Cherwell - 5th Week Michaelmas 2020 by Cherwell

Friday, 13th November 2020 | Vol.292 No.4 | 5th week

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Cherwell

Friday, 13th November 2020

100 YEARS

A century of independence since 1920

OXFORD’S TIES TO NUCLEAR WEAPONS INDUSTRY REVEALED Ben Jacob

Freedom of Information requests submitted by Cherwell have revealed that Oxford University accepted at least £726,706 from the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE), the designer and producer of the UK’s nuclear warheads, during the years 201719 alone. The majority of this money was awarded to the Oxford Centre for High Energy Density Science (OxCHEDS), which advertises AWE as one of its ‘national partners’ on its website. AWE’s funding is mostly used by OxCHEDS to fund individual research projects and studentships, with a substantial portion (£82,863 in 2019) funding the department’s William Penney Fellowship, named after the head of the British delegation for the Manhattan Project and ‘father of the British atomic bomb’. According to the AWE website, William Penney Fellows “act as ambassadors for AWE in the scientific and technical com-

munities in which they operate”. This fellowship is currently shared by two professors, both of whom collaborate closely with US state laboratories that develop nuclear weapons, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the Los Alamos National Laboratory. AWE donations have also funded projects at the University’s Departments of Chemistry, Engineering, and Physics, a number of which are directly linked to the design of nuclear weapons. One AWE-funded paper, published in 2019, investigated fusion yield production, a method of testing the destructive power of a warhead prior to manufacturing, whilst another project researched methods used by nuclear weapons designers for simulating the interior of a detonating warhead. This research also has civilian applications, and does not in itself point towards the development of nuclear weapons. A spokesperson from Oxford University stated: “Oxford Uni-

versity research is academically driven, with the ultimate aim of enhancing openly available scholarship and knowledge. All research projects with defence sector funding advance general scientific understanding, with a wide range of subsequent civilian applications, as well as potential application by the sector.”

However, AWE is not a civilian organisation. As Andrew Smith of Campaign Against the Arms Trade told Cherwell, “the AWE exists to promote the deadliest weaponry possible. It is not funding these projects because it cares about education, but because it wants to benefit from the research and association that

goes with it”. Smith concluded: “Oxford University should be leading by example, not providing research and cheap labour for the arms industry”. Responding to Cherwell’s findings, Dr Stuart Parkinson, Director of Scientists for Global Responsibility, described Oxford Continued on page 2

Image credit: Disarm Oxford

Colleges reduce vacation residence as SU lobbies for international students Imogen Duke

Some colleges are reducing the availability of vacation residence for students, while Oxford SU is lobbying to ensure international students are guaranteed accommodation for those who wish to remain. Oxford SU passed a motion in 3rd week resolving to ask the University to guarantee all international student residence in Oxford over the vacation. The SU also resolves to push for vacation

residence to be offered at 15% of usual vacation rent. Oxford SU will further ask the University to ensure students who are required to quarantine upon return to Oxford get free accommodation, and receive food at the average price of their college’s home food. Some international students are facing difficulty travelling home, due to border closures and quarantine requirements. College policies do not currently fulfil Oxford SU’s requests.

St John’s College has said that their vacation residence and grant scheme “will not operate as usual” during this vacation. All students have to leave, except international students whose home borders are closed and students with extended terms for their subjects. St John’s told students that this was to ensure staff get a break from a difficult term, and students get a break to spend some time in a “different environment” before next year.

Queen’s College emailed students saying they “strongly urge” and “expect” all UK-domiciled students to return, noting that for students with welfare concerns, the welfare services would be closed for a period over the vacation. They also told international students that the requirement to quarantine in their home country and in the UK is “unlikely” to be a “compelling reason” to be granted vacation residence. Queen’s said that, if borders for

students’ home countries are closed, students should consider asking friends to stay at their homes. Queen’s reminded students that “there is no automatic right to stay in College”. One anonymous student told Cherwell: “The vacation residence policy email I received from my college was a disappointing read that placed unnecessary anxiety upon estranged students. For some of us, home life is not safe: it does Continued on page 3

Cherwell | Friday, 13th November 2020

2 | News

WHAT’S INSIDE LEADER A quiet night in with CNN

NEWS Oxford vaccine results “within weeks”

Blackwell’s launch delivery service

Benin Bronzes controversy

Boa Constrictor snake skin found in Oxford

COMMENT US Election Special Society Spotlight: Cameroon Crisis Student Society

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FEATURES Going viral: Religion and the pandemic

SPORT The consumer gobble-up: Transfers and Adorno

“T

Continued from page 1 University’s ties with AWE as “shocking” and called for the work to be “terminated immediately”. He said that the findings “point very clearly to Oxford University researchers being involved in the development of mass destruction”. In the face of this criticism, the University spokesperson claimed: “All research funders must first pass ethical scrutiny and be approved by the University’s Committee to Review Donations and Research Funding. This is a robust, independent system, which takes legal, ethical and reputational issues into consideration.” However, there are growing concerns over the ethics and efficacy of this process, which has seen controversial donations from the Sackler family, Wafic Saïd, and Stephen Schwarzman given the green light despite internal and public protests. The committee’s deliberations are frequently subject to Non-Disclosure Agreements, meaning that they are not accountable to members of the University and to the wider public. Moreover, Freedom of Information requests submitted earlier this year revealed that the committee accepts over 95% of the funding it considers, with congregation members describing the committee as a ‘smokescreen’ and a ‘fig leaf’. In recent years, the University has faced increased opposition

from student groups such as the Oxford Climate Justice Campaign and Oxford Against Schwarzman over the companies Oxford chooses to affiliate itself with through investments and donations. From this term onwards, a newly formed student group, Disarm Oxford, will be campaigning against the University’s numerous ties with the arms industry. Oxford Amnesty International is working with Disarm Oxford on the global Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, and to strive for the disarmament of the University more broadly. Dr Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury and Chair of the Trustees of the Council for the Defence of British Universities, told Cherwell: “The recent publicity around university divestment from fossil fuels has highlighted the need for university bodies to

be transparent about the ethical standards they apply to their funding, and it is encouraging to see this crucial question being raised also in the context of armaments-related funds and research.” The combination of Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic has created a particularly difficult time for university research finances. In a marketised higher education system, seeking and welcoming money from industry partnerships seems like an inevitability.However, while some industries rely on academic research to save lives, others are predicated on taking them. With the UK confirmed this year as the world’s second biggest exporter of arms, the University’s significant ties to the development of weaponry has an alarming global significance which is now beginning to be called into question.

Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston. Image credit: Ivaneol/ Wikimedia Commons

onight will be a slashes of red and blue cut across slap in the face. If the BBC covwatershed. A prothe floor, interspersed with erage was like riding the lazy found moment in glowing 3D stars. A roar of claxriver, watching CNN is being American histoons fills the room. Floor to ceilthrown backwards down the rapry,” grunts Andrew Neil from ing screens are pulsating red, ids. over the top of his too-tight prep white and blue. KEY RACE For the last four years, Amerischool tie. “Join us for all the exALERT flashes across the wall can politics have been a soap opcitement of election night,” adds and everyone begins to scream. era and tonight is the grand fiKatty Kay from behind oversized Everything is said in CAPS nale. So it is hardly surprising beige glasses that match her top. LOCK and fast forward. States go when Trump starts punctuating Their enthusiasm is soporific. I from red to blue to red to blue a the night with his trademark am unconvinced. plot twists and jump Elections are about scares. Baselessly claim stopped hearing KEY RACE counting and the “AT A N Y MOMENT I FEEL CERTAIN victory? Why not! AcALERT every time I close my BBC knows as well cuse the entire electoral eyes and I’m finally able to look as you or I that there THE CA MER A WILL PA N TO SHOW JOHN system of the United at an electoral map without is nothing sexy States of institutional coming out in a nasty rash. But about counting. KING INJECTING BLU E SPA RK DIRECTLY fraud? Sure thing! With thinking back, I can see that the For the first few states being auctioned damage done by the US election hours of their reINTO HIS V EINS.” off like old sofas, everycoverage extends far beyond my sults coverage, the thing is up for grabs. own slight discomfort. Assured BBC announces eveKing must have stood in the knowledge of Biden’s deciry single state as “too early to hundred times before the vote in front of the so-called ‘magic sive victory with 290 electoral project”, accompanied by a slapcount even reaches 3%. KEY wall’ for the best part of a huncollege votes, I can’t help but dash Powerpoint slide, a greyRACE ALERT. I jump out of my dred hours, never once losing his wonder why it ever needed to be scale map of America and yet anseat and drop my phone. At any characteristic showmanship or so scary in the first place. Why other explanation of the moment I feel certain the camdropping below three hundred was King speaking so quickly electoral college. I’m happy, alera will pan to show John King words per minute. But not even when all of the experts had prethough not enthusiastic, to injecting Blue Spark directly the rockstar himself could hurry dicted that the result would watch half-heartedly while into his veins. up the scrolling through Facebook. Like This type of over-caffeinated p a i n s t a kriding a lazy river, I’m here for Hollywood hyperactivity is iningly slow the scenery if not for the thrill. stantly recognisable. It’s the counting in “FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS, Then one of my flatmates (a same thing that I grew up watchArizona, PPEist if it needs to be said) says ing on Saturday mornings on Pen n s ylv a- AMERICAN POLITICS HAVE BEEN A SOAP the three fateful words: “Let’s Nickelodeon; the studio could nia and watch CNN”. have broken out into a Jonas Georgia. No OPERA AND TONIGHT IS THE GRAND The sentence had barely left Brothers flash mob and I matter how their mouth and we are plunged wouldn’t have batted an eyelid. hard CNN headfirst into a raging whirlpool The commercial breaks prowas trying, of percentages, polls and predicvide little in the way of respite, the election was going to be a come in days and not hours? tions. The glossy studio is floodand sponsorship by meditation slow one. Why turn a blue state red when ed with prickly white light and app Calm feels like a sarcastic It’s a week later now and I’ve only 3% of the vote had been

Leader A QUIET NIGHT IN WITH CNN IZZY TOD counted? Why give Trump’s flagrant misinformation any screen time at all? The answer, of course, is that it makes for excellent TV. But in treating its audience as viewers as opposed to an electorate, CNN recklessly misused its power to influence the behaviour of the American people, some of whom were still able to vote. The way in which news is presented becomes the way in which it is received; if we are told in no uncertain terms that it is time to panic, that is what we will do. And the American media, in stirring up such a frenzy on election night, must surely shoulder some of the responsibility for last week’s uncertainty, anxiety and anger. Now when I watch the BBC I am thankful for its beigeness, for its understandable format and uncomplicated presenting. The sheer sensibleness of it all is deeply reassuring. I don’t think I’ll be tuning back into CNN any time soon - the news is stressful enough as it is.

Friday, 13th November 2020 | Cherwell

Oxford students raise £30,000 for Movember so far Millie Wood

Nearly 400 students at Oxford University have so far participated in Movember, raising over £30,000 for the campaign for men’s health. This total means that Oxford is currently the 5th highest fundraising university for the campaign and 15th overall in the UK for fundraising networks. 11 colleges have raised over £1000 and four have raised over £2,000. The top five colleges are as follows: Lincoln College have a significant lead above their competition with £4,888.93, Balliol and Brasenose are in second and third with £2,735.99 and £2,129.69 respectively. Then follow St Edmund Hall and Wadham College with totals around the £2000 mark. The highest ranking non-college organisation is the Oxford University Rugby Football Club (OURFC) at just over £1500. Balliol’s Movember Campaign, Balliol does Movember, have

created the Instagram account @balliolbeards to coordinate their campaign. Fundraising milestones have been set up to motivate donors and document their moustache growth. Balliol’s netball and rugby teams organised a Movember charity netball match, which helped the college reach £2000 in the first week of November. At the £2000 milestone, which has now been surpassed, a Balliol college member promised to wax his legs. At £2,500, a member of the college has said he would get frosted tips. Followers of the account have also been invited to vote for their favourite historical bearded figures, pitting Karl Marx against the Monopoly man. Oscar Lemmens, one of two Oxford University Movember ambassadors, is the highest individual donor at the university, raising over £1000. He told Cherwell: “Movember this year has gone incredibly well so far! Oxford has almost 400 students

participating and has raised over £25k in just a week. “This is the best start to Movember that Oxford has ever had. It’s been more difficult to spread awareness because all the moustaches are in lockdown. So we’ve had to get much more creative when it comes to fundraising - buzzcuts, armpit waxing, eyebrow shaving, you name it! “Anyone can get involved, regardless of gender or facial hair growth! We’ve seen people participate in any way they can, whether that’s getting a mullet or drawing on a moustache! At the end of the day, it’s meant to be a fun way of tackling serious issues by fundraising and spreading awareness!” Jacob Marchbak, the other Oxford University Movember ambassador, stated: “I first got involved with Movember in 2018 when my friends organised a quiz in my college bar and I thought it was a fantastic excuse to slack off work. After which, I successfully applied to become a Movember

STUDENTS

Vacation residence concerns Continued from page 1 not matter if this has always been the case, or if this is recent. Trinity Term lockdown was hard enough to suffer because students from other colleges were able to return - hopefully we can stay this time. “I, like many other students, am incredibly grateful for my time at Oxford because of the freedom it gives me. It is also one of the reasons students take advantage of the vacation residence system: escape. To put it plainly, studying in college is better than working at home. We already try so hard to learn to live independently, study efficiently and strike that balance needed to be happy that if we are forced back into our older unhealthy environments no good will come of it.” Students who were required to quarantine upon arrival at the beginning of Michaelmas faced

varied college policies. Oxford SU’s motion stated that students were “in some cases charged extortionate rates for their accommodation”. Cherwell reported at the beginning of the term that Oriel College charged self-isolating international students over £700, including a nearly £30 per day food bill. Some colleges, including Hertford, Magdalen, Queen’s, and Worcester College, made accommodation free. The plans for university students returning home were announced by the governmenton Wednesday. All students going home will be allocated departure dates between 3rd - 9th December. This will work in conjunction with mass COVID-19 testing. This aligns with the end of the Oxford term on 5th December, but it is earlier than many other university’s end of term dates.

Image credit: Odicalmuse / Wikimedia Commons

representative for the university. “Personally, I believe Movember occupies a unique and important space as not only a fundraiser for men’s health but also a vector to raise awareness and provide exposure for testicular cancer, prostate cancer and men’s mental health.” Movember is a charity initiative that takes place annually in November. Its focus is on raising money and awareness for men’s health issues from testicular cancer to suicide. People are encouraged to grow their facial hair, do challenges, or do exercise for the duration of the month in order to raise awareness and donations. This month, an alternative challenge to growing a moustache is running or walking 60km over November. Movember was founded in Australia in 2003. Since its inception, over 6 million people have taken part and over 1,250 men’s mental health projects have been funded. The movement also aims to raise money and awareness

News | 3 Students

for physical health problems, including prostate and testicular cancer. Movember aims to reduce the number of men dying prematurely by 25% by 2030. The movement uses education, communication, men-focused services, innovation, global connection, community, and advocation to achieve its goals. Image credit: Movember Foundation / Wikimedia Commons

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Oxford vaccine results “within weeks” Charlie Hancock

The results from the trials of the COVID-19 vaccine being developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca could be available within “weeks”, Sir John Bell, who leads the Oxford vaccine team, told the BBC’s World at One programme. Bell said: “Data from our first interim analysis is also likely to be available in the very near future, and by that I mean weeks not months. “There are many pathogens where we’ve tried for decades and never managed to get a vaccine, you know, malaria, HIV. These are there lots of diseases where making vaccines have proved to be almost impossible, but they’ve managed to break through with this with a very, very good result.” MPs have been told that there may not be many doses available by the end of the year. The chairwoman of the government’s vaccine taskforce, Kate Bingham, told the Commons Science and Technology Committee that only four million doses of the vaccine could be available by the end of the year. This is significantly fewer than the estimate given by the government in May, suggesting that 30 million doses could be available by September. The chair of the committee, Greg Clarke, said that too few doses would be available for “mass deployment” provide frontline health workers, and vulnerable communities such as the elderly protection. The news comes in the same week that Pfizer announced that an interim analysis of the COVID-19 vaccine they were developing found it was 90% effective in generating immunity in patients. Sir John Bell, a Regius professor of medicine who is involved in the development of

the Oxford vaccine described the Pfizer vaccine as demonstrating “an amazing level of efficacy”, with the potential to allow life to return to normality by spring 2021. The news was received positively in the media, with newspapers heralding the vaccine as “a little bottle of hope” whose development had been a “great day for humanity”, some experts have urged caution. Editor-in-chief of The Lancet medical journal criticised Pfizer for publishing their findings in a press release, instead of in a peer-reviewed paper in a scientific journal. “The messaging from scientists and government should be coordinated to manage public expectations”, he tweeted on 10 November. “Yesterday John Bell said life will return to normal by spring. Today Matt Hancock was much more cautious. Contradictory messaging damages public trust.” In order for a herd immunity to develop against COVID-19, the generally accepted figure is that about 70% of the population need to develop immunity to the virus. According to research from King’s College London, 16% of the UK population would not take any vaccine which became available, and only 20% would be “fairly likely” to accept it. The research found that a lack of trust in scientists and the government was a key factor which would reduce a person’s willingness to be vaccinated. The 53% of respondents who said they would be certain or “very likely” to accept the vaccine would not be enough to develop heard immunity, making it even more essential that the public is willing to participate in a vaccination programme.

Pfizer and their German partner BioNTech are yet to release the full data from their trials, leading Dr Simon Clarke from the University of Reading to note that “In the absence of any data… we have to take these very exciting claims at face value.” There are some concerns about how easy the Pfizer vaccine will be to distribute. In order for the vaccine to work, it has to be kept at -70C. This could make it harder to run vaccination programs in lowincome countries, where medical personnel may not have access to a freezer capable of keeping the vaccine at its optimum temperature. The Pfizer vaccine uses a strand of genetic code – mRNA – from the SARS-Cov-2 virus to cause human cells to produce viral proteins, which can be recognised by the body’s immune system. If it is approved by regulatory bodies, it will be the first vaccine of this type to be used on humans. Vaccines will need to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency before they can be rolled out.

4 | News CITY

Blackwell’s launches new lockdown delivery service for Oxford readers Daniel Morgan

Oxford bookshop Blackwell’s is planning to adapt to the new lockdown by relaunching a revamped version of the delivery service they pioneered back in March, when the store was closed for three months during the first lockdown. Speaking to the Oxford Mail, store manager Rebecca MacAllister discussed the differences between this delivery service and the one the store ran during the first lockdown. “This time, customers can still collect books from the bookshop or speak to a bookseller to place orders to be sent out to them at home....our booksellers are still here to help people stock up on books and do their Christmas shopping in the safest possible way.” Other innovations for this lockdown include a ‘books hotline’ where customers can phone in and receive Christmas shopping

advice. The service is supported by a bike delivery service to ensure orders are dispatched as rapidly as possible. Blackwell’s has confirmed that orders placed before 12pm will be delivered on the same day “to provide Oxford residents with a faster, more local and more sustainable book service”. The November lockdown has brought added pressure to the retail industry, with some reports

Image credit: Soham Banerjee/Wikimedia Commons

UNIVERSITY

Oxford announces LGBTQ+ lecture series Jade Calder

Oxford university is to launch a new twice-yearly lecture series, The Michael Dillon LGBTQ+ Lectures, at St Anne’s college, aim to facilitate discussions around LGBTQ+ issues and inspire the University body. The series is named in honour of alumnus Michael Dillon, who was the first person in the country to undergo hormone treatment and gender reassignment surgery. He studied at St Anne’s (then known as the Society of Home Students) during the 1930s, where he read Classics, before training as a physician at Trinity College, Dublin and becoming a transgender rights pioneer. Following his transition, the University Registrar agreed to alter his records to state that he had graduated from Brasenose, which was then all male. Following press attention, he fled to India to study Buddhism before passing away aged 47 in 1962. The series is presented in collaboration with the charitable organisation Frontline AIDS, who in 2019 provided 2.6 million marginalised and vulnerable people with HIV tests. They also work alongside the Elton John AIDS Foundation to provide grants to marginalised LGBTQ+ people, sex workers and drug users who struggle to access support for HIV via their Rapid Response Fund which oeprates in 47 countries. An online event to launch the series will be held on Wednesday 18th November and is entitled ‘LGBT Rights in a Time of Pandemic’. Guests for the launch event include Lord Smith of Finsbury, the first openly gay MP and cabinet minister and Juno Roche,

the writer and trans rights campaigner. The names of the guest lecturers are due to be announced shortly, and the organisers hope to hold the lectures in person once it is permitted. One of the series’ organisers, Dr Robert Stagg, said: “We wanted to invite lecturers from fields other than academia, who can bring their expertise and experience to the students and staff of the University and the general public. “I hope that the lecture series will highlight the range of LGBT+ achievement to all students, but particularly to students who fall within that broad coalition of identities, and that lectures will yield conversation about LGBT+ subjects that manages to be at once passionate and considered. “It is heartening to find strong institutional support for the lecture series, which will be one of Oxford’s flagship events in the years to come. It is particularly important that the University is naming a major lecture series after one of its trans alumni, and that it is committed to giving voice to trans speakers and audience members.”

Image credit: Lillen / Pixabay.

predicting a £6.8 billion loss for UK businesses across the four-week period. However, online shopping is burgeoning as shuttered brickand-mortar stores move onto the Internet. Well-known online retailers such as Amazon have fluorished during the coronavirus crisis. By going online, Blackwell’s is following a trend among retailers. Data published in July indicated a 102.7% rise in online supermarket shops from 2019-20. This development is not just confined to the food industry: 73% of 18-40 year olds say they will stick with online shopping even when restrictions are lifted. Blackwell’s innovations also follow another industry trend as readers appear to be returning to the purchase of physical books, with profits at the publisher Bloomsbury jumping 60% between February and August.

Cherwell | Friday, 13th November 2020 CITY

Oxford records its wettest October in 145 years Matthew Schaffel

Oxford recorded its wettest October in 145 years last month, according to data collected at the Radcliffe Observatory. 185.3mm of rain was recorded, making October the wettest month since 1875, and the fourth wettest month on record since 1767. With the measurements for rain so high, the levels of sunshine recorded in Oxford were well below average. Last month the Radcliffe station recorded only 70.7 hours of sunshine, which is over 30 hours below the monthly average for this time of year. Data on Oxford’s rain is collected by a rain gauge next to the observatory in the gardens of Green Templeton College. The gauge is read by eye every morning and is the longest, continuous, single-site precipitation data-set in the UK. Currently, Keble College doc-

toral student David Crowhurst is responsible for taking readings from the gauge. In a comment to the BBC he said: “We had an intense start to the month which was driven by Storm Alex, which saw 60mm falling on one day, the 3rd. That was quite something… but we also had 27 rainy days in the month. A rainy day is when rainfall is equal to or greater than 0.2mm per day, and those 27 rainy days are a record for an October.” 3rd October broke the record for the westtest day for UK-wide rainfall since records began in 1891, the Met Office has said. The previous record for wettest day was in August 1986. Oxfordshire was among the wettest counties in the UK, having already received 148% of its average October rainfall in the first two weeks of the month. Due to climate change, months which have extreme weather are only likely to increase.

Oxford Winter Night Shelter to close temporarily in lockdown Jonathon Yang

Oxford Winter Night Shelter (OWNS) has announced that it will not be housing rough sleepers during the upcoming winter months. In a statement released earlier this month, the shelter explains that “following detailed consideration of the recently published government guidelines in relation to Coronavirus restrictions for winter night shelter providers”, organizers have decided that “OWNS would be unable to comply with most of the requirements to ensure the safety of its guests and volunteers from COVID-19”. The shelter has been hosted by 12 churches for the past three years, offering 20 beds per night as well as hot drinks and breakfast to its guests. The service was publicly commended by Stephen Clarke, Head of Housing services at the Oxford City Council. This will be the first winter it stays shut since its conception. The Reverend Mary Gurr, the Chair of Trustees for OWNS, told Cherwell: “We have no resources to do as Aspire [a larger Oxfordshire-based charity for the homeless] is doing, neither having property, nor the finances to fund such a scheme. Our model of dormitory style accommodation is based on venues, mainly church halls, offering their premises free of charge.” People seeking a warm bed for the night have other options. The City Council has recently received £2.5 million in funding from the government’s Next Steps Accommodation Programme (NSAP) to house rough sleepers. The Council has promised that

“efforts are being made to ensure that there is overnight provision for all who require it.” From this funding, £1 million is being used to prepare 118 rooms in the Botley Road YHA and Canterbury House for freeof-access use. The Council also aims to provide 20 houses by March, ten of which come from existing council stock and five from housing associations. £150 000 will be used to purchase the remaining houses and £566,501 will support all the houses up to March 2024. The remaining money will go to an Aspire managed COVID-secure winter shelter and a women-only property. This renewed effort comes after the country-wide ‘Everyone In’ housing scheme back in March which aimed to provide accommodation for rough sleepers during the early stages of the pandemic. 241 people were housed through this programme. Councillor Mike Rowley, Cabinet Member for Affordable Housing and Housing the Homeless, spoke about ‘Everyone in’ at the time: “Nobody should have to sleep rough in Oxford and this funding will help us to move people from the streets and emergency accommodation into more permanent housing. ‘Everyone in’ gave us a unique opportunity to engage with people in emergency accommodation and we are now building on that.” Speaking about the new funding which has been allocated since then, Councillor Rowley told Cherwell that the new round of funding will “help us to build upon the work we’ve done since the government called for ‘everyone in’ earlier this year.” More people sleep rough in

CITY

Oxford than in most UK cities, excluding central London. The number of rough sleepers in Oxford has increased by 400% since 2012. O’Hanlon House, one of several homeless shelters in the city, provides beds for 56 people over 22 years of age, and about 20 younger people. In November of 2019, it was estimated that 43 people were rough sleeping in central Oxford. Oxford City Council had already increased its fund for preventing homelessness and rough sleeping by more than a million in the last year - their 2019/20 budget was £6.3 million and their 2020/21 budget is £7.4 million, showing a 19% increase. This money, along with the additional government funding, will be spent in a range of areas, including Floyds Row, the centrepiece of the council’s plans. The Oxford City Council says: “The key to helping people off the streets is effective engagement and this begins with the first conversation with someone experiencing rough sleeping. This conversation is often the most challenging and this can be particularly the case for people who have been sleeping rough long term or who repeatedly return to the streets. Floyds Row will move this conversation from the streets into a warm, calm and safe space co-designed by people experiencing homelessness that will be open round the clock all year round. “Expert assessment workers will help people to develop personal housing plans and get the support they need from other services to move on into sustainable accommodation.”

Friday, 13th November 2020 | Cherwell

News | 5 UNIVERSITY

‘Return the Benin Bronzes’ says Pitt Rivers Curator Dan Hicks Zehra Munir

In his new book The Brutish Museums, Dan Hicks, the curator of the Oxford Pitt Rivers Museum, has called for the Benin Bronzes to be returned to their homeplace in West Africa. Dan Hicks, who is a Professor of Contemporary Archaeology, argues that contextualisation via new labels and reposition does not go far enough in addressing the legacies of looted museum artefacts. The plaques and other objects crafted by the Edo people were stolen by British forces in 1897. In a piece for The Telegraph, Hicks argues that historical justice can only be served once the bronzes are returned. He writes that originally, he bought into the narrative that the British punitive expedition against Benin City (today in Edo State, Nigeria) was an essential response to a brutal massacre. It was widely argued that the looting of the city in February 1897 was a necessary evil, since the Government had to auction African artefacts to cover the costs of the naval operation. Hicks states that he believed that since taking the spoils of war was standard practice, there was no

reason to make the Benin bronzes an exception in the discussion about repatriation. However, his mind has changed since. He now views the Benin looting as a “chaotic free-forall where officers and colonial administrators desecrated sacred ancestral altars for their personal gain”. With this legacy of colonial violence in mind, combined with the ways in which anthropology museums (with the Pitt Rivers as a primary example) were used to justify imperial ideologies, the theft of the bronzes looks a little different. Hicks has also made it clear that he no longer believes that European museums are best equipped for the care of these objects. On that, he writes in Brutish Museums: “The sheer hypocrisy begins with the fact that in these supposed safety deposits for universal heritage, today’s curators’ understanding of what is even in collections is so minimal. We don’t know what there is. We’re not sure where it is. We can’t say for sure how it got there” . Speaking to Cherwell, Hicks said: “Restitution is an African movement not a British one — this is about listening to voices

University testing totals drop, as proportion of positive cases rise Bee Boileau and David Tritsch

The University’s testing service has confirmed 146 cases of COVID-19 among students and staff for the week 31st October – 6th November, with a positivity rate of 34%. This marks a significant drop in the number of new cases, though the number of total tests conducted has fallen significantly this week. The University’s Status and Response website states that the figures released do not include positive test results received outside of the University testing service. It notes further that “due to the time interval between a test being done and the result becoming available, it is expected that there will be a mismatch between actual results and those confirmed to us on any given day”. There were more than 200 new cases across Oxfordshire this weekend, as reported by Public Health England. Oxfordshire County Council note that this is “under-reporting” because cases tested through the University of Oxford’s testing service are not “attributed to a specific geography on the national surveillance system”. The website says: “Public Health England and the University identified this issue

and are working to ensure university data is provided in a way that can automatically be included in the national surveillance system.” Following a three-week period in which case numbers increased almost linearly (with about 200 new cases among students and staff per week), this week marks the first drop in the number of new cases reported. However, the number of tests conducted per week has fallen by about 50% since the week starting on October 17th. The positivity rate of tests was at an all-time high this week, with 34% of cases returning a positive result. Current University guidance is that students and staff should not get tested unless they have been asked to or they display symptoms of COVID-19. The University’s whitepaper states that “one of the challenges the University faces is staff and students with no COVID-19 symptoms asking for tests unnecessarily”. The University of Cambridge, whose collegiate system mirrors that of Oxford, have set up a testing pod in the city for symptomatic cases, but have recently announced they will test all asymptomatic students in colleges. The University has implemented a four-stage emergency response,

depending on how wide the spread of Covid-19 in Oxford is. The current status is Stage 2, which allows the University to operate “in line with social distancing restrictions with as full a student cohort as possible on site”, with teaching and assessment taking place “with the optimum combination of in-person teaching and online learning”. A Stage 3 response would imply “no public access to the University

or College buildings” and “gatherings for staff and students only permitted where essential for teaching and assessment to take place”. According to Public Health England, there have been 206 cases of COVID-19 in Oxford this week. Across Oxfordshire, there have been 814 cases this week. This is similar to 813 new cases in the previous week, raising the 7-day

from the global south. Here in the UK understanding our colonial collections, sharing knowledge of them, and taking action on a case by case basis when returns are demanded, are crucial elements of how we make anthropology museums fit for the 21st century. You can’t address the colonial past, and its ongoing nature, if you don’t understand what’s in the museum stores and in the galleries— how it got there and what it means for people today.” Discussions about the Pitt Rivers museum have been prompted before, by community and student activists alike. As early as 2016, the student decolonial movement Rhodes Must Fall (RMF) described the Pitt Rivers Museum as “one of the most violent spaces in Oxford”. In 2019, student anti-racism group Common Ground hosted the opening night of their annual symposium in the gallery of the museum, on the topic ‘How has Oxford benefited from exploitation?’. Since 2018, a Benin Dialogue Group within the museum has facilitated discussions between the Pitt Rivers Museum and the Court of Benin. Image credit: Mike Peel.

UNIVERSITY

average to an all-time high of over 120 cases per day. In Week 0, Oxford University reported 61 cases. This rose in Week 1 to 197, and stayed relatively stable over Weeks 2 and 3, with 208 and 212 cases respectively. The positivity rate has risen over term. Oxford University tests students and staff who report symptoms of a fever, persistent cough, or loss of taste and / or smell.

Cherwell | Friday, 13th November 2020 CITY

6 | News CITY

Extinction Rebellion accuse HSBC of ‘climate colonialism’ in ads around Oxford Naman Gupta

Extinction Rebellion have put up billboards in bus stops, spoofing HSBC ads, alleging the bank is conducting “climate colonialism”. The organisation accuses HSBC of “bankrolling significant human rights abuses through their fossil fuel investments”. The group says that this is part of a UK-wide week of action, with activists in over 10 UK cities taking similar actions (including Sheffield, Leeds, Birmingham and Glasgow). One spoof ad says, with an HSBC logo on fire behind, “We are climate crisis. Drilling oil, fracking gas, mining coal. We’re still funding the lot.” The activists claim HSBC is investing in a Liquid National Gas project in Mozambique. At the 2020 HSBC AGM, local NGO, ‘JA!/ Friends of the Earth Mozambique’ told the board, “The development of HSBC-funded LNG gas project has caused mass human rights violations in Mozambique, forced removals of hundreds of families from their homes, and the loss of livelihood for farmers and fishermen who have been deprived of their land and access to the sea.” In October, HSBC announced an “ambitious plan to prioritise financing and investment that

supports the transition to a net zero global economy”, pledging to cut to net zero financed emissions from their portfolio of customers by 2050 at the latest. Group Chief Executive Noel Quinn said, “Our net zero ambition represents a material step up in our support for customers as we collectively work towards building a thriving low-carbon economy.” April Jones, from Extinction Rebellion Oxford, said, “It’s important that people understand that HSBC may call itself the world’s local bank, but its actions are actually endangering the world, especially people in some of the poorest parts of it.” The group worked alongside “Brandalism” activists. Tona Merriman from Brandalism, said: “HSBC likes to position itself as a friendly high street bank through its marketing, but these artworks tell a much darker tale of human rights abuse facilitated by the bank’s activities.” Extinction Rebellion Oxford’s Twitter account retweeted a tweet by “XR Wimborne” on 2nd November, saying “So much more than just a bank. @HSBC is an uncontrollable dark energy source that feeds on our natural resources And finds it hilarious our planet is burning”. Extinction Rebellion is an

environmental campaign group, which calls itself a “non-violent civil disobedience activist movement”. In January this year, Extinction Rebellion activists protested outside Oxford’s Examination Schools against the Oxford Farming Conference. Cherwell have contacted HSBC Oxford for comment. Image credit: XR Oxford

City Council announces new Oxford living wage Ellen Hendry

As part of national Living Wage Week, Oxford City Council have announced the new Oxford Living Wage. They have also unveiled a new procurement strategy to encourage contract-making with businesses who pay their employees (including those sourced by sub-contractors) the Oxford Living Wage. The leader of Oxford City Council, Councillor Linda Brown, told Cherwell: “Our new contract rules will allow for us to further support businesses who are paying the Oxford Living Wage, as well as the employees who are receiving it. The cost of living in Oxford is one of the highest outside London, but wages in the lowest paid jobs often do not reflect this. “We hope that it will help to reduce income inequality in the city, whilst also contributing to longterm recovery and strengthening of Oxford’s local economy.” The Living Wage rate is calculated and updated every year so that it remains at 95% of the London Living Wage. From April 2020-21, that rate was £10.21, but it will rise by 10p for the next financial year. This is higher than the National Living Wage (essentially, the minimum wage for over 25s) set by the UK government. This is currently £8.72 across the country.

The ‘Real Living Wage’ is championed by the Living Wage Foundation, an independent organisation which uses living costs to calculate what an adequate salary is. They put this at £9.50 across the UK, and £10.85 in London. Around 7,000 employers in the UK have committed to this wage level. Oxford City Council is amongst the local authorities that have pledged to support the wage. Regarding the contracting rules, the City Council said: “We are exploring how we can update our procurement procedures to help address the challenges and deliver an inclusive local economy.” They cite research about the benefits of the real Living Wage, such as the 70% of employers who report that the Living Wage has increased consumer awareness of their commitment to be an ethical employer. 27 companies in Oxford are currently accredited as paying the Oxford Living Wage, including the City Council, Campion Hall, Blackfriars, St Cross College, and the Oxford Student Union. The Council is encouraging business who may already be paying the Living Wage but are as yet unaccredited to get in touch. Oxford University pledged in February to pay its staff the Oxford Living Wage, the cost of which they estimate to be £5.5million over the next 5 years.

Friday, 13th November 2020 | Cherwell

News | 7 CITY

Boa Constrictor snakeskin found in Oxford Daisy Aitchison

A boa constrictor may be on the loose in Oxford after a snakeskin measuring over a metre and a half in length was found next to the Eastern bypass. The discovery was made by seven-year-old Amelia Drewett and her grandfather Alan while they were out walking. A subsequent Facebook appeal by Alan’s wife Debra has failed to identify the owner of the animal. She said: “I couldn’t believe my eyes when they brought it home. They thought it was just plastic in the brambles under the bridge, but they took a closer look and it was this huge snakeskin. Nobody’s come up with a reasonable explanation for how it got there.” The family subsequently contacted the RSPCA and Evolution Reptiles in Kidlington, who confirmed that the skin was from a boa constrictor. Nicole Head, who works at the shop, believes the snake was deliberately abandoned. She said: “I can imagine someone’s let it go, as a large snake it’s pretty hard to lose. If it’s scared it’s going to be worried, but we can’t imagine it’ll cause harm”. As boa constrictors do not require a dangerous animal permit, making it more difficult

to identify the owner. This is not the first sighting of a snake in Oxford. In 2011 another boa constrictor was found in Magdalen Woods after being abandoned. It had suffered significantly, including being malnourished and having major burns as a result of “irresponsible” care, according to Dennis Lovell. It failed to respond to treatment and later had to be put to sleep. In 2017, a Banbury dog walker also found an eight foot long boa constrictor in a field near a local housing estate. The snake, 12.2kg in weight, was collected by the RSPCA. Deputy Chief Inspector Melanie Fisher said the reptile was managing well despite the cold weather, adding “I think the caller got a bit of a surprise. It’s not every day you stumble upon an 8ft snake while out walking the dog.” Boa constrictors generally grow to between two and three metres long. They famously kill their prey by squeezing them in order to cut off their blood supply and usually eat small mammals such as rats and mice. Given that their natural habitat is Central and Southern America, experts are warning that the snake has a low likelihood of survival unless found soon. Oxford residents took to social media to outline their own

theories on the discovery. Some suggested that the skin might have been discarded as a practical joke, while others thought the idea of a loose snake might encourage greater compliance with lockdown measures. The snakeskin is now on display in Alan and Debra’s house about 100 metres from where it was discovered. Colin Stevenson, head of education at Crocodiles of the World in West Oxfordshire reiterated that the snake posed a limited threat to the community. He said: “It’s not going to eat your cat. You wouldn’t want it to bite you, but it would only give you a nasty wound.” He continued by expressing concern for the boa’s welfare, adding “most of these reptiles aren’t going to do too well in the wild in England. It’s certainly too cold for them to thrive, unless they can find somewhere warm or protected.” An RSPCA spokesperson said: “Boa constrictors are popular pets but can also be talented escape artists so we are often called out to collect snakes who have been found straying. “If you come across this boa please do not be alarmed, they are not venomous. Please call our emergency hotline on 0300 1234 999 for advice.” Image Credit: Debra Drewett

SCIENCE & TECH

BAME underrepresentation in the NHS Vaccine registry for clinical trials Isabella Crispino

Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities are currently disproportionately underrepresented in the NHS vaccine trial registry, and the government is urging members of these communities, as well as the elderly, to volunteer. The Guardian reported that a mere 7% of volunteers found on the NHS register were from BAME communities. This figure falls short of an accurate representation of the UK’s population, with the 2011 census reporting that 12.5% of residents were from BAME backgrounds. In Oxfordshire, 335 of 4,718 people who have signed up for the registry so far are from ethnic minority communities. COVID-19 has been shown to pose a substantially higher risk to BAME communities. Public Health England, after adjusting for age, found that the mortality and infection rate were far higher among those from minority ethnic backgrounds – as well as admissions to intensive care units. A study run by the Institute for Fiscal studies found that the death rate for Black Britons was 3.5 times higher than white Britons, after adjusting for age, sex and geography. Minority ethnic groups in the UK are not only more at risk of adverse

effects of the virus, but of exposure to it in the first place. A leading UK race equality think tank, Runnymede, has found that one third of members of Black communities (34%) occupy key worker roles, increasing the risk significantly. Researchers have expressed concern that without accurate representation during the testing stage, a vaccine risks being less effective across the population. Dr Maheshi Ramasamy, principal investigator on the university’s Oxford Vaccine Group, told the Oxford Mail: “We know that people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds are disproportionately affected by Covid-19 in terms of severe disease and mortality. “So when we do have a vaccine that we roll out to the general population, it’s really important that we can demonstrate to people from these communities that we have evidence that the vaccine works.” Kate Bingham, the chair of the government’s vaccine taskforce, said: “Researchers need data from different communities and different people to improve understanding of the vaccines. The only way to get this is through large clinical trials. “We want to ensure the data we get actually represents the different people from different backgrounds in the UK. This includes people who are over 65, frontline healthcare

workers, or have existing health conditions, and we need people from the communities which have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, from black, Asian and other minority ethnic backgrounds.” Minister for Equalities Kemi Badenoch, who is volunteering for COVID-19 vaccine trials herself, urged communities to volunteer to join the registry:

“The UK is leading the world in the search for a COVID-19 vaccine. At home, we have to ensure every community trusts a future vaccine to be safe and that it works across the entire population.” The NHS Vaccine Registry was launched in July, and is an online database facilitating volunteering for COVID-19 vaccine related clinical studies. Signing up to the registry does not oblige participants to take

part, and their details can be withdrawn at any time. As of a month ago, 270,000 people have signed up for their names to be included in the database, yet 11,000 of those volunteers were from Asian and British Asian backgrounds, and 1,200 were Black, African, Caribbean or Black British. People can sign up to the vaccine registry by visiting www. nhs.uk/researchcontact.

Cherwell | Friday, 13th November 2020 UNIVERSITY

8 | News

Oxford University Press changes definition of ‘woman’ Abigail Howe Oxford University Press, which publishes the Oxford English Dictionary as well as the online Oxford Dictionaries, has changed its definition of “woman” following an internal review prompted by an online petition. The updated entry includes one of the senses of woman being “a person’s wife, girlfriend, or female lover”, whereas the previous entry defined woman only in relation to a man. The entry for “man” has also been amended to include genderneutral language. Other definitions and examples have also been altered; “housework” has been updated to remove acknowledgement of gender. “She still does all the housework” has been changed to “I was busy doing housework when the doorbell rang.” An OUP spokesperson stated that: “We have expanded the dictionary coverage of ‘woman’ with more examples and idiomatic

phrases which depict women in a positive and active manner”. Regarding the inspiration for the change, they continued that “sometimes the team focus on topics highlighted by user feedback (such as last year’s petition about the definition of ‘woman’) and sometimes these topics are driven by current events or through projects taking place within the Oxford Languages team”. The Oxford English Dictionary is licensed by Apple and Google, meaning that when users search for the definition of “woman”, they are presented with a list of potential synonyms including “bint”, “mare”, and “bird”. Previously, listed synonyms for “woman” had included “wench” and “piece”. These have been removed, while the word “bitch” has been labelled as offensive. In March, the leaders of Women’s Aid and the Women’s Equality Party signed an open letter calling on OUP to change its “sexist”

Joe Hyland Deeson | Editor-in-Chief

ow is it that we’re still talking about GCSE and A-Level exams? The storm surrounding results day now seems a lifetime ago, but yet Gavin Williamson is still the Secretary of State for Education, remarkably, and the teenagers of this country are still being disadvantaged by his department. Attending a university that employs a collegiate system, we are more than used to a patchwork of inconsistent policies, with colleges electing to take the lead rather than wait on a cumbersome central bureaucracy. However, when the devolved parliaments of the United Kingdom start doing this, it should act as a major red flag regarding the efficiency of our present government. The Welsh Government’s announcement this week that all GCSE and A-Level exams would be cancelled in 2021 was such a red flag. Gavin’s counterpart, Welsh Education Minister Kate Williams, announced that “the pandemic has made it impossible to guarantee a level playing field”. While perhaps she is simply weighed down less by having two letters fewer in her surname, it is more likely that she has broken with Williamson due to frustration with inaction in Westminster. Similarly, Scotland has cancelled its GCSE equivalents. The Johnson government has remained

definitions following a petition by Maria Beatrice Giovanardi. The letter included the argument that “bitch is not a synonym for woman. It is dehumanising to call a woman a bitch. It is but one sad, albeit extremely damaging, example of everyday sexism. And that should be explained clearly in the dictionary entry used to describe us”. Giovanardi, whose petition reached 30,000 signatures, said that she was “very happy” with the changes and felt that the campaign had achieved the majority of its aims. In particular, the use of gender-neutral terminology marked “a huge step forward for the LGBTQI people,… respecting their love and unions”. However, she remained “disappointed” that “bitch” was still listed as a possible synonym, comparing the term to “dickhead”, which the OUP’s dictionaries define as “a stupid, irritating or ridiculous man” and consider “vulgar slang” rather than a synonym.

An OUP spokeswoman said: “We have ensured that offensiwve synonyms or senses are clearly labelled as such and only included where we have evidence of real world usage”, continuing that their dictionaries “reflect, rather than dictate, how language is used. This is driven solely by evidence of how real people use English in their daily lives”.

EDITORIAL

steadfast in its commitment for exams to be unaffected this academic year, particularly remarkable seeing as the current furlough scheme has been extended to March, implying that they at least believe restrictions will remain in place to this point. As many schools remain on split timetables, state schools without the luxury of small class sizes are forced to only welcome different groups of pupils or year groups for alternate weeks. Mary Bousted, the joint-Secretary of the National Education Union, told the Guardian that: “The current position in England of a three-week delay to 2021 examinations is simply not good enough. Education is not as normal. Months of classroom learning have already been lost and many young people will continue to have to spend varying degrees of time out of school.” Williamson now has a choice. He must either be the pragmatic politician, putting the good of this nation’s children before personal appeal and bowing to the pressure for change, or he can choose to stubbornly pursue proper exams. The latter is now a nightmare scenario, potentially meaning that pupils in England will differ from their Welsh and Scottish counterparts, and be further disadvantaged by wealth and class inequalities. It worries me that we do not know which one he will pick.

“This independent editorial approach means that our dictionaries provide an “accurate representation of language, even where it means recording senses and example uses of words that are offensive or derogatory, and which we wouldn’t necessarily employ ourselves.” Image credit: Ian Nicholson / Supplier Pa Photos, Supplier NTB

Editor-in-Chief | Maya Misra

his summer, I started volunteering at the ACLU. The Tennessee branch of the ACLU was dealing with some high-stakes cases on abortion laws and systemic racism. Surely, I reasoned, they’d want all hands on deck for that sort of work. Instead, though, they allocated us to something less flashy, but more fundamental: voting. American voter turnout has been historically low. In the 2016 election it was 56% , while most countries with established democratic processes are in the 60s, and the high-flyers like Sweden have over 80% of registered voters casting a ballot. To some extent, this is because America’s democratic processes are less than established: intentional voter suppression and misinformation aside, each state, and sometimes each county within those states, has different rules, and they can be nonsensical. For example, I had an absentee ballot sent to College last Trinity, but since coronavirus resulted in an unexpected return home for the summer, I decided to drop the ballot off in person. Turns out I couldn’t. At the polling station, I was informed that a mail-in ballot has to go through the mail…even though I was here, with my completed ballot and my ID, speaking to an election official, steps away

from the voting machine. But no, I had to walk over to the USPS next door to mail it. So yes, the system can be near-impossible to navigate. Combine that with voter suppression, voter apathy, and distaste towards politics, and low turnout is inevitable. The ACLU decided to change that. This summer, we textbanked Tennesseans, asking them what their voting plan was and how we could help. Some people were all set; some were afraid of standing in line with the virus; some were worried about their mail-in ballots being lost. Whatever the case, we discussed their concerns and then offered solutions. I’m not going to take all the credit for getting Tennesseans to vote--honestly, most of it is probably attributable to righteous anger against “the other side”, whichever side that may be - but it did something, and Tennessean turnout increased this year from 62% to 68%. My summer of volunteering and the subsequent election drove home how important a vote is. Even had this election turned against my favoured party, I would still be pleased at how many Americans cast their ballot. I’ve always exercised my right to have a say in my government, and this year, I was joined by record-breaking numbers of Americans who decided to do the same. And that felt pretty good.

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CUL CHER

Friday, 13th November 2020 | Vol.292 No.4 | 5th Week

CulCher | Friday, 13th November 2020

COVER ARTIST JACOB PICHHADZE Through my visits to Jerusalem and my paintings of it, I have had both that joy and privilege. Among my works is the pastel painting of Via Dolorosa, in the Old City of Jerusalem, which is the route that Jesus walked towards his crucifixion. This soft pastel painting by my father Jacob Pichhadze is titled ‘Via Dolorosa’. The painting depicts the artist’s impression of his visit to the processional route in the Old City of Jerusalem, which is believed to be the path that Jesus walked on the way to his crucifixion. It is a celebrated place of religious pilgrimage. It is a joy to have a glimpse of that history. It is a privilege, as an artist, to also capture, interpret, express and share that experience in order to further enrich the multitude of views of Jerusalem and its history. Amir Pichhadze

The Lord Gave Me Brothers: Lockdown Lessons From Religious Lives

ou can discern that the Lord has called you to community life; the one thing you don’t get any say in is who you live with,” says Father Maximilian Wayne OFMConv, one of six friars living at Greyfriars house. Despite widespread changes to life as a result of the pandemic, the daily schedule at the Franciscan friary based in Cowley hasn’t changed much. The day begins at 7:15 with morning prayer, followed by private study or work with additional prayer meetings at midday and in the afternoon. “Routine helps us get through difficult moments, whether it be a COVID moment, or a non-COVID moment,” says Father Giles Zakowicz OFMConv, who joined the Franciscan Order 55 years ago. In the evenings they cook a communal meal where “we get to appreciate the abilities and the expertise, and sometimes the limitations, of the individual brothers,” Fr. Giles says. Since Greyfriars is a formation house for novices to discern if the Franciscan way of life is right for them and prepare for their ministry, “the conversation around the meal table is quite often whatever particular philosophical or theological concepts [our two novice friars] have been working on that day,” Fr. Max says. When people visit Greyfriars, they praise the diverse conversations, ranging from science fiction to sports to music to politics, all shared in light of the Gospel, says Fr. Giles. “We talk a lot in this community, we laugh a lot in this community, we share a lot in this community.” Because Franciscans don’t vow to stay in one monastery but move to different friaries around the world, their living situations are always in flux. “St. Francis said once ‘The Lord gave me brothers,’ and you can hear that in one of two ways,” says Fr. Max. “You can either hear him saying ‘Yippee, the Lord has given me other brothers to come and share this wonderful life,’ or sometimes you can hear it with him rolling his eyes.” When conflict does arise, “we have to deal with it, otherwise our community fragments,”

BY ANGELA EICHHORST

says Fr. Max. “[We realise] Brother does this because that’s him, that’s how the Lord has made him, and [the Lord] has made me this way. We both have something affirming and positive to offer in our attempted service.” In order to witness the love of God to the world, Franciscans “promote the spirit of unity, of fraternity, of brotherhood and sisterhood,” says Fr. Giles. “And of course, it has to be learned.” After dinner, the brothers have time for recreation where they play chess, card games, or even watch The Office US. However, having others physically around you isn’t an automatic cure for loneliness. Friar John Paul Banks OFMConv, the newest friar in the house, believes loneliness happens when “[people] fail to find their own purpose, or they just don’t like being with themselves. I do like my own company, even for all my faults and weaknesses, and all the problems that I have.” Similarly, Fr. Giles’ speaks of a time when he was surrounded by people while serving as a missionary in West Africa, but for the first year felt he was “not being understood, or perhaps the feeling of not being valued.” Despite the brother’s deep joy, they share in the sadness of scuppered plans and the heaviness of heart brought by COVID-19. Their trip to Europe was cancelled, they haven’t been as able to assist charity work around Oxford, and ministry is over Zoom. Greyfriars shares a compound with their residential home for the elderly, so they have to be especially careful. Ten minutes away, another intentional religious community, the Buddha Vihara temple, houses seven Buddhist monks. They wake at 6:30am and start their day by chanting together and meditating together, before time for private study and talks about mindfulness topics. Nyarti Kham, a monk from Thailand, tells me that many laypeople with “some mental health issues come to the temple, so we try to help them to overcome their suffering.” The monks get calls from people who can’t sleep at night or students who can’t focus. During the pandemic, “some [people] have lost their family, they are not being happy.

It’s never been like this before. Some of them have tested positive and then some of them die, so, they are not happy,” Nyarti says. “We understand what they feel so, we try to explain to them that this is not just you, not just me, everyone in the world is [experiencing] this.” A woman whose mother died from COVID-19 is staying at the Vihara to learn from the monks there, and they have certainly dealt with feelings of loss. Nyarti was sent to live in a monastery at the age of five after his father died and his mother re-married. “I’m trying to understand the nature of a human being but I also can learn in some way from the chicken. Some chickens have many with a big group, some are just one.” To pass on good karma, every day “I have to help someone out and then I have to do [something] for myself,” says Nyarti. For himself, Nyarti works on his dissertation about Aristotle’s and the Buddha’s teachings, which Nyarti hopes will enlighten future generations. “At least I should help two or three people, and when I go to the city centre, when I see the homeless, at least one pound or two pounds, I must give them.” Whenever totalitarian regimes take hold, men and women following religious lives are often the first disposed, because governments know they are far from harmless. “When I came into [religious] community, [people asked] isn’t it a bit like running away from the world?” says Fr. Max. “If that’s what people think, try it for a while, because you almost kind of go sprinting straight into the world and grasp it with both arms.” The one official change the brothers made to their schedule is a weekly COVID-19 prayer meeting. Every Friday, they gather for the people who have died, the people who have lost loved ones, scientists researching a vaccine, those undergoing family tension at home, the homeless, and any other prayer requests they receive. No matter what lies ahead, there are communities around the world praying for us and thinking of us, and that is a comforting thought. Image credit: Jacob Pichhadze

Friday, 13th November 2020 | CulCher

GRAYSON PERRY, DO WE REALLY NEED TO TRIM THE DEADWOOD?

BY TONI QUADRI

nce again, Grayson Perry has struck a cultural nerve, this time by saying that the COVID-19 pandemic may actually be a good thing: the decimation of the arts industry, according to him, will mean that a leaner industry is created when it reopens. A better industry, one with a higher concentration of high-quality art (he infers): “I think every part of life has probably got a bit of fat that needs trimming, a bit of deadwood”. This fell on the ears of many as: “leave art to the big boys especially the ones that dress up as girls sometimes.” Cue barrage of tweets calling him an out-oftouch, rich twat: A lot of the tweets as a result of a “Grayson Perry” search on Twitter are not very nice either and are quite evidently informed by nothing other than the headline of a paywalled Telegraph article: ‘Covid has rid the arts sector of ‘dead wood’ says Grayson Perry’. Because if they’d read the article the Arts Society Website, they would know that this is the opposite of what he is saying. Perry’s description of deadwood? The side of the art world that caters to artists alone, the side that runs on prestige and the incessant need for respect from other wealthy artistic peers. In fact, this gross (and unsurprising) misappropriation of Mr Perry’s words

speaks to a new era of intellectual culture where people no longer treat words with the same reverence as yesteryear. Now, we only half ingest words, not to understand them but rather to arm ourselves with whatever nasty things we’d like to say in return. We drag and cancel and denigrate pure strangers over the internet without actually trying to understand the whole story first and under the presumption that they are nefarious villains. If the same people calling Grayson Perry a pseudo-Tory piece of shit started making art inspired by their apparent hatred for the man, Grayson Perry would advocate for its presence in the industry because at least the vitriol is authentic. Anyway, back to Grayson Perry: although he has got a very nice idea, it really is much too romantic. The types of curators and theatre directors who can put on shows for other curators and theatre directors are the rich ones. The ones that have been in the industry since the 80s and who are very well connected. Much to Perry’s chagrin, they are going to be just fine: they’re on furlough, organising future opportunities with their wealthy connections, or they’re currently making blackberry jam in their Islington terraced house while their bull terrier gnaws on their moccasins and the Ottolenghi banana bread heats up in the oven.

WHAT’S ON

Those who will suffer are the unrealised stars, the ones on zero-hour contracts and attempting to get their break-through internships, those with no connections in the industry: the mechanics from Yorkshire, the Sudanese oncologists, the decades-long homemakers who have all finally decided to take their art seriously. Personally, I think any art form, no matter how niche, pretentious or annoying it is, must be seen. Why should we care whether an exhibition was curated by some ex-Christie’s exec? As long as it is seen, as long as some kid stumbles upon it and feels something it is important. It’s nonsensical to hierarchise sources of inspiration: Basquiat’s entire corpus of work harks back to a copy of Gray’s Anatomy he received as a child, even Grayson Perry’s talent for pottery (the medium which earnt him the Turner prize in 2003) was cultivated in evening pottery classes. Just as Perry doesn’t shy away from “low culture” for inspiration, nor should we shy away from “high culture” either. So, although Grayson Perry really did mean well, he is in no position to say which art matters and which does not, what should be salvaged from the COVIDinflicted debris of the arts industry and what we should get a vaccine against. Why? Because it’s art; no one can.

CULCHER EDITORIAL Walls divide people. They are inherent demarcations between communities. Though it may provide a sense of enfranchisement and possession, what they really achieve is a disenfranchisement of everything else that exists beyond. This is what Donald Trump stood for. He wanted to make America ‘great’, but in doing so form it as a lesser part of the world. He opposed multiculturalism, as did those far-right movements that fought for his re-election. The victory of Joe Biden indicates people want to embrace the culture of others and welcome it as part of society. “Society” holds etymological roots in ideas of companionship and alliance. The Latin socius, meaning “ally, companion”, produced the idea of societas - an “association”, “brotherhood” or, simply, “society”. If we remove multiculturalism, we remove the alliances that make society. In Britain, a pervasive fear of losing ‘British culture and values’ is still prevalent today. Anti-migrant stances are fuelled by Islamophobia and xenophobia, built from the desire to keep things “the way they always were”. Laurence Fox – despite his new “Reclaim Party” purportedly being “privileged to be the custodians of our shared heritage” – states that the party hopes to “reclaim a respectful nation where all are included and none are ashamed to have somewhere to call home.” This hints at Pride marches, Black Lives Matter protests, and the growing respect towards pronouns on social media. The “shame” it alludes to is the “shame” to be openly racist, homophobic, transphobic, the “shame” of having a mindset that denies others the right to decide how to live their own lives, without anyone else’s interference. This political vitriol again attacks multiculturalism; it wants to place barricades between people. The same process happened almost a century ago, as the British Empire brought people from across the globe to an island giving them a harsh reception. But racism and intolerance was gradually subdued somewhat as this island embraced other cultures in our (vastly improved) food, our (widely more world-spoken) literature, and our (more vibrant) art. Instead of spending thousands on repainting planes and millions on a blockade system, we could divert funding to organisations that foster drama projects or art workshops with the intention to rebuild society – to construct friendships between people of different walks of life, Encouraging children to learn about Islamic culture without overshadowing it with terrorism; teaching about Black British culture without an onus on knife crime. If we foster multiculturalism, we will, in a way totally opposed to how the slogan is in use today in Britain, Build Back Better. - Matthew Prudham

Queer Week, a celebration and exploration of LGBT+ culture and issues globally, is hosted by Wadham SU’s LGBTQ+ and Trans officers, promises to be an incredible event. ‘Optimism in Politics’ Seminar with Professor Danny Dorling Wednesday 18th November, 17:30 Queer Week 2020, Pride in a Pandemic: Race, Riots, and the Rainbow 15th - 22nd November With eight days jam-packed with activities ranging from online arts and crafts, panels and movie viewings, with guest speakers and open mic events, this year’s

Feeling drained after the election? Look no further than Professor Danny Dorling’s ‘Optimism in Politics’ seminar, hosted by the Oxford PPE society. This online discussion promises to be an engaging and uplifting talk with the Oxford Halford MacKinder Professor of Geography.

Uncomfortable Oxford Online Tour Saturday 21st November, 16:00-17:30 The (in)famous Uncomfortable Oxford tours have moved online! For those of us wanting to learn a bit more about Oxford’s often less-than-comfortable history, while getting a view of the landmarks we miss.

CulCher | Friday, 13th November 2020

C E R U THE SO

This week’s Source plants its seeds in the damp earth, takes root, and finds new growth in worms and words.

A Worm on What If Anna Roberts A little worm slimes its way through the grass and the bracken, and looks

And what if, when Orpheus went to the underworld, the age-old ague of

up to the sky. Learnéd in the classics and, indeed, abreast of current ‘pop

uncertainty had not plagued him because he could smell, so very close to

cultural’ events, his little brain cycles around his slimy head. A delicate

the surface of the world, the apple-green smell of Persephone? Wouldn’t

chain bobs around his neck (his neck being the whole length of his body,

the nights (apple-scent lingering but fading) feel far safer if his lover was

which is just one long neck really); he bought it after watching Normal

not, as she is as we speak right now, in hell?

Worms. Maybe if he looked like worm-Connell, he imagines, things would have been different. Maybe worm-Sharon wouldn’t have left him for

But what if, when every year at apple-time (as spring would come to be

worm-Darren. But, he reflects, there is no point in ruminating on the

known) the apple-smell appeared, everyone would feel sick and would

what-ifs. After all, worm-Darren will have to put up with worm-Sharon’s

moan at the apple-smell and the dappled-appled light? Would people

obsession with true crime documentaries now, not him. Still, though,

sneeze and would their noses drip when the apple-smell stung their

what if?

eyes? Would we curse those apple-smelled months and wish the dappled light of the green-leaf springtime were un-appled?

What if, when the leaves turn green in the spring they brought with them a scent of fresh apple, and the dappled light through the green

Such is the nature of a haunting what-if. Conjecture is the bane of a life

leaves was apple-dappled green? Wouldn’t the stream that ran through

lived in the world: we must, like Orpheus, live in a now that is dappled by

the rocks that your grandparents showed you, with the stones that hop

the strength of what is.

across like a passage to Fairyland, smell beautiful if it was apple-dappled in the growing light of a pregnant spring? If the beams of great Phoebus

The worm shakes his slimy little head. ‘But what do I know?’ he asks, and

lit up apple-green leaves and when the moon rose the smell lingered

utters the age-old maxim:

like a beautiful pre-Covid breath on the air, wouldn’t you look back on the apple-green spring days and covet them in your head when you were forty-years-old and tired?

‘I’m just a worm’.

Friday, 13th November 2020 | CulCher

Soil: On Digging a Hole Rachel Jung The crunch as my trowel bites the soil is Heaney-esque. I stop low, hands buried in cool dirt and the sky blooms blue like an eggshell washed in old paint water. I sink my knees into the clay and bend over like a cat amongst the daffodils with their heads tipped up like tiny crowns under a bush spread out like a huge green hand. The yellow plastic of my raincoat crinkles. A worm has beaten me to the hole Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m digging; when I pull apart the soil, I find a slender punctuation mark in the mud. Its pink body threads through the dark clay. Sometimes it is hard to dig a hole, to look at what is not and replace it with what will be, when the earth opens up, only to reveal that something is already there. I stay in the garden digging holes only to fill them up until the lingering birthday-candle smell of a bonfire blows in from next door and the sun, a waxy flare, sets in the butter-white sky.

Still Evelyne Kroval Still feelings flee as all dirt does so a firm fate will need a firmer hand of principles: the seed which flowers the feelings anew, resown, regrown, so you can taste your lotus when in need. Even as you float on panicked waves find the caress of a thousand petals softening you still.

Illustrations by: Amir Picchadze, Rachel Jung Submit your creative writing to The Source at: culturecherwell@gmail.com

CulCher | Friday 13th November 2020

POLITICS AND THE PAGE

BOOKS

SCARLETT COLQUITT DISCUSSES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POLITICS AND LITERATURE

he connection between literature and politics may seem tenuous. In a week marred by unprecedented political uncertainty following the US presidential elections, it may even seem absurd to suggest that fiction has any sway in influencing politics. However, at a time when the incumbent President of a country founded on democracy and freedom is undercutting the very bedrock of these ideals with unsubstantiated claims of electoral fraud, fiction has more relevance than ever before. In a post-truth era, where facts are seemingly up for debate, fiction has the power to reveal profound truths. Novels have always been used to take political stances and to comment on the nature of society itself. Perhaps the most obvious example of this is George Orwell’s 1984. Orwell’s classic novel may be set in a dystopian society, but it holds up a mirror to the corruption of British society and politics with haunting astuteness. Orwell’s warnings about mass surveillance and violations of freedom of speech are uncanny. It is tempting to dismiss 1984 as a mere work of fiction influenced by political tensions of an era that no longer concerns us. But whilst Stalinist Russia has been confined to the past, we are still living in a world rife with political corruption. Even though it was written almost

a century ago, the novel continues to reflect fundamental political concerns. The power of 1984 does not only lie in its meditations on political corruption; popular lexicon such as Big Brother, doublespeak, thoughtcrime and memory hole, show that the novel has itself shaped our political landscape. Orwell’s novel is not the only novel to reflect political concerns in a way which allows us to reflect on our own political beliefs and persuasions. Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale may be set in a fictional religious theocracy, but its horrific poignancy is rooted in reality. Atwood herself has stated that there is nothing that happens in the novel that has not happened somewhere at some point in history. With the current protests in Poland about abortion rights, Atwood’s Gilead is not the antithesis of modern society but rather the epitome of some of its worst aspects. Both Orwell and Atwood set their novels in imagined dystopian futures, but they both emphasise that these dystopian futures never stray too far from our own reality, allowing us to reflect on the persisting horrors of contemporary society. Literature clearly has the power to make us question our own belief system in forcing us to confront uncomfortable truths. Upon the publication of the controversial novel The Satanic Verses, a fatwa was issued against Sal-

man Rushdie and he was the target of several assassination attempts. The novel was even banned in India as it was deemed to be a form of hate speech towards Muslims. Literature clearly does not just exist within the realm of fiction; its ability to provoke strong political reaction and controversy is part of its power as an art form. Literature’s ability to uncover uncomfortable truths and to make strong political statements presents a problem for those who wish to maintain the status quo. When tyrants and dictators want to silence their country and force them into the submission, it is often writers who fall subject to censorship first. The numerous examples of state censorship, from the Nazis burning books in Germany to the banning of books such as To Kill a Mockingbird in several US states, is testament to the power that novelists have to provoke strong political reaction and to question the political fabric of their country. Even when writers fall victim to censorship, they show a remarkable ability to continue to make political statements in a covert manner. Carmen Laforet’s novel Nada is a subtle critique of Franco’s dictatorship that was published during the height of Francoism and even won the Premio Nadal in 1944, escaping any sort of state censorship. Literature can subtly sway political discourse without explic-

itly stating this aim. However, literature’s most valuable asset is its ability to evoke empathy and to allow others to experience realities that are different to their own. From Dickens’ evocation of the social injustices of Victorian Britain to Chinua Achebe’s exploration of colonialism, literature has the power to present a wide variety of different realities to its readers and to call for social change. It is this very empathy which is key to literature’s role as a catalyst for political change. All literature is inherently political; writers who claim otherwise are making a political statement in and of itself. It is true that literature does not have the power to form governments or to start wars or to vote in elections. Indeed, whatever the result of the US election, literature will continue to shape the lives of those that engage with it. What novels can influence, however, is people’s empathy and understanding for others, and this power should not be underestimated. Certain politicians may wish to create superficial divisions, but literature has the power to bridge these artificial divisions and encourage critical engagement with political discourse. This function is more valuable now than ever. Politicians would gain something from dispensing with empty political rhetoric to learn a few lessons from novelists.

Cherwell Recommends: Bildungsroman EIGHT WEEKS, EIGHT GENRES OF LITERATURE. THE BOOKS EDITORS OFFER UP THEIR TOP BILDUNGSROMAN RECOMMENDATIONS.

“N

ature made me happy and good, and if I am otherwise, it is society’s fault.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, in his eighteenth century coming of age novel Emile, accurately spotlighted the Bildungsroman’s essential battle between nature and nurture. Are we destined to become who we are as adults, or are we formed by our experiences on the way? It happens to all of us, but the process of growing up continues to fascinate writers, artists, and filmmakers, for it surrounds the struggle to forge an identity in a chaotic and often harsh environment. The transition from childhood to adulthood is a complex and often painful journey, and as readers, we are granted the unusual privilege of following our protagonist along this road. Time spent with the characters is what makes a bildungsroman so compelling; no other kind of novel gives us such an intense connection. Paradoxically, the Bildungsroman is a genreless genre. The concept transcends typical boundaries of science fiction, crime, or romance. Moonlight, The Name of the Wind, The Kite Runner, and Glee all fall under the bracket of coming-of-age stories, so don’t be fooled by the pretentious title. Here are a few of our favourites, transporting you to the gritty slums of Naples, the streets of Istanbul, and even up to rural Scotland. A Strangeness in My Mind by Orhan Pamuk Devanshika, Deputy Books Editor At a Brooklyn author event for this novel, Pamuk declared that “a book is not its plot”. Sure, he was directly referencing students at his Columbia University lectures accusing him of handing out spoilers to classic literature, but the idea applies perfectly well to A Strangeness in My Mind as well. The plot exists, but it’s definitely not as important as most other elements in the story, with a timeline that loops about jarringly often, beginning in medias reas and leaping back in forth in a way that only helps convey its theme

of inherent disorientation. A street vendor of a yogurt drink, the protagonist Mevlut grapples with the perplexities of human existence (do we ever truly make our own choices, he seems to ask, when near-Shakespearean trickery has him marrying the wrong woman) to the mundane eccentricities of his family, friends and quixotic anecdotes from his neighbourhood. They say Sex and the City’s fourth protagonist was the city of New York, but Istanbul in this story could give that idea a run for its money. This is a coming of age of Melvut, yes, but more of Istanbul as a city, charting its changing landscapes (political or otherwise) over forty pivotal twentieth century years. My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante Amelia, Deputy Editor Written originally in Italian, the first of the enigmatic Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels remains one of my favourite coming-of-age books. The story follows the intense friendship and rivalry between two working-class girls, Elena and Lila, growing up in the slums of post-World War Two Naples. We are introduced firstly to Elena as an old woman, who tells us that Lila has disappeared, and from there we are transported back to a gritty and violent urban childhood. The series as a whole deftly follows the girls for over sixty years. Ferrante beautifully interweaves gender and class in Lila and Elena’s many hardships. They are flawed and often cruel characters, but the power of the genre is that it facilitates a deeper understanding into the reasons behind a character’s anger or meanness. The girls are first and foremost determined survivors of

a political and social system that constantly works against them, and across the four books in the series, the enduring message is of strength and bravery. A brutal and dangerous Naples is brought to life by Ferrante’s stark prose. My Brilliant Friend has a huge cast of characters, which although confusing at first, makes for a lively ensemble and draws the reader in to the complex social network of the slums. We follow Lila and Elena as they encounter love, sex, conflict, and abuse. Ferrante steers clear of tropes, and so there is no guaranteed dream career or happy marriage; the narrative constantly teeters on the brink of disaster and both girls are forced to make unhappy choices in order to secure themselves financially. Sunset Song by Lewis Grassic Gibbon Eve, Books Editor A coming-of-age tale set in pre-WWI rural Scotland, Sunset Song tells the story of a young girl who finds herself torn between her rural upbringing and her love of books and education, “two Chrisses there were that fought for her heart and tormented her.” Written in a very accessible form of Scots, with a glossary at the back to keep you on track, Grassic Gibbon beautifully explores Chris’ increasing awareness of her sexuality as a young woman; in a family, community and religion that shroud the female form in shame. Chris must navigate the complexities of young love, the death of her mother and the disturbing advances of her lustful father. The ever-present backdrop to Chris’ upbringing is her local community of Kinraddie: both a sti-

fling source of hypocrisy and a support system that Chris comes to depend upon. Voted The Best Scottish Book of All Time, the novel depicts the sun setting on the traditional, Scottish way of life in the face of the tumultuous political events of the 20th Century. Grassic Gibbon’s novel is a powerful tribute to the “Peasants, the last of the Old Scots folk” who died in trenches far from the land they were so devoted to, for a cause they did not understand, “with them we may say there died a thing older than themselves.” The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger Devanshika, Deputy Books Editor I’ve been told that the only people who genuinely enjoy this book are rebellious, angsty teenagers who relate to Holden Caulfield, and I wonder whether I’ve got a whiny misanthrope lingering inside of me because of my absolute love for him. It’s not a long book at all, but it’s full of cutting observations and little asides that make you feel, as Holden himself says about good books, like “you wish the author was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up whenever you felt like it”. Just two days in Holden’s life let Salinger-- who has admitted that the novel is semi-autobiographical-- explore the fundamental theme of a transition to adulthood, a transition that Holden struggles with deeply and unconsciously throughout. His arc isn’t anything like that of a classic bildungsroman protagonist, spending the entire novel in a state of disillusionment and emotional upheaval, with moments of epiphany (through his relationship with his sister) but definitely nowhere close to stability or maturity. The Atlantic has written an entire article telling reviewers to stop calling all new coming of age novels “the next Catcher in the Rye”, which is fair enough---it goes against the essence of Holden’s disdain for ‘phony’ popularity and establishmentarianism, but The Catcher in the Rye is an essential read in the genre Image credit: Anja Segmüller

Friday, 13th November 2020 | CulCher

STAGE

THEATRE CRITICISM UNDER COVID Lily Goldberg reflects on her experience at the USA’s first post-Covid live theatre production

“T

he show must go on” is a saying so commonplace it’s almost unremarkable. But these are remarkable times, and what happens when the show can’t go on? Live performance has taken a major hit this pandemic, with tightly-packed audiences posing a major threat for coronavirus transmission. The world’s largest auditoriums remain shuttered indefinitely, putting thousands of actors, technicians, ushers and house managers out of work. There is, however, another professional group besides performers and stage crew affected by the absence of live performance – theatre critics. When I realized my favourite part of any performance was the time I spent gabbing to anyone who would listen about the show’s merits and shortcomings, I realized criticism might be my passion. I was lucky to grow up in New York, where discount student tickets made it easy to consume everything from Broadway musicals to avant-garde choreography pieces. In my final semester of high school, I took a course called ‘Theatre in New York’ and I was hooked. Two years later, I sat across from the theatre critic at The Berkshire Eagle, the regional newspaper in my college town, and asked whetherI could intern the summer of 2020. The Berkshires is, in normal summers, home to some of the best summer theatre the US has to offer. The Berkshires offers theatre not only of quality but in quantity; over a few months, this small swath of New England hosts dozens of performances, from tiny community productions to celebrity-led musicals. I was excited for the chance to hone my critical skills by writing about these plays, and for the experience of having my work published for the first time. But when COVID hit, any hope I had of reviewing live theatre dwindled. One by one, major theatres postponed or cancelled their seasons. As it became clear that the shutdown would last longer than anyone expected, some theatres moved their productions online. An issue for a budding theatre critic is that digital theatre, as cutting-edge and technically excellent as it might be, splinters theatrical entertainment into too many options, just as Netflix did for television. When cable was the only option, everyone watched the same show; it’s much rarer today for lots of people to

“

consume the same content given the plethora of options on streaming services. But small college theatre was exempt from this, since there were never more than two performances mounted at a time. Reviewing a play everyone had seen held more relevance to my college audience than reviewing one I had uniquely sought out. Furthermore, while any criticism requires confidence in one’s own judgement, it’s affirming for a budding critic to receive feedback that her opinions are well-formed. When classmates read and agreed with my reviews of a show we’d all seen together, I felt vindicated, and felt a career in criticism might be plausible. Reviewing theatre that none of my peers had seen felt, as an amateur writer, like I was opining into a void. Then, a once-ina-lifetime opportunity fell into my lap. Due to the pandemic, Actor’s Equity, the union representing stage performers, had barred all musicals featuring Equity actors indefinitely. Only one musical in the entire country received clearance for performance — Godspell, a 1970s era musical about Christ and his disciples. Godspell would be staged by the Berkshire Theatre Group in an outdoor tent with socially distanced actors and audience. This was the first major live theatrical event since the pandemic began, and it was kind of a big deal: even though the performance was in a small town in Massachusetts under a tent, the guest list for the premiere included Stephen Schwartz, who wrote the music and lyrics for Godspell as well as Wicked; Ben Brantley, the chief theatre critic at The New York Times; and, strangely enough, me. Godspell took place in the Berkshires, and while interning at The Berkshire Eagle, it was my charge to review it. I arrived early, flashed my press ticket at the box office, received a temperature check, fidgeted nervously with my programme when I realized I was seated next to two established theatre writers in the press aisle, opened my notebook and waited for the lights to go down. But how do you critique a pandemic-era play that clearly requires exceptional effort, but frankly isn’t all that good? Ben Brantley described the performance as “deeply affecting.” The New York Times penned an entire episode of their podcast, The Daily, about the production. But socially distanced theatre is simply weird, and Godspell, though inspirational for the tenacity of the performers and the groundbreaking feat they

If online theatre is the new normal, critics will have to adapt.

attempted, was not quite able to overcome the weirdness artistically. I certainly felt grateful for the experience of being able to share live theatre with others, but deeply conflicted about deeming the production a success. Everyone right now is clearly trying the best they can, and to judge a production on its artistic merit seems borderline cruel. But how else might an emerging critic work on her skills? My solution is to spend more time embracing the weirdness of pandemic-era theatre. Experiencing professional live theatre during a

pandemic was a privilege but it did break live theatre’s spell over me, and broke my resistance to trying out alternate ways of experiencing art. Who knows if you’d call it ‘theatre’, but lots of artists are using this time to expand the boundaries of performance in fascinating directions. Last month, I attended a play-asphone-interview hosted by the collective 600 Highwaymen called A Thousand Ways, and will be watching a Zoom play called Russian Troll Farm: A Workplace Comedy this weekend. if online theatre is the new normal, younger critics will have to adapt.

REVIEWS/SHORTS

Student Theatre: V-Card In a term where we’ve been starved of student drama, anything new is met with significant fanfare. While it’s tempting to be cynical, this play lives up to its own hype. In V-Card, written by Alison Hall, Hazel is every inch the typical student – until her friends find out she’s never had sex. They set out to ‘help’ and chaos ensues. Hall’s writing is sharp and amusing, capturing everything from electric flirtation to cringy small talk to overenthusiastic but seemingly well-meaning housemates. There is always a risk that student playwrights will slip into angst or slapstick, not doing justice to their subject matter. However, rather than catering to extremes, Hall instead cleverly and humorously addresses a variety of attitudes to virginity and sexuality. While this nuance is evident in V-Card’s writing, the show also serves as a fundraiser for GALOP, the UK’s only specifically LGBTQ+ anti-sexual violence charity. Ellie Fullwood is brilliantly expressionistic and believably innocent as Hazel while Lorcan Cudlip Cook’s God – yes, God (Jesus also ap-

pears in the show) – is authoritative and ridiculous in equal measure. Glyn Owen, as Freddie, is perfectly boorish and surprisingly realistic, carrying off salmon-coloured trousers and a penchant for sadism. The cast all interact with assured ease, a difficult feat when working virtually – the show was originally intended to be performed in a traditional format. However, the small matter of a pandemic quickly altered that. Hall told Cherwell that, while the news was initially “quite disappointing…ultimately, making it into a radio play was a blessing”. With the other pre-lockdown option being socially distanced heavy petting, a radio play seems more authentic, particularly considering the production’s liberal attitude to sound effects; I, for one, am curious to hear Smurf Bukkake’s song ‘I’ll Think of England When We Fuck’ and then to immediately repress all memories of it, unlike the play, which looks to be one to remember. V-Card is piercingly shrewd, confidently witty and has adapted excellently to its current circumstances. Hazel may or may not lose her virginity, but you’d better not lose your ticket. Abigail Howe, image credit: Phillip Olney

CulCher | Friday, 13 November 2020

FASHION

Sunday

Sunday boat ride funk. Photos created by Raphael Zyss.. Zyss

Models names: Oscar Idelji-Tehrani, Alex Tinker, Arthur Campbell, Olya Makarova, Ruby Eastwood, and Kamran Ali.

Friday, 13th November 2020 | CulCher

It’s Sunday church day. The Church’s on the water, no way to get there. Funky Sundays.

WORDS:

CulCher | Friday, 13th November 2020

MUSIC

PLAYLIST “MOSH MEMORIES”

SORRY Beabadoobee 2020 Gorilla, Manchester

SUCKER PUNCH Sigrid 2018 Manchester Arena

JENNY WAS A FRIEND OF MINE The Killers 2004 Macron Stadium, Bolton Read the article on cherwell.org and listen to the full playlist on Spotify by Matthew Prudham

BLACK MUSICIAN SPOTLIGHT: BILLYcelebrates PRESTON

Guy Lockwood this under-recognised musician, a figure central to British pop culture of the 60s and 70s.

illy Preston may just be the most talented musician that you have never heard of. He is credited on albums by The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Elton John, Little Richard, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles, and had a late solo career of his own which was successful in its own right, encompassing rock, soul, funk and gospel. Charles would assert that “This man is gonna take my place”. Yet today, Preston’s legacy as one of the greatest Black musi16 Yr. Soul (1963) and The Most Exciting Organ cians of the last century remains neglected. Ever (1965), may not have been hits beyond That he remains a cultural figure largely northern-soul enthusiasts, but nonetheless unknown to British audiences, at the very brought him to the attention of Charles, least, is down to a number of factors. For who hired him to perform on ‘Let’s Go Get one, as is often the case with session musiStoned’, from the album Crying Time (1966). cians – those who are hired to perform Preston’s collaboration with Charles while in recording sessions, and less often live in London in 1969 reacquainted him with performances – his career is documented the now tired Beatles, who invited him to mostly in liner notes and credits on alperform on their last album, Abbey Road bums, and as such his most notable work (1969). Preston can be heard playing a Fender remains in the background of discourse. Rhodes electric piano on ‘Get Back’, for which Nonetheless, his significance in British he was credited as a co-author – the only time popular-music culture the group shared credit is great: the American’s “PRESTON’S LEGACY AS ONE OF for one of their own remarkable eclecticism THE GREATEST BLACK MUSI- compositions, and from of style and sound, CIANS OF THE LAST CENTURY which stems his reputacombined with raw tion as one of those REMAINS NEGLECTED.” talent, was lauded known as the ‘Fifth by all which performed with him, and had Beatle’ – as well as the Hammond organ on great effect on many artists we today name Harrison’s ‘Something’. His presence was immore readily. Black popular musicians have mediately felt, musically and personally. Harbeen spared the marginality found in other rison later recalled how he “got on the electric genres, and formed a key part of our British piano, and straight away there was 100% musical story. To British pop culture of the improvement in the vibe in the room […] We 1960s and 70s, Preston was a key figure. all played better and it was a great session”. Born in Houston, Texas in 1946, Preston Preston subsequently signed for the group’s began playing the piano at the age of three. Apple label the same year, with That’s The Self-taught and soon considered a child prodWay God Planned It (1969) and Encouraging igy, he performed with the influential gospel Words (1970). Both albums mark a distinctly singer Mahalia Jackson as early as the age of ‘gospel-funk’ sound, and the latter is often ten. Joining Little Richard’s band as an organviewed as his finest solo effort. Encouraging ist in 1962, he met the (then unknown) Beatles Words is indeed a testament to his talent, a during their first performances in Hamburg. culmination of years of exposure to sessions The decade saw Preston gain prominence as both in gospel and rock; in 1971, Preston a versatile and virtuosic performer within would describe how the album which “[gave] rock ‘n’ roll circles: his first two solo albums, people something that they’ll really remem-

EXPANDING YOUR TASTE: SIX ALBUMS FROM JAPAN Oliver Hogg heads east with this week’s selection of albums.

t can be very easy to unknowingly end up in an echo-chamber of Englishlanguage music. While most people reading this will only be able to speak and understand English, limiting yourself to only anglophone albums is an insult to great music from the rest of the world. With this in mind, I want to point you towards some of my favourite albums from Japan – and while I may not speak or understand Japanese, the excellence of these albums transcends language.

Beaver 1.Otoboke HITS (2019)

– ITEKOMA

With ITEKOMA HITS, Otoboke Beaver released one of the most immediate and hard-hitting punk albums of the past 10 years – its break-neck pace is sure to blow you away.

The band’s emphatic, ballistic sound is only made more striking when paired with the album cover: the four members of the band, looking innocent as all hell, before bringing said ‘hell’ to their music from start to finish.

2.Merzbow – Pulse Demon (1996)

Being the most important noise musician to have ever lived, you’d expect Merzbow’s most popular and celebrated album to be his most accessible. That couldn’t be further from reality. Those familiar with the Spirit Box used in paranormal investigation will know what I mean when I say that Pulse Demon sounds like a damned soul being tortured, and their eternal screams screeched through a stuttering radio transmission.

Nemuri 3.Haru (2018)

– harutosyura

While this album has been labelled as J-Pop, I’d view that as a severe understatement. harutosyura is a token of musical diversity and flexibility: Haru Nemuri blends traditional J-Pop with rock, punk, hip-hop, hardcore, and noise, to make one of the most left-field pop records of the last decade.

Giddra – Sora Kara 4.King No Chikara (1995)

Being both a traditional boom-bap hip-hop album and a forward-thinking underground Japanese rap release, Sora Kara No Chikara has aged like a fine wine. Pairing smooth production with an array of creative flows and live interludes, King Giddra made arguably the most essential Japanese hip-hop release of the nineties.

ber […] and what I’m talking about is God – a good, solid message that makes you think”. Indeed, both ‘My Sweet Lord’ and ‘Sing One For The Lord’ have a distinctly ‘gospel’ sound, but incorporate the ‘rock’ feel inherited from the ‘Get Back’ sessions only a year earlier. His close rapport with producer George Harrison is certainly evident, and makes for an album eclectic in its mood and vibe. His later career saw him perform with the Rolling Stones as their primary keyboardist from 1973 to 1977, and further collaborations with both Whitney Houston and Eric Clapton in the 1980s. His impact on The Beatles postAbbey Road resonated beyond the ‘Get Back’ sessions: Lennon invited him to perform on Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, and he joined Starr in the 1990s as one of the founding members of the All-Starr Band. Preston later performed at the 2002 Concert For George [Harrison] at the Royal Albert Hall, with a moving rendition of ‘My Sweet Lord’ on stage with McCartney, Clapton and others. Every year, Black History Month invites us to recognise the importance of black figures within our cultural history. The October which just passed left me thinking about Preston’s talent, and how he lent it to some of the most prominent musicians of the last half-century. Billy Preston deserves to resurface in our listening today; if not for an already pre-existing interest in rock, gospel, funk (and how those may sound when fused together), then in making amends in drawing attention to this under-recognised great, who is well worth investing your listening time to. Image: Heinrich Klaffs one of the greatest post-punk albums of the eighties, despite its lack of popularity. The Edo Akemi-led band had one of the greatest impacts on Japanese music as a whole prior to their frontman’s death; Nanban Torai stands as his crowning achievement. There are too many genres blended on this classic to list, making it one of the most inventive albums put to tape.

Dos Monos – Dos City 6.(2019)

Torai

The most recent release on this list, it is my favourite nonetheless. A captivating example of futuristic boombap production, Dos City melts together nostalgic samples and noise to produce a true modern gem. Rappers Zo Zhit, Taitanman, and Botsu come through with relentless flows and lyricism, that has since drawn the attention of artists like black midi and Injury Reserve (R.I.P. Groggs).

Nanban Torai has stood the test of time as

Image: Paul Hudson

Jagatara (1982)

–

Nanban

Friday, 13th November 2020 | CulCher

FILM

THINGS THE GRANDCHILDREN SHOULD KNOW

MUST SEE NEW RELEASE

The coronavirus pandemic has been felt particularly sorely by elderly people. Lily Down celebrates them by exploring some of the most interesting, funny, moving and twisted senior roles on screen.

t’s easy to forget that our grandparents have lived whole lives before us. I only found out when I was seventeen that my grandad used to be a poet, and that my grandmother was a seventies punk. It’s important to remember that they aren’t just the parents of my parents, but real people who have lived a long time. They have lived through good times, bad times, and even just plain old boring times. As we enter a national lockdown, I feel sorry for myself; for the uni experience I’m missing out on, for the friends I won’t be able to see. But I feel worse for the grandparents, locked down across the country, unable to see their families or live their lives, knowing they can’t make up for this lost time in the same way that I can. In cinema and television, we live vicariously through the characters on screen, imagining their coming-of-ages and their romances are our own. Why should it be any different for my grandparents? In Juanita, a 2019 Netflix film starring Alfre Woodard, we see an older black woman pick up and leave her home in Ohio, and get on a bus to nowhere. She isn’t fleeing a miserable home life, or crime, or anything out of a gritty docuseries. She’s leaving loving friends and

family because she feels stuck. As she says to her son, “sometimes I feel like if I don’t get out of Columbus, I’ll lose my mind”. This is about her, as a black grandmother, finding something more than the life she’s led, by running to the mountains. It’s rare to see older women in film, and an older black woman is usually stuck being a sassy and kooky friend, or some sort of psychic helping the white protagonists. Alfre Woodard is front and centre here, never giving up on her journey, going to California even when she’s found a home, knowing that it will be waiting for her when she’s finished her adventure. Bill Murray in On the Rocks is a less forgivable character – he’s selfish, and sexist, expecting the worst of his son-in-law when she suspects he’s having an affair, because he knows that’s what he would be doing himself. He’s also witty, and charming. He makes friends everywhere he goes. Murray’s comedic presence is incredible. But beneath his character’s charm, and beneath his sexism, is a man who just wants his daughter to spend time with him. When Laura tells him that he wasn’t a perfect father, he is genuinely hurt; he has managed to isolate himself from the rest of his family, and his daughter and granddaughters

THE ALLURE OF TRASH TV Hannah Bowsher indulges our shared, if secret love for trash TV, espousing the importance of the ‘nice’

t’s a rainy Saturday in the middle of December – a perfect duvet day. The lights on my tree twinkle and I clasp my Earl Grey tea made in my Christmas mug. My eyes are fixed on the show that fills TLC’s weekend schedule – Say Yes to the Dress. You may roll your eyes, but I have no shame. The show (particularly the episodes at Kleinfeld, a massive dress shop in New York) is, simply put: nice. Watching people whose love lives are infinitely better than yours, looking beautiful in exquisitely designed dresses fit for princesses gives me hope for my own future. A little bit of drama is mixed in as an overbearing family member decides they don’t like the bride’s favourite dress. The show is generally wholesome fun. Equally entertaining is Doctor Pimple Popper. So gross, and yet I cannot stop watching (and let’s face it, the ones that

spray are the best). Backstories about how long the doctor’s patients have been carrying around their lumps and cysts for accompany footage of the removal surgery. It’s disgusting, but also captivating, feeding our common, secret obsession with the abject. ‘Trash’ TV, which in my mind is typically found on Freeview, offers escapism. It does not demand too much focus. It is an absorbing entity that can snatch our attention for many an hour on a Saturday afternoon. The lack of brain-power required to watch is often cited as its most obviously appealing characteristic, and yet, we become emotionally invested, we laugh along and enjoying what we watch. Typically different from the blockbuster budget shows like Game of Thrones and Netflix’s The Witcher, the ‘trash’ shows that grace our screens have a tendency to be either reality or comedy, mainly due to the fact that the badly scripted and semispontaneous fights and tea-spilling we find addictive for its fakery and fun, and short, particularly American shows like

are all he has. In the end, he has to accept the relationship he has with his daughter, rather than clinging to her through a series of absurd escapades. “Next time,” Laura tells him, “just tell me if you want to spend some time together.” He replies, “okay.” In the cult hit Fox show, Fringe, the central relationship is between Peter and his mad scientist father, Walter. Played by John Noble, Walter Bishop is an old man, missing significant portions of his memory, a genius hindered by his own mind, a man haunted by his past actions, just trying to rebuild his relationship with his son. He is a complicated, imperfect, loving, kind, and cruel man; a man always trying to do good. Walter Bishop is Shakespeare’s Macbeth, or Shelley’s Frankenstein, trying to find his way back to goodness after he has literally destroyed worlds for his son. None of these actors are offered generic roles, though they could easily have been stereotypes – mad scientist, bad dad, black Eat, Pray, Love – they never are. Woodard, Murray and Noble are given the opportunity to shine in roles which allow them to show vulnerability, passion, fear, and love. And this is reflective of real older people. If film and TV are a mirror to our lives, then this mirror gives a pretty inaccurate picture right now. Today, no one can get on a bus and travel across the country, or fly to Mexico, or save the world. But these examples offer us a glimpse of what we have lost, and what we will regain. The freedom to be ourselves, and find our path, and be with the people we love, is not gone forever. Older people right now have to worry if they will see their family again; but we have to hope that we all will, and that when we do, they will have the chance to tell us all about their wild and boring pasts, and live a wild and boring future. Image credit: Pxfuel Brooklyn Nine-Nine are bitesize and easily binge-watchable. In my case, they are ‘typically Freeview’ because they remind me of surfing the lower budget channels on the weekend in my mid-teen years, after working hard all week at college. In a time pre my subscription to Netflix, I was looking for something light-hearted, that was not Homes under the Hammer or Escape to the Country. Particularly in my hectic-schedule Oxford life, these shows provide me with a sense of nostalgia, and I look forward to going home for the holidays for all of the associations which come with them. On a different note, the channel that always has a special place in my heart is Comedy Central. Even now I can remember the sky channel number off-by-heart (112) and my mind goes straight to Friends – shown back to back every weekend on the channel, as has been done for YEARS. Incidentally, I recently sat through the whole of Legally Blonde on the channel

SHIRLEY This Sundance-winning take on the life of novelist Shirley Jackson combines cold psychological manipulation with a poeticallyrendered script. Starring Elisabeth Moss, the film is available on Amazon Prime.

TO STREAM

THE END OF THE F***ING WORLD The second series of this wildly infectious Channel 4-premiered show can flick in a heartbeat between tear-evoking sadness and confounding humour.

CLASSIC

A STAR BORN (1954) The second of the four productions of A Star Is Born, this 1954 version starring Judie Garland and James Mason is the best, with a biting self-referentiality that incisively picks apart 50s Hollywood. Available on BBC iPlayer.

and very much enjoyed it. My aversion to watching it on Netflix is purely one of nostalgia. Remember when we used to watch Hannah Montana on the actual Disney Channel on real television, and not the subscription service that is gradually killing off kids’ TV as we know it (and god forbid the DVD)? Reality TV is perhaps enjoyed by me, then, because its spiritual home is on actual TV, excluding On Demand services. Channel 4’s First Dates has filled many an empty hour for me for this reason, but it’s also just stories of people’s lives that they are telling to people they have never met before, and in many ways we all share something with them, even if it’s just little insecurities, as otherwise we wouldn’t be watching the show. It’s just that connecting with other human beings, on some small level, particularly during lockdown when human contact has been sparse, is just rather nice. Read the full article at Cherwell.org

LIFE

ROME ALONE TOO

Alex Fleming-Brown

Life | Friday, 13th November 2020

he main problem with travelling alone? You are travelling alone. I blame books and gap year students for its allure. Hemmingway’s expats all seem to have interrail passes and every gap year student I have ever met has given me a different version of the same ‘found myself’ speech. (No Piers, you are not Jack Kerouac...you worked a ski season in Verbier.) In all honesty, the prospect of finding myself terrifies me (I wasn’t even aware I was lost) and was something I hoped to avoid at all costs. But, spurred on by a huge financial incentive to avoid Ryanair’s peak travel price gouging, I decided to extend my holiday in Italy for a few days by traveling to Rome alone. I tell myself that in peacetime I would have slummed it in a hostel, but since Rome is still reeling from its first wave of coronavirus, sharing a dormitory with 8 sweaty Australian backpackers was not worth the minimal authenticity kudos bonus. This is how I ended up in the euphemistically named ‘Hotel Sweet Home’. I cannot help but feel that its sweetness and homeliness was overstated. There

was a veritable carpet of short dark curly hair on the bathroom floor (despite the fact I am strawberry blond). Additionally, my window was perfectly positioned to provide the 45 apartments opposite with a direct view into my bedroom and shower. But hey, it was €22 a night, and I quite like an audience anyway. I dumped my bags and ran away from ‘Sweet Home’ and its unfashionable ‘Roma Termini’ neighbourhood as fast as possible. About half an hour in, I found my first problem with solo travel: starvation. If you look hard enough there’s going to be a problem with every restaurant in central Rome: there will be too many tripadvisored troglodytic tourists, or the menu will be too expensive, or the maitre d’ looks like he would rather serve his right testicle as ‘il secundo’ than give you a table. If you aren’t travelling with other people, there’s no one to help make decisions about where to eat, or moan so that you make your mind up faster. The only restaurants which do not have these problems are the ones which both locals and tourists avoid, presumably because the carbonara comes with a complementary side of dysentery. Four hours later, having crossed

the Tiber into Traverstevere, I my loneliness as intentional, I a handmaiden and a therapist. eventually succumbed to the siren ordered a ‘mezzo’ of the house red, I refused to be pitied. I scowled songs of a waitress when I almost chainsmoked intensely (€5 for a harder at my book, smoked more passed out in the Piazza Trilussa. packet of Marlboro Golds...) and cigarettes and finished my pizza I was forcefully scooped up and stared at my book. These efforts, I and half litre of wine within thirty frogmarched to the only table hoped, recast me as the reclusive, minutes. which was not shaded from the nonconformist maverick which I As the dough induced food burning Roman midday sun. so clearly am. The thing that upset coma set in, I felt sure I needed The following 45 minutes me most was the extraordinary a proper sit down. Somewhere were some of the most shady with non-judgemental uncomfortable in my life. company. It was a Sunday and I “IN ALL HONESTY, THE At some point in this couldn’t find any AA meetings sweaty, shaky, paranoid PROSPECT OF FINDING MYSELF so settled for the next best ordeal, I discovered the thing: Roman Catholic Mass. second problem with solo I wandered into the Basilica travel: Not only are you TERRIFIES ME (I WASN’T EVEN Santa Maria and slumped into alone, but everyone can one of the seats (carefully see you are alone. I could AWARE I WAS LOST) AND WAS spaced at 1m intervals). The almost hear what the other service began and despite my diners were saying: SOMETHING I HOPED TO AVOID strong protestant credentials “Oi Gaetano. What sort and utter ignorance of Italian of chronic social leper goes (or was the service in Latin?) I AT ALL COST” to restaurants and eats finally felt relaxed. The choir outside by themself” sang beautifully and I enjoyed “Ay Marco, The gall! Any selfamount of attention I received scanning the eclectic crowd of respecting outcast would stay from the waitress. In any other bonafide worshippers whilst home alone to weep into their pot circumstance I would have melting into my chair. noodles and binge on daytime TV relished barely coherent small This reverie was short lived. A .” talk and pregnant glances with the suffocating fog of incense soon “Si si Gaetano, But not this fair ‘Sofia’ (currently studying law enveloped the parishioners who prick. He actually travels to at Sapienza University of Rome) were expected to stand up for our country and broadcasts his but as a solo-traveller, I dreaded most of the service. After the loneliness to good honest citizens it. With oppressive regularity she mass passed the hour mark, I felt like us. It borders on masochistic came over to enquire about my close to collapsing again. What I exhibitionism.” welfare. It bordered on harassment. needed was a stiff drink. Right on “He’s also English...cunt.” It was as if I had inadvertently won cue, ‘fratelli something-or-other’ In a desperate bid to rebrand a 3-for-1 bundle of a tour guide, chanted the echaristic prayer and

Friday, 13th November 2020 | Life began to circulate the bread which I seized upon. When he poured a hearty glass of wine, blessed it and downed it at the altar, I was overcome by the prospect of spirits (holy and inebriating) and felt weak at the knees. To my immense disappointment and rage, the generosity that the Catholics showed with the bread was not extended to alcoholic refreshments...apparently to comply with COVID-19 regulations. Face masks and zoom yoga I can deal with, but this almost broke me. I only refrained from launching a crusade for booze backed by the canonical importance of the wine to the eucharistic feast because I had only understood a quarter of the service. Knackered, full of pizza and the (literal) body of Christ, I emerged back out into the piazzas which were starting to buzz with young people. I spotted a bar in Piazza S. Calisto which was reassuringly cheap and ordered my first ‘Peroni grande’ for €2.50. The terrace seats were full of other students drinking with their friends so I thought that I might be able to strike up a conversation with someone. This didn’t work for a few reasons.

First, when I say the seats were full, I mean that my only option was to perch uncomfortably on a strange smelling stone ledge across the piazza. This also placed me at the fringes of a pack vest clad, Italian patriarchs who did not look like they were about to take in an English tourist for any reason, other than as a hostage. The second impediment to my cultural assimilation was, as already mentioned, I speak no italian. I’m no Gregory Peck, nor was meant to be. Suavely sidling over to someone and buying them a Negroni was out of the question. Instead, all interactions had to be conducted at nursery level English or at the balls-achingly slow pace of Google Translate. After two hours of further reading, drinking and chain-smoking, the words of my pretentiously dense philosophy tome were starting to swim...but salvation was at hand. I don’t think that angels have classically been portrayed with black leather flares, raven tresses and a nipple piercing but the following 72 hours made me sure that they should be. I met Nica when she made the 20 metre walk across the Piazza with her friends and asked to borrow my lighter. Faced with another four hours of drunkenly nodding off into my book, I literally leapt at the opportunity to interact with other humans. We got talking. We got drunk. She took me to dinner. She taught me how to swear in Italian. We got more drunk in a flat. We saw each other for the following four nights. Maybe I was lucky and happened to be reading the right book in the right piazza at the right time. But I don’t think it could have happened if I hadn’t been alone. Give solo travelling a stab. You’ll meet some great people so long as you can survive the first 24 hours of starvation, loneliness and crippling social anxiety.

cherpse Rubia Southcott Christ Church Fine Art How were you feeling before the date? After one cancellation due to a covid scare, I was apprehensive to meet these seemingly social butterflies.

THIS WEEK WE HAD A DOUBLE DATE! READ ON FOR THE FIRST PAIR, AND STAY TUNED FOR NEXT WEEK’S COUPLE...

First impressions? I was the first to arrive and was approached by Sid and his friend Jo who studied Physics and Engineering. I began to wonder how compatible this would be alongside my ‘Fine Art’. Did it meet up to your expectations? I had expected an evening of polite small talk and the evening’s discussions remained, on the whole, pleasant and surface level.

Did it meet up to your expectations? I don’t really know what my expectations were, so I’ll go with yes.

“DOUBLE VODKA PEPSI - MAX.”

What was the highlight? Sid’s tales of the wild night-life that Cirencester has to offer.

What was the highlight? Realising the other guy lived in the same area as me. I got very excited by this.

What was the most embarrassing moment? When I had to go to the toilet for the fourth time because I drank too much and my bladder capacity is non-existent.

What was the most embarrassing moment? “Double vodka pepsi-max.”

Describe the date in 3 words: Fun, chill, and cold (we were outside).

Describe the date in 3 words: Humanities versus Sciences Is a second date on the cards? Unfortunately, I think compatibility was lacking. However, I did wake up the following morning to a message from the other person on our double date: “Hey, slightly breaking the Cherwell, but do you wanna get a drink sometime, ideally at a place you don’t have to punch the heaters” ...come back in 7th week to see what happens

HOROSCOPE

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

LEO

21 March- 19 April

20 April - 20 May

21 May- 20 June

21 June - 22 July

23 July - 22 August

You share a star sign with my ex-boyfriend – but begrudgingly, I must admit I see good things on your horizon. The one good thing you won’t have in your life is me, but other than that expect a week of laughs, good grades and clear skin.

Gemini, more like GemiWHY are you contemplating messaging that problematic ex of yours barely a week into lockdown 2.0? You know you’re too good for them – so stay strong! Blast some breakup tunes and forget them!

How were you feeling before the date? A little tipsy, had a couple of drinks beforehand and ngl my tolerance had really taken a hit. First impressions? She was already there when we arrived so first impression would have to be punctual.

ARIES Your trip to Tesco this week will result in a chance meeting… with who, I couldn’t say, but beware the contents of your basket. An item off your shopping list could reveal to them one of your most unspoken secrets…

Sid Smith New Physics

5th week hasn’t been your favourite, I know, but be kind to yourself! It’s okay to take a day off and curl up with a classic film or bingewatch your favourite series. (It’s also okay to be a bit of a wet-wipe and cry during that one scene too).

Take a break from that inevitable essay crisis and join one of those (very long) coffee shop queues, because you’re destined to take away someone’s breath this week, as well as that hot drink…

Is a second date on the cards? Only time will tell.

VIRGO 23 August - 22 Sept We get it, you love a free coffee. But maybe swap it for a green tea every now and then? That Pret subscription may be getting you through your 5th week blues, but it’s going to be one hell of a caffeine crash otherwise…

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

23 Sept - 22 Oct

23 Oct - 21 Nov

22 Nov - 21 Dec

22 Dec - 19 Jan

20 Jan - 18 Feb

19 Feb - 20 March

Lockdown might be getting you down a little, but never fear! The covered market is open for business still, so why not treat yourself to lunch with a friendly face on the steps of the Bodleian?

You aren’t the sort of person to check your horoscope, but if you were, you’d know someone can’t stop thinking of you this 5th week. You might not notice them, but someone out there thinks you’re the bees knees - and they’re a catch!

Okay, Christmas may still be a while away – but Oxmas isn’t! Bopping along to some classic festive Bublé hits is officially acceptable this week to chase away those 5th week blues. You could even treat yourself to an advent calendar…

Well I’m not sure how you managed to get it – but enjoy that coveted library slot you managed to grab this week. It may be 5th week but you’re not gonna let that stop you.

If you can avoid the vicious geese who live by the river in Christ Church Meadows, a walk this week will leave you refreshed and ready to take on that work you’ve been procrastinating… listen to that new Spotify playlist you’ve made yourself !!!

Your friends are crazy lucky to have you this 5th week your empathy and affection has lifted up so many people around you, so remember to look after yourself too! Take some time out of your schedule to have a relaxing evening ..of self-care.

Life | Friday, 13th November 2020

DOOM AND ZOOM

ike so many other current second year students, my Trinity term in 2020 was characterised by long, repetitive hours spent at a desk I hadn’t utilised since A-Levels, and a workload (two essays a week for the first time in my degree) which prevented me from engaging in many family activities which could potentially have broken the monotony. With this in mind, I was thrilled at the prospect of my Michaelmas 2020 – not only was there the widespread relief of returning to the irreplicable atmosphere of Oxford and to all the benefits of having friends nearby, but for me there was also the reassurance of my workload being reduced from two essays to just one short problem sheet per week, leading me to rejoice at the thought of eight weeks of enjoying learning without excessive pressure or deadlines and improving my mental health. However, the reality has not been this idyllic; during this term so far I have found myself managing to slip all too often into the same patterns of repetition and monotony as I did during Trinity. It’s worth mentioning at this point that I’m a classicist, a degree with the quirk of exams in the middle of second year, so despite my lack of imminent deadlines, my longer term academic responsibilities threaten to ambush me should I take too much joy in the rarity of an Oxford term with a reduced workload. Aside from this, though, I have found that my lack of potential essay crises this term has forced me, paradoxically, to reconsider my approach to work in a similar way to a completely virtual Trinity with a heavy workload. Part of this is due to the pandemic-induced closure of libraries and the ensuing necessity of working in one’s room or in a cafe; just as working from home in Trinity blurred the lines between the regions of my life concerned with study and those not concerned with it, the lack of designated study spaces this term (as well as the lack of physical distance between one’s room and tutorials which remain online) has granted similar ambiguity to the concepts of ‘work’ and ‘not work’ – this has caused me to be always in a no-man’s land between working and relaxing, rather than focus on one or the other. Moreover, I feel oddly as though my smaller workload this term has mimicked the lockdown in Trinity in terms of its effect on my ability to work efficiently. Both phenomena have appeared to promise abundant amounts of free time in lieu of the pre-pandemic social obligations,

Green spaces

reen spaces in Oxford? What’s the point? Who cares about some dumb fields? These foolish thoughts were mine at the beginning of Michaelmas last year; coming into a world of fancy architecture, never-ending essays and a whole lot of alcohol, I thought that I would never truly have any reason to visit these so-called “green spaces”. I have grass at home, so what’s the point? Well, freshers, please do not repeat my grave error in overlooking these spaces, as they truly do offer a solution to every problem. Hung over? Nurse your headache in the fresh 70 acres that make up University Parks. Parks. Want to avoid an essay? Why not visit the Botanical Gardens, Gardens, and pretend you’re being productive by learning about the medicinal value of many of the plants they have on show? Want to impress your date while also doing the bare minimum? Why not show off your butterfly knowledge in Wytham Woods which plays host to over 800 species of butterfly?

Clementine Scott but in reality have illuminated my capacity for allowing work that should take a day to fill an entire week. In Trinity this unfortunate ability of mine was exacerbated by the lack of anything outside the home enforcing limits on my time spent working, and now a similar effect is achieved through my lack of work – it’s infinitely more possible to overthink and procrastinate a piece of work when one is not pressured by several other assignments that week, and this effect, as ever, is compounded by the reduced number of reasons to leave one’s room. Both this term and the very different one that preceded it have demonstrated to me that I need some sort of limit placed upon my work, either temporal or relating to the space in which I work, in order to be able to do it effectively. This strange hybrid of a global pandemic and a lack of deadlines has caused many empty hours in which I’ve drastically reconsidered the working strategies that have always worked for me, and this hasn’t been easy to deal with at times. Nevertheless, there are advantages to the enforced monotony. A lack of both high academic pressure and opportunities for socialising with a wider variety of people has given me the chance to enjoy some simpler aspects of life which I rarely made time for last year – when I’ve been able to put aside the fear of exams next term, I’ve cooked more ambitiously, as well as exercising and making music, much more often than I ever did in first year. There is also the fact that even though it is still easy to fall into the solitude and assignments stretching out over days which characterised Trinity, the return to the physical environment of Oxford has had a far from meaningless symbolic effect on me; though we still can’t mimic the unique experience of studying in an Oxford library (at least without an unromantic booking system), it is surely better for my work to be studying in a city which contains all my memories of first year and hopes for future years, than in a home which, though I do love it, I put aside as a thing of the past when I came to university. Though it has been strange to experience the twin effects of pandemic-induced solitude and a lull in academic work, my way of life this term has somehow felt simpler than first year, and I hope I continue to have the chance to enjoy myself, reflect and reset before both my academic schedule and the state of global health return to normal.

Its particularly easy to feel rather overwhelmed by the Oxford experience. The 400-year-old libraries somewhat lose their appeal once you’re forced to spend countless hours in them attempting to understand problem sheets and meet word counts. Green spaces offer a welcome reprieve from the intense pressure of daily life in Oxford; a breath of fresh air amongst the oppressive yet beautiful sandstone of our colleges. While there are many wonderful green spaces

around Oxford, the most notable, for me personally, have to be University Parks and Christ Church Meadow. The wide, open spaces of the former provide the perfect place for a post-exam jog or, even just a walk to blow off some steam. Unfortunately, due to COVID, meeting people inside is not much of an option any more, so Uni Parks could offer a perfect solution to meet people outsie of your household for a socially-distanced picnic or walk. When asked, one of my friends even said “I’ve been to Uni Parks, which are lovely” and, if that’s not high praise, I don’t know what it. The natural beauty of Christ Church Meadow offers the perfect space for any student to wander around and clear their h-ead. As someone who doesn’t attend Christ Church, I found the meadow to truly offer the best of both worlds: a temporary escape from uni and the ideal location to truly take in the beauty of Oxford and its architecture (from a distance). The green spaces dotted around Oxford have to be a must-see for any student. Read the full text in Keep Off The Grass, Cherwell’s freshers guide, available to read online at www.issuu.com/cherwellonline Illustrations by Rachel Jung

JOHN EVELYN

ohn Evelyn is pleased to report a period of a turning sea of tithes. With elections between the main Society and that of Lanez seemingly inseparable in the case of the patchwork quilt of the most pro-diversity slate. Punctuality. In the case of the Definitely Not an Aussie, this seems like a quality more honoured in the breach than the observance. Then again, it is common knowledge that the greatest talking shop of them all runs zoomingly regardless of the presence of a chair. Furthermore, John Evelyn continued to witness the beautiful matrimony of The Most Inexperienced Secretary Candidate Ever and Definitely Not an Aussie. It is truly heart warming to witness, through an I exaggerated shacking up, the transition from Romeo and Juliet to Wallace and Gromit. Suffice to say, man is truly a political animal. Perhaps even to the extent that Plato questions

whether or not the nurturing toil was even worth it. The Late Etonian increasingly seems to have quite literally channelled his Aragon and stuck his claws into the prize this election. His actions have perhaps resembled an epiphany that time and tide truly wait for no man. This must show that the age-old adage of actions speaking louder than words holds thicker than water. Definitely Not an Aussie has, however, truly defied all conventions. The hunt for foot soldiers in this camp, once a staple of the earlier part of this epoch, seems to have an incredible amount in common with Buzz Lightyear. Nonetheless, the demonstration of diligence in this endeavour - paralleled only in the context of the explanation of why morality was not elevated above more baser incentives - is truly commendable. The Runner Up has also come into his stride, thoroughly enjoying

the narcissistic spark that The Late Etonian introduced to that now not so sLATE. While difficult to ascertain, there have been credible whispers of this spark influencing the slate’s image. The number of said immensely sLATE images are indeed comparable to the parrot-like quality with which our fine King James VI was interrogated by Definitely Not an Aussie - “just checking again your highness, do you see any need to revolutionise the clearly hurriedly made Trinity election schedule”. Above all else, John Evelyn does indeed wish a speedy recovery to the Elevated Almost Secretary for his recent ale-ments. John Evelyn does from the bottom of his heart wish that this particular camp gets to have their shot at the Hunger Games, a circumstance that they are (in some cases) especially alien to. Sending love and attempting to ride this changing tide. John Evelyn x

Life | Friday, 13th November 2020

FOOD

SOCIETY EATS: MILANESE DISHES Filippo Turkheimer reveals personal anecodtes on Italian food, cooking, and the Milanese culinary tradition.

s the son of Italian parents - but these days also prepared with chocolate chips born and raised in the UK - I learned for those who, like me, are not so keen on the to appreciate the splendour of autraditional candied fruit filling. thentic Italian food during frequent All Italians will agree that there is nothing trips to the motherland. Because of this, I quite like eating your grandmother’s food. As am likely to smother my reader with personal a child, it was always her food that I looked anecdotes. However, like all good narratives, forward to the most upon arriving in Italy. I these reminiscences open an avenue for me to vividly recall being always greeted and then offer a brief introduction to Milanese cuisine, treated to a silver platter adorned with hams, whose techniques, flavours and aromas were other regional cured meats, greasy focaccia engrained in me as a child and, subsebread rolls and fresh vegetables when quently, fuelled a personal passion arriving at her house from Milano “A LL for cooking. Linate Airport. While these Milanese dishes are genermeals were always a real feast ITA LIA NS WILL ally known to be ‘hearty’; the for the eyes, it was my palate region of Lombardy being one AGREE TH AT THERE which seemed to experience of the coldest in Italy. Risotto, IS NOTHING QUITE a homecoming of its own. served smoking hot, is the The culinary festivities, LIK E EATING YOUR however, were not over for the staple dish of the region, and certainly a staple in our home. GR A NDMOTHER’S day. After a brief food coma, I particularly enjoy making my grandmother would reunite later, my mother - prepare these traditional FOOD.” this dish because of its versatilaunts, uncles, and cousins at her Milanese dishes as they have been carefully ity, where ingredients can easily home over an extravagant dinner. prepared through generations, spurred my be added or substituted for others. This For the cousins, including myself, a tower fervour for cooking: I must have been four is certainly the case in our home: risotto is of my grandmother’s renowned cotolette years of age when I first began to help out in traditionally drowned in Parmesan cheese, (Schnitzels, also known as ‘Cotolette di vitello the kitchen. I remember vividly my mother though we often vary it with Taleggio or alla Milanese’) awaited our impatient appe- placing a chair beside her on which for me to Gorgonzola. We also devour minestrone, tites, alongside delicate and well-seasoned stand so I could stir risotto, a memory which another versatile dish which we make with rosemary roast potatoes. Meanwhile, the returned to me when teaching my university whatever vegetables are available at the time adults were served dishes of a more ‘sophis- housemates how to make Risotto ‘alla Milanof cooking. Polenta, like risotto, can be varied ticated’ kind: Risotto giallo (saffron rice), ese’ with wild mushrooms from the covered with whatever toppings and sauces you desire, market, and mozzarella. al dente, followed by a roast and more and delectable, smoky beef ragu (fulfilling potatoes. Espresso and a cigarette Despite my affinity with the the ‘hearty’ requisite) is a personal favourite. would conclude their evening. Milanese culinary tradition, I As supporters of Italian food establishments, am also fascinated by other It was through formative trips to Delicatessens (including the friendly and emotive experiences Italian cuisines. Italy boasts “COOKING H AS BEEN Italian Deli on Cowley Road while at univerof food as a child that I a wealth of gastronomy, THE PERFECT MEDIUM sity) are sometimes necessary in achieving a began to recognise my with each region and truly ‘authentic’ finished product. grandmother’s cuisine as TO RECONNECT WITH M Y city offering its own As Lombardy is removed from the coast, an art form: the mastery dishes. Italian cuisine is ITA LIA N ROOTS.” meat heralds as the main protein in our and passion she exuded steeped in tradition and cuisine. Already cited, cotolette (Schnitzels) history, and the very best of in the execution of these are another staple in our family, with my recipes are similar to those authentic Italian food makes grandmother’s recipe impossible to compete of a sculptor or painter, pursuing ample use of the finest regional against. We also enjoy lesso (beef boiled with perfection in their own respective masproduce and unique cooking techniques. vegetables, whose liquid we use as stock to terpieces. Immediately, I was fascinated and, Moreover, the real ‘flair’ of all Italian cuisines flavour risottos and tortellini), braised meats, then, attracted by this attitude toward cook- is in the creation of scrumptious dishes with roasts and, the king of all, Ossobuco (cross-cut ing. I became more aware of this artistry, not comparatively few ingredients. In this way, the basic ingredient itself becomes the real veal shanks braised with vegetables, white solely in appreciating the resultant meals, wine and broth), served with saffron risotto. but also in examining their careful construc- star of the show. Take the humble bruschetta, And don’t get us started on dessert. Panettone, tion and preparation in my grandmother’s for example: a dish created by paupers dating that delicately leavened Christmas bread, are kitchen. Watching my grandmother - and back to the late 1800s. It’s simple composition

of bread topped with tomatoes, oil, garlic and salt makes it one of the world’s most preferred prima piatti, and immensely flavourful, despite its obvious simplicity. This ethos of simplicity certainly resonates in Milanese dishes such as risotto, where preparation is uncomplicated and the addition of sole ingredients such as saffron or wild mushrooms really packs a punch. My life-long affinity with Italian cuisine has certainly offered invaluable lessons in cooking, which subsequently developed into a passion of mine. Back in primary school, my sister and I enjoyed helping my mother cook, and after, eating the dishes we had prepared together. Cooking in this way taught me so much about the importance of healthy nutrition, family, and my Italian heritage. This is certainly the case today: as an Italian national born and bred in this country, currently attending a quintessentially British university, I can honestly admit that I have felt distanced from the culture of my parents. Cooking has been the perfect medium to reconnect with my Italian roots, and I also gain a thrill from the reaction of my friends and colleagues who try this food. Needless to say, their reaction upon eating it certainly stirs a sense of personal pride of being Italian, championing the recipes of my grandmother and the glorious city of Milano. Read the full article online at cherwell.org

UP YOUR BROWNIE GAME: BAKING TIPS AND TRICKS Elinor Davies tells you how to make the perfect brownies every time.

dry, bland or spongy concoction, especially following this guidance.

here is no comfort in the world that can remedy the searing anguish of a disappointing brownie; no amount of year 9 drama lessons that can enable you to feign enjoyment when confronted with the hopeful eyes of a friend (now ex-friend) that has given you a dry or bland brownie. Everybody has sampled a truly great brownie, one that is dense, rich and crispy on the top. Having such an experience only makes a poor brownie even worse – there is a benchmark in mind to which it will be compared, and, through every mouthful, you will just think of what could have been. However, the maker of such sorrow need not be you if you heed the following advice. Brownies are a fundamentally easy bake, hence their comitted presence in school bake sales, so there should be absolutely no excuse to tarnish their good name with a

Like many foods, chocolate can be vastly improved by salt so do not be stingy by adding just ‘a pinch’ as most recipes seem to suggest. When used in the correct quantities, it can enhance the flavour of the brownies without imparting its own overt saltiness. In the same vein as salted caramel and salted chocolate bars, it counteracts the sweetness of desserts that could otherwise be headache inducingly sweet. Ideally, the salt used would be ground rock or sea salt of quite high quality: the fine table salt sold in large containers can sometimes be a bit chemically in flavour.

Top tip 1 – SALT

Top tip 2 – COFFEE

Coffee is one of chocolate’s best friends. Like salt, it does not enforce its own flavour when used in the right quantities but enhances chocolate’s natural flavours. Instant espresso powder can be added

straight into the brownie batter or dissolved coffee granules could also be used. I am not suf- ficiently sophisticated to own espresso powder, so I usually dissolve 2 teaspoons of instant coffee granules in about 3 teaspoons of boiling water before adding it to my batter.

Top tip 3 – DARK BROWN SUGAR

Caster or granulated sugars do not contain sugar cane’s natural molasses, and therefore provide only pure sweetness to brownies. The molasses content of dark brown or muscovado sugar is far higher and therefore has a far more oaky/caramelised flavour that adds a real depth to a batter, producing richer and more flavoursome brownies.

Top tip 4 – BROWN THE BUTTER

Browning butter is an easy way to improve the flavour of a dessert without adding more ingredients. It consists of melting butter and allowing it to cook further until the milk solids separate and begin to

brown at the bottom of the pan. ‘Cooking’ the butter in this way adds a real nutty/ fudgy depth to the butter’s flavour which combines really well with the treacly sugar to produce a really rich and complex taste.

Top tip 5 – FILLINGS

There is endless debate as to which are the best fillings for a brownie, but I believe that something sharp and contrasting is needed for full chocolatey appreciation. As much as the ‘more is more’ approach is tempting, especially where chocolate is concerned, sometimes throwing all the chocolate at a brownie does not improve it. Adding chocolate chips to an already richly chocolatey batter seems a waste, as their flavour is too similar to that of the batter and therefore cannot shine through. Raspberries are my personal favourite for providing a sharp edge that contrasts and highlights the chocolatey goodness of the brownie. Read the full article online at cherwell.org

Life | Friday, 13th November 2020

PROFILE

IN CONVERSATION WITH GRACE BEVERLEY Sasha Mills speaks to Grace Beverley about her achievements with sustainable fashion and her experience as a woman in business.

Burnout has become a debated topic of a while [...] was that actually the most Being offline, she says, has taken conversation over the last few years, and last overarching kind of challenge, and obstacle the focus away from living up to these year, Anne Petersen’s essay for Buzzfeed, for that [being taken seriously] was actually standards, and instead she’s able to focus “How Millennials Became the Burnout with myself. And I was very much creating on her own decision-making: “How can I Generation” went viral. In it, Petersen this feeling for myself because I was so make the best decision here? If there’s a describes the experience of internalizing preoccupied with that.” trade-off, how do I make that work?” “the idea that I should be working all the “I find that the best way to combat these Sustainability is also at the heart of time,” an experience that she categorises things is just to do. You can doubt yourself, Beverley’s businesses. Most of the as a distinctly generational one. or think that people think something products produced by TALA focus race Beverley is possibly one of the While Beverley falls just on the edge of of you all you want, or you can on up-cycling fabrics that busiest people I’ve ever met. The being a Millenial, her new book takes on just get on with the work, and would otherwise go to waste, “The book is day of our interview, she posted a some of the ideas that Petersen mentions kind of let the success of it their Zinnia leggings, for photo of the day’s schedule, and in her essay. “The book was inspired by two speak for itself.” example, are produced aiming to provide a I was wedged in amongst almost nondifferent ideas of our generation as both One focus that has been with 92% up-cycled stop meetings. It’s not hard to see why the snowflake generation and the burn-out key to Beverley has been productivity blueprint Polyamide, and purport her schedule is so packed. Currently, she generation. So from one side we’re seen hiring women, and creating to “save over 40 litres for the next holds the CEO and Founder role of two as, we like to cut corners, we don’t want to safe spaces for them to of water and 2kg of CO2 companies: TALA, a sustainable fitnessbe in a corporation for 40 years before we develop professionally. compared to non up-cycled generation” wear brand, and Shreddy, a fitness app live the life that we desire. But then She highlighted funding Polyamide.” The brand is and equipment brand. This means on the other side, we’re this as a key issue for women in admirably transparent, and in a that her main day-to-day job is burn-out generation because entrepreneurship: a study by video released last year, Beverley making executive, top-level we monetise everything we Beauhurst suggested that in 2018, even took her followers into one of the decisions. do, and every free hour is only 16% of equity deals went to femalefactories that they use. “Every free hour “It’s quite a traditional kind of a side hustle; we’re founded companies, and the Alison Rose She emphasised, however, the complexity is kind of a side CEO role while having the always working.” Review of Female Entrepreneurship of this sustainable approach. “Sustainability untraditional, unorthodox “How we can be seen as noted that only 13% of senior people in isn’t just about, for example, recycled version of being CEO of hustle; we’re always two different things, and investment teams are women. Despite clothing; it’s about everything, from how two companies.” She sees how we can identify with this, she also thinks that entrepreneurship you dye fabrics, to how you ship things working.” her main role, however, as two different things at the creates opportunities for women in over, there are so many different aspects being an entrepreneur; “That same time when the idea of business that traditional roles may not, of it. And I think that it is really, really is what I spend 90% of my time success is not necessarily changing such as the ability to forge your own path. important for the consumer to be aware of doing.” Both companies have seen that much with the times, even if we In spite of the difficulties that face that.” Some fabrics, such as elastane, can enormous success, and a report in Forbes think it is, and it’s leaving us feeling lost.” many female founders, Beverley remains only be recycled a certain number of times, earlier this year suggested that TALA has Throughout her new book, Beverley wants insistently positive. I was curious to learn so each decision that Beverley and her team already generated a turnover of over £5.2 to tackle these contradictions. more about the challenges that having make involves weighing up the balance million (and counting). Only a year after If anyone’s qualified to talk about this, a significant online presence alongside between sustainability and maintaining graduating, she’d already made it onto I think Grace Beverley might be. Writing her businesses may have posed, but for the quality of the garment. the Forbes 30 under 30 list for Retail and a book alongside holding a CEO role in Beverley, this is a source of opportunity On the other hand, an online product Ecommerce. two fairly new companies is certainly no more than anything else. such as the Shreddy app doesn’t have Given that she started easy feat. When I asked her how “I think if I were to say it’s made any direct sustainability implications. her two businesses while she managed it, she gave me my current job harder, I would Launched in 2019, Beverley told me that still studying for her quite a simple answer: “I be very much looking at the both of her businesses have seen steady “ I think that degree at Oxford, she’s plan to the minute, negatives, considering I’ve growth through the pandemic, which one of the most clearly no stranger to is life at the also been able to lead on she partially credits to their online-only, time-management, moment.” a huge amount of predirect-to-consumer model. important things is which features “I find that existing audience spaces This model has seen enormous heavily in her new planning is one knocking down your with potential customers.” growth over the last year, with one study book, scheduled to of the biggest She also pointed out that suggesting that sales for D2C businesses in own self doubt.” come out next year: benefits of even despite the challenges of the US has seen a 24.3% increase from 2019 “The book is aiming just stress relieving, being a female founder, “I’m to 2020, likely in part due to the closure of to provide a and being able to even also an Oxford-educated white physical shops, as well as the ease of online productivity see yourself being able to woman, so I’m going to have huge shopping. blueprint complete what you want to privileges elsewhere.” This doesn’t mean that the pandemic for the next complete.” While her businesses may have sprung hasn’t impacted Beverley’s two businesses. generation.” She also credits the from her previous status as an influencer, The sampling process for new products Still, it support of her teams, who Beverley has taken a notable step back had to be pushed back for several months, aims to go appear like a close-knit from her social channels and Youtube over as it requires high levels of international beyond family in the occasional the last year, moving to the occasional collaboration, which means that many of just selfInstagram posts they Instagram post, with a heavier focus on the TALA collections coming out over the help. feature in. Scaling up entrepreneurship than previously. next few months have been delayed from has been essential “I realised that actually I didn’t have any earlier in the year. to managing the place in my life that I wanted to be highly Now, one of Beverley’s biggest priorities load, and while publicised. And I kind of just wanted to is working on crisis management to prepare the businesses’ focus on growing the companies, and that for the future. “It’s quite interesting going teams are still being my job, and that is my job.” into what might be seen as a second wave small, they’re “I think what’s interesting is that in any to look at how we change, how we act [in growing at a other job you’d be able to change your comparison to] the first time.” fast rate. job, and there’s very little ‘oh, you owe it “Whether you’re making more money Although her to this to stay,’ whereas with social media or not, crisis management is always going achievements that can be slightly imposed based on to take up a huge amount more time. So I so far are how much people supported you.” feel particularly kind of heartbroken for the monumental, To Beverley, stepping back from social companies that are probably working above that doesn’t media is nothing more than a career their heads.” mean that change. “We are not even necessarily used Still, it seems that Beverley’s companies Beverley to influencer culture yet, and so of course are continuing to evolve, despite all the h a s n ’ t we are going to perceive it differently challenges they face. In the weeks after our struggled when it comes to people reinventing interview, it was announced that she was with selfthemselves in any way.” merging two of her companies, rebranding doubt. “I think She also credits stepping back from her fitness equipment company B_ND to that one of the social media to other positive changes, fall under the umbrella of Shreddy. In an most important including being more sustainable in her Instagram post, she told her followers that things is knocking personal life. “There’s this idea that this “rebranding the rest of the business & down your own self-doubt militant sustainability is the way forward, reframing towards a tech-forward business first and working out if which actually creates a huge barrier for model made sense.” It doesn’t seem like that’s bleeding through entry and gatekeeping for people who much is capable of stopping Grace Beverley into what you think other want to be a bit more sustainable. So I from continuing to push forwards. people’s perceptions of think for everyone, it should very much you are.” just be about making sustainable choices, “What I realised after especially in areas that you can maintain.” Read the full piece online at cherwell.org

Cherwell | Friday, 13th November 2020

9 CARTOON

Wes Beckett On... the Four Seasons

COMMENT

SPITTING IMAGE AND POLITICAL SATIRE THOMAS MCKEOWN IS UNDERWHELMED BY THE REVIVAL OF THE INFAMOUS SATIRE SHOW

etween 1984 and 1996, the BAFTA and Emmy-winning satire show Spitting Image spoke truth to power on British television. If you were one of the 15 million people who tuned into ITV on Sunday primetime, you’d find caricature puppet versions of smarmy politicians, shameless celebrities and vapid sports stars being hysterically impersonated and ridiculed. The show revolved around and revelled in its political incorrectness, and now 24 years later – at what many are calling a more necessary time than ever – it’s back. Just three episodes of the first season have been released so far, but by all accounts it’s just as irreverent and fearless as it was all those years ago. If you don’t believe me, just take a look at their YouTube channel. “Spitting Image: Vicious, Grotesque, Brilliant”, boasts the title of one promotional trailer viewed almost half a million times in three days. And that’s not to mention the reception of the audience: “Finally a blow of fresh air. Your politically incorrect humour is very much needed nowadays,” sighs one commenter with a Union Jack as their display picture. You can see where they’re coming from: if ever there was a year where some satire would serve as a wellreceived distraction, 2020’s the one – and don’t you worry, for Trump, Brexit, Boris and COVID are all firmly in Spitting Image’s crosshairs. But among the satirical subjects targeted in the reboot of the show, one name particularly stands out to

me: Greta Thunberg. A 17-year-old with Asperger’s whose sole misdemeanour was to dare to take the ruling class of Europe to task regarding their lack of sufficient policy to prevent an environmental crisis. The decision to make Thunberg a recurring character seems short-sighted at best, and outright hateful at worst. If they had to include a mock puppet of her, they could’ve at least made it funny. In the pilot episode, the severe-looking caricature of Greta appears just once, presenting the weather forecast and declaring that the weather will be “HOT”. Haha! Get it? She’s the weirdo climate change girl! Sure, I don’t think it’s particularly funny, but of course, humour is subjective. People might laugh at certain parts, and that’s completely fine – we don’t all have the same taste. What, to me, is the more concerning aspect of all of this is the ‘If It’s Getting The Snowflakes Offended Then It Must Be Good’ brigade coming out in their droves to champion scenes like these, and the reboot of Spitting Image on the whole, as a necessary and effective satire show in 2020. The problem is twofold: firstly, that the show offers critique of people like Greta who don’t really deserve ridicule; and secondly, that all of the critique is completely toothless. Compared to the cuttingedge and culture-shaping Spitting Image of the 80s and 90s, this reboot seems to have taken out its dentures and started sipping the political and environmental crises through a

straw. Even if you happen to think scenes depicting Greta going to the football or Boris having sex with coronavirus itself - yes, seriously - make for great television, the satire - still - doesn’t break through and offer any effective and long-lasting criticism of the increasingly worrying developments around the world. Satirical novelist Jonathan Coe has reflected on the purpose of humour, saying: “laughter is a kind of last resort – if you’re up against a problem that’s completely (unsolvable), a situation for which there is no human solution and never will be, then OK – let’s laugh about it”. And in genres of comedy which don’t have any other stated purpose, like slapstick or sitcoms, that’s brilliant. When Laurel and Hardy can’t push a piano up the stairs, we’re laughing at them struggling because they’re reflecting a failure of the human condition, showing their exaggerated inability to fight against the forces of physics. But when the subject is political problems, and the genre is satire shows which at least purportedly attempt to make us think about those problems, the effect seems to get lost somewhat. Plenty of folks love the ‘black comedy’ and political incorrectness of the reboot of Spitting Image, but what am I meant to actually be thinking when I’m watching the Prime Minister seducing a strain of a deadly virus in bed? Britbox director Reemah Sakaan has responded to criticism of Thunberg’s inclusion, saying that:

It’s a very straightforward joke and is nothing to do with her as an individual,” but that’s exactly the problem: if the jokes are straightforward and there isn’t any criticism of individuals being offered, then it seems fairly clear to me that the modern reboot of Spitting Image is no satire at all. A lot of people like to say that the new wave of political correctness has marked the death of inappropriate

humour. I think quite the opposite. Satire in the 21st century has the potential to be both amazingly funny and a priceless tool in holding celebrities accountable and speaking truth to power, but the true intention of the comedy needs to be crystal clear, equal parts court jester and town crier. In the past fifteen years, the overwhelming majority of popu-

lar satire has been weak enough to warrant a pat on the head and even an endorsement from the ruling class, rendering it utterly redundant. Of course, it can still be funny. 2008 US Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin is almost as famous for being perfectly and hilariously impersonated by Tina Fey on Saturday Night Live as she is for her political career. But when Fey chose to discuss the mechanics and humour of her own impression rather than the intention of the satire on popular US talk shows, and when Saturday Night Live chose to air an episode with a collaboration(!) between Tina Fey and the real politician she was impersonating just weeks before the 2008 Presidential election, the utter pointlessness of the show’s attempt at satire became evident. Viewers weren’t switching off their screens more aware of Sarah Palin’s tendency to avoid questions, nor her views on same-sex marriage or Second Amendment rights. If anything, SNL’s depiction of Palin only served to make her more likeable. Spitting Image’s return has the potential to bring back effective political satire at a time when it’s most needed and after, but their choice of characters and ad hominemoriented sketches have missed the mark. If they can stop being so busy concerning themselves with trying so hard to be funny and deliberately and clumsily overstepping the boundaries, they might just end up creating satire with a real purpose. Illustration by Amir Pichadze

Friday, 13th November 2020 | Cherwell

COMMENT

U S E L E CT I O N S P E C I A L

CHERWELL HEARS YOUR TAKES ON THE TRUMP-BIDEN SHOWDOWN ACROSS THE POND A VICTORY FOR EMPATHY AND EXPERIENCE SONYA RIBNER

hat comes next?” King George asks the newborn America in the musical Hamilton. While the country no longer has to construct a government from scratch, it must resuscitate the one it has. Joe Biden’s victory is a declaration in favor of science, competence, experience, empathy, and unification. However, the break was anything but clean: a razor-thin margin split blue and red on Election Day. Overlooking the precipice of a firmly divided country, PresidentElect Biden must tackle the pandemic, confront an existential environment threat exacerbated by the current administration and, in his own words, “battle to achieve racial justice and root out systemic racism.” The open question remains whether a Senate increasingly likely to have a Republican majority and the Trump Supreme Court will hamstring any meaningful initiatives attempted by a President Biden. Indeed, the senate majority leader presently supports Trump’s “right” to legally challenge the election’s outcome when no credible evidence has surfaced to

contest the election results. In spite of looming roadblocks, Joe Biden’s win matters. Not only will Kamala Harris be America’s first woman, first Black, and first South Asian vice president, but together they promise a forward-looking America that will reengage with the international community. In addition, President-Elect Biden has made clear he will embrace science and prioritize the welfare of all citizens. The typically conservative U.S. Chamber of Commerce voiced its optimism that the Biden administration would break the political gridlock that has plagued the United States in order to pass legislation that bolsters the economy. Human Rights advocates at the United Nations meeting in Geneva also commented that a BidenHarris administration would introduce positive policy changes, such as police reform and the treatment of migrants. Though some lament that Joe Biden represents a mere changing of the old guard, he ushers in the wave of hope and decency that the world needs in this challenging time. change coming to the White House within the next couple of months.

TIME FOR ( VERY ) CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM? ANVEE BHUTANI

iving in the UK while America goes through one of the most defining elections of our time has been one of the most out-of-body experiences. My daily routine for nearly the past month has consisted of waking up and looking through the polls and opinion articles as well as asking my friends back home to tell me what the general sentiment is looking like back home. Being from California, everyone I know has had strong opposition towards Donald Trump since the primaries in 2016; indeed, we did not even believe him to be electable so the news then came as a shock which

radically increased partisanship and animosity towards the rest of the country. Now, four years later, the election has similarly been a disappointing one, as if I am watching America fail as a state in slow motion. From the disastrous COVID-19 plan to the problematic response to BLM to the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett, this year has slowly unfolded to become a living dystopian nightmare. And as always, the candidate choices seem like picking the lesser of two evils, the exact same phrase that was used in 2016. With Biden and Harris now elected, though I am happier than I would’ve been with the alternate

outcome, I am worried that there is a lack of a national agenda and that identity politics is in part why their platform became so massively popular. I am therefore cautiously optimistic about the future, keeping in mind that because the bar has been set so low, there is not much to expect from either of these two in response to issues such as climate change or military interventionism abroad. Nonetheless, I do feel at ease knowing that Trump will not be getting a second term and that there will be at least a semblance of change coming to the White House within the next couple of months.

LET’S NOT GET COMPLACENT RITA KIMIJIMA-DENNEMEYER

eeing states like Georgia and Pennsylvania turn blue brought me joy even amidst my multiple crises (both essay and otherwise) this week. Nonetheless, the overwhelming feeling in my heart is not one of celebration, but rather, one of tiredness. To those who feel genuine happiness about the results of the election, I can only say that I am jealous. Happiness is hard to come by these days, and I say enjoy it while it lasts. But these past four years have done little to nothing to resolve the issues that we faced in 2016, and if anything, the effects of the pandemic

and subsequent civil unrest have made them worse. Wealth disparity in the U.S. has been exacerbated in the past year, with COVID-related unemployment on one hand and the increasing ridiculousness of Jeff Bezos’ income on the other. Disproportionate COVID deaths among people of color, and particularly Black and Indigenous people, have yet again revealed persistent racial inequalities. Furthermore, the Black Lives Matter protests have brought the desperate need for police reform and racial justice to popular light. Compared to being part of what will no doubt be a historic election,

it is far less glamorous to have difficult conversations with our family members and acquaintances about sociopolitical issues that have been around for so long that they seem a necessary evil, or quietly donating $10 to a charity on a Sunday afternoon. But it is these small actions that make a difference between elections, and which can contribute to changing people’s minds about how to vote when the time comes again. We have all (hopefully) cast our ballots, and now all we can do regarding this election is wait. But our political involvement should be far from over.

AMERICA WANTS A COMPETENT DICTATOR

JACK BENJAMIN ARGUES THAT THE US IS RIPE FOR AN AUTOCR ATIC TAKEOVER

fter days of uncertainty, Joe Biden has clinched the presidency. But I have learned more about my country this week than who will lead it for the next four years. Despite a Biden victory, the fact that this election has been so close is evidence that America has not rejected Trumpism. In 2016, support for Trump could plausibly be written off as merely putting stake in a wild card candidate. Four years later and now a known political commodity, he received more votes. A broad range of Americans actually looked at the state of the country and said, “yep, I want four more years of this.” Trump’s politics have been blatantly dictatorial. He views autocrats as aspirational figures – in Donald’s Mirror of Erised, he looks like Putin (and his father actually loves him). He has attacked the free

press, bent the Republican party to his will (granted, it’s not difficult to bend the spineless), slandered his political opponents, and maligned the fair election process. Under Trump and at the behest of Attorney General Bill Barr, peaceful protestors have been assaulted and detained by a militarized secret police force. Meanwhile, the (thankfully now former) president has emboldened far-right militias, going so far as to call for them to “stand back and stand by,” and to “liberate” various states that have been shut down due to the pandemic. Trump is also a fascist. His ultranationalist, anti-immigrant, white supremacist populism has toxified our country, and he is backed by an increasingly radical and conspiracy-peddling far-right media universe, ranging from Fox News to Alex Jones to your conservative uncle on Facebook. Even Goebbels

would have been impressed with the propaganda network that has organized around Trump’s cult of personality. And like most fascists, Trump has waged war on facts and science, therefore mishandling any efforts to contain and control the pandemic that rages through America at record-setting rates. While it is impossible to measure the counterfactual, given that the presidential race has rested for days on a razor’s edge, it seems likely that had Trump not botched the national response to COVID-19, he would have been reelected. Merely recommending mask mandates and localized lockdowns while remediating personal protective equipment shortages, may have been enough to secure a second term for the Donald. This possibility should terrify every sensible American. Even after dictating several times that he has no interest in only serv-

ing a maximum of two terms. Even after he has condoned white supremacy. Even after he has brazenly corrupted and hollowed out the executive branch and politicized the federal judiciary. Even after he withheld military aid to our allies unless they interfered in our elections on his behalf. Even after his administration put kids in cages. Even after he has shown time and again that he is terrible at his job, and every job he has ever had. America, or more specifically, the warped version of America that is represented through our electoral college, appears to want a more competent version of Trump. Perhaps someone more reserved, someone who doesn’t say the quiet parts so out loud, who doesn’t destabilize markets with a rogue 2:00 AM tweet, and who doesn’t sacrifice 236,000 (and counting) lives to a deadly, but preventable disease.

But someone just as fascist? Where can we sign? Whoever is next in line to lead the Republican party will have to court the Trump vote. They will have to appeal to America’s poorest of character; men like Steve Bannon, who has called for the beheading of government officials; theocratic Bible-thumpers; and the increasingly violent ‘vanilla ISIS’ militiamen. If they do not, they will sacrifice their political viability as a candidate. But if they do, while maintaining a threshold of competence that even barely surpasses the low bar that Trump set, they will likely win the White House. America may have avoided rightwing autocracy for now, but the future looks no less bleak. We’ve (barely) chosen decency this time around, but make no mistake, we are still and will continue to be a house divided.

11 SOCIETY SPOTLIGHT

Cherwell | Friday, 13th November 2020

CAMEROON’S ANGLOPHONE CRISIS: WHY SO MANY DIFFERENT NARRATIVES? A SPOKESPERSON FROM THE OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y CAMEROON CONFLICT RESEARCH SOCIET Y TALKS TO CHERWELL ABOUT ONE OF THE BIGGEST COLONIAL CONTROVERSIES YOU HAVEN’T HEARD OF.

s you may be aware, South Sudan is the world’s newest country, gaining independence in 2011. However, two regions of Cameroon collectively referred to as Ambazonia may soon claim this title. The country is no stranger to secessionist movements and armed insurgencies. For example, the country went to the brink of war with Nigeria over the oil-rich Bakassi Peninsula in 1981 and 1994, until the 2006 Greentree Agreement ceded the territory to Cameroon (it remains a disputed area to this day). Cameroon has been described as the “Hinge of Africa”. This moniker persists because Cameroon lies at the spatial intersection of many cultural groups, linguistical families and colonial legacies. This began with the es-

line of volcanoes in the region, the southwest regions possess fertile land) and an abundance of natural resources, including largely untapped offshore oil reserves). After French Cameroon gained independence on 1st Jan 1960, the future of British Cameroons remained a conundrum. Therefore, in February 1961, the UN decided on a plebiscite giving residents the choice between integration into either Cameroon or Nigeria. The lack of a third option (independence) was arguably the root of much of the trouble we are now seeing in Anglophone Cameroon. Northern Cameroons voted to be integrated into the Sardauna province of Nigeria, whilst 70.5% of the vote in Southern Cameroons opted for integration with the Federal Republic of Cameroon. So w h a t changed to make so many w a n t independence? Arguably the m o s t important changes to Cameroon since the addition of the Anglophone regions are constitutional. For example, in 1972 Ahmed Ahidjo (Cameroon’s first president) called a referendum asking Cameroonians whether the country should become a Unitary Republic instead of a Federal one; ‘99.99%’ of voters approved the proposal. The establishment of the Unitary Republic of Cameroon caused the Anglophone regions (Northwest and Southwest regions) to lose their sem i-autonomous status, and thus be treated exactly the same as the other 8 regions of the country. Although clearly rigged, a result like this is not that uncommon in Cameroon, since the country has been described as possessing a ‘semi-authoritarian regime’, designed to ‘give the illusion of democracy’ through: regular elections; an established opposition and a ‘free’ press. Therefore, staged elections are fairly common in Francophone Africa, with

“ C A M E R O O N L I E S AT T H E

S PAT I A L I N T E R S E C T I O N O F M A N Y C U LT U R A L G R O U P S , L I N G U I S T I C A L FA M I L I E S A N D CO LO N I A L L E G AC I E S” tablishment of the British Ambas Bay Protectorate in what is now the Southwest/Sud-Ouest region. This became part of the German colony of Kamerun in 1887. Following Germany’s defeat in the First World War, Britain and France divided the colony into British Cameroons and French Cameroun, with the latter much larger than the former. Owing to centuries of ash deposits from a

17 countries viewed to possess semi-authoritarian regimes. Cameroon’s possessed harsh state censorship of the media until the early 1990s. Since then, journalistic production in Francophone Cameroon has continued to emulate that of France, its former colonizer. Despite being home to at least 250 languages, most Cameroonians (82.8% according to the 2005 census) can converse in either English or French, but rarely both (11.6%). In addition, over 50% of English speakers can only speak English. Because of this, French is the primary language used in the media and educational circles in Cameroon, meaning the Anglophone regions are typically underrepresented in the media and Anglophone culture is often underrepresented within legal and education systems, so much so that in October 2016 lawyers and teachers in the Anglophone regions took to the streets to “decry perceived economic injustice as well as cultural and linguistic discrimination.” This kickstarted a wave of protests across the Anglophone regions, to which the government’s crackdown was so heavy handed that some of the many armed militias made a unilateral declaration of independence for Ambazonia on 1st October 2017 – the 56th anniversary of the unification of the Anglophone and Francophone regions. A lack of formal media coverage has caused a proliferation of ‘citizen journalism’ in Ambazonia, principally in the form of amateur footage depicting atrocities such as blindfolded decapitations and executions. However, the amateur nature of these videos and lack of official scrutiny means their provenance can be called into question. For example, it has been proposed that videos depicting the use of human body parts as cooking ingredients are actually scenes from Nigerian ‘Nollywood’ films and thus not real. Therefore, as with any controversy, there is an entire cosmos of claims and narratives. However, what is undeniable is that atrocities have been committed on all sides of the conflict, both by the Cameroonian military and Ambazonian militias and guerrilla fighters. The concept of Ambazonia is a relatively recent phenomenon. The borders Anglophone regions are largely colonial creation, whilst the name derives from Ambozes, the local name for the mouth of Wouri river, and was

not coined until 1984 (possibly in response to President Biya’s conversion of Cameroon from a Unitary Republic to a Republic). However, the Ambazonian independence movement is far from united. For example, King Abumbi II (pictured), the Fon of Bafut (a well-respected title steeped in history) has spoken out against the armed insurgency and in support of President Biya’s Major National Dialogue last year, in which all sides came together to discuss the situation. Therefore,

firepower. Although it probably won’t be making an appearance in mainstream media anytime soon, “peace has not returned to Southern Cameroon”, therefore the nature of the situation in Ambazonia and Cameroon as a whole renders it too urgent to ignore, especially when we consider the legacies of colonialism upon which this conflict is playing out. Therefore, we must not regard the Ambazonian crisis as a solely Cameroonian problem. Rather, it is a problem for Britain, F r a n c e , G er m a ny and indeed every actor involved in C a m e r o o n ’s history. Also, issues of devolution, autonomy and secession are not unique to Cameroon, and thus the eventual outcome of the conflict may set a global precedent, with implications for secessionist movements all around the world. The Oxford University Cameroon Conf lict Research Society is a student-run charitable organisation that will be working alongside the Cameroon Conf lict Research group (a research group within the Oxford law faculty headed by Barrister Caroline Mbinkaw and Dr Roxana Willis) to raise awareness and bring about change as it investigates the ongoing conf lict in the anglophone regions of Cameroon.

“THE NATURE OF THE SITUATION IN AMBAZONIA AND CAMEROON AS A WHOLE RENDERS IT TOO URGENT TO IGNORE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE CONSIDER THE LEGACIES OF COLONIALSIM” as with any movement, there are a wide range of views encapsulated within it. However, if Ambazonia did gain independence it would likely look towards to the likes of Equatorial Guinea, an OPEC member boasting a per capita GDP (PPP) of $34,865. Both possess small populations (3.5 and 1.3million respectively) yet significant hydrocarbon reserves. Therefore, an independent Ambazonia would further the interests of many of its residents, but possibly not of Cameroon as a whole, as the country would lose a sizeable chunk of its economic

Friday, 13th November 2020 | Cherwell

FEATURES

GOING VIRAL: RELIGION AND THE PANDEMIC ITRISYIA DAYINI AND JOSEFF GOVINDA

andemics are nothing new, but we now live in a technological age - a globalised world where people and information travel further and faster than ever before. This has facilitated the prolific spread of the virus, but it also means that we have the technology to adapt in response. Online messaging platforms have come to define the way in which we continue to communicate amidst a global pandemic. In relation to religious services, it is online streaming services that now facilitate congregational worship, albeit removed from a particular place of worship. The global events of 2020 have had an unprecedented impact on our lives and our faith, prompting us to reconsider our established beliefs. In times of crisis, we often turn to our community for support, only to find that amidst this pandemic, we cannot — physically. As a result, many begin to

look inwards for answers, whether it be through religious activity or spiritual practice. The endurance of religious activity is vital to many who seek reassurance and counsel during a time of greater hardship and loneliness. Isolated from society, many have been severely impacted by anxiety, apprehension, and fear on account of lockdown and the threat posed by COVID-19. In a polling of 4,294 UK adults carried out by The Mental Health Foundation in early July, almost one in five (19 per cent) of UK adults were feeling hopeless. In the absence of a typical congregation, religious communities around the world have had to adjust time-honoured rituals, adapting to a ‘new normal’ in order to curb the spread of the virus. Here, we present our respective experiences of lockdown in two religious contexts - a non-denominational monastery in rural South Wales and Muslim communities in Oxford and Malaysia.

While these communities represent very different cultures and practices, these personal perspectives will give insight into how religious communities have sought some common means of adapting traditional religious practices in the face of a global pandemic.

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Skanda Vale, South Wales Prior to my stay at Skanda Vale monastery, I had been in lockdown in Pondicherry, South India for about a month. I came home on the only chartered flight out of Chennai, and knew that I couldn’t risk being with my immediate family for at least 14 days after the flight. It occurred to me that I could contact a monastery local to my home in rural South Wales, whose members I knew well.

The monastery originally comprised a derelict farm, but has now

pact of the pandemic on religious practice during my time in India - without the ubiquitous In times of crisis, we of- crowds of devotees, ten turn to our community temple priests would for support, only to find continue the daily rituthat amidst this pandemic, als behind closed doors, we cannot — physically. venerating the presiding deity as usual. The situgrown to cover approximately 300 ation was very much the same at acres of land. In normal times Skanda Vale, where six regular Skanda Vale attracts tens of thouservices, called pujas, are consands of pilgrims annually, and alducted daily. Whereas there would though the community had closed normally be hundreds of pilgrims, its gates to the public at a very the only people in attendance early stage in the pandemic, I was when I arrived were the 25 or so permitted to isolate for 14 days in monks and nuns that make up a cottage owned by Skanda Vale, the monastic community, along just outside of the monastery. with five pilgrims who had chosen What I had planned to be to stay put during lockdown. a period of isolation followed The first morning service that by a week with the monastic I attended was a celebration of community turned out to be a Buddha Vesak, commemorating four-month stay. During that the life of the Buddha. The few time, I experienced first-hand of us who were staying at Skanda the ways in which Skanda Vale gathered outside the main Vale adapted to the pandemic. temple - the Murugan temple I had already observed the imbefore one of the monks came

Cherwell | Friday, 13th November 2020

to let us in. We picked up some their mortality for the first time. cushions and walked to the front The loss of control, the total of the temple, where we sat change, the collapse of everyday cross-legged and quietly waited normality and anxiety over the in the dim, lamp-lit hall for the future pushed people into unservice to begin. A beautiful chartered psychological territory.” shrine had been constructed the Brother Neil stressed that previous evening; adorned with despite this being a period of colourful saris that glistened in uncertainty, the nature of the the flickering candlelight. The crisis serves as a reminder to centrepiece was a large black live consciously and compasstatue of the Buddha, depicted in sionately in the moment, and blissful meditation. Incense was the opportunity can be seized to offered at the shrine accompanied implement meaningful change. by chanting in both Sanskrit and Pali. Finally, everyone was invited RA M A DA N IN forward to offer a lit candle be- OX FORD, UNITED fore the seated Buddha. All in all, KINGD OM the service lasted about an hour. This particularly special serFor the umpteenth time during vice was live streamed at 5am, lockdown, I closed my laptop and and the live streaming of daily sighed. My eyes flickered to a clumworship has since attracted a sily blu-tacked Oxford SU calenlarge core group who have tuned dar, searching for a particular date. into the broadcast on a daily basis One week left. since the beginning of lockdown. It was nearing the end of Elliot Muir manages Skanda Easter vac, about a month after Vale’s online presence, and the United Kingdom had gone shared his thoughts on adapting into lockdown and I, an internato lockdown and reaching out to tional student, was one of few devotees: “There’s a live chat on who chose to remain in Oxford. our broadcast, so everyone has got A week until Ramadan, the to know each other there’s now a strong social aspect to the ... the crisis serves as broadcast... If it a reminder to live conwasn’t for lockdown sciously and compaswe would never have sionately in the moment broadcast pujas, but now it’s ingrained and we’ll definitely continue.” holiest month in the Islamic lunar Muir says that lockdown calendar, in which Muslims fast changed his approach to the every day from dawn to dusk. potential and value of life online: A month of abstaining from “Lockdown clarified everyone’s worldly pleasures, of dedication priorities - one outcome for us to worshipping and getting closer was that our online offering be- to God, fasting during Ramadan came a simple expression of care is one of the five pillars of Islam. and support for our community.” Memories of the previous Besides daily worship and Ramadan and the many before religious practice, Skanda Vale came flooding through my head operates an independent hospice once again, as I lay down in my service, providing daily care and bed alone in the middle of Oxford, inpatient respite free-of-charge. about six and a half thousand miles Due to COVID-19, the service has away from home, in Malaysia. been suspended and will remain Mama would always wake me so for the foreseeable future, but up slightly more than an hour the temporary closure has provid- before fajr, the dawn prayer ed a chance to re-evaluate Skanda which marks the beginning of Vale’s charitable services. Whilst the daily fast. Walking groggily, the religious community hope to half-asleep to the dining table, improve delivery of the hospice my family and I would eat sahoor, service post-COVID, in the short the pre-dawn meal; then I would term the wider community is lack- return to bed while my father ing a valuable service. However, began his morning. The rest of the Skanda Vale is continuing to pro- day goes about as normal, albeit vide a phone-in ‘listening service’ with a much-needed nap in the where anyone can chat with a afternoon to recharge, as it is the member of the community about night that holds many blessings. their anxieties and concerns. My family would always break Brother Neil, a monk at Skanda our fast at our neighbourhood Vale, had this to say: “During mosque, where we’d arrive early late March I received a lot of to wait patiently in line for food calls in response to COVID-19. generously donated by members The emotional response was of the community. Woven mats fear - people were experiencing line the empty space just outside

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the praying area of the mosque, For me in England, the high- opposed to institutional congrewhere we’d sit crossed-legged on light of my Ramadan was when gational practices of religion. the floor alongside others waiting I frequented iftaars on Zoom, In January 2005, Linda Woodfor maghrib, the dusk prayer held by the Oxford University head published The Spiritual Revwhich signals the breaking of Islamic Society, allowing me to olution, in which she presents a our fast. During Ramadan, there be acquainted with other Muslims study of religious belief conducted are additional night in the English town of Kenprayers called tarawdal. The study found that ih, performed at the people are rapidly turning mosque in congregation ... the virus will have little away from organised after the obligatory Isha effect on those individuals religion and institutions prayers. Many take the whose faith does not rely on in favour of self-guided time to socialise and access to bricks and mortar practices that work for the catch up during ‘moreh’ individual. This ‘spiritual suppers afterwards, revolution’ is especially though my family returns home around the city who were also go- exacerbated when traditional promptly after, as it is an early ing through Ramadan alone. Iftaar, religious doctrines clash with the start again the next morning. the meal consumed when breaking moral codes of a secular society, Ramadhan – a month where one’s fast, is no doubt solitary, particularly regarding issues like it is not only about focusing though the joy and gratitude of gender and marriage. In many on bettering one’s faith, but being able to eat once again is the ways, the nature of social restricfasting itself an act that brings central significance and cause for tion surrounding the COVID-19 Muslims together in the practice celebration. As each one of us in virus gives further impetus to of self-discipline. From breaking Oxford were students isolated by this movement from collective fast together as a community the rest of our family, the iftaars communal worship to individual at the mosque or at home with over Zoom gave us an opportunity spiritual pursuit, as a degree of family and friends, to tarawih to experience that communal isolation is compulsory. However, congregational prayers only feeling once again as we checked whether it is to have a lasting performed during the holy month up on each other – something that effect remains to be seen, because of Ramadan, it is the community proved to be so important for our while individualism has long connection and the sense of wellbeing during the pandemic. been associated with indepensolidarity that distinguishes this Experiencing the holy month dence - a kind of freedom based blessed month from the others. of Ramadan in isolation has made on choice - the ‘individualism’ Ramadan amidst the me more aware of the significance of the COVID era is more about COVID-19 pandemic was no of the rituals and the prayers. At imposition and isolation. If anydoubt difficult for the global the mosques, it is easy for one thing, the pandemic has taught Muslim community; for me, it to blindly follow the imam, the us that we are wholly dependent was a difficult yet rewarding one who leads the prayer, merely on each other as a society. It is solitary experience. What was imitating his actions and the therefore possible that people’s once done with the company of rest of the congregation. With yearning to gather and socialise many others, from the joy of break- no one to guide or keep a tab on could spark a renewed appreciing one’s fast at the end of the day my actions, it was up to my own ation for interdependence and to different festivities celebrated conscience to execute it. This was collectivism in the long term. by different cultures, was limited a blessing in disguise, as it truly COVID-19 has greatly disruptto my own room. Mosques are strengthened my own faith. Now, ed the functioning of all instiusually crowded during the taraw- as countries begin returning to a tutions - religious or otherwise ih prayers, filled with regulars as ‘new normal’ with mosque quotas, - and yet the existential threat well as people who usually do not temperature scanning and track- posed by the virus will have frequent them: rows upon rows of ing apps in Malaysia, the future little effect on those individuals Muslims standing ankle-to-ankle, of faith and religion still stands. whose faith does not rely on shoulder-to-shoulder. Though it access to bricks and mortar and, is permissible to perform taraw- O N TH E FU TU RE if anything, research suggests ih prayers at home, the same O F RE L IG ION that natural disasters tend to powerful feeling of communal make people more religious. If devotion cannot be replicated. As our individual accounts religious observance is taken to With the lockdown in place show, religious communities be a serious examination of one’s even before the beginning of Ra- have adapted to the restrictions place in the universe, then it is madan, Islam and Muslims around surrounding COVID-19. While in times of existential crisis that the world have adapted with the the pandemic has changed how such observance is energised. move to online worship. During rituals and practices are carried a Facetime call with my father out, the virus does not pose an (To read the unabridged article, early on in the pandemic as he existential threat to religion please visit cherwell.org cherwell.org)) was home in Malaysia, I remember itself. Rather, just as religious Artwork by Anjali Attygalle my father’s sentiments of what communities have adapted to would be the new rulings on the crises throughout history, modern congregational Friday prayers, technology has proved a vital which are mandatory for every asset under the conditions imable-bodied Muslim male. Never posed by the current pandemic. before had it been permissible In many ways, the pandemic to perform Friday prayers alone has provided an opportunity at home: with Friday sermons to adapt and re-evaluate the or a small socially distanced modern-day significance of faith. congregation livestreamed on The sudden and unprecedented Facebook or on Zoom, technology social deprivation has particuhas been utilised in order to keep larly highlighted the function faith alive amongst its adherents. of individual observance as

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Friday, 13th November 2020 | Cherwell

SPORT

Mauricio Pintsworth

play with a price tag looming over their shoulders, causing the judgement of their true quality to be somewhat confused with other initial expectations. Hundreds, or thousands, more examples surface, ranging from Luis Figo, to Fernando Torres, to Kepa Arrizabalaga. Directors of big clubs have blamed the media for needlessly promoting transfer stories. Bayer Leverkusen bosses hit out at reports saying Havertz to Chelsea was a done deal. Others have made the argument that if the media chose to write more about other topics, then people would be disinterested in transfer gossip. It is a problem felt from the top of clubs right through to the bottom, where unnecessary pressure piles up for signed players, for the clubs signing players, and also for clubs not signing players to sign more players. There is a strong possibility that these players (also human beings, let us not forget) are unable to authentically announce their abilities. The motive to play football for the beauty and enjoyment of playing football has dissipated. Football has become imprisoned, put in a cage by the ‘(Football) Culture Industry’. The new stories of particular journalists are also quickly diluted by a mass repetition of the same story. For instance, remaining on the issue of transfer stories, Marcelo Bechler of Esporte Interativo, who broke the Neymar story, broke the Messi story 2 weeks before social media crazed after the club told Spanish media that he would like to leave. The original messenger was lost within the chaotic mass of voices. Fabrizio Romano may be reliable when it comes to transfers, but it seems that he has self-built this reputation. For instance, the Telegraph was the first notable source to break the Thiago Silva-to-Chelsea story, Fabrizio Romano later reposts and re-words the Thiago Silva story on his Twitter. By

The Consumer Gobble-Up: Transfers and Adorno

he transfer window in England officially closed on 16 October. It is the end of the gossip season as we know it, as the spectacle we all enjoy is well under way. But transfer news are naturally the talk of the town. After all, the seasonal tastes only come round every so often. Gossip-searchers flocks to the Twitter page of transfer news’ cultivator, Fabrizio Romano. They search for more: Christian Falk, Bryan Swanson and Jan Aage Fjortoft are also posting some tasty tweets. The gossip-searchers do not stop. They scroll further, end up on the pages The Sun, the Daily Express. Yet still, they are hungry. So they talk, speculate, fabricate. Now, everyone is taking part in this endless chain of pointless discussion. Simultaneously, football slowly disintegrates at the hands of business. The dangers of transfer stories are going unnoticed, despite being in plain view. We are digesting stories every day, instinctively accepting news, which also further promotes the “fake news” agenda- rife when it comes to transfer stories. More importantly, our instinctive pleasures from reading transfer stories are tainting the FIFA, as a hopeless organisation, has failed very purity of the football being played. to fairly regulate the agents market. Many Theodor Adorno, the sociologist from the agents enter the market with an unsettling Frankfurt School in the first half of the 20th sense of ease. For instance, one can pay the century, and his theories on the ‘Culture English FA a fee of £500 to become eligible. Industry’ might help us understand this a Tests of ‘good character and reputation’ are bit better. not difficult to pass. Agents are then able Theodor Adorno was a German philosoto make players sign exclusivity contracts, pher/psychologist/sociologist, whose ideas with commissions rising to as high as 10% stem from a Marxist root. Ranging from of a player’s gross salary, despite FIFA’s the economy to art and culture, Adorno “recommended” 3%. In turn, agents are had something to say about everything in able to find loopholes in transfer settings our society. The ideas he shares about the in order to earn more. One of the hundreds ‘Culture Industry’, the title he gives for the methods used by intermediaries is by createntertainment machines that effectively ing or leaking transfer intel to media, drivcontrol society, may be useful ing up interest for a player, letting the when investigating the public’s price of agents’ cuts rise further. For responses to transfer stories. Ideas “T H E FOOT BA L L WOR L D PERSISTS instance, on the same day Sky Sports about the ‘Culture Industry’ are IN A BL IN D CONSU M PT ION A N D R Ereported a ‘breakthrough’ in Willian’s echoed still today by prominent PRODUCT ION OF T R A NSFER STOR IES contract negotiations with Chelsea FC, figures, like the actor/comedian AND RUMOURS” his agent Kia Joorabchian went live on Sacha Baron Cohen, who states TalkSport to announce that Willian that social media is the ‘greatest had significant offers from teams in propaganda machine in history’. not subtracting from Fabrizio Romano’s the Premier League and the MLS. FIFA’s Adorno’s most famous quotation: ‘To well-deserved reputation and stature, it 2019 report into “Intermediaries in Interwrite poetry after Auschwitz is barbaric’. must still be recognised that many of his national Transfers” reveals that agents By this, he means that the mass producannouncements source from other journalearned over $548 million in 2018, and $653 tion of art and media is complicit with an ists “finding out first”. The issue here lies million in 2019. Agents, as a result, are the ignorance of the most severe problems in the fact that repeated discourse does unacknowledged governors and profiteers society faces, and complicit with the overall not always stabilise truth and reliability. of the ‘(Football) Culture Industry’.The ‘Culture Industry’. The ‘Culture Industry’ It provokes further inauthenticity online, information mentioned here about football Adorno cites leads us to explore the footand can sometimes reduce the credibility of agency comes from a seminar with a footballing version of a ‘Culture Industry’, and news’s original source. ball lawyer, Daniel Geey, and the agent of how it might fundamentally harm the footThat is not all. This component of the Mesüt Ozil and Ilkay Gündogan, Dr Erkut ball community.Adorno defines the unfor‘(Football) Culture Industry’ similarly Sögüt. This two-day seminar happened in tunate ‘triumph’ of the ‘Culture Industry’ harms the safety of individuals providAutumn 2018. as ‘the compulsive imitation by consumers ing the goods- players and coaches alike. The football world persists in a blind of cultural commodities which, at the same The force compromising their securityconsumption and re-production of transfer time, they recognise as false’. In summary, financially, socially and safety for their stories and rumours. The football itself, as what the ‘Culture Industry’ feeds us, the futures- is being produced mainly by agents a result, no longer seems to be an escapism public imitates. That serves to fuel inauand intermediaries. Growing numbers of from the commercial excess. Its purity thenticity. So, the obsession over transfer agents are entering the football industry, seems to continue to be greyed by an overfees, wages and, more generally, the futile with their cuts in negotiations becoming whelming sense of restraint. “Fake news” conversation of transfers is excessive. This extortionate. They are not providing secuare just one part of the wider story. It has problem psychologically filters through to rity for players’ careers, particularly with gained more attention and action. The Sun, players’ performances, like Neymar. They players coming from African youth teams. for instance, has been banned by Liverpool

and Everton after their fake news report into the ‘Truth’ behind the Hillsborough catastrophe. The greater problem at hand is the manner in which transfer discussion has impacted all corners of football, while the football community has been inactive in addressing each problem that arises from it. The process of the gobble-up is endless.Adorno extends his argument into thinking about the way in which art might challenge the Culture Industry in certain ways, but this article will not. Simply, this article serves to make the point that the ‘(Football) Culture Industry’ might make us disillusioned with football’s true beauties. The mass deception, which is what we have become so engrossed in, should be highlighted. Nothing expressed in this article is explicitly new or different from other opinion articles on transfers before. This article might just be another nudge, another reminder of football’s central problems.Many journalists, young and old, are “flagging up” their concerns for the direction the game is heading in: the inequalities building up, the problems with calendar issues for players, the problems with VAR, etc. Via the lens of Theodor Adorno, perhaps we can take another look at football altogether. Once we become conscious of existing problems, there is hope for positive change and a realisation that football’s true beauty can still be saved.And yet, all journalists are products of the ‘(Football) Culture Industry’. All types of media are, all clubs are and even players are. There is no escape when norms and habits comfortably settle into the psyche. Every football institution must find ends to growing economically, to become financially stronger- that is how capitalist society works. Consumerist urges have become our way of living, of surviving. Desire and lust for more “falseness” might be a part of our human nature. Image credit: Amir Pichhadze

£500

$653mil

English FA fee to become an agent

Earned by agents in 2019

FA recommended commission for agents

Number of weeks FIFA allows for summer transfer window

Cherwell | Friday, 13th November 2020

CELEBRATING RAFAEL NADAL: 1,000 SINGLES ATP TOUR WINS Ariana Rubio

‘Y

ou have to be very old to win 1,000 matches’ – in a characteristic moment of selfdeprecation, tennis icon Rafael Nadal thus reflected on his historic 1,000 singles ATP Tour wins. Nadal defeated compatriot Feliciano Lopez at the Paris Masters to become the fourth player in the Open Era to achieve the feat, joining the ranks of Ivan Lendl, Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer. While by no means the most impressive of Nadal’s host of records, this victory serves as a useful springboard for a contemplation of the Spaniard’s enduring contribution to the game. Recognising Nadal’s natural talent, ‘Uncle Toni’ cultivated his early skills on the court. He encouraged his nephew to play left-handed, a strategic decision that led to the now familiar sight of Nadal running around his backhand in favour of his formidable forehand. When Nadal was fourteen, the Spanish tennis federation requested that he move from Mallorca to Barcelona, where they would subsidise his training. The Nadal family declined this offer, with Toni explaining that he did not want the young Nadal to believe that he had to ‘go to America’ or ‘other places’ to ‘be a good athlete’. Indeed, to this day, the Spanish icon trains at the Rafa Nadal Sports centre in his hometown, and he married his girlfriend of fourteen years, María Perelló, in Mallorca in 2019. Nadal’s fame rapidly reached dizzying heights. Having turned professional at

fifteen, he became the ninth player in the Open Era to win his first ATP match before age sixteen, and he won the 2003 ATP Newcomer of the Year award. On his nineteenth birthday, Nadal defeated Roger Federer, then the world No. 1, in the 2005 French Open semifinals, and subsequently defeated Mariano Puerta to secure his first Grand Slam victory. Nadal’s many achievements, accumulated throughout a career spanning three decades, include 209 weeks as world No. 1, two Olympic gold medals and thirteen French Open titles. Recently, Nadal dominated Novak Djokovic in the 2020 French Open final, winning in straight sets to cinch his twentieth Grand Slam title. Now tied with Federer for most Grand Slam singles titles for a male player in history, this is arguably the crowning achievement of the ‘King of Clay’. No appreciation of Nadal’s career is complete without considering his iconic rivalry with Federer. The tennis moguls have faced off forty times, twenty-five of which were in tournament finals, with Nadal leading the count at 24-16. Their fierce battle in the 2008 Wimbledon final was heralded by many as the greatest match ever. While total domination might have resulted in complacency, such well-matched competitors led them to push themselves and the boundaries of tennis. Nadal has described their rivalry as ‘beautiful’, and remarked that he was honoured to share the record with his long-time opponent.3 Behind Nadal’s dazzling array of trophies, however, lie the sacrifices and setbacks that equally constitute his legacy. No career, no matter how successful, is without disap-

S P O R T S

pointments. These include clashes with Federer and Djokovic, early upsets and withdrawals due to injury. Nadal’s loss in the quarterfinals of the 2010 Australian Open comes to mind as a particularly bitter defeat: had he won, he would have procured a calendar Grand Slam (winning all four majors in one year). The Spaniard entered a slump following a wrist injury in 2014, suffering early defeats and dropping out of the world top 5 for the first time in nearly a decade. His recent successes, however, stand testament to his perseverance in the face of frustration and failure. This tenacity marks him as a model not only for the future generation of tennis players, but also for the millions who idolise him. Perhaps even more admirably, Nadal is unfailingly gracious in victory as in defeat, and always acknowledges when his opponent simply outplayed him. Indeed, in contrast to other top players, he has never broken a racket. It would be easy for Nadal, who achieved extraordinary success at such a young age, to rest on his laurels. Instead, he continues to strive to reach new heights. The Fundación Rafa Nadal, created in 2007 to promote social work awwnd development aid, identifies ‘improving as a player’ and as a ‘person’ as the star’s twin aims.4 In the press conference following his 20th Grand Slam victory, Nadal described his ambitions to break further records. His 1,000th singles ATP Tour win is one such record, and the world of tennis eagerly awaits Nadal’s next move. Image Credit: Roland Garros

S H O R T S

THE SPEED CUBERS

BORUSSIA DORTMUND VS BAYERN MUNICH

Ruby Potts

Luke Bennell

Netflix documentary The Speed Cubers (2020) offers a thrilling and novel insight into the quirky world of competitive cubing. Speed Cubing is the competitive sport of solving a scrambled puzzle. There are variations of puzzles and different solving restriction, including one-handed and blindfolded. Every two years, the best speedcubers gather at the WCA Rubik’s Cube World Championships, and this 40-minute film follows the 2019 competition. When asked, who will win? Fans and competitors alike jostle between two names: Feliks Zemdegs & Max Park. For nearly a decade, Feliks Zemdegs has reigned unchallenged until Park arrived on the scene. A personal account follows of the unique upbringing of Park. Diagnosed with autism

from an early age, Max’s fine motor skill was stunted, such that his parents looked for forms of therapy to improve his dexterity. Drawn to the Rubik’s cube, it became an addictive past time for Max. At the 2017 Championships, Max met his hero Zemdegs. Idol turned rival; the pair have formed an unlikely friendship while continuing to trade wins and world records. I will leave out spoilers and let you find out who took the crown at the World Championships. This documentary is about far more than just the immense talents of those able to complete a Rubik’s Cube in under 7 seconds. At its crux is a beautiful tale of rivalry and friendship, distinctively set out in the unfamiliar world of competitive cubing. Image Credit: Gerwin Sturm

This fixture between the two behemoths of German football always feels like a title decider. However, in the last 8 years, Bayern have won 8 consecutive titles. Dortmund have struggled to move out of Bayern’s shadow, but every year they hope the time has come to prise the Meisterschale away from Munich. While Lewandowski had a goal disallowed for Bayern, Dortmund were probably frustrated not to have gone into halftime in front. Captain Marco Reus scored the opener in the 45th minute, receiving Guerreiro’s pass and emphatically finishing it first time. However, Bayern levelled a few minutes later courtesy of a freekick from Alaba, a well-worked routine managed to drag out

Meunier, who the ball ricocheted off and into the goal. Joshua Kimmich, who had scored the winner for Bayern in the clubs’ last two meetings, had to depart in the 36th minute from injury. Nevertheless, Bayern did not need his heroics. A superb header from Lewandowski gave them the lead, while Sane later finished off a counterattack. Haaland kept Dortmund’s hopes alive by taking the ball around Neuer and scoring, but BVB failed to find an equaliser. While it is too early to call this game a title decider, this result means Dortmund now find themselves in the familiar position of playing catchup to the champions. They will need to bounce back strongly if they want to break Bayern’s monopoly on success.

Cherwell | Friday, 13th November 2020

FROM THE ARCHIVE

One hundred years ago, two Balliol students had the idea for an Oxford newspaper during the long vacation of 1920. In the century since, Cherwell continues to thrive, remaining entirely independent. Each week, we look back to an article from our extensive archive. Curated by Joe Hyland Deeson

THE FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL Cherwell reports on the events in Berlin on 9th November 1989. Rebecca Pike, the writer of the story, went on to work for the Daily Telegraph before becoming a BBC News anchor. Darius Sanai worked as a contributor for GQ magazine, and is currettly an editorin-chief at CondĂŠ Nast. Both studied PPE. This story was pushed to page 11 by events in Tiananmen Square. Vol. 195, No. 7, p.11