Debate Night: Marriage

Few institutions are as enduring, or as contentious, as marriage. Once primarily a contract forged between families, marriage served as a linchpin of social order, property rights, and inheritance. In pre-modern societies, marrying was less about love and more about survival and structure: a way to secure alliances, raise children with stability, and ensure economic continuity. It was practical, predictable, and, more often than not, permanent. Over time, romance entered the equation, but the foundational assumptions remained: that to be committed is to be committed indefinitely.

Yet as society evolves, so too does our relationship with relationships. Divorce rates, shifting gender roles, and changing cultural expectations have pushed us to reconsider what commitment really means, and what form it should take. In today’s debate, we’ll question whether the model we inherited still serves us, or whether we might imagine a different kind of commitment altogether. One that’s intentional and perhaps more human.

This debate will follow a British Parliamentary format with eight debaters split into four teams of two.

Due to the summer schedule we will not have an exercise prior to the debate.

Participants who wish to speak are highly encouraged to bring a paper and pen. You are welcome to participate even if you have no prior debating experience.