Stanford National Forensic Institute

NOTE: There is a 10 student minimum for this lab to happen. If the lab group doesn't reach its minimum students will be notified at least 30 days before the scheduled start of the program so that they may make other plans, or will be entitled to switch to other labs at the camp for which they qualify, whichever they prefer.

Highlights of the Critical Argument Lab

In-Depth Topic Specific Critical Argument Development – The critical argument lab will focus on topic-specific academic research. Students will research the topic specific literature seeking out authors whose theoretical foundations lie in critical theory. While broader critical theory will be discussed and reviewed, this lab will focus student attention on the particular (topic-specific), rather than the general. In addition, students will review the affirmative and negative positions produced during institutes earlier in the summer to theorize and strategize about the critical arguments the students will find useful during the competitive school year. This lab is designed for the high school debater that enjoys the challenge and complexity of critical theory.

Performance and Critical Argument Development - Students that are interested in learning more about performance debate strategies are also encouraged to apply to this lab. Students in this lab will learn how to effectively engage in performance debate. Whether the student intends on being a performance debater during the year or not, this lab will offer them the opportunity to learn the ends and outs of this style of debating. Given the increasing competitive success of this style of argument at both the high school and college levels, critical debaters will benefit a great deal from being able to compete with performance students on their ground.

Historical and Theoretical Development of Critical Argumentation – Argumentation – The critical argumentation lab is led by a college professor who teaches doctoral level courses in critical, postmodern, and post-structural theories. Students in this lab will have the opportunity to work with an academic scholar in a three week, intensive, college level seminar that will provide them with a thorough foundation in critical theory. One of the biggest concerns for high school coaches who have students interested in critical argumentation is the lack of proficiency in understanding complex theory. We insist that the students in the critical argumentation lab leave with a firm proficiency, in not only understanding critical theory, but in speaking thoughtfully and clearly about critique theory in debate competition. Few institute labs in the country are taught by a critical scholar at the highest levels of academic research, with a solid background in policy debate.

Practice Makes Perfect – Students will engage in mini-debates on critical theory arguments to encourage clarity in presentation strategies. Students will also engage in mini-debates designed to familiarize themselves with the topic to strengthen their critical thinking strategies in applying critical theory. Students will also engage in consistent, full practice debates evaluated by their lab leaders, before participating in the six round tournament at the end of the institute.

Dr. Shanara Reid-Brinkley is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Pittsburgh, where she also serves as the Director of Debate for the William Pitt Debating Union. Dr. Reid-Brinkley teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses that cover critical theories, rhetoric of public policy and advocacy, social identity theory, with a specialization in African American history, theory, and culture. She is a national award winner for her published work on critical theory, black feminist theory, gender, black culture and history, and hip hop culture and theory. Her dissertation work, completed at the University of Georgia, engaged in an in-depth analysis of non-traditional debate practices. She is currently working on a book manuscript that furthers her dissertation research on race, performance, and policy debate. Students in high school and college have cited Dr. Reid-Brinkley’s work in debate competition and she has become the recognized scholar in this field of research. She has mentored numerous performance debaters at the college level who attribute part of their success to her tutelage. Last years top seed and top speaker at the TOC, Daymir Davis and Miguel Feliciano note that it was the time spent with Dr. Reid-Brinkley during the SNFI institute, the summer before their senior year, that made a big difference in the success they enjoyed during their last year. Dr. Reid-Brinkley was a nationally successful debater in the mid-1990’s from the debate powerhouse at Emory University.

NOTE: There is a 10 student minimum for this lab to happen. If the lab group doesn't reach its minimum students will be notified at least 30 days before the scheduled start of the program so that they may make other plans, or will be entitled to switch to other labs at the camp for which they qualify, whichever they prefer.