Reading for Battle
Battle Readings is a regularly updated compilation of articles, essays, and opinion pieces relevant to the themes of the Battle of Ideas.
Choose a theme from the listing on the left to narrow your search, or view all readings.
Arts & Culture
The best we can hope for is tolerance
John Gray, Britain’s foremost political philosopher, says that Ruth Kelly’s new campaign against Islamic extremism is doomed because it exaggerates the scope for cohesion in our fragmented modern world
John Gray, Spectator, 14 February 2007
John Gray, Britain’s foremost political philosopher, says that Ruth Kelly’s new campaign against Islamic extremism is doomed because it exaggerates the scope for cohesion in our fragmented modern world
John Gray, Spectator, 14 February 2007
Cultural Diplomacy
As identity politics exert an increasing influence on domestic and international exchanges, culture is therefore a critical forum for negotiation and a medium of exchange in finding shared solutions.
John Holden, Rachel Briggs, Samuel Jones, Kirsten Bound, Demos, February 2007
As identity politics exert an increasing influence on domestic and international exchanges, culture is therefore a critical forum for negotiation and a medium of exchange in finding shared solutions.
John Holden, Rachel Briggs, Samuel Jones, Kirsten Bound, Demos, February 2007
The language of music
If you want to instil appreciation and fluency, music is most effectively taught when kids are young
Philippa Ibbotson, Guardian, 17 January 2007
If you want to instil appreciation and fluency, music is most effectively taught when kids are young
Philippa Ibbotson, Guardian, 17 January 2007
£10m funding to boost music education
‘Music is a powerful learning tool which can build children’s confidence, teamwork and language skills’
staff writer, DfES, 15 January 2007
‘Music is a powerful learning tool which can build children’s confidence, teamwork and language skills’
staff writer, DfES, 15 January 2007
Culture Vultures: Is UK Arts Policy Damaging the Arts?
Politicians and policy-makers take every opportunity to talk up the arts' importance to society...the arts are now not only good in themselves, but are valued for their contribution to the economy, urban regeneration and social inclusion.
Munira Mirza (ed.), Policy Exchange, 3 January 2007
The nature of the beast: cultural diversity policies and the visual arts sector
‘Since the 1970s, cultural diversity initiatives within the visual arts sector have arguably exacerbated rather than confronted exclusionary pathologies of the art world’
Richard Hylton, Institute of Contemporary Interdisciplinary Arts, 2006
‘Since the 1970s, cultural diversity initiatives within the visual arts sector have arguably exacerbated rather than confronted exclusionary pathologies of the art world’
Richard Hylton, Institute of Contemporary Interdisciplinary Arts, 2006
Siren Song
From the tough sexy females of the war-time to the eunuchs of post-war era, icons of the big screen are a product of their time
Germaine Greer, Guardian, 29 December 2006
From the tough sexy females of the war-time to the eunuchs of post-war era, icons of the big screen are a product of their time
Germaine Greer, Guardian, 29 December 2006
It’s music to their ears but a nuisance to us
News report on the aural scourge of public transport; tinny music played through a mobile phone
Auslan Cramb, Telegraph, 7 December 2006
News report on the aural scourge of public transport; tinny music played through a mobile phone
Auslan Cramb, Telegraph, 7 December 2006
Evidence-based policy
"If you'd rather not have your prejudices challenged, stay away from the Battle of Ideas."
Nigel Warburton, senior lecturer, philosophy, Open University; author, Free Speech: A Very Short Introduction
follow the Academy of Ideas
