DIVIDEAND

RULEHow the ‘culture wars’ are a reactionary backlash constructed to distract us, and how to respond

CONTENTS

Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................................... 3

What are the ‘culture wars’ and how do they play out? .......................................................................................4

What are the tactics that conservative commentators and institutions use to their advantage? ...........5 Exaggeration Fabrication Distraction

What are the common characteristics that underpin ‘culture wars’ debates? ..............................................7

When is it useful to enter debate, and when is it not? ........................................................................................8 Decisionchecklist

What tactics can progressives use in order to engage with these debates more effectively? ..................9 Knowyourstuff Talktotheaudience,notthepersoninfrontofyou Connecttoeconomicandmaterialissues Messagetesting Bringhighvibes

Case Studies .................................................................................................................................................................. 11 CaseStudy-MayaGoodfellowonLBC CaseStudy-DaliaGebrielontheBBC

What not to do ............................................................................................................................................................ 13 Don’tfightontheirterms Avoidtheterm‘culturewars’ Don’tfeedintorespectabilitypolitics Don’tplayintometropolitanelitestereotypesorLARPtheworkingclass Don’twaituntilit’samediafirestorm(ifpossible)

What wider strategies are needed to support an end to the ‘culture wars’? .............................................. 14 Collectivespokespersonstrategy Definedendgame Deeporganisingandpubliceducation Focusonthemediaindustry Structuredsupportandcoordination

Final thoughts ............................................................................................................................................................... 16

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INTRODUCTIONInrecentyearstherehasbeenanoticeableincreaseinwhathavebeendescribedas‘culturewars’storiesintheUKmedia.Asthisreportsetsout,theriseofthesestoriesisnocoincidence.Insteaditistheresultofatoxiccombinationofapurposefulcampaignfromthereactionaryrightandamediaenvironmentthatisbenttowardsdangeroussensationalismandbigotry.

Themedialandscape,especiallytheprintmedia,hasalonghistoryofpushingdivisivenarratives.Fromovertracismtoanti-immigrantsentimentandattacksonthoseseenasundeservingofstatesupport,editorialdecisionshaveoftenbeendrivenbyprofiteeringovergenuinenewsgathering.Inrecentyearstheseattackshavebecomerelentlessandincreasinglyappearonbroadcastmedia.Anewlandscapeof‘share-driven’writtenmediaisnowreplacingtraditionalnewspapers.Atthesametime,establishedbroadcastshowsarelosinglistenersandviewers,especiallyontheBBC,andsocialmediaplatformsarebecomingdefactounregulatedmediaoutlets.Thoseinpowerhaveutilisedthisdynamictopushstoriestheyknowtobedivisive-usingradioandtelevisionasaplatformforfalsedebatesandconfectedoutrage,oftenwithlittleornooppositionfromotherpoliticians.Thesuccessofthemodelisalreadyevident,withstationslikeLBCreportingrecordlisteningfiguresandGoodMorningBritain(beforePiersMorgan’sdeparture)gainingagreateraudiencesharethanBBCBreakfast.

MorechangesaresettocomeaboutintheUKmedialandscape.GBNewsissettolaunch-chairedbyveteranbroadcasterAndrewNeilandpromising,amongotherthings,a‘WokeWatch’segment.Inparallel,therearerisingconcernsregardingtheabilityofOfcom,astheUK’smediaregulator,toenforcetherulesonimpartialitywithPaulDacre(alongtimeeditorofTheDailyMail)beingconsideredasitsnextchairman.Withthesechangesexpectedtooccurinthefirsthalfof2021,itwouldbesafetoassumethattherewillbemuchmoremediacontentgeneratedwiththeexplicitgoalofsowingdivisionwhilecreatingcoverforthemanyfailingsofthegovernmentandtheeconomicsystem.

Thoughthedebateswehaveseenaroundthe‘culturewars’areinherentlyskewedinfavourofreactionariesontheright,thereisariskthatbynotengagingwiththemwegiveaplatformandnocounterargumenttothosesowingdivision.Somearguethatbysteppingawayfromthedebate,evenforverylegitimatereasons,wemayfailtoprovideacounternarrativetothewatchingandlisteningpublic.Withthisasbackground,inNovember2020,NEONcommissionedAligntoproduceareportonthe‘culturewars’inordertogenerateandharnessreflectionsonhowtheyplayout,andtoexplorewaysofengagingdifferentlyinordertobetterrespondtothemediacyclesthatenablethem.

Thisreportaimstoprovideanuanceddefinitionofthe‘culturewars’andtopresentsometacticsthatcanhelpnavigateourpresentmomentwithstrategicintentionalityandcareinordertoavertsituationsthathavecreatedrealharmtopeopleinthepast.NEONbelievethatthemediaisoneofthekeyarenasinwhichthenarrativesthatshapeoursocietyaremoulded.Thereactionaryrightknowthis,andtheyusethemediatoshapeperceptionsinfavourofdangerouspoliciesandtodrawfocusawayfromthefailingofasystemthathasproducedpovertyandpersecutionforgenerations.Thisreportisaskinghowwecanproactivelyshapeanarrativethateliminatesthe‘culturewars’.

Toproducethisreport,Alignconductedatotalof21interviewswithpeoplewhoappearinthemediaandwiththinkers,writers,academics,campaignersoractivistsinvolvedinculturalengagement.Questionswereposedduringaone-hourZoominterviewandincludedthefollowinginterviewees(inalphabeticalorder):AdamElliott-Cooper,AdamRamsay,AnatShenker-Osorio,AshSarkar,CarysAfoko,DaliaGebrial,DavidWearing,ElenaBlackmore,EllieMaeO’Hagan,FaizaShaheen,GavanTitley,HuwLemmey,JeffreyIngold,KojoKoram,MayaGoodfellow,NimRalph,OliFoster,PaulHebden,SatbirSinghandWillDavies.

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Thefollowingprioritiesinformedtheprocessofselectinginterviewees:

Ҍ Intervieweeswereselectedtakingintoconsiderationrepresentationfromacrosstheprogressivemovement.

Ҍ Intervieweesrepresentedarangeofrolesandexperiences.

Ҍ Intervieweeswereselectedtakingintoaccountequitablerepresentationacrossidentitymarkerssuchasgenderandrace.

Anonymisedquotesinquotationmarkscomefrominterviews,unlessotherwiseindicated.

WHAT ARE THE ‘CULTURE WARS’ AND HOW DO THEY PLAY OUT?

“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less.” - Through the Looking-Glass, Lewis Carroll

Theterm‘culturewars’gainedprominenceafterthe1991publicationofabookbythesociologistJamesDavisonHuntercalledCulture Wars: The Struggle to Define America.Inthebookhedescribedastruggletodefinepubliclifebetweenwhathecalled‘progressives’and‘theorthodox’whichmanifestedinpolaritiesaround‘hot-button’issuesofthetime,includingabortion,guncontrol,separationofchurchandstate,drugpolicy,andLGBTQ+rights.

Inrecentyears,thetermhasbeenimported(andfuelledbysectionsoftheUKmediapreoccupationswith‘politicalcorrectness’andthe‘loonyleft’),co-optedandwarpedtoincludeanever-expandingsetofissues.The‘culturewars’nolongerserveasadescriptorofculturalimpactalone,butareweaponisedasapoliticalstrategy,sometimesbybothsidesofthepoliticalspectrum,butmostlybytheestablishmentandthefar-rightinordertomisleadthepublicandunderminethegoalsoftheprogressivemovement.The‘culturewars’nowserveasaconservativeshorthand,thegoalofwhichistodiminish,delegitmiseanddecontextualiseissuesthatmightaffectminorityormarginalisedgroups.

Inany‘culturewars’set-upordebateinthemedia,theunderlyingdriverisclear-itistoask:“Is this minority group legitimate in asking you to change how you think about things or how society is run?”Theimplicationisalways“no”.

WhilethetermmayhavebeenimportedfromtheUS,thedebateformatweseeplayoutinthiscountry’sbroadcastmediaisveryBritishindeed-inheritedfromtheEtonianandOxbridgestyleofdebate,itisthecomfortzoneofmanyofthoseworkinginthemediaestablishment.Theimpactofthedebateformatismonumental,reinforcingthesensethattheissuesathandarejustpartofawidergamewheretheprimarygoalisentertainment,andwherethereisaclearwinorlose,rightorwrong.Mostoften,theverypremiseisupfordebate,wherethepanelcan’tevenagreeonthetermsbeingdebated,orwhereissuesofhumanrightsareupfordebateasiftheyarecommensuratewithinterestratesortax.

Asonepersonweinterviewedsaid,“The format of debate isn’t helpful. It’s a simplification of issues, a dumbing down of complex topics that employ banal questions, like, ‘Are trans women women?’”

Aswe’llexplorebelow,thedebateformatisoftenusedintentionallyinordertopushprogressivespokespeopletodefendthingsthataredifficulttodefendonthetermsthemediahassetup.

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WHAT ARE THE TACTICS THAT CONSERVATIVE COMMENTATORS AND INSTITUTIONS USE TO THEIR ADVANTAGE?

“It’s the weaponisation of cultural tropes as a means to do two things - disrupt or reverse progressive social change, and to divert media and public attention from unpopular and destructive economic policies.”

Themodernmediaindustryisprimedtocontributetothe‘culturewars’intwoways.Thefirstrelatestotheissuethatmanypositionsofpowerintheindustryareheldbythosewith‘orthodox’beliefs.Thesecondrelatestotheindustry’sattempttomonetiseoutragebyscouringsocialmediaforstoriestorepackageandamplifyinordertogetasmanyclicks,likesandengagementaspossible-thusprovidingasolidreturnforadvertisers.

Asaresult,weseeconservativecommentatorsemployingarangeoftacticstodrivethistypeofengagement,withlittleinternalobjectionfrom,oraccountabilitywithin,theirinstitution.Belowweoutlinethreetacticsthatourintervieweeshaveencountered-exaggeration,fabricationanddistraction.

ExaggerationExaggerationThefirsttacticisperhapsthemostprevalent.Itiswherethemediatakeanexistingstoryandoverplayanaspectofittocreateamediamomentby,asoneintervieweesaid,“keeping boomers angry by picking the most extreme example”.OneinstanceofthiscameduringtheleaduptotheBBC’sLastNightofthePromsinSeptember2020.TheBBChadtakenadecisiontodropthelyricsfromtheperformanceof‘Rule!Britannia’aspartofmakingtheperformanceCovid-safe.ThispromptedabacklashinthepressandaninterventionbyBorisJohnson,whorecasttheBBC’sdecisionasanexampleof‘PCgonemad’inthewakeofboththeBlackLivesMatteruprisingsofthesummerandvalidcriticismofthe‘Rule!Britannia’lyrics,whichreferencecolonialismandslavery,bymusicindustryfiguressuchasChi-chiNwanokuandGarethMalone.

ThesentimentthattheBBCwasnow‘comingforoursongs’ledtosuchoutragethatthedecisionwasreversedandthelyricsweresungbyasmallgroupofsocially-distancedsingers.

FabricationFabricationInadditiontoexaggeration,mediaoutletsareincreasinglyresortingtothetotalfabricationofeventsinordertocreate‘culturewars’firestorms.Forexample,inthemidstoftheRhodesMustFallcampaignin2016,itwasreportedthatOxfordStudentUnionhadissuedaleafletbanningmembersfromusingthepronouns‘he’and‘she’.Thisleafletwasentirelyfabricated,butthefabricationdiditsjobinperpetuatingacertainnarrativearoundtheOxfordstudentbody.

InDecember2020,KeirStarmerwascriticisedfornotchallenginganLBCcalleronherviews,includingherarticulationoftheracist‘greatreplacement’conspiracytheory.Whatwasn’treportedwasthat,accordingtoallegationsinPrivateEye,LBCpurposefullytrackeddownthecallerwiththeknowledgethatshewasamemberofthefar-rightgroup,PatrioticAlternative,andprimedheronwhattosayinadvance.Theintentionwastocreatea‘culturewars’momentthatwouldadvertisebothLBCandthespecificshow.

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Also,inJanuary2021,theMailonSundaypublishedanarticletitled‘Greaseis“racist,rapey,homophobicandslut-shaming”’andshouldneverbeshownonTVagain,saywokesnowflakes’.Thejournalist,KatieHind,hadbuiltthisarticlearoundahandfuloftweetsshefoundaftertheBBCBoxingDayshowingofthefilm.Ofthese,onewasfromaright-wingtrollaccount,onewasfromaUS-basedaccountandtweetedinNovember,andtheotherswereeithertakenoutofcontextorgotaminisculenumberoflikes.Butthestoryescalated,andwaspickedupinothernewspapersandamplifiedonbroadcastmedia,suchasGoodMorningBritain.

DistractionDistractionThislasttacticshiftsthedebatefromtheissueathandtofocusonaspecificactionoreventthatisoftentrivial,reducingcomplexandnuancedtopicstoablackandwhitesimplification.Anexcellentexampleofthiscamein2019whenMarks&SpencerlaunchedalimitededitionLGBTsandwich(lettuce,guacamole,bacon,andtomato!)inordertoraise£10,000forAKT,theUK’snationalLGBTQ+youthhomelessnesscharity,and€1,000forBeLonGToYouthServicesforLGBTI+youngpeopleinIreland.InsteadofusingitsspotlighttodiscusstheplightofyoungandhomelessLGBTQ+people,GoodMorningBritaininvitedgayspokespeopleontodebatewhetherornotthesandwichwas,inPiersMorgan’swords,“virtue signalling, PC crazed garbage”.

Akeyelementofthistacticmightbecalled‘whataboutery’,wherethetermsofthedebateshiftinordertoaccommodateamoreblackandwhitedebateformat,orforthesakeof‘entertainment’.Forexample,aconversationabouttransrightsmightbederailedbythecommentatorasking,“Should trans women be allowed to compete in sports?”

Thesethreetacticscomprisejustafewexamplesofhowthemediaecosystemhasbecome“incredibly divorced from the consequences of its actions”,habituallyusingsocialmediatolocateextremeorunrepresentativeviewsandthenaskingprogressivespokespeopletodefendthem,forthesakeofentertainment.

Someofthepeopleweinterviewedthoughtthatthesetacticswereemployedbyaculturalclasswhounderstandthattheydonothaveculturalhegemony.Theyunderstandthatyouthcultureisgoinginaverydifferentdirectionandislesstiedtohomophobia,racismorxenophobia,andsofeeltheironlyoptionistoridiculeanddemoniseprogressivesinanefforttobuildallegianceamongstoldergenerations.AgenerationthathasbeenkeyinmobilisingaroundelectioncyclestovotetheConservativesintopower.Attheheartofthisstrategyisadesiretomaintainthestructuresthathavehistoricallykeptpowerwithinaspecificstrataofsociety;onethathashistoricallybenefitedfromAnglo-Britishnationalism.Thissectionofsocietynowseekstopresentandmaintainthesestructuresundertheguiseofneedingto‘protect’theUK’sidentity,despitethefactthattheidentityofanimperialistBritainisnolongerreflectiveoftheUK’spresent,orfuture,positionintheworld.

Thesetacticsarealsodesignedtodistractfromunpopulareconomicpoliciesandtodecoupleculturalissuesfromanymaterialanalysis.Weknowfrompollingthatneoliberalshavelostthesupportofthepublicwhenitcomestoausterity,privatisationandinequitabletaxationpolicy.ButconservativesaremorealignedwithmainstreampublicopiniononissuesconcerninglawandorderandLGBTQ+issues,andsofocusalltheirenergyonpromotingthesesharedvalueswhilstkeepingquietabouttheirdestructiveeconomicpolicies.Theyare“polarising people on social issues where normally groups would be aligned on economic issues”,resultinginthe“creation of cultural bogeymen who are the cause of all our problems, while ignoring the men who are lining their pockets”.

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Thisapproachisworkingwellforconservatives,preyinguponandexploitingthelossofpoliticalandmaterialpowerthatmanypeoplehaveexperiencedoverthelastfewdecadesintheUK,andespeciallysincethe2008recession.Theaimhasbeento “create a moral panic, evoke a response, and then point at the left as representing everything you hate about the world”.Theresulthasbeenaracetothebottom,withtheLabourPartyadoptingsimilartactics,forexample,withits‘ControlsonImmigration’mugin2015.

WHAT ARE THE COMMON CHARACTERISTICS THAT UNDERPIN ‘CULTURE WARS’ DEBATES?

“They make us look like clowns who don’t want to enjoy anything. We’re bitter, sour. We’re coming after your songs, your food. We’re dour and anti-joy.”

‘Culturewars’debatesaregenerallysetuptoportraytheprogressivespokespersonasaradicalprudeorbullywhoisobsessedwithcensorship.Whatevertheissueathand,itwilloftenbeboileddowntoadebatethatconcernsfreedomofspeech,safespacesandno-platforminginordertoprovetotheviewerthat‘youcan’tsayanythinganymore’.Tohighlightthis,theconservative‘opponent’willoftenbeacharismaticman(e.g.LaurenceFox)whoprideshimselfonsaying‘theunsayable’butwho,ironically,oftengoesontoplaytheroleofbullyintheensuingdebate.

Asdescribedabove,debatesdonotallowenoughspaceortimetohaveanuancedorcomplexconversation,andthemediaoutletsinquestionwilloftenpurposefullystokecontroversyinordertorepackageasegmentasclickbait.Theydothisbytakingahugeissuewithmaterialconsequences,suchasdecolonisation-apoliticalprojecttoredressandcentralisetheissueofcolonialityinmakingthemodernworld-andreducingittoaculturalhotbuttonissue,suchaswhether‘Rule!Britannia’willbesungattheProms.Byrefusingtoengagewiththesubstantivenatureoftheissuesthatprogressiveswanttotalkabout,conservativecommentatorsandinstitutionsforceustotakepositionsonthingsthatwewouldnotordinarilythinkabout.

Thistakesadvantageofthefactthatprogressiveshavenotfiguredouthowbesttohavetheseconversations,evenamongstourselves.Asonepersonweinterviewedsaid,“The left in the last 10-15 years has largely divorced these arguments - we either talk about immigration and race, or we talk about economics.”Thishaslefttheprogressivemovementwideopento‘culturewars’styleattacks-collectively,wehavenotdonetheworkourselvesofconnectingeconomic,materialandculturalissues,andofcommunicatingthoselinkageseffectively.

Asoneofthepeopleweinterviewedsaid,“our methodology was to say this isn’t ok and we didn’t explain why... [there has been] no education around why not to say or do things”.Asaresult,oneofthewaysthatconversativetalkingheads,suchasJeremyClarksonorLaurenceFox,havegrownsupportisbysuccessfullysubvertingthehero/villainnarrativeandreassuringpeoplethattheyarenot‘badpeople’iftheysay,doorbelievethe‘wrong’thing.Theyhavebuiltanappealingpoliticalidentityaroundwhathadbeenpreviouslyframedasapersonalfailing.

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WHEN IS IT USEFUL TO ENTER DEBATE, AND WHEN IS IT NOT?

“It’s lose-lose at the moment - but one form of loss is worse. You can’t win a battleground when you’re not fighting it.”

“The only way out is through.”

Afterreadingalloftheaboveit’seasytowonder,whybother?Wouldn’tprogressivesbebetteroffturningdowninvitationstospeakandrefusingtoevenparticipateintheso-called‘culturewars’?

Whenaskedtoconsidertheprosandconsofboycottingsuchappearances,ourintervieweeslargelyagreedthatwhilespokespeopleneedtobediscerningaboutwhattheydoanddon’tagreeto(seedecisionchecklistbelow),onthewhole,theprogressivemovementhastoengage.Onesaid,“The stakes are high, elections are being won and lost on this ground. We don’t have a choice, this is our collective moral responsibility.”Whileanothersaid,“It’s the price to pay for being a radical in today’s world. You have to fight for the progress that is needed, and you need to engage with the culture war as part of that.”

It’snotaboutfightingalosingbattle.Whentackledwell,‘culturewars’debatespresentarareopportunitytoflipthescriptinfrontofalargeaudience,andrallytheprogressivebase.

However,the‘culturewars’haveinflictedrealharmontargetedcommunities,andthosewhoengageinthesedebatesareoftensubjectedtoanonslaughtofattacksandbullying.Inordertobothgetprogressivemessagesacrossandtominimiseharmtothosewillingtoengage,thereisanurgentneedtore-strategise.

Decision checklist Decision checklist

Halfofthebattleisfiguringoutwhentosay“yes”.Herearesomequestionstoaskyourself(andtheproducer)beforeagreeingtoappearonabroadcastsegment.Remember,itisokaytodeclineorpassonanopportunity.

Doesthismediaoutletreachthepeoplewewanttoreach?

Whoisthepresenter?

Whoisonthepanel?

Whatisthepremiseofthedebateorsegment?

Whoseagendaisthisdebateorsegmentserving?

Isthisanopportunitytodiscussorpivottoasubstantiveissuethatneedsthespotlight?

Istheresomeoneelsewhoisbetterplacedthanmetodothis?

DoIhavethetimetoprepare?

AmIwillingtogivethementalandemotionaltimeandspaceto thistoday?AnddoIhaveaccesstosupportaftertheinterview?

Willtherebeanyprogressivevoiceifidon'tdoit?

Istheaudienceforthisshowlargeorinfluential?

Isitpaid?

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WHAT TACTICS CAN PROGRESSIVES USE IN ORDER TO ENGAGE WITH THESE DEBATES MORE EFFECTIVELY?

“The left can not and must not abdicate the throne of freedom.”

Herearesomesuggestionstohelpcounterthestrategiesusedbyconservativecommentatorsandinstitutions.

Flip the scriptFlip the scriptAsaspokespersonyoucansuccessfullyflipthescriptbytrivialisingordefangingtheopponent’sargumentthennamingthemoresubstantiveissue,ornamingwhoisstirringupthedebateandwhy.

Ҍ Forexample,inthecaseoftheM&SLGBTsandwich,youmightwanttosay,“I’mnotheretoargueaboutasandwich,whatI’mreallyheretotalkaboutisratesofhomelessnessamongstLGBTteens”,orsimilar.

Ҍ Onepersonweinterviewedsharedatacticheusedwhenaskedwhetherthesong‘FairytaleofNewYork’byThePoguesshouldbeeditedforradioplaytoexcludetheword‘faggot’.Hisresponsewasaperfectexampleofflippingthescripttohighlightthesubstanceoftheconversation, “It actually doesn’t bother me, but why do you want to say it?”

Know your stuff Know your stuff Youcanshowuptheothersidebyintroducingkeystatisticsandfactsthatchallengetheirnarrative.

Ҍ Forexample,onepersonweinterviewedwhowasaskedwhethertranswomenshouldbeallowedtoparticipateinsportswasabletocounterwith, “Did you know that the Olympics have allowed trans people [to compete] since 2004, but no trans people have participated? Why do you think that is?”

Ҍ Whenyoucanaddotherstatistics,suchastranspeoplemakingup0.5%ofthepopulation,andrefugeesmakingup0.04%ofthepopulation,youcanhighlighttheabsurdityandinjusticeoftheoutsizedfocusthatconservativecommentatorsandinstitutionsspendonbothofthesegroups.

Ҍ AfantasticexampleofusingstatisticstoyouradvantageisAkalaspeakingaboutknifecrimeonGoodMorningBritaininMarch2019.

Talk to the audience, not the person in front of youTalk to the audience, not the person in front of you

“Good messaging energises the base, persuades the middle, and alienates the opposition.”

Don’tworryifyouarenotpersuadingthecommentatororpanelinfrontofyou,yourjobistopersuadethepeopleinthemiddlewhoarewatching,andincludearallyingcryforyoursupporters.Wewanttogettothepointwhereyouropponentsreadaspatheticandarerepresentativeof“the whining of the professional class”;notyou!

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Ҍ Onewaytodothisistohighlightthedifferencesbetweenthecentreandthefar-rightasmuchasispossible.Theargumentsandopinionsofthefar-rightmustbenamedforwhattheyare:boring,tired,fullofconspiracytheories,andhorrible.Mostpeoplewatchingwillnotwanttobealignedwithsuchviews.

Ҍ Alwaysappealtocommonsocialmorallanguagethatmeetspeoplewheretheyare.Thisisamediaintervention,notyouronechancetoarticulatethemostradicalpositionpossible.

Ҍ Moveconversationsfromthetheoreticaltoreallifeexamples.Tellstoriesthattheaudiencewillconnectwithandbringinahumanelement.Dissolvepeople’sfearbyusingreallifeexamplesofthepeopleconservativecommentatorsaretellingotherstobeafraidof.Forexample,whenspeakingtotransrightsandbathroomuse,onepersonweinterviewedalwaysmakessuretobringupahypotheticalscenarioincludingatranswomanthatmostpeoplearefamiliarwith,ratherthankeepingitabstract.

Connect to economic and material issuesConnect to economic and material issuesAlthoughconservativecommentatorsarekeentoleaveeconomicissuesoutof‘culturewars’debates,itisimportantthatprogressivespokespeopledonotcapitulatetotheirdesires.

Ҍ Trytonamethematerialsourcesoflossthatthewatchingaudienceareexperiencing:lackofinvestmentinsocialservices,lackofjobs,lackofadequatehousing,lackofsocialmobility.Say,“I’m trying to talk about these things, you’re trying to shy away from them.”

Ҍ Usetheseaspartofyourlineofattack,ratherthaninresponse.Forexample,“Boris Johnson is a lot more comfortable coming out to talk about the Last Night of the Proms, however, he is nowhere to be found on the failure of the test and trace system.”

Ҍ Bringitontoyourterrain.Insteadofbeingcorneredintotalkingabout,forexample,onestatuethathasbeentakendown,addcontext.Say, “It is really important to recognise what it means to take down statues. It’s about the history we tell, who gets to write it, and how it impacts society now.”

Message testingMessage testingWhateverissueitisthatyouworkon,startresearchingandtestingmessagesthatconnectwithpeopleasearlyaspossible.Whilemessagetestingcanbecomplicatedandexpensive,workingwithinformalfocusgroupscanprovetobeamoreaffordableoption.Messagetestingisimportantsince,whileweoftenknowwhatwewanttosayinordertoaffectaspecificoutcome,wedon’tnecessarilyknowwhetherornotit’sgoingtowork.Testingourmessageswithkeyaudiencesisimportantinhelpinguschallengeassumptionsthatcangetinthewayofthechangeweareseeking.

Ҍ Formessagetestingtobesuccessful,itisimportanttorunyourtestmultipletimesandmakeitanongoingpartofyourwork.

Ҍ Seektogetclearaboutthecatchphrasesthatpolarisepeople,anddevelopkeymessagesthatavoidtheseasnecessary.

Ҍ Takeastepbackonaregularbasistoassesswhetherornotyourmessages(andmessengers)arehelpingyoutoachieveyourgoals.Thisalsoprovidesanopportunitytoreassesswhetherornotadifferentstrategymightneedtobetaken.

Ҍ ThisresourcefromPIRCoutlineshowyoucouldbetestingyourcommunicationstakingdifferentbudgetsintoconsideration.

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Bring high vibesBring high vibesIt’snotjustwhatyousay,buthowyousayit.Audiencesconnectwithpeoplewhoareauthentic,sociallyadeptandcanrespondwithhumourandlightnesswhenrequired.That’snottosaythattheissuesprogressivespokespeoplearecalledontoaddressarenotofentirelyseriousconsequence.Butina‘culturewars’set-up,youaretryingtoappealtotheaudiencemorethanyouropponent.

Ҍ Don’tjustregurgitatetalkingpoints.Prepareyourmessagingbeforehandinawaythatfeelsauthentictoyouandyourvoice.Whatdoyouwanttosay,andhowwillyousayitinawaythatconnectswiththeaudience?

Ҍ Bemindfulofyouremotionalstatewhenacceptinganinvitationtobeaspokesperson.Sometimesitwillbehelpfultobringhighemotion,andsometimesitwon’t.Takespaceifit’sappropriate,orputtherightsupportnetworksinplace.

Ҍ “Kill the part of your brain that processes shame.” Thisisthestrategyofonepersonweinterviewed.It’snotastrategythat’savailabletoeveryone,butgoodtokeepinmind.Theothersidewillseektobait,belittle,bullyandembarrassyou.Don’tletthemkillyourvibes!

CASE STUDIES

Case Study - Maya Goodfellow on LBCCase Study - Maya Goodfellow on LBC

Maya Goodfellow is being asked to comment on recent media coverage around free speech in UK universities. Government plans for a ‘free speech champion’ to regulate England’s campuses raised concern with The National Union of Students saying there is no evidence of a freedom of speech crisis on campuses.

PRESENTER:IsthereanythingwrongwithEngland’seducationsecretarystandinguponedayandsaying,look,I’vehadathinkaboutthis.Itmatters,herearemyproposals.

MAYA GOODFELLOW1:Yes,Ithinkweneedtocontextualise2 this.Iagree.Obviouslyfreespeechisreallyimportant.3IworkatauniversityandwhenI’vetaught,likeallofmycolleagues,whatI’vebeenfocusedonisencouragingdebateintheclassroomexploringdifferentschoolsofthought.4

ButIdothinkthatisaconfectedrow.5Wehavesomanypiecesoflegislationalreadyonfreespeechanduniversities.The1968EducationAct,TheHigherEducationandResearchActof2017.Therereallyisn’tmuchrobustevidenceforthisbeingawidespreadissueinthewaythatGavinDavidsonseemstobetalkingaboutit.AndsoonethingthatIwouldpointtoisa2018reportbytheparliamentaryHumanRightsCommitteewhichsaidtheydidnotfindwholesalecensorshipofdebateinuniversities,whichthemediacoveragehassuggested.6

ANALYSIS

1Mayaemploysarelaxeddemeanourthroughout,helpingreinforcetheimpressionthatthisisamade-upissueandnotonethatwarrantsthepresentresponsefromtheGovernment

2Widensthefocusofthedebate

3 Affirmsthereisnoissuetodebatearoundfreespeech.Thereisnocensorshipatplaythatneedstobeaddressed.

4 Doubleimpact:Mayareinforceshercredibilityasauniversityprofessorwhilesheddinglightonexistingpracticesaroundfreespeechattheuniversity.Shecountersthenarrativethatthereisaproblem

5 Directlycallsthisoutasamanufactureddebate

6 Facts!

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Case Study - Dalia Gebriel on the BBCCase Study - Dalia Gebriel on the BBC

Dalia Gebriel is being asked to comment on a report released by the National Trust stating that many historical properties it manages have a colonial past and links to slavery. The National Trust came under attack for producing this report with Tory MPs calling for its government funding to be reviewed.

PRESENTER: WearetalkingabouttheNationalTrustbecausethereisadebateonthefutureoftheorganisationinWestminsterhalltoday.NowthiscomesafterToryMPsfromwhat’scalledtheCommonSensegroupingwrotetotheDailyTelegraphtocondemntheTrustfor“beingcapturedbyacliqueofpowerful,privilegedliberalswhowanttorewriteourhistoryintheirimage”.Itstartedoff,youcanseethequotethere,“Historymustnotbesanitisednorrewrittentosuit‘snowflake’preoccupations.”JoiningustodiscussthisisDaliaGebrialanacademicandeditoratNovaramedia.Welcometotheprogramme.

DALIA GEBRIAL:ImustsayIamveryconfusedastowhythisissuchascandal.7Whathappenedwasverysimple.TheNationalTrustcommissionedareportlookingintothehistoricallinksbetweentheirsitesandhistoricalcolonialismandslavery.Theyproducedaninterestingpieceofhistoricalresearchforthosewhowanttofindoutmoreaboutthecontextofthesitesthattheyvisit.8

Itfeelslikethisisgettingblownupintoamanufacturedculturewar9andIthinkit’sveryinterestingthattheMPsintheirstatementsaid,asyoumentioned,thathistorymustnotbesanitisedorre-writtentosuit‘snowflake’preoccupations.Butitseemstomethattheonlysnowflakeshere-thepeoplewishingtosanitiseandrewriteourhistory-arethosewhoareharassingtheNationalTrustforsimplydoinghistoricalresearchandrevealingsomethingsabouttheirsites,whichareinterestingeventhoughsomepeoplemightfindthatuncomfortable,butthatdoesn’tmeanthatisnotworthknowingabout.10

Iwillgobackagaintothefactthatthisisnotrewritinghistoryit’stheexactopposite,it’swritinghistory.It’sgivingusmoreinformation,inthiscasethesitesthatarelookedafterandcuratedbytheNationalTrust,andproducingareportlikethisisperfectlywithintheirremit.11

It’saboutwritingthathistoryandpeoplecaneitherchoosenottoreadthereportiftheyaresooffendedbyit,ortheycanreaditandchoosetodowiththatinformationwhattheywillandtheycometotheirownconclusions.I’mveryconfusedastohowdoinghistoricalresearchcanbeseenasrewriting,orediting,orsanitisinghistory.12

ANALYSIS

7 Daliaopensbytrivialisingthe'scandal'asmanufactured

8 Factualrecapofwhathappened

9 Namestheconservativestrategy

10Paintstheothersideasoverlysensitiveandflipsthescript.Pivotstowhatshouldbeasubstantivepointofdiscussione

11Flipsthescriptagainandhammershomehermessage

12Appealstoaudiencebyaskingthemtodotheirownresearchandcometotheirownconclusions

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WHAT NOT TO DO Don’t fight on their termsDon’t fight on their terms

Trytopivottheconversationontoyourterrain,anddon’tplayintotheirhandsby:

Ҍ Don’ttalkaboutthingsyoudon’tknowabout.

Ҍ Don’tactasacensorandpolicetheirlanguage(unlessthewordorexampleusedisdeeplyoffensive).

Ҍ Neverconnecttheconversationtomoresubstantiveissuesorsharedvalues.

Avoid the term ‘culture wars’Avoid the term ‘culture wars’

‘Culturewars’asaphrasehasbecomeasignifierthatpolarisesbyitsveryuse.Itisusedasshorthandbyconservativecommentatorsfor‘thisisn’tactuallyveryimportant’,and,asmanyofthepeopleweinterviewedpointedout,itisoftenusedbyprogressivesinthesameway.

Ҍ Wemustuseourownterminologythathighlightswhatisreallygoingon.Thesubstanceoftheseconversationsismoreaccuratelydescribedbytheterms‘reactionarybacklash’or‘historywars’,soavoidtheuseoftheterm‘culturewars’wherepossible.

Don’t feed into respectability politicsDon’t feed into respectability politics

Persuadingthemiddledoesnotmeanplayingintothetropesofrespectabilitypolitics,suchasperpetuatingthe‘goodimmigrant’narrative.

Ҍ Trytospeakto,andquestion,thestructuresandsystemsthatdeemsomepeoplemoreworthyanddeservingthanothers.

Don’t play into metropolitan elite stereotypes or LARPDon’t play into metropolitan elite stereotypes or LARP* the working classthe working class

Messengerscanbemoreimportantthanthemessage.Behonestwithyourselfandothersaboutwhoisbestplacedtospeaktowhatissue,andonwhichplatforms.Asonepersonweinterviewedsaid, “When you have people that have really clear, very posh voices, it just plays into the right’s view of who we are. It’s embarrassing. They can say we’re just ‘ventriloquising the working class, so what would we know?’”

Ҍ Atthesametime,challengetheopponent’sstereotypicaldepictionoftheworkingclassandmetropolitanelite.Itisnotthe‘whiteworkingclass’,itisthe‘multi-ethnicworkingclass’.Speaktoyourownhistoryandbackground,ifappropriate.

Don’t wait until it’s a media firestorm (if possible) Don’t wait until it’s a media firestorm (if possible)

Becausesomany‘culturewars’storiesinthemediaareabsurd,itistemptingforprogressivestoignorethemorwaitforthemtoblowover.Don’tunderestimatetheconcertedandeffectiveeffortbehindtheseheadlines,asthiskindofstancecedesgroundforthesensationalisedagendatotakehold.Asonepersonweinterviewedsaid,“I couldn’t have imagined people responding so strongly to the statue removal of someone they didn’t even know. I was wrong.”

Ҍ Assoonasyouseeastorystarttosnowball,beproactive.Putoutreactionsonlineorinop-edsandopenletters.Startpreparingyourkeymessagesandresponses.

*LARP=LivingActionRolePlaying

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WHAT WIDER STRATEGIES ARE NEEDED TO SUPPORT AN END TO THE ‘CULTURE WARS’?This‘war’willnotbewonthroughmediasegmentsandmessagingstrategiesalone,itwilltakedeeporganising,clearstrategy,andastrongcollectivesupportedbyadequateresources,coordinationandindependentstructures.

Collective spokesperson strategyCollective spokesperson strategy

Intheshort-term,thepeopleweinterviewedidentifiedtheneedforalarger,diversecommunityofspokespeople,madeupofalliesandthosewithlivedexperience,whocouldspeaktomultipleissuesandwhoarebriefedonthesametalkingpointsandstrategies.

Ҍ Ourmessages,ourvisions,ourplansneedtobecomecommonsense,andthishappensby“flooding the zone”,ensuringthatkeytalkingpointsarerepeatedagainandagainbyamultitudeofpeopleandinmultipleoutlets.

Ҍ Selectingspokespeopleneedstohappenstrategicallyinordertobringtheneededexperiencesandvoicesinrelationtothetopicbeingdiscussed.

Defined endgameDefined endgame

The‘culturewars’havegenerallyseenprogressivesonthebackfoot,reactingtoprovocationandgoadingfromconservativemediaoutletsandcommentators.AgreatexampleofprogressivesshapingthenarrativeistheBlackLivesMattermovement,whichhastoagreatextentforcedthemediaandgeneralpublictocontendwithadifferentnarrativeofwhatconstitutesracism,whilealsocapturingtheimaginationofwhatadifferentworldcouldlooklike.Progressivesneedtolearnfromthisandoperatemoreonthefrontfootby:

Ҍ Injectingbroaderprinciplesandideasintomessaging.

Ҍ Spendingmoretimeandeffortoninformationsharingandbuildingavalue-basednarrative,ratherthanalwaysfocusingontheproblem.

Ҍ Buildingavisionforthefuturethatisasinclusiveaspossible,wherepeoplecanseewheretheywouldfitandholdasenseofprideinboththemselvesandinsociety.

Deep organising and public educationDeep organising and public education

“To change people’s mind, and also change their evaluation system so they are not single issue voters, is by doing the work of organising. With the deliberate destruction of unions, people have essentially no lived experience of collective action. We’ve reduced participation of democracy to the performance of voting. Shaping people’s perspectives is through organising and talking to them where they live and, ideally, having people in their networks they listen to talk to them on the issues at hand. For the left, and our belief in collective power, we use this radically capitalistic model of communication, while the right is using the grassroots.”

The‘culturewars’arebeingwagedthroughmessagingbuttheyareworkingbecauseofgroundlevelsupportforthosemessages.Progressiveswillonlystartturningthetidewhenourorganisinggameissteppedup.Weneedto:

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Ҍ Focusonorganisingpeoplehistoricallyconsidered‘lessimportant’.InthelastUSelection,anenormousgroupofvoterswhowerepreviouslyconsideredlessimportantbecausetheycouldn’tswingelectionscameout,votedand...swunganelection.

Ҍ Continuedemonstratingpowerinnumberswherewecan.Forexample,throughopenletterssignedbymanypeople,whichpreventanyonepersonbeingidentifiedasthefocalpointandwhichgivetimeandspacefortheadequatearticulationofaposition.AgoodexampleofthisistheopenlettertoTheSunsignedbysixtytransandnon-binarywriters,charitybosses,academics,lawyersandcommunityleaderscondemningthe‘cruel,cruel,maliciousandmisogynistic’treatmentofJKRowlingbythenewspaper.

Ҍ Developspacesandprogrammesforcomprehensivepubliceducationaroundcomplexissuesthatacknowledgenuanceandallowpeopletocomeandhavetheirmindschangedwithoutbeingpilloried.

Focus on the media industryFocus on the media industry

The‘culturewars’areasymptomofamediaindustrythatisinfinancialcrisis,wheremanyofourmore‘centrist’mediaoutletssitbehindpaywalls,inaccessibletothegeneralpublic,givingtabloidsmoreofthemarketsharewithoutalsobeingheldaccountableforsomeofthequestionablepracticestheyfollow.Progressivescan:

Ҍ Buildmoreandbetterrelationshipswithprogressivejournalistsandproducersinthemedia.

Ҍ Conductourowninvestigativejournalismthatuncoversthemoney,relationshipsandvestedintereststhatunderpinandfuelthe‘culturewars’.

Ҍ Supportandprotectindependentinstitutions,suchasOfcom,toholdourmediaaccountable.

Ҍ Makethemediaatargetforpubliceducation.Asonepersonweinterviewedsaid,“It’s just that they don’t know much about the issues themselves. We’ve seen the BBC, for example, drop getting climate deniers as they are coming to know more about the issue.”

Ҍ Createanalternativetothecurrentmedialandscape,throughbuildingourownoutletsandinstitutions.

Structured support and coordinationStructured support and coordination

ThereisdefinitelyspaceformorestructuredsupportandcoordinationfromNEON,thespokespersonnetwork,fundersandotherorganisations.

Ҍ Forexample,therecanbemoreresourcesandstructureprovidedforpolling,messagetesting,andequippinggrassrootsgroupswiththebasicsofstrategiccommunications.

Ҍ Therecanbegreaterguidanceandpreparationinunderstandingwhattoexpect-bothfromtheexperienceofgoingintoastudiothatoftenfeelshostile,towhathappenswhenyouarethesubjectofacoordinatedonlinetrollattack.Amorecollectiveresponsetopushingbackon,andreporting,trollingattackswouldalsobehelpful.

Ҍ Havingsupportgroupstoconnectwithbeforeorafterinterviewswouldbeexcellentforfeedbackandsupport.

Ҍ Furthersupportcouldinclude,forexample,helpingspokespeoplecleanuptheirSEO,providingformaltherapeuticsupport,andhostingspokesperson‘reunions’wherepeoplecanshareandunpacktheirrecentinterviews.Withcertainhigh-profilespokespeople,supportinfundingalibelcaseorhiringinvestigativejournalistsmayalsobeneeded.

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FINAL THOUGHTS... Theprogressivemovementisnowatacrossroadsinitsengagementwiththe‘culturewars’.Therearesomekeylessonsthatneedtobeharnessedmovingforwardinordertocircumventthepoliticalgainsandmomentumoftheconservativesinstrumentalisingthe‘culturewars’asakeytactic.

TheBlackLivesMattermovementisaclearexampleofwhatcanresultfromproactivelysettingthemedianarrative,engagingawideraudience,andprovidingafuturevisionthatcapturestheimaginationofpeopleandmobilisesthem.Thereisanurgentneedtoembracesuchstrategiesonanongoingandsystematicbasiswhenitcomestointersectingcausesstillbeingfoughtbytheprogressivemovement.

WehopethereflectionsandfindingsinthisreportwillproveusefultotheNEONcommunityandallies,currentandfuturespokespeople,aswellasgroupsworkingonculturalengagementwhoareeagertotakeonanewapproachwithregardstothe‘culturewars’.Thestakesarehigh,andaconcertedeffortisnecessarytoaddressthestructuralissuesatplayasthemedialandscapeintheUKisredefined.Thesoonertheseeffortsbegin,thebetterourchancesofturningthetide.

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