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What I learned from going cold turkey on technology

Credit: www.searchenginepeople.com. All rights reserved. A year ago, I was diagnosed with a severe case of Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) in my hands, wrists and arms. On telling my friends, one response really killed me. ‘So you can’t use any technology? Not at all? Wow, you should really write about that.’ He meant well, but the irony cut to the bone. It was an unthinking reaction to an injury that was preventing me from reacting unthinkingly. Let me explain. A …

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Nationalism: a war over a word

New Statesman cartoon by Dan Murell, 4/6/14From the Oxford English Dictionary: 1. Patriotic feeling, principles, or efforts: an early consciousness of nationalism and pride  1.1An extreme form of patriotism marked by a feeling of superiority over other countries: playing with right-wing nationalism  1.2Advocacy of political independence for a particular country: Scottish nationalism There’s a month to go until the referendum on Scottish independence. As the campaigns reach fever pitch, there’s one word whose meaning has been mangled beyond recognition. In …

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Review: The politics of English nationhood

The Politics of English Nationhood, Michael Kenny, Oxford University Press, £25 Ever since Michael Kenny’s book The Politics of English Nationhood was launched in March I’ve scoured the mainstream media for reactions and reviews. No luck. A book that should be a key reference in explaining UKIP’s surge in support has barely been mentioned. Only some commentators have been sufficiently awake to acknowledge that Farage is peddling a particularly mangled brand of English nationalism (like his dog whistle racism, most …

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Why are the hopes of the Good Friday Peace Agreement still unfulfilled?

The work of peace building is still ongoing in Northern Ireland. International media, when they accept a simplified story whereby the conflict often called the ‘Troubles’ has ended, can overlook this reality. Yet the upsurge of civil unrest played out in the flag protests since December 2012 and the recent row over the On the Run revelations demonstrate that the peace process is far from being complete, and there are signs that it is regressing. The recent arrest of Gerry …

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Strengthening the anti-fascist movement in Greece

An anti-fascist festival in Athens earlier this month brought activists from across Greece and Europe together to build solidarity and co-ordinate resistance against Golden Dawn. Niki Seth-Smith reports on the debates on sexism, homophobia, fascist attacks, gender roles, and much more. “For a Europe free of fascism, racism and sexism in a world of freedom and social solidarity”. This was the stated aim of a three-day anti-fascist festival in Athens. From 11 to 13 April, the Fine Arts School on …

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‘Blokes don’t need help’

Men are more likely to be criminal, violent, alcoholic and suicidal. That’s their own fault, right? Last weekend’s Being a Man festival revealed a world that has turned its back on men’s problems. Perry’s Map of an Englishman. Flickr/Marc Wathieu Grayson Perry won the headlines after last weekend’s Being a Man festival by delivering a “manifesto for men” while wearing a frilly frock. I have nothing against Grayson, who as a transvestite artist, Turner prize winner, husband and father has …

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“Rehearsing the revolution”: theatre in Israel-Palestine

In Israel/Palestine, former combatants are using the Theatre of the Oppressed to move towards an end to the occupation. Recently London theatre group Cardboard Citizens invited a former Israeli officer to share his experience of making theatre for peace. Cardboard Citizens, the theatre group, is well known for working with homeless and displaced people to create vibrant, edgy shows. Its latest play, Glass House, opens today and is expected to garner rapturous reviews. But the group is less known for …

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Detroit: from disaster to salvation?

Detroit was the cradle of Fordist capitalism and the American dream. Then it became their grave. But now, amidst the ruins, something is moving. Is there an end to the city’s decline?  Flickr/Dave Hogg. Some rights reserved. Detroit was the cradle of Fordist capitalism and the American dream. Then it became their grave. But now, amidst the ruins, something is moving. Is there an end to the city’s decline? Detroit is often held up as the ultimate capitalist dystopia. The …

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UKIP and the rise of English nationalism

flickr/ Adam J Brown Photography. Some Rights Reserved I identify as English, first and foremost. Even now, I get defensive writing this, because I also identify as left-wing. Faced with those of a similar political persuasion, I feel the need to justify myself, distancing my sense of ‘Englishness’ from the history of Empire, from tea-and-scones nostalgia, and ultimately guarding myself from accusations of racism. But English identity has never belonged to the right, and this is becoming increasingly clear as …

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Romantic love: an agent of change?

Last year, I had a revelation in a superclub. I looked around at the hundreds of women dancing to Rihanna’s ‘Only Girl (In the World)’. For a moment, the music seemed to transfigure them – seen through the logic of the song, each woman appeared privately absorbed in her desire to eclipse the rest. Only I exist for you; you are the affirmation of my unique supremacy. Rihanna. Shutterstock. All rights reserved. It’s only a song, for sure. But there …

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