Researching the 2022-2023 TP Resolution

The Team Policy resolution for 2022–2023 is Resolved: The United States Federal Government should substantially reform its policy towards one or more countries in Europe. As research begins in earnest for this topic, consider exploring these four areas to understand the current state of international relations, and what cases might be chosen:

Military & Security: The Russia-Ukraine war will be significant in many debate rounds. Understanding the deep historical roots of this conflict, and why it’s relevant today, will serve debaters well for discussing this year’s resolution. Should the United States get involved? What role does the U.S. play in European security? Even beyond the current conflict, there is much to discuss from a security standpoint, like the number of bases and troops the United States has in Europe, and its leadership in NATO.

Trade & Economy: The United States is one of the European Union’s top trading partners, and there is plenty to explore policy-wise in this area. Tariffs, import/export restrictions, and trade agreements might be implemented, removed, or reformed. Remember, too, that while the EU represents a substantial part of Europe’s economy, not all countries in Europe are a part of the EU. How does U.S. trade policy look different with the EU compared to the non-EU countries?

Aid & Assistance: Though countries in Europe may not receive quite as much aid as, say, our allies in the Middle East, the United States still sends quite a bit of aid and assistance to our European partners - with an uptick in military aid since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war. How much aid should the United States be sending to Europe? What international objectives does this aid achieve? Should that aid be increased, or decreased?

Human Rights & Social Issues: Finally, the last broad area of international relations tends to focus on human rights and other social issues, like immigration, environmental protection, privacy, and the like. Ukrainian refugees are toward the top of this list at the moment, but debaters can also consider other actions and agreements - like the controversy over the Paris climate agreement. In addition, there are a number of foreign policy tools, like sanctions, that are used to create pressure or leverage when countries violate agreements or universally recognized rights

We are excited to explore these foreign policy issues, and more, with you all this year!

Happy researching,

Your Debate Committee