“Only war makes it possible to mobilize all of today’s technical resources while maintaining the property system.”

- Walter Benjamin, 1936

About Laurie Penny

Laurie Penny is a journalist and activist.

Articles by Laurie Penny

Audio: New media and the British commentariat

Laurie Penny, James Butler, and Aaron Peters 8 January 2013

The British media is exceptional in its status as part of the political class. But with the newsroom becoming defunct as a site of cultural production, and models of journalistic authority breaking down, this role is threatened. Laurie Penny and James Butler discuss, hosted by Aaron Peters.

Panic on the streets of London

Laurie Penny 9 August 2011

Britain is a tinderbox, and on Friday, somebody lit a match. What are we going to do now?

You say you want a revolution....

Laurie Penny and Rowenna Davies 30 July 2010

In July an OurKingdom exchange prefigured the current protest of young people across Britain: "There can be no question that the conditions are right for a youth movement.... The young people of Britain are suffering brutal, insulting socio-economic oppression. A radical youth movement requires direct action...". "I believe we should be allying ourselves with all those who feel oppression, not just those of a similar demographic....". "I’m quite serious in calling for revolutionary sentiment. We need to understand how badly we have been let down by the system, because one day we are going to be in charge of that system."

UK election: Women Going Backwards

Laurie Penny 5 May 2010

New Labour seemed to have a strong feminist component when it came to power in 1997, its legacy is a rollback of women's influence in British politics made painfully evident by the general election.

Feminists need to get smart over the sale of sex

Laurie Penny 5 April 2010

As feminism begins a much needed comeback divisions over the sale of sex damage the larger cause but shouldn't, a survey from the blogger Penny Red.

Thinly veiled misogyny

Laurie Penny 11 February 2010

As French President Nicolas Sarkozy attempts to drive through a ban on the niqab and burqa, Laurie Penny describes how the Islamic veil has become yet another item of women’s clothing for men to fight over for their own ends

This week's editor

Niki Seth-Smith is a freelance journalist and co-editor of OurKingdom.

Europe from the bottom up

European Union stars in Paris. Flickr/notarim. Some rights reserved.

A new Europe can only come from the bottom up
Etienne Balibar

A social Europe must be a political Europe
Bo Stråth

As Europe is provincialized: a reply to Etienne Balibar
Sandro Mezzadra

European debate

A republican call for a basic income
Daniel Raventos and Julie Wark

Nuclear non-proliferation

oDRussia at journalismfestival .com

Mali - the plot thickens

Remote control war

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Conference coverage from 50.50

Conference. Moving beyond Militarism and War to a Nonviolent World: A Forum Devoted to Sharing Women-Driven Solutions

Articles exploring the themes of the fourth international Nobel Women's Initiative conference May 28-31. Jennifer Allsopp and Heather McRobie will be reporting for 5050

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Lis Howell On broadcasting

Dan Hancox Revel, Riot and Rebellion

Martin Rose Bliss Was It in that Dawn to Be Next Door

Vron Ware Up in Arms

Jim Gabour Sunday Comics

James Warner Standing Perpendicular, as books do

Markha Valenta Inter Alia: religion, politics, culture

Paul Rogers on Global security

Mary Kaldor on Human security

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OurKingdom

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OurKingdom works to investigate and illuminate the crisis of democracy in Britain and analyse how its failings can be redressed.

We encourage original debate untrammelled by party political loyalties.

We ask how we as citizens can secure liberty, human rights, self-government and real democracy. ...more on OurKingdom

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Can Europe Make It?

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Arab Awakening

In the months following the start of the Arab Revolutions, articles and analysis poured into openDemocracy from contributors across the Middle East and Europe. Gradually, the impact of Tahrir Square began to extend well beyond the Middle East as democratic inspiration travelled from east to west. Arab Awakening tries to capture that inspiration and use it to help us read a rapidly changing world.

"As students of politics is it is vital to study the power of imagination." -Professor Charles Tripp, SOAS

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