Volume 127 Issue 1 January/February 2012

Cover Story

In God They Trust: As the US enters primary season ahead of the 2012 elections, Abby Ohlheiser assesses the chances of the “God and Guns” Republicans hoping to challenge Obama in November

Cartoon cowardice shames our press: In the aftermath of the firebombing of Charlie Hebdo, reprints of the magazine's Muhammad cover were conspicuous by their absence, notices Frederick Stjernfelt
Ireland's humanist president: Padraig Reidy welcomes the election of Michael D Higgins
I may as well be a unicorn: As an African-American atheist woman Jamila Bey wonders if she even exists
Fear stalks the markets: In times of economic crisis irrationality wins the day, says Lyndsey Jones
Anything is possible: Stephen Hawking’s childlike glee in overturning assumptions, especially his own, is what makes him such an iconic scientist, says his biographer Kitty Ferguson
Down with answers: Myra Zepf has a novel New Year's resolution for parents
Q&A: Andy Hamilton: Comedian and writer Andy Hamilton on being a ‘wavering agnostic’ with sympathy for the Devil
Bad Faith Award 2011: it's Dorries by a landslide: New Humanist readers vote overwhelmingly for the Conservative MP Nadine Dorries as 2011's leading enemy of reason

A tale of two Dickens: The great Christian chronicler of Victorian destitution was also a ‘wicked man’. Matthews Adams talks to biographer Claire Tomalin about the conflicted life that fed his art
Return of the moral minority: Fire-and-brimstone evangelists are usually associated with the US. But turn to the BBC at the weekend and you’ll see they’re enjoying a revival on these shores, says Francis Beckett
A time to sow: After a year of revolts in the Arab world, is the region reaping the rewards of freedom? Paul Sims talks to veteran Middle East watcher Fuad Nahdi
Memory loss: A rewritten Hungarian constitution is part of a Europe-wide process of evading responsibility for the crimes of the past, says Thomas Land
Burden of proof: should evidence determine policy?: A growing number of activists are calling for science to play a larger role in policy. But will it work? Richard Wilson asks the experts
Inside the heresy files: Interrogation. Surveillance. Ethnic profiling. Censorship. The words come from 21st-century headlines, but they have an ancient pedigree. Cullen Murphy on how the Inquisition ignited the modern police state
Heavenly bodies: Are you feeling fat after the excesses of the holiday season? Then watch out, warns Sally Feldman. Dieting can be harmful to your humanism

Quiz: Boggles goes around: A perplexing plane puzzle from Quizmaster Chris Maslanka
New Humanist Cartoons Jan/Feb 2012: Cartoons from New Humanist Jan & Feb 2012
Chown's Cosmos: Please squeeze me: Marcus Chown on the hottest body in the Solar System
Endgame: Still life: Laurie Taylor talks sadly to himself

D'oh my God: faith in The Simpsons: This year, The Simpsons celebrate their 25th birthday and their 500th episode. Andrew Mueller pays homage to the family we can all believe in

Book review: Evolution and Belief by Robert Asher: Adam Rutherford tires of zombie arguments about creationism
Looking for Transwonderland by Noo Saro-Wiwa: Natalie Haynes enjoys a Nigerian travelogue
Book review: Towards a New Manifesto by Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer: Nina Power puzzles over a heavyweight intellectual partnership
Book review: Rainbow Pie: A memoir of redneck America: Owen Jones enjoys a melancholy protrait of America's underclass
Book review: The Dead Hand by David Hoffman: Michael Binyon revisits Cold War brinksmanship