James Mumford is a British author. He currently lives in London, but has spent many years in America – most recently, Charlottesville, Virginia. Learn more.

Latest articles

The Dangerous Pull of Political Tribalism

The Dangerous Pull of Political Tribalism

Originally published on Unherd I long to belong. I want a place in the world, a way to appear in public, a context. I want a team. That’s why I feel the pull of political tribalism. Yet at the same time, there’s still some part of me that hankers after integrity. That...

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What would you sacrifice for integrity?

What would you sacrifice for integrity?

Originally published on Unherd. Franz Jägerstätter’s life is perfect — remote and romantic, lived in a valley in Upper Austria. Up in the mountains, there he feels free. His farm is plentiful. His children healthy. The woman he loves happens to be his wife. He rings...

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Package-Deal Ethics

Package-Deal Ethics

First published in The Hedgehog Review, Vol. 19. No. 3 (Autumn 2017) Ready, aim, fire, kill. A single shot was all it took. Every morning of his adult life, Gail Gerlach, a fifty-six-year-old plumber from Spokane, Washington, would strap on the holster of his 9mm...

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BOOK - BUY NOW

In this refreshing and eye-opening book, Mumford questions the basic assumptions of our political groups. His challenge is simple: ‘Why should believing strongly about one topic mean the automatic adoption of so many others?’

Read an introductory extract here

“A plea for nuance and ambivalence, in a world that often seems to be in danger of mislaying both”, The Observerread review here

“A thought-provoking exploration of some of the most contentious problems of our time”, The Sunday Timesread review here