David Hume Institute David Hume Institute

Shattered Nation: how to save Britain from becoming a failed state

Professor Danny Dorling, the Halford Mackinder Professor of Geography at University of Oxford joined us in Edinburgh to preview his new book “Shattered Nation: Inequality and the Geography of a Failing State".

Past event: 23rd August 2023

What needs to be done to stop Britain becoming a failed state and is Scotland providing some answers?

Professor Danny Dorling, the Halford Mackinder Professor of Geography at University of Oxford joined us in Edinburgh to preview his new book “Shattered Nation: Inequality and the Geography of a Failing State".

This event explored how Britain lost its role as Europe’s leading economy, made itself one of the most unequal countries and whether policies such as the Scottish Child Payment, universal free school meals and the absence of university tuition fees in Scotland are preventing things getting worse.

In "Shattered Nation," Dorling discusses the need for progressive plans for change to help us tackle inequality, social and political polarisation as well as the economic challenges and repeated crises that have left so many struggling to afford decent housing and the basics of a good life.

The session was chaired by Assa Samaké-Roman, a journalist and newspaper columnist from France who lives in Edinburgh. Assa covers Scotland's politics, culture and society for the French-speaking media (Radio France Internationale, Radio-Télévision Suisse, Le Figaro, Politis). She is also the co-founder and editor of La Revue Écossaise, a new francophone magazine about Scotland's ideas, culture, history and politics.

This event was supported by News Direct.

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David Hume Institute David Hume Institute

2019 David Hume Lecture by Darren McGarvey

Darren grew up in Pollok, where he experienced the effects of extreme poverty and addiction, and was part of the Poverty Truth Commission hosted in Glasgow in 2009. He gave the 2019 Annual Lecture.

The 2019 Annual David Hume Lecture was given by Darren McGarvey, Scottish writer, activist, social commentator and rapper ‘Loki’.

Darren grew up in Pollok, where he experienced the effects of extreme poverty and addiction, and was part of the Poverty Truth Commission hosted in Glasgow in 2009. He is also a community activist, encouraging young people to explore important issues through music and language. In 2015 he was the first ever ‘Rapper-in-Residence’ with Police Scotland’s Violence Reduction Unit.

Darren has written for the Scotsman, Holyrood Magazine and is a regular contributor to the BBC, STV and other national media. In 2018 he won the Orwell Prize for Poverty Safari, which also appeared in the David Hume Institute’s 2018 First Minister’s Summer Reading List.

This event was held in partnership with the University of Edinburgh Business School.

Please see below for the audio recording of this event.

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