Features
Perils of a cause célèbre
A patronising and draconian response to female genital mutilation risks victimising women who have already been abused
The fundamental truths of fiction
Kit Wilson says the slow atrophy of the English novel is contributing to a decline in empathy and the rise of tribalism, trolling and “stay in your lane” identity politics
Like father, like son
Philip Larkin’s long association with Kingsley and Martin Amis resulted in the poet being misrepresented and misunderstood
Broken eggs, no omelette
Baroness Williams believed until she died that comprehensive schools fostered equality. Her folly has only entrenched class privilege
An educational dystopia
Finland’s persistent myth and the reality of progressive education
The lockdown boom in an empty room
Auction houses have enjoyed a stellar pandemic, but could their online success prove a curse?
An unfair cop
The police cannot be trusted on hate crime
The Man who saved the firm
The Duke of Edinburgh’s genius was to ensure that the more the Royal family changed, the more it appeared to remain the same
The sphinx who reshaped Europe
The key to Europe’s future lies with Mario Draghi, the technocrat who sidelined politicians and saved the Euro, but who now needs them to succeed as Italy’s PM
Having what it takes to secede
Only a tiny minority of independence movements have been both peaceful and successful