Series

I have written several essay series and am in the process of writing many more. Each of them explores a subject in great depth and is the result of a great deal of research. Given how much goes into these series in terms of time and energy, some of these series are paywalled. In this case, the first half of each essay is publicly available, but you will need to become a paying subscriber to read each essay in full.

Have I Got Ruins For You
Discussing the British TV news comedy quiz show Have I Got News For You.

From Blasphemy to Hate Speech
Discussing legislation and its effects

The Seeds of Gay Doom
Examining the decline of 21st Century Doctor Who

The Grim Rhymer
Examining the film-poems of Tony Harrison

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Forthcoming series

The Culture Machinery
Anatomising how culture works in Western societies

The Last Great Blasphemy Trial
Discussing the 1977 trial of Gay News for publishing a blasphemous poem

The Lies of Brian
Exploring the release and mythologising of the 1979 comedy film Monty Python’s Life of Brian

The Loony Left
Examining the 1980s phenomenon of amateur leftie politics in 1980s Britain

Night Mail and the Possible
Examining the Royal Mail since 1936, via its promotional documentaries

The Rainbow Regime
Telling the story of how it felt to be a dissident between 2014 and 2022

Rebel Without a Point
Charting the career of English comedy writer/actor Chris Morris

Spudlore
Telling the story of an Edinburgh tradition