The End is Nye: Religion and Soft Power

Professor Joseph S. Nye (Harvard) spoke this morning at the Maxwell School (Syracuse), where I am currently a guest. Nye is famous for coining the phrases ‘soft power’ and ‘smart power’ – both of which have slipped into the political lexicon. Continue reading “The End is Nye: Religion and Soft Power” →

Rage in the USA

I am in the USA for two weeks, and am amazed by the vitriol of the political debate. We get only mild echoes in the UK of just how polarised American politics has become and how much rage appears to be about. CNN is even running a series next week entitled “Mad as Hell” about this popular resentment. Continue reading “Rage in the USA” →

Cuts – still a phoney war with more heat than light

At last Gordon Brown has uttered the “c” word – cuts. Although everyone knows that some level of cutback in public spending is going to be necessary, all attention has focused on the “will he, won’t he” question of whether the Prime Minister would use the ‘cuts’ word. Continue reading “Cuts – still a phoney war with more heat than light” →

Call for Human Economics

Geoff Hodgson, a leading light it what some have called “post-autistic economics”, has launched a petition calling for a reorientation of the profession. Continue reading “Call for Human Economics” →

Three Questions

As the holiday season draws to a close and the political conference season approaches the almost overwhelming consensus amongst the political class and media is that Britain is facing a public finance crisis of staggering proportions. Continue reading “Three Questions” →

There Will Be Blood – But We’re Not Sure How Much Or When

A couple of days ago we asked the Phi100 Panel of Westminster ‘insiders’, which includes, leading politicians, policy, and media figures, about realistic targets for reducing the UK’s burgeoning public debt. Continue reading “There Will Be Blood – But We’re Not Sure How Much Or When” →

Hacked Off – The Met and the Tories

The latest scandal to hit British politics is the widespread alleged wire(less) tapping of phones by News International (Rupert Murdoch’s) News of the World (NoW).

The political dimension is focused on the Tories – their Communication supremo Andy Coulson is the former Editor of the NoW who resigned over – the same allegations. Continue reading “Hacked Off – The Met and the Tories” →

Team Torchwood Triumphs

OK – I confess – I am a SciFi-natic, since I was knee high to a grass-hopper. So no surprise I am watching this weeks BBC blockbuster Torchwood: Children of Earth. (Torchwood are a fictional bunch of alien fighters set up by Queen Victoria – yes, her, it’s a long story). Continue reading “Team Torchwood Triumphs” →

It’s Purely Academic…..

This is a fairly common derogatory phrase in the UK – meaning whatever is being talked about is somehow irrelevant to real life and of no real consequence. ( I am not sure how current it is in other countries). Continue reading “It’s Purely Academic…..” →