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

2022-2023 National Case Set Katie Leonard 2022-2023 National Case Set Katie Leonard

A Random Sample?

In randomized controlled trials (RTCs), one group receives an intervention, while another does not. In a social science research RTC, for over twelve years, non-profit GiveDirectly issued direct cash transfers of $22 per month to randomly selected adults in a Kenyan village to test direct cash transfers' effectiveness in poverty alleviation. Some suggest RTCs like GiveDirectly's are exploitative, rendering human beings as experimental subjects. Others suggest benefitting only a portion of the population might provoke tension within the community. Are random selection effects inherently unfair?

Read More

Universal Basic Income

Universal basic income or UBI is a guaranteed stipend provided by the state to its people. Ex-presidential candidate Andrew Yang wanted to provide citizens a monthly 1k. Supporters say that this would give the people a safety net when considering and taking financial risk, as well as pursuing their personal goals without worrying about poverty. Others argue this by saying that providing income to those who don't put enough into earning it is unfair to the ones that do, since indirectly these are the people who would be funding the UBI. Should the UBI have more specific terms on who receives it? Is this unfair to those who work hard for their financial success?

Read More
2018-2019 National Case Set Katie Leonard 2018-2019 National Case Set Katie Leonard

Desk Rent

There is an emerging trend in primary and secondary education to teach financial literacy to students by structuring the classroom as a “simulated microeconomy.” Parents and teachers alike have praised the program for making the process of learning about financial responsibility fun for the students, and for teaching important life skills and values organically—the background—of their everyday class activities. However, one might worry that this program will merely recreate in the classroom the oppressive class structures that already cause so much trouble in the wider society.

Read More
2017-2018 National Case Set Katie Leonard 2017-2018 National Case Set Katie Leonard

Oh, SNAP!

SNAP provides US citizens who have very little or no income with assistance covering food costs. Some have advocated reforming the SNAP program so that it cannot be used to purchase unhealthy foods, such as soda. Soda is not necessary and it may increase public health costs. However, others argue that SNAP beneficiaries ought to retain their autonomy in food choices.

Read More
2016-2017 National Case Set Katie Leonard 2016-2017 National Case Set Katie Leonard

Tip of the Iceberg

The only way for Erica, a waiter and primary bread-winner, to make ends meet for her family is to not report her tips as income to the IRS. Is stealing justified in this situation? Are we less morally responsible for lying, cheating, or stealing if our economic circumstances coerce us into doing so?

Read More
2012-2013 National Case Set Katie Leonard 2012-2013 National Case Set Katie Leonard

Eminent Domain

An affordable-housing complex that houses 1000 low-income residents has safety and structural problems. It was purchased by a company that turns it into a luxury apartment building and raises rent. The town mayor stated he wanted to use eminent domain to take the property and convert it to public housing, which the company claims is an abuse of power.

Read More