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Controversial Argumentative Essay Topics

Published by at May 17th, 2022 , Revised On July 10, 2023

Argumentative essays are quite prevalent in university or college settings, particularly in the disciplines like General English, Gender studies, Political History of Science, Psychology, Social Science or History. Controversy is what drives argumentative essays. This article provides a list of highly controversial and interesting argumentative essay topics so you can grab the attention of your readers.

To compose a compelling argumentative essay, one needs as much controversy as one can endure. Controversial argumentative topics are often spawned based on inconsistent adherence to ethical principles and opposing conservative beliefs against traditional values. They may also be based on gender roles, gender differences, etc., confronting societal taboos, targeting sensitive social issues, or the existing polarized groups in society with different beliefs, such as atheists and many more topics. The teachers assign such essays to test how well you can argue and back up an argument.

Choosing an appropriate but controversial topic to start writing about is probably one of the most challenging parts of writing an argumentative essay. Below, we have provided many controversial argumentative essay topics to help you get started. The best ideas will pop into your mind when you look at various possibilities. Look at our list of controversial argumentative essay topics to see if one sparks your interest. Once you bump into the best possible issue, please note it down and spend a few minutes thinking about it.

Visit our essay topics library here.

Society Controversial Essay Topics

The society in which we live shapes us all. There are significant ongoing transitions that communities worldwide are experiencing and need to be addressed. Below is a list of socially controversial topics for argumentative essays:

  1. Is abortion a legal or unlawful procedure?
  2. Do you believe a terminally sick person has the right to assisted suicide?
  3. Should private companies be permitted to discriminate against their customers based on race, gender, or sexual orientation?
  4. What actions should governments take to address the issue of illegal immigration?
  5. Should the Church be more involved in politics and society?
  6. Is the death penalty an effective crime deterrent?
  7. Is it necessary for countries to create a social safety net that protects the poor and disadvantaged?
  8. Do you believe that assistance recipients should be obliged to actively seek work?
  9. What are the benefits and drawbacks of globalization for societies?

Also check: Education Argumentative Essay Topics

Ethics Controversial Essay Topics

Ethics is all about the struggle to make the right decisions based on the moral imperatives of the world. Ethics controversial argumentative essays discuss controversial issues, where the two opposing points of view, at first sight, seem logical and animated with strong morals. Here are some ideas for argumentative essays on ethically contentious issues:

  1. Do you think a priest or a psychotherapist should be legally obligated to discuss the details of their interactions with parishioners and patients with the police?
  2. Is it moral for a doctor to refuse treatment to a patient who cannot afford surgery?
  3. Is it ethical for a college to adopt racial quotas that favour minorities while excluding intellectually talented white and Asian students?
  4. Should a person be able to defend his home with a gun against an intruder?
  5. Should the First Amendment protect speech that some people might find offensive?
  6. Is it ethical to mandate that sex offenders have their names placed on public registries?
  7. Is it morally appropriate to tell someone a white lie if the truth might damage their feelings?
  8. Should prostitution be considered a legal profession?
  9. Do you believe narcotics use should be made legal?
  10. Should hunting be deemed cruelty?

Also Read: Argumentative Business Essay Topics 

History Controversial Argumentative Essay Topics

History, as we know, is the collective memory of historical events, transformations, socio-cultural historical alterations, etc. Many historical events in the recent past have contributed significantly to our understanding of contemporary international and domestic actions and dynamics. The formation of legislation to govern a state and the emergence of capitalism, money, the institutions and constitutions of the state are key events. We have taken some topics from such events for your better guidance. Take a look at the following topics:

  1. Whether colonization was a good move or a detriment to the Third World?
  2. Did Adolf Hitler make the right decision when he demanded that Germany reclaim territories that had previously belonged to it?
  3. Should Abraham Lincoln have allowed the Southern states to secede from the Union peacefully?
  4. Do you think the United States was justified in expelling Native Americans from areas whites had settled?
  5. Was it righteous for the Soviet Union to invade Eastern Europe at the end of World War II?

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Psychology Controversial Argumentative Essay Topics

Being a psychology student requires researching and developing interesting topics relevant to the field. Learners will be expected to employ their research, knowledge, and organizational skills to produce essays that include plausible evidence to support their ideas.

  1. How is homosexuality a psychiatric disorder? What kind of negativity embraces this concept?
  2. How can divorce have a positive impact on children? Where is the best place to look for them?
  3. Is it ethical to give children cognition-enhancing drugs?
  4. What is the long-term impact of corporal punishment in schools on students?
  5. What is the cause of mental health stigma?
  6. What is the impact of sex education on young people?
  7. Does religious discrimination against women have negative consequences?
  8. Why are certain professions stereotyped?
  9. Why do women appear so frequently in music and song lyrics?
  10. Should parents keep an eye on and limit their children’s online activities?

Also check: Mental Health Essay Topic Examples

Health Care Controversial Argumentative Essay Topics

Health topics can be very diverse. So let’s take a look at some of the most interesting healthcare controversial argumentative essay topic ideas.

  1. Should alternative healthcare options be included in national healthcare plans?
  2. Is womb transplantation a viable surrogacy alternative?
  3. Are there any inequities in the healthcare system in the United States?
  4. Is it prudent for the government to provide free healthcare to the impoverished and homeless?
  5. Obesity is a mental and physical condition.
  6. Should the uninsured get medical attention?
  7. Should a patient who has been declared brain dead be kept on life support?
  8. Does genetics determine a human’s lifespan? Justify your position.
  9. Is it possible to eat a vegan diet and be healthy?
  10. Should we hope for a world without diabetes?
  11. Would the world be a better place if everyone had access to healthcare?
  12. Why some governments are mandating childhood vaccinations.
  13. Do you think individuals afflicted with STDs, such as AIDS, be forced to live in isolation?
  14. What steps is the US considering to handle an elderly population?
  15. What impact do 21st-century social conditions have on people’s health?

Read: Research Essay Topics 

Educational Controversial Essay Topics

Here are some ideas for argumentative essay topics about education:

  1. Are electronic gadgets appropriate to be permitted in the classroom?
  2. Have standardized test results become the determining factor in whether or not a student is eligible to get the degree?
  3. Should teachers be credited for the progress they make and rewarded for their performance in the classroom?
  4. Should written tests carry most of the weight in grading, or should class participation be considered?
  5. Should students have the opportunity to take a course in school about their religion?
  6. Should communities or the state decide the curriculum in public schools?
  7. How many students should be allowed in a class in elementary school?
  8. Should a student’s progress be primarily the responsibility of a class teacher?
  9. The COVID-19 epidemic has ushered in the age of distance learning.
  10. What are the pros and cons of traditional education?
  11. How can a balance be struck between freedom of expression and rules on campus?
  12. Should sports be included in the budget, or should students foot the bill?
  13. Shall computers be part of students” mandatory study kits?
  14. Would it be better to have a teacher-centered or a student-centred educational setup?
  15. Do you think children with special needs should be kept separate from other normal students?

Highly Engaging & Controversial Essay Topics

  1. Everyone ought to be obligated to learn basic first aid.
  2. Colleges should offer free online courses for anyone interested.
  3. Homework should be voluntary.
  4. Women must be given more rights than men.
  5. Work hours should be flexible for every job.
  6. Animal testing is against the law.
  7. The biggest threat to our environment is mass consumption.
  8. Is it necessary to replace aeroplanes with more efficient vehicles?
  9. Introverts who work freelance or part-time perform better.
  10. Citizens in the most affected areas should be required to take an HIV test.
  11. The names of their offspring are not given to them by their parents.
  12. The institution of marriage is a historical relic.
  13. Every student should volunteer for a year.
  14. We need to raise LGBTQ awareness among the elderly.
  15. The government should take gun control more seriously. Euthanasia’s ethical implications.
  16. Journalism censorship and its ramifications
  17. Homelessness has no place in the twenty-first century’s world.
  18. The legal drinking age should begin at the age of eighteen.
  19. Controversial themes enhance teens” inventiveness and bargaining abilities.
  20. There are several reasons to oppose illegal immigration.
  21. Issues with corruption and how to combat them
  22. Government intervention is required to combat cyberbullying.
  23. Gambling harms our lives and should be prohibited.
  24. Global warming is exaggerated.
  25. Should transgender be a part of the government?
  26. Social Media is responsible for promoting inferiority or superiority complex in the youth.

Here are some Informative Essay Topics for you to consider.

Funniest Controversial Essay Topics

Studying and learning is sometimes fun activity. Choosing intriguing yet fun topics will liven up the classroom and provide some laughs. Here are some suggestions to consider before you decide on a topic for your next essay;

  1. What is the fascination behind watching funny cat videos?
  2. Why people are increasingly keen on funny pranks.
  3. If dogs ruled the world, it would be a very different place.
  4. What is it about clowns that makes them so scary?
  5. Pretending to work: Is that a good thing or a terrible thing?
  6. Teens get paid the least for the least desirable jobs.
  7. Should transgender be allowed in the government?
  8. Is it worth it to piss off your parents?

Argumentative essay titles have to be inventive and distinctive. Choosing something that others may have eschewed is your golden opportunity to distinguish yourself from the rest of the audience. If the risk is fairly calculated, do not be reluctant to take it. Generic topics are bland and won’t deliver the underlying idea you’re aiming to share with your audience. However, if you choose a unique and controversial topic, make sure you have enough information to back it up. Include enough evidence to support all sides of the debate.
Just because you believe in something doesn’t mean it’s worth including in your text. It’s important to back up your arguments with enough evidence to support your point. Take the time necessary to do a thorough investigation to provide sufficient evidence to support your point of view and the opposing point of view. This shows that you have gone to great lengths to support your claim with credible evidence. Best of Luck!

Points to Remember

  • Ensure that your topic is not too broad or too narrow. Pick a topic that can be argued, preferably one that interests, baffles or excites you. Draft a list of your arguments. Specifically, what is your objective? The point you are trying to prove, be it an opinion, a viewpoint or an underlying idea? Before starting to write, you ought to have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish.
  • Your essay has to be written for a certain audience. So who are the readers of your essay? Are they a specific group – uninvolved bystanders, opponents of your point of view, etc.? Perhaps you are addressing your peers with your writing. Approach your lecturer to determine who your target audience should be. If you are unsure who your target audience is, address your arguments to everyone.
  • Powerful essays present arguments that are supported by facts. The main arguments that support your claim or argument are called rationales. They are often answers to the question: “How do you derive this argument” For brevity, reasons can also be referred to as” because-phrase”. Underpin your arguments with adequate facts to support your justifications and make your arguments effective.
  • Like any other essay, it is recommended to revise your argumentative essay a couple of times. Remember to cover the following points in your essay; “Give plenty of facts, which are presented fairly and factually, and be responsive to your opponent’s point of view. Pay extra attention to the way your essay is structured. Make sure the format is appropriate to your topic and audience. Include appropriate segues that help the reader follow your argument and identify and correct logical errors.”
  • Once you have completed a well-written draft, take off the writer’s hat and replace it with the audience. Proofread your essay attentively and rigorously. To get comments on your essay, share a draft with your friends. Carefully revise your work based on your classmates” evaluation and feedback. Afterwards, you are all set to hand in your essay.

Frequently Asked Questions

To write a controversial argumentative essay, choose a contentious topic, present multiple perspectives, provide strong evidence, acknowledge counterarguments, and maintain a respectful tone throughout.

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