ontents Spring 2014

Regulars p. 5 Editor’s Note p. 6 The Q+A Journalist Marc Bennetts on Russia’s new dissidents andVladimir Putin p. 9 Witness Dispatches on culture,

science and politics p. 72 Community Our readers give their views on rituals p. 73 The Quiz Set by Chris Maslanka ncrave

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Dave columns p. 8 Origins Marcus Chown p. 17 Eating Julian Baggini p. 18 Pop Reni Eddo-Lodge p. 27 Atheism Alom Shaha p. 37 Health Siobhan Jones p. 71 Football Juliet Jacques p. 74 Endgame Laurie Taylor

Ariane Sherine, page 24

The cult of Mao, page 38

‘‘More industry, more automation, more freedom’’

Douglas Murphy, p56

Features p. 20 Conflict Religion and war in the Central African Republic

Samira Shackle p. 34 Science Can governments really measure and improve our happiness? Niki Seth-Smith p. 24 Life What I’ve learned from selling my possessions for charity Ariane Sherine p. 28 Cover story Documentary-maker Adam Curtis interviewed

Daniel Trilling p. 32 Ideas Ten visions of utopia Anna Vesterinen, Paul Sims p. 38 Cults From Brixton to Beijing, the worship of Chairman

Mao lives on

Sam Geall Culture p. 42 Essay Why sacred art is too important to be left to religion Kenan Malik

New Humanist | Spring 2014

p. 48 Television Benefits Street and the tricks of reality TV

Mark Fisher p. 52 Philosophy There was more to Epicurus than fine food and enjoyment David Sedley p. 56 Architecture Could designers revolutionise urban living and fix the housing crisis?

Douglas Murphy p. 60 Women Debates about beauty and power rage on among a generation of writers

Sally Feldman

Books p. 64-70 Reviews Fatema Ahmed on Jonathan Lethem; Yo Zushi on the wonder of sound; Andrew Mueller on Jesus the zealot; Anna Vesterinen on the Nordic miracle; Fiona Sampson on poetry and form poetry p. 47 Elaine Feinstein p. 51 John Kinsella p. 55 Boris Slutsky p. 59 Sharon Morris

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