Political class factionalism and the right-wing takeover of the Republican Party

In a fascinating essay, Ronald Kuykendall discusses the “right wing wave”, and how it relates to white identity politics, the history of factions in the two-party system in in the USA, and the backlash to the Obama presidency It is obvious and undeniable that in the United States the Republican Party is attractive to reactionaries,… Read More

Faith and Fundamentalism: creating art from uncertainty

by Rajeev Balasubramanyam  Two weeks ago I met an artist who hadn’t produced any work since Trump’s election in November. She was in shock, felt helpless and bereft. ‘I just want things to go back to normal,’ she said, ‘and then I can make art again.’ By ‘normal,’ I suspect she meant a return to… Read More

Theresa, Trump and a Culture of Demonisation

by Maya Goodfellow  When narratives form around politicians, they tend to be difficult to unpick. Over the weekend the carefully constructed image of Theresa May as a sensibly “cautious” prime minister was deployed by Tory MP Nadhim Zahawi and right-wing paper The Sun to explain her calculated silence over – and then limp criticism of –… Read More

Perhaps we really should go back to Africa

by Felipe Araujo  In Solange’s album A Seat at the Table, there is a song called “Where Do We Go”. Released in 2016, it is a poignant compilation of personal confessions and meditations on growing up black in America. “Where Do We Go”, sung in a whisper, talks about a home she no longer recognises… Read More