Debate Workshops Every Friday at Cherwell College Oxford
We are back in season for the debate workshops! Every Friday afternoon, we assemble at the Admin & Study Center of Cherwell College Oxford for a week’s round-up with Mr. Sean Murphy, our senior tutor in History and Politics, a former BBC researcher, and an author of the book on the Second World War. Over the past couple of weeks, we had agile discussions of topical, regional news all over the globe.
The first debate seminar on Sinn Fein
The first debate seminar opened with Sinn Fein’s electoral victory and what it means for Ireland and the UK. We touched on the matter of history and the way it repeats itself in the context of Pakistani politics, namely the ousting of the sitting PM Imran Khan, and the newly installed government. We moved further East to South Korea and investigated the containment of the North. And finally, reached the ongoing breaking news topic of the war in Ukraine and what it means for Europe and the wider world.
Seminar about the war in Ukraine
Though the armed conflict continues, Ukraine appears on the news not so frequently compared to the days of the eruption of the war in February. Still, many Europeans now know that the European way of life is not just protected by the EU, and it has been proved by the brave defense of Ukrainians against the diabolic cruelty of the invader. What is more, the war brought into sharp focus why Ukraine is important in many other ways (e.g. Ukraine used to be the world’s fifth-largest exporter of wheat to developing countries) and why NATO should continue its existence and be ready to accept new members to guarantee peace and safety.
Multidimensional topics
The topics discussed are so multidimensional and go beyond A-Level or GCSE syllabus. We have also managed to cover the ‘home front’ and see what is happening with the UK domestic politics and economy. Our A-Level student (India) has made an excellent briefing on this! We have also touched upon the outcomes of the COP26 and whether those outcomes are still realistic in the context of current geopolitical crises. We are grateful to the students, who took the stage over the past few weeks, among them Zain, River, India and Gershom, and all the students who took part and contributed to the discussion.
Next seminar for discussions at Cherwell College Oxford
In anticipation of our next meeting of the Current Affairs & Debate Club on Friday, we are looking forward to continuing our discussions and practising public speaking skills in the stimulating and friendly environment of Cherwell College. We welcome all the students, apart from those completely involved in the Exams week! If you wish to discuss or incorporate a topic of interest into the agenda, please register your interest with Sean at the beginning of the seminar. For those taking final exams this week, we wish you the best of luck!