Student EditionPublic Forum · November/December 2026 topic

The PF Topic Digest

Twelve real stories behind this season's Public Forum topic, about a minute each. Read the short version, see how Pro and Con can use it, then study for the PF Topic Bowl. Everything here comes from real reporting.

The resolution

Resolved: European members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization should ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

In plain words: should the European countries in NATO join the treaty that bans nuclear weapons? NATO has 32 members. Leave out the United States and Canada and 30 European members remain, including France and the UK, which have their own nuclear weapons.

Pro arguesJoining builds a stronger norm against nuclear weapons, lowers the risk of nuclear war and fills the gap left by failing arms control.

Con arguesJoining weakens deterrence against Russia, splits NATO, and disarms only democracies while nuclear powers stay outside.

The stories

Tap any story to jump to it

Key terms

Know these cold before cross-ex

Study Zone: PF Topic Bowl prep

Names, places and numbers win tossups

TossupsBuzz on your own, with no help. Right answers score 10. Buzz early and right for 15.

CarefulA wrong buzz before the question ends costs 5. If you're not sure, let it finish.

BonusesWin a tossup and your team gets 3 bonus questions to answer together, 10 points each.

Wager & LightningBet your points on one question, then race through a category. No clocks, so no rush.

Flash cards

Every PF Topic Bowl question comes from this page: the stories, their fact files and the key terms. Read the clue and say the answer out loud, then tap the card to check. Mark what you knew. Cards you miss come back around.

Self-check quiz

Ten questions to see what stuck. Pick an answer to see if you're right. Nothing is graded.