of a university debate program
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
- 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
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.