Using Contemporary Examples

While historical examples provide depth and perspective, contemporary examples provide immediacy and relevance. Referencing recent events, ongoing policy debates, and current public discourse shows the examiner that you are an engaged, aware thinker — exactly the quality that law admissions tutors are looking for.

The challenge is that you cannot predict which topics will appear in Section B, and you cannot bring notes into the exam. This lesson teaches you how to stay current efficiently and how to deploy contemporary examples effectively in your essay.

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Why Contemporary Examples Matter

Reason	Explanation
Relevance	Current examples show that the issue you are discussing is not merely theoretical — it is happening now
Engagement	They demonstrate that you are intellectually curious and aware of the world beyond your studies
Specificity	Recent events provide concrete, specific evidence rather than vague generalities
Freshness	Examiners read hundreds of essays; current references stand out against recycled textbook examples

Key Point: A Section B essay that discusses a contemporary policy debate with specific references to recent events will almost always be more compelling than one that relies entirely on abstract reasoning or historical examples from centuries ago.

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How to Stay Current Efficiently

You do not need to become a news junkie. You need a sustainable, efficient system for maintaining awareness of the kinds of topics that appear in Section B.

The Core Habit: 15 Minutes a Day

Time	Activity	Source
5 minutes	Scan headlines and read 1–2 lead stories	BBC News, The Guardian, The Times
5 minutes	Read one opinion or editorial piece	Any quality newspaper's comment section
5 minutes	Note down one argument you agree with and one you disagree with	Your own notes (physical or digital)

Weekly Deep Dive: 30 Minutes

Once a week, spend 30 minutes on a deeper exploration:

• Read a long-form article on a policy debate (e.g., from The Economist, Prospect, or The New Statesman)
• Listen to a discussion programme (e.g., BBC Radio 4's The Moral Maze, Analysis, or The Briefing Room)
• Watch a documentary segment or panel discussion on a current issue

The Section B Topics to Watch

Section B questions tend to cluster around recurring themes. Focus your current affairs reading on these areas:

Theme	Examples of Current Debates
Technology and society	AI regulation, social media's impact on democracy, data privacy, algorithmic bias, facial recognition
Criminal justice	Prison reform, sentencing policy, policing methods, youth crime, rehabilitation vs punishment
Healthcare and bioethics	NHS funding, mental health provision, vaccination policy, genetic engineering, assisted dying
Education	University tuition, school curricula, academic freedom, vocational training, educational inequality
Environment	Net zero targets, carbon taxation, individual vs corporate responsibility, green energy transition
Democracy and governance	Voting reform, devolution, protest rights, media regulation, populism
Equality and discrimination	Racial justice, gender equality, disability rights, socioeconomic inequality, positive discrimination
International relations	Humanitarian intervention, trade policy, international law, refugee policy, global cooperation

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Building a Mental Bank of Contemporary Examples

The key to using contemporary examples under exam pressure is pre-preparation. You cannot look anything up during the test, so you need a mental bank of examples ready to deploy.

The Example Card Method

For each major topic area, prepare a mental "card" with:

1. The example — What happened? (One sentence)
2. The argument it supports — What does this show? (One sentence)
3. The counterargument it could face — What would someone on the other side say? (One sentence)

Example card — AI regulation:

1. The EU's AI Act (proposed 2021, adopted 2024) represents the world's first comprehensive legal framework for regulating artificial intelligence, classifying AI systems by risk level.
2. This demonstrates that it is possible to regulate emerging technologies without banning them outright — a proportionate, risk-based approach.
3. Critics argue that excessive regulation could stifle innovation and put European companies at a competitive disadvantage compared to less regulated markets.

Example card — Climate policy: