Whether it’s the political polarization in America or the intense arguments on social media platforms like TikTok, debate can seem frustrating and unproductive. But what if we could change the way we think about debate to make it more productive? That’s the premise of a new study by Columbia Business School Professor Modupe Akinola, PhD, and Sheena Iyengar, the Barbara and David Zalaznick Chair in Corporate Governance, published in Nature.
Throughout the nation’s formative years, political debate has played an important role in shaping democracy by encouraging public participation and promoting democratic principles. It also helped solidify an emerging American identity centered on values such as freedom of speech and the separation of powers.
Political debates are discussions or arguments between individuals or groups regarding political issues and policies. They may be structured events with a set format or they may occur in informal settings where topics are selected at random. Generally, a political debate will involve a group of people discussing political issues and a moderator overseeing the conversation.
Historically, the most common political debates are those between candidates in elections for various political offices. A debate can be staged by a tax-exempt nonprofit organization or by a bona fide newspaper, magazine, or periodical publication that does not endorse, support, or oppose candidates or parties. Debates can be either public or private and they typically take place on a topic that is of interest to the audience. However, debates can be a difficult task to organize and stage because they require a large number of participants.