IPRASE has been among the first non-academic entities to systematically and extensively promote and support the argumentative debate project called “A suon di parole” in the school system of its Province. This was done by proposing a format developed in the 2009/10 school year in collaboration with the Department of Law at the University of Trento to a network of schools and local institutions. This origin of the provincial debate has uniquely shaped its format, which is still in use and widely practiced among the schools. The central question addressed in this special issue of the journal starts from this consideration while also seeking to go beyond it. In fact, thanks to the long experience with debates—now nearly fifteen years—comprising numerous experiments, evaluations, and contributions from people in the education sector and civil society, IPRASE deemed it important to encourage a multiple and diversified critical reflection on the state of the art of debate. To achieve this goal, a fruitful collaboration was established with the National Society Debate Italy - APS, which plays a fundamental role in the national and international dissemination of debate, both theoretically and practically, as an educational and citizenship practice.
