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.
Lifestyle & Society
The Gender Police: A Diary
When Ros Ball and James Millar’s son was born in 2010 they instantly felt people treated him differently to his big sister. Inspired by the 1980's best-selling diary 'There's a Good Girl', they started to tweet about the differences they experienced. What began as an attempt to retain their sanity in a gender obsessed world became a life changing experiment about gender identity.
Ros Ball & James Millar, , 10 July 2015
When Ros Ball and James Millar’s son was born in 2010 they instantly felt people treated him differently to his big sister. Inspired by the 1980's best-selling diary 'There's a Good Girl', they started to tweet about the differences they experienced. What began as an attempt to retain their sanity in a gender obsessed world became a life changing experiment about gender identity.
Ros Ball & James Millar, , 10 July 2015
Interview: The Gender Police: a diary
Through their Twitter account @GenderDiary Ros Ball and her partner James have been cataloguing the drip-drip-drip of gendered messages their children receive. With the e-book of the project out today, Ros explained to us how the project came about, and what they hope it’s achieved.
Let Toys Be Toys, 7 July 2015
Through their Twitter account @GenderDiary Ros Ball and her partner James have been cataloguing the drip-drip-drip of gendered messages their children receive. With the e-book of the project out today, Ros explained to us how the project came about, and what they hope it’s achieved.
Let Toys Be Toys, 7 July 2015
Does London Really Want To Be A 24-Hour City?
The forthcoming 24-hour tube will make London more accessible for night time culture, but restrictive licensing and development policy seem to clash with that sentiment?
Richard Brown, Londonist, 24 June 2015
The forthcoming 24-hour tube will make London more accessible for night time culture, but restrictive licensing and development policy seem to clash with that sentiment?
Richard Brown, Londonist, 24 June 2015
‘Young people aren’t being held back by grasping elders’
spiked talks to Jennie Bristow about her new book and why bashing the Baby Boomers blinds us to the problems of today.
spiked podcast, spiked, 19 June 2015
spiked talks to Jennie Bristow about her new book and why bashing the Baby Boomers blinds us to the problems of today.
spiked podcast, spiked, 19 June 2015
Vaping bans: Irrational and illiberal
The crackdown on e-cigs threatens more than smokers’ health.
Rob Lyons, spiked, 9 June 2015
The crackdown on e-cigs threatens more than smokers’ health.
Rob Lyons, spiked, 9 June 2015
We must not give in to the rape panic
The public must challenge the idea that rape is everywhere.
Luke Gittos, spiked, 8 June 2015
The public must challenge the idea that rape is everywhere.
Luke Gittos, spiked, 8 June 2015
Happiness: A modern malaise
Two enlightening new books explore the miserable rise of the happiness industry.
Kathryn Ecclestone, spiked, 15 May 2015
Two enlightening new books explore the miserable rise of the happiness industry.
Kathryn Ecclestone, spiked, 15 May 2015
The teen angst of the protein world protests
Feminism poses a bigger threat to womanhood than those ads ever could.
Ella Whelan, spiked, 28 April 2015
Feminism poses a bigger threat to womanhood than those ads ever could.
Ella Whelan, spiked, 28 April 2015
Don't look back: why does history matter?
"The Battle of Ideas gives a forum for the most topical of debates and the healthy exchange of ideas - in our session what interested most was the contributions from the floor, also just the sheer buzz of the crowds in the foyers."
Jeremy Musson, writer and historic buildings consultant; former architectural editor, Country Life