Latest Stories
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Anxious, distrustful, angry: meet Generation K
The final Hunger Games sequel is the most anticipated film of the year. The franchise is so popular that its heroine has provided one common label for today’s teens. Are we all Katniss now?
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Jekyll and Hyde labelled ‘too scary’ for kids
Parents have complained that a new TV adaptation of Jekyll and Hyde will give young children nightmares. Based on a classic book, is this serious drama or gratuitous violence?
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New passport sparks sexism and identity rows
Nine famous people are featured in the new UK passport: all English, eight white, and seven men. A demoralising reminder of who is in charge, or a fair celebration of Britain’s heroes?
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Battle of the headlines: clash over climate
This week, two newspapers told radically different stories about Antarctica’s melting glaciers and the effect on rising sea levels. How could they disagree so strongly?
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Tabloids grieve for hero police officer
A police officer’s death in the line of duty has made front page news in both of Britain’s middle-market tabloid newspapers. Is this real news? Or is it about maximising profits?
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British culture rules the world, says author
As Britain’s imperial power diminished, its popular culture conquered the world, according to a new book. Should Britain congratulate itself on being willing to push boundaries?
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‘Embittered, anguished’ Macbeth hits cinemas
Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard star in a new, ‘stripped back’ film adaptation of Macbeth. The Scottish Play has bewitched audiences for centuries, so why is it...
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Irony, repetition, metaphor: Corbyn speaks
Jeremy Corbyn’s first address to the Labour Party conference in Brighton was eagerly awaited. Rhetoric is an ancient art — so how did this speech stand up?
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Outrage over ‘sexist’ LinkedIn message
A vicious debate is in full flow after a senior lawyer called his female colleague ‘stunning’ online. There have been accusations on all sides. What is the problem?
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‘Storms need human names’ says Met Office
The Met Office has asked the public to help choose the official names for Great Britain’s worst upcoming storms. Why do we like to personify the things around us?
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Frankenstein: Exploring the edges of science
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is perhaps society’s most famous story about overreaching human knowledge. As the science of artificial intelligence advances, has humanity ignored its warning?
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Romeo and Juliet: Fighting gang culture
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet tells the story of two warring families who finally put aside their differences. Must it always take a tragedy to...
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Jane Eyre: Understanding mental health
Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre has defined ‘the madwoman in the attic’ for over 150 years. Our treatment of mental health problems has changed, but why are figures rising?
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Animal Farm: Rediscovering socialism
George Orwell’s Animal Farm is a damning fable of the USSR in the mid-twentieth century, while in 2015 Europe is witnessing a surge of left-wing support. Can socialism make a comeback?
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Anita and Me: Finding British identity
Anita and Me is a novel about friendship and growing up — but its heroine also struggles with her English and Indian identities. Is it possible to define what it means to be ‘British’?