Scruton is a fellow at the Washington-based Ethics and Public Policy Center, which announces itself as "dedicated to applying the Judeo-Christian moral tradition to critical issues of public policy."

Bad planning sowed the seeds of conflict in cities such as Homs. Now a local architect has a vision of something better

A century and a half ago, Napoleon III gave to Georges-Eugène Haussmann the task of clearing away the insalubrious streets of medieval Paris, and building a new city full of light and air.

Two thoughtful and lengthy reviews of FOOLS, FRAUDS AND FIREBRANDS

“…he largely sets aside constructive philosophical work in order to dismantle the dismantlers. This he does with rhetorical vigor and flair, and though he often paints with the broadest of brushes and does not always make the distinctions perfect fairness would call for, his critique is a powerful one indeed.” And “Late in his book Scruton comments that he has searched these thinkers’ writings ‘in vain for a description of how the equality of being advocated in their fraught manifestoes is to be achieved.’ In the end, he says, ‘We know nothing of the socialist future, save only that it is both necessary and desirable.’

One woman’s battle to heal her home city of Homs. The Observer 3 April 2016

As bombs fell around her, Syrian architect Marwa al-Sabouni stayed in Homs throughout the civil war, making plans to build hope from carnage. Her ideas are now laid out in a visionary memoir. But will anyone listen? 

The EU’s problem with Islam. Hiding the truth about migrant crimes shows huge disrespect to most Muslims. Spectator Life - Roger Scruton March 2016

The Spectator recently carried an article by Ivar Arpi concerning the extent to which the Swedish authorities have been hiding the truth about sex attacks on native Swedish women. The majority of these attacks have been carried out by Muslim immigrants. The German authorities were concealing similar attacks until the truth was forced on the world during New Year’s celebrations in Cologne.

'Conversations with Roger Scruton offers an intriguing insight into the life and times of this world renowned thinker. The conversations were recorded over three days in Scruton's home in Wiltshire by fellow philosopher and Scruton biographer Mark Dooley.

Academic Freedom in an Age of Conformity: Confronting the Fear of Knowledge, by Joanna Williams, is very well done.

She shows how important historically academic freedom has been to the pursuit of knowledge, and examines the baleful consequences of the contemporary assault on truth and objectivity.

Should the English also have a right to decide on Scottish independence

A Point of View - BBC Magazine Feb 2016 Roger Scruton 

In all the complex changes leading to the Scottish bid for independence the English have never been consulted. The process has been conducted as though we had no right to an opinion in the matter. It was all about Scotland, and how to respond to Scottish nationalism.

"Despite the loud title and the confrontational chapter names (a personal favorite is chapter six: “Nonsense in Paris: Althusser, Lacan and Deleuze”),Fools, Frauds and Firebrands is not what the reader might expect.

Not as much, I grant, as philosophers need music, but nevertheless the need is real.

In the past our musical culture had secure foundations in the church, in the concert hall and in the home. The common practice of tonal harmony united composers, performers and listeners in a shared language, and people played instruments at home with an intimate sense of belonging to the music that they made, just as the music belonged to them. The repertoire was neither controversial nor especially challenging, and music took its place in the ceremonies and celebrations of ordinary life alongside the rituals of everyday religion and the forms of good manners.

To read the full article, visit The Furture Symphony website.