TheBattleground.eu

19/08/2024

Europe's future is teetering on the edge. John Foster’s "War By Any Other Name" explores the rise of the far right and the centre left’s retreat into neoliberalism.
From France to the UK, this collection is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the crisis facing the continent.
Available 19 August.

Left and Right in the Era of European Populism

19/08/2024

Is fascism just a relic of the past, or is it creeping back under the guise of modern populism?
As liberal democracy hangs in the balance, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Educate yourself beyond the headlines.

Education, Not Moralism

18/08/2024

When the market tears society apart, liberals look right to restore order. John Foster, on the crisis of Western democracy and why fascism is always on the horizon.

Education, Not Moralism

16/08/2024

Europe’s future is darkening. The far right is on the ascent, while the centre left clings to neoliberalism. In his first essay collection, John Foster plumbs the depths of the crisis and what it portends for the post-Cold War order. Available Monday from your favourite digital bookseller.

15/08/2024

Isabella Lovestory isn’t afraid to push boundaries.
Her blend of reggaeton and raw, unfiltered lyrics makes her a standout voice in postcolonial s*x positivity.
The music’s smooth, but the message hits hard.

Isabella Lovestory

13/08/2024

The Proms are the closest thing we have to musical jelly—wobbly, eclectic, and utterly British.
From Handel to disco balls, this year's Proms have truly been a tale of two extremes.
Whether it's breakdancing baroque or disco fever, the Royal Albert Hall has seen it all this summer.
Can hybrid Proms become the new normal? 🎶

A Tale of Two Proms

09/08/2024

Few Italian philosophers are as synonymous with fascism as Julius Evola. John Foster on the Antisemitic Sicilian ideologue and his lasting impact on the European far right.

The Julius Evola Legacy

08/08/2024

Belgian-Congolese rapper Baloji's directorial debut, Omen, takes us on a searing journey through postcolonial Matonge.

Expect the unexpected as he transubstantiates hip-hop into a visual experience that shuns traditional storytelling.

Dive into the world of Koffi, Alice, and the complexities of superstition in a film that leaves literal-minded viewers behind.

Omen, Directed by Baloji

06/08/2024

From the ghastly rise of far-right populists to the nostalgia of childhood TV dramas, our world teeters between reality and fakery. Is retreating to the past our only escape from today's turmoil?

From Anne Boleyn to Sigmund Freud

06/08/2024

Tommy Robinson, now enjoying a luxury hotel in Cyprus, has ignited flames of unrest across the UK. From Weymouth to Southport, towns are becoming battlegrounds. The question we need to ask: why is Britain boiling over? Is it really just about immigration, or are there deeper issues at play?

The UK Boils Over

06/08/2024

The passing of Lewis Lapham signifies the end of an era in American literary and political commentary. His fearless critiques and sharp insights exposed the flaws in our political system. What will we do without voices like his to call out the deceit and delusion in our politics?

Remembering Lewis Lapham

02/08/2024

Ghost Dubs’ new albums, Damaged and Damaged Versions, showcase Michael Fielder's minimalist genius. By distilling dub to its essence, he crafts soundscapes that are hauntingly nostalgic and fiercely innovative. A must-listen for anyone craving depth in their music. 🎧🔥

Damaged and Damaged Versions, by Ghost Dubs

29/07/2024

By reminding us of this possibility, Perfect Days delivers a valuable message to viewers of any age who are rendered miserable by performance anxiety. There are certainly worse fates than escaping the rat race for a world where success isn’t measured by wealth or fame.

Wim Wenders’ Perfect Days

29/07/2024

Given the disdain Bibi shows for Jewish Israelis, we are all Palestinians in the eyes of his government.

If that’s the only thing Americans learn from his grotesque display in Congress, it will have been worthwhile.

Schooling the Americans

29/07/2024

The French project of coming to terms with the past continues. The mainstreaming of Marine Le Pen’s Rassemblement National is part of a continuing process of mainstreaming Vichy as well.

Zeev Sternhell’s France

29/07/2024

The victory the coalition achieved in containing Marine Le Pen’s Rassemblement National, is worth reflecting on. You don’t have to like Jean-Luc Mélenchon to appreciate what the Front pulled off. They blocked one of Europe’s biggest fascist parties from power. Even if that’s the only thing they accomplish, it was a rare moment of inspiration we can all benefit from.

Zeev Sternhell’s France

28/07/2024

Office Ambience

What I'm Listening To

27/07/2024

Don't blame it on the N***s. John Foster, on the origins of French fascism and why Zeev Sternhell's 1983 account, Neither Left nor Right, is more relevant than ever.

Zeev Sternhell’s France

26/07/2024

Still Fascist After All These Years

Zeev Sternhell’s France

26/07/2024

Bibi thought he'd get a boost from addressing Congress. Instead, he exposed Israel as a fratricidal country. Shai Ginsburg, on Netanyahu's war against the hostage families.

Schooling the Americans

26/07/2024

It's not a didactic film, but the politics are inescapable. Charlie Bertsch, on Wim Wenders' documentary about the everyday life of a Japanese toilet cleaner.

Wim Wenders’ Perfect Days

26/07/2024

Wim Wenders’ Perfect Days may follow a man cleaning public toilets, but it finds magic in the mundane. As Hirayama navigates his quiet life, we learn to see the world through his eyes—finding beauty in the routine. Is this a guide to surviving our increasingly chaotic world? 🌸

Wim Wenders’ Perfect Days

26/07/2024

"It’s time the American government stopped facilitating this dynamic and feting Israeli leaders so diametrically opposed to both Israeli and Palestinian interests.

Given the disdain Bibi shows for Jewish Israelis, we are all Palestinians in the eyes of his government.

If that’s the only thing Americans learn from his grotesque display in Congress, it will have been worthwhile."

Schooling the Americans

25/07/2024

Israeli Politics Lesson

Schooling the Americans

24/07/2024

Looking For the Right Image

Wim Wenders’ Perfect Days

24/07/2024

Witnessing Italy’s multicultural soul in Torino.

Black Italians conversing in French and Arabic – a reflection of Europe’s evolving identity.

Aperture Priorities Contact Sheet #21

23/07/2024

Unofficial Italy

Aperture Priorities Contact Sheet #21