or settlement, regardless of whether they have signed the litigation funding agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, "funding order" refers to common fund orders, funding equalisation orders, group costs orders and all similar orders.

Māori can seek redress for the injustices of colonisation in one of two ways. Since 1975, Māori have sought redress through the Waitangi Tribunal, a permanent Commission of Inquiry that is empowered to investigate alleged breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi (an agreement that protects Māori's right to self-determination). The Tribunal can make non-binding recommendations which form the basis of negotiations and a potential settlement between tribes (iwi) and the New Zealand Government. Settlements typically include an apology, financial compensation and the return of some land. Recently, some Māori have successfully achieved similar outcomes through novel legal claims, e.g. on the basis that the Government had a duty to protect Māori which they had not fulfilled. These claims have been successfully argued in overseas jurisdictions without similar tribunals.

Indonesia's green investment rulebook categorises types of projects based on their alignment with Indonesia's net-zero emissions goal by 2060. It is used to decide the level of government support (e.g. tax breaks, subsidies) that projects receive. In February 2024, Indonesia revised the rulebook to categorise coal-fired power plants for nickel facilities as "green" (i.e. aligned with net-zero 2060) and captive coal power plants and mining of critical minerals as "amber" (i.e. could support the transition to net-zero if they meet specific criteria). Previously, these projects were not considered to contribute to the net-zero transition.

When a business in the UK is subject to a foreign takeover, the takeover must be approved by the government using the 'public interest test'. The current public interest test takes into account national security, diversity of media ownership, and the stability of the financial sector. There has been a proposal to expand the public interest test to also take into account effects on sustainability, jobs and the broader health of the economy.

An offtake agreement is an agreement to purchase a vendor's goods before they actually produce them.

Heritage protections are regulations that preserve buildings of historical, cultural or architectural significance. These regulations prevent demolition and require any renovation to be done in particular ways that keep a protected building's special qualities intact.

Ukraine has been engaging in a series of military operations in Sudan and Syria, sending their special forces units to engage Russian military and mercenary forces in both countries.

Legislative power in the EU is divided between the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Council of Ministers. The Commission may propose bills, while both the Parliament and the Council of Ministers must pass them for them to become law.

The largest three chocolate traders are Barry Callebaut, Cargill, and Olam International. They control a majority of the cocoa market, and are vertically integrated (i.e. they are involved in the sourcing, processing and distribution of cocoa products).

Divestiture powers allow regulators to force companies to sell particular holdings.

Personalised pricing refers to firms pricing goods and services differently for each consumer based on the information the firm has about them.

For the purposes of the debate, 'open-audition program' refers to TV shows where individuals who aspire to be K-pop idols publicly compete to be selected as the final members of a new idol group (e.g. ILLIT, TWICE, IZ*ONE). The selection criteria mainly depend on viewers' votes.

Welfare policies related to childcare have a 'familising effect' when they make it easier for parents to look after their child by decreasing material and logistical constraints on childcare. Examples include tax benefits for families with children, parent allowances and paid parental leave. On the contrary, policies have a 'de-familising effect' when they fully or partially replace the parent's role in childrearing by offering alternative sources of care services. Examples include publicly funded or subsidised daycare facilities and helping families hire a paid caretaker.

For the purposes of this debate, military leaders would still be subject to the authority of elected civilian leaders.

The repeal of Section 377A was a landmark victory for the LGBTQ+ movement in Singapore, marking the culmination of a decade of advocacy. Section 377A had criminalised consensual same-sex relations between men. The success of its repeal, while celebrated, was not a complete triumph - the government also amended the constitution to prevent legal challenges to the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman.

Currently, the Philippines allows 'split-ticket' voting where the President and Vice President are elected separately, rather than together (such as in the United States and Indonesia). Since the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines, only two elections have resulted in the President and Vice Presidents being elected from the same political party: in 2004, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo with running mate VP Noli De Castro, and in 2022, President Bongbong Marcos with running mate VP Sara Duterte. Traditionally, Vice Presidents in the Philippines are appointed as secretaries of departments (e.g. Department of Social Welfare and Development, Education, and Agriculture) under the executive.

In the US, corporate law varies substantially from state to state. Corporations can incorporate themselves in whatever state they choose and are then subject to the corporate law of that state. Under a national incorporation system, businesses would be incorporated at the federal level and be subject to one consistent set of federal corporate law.

Risk retention requirements require financial institutions which create and sell securities to investors to retain some portion of the credit risk associated with the securities they sell. Banks will continue to hold a portion of the assets they have sold to investors in order to expose themselves to that credit risk.

Formal Chinese banks, most of which are state owned, operate under heavy regulations. As a result, a 'shadow banking' sector worth approximately US$3 trillion has emerged. 'Shadow banks' include trusts, asset managers and microfinance firms. These shadow banks partake in simple banking activities without formal banking licences (e.g. providing loans distinct from the regulated loans given by formal Chinese banks). For the purposes of this debate, forcing shadow banks to obtain a formal banking licence would require them to obtain the same licence as the formal Chinese banks.

Under a 'no fault stand-down' policy, any player charged with a serious criminal offence would be automatically suspended with full pay, pending the trial's outcome. The policy makes no judgement about the player's guilt, but operates as a precautionary blanket policy. It contrasts to a discretionary system, where each time a player is charged with a crime, the club makes a decision on whether to stand them down based on the circumstances.

For the purposes of this debate, a "prohibited art" museum is a museum specially curated to display works of art that were denounced or censored by the mainstream for political, social, or religious reasons. One example is the Museum of Prohibited Art that opened in Barcelona in October 2023, which houses exhibits such as "Piss Christ" (a blood-red photograph of the crucifixion immersed in the artist's urine; Andres Serrano), "Silence" (an exhibit of 30 pairs of stiletto heels on the same number of Islamic prayer rugs; Zoulikha Bouabdellah) and "Shark" (a sculpture of a tied up, nearly- naked Saddam Hussein submerged in formaldehyde; David Cerny).

Formula 2 is a 'spec series' (where drivers race identical cars) and is widely considered a training ground for Formula 1. Under current regulations, the F2 drivers' champion is not permitted to participate in another season of F2. Seats in F1 are increasingly hard to come by, with prior experience and sponsorship backing being a large factor in hiring decisions. Consequently, the three most recent F2 champions had to choose between a reserve seat with an F1 team (a role that entails working in the team's driving simulator to develop the car, occasional test driving, and replacing a driver if they are sick or injured) or racing in a different series.

Scientific journals operate on two main business models. "Closed access" refers to a model where fees are paid by institutions or individuals to access articles published by the journal. Under a closed access model, no fee is paid by the authors of the article. "Open access" refers to a model where access to the article is freely available and revenue is instead from fees paid by authors of articles. Established and more prestigious scientific journals tend to be closed access, while newer journals tend to be open access.

Veritaserum is an otherwise-harmless liquid that compels people to tell the truth at all times.

For Anglican churches to be 'in communion' is for them to recognise each other's sacraments and bishops and view each other as being part of one overall church. The Anglican Communion is a denomination of regional churches who are in communion with the Church of England (CoE). Currently the Anglican Communion is divided over liberalising reforms (e.g. the ordination of females priests and bishops, the acceptance of and performing of same-sex marriages). The major conservative block within the Anglican Communion is the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches. These divides have also caused splintering of Anglicanism in the USA, with the conservative Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) splitting from the liberal Episcopal Church. The Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches recognise the ACNA, but the CoE and other more liberal Anglican churches do not.

Traditionally, each US state selects its own day to hold its presidential primary. The usual order for the beginning of the primaries is Iowa 1st, New Hampshire 2nd, Nevada 3rd and South Carolina 4th. Some states joined together to hold their primaries on the same day, the most prominent example being 'Super Tuesday'. In 2024, the Democratic party opted to have South Carolina, rather than Iowa, hold the first primary.

Following Republican outcry that money should not be going to protect Ukraine before protecting the US southern border, a bipartisan group of senators crafted a legislative package which packaged together money for Ukraine and Israel with $20 billion for increased border protection and a number of policy changes which would've made it easier to prevent immigrants entering the country. Following strong opposition from Donald Trump, Senate Republicans rejected the proposal.

The Academy is a prestigious institution dedicated to the advancement and recognition of film. It controls which films are nominated for, and awarded Oscars (Academy Awards). Artists become members of the academy by sponsorship from two existing academy members, and this entitles them to vote for which films are nominated for, and win, Oscars. Between 300 and 1000 members are added each year. As of 2022, The Academy was 81% white.

China has an import quota capping the number of imported foreign films to 34 a year. Films that are jointly produced with China are not subject to the import quota because China controls at least 50% of the copyright and profits/losses of the film. China is the 2nd largest film market in the world

A synthetic performer is an AI generated performer made to look as lifelike as possible, to the point where you cannot tell the difference. However, synthetic performers are NOT based on a specifc real person. This is distinguishable from a digital replica, which is an AI generated performer based on a real person, eg Carrie Fisher in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Synthetic performers are also distinguishable from computer-generated animation

The Australian Carbon Credit Union Scheme (ACCU) provides carbon credits to companies which can show they have exceeded their targets for emissions reduction. These credits can be sold to other firms or the government for a profit. In 2024, almost half of carbon credits were issued for vegetation managment projects. The majority of vegetation management projects involve agreeing not to allow livestock to graze where they were previously planned to, thus allowing the environment to regenerate.

China manufactures more electric vehicles than the rest of the world combined. China hosts over 300 domestic electric vehicle companies as well as Tesla, Volkswagen and other foreign brands who have gigaplants manufacturing EVs in China. Chinese EV companies are steeply cutting car prices to maintain market share. The CCP has historically encouraged market consolidation in other industries by removing merger barriers and using CCP officials to initiate merger negotiations.

A unicameral legislature refers to a legislature with only one house or assembly. Examples include New Zealand and South Korea. A bicameral legislature refers to a legislature with two houses or assemblies. Examples include the United States and Australia.

In Australia, the major party candidates for each electorate are typically chosen by the local branch of the respective major political party. However, the practice of "parachuting in" candidates occurs when the federal party overrides this process, appointing a candidate to run in a specific electorate instead of deferring to the local branch's choice. Notable instances of this include the selections of Kristina Keneally in Fowler and Andrew Charlton in Parramatta.

In 1969, a plebiscite was held to determine whether West Papua would be an independant nation or a province of Indonesia. While the UN was supposed to provide oversight under the New York Agreement to ensure a fair vote, the actual vote featured a little over 1000 Indonesian selected delegates, who voted unanimously to be a province of Indonesia. The result was recognised by the international community and West Papua became a province of Indonesia. Since then, Indonesia has been fighting a low level insurgency in West Papua. On December 1st 2018, the West Papua National Liberation Army killed 19 Indonesian civilians and a soldier in the Nduga massacre prompting resprisals. Since the violence escalated, between 60,000 and 100,000 people have been internally displaced. UN Special rapporteurs have confirmed allegations of extrajudicial killings (including of young children), enforced disappearance, torture, inhumane treatment and the forced displacement of at least 5,000 indigenous Papuans by security forces between April and November 2021.

In the 1990's, Australia had inefficient ports as a result of union domination. For instance, the Patricks Company (a dock working company) had an exclusive contract with the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) that required them to hire union workers. Industrial action was common, prices were high and there were substantial delays. The Australian government and Patricks colluded to union bust the MUA, and began a campaign to reform the waterfront. Patricks secretly trained a non union workforce in Dubai. The Australian government made funds available to Patricks in the event of an industrial dispute, and passed legislation which put further limits on industrial action. In 1998, Patricks locked out its union workforce and replaced them with the non union workforce. Eventually a deal was reached between Patricks and the MUA to reform the way the waterfront operated. These reforms included allowances for the hiring of non union labour on the waterfront, casualisation of the workforce, paycuts, increased working hours and redundancies. This lead to a substantial weakening of the MUA's power. Collectively, this process is referred to as the 'waterfront reforms'

Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger are Sahelian states in Western Africa that experienced military coups in 2021, 2022,and 2023 respectively. Nigeria leads the regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which placed sanctions on all three nations with a longstanding policy of sanctioning any ECOWAS states that overthrow democratically elected governments. After the coup in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso declared they would militarily support Niger if Niger was attacked. In January 2024, all three countries gave notices to leave ECOWAS which take a effect a year after their submission. The Sahelian countries mostly export gold (~$15 bil combined), with some cotton (~$600 mil combined), sesame seeds (~500 mil combined), and Niger exports radioactive ores (~300 mil). All three countries depend on imports for food, weapons, industrial goods, and chemicals.

A 'public option' healthcare system involves the government directly providing public healthcare for vulnerable members of the population (poor people, disabled people, old people etc) for free. The rest of the population may choose to buy into that public system for a fee. A 'single payer' healthcare system involves the government directly providing public healthcare for the entire population.

"Directly observed treatment" refers to medications that must be taken while being directly observed by a medical professional. When given a prescription, a patient is required to be observed when they take each dose of that medication, either in person or by video link. It is often used for highly communicable diseases like tuberculosis. Anti-psychotic medication is medication prescribed to manage psychosis (including delusions, hallucinations and paranoia), often for those with schizophrenia.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a class of antidepressant medications commonly prescribed to treat depression and anxiety disorders (for example, Lexparo and Prozac). They work by increasing the levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter, in the brain. The majority of individuals do not experience severe side effects, and overdosing is extremely rare. The period in which severe side effects are the most common is when coming on and off SSRI's

Lebanon runs under a confessional political system in which political power is divided between various religious groups. For instance, seats in the parliament are split 50/50 between Christians and Muslims. The president is required to be a Maronite Catholic, the prime minister a Sunni Muslim. This split is based on the 1932 census, which showed a slim majority of Maronite Catholics. More recent surveys have shown the population is closer to one- third Maronite, with Muslims a slim majority. Lebanon has not had a census since 1932.

Nippon Steel is a Japanese company which is the 4th largest steel producer in the world. In December 2023, they agreed to purchase US Steel, the US's 2nd largest steel company. In the last 15 years, US steel has shrunk in market capitalisation and output, from the 8th largest in the world to the 24th largest in the world. Nippon has promised to uphold all of US Steel's obligations to workers under it's collective bargaining agreements. Despite this, the acquisition is opposed by the United Steelworkers Union, Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

A gig economy platform is a platform which connects those looking for short term 'gig' work to those looking to hire people to perform that work. Examples include Uber, Airtasker and Fiver. In 2018, the workforce board of Long Beach, California launched a gig economy platform of its own. The platform covered both public sector gig work (for instance in education and healthcare) and private sector gig work (for instance in childcare and events). Workers are given 'digital badges' reflecting their skills and qualifications to help match them with employers. There are similar platforms planned for Portland, Oakland, Louiseville and Southern Indiana.

Since mid-2021 in Australia, more than 2000 residential construction companies have entered administration. This includes many small building firms, as well as larger firms such as the Porter Davis Homes Group who at the time were responsible for 1700 building projects.

There are two ways that governments can consider disadvantage in policy-making. The "integrated model" incorporates disadvantage as an inherent consideration in policy-making (e.g. all new policies made in the education department must consider implications for rural students). The "specialty model" involves having a distinct division that specifically engages with policy for disadvantaged groups (e.g. the education department has a division that directly and separately addresses helping rural areas).

Environmental managements systems (EMS) are the laws and regulations which govern land use, water use, and pollution. Proactive EMS enforcement requires people and companies to apply for permission before acting (ie, you need to apply for approval to build a house). Reactive EMS enforcement allows people or companies to act immediately, and then severely punishes those who breach the laws or regulations (ie, you incur a large fine if your house is too tall, or if it has not been checked by a certified engineer).

A Centrist Compact is an agreement between major political parties. The Centrist Compact applies where one of the major parties is able to form a government after an election with the support of a minor party. In such a case, the other major party will provide it the minimum number of votes necessary to govern without the support of the minor party. A Centrist Compact is not legally binding.

The Vietnam 5 City Model is a strategic urban development initiative focusing on the development of five key cities by 2035: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hai Phong, and Can Tho. Each city is developed based on its unique strengths: Hanoi for political and cultural significance, Ho Chi Minh City as the economic and industrial hub, Da Nang for tourism and services, Hai Phong for maritime trade, and Can Tho for agriculture.

"Leaning against the wind" is a policy employed by some central banks to explicitly target financial stability (e.g., avoiding asset price bubbles and credit booms) by setting higher interest rates during periods of economic growth. This is distinct from the philosophy of most Western central banks, which exclusively consider inflation and unemployment (e.g., by maintaining a target inflation rate).

Domestic agriculture in India is regulated by individual states, which establish local auction markets (mandis) within their borders. Farmers are required to sell their produce via auction only at the mandi in their locality, and purchasers (wholesalers, exporters, retail traders) must also be from that region. There are then steep tariffs for re-selling produce across states borders.

When dealing with religious extremism within the community, religious leaders can choose to focus on either community-based reasons (e.g. highlighting a lack of condemnation for extremism within the community, failure to address misinterpretations of religious texts, or inadequate efforts to promote tolerance and understanding among followers), or individual circumstances (e.g. highlighting factors like poverty, war-induced trauma, or mental health issues affecting the specific individuals involved in the attack).

A Pact of Forgetting is a political agreement after the fall of a dictatorship. The pact is made between major political parties to avoid directly confronting the legacy of a dictatorship and the conflict which brought it to an end. It includes not prosecuting members of a former regime and agreeing to not commemorate any actions of that regime, and instead concentrating on the future. An example of this is the agreement in Spain between Franco-aligned right wing parties and new left wing parties after the end of Franco's regime.

Defensive measures against hostile take overs include poison pills, a staggered board, and scorched earth policies. Poison pills specify that if a single entity or person acquires a large enough stake, the company will issue shares. All other shareholders become eligible to acquire those shares for a large discount or for free. A staggered board is a board that consists of directors who serve terms of different lengths, making it difficult for an acquirer to replace the whole board quickly. Scorched earth policies damage the company if a hostile take over is imminent, for example by selling assets at a discount.

A vulture fund is fund that invests in sovereign debt that a government is refusing to pay back (distressed debt). It buys this debt from the original debt holder at a discount, and then aggressively pursues (often through litigation) the government to pay off the debt at a higher price than what the vulture fund purchased the debt for.

The "snail girl era" is the opposite of the boss girl narrative. It encourages young women to live a slower, more relaxed lifestyle.

A private army is a military or paramilitary force consisting of armed combatants who owe their allegiance to a private person, group, or organization, rather than a nation or state.

In Jorge Herran-Rivera's Epic Saga… Odysseus a mortal, is trained by the gods to be ruthless, put his emotions aside and act or even kill to survive, never leave any witness. On his journey back from war with his 600 men (of which none died at war) they encounter Polyphemus (a cyclops son of Poseidon). A peace deal fails between the two and Polyphemus kills 6 of Odysseus's men, including his best friend Polites. They manage to blind Polyphemus but as they escape, Athena (Goddess of wisdom) warns Odysseus to kill the cyclops, but he refuses and warns the cyclops to show mercy to everyone he comes across, because his men would not have died if the cyclops had chosen mercy and accepted the peace deal, then angrily reveals who he is which the cyclops had not known before. After escaping, Poseidon catches up to them and attacks them for hurting his son (Polyphemus) and mockingly says "You totally could have avoided all this had you just killed my son". Odysseus is left with 43 men under his command after Poseidon's attack...

Club 27 refers to a group of musicians who tragically died at the age of 27. It is often associated with the belief that there is a curse or a pattern of untimely deaths among famous musicians at this age. Some notable members of Club 27 include Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, and Amy Winehouse.

Erotic capital refers to the social and sexual attractiveness of an individual, which can be leveraged to gain personal and professional advantages.

"Green minerals" such as lithium, nickel, and zinc are essential raw materials used in the production of renewable energy technologies, including electric vehicle batteries, solar panels, and wind turbines. Many developing countries (e.g., Serbia, Mexico, Argentina) have large reserves of these minerals.

Devolution was the process of providing a regional government, and autonomy over defined policy areas, to Scotland and Wales in 1998. Devolved powers are constrained to domestic issues (for example the Scottish and Welsh governments have control over their respective education systems, domestic transport infrastructure and health services). International issues are reserved to the central British Government (for example, trade deals, issues relating to security and defence).

Recently, there has been a rise in left-wing criticism of liberal NGOs for failing to be intersectional. Some examples include: the Guttmacher Institute, an abortion rights group, facing criticism for insufficient diversity in its workforce; and the American Civil Liberties Union, facing criticism for failing to prioritise free speech rights for specific minority groups.

Keynesian economics is a macroeconomic theory that emphasises the importance of strong government intervention (e.g. deficit spending, funding large infastructure projects, quantitative easing/tightening) to promote sustained growth. Hayekian economics is a macroeconomic theory that emphasises the importance of limited government intervention (e.g. minimising annual deficits, free markets, constant monetary policy) to promote sustained growth.

In Common Law systems (e.g. UK, US, India, New Zealand) judges interpret legislation within the context of specific cases and create new legal principles that form precedents for future rulings. Common Law systems are adversarial, such that lawyers of opposing parties advocate for a case, and judges act as a non-interventionist arbiter. In a Civil Law system (e.g. France, Germany, Indonesia, Japan) laws are primarily codified in legislation by the government, leaving limited room for judicial interpretation. Civil Law systems are inquisitorial, such that while lawyers of opposing parties present the case, judges take a more active role in investigating the case, gathering evidence, and questioning witnesses. Juries can exist in both systems.

Celtic and Rangers (collectively referred to as 'The Old Firm') are the two largest football clubs in Scotland and currently play in the Scottish Premiership. 'The Old Firm' has been dominating the Scottish Premiership, and the number of attendees at their home games are equal to the rest of the top two divisions of Scottish Football League combined. For the purpose of this debate, 'The Old Firm' is offered to join the English Football league structure, entering initially in the English Premier League.

The "stay-at-home" trend is a trend where young people demonstrate a significantly reduced tendency to go out or engage in experimental activites. This includes: less clubbing, less casual sex, and socialising more online.

Record labels control music production, artist promotion, and streaming. They influence the type of music created and often favour solo artists over groups. Consolidation in the music industry refers to the merging of record labels and conglomerates. For example the "Big Three" (Universal, Sony, Warner) dominate the market, accounting for nearly 70% of the global music industry.

Under the IMFs lending policy, the IMF may declare a creditor country to be 'intransigent'. When seeking a bailout from the IMF, a debtor country must now: 1\. Stop making any payments to any intransigent countries; 2\. Agree not to seek any new loans from any intransigent countries; Until the debt has been repaid to the IMF.

The EU Artifical Intelligence Act is legislation that regulates AI Systems on a 'risk-based approach'. Under this Act, the higher the risk to society, the stricter the rules (for example, increased document keeping, greater obligations on users and distributors, increased human intervention and oversight or, in extreme cases, banning the use of the system). This legislation does not apply to military and defence systems.

The divine right of kings is a political and religious doctrine of a monarchy. It follows that only God can judge a monarch, and that any attempt to depose, dethrone, resist or restrict their powers runs contrary to God's will and may constitute a sinful act. In a theocracy, without the concept of the divine right of kings, religious leaders and institutions govern the state directly and have the divine authority on earth.

Narratives that glorify "dying for love" are common in literature, film, and popular culture. These stories present the idea that sacrificing one's life for romantic love is noble, justified, or even the highest expression of devotion. Examples include Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, Wuthering Heights by Bronte, Titanic (film), and The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.

Progressive federalism is the pursuit of progressive policy goals using the state governments as opposed to the US Federal system ie. National govenment

Literature, folklore, and cultures all around the world commonly hold conceptions of elders as inherently wise and knowledgeable (e.g., societal norms of elder respect, the wise old woman/man in fables, literary archetypes, etc.)

CRISPR-Cas9 is a unique technology that enables geneticists and medical researchers to edit parts of the genome by removing, adding or altering sections of the DNA sequence of humans, animals and plants. E.g. For humans and animals, edits can be made to the DNA of somatic cells (body cells except for sperm and eggs), sex cells (sperm and eggs), zygotes (fertilised eggs) and embryos.

Arcadia is a state that is divided into semiautonomous zones, organized on the basis of political philosophy. In Arcadia for example, civilisation is composed of a libertarian community with a fully deregulated economy and low taxes, an anarcho-primitivist community where people live in a state of nature with no laws, and more. There is a neutral central entity whose only duties are to prevent communities of Arcadia from causing harm to each other, ensuring freedom to move from one community to another, and preventing unwanted ideological contamination. Information about each zone is disemminated and assumed to be accessible to all.

The Khalistan Movement is a movement by Sikhs who advocate for the creation of an independent state called Khalistan in India. It gained momentum in the 1980s in Punjab, India, where Sikhs faced persecution as a minority religious group. There is tension between the Indian government and the most vocal Sikhs of the movement who reside abroad.

For the purposes of this debate, a brain emulation is a technology that creates a functional replica of a human brain, or parts of it. It replicates the function or activity of the part of the brain that it replaces, such as by processing information and responding to stimuli in the same way as a biological brain, or replicating thoughts and memories.

*this includes prohibiting religious symbols in public spaces, not providing funding to religious schools and charities, not having an official state religion, etc.

Countries that heavily rely on tourism earn a lot of money from visitors. They often primarily focus on tourism and as a result develop their other industries less. Tourist spots often include historic locations, popular destinations, national parks and many more. To significantly limit the number of tourists means to allow fewer people to visit each destination over a period of time.

*e.g. wearing makeup and heels, wanting to be a housewife, and so on.

Ethan is deeply in love with Mia, and their connection feels genuine and profound. They have shared countless moments, dreams, and experiences together, building a relationship based on trust and affection. However, Ethan's world is shaken when he discovers that Mia is not a naturally born person, but a genetically engineered clone. Despite Mia's assurances that her love for him is real and that she has developed her own identity, Ethan must grapple with whether the bond they've formed is strong enough to overcome the fact that she was created, not born, and whether it changes the authenticity of their love

The African Super League (ASL)would be a proposed elite football competition featuring top clubs from across the continent. It aims to bring together the best teams in Africa to compete in a league. Teams participating in the ASL would not play in their local country leagues.

Structural Adjustment Policies (SAPs) are economic reforms implemented by countries as a condition for receiving financial assistance from international institutions like the IMF and World Bank. These policies typically include reducing government spending, privatizing state-owned enterprises, liberalizing trade, devaluing currency, and encouraging foreign investment.

A small NGO in a developing country has two funding options: a large foreign donor offering substantial financial support with strict conditions, or a local foundation providing smaller, unrestricted aid. The foreign aid comes with the promise of scaling operations but requires the NGO to implement programs that may not fully align with the local community's cultural needs, as the donor has set specific goals and oversight protocols. While the funding would allow the NGO to reach a broader audience, it would compromise its ability to independently design programs suited to the local context. On the other hand, the local aid comes with no conditions, giving the NGO complete freedom to tailor its programs to the community's needs. However, the local funding is limited, which means the NGO can't expand its reach as significantly.

In Kenya, youth protests have been a significant part of the political landscape in 2024, especially in the context of economic challenges, rising taxes, and the demand for systemic reforms. Youth across the country have mobilized to demand change on issues such as unemployment, education, and economic empowerment

Universal Basic Services (UBS) is a system that guarantees free or affordable access to essential public services, such as healthcare, education, housing, and transportation, aiming to meet basic human needs and promote social equity whereas a Universal Basic Income (UBI) is an unconditional cash payment given monthly to all citizens or residents, regardless of their employment status, to ensure a basic standard of living and reduce poverty. For the purposes of this debate, the amount given to a citizen monthly under a UBI program is proportional to the amount the government would have spent to subsidise the citizen across the various UBS programs.

The Sahel is a region spanning Africa, including countries such as Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Mauritania. This year, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger had exited ECOWOS to form the Alliance of Sahel States.

Ubuntu is a Nguni Bantu term from Southern Africa, meaning "humanity" or "I am because we are." It emphasizes the interconnectedness of people and the importance of community, compassion, and mutual support

Degrowth is an economic theory that advocates for a deliberate reduction in economic activity and resource consumption. It challenges the conventional wisdom that perpetual economic growth is essential for human well-being and societal progress.

Deep dive is a technology that allows humans to immerse themselves in digitally simulated eras of the world. This world is realistic to emotional and physical feedback with the ability to calibrate the world as it was but also the ability to change the course of history depending on the diver's actions and their significance, time moves relatively faster there 1 dive day is equivalent to a human year.

In the holistic education model, students are required to take courses from across a range of disciplines (languages, natural sciences, humanities and social sciences), whereas in systems of student choice, students choose a subject area to focus on and take courses to specialize in this area.

To sell a stake in future income means - for a certain amount of compensation now, you have to compensate the buyer with an agreed upon percentage of your income in the future.

Literature, folklore, and cultures all around the world commonly hold conceptions of elders as inherently wise and knowledgeable (e.g., societal norms of elder respect, the wise old woman/man in fables, literary archetypes, etc.).

Food aid involves the direct distribution of food products to individuals or communities in need through food banks, community programs, etc. Cash aid involves directly providing financial assistance to individuals or households either directly through their bank accounts or through the accounts of intermediary NGOs.

Ecosystem Restoration Currency is a currency system that rewards individuals and communities for participating in ecosystem restoration projects, such as tree planting, wetland restoration, or biodiversity conservation. Participants can earn ""eco-credits"" that can be traded for goods, services, or tax incentives.

A time banking system where individuals can exchange hours of service instead of currency. For example, one hour of volunteering could earn an hour of help from someone else in the community i.e. you could bypass a queue in the hospital for the same.

The Vezo people are a semi-nomadic ethnic group living along the southwestern coast of Madagascar, known for their deep connection to the sea. Their collective identity is primarily shaped by their trades and livelihoods, such as being exceptional swimmers or skilled fishermen. In contrast, in status quo, collective identity is often formed based on a mixture of inherent social traits such as race, gender, or nationality.

Matrilocal marriage refers to a societal system in which a married couple resides with the wife's parents. Neolocal marriage is a type of post-marital residence in which a newly married couple resides separately from both the husband and the wife's natal household.

"Ethnic Chinese" persons refer to foreign nationals of ancestral Chinese descent, but whose political identification aligns to the country they are citizens of (e.g., ethnic Chinese groups who are citizens of Malaysia). China has sought to build connections with ethnic Chinese groups outside of China. Examples include inviting ethnic Chinese individuals to China's Two Sessions parliamentary meeting, including ethnic Chinese participants at Chinese business conventions, appealing to young ethnic Chinese inviduals to learn Mandarin, and framing the 2024 Chinese New Year Gala Performance as being for "all Chinese" globally.

(1) A private equity firm is a type of investment firm open to a select group of investors that acquires companies with the aim of either improving them and selling them at a profit later down the line, or selling the company's assets for more than they bought it for. (2) Most private equity firms acquire companies through Leveraged Buyouts (LBOs) which involves borrowing a large proportion of the money needed to purchase a company and paying it off through the income generated by the company's operations. The debt obligations are typically forced onto the company being acquired, meaning the private equity firm itself is not liable for any potential default and its credit worthiness is unaffected.

City Council Dismissals (CCDs) allow the central government to replace local- government executives (e.g. mayors, councillors, etc.) they deem to be engaging in criminal activity, with experienced non-elected civil servants from a different region for the remainder of the original term.

Industrial Policy is defined as the strategic effort by the state to encourage economic transformation by specifically advantaging what it deems to be high- potential sectors. Industrial Policy fell out of favor in the 1990s after the Washington Consensus, under which the International Monetary Fund (IMF) opposed tactics by states to control their own economic trajectory rather than letting market forces decide. Industrial Policy has seen a recent revival through policies like the US Inflation Reduction Act, the EU Chips Act, and Made in China Act 2025.

The Golden Triangle is a hotbed of criminal activity at the border of Laos, China, Thailand, and Myanmar. It is one of the world's largest drug trafficking corridors both into and out of China, hosting scam centers, illegal gambling operations, and human trafficking dens. Most illicit activity is centered in a Special Economic Zone protected by Laos' government where large organised crime groups from Mainland China are allowed to operate casinos, some of which are rumored to have ties to high-ranking CCP officials. The Thai army polices the border both to curtail crime and to secure its territorial claim.

The Quad is a group of countries consisting of Japan, India, Australia and the United States, with the intention of establishing presence within the Indo- Pacific region. The most recent edition of the Quad has been reestablished in 2017 and is seen as a response to the economic and militaristic actions of China within the wider Pacific region.

_Vigilantism refers to the practice of individuals or groups taking justice into their own hands without legal authority, often because they think official law enforcement is ineffective or corrupt._

Unschooling is a homeschooling method in which rather than following a specific curriculum, parents instead allow their children to choose what topics/subjects they would like to learn. For example, instead of studying standard algebra, children may want to learn about literary analysis instead, and thus a specific class would be constructed for it.