Battles in Print & Culture Wars
Battles in Print are specially-commissioned essays that explore topics being discussed at the Battle of Ideas, serving as introductions to the debate and encouraging further reflection. Battles in Print take a variety of forms, from short provocation essays to longer think pieces and interviews, and are available both online and in print at the festival itself. They are complemented by themed book reviews on Culture Wars, the Academy of Ideas' online review.
Editor: Sarah Boyes
Select a theme on the left to see related Battles in Print from the archive. You can also narrow your selection by selecting a year below and clicking Go! Or return to the overall index
Remaking citizens for the ‘Big Society’, Kathryn Ecclestone
Not classless, but class stasis, Neil Davenport
Trust in an age of cynicism, Dave Clements
Deshistoricising the Holocaust: remembrance and the abandonment of history , Dr Jean-Marc Dreyfus
Are we all cooperative now?, Rob Killick
What does it mean to be a liberal? An interview with Frank Furedi, Frank Furedi, interviewed by Sarah Boyes
West versus East: the dangers of premature extrapolation, Bill Durodié
Questioning the carnivalesque , Ashley Frawley
Refocusing remembrance , Ted Harrison
Rethinking welfare, Dave Clements
Towards a more profitable discussion about production, Angus Kennedy
A Journeying Perspective, Jack Tan
Rethinking therapy culture, Kathryn Ecclestone
The Truth? - you must be making it up!, Sarah Boyes
Lead on, Macduff: McLeadership and the real thing, Dolan Cummings
Whose culture is it anyway?, Sarah Boyes
Capitalism, the financial crisis, and us, Dolan Cummings
Radicalism then and now: what’s changed since 1968?, Maria Grasso
Down with cant: up with rhetoric!, Angus Kennedy
Identity politics: undermining democracy?, Munira Mirza
Can philosophy change your life?, James Gledhill
What next for the EU?, Chris Bickerton
The End of Left and Right, George Hoare
The Gates of Eden are rusting!, Don Eales
The resurrection of religion: Moving beyond secularism or losing faith in politics?, François Houtart interviewed by Alex Hochuli
The quest for certainty and the question of autonomy, Stratos Ramoglou
Post Ideology: the moralising of society and the politics of behaviour, Russell Jacoby interviewed by Maria Grasso
Democracy and its discontents, Peter Mair interviewed by Maria Grasso
Engaging the youth: Am I bovvered?, Charlie Winstanley
Post Ideology: New Labour and the politics of behaviour , Emily Turnbull and Michael Blomfield
Nature's revenge?, Joe Kaplsinsky
Who are we in the 21st century?, Suzy Dean
Postmodern Europe: the silent revolution, Marc Glendening
Money is not the root of all evil, Patrick Hayes
What's up with student politics?, Rob Walsh
Is the rise of religion and faith-based politics a problem?, Martin Summers
Clash of Civilisations or Cultural Crisis?, Bill Durodié
The rise and rise of human rights – an unalloyed good?, James Gledhill
The Happiness Trap: promoting well-being or lowering horizons?, Lotte Meteyard
The Battle for History: national narratives versus personal memories, Chris Bickerton
The Battle for Affluence, Stuart Simpson
Barriers to Science
"This is an event where I feel that I can say exactly what I think - which is an extremely rare situation these days."
Geoff Dench, Senior fellow, Young Foundation