Bard Debate Union

Civic engagement is the central function
of a university debate program

Through public debates and work with our local communities and the national and international Bard networks, Bard debaters come to see debate as much more than competition; rather, debate becomes an assertion of civic participation and global citizenship par excellence—an empowering and productive way of engaging from campus to the global stage.

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Photo by Sarah Wallock '19

Civic Discourse - Dialogue - Debate

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. —Aristotle

The Bard Debate Union is committed to promoting the values of civic discourse, dialogue, and debate on Bard’s campus, in the local community, and across the Bard Network.

Debate teaches students how to articulate and defend their positions and how to listen to the positions of others. Moving beyond opinion and ideology, debate addresses one of the critical questions of our time:

How can citizens more effectively understand both sides of an issue and speak responsibly about difficult topics?

What We Do

Bard Debate Union members:

Travel to and compete in intercollegiate debate tournaments
Host public debates on campus
Participate in Bard international network debates
Conduct outreach in local middle and high schools

Whether you like to speak your mind or to argue just for the sake of arguing, the Bard Debate Union will have you thinking outside the box.

Discover More

Bard College Hosts Eighth Annual Middle and High School Debate Tournament

The Bard Debate Union together with the Center for Civic Engagement hosted the Eighth Annual Middle and High School Debate Tournament at Bard College. More than 80 students representing eight schools throughout the Hudson Valley attended the competition. Competitors took on such topics as: whether the United Nations should be abolished or whether social media use is positive or negative. Bard students worked with participants over the course of the day to refine their arguments and improve their delivery.

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