The Cambridge Union Society was founded in 1815, making it the oldest continuously running debating society in the world
Highly regarded scholar continues to provide insight through her speaking engagements, and numerous books tackling topics of cultural import.
Oxford, UK – (November 7, 2025) – Esteemed political scientist and public commentator Dr. Carol Swain achieved a decisive win on October 16, at the Cambridge Union, the oldest debating society in the world.
Facing a live chamber of students, scholars and media, Dr. Swain and her team represented the opposition team on the motion: “This House Believes Black Lives Matter’s Intentions Were More Important Than Its Methods. A full-house audience and subsequent floor vote affirmed the opposition’s position.The subject is key the recent United States Department of Justice probe into the fraud allegations of BLM.
Countering the motion that BLM’s intentions mattered more than the organization’s actions, Swain stated that “good intentions are meaningless without effective-- principled methods to achieve them.. BLM’s stated an intention to end systemic racism and police brutality…but its methods contradicted these aims."
In delivering the closing arguments for the opponents, she framed her key themes of personal agency, free speech, and the unintended consequences of activist movements. Her argumentation referenced rigorous academic research, historical precedent and contemporary cultural dynamics.
Earlier this year, Charlie Kirk debated the students at formidable debate society on specifics pertaining to human rights.
Below are some key points in her debate:
She argued that “Black Lives Matter,” is a true statement about the value of Black human life. However, BLM, the organization was a different entity that was not morally equivalent. In addition, she cited legal proceedings, autopsies, social science data and surveys to show that BLM was not an organization that should be lauded.
Her closing remarks resonated:
“Intentions without sound methods and vision are the pathway to ruination. As we move forward as people of goodwill, let us judge social movements by their methods, not just their lofty aspirations.”
This victory positions Dr. Swain at the forefront of contemporary cultural and academic discourse. Media and academic stakeholders will be scrutinizing how her intervention at Oxford reshapes the conversation around free speech, activism and generational cultural change. Moreover, her performance underscores the continuing global relevance of robust debate and viewpoint plurality in higher education.
About Dr. Carol Swain
Carol M. Swain is an accomplished scholar, author, and commentator whose work spans race relations, immigration policy, higher education, and religion and politics. Holding a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an M.S.L. from Yale, Dr. Swain earned early tenure at Princeton and full professorship at Vanderbilt where she was professor of political science and a professor of law.
Media Availability
Dr. Swain is available for interviews, podcasts, broadcast commentary and panel discussions. A full-length video of the Cambridge Union debate is available for download or embeddable broadcast.
Media Contact:
Jules Wortman
jwortman@wortmanworks.com
(615) 260-9985