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.
Liberty & Law
Methodist minister Haley Preston 'not employed by God'
Appeal Court judges have ruled the Reverend Haley Preston, of Cornwall, is employed by the Church rather than God. The Methodist Church had claimed that ministers were not ordinary employees but "stewards in the house of God".
BBC News, 20 December 2011
Appeal Court judges have ruled the Reverend Haley Preston, of Cornwall, is employed by the Church rather than God. The Methodist Church had claimed that ministers were not ordinary employees but "stewards in the house of God".
BBC News, 20 December 2011
It's Not Just the Tabloid Press That's on Trial
There is a system for ensuring that people's phones aren't hacked. It's called the law. If the police who were meant to be upholding it had acted on the evidence they had, then quite a lot of this horrible, ugly, shameful exploitation of what ought to have been private grief, and, in Grant's case, private joy, wouldn't have happened.
Christina Patterson, Huffington Post, 23 November 2011
There is a system for ensuring that people's phones aren't hacked. It's called the law. If the police who were meant to be upholding it had acted on the evidence they had, then quite a lot of this horrible, ugly, shameful exploitation of what ought to have been private grief, and, in Grant's case, private joy, wouldn't have happened.
Christina Patterson, Huffington Post, 23 November 2011
The challenge of new psychoactive substances
This paper aims to set out some of the policy and public health issues raised by the appearance of a wide range of emergent psychoactive substances of diverse origin, effect and risk profile (commonly referred to as ‘legal highs’).
Adam Winstock & Chris Wilkins, Drugs and Democracy, 31 October 2011
This paper aims to set out some of the policy and public health issues raised by the appearance of a wide range of emergent psychoactive substances of diverse origin, effect and risk profile (commonly referred to as ‘legal highs’).
Adam Winstock & Chris Wilkins, Drugs and Democracy, 31 October 2011
In drugs, pragmatism is the only moral approach
The damage that drugs can cause to some users is also clear. But set against this, there should be no doubt that drug use does bring benefits to many people. Why else would two million people a year use cannabis?
Roger Howard and Leo Barasi, Independent, 20 October 2011
The damage that drugs can cause to some users is also clear. But set against this, there should be no doubt that drug use does bring benefits to many people. Why else would two million people a year use cannabis?
Roger Howard and Leo Barasi, Independent, 20 October 2011
Morality and the law: an interview with the UK Drug Policy Commission
While decriminalisation potentially resolves some of the ambiguities that exist around policing illegal substances, it also represents a moral compromise on both sides
Suzy Dean, Free Society, 18 October 2011
While decriminalisation potentially resolves some of the ambiguities that exist around policing illegal substances, it also represents a moral compromise on both sides
Suzy Dean, Free Society, 18 October 2011
Mr Referendum faces a vote he does not want
Freedom of speech is not within the gift of the First Minster to stay or allow. Its antecedents go back to the Bill of Rights (1689), of which Rangers fans have been known to chant – in a non-sectarian way, of course, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), of which there has been slightly less celebration on the terracings, and, of course, currently under the European Convention of Human Rights.
Michael Kelly, Scotsman, 13 October 2011
Freedom of speech is not within the gift of the First Minster to stay or allow. Its antecedents go back to the Bill of Rights (1689), of which Rangers fans have been known to chant – in a non-sectarian way, of course, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), of which there has been slightly less celebration on the terracings, and, of course, currently under the European Convention of Human Rights.
Michael Kelly, Scotsman, 13 October 2011
Women at Work: Could accepting progress lead to greater progress?
Looking through the prism of historical gender inequity might be a mistake that leads women to create the vision of past problems that no longer affect us.
NIna Powell, Independent, 12 October 2011
Looking through the prism of historical gender inequity might be a mistake that leads women to create the vision of past problems that no longer affect us.
NIna Powell, Independent, 12 October 2011
Crime and punishment: what are prisons for?
When he was Conservative home secretary in the 1990s, Michael Howard famously declared that ‘prison works’. But what is it for prison to ‘work’? And how can we tell whether or not it does?
Piers Benn, Independent, 9 October 2011
When he was Conservative home secretary in the 1990s, Michael Howard famously declared that ‘prison works’. But what is it for prison to ‘work’? And how can we tell whether or not it does?
Piers Benn, Independent, 9 October 2011
Taming the tabloid beast: reining in the press after Hackgate
Phone-hacking has been recast as an aggravated invasion of individual privacy. The previous, ineffectual inquiries have been recast as the casualties of huge, dirty conspiracies of silence. Unfortunately, this pursuit of concerns about Murdoch’s companies is going to take lumps out of all of journalism. Like Larkin’s parents, it may not mean to, but it will.
Sean Bell, Independent, 8 October 2011
Phone-hacking has been recast as an aggravated invasion of individual privacy. The previous, ineffectual inquiries have been recast as the casualties of huge, dirty conspiracies of silence. Unfortunately, this pursuit of concerns about Murdoch’s companies is going to take lumps out of all of journalism. Like Larkin’s parents, it may not mean to, but it will.
Sean Bell, Independent, 8 October 2011
10 Reasons to Oppose the 'Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland)
The Scottish government has recently introduced the 'Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill' which aims to criminalise sectarian chanting at football matches. This is a disproportionate and dangerous attack on freedom of speech and will actually increase tensions amongst football fans.
Kirk Leech, Huffington Post, 7 October 2011
The Scottish government has recently introduced the 'Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill' which aims to criminalise sectarian chanting at football matches. This is a disproportionate and dangerous attack on freedom of speech and will actually increase tensions amongst football fans.
Kirk Leech, Huffington Post, 7 October 2011
China and India: Catching up with the West?
"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
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