Ada Lovelace: Read Maria Popova’s “Figuring” to understand her importance. (One implication would be about brilliant women not getting credit for their achievements.)
Artificial intelligence and intellectual property.
Internet apocalypse: [Is the ‘internet apocalypse’ nigh? Breaking down the solar-storm science. — The Washington Post](https://apple.news/AxneTNyNeTeeWsL-2IWlbWg).
Modular nuclear reactors: [The 'Game-Changing' Technology The Nuclear Industry Is Betting On For A Revival](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/small-nuclear-reactors-energy_n_649f055be4b0c7e9d8e723e8).
Monopolies: (with board game visual aids): This could be persuasion too.
Public accommodation law: The recent Supreme Court cases about LBGTQ+ weddings concern this topic, which is the product of a series of cases following Brown v Board of Education.
Structured water: Seen in NSDA national quarterfinal round a few years back; I think it finished 4th. The visuals were over the top, but I really liked the topic.
Cocoa production ethics.
College food insecurity.
Corporate social responsibility: https://search-credoreference-com.marshall.idm.oclc.org/content/entry/qfinance/best_practices_in_corporate_social_responsibility/0
Deep sea mining.
Home ownership difficulties/financial services industry: They bought up housing stock post-2008 crash; it’s one reason we have so many renters, instead of owners.
Loneliness epidemic: https://library-cqpress-com.marshall.idm.oclc.org/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2023050500; https://library-cqpress-com.marshall.idm.oclc.org/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2018080300
PFAs: https://library-cqpress-com.marshall.idm.oclc.org/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre202303170
Private equity firms employing doctors.
Racial profiling in law enforcement: https://search-credoreference-com.marshall.idm.oclc.org/search/all?concept=Racial+profiling
Sports safety: https://library-cqpress-com.marshall.idm.oclc.org/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2023061600
Surveillance: https://library-cqpress-com.marshall.idm.oclc.org/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2023070700
Unhealthy fashion choices: [Are Your Fashion Choices Hurting Your Health?](https://health.usnews.com/wellness/articles/2017-04-26/are-your-fashion-choices-hurting-your-health); [The Real Environmental Impact of the Fashion Industry](https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2022-fashion-industry-environmental-impact/#xj4y7vzkg)
Wills: You need one.
Whatever the topic, you will need a good research question and a good method of analysis that offers insight into what you’re examining. But you will get some help.
“Barbie” - We have a supposed-to-be feminist recasting in theaters right now; it would be interesting to use feminist critical theory to analyze how “feminist" its message might be.
Bud light transgender messaging - All efforts to walk back or half-walk back inclusive messages seem to have failed recently. Why? (Similar topic: Target and Pride paraphernalia.)
Marshall University fountain ceremony - Unique to MU; may communicate some values all colleges seek to emphasize: appreciation of history/past; resilience; town-gown relationships. (Or even the chant “We Are Marshall,” which didn’t exist before the movie, but is now standard and has a certain meaning for people.)
“No labels” label - There’s a third-party initiative called “No labels,” which itself is a label. As best I can figure it out, it plans to stand for nothing. Isn’t this inherently unprincipled, maybe even unethical? Apply some type of ethical analysis method to look at this effort?
OTC birth control pills - I don’t know how these might be advertised/displayed. I also don’t know if states will try to limit access. But messaging strategies around birth control, particularly for those under 18/21, could be interesting.
Pledge of Allegiance - An obvious topic for rhetorical criticism, but I’ve never seen anyone do it. There’s the compulsory nature of it, the “under God” language, the post-Civil War overtones, the lemming-like follow-the-leader aspect of it.
“Sound of Freedom” - A movie about child trafficking that developed some buzz this summer. Not sure what one might do with it.
I’ll have more once I figure out how meaty these topics have to be (e.g., do psychology topics like impostor syndrome work?)
Chocolate/cocoa: There’s a lot of material out there about bad aspects of cocoa production; CQ Researcher has an upcoming article about this; also possible informative speech topic.
College athletics portals system: This is a mess - and thus has potential to be quite funny. I’m thinking the speaker could transition to different schools during their speech (e.g., spin around and have a new academic logo on their suit).
Impostor syndrome.
Cinderella/feminism: Tell the story of Cinderella using some of the feminist takes, like Cinderella Liberator, Cinderella Wore Combat Boots, Anne Sexton’s poem, etc.
Religious sexual abuse: State after state issue reports about more and more abuse and coverups. But I’m not sure we care much anymore. The argument could be that we should. (Trigger warning: Some of these reports contain pretty shocking content.)