Debate Decoded

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Latest — Nov 7, 2024

Copyright to Bioleft: The Fight for Seed Sovereignty Through Open-Source Licensing

In this post, we will talk about Bioleft: an innovative affirmative which uses IP to protect seeds as a commons against corporate control. By repurposing legal tools, Bioleft challenges IP’s traditional enclosures, balancing reformist and revolutionary strategies for system transformation.

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Stop Losing to "War Good" Strategies

Let's talk through the elements of a 2AC to war good and see if we can avoid the common pitfalls that are causing many affirmative losses.

Stop Losing to Abolish Patents

The abolish patents strategy is over-performing because patents good/bad debates are missing the forest for the trees. Let's cut through the noise.

Leveling Up Your Debate Software 2: Automatic Cites and Quals Processing

A simple tool to automate formatting of qualifications and citations.

Innovation Impact Turns and the Time of Perils

There are many strategies to counter "innovation bad" arguments in IP debates. Let's take a deep dive into one that is neglected, but potentially quite powerful: the "Time of Perils" hypothesis.

The Art of Aff Politics Research

In this post, we will walk through some big picture ideas relevant to politics, walk through the politics DA canon, and break down the workflow behind assembling an aff politics file before a tournament.

How to Get Better

This post will not be about improving any specific aspect of your debating, speaking, or research workflow. Instead, we will zoom out and take a macro view of the habits of mind and action that separate great debaters from mediocre ones.

Regulatory Exclusivity: A Special Flavor of Sui Generis Scheme

By leveraging the power of regulatory agencies rather than property rights, regulatory exclusivity recreates the economic benefits of IP using a meaningfully different mechanism.

Strategies for Mutual Preference

Understanding the workings of preference sheets—known as ‘prefs,’ for short—is one of the most important skills a debater at the national circuit can master. Let's take a look behind the curtain.

Precedent Advantages and the Distinguish Counterplan

In this post, we will talk about legal precedent advantages, look at how they help the aff diversify their impacts, and examine a powerful strategy—the Distinguish CP—which can help the neg respond.