120 Controversial Topics to Spark Engaging Discussions and Deep Debates

Controversial topics are perfect for any debate. They always produce a reaction and make any dialogue vivid. Such topics are very often used in school, and not in classes only. Active students don’t stand aside from the most important themes of modern life. So, passionate debates are constantly there.

What is a Controversial Topic?

Since a topic that we call controversial is the one that triggers strong and opposing opinions, the best controversial themes mostly deal with social and political issues, which are actively discussed in the media. At the same time, there are hot arguments based on seemingly funny subjects. However, in schools, you are most likely to argue about something more global.

How to Find Controversial Topic? Top 5 rules

Choosing a winning topic is the key point. A good author or speaker can impress with almost any subject, but some gain interest by default. If you want the guaranteed reaction of your audience and a passionate debate, select a subject matter properly.

Ideally, such themes should combine logical reasons with moral and emotional aspects. Depending on your goals, you can choose a more or less provocative topic. The compulsory condition of a chosen controversial theme is that it must allow several grounded opinions. And the inevitable consequence is that it can hurt feelings.

The main thing about controversial topics is balance. Have a look at the below recommendations on how to choose a subject for your school project if you want to raise a heated debate.

1.     Decide the purpose of the performance. Think about the reaction you want to cause.
2.     Research your target audience, their age, gender, and background. You need to understand what themes will appeal to them.
3.     The subject has to be urgent and well-known. Refer to the news and personal columns, check what is discussed most of all in the media. Make sure that other people have their opinions on this matter.
4.     Choose the topic which is genuinely interesting for you. You have to support your opinion with different evidence, while your opponents will try to disprove them. So, you have to be armed with many arguments to strike back.
5.     Consider the ethic side of the debate. You might not be able to keep calm in the debates if the topic is triggering and painful for you personally. Choose the subject where you can control yourself. And don’t forget about personal relations, if you differ too deeply about the subject.

120 Best Controversial Topics

To help you to find a perfect theme, we have compiled a list of 120 controversial topics that you can use directly or get inspired from them to formulate your own one. They belong to different spheres for you to find a suitable one. The number of 120 controversial themes is big enough to match your school needs.    

Media and Entertainment

1.     How serious is the corruption in journalism?
2.     Are violent videos responsible for violence in society?
3.     Do we need to ban advertising alcohol and smoking for good?
4.     Can the government regulate the media?
5.     Is it a crime to download copyrighted content?
6.     Can media censorship be justified?
7.     Is there a free press now?
8.     The impact of sexualization in the advertisement. 
9.     Are there cases where we should restrict the press?
10.     Do the media reinforce social stereotypes or fight them?

High School

1.     Do we need school uniforms?
2.     What are the pros of the smaller universities vs the big ones?
3.     Is home schooling the educational model of the future?
4.     Should the students concentrate on studying only?
5.     Should college education be available to everyone?
6.     Is it possible to fight bullying at schools?
7.     What are the causes of students’ mental illnesses and depression?
8.     Do we need to imply bilingual education in schools?
9.     Should we cancel the Arts from the educational program in schools?
10.     Do schools prepare students for life?

Sport

1.     Are the salaries of professional athletes too high?
2.     Should we allow certain drugs for sportsmen?
3.     Does the eating disorder problem exist in sport?
4.     Do sports parents bring more harm than good?
5.     Can the sport starts be role models?
6.     Toxic fans. 
7.     Is the talent or hard work more important in sport?
8.     Should the sportsmen from the college teams get paid?
9.     Corruption in sport.
10.     Is the Olympic Games idea exhausted?

Science

1.     Do genetically engineered products do harm to health?
2.     Why we haven’t switched to alternative energy sources?
3.     Should we ban pesticides to protect the environment?
4.     Is Global Warming a real danger?
5.     Risks connected with artificial intelligence.
6.     Ethics of genetic engineering.
7.     Is the space for the military?
8.     History is the most important of all Sciences.
9.     The origin of life on the Earth.
10.     Traditional medical science vs the modern medicines.

Technologies

1.     Is nuclear power dangerous?
2.     Can electronic voting be secure and private?
3.     Should we make the recycling programs obligatory?
4.     Do we depend on technologies too much?
5.     Is electronic surveillance justified?
6.     Do we need to use smartphones in schools?
7.     Is it possible to keep privacy in social networks?
8.     Technical and moral aspects of cloning.
9.     What are the risks of Wi-Fi for people’s health?
10.     Are oil fuel-driven vehicles efficient? 

Religion

1.     Is agnosticism a separate religion?
2.     Can religion help to raise morality standards?
3.     Would it be better without any religions at all?
4.     Is the religious view on divorce justified?
5.     Is it possible to invent a new religion and make is common?
6.     Can you trust the Bible as a historical source?
7.     Should we teach different religions in public schools?
8.     What is really a religion of peace?
9.     Do churches have to pay taxes?
10.     Can religious faith be a reasonable excuse?

Business

1.     Night shifts kill.
2.     Why don’t women receive the same money for the same job?
3.     Are the student loans worth trying?
4.     What is more important, economic problems or social problems?
5.     Can we stop corruption?
6.     The IT industry gave benefits to the already rich countries only.
7.     Productivity and working fingers to the bone are not connected.
8.     Why do they cell thematic toys with McDonald’s food?
9.     Should the working hours be reduced?
10.     Does the government have to resolve the unemployment problem?

Psychology

1.     Should the therapist cancel the treatment because of the financial issues?
2.     Is online communication via Skype appropriate for therapy?
3.     Beauty contests are ruinous for psychological health.
4.     Does the hate speech in the Web really make an impact?
5.     Child’s psychological problems are caused by the parents?
6.     Marriage is the way to unhappiness.
7.     People are more critical because of the media.
8.     Brain exercises are necessary.
9.     Should parents explain their children about sex?
10.     Do the victims bear any responsibility?

Medical

1.     Should the government control healthcare services prices?
2.     Should we conduct medical experiments on humans?
3.     What is ethics in medicine?
4.     Tests on animals must be banned.
5.     Should the birth control means be available to everyone?
6.     Pros and cons of vaccinations.
7.     How can we protect ourselves from medical malpractice?
8.     Do we face an epidemic of obesity?
9.     Should the children with prenatal incurable illnesses be born?
10.     Is organic food really healthy?

Society

1.     Do women need to have a career before marriage?
2.     What is the impact of satellite broadcasting on other cultures?
3.     Does the glass ceiling still exist?
4.     Conditions for abortion.
5.     Is the death penalty justified in some cases?
6.     Should we have more severe gun control laws?
7.     Is multiculturalism the only way for society?
8.     Can torturing during interrogations be justified?
9.     Does the USA have a right of intervention in other countries?
10.     Is the problem of racism still existing?

Funny

1.     Is YouTube a full-time job?
2.     Do you have to feel guilty about killing insects?
3.     Vegetarianism is a must for everyone.
4.     Is boredom a troubling factor?
5.     Is there a positive impact of doing homework?
6.     All students should be taught music in school.
7.     The role of Superman and Batman in the modern society.
8.     Would you debate for money?
9.     Is there a right to not get educated?
10.     Teenagers should have their own credit cards.

Books and TV

1.     Should we remove racial and gender stereotypes from classic books?
2.     Should there be warnings about the triggering factors in the books?
3.     Is it acceptable to censure books?
4.     Should books only represent life or they should convey higher ideas?
5.     Paper books are dead.
6.     Could parents demand the exclusion of certain books from the libraries?
7.     People get smarter by watching TV.
8.     Inappropriate fragments should be cut off.
9.     We need to abolish ads on TV completely.
10.     Current TV shows will certainly stand the test of time.

Conclusion

Feel free to use any of the above 120 most controversial topics for debate to use at school. Genuine interest is a guarantee of success. 

However, if your interest is strong, but you are limited in time to get prepared as you have some other tasks to do at school  – just contact the writing service. We’ll prepare a perfect work with unbeatable arguments for you.