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.
Media
The war between fact and fallacy in US politics
Inadvertently, a high-ranking conservative Republican has captured the political zeitgeist. During budget debates earlier this month about reproductive healthcare provider Planned Parenthood, Arizona senator Jon Kyle was caught falsely insisting on the Senate floor that providing abortions is ‘well over 90 per cent of what Planned Parenthood does’
Wendy Kaminer, spiked, 27 April 2012
Inadvertently, a high-ranking conservative Republican has captured the political zeitgeist. During budget debates earlier this month about reproductive healthcare provider Planned Parenthood, Arizona senator Jon Kyle was caught falsely insisting on the Senate floor that providing abortions is ‘well over 90 per cent of what Planned Parenthood does’
Wendy Kaminer, spiked, 27 April 2012
Why we’re launching the Counter-Leveson Inquiry
Today, spiked launches the Counter-Leveson Inquiry, an intellectual two-fingered salute to the creeping conformism and censoriousness being unleashed by the Leveson process.
Brendan O'Neill, spiked, 29 February 2012
Today, spiked launches the Counter-Leveson Inquiry, an intellectual two-fingered salute to the creeping conformism and censoriousness being unleashed by the Leveson process.
Brendan O'Neill, spiked, 29 February 2012
The truth about anti-tabloid hysteria
Many of the anti-Murdoch stories of the past year have been based more on rumour than reality.
Brendan O'Neill, spiked, 13 December 2011
Many of the anti-Murdoch stories of the past year have been based more on rumour than reality.
Brendan O'Neill, spiked, 13 December 2011
We must be free and able to defend private lives against tabloid tyranny
The Leveson inquiry has shown the ravages of an unchecked media. Alas, privacy cannot be trusted solely to self-regulation
Timothy Garton-Ash, Guardian, 23 November 2011
The Leveson inquiry has shown the ravages of an unchecked media. Alas, privacy cannot be trusted solely to self-regulation
Timothy Garton-Ash, Guardian, 23 November 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
Truth, lies and the internet
Truth, Lies and the Internet examines the ability of young people in Britain to critically evaluate information they consume online. The report reviews current literature on the subject, and presents a new poll of over 500 teachers. It finds that the web is fundamental to pupils’ school lives but many are not careful, discerning users of the internet.
Jamie Bartlett, Carl Miller, Demos, 29 September 2011
Truth, Lies and the Internet examines the ability of young people in Britain to critically evaluate information they consume online. The report reviews current literature on the subject, and presents a new poll of over 500 teachers. It finds that the web is fundamental to pupils’ school lives but many are not careful, discerning users of the internet.
Jamie Bartlett, Carl Miller, Demos, 29 September 2011
Defend a free press - don’t just guard the Guardian
Yes, the police threat to the liberal newspaper was outrageous – but who invited the authorities to crack down on the press in the first place?
Mick Hume, spiked, 27 September 2011
Yes, the police threat to the liberal newspaper was outrageous – but who invited the authorities to crack down on the press in the first place?
Mick Hume, spiked, 27 September 2011
Who’s responsible for Govegate?
‘Government by Gmail’ is the logical end result of the rise and rise of the weird cult of transparency.
Patrick Hayes, spiked, 27 September 2011
‘Government by Gmail’ is the logical end result of the rise and rise of the weird cult of transparency.
Patrick Hayes, spiked, 27 September 2011
Labour's odd plan to get bad journalists 'struck off'
Ivan Lewis has a proposal to clean up the press. Shame it's unworkable and illiberal.
Helen Lewis Hasteley, New Statesmen, 27 September 2011
Ivan Lewis has a proposal to clean up the press. Shame it's unworkable and illiberal.
Helen Lewis Hasteley, New Statesmen, 27 September 2011
No, I'm not kidding. We really have to defend the Guardian
As a result of the hysteria surrounding phone hacking the demise of a few more newspapers may be hastened. And free speech and plurality of opinion will go the same way.
Richard Littlejohn, Daily Mail, 20 September 2011
As a result of the hysteria surrounding phone hacking the demise of a few more newspapers may be hastened. And free speech and plurality of opinion will go the same way.
Richard Littlejohn, Daily Mail, 20 September 2011
CAM: Junk Science or Genuine Alternative?
"I loved the Battle of Ideas, which was mad, wild, and sparky. 2011 looks set to be even better."
Anthony Seldon, master, Wellington College; historian; political commentator
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