Red Pepper (magazine)
Encyclopedia
Red Pepper is an independent ‘red, green and radical
’ magazine based in the UK
. For most of its history it appeared monthly, but relaunched as a bi-monthly during 2007.
– an independent left-wing grouping that grew out of a series of large conferences held in Chesterfield
in 1987 and 1988 after the defeat of Britain’s miners’ strike of the mid-1980s. The Socialist Movement set up a campaigning, fortnightly newspaper called Socialist in autumn 1991. It lasted through September 1992.
Supporters of The Socialist were convinced that there was a demand for a regular green-left publication, published independently of any political party. After a fundraising drive, which raised an initial £135,000, Red Pepper launched as a monthly in May 1995.
Its first editor was Denise Searle, who had also edited Socialist. But for most of its history, it has been edited by socialist and feminist Hilary Wainwright
best known as the co-author of Beyond the Fragments. Since July 2009, she has been co-editor alongside James O'Nions and Michael Calderbank, with Emma Hughes and Sarah-Jayne Clifton joining the editorial team in 2010. Prominent journalists involved with the publication at some point include Nick Cohen
, Gary Younge
and Barbara Gunnell.
The magazine's reported circulation in November 1995 was 13,000. In 2004, it was reportedly 7,000.
This charter claims it as: "a magazine of political rebellion and dissent. Influenced by socialism
, feminism and green politics
, it is a resource for all those who imagine and work to create another world – a world based on equality
, solidarity, and democracy
".
The magazine is unusual for the UK left, insofar as it is independent of any political party. Red Pepper has also collaborated in 'Eurotopia', a network of left and progressive European magazines which publishes a multilingual supplement. The magazine sees itself as closely aligned with the global justice movement
and has taken part in the organising for the European Social Forum
Radicalization
Radicalization is the process in which an individual changes from passiveness or activism to become more revolutionary, militant or extremist. Radicalization is often associated with youth, adversity, alienation, social exclusion, poverty, or the perception of injustice to self or others.-...
’ magazine based in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. For most of its history it appeared monthly, but relaunched as a bi-monthly during 2007.
Origins
Red Pepper was founded by the Socialist MovementSocialist Movement
The Socialist Movement was an independent left-wing grouping in the United Kingdom that grew out the Socialist Conferences.The Socialist Conferences were held in Chesterfield, Sheffield and Manchester in the years following the defeat of Britain’s miners’ strike of 1984–1985...
– an independent left-wing grouping that grew out of a series of large conferences held in Chesterfield
Chesterfield
Chesterfield is a market town and a borough of Derbyshire, England. It lies north of Derby, on a confluence of the rivers Rother and Hipper. Its population is 70,260 , making it Derbyshire's largest town...
in 1987 and 1988 after the defeat of Britain’s miners’ strike of the mid-1980s. The Socialist Movement set up a campaigning, fortnightly newspaper called Socialist in autumn 1991. It lasted through September 1992.
Supporters of The Socialist were convinced that there was a demand for a regular green-left publication, published independently of any political party. After a fundraising drive, which raised an initial £135,000, Red Pepper launched as a monthly in May 1995.
Its first editor was Denise Searle, who had also edited Socialist. But for most of its history, it has been edited by socialist and feminist Hilary Wainwright
Hilary Wainwright
Hilary Wainwright is a British socialist and feminist, best known for being editor of Red Pepper magazine.-Personal life:Hilary Wainwright's father was the Liberal MP Richard Wainwright, and her brother, Martin, is the Northern Editor of The Guardian, to which she occasionally contributes.She...
best known as the co-author of Beyond the Fragments. Since July 2009, she has been co-editor alongside James O'Nions and Michael Calderbank, with Emma Hughes and Sarah-Jayne Clifton joining the editorial team in 2010. Prominent journalists involved with the publication at some point include Nick Cohen
Nick Cohen
Nick Cohen is a British journalist, author and political commentator. He is currently a columnist for The Observer, a blogger for The Spectator and TV critic for Standpoint magazine. He formerly wrote for the London Evening Standard and the New Statesman...
, Gary Younge
Gary Younge
Gary Younge is a British journalist, author and broadcaster, born to immigrant parents from Barbados....
and Barbara Gunnell.
The magazine's reported circulation in November 1995 was 13,000. In 2004, it was reportedly 7,000.
Politics
Red Pepper’s editorial charter commits it to ‘Internationalism; sustainable, socially useful production; welfare not warfare; and self-determination and democracy.’This charter claims it as: "a magazine of political rebellion and dissent. Influenced by socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
, feminism and green politics
Green politics
Green politics is a political ideology that aims for the creation of an ecologically sustainable society rooted in environmentalism, social liberalism, and grassroots democracy...
, it is a resource for all those who imagine and work to create another world – a world based on equality
Social equality
Social equality is a social state of affairs in which all people within a specific society or isolated group have the same status in a certain respect. At the very least, social equality includes equal rights under the law, such as security, voting rights, freedom of speech and assembly, and the...
, solidarity, and democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
".
The magazine is unusual for the UK left, insofar as it is independent of any political party. Red Pepper has also collaborated in 'Eurotopia', a network of left and progressive European magazines which publishes a multilingual supplement. The magazine sees itself as closely aligned with the global justice movement
Global Justice Movement
The Global Justice Movement is a network or constellation of globalized social movements opposing what is often known as the “corporate globalization” and promoting equal distribution of economic resources.-Movement of movements:...
and has taken part in the organising for the European Social Forum
European Social Forum
The European Social Forum is a recurring conference held by members of the alter-globalization movement . In the first few years after it started in 2002 the conference was held every year, but later it became biannual due to difficulties with finding host countries...
External links
- Red Pepper website
- Video: Guardian's Gary Younge talks to Hilary Wainwright ahead of the 2010 general election
- BBC Israel to expel detained Briton
- Tam Dalyell, Blair, the war criminal, The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
(March 27, 2003) (shortened version of article run in Red Pepper) - The Telegraph Obit of Adrian Mitchell, Red Pepper's "shadow poet laureate"