Essays

essays

Meritocracy v the people

The biggest division in modern society is between the meritocracy and the people, the cognitive elite and the masses, the exam-passers and the exam-flunkers.

Adrian Wooldridge August 31, 2021

essays

It came from outer space

Far from being a throw-away genre trope, the unresolved puzzle of extra-terrestrial visitors gives us unique insights into the nature of thought, communication and memory.

Tim Jenkins August 27, 2021

essays

The other side of the hill

In war, we are, like the Duke of Wellington, still trying to guess what is on the other side of the hill, we just have more tools to help us do so.

Simon Mayall August 26, 2021

essays

Victor Hugo’s ideal of Europe

The famed French chronicler of poverty and war saw hope in the prospect of the European ideal - over a century before the creation of the EU.

Agnès Poirier August 20, 2021

essays

The Soviet military was a hollow colossus

After the fall of the Soviet Union, some of its military conscripts from former republics ended up in NATO countries. Their personal stories are not only compelling accounts of re..

Elisabeth Braw August 19, 2021

essays

Islam and the contingency of politics

The Islamic relationship between religion and state has a deep history – but the modern politics of nationalism has re-cast Islam in a new political mould

Charles Tripp August 13, 2021

essays

Information loss

The Internet is now home to modern culture. But like paper, it is at risk of decay unless we archive and store it properly.

Michael L. Nelson August 5, 2021

essays

Troubled waters

Military force will not be enough to fix the Gulf of Guinea's piracy problem. The roots of the crime lie on-shore, deep in the politics of oil and statehood.

Anja Shortland August 2, 2021

essays

The old republic of Europe

The idea of a united European polity has a contested history dating back three centuries.

Anthony Pagden July 29, 2021