David Willetts is one of the best of the Tory apologists, argues Tony Wright, but even he cannot conceal the tension between free market radicalism and Quintin Hogg's civic conservatism

The Pompidou Centre in Paris is celebrating its 20th anniversary with an ambitious exhibition on the relationship between 20th century politics and art. Matthew Reisz is impressed

The film musical has been out of fashion for 20 years. Christopher Tookey explains why it is now suddenly back

Anglo-Indian fiction experienced a widely celebrated renaissance in the 1980s. Pankaj Mishra regrets its failure to reflect India's rich and varied literary culture

Charles Murray's assertions about the underlcass in Britain do not stand up to scrutiny, says AH Halsey. Social policy should instead focus on how to make citizen's income feasible

Markus Wolf, the former east German spy chief, has written a self-serving cook book cum autobiography. Lesley Chamberlain finds it fascinating but morally tasteless

In the 1980s, America's great books courses became a cultural battleground. Stephanie Flanders considers the views of the latest crusader against political correctness

A new generation of Irish intellectuals is exploring the hybrid nature of Irish and British identity. Neal Ascherson finds their views appealing but politically impractical

Nicholas Serota has put a meat cleaver through a major institution without anyone complaining. Charles Saumarez Smith says a Labour government should appoint him minister of culture

George Lucas has never been a household name to compare with Disney or Spielberg. But Christopher Tookey argues that the maker of "Star Wars" is the most important figure in world cinema