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Politics

  • February 11, 2013
    European divisions and cultures: negotiate all the way

    Life in the European Union is one of continuing political negotiation. No political realist is surprised that national leaders constantly seek to protect and advance the interests of their country, says social theologian Dr Graeme Smith. The European Union is the place of permanent dialogue between different interests, and more substantially different political cultures, interestingly mirroring some different Protestant and Catholic instincts. Meanwhile, ecumenical lessons can help us to see why it's negotiation all the way, in a positive sense.

  • January 5, 2013
    US faith leaders pray for civility in public political debate

    At a time when high-octane political wrangling continues apace, a diverse coalition of religious leaders is asking Americans to pray for civility.

  • November 29, 2012
    Live from the Occupy the Issues conference

    Look out for live tweets from the 'Occupy the Issues' conference and seminar in Edinburgh today, beginning at 100.00am. These can be followed @simonbarrow on Twitter, using hashtags #occupy and #occupyissues.

  • November 16, 2012
    The politics (and theology) of apology

    Theologian Tryon Edwards has suggested right actions in the future are the best apologies for bad actions in the past. In that sense, says Jonathan Bartley, true apologies are yet to be forthcoming in many areas of public life today.

  • November 13, 2012
    Edinburgh conference seeks inspiration from Occupy movement

    'Occupy the Issues: Alternatives in Politics, Economics and the Media' is the title of a conference and seminar being held at Edinburgh University on 29 November.

  • October 11, 2012
    A dictionary of contemporary politics

    One of the most exasperating things about politics at the moment is the way politicians abuse and twist the language to their own ends. Words lose their true meaning and mutate into what they want them to mean.

  • October 9, 2012
    What is political science?

    In this provocative reflection, Timothy Fitzgerald explains why he has become sceptical about the idea of a universal domain of politics, and what it means to claim that such a world exists. He begins to suggest that ‘the world of politics’ is as much a faith-imaginary as those beliefs typically attributed to ‘the world of religion’. Its questionable status is demonstrated by an ideological illusion that Fitzgerald looks at in his recent book, Religion and Politics in International Relations: the Modern Myth (Continuum, 2011). To be continued.

  • September 11, 2012
    What is politics?

    A popular educational website raises questions for Timothy Fitzgerald about the theoretical and methodological problems in isolating and defining a domain of politics or political science in the first place.

  • August 22, 2012
    Cultural politics: bread. circuses, sport or festivals?

    As government becomes more technocratic and anonymous, and as recession and financial chaos makes people angry and suspicious towards the political class, the need to be seen to be “where people are” and to shape public mood through cultural activity large and small is here to stay, says Simon Barrow.

  • February 8, 2012
    Welfare politics and changing the power landscape

    The coalition can force its welfare changes through using procedural measures, minor concessions and ‘financial privilege’ to do so. But the long-term political fall-out from all of this could be immense, says Simon Barrow. The warfare over welfare has shown just how powerful citizens’ action and web-based crowd sourcing can be.