Report launch: Divide and Rule - How the ‘culture wars’ are a reactionary backlash constructed to distract us, and how to respond.

In November 2020, we were commissioned by the New Economy Organisers Network (NEON) to produce a report on the so-called ‘culture wars’ in order to harness reflections on how they play out in the UK’s broadcast media, and to explore ways of how the progressive movement can engage with them differently. 

You can read the report here.

The report looks at the tactics that conservative commentators and institutions employ to their advantage, the tactics that progressives can use in order to engage with these debates more effectively, and the wider strategies that are needed to support an end to the ‘culture wars’.

Our hope is that this report will showcase some key lessons that need to be harnessed in order to circumvent the political gains and momentum of those that instrumentalise the ‘culture wars’ as a key tactic. The stakes are high, and a concerted effort is necessary to address the structural issues at play as the media landscape in the UK is redefined. The sooner these efforts begin, the better our chances of turning the tide.

Read the report here, we hope you find it to be an interesting read.