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
REGIONAL CASE SETS
2023-2024 | 2022-2023 | 2021-2022 | 2020-2021 | 2019-2020 | 2018-2019
2017-2018 | 2016-2017 | 2015-2016 | 2014-2015 | 2013-2014 | 2012-2013
National CASE SETS
2023-2024 | 2022-2023 | 2021-2022 | 2020-2021 | 2019-2020 | 2018-2019
2017-2018 | 2016-2017 | 2015-2016 | 2014-2015 | 2013-2014 | 2012-2013
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
Formula for Disaster
Shirley runs out of baby formula to feed her newborn and heads to the grocery store. After swiping her card at checkout, the distracted cashier tells her she is good to go. Later, when Shirley checks her bank account, she notices that the grocery store payment did not go through. However, after paying her utility bill upon returning home from the store, Shirley no longer has money to go back and pay for the formula. Is it morally wrong for Shirley to keep the formula? To what extent is one morally responsible for an act done in ignorance?
Familial Obligations
Amir immigrated to the United States from Lebanon, and has been living in Denver for just over 10 years. Due to working multiple low-wage jobs and medical issues in his family, Amir is poor. His extended family back in Lebanon, however, is much worse off, as his sister Yusra is a widow taking care of her 4 kids and their mother. Yusra had hoped that Amir’s move to America meant that he would be able to send financial support back to Yusra and their family in Lebanon. Amir is not in any situation to do this, but puts on the facade that he is wealthy so as to not disappoint his family.
Bearing Witness, Bringing Change, or Trauma Porn?
Many don't know the true reality of what goes on in American prison systems. Photographs give people from the outside a chance to see the horrific violence that actually occurs. Some say these photographs would encourage others to strive for social justice , or at least to bear witness to the harsh realities of jail. Others critize these images due to the potential mental harm they can cause, rendering them an attempt that causes more pain than good. Is there any moral value or benefit to outsiders viewing these images, or are the greusome photos too vulgar for mostly no other reason than negatively impacting the viewers' mind?
(Adopting) A Dog’s Purpose
Millions of animals are surrendered to shelters every year, many of whom are euthanized, and many of whom might have been kept by their families if affordable veterinary care were available. Frankie has always wanted to adopt a dog but doesn’t feel confident about having the time or money to properly care for a canine family member. Sam is the proud parent of Ellie, an adopted shelter dog. Sam doesn’t always have as much time to play with Ellie as they’d like but reasons Ellie is still better off bored living with Sam than she would be in a stressful shelter environment.
Haunted by Tinder
What values are at play when determining how we should interact with people we meet through online dating platforms? When, if ever, is ghosting someone on social media ever acceptable?
Racial and Ethnic Matching in Adoption
In recent years, several controversies have arisen over racial and ethnic matching between parents and children in adoptions. Despite the fact that laws often prohibit such racial and ethnic matching on the grounds that it is discriminatory, supporters of matching continue to argue that adopted children are better off when placed with parents from the same racial or ethnic background. What rights do would-be parents have when it comes to adopting children?
Man’s Search for Meaning
At the beginning of the second world war, Viktor Frankl was already one of the most eminent psychiatrists in Austria. By 1942, Austria was under control of the Nazis and Frankl, who was a Jew, was in immediate danger of deportation to a concentration camp. The American Consulate offered Frankl a visa to come to the US. There he could live safely and continue his important research. However, visas were not offered to his aging parents. What obligations do we have to our parents? What obligations do we have to our work if it affects others?
Best Man or Worst Man?
Bijan's best friend Mike is getting married. Bijan does not like his friend's fiancé and is unsure whether he should tell Mike about these feelings. If Bijan doesn't confront Mike, is he to blame for anything? What is the morally best way for Bijan to confront Mike if he chooses to? If Bijan shares his feelings, how should or could Mike feel about them?
Selecting for Deafness
A deaf couple decides to use preimplantation genetic diagnosis to select for a deaf child so they can be in a better position to parent the child. Is it morally wrong to select for a disability? Are they harming their child if the alternative is that embryo remains frozen?