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Debsoc is Exeter's oldest and most talked about society. With one of the largest memberships on campus, we're definitely part of that Exeter Experience. The society was established in 1893 and has been visited by prime ministers, celebrities and experts in varying fields. Our life members include Stephen Fry, Michael Parkinson and Tony Robinson.
DebSoc might be the oldest society at the university, but that doesn't mean we're stuck in the past. The society hosts a Big Friday Debate every single week, and as you probably guessed - on a Friday. Last year (2007) we played host to Fathers 4 Justice, just weeks after they were accused of a kidnap plot. Another highlight included Jeremy Vine, the Radio 2 presenter and new face of BBC Election coverage. Vine visited DebSoc to defend Parliament against demolition, and won. But if you join DebSoc, you don't just pay to listen. Our Friday debates more often or not include student speakers, just like you. And if you don't think your ready to talk in front of a hundred people just yet - we can help. Another function of DebSoc is teaching students like yourself the inner workings of debating and how to do it well. Monday nights are workshop nights. Here you'll find a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. We hold workshops weekly to give you a chance to build up your confidence, get you speaking on your feet, get you arguing about something you might not have a clue about.because that's what it's all about! But that's not all. DebSoc are not just high profile on campus, we're high profile all over the UK. We often send teams up and down the country to debate competitively at other universities at competitions known as Intervarsity Tournaments, or IV's. DebSoc visited Oxford, Bath and LSE last year to name a few - and you can go too. To round out DebSoc, in early 2008 we re-established the long-missed Exeter IV as a part of the annual events at DebSoc, bringing 16 teams from around the country to Exeter to compete - we hope to build on this success year-on-year. |