America’s colleges and universities have a decaying culture of debate and discussion. Once the incubators of great thinkers and ideas, forged in the fire of scrutiny in pursuit of truth, higher education has devolved into widespread “expression” of noxious ideas and a culture of fear and extremism. A progressive leftist takeover has produced a one-sided view of America and the West without any pushback, and has generated generations of coddled college students who are unable to think for themselves and defend their convictions in the face of counterarguments, instead opting for “cancelling” views with which they disagree—sometimes violently.
The United States political system requires a culture of open debate and deliberation based on “reflection and choice” rather than “accident and force.” ISI’s rhetoric and debate summer school will equip students with the skills and practices they need to advocate their core convictions and beliefs. Our one-week, intensive seminar will pair students with faculty coaches who will help them craft arguments, write speeches using rhetorical principles employed by statesmen like Pericles, Cicero, and Lincoln to convince and move an audience, and answer the difficult questions in defense of their views. Equipped with these skills, students will put them to use in three debates with other participants. By the end of the week, participants will have the skills and practice to make the case for Western civilization on their campuses, and be a model for their peers for how to clearly, convincingly, and courageously defend America and Western civilization from ideological professors and angry students.
Interested students can apply for an interview below. ISI covers meals and lodging for the event and will send readings on each topic ahead of time so participants will be ready for the debates. Students will be responsible for their travel to and from ISI.
Reach out to Tom Sarrouf at [email protected] with any questions about the week.
Testimonials from last year’s attendees:
“I really enjoyed being able to speak to conservative professors, as my college is overwhelmingly liberal and progressive.”
“This event has given me hope; it has helped me to realize that politics does not have to be angry, confusing debate over distant, irrelevant topics. Politics done well is discussion between individuals who share a common human experience, and the end goal of its debates is truth, which will lead us to make prudent decisions on how our country is governed.”
“While I may not have changed my opinion on certain topics discussed, my understanding of the topics overall has grown tremendously. I was able to argue strongly for a position that I didn’t actually agree with and fully understood the views greatly.”
