CURRENT AFFAIRS
2
Editorial
Comfort Women
Welcome to your magazine.
The Columnist Issue 4
By Lisa Wang
South Korean-Japanese relations are at a new starting point, and with the rising power of China and North Korea in East Asia, declining bilateral trade, and increasing pressures for reconciliation from the U.S., cooperation is incredibly important.
The Columnist started in late 2014 with the hopes
up for next year. If you would like to apply for
of increasing the variety of student opinion in
an editorial position, or would like to get further
campus, giving a voice to those either dissatisfied
involved in the Columnist please drop us an email
Lisa is a second year Economics student from
is regarded. Abe couldn’t even bother to issue
with existing publications or willing to take part
at columnistmagazine@gmail.com. We’re always
the U.S. She enjoys debating, developmental
the apology himself. It was made on his behalf
in the creation of their own magazine. A year and
looking for fresh perspectives, and this is just one
economics, and videos of cute animals.
by Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida at a press
half later, The Columnist continues to expand
of many ways to make a change and let your voice
while still holding on to it’s core tennant: creative
be heard.
Here’s the bad: the flippancy with which the deal
conference in Seoul. On top of that, the reparations Last December, Japan and South Korea reached a
are in the form of a humanitarian contribution, not
landmark agreement wherein Japanese PM Shinzo
reparations. The latter infers guilt; the former an act
express themselves, while keeping hierarchies
As always, write, write, write-We eagerly wait your
Abe apologised to South Korean ‘comfort women’
of altruistic charity.
and intermediaries at a minimum. Appropriately,
submissions.
forced into sexual slavery during WWII and issued
a distinctive platform for students to discuss and
compensation of 1 billion Yen (£5.9m) to the 46
Even if the suffering of these women were
survivors. Both countries’ leaders faced criticism
quantifiable, even if decades of Japanese denial
columnistmagazine .co.uk
for the deal: some say Abe should not have issued
and revision of the matter could be summated
the self-motivated spirit it encapsulates, we have
columnistmagazine@gmail.com
an apology, for this disappoints the national pride
in a monetary amount, the measly £13,000 per
moved to diversify our sources of funding and were
facebook.com/columnistmagazine
of Japan. Others say that President Park Geun-hye
person is insulting. Here’s what’s worse: the ‘new
able to raise over £100 through our Indiegogo page
@thecolumnistmag
should not have accepted the deal, for it was not
chapter’ narrative. After the deal was finalised, the
enough.
countries immediately began discussing economic
this issue is our most diverse one yet, ranging
The editors
from self-help to film reviews, and everything in between. Taking inspiration from Zine culture and
www.
in the hopes of continuing to move towards more user-generated content. In addition, we were able
3
cooperation, as if these women’s experiences were
Proudly supported by
to both secure funding from the History school and
Here’s the good: Abe, well-known for his nationalistic
just a pre-emptive hurdle to skip over before getting
have finalized our application to be a society, thus
stances, marginalisation of war crimes, and efforts to
to things that ‘mattered.’
allowing us to further root ourselves within The
revise textbooks, has managed to issue an apology.
University of Edinburgh and work alongside other
Politicians on both sides are guilty of hailing the
student publications.
merits of ‘starting fresh.’ The part of the deal which states that South Korea cannot publicly criticise
We’ve released a new writing guide on our website
Japan on the topic in the future is nothing less than
for all our current and future writers to make the
a silencing technique. It’s saying: ‘We fixed it! Now
writing process smoother, so please take a look!
we’re even, so why are you still going on about it?’
With that in mind, seeing as it is that time of year
In addition, as a part of the deal South Korea must
when the academic year winds down and student
also look into removing a memorial statue in front
are asked to look to what they would like to do
of the Japanese embassy in Seoul, where the former
in the future, we would like to announce that
comfort women and their supporters gather for
various editorial positions have once again opened
regular protests. This isn’t resolving or healing; this is erasing and forgetting. Here’s the worst: the resolution did not consult
Cover image by stu smith
CURRENT AFFAIRS
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CURRENT AFFAIRS
the women in their negotiations. ‘I am a rightful
This deal actively prevents any sort of future
citizen of Korea. I am a daughter of this country.
discussion. Could South Korea have gotten a better
Why are you not trying to understand us?’ former
deal out of Japan? No one knows. What stings is that
Stade de France
comfort woman and activist Lee Yong Su demands
they didn’t try. And this does not apply exclusively
releases fireworks
of the vice foreign minister Lim Sung Nam. ‘Are you
to South Korea. The women came from China, the
for big games,
going to live this life for me?’ They’ve ignored the
Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan, and countless other
don’t worry.
most important people in the deal – the women
countries. This deal is in a long line of instances
don’t want compensation. What’s money worth
where the Japanese government refuses to
Another rips
against the trauma they’ve experienced? They want
acknowledge and take responsibility for its own
through the air
formal apologies, inclusion in history, and being
imperial history. And Japan’s not the only one – all
behind us. One. After.
remembered. Now they’re even more unlikely to get
former imperial powers have a disgustingly prideful
The. Other.
it. Here’s the final line: it’s not enough. This isn’t one
tendency to attempt to erase its own atrocities. This
of those cases where you make the ‘it’s better than
is just a case where they’ve succeeded.
nothing’ argument, because that argument always
The Columnist Issue 4
5
I know when
Two blasts fill the air.
that hotline bling, that can only mean one thing. BBC News: Reports of shooting and casualties in central Paris. Just some banlieu gang Message my family. I’m fine.
warfare, of course.
presupposes future progress.
It was in central, I’m just at the
Please, ignore this wake-up call By Franziska Putz
We chuckle tensely at a joke made
stadium, far out.
behind us about Charlie Hebdo. What are you talking about? Then their I know when that hotline bling, that can
media catches up.
only mean one thing. I know when that hotline bling, that can only mean one thing.
Ziski is an International Relations student spending
In the aftermath, it’s the simple things that have
On the highest tribunal, we can see blue
her third year abroad at Sciences Po, Paris.
been perverted- taking note of every new person
lights dotting the street behind our gate.
entering the subway cart, rethinking where to meet
Blue lights swirling, blue lights lining the
Another deadly attack. The victim count
friends, taking a different road to get to school.
entire road. Not a soul outside.
begins.
“Its not terrorism if you’re not terrorized.”
Every time I pass the second-to last metro stop Those words are easy to write. Those words were
before my own, I hear my friend’s voice weary with
Ever since I left the city you got a
easy to read. But how can you not be terrorized
fatigue, soothingly reassuring me “now it’s just the
reputation for yourself now.
when every two minutes a new media alert is
long passage to Boulogne Jean-Jaures, then we’ve
glaring in your face, branding your eyes with sites
made it”. Made it. Safety. A word I never thought
Everybody knows and I feel left out.
of another attack, another shooting, another spot
would be so obsolete from my vocabulary for
Girl you got me stressed out.
your friends are at, another set of victims added to
fourteen hours when I first skipped up the platform
the death toll? How can you not be terrorized when
to meet him with a grin on my face and Hotline
Why is the tailgate empty?
the night is filled with police raids and more suicide
Bling in my ear. It will never be the soundtrack of
Why are there so many police
attacks? How can you not be terrorized when more
a great night; it will only take me back to Stade de
cars? What reason is there
stadium explosions are foiled?
France on November 13th.
to block an entire street
I’m not that brave.
I know when that hotline bling, that can only
thing? None. France
mean one thing.
scores again. Watch
I know when that hotline bling, that can only mean one thing. This time it’s further away. The victim count rises. Bullets flying, bodies falling. One. After. The. Other. I know when that hotline bling, that can only mean one thing.
without mentioning a
the game.
A group of armed men has stormed the Bataclan.
6
CURRENT AFFAIRS
ARE YOU OK? Just shook up, but I’m fine.
Victimization may be a convenient way to shift
Staying at the stadium, far out.
blame and dilute responsibility, but if we are truly to take the countless deaths each day as seriously as
Germany’s defense falters, another goal.
we claim in our face book posts, political speeches, and media outcries, then we need to accept
I know when that hotline bling, that can only
responsibility and place our values and governance
mean one thing.
under the microscope. Big words and muscles don’t change anything, they at best delay. Why continue
Grenades thrown near Stade de France.
to cry and pray when another attack happens? Why continue to scratch our heads and wonder “how this
CURRENT AFFAIRS
When ‘freedom’ causes more harm than good By Noémie Gagnon-Bergeron
The Columnist Issue 4
7
In many countries, including the UK and Canada, the rhetoric demonstrated by Trump would simply not be allowed. His statements are clearly classified as ‘hate speech’, which is not tolerated in these countries. In the UK more specifically, the Public Order Act 1986 specifically says: “A person who uses threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, or displays any written material which is threatening, abusive or insulting, is guilty of an offence if – (a) he intends thereby to stir up racial hatred, or (b) having
No, car bombs placed outside of Stade de
can be?” when we still insist on doing the same thing
France.
as before, and not changing anything? Avoiding
Noémie is a French Canadian studying Law in
to be stirred up thereby.” There is no doubt that had
uncomfortable and tension riddled topics in public
Edinbrugh. She’s studied at McGill before and loves
he been a citizen of the UK Trump would have been
There are hostages. They were suicide
discourse isn’t the answer. Calling for new policies
all types of food.
guilty of this offence on many counts.
bombings. Three suicide bombings. An attempt
and regimes isn’t the answer. “Praying for Paris”
to enter the stadium.
and the rest of the world is not an option either. It’s
On the afternoon of Monday January 18th, a debate
UK citizens were appalled by Trump’s words and
about asking the right questions.
took place on whether or not there the presidential
launched the petition for the ban, attracting 574,000
candidate of the United States, Donald Trump,
signatures. So the debate began, with the main
That hotline bling never meant one thing. Not for
regard to all the circumstances racial hatred is likely
me in Paris. Not for the parents, friends, family and
When ‘bling’ is the crack of gunshots on diners,
should be banned from entering into the UK. The
issue at hand being whether these laws that help to
loves ones of victims of the attacks all over the
concert goers, and blasts rocking stadiums, train
debate was a result of the spotlight media coverage
promote peace and security for everyone, regardless
world. There was never a way to know, but there are
stations, airports, and markets around the world,
of Trump’s racist comments, the most alarming being
of their race or religion, warranted a ban. The debate
still things to know.
the hotline is a wake-up call: business as usual is no
his suggestion to ban all Muslims from entering into
took three hours.
longer an option. The Dalai Lama put it simply when
the US. His statements also extend to claiming that
The day after, a man toured through Paris metro with
he pointed out that praying does no good to solve
Chinese are “cheats” and Mexicans are “rapists”, which
speakers on his shoulders, inviting smiles back to
chaos we ourselves have created. Only by calling for
is one of his reasons for wanting to build a “great,
peoples faces, easing the tension. Flowers littered
and starting the right conversation can we begin to
great wall” between the US and Mexico.
the streets of Republique. Among it all, among the
combat the breeding ground from which fear and its
hatred, aggression, finger pointing and suffering of
ugly side effects of prejudice and suspicion spring. It
every side, rejecting fear is not sufficient. It doesn’t
begins at the individual level, with questioning the
dissipate when you ask it to, nor can it be willed
status quo, demanding accountability measures in
away; it is there and it is real. Fear is not the threat
politics, and returning altruism upon the hierarchy
in itself, it is the potential of fear to encourage a
of social value. We cannot be, as Tariq Ramadan, a
binary view of the world where black and white,
Professor of Philosophy at Oxford said, ‘victims of the
them, and us intrudes and corrupts. It erodes our
other, responsible for nothing.’ There is a common
understanding and creates a rhetoric whereby
responsibility to reconsider the configuration,
each side sees themselves as the victim and refutes
liberties, and values of our society.
responsibility.
CURRENT AFFAIRS
8 It is clear from the discussions that everyone thought
main accomplishment. It is this kind of submission
Trump’s comments were extremely disgraceful, to
and blind dedication to old legislation that makes
the point that some MPs branded him as a ‘buffoon,
it impossible for Americans to consider that maybe
demagogue and wazzock’. That was not however the
it can, and should, be altered to prevent the bigotry
main issue of the debate, but whether this type of
demonstrated by people like Trump from gaining
dangerous rhetoric was enough to legally exclude
such traction and attention, especially during a
him from the UK.
presidential campaign.
CURRENT AFFAIRS
The Columnist Issue 4
Monetary Policy and the Fed: the Path Ahead By Andrew Womer
to keep interest rates for the EU at near zero and is amping up efforts with a new wave of quantitative
Andrew is an Economics and Politics student
easing.
Home Office minister James Brokenshire advocated
The American way of dealing with hate speech has
at the University of Edinburgh, originally from
for the position that it was not. He pointed to the
been limited to the discouraging of bad behavior
Washington D.C.
close US-UK relations, and said Westminster should
associated with the hate speech, such as prosecuting
“engage” with US presidential candidates even when
for physical intimidation or assault. But it is the words
After professing that ‘the economic recovery has
and the neoclassical view of monetary policy.
they “profoundly disagree” with their views. The
themselves that can in fact hurt, instigate and lead to
clearly come a long way’, chair Janet Yellen and the
To oversimplify, the neoclassical approach to
debate ended without a vote, giving Donald Trump
terrible actions. By allowing those words to fester and
Federal Reserve raised the Federal Funds rate for
monetary policy contends that the role of setting
the liberty to enter the UK if he so desires.
circulate throughout society on such a high profile
the first time in nine years this past December from
interest rates is to maintain general price stability
medium only increases their power andcultivates
the near zero rate to between 0.25%-0.50%. This
and by extension promoting or restraining
even more hate crimes.
comes at a time when the Federal Reserve has been
aggregate growth and demand. It was thought
facing criticism from both sides: those who warn
this model of central banking was largely infallible
Many of the petitioners might be angry or upset with the result. But would a different result have actually
So what is the way forward? This question concerns the impact of interest rates on the real economy
done anything to change the current situation in the
But the irony behind all of this is that the
of the dangers of long-term low interest rates and
for quite some time and as a result the approach
US? Granted it would have exhibited a very strong
amendment that grants the liberty to say such
those who believe nudging interest rates upward
has become just short of ubiquitous in central
message, but considering how Trump has reacted to
hateful and disrespectful words is the same
will send a shaky US economy into recession.
banking. But following the recent crash, much
his critics, it would be very unlikely that it would have
amendment that promises freedom of religion.
Among central bankers, Yellen is alone in her small
of the neoclassical model as come into question.
step towards normalizing monetary policy. ECB
One of the contributing factors of the crisis, many
changed his stance. Ultimately it would only have
9
ended up giving him further media attention, which
There is a difficult balance to maintain between a
President Mario Draghi, while applauding the Fed’s
avow, was policymakers’ simplistic macroeconomic
he craves and thrives under.
person’s right to voicing his/her opinion while also
hike as ‘flawlessly executed’, is ironically choosing
modeling, which focused too much on aggregate
protecting people’s interests and deterring hate
growth and consumer price data, leading to central
The real problem does not lie with Trump, it lies with
crimes. But if we are to live in a world where there
banks being unattentive to sector specific growth
the fact that the US allows and even enables this kind
is more peace than violence, we cannot allow for
and inflation. Following their models, central banks
of behavior. Lets not forget that Trump is not the one
someone’s opinion to transform into a serious threat
kept interest rates low for extended periods of time,
who invented Islamophobia, nor is he the only one
to another person or group’s life or way of living.
particularly in the 2002-2005 period, leading up to
blurring out racist statements. Fellow Republican Ben
the crisis. This kept growth relatively high and the
Carson for example, suggested that Syrian refugees
There will always be radical, outlandish, hateful
economy booming, but the low cost of borrowing
should be screened as though they were “rabid dogs”.
people in the world. Systems of deterrence to
incentivized banks to take on more risk and lend to
Others, such as Ted Cruz and Jeb Bush think that
prevent individual opinions from causing harm
increasingly less qualified candidates, particularly in
Christian refugees from Syria should be prioritized.
however will go a long way. In that sense, those
the mortgage market.
who were petitioning for the UK ban and hoping The problem then cannot only be attributed to
for a different outcome from the debate on Monday
Trump or the Republican candidates, but extends to
shouldn’t be asking themselves how Trump should
the fact that Americans have prided themselves for
be punished, but rather should wonder why and how
so long as being ‘the land of the free’ using the first
such racist comments were able to get out and gain
amendment, the right to freedom of speech, as their
so much traction and support in the first place.
CURRENT AFFAIRS
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This is pertinent to today’s situation because the
periods of low interest rates. While politicians and
debate of whether to normalise interest rates
interest groups such as FedUp will assert that low
is centered around the neoclassical paradigm.
interest rates promote growth for the middle class
There is a theoretical contradiction that makes the
and that high interest rates will burden it, this is
neoclassical model very difficult to implement:
questionable. While low interest rates do generally
progressively higher growth and low inflation. US
give more access to lending for lower income
growth and employment have been converging
earners and smaller businesses, this is because low
back to acceptable or at least normal levels. But
income earners necessitate higher risk loans. And
even with more and more people spending,
in an economy where risk is easily passed on, this
producing, and pumping money back into the
often leads to predatory lending practices which
marketplace, inflation remains well below the target
put the supposed beneficiaries of low interest rates
level of 2 percent. The orthodox voices maintain
in very vulnerable positions, and end up doing
that controlling the general price level is the
great harm to the broader economy.
SOCIAL COMMENTARY
The Columnist Issue 4
11
foremost duty of central banks, and to hike interest rates at this point would constrain the money-
The world, alas, is not an economic model, and it
supply and send the country into a deflation and
needs to be treated as the multi-faceted system
recession. However, this would also go against the
that it is. Whether or not rising interest rates back to
doctrine’s ethos of cutting interest rates with the
pre-crisis levels is the best way forward, especially
tide of rising growth.
with the pickle of low oil prices and China’s instability, policymakers need to take a hard look in
It is apparent that the US and the world should
the mirror and decide how to end the era of free
look beyond its dogmas and find a more
money, or the ghosts of 2008 will surely be lurking.
nuanced solution. Arguably, this takes the form of recognising the very real dangers of long
SOCIAL COMMENTARY
Is Hunt to Blame?
we should start with the qualities that would make
With this in mind, it seems somewhat absurd that
a good inister: being in touch with what the public
Hunt is the man with this responsibility. Hunt
wants and needs; being a strong and engaging
studied Politics, Philosophy and Economics at the
speaker; but perhaps most importantly having a
University of Oxford and after graduating became
deep and grounded knowledge in their given field.
a management consultant and businessman. His history in health prior to becoming minister
short of expectations, or out of touch with society.
On this last point, I feel the government can often
extends as far as campaigning against the closure
The latest minister to fall into the crosshairs of public
fall short of standards. When looking closer, a
of two hospitals in his constituency and setting up
frustration is Jeremy Hunt, the Minister for Health, who
potential root cause of the lack of connection
a charity to help orphans of AIDS in Africa, which
has not endeared himself to many within the health
between doctors and the Minister of Health, or
whilst commendable arguably means he lacks the
sector after the alterations to junior doctor contracts
teachers and the Minister of Education, becomes
expertise needed for this level of control. Before
in order to increase weekend working hours. Before
clearer. The Secretary of State for Health has control
the reshuffle which made him Minister of Health in
Hunt, Michael Gove was in the firing line, facing mass
of all the NHS in England and some power over
2012, Hunt was the Minister of Culture, Olympics,
Nick is 18 years old, from Yorkshire and studying
criticism for his handling of the school exam system as
that of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, albeit
Media and Sport, which leads one to wonder how a
French and Spanish with Politics.
Minister of Education.
reduced since devolution in 1999. With such a
man with little experience in either of these sectors
responsibility, one would hope this role would be
could be so powerful within them.
Hearing politicians being criticised for the job they
After the latest threat of strikes from disgruntled
in the hands of someone with a long history in the
do is commonplace in society, and we won’t go
workers, I was drawn to consider where all this public
NHS, who has a developed knowledge of its past
This trend within the Cabinet at Westminster
more than a few months without hearing about how
displeasure comes from. Why is it that so many
and a clear vision for its future.
doesn’t seem to be confronted very often in the
another cabinet minister is failing voters, or falling
ministers seem to upset the general public? Maybe
By Nick Edwards
wider media, where one’s dedication to their party
SOCIAL COMMENTARY
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SOCIAL COMMENTARY
The Columnist Issue 4
13
You can probably recall a time when you have
Eventually we enter the final state of the total
seems to be a more valuable commodity than any
we often employ tips and tricks, and cycle through
experienced this state, perhaps while speeding
experience: the recovery. At this stage memory
level of expertise can bring. It seems a shame that
many so called “productivity hacks” without any
down a ski-hill, riding a big wave or even writing
consolidation takes place, making flow an ideal state
in a nation with so many talented and intelligent
lasting success. Perhaps we are approaching the
an essay. It can appear to visit randomly, but in
for studying and learning new skills.
people across such a variety of disciplines, the
problem in the wrong way. What if instead of relying
fact flow is largely dependent on a special set
defining factor in becoming a leader within society
on tricks to better utilize our mental faculties,
of circumstances or preconditions. In order to
Research indicates that practitioners of flow,
is how close you were with the party at the age of
we could culture a mental state fundamentally
experience it there needs to be a clear goal for
especially amongst extreme sport athletes, are
20.
characterized by creativity, productivity and
an activity with immediate feedback regarding
capable of vastly accelerated learning, problem
learning?
progress toward it. If you are writing an essay for
solving and skill-acquisition. A recent study
example, you could set your objective to write a
conducted by McKinsey found that executives in flow
manageable number of quality pragraphs.
are five times more productive than in normal states
Admittedly, being overly cynical, one could overlook the fact that the House of Lords appoints
Such a mental state does exist: flow is a state of
some of its members based on their expertise
profound immersion and effortless connection to
in certain fields, renowned examples being Lord
an activity. References to it date back to antiquity
Even with these conditions in place, flow can be
that we may be able to circumvent the well-known
Sebastian Coe for his experience in sport and Lord
and are embodied in concepts from Eastern
elusive. To better understand it experts often look
‘10,000 hours’ rule for mastery using flow-state
Alan Sugar for his business acumen.
Traditions that translate roughly to “doing without
at it in the context of a larger process. Before we
training and learning. Whether or not this is the
doing.” In these traditions, practitioners were so
can attain flow, they say, two periods are usually
case, the potential for flow states is enormous. If we
However, this makes me question why expertise
aware of their bodies and so in tune with their
necessary: a period of struggle and one of relaxation.
increase knowledge of this state and learn to culture
isn’t at least a criterion worth contemplating in
intuition that action becomes effortless and without
During the first period, we are overwhelmed with
it for ourselves, I think we are likely to see a radical
the House of Commons when the Cabinet is being
perceived agency. Flow came to widespread
information and/or sensory input. This could be, to
shift in the way our society engages with both work
decided. In a system where Gove and Hunt have
western attention following psychologist Mihaly
continue our example, a large number of pertinent
and leisure activities.
access to these jobs, it is little surprise that they
Csikszentmihalyi’s studies into peak performance
sources, quotes and ideas for an essay. This overload
accept them and take to them as relative beginners.
and human happiness in the 1980’s. We know it
triggers a mild stress response which induces focus
Perhaps before blaming them for being out of
now, more colloquially, as “the zone.”
but also a sense of anxiety. If we then relax
of consciousness. Some researchers even suggest
and temporarily disengage from the
touch with their disciplines, we should first criticise a system where they can reach these positions
Although it may seem counterintuitive, this state
activity, the stress hormones subside,
without a minimum level of experience.
of “hyperfocus” is more accurately thought of as
leaving only a clear sense of focus.
cognitive limitation than cognitive enhancement.
In the Zone By Alec Edgecliffe-Johnson
In flow, certain areas of our brain become dormant,
Following these preliminary stages, if the
allowing the energy they would normally consume
conditions are correct, we are able to
to be allocated to areas that control our attention,
enter flow, but the process does not stop
creativity and awareness. Many of these down-
there. Flow is mentally taxing and cannot
regulated areas correspond to our newer, more
be sustained indefinitely.
developed brain, which provide us with our reasoning abilities but also our doubt. When this
Alec is a third year Economics student who enjoys
reasoning system is disengaged our inner voice,
reading, playing darts and researching longevity
raw intuition, is unhindered by nagging doubts and
science in his abundant free time.
second-guesses. Furthermore, our sense of time and space are distorted, reducing the perceived
Many of our day-to-day challenges center around
separation between our sense of self and our
combatting inattention and increasing our
activity. This allows us to merge more completely
creativity, efficiency and focus. To aid in our struggle
with our task.
CULTURE
14
CULTURE
The Columnist Issue 4
15
The Myth of Neutral Academic Space By Lucy Hughes Lucy is an overenthusiastic history nerd who also studies politics and can’t stop talking about feminism (literally ever.) ‘Colleges… are not intellectual or emotional safe zones. Nor should they be.’ This is the quote I have picked out which I think sums up what Jill Filipovic is trying to say with her piece which criticises the use of trigger warnings in higher education institutions. For those unaware of what trigger warnings (TWs)
these warnings, so they can come to a compromise
currently able to be explored by everyone
perceptions’ and ‘direct students to focus on
are utilised for, they signal that the content of
in which academia can be explored but in a way
equally and ‘students should be pushed to
particular themes that have been singled out by
the article or media could trigger a type of post-
that safeguards people subject to oppression of all
defend their ideas and to see the world from
the professor as traumatic’ ignores the fact that our
traumatic stress reaction in the viewer. They do
kinds.
a variety of perspectives.’ It is a good thing to
perceptions are already skewed and certain types
feel uncomfortable and this means a critical
of knowledge are privileged over others before any
not change the content or censor it, instead they simply give a heads up that certain distressing
The premise of her argument is that the use
engagement with academic material. However she
feminist utters a single word. If anything trigger
material is included. As Filipovic explains, their use
of these warnings is great for safe spaces like
misses the point that academia is itself subject to
warnings are fighting back in academic spaces,
came about largely through the feminist movement
feminist blogs or social media sites dedicated to
the oppressive forces which cause certain groups
reformulating the meanings systems of content
which sought to warn survivors of sexual violence
certain kinds of discussion but that they become
to advocate for trigger warnings in the first place.
which is no longer able to keep a hallowed and
about content which could lead them to experience
a restrictive and damaging tool when used in
The structures and production of knowledge are
untouchable status.
emotional stress – possibly even taking them back
education. By choosing particular examples of
influenced by a certain dominant demographics
to memories of the event.
trigger warnings in certain colleges, which she feels
of society and have been so for hundreds if not
I agree that TWs should be used after dialogue
are used to apparent excess and lead to spoilers
thousands of years. Certain students are having
with academics who should work with students
The use of TWs has expanded into a whole
of literary syllabuses, Filipovic cleverly convinces
to defend themselves far more than others and
to understand why they are useful and how best
intersection of oppressive identity structures such
us that this has gone too far. This argument to me
the apparent ‘variety’ in perspectives taught is
to implement them. To simply write them off as
as those which could affect LGBT+ people, people
is worryingly reminiscent of the supposed free
unfortunately far more uniform than she idealizes.
only for useful on feminist blogs reinforces the
of colour and those with mental health problems
speech activists stating that ‘political correctness
to name a few. I can only see this as a good thing
has gone mad.’
and I believe they are often used with academic
fact that we should deal with the harsh realities The fact Filipovic seems to think that current
of the world, no matter what it throws at us and
academic sphere encourages an experience of
that complaining about it only reinforces our own
discretion when they are adopted. There is no
The question I have for Filipovic is on her
original perceptions in students is simply wrong.
sturctures of oppression. To me this seems not only
reason why a lecturer or course organiser could not
assumption of higher education institutions as
The argument that trigger warnings ‘skew students’
misleading but also unfair.
engage in dialogue with students advocating for
neutral academic spaces. She assumes that they are
CULTURE
16
“Carol” is NOT JUST Oscar Bait
CULTURE
The Columnist Issue 4
17
The story of “Carol” is a love story between two
Malkovich, The Big Lebowski). Even the costumes
voters are men, 77% are white), meaning that
women in the 1950s, based on Patricia Highsmith’s
are done by the dazzling Sandy Powell, who is
Carol did not make men in any part important in
novel The Price of Salt. Blanchett plays the
known for dressing other classic period films like
the story. Actually, the men in Carol are shown
eponymous housewife on the verge of divorce,and
Shakespeare in Love and The Other Boleyn Girl. BUT
to be bumbling, clueless, and desperate, while
Mara her opposite, the dewy eyed, mid-twenties
NONE OF THAT MATTERS (okay it does, but bear
the women champion over the hardships they
aspiring photographer, Therese Belivet. They meet
with me). A lot of people will dismiss Carol as “Oscar
face (including the men in their lives). Seeing the
while Therese works part-time in a department
bait”. Perhaps they are right, but that doesn’t mean
appalling rate in which films fail the Bechdel test, I
Sarya is a spoken word poet who likes to roam
store as Carol shops for her daughter’s Christmas
that Carol isn’t a wondrous film in its own right.
would say that Carol would fail its inverted version.
around in a bear hood in cold places.
present, the moment
by Sarya Wu
of meeting itself
Aside from the technical
Being an avid viewer of LGBT+ films, particularly
brimming with
brilliance, it is the
of the coming-out/coming-of-age pieces within
lingering
the genre, it is not an exaggeration to say that very
gazes, and
many of them end rather...tragically. It is a given,
dense subtext
considering the historical attitudes towards LGBT+
that seemingly
peoples, that all stories and the films that seek to
underlies every stare
of art: It delivers
depict them ( The Children’s Hour, Circumstance, to
and word exchanged.
an undeniable and
message and the story that truly make Carol a revolutionary piece
name a few) will result in some sort of terribleness,
Of course, as a queer woman, I am biased in my reaction to this movie. Hardly do our stories get to be told in such a masterful way and while I cannot know what it is like to watch this as a straight person, I imagine that the process of how one falls in love cannot fall under any specificities of sexual preference.
realistic gay love
The fact of the matter is, films with lesbians tend to
story, while never
be over-sexualised for the the male viewership, or
subconsciously teaching you the costs of “being
Mostly shot through
gay.”. Even on Wikipedia, LGBT+ films are usually
windows, providing a dreamy
once separating from
have some sort of nasty social outcome. Lesbians
separated into 3 categories of tragic outcomes:
complexion that mimics how
the purity of forbidden
have always stereotypically been predatory older
“With Tragedy,” “With Conversion Therapy”, and
one might reimagine the
romance. Personally,
women who try to convert the girlfriends of the
“Without Tragedy or Conversion Therapy.”
past from present (For film
I feel it may be the
young man protagonists, vampires who are also
nerds: It is impressively
first movie that a) has
killed by the young male protagonists. Or just
That’s not to say that there haven’t been more
shot through a Super
a lesbian story arc, b)
victims of social shame stemming from their
hopeful LGBT+ films- indeed the recent decade has
16mm screen from a
isn’t mainly focused
sexuality. Do you see a pattern?
proved that LGBT+ stories are more visible than
masterful cinematographer
on specific political
ever before, whether in the story arcs of television
Ed Lachmann). The viewing
aspects of being gay,
Carol cannot be simply shrugged off as being “Oscar
series,webseries, short films, or crowd-funded
experience puts you in a trance,
c) doesn’t end BADLY,
Fodder,” The raving voices of lesbian representation
productions. So, when Carol came out this year as a
fully swooning for two hours,
d) isn’t concerned with
will not allow it. It is a production of tremendous
high-profile feature film, not only starring A-listers
until the end credits remind you that life isn’t all
the confused sexuality of the characters, and e) has
power, setting a new standard for future movies
like the godly Cate Blanchett and skillful Rooney
love seen through hazy colour palettes. That, in
nothing to do with men.
with queer women protagonists. All we can hope
Mara, but also a director like Todd Haynes, a major
addition to impeccable acting, makes Carol a
figure of contemporary New Queer Cinema, my
naturalistic fantasy of reality.
heart was bracing itself for yet another movie set to reduce me to tears. And indeed it did.
for is that its coverage will demand authentic and Yet the fact that Carol is critically acclaimed
skillful stories about the LGBT+ experience both
and has garnered almost 200 nominations and
now and in the films to come.
For film nerds: it is impressively shot through
awards doesn’t stop it from being snubbed at the
a Super 16mm screen from a masterful
Oscars AND the Golden Globes, a reason many
cinematographer Ed Lachmann (Virgin Suicides,
have argued stemming from its lack of appeal to
Eric Brockovich), accompanied by a original
the white cisgender male viewer (94% of Oscar
soundtrack made by Carter Burwell (Being John
18
CULTURE
Paedophile Culture and the Male Gaze
CULTURE
The Columnist Issue 4
19
This contradiction is difficult to contemplate, but
men are conditioned to find younger women the
can perhaps be better illuminated through a brief
most attractive. This is not to say that some men do
discussion of sex and power.. Rape is more about
not deviate from this, but finding beauty in youth
domination than it is about sexual attraction. Rape
is the norm. Paedophile culture exaggerates the
culture often manifests itself in rape being used to
adolescent beauty standard by sexualising young
either express a feeling of disempowerment or to
girls.
empower the dominant party, a fact made all the
By Mayowa Omogbenigun Mayowa is a Nigerian feminist who loves to write.
more visible in the contrasting ways the word is
Sexuality is complex. Influenced by societal
used both to describe powerlessness or failure, and
structures, like the media and its ideas of beauty.
images of rape used to show power.
This article’s aim is not to breakdown sexual attraction but instead point out a dangerous culture
She’s passionate about African literature, African Staying with this line of thought, portraying women
that tolerates and celebrates the sexualisation
as young, innocent and naïve might serve as a
of girls. Realising this destructive culture will not
As a woman, I often find my ideas on beauty are
way of expressing masculinity and power. Men
eradicate sexual attraction to adolescent girls but
shaped by the male gaze, a concept coined by
are strong and powerful and women are fragile,
discontinuing this culture in mainstream media and
feminist film critic Laura Mulvey to refer to the
passive and unknowing. Our obsession with
popular culture might be able to breakdown the
way visual arts are structured around masculine
youth is therefore an extension of this paradoxical
norm of sexualising children. The greater discourse
viewership. I am a feminist, and as much as I would
power dynamic. This obsession is obvious upon
here is patriarchal constructs of sexuality and
like to say that all my actions are for my benefit, I
examination of mainstream media and its
gender and although breaking this down may not
history and anything and everything African
still find myself secretly wanting to be attractive
paedophile culture, which she defines as having
glorification of youth: Women are bombarded with
be possible in the foreseeable future, society cannot
to men. This of course is a result of deep social
an understanding of sexuality that is constructed
anti-ageing advertising and are shamed for ‘aging
continue to create mechanisms that put women in
conditioning and the normalisation of the male
around paedophilic desires, with ‘teen’ and ‘barely
badly,’ constantly being told that women are at
vulnerable positions.
gaze as a beauty standard for women. One of the
legal’ searches on Pornhub, surgical procedures like
their prime when they are at their youngest, and
dark sides of society’s glorification of the male gaze
labiaplasty, and even the idea of ‘baby soft’ skin.
includes various cultural developments that, among
Paedophile culture in turn, conditions men and
other things, perpetuate ideas of young women
boys to ‘eroticize childlike features in women’.
as sexual beings, and praise any form of sexual attraction to these girls.
Grey’s argument is convincing, but I couldn’t help thinking that society’s treatment of paedophiles
Would you like to write for The Columnist?
Images of ‘the sexy schoolgirl’, represented by
isn’t that simple. From our youth, we are
thin and almost pre-pubescent looking models
conditioned to think sexual relations between
We are avidly looking for new writers, and you could be one of them! If you are interested in student journalism and
with hairless bodies, have been normalised by
children and adults are forbidden, yet according to
would like to increase the diversity of student opinion across campus, we accept ongoing submissions of 600 word
visual culture, and though I found them to be
Grey this paedophile culture not only exists, but is
articles. If you are unsure whether your topic fits in with the magazine or would like to get some advice on how to
problematic it never occurred to me that they could
blatantly visible. This might be similar to the cultural
write and what to write about, drops us an email or FB message and we’ll get back to you.
be paedophilic as well. My perception changed
paradoxes surrounding how rape is treated, where
when I read: ‘You’ve heard of rape culture, but
the culture of normalising rape is promoted, but the
have you heard of paedophile culture?,’ an article
act of rape is generally frowned upon. A paradoxical
featured on Feminist Currents by Alicen Grey. Grey
view of sexual attraction is promoted where the
argues that although paedophilia might seem
attraction itself is fed by society, but putting that
taboo, it is actually praised and rewarded. She links
attraction into action is frowned upon.
Keep an eye out for our writers meetings and social discussions, and hopefully see you back in September!