Issue Six Summer 2007
Editorial
We've come a long way since the days of the British Empire...
Response
Defending the Indefensible
PROFESSOR DAVID PATON responds to Dr Ellie Lee's article defending late abortions.
“The truth of the humanity of the unborn and damage that abortion can do to women is becoming harder to deny”
Food
(un)fair trade
JAMES BALL on why he believes fairtrade does more harm than good.
“I cannot help but feel Fairtrade is far more effective at salving our consciences than it is at solving problems”
bring your own bananas
THE FAIRTRADE FOUNDATION rebut James Ball's criticisms of their approach.
“Rebutting old and tired arguments from free market economists is not difficult but it's becoming tiresome”
the organic delusion
ALEX AVERY unleashes a damning critique of the organic movement.
“Proponents of organicism are not content with merely selling high-priced fare to the well-heeled and well-fed”
the cost of food
CHRIS FOSTER explores the environmental impact of food production.
“Conversion to organic certainly doesn't address the fundamental 'inefficiencies' involved in the use of animals”
organic intolerence
JONATHAN JONES offers a forthright defence of GM agriculture
“For organic farmers to rule out GM approaches to disease and pest resistance is irrational”
superfood or supersize?
FRANCIS AIZLEWOOD unmasks the extremes of modern food culture.
“Any praise of a 'normal' body is often undermined by a close-up of someone else's celluite”
Conflict
reap what you sow
SIR IVOR ROBERTS assesses Britain's role in the Iraq conflict.
“without the assurance that one can go to the market, or find work without being blown up, what use is democracy?”
re-making iraq
FOULATH HADID figures out 'New Realism' for America in Iraq
“As far as the democratic solution is concerned, this is Iraq's last chance saloon”
mental combat
SHARIF ISMAIL campaigns for more support for war veterans.
at what cost?
SCOTT HORTON questions whether war is ever worthwhile.
“Americans believe they don't want empire, but they have one”
Focus
homeless
THE FORUM'S investigation into homelessness in Oxfordshire.
Devolution
act of disunion
THE SNP set out their manifesto for Scottish independence.
“The 300-year old Union is no longer fit for pupose. It was never designed for the 21st century world”
at what price freedom?
WILLIAM HYNES evaluates whether Scotland can affor independence.
“The SNP case for separation isn't based on religion, language or freedom from English repression; but on economics”
an english voice
PROFESSOR JOHN CURTICE answers the West Loathian question
devolutionary strife
ORLA BYRNE on an end to Northan Ireland's troubled past.
“The people are now finally exposed to a local government whose issues and concerns are concentrated on them”
Media
guarding the blogoshere
EMILY BELL talks about journalism in the new world media.
news values
STEVE HERRMANN discusses the challenges of editing BBC News Online
life 2.0
ZOE FLOOD tells us about her hyper-connected second life.
Culture
do dreaming spires inspire..?
RICHARD GRIFFITHS rubbishes the notion of a 'career' in theatre.
jackboots on whitehall
ED McHENRY introduces his first film, its unusual production and its all-star cast.
stars in your eyes
LEO GOUGH looks at whether film school is really worthwhile.
“Once you want to make it as a director, showbiz psychosis takes over”
pan's labyrinth
ELENA MANRIQUE on producing the BAFTA winning cult classic.
“Obviously, winning Oscars for best photography and best art direction really helped”
in his own words
SIR PETER STOTHARD speaks on literature, progress and Dan Brown.
“Technology has always changed the content and the substance of publications”
