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The decline of Europe's social democratic parties

On previous occasions of decline, social democracy has bounced back in Europe, but this time the record includes ideological and cultural meltdown. What would it take to survive the current crisis?

Creating a constituency for climate change

We have to relearn community action and how a society works together if we are to protect vulnerable people, not just from climate change but also from the solutions that society arrives at

From a culture of war to a culture of peace

The time has run out for traditional military answers. Ours is a culture of war, but cultures can change. We need education in peace and in international understanding

The sea change in Turkey's middle eastern policy

Turkey's foreign policy realignment is nowhere more pronounced than in the middle east. Previously absent, Turkey is now taking a leading role as a mediator and diplomatic force in the region.

A moderate Israeli leader visits the LSE

In the audience of a London School of Economics panel chaired by Lakhdar Brahimi to discuss the findings of the Goldstone Report and peace in the Middle East, a Palestinian student ponders the contribution of Admiral Ami Ayalon.

Recovery requires redistribution

As governments everywhere struggle with cutting deficits without hammering the recovery from the financial crisis, a new book argues that Keynes has had the solution for a long time.

Sri Lanka's forgotten Tamils

Rejected by the rest of the Tamil population and ignored by the Sinhalese authorities, tea workers who migrated from Tamil Nadu centuries ago are exploited in the plantations of the Sri Lankan highlands
Wednesday 17th March

Labour determined to make DNA storage an "election issue"

The government is ditching a compromise arrangement on the controversial DNA database in order to make it one of their "dividing lines" with the Tories at the election.
Tuesday 16th March

Arthur Koestler: 20th century man

Arthur Koestler, whose turbulent life charts the intellectual history of the 20thc in the West, has finally found a worthy biographer in Michael Scammell. A youthful communist and survivor of Franco’s prisons, Koestler developed into one of the West’s most persuasive crusaders against communism.

The Lib Dems are talking the talk

The Lib Dem leaders are starting to make sense in the face of the coming UK election

Venezuela obtains Chinese warplanes for ‘anti-drugs fight’

Chinese J-8 attack jets delivered in Venezuela. Sri Lankan general goes on military trial while supporters protest. Nigerian militants attack city with car bombs. South African youth leader found guilty of hate speech. All this and much more, in today’s security briefing.

Sri Lanka's forgotten Tamils

Rejected by the rest of the Tamil population and ignored by the Sinhalese authorities, tea workers who migrated from Tamil Nadu centuries ago are exploited in the plantations of the Sri Lankan highlands

The sea change in Turkey's middle eastern policy

Turkey's foreign policy realignment is nowhere more pronounced than in the middle east. Previously absent, Turkey is now taking a leading role as a mediator and diplomatic force in the region.

The decline of Europe's social democratic parties

On previous occasions of decline, social democracy has bounced back in Europe, but this time the record includes ideological and cultural meltdown. What would it take to survive the current crisis?

A moderate Israeli leader visits the LSE

In the audience of a London School of Economics panel chaired by Lakhdar Brahimi to discuss the findings of the Goldstone Report and peace in the Middle East, a Palestinian student ponders the contribution of Admiral Ami Ayalon
Monday 15th March

Moving Parts: Prajapati

In this excerpt from Ruchir Joshi's 'Moving Parts' series, Ruchir visits the silica quartz processing-plant in Godhra where many local workers claim that hazardous working conditions are resulting in serious health problems

Israeli settlement announcement stalls peace drive in middle east

Israeli settlement announcement creates further tension. Thai protests as PM refuses ultimatum. Public frustration in Iraq as al-Maliki pulls ahead. Growing arms trade could spark global arms race. Top Hamas leader arrest in West Bank. All this and more, in today’s openSecurity update.

Creating a constituency for climate change

In the second 'Making Good Society' article, Tony Kendle argues that we have to relearn community action and how a society works together if we are to protect vulnerable people, not just from climate change but also from the solutions that society arrives at

Cameron and the end of politics: not so much grilled as marinated

Nina Simone must have been spinning in her grave. Her magnificent, impassioned voice is now but a soundtrack to David Cameron jogging...

Recovery requires redistribution

As governments everywhere struggle with cutting deficits without hammering the recovery from the financial crisis, a new book argues that Keynes has had the solution for a long time.

From a culture of war to a culture of peace

The time has run out for traditional military answers. Ours is a culture of war, but cultures can change. We need education in peace and in international understanding, as so much more

Zero tolerance or zero consequence?

Laudable yet formalistic plans, committees and laws have been put in place to address violence against women, yet impunity remains rampant. Should the measure of progress be more mechanisms or less violence ?

The future of the left and neo-liberalism's appeal as a liberation movement

Can Scotland chart a path apart from neo-liberal Britain? And are parts of the left still stuck in their comfort zones? Gerry Hassan’s observations from a Glasgow book festival panel on the future of the left

The age of we

The Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society launches its report calling for a radical devolution of power and active voice from parliament to the family. In the first of a series of Inquiry articles, Geoff Mulgan claims that three crises have launched a major civil society challenge
Sunday 14th March

Chaff, noise and fog in the climate debate

The UEA emails affair, together with the religiosity of some people’s approach on either side of the argument, has quite a lot to tell us about the way forward
Friday 12th March

Barack Obama and America

An inspiring candidate has become a failing president. But a comparison with Lyndon B Johnson shows that the reasons for this outcome are more than personal. Change had come to America before Barack Obama got to the White House, says Godfrey Hodgson.

Palestinian-Israeli talks in the balance as IDF locks down West Bank

The IDF locks down parts of the occupied West Bank as uncertainty looms over talks between the Palestinian Authority and Israel. Thailand increases security measures ahead of protests planned for Sunday. The UN special rapporteur on human rights in Burma calls for a commission to investigate possible crimes against humanity committed by the junta. An opposition leader in the Gambia has said that individuals recently detained by the government do not know why they are being held. All this and more, in today’s security update.

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