Emotive Speech Topics

Social issues offer a plethora of hotly contested topics. Abortion, affirmative action, birth control, assisted suicide and stem cell research are issues facing scrutiny in the news. Other provocative topics categorized under social issues include freedom of speech and pornography, gender identity, the effects of advertising on children and animal rights. Look to news articles for support of whatever position you take on issues in this category, as they are often visited in the media.

Domestic issues are at the helm of many evocative debates. Marriage, children and family life are experiences all can relate to either directly or indirectly and as such, it is one that few lack an opinion on. Gay marriage, the adoption of children by gay couples, bigamy, surrogate mothers, teen parents, China’s one child policy, and the issue of working mothers, are all topics with the potential to be emotive and therefore, divisive. Look to social work, psychology and sociology journals for relevant data to support your arguments on these topics.

Law and law enforcement is another subject with several hot button issues. The rights of prisoners is a divisive and inflammatory issue, as is illegal immigration, the deportation of illegal immigrants and capital punishment. Other passion-provoking issues include the legalization of drugs, gun control and the right to bear arms, and welfare fraud. Journals on criminology or sociology and news articles will provide plenty of data for the formulation of a speech.

For some, there is no justification for war. For others, it is a means to an end. These opinions, prevalent in all walks of life, make war in and of itself an issue. Other topics in this category include gays in the military, women in the military, the military budget, the justifications or lack thereof for war, the war on terrorism, nuclear proliferation and disarmament. News articles and a visit to the U.S. Department of Defense site, which has its own media outlet, will provide relevant, useful data.