This article analyses the relationship between Welsh and English speakers in pub scenes in two contemporary novels set in south Wales, namely Y Tiwniwr Piano by Catrin Dafydd (2009) and The Book of Idiots by Christopher Meredith (2012), in light of philosophical theories about the ‘other’ and otherness. The development of the concept of the ‘other’ is traced by considering the work of philosophers and cultural theorists such as Georg Hegel, Simone de Beauvoir, Frantz Fanon and Homi Bhabha. Turning to the work of Charlotte Williams and Simon Brooks, the article argues that both Welsh and English speakers in Wales can experience otherness, and the novels are then analysed to explore how this is reflected in contemporary fictional texts. The article draws conclusions about the significance of otherness to contemporary Welsh imagination and identity and suggests how other philosophical ideas could help us find common ground between Wales’s two main language communities.

This article focuses on three essays published on the work of Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Immanuel Kant by the theologian and scholar, Lewis Edwards, in the Traethodydd between 1846 and 1853. Edwards is considered here as representative of the religious leaders of Wales in the second half of the nineteenth century. His work is examined for evidence of attitudes towards the philosophical developments of the period which could offer an explanation for his failure to defend Welsh language and culture in the face of the spread of English. The article argues that Edwards’ commitment to the speculative reasoning on which contemporary Calvinist theology was based prevented him from responding directly to the intellectual challenge represented by modern thought. In the three articles considered here, which present Kant’s thought as expressed in the first Critique, together with Coleridge’s philosophical theology as it is presented in his Aids to Reflection, we find clear evidence of Edwards’ unwillingness to accept any challenge to Calvinist philosophy. The picture he presents of the work of these two authors is defective and misleading. A major part of both Kant’s Kritik and Coleridge’s Aids is a destructive criticism of the baseless pretensions of speculative reason. Edwards chooses to ignore this entirely, so as to maintain his belief in the power of the human intellect to intuit truth without reference to empirical evidence. It is argued here that this wilful blindness to modern thought was an important factor in motivating the intellectual treason of which Edwards and his contemporaries stand accused. It is also suggested that this treason undermined not only Welsh language and literature, but also the Calvinist religion Edwards was determined to defend. In refusing to face the challenge of modern thought, Edwards left his students with no means of adapting traditional teaching to meet the requirements of a changing sensibility. The eventual result of that was a degree of alienation from the Nonconformist past, the effect of which continues even today

In this paper we challenge the idea that nationalism in general, and sporting displays of nationalism in particular, are morally problematic. Whilst sporting displays of nationalism are often accompanied by ethnocentric and jingoistic tendencies, it does not follow that such competition is inherently problematic. By drawing on liberal nationalist philosophy, we argue that accepting and celebrating particular cultural and national ties represent a fundamental step towards encouraging an international and cosmopolitan mindset. Moreover, we argue that international sport has significant potential in stimulating meaningful cultural conversations, both within and between national communities.

Policies introduced to revive the prospects of minority languages have often been the source of substantial disquiet. At times, objections to these policies are expressed in moral terms, with certain measures being accused of transgressing normative principles such as individual freedom and equal opportunity. Given their nature, these moral objections pose interesting questions for liberals. Therefore, how should liberals respond? This article will explore this question by focusing on one controversial aspect of language policy in Wales: the steps taken to set Welsh-language requirements for some jobs in the public sector. This is a practice which has generated substantial debate, with opponents claiming that it undermines the liberal commitment to equality of opportunity in the field of employment and, in particular, transgresses the principle of appointing on the basis of merit. Do such arguments stand up to scrutiny? Do minority language requirements in the field of employment go beyond what liberals would consider acceptable, or can a coherent defence that is clearly rooted within a liberal framework be developed?

In this article we argue that the current laws of the scrum in Rugby Union inevitably lead to unfairness. The scrum is so biomechanically complex that it is impossible for a referee to reliably determine who deserves punishment when the scrum collapses. Consequently, undeserved penalties are inevitable. Furthermore, the players who are penalised may not be causally or morally responsible for the offence. Under certain pressures, they have no choice but to collapse. Resolving the issue is not an easy matter. There is an inevitable trade-off to be negotiated between fairness on the one hand and tradition, excitement and entertainment on the other.

A collection of PowerPoint presentations relating to the Religious Studies AS/A Level syllabus. By Dr Gareth Evans-Jones, Bangor University. 

This resource is the result of a small grant awarded by the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol to Cardiff University. The project aimed to increase interest in the Mathematics and Philosophy degree course. As part of the project, a series of workshops were held in schools. This resource contains a series of practical questions arising from the first two workshops, Elementary Concepts in Philosophy and Mathematics and Understanding Numbers and Their Part. The questions are aimed at those studying A level maths.

Max Weber is recognised as one of the foremost founders of modern sociology. This volume places him in the tradition of sociology and outlines some of his major contributions: his idea of 'verstehen' or 'sociological imagination', his involvement in the great debate about the relationship between capitalism and the Protestant religion, and his 'ideal types' or definitions of the basics of particular regimes.

An illustration of the life of Karl Marx: his ideas, the roots of his philosophy and his influence on the world. 

Emile Durkheim was the first to hold a university chair in sociology, and his ideas remain of fundamental importance to all who want to understand the origins of the subject. He adopted the image of society as an organism, each part of which has a particular role to play in ensuring the well-being of the whole body. His ideas include an analysis of the social origins of religion, in particular the suggestion that any religious worship is 'worship of society'; its emphasis on what he called 'anomie' as the root of dispute and unrest in the life of an individual and society; and his original and important study of suicide as a social phenomenon. His influence is seen in fields as diverse as criminology on the one hand and literary criticism on the other.

Welsh translation of the Communist Party Manifesto (Manifest der Kommunistischen Partei). The original translation was published in 1948 to celebrate the centenary of the Manifesto. W. J. Rees based his translation on the fourth German edition (1890). A revised translation was published in 2008, which is the version available  here, along with the original introduction to the 1948 publication, the 2008 introduction by Robert Griffiths and a new preface to the digital publication by Howard Williams.

Brief introductions to elements of philosophy and the provision available through the Coleg, for students and potential students.