CASE Library
Explore The Issues that Matter.
We excitedly invite you to browse, search, and explore our newly redesigned library of over 300 case studies which render some of the most complex and controversial moral and political issues of our time. These cases were formerly used for official NHSEB competitions at the Regional, Divisional, and National Championship levels. They are freely available for public use under Creative Commons licenses.
The NHSEB Case Library is an excellent tool for competitive preparation, internal or intramural competition, or beyond the context of the Ethics Bowl activity completely—as a classroom resource for Grades 9-12 and beyond.
Featured Cases
NAVIGATING THE LIBRARY
NHSEB’s Case Library is now fully browsable by individual case, or by Case Set—using the filters below. Or, if you already know a bit about what you’re looking for, the entire library of over 300 Ethics Bowl cases is newly indexed, referenced, and searchable by title, topic, keyword, year, and category. Each individual case entry contains the full text of the case and discussion questions as they originally appeared for competitive use, all references assembled in hyperlinked footnotes, and additional contextual resources curated by NHSEB HQ.
CASE SET COLLECTION
FIND AN ETHICS BOWL CASE
ATTRIBUTION AND CITATION
All National High School Ethics Bowl cases are the intellectual property of the Parr Center for Ethics, and all are freely available for public use under Creative Commons licenses once retired from use in NHSEB competitions. This library represents thousands of hours of work from our Contributing Authors, Editors, and others. Please do not reproduce NHSEB cases or sets—in part or in whole—without attribution, or modify the text of individual cases or sets. If you reproduce or make reference to NHSEB cases from this library (e.g., in classroom materials, academic papers, etc.), please attribute and/or cite those materials:
National High School Ethics Bowl (Ed.), <YEAR>. “<Case Title>.” National High School Ethics Bowl Case Library. UNC Parr Center for Ethics: Chapel Hill, NC. http://nhseb.org/case-library
Browse The Library
Foreign Activists
In 2018 Ireland held an abortion referendum. Pro-life advocates from America travelled all the way there to convince the people of Ireland to vote pro-life. Lots of critics have a problem with foreign\outside opinions and tactics being pushed on another country, especially when these Americans don't know much about Ireland values and culture. Others quote MLK in the sense that "An injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Do outsiders have a right to interfere with other countries civil endeavors? Is there a line between the ones they should be allowed to and the ones they shouldn't?
In Pursuit of the Perfect Child
Advancements in reproductive and genetic technologies have opened up numerous possibilities for the way we have children as well as which children we decide to have. Some people criticize prenatal testing—especially when it is used to determine whether or not to terminate a pregnancy—as an unnatural attempt to influence the genetics of the human race. Other defenders of current practices argue that there is nothing wrong with wanting to have the healthiest child possible—especially given that genetic disorders can sometimes create significant personal and financial costs for families and that many families do not feel like they are in a position to take on these additional costs.
Donor Babies
When, if ever, is it morally permissible to bring a child into existence so they can donate tissue to somebody else? Does this cheapen the perceived value of human life, even if they are loved as much as other babies?
The Last Abortion Clinic
There is only one abortion clinic left in Mississippi due to state laws regulating clinics and pro-life groups that intimidate patients at clinics. If it closes, it will become impossible for many women to exercise their legal right to abortion. Is it permissible for government funding to cover abortion procedures?
Forced Fatherhood
Some men feel that they should not have to pay child support for unwanted children. Is it ethical for men to be held financially responsible for children they did not want while women have the ability to get an abortion? How should gender inequalities affect the issue of forced fatherhood?