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The Real Story: Europe's Growing Culture Wars

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Culture Wars in Europe

17/11/2017 GMT

Europe's Growing Culture Wars

BBC World Service - The Real Story, Europe's Growing Culture Wars

Have American-style culture wars come to Europe?

Owen Bennett Jones and a panel of guests discuss whether American-style culture wars have taken root in Europe

One of the explanations for the victory of Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton in the US presidential election was that Trump had pushed back against the progressive cultural values that had been occupying the US political mainstream. There was a feeling that cultural issues championed on the left around identity, race, religion, gender, and sexuality had taken a seat at the political top table in the Obama years, and that many people - mostly white men - sought a return to times when roles were clearly defined and people weren't worried about 'political correctness'. So called 'culture wars' - pitting progressive tribes against traditional rivals - are nothing new in American politics, but the divisions today are more pronounced than ever. Compare that with Europe, where for decades, mainstream political parties have broadly agreed on socially progressive values and sought inclusive societies. But the picture is changing. The politics around values and identity is driving events across Europe. First, there was Brexit and then came the success of a number of anti-immigration political parties, most notably in Germany. This week on Newshour Extra, Owen Bennett Jones and a panel of guests discuss whether American-style culture wars have taken root in Europe. What are the flash points causing divisions and what is behind them? 

(Photo of a Black Lives Matter protester in London by Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP/Images)

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