February 25, 2013 | Page 2 of 2 | Standpoint Magazine

A Novelist With Ice In His Heart

J.M. Coetzee is a curiously chilly author and his Kafkaesque new novel is a parable about the writer's place in a world ruled by cold rationalism

February 25, 2013

Books·Literature

The Few Who Rule The Many

Alan Ryan’s colossal new history of political thought is an ambitious but engaging piece of scholarship

February 25, 2013

Critique·Philosophy·Politics

Dirty Old Mensch

'"You could certainly fill a dirndl," the elder statesman said, before taking her hand, kissing it and propositioning her'

February 25, 2013

European Eye·Gender·Germany

Barracked by Obama’s Oratory

'In the gap where arguments and examples should be, the President invoked God, attacked the Republicans and invoked spectacle'

February 25, 2013

Dispatches·US Politics

Siberia: Shamans, Spies and the Secret Police

'It was then that it hit me: I was being interrogated by the FSB. It was only then I began to see how terrified the locals were'

February 25, 2013

Dispatches·Russia

Bush V. the Appeasers

The once derided, now unmentionable George W. Bush shames the Obama Administration in their respective attempts to promote peace in the Middle East

February 25, 2013

Counterpoints·Israel·US Politics

Taliban Tourists

The US army's "catch and release programme" in Afghanistan puts allied troops in grave danger and is destabalising in the long term.

February 25, 2013

Afghanistan·Counterpoints

A Bee in his Bonnet

Richard Dawkins cannot grasp the distinction between knowledge and wisdom. This puts him at war not only with religion, but the entire tradition of Western philosophy

February 25, 2013

Counterpoints·Faith·Philosophy

Made in China

A 108-metre-high Eiffel tower, "Venice Water Town and "Thames Town"? It's the Middle Kingdom's new craze for architectural replicas

February 25, 2013

Architecture·China·Counterpoints

Call More Midwives

Since the inauguration of the NHS, governments have increasingly paid lip service to midwives. We must not let this precious asset be further marginalised

February 25, 2013

Counterpoints·Health

Default Lines

An arcane deal for the UK to write off a chunk of Argentina's debt in exchange for an end to squabbling over the Falklands was turned down by the British government. It

February 25, 2013

Counterpoints·Economy·Latin America

February 25, 2013- Page 2