Defining “Contentious Topics”
Contentious topics are subjects that are likely to elicit strong or polarized views but are not necessarily contrary to reason, and which often cannot be resolved with available evidence and arguments. You might consider a topic ‘contentious’ when students have opposing values and perspectives, when the topic includes a particular sensitivity (e.g., political or religious), or when it relates to an event in the past, to a current issue, or future uncertainties (Yale Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning, 2015). Importantly, contentious topics are not solely academic in nature; they often reflect lived realities for both students and educators. Recognizing this connection is critical to fostering trauma-informed, inclusive learning environments where diverse experiences and perspectives are respected.
Examples of contentious topics include:
- Abortion and reproductive rights
- Generative Artificial Intelligence and the human workforce
- Humanitarian implications of the Israel-Gaza War
- Censorship and freedom of speech
- The death penalty or capital punishment
When approached thoughtfully, teaching contentious topics presents rich and impactful learning opportunities, fostering critical thinking, civic engagement, and the ability to navigate complex discussions with nuance and empathy. Facilitating students’ engagement with contentious topics can challenge them to question assumptions, articulate their reasoning, and engage meaningfully with diverse perspectives.
Class discussion is one of the most common methods used to engage students with contentious topics, but it is not the only teaching approach an educator may choose to take. Contentious topics can be taught and explored in a variety of ways, including through lectures, multimedia resources, assigned readings, student presentations, and more. Additionally, contentious issues may not always be raised by an educator; they can also emerge organically through student questions or comments. Because class discussions tend to evoke the most anxiety for educators—particularly when navigating strong emotions, divergent views, or unanticipated student contributions—much of the guidance provided in this module focuses on facilitating discussion as the primary method of engagement.
The Role of Values and Identity in Contentious Topics
Values shape how individuals interpret and engage with discussions, defining right and wrong and guiding personal beliefs (Macfarlane et al., 2016). Contentious topics, while often featuring reasoned arguments on multiple sides, frequently intersect with deeply held values. For instance, in debates over Generative AI replacing human workers, one side may argue that machines increase efficiency and productivity, while the opposing view highlights the threat to employment and economic stability. While both perspectives rely on logic and evidence, the discussion often escalates when it becomes rooted in values such as fairness, economic justice, or technological progress. These values are not abstract; they are often deeply intertwined with an individual’s identity, reflecting their social positioning, cultural background, and lived experiences.
When a topic elicits a clash of values, it often feels personal rather than intellectual, making compromise difficult. Discussions become especially polarized when complex issues are framed as existential battles between good and evil rather than debates over policy or competing perspectives. People may see themselves as defenders of virtue, viewing opposing perspectives as misguided or even harmful. In these cases, reconsidering one’s stance can feel like a moral surrender rather than an opportunity for learning, reinforcing rigid positions (Macfarlane et al., 2016). This is because our values are central to our sense of self; they shape our worldviews, our social affiliations, and our understanding of our place in the world.
Consider the abortion debate. For some, it’s a legal or medical issue, while for others, it’s a deeply moral or religious stance. Students with personal experiences may find the topic sensitive or triggering, and framing it solely in academic terms may overlook the emotional stakes. Here, the varying positionalities of the students, shaped by their personal histories, religious beliefs, and cultural upbringing, will influence how they perceive and engage with the issue.
For educators planning to teach contentious topics, recognizing these dynamics – including their own positionality – is crucial. To foster meaningful engagement, educators should openly acknowledge that values shape perspectives, including their own, and they are informed by underlying values, creating space for both intellectual reasoning and emotional responses while ensuring respectful and inclusive dialogue. This approach requires not only understanding how students’ identities and positionalities inform their values and responses but also reflecting on how the educator’s own standpoint can influence classroom dynamics and contribute to, or help mitigate, potential conflict.
Why Teach Contentious Topics?
While teaching contentious topics requires careful consideration and thoughtful planning to ensure student engagement is meaningful and productive, it also offers significant pedagogical benefits.
Engaging with controversial subjects allows students to improve argumentation and communication skills, both written and oral. Students can form and defend their positions, consider counterarguments, and refine their ability to present ideas persuasively. These experiences promote critical thinking, requiring students to evaluate evidence, recognize bias, and articulate complex ideas clearly. In turn, they build confidence in navigating disagreement and participating in informed, respectful dialogue—skills essential for academic, professional, and civic life.
Contentious topics push students beyond simplistic “yes” or “no” positions. While students may hold strong views about a topic, they must be attentive to the muddy and often messy areas where things are not always clear. Exposure to scholarly literature, multiple perspectives, and opportunities to construct and articulate their positions can help them develop appreciation for the complexity of issues and encourage them to come to a more comprehensive understanding of the world beyond the classroom.
When students engage with complex subjects, they have the opportunity to encounter a range of perspectives, experiences, and worldviews. This exposure can cultivate intellectual humility and appreciation for diversity of thought but also advances the academic mission. When framed critically, it can foster civil engagement and social responsibility, building a stronger sense of community in the classroom where students feel heard and respected, even when they disagree.
Challenges and Risks of Teaching Contentious Topics
Of course, while engaging with contentious topics presents valuable learning opportunities, it also introduces potential challenges and risks that educators must be prepared to navigate.
Engagement with contentious topics can sometimes lose momentum when students feel uncertain about expressing their views, leading to awkward silences or disengagement. According to DeTemple and Sarrouf (2017), these situations often occur when students make assumptions about others’ intentions or perspectives rather than seeking to understand them.
Without intentional structure and guidance, constructive dialogue can shift to full-on conflict where students engage in personal attacks rather than reasoned argumentation. This risk increases when there is a lack of classroom discussion guidelines or when the classroom climate does not feel psychologically safe. Approaches to lower this risk, including creating class guidelines and fostering a respectful and equitable learning environment are discussed on the Strategies tab.
Some students may already have firmly entrenched views and refuse to consider alternative perspectives when engaging with particular topics. When students only engage with perspectives that align with their own, class discussions risk becoming echo chambers rather than spaces for genuine intellectual engagement.
Some students may have personal experiences that make certain topics particularly sensitive, or triggering. Acknowledgement of systemic racism, gender-based and sexual violence, or geopolitical conflicts, for example, can evoke strong emotional responses, making it essential for educators to create a supportive learning environment and make students aware of supports available to them beyond the classroom.
Certain topics may disproportionately affect students from equity-deserving and intersecting identity groups, making them feel singled out, burdened with representing their entire community, or silenced. This risk increases when course content does not reflect multiple identities, and when prior class interactions have not actively sought out a range of voices.
Educators must also be mindful of how their own perspectives may influence the way they teach. If students perceive the educator as biased toward one side of an issue, they may feel hesitant to express dissenting views. This is particularly challenging when class topics have not been framed around multiple perspectives from the start.
To address these risks, educators can employ strategies such as co-creating clear guidelines for respectful dialogue with students, using evidence-based reasoning, providing content warnings, and creating a supportive classroom environment rooted in care that encourages a diversity of voices and ideas. More ideas are shared in the “Strategies” tab.
References
DeTemple, J., & Sarrouf, J. (2017). Disruption, dialogue, and swerve: Reflective structured dialogue in religious studies classrooms. Teaching Theology & Religion, 20(3), 283–292. https://doi.org/10.1111/teth.12398
Macfarlane, J., Manwaring, J., Zweibel, E., Daimsis, A., Kleefeld, J., & Pavlović, M. (2016). Dispute resolution: Readings and case studies (4th ed.). Emond Montgomery Publications.
Yale Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning. (Accessed 2025, July 14). Constructive conversations: Strategies for facilitating conversations on challenging topics. Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning. https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/teaching/teaching-resource-library/constructive-conversations.