---
title: "Immigration, free speech, feminism: the New Humanist democracy reading list"
date: "2015-05-07T17:43:08+01:00"
modified: "2015-05-07T17:43:08+01:00"
url: "https://newhumanist.org.uk/2015/05/07/immigration-free-speech-feminism-the-new-humanist-democracy-reading-list/"
post_id: 6390
categories: ["Uncategorised"]
---

# Immigration, free speech, feminism: the New Humanist democracy reading list

1\. [In defence of diversity](/articles/4477/in-defence-of-diversity)

Those who warn of the devastating effects of modern immigration need to brush up on their history, says Kenan Malik.

2\. [The death of Jimmy Mubenga](/articles/4841/the-death-of-jimmy-mubenga)

In this report, Lara Pawson examines how deportees become less than human, and how the UK’s legal system cast a black man beyond justice.

3\. [In western democracies, is reading a political act?](/articles/4845/in-western-democracies-is-reading-a-political-act)

Azar Nafisi, author of *Reading Lolita in Tehran*, makes the case that fiction is vital to democracy.

4\. [Reflections on Charlie Hebdo](/articles/4833/reflections-on-charlie-hebdo)

This extended editorial considers the fall-out of the brutal attack on the French satirical magazine. Our political systems only preserve rights such as free speech insofar as we pressure them to do so.

5\. [The politics of everyday life](/articles/4734/the-politics-of-everyday-life)

Caspar Melville examines the legacy of Stuart Hall and Richard Hoggart, the pioneers of Cultural Studies.

6\. [Are Enlightenment values the property of the West?](/articles/4825/are-enlightenment-values-the-property-of-the-west)

Jonathan Israel reviews Kenan Malik’s history of ethics, which makes the case that these values – which underpin modern democracy – are universal.

7\. [Golden girls](/articles/4651/golden-girls)

A generation of feminist writers is approaching old age. But the same debates, about beauty, wealth and power, rage on, writes Sally Feldman.

8\. [Revolution, the Russell Brand way](/articles/4783/revolution-the-russell-brand-way)

Padraig Reidy offers a 12-step programme to overcoming neoliberalism, courtesy of comedian-turned-revolutionary Russell Brand.

9\. [Bertrand Russell’s lofty pacifism](/articles/4709/bertrand-russells-lofty-pacifism)

He spent a lifetime opposing war – but how well does the legacy of our most famous peace activist stand up to scrutiny? By Jonathan Rée.

10\. [Fail better](/articles/4641/fail-better)

Daniel Trilling meets the acclaimed documentary-maker Adam Curtis. His films tell the histories of utopian ideas gone horribly wrong. So why does he think we need more of them?

11\. [Selma is a great film, but where are the British stories about race and racism?](/articles/4836/selma-is-a-great-film-but-where-are-the-british-stories-about-race-and-racism)

To assume that there was no civil rights movement in the UK does a disservice to our black history, says Reni Eddo-Lodge.

12\. [In pursuit of happiness](/articles/4613/in-pursuit-of-happiness)

A policy revolution is under way to improve our well-being. Are its motives genuine? Niki Seth-Smith reports.