Roger Scruton

Roger Scruton is a philosopher, writer, political activist and businessman. He is a professor in the department of philosophy at St Andrews University and a scholar at the American Entreprise Institute. His home on the web is http://www.roger-scruton.com/.

Lebanon before and after Syria

Some people see the current protests of the Lebanese people against Syrian occupation as the first sign that the middle east is turning in the direction that the Americans intended

By Roger Scruton

/ 9 Mar 2005

The power of resentment: a response to Karin von Hippel

If the International Summit on Democracy, Terrorism and Security in Madrid to be held on 8-11 March 2005 is to make any headway in addressing perhaps the most serious security

By Roger Scruton

/ 17 Jan 2005

Time to calm down

It is clear from Todd Gitlins reporting and Anthony Barnetts editorial comment that, in so far as there is an openDemocracy establishment, it would have voted for the

By Roger Scruton

/ 19 Nov 2004

The hunting debate: a question of democracy

Even before the British government of Tony Blair first proposed to ban hunting with dogs in England and Wales two years ago, thus provoking massive protest demonstrations involving hundreds of

By Roger Scruton

/ 16 Sep 2004

Delusions of internationalism: David Helds flawed perspective

There is much food for thought in David Helds appeal for a new global covenant, and readers of openDemocracy will surely be helped by his contribution. We all need

By Roger Scruton

/ 7 Jul 2004

Tony Blair and the wrong America: a response to Godfrey Hodgson

Godfrey Hodgson is right that the British prime minister Tony Blair and his immediate circle have sought to reshape the constitution of the United Kingdom according to an American paradigm,

By Roger Scruton

/ 28 Apr 2004

Immanuel Kant and the Iraq war

The bicentenary of Immanuel Kants death occurred on 12 February 2004. The British media ignored the event, assuming that dead philosophers are of no significance compared with living celebrities.

By Roger Scruton

/ 19 Feb 2004

Eating the world: the philosophy of food

What single factor connects the following features of the contemporary world? * the clearance of the rain forests * the desertification of the grasslands * soil erosion caused by deforestation * the loss of

By Roger Scruton

/ 14 May 2003

American intention, to liberate not to enslave

It is 12 January 2003 and US president Bush has rallied his troops for what he calls “The first war of the 21st century”. What is your view of this crisis, where, briefly, do you stand? This is the question we are putting to people around the world, especially those with their own public reputatio

By Roger Scruton

/ 12 Jan 2003

Fox-hunting, homosexuality, and protest: a rejoinder to Adam Lent

Adam Lent has impressively clarified, and also developed, his position. I see that I was wrong to think of his reference to those youthful protest movements of thirty years ago

By Roger Scruton

/ 15 Oct 2002

When is a popular protest popular?

Thirty years ago, writes Adam Lent, the industrialised world was swept by a wave of youthful movement activity that encompassed womens liberation, gay and lesbian rights, antiracism, radical

By Roger Scruton

/ 1 Oct 2002

The trouble with summits, or - what is Johannesburg for?

International summit conferences, such as the forthcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, are a fixed part of the landscape of global governance. But while the texts or declarations

By Caspar Henderson, Roger Scruton and Maria Adebowale

/ 16 Jul 2002