In August 2024, we co-hosted an event with the Scottish Parliament’s Festival of Politics, chaired by Ben Macpherson MSP and with panellists Alice König, Quintin Oliver, John Sturrock and Vitalii Diakov. Reflecting on the Scottish Parliament’s 25 years of political debate, this panel discussion considered what we need to change about our current habits of discussion and debate so that we are better able to address the challenges that face us, locally and globally.
Latest posts on the blog
Launch of Learning Resources
Discussion of controversial issues often fails to yield a resolution, and it can also leave people feeling divided and angry or hurt over what the other people have said. It doesn’t help that media coverage of public debates often highlights the contributions that are most rage-inducing, funny, or extreme. But discussing controversial issues doesn’t have…
YAS Report on Responsible Debate
We edited a report for the Young Academy of Scotland on Responsible Debate: Discussing Contentious Issues with Common Purpose. This included theoretical discussion of the role of responsible debate in democratic decision making, articles on applications of these ideas to twelve different areas of public life, exercises for the classroom, boardroom, and living room, and a call to future steps.