Journalist and women’s rights defender held for peaceful activities supporting equal rights for women in Iran.… Read the rest
Welcome to our archive of news stories relevant to the project of fighting fashionable nonsense. The stories are drawn from the electronic pages of the world’s media. On this page, you’ll find links to those stories that have been featured on Butterflies and Wheels during the current year. At the bottom of the page, you’ll find links to separate archives of stories from previous years.
We’re always pleased to hear about news stories that you think should be featured on Butterflies and Wheels. Just send an email here, if you want to point one out to us.
A note about links
Inevitably links go out of date. We suggest, therefore, that you make hard-copies of the stories that particularly interest you.
Reporters Without Borders on Maryam Hosseinkhah 
Nov 23rd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Zanestan, a women’s online bi-monthly founded in 2005, has been closed since 12 November 2007.… Read the rest
Payvand on Maryam Hossienkhah
Nov 23rd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The site of the Women’s Cultural Center was shut down by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. … Read the rest
Democratic Candidates Rebuke Saudi, Bush
Nov 22nd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Victim’s husband urges international media to put pressure on Saudi government to reverse decision.… Read the rest
Riots in Calcutta Over Taslima Nasreen
Nov 22nd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
All-India Minority Forum said Nasreen had ‘seriously hurt Muslim sentiments.’ And?… Read the rest
Taslima Nasreen Leaves Calcutta After Riots
Nov 22nd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
At least 43 people were hurt. Critics say she called for the Koran to be changed to give women greater rights.… Read the rest
Human Rights Watch on Saudi Case
Nov 22nd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Judge banned the victim’s lawyer, who is Saudi Arabia’s best-known human rights lawyer. … Read the rest
Stephen Law on Alain de Botton
Nov 22nd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Suggests that academic analytic philosophy is a waste of time, then is surprised at response.… Read the rest
Nigel Warburton Recommends The Grasshopper
Nov 22nd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Bernard Suits combines witty parody of Platonic dialogues with serious philosophy about the nature of games.… Read the rest
Todd Gitlin on What They Think of Us
Nov 22nd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
To what degree is anti-Americanism attributable to the ruinous preoccupations of Bush? … Read the rest
Controversy Over Mearsheimer and Walt Book
Nov 22nd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The main effect of the lobby, Tony Judt says, has been self-censorship.… Read the rest
Fake Pamphlet was a ‘Prank’
Nov 22nd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
It was just a bit of skylarking over a few beers.… Read the rest
Australia: 5 Liberals Hand Out Fake Pamphlets
Nov 22nd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Leaflets purported to be from an Islamic group thanking Labor for its sympathy for the Bali bombers. … Read the rest
Saudi Rape Victim Tells Her Story
Nov 22nd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Saudi Ministry of Justice is defending a sentence of 200 lashes for the victim of a gang rape.… Read the rest
Rebecca Goldstein on Mark Lilla
Nov 21st, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Some of us have been taking the European Enlightenment a little bit for granted. … Read the rest
All the President’s Powers
Nov 21st, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
If we recalled the lessons of the nation’s founding, we’d stop falling for imperially-minded presidents. … Read the rest
Law and Judgment Inside the Bush Admin
Nov 21st, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Unitary executive theory’ makes the president more accountable; secrecy subverts that.… Read the rest
Xian Group Demands Blasphemy Prosecution
Nov 21st, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
BBC’s JSO was ‘offensive, spiteful, systematic mockery and wilful denigration of Christian belief.’… Read the rest
Normblog on Catch-23 for Atheists
Nov 21st, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
If you’re an atheist you won’t convince a religious person, and if you’re religious you won’t want to.… Read the rest
Frederick Crews on Talking Back to Prozac
Nov 20th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
A world in which perceived needs are manufactured along with the products that will match them.… Read the rest
