The End of Alcohol
Amy Jardine invites us into a funny and frank conversation about invisible alcoholism
Ship of fools
What Global Britain means is starting to take shape – but its emphasis appears more on the “Britain” than the “global”
writes Nick Witney
Picture this
Creativity helps children process experience and develop close connections. Rhona Matheson on why it’s time to make arts integral to post-Covid learning
Valentine’s day is over
Is love past its sell-by date? Hannah McGill (part one) thinks she’s better off without it, while Tom McLean (part two) skips through a buttercup meadow hand in hand wi’ his gie bonnie lass.
The fire down below
Marcel Duchamp’s L.H.O.O.Q. is the greatest work of 20th century art, writes Peter Burnett
The great Brexit heist
Following an uncompromisingly hard Brexit, all the new limitations and sources of friction in Britain’s economic, political, and human interactions with the EU will only now kick in, writes Nick Witney
Leaving the Castle
How would you feel on the first morning of an independent Scotland? Playwright David Greig responds.
Hitting the target and missing the point
Under 7s learn best and enjoy better life chances when they’re free to play, writes Sue Palmer
Make an impression
Become a Friend of Product
Time for action
A full enquiry into Mercy Baguma’s death and an end to private sector asylum seeker provision can be first steps in challenging Home Office policy, writes Patrick Harvie
If you see me, weep
Can hunger stones, a chilling ecological warning from our ancestors, help inform new thinking on how to save the future? By Alex Elliott
Kill the poor
Food bank use and child poverty have increased exponentially across the UK since 2010, writes Stephen Sinclair
Vinyl for food banks
Your old records gathering dust could help those most in need
See no evil
Most of us turn a blind eye to the anti-social practices of Amazon, writes Peter Burnett
Stand by me
Universal credit and in-work poverty are forcing more and more people to use food banks, writes Bethany Biggar
Seize the day
Brexit and the lies behind it must be fought at every corner, writes David Harding
Tame the selfish giant
It’s time to protect books and those who create them, writes Jean Findlay
Come on feel the noize
Strengthening the climate movement requires new strategy and tactics. By Tim Root
We rule the school
A neuro-supremacist’s handbook, by Ben Mitchell
Once in a lifetime
Patrick Small asks if Scotland can capitalise on Andy Murray’s Wimbledon triumph to improve the country’s increasingly poor health
Time for action
An array of bold climateers is rising worldwide. The next step is to link ideas and practice, writes Paul Rogers
Big mouth strikes again
Artist Julian Tolhurst discusses identity, sculpture, China and consumption with Keanu Arcadio
Reality bites
The new Brexit Secretary is funded by a secretive hard right think tank intent on rolling back workers’ rights. By Adam Ramsay and Peter Geoghegan
The light pours out of me
Douglas Morland pays tribute to the GSA Mackintosh building
Testing times
Against international evidence about its negative effect, the Scottish government has introduced testing throughout the education system, beginning at Primary 1. Sue Palmer sets ministers their own test
Martin Luther King
Dr. King’s funeral was held in Atlanta on April 9, 1968.
Sound and vision
Artists who make music Musicians who make art brings together artists who straddle both worlds, as Ross Sinclair explains to Neil Cooper
Hope springs eternal
Will Robert Wilson use his Botanics connections and visual art background to save Inverlieth House? asks Neil Cooper
Ten Things
Number 1: Topping up child benefit would lift thousands of children out of poverty, writes Hanna McCulloch
Those to whom evil is done
Chris Harvie on warnings from history and the shitstorm to come
How soon is now?
Can we create a new narrative on how simple, bold actions can save the future? Despite a grim 2017, Lilly Markaki discovers glimpses of light in the darkness
A beast in view
Chris Harvie implores sleepy Scotland to wake up and grasp every opportunity
Live review
Had We Never. Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh. August 17th. By Neil Cooper
Stop making sense
Neil Cooper discusses art, performance and control with Martin Creed
The fire and the fury
The language used to frame the Grenfell tragedy exposed media hypocrisy and collusion, writes Hailey Maxwell
Art review
Irineu Destourelles – Unturning.
Summerhall, Edinburgh. Until July 16th. Review by Neil Cooper
Draw you in
Graham Domke previews the new Rob Churm show at Glasgow’s CCA
Art review
The Honourable K.W. Harman: Ltd Ink Corporation, Leith Docks. Review by Neil Cooper
The Daily Hate
Sibylla Kalid discusses ethics with the founder of a campaign to discourage corporations advertising in tabloids which pedal racial prejudice
Still believe
Graham Domke on why Inverleith House must be saved
Every thing must go
Flogging off Edinburgh’s public assets to corporate interests is neither moral nor practical, writes Neil Cooper
A rare and gentle thing
Carla Lane’s best work captured the essence of an era and featured many of Merseybeat’s finest, writes Neil Cooper
No future?
By saying nothing, the RBGE board hoped opposition to axing Inverleith House would dwindle. The opposite is happening, writes Neil Cooper
Ten Things
Number 8: The children are not guilty. Reduce the stigma of a family member’s imprisonment, writes Nancy Loucks
Ten Things
Number 7: Challenge the prejudice which underpins homophobic bullying through education, writes Jordan Daly
Ten Things
Number 6: Reinforce universal services to support our most vulnerable parents, writes Christine Puckering
Ten Things
Number 5: Integrate arts into early years education, and see the benefits for children and their parents, writes Rhona Matheson
Ten Things
Number 4: To improve children’s life chances, we must improve the lives of parents before they conceive, writes Jonathan Sher
Ten Things
Number 3: Only by genuinely listening to children will we encourage them to participate, writes Tam Baillie
Ten Things
Number 2: Create a play-based kindergarten stage for three to seven year olds. By Sue Palmer
Strange fruit
Ben Sparks on the dark forces unleashed by Trump’s triumph
America cuts its throat
Lisa Locascio wakes up to the full, painful horror of the Trump ascendancy
Burning down the house
Big names sign open letter to save unique cultural assett
Shrink the state
Neil Cooper finds Jimmy Cauty’s miniaturist celebration of dissent strikingly apposite
Closing time
Why did Inverleith House suddenly get axed? Neil Cooper puts 23 questions to the Royal Botanic Garden
Chimes of freedom
Glasgow hosts a hard-hitting multi- discipline arts project examining issues of state power and violence this weekend, writes Neil Cooper
Trident in a spin
As the cost of Trident 2 soars to £31 billion , Andrew Morton examines hypocrisy at the heart of the UK nuclear programme.
Games without frontiers
Post-Brexit Scotland risks being left behind with the creation of a Digital Single Market across the EU, writes Pete Wishart
Scotland The Fat
A casualised economy, sold-off sports fields and an over- reliance on cars has produced an obesity epidemic. Chris Harvie on how we might shed some lard
Ways to stay
Can Scotland remain in the EU? Paddy Bort assesses the options
Play to win
Since 2014 Scotland has somehow broken with long tradition by turning defeat into victory, writes Katriona Gillespie
We are with you
Scotland voted In, so I will not be giving up my EU passport, writes Katriona Gillespie
New dark age
Cameron lost the EU referendum when he normalised bigotry, and we will all pay the price for years, writes Sarah Busby
Pay it forward
Integrating volunteering into Scottish degrees draws on our finest traditions and could have huge societal benefits, writes Katriona Gillespie
Where now?
Paddy Bort on the prospects for progressive policies in the new Scottish parliament
Helping hands
The provision of a box of essentials for every baby born in Scotland is an egalitarian policy with proven social benefits, writes Katriona Gillespie
New life
Sturgeon’s baby boxes will enliven the case for independence, writes Sarah Busby
Right next time
To achieve the democratic control which lies at the heart of demands for independence, we must develop a credible currency plan – and soon, writes Robin McAlpine
Taste and expectation
Amelia Bayler on things we need to think about when we think about food
The chips and the fury
Anger over The Glasgow Effect opens up a raft of issues for modern Scotland, writes Neil Cooper
One of us
Who will benefit from The Glasgow Effect? asks Lilly Markaki
Ian Bell
An appreciation of a unique and inspirational writer, by Patrick Small
This charming man
An appreciation of William McIlvanney, by Alistair Braidwood
Beast of all saints
It’s time for a new patron saint of Scotland, a fearless champion who could see off the doomsters and austerity bullies. Ron Ferguson knows the very man.
Back to Black
Lucy Parker’s moving exhibition chronicles the experience of blacklisted construction workers, writes Neil Cooper
What now?
ISIS’s violent assaults in Paris should lead to a political rethink among western leaders. But will they? By Paul Rogers
Louder than bombs
A new campaign to persuade the Scottish parliament to stop investing in arms is launched today, writes Kat Hobbs
Valley of the malls
A small sales outlet in Leith could challenge the power of Big Retail, writes Peter Burnett
Product Talks
Product is organising a series of events with some of Scotland’s finest speakers, writers and artists, which will be available to listen to online. The first of these featured Robin McAlpine
Gimme shelter
Robina Qureshi on the simple actions you can take to help refugees
Fiction factory
The Greek crisis is defined in neoliberal language based on spectacular nonsense, writes Sadia Abbas
Eyes wide open
The Greeks’ No vote contains lessons for us all, writes Cat Boyd
All fall down
George Osborne’s budget measures will condemn more families to poverty and deprivation, writes Hannah McCulloch
A lie too far
Shetland resident John Neicho on why he set up a petition calling for Alistair Carmichael to resign
Begin Again
In the first of our series of ideas for Scotland, Mary Kapadia proposes urgent land reform.
Product Events
This summer, Product will be hosting a series of events with some of Scotland’s finest speakers, writers, film makers and artists. The first one is held next Tuesday in Edinburgh.
Top Ten Club
Jen Stout chooses her favourite 38 Degrees campaigns so far
The day the music died
A manuscript of original lyrics to Don McLean’s epic American Pie was recently auctioned in New York. Simon Warner explores the backdrop to the song’s conception and the hidden meanings behind its much-coveted words
Every thing must go
Commissioning Trident amidst austerity cuts to social provision is lunacy, writes John Ainslie
Top 10 Club
Only by altering the way we see things in general terms can we begin to deliver a fairer society. Robin McAlpine proposes ten changes of mindset to set us on our way
Carbon no more
It’s time to stop indulging Big Oil and shift to a clean energy economy, writes Patrick Harvie
Dinner with my No voting friends
For years, Scots reacted to right wing Westminster policies by saying: “I didn’t vote for that.” If they win on Thursday, No voters won’t have that luxury, writes Peter Arnott.
We need to talk about leadership
Laura Eaton Lewis on how to overcome subtle, recurrent gender bias
Democracy in the Dark
Have pro-independence arguments been marginalised in the run-up to the referendum?
Iain MacWhirter examines charges of media bias – and why more editorial and
political diversity is needed.
I see my light come shining
on 50 years of Amnesty International
See no evil
Secret rendition flights take terror suspects to be tortured abroad via UK airports. Britain’s crime has been to look the other way, writes Stephen Grey