Readings

Developing the habit of reading news

Keeping current on what's happening in the world is critical to your success as a debater. All the technique and theory in the world won't do you much good if you don't have the material you need to actually make arguments. Here are three recommended sources to get you started. You should plan to read three types of material: daily, weekly and long-form.

Daily

I recommend you sign up for a daily newsletter. This gives you a holistic perspective on the day's events from one point of view. Far more valuable than merely relying on what pops up on your social media feed.

The Flip Side (good coverage of diverse perspectives on controversial current events)

Vox Daily Newsletter (I recommend their "Vox Sentences" newsletter)

ProPublica Daily Newsletter (I recommend their "Daily Digest")

BBC Daily Newsletter

Weekly

Both of these magazines give more in-depth perspective and analysis of the news than do the daily newsletters above. The Economist is more focused on analysis and opinion; the Week compiles quality journalism from around the world. We have subscription access to both of these; ask John Schultz for the password.

The Economist

The Week

Long-form

Both daily and weekly news sources focus on the moment; long-form journalism dives deeper into subjects, often offering arguments for or against how best to solve problems and address issues.

ProPublica

Foreign Affairs

BOOKS

The first two books are good companions in their treatment of the fundamental workings of our world and the changes through which it is going. The Future of Freedom is a classic of political analysis as well as an excellent introduction to the language of modern political discourse. Clash of Orthodoxies delves deeper into the intersections between our moral foundations and public policy on a variety of issues.

The Future of Freedom: Illiberal Democracy at Home and Abroad (Revised Edition) by Fareed Zakaria

Clash Of Orthodoxies: Law Religion & Morality In Crisis by Robert P. George

The defining event of our generation will be the Global War on Terror. These two books provide a useful starting point for understanding how we evaluate the moral dimensions of conflicts. Walzer's Just and Unjust Wars is a classic consideration of the moral dimensions of warfare and introduces his well-known just war theory. Gross' Moral Dilemmas of Modern War updates Walzer's considerations for the ethical questions that modern conflict presents.

Just And Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument With Historical Illustrations by Michael Walzer

Moral Dilemmas of Modern War: Torture, Assassination, and Blackmail in an Age of Asymmetric Conflict by Michael L. Gross

If you've never taken an introductory economics class, or even if you have, you'll benefit from Naked Economics as an introduction to the science of cause and effect.

Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science by Charles Wheelan and Burton G. Malkiel

Also check out this podcast for a good intro to important terms in economics.

As a primer on how to make principled arguments, there's no better introduction than Sandel's Justice.

Justice: What the Right Thing To Do? by Michael Sandel