Taking a stance on a current or long-debated topic such as the war in Iraq or the role that the United States plays and should play in attempting to insert democracy into other nations; these are examples of political issues which you can expound on in the body of your paper.
Whether you opt to write about literature from a particular region (Southern, African, European, etc.) be sure that the focus you settle on is something which provides enough prior research for you to draw professional opinions on, and yet a topic which has not been done so often that your professor will roll their eyes when they see your chosen topic. Next you will need to par down the scope of your topic. You can choose one or two specific books or a particular time frame to write about specifically.
Philosophy thesis papers lend themselves to a broad range of research and room for personal thoughts and argument. Because philosophy tends to be an abstract concept there is no right or wrong stance to have on any concept, as they are usually subjective. Obtaining the positions of scholars and established philosophers and professors will need to represent a large portion of your research. It is not enough to rely on your personal feelings, but these must be backed by the informed input of professionals.
Religion as a thesis can include a study or comparison of world religions or religious history. This topic can be expanded to cover religion in a specific culture, within a specific era in history, or the influence of religion on science. Religion and ethics is also a substantial topic.