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.
Health & Well-being
Abortion: A solution to a problem
Abortion is not the problem. The problem is unintended pregnancy, and abortion is the possible solution to unintended pregnancy.
Ann Furedi, Abortion Review, 11 March 2008
Abortion is not the problem. The problem is unintended pregnancy, and abortion is the possible solution to unintended pregnancy.
Ann Furedi, Abortion Review, 11 March 2008
Fat chance of designers tackling obesity threat
These days, most packaging doesn't try to hide the guilty secrets of what's inside. Instead, it flaunts it, playing on our weakness for food treats. Gü - need I say more?
Design Week, 21 February 2008
These days, most packaging doesn't try to hide the guilty secrets of what's inside. Instead, it flaunts it, playing on our weakness for food treats. Gü - need I say more?
Design Week, 21 February 2008
Government Response to the Report by the Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) Review Steering Group
'The implementation of the actions set out in this response will be an important factor in our efforts to promote all children and young people’s well-being and to maximise the contribution that schools make to helping children and young people achieve the 5 Every Child Matters outcomes.'
DCSF, 1 February 2008
'The implementation of the actions set out in this response will be an important factor in our efforts to promote all children and young people’s well-being and to maximise the contribution that schools make to helping children and young people achieve the 5 Every Child Matters outcomes.'
DCSF, 1 February 2008
A Sociology of Health
The book will aid readers' understanding of how sociological approaches are crucial to understanding the impact that health and illness have on the behaviour, attitudes, beliefs, and practices, of an increasingly health-aware population.
David Wainwright, Sage, 30 January 2008
Let's call a ceasefire in the 'war on obesity'
In tackling an imaginary fat epidemic, the government is intruding into our lives, guilt-tripping parents and stigmatising chubby children.
Rob Lyons, spiked, 24 January 2008
In tackling an imaginary fat epidemic, the government is intruding into our lives, guilt-tripping parents and stigmatising chubby children.
Rob Lyons, spiked, 24 January 2008
Living people matter. When you're dead, you're dead
Brown's proposal on organ donation could end needless deaths that stem from the misguided instincts of the few
Polly Toynbee, Guardian, 15 January 2008
Brown's proposal on organ donation could end needless deaths that stem from the misguided instincts of the few
Polly Toynbee, Guardian, 15 January 2008
Healthy in mind and body… what about spirit?
For Aristotle, health meant a ‘flourishing life’. Today, with Brown’s offer of bodily screening, health has been reduced to mere animal fitness.
Michael Fitzpatrick, spiked, 9 January 2008
For Aristotle, health meant a ‘flourishing life’. Today, with Brown’s offer of bodily screening, health has been reduced to mere animal fitness.
Michael Fitzpatrick, spiked, 9 January 2008
Review of Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) in Schools
Without PSHE being made statutory, we are concerned that PSHE would continue to be patchy and that in many schools it would not be given sufficient curriculum time; teachers would not be released to attend training courses; and that funds would not be made available to buy resources to support the delivery of schools’ SRE programmes.
External Steering Group, Healthyschools.gov.uk, 2008
Without PSHE being made statutory, we are concerned that PSHE would continue to be patchy and that in many schools it would not be given sufficient curriculum time; teachers would not be released to attend training courses; and that funds would not be made available to buy resources to support the delivery of schools’ SRE programmes.
External Steering Group, Healthyschools.gov.uk, 2008
Making choice easier
Abortion needs to be as safe and accessible as possible. The government should push ahead with plans to offer early abortions at GP surgeries
Ann Furedi, Guardian Comment is Free, 5 December 2007
Abortion needs to be as safe and accessible as possible. The government should push ahead with plans to offer early abortions at GP surgeries
Ann Furedi, Guardian Comment is Free, 5 December 2007
So booze isn’t bad for Baby?
“Occasional binge drinking by mother does baby little harm” was a headline that shrieked, because it felt so counter-intuitive.
The Times, 17 November 2007
“Occasional binge drinking by mother does baby little harm” was a headline that shrieked, because it felt so counter-intuitive.
The Times, 17 November 2007
Building the Future - Richard Brown - Clash between development and locals
"The Battle of Ideas is a global treasure. Bringing together some of the world's leading thinkers for civil dialogue on an array of topics, the festival is a must-see for those deeply committed to the free exchange of ideas."
Fredrick C. Harris, professor of political science, Columbia University


