Last week, we published the first half of the questions from the Montgomery Bell Academy (MBA) Extemp Round Robin. Below is the second half. Enjoy!
Topic 6: The World in 2021
Speaker 1 Topics:
What international organization is best equipped to address climate-caused food insecurity in 2021?
Will 2021 be the year when the Yemeni civil war comes to an end?
Will Somalia’s 2021 presidential elections be remembered as legitimate?
Speaker 2 Topics:
What are the odds that 2021 is the year where the Taliban becomes a mainstream political force in Afghanistan?
Should France seek to provide a larger military presence in the Sahel in 2021?
Will 2021 see an escalation in climate-related violence worldwide?
Speaker 3 Topics:
Will 2021 be the year when Ethiopia abandons its ethnically-based federal system of government?
How can Russia forge an international consensus to break Venezuela’s political stalemate in 2021?
Will global economic growth in the second half of 2021 outpace the first half of the year?
Speaker 4 Topics:
Will the coronavirus have an appreciable impact on international conflicts in 2021?
Will 2021 be remembered as the year of the woman in Saudi Arabia?
How can the 2021 Peruvian general election restore sanity to the nation’s political system?
Topic 7: American Foreign Policy
Speaker 1 Topics:
Should the US continue to aggressively attack Huawei on the international stage?
Is it possible for the US to have a productive working relationship with both Iran and Israel?
What would it take for the US to regain the mantle as a global environmental thought leader?
Speaker 2 Topics:
How can the US continue to effectively balance the relationship between Japan and South Korea?
To what extent should the US seek to promote Turkish interests?
Should democracy promotion be a top US foreign policy priority?
Speaker 3 Topics:
Would it be in America’s best interests to promote friendly nuclear proliferation amongst its Asian allies?
How can the Biden administration repair America’s relationship with Mexico?
How has the civil war in Yemen altered America’s foreign policy strategy towards the Middle East?
Speaker 4 Topics:
Should the US commit to a hard date for a full troop withdrawal from Afghanistan?
What will America’s relationship with the UK look like now that it has left the EU?
What role should the US seek to play in mitigating tensions between China and India?
Topic 8: It’s like Fill-In-The-Blank but Better!
This round was a hypothetical round. Below, we’ve provided the background information tournament organizers had given competitors at MBA.
Yup, you guessed it. It was the Russians. Russian hackers have released a worldwide virus that have destroyed all existing copies of every constitution in every nation. Through their disinformation campaign and exportation of underpriced vodka, they have also managed to wipe the memories of every living being of how their constitution functioned. While national borders remain and officials are trusted to lead their various countries, the process of redesigning governments from scratch begin in earnest. For the purposes of this speech, you may assume the leadership (or leader-elect status) of any country in the world and answer the following question: How would I, <insert world leader name here>, rewrite the constitution of <insert selected country here> if given the opportunity to do so from scratch?Judges are asked to evaluate speeches using normal extemp criteria, while paying particular attention to believability, longevity, and political viability.
Topic 9: Social Concerns
Speaker 1 Topics:
Should it be the responsibility of the federal government to pay for a community college education for all Americans?
What would it take to develop a race-blind justice system in America?
Should college athletes be paid as if they were full time employees?
Speaker 2 Topics:
What steps should the federal government take to diversify teachers in American classrooms?
Should body cameras be required for all police officers?
How can we reduce the stigmatization surrounding mental health issues in the United States?
Speaker 3 Topics:
Does gentrification pose a threat to America’s urban centers?
Is a virtual higher education degree worth the cost?
What should the federal government do to promote price transparency in the healthcare market?
Speaker 4 Topics:
Is the US doing enough to respond to the environmental effects of fracking?
What would American political discourse look like without social media?
Should the federal government guarantee a right-to-work for all citizens?
Topic 10: International Economics
Speaker 1 Topics:
How is the rise of migrant workers amongst ASEAN members impacting labor markets in the region?
With global oil production on the rise and volatile demand on the horizon, how can OPEC maintain its relevance?
How would a trade deal with the UK impact the Turkish economy?
Speaker 2 Topics:
Was it a mistake for India to abandon RCEP?
What steps should the IMF take to mitigate rising concerns surrounding African debt?
How should Jack Ma respond to the Chinese government’s crackdown on Alibaba?
Speaker 3 Topics:
How can India and Australia best work together to contain the economic influence of China?
When it comes to economic Brexit negotiations, can the EU claim a victory?
Is the rise of nationalism and populism threatening the liberal trade order worldwide?
Speaker 4 Topics:
How can African nations best prepare themselves to embrace a common continental market through AfCFTA?
Is Vietnam a currency manipulator?
How is Jair Bolsonaro treatment of the Amazon Rainforest likely to impact Brazil’s long term economic prospects?
