"instigate controversy" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you are referring to the act of doing something to create an argument or debate. Example sentence: The politician sought to instigate controversy by publicly disagreeing with her opponent's policies.
If you can instigate controversy, if you can sell just a few more newspapers to a world that no longer wants them, all your sins will be forgiven".
"Long live making something out of nothing — if you can instigate controversy, if you can sell a few more newspapers to a world that no longer wants them, all your sins will be forgiven".
If you can instigate controversy, if you can sell just a few more newspapers to a world that no longer wants them, all your sins will be forgiven, especially the sin of having just contradicted yourself in that newspaper".
Such research produces conflicting results that instigate controversy.
Its selection instigated some public controversy and criticism relating both to characteristics of Pinter's work and to his politics.
Because of the controversy instigated by the comment, Avex released an apology stating that as a consolation, all promotion of Kingdom would cease.
John Boyega, whose casting instigated the black Stormtrooper controversy, is in many ways the moral conscious of the film, and it's great to see an awakening happen through the point of view of someone living in black skin.
The "rosiglitazone controversy" was instigated by a meta-analysis that showed a significant increase in the risk of myocardial infarction associated with the use of the thiazolidinedione drug rosiglitazone in patients with diabetes.
Guest's professed ignorance of even the most basic details of a "huge asset-stripping controversy in the 70s", instigated by someone he has met several times, exasperates his friend Toby, who gives up and says "you were probably doing Chaucer that week".
For many years the extraction decision has instigated much discussion and controversies, often linked to personal preferences than scientific criteria [3].
Justin can instigate, too.
