How to Narrow the Scope of a Political Debate

Narrowing the scope of a political debate is one way to make it easier to manage.

Engaging in debate is tough. Of course, not all debates are created equal -- some are far more difficult to negotiate and resolve than others. Political debates are often the most difficult to work through, especially if the stakes are high. One tactic for making a political debate more manageable is to narrow its scope -- break it into a smaller question or questions that can more readily and easily be addressed. But this requires some effort and the willingness to compromise.

Instructions

1. Determine who the parties in the debate are going to be. Political parties? Pundits? Special interests? All the citizens of a country? The more individuals or groups involved in a debate, the more difficult it is going to be to resolve the issue at hand. That does not mean you should needlessly exclude debaters from a political debate; it just means that only those with some sort of stake in the debate should be parties to it. The criteria for this may be broad or specific, depending on the matter at hand.

2. Define the issue and the language that will be used. In politics this is often a problem. It might surprise you to learn how many debates get off the track because the debaters are not talking about the same thing. It might also surprise you to learn how many debates get off the track because debaters who are talking about the same thing use different idioms to express themselves. It's essential that the communication in the debate be constructive and accessible to all parties involved. This means defining the issue and the language that will be used in the debate in a way that is acceptable to all parties involved.

3. Break down the issue into sections, questions, steps, or sub-issues. Politics is complex, and dealing with too much at one time can be overwhelming and counter-productive. Breaking the subject at hand into manageable pieces or steps will allow participants to better manage their time and energy. It may also lead to presenting smaller, resolvable issues on which consensus can be achieved. This could generate useful momentum and goodwill as the debate moves forward.

4. Address one issue at a time and stay focused. Ensuring that the debate sticks to one issue at a time allows for a more manageable and focused debate. In politics, it is easy to make a debate a part of several inter-related issues. Other issues may be relevant to the subject at hand, and so may be discussed as needed, but the bulk of the debate should remain focused on the chosen sub-section. If the debate strays, an appointed individual or group should remind parties to stay on topic. You can always address the "big" political questions once you've achieved some agreement on the "smaller" ones.

5. Maintain goodwill, respect, and reciprocity. Political debates get heated, and personal perspective and needs can lead some to ignore or minimize the importance of others within the debate. Maintaining a genuine desire to address the issue, respecting disagreement, and offering generous responses to those who disagree with you will help keep the scope of the debate limited, keep the discussion on track, and make a reasonable resolution more likely.

6. Don't expect to get everything you want the first time around; be ready to return to debate again. Politics is not a zero-sum game -- a debate can have more than one winner, especially if the debate involves several focused questions. Compromise is key, especially when narrowing the focus of a debate. Also, questions may not be settled immediately or forever. Be prepared to address the question, or some variant of it, in the future.

Tips & Warnings

• Try to put yourself in the position(s) of the other debater(s). Empathy goes a long way toward understanding why others hold the positions they do.

• Use respectful and accessible language. Keeping debates on track requires that debaters remain more or less on the same page.