Review of Salafi-Jihadism: The History of an Idea by Shiraz Maher, originally published in Progress magazine on June 9th, 2016. A master terrorist is debating with a subordinate over some point of strategy in their bunker. The sheikh narrows his eyes, and after careful consideration remarks:…
This article was originally published in the New Statesman on May 6th, 2016. One major achievement of the Bernie Sanders campaign in the US has been to build support for left-wing policies that only months ago would have seemed beyond the pale. In a relatively…
Review of Listen, Liberal by Thomas Frank, originally published in Prospect magazine on March 15th, 2016. One of the notable features of this carnival of bunkum we agree to call the US presidential election, with its insurgent candidates and controversial rhetoric, is how none of…
On Valentine’s Day of this year, in an article for politics.co.uk, I declared a “War on Drivel”. As so often is the case with wars, it was declared rather hastily, and by someone with little risk of getting hurt. But as sometimes is the case…