New Humanist Explained

New Humanist
Editor2:Jessica Abrahams
Editor:Niki Seth-Smith
Editor Title2:Deputy Editor
Frequency:Quarterly
Editor3:Kenan Malik, Suzanne Moore, Alom Shaha, Jonathan Rée
Editor Title3:Contributing Editors
Category:Humanism, rationalism
Publisher:The Rationalist Association
Founded:1885 (under the name Watts's Literary Guide)
Country:United Kingdom
Based:London
Language:English
Issn:0306-512X

New Humanist is a quarterly[1] magazine, published by the Rationalist Association in the UK,[2] that focuses on culture, news, philosophy, and science from a sceptical perspective.[3]

History

The New Humanist has been in print for more than 131 years; starting out life as Watts's Literary Guide, founded by C. A. Watts in November 1885.[4] It later became The Literary Guide and Rationalist Review (1894–1954), Humanist (1956–1971) and the New Humanist in 1972.[5]

Notable columnists have included Laurie Taylor,[6] Simon Hoggart[7] and Sally Feldman.[8]

In 2003 Hazhir Teimourian, a reviewer for the magazine, quit over a controversial cartoon depicting Christ slumped in the arms of the Virgin Mary.[9]

Jim Herrick was editor of New Humanist from 1984 until 2002, and subsequently became the journal’s literary editor until his retirement in 2005.[10] From 2002 until 2005 the magazine's editor was Frank Jordans.[11] In 2005 Caspar Melville took over as managing editor of the magazine and CEO of the Rationalist Association.[12] Daniel Trilling assumed the position of Editor in 2013.[13] Samira Shackle became editor in spring 2020. Niki Seth-Smith is the current editor, having assumed the position in spring 2023.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ten reasons why you should read the relaunched New Humanist. Rationalist Association. 20 November 2013. 21 November 2013.
  2. News: James Heartfield . Humanist Pupils: The Right Not To Pray. The Times Educational Supplement. 28 October 2005.
  3. Web site: An extremely brief history of New Humanist . https://web.archive.org/web/20130224193430/https://rationalist.org.uk/newhumanist . dead . 24 February 2013 . 2 November 2013.
  4. News: Alex Johnson. Free speech no laughing matter in Britain . MSNBC. 9 February 2006.
  5. Sullivan, Alvin. (1983). British Literary Magazines: The Augustan age and the age of Johnson, 1698-1788. Greenwood Press. p. 198
  6. News: Phil Baty . Ignatieff Ducks Debate With Critics In Torture Row . The Times Higher Education Supplement . 9 September 2005.
  7. News: Political Pundit Heads to Flintshire . Daily Post . 2 April 2010.
  8. Gavin Ross . Tom Cruises in all sizes No 3995 . New Statesman . 13 September 2007.
  9. News: Andrew Pierce . Religious cartoon draws the anger of atheist writer . The Times . 25 April 2003.
  10. Web site: Humanists UK mourns Jim Herrick (1944-2023) . 2023-12-11 . Humanists UK . en-GB.
  11. News: Jan-Feb 2005 . A Round Up of Some Of Our Other Activities . 11 . National Secular Society Bulletin . December 11, 2023.
  12. News: Caspar Melville . I've changed my mind about religion . Guardian Unlimited . 26 December 2009.
  13. Web site: Meet the team . https://web.archive.org/web/20140208061120/http://rationalist.org.uk/staff . dead . 8 February 2014 . Rationalist Association . 17 November 2013.