How Liberals Rewrite Their Own History
Ian Dunt’s new book ‘How to Be a Liberal’ is part of a broader intellectual exercise to drape liberal history in comforting myths – ones which conceal its role in abetting imperialism, slavery and fascism.
3626 Articles by:
Billy Anania
Billy Anania is an art critic, editor, and journalist in New York City.
Demodernising Jerusalem
A new book, ‘A City in Fragments’, tells the story of how the British Empire sought to dismantle a multicultural and increasingly modern Jerusalem in order to create a ‘holy city’ entombed in a mythical past.
31. Race, Empire, and Capitalism: An Interview with Adom Getachew
In this week’s episode, Grace speaks to Adom Getachaw, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago, about racial capitalism and how the aftershocks of imperialism continue to affect our world.
How Protestors Get the Blame for Police Violence
In 2008, police blamed climate activists for a series of violent attacks on protest camps. The only problem was, it wasn’t true – and the way their story fell apart tells us a lot about how similar scandals unfold today.
How Barbara Castle Fought to Expose the British Empire’s Shame in Kenya
During the 1950s, Britain’s brutal suppression of the Mau Mau Uprising in Kenya led to thousands of deaths – but Barbara Castle’s campaign to expose its crimes showed that the Empire’s violence did not have to go unchallenged.
The Fight for the Night
In the 1970s, police hunting the Yorkshire Ripper told women to stay home at night to avoid attack. The response was the Reclaim the Night movement – and its lessons remain relevant almost half a century later.
After the Pandemic, It’s Time to End the Marketisation of the Public Sector
Covid-19 has seen plenty of empty rhetoric about ‘key workers,’ but unless the public sector is judged by its contribution to care and community little will change – and that means an end to the market ethos.
Bridgwater: Somerset’s Red Exception
Bridgwater is a red island in a sea of blue; a rare exception to the Tory politics which dominate Somerset – and its pioneering 1940s Arts Centre offers an insight into the role of socialism in its past and present.
The Long Legacy of Algeria’s War
In the mid 20th century, Algeria’s bid for independence from France sent reverberations around the emergent Third World – but today, its role in the formation of the post-colonial system is often forgotten.
The Right to Protest Wasn’t Given – It Was Won
This weekend’s protests against the Police Crackdown Bill were in defence of democratic rights which were hard won – and which will be eroded unless we are prepared to fight for them.
The Enduring Legacy of Kwame Nkrumah
Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah sought to build an Africa free from capitalism and imperialism. Although defeated, his legacy remains a source of inspiration for a new generation of leftists.
After the Apocalypse
The growing appeal of dystopias, end-of-the-world scenarios and depopulated landscapes is often attributed to cultural decline – but it also speaks to a mourning for better worlds we failed to build.
Keir Starmer’s First Year Has Been a Disaster for Progressives
One year ago, Keir Starmer was elected leader on a promise to make Labour a ‘real opposition’ again – instead, he has consistently failed to push back against the most right-wing government in living memory.
Fire and Blood: Walter Benjamin’s Paris Commune
Walter Benjamin’s ‘Arcades Project’ provides a counter-history of Paris in the 19th century – and offers a vivid portrait of the revolutionary chaos and bloody demise of the Paris Commune.
How the Pandemic Screwed ‘Generation Left’
Private renting and precarious employment have left under-35s facing the worst of the economic fallout from Covid-19 – and the result is likely to be an even deeper generational divide.
The Campaign for an Irish NHS
The failures of Ireland’s two-tier healthcare system have been exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic – now, momentum is building for a real alternative: a public and universal national health service.
Vaccine Nationalism Is Putting World Health At Risk
As of today, the United States has distributed 15 times more vaccines than the entire continent of Africa – hoarding by the Developed World threatens the global Covid response and will deepen inequality for years to come.
Britain’s Long Fight Over the Right to Protest
The Police Crackdown Bill is a threat to our right to protest, but that right has been contested for centuries – and from Peterloo to Cable Street, it has often been defended by breaking the law.
The Fight for Britain’s Libraries
During the pandemic, library workers have been deemed ‘essential’ and many forced to continue work – but government cuts have led to 1,000 closures in a decade, the real measure of how these services are valued.
COP26 Is Our Last Chance – We Can’t Let the Tories ‘Greenwash’ it
The Tories will try to turn this year’s COP26 into a PR exercise, talking up their meagre green credentials – it’s our job to ensure it delivers a path to bold action and climate justice.