Filippo Schena 

Nov 5, 2018

We met in November 2017, when the Venice Diplomatic Society was organizing the second edition of the Venice Universities’ Model United Nations (VeUMUN). It was necessary to provide the selected participants with an appropriate preparation in order to face the Model: a contently and formally all-around preparation. And we couldn’t find a more competent and kind teacher than Professor Ludbrook to deliver a lesson about debate during our workshop. Professor Ludbrook teaches English Language and Linguistics at the Ca’Foscari University of Venice, and some of us met her earlier at the English Language class of the Comparative International Relations Master’s Degree. What was the topic of the class? Learning how to debate, of course! Following the ‘Oxford style’ debate. Anaphors, tones, pauses, stresses, quotations; many strategies, diverse ways of expression: step-by-step she taught us (the staff included obviously) how to face a debate properly, how to hold a position – even completely different than our attitude or mind – and how to feel comfortable and self-confident while speaking in front of a crowd that possibly you’ve never met before. Such an engrossing and enriching lesson that we could only call her back to deliver a similar lesson (because it’s never the same) when the first meeting of the Debate Society took place on February 2018. Now that it’s time for another meeting of the debate society (on today, Thursday, Oct. 18th! And let’s take a look at the article we’ve published on Friday for further info), we definitely feel morally compulsory to interview Professor Ludbrook. Here is what she told us!

1. Why did you decide to begin a class about debating?

In English-speaking countries, there is a long tradition of debating in schools and universities. It is an excellent opportunity for students who have reached a high level of English proficiency to develop new language skills. Skills like building up a logical argument and justifying it with examples, statistics, quotes and analogies; presenting arguments in a concise and confident manner; learning to use strategic language to persuade your listeners. It involves both teamwork in preparing the debate and individual work in presenting your own argument. I think it really gets students thinking about both content and effective delivery. Especially when you have to argue a position or case that you don’t actually believe in!

2. The word you believe the most suitable to describe a debate.

Persuasion

3. In case you remember last year debate society – we know, much time has passed – is there any device or speech that got engraved in your mind?

I’m afraid I don’t remember any specific speaker or speech – but I am always very impressed by the high level of debating that you manage to reach.

4. Is there any public person in history – the first you think about now, apart from JFK, whose skills you always show – you feel the most endowed with debating ability? Anyone you believe so!

I think Barack Obama is one of the greatest orators of our times. If you analyse his speeches, he uses a whole series of rhetorical strategies to make his message as persuasive as possible: repetition (remember Yes We Can?) the Rule of Three, anaphora (repeating a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses), just to mention a few. He also has a very varied approach to delivery. He speeds up and slows down his speech to great effect, as well as making strategic use of pauses – not to mention his body language, which is amazingly communicative. I think we can all learn a lot from listening to his speeches, and watching him deliver them.

5. What’s the balance between rhetoric technique and truth? What do you think about those skilled speakers in politics trying to depict a made-up reality with fake news?

Hmmm. That’s a very interesting question. I think the only way to move beyond the persuasion of rhetoric is to develop critical listening skills. It is essential today not to confuse opinion and fact, and to be aware of our own preconceptions that can bias our thought. And I do think that the process of preparing a debate and arguing a given position is an excellent way of developing both critical listening and critical thinking.

Facts; awareness; critical thought: the three words to bear in mind when preparing for a debate. Confidence; communication: the two words to remember when the debate is developing. Enrichment: the first word we are supposed to think of after a debate. What we learnt thanks to Professor Ludbrook can be applied in every field, for every career path we will choose, in a myriad of situations of our own lives, always. She taught us a series of those soft skills every single employer, HR specialist or academic tutor talks about so often. Although all that has been said seems to belong to the ‘limited’ sector of diplomacy and international relations, for the very occasion to which it is associated, it is far from being so, because it’s a lifetime teaching. In the name of the Venice Diplomatic Society, thank you very much for your kindness, your patience, your commitment, Professor Ludbrook. And readers, stay tuned! Amazing updates coming soon. Recalling the super known Obama’s final White House correspondents’ dinner speech, there couldn’t be a more appropriate conclusion than VDS out.