Regulars p. 3 Editor’s Note p. 6 The Q&A Philosopher and cognitive scientist Daniel Dennett p. 9 Witness News, comment and your letters p. 71 Crossword Set by Chaliapin p. 72 The Big Question “What are your favourite song lyrics, and why?”

p. 74 Endgame What’s the point of going out? By Laurie Taylor Contents Summer 2017

p. 73 Quiz Set by Chris Maslanka columns p. 8 Cosmos Primordial black holes By Marcus Chown p. 16 Conflict The murder of a humanist By Samira Shackle p. 70 In a Word “Global” By Michael Rosen

Laurie Taylor’s column, p. 74

“It’s not just online where sexual assaults on women have become normalised” Sally Feldman, page 56

Features p. 18 Reportage Refugees past and present on Turkey’s Aegean coast By Alev Scott p. 24 Ethics Why empathy might do us more harm than good By Kenan Malik p. 28 Bodies How the taboo over menstruation is being challenged around the world By Angela Saini p. 32 Cover story What do we mean when we talk about “empire”? By Gurminder K Bhambra and Charlotte L Riley p. 38 Religion The campaigners helping Hasidic Jews who want to leave their community By Daniel Gordon p. 42 Rights Does literature help or hinder the fight for equality? By Lyndsey Stonebridge Culture p. 48 Mythologies How imperial nostalgia lives on in popular culture By Owen Hatherley iqa l syah

Ha y

: B o b io n i l lu strat ov e r

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New Humanist | Summer 2017