2017-18 topic Options

[Guest_ridgepoint_acdec_*]

I know this web site has had prediction for next year's topic type of threads these last few years but didn't see one yet for next year. I guess the new topic gets released again by USAD on March 1 (just a few days after our 2016-17 AcDec season ends at the Texas State Meet!) Any guesses from the experts on the topic or direction USAD will pick for next year?

[Guest_Peter Cao_*]

For the past few years, there's been a pattern of the topic being a history/event topic, followed by an idea type topic, and finally a country/location topic. We've just had our history with WWII, so we should be prepared for a big idea topic. Technology or civil rights maybe?

[Guest_nil_*]

A few years ago when the poll was done regarding what themes people would be interested in, here were the top 6 results not yet seen:
The 1960s
The Crusades
The Medieval World
The American Revolution
The Civil Rights Movement
The Islamic World

[stanleytree]

They've done the historical/concept/event cycle only once, and it feels like they tried to do something new with the energy year and then fazed out that idea almost immediately. I think they go back to the event-history cycle. I do not think it will be the Islamic World for political reasons, I could see the Middle Ages but this year was already so Euro-Centric. I think Heian/Medieval Japan with The Tale of Genji would be cool.

[Guest_Dave C_*]

I'm glad someone finally posted a topic where we can speculate. Remember last year how they posted an order form that had a military font on it? That was a nice clue, and we had it very early...the first time it was mentioned here was Feb 3. So I've been watching the USAD website all month, but obviously there's nothing. I assume last year's teaser was a mistake that won't happen again.

As always, I'm pulling for either the Middle Ages or Middle East. They have to do one of them at some point, right?

[Lab]

Ive only been around for 3 years. But it seems like it's a country every other year. I feel like Brazil has a good chance since the last countries (I think) have been China, Russia, India... and Brazil would be the last of the BRIC countires. BRIC is the "newly advanced economic development countries". I don't really know how USAD picks topics but that's seems like the next in line. Probably wrong, but excited nonetheless.

This post has been edited by LAB: Feb 22 2017, 05:54 AM

[Lab]

I'm glad someone finally posted a topic where we can speculate. Remember last year how they posted an order form that had a military font on it? That was a nice clue, and we had it very early...the first time it was mentioned here was Feb 3. So I've been watching the USAD website all month, but obviously there's nothing. I assume last year's teaser was a mistake that won't happen again.

As always, I'm pulling for either the Middle Ages or Middle East. They have to do one of them at some point, right?

Although the Middle Ages would be really exciting too!

[stanleytree]

I just do not think the Middle East will happen, especially with the climate in our country about the Middle East. It would almost feel political if they did choose it. Brazil as a BRIC country is interesting

[Guest_Dave C_*]

I just do not think the Middle East will happen, especially with the climate in our country about the Middle East. It would almost feel political if they did choose it. Brazil as a BRIC country is interesting

I absolutely agree...it's too controversial right now. So I doubt it will happen soon, but I hope it can happen eventually.

[Guest_Phil Cerami_*]

I don't think there's really a pattern. There seem to be three major categories:

Global/Cultural (India, Latin America, Russia)
European (French Revolution, Age of Empire, World War I, World War II)
American/Issues (Great Depression, Alternative Energy)

My rule with this is "you're usually wrong."

That said, my guess for next year's theme is an American-centric one, and my pick is "The Industrial Revolution"

[Guest_ridgepoint_acdec_*]

I don't think there's really a pattern. There seem to be three major categories:

Global/Cultural (India, Latin America, Russia)
European (French Revolution, Age of Empire, World War I, World War II)
American/Issues (Great Depression, Alternative Energy)

My rule with this is "you're usually wrong."

That said, my guess for next year's theme is an American-centric one, and my pick is "The Industrial Revolution"

I like the reasoning behind this prediction and would love an American-centric topic (although perhaps one better implemented than alternative energy). The other trend we've seen a few times in recent years is anniversaries (100 years after its start USAD picks WW I, 75 years after Pearl Harbor USAD picks WW II) so how about the 1960s as a topic, but perhaps even with an emphasis on 1968? A half-century of American change since 1968 would be an awesome topic with great tie-ins to history, art, music, science of space travel and literature. I haven't read it, but House Made of Dawn, a novel that is credited with ushering in Native American literature, won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for books published in 1968, and sounds like the kind of novel USAD enjoys selecting. So that would be a way to get a topic others have predicted (1960s) with a little more focus than an entire decade.

[zzzptm]

Delaware and podiatry.

2017-2018 will be the year of Delaware and podiatry, and I will be vindicated.

[stanleytree]

I don't think there's really a pattern. There seem to be three major categories:

Global/Cultural (India, Latin America, Russia)
European (French Revolution, Age of Empire, World War I, World War II)
American/Issues (Great Depression, Alternative Energy)

My rule with this is "you're usually wrong."

That said, my guess for next year's theme is an American-centric one, and my pick is "The Industrial Revolution"

I never expect to be right about these things. Industrial Revolution would be good. Mannnnn what if we just did the Agricultural Revolution?!

[zzzptm]

How about...

Australia for social studies... and toxicology for science!

[Guest_Allan21996_*]

I've just always wanted them to follow a person as a theme. I think Shakespeare would just be a dope theme.

[Guest_fyzics_*]

Just for fun, I emailed Terry over at USAD to ask if they were going to post the new topic on March 1st and she said yes.

I was curious because there is no indication on the website that they are planning to release in two days. I'm not even talking about the slip-up of last year, where we could see the military-like font for WW2. I'm just talking about some kind of notice that hey, your life as you know it will change in 48 hours....

But it looks like they're on regular schedule again this year. Yay!

[stanleytree]

I've just always wanted them to follow a person as a theme. I think Shakespeare would just be a dope theme.

I totally agree except for Shakespeare since he was part of the Renaissance year I believe. What about travelers- Ibn Battuta, Marco Polo, Xuanzang or Zheng He- as the theme? What about a Tudor/Windsor dynasty? Otto von Bismarck, Mansa Musa, Nelson Mandela, Simon Bolivar would all be cool. I just don't know if that portends itself to a unified set of resources which is what pissed people off about the energy year (so freaking bad)

[Guest_Nixon_*]

Japan
Fall of the Roman Empire
Italy
The 1980's
Futurism/Neo-Futurism

Too soon after WWII for the Cold War, I would imagine.

This post has been edited by Nixon: Feb 27 2017, 10:18 PM

[Guest_Getlucky Inkentucky_*]

The Islamic World.

[Guest_BagelTheOverlord_*]

My guess is "Peace"
-Follows the (possibly imaginary) pattern of Event-Place-Idea
-Works perfectly for every subject except Science (though I'm sure they'd find a way)
-It's relevant to the present political climate without being partisan