Category Archives: good writing

Thoughts on Michael Anton and Leo Strauss’ Machiavelli

Posted on May 3, 2017 by lawrence serewicz

In a recent interview, Mr Anton said that he knew “Nick”, his short hand for Niccolo Machiavelli, for over 30 years. He qualified his support by saying he followed the Leo Strauss’ Machiavelli.[1] For his interviewer, this made sense. Leo … Continue reading →

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Trump, Murdoch and digital tabloids: from media bodyguards to Praetorian Guards

Posted on February 21, 2017 by lawrence serewicz

For I know that some human beings are like horses—the more they get what they want, the more unruly they are apt to become. [3] The way to manage men like that is to put the fear of the bodyguard … Continue reading →

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A Partial Commentary on Howse’s Leo Strauss: Man of Peace

Posted on February 21, 2015 by lawrence serewicz

Prefatory remarks.[1] Professor Howse has written an ambitious book to make the case for Leo Strauss as a man of peace and to defend him from his critics. That he has to meet both charges is indicative of the state … Continue reading →

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Beyond Contempt: Does Money Buy Justice?

Posted on August 21, 2014 by lawrence serewicz

Peter Jukes has written an important book. The book is important because of what it reveals about UK politics, media, and justice. The case connects these areas. Too often people hear “important book” and immediately think that it is boring. … Continue reading →

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A night at the Symposium: St. John’s College Post Graduate Research Symposium

Posted on August 10, 2014 by lawrence serewicz

On Thursday the 7th of August, I attended the Post Graduate Research Symposium at St. John’s College in Durham.  The Institute for Advanced Studies hosted the event and Dr. Mark Ogden chaired it. The event had 10 speakers over 2 … Continue reading →

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Does the NSA want to collect everything? Let’s check the facts and then decide.

Posted on August 31, 2013 by lawrence serewicz

Over the past several months, we have read headlines and stories about the new surveillance state. We have been told that the United States government, in particular the NSA, intends to “collect, monitor, and store every telephone and internet communication … Continue reading →

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Prosecution and the art of social media writing: reflections on McAlpine v Bercow

Posted on May 24, 2013 by lawrence serewicz

Today, the High Court ruled that Sally Bercow had defamed Lord McAlpine through a tweet, which could be understand to accuse him of sexually abusing boys in care. It follows that, for these reasons, I find that the Tweet meant, … Continue reading →

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Has the UK media’s abuse of the public interest stifled democracy?

Posted on September 11, 2012 by lawrence serewicz

Over the last few weeks, we have seen the Sun newspaper publish photographs of a naked Prince Harry. They justified publishing the photographs as being in the public interest.  Their defenders supported the decision by arguing that Prince Harry is … Continue reading →

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Have hypertext and hyperlink been over-hyped? The view from local government.

Posted on August 11, 2012 by lawrence serewicz

    Since the dawn of the social media age, we have been treated to various claims that hypertext and hyperlinks will change the way we work, read, and write.  There were even claims that hyperlinks will subvert hierarchies.  Yet, … Continue reading →

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Democracy and justice in the UK are we training to ask the right questions?

Posted on July 24, 2012 by lawrence serewicz

To find things out, we need to ask questions.  The quality of our questions will depend on what we already know. At the same time, the quality of our questions will decide the answers we get.  In court, we rely … Continue reading →

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