Cherwell - 0th week Trinity 2021

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CULCHER

Cherwell Independent since 1920

0th Week Friday, 23rd April 2021 cherwell.org Vol.294 No.1

COVID-19 FINES VARY DRAMATICALLY BETWEEN COLLEGES Sasha Mills and Estelle Atkinson

FOI data has shown that colleges have opted for drastically varied approaches to COVID-19 disciplinary processes, with some colleges fining their students figures of over £4000, and others choosing not to fine students at all.

Of the 26 colleges that Cherwell obtained data for, Somerville College has fined its students the most, administering 107 fines in Michaelmas alone totalling £5590. St Hugh’s College is also amongst the colleges with the highest amounts fined, administering £4300 in fines to date, with £2575 of that acted or levied. Trinity College, St Hilda’s College, and the Queen’s College are amongst the colleges that reported no fines for Michaelmas or Hilary up to the mid-February point.

The UK government’s fine policy suggests that those 18 and over will be fined £200 on their first COVID-19 rule breach if deemed necessary by the police, which is lowered to £100 if paid within the first 14 days. Under educational guidance, however, those attending illegal house parties of more than 15 people can be fined £800, doubling with any repeat offences. These policies have been specifically referenced in relation to students and included in information for higher education providers.

For college policies, fine amounts vary, with Keble College fining between £50-£250, with the £250 fine reserved for those caught mixing households on multiple occasions. Other colleges provided less specific information on fining, instead providing ranges, with Mansfield College’s top-end figure being £500.

Some of these colleges have opted for different disciplinary methods for COVID-19 rule breaches, both alongside and in replacement of fines. At Merton, some students were required to write essays of a tutorial length on COVID-19 related topics.

At Trinity College, where no students have been fined, disciplinary methods include formal warnings, community service, restrictions from shared spaces, and in some cases, banishment from the college premises. A spokesperson for Trinity College told Cherwell that the college opted against using fines as a result of the possible disproportionate impact of fines on lowerincome students, as well as JCR opposition to fining.

A student that received a £30 acted fine and a £200 suspended fine for having a gathering in

their room during Freshers week told Cherwell: “The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone’s social life to some extent.

It had an outstandingly high impact on first-year students who found themselves in a novel environment. Freshers’ week plays a central role in the establishment of a support system at University. [...] So, I consider that although I received a fine, it was worth having gatherings and getting to know people.”

The same student went on to argue

that fines may not be a fair system.

“An issue with the fining system is that it further enlarges the socio-economic discrepancies between students. Someone with financial difficulties may socialise less because the fine may affect them more.”

Many fines are related to large social gatherings, with 47 of the fines that New College gave out during Michaelmas being ascribed to only 6 events.

Another student was given a series of suspended fines. “I was fined around four times, and each time the fine doubled.

The biggest fine was around £300 which seemed ridiculous.

However, the college never followed through with them...”

Continued on page 2.

COLLEGES ANNOUNCE RETURN POLICIES Jill Cushen

Following the government announcement that students on non-practical courses, not already exempt, will be unable to return to Oxford until the 17th of May, the University of Oxford has updated its guidance on students’ returns, stating: “providers should support the return of students where necessary to support the continuation of their studies.”

In emails seen by Cherwell, colleges have outlined their policies for students who wish to return to Oxford before May 17th. In line with government and university guidance, students may return provided they fall under one of the exemptions: if they “do not

have access to appropriate alternative accommodation, facilities or study space at home” or “for health or safety (including mental health and wellbeing) reasons.” In light of these changes, students who previously applied and were not given permission, can contact their college to make a new request.

In an email sent to students at St John’s College, the college said they shared in students’ “disappointment and frustration” at the government update, but informed them: “our objective remains to welcome back as many of you as possible, within the parameters of what is permitted by the government.”

For students who claim the exemption of health and safety, including mental health and wellbeing, the college said they would “initiate a discussion about what support [they] may need on [their] return” in order to ensure their safety and that of the wider college community.

Students at St Edmund’s Hall, who were not already given permission to return, were told they could if “in [their] judgement, this is necessary for [them] to be able to use the facilities such as libraries to study effectively, to prepare for examinations, or for health reasons”. These students did not “need to secure the permission” of the college.

Hertford College also told their students they shared in their “frustrations” and “had hoped for earlier clarity and a stronger recognition of both the case for return and the sacrifices made by students”.

Students wishing to return early were asked to submit a “brief return request” flagging the “general grounds on which the request is being made” and if given permission, can return in the earlier window from 21 to 24 April.

The college also said that “all students who wish to return to residence for Trinity Term will be able to do so in preparation for 17th May” and instructed them to

book an arrival slot between May 12 and 15.

Students at Regent’s Park were told that the college would be happy to consider requests and would “interpret government and University rules as generously as [they] can”.

The email also stated that if students wished to submit a request under one of the exemptions, they did not need to go into “great detail” but that a “simple statement of the relevant exemption” would be sufficient.

The Queen’s College wrote to students stating that those who do not have access to appropriate alternative accommodation...

Continued on page 3.

Cherwell | Friday, 23rd April 2021

2 | News Continued from page 1 ...and I, as of yet haven’t been charged.”

“I was obviously annoyed about it and it was a frustrating situation, because I had to weigh up social isolation and breaking COVID-19 rules. And I know for certain I have met some of my best friends at university from breaking the rules, either within college or outside. So while I understand the college has to put on a front, and perhaps not officially fining me was that, it’s still frustrating because the college don’t seem to understand the social problems students face by sticking to COVID-19 rules.”

Another student told Cherwell: “Three days into my time at Oxford I was given a three-figure suspended fine, to be paid the next time I committed the offence within a year. The offence was that of socialising with my fellow freshers. The porter broke up the innocent gathering as if we were producing Class A drugs, and took our names as if we were dangerous criminals. All this was, of course, the obvious consequence of prohibiting 100+ eighteen-yearsolds, in self-contained accommodation and with hardly any contact with non-students,

WHAT’S INSIDE LEADER The game’s gone?

NEWS Antigua & Barbuda’s PM asks All Souls for reparations

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Everyone’s Invited: Oxford University mentioned 57 times

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Meet the student candidates running for the Green Party

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COMMENT The topography of Oxford The Arab Spring: 10 years on

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LIFE Colour me this: a personal perspective on racism Don’t just do something, sit there

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FOOD Oat-so-lovely

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FEATURES Material Girl: How the pandemic has changed the way we shop

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SPORT The return of fans

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loudless skies, the British summer and corporate greed.

Those three things were on my mind as I sat down to write – or more appropriately rant – about the madness of the European Super League on Monday. As a fan of one of the twelve “founding members” involved, my dear

UNITED’S AMERICAN OWNERS THE CHANCE TO RUIN THE FOOTBALL PYR AMID?” being long-lasting seems unlikely. As long as there is discourse surrounding “fans of the future” – perhaps more aptly called ‘glory-hunters’ from abroad who have four teams in their Twitter bio with no real attachment to their club, its fan base and its lo-

Trinit y 2021.”

When contacted for comment, a spokesperson for St. Hugh’s College told Cherwell that “St Hugh’s is one of the largest colleges in Oxford with a significantly higher proportion of students living on site,” and that the “the safety and wellbeing of our students and staff is paramount.”

THE GAME’S GONE? MATTHEW PRUDHAM vide the valuable ‘atmosphere’ at iconic stadia like Old Trafford and Anfield –, there will still be danger of the game ‘going’ once more.

In reality, the billionaires are still winning. Even if Liverpool had to suffer one sponsor, TRIBUS – their official timekeeping partner (what need there is of an official timekeeping partner still eludes me) – packing their bags in protest over the ESL, a new Champions League format – which guarantees each club at least 10 games a year and a safety net for two places assigned to

“T H E EF F ECTS OF T H E FA NS’ V ICTORY V ER SUS T H E SU PER L E AGU E BEI NG LONG -L A ST I NG SEEMS U N L I K ELY.” cale – and “legacy fans” – the silly punters paying good money to stand on the terraces and pro-

include fines, but these will be reserved primarily for serious or repeat infractions, with a sliding scale of penalties to be deployed at the Deans’ discretion, including formal warnings, community service, reflective essays, bans from student functions, suspended fines, immediate fines and the requirement to leave college early (for finalists) or temporarily (non-finalists).

Under this system, we hope that everyone will feel safe and happy to return to Somerville and their Oxford lives in

Leader

managers, and the hypocrisy of governments and football associations all pitching in, rendering that past version severely out of date.

People have been quick to underline that, whilst we may take turbulent collapse of the ESL as a victory for the fans, the effects of such a victory

“WAS I COMPLICIT IN GR ANTING

Manchester United, I feel outraged. “The game’s gone”, I thought – ah yes, that old cliché.

I felt concerned. Was I complicit in granting United’s American owners the chance to ruin the football pyramid? For sure, I wore a green and gold scarf and chanted anti-Glazer songs from the terraces during my 12 years as a season ticket holder at Old Trafford, but money went into their pockets; I retweet thinkpieces from fanzines, whilst wearing the latest Adidas x Pharrell Williams collaboration.

But by Wednesday,– as BBC News hilariously pointed out, quicker than Gemma Collins’ stint on I’m A Celeb 2014 – the ESL had collapsed, with fan protest, disgruntled players and

from interacting properly with anyone but 2/3 other bubble members, on the basis that it was important that they did not contract a virus which was virtually harmless to them” A representative for Somerville College told Cherwell: “Somerville College is committed to preserving the safety and wellbeing of all our students, our staff and the local community during the Covid-19 pandemic. In Michaelmas 2020, we employed a fixed system of warnings and fines as a means of enforcing the government’s regulations and thereby keeping our college open and our community safe. The schedule of penalties was published at the start of term so the level of fine for each offence was known to every one in advance and consistency in the application of fines guaranteed. The proceeds of these fines were divided equally between three local charities. As part of a no-tolerance policy, there were no fines imposed in Hilary 2021.”

“In order to adopt the most nuanced approach for Trinity Term, a panel commissioned by the Governing Body of the College has developed a new disciplinary framework that balances the need for penalties that are sufficiently robust to deter Covid breaches against our overarching goal of maximising compliance and ensuring that everyone feels safe”.

“As such, the framework will

“historic performance” (though there is rumour that UEFA are reconsidering the latter based on

fan reaction) – was still announced on Monday. More games equals more revenue, more lucrative television rights and sponsorships, and so on – keeping the coffers of the super-rich full to bursting with cash.

There is still much to be done.

Will the ‘Fan-led review of football’ profised by Boris Johnson and Oliver Dowden actually bring about meaningful change to how clubs are run? I’m doubtful.

What’s more important, I believe, is that watching a game of football – whether on the TV or the terraces – is made affordable. As someone whose family allegiance to Manchester United stretches back over four generations, the extortionate ticket and subscription prices that bar many working class people from accessing the game crudely reflects how money still controls football. We may have avoided the pits of meaningless relegation-free franchise football, but whilst it costs £1.50 for a Mars Bar and £3.50 for a programme at a game, perhaps the game has still gone.

Friday, 23rd April 2021 | Cherwell

Magdalen College reopens to tourists Hope Philpott

Magdalen College, Oxford reopened to tourists last week, despite the fact that not all students will be able return to the college grounds until mid-May. Under current government guidelines, “outdoor hospitality venues” and “outdoor at-

tractions” have been allowed to open from 12 April. Meanwhile, the government stipulates that “[higher education] providers should not ask students to return if their course can reasonably be continued online” and that students on non-practical courses “should continue to learn remotely and remain where they’re

living until in-person teaching starts again, wherever possible”.

This difference in legislation between sectors allowed Magdalen College to advertise that they were “open to visitors” on 12 April, while their students on non-practical courses were not informed of return dates until the following day. Writing on Facebook, Magdalen college advertised that the first 20 visitors would receive a “free Magdalen calendar”.

Visitors can explore the grounds of the college, including its deer park, for a reduced price of £6 for adults and £5 for Over 65s, children and students from other institutions. Oxford students can visit for free.

Magdalen is currently the only Oxford college to reopen to the public. Christ Church remains closed to visitors “at least until the end of the academic year”, although they have advertised the opening of their new takeaway café on 1 May, as well as their shop which is currently open.

King’s College, Cambridge, is also accepting visitors during timed slots. Writing on their website, the College said they were “delighted” to open parts of their grounds from 13 April. For a reduced price of £5, members of the public can visit the wildflower meadow and the Xu Zhimo garden. The College also plans to open their Chapel to tourists from 17 May. On 13 April, the government announced that in-person teaching for students on non-practical courses would resume “no earlier than 17 May” giving universities just over a month to prepare for this change. Meanwhile, the government’s original roadmap out of lockdown, detailing provisional “unlocking” dates for other sectors, including 12 April for outdoor hospitality and attractions, was announced on 22 February, giving such sectors more time to prepare.

Students and university leaders have previously expressed frustration at higher education’s

STUDENTS Continued from page 1 ..., facilities, or study space would be allowed to “self-certify for the exemption” but would require a “supportive GP statement where the student is making a case on matters of mental health”.

In an email to their students, Exeter wrote: “The College recognises that the prolonged period for which many of you have now been required to remain at home may have made individual situations and difficulties more acute, and that this may include some of you who have previously made unsuccessful applications to return.”

St Hugh’s told students that given the “slight change in the wording around the Government guidance on exemptions” they are hopeful that more students will be in College than in Hilary term. Wadham also “warmly encouraged” students who fall under one of the exemptions to apply, adding that the college is “very keen” to support those who wish to return.

Meanwhile, Merton, Somerville, Balliol and New College reminded students that due to continuing restrictions, study spaces in college will be limited in the coming term and there may be nowhere for students who do return to work other than their own study-bedroom.

Following the latest government announcement on university returns, PresCom, the committee of JCR Presidents, wrote to the Heads of Oxford colleges to suggest they adopt “a more trustbased approach” to allowing students to return. In a Facebook post, they said: “This approach must be both uniform across the colleges and must respect students’ abilities as responsible adults to make their own decision as to the seriousness of their reasons to return.”

News | 3 UNIVERSITY

omission from the original roadmap. Many were further disheartened by the 17 May date. In response to the announcement that Magdalen would reopen to tourists, Abigail Howe, a Second Year English Literature student at the college, told the Telegraph: “The roadmap has been done in such a way that university students’ return has been prioritised below people having a walk in the college grounds.”

In relation to Magdalen’s policy under the new University guidance, Howe told Cherwell: “Magdalen’s returns policy has been really sympathetic and considerate to my knowledge.

However, the fact they are legally able to take in tourists before all students can return does highlight the absurdity of the government’s roadmap and the way students have been consistently disregarded by the government.”

Image credit: Ed Webster / CCBY-2.0

UNIVERSTIY

Antigua & Barbuda’s PM asks All Souls for reparations Charline Hancock

Gaston Browne, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, has written to the Warden of All Souls College to ask that the College pays reparations to the country. Mr Browne said that the College had benefited from profits earned by enslaved labour on the islands.

The College’s library was constructed with a £10,000 endowment from Christopher Codrington, which is now worth around £1.7 million. Codrington owned 900 acres of land on Antigua, the larger and more mountainous of the two islands which make up the country.

The smaller island of Barbuda was inherited from his father, who secured a lease of the island at no cost in 1685. His sugarcane plantations were tended by enslaved people.

The use of enslaved labour on the island was not stopped by the Slavery Abolition Act 1833. After Christopher Codrington’s death in 1710, the owners of his Barbuda plantations were compensated with a payment of £8,823. 8s. 9d under the Slave Compensation Act 1837.

Mr Browne’s letter suggested to Sir John Vickers, Warden of All Souls, that the College should “repay its debt to enslaved persons on Antigua and Barbuda, who were the real source of benefit to All Souls.”

The proposed reparations would take the form of the creation of a scholarship to the college for “eligible Antiguans and Barbudans”, and donations to the Five Islands (Antigua) campus of the University of the West Indies”.

When approached for comment, All Souls referred Cherwell to a statement on its website reading: “Over the last three years the College has taken several steps to address the problematic nature of the Codrington legacy. It has

erected a large memorial plaque at the entrance to the Library, ‘In memory of those who worked in slavery on the Codrington plantations in the West Indies’. It has pledged a series of donations to Codrington College, Barbados (a theological college also founded by a bequest in Codrington’s will) to a total of £100,000. And it has set up three fully funded graduate studentships at Oxford for students from the Caribbean; in effect, £6 million of the College’s endowment is now set aside, on a permanent basis, to produce the income that funds these studentships.”

All Souls recently removed Codrington’s name from its library. It did not remove a statue of Codrington from the library’s centre.

Common Ground told Cherwell they supported Mr Browne’s call for direct reparations from the College.

They added: “We want to echo the sentiments of Rhodes Must Fall

Oxford, who have already voiced their support for the initiative, and also expressed their disappointment at the fact that the statue of Christopher Codrington still remains standing within the college.

By allowing the Codrington statue to remain in place the College is unable to fully stand in solidarity with Black communities both here and in the Carribean. It also shows a failure to truly comprehend the full extent of the dehumanisation, exploitation and trauma on which the College’s wealth stands. The efforts to repair past damages with current studentships offered to students in Barbados are undermined by their continued commitment to upholding the statue and the lack of direct reparations.

“It is positive to hear that the college has responded and agreed to investigate academic initiatives relating to the Codrington legacy and reach conclusions in the coming

academic term. We sincerely hope that the college chooses to take action and pay reparations where they are owed. Back in November 2020, after All Souls announced that they will be preserving the statue of Codrington, Common Ground responded to say that we believe the College needs to go beyond acknowledgment if it truly wants to express its ‘abhorrence of slavery’ and stand in solidarity with those affected by colonial injustice. We feel that paying direct reparations to Antigua and Barbuda would be a step in the right direction for All Souls on the way to truly facing up to the atrocities on which the foundations of the College are built.”

The Office of the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda has been approached for comment.

Image credit: Andrew Shiva / CC BY-SA 4.0

Cherwell | Friday, 23rd April 2021 UNIVERSITY

4 | News UNIVERSITY

Everyone’s Invited: Oxford University mentioned 57 times on website Beth Ranasinghe

CW: Sexual assualt and rape More than 80 UK universities have been named on Everyone’s Invited ‘rape culture’ website where students have been reporting accounts of sexual harassment, abuse, misogyny and assault.

The website has collated nearly 15,000 anonymous accounts thus far and claims are now being extended to testimonies from university students. The data was released both to highlight the problem on campuses and expose sexual abuse in further education.

Receiving over 1000 new testimonies related to universities within a week, Everyone’s Invited has so far mentioned eighty-four institutions in total.

Some universities are mentioned dozens of times, including around 50 mentions each for some elite universities. Oxford University

(57 times) along with University of Exeter (65) and University College London (48) fall into this category. Seventeen UK universities have more than five mentions and 15 of these qualify as Russell Group universities – traditionally among the most prestigious in the country.

When asked to explain the correlation between elite universities and the increased number of mentions, Soma Sara, founder of the Everyone’s Invited website, said: “There are logical reasons for this bias. The platform is still new, and it has grown through word of mouth, with friends sharing it with friends. I went to a private school and then a university in London. As a result, we received an abundance of tes-t i m o n i e s from certain areas and groups.”

A Russell Group spokesperson said “No student should feel unsafe or have to tolerate harassment or sexual misconduct in any

circumstance. Our universities take this issue incredibly seriously and provide a range of support to help students feel supported and safe. Where a crime has been committed it should be reported to the police. The testimonies highlighted via the Everyone’s Invited website show the need for us all to take this issue seriously.”

A University of Exeter spokesperson has said: “The safety, security and wellbeing of our students is, and always will be, our primary concern”, adding that it had a “zero tolerance for sexual harassment, abuse or assault”. Similarly, a Leeds University spokesperson also spoke of a zero-tolerance approach. A University of Edinburgh statement said all complaints would be treated seriously and with sensitivity. Oxford University are yet to provide a statement in response to the institution’s mentions on the website.

Oxford Union opens courtyard beer garden Christopher Collins

Summer has arrived early at the Oxford Union, which has opened a new beer garden for food, drinks, and political intrigue.

The Covid-secure Beer Garden, erected in the Union’s courtyard, serves up to 200 patrons and contains a gazebo for more than 100.

Seating is in tables of six and Union members can bring up to two guests.

The Union hopes to attract customers with new drinks offers and a new lunch menu each week, including £2.50 cocktails on Thursdays. The Beer Garden will play host to social events from pub quizzes to a drag night, and the Union aims to collaborate with societies such as the African and Caribbean Society and causes like Pink Week.

The news accompanies the gradual reopening of pubs and other hospitality venues for outdoor service following the easing of England’s coronavirus restrictions on 12th April.

SCIENCE & TECH

SCIENCE & TECH

Climate change makes repaying COVID debt harder Angela Eichhorst

In an article for Nature, the Oxford Sustainable Law Programme (OSLP) warned that 77% of sovereign-bonds in 2020 did not adequately disclose climate risk.

As global temperatures and sea levels rise, OSLP predicts that countries might face lower production, as well as be at increased risk of one-off weather disasters.

As sovereign-bonds issued during the Covid-19 pandemic mature o v e r the next 30 or even 10 years,

governm e n t s will “either have to invest to mitigate climate change as part of their com m it ment s under the Paris climate agreement — or face the costs of global warming directly”, according to the report.

OSLP calls a scenario where countries fail to understand the economic risks concurrent with climate change a “climate crash.”

The news comes as the International Monetary Fund and World Bank convene their spring meetings where environmental issues are featured on the agenda.

OSLP has some solutions of its own to propose. In their threestep framework, OSLP’s report first recommends that researchers create better tools for funds to understand climate risk as they take on investors.

Secondly, governments should use credit from their Covid-19 funds to prioritise greening their economies by increasing spending on clean energy which will create jobs in the process.

Thirdly, richer countries (and their finance development institutions) should buy back debt from poorer countries on the condition that poorer cou nt r ies use the money to invest in their climate resilience, as seen in the debt-for-nature swap in the Seychelles.

Out of all the countries OSLP looked at, only three (Bermuda, the Dominican Republic and El Salvador) acknowledged a risk of more frequent natural disasters in their sovereign-bond prospectuses. Only two (Bulgaria and United Arab Emirates) identified risks in their transition to greener economies.

Despite Boris Johnson’s initial promise to “plan a green recovery,” OSLP reports that the UK has so far failed to capitalise on the opportunity to utilise Covid-19 credit to build a more environmentally resilient economy.

Members have praised the return to normality at the Union after a largely virtual year. One member, Grace Lawrence said “it’s really heartening to see outdoor spaces opening up especially after spending a term at home.”

Arjun Bhardwaj, Treasurer-Elect, said he is “really excited at the transformation of the historic Union courtyard into one of the largest beer gardens in central Oxford... We hope our members enjoy the unique experience!”

On Monday’s opening, Adam Roble, President of the Union said: “the Beer Garden today has been a huge success, and after a year of uncertainty it’s been so nice to be able to see Union members and their guests socialising in a safe environment again. We are really excited to be able to welcome you really soon!”

The garden will be open Monday to Wednesday 10am - 11pm and Thursday to Saturday 10am - midnight.

Student well-being guide launched Jill Cushen

In an effort to help students navigate the pressures and uncertainties of university life, Mystudenthalls.com has launched ‘Student well-being: a guide to building better mental health in university’. The guide was created to help students manage their wellbeing and mental health, and the added challenges brought on by the pandemic.

In the guide, Dr Dominique Thompson, GP and young people’s mental health expert, explores key issues affecting students such as loneliness, financial wellbeing, social media, alcohol, academic performance and student living. The practical guide aims to address the topics which are key stressors for students during the pandemic and offers advice and tips as well as further resources to help them deal with these issues.

Research has shown that higher numbers of students have felt lonely living under lockdown with 44% of those aged 18-24 saying they have experienced loneliness.

There has also been an increase in alcohol consumption among young adults.

The guide offers methods of dealing with the feeling of loneliness, managing alcohol intake in a healthy way and coping with the effects of social media on our emotions.

After a year of disruption to academic life, Dr Thompson also

advises students “to focus less on what has been missed, and more on what has been gained that can be brought to the workplace alongside their academic achievements”.

The guide also looks at student life after the pandemic and considers that some students will find “reintegrating especially challenging” and “not everyone will want to leap into living, working, and partying together at the s a m e speed” o n c e restrictions are lifted.

D r Thompson has been a student GP for 17

years and specialises in mental health and wellbeing. She has launched her own student wellbeing consultancy, Buzz Consulting, and is the author of four mental health books for students.

She told Cherwell: “If [students] are concerned about alcohol (lots of people, not just students have ’self medicated’ their anxiety with alcohol this year) or if they find flatmates stressful, I hope they will turn to the guide and search for the answers we have suggested, to ease their worry. They can also share the guide with friends, or family members might want to send it to students they know. It will be useful for all students, not just those who are stressed or anxious!”

She added: “As with all my work I very much hope this guide will reduce anxiety and uncertainty, reassure students that they are not a lo n e i n faci n g these i ss ues, and most importantly that there is always s o m e thing they can do to help themselves and someone to talk to if it’s all a bit much.”

Friday, 23rd April 2021 | Cherwell

Protest against closure of cycle route on Parks Road Matthew Schaffel

A protest was held on Tuesday, 20th April by a group of local cyclists and Liberal Democrat activists to oppose the closure of a cycle path outside the Oxford University Museum of Natural History.

The group feel that the closure of the path adds a greater element of risk to their journey along the road and wish to convey their opinion on this to the University and Oxford County Council.

The organiser of the protest, James Cox, the Liberal Democrat candidate for University Parks told Cherwell: “We’ve had weeks if not months of this barrier being up on Parks Road...this was an active cycle path up to this point on a really dangerous road. We quite often just up the road see flowers and memorials for incidents that have happened here in the past.

“For the University and the County Council to be passing the blame to each other, not coming to a constructive solution, meaning that cyclists are having to drive straight into quite busy traffic a lot of the time, putting their safety and concerns at the bottom of the pile - it’s just unacceptable.”

In response to how he wanted the County Council to respond

to the issues cyclists face in the city more generally, Mr Cox commented: “It’s about ensuring there are facilities that make people feel cycling is safe and accessible to them, so having those cycle lanes separated from busy roads so that people don’t feel they’re taking their life into their hands every time they go out on their bikes “It’s for us about improving cycling facilities, promoting cycling and active travel as a real alternative for getting around Oxford, and to protect cyclists when they’re out on the road or in segregated cycle lanes and putting the concerns and safety of cyclists much higher up the agenda than it has been Local cyclist Joanne Bowlt also added: “My biggest concern is the lack of priority given to cyclists and pedestrians…I feel this is the wrong way round and we ought to be looking at the priorities of road users the correct way - the way of the future: pedestrians, cyclists and then cars. That’s not what’s being demonstrated by a decision like this and on other junctions further up the same national cycle route “Cyclists are just being pushed straight onto the road in front of traffic, plenty of children use this

route to cycle to school and I think it’s incredibly dangerous. This was already a dangerous junction.

“The University is limited in what it can do, but there are options like opening a route through University Parks as a temporary trial option, given that they can’t

keep this cycle route open. I appreciate this is a courtesy cycle route, but it is a national cycle route.”

Benjamin Nicholson, another local cyclist said: “I have never really liked this part of the road here, it’s so much worse when you have to go onto the road because drivers

News | 5 CITY

don’t look...a lot of people just assume that it’s safe and they won’t look, and that’s when accidents happen.”

Oxford County Council and the University of Oxford have been contacted for comment.

Image Credit: Matthew Schaffel.

CITY

Meet the student candidates running for the Green Party in Oxford Matilda Gettins

Kelsey Trevett is a first year PPE student at Trinity College, co-chair of the Young Greens Disability Group and running as candidate for the Green Party in the coming elections.

What does green socialism and grassroots organising look like at a local, Oxford level?

Grassroots organising is making sure that what was actually wanted by people is achieved, and that there’s full representation, and not a disconnect that is patched up - or pretended to be patched up - every couple of years when there’s an election and people want to win votes.

How will the new Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts bill affect green grassroots activism?

It’s a really scary time. [Protesting] has been a fundamental part of how grassroots organising has taken place for so long. Historically, but also more recently, massive, massive things have relied on protest. It’s important to highlight that that bill basically criminalises Roma and traveller communities as well, which is just awful. … It’s really important

that we stand up for those rights which the bill aims to squash.

You talk about the importance of equality for the LGBTQIA+ on your own blog.

What would you change to make Oxford more inclusive for members of the community?

I think I feel like a broken record: again, it’s about representation and about listening to the communities. We have this national debate about trans rights. It’s about listening to trans people, it’s about looking at things like gender neutral toilets, and public toilets, all sorts of sorts of small things.

How could the measures to pedestrianise Oxford City be made more inclusive ?

Speaking from my own experience - someone with no sight - pedestrianisation removes the risk, to put it kind of extremely, of being hit by silent electric cars.

That’s always a good start.

I think it’s about making sure … that there is space for people who are using wheelchairs, people with assistance dogs. … I think it’s [about] looking at things like that and making sure that everyone has been consulted and that concerns have been raised properly. It’s not just a tick box

exercise.

On your blog, you also argue that “apolitical climate movements” are counterproductive, failing to address the problem at the “root” which you identify with “capitalism”. Given the climate emergency, why shouldn’t we get support from as many groups in the political spectrum as possible?

The root of the climate crisis isn’t individuals. It’s the system under which we live, it’s capitalism. The exploitative nature of capitalist systems causes a huge part of the climate crisis. I completely agree that getting as many people on site as possible from across the political spectrum is hugely important. But we also have to simultaneously address the fact that capitalism isn’t compatible with preserving the biosphere and preventing the climate crisis.

Rosie Rawle is a PhD student on worker’s rights at Queen Mary University of London. Rosie is CoChair of the Young Green Party and is standing for election in both Donnington City ward and St. Clemens country division.

Which political issues moti-

vated you to run for election in Oxford whist obtaining a PhD? I think there are a number of issues that led me towards this….

The thing about Oxford is [that] it’s an amazing city, but you can’t walk down a street without recognising and noticing the scale of rough sleeping, the scale of inequality and the scale of injustice in the city.

The first point in the Greens’ manifesto is #qualityhomes.

What would you do to ensure affordable accommodation for students who cannot stay in university accommodation?

It is shocking that, outside of London, Oxford is the most expensive city to live in. It is a disgrace quite frankly that the private rental sector is allowed to charge sky high prices for what is, basically, poor quality accommodation.

The kind of actions that we’re hoping to push forward if elected include making sure we have a living rent, that means affordable living for all students and young people, and trying to start up a lettings agency run by the Council … stop these astronomical random fees and charges that students face.

In a speech during the

Greens’ spring conference you spoke about “Students packed into campuses to protect the bottom line of increasingly privatised universities”. Do you think students on nonpractical courses should not be allowed back for trinity term?

I think this is a really tricky one. The reality is that in September, university campuses weren’t ready to manage students travelling from across the country, forced and packed into accommodation, and that did cause a load of outbreaks. But there has been nine months of learning. I think we ought to be listening to the students, the unions and the Student Union.

Many people think that voting for the Green Party is a lost vote - how would you respond to this?

I’d say we have won in Oxford, we can win at Oxford, and, hopefully, we will win in Oxford. The truth is that Greens have had seats on the city council and on the county council for over 20 years back and forth … In the one ward where we have two greens elected, we’ve held those seats year on year on year on year. I don’t think we’ll see [that ward] go anytime soon.

Cherwell | Friday, 23rd April 2021 CITY

6 | News

Oxford charity Asylum Welcome fights Home Office’s proposed ‘New Plan for Immigration’ Yan Chen

To challenge the Home Office’s proposed New Plan for Immigration, Oxford-based charity Asylum Welcome is providing Zoom consultation sessions, encouraging people to write to MPs, and soliciting ideas for collaborative action against the proposed policy changes. The plan, published on 24th March, is undergoing an open consultation until 6th May. Described by UK Home Secretary Priti Patel as “the most significant overhaul of the asylum system ‘in decades”, the New Plan for Immigration vows to launch tougher measures against “illegal immigration” while rewarding “legal immigration” achieved through resettlement schemes.

For the first time ever, an asylum seeker in the UK will be branded “legal” or “illegal” based on their route of arrival. Asylum seekers entering the country via “illegal means” – having passed through a “safe country” before reaching the UK – will face the Home Office’s “every effort” at removal. Even those “illegal arrivals” who successfully claim refugee status will be “regularly assessed for removal” and find their access to benefits and family reunion rights limited.

Asylum seekers’ claims of persecution and their age will undergo closer scrutiny, and people smugglers will face harsher sentences.

The plan also promises to streamline the process of asylum appeals and fast-track deportations.

These “fair but firm” measures, claims Patel, will deter people smuggling and human trafficking and relieve the current pressure on the UK’s asylum processing system. However, Patel’s definition of asylum seeker legality based on means of entry has been refuted by a UNHCR spokesperson, who has noted that the 1951 UNHCR Refugee Convention does not “oblige asylum seekers to apply in the first safe country they encounter”.

Organisations working with

Police and Crime Commissioner candidates share views on Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill Following the Police and Crime Commissioner candidates Thames Valley publishing their manifestos for the 6th May elections, Cherwell asked them for their view on the new Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill.

The Bill seeks to place greater restrictions on protests and gives police the power to place constraints on demonstrations, including their time span and noise levels.

Matthew Barber, the current Deputy Police & Crime Commissioner for the Thames Valley and Conservative Party candidate, lays out a policy of “strong local policing” in his manifesto.

Barber welcomes the Bill in a website statement, believing the “new legislation will be a big step towards ensuring punishments fit the severity of the crime.”

“Particularly pleased to see the introduction of long awaited measures to help the police deal with illegal encampments that can cause harm, disruption and distress to our local communities. The new legislation would give the police powers to fine or arrest those responsible and the power to seize vehicles.”

Labour Party candidate, Laetisia Carter, states she is “wholeheartedly [opposed to] the police

-gration and asylum advice, educational, language, and IT support, a food bank, and a gardening project.

Mark Goldring, Director of Asylum Welcome, acknowledges the need to reform the UK asylumsystem, but says he is “shocked” at the Government’s approach and describes it as “designed to stop people coming to the UK for sanctuary.”

In response to the Plan’s punitive measures against “‘illegal immigration’”, Asylum Welcome

has underlined its rejection of “the two-tier system for people being treated as legal and illegal”, poin ing out that refugees often have no choices apart from “‘illegal’” means of entry to the UK in the face of harm or persecution.

Asylum Welcome has held four Zoom meetings with refugees and asylum seekers and one with supporters and volunteers to explain the proposals, listen to concerns, and encourage possible proposal response ideas. Goldring states that the charity will “seek primarily to give voice to people with lived experience of the asylum system”.

He also promises further action against the Plan, vowing to respond “through a range of channels, directly and through networks, alliances and media” before the end of the consultation period on 6th May. Members of the public interested in participating in Asylum Welcome’s efforts to respond to the Plan are invited to email advocacy@asylum-welcome.org.

Asylum Welcome also encourages those concerned about the Plan to write to their MPs or contribute to the consultation on the UK Government’s website, and provides guidelines for both.

Image Credit: Aslyum Welcome.

Adult and Family Advice Service team (AFS), outside Asylum Welcome.

From left to right: Caritas Umulisa, Simon Dawson, Almas Farzi (‘Navid’), Helena Cullen.

CITY

Flora Dyson

asylum seekers and refugees have reacted with concern and alarm.

Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, has condemned the Plan as “unjustly differentiat[ing] between the deserving and undeserving refugee”.

In Oxford, local charity Asylum Welcome is taking measures to challenge the plan and encouraging other members of the public to do likewise. The largely volunteer-run organisation provides a range of practical services including immi

bill” and is “against it for so many reasons. It takes the country in a worrying anti democracy direction”. Carter urges the electorate to “remember this is not the police’s bill” in a Facebook statement.

John Howson, candidate for the Liberal Democrats, has voiced opposition to the Bill. He believes new protests restrictions “are part of the Conservative Government’s anti-democratic attempts to silence any opposition to its policies, and the Liberal Democrats will fiercely resist them.”

Howson states the policing of ‘Kill the Bill’ protests “should not be to raise tensions. Police forces should debrief to learn from outcomes for management of future protests.”

Independent candidate, Alan Robinson, states that his “concern is with the brave officers who were trying to police a very difficult situation” following violent ‘Kill the Bill’ protests.

“It is long overdue for people to realise that officers are people to, and deserve exactly the same courtesy as everyone else. Just because they are in uniform doesn’t give anyone the right to be abusive towards another person.”

The election for the Police and Crime Commissioner takes place on 6 May, alongside the wider local elections.

UNIVERSITY

Oxford Brookes Union organises Black Students Careers Week Matilda Gettins

Oxford Brookes Student Union is currently running a Black Students Careers Week. It is part of the Brookes Student Union’s commitment to “tackling racial inequality on campus as a matter of emergency”. Black Students Careers Week offers online networking events with successful individuals in the finance, law, music and technology industry, as well as recruitment and interview coaching. The events have been curated by Brookes Union Black Officer Iman Tadu, but are open to all.

Brookes students are invited to

join the talk with Amanda Mapanda about her experiences as a lawyer at Freshfields, or to register for a talk with chartered accountant Thelma Matsaira on the financial sector.

They can also sign up to listen to Radha Medar share her experiences co-managing Skepta or popstar Mabel, or listen to Andrew Osamyemi outline his successful launch of the Netflix series ‘Meet the Adebanjos’.

Events to improve recruitment skills include “Write Job Applications That Work”, “Ace Your Assessment Centre” and “How to level-up your LinkedIn bio in 1 hour”.

Black Students’ Officer of Brookes Student Union, Iman Tadu, says:

“My vision for the Black Students Careers Week was to bring a light to the faces of individuals that are from the backgrounds of students who are not always given a platform to share the story of their career journeys … visibility can empower someone skills include and help them believe in themselves where they were not able to before.”

The event series is a collaboration between Brookes Union, ACS, Brookes Enterprise Support, Oxford Brookes University Careers, and Oxford Brookes University Alumni office.

Oxford Student Union (OSU) runs a permanent Campaign for Racial Awareness and Equality (CRAE) dedicated to “creating a more just and inclusive student experience at the University.” OSU also supports the University-wide Race Equality Taskforce, launched November 2020. The taskforce is “in the process of establishing our own equality, diversity and inclusion action plan” which will be presented in September 2021. In the past, OSU has run BAME Leadership in Oxford conferences.

The Oxford University Careers Service provides resources on “BME recruitment schemes” as well as on the Equality Act (2010).

The Oxford University Careers Service has been contacted for comment.

Image Credit: Jpbowen / CC BY-SA3.0

7 | Editorial

EDITORIAL

Abigail Howe | Editor-in-Chief

B

eing back in Oxford is intensely odd. Immediately, there’s a sense of normality from familiar sights - whether that’s the Rad Cam (or, more likely based on my level of library booking success, the slightly dingey Lower Gladstone Link), the Bridge of Sighs, or - of course - walking past what once was Fever. While this is my first Trinity in Oxford, there are so many moments I was told to anticipate that it doesn’t feel entirely new.

However, things certainly still aren’t as they once were. Colleges remain closed in some cases, to students and tourists alike. Booking in a trip to the pub has become as intense as grabbing a library slot in Michaelmas (or even Glastonbury tickets in the pre-pandemic times). Many students are still studying from home while May 17th may be a day of hope for some, others may have consigned themselves to another term away from the ‘university experience’ they dreamed of.

I made it into the Cherwell offices this week. Yes, I was shocked that they aren’t just the Editors-in-Chiefs’ bedrooms too.

There were many, many piles of old copies

Cherwell | Friday, 23rd April 2021

Editor-in-Chief | Trudy Ross

I

remember walking out of the Cherwell office for the first time as a very nervous and very clueless little Fresher, having just been thrown into my first meeting as newly-appointed News Ed. Imogen Duke, my fellow newbie and first year at the time, turned to me and whispered: “do you have any idea what we’re meant to do?” I replied, “absolutely none,” and we both burst into fits of giggles trotting down Abingdon Road.

While I like to think I’ve come a fair way from the News Ed who was too scared to touch InDesign and couldn’t figure out for the life of her what an FOI request was, I definitely still have my moments where I wonder what in the world is going on. Cherwell’s very nature as a fast-paced, team-in-one-term-and-outthe-next publication means there’s always new people, new ways of doing things, and plenty to learn. That’s what the paper has always been for me - a learning experience.

And there’s definitely still a lot I don’t know.

I want to kick off this Trinity letting people know that, when you’re thinking of editing or writing for a publication run entirely by students, it’s okay to start off without a clue.

I certainly did. It can be scary, but you might as well jump straight into the deep end. If you want the thrill of seeing your name in print,

of Cherwell, awards from the ‘80s and far too much miscellaneous merchandise (if anyone has any use for a giant banner, let me know). The last time I was there was at the end of Hilary 2020 - my introductory session as a Stage Editor. It’s shocking how much things can change in just over a year!

While it was fun to get back (and work out where exactly to place our NHS QR code to make it sufficiently prominent), I really just want all of the Cherwell team to be able to flick through the archives, panic over InDesign on the shared computers and - just maybe - even meet each other in person.

It’s somewhat tempting to see a more lax attitude from some colleges towards the return of students as a return to normal life - a chance to grasp that summer in Oxford - it’s crucial that we stay safe and aware. Then, we can get out of the cycle of seemingly infinite lockdowns and imposed remote studying.

Then, we can welcome back the moments we love, the friends we care for and the opportunities we cherish.

A return to normal is closer now than ever before - let’s look forward to it.

albeit student print which might not get a whole lot further than a college JCR, don’t be afraid to try putting yourself out there by pitching the weirdest and wonderful-est topics. Search your heart and soul for the thing you’re most passionate about, and tell us about it. Write about Oxford’s red squirrel population, about why the cab ride in Sex in the City season 1 episode 4 is a cinematic masterpiece, about the difference between girl boss and lip gloss feminism, about the best way to style your pubic hair (althought preferably choose topics which you nerd out over, not me). If it doesn’t work out and you fall flat on your face, who the hell cares?

If you do decide to go ahead and send a pitch to one of our many, many emails, remember it’s students on the other side of the computer. Students who frantically write there editorials at 1am, instant coffee in hand (with a shot of Baileys for a buzz of inspo), wondering how they are possibly going to manage getting a paper out on the same day they need to sit a collection they haven’t so much as glanced at a book for.

Don’t wait until you know a bit more, or feeel a little more confident, or are a more established second or third year. Grab life by the balls and put that pen to paper.

GET INVOLVED

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Get in touch: cherwelleditor@gmail.com

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Cherwell Trinity 2021

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Abigail Howe and Trudy Ross cherwelleditor@gmail.com DEPUTY EDITORS Sasha Mills, Irene Zhang, Ben Jureidini, Fred Waine, Bailey Kavanagh, Matt Prudham NEWS EDITORS Charlie Hancock, Matthew Schaffel, Jill Cushen Flora Dyson, Matilda Gettins cherwellnews@gmail.com INVESTIGATIONS EDITORS Ellen Hendry, Max Mutkin, Daisy Aitchison

Estelle Atkinson COMMENT EDITORS Fonie Mitsopoulou, Antonio Pattori, Sofia Cotterill Joe Stonor SCIENCE + TECH EDITORS Chloe Ridsdill Smith, Anthony Shorrocks CULTURE EDITORS Lily Sheldon, Ellie-Jai Williams Flavia Velasquez Cotini THE SOURCE EDITORS Leah Stein, Matilda HoustonBrown, Grace Spencer

MUSIC EDITORS Jane Keenleyside, Cecilia Wilkins Dulanto Charlie Taylor

FASHION EDITORS Agatha Gwincisha, Josephine Illingworth-Law Rachel Jung

FILM EDITORS Jonathan Tevendale, Jack Benjamin, Katie Kirkpatrick

LIFE EDITORS Rochelle Moss, Anneka Pink Clementine Scott, Nevena Skobic

BOOKS EDITORS Maebh Howell, Sofie Jones, Ella McNeill

FOOD EDITORS Shreya Banerjee, Agata Hodur Scarlett Haig

STAGE EDITORS James Newbery, Poppy Atkinson Gibson Hari Bravery

PROFILE EDITORS Will Foxton, Issy KenneyHerbert, Prakrit Prasad

FEATURES EDITORS Lily Kershaw, Izzy Merriman Thomas Coyle, Vlad Popescu SPORT EDITORS Mauricio Alencar Ariana Rubio, Matthew Cogan PUZZLES EDITOR Will Whitten CREATIVE TEAM Aleksandra Pluta, Alessia Daniel, Ella Markham, Emma Hewlett, Gbenga Chesterman, Heidi Fang, Jemima Sinclair, Justin Lim, Kaite Joy Sanchez, Liv Fugger, Lizzie Daly, Luci

Mullen, Mia Clement, Niamh McBratney, Rachel Jung, Sasha LaCômbe, Zoe Rhoades.

Want to write for Cherwell?

Visit www.cherwell.org/write For all advertising enquiries, contact OSPL at advertising@ ospl.org Cherwell is published by Oxford Student Publications Ltd. A list of OSPL staff can be found at www.ospl.org.

Friday, 23rd April 2021 | Cherwell

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T H E TO P O G R A P H Y O F OX F O R D

NICOLA CAROTENUTO PROVIDES A SATIRICAL GLANCE AT OXONIAN STUDENT LIFE.

O

ld legends of a bygone past transcribed in an obscure chronicle tells us that, in the past, Oxford used to host human beings. Students were allowed to stroll around the city, promenade in the parks and joyfully gather together to celebrate in the streets of this legendary place. Alas, since ‘things that should not have been forgotten were lost, and history became legend, and legend became myth’, I would like to recall those long forgotten serene times.

Students who did not previously study at Oxford, or who dared to come to this sceptered isle from farfetched lands (informally known as international students) were immediately made comfortable with WhatsApp messages from other flatmates saying ‘did you pick your Bod card and fob at the lodge?’, ’let’s meet in week 7 of Hilary’, ‘do you like LMH?’ , ‘how was the tute?’ and ‘see you at ChCh meadows by the college boathouse’.

This was particularly fascinating if you were an international student still struggling to figure out how to say ‘strainer’ in English, having spent your entire academic English learning career being taught much more important things, such as the urgency for the use of the Oxford comma.

The first thing you had to learn at Oxford, back in ’normal times’, was not how to avoid your pyjamas being spotted when you inadvertently turn on the video on Zoom or Teams, but the vocabulary. Of course, the first reference would have been Carfax.

‘Let’s meet at Carfax’, told a friend.

And I replied, ‘do you mean Halifax?’, followed by a rush of laughter. Carfax Tower apparently marks the alpha and omega of the city centre, the meeting point of all activities.

Then there were more obscure terms: ‘see you in Cowley’. I must admit that, given the notoriously well articulated British pronunciation, I honestly believed they were referring

to a certain Cow Lake, which I then presumed to be located in Christchurch Meadow, given the cows. It appears that it is the name of the vibrant area south of Oxford.

And then came the most dreadful reference ‘do you live in Jericho’.

This was most confusing. I knew that there was Jericho in Jordan but I also recalled that in the Bible the city was destroyed by God’s wrath, and at the sound of the angels’ trumpets ‘the wall of the city fell down flat’. Was it a bad omen ? Was my friend wishing my house to fall flat as well ? I then discovered that Jericho is an affluent area north of Oxford.

Even more bemusing were the names of colleges. I still remember when a friend told me he ‘lived at Jesus’. I thought he was drunk or that he was probably a fervent believer.

Read the full article online at cherwell.org.

Artwork by Rachel Jung.

P R E CA R I T Y A N D P R E J U D I C E FLAIR DONGLAI SHI REFLECTS ON PREJUDICE IN ITS DIFFERENT FORMS. CW: Mentions of racism

I

am a Chinese international student in Oxford, and I have been living in the UK since 2014. I have not been able to go home to see my family since the pandemic hit in early 2020. international travel has made life particularly difficult for many of us international students.

As I am writing there is still no sign of flights being arranged again. As I have never been this isolated in my life, I have had much time to reflect on my connections to the UK, and how my racial identity and way of thinking have influenced my life.

Today I gave money to a white homeless man for the first time in my life. When I first arrived in London, and then Oxford, I was not familiar with the conditions of the homeless here. To me, their life seemed less dire than that of the “real” homeless street beggars I used to see in the

non-urban areas in China when I was young. I just couldn’t bring myself to give out pounds to these white people while I hardly even gave small change in yuan back in China. That was just part of the social reality I learned to live with in a desensitized way.

The other day, I went to Tesco to buy some fruit. As I was walking out of the supermarket, a homeless white man suddenly started to shout behind me and chasing me. Traumatised by all the news about racist crimes in the U.K. and the US recently, I was extremely scared, as there was hardly anyone on the street at the time. I almost started running away before he caught up with me and gave me the toothpaste that had dropped out from my bag without my knowledge. I thanked him, and, in a friendly manner, he asked whether I could offer him £5 as he was just pounds away from being able to get

a bed for the night. I honestly replied It is necessary to think big about Chinese from other Asians, mainthat I paid with my phone and had no the international politics that lie land Chinese from the so called “Sicash on me, and I asked him whether behind such racialized encounters. nophones” (other Chinese-speakers) he would like some of the fruits I just We all need to check our prejudice or good, regular Chinese people bought. He politely declined. and racialized sentiments if we want from CCP (Chinese Communist ParAfter I reached home, I started to to build cross-group solidarity in a ty) members. It in effect encourages feel extremely bad about being so global health crisis. Trump’s delibethem to keep antagonising China as scared, but also because of my prerate instigation of racism via highly a Yellow Peril, whose very existence judice against the homeless. I deincendiary terms like “China Virus” is thought to be detrimental to the cided to go out again and took out and “Kung Flu” has led to a surge of US-centric international order. some money for him from an ATM. anti-Asian abuses and hate crimes in Anti-racist solidarity not only reNothing much was said when I gave the money to “AS A CHINESE STUDENT IN THE WEST, him, and he seemed a bit surprised that this Asian I HAVE FOUND MYSELF CONSTANTLY guy returned just to give CAUGHT IN BETWEEN THE ENTANGLEMENT him the money. It’s really a strange feeling, a mixture OF RACIALIZED IDENTITIES AND of guilt, anger, and shared INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL BATTLES.” vulnerability.

Racist crimes and homelessness are problems the government should deal with, the US and in many other Western quires cross-racial alliance, but also and will not be solved by small accountries. necessitates the sensitivity towards tions like this. However, the money However, there has been a lack racialized aspects of international I gave out today did of solidarity in many quarters of politics and the willingness to fully bring a little more peaAmerican society. Immediately after examine the positionality and imce to my tortured mind Trump’s speeches, T-shirts with the plication of our critiques before we during these difficult words “I am not from China. I am X utter them. As a Chinese student in times, if only just to ap(American, Japanese, Korean, Taiwathe West, I have found myself conpease my own sense of nese, from Hong Kong etc.)” appeastantly caught in between the enprecarity and privilege. red in online stores and even gained tanglement of racialized identities Black, yellow, or white, popularity in the US. Such racial or and international political battles. we were just three poor political distancing is essentially raThis in-betweenness may never souls devoured by this cist in itself, and counter-productive disappear, but no matter what, we dark night that seems in the fight against racism. should always treat anti-racism as to see no end of itself.

Anti-Asian racism in the West has the common denominator of our However, I will rememnever been just an Asian American different struggles, and remember ber this episode of fear issue, or a China versus West issue, that racists see no nationality, and and guilt that night, like Trump - or even Biden - would nor should we when building our before everything gets want us to believe. Racism cannot alliances. washed away in the simply be solved by educating theImage credit: Kake via Flickr & banality of capitalistic se white supremacists to distinguCreative Commons. hustle and bustle again. ish Asian Americans from Asians, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

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Cherwell | Friday, 23rd April 2021

T H E A R A B SPR I NG: T E N Y E A R S ON ZOE LAMBERT REFLECTS ON HER EXPERIENCE OF THE AR AB SPRING IN MOROCCO.

A

decade ago, the Arab Spring shook the Arab World.

Today, Syria, Libya and Yemen remain embroiled in brutal civil wars while Egypt is under military autocracy.

Thousands have been killed and millions have become refugees, extremists such as ISIS have seen a rise, and even Tunisia, touted as a ‘success story’, is suffering from bureaucratic gridlock and facing dire economic hardship. 10 years from its start, it is time to examine the contents of this Pandora’s box; what caused it to be opened, and whether there remains any hope.

Living in Morocco in 2011, months before the Arab Spring erupted there, I was painfully aware of the authoritarian grip and high level of corruption in the country. Police corruption was blatantly obvious, fabricating law infringements to collect fines and accepting bribes to turn a blind eye to numerous crimes.

State welfare provision was severely limited, the education system a complete farce, and some village schools hadn’t seen a single teacher for a whole year. Public healthcare was limited to the cities, and even then, it was dismal.

A third of all workers were unemployed with limited welfare benefits, meaning that many had to beg or take seasonal work in Europe to live.

Similar and even worse patterns of corruption, authoritarianism and dire socio-economic conditions were common throughout North Africa and much of the Middle East.

With such a combination of circumstances, it was only a matter of time before people stopped passively acquiescing to these conditions, and when they did, there would be a violent chain reaction throughout the Arab world.

On the 17th of December 2010, the spark came following the

self-immolation of a street vendor, Mohamed Bouazizi, outside the Governor’s office in Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia, in protest against governm e n t corruption, becoming the martyr figurehead of the Jasmine R e v o -lution and igniting revolution across North Africa and the Middle East. Inspired by the apparent success in Tunisia, protests erupted in Egypt, Libya, Yemen and Syria, rapidly turning violent and undermining their authoritarian regimes.While countries such as Morocco and Bahrain did see some unrest during the Arab Spring, this remained isolated to the cities, and even there did not attract the scale of support seen across Syria and Tunisia.

school and all houses have a photo of the king. The idea of usurping the monarch was and remains unfathomable. Whereas other authoritarian rulers had been politicians who expanded their own powers and created dictatorships, in Morocco, the monarch’s authoritarianism culturally embedded. This ensured that while there remains a high level of corruption and bureaucratic inefficiency, the institution of the monarchy remains highly integrated and thus much more stable.

Further, while other dictators had been consolidating their own power and restricting the people, in Morocco the government had already been gradually introducing reforms to liberalise the country. In Egypt, Mubarak had ruled for 30 years, while in Libya Gadaffi had been in power for 43 years, and both had sought to implement reforms to secure their positions. Since his ascension, Muhammad VI had been gradually giving greater rights to women, increasing decentralisation and introduced an independent commission to handle claims of human rights violations. Both he and King Hamad of Bahrain had been gradually introducing reforms to turn their respective countries into constitutional monarchies.

Rather than calling for complete overthrow of the system as had been the case in many Arab countries, therefore, the people called for increased democratisation of the existing regime. As a consequence, protests were reformative in nature, ensuring the smooth transition of the Moroccan state to a constitutional monarchy and therefore preventing violent clashes and power struggles.

The legacy of the Arab Spring is devastating. In Libya, the last 10 years have seen massacres, abductions, Jihadist occupation - and for what? The country remains embroiled in civil war, with no clear

“FOL LOW IN G 10 TUM ULTUO US Y EA RS, IT IS HAR D TO SEE AN Y HO P E FO R THESE WAR- SCA RRED COUN TRIES.” Morocco was plagued with equally dire economic conditions, high unemployment rising oil and food prices, an ever growing wealth inequality gap and high poverty rates.

The state was hardly less autocratic, the King had absolute power and high levels of government corruption sparked mass outrage. How then did King Muhammad remain standing amid the toppling dictators?

In stark contrast to many of the Arab leaders, the Moroccan monarchy’s stability is anchored by its traditional integration into the culture. King Mohammad VI’s lineage can be traced back more than three centuries, causing his legitimacy to be unquestioned. Children pray for the monarch every morning in

Wes Beckett on... Remote learning

leader and no constitution, making it the perfect climate for trafficking, smuggling and piracy. Massacres and abductions by Jihadist forces and airstrikes from foreign forces are commonplace. The economy has completely collapsed, resulting in high levels of unemployment, while the few who are employed are left without their salary due to major cash flow problems. Multiple attempts to maintain peace have all fallen through largely due to internal divisions among different factions within Libya, and the UN is currently intervening to instate an interim government.

In Yemen, crumbling supply chains and infrastructure along with brutal civil war led to the worst famine globally in a century, with the UN estimating that in 2016, almost three quarters of the Yemeni population lacked potable water and sanitation and a half lacked food.

Almost 16 million were on the brink of starvation, with children dying of preventable causes every 10 minutes. Since then, Egypt has remained under military rule with over 60,000 political prisoners and a debt of over $125 billion. Voices of dissent are immediately silenced, leaving Egypt remaining an incred-

ibly oppressive country, which ranked in 2020 as 117 out of 160 on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, a clear demonstration that the demands made in Tahrir Square are far from being met.

Following 10 tumultuous years, it is hard to see any hope for these war-scarred countries. The deep rooted divisions and dire economic conditions in the aftermath of severe civil wars and military rule are enough to make even a strong, established democracy shudder.

Are these the birthing pains of democracy or merely the long drawn out stifling of anti-authoritarian insurgency? The Arab Spring is far from over; voices still call for “Freedom, justice and bread”. The tragic reality is that these voices are gradually being suffocated. With millions displaced throughout the world and hundreds of thousands dead, the cost is hardly justified by any gains that have been made. A decade after the start of the Arab Spring, countries find themselves in a far worse situation, little hope of the longed for democracy and losing the energy to keep fighting.

Image Credit: Maghrebia via Flickr & Creative Commons.

Friday, 23rd April 2021 | Cherwell

10

science & technology

D R AW N TO N AT U R E: F L I E S TOM LESLIE REFLECTS ON WHAT HE LEARNT AT THE OUMNH EVENT.

A

nimals come in many shapes and sizes, none more so than flies. There are flies that mimic other species, flies with incredible iridescent bodies, and even some species that cannot fly at all. I had the pleasure of being introduced to quite a few of these little creatures at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History’s online event: ‘Drawn to Nature: Flies’. This was part of a series of online events delivered by the museum, in which guests are invited to draw some of the specimens whilst listening to an expert’s presentation on what makes them special.

Leading us through the fascinating world of flies was Zoe Simmons, Head of Life Collections at the museum, who is specifically responsible for the museum’s fly collection.

Zoe started us off by asking how we might define what a fly is, or at

TECH TIDBITS

least what it isn’t. Flies, she begins, belong to the phylum euarthropoda, an extremely diverse grouping of organisms, which includes insects, arachnids, and crustaceans. Due to their diversity, arthropods can be hard to classify; however, as Zoe points out, you could do worse than looking for things that are smallish, crunchy-ish, and quick-ish.

These are all qualified terms, because as we will find out, in the case of flies and other arthropods, rules are often made to be broken.

Flies themselves have a fairly distinct morphology. They have three segments: the head, the abdomen and the thorax. Aside from this common geography, their bodies can be squat and rotund, like the common bluebottle, or long and lean, like a mosquito. Another common feature of flies is their two wings, for which they are named diptera (literally two-winged). Here

you also see a lot of variety, with transparent, veinated wings on such species as the fruit fly, or beautiful patterned wings, such as on the liberally-named notch-horned cleg.

Taking the time to draw these strange creatures allows one to see the beauty in the oddness. Zoe ends her talk with a nod to the contribution flies make to the food chain, as prey to birds and small rodents, and as major pollinators.

It just goes to show that, no matter how small, and no matter how odd, it pays to be thankful for the little things.

The

Natural History Museum will continue to put on events

Read the full article at cherwell.org.

Artwork by the author.

both in and out of lockdown, providing interesting activities and learning opportunities for all.

NANOTECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITY OR RISK?

SCIENCE SNIPPETS

ALICE BANFIELD WEIGHS UP THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS AND DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF NANOTECHNOLOGY.

N The price of Dogecoin, a blockchain-based cryptocurrency similar to Bitcoin, has recently reached an all time high of $0.41 per coin (giving it a whopping $50 billion total market cap), which represents a staggering increase of over 20,000% since this time last year, or over 200,000% since March 2017 - that means if you invested just $5000 a year ago, or $500 four years ago, you would have over $1 million today!

This meteoric rise can largely be attributed to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who tweeted this week: “SpaceX is going to put a literal Dogecoin on the literal moon”. other celebrities such as Snoop Dogg and Gene Simmons have also expressed their support for dogecoin.

Image available under MIT license.

anotechnology is a rapidly evolving field of science involving creation at the nanoscale: the objects made measure between one and one hundred nanometres.

There are some naturally occurring nanomaterials (e.g. in sand and volcanic ash) as well as nanostructures that can be found in many living organisms. For instance, there are some bacteria which can synthesise magnetic iron nano-minerals that help them to navigate using the Earth’s geomagnetic field. Scientists also have the ability to create nanostructures themselves by rearranging atoms within an object or binding atoms which have not been previously bound. Sometimes, unusual physical, chemical and biological properties will appear in materials at the nanoscale which are not ordinarily seen.

The Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering suggest that are two main reasons why materials at the nanoscale often display different properties; the first of these is due to the larger surface area, which leads to the substance being more chemically reactive. Nanomaterials may also display quantum effects and the electronic, magnetic and optical behaviour of the material may then differ – this allows new, useful materials to be constructed.

For example, materials may be manufactured so that they have a very high strength to weight ratios, high solubility or high conductivity, to suit their desired applications.

There are numerous nanomaterials with a plethora of varied proper-

ties, and so they are able to be used in practically all fields. Nanosilver has antibacterial properties and is used in equipment like chopping boards, while carbon nanotubes can be added to the frames of tennis racquets to stiffen them and increase power when striking the ball. Zinc oxide particles provide great UVA protection and are used in sun creams, while titanium dioxide nanoparticles conduct electricity and are used to make anti-static clothing items. Although many of the aforementioned products may be considered mundane, these examples clearly illustrate the versatility of nanostructures, and the practical application of such in our everyday lives.

Nanostructures can be used as delivery agents by encapsulating drugs which can then be delivered precisely to infected cells or tissues. Particles can be engineered so that they are attracted to diseased cells only, which reduces damage to healthy cells and has been shown to be much more effective than non-targeted delivery. The size of these nanoparticles also means that they have the potential to cross cell membranes like the blood-brain barrier. Other uses of nanotechnology in medicine include the use of nano-robots to make repairs to damaged cells, and the use of gold nanoparticles to sterilise surgical equipment.

Although the size of nanoparticles is advantageous in certain aspects, their size is also seen as a drawback due to their ability to cross cell membranes. Nanoparticles can travel through the body to reach the blood and key organs like the brain,

liver and heart, and although this is useful in drug delivery to normally inaccessible areas, the particles have been shown to cause issues such as lung inflammation and heart problems. In a study published in the Journal of Molecular Cell Biology, Chinese researchers discovered that a class of nanoparticles being widely developed in medicine (PA-MAMs) can cause lung damage by triggering a type of programmed cell death.

Evidently there are certain dangers involved with nanotechnology – the question is whether these can be overcome.

Nanotechnology has the potential to revolutionise the way in which we live, as long as we can determine which nanomaterials are safe to use through the use of regulatory mechanisms and safety assessments.

The National Cancer Institute in the US has said that it is likely that most nanomaterials will prove to be completely harmless, but in order to reach a point where we can safely and confidently expand the use of nanomaterials into the production of more consumer goods, we must carry out further research. Currently, there is insufficient knowledge and data pertaining to the detection of nanoparticles, their behaviour and their characteristics. In particular, the long-term effects of exposure to these nanoparticles must be investigated in much more depth.

The complexities behind nanotechnology are making development more difficult; however, its future does seem to be promising.

Read the full article at cherwell.org.

A recent study suggests that specially trained detection dogs are able to sniff out COVID-19 virus positive samples with a 96% accuracy rate. The study used 8 Labrador Retrievers and 1 Belgian Malinois that had not done medical-detection work before.

The creation of the whitest ever paint could help cool an Earth increasingly affected by global warming.

The new paint reflects 98% of sunlight and radiates infrared heat through the atmosphere into space.

Image credit: Marco Verch/ CC BY 2.0

CUL CHER

Friday, 23rd April 2021 | Vol.294 No.1| 0th Week

CulCher | Friday, 23rd April 2021

2

CONTENTS CULCHER

page 2 | Portrayals of Royalty page 3 | Why We Should All Get Tattoos

THE SOURCE

page 4 | All That Glitters...

MUSIC

page 6 | Intermedial Connections

FILM page 7 | Seaspiracy

BOOKS

page 8 | In and Out of Love

STAGE page 9 | ‘That’s So Fetch’

FASHION

page 10 | Reliving the Roaring Twenties

PORTRAYALS OF ROYALTY:

COVER ARTIST

FILM VS REALITY

HEIDI FANG I’m Heidi, an undergraduate at Merton, and this is my first term on the Cherwell creative team, illustrating for articles.

I’m self-taught in digital illustration, but on occasion I also use traditional media such as colour pencil and acrylic. My sources of inspiration include video game art, concept artists, and cartoons. I dip into a variety of subject matters, but my comfort zone is very much portraiture/ figure painting. I’m working to develop skills in composition and perspective, so that I can perhaps write and draw a short comic in the future (for fun!).

This work is the result of experimenting with line-art styles, and flat colours. It is titled “Seastorm”, created using Procreate, and is a personification of natural forces, something inspired by a recent dive into Greek Mythology. I chose the gold and white to evoke a sense of celestial beings, and the overlapping, organic shapes give wave-like movement. Finally, let it be known that I spent an eternity selecting those shapes for flat colouring – I’ve got to learn a better way to do that!

Heidi can be found posting art from time to time on Instagram @lookawolfa.

I

t has always amused people to produce performances centring on the lives of their rulers – our most famous entertainer, William Shakespeare, wrote ten plays dramatizing the life and exploits of British monarchs, though not in quite the same way as Peter Morgan (writer of many films about Kings and Queens, including The Other Boleyn Girl, King Ralph, The Queen, Henry VIII, The Crown and Bohemian Rhapsody).

Some productions inspired by royal deeds and persons, like A Royal Night Out go straight for comedy and largely ignore any questions of accuracy or veracity – but more present themselves as revealing the secret inner lives and characters of famous figures.

Do these portrayals serve to humanise or exotify their royal subjects?

The answer is both, always both.

Dramatize is the key word in most film and television portrayals of royal persons.

Certain Lifetime films notwithstanding, the real problem is that most of these dramas approach royalty with a sense of reverence and delicacy which at times dates and always raises the subjects of the production above their audience.

The 1998 film Elizabeth and its 2007 sequel, both starring Cate Blanchett as Queen Elizabeth I, are a famous example of productions playing fast-and-loose with historical fact but still somehow hoping to give an ‘authentic’ depiction of the Royal, or tell the ‘untold story’ – but as is inevitable with portrayals of famous figures about whom we have little or unsubstantiated information, the character will only ever be some combination of the writer, actor and director’s impression of the real person.

Suggesting that any historical drama can reveal the ‘true nature’ or a ‘hidden side’ to its real-life inspirations is a fallacy, and an arrogant one at that. This line is somewhat blurred when it comes to more recent figures, as there is usually a far greater wealth of resources available from which to piece together the person behind the persona – but this is less true in the case of the Royal family, who remain notoriously tight-lipped regarding private matters.

Attempts are rarely even made at a true

biopic of Royalty. Most productions seem to get swept up in the grandeur of their own sets and costuming – and often overly grandiose acting, akin to that of the overly reverent Shakespearean actor who is fan first and actor second – and thus fail at any attempt to truly humanise their characters, and instead make them seem even less real and relatable.

Films adapted from Nicholas Sparks novels are rarely truly relatable to audiences, and when you throw in palace backdrops and headpieces dripping in jewels, the divide is widened. It is the creations which embrace the absurdity of their subject matter that, in my opinion, are the most successful.

In Diana (2013), Naomi Watts symbolically kicks off her heels when alone to walk across the carpet barefoot, but the unnecessary focus of the shot turns this into a moment reminding the audience how separate they are from the character on the screen – removing your shoes when home is not something so remarkable for most people.

Contrastingly, The King’s Speech and The Favourite (both of which earned numerous awards including the Oscar for Best Actor and Best Actress respectively) embrace a weird playfulness and become more human through their humorous touches. The use of the fisheye lens in The Favourite further accentuates that truth that audience and creators all know: that the reality in this film is not one even remotely imaginable for most people.

However, in accepting this, the film actually becomes much more accessible than most depictions of Royals – as does its refusal to shy away from the crude, with Emma Stone’s character arriving at the Royal residence spattered with mud after suffering a carriage ride sat opposite a man smiling at her while touching himself.

It would be impossible to discuss portrayals of royals in film and television without mentioning Netflix’s The Crown. In season 1, the late Prince Philip was shown savvily pushing for Elizabeth’s coronation to be televised to try and increase the monarchy’s popularity and make the public feel a more emotional connection to it. Yet the royals today either can’t or won’t acknowledge

BY J. DANIELS that The Crown has actually continued this work, cementing the image of the ineffectual, harmless Queen who lacks any real power, thus making her harder to criticise, and also distracting the public from current scandals (the Prince Andrew interview) by returning its sympathies to older upsets, such as the tragedy of Princess Diana.

Marketed in the customary manner as something that would lift the veil and reveal the real people under the jewels and silver spoon accents – one of the promotional videos for the first season showed a pair of doors opening to reveal the characters caught in a ‘candid’ moment before they resume their public faces for a picture to be taken – The Crown has received both praise and reprimands regarding its faithfulness, or not, to reality. In its familiar, misbegotten quest for ‘authenticity’, The Crown has not quite lifted the veil but rather showed us how intricate it appears from the other side.

Just like everyone else, these plummyvoiced people can also suffer from heartbreak and jealousy and being the side-lined sibling; unlike everyone else, most of their problems are rooted in their restrictive roles as royals. It is audacious, to say the least, that a group of people whose biggest problems are portrayed as a result of their being trapped at the very top of Britain’s rigid class structure are still expected to garner sympathy among an audience largely made of those trapped in the lower echelons.

Yet the sympathy is there – and for Princess Diana, especially after The Crown’s fourth season, is there in buckets. There is no possibility of a complete normalisation of the Royals simply because of the absurd and immoral reality of the monarchy, but productions like The Crown have still achieved that dual effect of both humanising and further exotifying the royals – and this is the best result any production tackling royalty with the aim of showing their vulnerable side can hope for.

Image credit: U.S. Embassy London/ CC BY-ND 2.0.

Friday, 23rd April 2021 | CulCher

3

C’EST LA VIE: THE IMPORTANCE OF MULTILINGUAL REPRESENTATIONS IN ART AND LITERATURE

BY EMILY ROSINDELL

S

ome hidden gems of the artistic world lay in works that employ multiple languages in a purposeful manner.

Algerian singer-songwriter Khaled intertwines both Arabic and French into his hit song, “C’est la vie”. The song begins with a French intro, leading us through a journey of subsequent Arabic verses and back to a French chorus. He brings energy, excitement, and pure joy to this 2012 pop-dance anthem.

The title, translating into English as ‘this is life’, perfectly demonstrates what Khaled is attempting to create. His art is a direct reflection of his worldview: multilingual in nature. The song exists in both Frenchspeaking and Arabic-speaking spaces, as does its author. Art that holds a crosscultural value, such as Khaled’s, is becoming increasingly pertinent in our rapidly evolving world, where inter-continental exchange is an essential part of daily life for many.

The vast majority of the world operates in a multitude of spaces; over half of humans proficiently speak at least two languages.

What is special about Khaled is not his ability to utilise multiple languages, but his boldness to employ them in the same piece of art. “C’est la vie” integrates seemingly separate worlds into one in a way that allows for an expression of multilingualism as a facet of everyday life. A person who speaks multiple languages does not exist in multiple worlds, they exist in one; art and literature deserve to exist in this same multifaceted world as well.

Some artworks have been modified after their initial release to become multilingual.

João Gilberto’s “The Girl from Ipanema” – or “Garota de Ipanema” in Portuguese – was originally written in Gilberto’s native Portuguese by Vinícius de Moraes in 1964.

The English version was written later by Norman Gimbel, an American whose love of Portuguese drew him to Brazilian bossa nova composers. Artists like Gimbel utilise language in a way that is perhaps different to artists who sing in their native tongues, as he fell in love with Portuguese later in life. It was not his mother tongue, but he was able to appreciate its beauty anyways.

Art and literature are often a point of access for linguistic and cultural appreciation for foreign language learners.

“Girl from Ipanema” also makes an important point in its use as a trope for background or ‘elevator’ music in the world of cinema. This highlights the relegation of multilingual music to the background of the artistic world. While arguably a more creative use of language, multilingual music is very rarely given the forefront.

An important facet of multilingual approach is the ‘macaronic verse’ – a primarily poetic device that utilises multilingual puns or sayings that work in multiple languages.

Hybrid words are commonly used, and single sentences can switch between two or more languages – a common facet of decolonised communities that use their native language and the language of an ex-colonising power.

The lack of support multilingual art receives speaks to the Western-centric nature of much of the artistic world, as Englishspeaking countries – mainly the United Kingdom and the United States – have a

significantly lower percent of the population that consider themselves multilingual.

Early examples of the macaronic verse within the scholar and clergy incorporate both Latin, the conventional language of the learned, and newly arising vernacular languages. Rumi, a widely known 13th century Persian poet and Islamic theologian, utilises Arabic and Persian blends as well as occasional Greek and Turkish languages to represent the varying experiences in his view of the world through the lenses of these different languages. A more modern example of macaronic verse is employed in the Beatles’ “Michelle” from their Rubber Soul album. The song employs both French and English, inspired by a French teacher that McCartney knew well; he was fascinated by her deliberate use of French phrases that she felt did not translate well into English. The macaronic verse holds power in the journey to understand that languages do not exist in separate spheres for the majority of the world; some expressions don’t have the ability to be translated from a mother tongue to the same effect.

An estimated 60% of the world’s population speaks two or more languages – so why does the majority of the art world feel the need to comply with one language instead of representing their own multilingual view of the world? The platform for creating art and literature in several languages needs to grow; the majority of the world operates in multiple languages, and so too should the creative world.

Read the full article online at cherwell.org.

WHY WE SHOULD ALL GET A TATTOO (OR STOP HATING ON THOSE THAT DO)

I

n a city where every other person walking down the street is clad in either a Barbour jacket or an overcoat, and seems to regularly frequent dinner parties and wine-tastings, Oxford does not always appear to be the right place for tattoos.

Surprisingly, for an establishment steeped in tradition, this 5000-year-old practice of tattooing (the Wellcome Collection suggests it might even be longer) is one long-standing tradition that has not been so readily accepted.

Hailing from the Bronze-Age, Ötzi the Iceman is said to be the oldest example of humans with tattoos. Now, tattoos can be found all over the world, throughout countless different cultures; depending on the country, they may signify anything from tribal identity to religious belief, but most importantly, they always reflect something personal.

The tattoo industry has been heavily misrepresented by three common myths that fervent critics, or perhaps just people who are deathly afraid of commitment, have made it their duty to disseminate. And while I will readily admit that I once fell into the former group (or potentially the latter...), I can confirm that, since admiring the tattoos of my amazingly intelligent and sensible friends, I

BY RENEE REID

no longer subscribe to that school of thought, and have instead decided to commit myself to claiming a space for tattoos in this prestigious institution.

Myth number one: “Tattoos are dangerous.”

A common argument employed by anyone who isn’t too well acquainted with the practice or is perhaps only familiar with its blackmarket cousin (DIY hand-pokers, I’m talking to you). It’s also probably the most inaccurate of the three. If you do your research carefully and choose a legitimate artist with genuine reviews, there will absolutely be legislation in place to ensure the safety of staff and clients. Above all, it is most important that you voice your concerns if something seems a little dodgy – don’t be scared to leave and go somewhere else if you don’t feel comfortable!

Myth number two, a grandmother’s special and possibly my favourite: “Tattoos are meaningless, unprofessional and—dare I say— impulsive.” Admittedly, those infamous tales of people drunkenly surrendering their bodies to street tattoo artists in Mallorca would seem to be perfect examples of this (thanks Tattoo Fixers). However, let’s focus on the people who decide to get tattooed with fully informed consent. In these circumstances, it’s safe to

say that tattoos are a form of art. And as we all know, art (as well as taste!) is relative, and body art is no exception to this rule – so who’s to decide which piece of art possesses meaning and what doesn’t?

Myth number three: “They look horrible when you get old.” An oldie but goldie. This one might well be true, but it is irrelevant.

The point of a tattoo is not purely aesthetic longevity but rather that it is a form of selfexpression – more specifically, a permanent one. Our bodies are canvases to be adorned with the things that best express who we are, and tattoos are an entirely valid way of fulfilling the body’s artistic potential – consider it an honour to have your body be the coffer of a piece of art that will last forever.

There is definitely pressure to conform to traditional stereotypes and mould yourself into a replica of the classic Oxford student. No, I am not encouraging you to spontaneously go and get your college motto tattooed on your body somewhere (I cannot confirm nor deny whether I have considered this before) but I am saying respect the art, it’s nowhere near as bad as you think!

Image credit: Alexander Kuzovlev.

Read the full article online at cherwell.org.

CULCHER EDITORIAL SPOILER WARNING: Soul (2020) It was a dark and gloomy lockdown night in late January when we had the innovative lockdown idea of watching a movie. For some much-needed cultural escapism, my family, made up of only people aged 20 above, caved and got the Disney+ free month trial, for one reason and one reason only: Soul.

One hour and forty seven minutes later, we were sobbing. The film showed us mediocre Joe Gardiner’s mediocre jazz teacher life; just as he gets his big break he falls in a manhole.

That’s not, however, why the sobbing began. Joe Gardiner is so desperate for his time on earth that he ends up not in the afterlife but in the ‘Great Before’, mentoring an unborn soul, ‘22’, to find their spark before they can be born into the world. Spoiler, 22 does not find one single talent. However, on earth, 22 discovers the irresistible taste of one dollar pizza, the crackling of leaves and the smells of the city, it’s not a singular passion that makes her want to live, it’s the everyday niceties.

That message is encompassed in the film by Joe’s response to Jerry asking what he will do with his second chance on earth. Joe doesn’t express his want to excel at jazz or be the best, but rather hesitates and says “I don’t know but I’m going to live every minute of it.” This was the line that brought on the waterworks.

Soul, in many ways, resists our typical meritocratic cultural discourse.

Remarkably free from any romantic development, this movie is really about living life. We grew up reading fairy tales which propel the message that marriage is the goal of life, to rooms and silver fox Hollywood dads who tell you “to get your head in the game,” get into college, find a partner, and live “happily ever after.” Soul isn’t about following the direction of the one passion or that one person, it’s about living.

Now, Covid winter is over and the world is slowly opening up. Our culture has been stuck in the ‘Great lockdown Before’ for months but now we could be on the verge of a cultural revolution. Like Joe, real life was taken away and we are finally being given another chance.

Fashion will no longer be about scrolling on Asos and Depop, but instead high street and vintage shops, music will break free from your AirPods and once again become a shared live experience, and dancing won’t only be about dueting a stranger’s TikTok alone in your room, but instead dancing on a stranger at a friend of a friend’s party.

Covid has in many ways forced our culture to be atomised to the extreme.

The Covid curse zoomed in, captured, and forced us to really live with the individualism that our capitalist culture has harbored, making the Joe Gardners of the world realise that we have been too focussed on our own personal dream boards to realise what’s actually happening around us.

But now, as a society, we have the chance to redefine our culture and with that, our values. And so as one of the Jerrys asked Joe, the Culture editors now ask you: What will you do with it?

- Lily Sheldon

4

CulCher | Friday, 23rd April 2021

E H SO T all that glitters ...

U RC E

Peridot Sonnet Anna Cowan It winks and gleams, the little green-glow gem, Whose sparkling flecks beguiled Egypt’s last queen.

She broke the raw unleavened shoot-fresh seam; The Emissary’s cargo, the bright spring-blown stem.

The mist-wrapped isle once hid green sunken stars, Sewn to the hems of men who preached God’s word, The jewel of Aaron’s breastplate and his sword, --The flecked December frost light scarce compares.

The stone’s song is now mine, and at each ear Glitters that eye-bright cave-light ivy stud, Which sets my lips to smile and warms my blood; Peridot stone was never held so dear.

That warm glow holly hue now gleams in me, And like the steadfast fir is evergreen.

Spring Leah Stein

Snow glints and glistens Beneath the sun’s callous gaze And melts to nothing

Friday, 23rd April 2021| CulCher

5

49 Years of Matrimony Kanengo Diallo Agnes

need

not

have

walked

in

on

ends away with the women were not possible. His

of wife, daughter-in-law, and mother that Agnes

them fucking to know what was going on.

schedule would not allow that, and Agnes, between

polished and honoured. She felt sorry that she did

She had been collecting the pieces for years.

her retreats and work as a church elder, wanted to

not pass on this sense of reverence to Irene, who

Each bit of evidence emerged as a silent tumour

spend all evenings and Saturdays with Samwel.

became too comfortable in her independence.

He also found it tedious to have his

Irene grew up reading, and reading, and reading

in their marriage, so silent that Samwel did not realise how malignant they had become. He imagined that Agnes was too bright for him to bother

extramarital

activities

far

from

home.

hiding behind the elaborate routines that most

herself into believing that she was good enough on her own. She came top of her class every year

men in his position did. He was also a doctor—a

So that is where they happened. At home,

in high school—she could not spare time for the

cardiothoracic surgeon. He was sure that Agnes

when Agnes was away on her retreats, he would

lazy fondling that her friends entertained from

was accustomed to him arriving home late, which

drive back from the hospital, the light-skinned

boys in the years above. When she scored high on

he had done for more than 30 years. This was

nurse with the uneven breasts and dark labia in

her SATs, she knew that she would be just fine.

long before they stopped having sex and a little

the backseat of his dusty 2000 Honda Accord.

She told her parents that she would go to univer-

after he began seeing other, younger women.

sity in America, and there she could find success.

Before then, Agnes’ retreats were becoming

When he opened the walk-in clinic in their

longer and more frequent. In 2009 she visited her

From the moment she left law school, Irene

community and started working longer hours to

daughter Irene in America. Irene, a successful

worked harder than anyone she knew—first, as

demonstrate procedures for medical students,

lawyer in Maryland, had just given birth to her first

a way to prove herself as a Kenyan immigrant

Agnes would sit on the couch at home waiting

child, a son. She called some weeks before the birth,

and then, to pay off the debt she had acquired.

for him. When money was good, and they had

asking her mother to help with childcare in those

‘You are the one who is educated in America!’

a housegirl, Agnes made a practice of watching

months before returning to work. Irene explained

Her brothers would say whenever they wanted

over her as she boiled the chicken. Samwel said

that daycare at that age was out of the question,

something from her and needed a shorthand way

that white meat was better for the heart than red

her African American friends had scared her with

to ask for it. She knew she had really made it when

meat but it required more attention and needed to

stories of little white children poking the eyes of

distant relatives back home began sending her

be thoroughly cooked. Agnes would then switch

their Black babies. That some of those daycare

WhatsApp messages. These were long shopping

on the TV, leaving it on the channel with the

practitioners would leave the infants’ soiled diapers

lists asking for multivitamins. Requests for toys

true-crime shows that Samwel liked. She would

on for too long while tending to the other kids.

for their children. Uncomfortable praises that un-

wait on the couch until she heard the mlinzi open

ceremoniously came before requests for money.

the gate and the street children parading behind

‘I’ve already bought the tickets, and the visa

Samwel’s car. Once the children had received the

process is very straightforward. Of course, I’ll

Irene wanted children very badly because they

empty medicine bottles for making their toy cars,

pay for everything,’ Irene said and then paused.

were emblems of a comfortable life. If she could

Samwel entered the house, tired, but his voice

‘I’ll send you a letter of invitation tonight.’ Agnes

find success in her career and child-rearing,

was always full of charm and exuberance. ‘Those

chastised her again for choosing single mother-

marriage was an unnecessary liability—one that

kids, they are never satisfied with the small pill

hood. ‘And you are so beautiful too, with that

could only threaten and would not guarantee

bottles! They always ask for the big-big boxes!’

smooth dark skin, eh-eh! And the gap in your teeth,

her against total failure. After she became

I could have you married in two months or less!’

a senior associate at her firm, she asked her

They would laugh and talk and then eat their supper in front of the TV, the monotone enquiries

boyfriend of two years to impregnate her. She ‘I just don’t understand why you made that

of the British detectives keeping them company.

ugly

Ugandan

The Other Women used to be his female pa-

you.’

Agnes

friend added.

of Irene

yours

impregnate

feigned

told him that she would take care of everything. Three months after trying, she became

offence.

pregnant, and a month later, they broke up.

than it was worth, he would give little gifts to the

Irene had never glorified marriage in the way that

Full piece avaiable online.

nurses, complimenting them on their too-tight

her mother had hoped. For Agnes, marriage was a

braids and asking them to drink tea with him in

state that elicited recognition—a rite of passage for

his office. He had his favourites like the plump

women who did what they were supposed to do. Mar-

one with the wide forehead and the light-skinned

riage itself was not the reward; it was the accolades

tients, and then when that proved more effort

one with the dark labia but in all cases, week-

Illustrations by: Rachel Jung and Emma Hewlett.

Submit your creative writing to The Source at: cherwelleditor@gmail.com

CulCher | Friday, 23rd April 2021

6

music PLAYLIST EDITORS’ THROWBACKS For our first issue of TT21, each of our new editors has chosen their favourite throwback song.

INTERMEDIAL CONNECTIONS: REIMAGINING MUSIC IN LITERATURE

Jimmy Brewer explores how Kerouac, Proust and Achebe capture the experience of live music in their works.

“S RHIANNON Fleetwood Mac Cecilia Wilkins Dulanto Image credit: Eva Rinaldi/CC-BY-SA 2.0

CHERRY-COLOURED FUNK Cocteau Twins Charlie Taylor Image credit: CC 0 1.0

DESABAFO/DEIXA EU DIZER Marcelo D2 ft. Claudia Jane Keenleyside Image credit: Silvio Tanaka/CC BY-SA 2.0

hearing began to rock; a smile broke over his ecstatic face; he began to rock in the piano seat.”

This is Jack Kerouac’s On the Road. Its frenzied, unpolished language accelerates, crescendoes, soars: it is a fabulous evocation of what it is like to play and hear music. Yet music and literature are vastly different. Music exists as a series of organised moments, each one heard as a continuation of the preceding – it has an inherent velocity absent from literature.

Music in literature must fulfil a role distinct from the act of listening to music. Reading the quote from On the Road exilharates, but not as if I were hearing George Shearing, jazz pianist, in a grubby American night club hammer out his brilliance. I have no idea what that him how fragile” their happiness was. is like! But the book successfully captures a It is the effect, rather than the nature, of the spontaneity and drive that is exciting in itself. music that is the focus here. The music does “With a slow rhythm it led him first here, not change, but Swann does each time he hears then there, then elseit, and projects new where”. While Kerouac meaning onto it. The in“THE DRUMS ARE looks at spontaneity, corporation of the music Marcel Proust’s novel, VISCERAL; YOU CAN AMOST into the text works so In Search of Lost Time, well because, like in On dwells on the power of FEEL THE VIBRATIONS IN the Road, it is preoccumemory. At a Parisian pied with how the music soirée, socialite M. influences the listener.

YOUR CHEST” Swann overhears an “They were possessed exquisite musical phrase that “opened his by the spirit of the drums”. One of my favousoul so much wider, the way smells of certain rite parts of Chinua Achebe’s masterpiece, roses circulating in the damp evening air Things Fall Apart, is a ferociously intense have the property of dilating our nostrils”. public wrestling scene. It buzzes with an everPerhaps because of this intoxicating effect, moving pulse, choreographed by the beating when he hears the phrase later in the presence of drums. They rise with the intensity of the of his lover, Odette, its context shifts and fighting, and older men “remembered the becomes intertwined with her. The phrase is a days when they wrestled to its intoxicating “protective goddess, a confidante of his love”. rhythm”. As the climax is reached and the When Swann’s affair with Odette is consumed pair begin fighting, the atmosphere reaches by his obsessive jealousy, the phrase “warned a fever pitch and the drummers’ “frantic

“BLANCHED” & “PURÉED”?

GLOBALISATION & WORLD MUSIC Coral Kim explores whether BTS disprove the model of l’exception française

K

-pop group BTS made pop music history with their explosive 2020 single, ‘Dynamite’. It was the first song by an all-Korean group to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Within Korea, they cemented their place among the ranks of retired Olympian Kim Yuna and Tottenham footballer Son Heung-Min as breathing banners of national pride.

The lyrics of ‘Dynamite’ are entirely in English. Both of its songwriters, David Stewart and Jessica Agombar, are British. Is the hit single really a triumph of Korean music and the result of successful diversification of the globalised music industry? Or is it an omen of homogenised world music, blanched and pureed under Anglophone influence?

L’exception française is the French answer.

France has a history of protectionist cultural policy, which was pursued by the post-WWII culture minister André Malraux. This was contemporaneous with, if not caused by, Anglophobia in the 1950s and onwards (although fear of Anglo-American superiority existed as early as the late 19th century); in the 1960s, President Charles de Gaulle sought to target the Anglo-American as “both a historical and a contemporary geopolitical” rival. It

was under de Gaulle, of course, that Malraux was Minister of Cultural Affairs. In line with such history, for music ‘l’exception’ involves a legal minimum quota of French songs played on the radio. A 2013 Financial Times article largely defends the measures, arguing that it “should be understood more positively: as safeguarding a niche for some French cultural products”. Today, eight years later, with world music more globalised than ever in our age of streaming, I doubt such a safeguard is necessary.

The old-world equation of globalisation with Americanisation, the invasion of the Harley-revving rock stars and NYC-dreaming songwriters, no longer holds. Variety’s 2019 article declares our age of Spotify as “a time where breaking in America is no longer the primary goal or the definitive sign that an artist has made it”. The mainstage belongs less and less to 15-months-long America tours, Madison Square Garden and the Ed Sullivan theatre – and more and more to streaming platforms, installed in smartphones all over the world. So we begin to witness dynamics much more diverse than the non-American artist/American audience or American artist/ non-American audience relationship.

Take rock music. It began, yes, with American rock and roll in the mid-20th century.

But what followed American Elvis singing ‘That’s all right’ in Memphis, Tennessee wasn’t simply a range of echoes – though the line and its many permutations seem to be chorus favourites everywhere – with a kick of gayageum or maracas to vaguely signpost the band’s nationality. The best of what followed was a diverse harmony of original and incredibly distinct rock music from across the world.

French rock musician Renaud declares, “Y’a eu Antoine avant moi / Y’a eu Dylan avant lui” [There was Antoine before me / There was Dylan before him], in his song ‘Société tu m’auras pas’. This grumbling, broken-voiced descendant of Bob Dylan scribbles French discontent all over his American inspiration, projecting his Frenchness onto American rock’s subversive self-expression – his disgust for the average French bourgeois and bobo (bourgeois-bohemian) makes him all the more French. With Apple Music’s ‘Renaud Essentials’ playlist downloading in the background, I dived into link after link of ‘Similar Artists’ profiles, finding my current two French favourites, Alain Souchon and Laurent Voulzy.

Mexican band Maná, which I ‘discovered’ from their collaboration with Santana, sent me into a completely new direction. Proudly and loudly rock en español, they blast an internationally popular yet strikingly Latin American sound, imbibed with cumbia and bachata sounds.

Hours of listening and half a dozen clicks

rhythm was no longer a mere disembodied sound but the very heart-beat of the people”.

The drums are visceral; you can almost feel the vibrations in your chest. Kerouac and Proust both described how their music affected an individual – George Shearing “began to sweat” to the “beat’, while the phrase ‘opened the soul’ of M. Swann. But Achebe’s music is more global: the drums are ‘the very heartbeat of the people’, drawing them together in the shared experience of sound – a collectivity which lends the scene vivacity and movement.

In these three books the music serves a bigger idea: kinetic excitement in On the Road, fraught emotion in In Search of Lost Time and fiery combat in Things Fall Apart. “Music oft hath such a charm/To make bad good, and good provoke to harm” says the Bard in Measure for Measure – but this leaves so much unsaid; music “oft hath the charm” to conjure any emotion. Through the lens of literature, we see – and perhaps feel – music sculpting lives.

Image credit: State Library of Queensland / CC-BY-SA 2.5 later, I landed on Spanish-speaking music elsewhere. I began with La Oreja de Van Gogh.

When my high school Spanish teacher recommended the band years earlier, I had brushed them off to the back of my mind – the effortlessness and low commitment of the streaming platform allowed me to tap on ‘Puedes Contar Conmigo’ light-heartedly, then download their essentials, then become their loyal fan of 4 years – and still going strong.

Though I may have just exposed my rather low effort, ‘Top Hits’ listening tendency, my experience glances at how diverse globalised music can be, and how easily accessible it has become. This is not to reject l’exception française as entirely pointless – its drive toward state sponsorship of local artists is just and needed. Its protectionist grounds, on the other hand, are indeed debatable, if not outdated in this era of incredibly fluid cultural exchange through streaming and online sharing.

‘Dynamite’ is undoubtedly a product of Anglophone influence. Yet even this single, as an Insider article argues, is more of a ‘balancing act’ between appealing to English-speaking and Korean audiences, and still engages with several elements of BTS’s ultimately Korean identity. Only a few months after its release, ‘Life goes on’, another single by the group, this time predominantly in Korean and involving Anglophone as well as Korean songwriters, debuted at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was the first non-English song to do so. BTS’s successes, then, seems to me as a triumph of Korean culture – if not world culture.

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Friday, 23rd April 2021 | CulCher

SEASPIRACY: VEGAN PROPOGANDA OR IMPORTANT WARNING? Johannes Moehrle discusses the environementalist documentary taking the world by storm.

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his month’s most talked about Netflix release was an unusual one, yet it sparked more debate than some of the platform’s most popular shows.

The documentary Seaspiracy made it into the Netflix top 10 in no time, and the heated reactions about it in the media were just as quick to arrive. Many praised it for attacking the environmental impact of fishing head on, qualifying it as the absolute “must watch”. Meanwhile, others criticised it just as vehemently, and labelled it a piece of propaganda against the fishing industry and accused it of taking statistics out of context to promote veganism.

Throughout the one-and-a-half-hour documentary, the audience is bombarded with statistics and scientific studies combined with interviews with environmentalists, marine biologists and key actors from the fishing industry. Some fact checkers have looked at the individual numbers presented and have found that although these are not invented, they are in some cases taken out of context.

For example, the claim that if fishing continues at its present pace, oceans will be “virtually empty” by 2048, refers to a 2006 New York Times article and, through it, a study

published in Science. However, this assertion has since been refuted by many, including the scientists in charge of the initial study.

Such a lack of precision from the documentary is indeed frustrating, as it undermines and diminishes its credibility and value.

Nevertheless, Seaspiracy gets more things right than wrong, and it does tackle the problem linked to the depletion of our oceans.

Despite the focus on environmental and humanitarian problems caused by industrial fishing, and with their belief that sustainable practices is an impossibility under current circumstances, Seaspiracy only offers one drastic solution: eliminate fish from our diet unless you are one of the 120 million who directly depend on it. This is perhaps the message that unsurprisingly gets most of the documentary’s detractors worked up, because any discussion about the protection of the environment that touches on our food consumption is immediately presented as an ideological battle rather than a clear-sighted exchange.

Objectively, if fishing is, as the documentary suggests, the main threat to the survival of our oceans, then it can’t be a bad idea to stop taking tons of fish out of it every day.

Ultimately an end of industrial fishing will be beneficial for the environment and humanity in the long term, so why is it that problematic that this documentary presents a change in diet as the “only solution” to save the oceans?

Of course, veganism and vegetarianism is a powerful and effective course of action that should be considered by all of us, but whether we like it or not, such a drastic change in diet is a position that for now only a small proportion of people will take. Veganism, although on the rise, remains an unrealistic option for a large amount of the world’s population, as there are many cultural, geographical and financial constraints that come with any change of diet.

So, by promoting this as the “only solution”, the documentary refuses to acknowledge any other legitimate efforts that can be made, excluding many people from the conversation.

Ultimately, Seaspiracy has raised awareness of the danger that marine life is facing. By confronting the powerful fishing industry in front of the large Netflix audience, the documentary broke new ground by affecting the public discourse on an oft-overlooked, but nevertheless pressing global issue. That said, the questionable factual precision supporting some of the documentary’s arguments undermines the important message that the film sets out to convey. And while their advocacy for a plant-based diet is relevant to the discussion, presenting it as the sole solution is counterproductive. But whether we decide to change our diet or not, oceans cover almost three quarters of our planet; they are our lifeline. We must do whatever we can to protect it.

Full article is available online.

Image credit: Australian Institute of Marine Science (CC BY 3.0 AU)

film MUST SEE NEW RELEASE

PALM SPRINGS This chaotic rom-com provides a fresh take on the classic time loop format.

TO STREAM

EIGHTH GRADE Bo Burnham’s painful coming-of-age film has made it to Netflix.

CLASSIC

THE NAVIGATOR: A MEDIEVAL ODYSSEY A group of medieval Cumbrians find themsevles in 1980s New Zealand and it’s the only way to end the plague.

THE COMMON DNA OF FIRST COW AND THE SNYDER CUT Wang Sum Luk compares two seemingly strange bedfellows

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he world’s gone mad.

I’m not talking about COVID or politics. I’m talking about an interview with Zack Snyder by the New York Times, before the release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, a revised version of 2017’s Justice League which brings it in line with Snyder’s vision. He noted that the film’s unusual 4:3 aspect ratio was something it had in common with indie film First Cow, saying, “Those two movies share some common DNA, I think…I would love that in a double feature, ‘First Cow’ and the Snyder cut of ‘Justice League’.”

For those unaware, First Cow is a critically praised but financially unsuccessful movie about making a living on the American frontier, as different from the Snyder Cut as…well, as an indie art film and a gigantic superhero epic, with barely any similarities at first glance. To examine these films side by side would be insane. But insane ideas aren’t always bad ones, and I was curious whether Snyder might be on to something with this comparison. So here I am, having watched both films, ready to explain how the Snyder Cut and First Cow both explore the ideas of heroism which are typical to their genres, and how they use comparable

techniques to make very different points.

Like superhero movies, the Western is likewise a genre dominated by visual spectacle, but Kelly Reichardt, the director of First Cow, uses visuals to tell a different story. The tight, square frame of the image adds a sense of intimacy instead of grandeur and emphasizes the oppressive vastness of the American frontier. Building on this, the story’s events are often framed at a distance, through barriers such as doorframes or windows, using the camera subjectively and implying that the story we see is only a fragment of a wider, fully realized world.

The Snyder Cut, like First Cow, strives to contextualize its superheroes within a human world. Something Snyder is frequently criticized for is his heavyhanded symbolism, such as how his films for DC portray Superman as a messianic figure and repeatedly frame him with outstretched arms to invoke the Crucifixion. The way his visuals almost always present the events on screen as being awe-inspiring means that all of the members of the Justice League are rendered as larger-than-life beings, which poses the risk of making them feel distant and inhuman. But Snyder also spends time

showing them doing day-to-day things like making tea or applying for jobs, with these scenes anchoring these characters to the human world. They’re presented as elevated role models, but these human elements keep them from feeling unapproachable, and give a better sense of the world the heroes are fighting to save.

First Cow is altogether more skeptical of the archetypes of heroism typical to Westerns. The protagonists create comfort and beauty on the frontier through their work and friendship, but their success is only possible through acts of theft, which eventually lead to their deaths. It is always ambiguous whether the protagonists are selfish or selfless, or if their actions are right or wrong—every character is united by greed and folly, but also by gentler emotions. Reichardt is skeptical of these simple categories, just as she points out how the American Dream requires people to already possess skills and capital to succeed. In this system good people can succeed, but only by breaking the rules.

It’s common for movies to explore morally simplistic genres by making their heroes darker and flawed, from selfdoubting superheroes to violent cowboys, a style of storytelling which Snyder is very

.

much a part of. And these stories, at their best, are thrillingly original and thoughtprovoking. But First Cow shows that that kindness exists amidst violence, that nostalgia unites even the selfish, that in the barbarity of the frontier—of civilization, even—friendship is possible. The idea that heroes must be violent and tormented is as reductive as black-and-white morality, and by showing us the inner workings of human kindness, First Cow finds complexity within a simple, gentle narrative.

The Snyder Cut and First Cow seem to say very different things: the Snyder Cut is a world where man can, by shedding apathy and gaining faith, reach the superhuman heights of the heroes of old, while First Cow defies the genre limitations of the Western by showing us a glimpse of a broader world, in which goodness and selfishness are impossible to neatly define. But when you consider these films together, it becomes apparent that their common DNA is thematic—both movies draw on a comparable arsenal of narrative and visual techniques, to explore the same question of what it means to be a hero and a good person.

Full article is available online.

CulCher | Friday, 23rd April 2021

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books IN AND OUT OF LOVE: A BIBLIO - BIOGRAPHY

I

Katie Kirkpatrick describes the books that have followed her life so far.

t feels weird to be writing about books again. I used to consider myself a huge bookworm, often getting through multiple books in a week, but, as is the cliché, I found that my attention span waned dramatically once I reached my midteens. It remains true, though, that the books I read growing up have had a massive impact on who I am now, and that there have still been some in recent years that have felt important to me.

on to read every book of the genre I could get my hands on, from Divergent, Matched, and Uglies to The Handmaid’s Tale. I also did a project qualification on the popularity of dystopian fiction among young people, and it’s since been the subject of several articles I’ve written this year. The Hunger Games spawned for me a lifelong fascination with the world of dystopia – one that’s felt increasingly relevant recently.

The Children of the Red King series by Jenny Nimmo Like everyone else under the sun, I was a massive Harry Potter fan growing up. I owned a Hermione wand, along with a copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard and all the film tie-in books. I vividly remember going to the cinema to see the Half-Blood Prince adaptation aged nine (and hiding behind my mum’s cardigan at the sight of the nightmarish inferi), and taking the Pottermore sorting quiz for the first time (I maintain that it is flawed and I am a Ravenclaw, not a Hufflepuff). So why isn’t Harry Potter on this list then? It’s not just because I’m trying to be ‘not like other girls’. The Charlie Bone series shares many traits with Harry Potter: it similarly follows a boy who discovers that he is magic and the friends he makes at his magic school. What sets it apart most, though, is the fact that the school is for people gifted not only in magic, but in music, art, and drama, making it feel more grounded in real life. The Charlie Bone series was one of the first books that felt important to me because it creates a whole other world, like Harry Potter, but being less popular, its world felt like my own.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green “Okay? Okay.”

Following my obsession with The Hunger Games, I fell deep into the YA rabbithole. At this point, I was very lucky to get involved with the Guardian Children’s Books website, reviewing books like All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven before they were published. I was also, regrettably, introduced to the concept of ‘fandom’. The Fault in Our Stars feels like the most significant book of the 2012-14 YA boom, but it’s also one that had an impact on my life in the real world. My now very tattered copy of the novel was passed round every single friend I had in Year 8, and was something we all talked about – a lot. My best friend at the time scribbled ‘Augustus Waters’ on the back page of my Maths book, and my cousin and I made (really, truly, deeply terrible) music videos on the infamous VideoStar based on the plots of our favourite books. On a family holiday to Amsterdam I insisted on finding the sites mentioned in the book and seen in the film adaptation – at this point in time, YA lit, and this book in particular, was everything to me and my friends.

The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins I first read The Hunger Games aged eleven, on a family holiday to France, and I was immediately obsessed. The gritty dystopian universe sucked me in from the start, and I got deep into the details of the world that Collins created. Embarrassingly, I won a school ‘Book Mastermind’ competition with the trilogy as my specialist subject, and to this day could tell you the names of minor characters and their districts of origin. The Hunger Games is also important to me as it started a prolonged interest in dystopian fiction and media. I went

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro To this day, if I am put on the spot and asked about my favourite book, I will say Never Let Me Go. The novel combined my love of YA and dystopia with literary writing, allowing me to see that this all-consuming interest could become something more widely widely respected. I did a school project on the film adaptation in Year 9, and wrote about it for a film website this month: it’s a story I keep coming back to. At this point, however, I was also starting to run out of steam with my reading habits. I began feeling too old for YA, and was instead eager to find ‘adult’ books that still

dealt with the kinds of themes and characters I enjoyed, and Ishiguro’s novel presented me with exactly that. I also saw myself in its heroine Kathy – her name was so close to my own and despite her dystopian situation she had similar stresses and insecurities growing up. Never Let Me Go showed me that ‘literary’ fiction has the potential to be just as gripping as YA, and presented a morally complex story that has stayed with me for several years.

Selling Manhattan by Carol Ann Duffy Just as I was drifting away from fiction, I found myself falling in love with poetry. I stumbled into it, really, after entering a local poetry competition.

Making it my entire personality, as you do when you’re fifteen, meant that I went and bought a selection of poetry books: it was Selling Manhattan that stuck. Duffy is one of the most well-known poets in the country, especially by my generation due to the fact that seemingly everyone studied the iconic ‘Valentine’ (the onion poem) at GCSE and can still quote much of it by heart, but for good reason. This poetry collection was the first to demonstrate to me that poetry can be fun, honest, and accessible, having had enough of studying the Romantics. A special mention here must also go to the Young Poets Network website, where I was reading many poems by other young people and finding just as much inspiration.

Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston At sixth form, I read for fun less than ever before – with the exception of the new John Green book and everything Sally Rooney, I spent all my reading time diving into French lit in preparation for my personal statement and interviews. When A-levels were cancelled, however, I found myself with a lot of time to kill, and naturally turned back to reading. This time, I didn’t care about trying to find something ‘literary’, or something I could reference in a personal statement – I just wanted something fun to take my mind off the state of…

well, everything. Red, White and Royal Blue did the job perfectly. The book is a ‘New Adult’ rom-com, and a really excellent one. It reads like fanfiction in the best way possible, indulging in tropes, an eccentric ensemble cast, and tooth-rotting romance.

I’ve highlighted God knows how many lines, for both the exquisite writing and unexpected moments of relatability, and re-read the book at least three times in less than a year. It’s just so good, and reminds you that reading can be, above all else, fun.

Hera Lindsay Bird by Hera Lindsay Bird The poem ‘Monica’ by Hera Lindsay Bird has been stuck in my head for years. It deals with pop culture in a way that’s fun and honest and heartbreaking all at once, constantly subverting your expectations and delivering a sucker-punch ending. Bird’s self-titled poetry collection was my reward to myself for making it through Hilary term from home, and it was great. It’s easy to get disillusioned with poetry when you read a fair amount of it, but Bird’s voice is so raw and clever and unique that it stands out from the crowd. I’ll mention it whenever I’m asked for poetry recommendations, and revisit whenever I want something non-fiction and non-French for a minute.

For 2021, it’s the perfect balance of wacky escapism, and hard-hitting dealings with real world feelings.

There are so many more books that have had an impact on me: I couldn’t fit in my deep love for Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower, my pretentious fascination with Macbeth, or my awe of I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson. So many of us fall in and out of love with reading, but everything we read stays with us in one way or another. I look forward to being able to add to this list.

Image Credits: Sofie Jones, Irene Zhang, and Johannes van Kan (licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license, Wikimedia Foundation).

CHERWELL RECOMMENDS

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rinity 2021 will see at least a significant portion of the student body return to ‘normal Oxford’, a loose collection of memories, activities, and locations so distant yet so viscerally near. Of course, Oxford means radically different things to each and every student; the higher education experience in general is portrayed in literature as a tumultuous, fleeting moment, preserved in space by historical campuses but not in time. Be it pre-war Oxford, 1990s Harvard, or another locale, university settings have created some of the most treasured texts for readers across generations.

Some of the books editors have selected some of their favourite reads set in universities. We hope that as you peruse these stories, images of a bright new Oxford life post-pandemic will also spring to mind.

Whose words will immortalize university life in the 2020s?

Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh Maebh, Books Editor Amidst the news that there will be a new film adaptation of this classic novel written by Waugh in the 1940s, I decided to pick up and finally read a copy of it during the two weeks of isolation I went through in Michaelmas term. Whilst I was confined to my small bedroom, Waugh’s evocation depiction of 1920s Oxford made me nostalgic for the Oxford I had experienced before the pandemic; the joys of roaming around colleges, meeting new people, and the highs and lows of university life. In a weird way, I guess, it gave me a sense of belonging, the characters being described as strolling down the very same street that I lived (and was then isolated) on. Waugh’s memorable characters, his powerful evocation of a country both during and after the two World Wars, and his beautiful prose style makes this novel a joy to read, and an essential for anyone who has, or will, live in Oxford.

The Idiot by Elif Batuman Sofie, Books Editor The Idiot, a semi-autobiographical novel

by New Yorker writer Elif Batuman, follows a young Turkish American woman named Selin as she navigates her first year at Harvard. When Selin starts exchanging emails with an older mathematics student named Ivan (the novel is set in the 1990s), she finds herself grappling with existential questions of life, language, and love first-hand.

The Idiot is distinctively a type ofuniversity novel, but it also captures the way in which Selin experiences the world beyond ivy-clad gates: at home, in Ivan’s home country of Hungary, and in European cities. While Batuman’s prose and dialogue are, at points, overly intellectualized, the novel does capture the very real anxieties and hopes that this period in one’s life brings.

Jill by Philip Larkin Irene, Deputy Editor Even among dedicated Larkin fans, Jill is often an overlooked work. Written when Larkin was 21 and studying for an English degree at St. John’s, the novel is set in ‘austere’ WWII Oxford. Gone are the days of Sebastian Flyte and motorcar trips to Wiltshire; instead, protagonist John Kemp finds himself in a labyrinthe of incomprehensible social norms and strang interactions. Kemp is a scholarship student from Lancashire, suddenly confronted with a world of privilege, privateschool connections, and pretense. Jill’s subjects and themes are almost chillingly relevant today; almost none of the challenges that drove John Kemp to the edge of sanity have been resolved, and we too find ourselves back in an ‘austere’ Oxford where societal trauma is ongoing and palpable. At the very least, revisiting Larkin finds us companions in history.

Friday, 23rd April 2021 | CulCher

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stage

TEEN MOVIE MUSICALS: “THAT’S SO FETCH”?

Katie Kirkpatrick analyses the latest trend on the Broadway stage.

CW: brief mention of eating disorders, suicide & sexual assault.

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his week it was announced that Heathers: the Musical will be returning to the Theatre Royal Haymarket on the West End for a second run. The musical adaptation of Mean Girls is also still planned to open in London, and Bring It On is being revived this August. The West End is increasingly set to be populated by shows about high school hierarchies, their teenage heroines taking their places alongside the Hamiltons, Phantoms, Elphabas, and Mormons. So many teen movie musical productions lie in wait for when theatres reopen, fuelled by a year of theatre fans multiplying via platforms like TikTok... but will they ever be able to find commercial and critical success outside of the digital sphere?

While it may seem like a recent phenomenon, the teen movie musical has been part of the fabric of musical theatre for decades. Arguably the first teen movie musical was 1988’s Carrie: based on the 1974 book and 1976 film of the same name, the Broadway musical became one of the most famous flops in theatre history, closing after only five performances.

Other teen movie adaptations, however,

have taken their place as musical theatre classics – for example, 2002’s Hairspray, now perhaps one of the most popular musicals ever, was originally based on the 1988 film of the same name.

A huge part of what makes adaptations like Heathers and Mean Girls so distinctive are their fan bases – it seems unlikely that Heathers would ever have made it to the West End without its impressive online following. It was also helped by Hamilton spawning a sudden boom in young musical theatre fans on platforms like Tumblr and Twitter, forming the perfect environment for a catchy show about teenagers to take off. Young people make up a huge amount of the audience of musical theatre, and therefore shows that feel like they have been made for them are bound to find an audience.

In addition to this, these films often include subjects that feel highly relevant to teens but aren’t often seen in other productions; shows include topics that range from popularity politics and eating disorders to teenage suicde and sexual assault. This intense fan culture extends to live audiences: I saw Heathers twice in London and both times was surrounded by young people dressed up (‘cosplaying’) in red scrunchies, blue blazers, and black trench coats.

The primary issue these productions face is the discrepancy between fan popularity, commercial success and critical opinion. No recent productions have had very long runs, despite their massive online fanbases.

In fact, Mean Girls had to resort to some of the least successful stunt casting in recent history, with recordings of Vine star Cameron Dallas as love interest Aaron Samuels going viral for just how incredibly out of tune he was.

This is firstly because young people as a target audience are often less likely to be able to buy tickets: West End

and Broadway tickets are increasingly extortionate, and teenagers are also less likely to be able to easily travel to London/ NYC. Secondly, most of these shows receive mediocre to negative reviews, meaning they tend not to appeal to older theatregoers. With their primary audiences often unable to come, and those who can turned off by poor reviews, it’s not easy for a teen movie musical to sustain its run.

In spite of this, these musicals keep cropping up. Heathers, Mean Girls, and Bring It On are all set to arrive on the West End soon, and there are always more productions being workshopped (currently including musicals based on the 2010 indie film It’s Kind of a Funny Story, which centres mental health, and the 1999 cult lesbian film But I’m a Cheerleader). This is because teen movies naturally make excellent subjects for musicals. They combine ensemble casts of distinctive, eccentric characters, a comedic, feel-good tone, some kind of light moral lesson, and, of course, the teen movie musical holy grail: a party scene. While it’s true that the similarities can make these shows feel derivative, they also prove that the format works.

The truth is that when these productions take into account the current cultural and political climate and introduce catchy, original music, they can be really excellent examples of musical theatre. Heathers continues to be a success because it manages this – it walks the line between genuine heart and satire expertly, and the music is well-written and catchy. For this same reason, productions like Clueless and Cruel Intentions are unlikely to ever really take off. When using a story that’s already well-known, introducing original

music is more important than ever to offer audiences something fresh.

Even successful shows like Heathers and Mean Girls, though, have continually struggled with awards and critics: the former received zero Olivier nominations, and the latter had to resort to poor stuntcasting before closing in the pandemic.

The reason for this is that musicals centred around teenagers are destined to become ‘cult’ shows: their audience is intrinsically niche, and, due to their youth, unlikely to be able to sustain commercially and critically successful runs, leading these shows to fan-centric cult status. The importance of internet culture also feeds into this, urging us to reconsider how we measure a production’s success.

Looking to the future, it seems like we could be walking into a renaissance of the teen movie musical. With Heathers and Bring It On both in London this summer, combined with the way that the pandemic will have spawned a new generation of young theatre fans eager to get into theatres, we’re unlikely to see a decrease in demand for stories about young people on stage.

It remains to be seen, however, whether these shows will ever manage to break into the musical theatre canon and win awards and glowing reviews. It doesn’t look like adaptations are slowing down, in spite of criticism of the lack of original stories in theatre: with the TikTok musical versions of Ratatouille and Bridgerton making international theatre news, who’s to say which film will take to the stage next?

Image credits: Brecht Bug (top) // CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.; Magnus Johansson (left) // CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

REVIEWS A Picture of Dorian Gray: Oxford Playhouse I still remember the feeling of being invited to a play that day in March. For months I’ve been wandering around Berlin and visiting local theatres with closed doors, now more abandoned than most international airports.

I still hold tickets to Timothée Chalamet’s planned West End debut last April, and Jake Gyllenhaal’s play last June, at Old Vic and Savoy respectively, both of which have not housed a live audience for more than a year.

Buying a ticket for The Picture of Dorian Gray, a production Oxford Playhouse is part of, felt like squeezing out a big blob of sunscreen and smearing it all over your face, amidst a oncein-a-blue-moon monsoon season that doesn’t know when to end.

But the moment I clicked on the play button on my laptop screen, with my friend’s face propped up next to mine in tiny Zoom squares, I started to doubt whether I was expecting more stage light from the luminaires than

there actually is. The show is a modern take on Oscar Wilde’s cautionary tale of vice and vanity, putting in the place of an oil portrait this century’s static and moving pictures on social media platforms: Dorian Gray (Fionn Whitehead), a second-year English student, starts a YouTube channel during the pandemic. Alongside vlogging, he also dabbles into the trade of individual charm and persona for mass praise and affection, on Instagram as well as less public domains like Grindr.

With Gray being his own portrait painter, Basil Hallward (Russell Tovey) in the alternative tale only offers the final touches to the picture: with his geeky expertise, he gives Dorian a filter software that exonerates the influencer’s face on the internet from blemishes, so that he’s not only spared from ageing, but also absolved of marks left by late night raves and substance abuse, measures of quick pleasures that often prove crueller to the look and health of today’s young people than time.

The Henry Wotton played by Alfred Enoch is probably the character that strays the least away from his Victorian prototype: dressed in

flamboyant three-piece on camera, and bare chested in embroidered morning gown in bed, he is every bit the upper-class diva who, when expertly flirting with Dorian over video calls, displays his curving fingers and slender wrists in front of the camera without showing his face, handling the young man single-handedly.

At a dinner party arranged for upcoming socialites by Lady Narborough (Joanna Lumley), a celebrity from the old generation who is more grounded in reality, stays well connected and respected despite her inexperience with her laptop’s front camera, and stands in stark contrast to her phoneaddicted juniors — Dorian meets aspiring young actress Sibyl Vane (Emma McDonald), who enters drama competitions on stage, but is equally attuned to performative selfpresentation on Instagram, using social media’s expansive exposure to her advantage by posting her renderings of famous theatre speeches, as well as live-streaming her dramatic readings of famous book extracts, with costumes and make-up all in place. As Dorian dives deeper into his chaotic lifestyle of drugs and online hookups, his moral standards

slacken whilst his online image remains intact and flawless, boding the eventual collapse of his physical and mental health.

The famous Wilde opus is in no lack of adaptations, but few are those forced to adapt.

The Lawrence Batley Theatre’s Henry FillouxBennett, together with director Tamara Harvey, already experimented with digital format by putting Jonathan Coe’s crime novel What a Carve Up! on the virtual stage last year during the first lockdown. But even back then, with resources from three theatres, the word “theatre” itself never took the central stage: the ticket website was honest with the lack of a live performance, and mentioned instead an assembly of each cast member’s sections recorded in isolation, comparing the production to a “Netflix crime documentary”.

Even Harvey herself hesitates to confine its storytelling form in the show’s program, and only loosely defines it as something that “isn’t theater, isn’t telly and isn’t radio — that is entirely its own thing.”

By Eleanor Zhang.

Read the full review online at cherwell.org.

CulCher | Friday, 23rd April 2021

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fashion

Reliving the Roaring 20s

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nyone who loves The Great Gatsby in any of its forms, be it F. Scott Fitzgerald’s original novel or Baz Luhrmann’s glamorous 21st century portrayal, dreams of attending one of the ‘gleaming, dazzling parties’ which define the tale: prohibited champagne, 24-hour dancing and glittering dresses, no one could come close to imagining such decadence today.

Though the novel intends on showing us that, really, these material pleasures mean nothing in comparison to genuine human connection, after the year (and longer) we have faced, any kind of fun resembling huge parties with caution thrown to the wind (and no social distancing!) could not feel further away from our grasp.

On the eve of the new decade, I was full of hope. 2020: it had a nice ring to it, and I couldn’t escape the associations I already had with the previous centuries ‘20s: glamour, excitement, champagne, gold and silver. After a devastating world war and the Spanish Flu which killed a further 50 million people between 1918-1920, the people who had the means to do so were ready to have some fun again. Who could have guessed how much we would end up needing the release of the roaring twenties just as much as before with history repeating itself in this way?

The daily routine of falling out of bed into the same hoodie and trackies worn the day before with a non-existent waistband and faded tea stains is losing its novelty, and I’m running out of jazzy earrings to spice up zoom event looks. Without a need to dress up, or even dress at all, sparkly dresses and tailored suits have been sitting impatiently at the backs of our wardrobes waiting for their re-emergence into the world, and fashion trends need to take this into account. So, if we let ourselves indulge in the imagined post-Covid era, with our generation ready and waiting to go wild, what will happen to the clothes we wear when we get out of this mess and start to live our dreamlike Gatsby life?

While the 1920s saw the corset disappear, the past year has seen a huge corset revival. A century ago, corsets encapsulated restraint and patriarchal standards; now, people are reclaiming this form and making it new, and no better time for it than now when we desperately need to escape the shapelessness of the tracksuits we’ve been sporting.

I personally have seen enough sage green to last a lifetime. The new-born-babythemed colour palette (pastel pinks, dainty blues) has been good company for the more subdued way of life we’ve been leading for the past year: coffee dates and park strolls, trying not to grab too much attention in an online class. And while animal print will always have a place in our wardrobes, the recent shift from leopard to cow print marks a distinct regression from excitement to mundanity. Alongside, then, the return of ‘the whisperings and the champagne and the stars’, we need to bring big colours and patterns back into our lives. Joy and colour have always been defined by designer Ashish, and his dazzling AW21 collection is no exception. I hope his sequins, explosive tulle, classic bold prints (think argyle checks and oversized florals) and colour clashes will trickle down into the clothes we will be wearing too, as we metamorphose into our post-Covid, glowed-up selves.

The swinging sixties and seventies have been back on trend for a while now – walking down the street you’re bound to see more than a few pairs of flares alongside halternecks and crochet numbers. While the roaring twenties brought us illegal drinking and flapper girls, the sixties and seventies brought sexual liberation and disco fever. I don’t think these styles are going anywhere anytime soon: I’m not giving up on flares just yet, and certainly not the accompanying warm colour palette and paisley patterns. These styles will take us nicely into festival season 2021 and beyond; even if you didn’t manage to nab any tickets in the recent scramble

Models: Beth Davies

Models:

Follow us Beth Davies Anjali Kawa @cherAnjali Kawa Luke Stewart well Luke Stewart fashion

Friday, 23rd April 2021 | CulCher

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the accompanying exuberant clothes complement any occasion, from garden parties (no more ‘50s pastels, thank you!) to nightclubs on June 21st.

The ‘unlocking’ of Britain means one thing to me: charity shops are opening!

Though many predict a newfound willingness to splurge and shop in the wake of the pandemic, I hope that it does not serve to reignite the fast fashion industry and consumer culture as it did last century. Charity shopping is everything we need for our roaring twenties 2.0: fashion rules no longer apply, and the randomness of charity shop displays, alongside a nationwide clear-out’s worth of stock, will only spur on the fashion freedom of the new normal. Second-hand fashion means eighties shoulder-padded blazers alongside flapper minis, costume jewellery and fake pearls, everything needed for any social event. The roaring twenties are coming but beyond themed costume parties (I’m preparing my Daisy Buchanan look as I write), the twenties style will not be an essential. Keep the rising hemlines, sumptuous fabrics, and fluid shapes made for dancing but add more colour than the black and gold conjured up when we think of the decade: our entrances into every nightclub, party, and festival will be glorious.

Ciara Beale Ciara Beale Ciara Beale

Art: Art: Rachel Jung Rachel Jung Photography:

Check us out on Instagram: @ Cherwellfashion

AgataPhotography: Gwincinska Agata Gwincinska

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Life | Friday, 23rd April 2021

life

Colour me this: a personal perspective on racism across cultures Suvesshaa Iyanathan discusses her experiences with the cross-cultural nature of racism and how to challenge our own biases.

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t’s true, no one is born a racist but the cruelty of a racist system is that the moment you inhale, you become a part of it altogether. Like the firm tree roots anchored into the ground, racism is embedded in our system. The trunk a timeline of historic events transporting racist ideology and culture to our society now, us, the branches. But it’s time we abandon this diseased tree, break branches and replant them. I know it’s hard work and effort spent, but the zeitgeist now lives on our outpour of activism, responsibility and curiosity. We must work towards Martin Luther King Jr’s “invigorating autumn of freedom and equality”.

Empathy and curiosity are vital gear in the battle against systemic racism. People of colour by name but also colour by life.

Learn about our lives and our stories, recognize the similarities between me and you and our differences also. We all have certainties and queries but ours are tainted with racism. Here are mine.

There hasn’t been a time in my life where I have looked at my skin and despised myself. In fact, from a young age I loved my skin colour and I loved that I was brown – I did not have to learn to love it, I just did. I am lucky.

But why is it even a privilege to feel that? Why do we need to ‘learn’ to love our colour? Why

do we need to ‘understand’ that being coloured is actually not a bad thing? Why does it make me lesser than anyone else? Why. I grew up in a multicultural community in South East Asia. Sounds lovely and one may assume that we live in a harmonious marriage of races and colour. No. The darker the skin, the harsher your reality.

Whether it means going to the playground and other children not wanting to play with you, or being denied jobs and tenancies.

What it certainly means is that you are inferior. And so, from a young age I was taught to never feel sorry for myself and to never let ‘my colour’ get in the way of my worth. Why did I have to be taught anything at all to defend my colour? Why does the colour of my skin dictate the quality of my life?

So, for a long time, I thought the problem was my country.

A country where children are taught to think that specific races and religious denominations are far superior than others. This is a country where the deprecation of darker skin is encouraged alongside a toxic mindset where fairer skin is idealized and those with it deserve significant preferential

treatment. It’s true - you never see a darker skinned person in an advertisement, only the endless aisles of skin whitening products in pharmacies.

However, leaving home at 16 to go to boarding school halfway across the world, I realized it is no different anywhere else. Racism manifested in a different form

Constant degradation of where I come from, always being reminded that I’m lesser for coming from ‘that part of the world’, for being brown. I was made to feel wrong for standing up to it, so I just laughed along.

I came across a metaphor recently and it resonated so strongly with me, there is no better way to put it. All the jokes, all the mimicking, all of these incidents are like paper cuts -small and will eventually heal.

No point crying over a paper cut or complaining to someone about it.

But, imagine getting paper cuts repeatedly and in the same place.

Racism for me has been small paper cuts. For many others, it has been deep slashes, broken bones or bullets to the head.

People of colour face different kinds of racism, but all our experiences include this constant questioning. Why am I not good enough? Do they see me differently because of my colour?

Am I being treated differently?

Were they racist or is it just me?

Was I exposing too much of my culture? Not one question but many. All the time.

We live in a globalised society. Your culture lends into mine and mine into another’s.

“ We need to actively challenge our individual prejudices, our society and its teachings, and question and call things out whenever we can.” and shape, but it was and still is there.

My awareness of my colour only grew deeper. I was mimicked for the ‘mispronunciation of words’, described too often as ‘exotic’ and my teachers would hint that I should steer clear from applying to elite universities. Naturally, to assimilate, I masked my true identity and diluted the very qualities that made me ME. So much so that at university I was told “Oh but come on, you’re not really Asian are you”. Am I not?

Unfortunately, we all have bias, conscious or not. But as Ibram X. Kendi rightly says “denial is the heartbeat of racism, beating across ideologies, races and nations”. It’s not enough to say that you’re not racist or to say racism doesn’t ‘happen’ where you live; it does, and the change that needs to happen requires effort. We learn racism from society and culture, through the news we read or the Netflix we watch. Racist ideologies permeate everything we consume. Racial supremacy and hierarchy do exist. Racism is intersectional.

We need to actively challenge our prejudices, our society and its teachings, to question and call things out whenever we can.

Educating ourselves is imperative to mending the beliefs woven into the fabric of our society read Reni Eddo-Lodge or Angela Davies, listen to Code Switch or follow Afua Hirsch. Most of us don’t understand how our racism is intersectional, how a person’s colour, race, culture, ethnicity and religion can often be linked and integrated. Being anti-racist means being curious and engaged, so ask a friend of colour about their identity and culture. We don’t want your pity, we just want to be understood and celebrated. Start anywhere, but just start.

Artwork by Rachel Jung.

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Friday, 23rd April 2021 | Life

Parth Second Year Christ Church PPE

Cherpse

What were you hoping for from the date?

Not particularly sure what to expect from a virtual date. Meeting someone interesting and a decent conversation would’ve been a win What did you talk about?

Our backgrounds, her being in France for her year abroad, our experiences of covid and lockdown, a bit of politics, her dog(!), the Union Best thing about the other person?

She came across as open and conscientious- and laughed at all of my jokes too which certainly never hurts What was the most embarrassing moment?

When my mate barged in pretending to be my (full disclosure: nonexistent) girlfriend.

Describe the date in 3 words: Relaxed, freely flowing Is a second date on the cards?

I had to leave for dinner so ended slightly abruptly, but I’d quite like to have another call.

Parth and Beth have hopefully the last ever date conducted on Zoom.

“Either a great connection ... or faulty WiFi”

What were you hoping for from the date?

Either a great connection, or, failing that, faulty WiFi. What did you talk about?

Contemporary clowning, owning pets, our experiences of the pandemic, and various Oxford societies. Also the always-nerve-wracking topic of politics.

Best thing about the other person?

Really generous listener - it’s always nice to talk to someone who’s both curious and interesting all at once.

What was the most embarrassing moment?

When I (correctly) guessed that he was in the Union.

Sorry mate.

Horoscopes...

We get it. You’re the drama queen of the friendship group. The stars normally counsel you to stop being a Sharpay, but in this case directing your energy to Oxfess may lead to advice from our resident agony aunt, Cher Brilliant herself.

Stay fabulous.

What about going to Taylor’s instead of Gail’s Bakery with your housemate? They can surely recommend some delicious panini you haven’t had a chance to try yet. And no, don’t oppose and start nagging. C’mon, give the people some love.

SCORPIO 23 Oct - 21 Nov Chill out with the ghosting, the several Tinder dates per week and the ‘you up?’ messages. Give the postCovid world some time to adjust.

LIBRA 23 Sept - 22 Oct

Resist the urge to brag about your collections results. It’s a weird flex and no one cares.

As we (or at least some of us!) move back to our student houses, remember how to be diplomatic with your flatmates. Don’t start drama because somebody accidentally burned one of your prize frying pans, it really isn’t worth it.

GEMINI 21 May- 20 June

Listen, it’s definitely an amazing thing to be reunited with your friends and even return to Oxford if possible, but Trinity and the exams are around the corner. There’ll be time to chitchat and spill the tea, but not all folks can talk till 6am and still properly organise them-

23 August - 22 Sept

21 June - 22 July Don’t cry, you’ve just activated your fire alarm and woke up your housemates, but that’s fine.

At least your toast didn’t get burned. Also, refocus your crying and cry about exams.

It’s more productive.

CAPRICORN

SAGITTARIUS

It’s nearly the end of term! I know you’re dreading the awful packing challenge that the end of term brings but don’t! I see some kind helping hands arriving to help organise you and all your stuff…

VIRGO

CANCER

22 Dec - 19 Jan 22 Nov - 21 Dec

Is a second date on the cards?

Seems to be!

23 July - 22 August

20 April - 20 May

21 March- 19 April

Describe the date in 3 words: Surprisinlgy not unpleasant.

LEO

TAURUS ARIES

Beth Third Year Worcester Philosophy and French

AQUARIUS

You’re a sensitive soul, and the stresses of Trinity Term might be weighing you down, but the stars say it’s time to let loose, Virgo! Go to the pub, hang out with friends, explore a funky new walk – we know you deserve it.

PISCES 19 Feb - 20 March

20 Jan - 18 Feb This is the term for you Capricorn! We know you love to set yourself goals, but the next eight weeks will be so much more than that. Whether it’s exams, summer eights, or the college bar which is your calling, make sure you don’t neglect everything else!

You’re a wise soul, it’s true, and your friends need your honesty more than ever this term as they navigate Oxford’s swoon worthy summer social scene (and also exams I guess). When in doubt, go back to your roots.

Snaps to you Pisces. You’re a giver.

When Queen B sang “Who run the world?”, she meant girls, but also Pisces’. This fortnight though, remember to take some time for yourself. It’s your month after all (no, actually it is). Frolick through Port Meadow on us.

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Life | Friday, 23rd April 2021

DON’T JUST DO SOMETHING, SIT THERE

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indfulness has grown into such a craze, that we all probably know someone who is into it.

Ill-informed posturing about the practice is beloved by students.

Nevertheless, the preachers for mindfulness in these conversations probably do have some good points.

Mindfulness is about cultivating present moment awareness, with a sense of friendship and compassion for yourself and others. But am I not always present and aware?

Well, in one sense, yes. We all live in the present and are responsive to things that happen.

But in another sense we are not very present. We have a brain that lets us process past events so that we can learn from them, and imagine future events so that we can prepare for them. So far, so good. It seems our brains are helping us. So why would we benefit from mindfulness making us more aware of the present?

Well, sometimes our brain takes us out of the present too much. We obsessively repeat painful, awkward, or embarrassing memories; instead of carefully imagining the future to anticipate problems. In times like these, we have a brain in overdrive, and mindfulness offers

I

The World Health Organisation has described stress as “the health epidemic of the twenty-first century”. How would you define stress?

I would define stress as the feeling of being overwhelmed or unable to cope. Stress is the body’s reaction to feeling threatened or under pressure. But too much stress can affect how we feel, our health and our relationships. People tend to worry about things that affect their daily lives and are important to them – so at university, this is likely to include finances, your academic work, friends, partners and family, as well as things in the future (e.g., passing exams, getting a job).

What are the common signs of stress?

Common signs of stress are feel overwhelmed, difficulty concentrating, feeling irritable, worried

Cher Brilliant

Ruth Whiteside to calm it.

Another benefit to mindfulness is that it teaches us to be compassionate with ourselves and others.

Some mindfulness meditations overtly focus on the cultivation of compassion; more generally, self-compassion is an element that is worked into all mindfulness, because it infuses how we aim to relate to ourselves in meditation.

Now, the case for mindfulness for Oxford students. Mindfulness correlates with reduced stress and increased academic performance.

In a study published this year, a group of pre-clinical medical students took part in a mindfulness course and experienced a reduction in stress that lasted six months compared to the control group.

It must be noted, however, that mindfulness is not for everyone.

Some studies have highlighted the possible incompatibility of mindfulness with some personalities and approaches. Still, there is ample research to show that mindfulness is beneficial for a large number of people, so if you have not considered giving it a go, maybe you ought to.

Happy stress-busting!

Full article available online

Cherwell check-in: Professor Polly Waite

n this new series Cherwell speaks to mental health experts working and researching at Oxford. For this edition, we heard from Professor Polly Waite (DClinPsy, PhD).

Introducing...

or scared, lacking in self confidence, feeling tired or having t r o u b l e sleeping, changes in your eating or drinking habits, a n d withdrawing, avoiding people or sources of stress (e.g., academic work).

Don’t just do it Cherwell – do it Cher Brilliantly.

The way a boy treated me has left me with almost no self-confidence. I feel weak knowing that I’ve let this happen, and I know I shouldn’t base my value on someone else’s view, but it has really affected how I see myself and i just can’t help it. What do I do?

Ah mon dieu, we’ve all been there. Sometimes getting over someone can require the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and life after love. It sounds like you are stuck in a bit of a rut at three - depression. My namesake once said “A man is not a necessity, a man is a luxury... I love men!

I think men are the coolest, but you don’t need them to live”.

Make her words your mantra and put your best strut on - the Rad Quad is your catwalk. Remember you don’t have to do this alone though: your friends and family are your most loyal fans

“It’s okay to just fail collections. . .right?”

My, oh my. Collections. Just when the nervous fresher thinks they might be out of the woods after the shock of their first term, that dreaded 0th Week email from their tutor arrives. I do understand why they can loom like the proverbial sword of Damocles, but never fear, ma cherie, for I confidently assure you that your collection mark won’t matter a bit, a month or even a week after you receive it. If it’s good, you can rest easy in the knowledge that your grasp of last term’s material is so strong it can withstand the fact that you spent more of the vac on long-awaited pub trips than you did revising.

And if it’s bad, you have a term before Prelims! And that’s when you can really sink your teeth into the subject you love, you funky little scholar.

Artwork by Zoe Rhoades Questions used with permission from Oxfess 3.

John Evelyn

What would you tell students who are struggling with lockdown-based stress?

My advice would be to not be hard on yourself – look out for an over-use of ‘I should…’ – which is often used to beat yourself up. Think about how you would advise a friend in this situation.

Would you tell them they are weak and unworthy? I hope not!

So instead, treat yourself with the kindness that you’d treat a friend and then look for opportunities to take action to help with how you are feeling – keeping social connections going and actively problem-solving any difficulties that you are experiencing to identify practical things you can do.

A new vac, a new term, a new election; if Benjamin Franklin had only lived a century later he would have realised that there was one more certainty in life - death, taxes, and drama in the Oxford Union. John Evelyn can happily report that the officers have been successfully

able to CREATE the characteristic amount of gossip, intrigue and drama over the vacation, no doubt amplified by the return of in-person vac days. Whilst ostensibly organised to boost productivity and cooperation, John Evelyn the in-person vac days were necessary to get the president out of bed, not that they really succeeded at this. The Late Etonian has rapidly become the Absent Etonian, a fact made even more concerning by the reappearance of the Binned Etonian. Having concluded that elections were not for him, the Binned Etonian seems to have decided that he can fulfil his Heseltine-esque Union dreams by usurping his school chum’s job.

With a brief that seemingly covers doing anything he wants, including his fellow committee members, the Binned Etonian is slowly finding that legitimacy is only an optional extra when it comes to power.

Unbeknownst to the Absent Etonian, John Evelyn hears that the Presidential Office has been haunted by the tension of electoral rivalry. If the vacation is anything

to go by, this term’s battle between Top London Public School Head Boy and Top London Public School Head Girl promises to be a deliciously bloody one. John Evelyn has heard tales of shouting matches across the Presidential Office, attempted speaker confirmation theft, and the classic accusations of laziness. John Evelyn hears that the Triumvirate have reached particular disagreements over platforming with our two presidential candidates disagreeing vehemently over invitations to certain speakers and the Absent Etonian trying to rouse himself from his slumber for longenough to make a decision.

With rumours of the return of Wallace and Grommet afoot, the imminent opening of the The No-longer Runner Up’s Vanity Beer Garden, and the return of in-person events, John Evelyn expects this term to allow the Union to resume its place as Oxford’s Most Controversial Political Society.

In the meantime, much love to you all, John Evelyn xxx

Life | Friday, 23rd April

15

food

IS THE DRINKS INDUSTRY CHUGGING SUSTAINABLILITY INITIATIVES?

Mia Clement explores the ways in which the drinks industry is standing in the way of enviromental progress

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n February 2020, the drinks inkicking the problem of plastic waste into dustry scored a poor 4.8 out of 10 the long grass”. for sustainability in the inaugural This is largely down to the open-loop Drinks Industry Sustainability nature of the plastic recycling process, or Index Trends Report 2020, published by as it is better termed, the “downcycling” Magners producer C&C Group and Footprocess. Contrary to popular belief, plasprint intelligence. The report recognised tic bottles are rarely used to make more the fact that businesses were rethinkbottles or plastic packaging, which, ing packaging, transportation, according to a 2017 report from and wastage with sustainabilCNBC, means that nearly every ity in mind, but found there drink we buy is packaged in “BA R S A N D had been no great lengths of new plastic. It finds that machange in the industry. The R ESTAU R A N TS SEN D jor soft drinks companies drinks industry can require only source approximately 200,000 TON N ES OF seven per cent of their highly intense energy input for the processing of fruits GL A SS TO L A N DFIL L plastic from recycled maor grains and distilling terials. The chemical fibres processes. According to the in plastic bottles and objects, E ACH Y E A R” report’s findings, only 50% of made from the polymer strain glass containers were recycled PET, considerably weaken when in the drinks industry, with bars and the product is recycled, and are usurestaurants sending 200,000 tonnes of ally turned into items such as carpets, glass to landfill each year. Meanwhile, fleece-lined clothing, jumpers, jackets, growing concern for sustainability and and sleeping bags. In the making of these plastic pollution within the industry has goods, various other non-recyclable eleresulted in the fivefold increase in sales of ments are added, meaning the products water in cans. are likely to end up in landfill, alongside The issue of ethical consumption and the 700,000 tonnes of textiles that are “think before you buy” can be starkly thrown away each year in the UK. Further, seen in the plastic versus canned drinks it remains widely unknown that most of debate. According to a citizen survey, conwhat we throw into our recycling bin never ducted by the Waste and Resources Action gets reprocessed, because only 2 out of Programme and the Industry Council for the 7 common plastic varieties are widely Packaging and the Environment in 2019, recycled (Repurpose Global). Plastic recyover half of UK consumers agree that they cling, in most instances, merely delays the are less concerned about packaging, ininevitable landfill. cluding plastics, if their council collects it A new proposition for the use of for recycling. While bottles are one of the aluminium cans promises higher levels most readily collected plastic items – and of recycling and may be the best replacecan be recycled with relative ease – their ment for plastic when it comes to beverage reprocessing actually does little to benefit packaging. Recycled within a true closedthe environment long-term. According to, loop system, aluminium retains its qualthe EU-supported industry consultant ity each time it is reprocessed, meaning group, Zero Waste Europe, mechanical recans are able to be transformed back into cycling, which describes the shredding and themselves an infinite number of times. melting down of used plastic into flake-like Unlike plastic bottles, the average rate of grains to be sold on to manufacturers, “is recycled content in European aluminium

beverage packaging is 47%. solely placed on the consumer. Instead, However, there are still downsides as- the corporations and systems we live in sociated with the use of cans: aluminium must change. Endless capitalist growth is extracted from bauxite ore, which is and consumption provides high demand strip-mined and incredibly destructive for cheap and harmful options like plastic to the natural environment, leaving toxic packaging. Individual action is important; ‘tailings’, and is highly energy intensive to we must always push for change and advorefine. Roughly speaking, it takes nearly cate for what we want to happen. However, 15 times the amount of energy to produce corporations must implement the changes new aluminium than it does to produce we want to see and take the next steps into new glass. Even if you take into account the cultivating a sustainable production line. amount of recycled material used in a can, This is a complex issue involving the contrast of energy used in production individual action, consumption, between a bottle and a can is vast. business, and industry. What The WWF reports that 8 is needed to protect our en“8 MILLION million tonnes of plastic vironment, and promote TONNES OF PL ASTIC are dumped in our oceans a future where nature every year and 90% of becomes a significant A RE DUMPED IN OUR seabirds have plastic focus, is systemic in their stomachs. Yet OCEA NS EV ERY Y EA R A ND change. Systems change plastic still remains the when sustainable prod90% OF SEA BIRDS H AV E ucts modern world’s packagbecome accessible to PL ASTIC IN THEIR ing material of choice: everyone, policy change roughly a third of the 350 and legislation ensurSTOM ACHS.” megatonnes produced globing that all socioeconomic ally is used in packaging. Acgroups can acquire a variety of cording to a European Commission study, green items. Advocacy for reducing plastic PET bottles and their lids are some of pollution has forced the drinks industry the most commonly found items among to change production materials, now we ocean debris.However, as public percepmust keep on pushing. While the Covid-19 tion shifts, and the issue gets pushed up pandemic has put a temporary stop to the political agenda, the blame cannot be mass campaigning on the streets, it has

OAT-SO-LOVELY: EXPLORING THE OVERNIGHT CRAZE Matthew Prudham explains why this trend is getting him out of bed in the morning.

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f you follow any food blogs or channels on social media, you may have noticed the breakfast trend sweeping Instagram and Tiktok: overnight oats. But what is it that’s driving this craze, and how is it supplanting traditional breakfasts and holding its own against fitness food brands such as Huel?

Quite simply, in my opinion, because it tastes good. Unlike breakfast cereals, which can often feel repetitive and boring – especially if you’re facing down a bowl of Corn Flakes in a rush – there’s something distinctively attractive about overnight oats. Perhaps this is due to the process behind it: preparation the night before, measuring out your oats and dousing them with milk and flavourings – whether this be cinnamon and mixed spice (my current favourite), cocoa powder, peanut butter.

The possibilities are endless, and range on a spectrum of nutrition levels!

You can also add in a wide variety of fruit and veg – with my favoured “carrot cake” style oats including some grated carrot and a handful of sultanas, though I have seen friends swear by grated courgette (I have

not dared to try this yet!). Such are the possibilities for experimentation, and the endless ensuing variation, all stemming from a simple combination of oats, milk or water and a pinch of salt, that it can sometimes leave me gazing at the aisles in Tesco wondering what could spice up my oats even further.

This prevents the old shtick of “boredom with breakfast’” that one may get if having porridge, for example, for countless days on end – if you’re tired of your current flavour, it only takes a little change to switch things up.

Moreover, unlike Huel and even some breakfast cereals, it’s something that seems definitively appetising and affordable. A 1kg bag of oats costs between 75p-£1, and that’ll last you two to three weeks; compare that to the £1.10 per meal cost of Huel, or the average price of £3 for a decent size box of cereal (which will inevitably go way faster than the suggested serving time), then you’re saving a lot of cash. Sure, it may seem like it’s a new fad born from the Waitrose-shopping elite, but it’s surprisingly affordable. This is enhanced by the fact that I’m using scales to measure out my oats – something that I’ve

never considered when throwing cereal into a bowl.

Overnight oats also improve the start of your day. There’s no better feeling than waking up, dragging yourself out of bed, and treating yourself to a damn good breakfast which you prepared the night before.

Unlike with other great breakfasts like scrambled eggs or pancakes, there’s little to no extra preparation involved (only adding in extra toppings) as the fridge has done all the work for you, and the only cleaning up that’s needed is just soaking your bowl after eating, prepping it for the next day.

There is, however, a danger. Just as it is possible to add too much milk to your Weetabix, leaving it to become a sludgy, unappetising mess, one can add too little or too much to your oats. Waking up to a failed jar is not the one, an anti-climax after opening the fridge door with so much expectation.

But, though this may occur once or twice as you get started with making overnight oats, the more experience you get, the less often that disaster occurs. Of course, you can always put some more oats or more milk in, go back to sleep for an hour or so, and the

problem may have resolved itself.

Whatever your diet (gluten-free, vegan, non-dairy), overnight oats are available for you. Just get your oats, your soaking liquid of choice (any milk or water will do), and a pinch of salt, and have a browse of the thousands of recipes, blogs, vlogs and TikToks about it. I do provide a word of warning – your friends may get tired of you mentioning it. But for the best start to the day? I think a few broken friendships are worth it.

Image Credit: Yulia Khlebnikova on Unsplash

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Friday, 23rd April 2021 | Cherwell

profiles

IN CONVERSATION WITH: CHELSEA FAGAN already [...] skewed more towards life than everything we do.” Referring to TFD’s financial privilege, we can walk and chew many employers, especially in media.” Preexpansion into Spanish-language gum at the same time. We can advocate COVID, TFD employees enjoyed ‘Summer content for Latino communities and her for people to improve themselves in terms Fridays’ in addition to flexible remoteexperiences working with underprivileged of their financial literacy and the choices work arrangements, and Fagan noted that individuals, she adds a game metaphor for they’re making, and simultaneously neither productivity nor company revenue explaining American society’s unspoken advocate for better policy and for better dipped. financial pain. “As the game in which social responsibility with regards to quality However, she is hesitant to exaggerate you’re operating becomes more and more of life.” the impacts of her workplace culture rigged and more and more difficult, it’s Where and how do we find the capacity experiments. “The model that we have, very, very hard to put too much of the to ‘do both’ — seek both individual and which is essentially having leadership that emphasis on individual choices and systemic change — at the same time? helsea Fagan’s videos are credited feels very strongly about these issues and individual responsibilities. You I ask Fagan about ‘sellingfor making me finally understand makes these choices, is unfortunately not don’t want to get into [...] out’ for graduate jobs stocks — no small feat, since both very scalable, because quite frankly a lot of victim-blaming someone and ethical conflicts in ‘It’s often the economics teachers and my dear employers don’t feel that way.” if they happen to be in a careers choices. She people who have the parents had been unsuccessful at cracking Fagan has made no secret of her politics: tough financial situation, isn’t familiar with the my skull. With just the right number of she supported Sen. Bernie Sanders in because the majority financial security who are phrase: Fagan dropped pastel pillows and aesthetically pleasing the 2020 Democratic primaries, and our of what determines our out of college in 2010 plant combinations, her YouTube conversation frequently circled back financial outcomes in going to really drill down to start her career presence combines an to systemic ills in American the US is the family to and never obtained a impossibly chic visual capitalism. On the subject which we’re born and the on someone for opting degree.

Nevertheless, ‘We had a appeal with deep cuts of exploitation, she does circumstances to which we is it possible to balance to do the same into the intimidating not mince her words. were born. the pursuit of financial relationship to work-life world of budgets, “Especially when you “Most of wealth is wellbeing with values? thing.’ balance that I think was credit cards, and get to large corporations inherited and poverty is very To Fagan, the answer depends investing. and, of course, publicly difficult to escape once you’re in on who you are. “I do believe that already [...] skewed more All very traded corporations, their it. Especially as the communities [...] get as people achieve higher and higher inspirational: loyalty ultimately is to more and more marginalised, it’s quite levels of financial stability and freedom towards life than many naturally, I rolled their shareholders and their frankly very difficult to to find the right themselves, it becomes something of an employers, especially out of bed 20 minutes bloated executive packages, balance between personal responsibility ethical obligation to [...] do whatever you before the interview it’s not toward their workers. and social awareness.’ Nevertheless, her can to make sure you’re not just getting on in media.’ and failed to get out And in many cases their workers’ work has convinced her that individual the hamster wheel of hoarding money for of pyjama trousers before interests can be diametrically leveraging power through financial literacy yourself. logging on, feeling like the opposed with what is profitable. is meaningful. ‘If I had to sum up the ethos “Quite frankly, especially at elite absolute opposite of the accomplished “[...] I do believe that when implemented of how we frame this information and universities, many of the most privileged woman I am about to call. Outside of properly, a lot of these practices are very how we communicate to our audience in children who come from wealth and really being YouTube’s honest, feminist financial good for the health of the business. My a soundbite, it would be to say: the game would have a lot of options will often go voice, Chelsea Fagan is the founder of The business [...] operates this way and it’s that we’re playing is rigged. All of to extremely high paying jobs that are Financial Diet (TFD), a Manhattan-based, been fantastic for the overall health us are playing a rigged game probably pretty detrimental to society. all-women media company dedicated to and sustainability of the project, here in the United States That’s not good, but it’s understandable if ‘... the talking about money: what it does, how but I know that it doesn’t scale. when it comes to building people’s central values and self worth [...] it intersects with our lives and social I think the answer in a much our financial stability, is centred around how much they have and game that we’re structures, and how to best cultivate a broader sense is, of course, there’s no way around how much they can afford. playing is rigged. [...] relationship with it. worker empowerment [and] that. However, while “And then on the flip side, especially One technical mishap later, we rolled into unionisation.

It’s really we’re playing this in more progressive circles, you have However, while we’re a conversation about TFD’s 2021 vision. grassroots, and unfortunately game, it is in your the opposite pressure [...] which is to do Fagan’s followers on Twitter are familiar I can’t do that for every worker playing this game, it is in best interest to play something that is true to your values but with her frequent updates on TFD’s in America, but I hope that the best game you perhaps will keep you trapped in a cycle workplace policies, and I was by, in a very small your best interest to play can possibly play.” of poverty, because a lot of these jobs that curious to learn more about way, setting The decision to are very important are also terribly paid. If the best game you can flexible work-from-home an example, make accessible you have a massive debt burden, which you and 35-hour work weeks at least in financial media her likely would if you’re coming from an elite possibly play.” from the perspective of our own life mission was an school and you didn’t come from a wealthy a CEO. Fagan’s voice lit industry of intensely personal one background, you could be signing yourself up, and I could sense media, we can for Fagan. In video essays, up for a pretty hand-to-mouth life for some palpable pride in start to shift the online articles, and public talks, she time and not be able to do any of the things her tone. “Before narrative a little frequently harks back to her own moneythat you would want to do, like maybe own COVID we had bit.” troubled young adulthood. Rarely a home [...]. a very flexible Why run can anyone talk about sinking “So I don’t think there’s a right or work-from-home a business credit scores and being wrong answer to the choice of how you policy where he l p i n g arrested for debt with such position living up to your values ‘I will employees were individuals refreshing clarity, and it’s versus achieving financial stability only required to get good clear that Fagan has moved for yourself, but I will only say to only say to be in the office at money, past financial shame. people who are [...] struggling people who are three days a if the “I’m someone who went financially, who come from a week. We had problem from experiencing pretty disadvantaged background, [...] struggling a relationship lies with substantial poverty early in [and] who don’t have a lot of to work-life an entire my life to becoming more financially, who come resources: you do not owe balance that system financially stable, and it’s purity to anyone. You are I think was r i g g e d not an exaggeration to say from a disadvantaged allowed to prioritise your against that having money and background, [and] who stability. You are allowed much of financial security is like to prioritise your financial her young playing with a cheat code security. And you don’t don’t have a lot of audience? in life. It’s very difficult to have to explain that to resources: you do Fagan says get over that hump when anyone. that this you’re on the other side of not owe purity to “It’s often the people who dilemma is poverty or not having enough. have the financial security “the tension at But ultimately, it is not going who are going to really drill anyone.’ the core of to help you and it’s not going to down on someone for opting to do help your family if you abandon the same thing. But I will say again: the game and just say, “well, I’ll never once you do have financial stability, win.” I understand that; I think that’s a very resources, and choices, I do believe that if human reaction and it’s very, very hard to you care about living in a more financially find motivation to make the right choices just society, that it is an ethical obligation when you’re working with so little. But to some capacity to make sure that you’re you’re still better off making those paying that forward.’ better choices.

We return to the emphasis on life beyond “And in the meantime, especially work, and Fagan believes that such a shift [for] those of us who do have can also be value-based. ‘It is important

Irene Zhang speaks to Chelsea Fagan, founder of the Financial Diet, about personal finance, socioeconomic inequality, and navigating the digital job market with ethical opportunism.

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Cherwell | Friday, 23rd April 2021

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to remember too that your nine-to-five than ever, and that’s completely decoupled job is not the only place that you can have with their average wages. an impact on the world around you. You “[In] professional managerial class jobs, if can have a job that is stable and allows you’re even remotely competent at the job, you to live a functional life, and with your you don’t need to be sitting at your desk for additional time you can do things that are nine-plus hours a day. You just don’t.” Her contributive [to] building the community line of argument shaping up around some around you and helping improve the echoes of David Graeber, Fagan laughs a situation in which you’re operating; it little as she pictures a potential future that doesn’t have to always be through your allows “automation and technology to [...] job.” liberate workers, and to liberate people and In terms of the future of work for Gen-Z, to free up more of our time and resources.

Fagan, a self-proclaimed millennial, is [...] It will only be a net positive for society, cautiously optimistic. “When it comes to because right now we are forcing people to the concept of work, we have seen over the waste not just a lot of their time, but a lot past century that human productivity has of their identity and a lot of their potential increased by leaps and bounds. A lot of that on planting their ass in a chair for fifty or is a result of our ability to synthesise our sixty hours a week at many of these jobs, if human capabilities with all of this not more.” technology. We’re producing For one last question, I ask that more than ever, but we’re classic aspiring-creative query ‘The still stuck in a very oldon the values and limitations fashioned concept of of unpaid work. Fagan sees internet has what it means to work; social media advocacy and had [an] inherent it’s really about an websites like Glassdoor arbitrary number as having had important effect of devaluing a of hours that was impacts on workplace decided a century transparency, but also lot of work, because so ago. recognizes the internet’s many people can produce inherent “I think the complexity. broader question is: it, and a piece of work can “The internet has had how do we get to a [an] inherent effect of place where we are be lifted and manipulated devaluing a lot of work, not centering our because so many people and repurposed and lives around work? It can produce it, and a can be an important piece of work can be lifted reproduced in seconds facet of our personality, and manipulated and of our identity, of our repurposed and reproduced for all kinds of validation and all of those in seconds for all kinds of purposes.” things — I think it probably purposes. It’s not always clear always will be for certain who is the victim of that versus people — but it shouldn’t be the who is the beneficiary of that.” absolute centre and majority share She raises the example of one of TFD’s of your life. And I don’t think it needs to recent clients: a young woman whose be, because productivity as we’ve seen has Twitter video went viral. Her work was skyrocketed, people are producing more “repurposed left, right and centre” by

major media corporations, but she received why you’re doing it and what leverage it no monetary compensation. Fagan sees might give you in the future.’ more nuance in the story: “the Fagan ends on a resonant and honest original viral video she made note, on-brand as always. “Remember no money from, but [...] as that these employers and ‘My biggest a result of that virality companies that are leveraging and as a result of that you for free or for very little, piece of advice ability to reach an they don’t care about you. So audience, she has use them in the same way: to anyone starting been able since use them for a byline, use out in their career is to build a very them for a connection, use lucrative career off them for a step up. to be an opportunist. of that attention.

“I’m glad I did the things Certainly, it that I did when I was at the Look at everything as an doesn’t work like beginning of my career opportunity, [and] weigh it because I did leverage that for everyone; there are shades them as opportunities. as a cost-benefit analysis of it.

I think having that real “We as a company opportunist mentality is in terms of its future at TFD do not do any the only way to square the possible benefits for unpaid internships circle of the simultaneous [...]; people don’t work level of visibility and you.’ for us for free. However, devaluation that you will find in I got my career start in a digital job marketplace.” media distinctly by working In no way is the tension between for free, and had [...] a similar experience individual action and collective problemto that young woman who went viral, in the solving resolved; indeed, it seems sense that the visibility that that work, and that Fagan does not anticipate such a that the internet was able to give me, I was resolution. We haphazardly survive the able to [then] parlay to my own benefit and ethical chaos of money in an inherently eventually start my own company through unjust world, hopefully doing all we can to it.” pick the system apart. Such an idealistic, While recognizing the visibility transformative task calls us to analyse economy’s many possibilities, Fagan makes employment as an honest tradeoff while thoughtful counterarguments. “We have to imagining identities beyond work. I leave understand that it’s a double edged sword, the call with questions still, but more the exposure and the transparency and the interesting ones for the coming years and communication of the internet versus the decades: how do we balance the need to inherently devaluing of it. cope, financially and otherwise, in the “My biggest piece of advice to anyone present with planning for a radically starting out in their career is to be an unpredictable future? What about the opportunist. Look at everything as an looming horizon of climate change? At the opportunity, [and] weigh it as a cost-benefit very least, I’ll be tuning in to TFD for more analysis in terms of its future possible advice. benefits for you. If you do something, unpaid or underpaid, be very clear about Image credit: Chelsea Fagan.

Student Profiles: Luke Bateman Issy Kenney-Herbert speaks to Luke Bateman about his poetry and creative writing.

Joining this zoom call, Luke is sat in his childhood bedroom with a bookcase overflowing in the background.

Luke immediately starts chatting and smiling, with a clear ability to put anyone at ease, even in online setting.

This site is familiar to me as we both took a History module together last Trinity. Little did I know that lockdown had been such a creative time for him beyond those twohour long classes we had each week - while I was binge watching Gilmore Girls for the umpteenth time, Luke was producing copious amounts of poetry and short storie Luke Bateman is a second year History student studying at Merton College, who also happens to be a prolific writer. He has been published in several journals for poetry including CP Quarterly, Jupiter Review and the Broad Street Humanities Review, and was also the winner of the Short Fiction Prize by Oxford Review of Books in December 2020 for a piece that he produced in the first lockdown.

Having read many of them, I start the interview asking about the multiple Tolkien references I found littered throughout his work. He lights up in delight when saying ‘I think anybody who is interested in fantasy has a massive debt to Tolkien. One of the major reasons I chose to apply to Merton College was because I found out that Tolkien had been there. I think the man’s incredible, obviously there are problematic elements to his work, but the sheer imagination of it. The poetry of the way he writes has always really appealed to me.’

When I ask what he is working on currently, he discusses a fantasy novel that is ‘very much Tolkien inspired with wizards and witches and a strong theme of envi-

ronmentalism’ and continues to state that Tolkien has very much influenced his work. His passion for all things Tolkien is clear from the start. Yet, that passion does not subside throughout the interview. From discussing the topics of lockdown and the intensity of Oxford terms, to his aspirations for the future, he never once fades in his enthusiasm and optimism.

He mentions that poetry is a relatively new medium for him, which I didn’t expect – his poetry is the main body of his work that I read. He smiles and says ‘poetry is really something that I’ve got into as a result of being in Oxford. Before coming to University, I wrote maybe three poems in my entire life’ he laughs to himself as he recounts one of those times being for a poetry competition at his sixth form, which they eventually cancelled to his disappointment. However, as seems to be a theme with Luke, he managed to turn this situation into a golden opportunity later on: ‘I just put it away and didn’t think about it for a couple of years. When I got to Merton, I discovered the Merton poetry society and thought that since I had this poem that had been sitting there, it would just be silly to not take this opportunity.

I submitted it and they were really kind about it, I went along to a meeting and met lots of really lovely people and thought – huh, poetry is kinda cool? And just got into it like that. If I hadn’t have come to Merton, I don’t think I would have pursued this route.’

We also discuss the viability of poetry with an intense Oxford term, with Luke saying ‘it is a lot easier to write a little ten line poem then sit down with the intention of writing the latest scene in a novel – poetry provides a creative outlet between essays’.

Whilst during Oxford terms, Luke mainly finds time for poetry, during the vacs he takes every opportunity to continue his lengthier projects: ‘this vac I have written

two chapters of the novel I am working on and it has been so lovely to disappear and be like ‘I’m going to pretend to be a witch!’

I ask if he finds his subject inspiring for the writing process – usually you would expect writers to study English and read novels. His reply is that of someone who has endless passion for everything he sets his mind to, and the ability to find creativity everywhere he looks: ‘we live in this world where so much has happened, the breadth of human creativity is so large, as a historian you read things and think that can’t possibly have happened, but it has. I come away thinking, well yes these are some great ideas for an essay but imagine putting them into a fantasy context…’

I explained to Luke that when starting student profiles, part of the idea was to spotlight the amazing work of students but also to help make some more things accessible. Luke is an incredible writer, has been writing throughout his life, but as he himself states, his degree at Oxford has changed the direction of his writing immeasurably: from inspiration from his degree to the environment of Merton College and the exploration of the medium of poetry to being published in the Oxford Review of Books. When asked what others could do to pursue a creative outlet whilst trying to get to grips with the Oxford workload, he suggests looking up and finding societies, such as the Merton Poetry Society: ‘you don’t need to constantly commit to doing absolutely everything, just take a chance. You might be led to the most creative thing you have ever done, or you might never think about it again. But just take that chance – what have you got to lose?’

Friday, 23rd April 2021 | Cherwell

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features

MATERIAL GIRL: HOW THE PANDEMIC CHANGED THE WAY WE SHOP JILL CUSHEN

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lmost 40 years later, Madonna’s words still ring through: “everybody’s living in a material world, and I am a material girl.” Guilty as charged, and mildly ashamed that pandemic me proved to be more materialistic than I would like to admit.

The reopening of non-essential retail marks a return to the throngs of shoppers on UK high streets, but when the first national lockdown greeted us,

many bricks and mortar retailers were forced to open their virtual doors – and consumers flocked.

87% of British consumers started utilizing online retailers in 2020, increasing from 53% in 2008.

Dependence on e-commerce peaked and the value of online sales reached £99.31 billion in the UK. For some, the pandemic came with the realisation of what is really important, and that, perhaps, life would go on without a new pair of shoes or

the latest beauty supplies. For others, online purchases were a treat after a long week of working from home and with less social living expenses, they had more to spend on discretionary items.

When first faced with our new reality, even a trip to the supermarket, an armour of hand sanitiser, face masks, and gloves in tow, was no small feat, and for some, it was easier, safer and more convenient to buy groceries with a swipe and a click. But

Tesco and Ocado were not the only delivery vans on the road. In April 2020, online retail experienced an increase of 15.8% and during the most recent lockdown in the UK, the proportion of online spending soared to 35.2%.

The periods of lockdown changed the state of online shopping and retailers were forced into drastic shifts in order to keep up with consumer behaviour. To navigate this new competitive reality, retailers

adapted by extending their digital engagement, attempting to bring an ‘in-store’ feel to their online presence, improving their delivery services, investing in warehousing spaces, and simplifying the experience by reducing the number of clicks. Celine Pannuti, Head of European Staples and Beverages Research at J.P. Morgan, said: “In the past few years, some of the big players have invested a lot to be more digitally savvy, accelerating innovation

Cherwell | Friday, 23rd April 2021

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and refocusing their portfolios. for brunch? The answer: because board before reaching a product thanks to autofill, your order is on Despite the hike in retailers I think a few of these companies we could. For some, buying that would fit in the palm of your its way! The ability of devices to switching to digital sales, for had come into the pandemic pre- unnecessary items also provided hand. Amazon’s sales in the UK save card information also means certain stores, such as Primark, pared to a certain degree, because hope for time when strutting soared to a record $26.5bn but that all we have to remember is online retailing isn’t an option. they had prepared their company down to the local pub in brand even before the pandemic, a that three-digit CVV. Farnoosh The related logistics costs to onto change and pivot more online. new loafers would be allowed. report from the nonprofit ocean Torabi, a personal finance coach, line shopping means that delivery We see retailers narrowing their Online shopping enables a advocacy organization Oceana said: “Money is abstract as it is, costs would exceed the value of product range, focusing on what similar sense of control to panic estimated that Amazon was re- and it’s why a lot of us have a hard many of its goods. A recent report matters more and mainstream buying. A 2013 study published in sponsible for 465 million pounds t i m e carried out by IMRG, found that brands and products, so the shift the Journal of Consumer Psychol- of plastic packaging waste. In 33% of retailers had to to e-commerce for big and small ogy found that shopping choices 2019, Amazon co-founded People started to rely increase prices to brands is key.” restored personal control and The Climate Pledge and cover the cost The word ‘essential’ is difficult reduced residual sadness. The re- committed to “making on the instant gratification of online of returns. to define in a society where, search was based on the fact that all Amazon shipments The quesfor most, all the basic needs “sadness is strongly associated net zero carbon through shopping tion now that of Maslow’s pyramid are met. with a sense that situational forc- Shipment Zero, with 50% of non-essential Non-essential retail shut but that es control the outcomes in one’s all shipments net zero carbon by retail has reopened and didn’t stop non-essential pur- life”. The concept of situational 2030”.Senior air quality manager managing it. If things are gradually returning chases. In the midst of lockdown, forces dictating the events of our for Environmental Defense Fund you have to see money leave your to ‘normal’, is whether the shifts boredom was rampant and buying lives - sounds vaguely familiar Europe, Elizabeth Fonseca, told wallet, overspending is harder.” in online shopping, our attitude online was safer. But deeper psy- during a global pandemic. A year the Evening Standard: “Air After days confined to their towards consuming and our chological theories underpin the of turmoil wrought personal pollution is an unintended con- homes, many people started to conception of money, are here online habits of pandemic buyers. upheaval and a lack of individual sequence of this rise, especially spend their time and their money to stay. Sarah Hunter, Chief AusPeople took to the supermar- control, resulting in consumers since most deliveries happen via differently. People spent less and tralia Economist at BIS Oxford kets in droves last March, even clinging to their power of con- diesel-fuelled vans that pump saved more. Barclaycard found Economics, said: Australia is a before a national lockdown was sumption. When faced with an dangerous pollutants into the air that overall consumer spending really interesting case study on announced. Trollies overflowed uncertain situation we tend to try we breathe.” was down by 7.1%. The transition this as the pandemic is basically with jumbo packs of toilet roll whatever we can to feel like we Henry David Thoreau once said to a cashless society also gained under control domestically which and enough dried pasta to feed have some control. And so, virtual that “The price of anything is the momentum. Eric Leenders, man- means that the majority of rethe population of Italy. Upon retail therapy and comfort buying amount of life you exchange for aging director of personal finance strictions have been lifted.” She entering a frightening abyss of provided a sense of control at a it”. Judging by that account, I’ve at UK Finance, said: “September added: “We can see in the data uncertainty, people clasped at time when we felt deprived of so given Asos much more than they [2020] saw the proportion of that although online’s share of what control they had. Speaking deserve. Fast fashion brands were contactless debit card payments total retail spending has fallen to CNBC Paul Marsden, conone of the few retail hit a record high for the second back from its lockdown peak it’s sumer psychologist at Buying unnecessary items winners. Boohoo, month in a row, rising to 64% a long way above where it was a the University of for example, of total transactions in August. year ago.” the Arts London, also provided hope for time when strutting recorded an The value of overall contactless According to Statista, online said: “Panic increase in spending was also up by over 18% retail is forecasted to grow by buying can be down to the local pub in brand new loafers its sales by compared to the same period last 34% in the next three years but understood as 45% to £368m year, as consumers made further Celine Pannuti researcher at J.P. playing to our three would be allowed. from March to use of the increased £45 contact- Morgan said: “In the next 12-24 fundamental psychology May. While fewer less spending limit.” months, consumers are going to needs.” He explained that autonoclicks before being thanked for Instantaneous access to money, be left with less money in their my, relatedness, and competence, much. your purchase may help retailers the convenience of carrying only a pocket. Many people will be left give people a sense that they are The sight of delivery drivers stay afloat while also being con- thin card and no rattling sound of unemployed and will have less “smart shoppers”. raised a smile during the height venient for consumers, for some coins in the bottom of your pocket to spend. This will reinforce the Among the top products that of lockdown when the thought of passive shoppers (those whose all sounds very appealing but the trend for staying at home. We boomed during lockdown were opening a package was the peak go-to procrastination method is prospect of a cashless society also could also see some downtrading jigsaws, to counteract boredom, excitement of the day. However, adding items to their wishlist), brings risks. Sweden has one of the as consumers settle for more computer accessories and fur- the increase in home delivery had there is a dangerous lack of steps world’s most aggressive policies affordable options, though for niture, to spruce up the home wider environmental impacts. But before their bank balance drops a to become cashless with cash ac- now, we have seen consumers office, and booze, well, to keep it’s not unusual to have to tear few digits. counting for less than 1% buying big brands and choosing sane. Sales of active wear and open a large box and unDuring the pandemic, household names overvalue casual clothes continued to rise wrap multiple l a y e r s people started to rely Virtual retail theror private label prodthroughout the year, but, as we of plastic and on the instant ucts.” sank deeper into lockdown funks, card- gratification of apy and comfort buying provided a sense Before I luxury apparel and accessories online shopleft home for also started to rise. Why buy ping.

Buying of comfort at a time when we felt deprived Oxford last a Gucci handbag when is just one October, my you can’t flaunt click away. And for of so much. dad told me that it while anyone with an overdraft, a significant number of out there’s no need to worry delivery drivers were losing their about having enough of total transactions compared to jobs. Why? because my leaving cash at hand. Many 23% in the UK. Many find it hard- meant a huge drop in deliveries to people add items to their er to control spending when they the area. After that funny, but not basket and after finding can’t see the physical cash leaving so subtle, nudge, I realised that I themselves curious as to their hands, and if anything was may need to reexamine my online how much of a bill they to happen to your bank account, shopping habits. At least now, have worked up, they end in a cashless society there are no while I’m still a material girl, if I up confirming their pur- alternative sources of finance. do splurge on a clothing haul, I’ll chase. The only roadblock Diners are also less likely to leave have somewhere to wear my new is entering their card de- tips when they haven’t got small purchases, even if it’s only to my tails giving them time to change and, for children, there’ll local beer garden! come to their senses and be no spontaneous £5 notes from change their mind. But, generous neighbours.

Artwork by Rachel Jung.

19

Friday, 23rd April 2021 | Cherwell

sport Caitlin Murray

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ove it or hate it, artificial crowd noise has become a staple of televised British football since ‘Project Restart’ kicked-off back in Summer 2020. It has polarised football fans, broadcasters, players and managers alike. For Bristol City manager Nigel Pearson, it “got on his nerves” so much he ordered it to be turned off at Ashton Gate for their recent fixture against Nottingham Forest in the Championship.

Whereas, if you’re anything like me, you may have become so accustomed to the ‘fake’ crowd noise that you don’t even notice it anymore. Either way, the days of listening to artificial crowd noise appear to be numb=ered, with the return of fans to football grounds pencilled in for this summer.

Without fans in the stadiums, some may argue their team has lost their home advantage. Statistics would support that claim, with the probability of the home team in a Premier League fixture losing rising by 4% since fans have been unable to attend games.

The particular losers from playing behind-closed-doors include Newcastle, Sheffield United and Brighton. Specifically, the Premier League holders, Liverpool, have uncharacteristically only managed to score three goals at Anfield in 2021, and have dropped 20% more points without fans in the stadium.

On the other hand, teams like West Ham have thrived without fans, transforming from a team fighting to stay in the division at all to challenging for a Champions League place. A pertinent question, which only time will tell, is whether the return of fans will restore the ‘home advantage’ back to pre-pandemic normality, or the loss of ‘home advantage’ will be a part of the ‘new-normal’ for footballers and fans alike?

Should the pilot events be successful, it is likely that the clash between Newcastle and Fulham, on the final day of the season with both teams fighting to remain in the division, will be played in front of 10,000 Fulham supporters. Whilst we are all eager to return to watching our beloved teams in person, fixtures such as these raise the question of whether it is fair to have fans

The return of fans: a big win for supporters and teams alike? return at such a crucial point in the season when so much is at stake.

Another factor to consider is how the players themselves will respond. It has been more than a calendar year since games began being played behind-closed-doors, and much like fans have become used to hearing artificial crowd noise, I imagine some players have also become accustomed to playing to empty stadiums. Many Premier League players have referenced the importance of fans and how much they have been missed during this period; therefore, I am sure players cannot wait for the return of the ‘12th-man’ to stadiums very soon.

For teams under particular pressure, however, will fans returning in time for the end of the Premier League season be a positive force or will it just increase the burden on managers already under heavy scrutiny? Put differently, have some Premier League managers and players had it ‘too easy’ without fans being able to visibly

THE MEN WITHOUT DISGRACE Maurício Alencar

CW: suicide.

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lizabeth Bishop, one of the great American poets of the mid-twentieth century, lived in Brazil for 15 years, between 1951 and 1967.

During the course of her time in Brazil, Bishop lived in an apartment overlooking Rio’s Copacabana Beach with her partner Lota de Macedo Soares, a prominent Brazilian architect. In a holiday magazine on Brazil for Time, published in 1963, she writes: “Like the heroes of Homer, men can show their emotions without disgrace.

In their superb futebol (soccer football), players hug and kiss each other when they score goals, and weep dramatically when they fail to.”

Football’s cathartic shocks seem to be an intriguing yet bewildering source of interest for Bishop. It comes as no surprise at all to any avid football watcher that the game can unapologetically set any feeling

alight – frustration, glee, regret, euphoria, misery- but it comes as a novelty for the outsider, Bishop. She believes that football has the power to rupture the façade of masculinity; she is surprised at how the game can be a unique 90 minutes in which a man can unleash what he has reserved within himself. A football match is that designated moment of emotional freedom in one’s day.

Mr Brewer in Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway reckons football to be key to ‘manliness’. Septimus, Clarissa Dalloway’s alterego in the novel, is ‘promoted’ through the army ranks due to the disciplines he gained from playing football, as ‘advised’ by his boss Mr Brewer. The irony there is that this discipline is lost: Septimus suffers from shell shock after the Great War and spends his time grieving for Evans, his friend from the war. Though the mention of football is only a passing comment in Mrs Dalloway, that mention seems to be one which bears much significance in the development of

show their reactions to games and performances?

As much as fans are the ‘12th-man’ and can offer support and encouragement at crucial points in games, they also make their feelings very clear when they feel their teams aren’t performing. With many Newcastle fans venting their frustration towards both their owner Mike Ashley and manager Steve Bruce on social media, it will be interesting to see how the return of supporters to St James’ Park unfolds in the near future.

Likewise, would Liverpool supporters have been sympathetic of their teams drop in form this season, particularly at home, had they been present at Anfield?

With only three managerial casualties this season, it is not unreasonable to suggest that a lack of fans has kept a few managers in employment where club owners would have probably responded to fan pressure had their frustrations been highSeptimus’s character, and the way the lessons of football have effectively failed him.

Though the social and historical contexts of Woolf are very different to Bishop, football remained to be a source of leisure and cathartic release for many in early 19th century England and 1950s Brazil- the famous Christmas day truce of 1914 being but one example where soldiers replaced gunshot hostility for friendly footballing rivalry. Though it might be a hypothesis to say so, Mr Brewer’s misjudgement of the morals and disciplines that football offers could be an indirect cause of Septimus’s struggles with mental health.

Football conceived of as a discipline ultimately fails Septimus, and the shameless display of emotions in Brazilian football shocks Bishop. What Bishop and Woolf’s texts suggest is that football is not an enactment of masculinity, but is rather a moment of escape from the customary gender role-play we perform every day.

That unforgettable image of Paul Gascoigne crying, English football’s madman, nation-sweetheart, is one particular moment in which football managed to completely emasculate England’s manliest of men. Gazza’s virility had been shattered with these tears, but there was no shame to it all; the country had sympathised and quickly forgiven him in this hopelessly

lighted at stadiums each weekend. Equally, you could argue that the lack of visible pressure from fans every week has allowed managers to focus on the job at hand rather than being distracted by speculation about their job status.

All in all, the pandemic and subsequent empty stadiums have highlighted the importance of fans. Only time will tell whether such a return will benefit the ‘Big six’ the most, or whether the return of supporters will offer huge boosts to the smaller teams in the Premier League.

One thing is for sure, given that the first of three pilot events is to be played imminently at Wembley Stadium, I am sure millions of football fans in the UK, eager to return to watch their beloved teams in action will be watching the games extraclosely, if not with a slight hint of jealously towards the lucky few able to return early.

Image credit: Steffen Prößdorf. CC BY-SA 4.0. romantic moment.

One would hope that all men privately weeping at home would feel absolved of shame from watching Gazza cry, David Luiz burst into red-eyed tears after defeat to Germany, as well as Beckham, Buffon, or Terry in other historic footballing moments. Even Diego Costa cries, according to Mourinho. One would have hoped that since the time of Mrs Dalloway, football’s on-field freedom of emotion would have been passed on beyond football and let men in other walks of life to freely express their emotions. And yet, suicide is the “biggest cause of death for men under 35” and an eighth of men suffer from “one of the common mental health disorders” in statistics taken from 4 years ago. Needless to say, the pandemic has been an especially difficult time for people suffering with mental health problems. Within football, the Heads Together campaign by The FA and the Duke of Cambridge have brought this discussion of mental health to the fore.

If one can fall into a pit of sorrow and despair over the course of 90 minutes without any sense of shame or embarrassment, why can’t we take one minute more to cry ‘without disgrace’?

But then again, perhaps I am the modernday Mr Brewer, misjudging what lessons there are to take from football myself.

Cherwell | Friday, 23rd April 2021

20

OXFORD MEDICS RAISE NEARLY £4000 FOR CHARITY AFTER RUNNING DISTANCE FROM OXFORD TO FRANKFURT Maurício Alencar

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team of Oxford medicine students from Tingewick have climbed a total of 22,862m, which is over the height of Olympus Mons, the largest planetary mountain in the solar system and twice and a half times the size of Mount Everest, by running up Headington Hill over the weekend.

The group also ran a total of 758.89km, which is equivalent to the distance from Oxford to Frankfurt.

As of the 19th of April, the group have raised a total of £3762 for Oxford Hospitals Charity and Calon Hearts. The group are still looking for final donations.

Tingewick is a charity run by Oxford medicine students which hosts a range of fundraising events across the calendar year, leading up to an annual pantomime at Christmas for hospital patients, a tradition which has lasted 83 years.

Tingewick has 29 members, and many of them have been volunteering and working in Oxford’s hospitals over the pandemic.

The group “also always do a big physical challenge”, which has included cycles to Paris and the Oxford Half, as Meirian Evans, producer of Tingewick Firm, told Cherwell.

Their donation target was initially £1000, and they hoped to run the height of Mount Everest, but the team members managed to stunningly surpass those targets by enormous amounts.

As a result of last Christmas’s panto-

mime not happening and given current difficult circumstances in healthcare, Tingewick firm has sought to go the extra mile in fundraising.

The charities Tingewick and fundraising for this year are Oxford Hospitals Charity and Calon Hearts. Oxford Hospitals Charity supports NHS staff in Oxford working on the pandemic frontline through funding extra psychological support. The

charity also funds specialist equipment for patients.

Calon Hearts is a charity chosen in memory of Issie Mogg, a “much-loved and greatly missed friend and medical student of Oxford University” who unfortunately passed away suddenly of an undiagnosed heart condition in 2018. Calon Hearts works to tackle heart disease in Wales by placing defibrillators in communities

and delivering the training of CPR and defibrillation as well.

Runners in the event were rotated and given breaks across the 48 hours in order to give them time to “refuel on both food and sleep”.

Most runners ran in pairs to keep motivation levels at a high. Most runner groups also ran in 3 or 4 hour time slots, with friends lining up along Headington in support of the run.

Lucy Denly, one of the event’s organisers, told Cherwell prior to the event, that she was particularly nervous of “people missing alarms and failing to wake up for their 3am shifts”. The bar has been raised for next year’s physical challenge.

Lucy Denly also told Cherwell before the event: “There has been some very intense training from some of the runners, and some much less intense form others!

“I think the hardest bit about the challenge will be keeping going throughout the night.

“We have some people who are doing upwards of 12 hours of ascending and descending, so we are expecting many sore legs and blistered toes by the end of the challenge.”

The group is always looking for donations from the student community and beyond. You can access their webiste at tingewick.org for more information or to make donations.

Image courtesy of Tingewick.

S P O R T S

S H O R T S

MICKEY LEWIS 1965-2021

SPORT AND GYMS ARE BACK!

Cherwell Sport

Members of the Oxfordshire and wider football communities have been paying tribute to Mickey Lewis, ex-player and coach for Oxford United and coach of 18 years for OUAFC, who died on 5th March. Mickey’s tragic death at the age of 56, after a short battle with cancer, has shocked and saddened clubs and individuals from across the football pyramid, including many of the thousands of young players he coached both within Oxford University and elsewhere in the city.

His contribution to football in Oxfordshire is immeasurable, and nothing short of legendary. Mickey readily took on backroom roles as diverse as caretaker manager, stand-in physio, and occasional coach driver on top of

his playing duties at professional club Oxford United. Later, he devoted himself to working as a youth coach at United, as well as with semi-pro side Oxford City (where he led the Velocity Football programme) and OUAFC, whom he guided to one of their most successful periods ever.

Speaking to Cherwell, current Blues Captain Ben Putland described Mickey as “an incredibly kind, generous, and funny man who taught us much more than football” and “a lifelong friend to hundreds of Blues, past and present”. OUAFC hopes to celebrate Mickey’s life and achievements with a number of commemorative events over the next year and beyond.

Read the full tribute at cherwell.org Image courtesy of OUAFC.

Matthew Cogan

Sport is back and gyms are open! After months and months of home workouts and hundreds of miles of running on the pavements of Oxford, organised sport is finally back. One of the first examples was the Boat Race a couple of weeks ago, which, despite two hard fought contests, saw Oxford lose in both the men’s and women’s races. It was brilliant to see the crews back out on the water and it felt like a great return to normality for so many of us to cheer them on. As the term has now started, many more sports are back in training finally after a long period away.

There has been a lot of worry and discussion surrounding the safety of gyms opening.

Many in the industry have argued that with

social distancing and new cleaning methods, gyms are as safe as they can be and the risk of catching the virus is limited. However, Global News have reported that 400 cases of Covid-19 have been traced to a single gym in Quebec City, with 195 direct cases of clients and employees of the gym. This raises the question: are gyms really as safe as many people would have you believe?

We have all struggled through the last few months, but I am sure that everyone is glad that we are once again allowed back out on the courts, pitches, or into the gyms; the return of both college and university sport this Trinity term will be welcome for all.

Image courtesy of The Declaration.

Cherwell | Friday, 23rd April 2021

21

puzzles

CROSSWORD

Weekly quiz The crossword and Sudoku answers will be released online a week after the publication of each edition, and the first person to email in the correct answers will be named in the next edition. Anyone who can prove that the answers to one of my quiz questions is wrong will get a full-page apology letter publicly released for all to see.

Happy Puzzling! W. A. Whitten 1. Who held the office of UK Foreign secretary between 1997 and 2001?

2. What element has an atomic mass of 6.9 and an atomic number of 3?

3. Along with Edmund Hillary, who was the first man to climb mount Everest?

4. How many times zones does Canada pass through?

5. What was the first a Capella song to reach No. 1 on the Billboard charts?

6. Out of the three movies to have won eleven academy awards which won was the only one to have won in every category it was nominated in?

7. Which Russian Tsar was both a composer and responsible for the death of his son?

8. Which Oxford College is named after a Scottish king?

9. Which Emperor of Rome attempted to murder his mother with a collapsing ship?

10. Which is the only nation to have won all three of the Football World Cup, the Rugby World Cup, and the Cricket World Cup? 11. Who played Basil Fawlty in the Tv show Fawlty Towers?

12. Who played T. E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia?

13. Who commanded the British forces at the battle of Blenhiem?

14. Michael Angelo and Leonardo Davinci were both natives of what Italy city?

15. How many English counties are there?

By Jenson Davenport Down 1. Currency of the UAE (6) 2. Wild or frenzied; Norse warrior fighting with insane fury (7) 3. To leisurely walk at a relaxed pace (5) 4. The study and treatment of tumours (8) 6. Quid Pro ___ (3) 8. Football, team rivalry (5) 12. Body of an animal hit by a vehicle (8) 14. Surround on all sides (7) 16. Greek storyteller known for his fables (5) 18. Traditional Chinese tea that is partially oxidised (6) 19. Very thin pancake (5) 22. US Agency responsible for collecting and coordinating intelligence (3) Across 5. Relating to horses (6) 7. Second holiest city in Islam, after Mecca (6) 9. 19th Century Dutch post-impressionist (4) 10. Southern Italian city, its port captured by US troops in 1943 (7) 11. Involuntary shaking movements (7) 13. Don Juan poet (5) 15. Unit to weigh precious stones (15) 17. A word opposite in meaning to another (7) 20. “A _______ For A Knave”, Barry Hines (7) 21. The state of being without or without enough (4) 23. Faux pas (4, 2) 24. Arabian Nights hero who tells adventures of his voyages (6)

SUDOKU

By Cinna Mekonnen

E A S Y

M E D I U M

H A R D

QUIZ ANSWERS Send solutions to puzzlescherwell@ gmail.com.

1. Robin Cook.

2. Lithium.

3. Tenzing Norgay.

4. Six. 5. ’Don’t Worry, Be Happy’,

by Bobby McFerrin.

6. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

7. Ivan the Terrible.

8. Balliol.

9. Nero.

10. England.

11. John Cleese.

12. Peter O’Toole.

13. John Churchill 14. Florence 15. 27.