Characterization Contextualization Argumentation Lectures Structure of an Argument

Characterization & Contextualization Argumentation Lectures

Structure of an Argument • Tag-line • Assertion • Analysis • Evidence/examples • Conclusion and Linking back

Structure of a PM Speech • Framing/context (framing can be intwined with status quo context) • Definition, if necessary • Standards / model • (standards/Criteria—normally for value debate) • (model/Mechanism—normally for policy debate) • Issue and stance：what do you defend • Pre-summary • Arguments • Summary and linking back to the motion

Sample Motion: • In post-conflict society, THBT states should craft a national narrative devoid of race and ethnicity.

In post-conflict society, THBT states should craft a national narrative devoid of race and ethnicity. • Framing: After the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, in which Hutus had slaughtered up to 1 million Tutsi, the post-conflict society was very fragile, and many forces craved for chances to sabotage the new administration that was struggling to consolidate its legitimacy of governance. Even people looked forward to peaceful coexistence of both ethnicities. When justice is done, there should be less fingerpointing, and public anguish of the offenders. No one should play triumphant conqueror or justice avenger. The focus should be shifted to social construction and economic development, alleviating pains and alienations between different ethnicities. • Model: The new administration will craft a national narrative, diminishing previous ethnic distinctions, prioritizing the official language, mixing kids from different ethnicities in same schools, no prioritization of any ethic identity, open discussion but guided with emphasis for national identity, demographic representation of ethnicity in parliament

• Yardstick/criteria/stance: what do you defend? • Criteria：better protection of individuals in post-conflict society from wrong accusations and finger-pointing, less alienation of ethnic groups; • Stance：The overall well-being of post-conflict society in terms of social harmony, infrastructure construction and economic development

Argument 1: • Tagline: Urgent need to diminish identity politics • Assertion: When justice is done, there’s no more need to blame the culprit and further antagonize the war discussion all over again. Society wants less conflicts and more peace. All parties can rest at ease when no prospects of further prosecution is at hand. Creating an echo-chamber of a new national identity, which all parties can identify themselves with and feel more comfortable. • Analysis: combined with Characterization • Evidence: previous cases after the American Civil War when President Lincoln let the Southern Confederates lightly down

What is Characterization? • Characterization is the description of something. Why important? • Most of time, it's core of the debate/your arguments/rebuttals. And it's what judges will look into

General types of Arguments/Rebuttals • 1)Characterization → Conclusion • 2)A→B→C→D→E→ Conclusion • A/B/C/D/E refers to “Characterization → Conclusion”

How to use characterization in Arguments/Rebuttals • • a)what is X like? why is X like the description above? 2 nd layer of why 3 rd. . 4 th. . . • b)what is X like • (same with a) ) • c). . . d). . . • Therefore, . . . (conclusion)

Compare the two types of characterization-tobacco Characterization set A Characterization set B • A manufactured product • Made from leaves, plants, etc • It's recreational • There are many types of it • The smoke it produced is harmful to people who use it and people exposed to it • It could easily get people addicted into it because the chemical it produced leads to chain reaction taking place in human body

Notes about Characterization • It should be UNIQUE in most of circumstances! (To distinguish itself from similar things)

What is Contextualization? • Contextualization of arguments/rebuttals means putting these into certain background/environment/context • It could be examples/case studies. . etc. , something in the real world • Don't spend considerable amount of time contextualizing Why important? • Your arguments/rebuttals make sense in the context • If gov & opp provide enough characterization of one thing, judges can't determine who is right unless they are contextualized in the real world

Example: characterization • THW ban paid private tutoring for students enrolled in compulsory education system • OPP characterization: • Paid private tutoring helps students study better because it tailors to students' study behavior, assess students' psychological status and provides one-on-one teaching environment. It will do this because it aims to provide something other than the mainstream education and only by doing this could tutoring organizations attract students enrolled in compulsory education system to come. • It helps students study better because it also has many good teachers. Because it pays better than public school which operates on a fixed budget. Even teachers from private school will come tutoring because it's a part-time job earning them more money. And it operates on a free market mechanism, the most qualified teachers could get the money in the end.

Example • THW ban paid private tutoring for students enrolled in compulsory education system • OPP characterization: • Paid private tutoring helps break down part of the economic inequality because it provides a chance for students from public schools to catch up with students from private schools. Students who go to tutoring are likely poor or middle class students who don't have massive amount of educational resources and couldn't afford to go to private school. They could afford to go to private tutoring because there's likely to be different pricing since they want to profit from different group. And the price is cheaper than private school. Considering the fact that academic performance is considered in employment. Students going to better schools or perform better in schools get better jobs which means more pay. Private tutoring is an economic ladder for poor and middle class students to climb up. (A-B-C-D. . )

Example: contextualization • THW ban paid private tutoring for students enrolled in compulsory education system • OPP contextualization: • It's especially important in states like China, South Korea, where there is a standardized test determining which school you will be going to. Private tutoring helps students from impoverished areas to do better in academics, get them to a better college in China, such as Peking University or HKU. They are more likely to get an as good job as rich students who easily go to these universities and mobolize to the upper classes. Therefore, it helps break down the economic inequality.

Practice: • Info Slide: you are an explorer in the Amazon Jungle travelling with a companion, and have observed an isolated tribe that has never made contact with the modern world. they have a simple life of hunting and gathering. their technology is limited to the requirements of their lifestyle. you have deduced that their infant mortality rate is high and their average life expectancy is 25 years. your companion wishes to bring their situation to the attention of the world. • Motion: • As someone who just came into contact with an isolated tribe, THW aggressively eliminate any attempts at introducing the modern world to the tribe.

Video Example • Korea Australs 2011 Round 1 • This house believes that sporting bodies should allow the use of all performance enhancing drugs. • Leader of Opposition speech • http: //v. youku. com/v_show/id_XMjkz. MTgz. Nj. Aw. html? from=s 1. 8 -1 -1. 2