Essays

Long-form writing from leading scholars and commentators on history, statecraft, warfare, philosophy and culture.

essays

The third way: How different is the Swedish model?

Swedish exceptionalism stems from the country's unique experience of 19th and 20th century economic change.

Lars Magnusson August 11, 2020

NASA, ESA, H. Teplitz and M. Rafelski (IPAC/Caltech), A. Koekemoer (STScI), R. Windhorst (Arizona State University), and Z. Levay (STScI) / Public domain

essays

What is the purpose of existence?

The scientific view of the universe as essentially mindless belies its purpose and direction.

John Haught August 11, 2020

Petrified fossil starfishes and trilobites

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Does evolution have a moral or spiritual dimension?

The progress of evolution is not as random as it appears - it has a distinct direction and purpose.

Robert Wright August 10, 2020

Diwali celebrations on the streets of Southall, London, 1st November 1984. Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, lasts for five days

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The many meanings of culture

'Multiculturalism' has become a buzzword for our times, but more lies beneath this ideal of harmonious coexistence.

Adam Kuper August 10, 2020

Glass Buddha alters are lit up in Koukokuji temple on July 7, 2016 in Tokyo, Japan. Operated by the Koukokuji buddhist temple, The Ruriden columbarium at the Koukoko-ji Temple houses over 2,046 crystal Buddha statues, each illuminated by high-powered LED lights. Behind each Buddha is a drawer storing people's ashes. An IC card allows the owner of the alter to access the building and lights up the corresponding statue. The ashes are stored for 33 years before being buried below the Ruriden, currently 900 alters are in use as of July 2016. (Photo by Richard Atrero de Guzman/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

essays

Inside the Collective Unconscious

The religious imagination has reinvented itself by finding a new home in cyberspace.

Erik Davis August 8, 2020

Bookshelf with anime comic books and magazine in a shop in Akihibara, Tokyo, Japan.

essays

How manga shapes Japanese identity

Manga has become something of a global phenomenon, but every iteration and comic-strip has its origins in a particularly Japanese visual culture.

Jaqueline Berndt August 7, 2020

essays

Tradition meets aesthetics: the meaning of modern rituals

In a secular and individualised world, rites and symbols are popular but only partially understood.

Lynn Åkesson August 7, 2020

essays

The birth of theosophy

The origins of theosophy, a movement that would have an enormous influence over artists and scientists alike, can be found in late 19th century New York.

Isaac Lubelsky August 6, 2020

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The Nation in Arms: Myth or reality?

In the First World War, many soldiers did not fight in a spirit of patriotism, but the war did prove a crucible for nationhood and nationalism.

Rob Johnson August 6, 2020