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.
International Relations & Development
Betting on the planet
Retells the story of the famous population/resources wager between Julian Simon and Paul Ehrlich
John Tierney, New York Times, 2 December 1990
Retells the story of the famous population/resources wager between Julian Simon and Paul Ehrlich
John Tierney, New York Times, 2 December 1990
Time Essay: How to Defuse the Population Bomb
World population growth—and how to slow it—continues to be a subject of great controversy. The planet's poorest nations have yet to find effective ways to check their population increase—at least without restricting citizens' rights and violating such traditions as the custom of having large families as insurance in old age.
Time, 24 October 1977
World population growth—and how to slow it—continues to be a subject of great controversy. The planet's poorest nations have yet to find effective ways to check their population increase—at least without restricting citizens' rights and violating such traditions as the custom of having large families as insurance in old age.
Time, 24 October 1977
Don’t shout at the telly: uprising in the Middle East and intervention in Libya
In this gripping on-the-sofa discussion, Middle East commentator and writer, Karl Sharro argues that such interventions far from helping, deny people the very freedom and self determination that people throughout the region are fighting for.
WORLDbytes
In this gripping on-the-sofa discussion, Middle East commentator and writer, Karl Sharro argues that such interventions far from helping, deny people the very freedom and self determination that people throughout the region are fighting for.
WORLDbytes
Views on the streets: Why have young Brits joined ISIS killers?
In this short video WORLDbytes volunteers tackle a hard subject on the street and ask what drives young people to join ISIS barbarians in Syria and Iraq?
WORLDbytes
In this short video WORLDbytes volunteers tackle a hard subject on the street and ask what drives young people to join ISIS barbarians in Syria and Iraq?
WORLDbytes
Big Data: big danger?
Should we place limits on data collection to protect individual liberties? Even in areas where data is put to benign use, could over-reliance on algorithms impede the process of human judgement? Is it time to recognise the limitations of Big Data and put the stats in their place?
Battle of Ideas, WORLDbytes
Should we place limits on data collection to protect individual liberties? Even in areas where data is put to benign use, could over-reliance on algorithms impede the process of human judgement? Is it time to recognise the limitations of Big Data and put the stats in their place?
Battle of Ideas, WORLDbytes
Give Us The Money
Bob Geldof and Bono have been the most prominent voices advocating on behalf of the poor. But have their concerts and campaigns lifted millions out of poverty?
Why Poverty?
Bob Geldof and Bono have been the most prominent voices advocating on behalf of the poor. But have their concerts and campaigns lifted millions out of poverty?
Why Poverty?
Analysis: Unfair trade
With the current trading regime, poor countries have limited opportunity to use trade to achieve development. Most have liberalised rapidly and broadly according to recommendations and demands by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the international finance institutions. This gives very few opportunities to protect domestic markets, and poor countries usually have no chance of subsidising production in the same way as rich countries do.
Forum For Environment and Development
With the current trading regime, poor countries have limited opportunity to use trade to achieve development. Most have liberalised rapidly and broadly according to recommendations and demands by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the international finance institutions. This gives very few opportunities to protect domestic markets, and poor countries usually have no chance of subsidising production in the same way as rich countries do.
Forum For Environment and Development
Reasons to be cautiously optimistic about post-Qadhafi Libya
Dire warnings of marauding rebels soaking Tripoli's streets with blood have simply not materialised, and are unlikely to do so. We should beware of unduly inflating the ghosts of Islamism, tribal factionalism and the chaos of Baghdad haunting the new Libya.
Shashank Joshi, Royal United Services Institute
Dire warnings of marauding rebels soaking Tripoli's streets with blood have simply not materialised, and are unlikely to do so. We should beware of unduly inflating the ghosts of Islamism, tribal factionalism and the chaos of Baghdad haunting the new Libya.
Shashank Joshi, Royal United Services Institute
China deal: a new day for Africa
The recent acquisition by China's largest bank of 20% of South Africa's Standard Bank is a watershed event in the growing relationship between China and the development of the African continent.
John Battersby, MediaClubSouthAfrica.com
The recent acquisition by China's largest bank of 20% of South Africa's Standard Bank is a watershed event in the growing relationship between China and the development of the African continent.
John Battersby, MediaClubSouthAfrica.com
Humanitarian intervention
I believe that the increasing tendency of states to intervene in others’ affairs, and the idea that it is right and legitimate for them to do so is a very dangerous trend.
Philip Cunliffe, The Browser
I believe that the increasing tendency of states to intervene in others’ affairs, and the idea that it is right and legitimate for them to do so is a very dangerous trend.
Philip Cunliffe, The Browser
From open values to burqa bans: have Europeans lost the habit of tolerance?
"I have never enjoyed being disagreed with so much."
Stephanie Calman, writer and broadcaster; founder, The Bad Mothers’ Club
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