Epigram issue 374

EPIGRAM

01.11.23 Issue no. 374

The University of Bristol's Award Winning Page Independent Student Newspaper 5

BETWEEN THE SHEETS NEWS

Est. 1989 FREE

Investigating wealth inequalities: Examining the University of Bristol's social inclusion ranking Alexandra Lam Second Year, English and History

Students respond to the Israel-Palestine conflict p.4

ARTS

Changing art in the name of progress: a 'Counter-Canon' p.17

SCI-TECH

Image courtesy of Dan Hutton, Features Co-Deputy Editor

Epigram speaks to Bristol SU's full-time officers

Bristol researchers build shapeshifting robot p.22

Maud Humphries News Digital Editor and Epigram News Team

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CONTENTS Editorial News Opinion Features Wit & Wisdom Arts Film & TV Music Sci-Tech Sport

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ocial diversity has become a central goal for universities in recent years. However, dishearteningly, The Times University Rankings for 2024 has placed the University of Bristol at 104th out of 115 universities for social inclusion. the University’s 24.6 per cent private school intake also raises uncomfortable questions about its purported reputation as elitist. The Times has reported that 61.3 per cent of The University of Bristol’s student population came from state schools — a marked contrast to the UK’s 93 per cent state-educated population.

However, it is important to note that this statistic is measured differently to the university’s. The University of Bristol incorporates their grammar school admissions into their state school statistics • This article is continued on page 10.

P2 P4 P7 P10 P13 P14 P16 P18 P21 P23

Website - https://epigram.org.uk

ristol's Student Union (SU) Officers are elected every year by the university's student body to run the SU, as a full-time paid job. Their roles are to improve and better your experience at university, with each of the seven jobs representing a different area of student life.

Together their collective aims include: prioritising the cost of living crisis and helping students cope with this, mental health and wellbeing with a focus on intersectionality, and academic experience.

A news reporter for Epigram spoke to Izzy Russell, the SU's student living officer.

When asked what her role as an SU officer involves, she said:

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'It is such a broad job and it's different for every role you represent. However, if ever a representative is needed for housing or mental health issues, I will be that student representative.

We all work to go to meetings with university executives and SU staff.'

Izzy also spoke about her election campaign, which lasted four days, where she wrote a manifesto and engaged with many students.

Her biggest goal for this year is housing and renting issues. Speaking on this Izzy said: 'I will do a piece of housing research that will go around the university students asking questions impacting their studies such as rent prices and distance from the university, as housing is such a huge issue at the moment and University staff do not take these issues seriously.'

Passionate about activism, Izzy is keen to encourage student activism especially in regard to renting rights,

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the cost of living and workers' rights.

The housing research that Izzy plans to do this year will be much anticipated by students.

Our News Investigations Editor interviewed the SU's International Student Officer, Bakhtawar Javed.

Bakhtawar is keen to focus on community and belonging, accessibility to services, and representation of international students on the local and sector level.

The Global Lounge in the SU is a great space that Bakhtawar promotes in Senate House. Students can find socials and workshops managing culture shocks.

A key goal she has already achieved in her time as officer is successful lobbying of the Russell Group Student Union (RGSU) to prioritise international students in their four key focus areas for this year.

• The full article can be found on page 2.

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Editorial

Amelia Jacob and Roya Shahidi Co-Editors-in-Chief

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elcome to the third issue of Epigram of the 2023/24 academic year! We are so proud of the hard work of our team and writers over the past month in making this issue of

Epigram. There are some really interesting pieces, including a Features analysis of arts qualifications, following Rishi Sunak’s crackdown on socalled “rip-off” degrees, and a Music feature on Strange Brew’s third birthday. It has been great to see so many pieces from new writers for Epigram, including first years.

However, it is not all work!

We have fortnightly socials which are open to anyone interested in writing for Epigram, as well as the editorial team. Our last two have been at Hope and Anchor and The Den and Terrace, and both were great evenings for meeting like-minded people and finding out how to get involved in the Epigram community. We have really enjoyed meeting so many new people and hearing all your article ideas. If you are intrigued, please come along to our next one. We post all details of our upcoming socials (and formals!) on Instagram @ epigrampaper_. If you would like to get involved, there is

a section on the website with links to all Writer's groups. It's never too late to join and you can write as much or as little as you would like! Please be aware that not all of our articles go to print, so make sure to follow our social media and check out the website https:// epigram.org.uk to stay updated on the latest news in the Bristol student community.

There is a QR code on page 20 that takes you straight there As we get ready for the beginning of assessment season, make sure to take care of yourselves, stay as organised as possible with the workload and enjoy – as ever, if there is any news you’d like to share with the paper we would love to hear it. Have a lovely November everyone , and see you all at the beginning of December.

• You can contact Amelia and Roya at editor.epigram@ gmail.com, or by DM'ing @ epigrampaper_ on Instagram.

Editorial Team 2023/24 Co-Editors-in-Chief Amelia Jacob and Roya Shahidi Deputy Editors Milan Perera and Ella Woszczyk News Editor: Will Standring Deputy Editor: Amelia Shaw Digital Editor: Maud Humphries Investigations Editor: Ellyssa Ashley Rozahan News Reporter: Lottie Leigh Opinion Editor: Amaan Ali Co-Deputy Editors: George Jones and India Noon Digital Editor: Georgia Rowe Subeditor: Megan Ioannides Features Editor: Aidan Szabo-Hall Co-Deputy Editors: Dan Hutton and Nel Roden Digital Editor: Annie McNamee Subeditor: Ellicia Metcalfe Arts Editor: Rachel Bronnert Co-Deputy Editors: Ella Carroll and Isabel Williams Digital Editor: Phoebe Caine Film & TV Editor: Arron Kennon Co-Deputy Editors: Lauren Durose and Sofia Webster Digital Editor: Sienna Thompson Subeditor: Victor Bennett Music Editor: Jake Paterson Co-Deputy Editors: Benji Chapman and Dylan McNally Digital Editor: Cara Hene Subeditor: Susie Long

Left to Right: Bakhtawar Javed - International Students, Izzy Russell - Student Living and Timber Hill - Postgraduate Education (cont. from front page) Bakhtawar is also keen to make it easier for international students regarding visa applications, and aims to work with the 50+ International societies at Bristol University.

An Epigram News writer spoke to Timber Hill, the SU's Postgraduate Officer. Timber sees the main area of their role as: 'to ensure postgraduate students have as many social interactions as possible and can form their own community - it’s important to know people outside of the office.'

Timber studied a Master's at Bristol in Nuclear Science and Engineering. They were very aware that a big concern for Postgraduate stu-

dents is the financing, as the degree is more expensive, especially in the context of the cost of living crisis.

Timber promoted the alumni discount at Bristol, which offers 25% off tuition fees for those who have previously studied at Bristol.

They saw continuing study at Bristol as a great choice, due to the supportive community the university boasts and as an opportunity 'to have a deep dive into things you're really interested in.'

Images courtesy of Bakhtawar Javed, Evoke Pictures Lifestyle & Timber Hill

The Richmond Building / Image courtesy of Imogen Rance

Sci-Tech Editor: Dhristi Agarwal Deputy Editor: Lucas Mockeridge Digital Editor: Aarya Sagar Patil Subeditor: Will Kelly Sport Editor: Oscar Coupal Deputy Editor: Kieran Warren Social Media Managers Anouk Griffiths Phoebe Livingstone Proofreaders Zoë Blake-James Bobbi Carsley George Dean Imogen Rance

Want to write for us?

Go to www.epigram.org.uk and click the "Get Involved" icon on the top right-hand side of the page.

From there, you can access all our writer's groups, including those for our lifestyle magazine, The Croft. Each group posts commissions on the first of every month, for the print and online.

We welcome all writers regardless of academic background, and we'd love to hear from you.

Join our Facebook writer's groups!

News

Editor Will Standring Deputy Editor Amelia Shaw Digital Editor Maud Humphries News Investigations Editor Ellyssa Ashley Rozahan News Reporter Lottie Leigh

Students respond to the Israel-Palestine conflict Demonstrations and vigils have been happening in Bristol throughout October in response to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

William Budd reports.

William Budd First Year, History

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In the wake of events in Israel-Palestine commencing on 7th October, a number of public meetings both student-led and not have taken place around Bristol. These demonstrations have sought to raise public awareness of the humanitarian crisis currently occurring in Israel-Palestine, as well as promote solidarity with those currently suffering due to the conflict.

The major demonstration of note took place on Saturday 14th October. This began as a meeting at Castle Park in the early afternoon, with protestors taking to a microphone to give speeches in support of Palestinian civilians trapped in Gaza and those who had already died due to operations conducted by the Israeli Defence Force.

A march then followed, with protestors walking through the city centre from Castle Park to College Green waving flags and chanting slogans.

Further speeches were then Society on Tuesday 10th Ocmade at College Green, with tober. This was a private vigil flags and placards in support seeking to serve the Univerof Palestinian citizens placed sity of Bristol students wishin front of City Hall, which ing to gather in solidarity came under criticism from with the citizens of Israel. the protestors for illuminatThe vigil saw large attending the building in the colours ance, with prayers, songs of the Israeli flag in the days and reflection taking place. prior. This was attended by Further protests in suppeople of all ages and backport of Palestinians also took grounds and functioned as a place, with a large student-led peaceful statement from the protest, organized by the Sopeople of Bristol in support cialist Worker Student Sociof the Palestinian civilians. ety, gathering outside SenThe following day, Sunday ate House on Wednesday 15th Oc18th October. Aptober, a proximately 200 vigil was students were in The major demonstra- attendance conducted with on College tion of note took place on more speeches givG r e e n Saturday 14th October en and calls made [...] at Castle Park. commemfor the British govorating ernment to aid the the vicPalestinian peotims of the surprise Hamas atple, as was also called for in tack on Israeli towns and setthe march on 14th October. tlements the previous week.

The most recent of these Speakers addressed the gathdemonstrations took place ering, noting the importance on Wednesday 25th October, of tolerance and peace, with with a second student-led candles arranged in a Star of protest occurring at the UniDavid along with photos of the versity of Bristol. A crowd victims being displayed. This of approximately 200 stuwas attended by members dents met outside the Arts of the Jewish faith as well as and Social Sciences Library. non-Jewish people looking to They then marched down to show their support for Israeli Wills Memorial Building, with people affected by the conflict. chants of ‘free Palestine’ as This vigil was preceded by well as holding up banners. one organized by the UniverThe university's statement sity of Bristol Jewish Student on the conflict is as follows:

Both images courtesy of Amelia Jacob

'Our thoughts are with every- al Lounge provide a shared one affected by the horrif- space for staff and students ic loss of life and suffering in to come together at this time.

'Every member of our comIsrael and Gaza. The impact of these distressing and ter- munity should feel safe and rifying events is being felt included on our campuses and across the world, and by our we ask everyone to respect own international community. and support each other at this 'We are united in our support time. There is no place for for our community. We are in any form of racism, antisemcontact with staff and students itism, islamophobia, discrimwho we understand may be di- ination, incitement, bullying or harassment rectly impacted and we contin- The following day, Sun- at the Univerue to encourage day 15th October,a vigil sity of Bristol. is all staff and stu-was conducted on College 'There more infordents to reach Green. mation on out for support if they are struggling or have the website for students and been affected in any way. staff to support members of 'Our Multifaith Chaplaincy our community should they can be accessed by both staff need to report such behaviour.

'Hamas is categorised in UK and students for faith-based or spiritual support during this law as a proscribed terrortime – and there are loca- ist organisation, meaning it tions for quiet prayer available is illegal to express support, across campus and the city. including moral support, for 'We are providing opportu- Hamas. Like all universities, nities for mutual support. The we support the recent stateTalk and Support During Trou- ment from Universities UK.' bled Times events in our Glob-

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epigram 01.11.23

'Be a hero - drive a bus' - Dan Norris Interview Epigram speaks to the Labour Mayor of the West of England about Keir Starmer’s best quality, Bristol’s political future and why students should take

Will Standring News Editor

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olitics is the art of the possible.’ He says it as a side note, but after 15 minutes with Dan Norris it’s clear how central this Harold Wilson quote is to his politics.

Norris speaks the language of pragmatism. He’s not against big ideas - he subtly expresses support for state ownership of transport – but he’s far more concerned with the here and now: what we can afford, what holds public support and what can be properly implemented in an imperfect political system.

We’re perched on a desk in a Wills Memorial classroom. It could have been The Berkeley but the Mayor refused my offer of a pint on the grounds of concerns over sound quality – his loss.

After an hour with the University of Bristol Labour Club, which followed a call with Keir Starmer and Sue Gray, it is Epigram’s turn to quiz the Mayor.

Norris has been Mayor of the West of England since 2021.

The role leaves him in charge of long-term transport, business and investment strategy for Bristol, south Gloucestershire, Bath and north-east Somerset.

Mayor Norris made headlines last month when a group of protestors occupied his office, demanding he hold a vote over bus franchising at his next meeting. Franchising, which would place the trans-

port network under Norris’ control but not ownership, is not an idea he opposes. He is just uncertain whether Bristol currently has the resources to implement it. He mentions the shortage of bus drivers and tries to sell me the job.

‘Be a hero, drive a bus. I would honestly say to all students, check out being a bus driver. If you don’t drive a car, they will train you to drive a car first before they train you to drive a bus. That’s quite an incentive for lots of people.’

As someone who hasn’t got around to learning to drive, I’m tempted. Norris is keen to point out that bus-driving students can take their job home with them in the holidays… Convinced yet?

We return to the bus franchising protest but this time turn to the student activism.

‘I get the passion and sometimes the frustration and the anger. That motivates me to try and find solutions, but I know it’s not easy. People feel really passionately and strongly about things like transport, and I understand that because I remember feeling that when I was young.’

One wonders at what point along his journey from student to social worker and MP to Mayor this passion was replaced (or complemented) by his pragmatic desire for sensible solutions.

More transport. This time we discuss his opposition to plans for a Bristol Underground.

‘I have all sorts of ideas for if I had an infinite amount of money or time to do it in, but I actually have to live in the real world where you take

the public with you. What I have found is that when the underground as a possibility comes up there’s quite a ridicule about it, the public laugh about it … if the public feel that unengaged with it, that is not a sensible place to keep carrying on.’

Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees, has come out publicly in favour of an underground, creating a dividing line with fellow Labour Mayor Norris.

However, Norris says he will nonetheless be sad to see him go in 2024, when the Bristol Mayoralty is abolished following a 2022 referendum.

‘I do think that the decision to not have an elected mayor in Bristol is not a great decision, I think the mayor system is a good system.’

Norris says his issue with the decision lies in the lack of clarity over the structure of the incoming committee system, for which plans have not been completed. ‘I’m not sure that the committee system will please [the public] when they realise that it is not the most efficient way to get things done quickly.’

Although he acknowledges that the reduced number of mayors will help to de-mystify Bristol’s political setup, he is not sure that the committee system will provide the required clarity. ‘People need to know who to talk to, who to lobby when things are not going right … they need to know who can bring about the changes that they are seeking.’

Another likely change that the committee system will bring is an increased power to the Green Party, who have

Image courtesy of West of England Combined Authority 25 councillors to Labour's 24, but are excluded from political cabinet as this is appointed by the Labour mayor.

‘At the moment what we’ve got is Greens, in Bristol in particular, talking about all sorts of ideas, many of which I don’t disagree with, but the reality is that if you’re not in power it’s easy to say all sorts of things.’ Once again, Norris’ unrelenting focus on the possible shines through. ‘I think that the Greens are being a bit complacent, they assume that people will automatically go to them and I don’t think any political party can do that.’

After a brief rant on the failures of the Conservative Party, he turns to one of his favourite topics. ‘It’s been aided and abetted by the Lib Dems for the first five years of austerity, and they don’t want to talk about that now it doesn’t suit them, but they were part of that.’

It’s now clear to me why Norris’ 1998 Parliamentary Profile referred to him as a ‘specialist at Lib Dem-bashing’. 25 years on, and potentially unlike other aspects of his politics, his animosity for them has not faded. ‘Their

price was to be sent to the House of Lords or get knighthoods or get a CBE for services to politics … If you don’t believe me, ask Sir Ed Davey.’

A wry smile on his face, it is clear he’s proud of this line and it’s not the only time he manages to pivot an answer towards a dig at the Lib Dems.

Norris’ Labour party have a 20-point lead in the polls over the Tories and after two convincing by-election wins look set to emerge victorious from the upcoming General Election. One might think that Norris would be excited for the enactment of a left-leaning policy programme after 13 years of Conservative rule.

However, Norris thinks differently. ‘Labour needs to get into power to get some competency in because at the moment it’s crazy.’ He’s clearly tired of dealing with the current government’s constant chop and changing; during his two years in post as Mayor, Norris has had to deal with three different Prime Ministers.

• For the rest of this article please go to www.epigram. org.uk

UWE student arrested after Just Stop Oil protest

Ben Meehan was arrested after painting the University of Bristol's Queen's building orange with a a fire extinguisher.

Maud Humphries News Digital Editor

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en Meehan, a University of the West of England (UWE) student, painted the University of Bristol's Queen's Building orange in a call to action for 'students and faculty staff to join in civil resistance' for Just Stop Oil. The student sprayed the glass building with orange paint using a fire extinguisher.

Ben Meehan voiced his distress at the University of Bristol accepting money from companies such as Rolls Royce and Airbus, which he claims represent just under two percent of global emissions.

The Queen's Building is the University's engineering centre, which accepts funding from both these companies.

Meehan says the University is founded 'on exploitation and murder.'

In the video, Meehan accuses the 'genocidal government' of not taking enough action quick enough, and that 'the blood on Rishi Sunak's

hands will never come out.'

He calls for people to join the movement and 'civil disobedience' this November in protest of climate change.

Police arrived soon after and arrested the UWE student, and the building has since been cleaned.

A University of Bristol spokesperson commented: 'The University of Bristol plays a key role in tackling environmental change through its research, its teaching and how it operates.'

'We know how important this is, not just to our staff and students, but to the whole world, which is why sustaina-

Image courtesy of Jamie Bellinger

bility remains one of the central strands shaping the University's vision of the future.

'We were the first university in the UK to declare a climate emergency in 2019, reaffirm-

ing our strong and positive commitment to take action on climate change and, a year later, in 2020 we completely divested from all investments in fossil fuel companies.'

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epigram 01.11.23

Black History Month at UoB The University of Bristol put on an array of events to celebrate Black History month this October.

Milan Perera Deputy Editor

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s the month of October arrived, the University of Bristol geared up to mark Black History Month with a series of events and activities.

Black History Month at the University of Bristol was a time to recognise the profound impact of Black individuals on history, culture, and society.

It also served as a reminder of the ongoing work needed to address racial inequalities and promote diversity and inclusion.

The Black Students’ Network (BSN) has been instrumental in organising various events for Black History Month in collaboration with

the Student Union (SU) at the University of Bristol.

Here is a snapshot of events organised to mark the Black History Month 2023 at the University of Bristol.

History of reggae music – panel event Reggae music is synonymous with Black liberation, joy and solidarity. A panel event at Anson Rooms Bar on 7th October included an in-depth discussion on the origins of reggae music followed by a live performance featuring the upcoming reggae talent from Gambia, Lixen Khan, and the legendary reggae artist Troy Ellis. The discussion was hosted by Madu Ellis of Ujima Radio, who elaborated on the history of reggae music with Troy Ellis, whose father Alton Ellis is considered as an

early pioneer of the art form.

Afrobeats workshop As a joint event between Bristol Dance Society and Black Students' Network, the Afrobeats workshop proved to be a huge success. The event was held on 8th October in the Dance Studio of the Richmond Building, with guest instructor Precious Onyenekwu Tatah (Dancewithpresh).

Afrobeats dance is a vibrant and energetic style of dance that originated alongside the Afrobeat music genre. It is characterized by its fusion of traditional African dance movements with contemporary and urban dance styles.

Steppin Sistas Walk Steppin Sistas is a grassroots walking group of women of colour established in

Bristol, which aims to encourage an interest in walking and thriving in open spaces.

For this Black History Month, a circular walk was organised from the Water Tower at the Downs. The event was designed to be a space for Black students who identify as female/non-binary to reflect and share experiences.

Beyond Black History

Image courtesy of Milan Perera

Month Panel: This panel event was held at the Global Lounge on Thursday 12th October as the first of a series of informative Beyond Black History Month events.

Along with a panel of academics, other educators and students, the discussion focused on the changing approaches to the teaching of the Black British presence in the education sector in England and Wales.

'Paint and Sip' at the Balloon Bar After the success of previous years, ‘Paint and Sip’ was back for another year. Organised as a relaxed evening of ‘talk and paint’ over a drink, it was a space for Black students to meet fellow Black students in order to reflect and exchange ideas.

Bristol SU under fire from UK defence secretary over fresher’s fair army ban The SU claims the Officers' Training Corps were banned from the event as they are not an affiliated student group.

Will Standring News Editor

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ristol Student Union (SU) has come under criticism from the UK’s Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps, after they banned the army-affiliated Officers’ Training Corps (OTC) from setting up a stand at the Welcome Fair. The Officer Training Corps is an Army Reserve unit made up of university

The coral VOI scooters have been replaced by new teal TIER scooters, with e-bikes to come.

Amelia Shaw News Deputy Editor

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ristol bid farewell to the bright coral-coloured Voi e-scooters on 13th October, marking a significant transformation in the city's mobility landscape.

Introduced in Bristol back in 2020, the electric scooters have quickly gained popularity, with a Universi-

students. Bristol University Officers’ Training Corps is affiliated with the university but, crucially, not the SU. Bristol SU prevented the OTC from attending the event due to fears that it would compete with other affiliated organisations.

In a statement to Epigram, an SU spokesperson stated that ‘Bristol SU Welcome Fair is […] primarily an opportunity for our 350+ affiliated student groups to attract new student members.

‘We assess requests made by unaffiliated groups on a case-by-case basis, consid-

ering a number of factors which have been communicated to the OTC, including that groups like the OTC offer an experience (such as making friends, developing leadership skills and adventure activities) which is very similar to, and therefore in direct competition with, our affiliated student groups.’

However, Shapps decried the decision as ‘absurd and indefensible’, arguing that the defence industry offers ‘graduates a chance to take on some of the most highly skilled jobs in the world.’

Shapps' criticisms were ech-

oed by fellow Conservative MP and one-time Party Leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith.

Ex-Army officer Duncan Smith told The Mail on Sunday that ‘it is a sad reflection of how these safe and cosseted young students forget so quickly who it is that safeguards their freedoms.

‘It is our servicemen and women who - rejected by these students today - will save them tomorrow.’

21-year-old Bristol OTC member, Abby Blackwell, stated her objection to the decision in The Telegraph, saying: ‘The university is supposed to help us find fulfilling and

lifelong careers, but by trying to ban the OTC they’re doing the opposite of that. They’re limiting potential career paths.

‘Talented individuals who may have loved a career in the Army might not have one now.’

Bristol University has not joined the government in its criticism of the SU. A spokesperson for Bristol University said: 'We respect our students’ right to raise concerns about issues they feel strongly about, and we will continue to listen to and engage with their views.'

Bristol says goodbye to VOI

ty study revealing that last year, there were nearly half as many daily users as there were cyclists on campus.

Several companies competed for the long-term city contract earlier this year, with the German-based company TIER emerging as the winning candidate.

It has been reported by the West of England Combined Authority that the four-year contract will raise £9.4 million pounds, and will be reinvested in future transport improve-

ments across the region.

2000 vibrant green 'WESTscoot' scooters will be introudced alongside 1500 new e-bikes across the city.

As a part of their contract, TIER is set to address the persistent issues of inadequate and irresponsible parking, as raised by concerned residents. They have promised 100 new e-scooter parking racks to ensure that streets are kept tidy and free from possible disruption.

In his statement, Dan Nor-

Image courtesy of TIER

ris, the Metro Mayor of the West of England, emphasised the potential of this transition to support the region's ambitious aim of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030.

He stated that these vehicles serve as a vital means for residents to reduce their reliance on cars or even

opt to give them up entirely.

This bold move towards greener and more sustainable urban mobility options reflects the city's commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and promoting more eco-friendly modes of transportation across the University and wider city.

Opinion

Editor Amaan Ali Co-Deputy Editor George Jones Co-Deputy Editor India Noon Digital Editor Georgia Rowe Subeditor Megan Ioannides

Opinion | Braving the storm: Another year of Bristol’s shocking student housing Renting in Bristol is a nightmare and grabbing house viewings can be extremely difficult. The housing crisis only seems to be getting worse.

Emily Brewster Third Year, History

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hen wandering around Redland or Clifton, the now notoriously student-populated neighbourhoods in Bristol, the unsuspecting visitor is quickly drawn to the grandiose Victorian townscape, with quaint terraced housing (famously in pastel multi-colour) and stately mini-mansions. They find themselves exclaiming ‘I can’t believe these are the studenty areas of the city!

My student digs were horrible! Lucky things!' And in many ways, that we are.

Redland and Clifton are home to some beautiful architecture, especially when compared to Birmingham’s Selly Oak or Manchester’s Fallowfield which have similarly dense student populations, but significantly less of Bristol’s aesthetic charms.

Equally unique to Bristol, however, is the increasingly unaffordable student housing crisis which I have witnessed evolving before my very eyes.

As a bright-eyed second year student in 2018, my older sister moved into an enormous, 9-bedroom house in the heart of Redland, fit with a driveway and family-sized garden. A little damp in the basement room aside, they had no complaints or issues to report with their £515-a month pad. Fast-forward to my own entry into second year in Bristol in 2022, following a pandemic and energy crisis, any optimism I had was eliminated upon walking into the mold-infested hovel which was costing significantly more than my sister’s had four years earlier. Perhaps the most startling thing of all was that this was not a unique experience for myself and my horrified housemates; friends of mine, paying even higher rents than us, were particularly aghast to discover the collapse of their living room ceiling overnight, covering their furniture and belongings in plaster, concrete and dust. ‘All you can do is laugh’, they said to me with an exasperated shrug. The housing situation has been a growing source of frustration amongst students at Bristol University for the past few years, as every step in the renting process has become a point of stress, dismay and drama. Every Bristol student shudders when

remembering the November/ December hunting period, where every property, dingy as it may be, has at least ten groups competing for a tenancy at extortionate prices. There is no time to be fussy, or else you find yourself stood outside the SU for hours in mid-December with nowhere to sleep the following year, receiving patronising yet sympathetic expressions from those, more fortunate, entering the ASS. Come July, as you face the state of your new house, you

find the unresponsive agent to be less than helpful in fixing your broken shower, repairing leaking roofs, or treating black mold on your bedroom wall. You’ll receive passionate advice from indignant family members to ‘report them to the council, the property should be condemned!’ – but then you are stuck without a bed alongside a reported one-quarter of other Bristol University students. Of course, collecting the keys to these disheveled digs predicates a financial burden which many are unable to shoulder, with Bristol students paying almost a grand more than the UK average, explaining the University’s historic privilege gap and its threat to grow further.

One third-year student recalls the stressful experience of house-hunting properties, which were ‘either extremely unaffordable or snatched up so quick. We genuinely didn’t know how we’d afford the properties on the market’. So, what, or who, is to blame for this mounting problem posed to students looking for homes in Bristol? In 2023 Bristol has become the most expensive city to live in outside of London in the UK, overtaking the typical runners-up of Oxford and Edinburgh, explaining the

rising rents affecting students and Bristol residents alike.

What is not explained by this, however, is the negligence of agencies like Digs and Flatline to provide students with safe, clean, and appropriate abodes whilst they attend university.

Whilst housing costs have gone up in Bristol for all, it is only the student populations who are charged extortionately for damp, dirty housing, which no one with access to other options would take in their right mind. The exploitation of the student housing shortage is perpetuating the crisis year after year, with these agencies profiting enormously from the desperation of cashstrapped students in need of a roof over our heads. Once again, we are only 3 blissful months away from enduring the ruthless, anxiety-inducing housing hunt which Bristol’s veteran students are so familiar with. My advice?

I wish I had some. Grab as many house viewings as you can and call up as soon as you find a good one to bag it. You can only hope you get lucky.

Both images courtesy of Dan Hutton

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epigram 01.11.23

Opinion

| Black History Month is important

for education, understanding and change Black History Month is essential to understanding the nature of systematic oppression of black people. We must be educated to help create change.

Joshua Edwicker Fourth Year, Global Political Economics

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ecent years have seen calls chastising ‘wokeness’ emanating from right-wing politicians such as Suella Braverman, Rishi Sunak and across the Atlantic, Ron DeSantis. One particular area subject to attack has been Black History Month. As we enter Black History Month (BHM), the fight for racial equality - nationally and globally - remains crucial. It is only when we understand the past that we can comprehend the present and shape the future.

BHM began to be celebrated in 1970 when it was formally created by black students and professors at Kent State University in Ohio. In the United Kingdom, BHM was first celebrated in 1987. Countries such as France and Ireland only started celebrating BHM in 2018 and 2010 respectively. Described by Cherron Inko-Triah as 'a time of celebration, recognition and sombre reflection', BHM provides a valuable opportunity to reflect on the role colonialism has played in shaping university curriculums, and how they are currently taught. We must recognise the post-colonial world in which we live, especially as a University, and how this translates into the production and reproduction of academia and knowledge. For example, calls for the University of Bristol to decolonise its curriculum have been shared throughout universities worldwide. This is of vital importance as we still inhabit a colonial sphere of historiography, where the historical narrative is dominated by white history, written by white historians who are often economically privileged and male. Thus, in a country where 44% of Britain’s were ‘proud of the Empire’, there is undoubtedly a serious need for an alternative view of history to be represented and taught in our schools. This is why BHM is so important, it

is about the chance for voices which have so long been oppressed, ignored and silenced to be heard, understood and respected. BHM offers a chance for those nationwide to reflect and educate. However, I argue that BHM does not go far enough. Without systemic educational change in this country, I fear that BHM may begin to appear tokenistic.

We teach our children about the Romans and Henry VIII’s wives but fail them by inadequately discussing the realities of Britain's relationship with race. We ignore the leading role Britain played during the slave trade, focusing on the abolition movement, failing to reference the Haitian Revolution or the crucial role of Black people in abolition. We ignore the treatment of the Mau Mau in 1950s Kenya, where the British set up concentration camps, since labelled ‘Kenya’s Belsen’. We ignore the racism and fascism of the National Front in the 1970s. We fail to adequately educate our children on Black History and therefore, British History. The way in which the British Edu-

cational System misrepresents Black and by extension, British History has tangible effects.

Black History is not so much in the past as the establishment would wish you to believe, segregation in America ended in 1964, and in South Africa, 1991. Represented commonly as ‘far in the past’, Black History remains subject to a conscious ploy which undermines efforts of reconciliation, absolves responsibility for enacting change and disregards calls for substantive reparations. The Sewell report concluded in March 2021 that the 'claim the country is still institutionally racist is not borne out of evidence.' Interestingly, after heading the report, Tony Sewell was awarded a life peerage in 2022 by the Conservative Party. Make of that what you will. The claim

by Sewell that the United Kingdom is free of institutional and structural racism is as ridiculous as it is dangerous.

Much like the representation of Black History as antiquated, the 2021 Report, absolves the Government of the need to address structural inequality. To

illustrate the ridiculousness of the claim that the United Kingdom is a paradigm of racial equality, please find below a selection of contrary evidence: 27.2/1000 Black people compared to 5.6/1000 White people were stop and searched in 2022. The average wealth for a Black family in 2018 was £30,000, in comparison to £282,000 for white families.

Graduate Black workers ‘earn 23.1 per cent less on average’ than comparative white workers. Only ‘6 per cent of Black school leavers attended a Russel Group University compared to 11 per cent of White school leavers’. Black people are three times as likely to be prosecuted for a crime than White people. Whilst I could go on, I am sure that the evidence of structural inequality is evident to the majority of you, let alone accounting for the personal accounts of friends, family members or your own personal discrimination felt.

The reality is clear, structural inequality, glass ceilings and biases for the Black community remain prevalent in Britain.

Those of us who experience

white privilege have a responsibility to educate ourselves on the causes of the inequalities we see around us today.

Change starts with education.

Change starts with understanding. Change starts with reconciliation. We can only hope to change the structural inequalities within our society with widespread institutional reform. Consequently, BHM must be conjoined with genuine reform into our countries' institutions, be that the police, NHS or educational system.

It is not enough to limit the attention on these inequalities to one month out of the year. This is why Black History Month is so important, it is the first step on a long road of necessary change, representation and education, but it must be mirrored by genuine tangible policy changes. That will ensure that this month is used not only to educate us on the past but for us to also see how we can create a better future for us all regardless of our race or background.

Image courtesy of Unsplash

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epigram 01.11.23

The protesting women of Iran are the 'true heroes', fighting against the oppressive regime Opinion

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lowing the revolution in 1979. the world have joined hands My identity as a British-Irain solidarity to protest against nian carries a responsibility, the regime. It has nearly been one that becomes increasa year since the tragic death ingly poignant in the context of Mahsa Jina Amini. Her passof the revolution. I reflect on ing was a stark reminder of the contrast the continuous between the struggles faced Eden Reyhanian 'The slogan ‘Women, life I lead by women in Third Year, Social Policy Life, Freedom’ (in and the life Iran; reinvigorand Politics Persian: ‘Jin, Jiyad, I might have ating the ongoAzadi’) emerged as a lived if my ing revolution for or centuries, the stapowerful rallying cry parents had women’s rights. tus of women’s rights within the women’s not emigratOn the 14th of in Iran has fluctuated rights movement in ed. My privSeptember 2022, in response to shifting soilege as a Ms Amini was arcio-political dynamics. IraIran.'

21-year-old rested by Iran’s nian women are no stranger woman is abundantly clear. ‘morality police’ to repression 'Iranian Revolution I enjoy freedoms and opporfor ‘improper and marginents and the resilience of the of 1979 was overtly tunities. I can pursue eduhijab’. Two days alisation, a Iranian people by advocating cation, choose a career path reality intri- gendered and brought after her arrest, for their rights and freedoms. and am free to make choices Ms Amini died cately tied to As we commemorate a year about significant about my life, while in custoIran’s theosince Mahsa Jina change in the status ' I feel connected to Amini’s my clothing and dy.

Her arrest, cratic governdeath, of women in society.' the rich tapestry of we are reminded my beliefs, all of sentencing and ance, deepmy Iranian culture that the strugwhich would be subsequent death garnered ly ingrained cultural and history and am gle for womsignificantly resignificant attention as well norms and historical strained if I were determined to honour en’s rights and as condemnation from human precedents. The protesta woman living rights organisations worlding women of Iran during the sacrifices of my against the opin Iran. As a wide. Mahsa Amini’s story is Iranian Revolution of 1979 pressive regime parents.'

British-Iranian, a testament to the resilience was overtly gendered and in Iran is ongoI feel connectof the brave women in Iran brought about significant ing. Her legacy ed to the rich tapestry of my who dare to confront injustice, change in the status and role lives on as a beacon of hope Iranian culture and history even at great personal risk. of women in Iranian society. and as a symbol of the reand am determined to honThe slogan ‘Women, Life, FreeOne of the most contentious silience of the Iranian peoour the sacrifices of my pardom’ (in Persian: ‘Jin, Jiyad, aspects of the revolution was ple. In this ongoing fight, it Azadi’) emerged as a powerful the mandatory veiling deImage courtesy of Unsplash rallying cry within the womcree imposed by Supreme en’s rights movement in Iran, Leader Ayatollah Khomeini. encapsulating the core values For all women and girls over and demands of the moveage 9, regardless of nationment. It quickly became a ality or religion, the law resymbol of unity among Iranian quired them to wear the women and their allies, tranhijab, a headscarf covscending political, religious and ering their hair and a social divides. The remarkable chador, a full-body cloak. women at the forefront of the For many women around protests against the world, the hijab 'For all women and girls the regime have is a symbol over age 9, regardless d e m o n s t r a t e d reof religious of nationality or religion, unwavering freedom and the law required them silience through their acts of dea personto wear the hijab,a whether al expres- headscarf covering their fiance, through removing sion of faith. hair and a chador, a their hijabs in pubH o w e v e r, full-body cloak.' lic, cutting their in post-revhair or by simply attending olutionary Iran, the hijab protests. They are the true heceased to represent religious roes who embody the very esfreedom and quickly became sence of courage and serve as a symbol of state-enforced an inspiration to younger genconformity and the proerations in Iran and beyond. found shift in women’s rights My parents were born and and personal freedoms. raised in Iran before leaving folWomen in Iran and across

Women's rights in Iran have been under attack due to the nation's shifting regimes.

Yet Iranian women have continued to fight for their rights.

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is essential to recognise that change takes time and concerted effort. There are actions we can take to remain informed and spread awareness like reading literature on the issue or engaing with your local community to help protest the human right abuses that are occuring in Iran.

Image above courtesy of Eden Reyhanian • The above picture shows her family in Iran in 1961.

Features its inhabitants coming from private schools. For context, Favell house — located in the city centre — had a private school intake of eight per cent.

The reason for this disparity is not a mystery: rent prices often result in students seeking other accommodation options, sometimes as far away as Newport. A room in Churchill Hall can cost as much as £11,760 a year.

This may serve to hinder integration at university and isolate less affluent students.

Speaking to Epigram, one student — who wished to remain anonymous — said that this resulted in ‘friendship groups of just state-school kids and groups of just private school kids — it’s almost like there’s a literal physical divide which isn’t helped by the North Village accommodations and its reputation of being mainly private schoolers.’

Personal experiences from students further illustrate the imbalance between affluent and less-privileged students. One student highlighted the wealth divide within university societies, saying ‘I was going to join the cheerleading society but once I found out the membership level I wanted to perform at was £230, on top of transport costs to training, it wasn’t an option for me anymore.’

Another example can be seen in the University Snow Sports Club, described in a Bristol Tab article as ‘one big Stoke Bishop reunion.’ Their annual ski trip costs over £800 without lessons, meaning that those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are likely to be deterred. These experiences of feeling isolated are also present in the classroom.

Speaking to Epigram, a second year English and Philosophy student described their first year experience, saying ‘I really struggled with feeling stupid, poor and out of place in my seminars when I joined — I didn’t want to contribute at all.’

The 93% club is a nationwide social mobility organisation, which was founded

by UOB alumni Sophie Pender with the aim of spreading opportunity amongst stateschool students. Speaking to Epigram, Carlos Lee — the general secretary of the Bristol 93% club — offered an optimistic view of this year’s statistics, perceiving the ranking

improvement as a ‘positive shift in comparison to previous years, particularly concerning social mobility [...] In a society where individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds are underrepresented in elite universities and high-paying professionals, Bristol’s active efforts to enhance social mobility are commendable.’

However, Lee still sees much progress to be made in advancing inclusivity, suggesting that the university should ‘Adopt a holistic approach to applications and continue offering contextual offers [...] relying solely on end of year exam results fails to account for the unique challenges students may face and does not constitute a fair assessment of their abilities.’

Interestingly, when discussing the underlying reasons behind wealth inequalities at Bristol, Carlos noted that ‘The reasons behind this disparity are more complex than solely blaming the University [...] In many instances, private school students receive more support and guidance when preparing for their A-levels and navigating the UCAS application process. They went on to explain that ‘Private school students frequently benefit from additional tutoring for their A-levels, a resource that many state-school students lack.

Additionally, private school students may have more consistent access to personalised advice during their UCAS applications, which is often unavailable to state-schools due to resource limitations.’ Carlos went on to say that ‘It is imperative for Russell Group universities to take a proactive role in making their institutions more accessible until this issue is addressed comprehensively.’

The University of Bristol was the first university to introduce contextual offers in 2009, with nearly 40 per cent of students now taking this route. This statistic is building year on year.

Lucy said that students admitted in this manner ‘Often overachieve the grades that they were required’ and that ‘Their final degree performance is absolutely in line with those students who came in with a standard offer…That potential that we wanted to tap into absolutely is there.’

With outreach schemes, foundation years, gateway pro-

ing that the university should ‘adopt a holistic approach to applications and continue offering contextual offers [...] relying solely on end of year exam results fails to account for the unique challenges students may face and does not constitute a fair assessment of their abilities.’

Interestingly, when discussing the underlying reasons behind wealth inequalities at Bristol, Lee noted that ‘the reasons behind this disparity are more complex than solely blaming the University [...]

In many instances, private school students receive more support and guidance when preparing for their A-levels and navigating the UCAS application process.'

The University of Bristol was the first university to introduce contextual offers in 2009, with nearly 40 per cent of students now taking this route. This statistic is building year on year.

Collins said that students admitted in this manner ‘often overachieve the grades that they were required’ and that ‘their final degree performance is absolutely in line with those students who came in with a standard offer…

That potential that we wanted to tap into absolutely is there.’

With outreach schemes, foundation years, gateway programmes and guaranteed offers to increase the uptake of students from more diverse and less affluent backgrounds, the university is no doubt making efforts to narrow the wealth divide.

Moreover, national programmes such as Insight into Bristol — a free summer school for Asian and Black students — are making strides in admitting more students from diverse backgrounds. Aside from the admissions process, the student experience is a crucial element in fostering

inclusivity amongst the student population, something that the university is prioritising. Collins stated that ‘it’s not just about recruiting students from diverse backgrounds [but] how those experiences are reflected in our residences, in the work of the Students Union, in what’s taught on our programmes.’

Moreover, Collins affirmed that they are ‘putting a real emphasis on the student experience because in order to recruit the next generation of more diverse students we have to be able to absolutely legitimately say that the experience that they have will be a really positive one.'

Efforts to make the student experience a more positive one can be seen in the First Generation Scholars Network, a sheme which allows firstgeneration staff and students to discuss their experiences.

Collins also emphasised that a priority for the university is to create a ‘diverse learning community’ and move beyond the idea that there are ‘certain types of students.’ She went on to say that the university wishes to ‘make sure that all experience is valued equally and there is not an expectation that people assimilate to a dominant culture which might have felt was the case in the past.’

Nonetheless, Collins recognises that ‘progress hasn’t been made evenly.’

There is much work ahead to address wealth inequalities and create a more inclusive university environment. Their efforts to broaden participation, support outreach programmes and create networks to instil a sense of belonging are commendable steps towards achieving this goal. It is essential for universities to not only recruit a diverse student body but also ensure that everyone feels a sense of community and representation during their time in education.

Image courtesy of Milan Perera

(cont. from front page) and therefore the university places their state-school admissions at 75 per cent for this year, rather than The Times’ 61.3 per cent.

The Times determines a university’s social inclusion ranking by garnering data on their black achievement gap, how ethnically diverse their student population is and their proportion of first-generation students. Other metrics include the percentage of students from low-participation backgrounds and those from non-grammar state schools.

The University’s social inclusion ranking has shown improvement. Placing 113 in 2021, it has climbed up nine places in the last two years.

Lucy Collins is the Director of Student Opportunity at The University of Bristol. In an interview with Epigram, Collins offered her thoughts on the university’s social inclusion ranking for this year.

While noting how ‘it is disappointing to come at the bottom of any league table for social inclusion’, she emphasised that ‘the evidence we have is that we are becoming more diverse — we’ve got more state-school students, more students from minority ethnic backgrounds and those students living in postcodes with the lowest progression rates, than ever before.’

93 per cent of the UK population went to a state school.

Touching on the university’s 75 per cent intake of state school students for this year, Collins commented on the discrepancy between these statistics: ‘there’s undoubtedly more to do. Whilst we’re really proud of the progress we’ve made in recent years, our student community does not yet fully reflect the society of which it’s part’.

Some students believe wealth inequalities extend beyond admission statistics, and one area in which wealth disparities may manifest is in student housing. A 2017 Epigram investigation revealed that the North Village accommodations had a disproportionate number of privately educated students, with independently educated students outnumbering those from state schools in Badock, Churchill, Hiatt Baker and Wills. Hiatt Baker had the most striking disparity, with 66 per cent of

Editor Aidan Szabo-Hall Co-Deputy Editor Dan Hutton Co-Deputy Editor Nel Roden Digital Editor Annie McNamee Subeditor Ellicia Metcalfe

epigram 01.11.23

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What is your degree worth? | Scrutinising Sunak's crackdown on 'rip-off degrees'

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Image courtesy of Dan Hutton

‘There is an intrinsic social value to what we do that can’t really be measured numerically,’ said one Arts Lecturer at Bristol, who wishes to reAnnie McNamee main anonymous. For him, Features Digital Editor ‘the experiences and ideas offered by art are of value both ishi Sunak would like to individuals and — as part to come across as a of the bigger picture — for tough Prime Minister. societal flourishing.’ He exTough on migration, tough plained how appreciation and on crime, and now, tough understanding of culture is on education. In July, the a skill which needs ‘cultivatPM announced that he and ed through analysis, discushis government planned to sion, knowledge of cultural crack down on ‘rip-off’ decontexts, creative practice.’ grees, imposing caps on Sociology how many Opponents of this was ranked students can new policy argue the lowest of study certain that it brazenly jobs are often correlated with the five exemsubjects at higher satisfaction, many othplary degrees. certain unimisunderstands why er elements also lead to a Epigram spoke versities. The many choose to go positive experience at work. with Matt Dawnew system into higher education.

Like the majority of students, son, a Sociolois ‘right for Roden hadn’t considered emgy professor at Glasgow Unistudents, right for the taxployability when choosing her versity, who disagreed that payer, and will ultimately course. ‘I’d rather be studyhis subject was of low merit. build a better education sysing an ‘unemployable’ degree ‘[Sociology] allows you to see tem,’ according to Sunak. He and loving it than studying the world differently and undoubled down on his support something more vocational derstand how society works… at the recent Tory party conand hating it. In employment It allows you to gain huge fulference. Education ministerms, it definitely gives you filment from social life while ter Gillian Keegan argued a lot of transferable skills, but also being appalled by the inin a press release that this it’s so much more than that.’ equalities we see around us.’ change will ultimately beneDawson highlighted that Nel Roden, a third-year Engfit young people: ‘these new university should be, ‘a time lish student, shared similar measures will crack down on to read and learn… intellectual views about her own subject: higher education providers freedom should always be de‘Literature communicates all that continue to offer poor fended.’ Similarly, he emphathe complex human responses quality courses and send a sised that only discussing the that arise from every social, clear signal that we will not individual benefits of degrees cultural and historical event. allow students to be sold a is shortsighted, ‘the emphasis I believe there’s something false promise.’ The ‘value’ should be less on what students deeply important about studof a degree is measured are getting out of education, ying the art that other peoagainst multiple criteria inand more on what they are ple create, it can often tell cluding earning potential newly capable of putting into us a lot about our own ways after five years (based on society after doing a degree. of thinking.’ Roden chose to past graduates), alongside ‘This might be as direct as a study English for its versatility, dropout and completion contribution to public servicdescribing it as, ‘the study of rates. So far only an exemes such as health and educaeverything. It’s history, philosplary five courses have been tion, or it might ophy, psychollisted, four of which fall unogy, theoloder arts or social sciences.

'Social and emotional be more indirect with skills gy, linguistics; Plenty of students will adsatisfaction is not such as critical e v e r y t h i n g .’ mit freely that they did not considered at all under thinking, verSocial and choose their courses for their the government’s satility, creaemotional satguarantee of a high-income proposed policy.' tivity in various isfaction is not career, or any career at that. fields, etc., all considered at No one goes into art history of which we all under the for the money, they go into need for a healthy society.’ He government’s proposed policy, it for a sense of superiority, also pointed out that there is but it is often a key factor for which is priceless. Epigram money to be made in most students when choosing their found that 60% of students industries, especially creative courses, and subsequentpolled said that they didn’t industries, but high salaries ly their careers. Roden exconsider job prospects when take longer to work up to. plained, ‘I don’t ever feel as choosing their courses. OpEpigram spoke to Ash though [choosing to study ponents of this new policy Bond, who, as well as currentEnglish] was a bad decision. argue that it brazenly misunly being a PhD student at BrisI might as well put £60k+ toderstands why many choose tol University, signed a six-figwards something I’m going to to go into higher education, ure book deal earlier this year. enjoy.’ Job satisfaction is highpushing back against the Discussing the importance of ly linked to overall happiness, idea that the only advantagher education, she commentand although higher-paying es of a degree are monetary.

Annie McNamee explores the value of degrees the PM has branded as a 'rip-off'

ed, ‘the academic content — prospects. She expressed her the themes and motifs — of dislike of the disregard towards my work were seeded during non-STEM subjects and the my time as an undergraduate.’ idea that students shouldn’t ‘I have wanted to be a writer study non-stem courses due since I realised that the books to their less profitable outI was reading were written comes, while empathising with by humans and not by some students from low-income kind of race of author Gods, backgrounds: ‘I think it’s ridiculous. I do get who lived on it: many creasome kind of 'If we defund the Arts tive industries author Cloud we would be making and journalism and threw their a monoculture of our particular books down university experience, in are dominatto us mortals one that is not only ed by people like lightning dull, but also dying.’ from upper or bolts, or goldmiddle class en apples.

Writing was something that backgrounds, but I don't think pulled me in like gravity, people should be discouraged. and by then it was too late.’ It's now easier to showcase Bond also stressed her support your talents via social media, for the arts at university: ‘it there's mentoring schemes, seems odd that there is a need as well as scholarships and to say this out loud, but giv- bursaries for training aimed en the political climate there at people from lower income clearly needs to be more of households. You might need us saying this, shouting this, to try a bit harder than other singing this, scrawling it on people, but be bold and you'll banners outside Westminster. get there! And while the pay is ’The electric aliveness of an s*** at the start, if you're talacademic institution relies on ented and have a unique voice the sharing of ideas — differ- you'll eventually get there.’

Rishi Sunak and his governent ideas — across a well-resourced network. If we defund ment are putting their tough the Arts we would be making stance on education into praca monoculture of our univer- tice. How this policy will mansity experience, one that is ifest in real life, how it will not only dull, but also dying.’ impact society and how it will Journalist Chiara Wilkinson, be received by young people current Features Editor at with passions for ‘unprofitable’ Time Out, studied Art History subjects, remains to be seen.

According to sociology proand English Literature as an undergraduate, before doing a fessor Dawson, ‘All subjects, masters in magazine journal- combined, tell the story of ism. She explained to Epigram what it is to be human and live that whilst ‘having a universi- among other humans. This ty degree was obviously a big knowledge should always be help and is a requirement for open to as broad a group as many employers,’ extracur- possible. Its significance will riculars including writing for remain long after the latest blogs and part time work were government ‘initiative’ in highessential for improved career er education has dissipated.’

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epigram 01.11.23

How Iranian students experienced last year's anti-veil protests from afar Rafael Nieto examines how students reacted to Iran’s anti-veil protests and state crackdown that followed.

Iran after Amini's death, it was a time of intense fear, as those protesting were met with brutal reprisals from the state.

Rafael Nieto Zahra tells me the story of a neighbour who'd never proThird Year, Law tested nor worn her hijab inne year ago, a woman's death sparked an correctly. Yet, when protests uprising in Iran. Iran's broke out in their neighbourreligious morality police had hood, she was shot on her arrested Masha Amini for fail- front doorstep by a policeing to wear her hijab on 16 No- man in a calculated attack.

In September 2022, as the vember 2022. Only two hours later, she was in a fatal coma. protests began to spiral out For months, protests engulfed of control, the regime shut off Iran's internet, Iran — which the govern- 'For anyone with family blocking access to platforms like ment responded in Iran after Amini's to with shock- death, it was a time of Instagram and ing violence. intense fear, as those WhatsApp. The blackout serves At the same protesting were met purposes: time, Iranian with brutal reprisals' two it obstructs the students in Bristol were starting a new aca- protester's ability to organise, demic year. Epigram sat down and it conceals the brutal powith an Iranian student to talk lice crackdown from outside about her experience. For her eyes. Just as the new universafety, our Iranian student's sity year starts, Zahra knows identity has been kept anony- her family is in danger but mous. Her name is not Zahra. remains completely isolated.

For anyone with family in She loses contact with them

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for over a week and a half.

But she is lucky: her family is safe. During the protests, her dad is the only one who leaves the house. He shops for essential food and comes home.

Other Iranian students at The University of Bristol aren't as lucky. Understandably, they didn't want to discuss their experiences with Epigram.

In December 2022, the University of Bristol’s Persian Society protested in solidarity with the movement. They held up signs with the faces of murdered protesters outside the Victoria Rooms fountain. After a painful three months, it was ’a moment that really brought us together’, Zahra explains.

But protesting is risky: the Iranian government punishes dissent aggressively. Zahra notes that even overseas, ‘social media is so heavily watched.' She tells me of family friends who protested in London in 2012. Soon after, the police confronted an aunt who still lives in Iran. They

showed her photos of the pro- ty has not given up supporting test and warned her — the the human rights movement. family have never returned. The uprising won important It's this culture of fear that victories. National and interstarted pulling the Persian So- national pressure had forced ciety apart. Zahra said, ’my the morality police into hiding.

Women, for a Mum always As Iran's regime while, felt safe says be carestruggles to regain without their ful of people, social control, many hijabs.

Zahra Iranians and are waiting for the explains comprotesting. Peoments on how ple might point next spark. the last time the finger and she visited accuse you of something you haven't done.’ Iran, she ‘couldn’t believe that As a result, the Persian so- this was the same country.’

But the situation is quickly ciety suffered. ‘People are scared to meet other Iranians’, reversing. This September, the Zahra imagined, 'the regime's morality police came back in terror tactics are insidious.’ strength and a new ‘morality As a result, the Persian soci- crackdown’ was announced. ety puts no pressure on stu- Proposed legislation intends to dents to protest. Its primary introduce 10-year prison senmission is to provide a sup- tences for women who dress portive community for its stu- improperly. As such, internadents. During the protests, ‘it tional attention is as important was important for us to come as ever. Zahra is adamant that together, but we have to re- ‘people need to be informed member that people have fam- and keep talking about this it ily in Iran who could get hurt.’ can’t die down and become anHowever, the Persian socie- other social media controversy.’

Is low committment employment becoming the new normal?

Grace O'Sullivan explores how lowcommittment jobs are changing the nature of employment.

Grace O'Sullivan The Croft Co-Editor-inChief

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ear of commitment: the phrase hidden under every therapist’s tongue. In the world of work, having this aversion to commitment used to be the ticket to unemployment. When you begin with a new employer, some strange unwritten rule suggests that, as you shake their hand, the expectation of ‘forever’ is looming over you.

Jeremy Heimans and Henry Timms, authors of the book New Power, report on a recent trend - one that could permanently alter the relationship between employee and employer. Their idea is that, as an employee, your relationship with your boss ought not to re-

semble a life partnership, but a more of a ‘friend with benefits’ situation - casual, low commitment. You can diligently serve your purpose, but then move on as and when you wish.

In the landscape of the one-night stand generation, who find the prospect of a second date galling and the 20-second YouTube ad an endurance test, this structure of employment appears to pose the ideal scenario.

If we’re so comfortable with fleeting relationships, why treat our jobs like arranged marriages? We are statistically likely to be living to 100. By starting work at, say 22, nobody wants to think that they’ll be meeting the same screenscorched eyeballs across the office for the next 78 years.

It will also be intriguing to see how our generation mobilises into the workforce considering the number of my peers who have told me they would rather be ‘in poverty’

than work an office 9 to 5.

Exploring further, Epigram spoke with final year students at the University of Bristol, many of whom are considering their first career choice. The potential permanence, or impermanence, of this selection, was evidently poignant in their minds. Overall, there was concern that this first choice would come to ‘define [them]’, which, unsurprisingly, weighted the decision with a ‘crippling fear’.

Interestingly, the language of relationships was conflated with the language of employment; one student showed apprehension at the prospect of being ‘wedded to one specific job, forever.’ This invites two questions: do we over-sentimentalise our occupations and relate to them as if they were human? Is it healthy to invest so emotionally in work and allow it to hoard your loyalty?

Students reasoned that a more varied career trajectory could alleviate certain worries, that

it could offer ‘Flexibility and change’ and ‘The opportunity to fulfil [their] full potential.’

This life calendar also suits the indecisive among us - the ones who struggle to know what we specialise in, whom society has lovingly disguised as ‘multi-hyphenates’. So many people nurture multiple talents, opening up a maze of potential routes to take.

It seems a shame to have to select just one, when the time exists to explore more.

Whilst our younger selves might have imagined that we would harness one skill until our eighties, it seems that a majority of us will tackle different rungs. Statistics seem to validate this claim, predicting that the average person will accumulate 12 jobs throughout their lifetime.

It is worth considering whether this shift is symptomatic of a more digitised world. Our attention spans slim with every Instagram update. Naturally,

our willingness to stick with one job may start to do the same.

Hopefully, this structure will still leave space for those who do enjoy the idea of a long, romantic love affair with their job. It would seem cruel to forcibly displace people from their livelihoods when it may be too premature to do so.

It would, however, be nice to have a world where you don’t feel squirming guilt to email over a notice letter. Somehow, they always sound like they’re from an MI6 agent, when the dull reality is a student quitting a Saturday café job.

In accepting a certain level of callousness, there’s an unexpected warmth to be found in this new professional dynamic - a mutual respect for low commitment. We should all hope that our employers are supportive of us moving on to another phase of our careers.

Artwork by Miranda Mercer, Third Year, Veterinary Medicine

Wit & Wisdom

Graduate Corner W Music Editor Teddy Coward, Epigram's former CoEditor-in-Chief, gives us an insight into his unorthodox career path.

Teddy Coward Bristol Alumnus

hen I think about my current job, the main word that sticks is ‘lucky’. I’m the Music Editor of a magazine, meaning I get to meet and interview some of the most interesting people I’ll likely ever come across; I get to attend (and review) virtually any gig I like; I’ve been to press trips overseas; and, crucially, I work with some of my closest friends and the most outrageously funny people I know.

If that all sounds a bit pompous, I’d like to flip that on its head and say I’m grateful.

Likewise, if it all sounds too good to be true, there is work to be done – and lots of it. My days usually don’t finish until around 11pm (which is when I find myself writing this article). And what with the power of a laptop built into our iPhones, that work never ceases, even on the weekends. But all the platitudes and clichés ring true: you reap what you sow; you get what you give;

work hard, play hard and so forth. I’m sure most Bristol students can relate to burning the candle at both ends.

It would be false to say Epigram gave me a direct legup to getting the job I have now. Long (and boring) story short, I was offered it between my second and third year, deferred my English studies for a year, finished my degree – whereupon I took

Image courtesy of Ian262 via Flickr

up my role with the paper – and returned back to the job.

But what my time at Epigram was, in fact, was a continuation of this ‘luckiness’. Within a month of getting the role, I was filming the fall of the Colston statue; weeks later, students were returning to some of the most challenging university setups in living memory due to COVID; and towards the end of the year, the ‘Kill the Bill’ riots put Bristol under the national spotlight once more.

Whilst I wasn’t praying for any of those things to happen, as the Co-Editor-in-Chief of a student newspaper it made my life finding stories – and filling the front page – pretty easy. What’s more, it taught me lessons I’ll keep for life, especially around dealing with stress; reviewing an album now feels like a piece of cake compared to being chased by riot police in Cabot!

So whoever cares enough to have read up to this point in the article and if this piece is for a ‘Graduate Corner’ where a UoB alumnus can – even for a moment – indulge themselves in imparting some wisdom, I suppose I would say this… yes, I feel lucky, but you create your own luck.

So go out there and do the same. Put yourself forward for things. I guarantee the regret of not doing so is greater than the regret of trying and failing.

THE EPIGRAFT Epigram's blind date series returns, exclusive to print!

This month...

Isabel meets James

What do you study?

English

What do you study?

Chemistry

First impressions?

Great hair.

First impressions?

She was easy to talk to and she was very pretty.

Any highlights?

We both really got into reminiscing about childhood video games and other nerdy stuff.

Any highlights?

We both liked similar music and we have some mutual friends.

Describe your date in three words.

Sweet, intelligent, shy Any awkward moments?

I think we were both quite nervous to begin with.

Second date?

Probably not.

Describe your date in three words.

Friendly, interesting, cheerful Any awkward moments?

I don't think there were any awkward moments.

Second date?

We haven't planned a second date.

Arts

Editor Rachel Bronnert Co-Deputy Editor Ella Carroll Co-Deputy Editor Isabel Williams Digital Editor Phoebe Caine

Changing art in the name of progress: a 'Counter-Canon' Megan Oberholzer discusses the artistic canon and how our art today can best reflect a more diverse audience.

Image courtesy of Rufus Atkins

Megan Oberholzer Secwwond Year, Liberal Arts

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ore than three years after the drowning of the Colston statue in Bristol Harbour, Black History Month returned in October and again we are reminded of the same questions we asked then; how can the Arts make space for Black identities in its more often than not exclusionary and Anglo-centric canon? Moreover, how can we reconstruct a history that has been lost through intense silencing, malicious disinterest in record-keeping and a marked colonialist purge of rich African culture?

The Colston statue raises such a question, whilst also offering a compelling answer.

Following the peak in publicity for the international Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, there was a growing social frustration relating to a failure within the public art canon to acknowledge the art or artist’s involvement in Black oppression, or to recognise the contributions of black historical figures to their oppressor's success. The Colston statue being dismounted and ceremoniously thrown into the Bristol Harbour exemplifies this and the interest of art historians has been piqued ever since.

Many have and will continue to argue that the destruction of a monument, or art in general, is the blatant destruction of history. However, in the case of Colston’s statue, some have argued that its destruction is a necessary step in showing that Bristol doesn’t condone the subjugation that the statue represents. There has been discourse around the potential inclusion of information relating to the history of Edward Colston’s prominent involvement in the slave trade, perhaps by plaque or a sign.

Activists have instead layered on a new social context: the present day anger towards an unresolved colonialist past.

The removal of the statue and its storage in Bristol’s M

Shed transformed it into what Aleida Assmann’s theoretical work (In)visible Monuments (2022) refers to as a ‘counter-monument’, placing it forever in conversation with both Colston’s troubled history and the tragedy of George Floyd.

Similar layering can be observed in Pete Brathwaite’s recent Exhibition Visible Skin in the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery. His reworking of depictions of Black subjects overlays the existing art with domestic material culture, his career as a performer and the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. He himself plays the role of the subjects in each photograph,

regardless of historical context, age or gender, with whatever materials he had to hand; sometimes even intensely personal ones. His work breathes life into the historic depictions but also adds to them, through his own experiences as an artist.

But this contextualising practice is not necessarily new or confined to Bristol.

You do not have to look further than across the channel to Bremen’s Nambia Memorial (Antikolonialdenkmal) in Germany. Originally the “Reichs-kolonial-ehren-denkmal” (imperial colonial honour monument) was an elephant statue erected in

1932, which was quietly demarked of its depictions of colonial pride over several decades until, eventually, in 1990, it was rededicated with two plaques. One mourns the African victims of the German colonial rule from 1884 to 1914 and a second completes Bremen’s (post) colonial past with a promise that acknowledges Germany’s historical responsibility and present friendship with Africa. The respect and weight this carries might shed light onto how our existing art does not need to be ‘destroyed’ but repurposed with our social responsibility and colonialist history in mind.

Layering new social context

onto established historical artworks, is an effective and powerful method for changing art and its discipline in the name of progress. Perhaps we can take inspiration from Assmann’s terminology of ‘counter-monuments’.

Perhaps the way forward in our need to make space for a historical and current Black identity in classical canons, is to establish a series of ‘counter-artworks’ (or a ‘counter-canon’) that balances the preservation of our historical art, while simultaneously acknowledging the colonial history hidden underneath.

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epigram 01.11.23

What is the appeal of horror in art?

From its psychological impact to its cultural significance, Avalon Vowles explores our enduring fascination with horror.

Avalon Vowles Third Year, Theatre Studies

F

or decades, horror has been a quintessential genre. Through literature, art, film and music, horror intends to draw from our anxieties; it has universally kept us peeking from behind cushions and strategically cuddling up to a crush in the cinema for generations. But why do we fundamentally enjoy and return to something that is designed to scare us?

From horror’s deep roots

in ancient folklore - with scary stories being told around the campfires of bygones past, to the popularisation of the 18th-century gothic novel - as a genre, horror has captured the weird and eerie elements of our world and has remained a document of societies’ worries throughout time. Popular for its hair-raising and adrenaline-pumping implements, it gives us gratifying access to one of our less favourable emotions: fear. Horror constructs a safety blanket for us to satisfy our interests on the underside of the iceberg that is the human psyche, without any genuine threat; in truth, fear is only pleasurable when you’re not in any actual danger. As humans, we are always trying to stimulate our senses and challenge our tolerance of

the uncomfortable. After experiencing something frightening, our augmented heart rate and blood pressure lingers and, coupled with a sense of relief, we wish to feel that catharsis again.

We also seek out horror to experience and observe unfamiliar circumstances that we would never normally encounter. There is a sense of accomplishment that comes with seeing the credits roll for The Blair Witch Project or turning the final page of The Shining. Spotting the multifaceted terrors in the paintings of Hieronymus Bosch reaps some sense of personal achievement, as though it might make us additionally worldly or valiant.

Since the severity of horror differs throughout its

many subgenres, we can readily consume and create up to the fear threshold that suits us individually. Certain people may sooner incline towards body horror to heighten their volume of adrenaline, whereas others may revel in the complexity of psychological horror.

This personalised preference is reflected in the types of horror media we absorb and produce as a society, seeing as we tend to interact with the mediums and genres that objectively contemplate and punctuate our own anxieties.

Across time, attitudes surrounding horror have differed, as there is an ever-adapting need and purpose for it. Audiences have used horror to validate, express and retreat from personal and social unrest: historically, there have been

booms of creativity in periods of cultural disruption.

Between 1900 and 1940, when pre-20th century folklore and gothic horror was transformed by the medium of screen, the films were far less extreme than the horror films we see today.

Many adapted stories, such as Dracula and Frankenstein, were based in the realm of the supernatural and encouraged a form of escapism that distracted audiences from the major conflicts happening at the time.

• For the rest of this article, please visit www.epigram. org.uk

Bristol screenings of A Little Life : Why do we engage with distressing art?

As students gather to watch screenings of the divisive play, Ella Carroll dicusses why we engage with distressing art.

Ella Carroll Co-Deputy Arts Editor

F

ollowing the recent release of Ivo van Hove’s visceral and bloody play adaption of the equally morbid novel A Little Life to cinemas around the UK, Bristol students have been flocking to their local Everyman to catch a screening.

Student societies have even proposed trips to do so, but a good portion of these students might not realise the intensity of the play that they are lining up to watch.

Those who are familiar with Yanagihara’s loose, baggy monster likely raised an eyebrow when a West End stage adaption was announced. Not simply because of the book’s length, which I myself was hard pushed to believe could be condensed into a mere couple of hours on stage, but also because of its graphic content, including rape, sexual assault, domestic abuse and more. My own memories of the novel are of it being an exhausting read. While it is my favourite book, in which Yanagihara writes with reverence on a diverse range of topics, it

is, quite frankly, a traumatising read; the play adaption certainly continues this legacy.

Around the time the play first premiered in London, I went alone to see it. The novel being so special to me, I wanted a degree of privacy that I feared I might not have if I attended with a less enthused friend. The play was graphic and did not shy away from explicitly depicting any of the sensitive issues covered in the novel. The most vivid memory I have was of the middle-aged couple in front of me, clinging to each other and sobbing as the interval approached.

I was shocked to see people my parents' age crying in such a public fashion: it was at this moment that I began to question what the purpose of all of this was. Why had I subjected myself to three and a half hours of stress?

The play, in its total eighteen-week run, was incredibly popular and this, to me, is a testament to the fact that as humans we (to a certain extent) enjoy subjecting ourselves to art that distresses us. As much as we might not admit it, a lot of us like to wallow a little. We listen to sad music when we are already feeling low, we watch sad movies and read sad books. There's a morbid part of us that perversely likes to feel low and I think this part of us is why we sometimes want to subject ourselves

to plays like Van Hove’s.

But to what extent is this healthy? Is it worthwhile to engage with something we know is only going to distress us? I think there is certainly something to be said about the catharsis we might experience from exposing ourselves to stress and trauma in a controlled setting. Aristotle suggested that one should feel purified and cleansed after watching

tragedies on stage and thus, subjecting ourselves to stress in a regulated environment might be, in a sense, purgative. Moreover, seeing one’s own mental struggles depicted authentically on stage might even be comforting for some.

If the traumatic media which we are engaging with is going past the line where it is controlled, however, it loses its impact. The play was subversive for this reason, because

it simply depended on an audience member's tolerance for gore and gloom.

If students think they can cope with the graphicness of the play, they might leave the theatre with a curious sense of catharsis, as I did.

That being said, if blood and vivid depictions of rape are too graphic for some (as they understandably might be), I would suggest avoiding attending such a screening.

Image courtesy of Ella Carroll

Image courtesy of Name /Unsplash

Film & TV

Editor Arron Kennon Co-Deputy Editor Lauren Durose Co-Deputy Editor Sofia Webster Digital Editor Sienna Thompson Subeditor Victor Bennett

Forbidden Worlds Film Festival: October 2023 Bristol's horror film festival makes a return for a weekend of spooks and laughs.

Amaan Ali Opinion Editor Dan Hutton Features Co-Deputy Editor

O

n October's Friday the 13th, horror fanatics from around the country came down to the Bristol aquarium to enjoy six carefully selected retro horror movie classics across two days.

In conversation with the lead programmer of the festival Tessa Williams, when asked about the importance of showing specifically pre 2000s films, she noted how many people on the team ‘remember when they first came out.’ She went on to say that ‘It was our era in the 90s when you would go to the video shops and rent these films yourself. Allowing audience members to reminisce on the memories they have seeing these movies for the first time was part of the reason for setting up the festival in the first place'.

What follows is our take on the films that were shown.

Night of the Creeps (1986) Kicking off the festival with a true cult classic.

Night of The Creeps, directed by Fred Dekker, brilliantly blends elements of horror, sci-fi and comedy making it the perfect opening for the festival to give everyone a taste of the themes that would be explored in

the remaining five films.

The story follows two college students who accidentally release a slug-like alien parasite that turns people into zombies onto their campus. The movie is notable for its playfully eccentric and over-the-top style, done in reference to classic 1950s movies. The film is very much self-aware and em-

braces its absurd nature which adds to the overall charm.

The film features a likeable cast of characters, including the shy protagonist Chris (Jason Lively), and his best friend J.C. (Steve Marshall). These characters represent the classic ‘Nerd and best friend’ and their friendship is tested and strengthened as they face the bizarre events of the story.

Night of The Creeps has generated a dedicated cult following throughout the years. I personally found it to be one of the best movies of the festival and if you enjoy horror with a good dose of humor then Night of The Creeps is well worth a watch.

Mimic (Director's Cut) (1997) The first English language feature from Guillermo Del Toro, Mimic went through many changes in the development stage. From numerous re-writes to Del Toro losing his rights to the final edit, the film that was released to the public ended up being far from the director's original vi-

sion. In a short introduction Guillermo filmed for the festival he explained how Miramax wanted to make something akin to Alien: Resurrection (1997), whereas he wanted to keep the film more grounded.

When the film was released, it was not met with success in commercial markets or in critics' circles. 14 years later, however, Guillermo got the chance to make his directors cut, with a lot of the obvious contributions from Miramax taken out. This cut allows some of the subtleties of the film to shine through.

Set in 90s New York, the film starts with the city struggling to cope with a deadly disease that is carried through cockroaches. Entomologist Dr. Susan Tyler (Mira Sorvino) engineers a new breed of insect that feeds on cockroaches to stop the spread of the disease. This plan seems to work

until these genetically modified creatures start evolving and looking for new sources of food.

This film is also where the director started to develop his colour palette – which he would utilise in his later films.

The bright cyan and orange hues of the film add to the brilliant world building and visual story telling throughout.

The Guardian (1990) The first day was rounded off with one of the lesser-known films from the director William Freidkin.

The Guardian delves into the obscure and less often explored Celtic mythology as the origins for its antagonist.

The story revolves around a young couple that move to Los Angeles after having their newborn son. Both partners working full time, they start searching for a Nanny.

They finally settle on a choice, but as the film progresses, the background and sinister intentions of the nanny are slowly revealed as the parents start to realise their child might be in danger.

The screenwriter was able to attend the viewing and gave a few words before the film started. He reminisced about the writing process, commenting on the drastic changes the script went through in regard to the origins of its characters.

For instance, there was a long debate about the character of Camilla (the nanny). Originally meant to be a depiction of Lilith from the Bible, the team ended up settling on her being an ancient druid serving a killer tree.

Whilst the premise is fairly bizarre and some of the intendedly scary scenes caused an eruption of laughter in the theatre, the film enjoyably displays the wide range

of topics and themes horror films are able to cover.

Arachnophobia (1990) Arachnophobia is a Horror comedy film directed by Frank Marshall. It pays homage to the classic creature features whilst having a hilarious script.

The film centers around a doctor named Ross Jennings (Jeff Daniels) and his family who move to the small town of Canaima, California. Unbeknownst to them, a coffin containing a deadly and highly aggressive spider from South America is accidentally brought to the town’s local cemetery.

When the deadly spider mates with a local species a hybrid begins to infest the town, slowly killing off its inhabitants. Doctor Jennings takes it upon himself to ensure the infestation spreads no further.

Arachnophobia doesn’t take itself too seriously and embraces the absurdity of its premise. While it is genuinely scary at times, especially to those who have a fear of spiders, the film builds suspense through extremely well sequenced spider attacks.

The filmmakers used a combination of real spiders and animatronics to create convincingly unsettling scenes.

The film personally traumatized the friend I went with, who spent most of it cowered in his seat looking through the tiny gap he made with his hoodie, unable to bear the horror. While I can't say I had the same reaction, I still thoroughly enjoyed watching the lighter take on horror.

Christine (1983) Christine is a film adaptation of Stephen King’s book of the same name (1983). Following two high school best friends Arnie and Dennis, the film starts to a take a turn for the worse when they both happen upon a beat-up 1958 Plymouth Fury outside a rundown house.

Immediately infatuated by the car, Arnie (Keith Gordon)

offers to purchase it (her) from the owner and begins his mission to restore it. Gordon does a fantastic job of portraying the effects obsession can have on someone's personality and the effect that it is able to have on one's relationships.

The car’s character and attachment to its owner is shown in unique ways and the film culminates in an amazingly action-packed final showdown that brings the story to a satisfying conclusion.

The Hidden (1987) Coming full circle, with the last film also being about aliens that take over human bodies (and flamethrowers), The Hidden was a fantastic way to round off the twoday festival. The Hidden is a sci-fi action film directed by Jack Sholder, and is a thrilling and unconventional entry in the buddy-cop subgenre.

The Hidden follows the story of a law enforcement officer named Tom Beck (Michael Nouri) and an unorthodox FBI agent, Lloyd Gallagher (Kyle MacLachlan). They join forces to combat a relentless serial killer who seems to be unstoppable. The movie takes a dramatic turn when it is revealed that the killer is an extraterrestrial parasite that can transfer itself from one host to another.

The relentless pursuit of the alien parasite through its various hosts keeps tensions high as the audience never knows who the enemy could be next.

This movie is undoubtedly an underappreciated gem and it was a satisfying way to round

off two days of amazing films.

The Forbidden Worlds Festival was an amazing experience. With horror-themed cocktails available and even a man dressed up as Jason Voorhees on the door - the atmosphere was perfect.

Images courtesy of Dan Hutton and Amaan Ali

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epigram 01.11. 23

Male dancers and the fine line of sexualisation on Strictly Come Dancing Straight arms, shoulders down, neat footwork and a dashing male professional ready on 'all fours'… Here is the new checklist for Strictly’s professional judges.

Martha Fisher Third Year, English and Theatre

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trictly Come Dancing (2004-) has become a staple feature of Saturday night TV for overw 6.2 million households across the globe with Tess, Claudia, Craig and Shirley becoming such regular visitors to the nation's screens. But has the critical, professional eye become a tool of objectification?

When I was younger, Strictly was all about sequined outfits, dazzling glitter balls and belly-aching laughter as John Sergeant dragged his poor professional dancer Kristina Rihanoff across the ballroom floor.

However, as I grew older Strictly evolved into a real celebration of dance. Whether it was Danny Mac’s samba or Jay McGuiness’ Pulp Fiction-inspired jive, I couldn’t get enough of the Saturday night showstoppers.

However, in recent years I’ve often found myself feeling uncomfortable and even cringing at the treatment of Strictly's male dancers.

During week three of the competition, it was their wellknown, jam-packed Movie Week. There were Super Mario jives, Shakespeare-inspired sambas and even this season’s first 10! However, what caught my eye was the judges’ objectification of professional dancer Giovanni Pernice.

Following Amanda Abbington and Giovanni‘s Bridget Jones-inspired rumba, a former dancer turned judge Anton Du Beke exclaimed ‘Isn’t it nice when Giovanni gets all close, it makes you feel…’ then proceeded to make gushing, sexual oooos and ahhhhs. He goes on to exclaim how he’s gotten a ‘little warm’ but of course, that is just the velvet of his suit!

To make matters even worse, during Anton’s outburst Giovanni exclaimed that his own mother was currently sitting in the audience; an obvious ploy to change the topic!

Fans have been quick to call out the judges online for their objectifying comments and the BBC show has since experienced an increase in complaints on this matter.

As a viewer, I was left with a sour taste in my mouth. I found myself questioning why these judges felt compelled to comment on the appear-

ances of their male dancers and how in turn their appearances make them feel – does their dancing experience give them full access to judge not just the performance but the individual and their body?

The tip of the iceberg came in 2021 for many fans during Gorka Marquez and Katie McGlynn’s Cruella De Vil-inspired dance that led Craig to exclaim, ‘It really has made my night seeing you on all fours, darling!’. Craig was

apparently overcome by the sight of Gorka dressed as a dalmatian and even thanked Gorka for barking at him.

Even presenter Tess Daly couldn’t handle Craig’s antics here; she quickly covered her face with her hands as the studio erupted into giggles.

Irrefutably, Strictly Come Dancing has faced its fair share of criticism (most notably the 'Strictly curse'!) and I don’t expect this one will be the last. Howev-

er, now more than ever it feels especially prevalent.

It is a double standard calling to be stopped, if not to alleviate the awkward faces of professional dancers, then at least to make the show’s judging environment safe and fetish-free.

While I don’t think the answer is to stop watching Strictly altogether, I do hope the show shifts its focus slightly onto one simple topic – dance!

Image Courtesy of IMDb

Smoke Sauna Sisterhood: an intimate and poetic take on womanhood Five women share their experiences of womanhood in this new Estonian documentary .

Tanya Fevzi Third Year, English

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nna Hints’ new Estonian Documentary Smoke Sauna Sisterhood (2023) captures the intimate moments five women experience in a cabin in the woods in Estonia, sharing their experiences of being women, and what this means to them.

The entirety of the film is set in and around the

cabin. Inside the cabin, the women create safety and comfortability in the darkness of a smoke sauna.

The smoke sauna is a centuries-old tradition that is practised regularly in Estonia. It is introduced in the film as ‘a sacred place where you clean yourself’.

The sauna is depicted as a place of physical and mental cleansing as well as a place for childbirth and smoking meat.

Hints illustrates the ways in which the women cleanse themselves inside the cabin; the idea of cleansing oneself from

the past is a central theme throughout the film. After water is poured over hot stones to produce hot steamladen air, we see the women sweating, washing, massaging, and leaf whisking. Leaf whisking is done with a viht – used to beat the body as a form of exfoliation and to stimulate blood circulation.

They conclude that a ‘valuable’ woman is one who can attract men.

The women go on to discuss deeply personal experiences of breast cancer, rape, lesbianism, abortion, periods, and the Estonian tendency

to avoid the word ‘love’.

It seems, however, that the most healing element of the smoke sauna experience is the female collectivism, the sisterhood. The documentary feels raw and honest in its depiction of women, from the perspective of women. The opening shot, for example, depicts a woman breastfeeding her baby, and the five women in the sauna are naked throughout the film – in a non-objectifying, non-sexualising way. In the cabin, protected from the male gaze, the women share stories of times they were victims of it.

Amongst this vul-

nerability, laughter and joy are not absent. The comfort of relatability and the power of discussion are prominent.

The film is an intriguing exploration of womanhood, nature, selfpreservation, and sisterhood. It is heartfelt, funny, uncomfortable, and honest. A must-watch for those who want to be confronted with or comforted by the shared experiences of women, as Hints undoubtedly captures raw authenticity in this documentary.

Music

Editor Jake Paterson Co-Deputy Editor Benji Chapman Co-Deputy Editor Dylan McNally Digital Editor Cara Hene Subeditor Susie Long

Drifting through Holy Waters: In conversation with Puma Blue ‘Everything I was writing was f***ing s***,’ Allen said bluntly of the initial direction he attempted to take his music after In Praise of Shadows.

‘Instead, I wanted to make an album that was like gut feelings and intuition as opposed to like thinking it through or Jake Paterson planning it out. And that’s kind Music Editor of where the themes came from, I found myself writing a s I expected, Puma lot about death and loss and Blue’s lead singer Jagrief when I didn’t set out to.' cob Allen is something ‘The aim was to write someof an angel on earth. His earthing featuring the band a bit ly work that was constructed more, maybe write something intricately and intimately usa bit sexier, and then it just ing nothing but a drum magot darker and darker. But you chine and guitar created an know, I realised that that’s my image of him as a sensitive gut-like directives and I should and yearning entity brandishlet it be.' Having suffered from ing a nomadic emotional soul. insomnia for much of his life, Inevitably expanding from I can’t help but feel that the this space, he’s become a mulunconscious things that seep ti-disciplinary artist branching through the mind, that keep out into the visual as well as one awake at night, permesonic world on his sophomore ates so much of the incredible album Holy Waters. He has creative work unfolding before a sense of untouched purihim. Tracking dreams, studty shown most clearly in his ying your own subconscious. harrowingly beautiful voice ‘Maybe I’ll try and write a sexy but matched with unsaid deone next time,’ he quipped. mons that haunt his new The first sign of life from music. The new record is an the new record was the single opus for confronting death ‘Hounds’ which Allen had dewith an open palm – I chalbuted during his 2022 UK tour. lenge you to listen to ‘Gates It’s possibly his most accom(Wait For Me)’ without findplished work to date, shaping ing some form of consolation the song structure around an within its floating soundscape. ever-evolving crescendo and After writing much of his concluding with a possessed debut record In Praise of Shadand hypnotic sax solo. It does ows in the what ‘Oil Slick’ pandemic, 'The aim was to hoped to do on In which gave Praise of Shadwrite something a it a unique ows in a much bit sexier, and then introspective more convincing yet slightly it just got darker and and tragic way. incomplete ‘That song at darker' quality for the time was so its over-indifferent than antellectualisation, Allen sounds ything else we had out so it liberated on these new sefelt like a cool place to start lection of tracks. Lyrically he letting things go,’ he noted. seems more personal than It was striking enough for ever, whilst he played heavily king of gloom Thom Yorke to into collaborating with his live include it on his Sonos Radio band for the music than preMix, and for such a primary inviously giving the music this spiration for Jacob (alongside sense of something fleeting.

Jeff Buckley and Portishead) Blink and you’ve missed it. it was a moment of reflection.

Speaking to me on a damp ‘I was in a car with my bench outside Thekla, the girlfriend, we were in Atlanta venue he was set to play a shopping for Christmas prefew hours later, he was a little sents and I started getting a shy in appearance, avoiding bunch of text messages and direct eye-contact and hunchhonestly it didn’t really sink ing over slightly, but took in for ages,’ he remembered. extreme care in his answers ‘You kind of don’t even reand thanking me honestly as ally expect recognition from I fan-boyed a little, having those people so it’s just funbeen in touch with his muny when your worlds cross, sic since I was about sixteen. and I was just really flattered.’

Epigram speaks to Puma Blue about his new record Holy Waters, being recognised by Thom Yorke, trusting your gut, and the yearnings for nostalgia.

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Accompanying the release of Holy Waters was a listening session in a cinema with accompanying visuals that Jacob had put together for every track of the album. The cycles of life, death and rebirth painted out on the screen for an audience completely unfamiliar with the entire album.

‘What was really strange was that before we sat down to do it, [the album] was my secret, and then by the end of the listening session it sort of became theirs and didn’t really belong to me anymore,’ he suggested. Usually, this process takes months or is seen on the faces of the crowd of people who bring

their own memories to the songs that you perform in front of them. But that instantaneous feeling was magic.

I ask what influences his visual world and he cites his partner Liv one of his primary influences. ‘She’s an archivist’, he suggested, and from her Instagram it’s hard to disagree, pulling out finde-siecle images alongside her own photos of friends and models. ‘We both love film and photographers. We love Jean Cocteau.’ The Cocteau sense of the absurd dreamlike state certainly would complement some of the songs on Holy Waters with an almost

synaesthetic element to it.

As Puma Blue’s music continues to swirl in people’s life in different vignettes, at moments of sadness and also joy, we can only hope that the light continues to permeate and for the website to be filled with countless new images with us holding friends and loved ones pictured in the back of the crowd.

Holy Waters is out now and you can read our review of Puma Blue's gig at Thekla on the Epigram website now.

Image courtesy of Carl Delahunty: Carry On Press

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epigram 01.11.23

UoB's auditions under review Epigram investigates the auditions process within some of the University's most respected societies.

Grace Whillis Second Year, Music

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fter a few stunted years, music societies across Bristol are finally seeing a resurgence to pre-Covid numbers and above. Bristol boasts a wide range of musical performance societies, but whether it be BUMS or Acapella, one thing remains the same, people have to audition. The concept is straightforward—some sight reading, a prepared piece, and a range test—a familiar ritual for musicians. However for some time there has been a discourse surrounding this process, evoking both admiration and criticism.

Ultimately the purpose of auditions is to curate the students with the highest level of talent and musicianship, a process needed to create groups as successful as Big Band Society’s ‘Hornstars’, or the University Symphony Orchestra.

While the audition process may have its imperfections, representatives from numerous musical societies concur that viable alternatives are scarce.

And it is not that students do

not want the opportunity of these high-quality ensembles, so what is it people oppose?

A representative from Big Band Society highlighted the inherently intimidating nature of auditions can’t really be avoided, and just because auditions are a nerve-wracking environment, does not mean that the societies are at fault. Equally, handling an audition environment is akin to navigating high-pressure performance situations and if a student cannot cope well in an audition, they likely won’t face performance well either.

Speaking to representatives from the Music Department, they also clarify that 'we want players who are going to be able to cope with the demands; a player who is out of their depth will have a miserable time,' which although sounds harsh, is ultimately true.

In addressing concerns of bias or disadvantage, it's essential to recognize that auditions, in themselves, are fair, with every student facing the same expectations. A representative from Symphonia tells us that 'The auditioned ensembles are naturally biased in their dimensions, so string players in particular get more opportunities to play in the orchestras. It's impossible

to be completely fair in a society where musicians develop in entirely different settings.'

So this brings me to consider, can the societies be responsible for accommodating to the standard of musical education students receive before they come here? Only so much can be adapted, and whilst encouraging musical education is important, it is also not the responsibility of these musical performance societies to do that. The wealth of performance opportunities at Bristol also means that un-auditioned groups are popular in most musical societies, with the formation of BUMS un-auditioned Min-

erva Choir only a few years ago. If a student cannot maintain the standard of an auditioned group, that does not mean they are excluded from the un-auditioned ones.

The ability levels panels receive changes year on year, with a large proportion of complaints from students being of favour towards those who have performed in the ensembles in previous years.

It is undeniable that this is a common phenomenon, but whether it is due to favouritism or just representative of that students talent is more of a blurred line. It isn’t a complaint that can be dismissed, but whether it is true or not

is also hard to state. This complaint can be more clearly understood in considering Societies like Acapella where positions are permanent, and members do not have to reaudition. As students that leave the university each year hypothetically spaces should open up, but that is not something that can be guaranteed, potentially limiting opportunities for new talent.

While the audition process may face criticism for its inherent intimidating nature, they are undeniably necessary. The issue of favouritism or the perceived advantage of previous ensemble experience raises questions, but it remains challenging to definitively establish. Nonetheless, the discourse surrounding auditions should differentiate between disapproval of the process and the responsibility of the societies for any discontent. Auditions, despite their nerve-wracking nature provide valuable experience, and remain pivotal to the success of musical groups across Bristol.

Epigram welcomes stories from other students experiences of auditions.

Image courtesy of Christina Gottardi via Unsplash

Strange Brew's third birthday Creating a space for local music, art and enterprise to come together, Strange Brew's third birthday celebration was a reminder of why it's heralded as the best venue in town.

Nic Richards Second Year, Philosophy

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amily birthday parties are often a strange affair. It’s one of the few times a year that a group of people that happen to share some sort of DNA are obliged to turn up and attempt to be amicable for a few hours. Unless your family happens to be composed of young, creative Bristol types gazing longingly at art whilst comparing the relative merits of Detroit Techno and Chicago House, then Strange Brew’s Third Birthday would’ve been an unrecognisable family event. Instead, it was a gathering for people who were linked by their interest in local music, art and enterprise.

Anyone who has visited Strange Brew before will testify to the warm sense of community you get when you step under its 1970’s roof into the main room. Ben from

Slab Publishing, sat contently behind a table with his girlfriend’s lithograph prints all around him (Elena Hartley, based at Jamaica St. Studios), summed it up perfectly - ‘a well needed place to do things’.

A surrogate family if you will.

This event being a Sunday afternoon, the buzz was more reminiscent of a cafe in Neukolln than a gig space.

Pushchairs, samosas (excellent) and zines surrounded the groups of tables in the middle. On one side of the room was a myriad of records from various independent sellers, with the other side hosting art and publication stands. In the corner was a long haired, vested DJ who looked a lot like Mall Grab spinning vinyl house records. The bustle of the quirky market was interspersed with bright and poppy statement art, as well as more industrial monochrome pieces.

Given the billing as a birthday party, I was slightly deflated by the lack of cake and bunting. This was quickly made up for by a glance up at the huge mirrorball dominating the ceiling, emphasising ‘party’ in a different sense.

I look over to one of

the vinyl sellers (Longwell Records) and see a man looking startled with an Al Green record in his hand. I go over and join his conversation with the guy behind the desk. Physically based in Keynsham, between Bath and Bristol, Longwell Records started doing pop ups at various ‘super cool’ places, including making regular appearances at Strange Sundays. He asks us about

University life before telling us he was kicked out of school for graffiti. In a thick West Country accent, he smiles and goes I could be Banksy mind!’. I rifle through his broad collection of funk and soul records before settling on a Smokey Robinson album. I thank him and move on to further exploration.

As I walk out, I bump into the man with the Al Green record chuffing on a ciga-

rette outside. I ask him what brought him here today.

Without pause - ‘The vibes man’. He waved goodbye before heading back in, presumably for another samosa.

It really felt like a wider celebration of Bristol’s forward thinking spirit, not just Strange Brew’s third orbit around the sun.

Image courtesy of Strange Brew, Bristol

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SciTech

Editor Dhristi Agarwal Deputy Editor Lucas Mockeridge Digital Editor Aarya Patil Subeditor Will Kelly

Big Data's impact on online shopping habits SciTech dissects Big Data's impact on consumption and how it is used in corporate strategies.

Ekow Abankwa Fourth Year, Mechanical Engineering

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hether you're window shopping on Amazon or bargain hunting on eBay, big data algorithms have shaped the online shopping experience.

From advertising to personalized feeds, much of what customers see when visiting an online store is determined by big data algorithms and insights from big data analytics. Not only do these algorithms influence our online behavior, but our behavior also influences them, as the data collected from users determines their outputs.

As of this year, e-commerce constitutes 19.5 per cent of global retail sales and is expected to surpass $6 trillion in sales. This means that any significant trends in the industry will have a massive impact on the overall economy. This article will explore the basics of big data and its effects on online retail.

But what is big data, and how does it differ from regular data? Simply put, the term big data refers to data-

Image courtesy of Karolina Grabowska /Pexels sets that are too large to be means that the data is stored managed through traditionand analysed at a high rate. al data processing methods.

The advanced techniques Big data’s differences from used to analyse these large other datasets datasets are E-commerce can be deknown as big data constitutes 19.5 per analytics. These scribed through a concept often cent of global retail techniques aim called the 3V’s: to find patterns sales and is expected to volume, varieand correlations surpass $6 trillion. ty and velocithat would be imty. The volume possible to find of these datasets is on the through traditional methods. scale of terabytes and petaPopular analysis methods inbytes; they contain data in clude deep learning, which various formats from various uses artificial intelligence and sources, and the data is genmachine learning to find comerated at a high velocity. This plex patterns, and predictive

Veganism: fad or future?

Milan Perera dissects the relationship between a plant-based diet and climate change.

Milan Perera Deputy Editor

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n recent years, the concept of a plantbased diet has gained significant attention, not only for its potential health benefits but also for its role in mitigating climate change. Some may argue that it is merely a modern fad, while others view it as a giant stride toward addressing one of the most pressing global challenges of our time: climate change.

If you have happened to watch Piers Morgan Uncensored where the contrarian host ridicules vegan diet for all that it's worth, one

would be forgiven to think that there is a culture war at hand regarding meat consumption versus a plantbased diet. Do hard scientific facts back the claim that a plant-based diet could halt or reverse climate change?

Before we dive into the plant-based diet, it is important to understand the environmental consequences of the meat and dairy industry.

Animal agriculture is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, water pollution and habitat destruction. Livestock farming produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and requires vast amounts of land, water and feed crops, which in turn, contributes to deforestation and water scarcity.

A plant-based diet primarily consists of food derived from

plants, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds and legumes, while limiting or eliminating animalproducts.

The adoption of such a diet can have a substantial positive impact on the environment and climate for several reasons: Reduced greenhouse gas emissions: The livestock industry is responsible for a significant portion of global greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane and nitrous oxide.

Plant-based diets generate fewer emissions, making them a more climate-friendly choice.

Preservation of forests and biodiversity: By reducing the demand for animal agriculture, we can alleviate the pressure on forests, which are vital carbon sinks and critical for biodiversity conservation.

Efficient land use: Plant-

analytics, which uses historical data to make predictions.

Today, big data analytics have many uses, ranging from medical diagnosis, research, business strategy and, more pertinently, personalisation and advertising.

Advertisers and vendors collect various data from users, including location data, purchase history, search history and more. Often, this data is used to infer the demography and preferences of the user to create a 'profile' to target users more accurately. By analysing the behaviour of users with similar profiles, they can predict future behaviour.

So, how do e-commerce companies use this technology to get ahead of their competitors? In short, companies focus on targeted advertising, personalisation and customer insights.

Targeted advertising enables companies to focus their ad campaigns on users they believe will be more receptive and even tailor the message. As advertisers shift away from using third-party cookies (Google Chrome plans to eliminate third-party cookies in 2024), the predictive capabilities of big data analytics are now used to determine which ads to display to users. In 2022, clothing retailer L.L.Bean utilized IBM's Watson Advertising Accelerator, a system that em-

ploys data analytics and AI, to boost online sales during a campaign by 48 per cent.

Another critical strategy is personalisation. As these machine learning algorithms learn more about the user, they compare your activity with trends from existing data to create bespoke recommendations.

Amazon claims that its AI recommendation engine was responsible for 35 per cent of its sales in 2018, showing how valuable personalisation can be.

Deals and discounts are also customised, so much so that many users expect as much, with Salesforce finding that 56 per cent of customers expect offers to be personalised.

Companies can also gain insight into how users feel about their products through analytics. Rather than a traditional feedback form, big data analytics offer an opportunity to better measure customer retention by measuring their engagement more objectively.

Deloitte lists the main advantages of data-driven customer insights (over traditional customer research methods) as authenticity, comprehensiveness and timeliness.

• For the rest of this article please go to www.epigram.org.uk

Animal agriculture often leads to water pollution through runoff of manure and the use of antibiotics and chemicals. A shift towards plant-based diets can help mitigate these issues.

Numerous scientific studies and reports support the idea that adopting plant-based diets can play a crucial role in combating climate change.

The United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) have highlighted the significant contribution of animal agriculture to global emissions and have recommended dietary shifts toward more plant-based options as part of climate mitigation strategies.

Additionally, research published in the journal Science highlights the environmental impacts of various -conducted by scientists from Oxford University and the Swiss Ag-

ious food products. The 2018 study in the journal Science highlights the environmental impacts of various food products. The 2018 study conducted by scientists from Oxford University and the Swiss Agricultural Research Institute, Agroscope, suggests that a plant-based diet could potentially reduce food emissions by up to 73 per cent.

While the environmental benefits of a plant-based diet are clear, it is important to note that such diets can also lead to improved health outcomes for individuals and address ethical concerns related to animal welfare. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is associated with lower rates of chronic diseases, such as heart disease and certain cancers. Additionally, adopting plant-based diets can align with ethical values related to the treatment of animals and the reduction of harm.

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epigram 01.11.23

Biohacking: brave frontier or reckless gamble?

SciTech investigates the prospective developments in biotechnology policy regulation, elucidating both its potential benefits

Dhristi Agarwal SciTech Editor

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he contemporary landscape of science, technology and health is increasingly dominated by the rise of biohacking. Projections indicate that the market for human enhancement is set to reach $2.3 billion by 2025, signifying that biohacking is not merely a transient trend but rather a distinct movement.

Analysing the potential of this emerging field and emphasizing the critical need for comprehensive policy regulations in this unexplored domain are of paramount importance.

At the crux of the biohacking movement lies the idea that individuals can take control of their health and well-being by enhancing their physical and cognitive abilities. However, while celebrating personal autonomy, we must grapple with profound ethical considerations. Biohackers, in contrast to traditional biological researchers, often operate without obtaining ethical review for their work. They are typically self-funded and not held accountable to private or agency funders, setting a dis-

tinctive precedent. The question that emerges is whether absolute autonomy in modifying one's biology fosters a positive vision of human potential or ventures into the realm of hazardous excess.

Leveraging principles from behavioural economics, policy analyses must study the dynamics of human behaviour within the context of biohacking technologies. By uncovering the psychological motivators like the desire for self-improvement, evolutionary desire for greater health and longevity and the fear of missing out where others are enhancing their abilities through biohacking can motivate some to participate or display their reservations regarding biohacking. Striking a delicate balance to promote innovation while safeguarding public health and safety is the primary objective.

Genetic biohacking involves the deliberate manipulation of an individual's genetic code, and its potential applications raise complex ethical dilemmas. One of the pivotal tools in genetic editing is CRISPR, an acronym for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, which operates like molecular scissors, enabling precise gene editing in living organisms.

For instance, someone might seek to enhance their muscle strength or cognitive abilities by editing specific genes.

However, this advancement carries the potential of creating 'designer babies,' a practice illegal in the UK but subject to varying policies in different countries. Modifying embryos risks introducing health issues that may not become apparent until later in life. Despite the ethical concerns, genetic biohacking holds the promise of eradicating devastating hereditary diseases like cystic fibrosis or sickle cell anaemia which could have a life-altering impact on affected individuals and their families.

Neuralink, founded by Elon Musk, represents a pioneering advancement in biohacking.

Its goal is to establish a direct interface between the human brain and external devices, potentially enhancing cognitive abilities, facilitating communication with machines and addressing neurological conditions. It may offer new treatment options for conditions like epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, or depression.

The ethical and policy implications are equally substantial.

Yet, Neuralink raises significant ethical questions about consent, privacy and the potential misuse of brain data.

Other biohackers are attempting to improve themselves through more traditional medical procedures. This includes utilising supplements and off-label permitted medications such as rapamycin to enhance health or cognition.

The prospect of biohacking technologies exacerbating societal inequalities must be acknowledged. The unequal distribution of access to these interventions can lead to a growing gap between the privileged and marginalized. Policies must consider the long-term effects of biohacking on individuals and future generations to prevent unforeseen health issues and societal implications.

In the context of international biohacking regulations, there is an urgent need for international collaboration to formulate comprehensive and harmonized regulations that encompass innovation, safety and ethical principles. In 2019, entities such as the International Commission on the Clinical Use of Human Germline Genome Editing and the WHO Expert Advisory Committee on Developing Global Standards for Governance and Oversight of Human Genome Editing were established to provide recommendations and

clarity in this evolving field.

In the World Health Organization's framework, biohacking aligns with research ethics and the communal norms of the scientific community. Advocates propose self-governance among biohackers, led by figures like bioethicist Alex Pearlman who wants to develop a set of guidelines distinct to biohackers. There is a pressing need for a systematic risk assessment framework for biological engineering.

It can be argued that biohackers are not violating the bioethical principles as they are self-informed and autonomous. However, if they do germline editing, it holds risks and consequences for humanity that already are strongly governed by bioethical standards.

Biohackers should not be exempt from well-defined principles merely because they claim to operate based on other principles.

Education is paramount in helping private actors understand the risks posed by certain forms of biohacking and appreciate the role of regulatory agencies like the FDA in both consumer protection and fostering innovation.

• For the rest of this article please go to www.epigram.org.uk

Bristol researchers build shape-shifting robot The robot can retrieve fragile objects and cross difficult terrain, which may allow it to aid search and rescue efforts and space exploration.

Lucas Mockeridge SciTech Deputy Editor

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research team at the University of Bristol has designed a tetrahedral robot named Tetraflex, which changes shape to move through tight spaces, traverse harsh terrain and transport fragile objects. The robot could help in search and rescue missions and space exploration.

Tetraflex either rolls, crawls or bounds from one place to another. It can crawl through small gaps, and potentially explore confined

spaces. For instance, Tetraflex could be used to inspect the rubble left by a natural disaster and may help find survivors.

It can also retrieve objects.

Tetraflex first expands and rolls over an object, engulfing it. It then crawls to transport the object, holding it safely within itself.

This faculty might be used to collect samples from hostile environments like nuclear sites and distant planets.

Tetraflex is composed of six struts that are joined by four end caps. The team chose airtight rubber bellows for the struts, and is able to control the length of the bellows by changing the air pressure within them.

‘Higher pressures cause the bellow to extend, and lower pressures cause it to contract,’

explained Peter Wharton, Robotics and Autonomous Systems PhD student, and lead author of the Tetraflex paper.

‘By controlling the pressure in each bellow simultaneously we can control the robot shape and size change.

‘After this, it was simply a matter of experimenting with different patterns of shape change that would generate useful motions such as rolling or crawling along a surface.’

Tetraflex has already earned international recognition. An earlier version of the robot came third at the RoboSoft 2022 Locomotion Competition, after demonstrating its ability to travel over sand, and navigate narrow gaps.

The team plans to explore the limits of Tetraflex’s abil-

ity to retrieve objects, and change the design of its end caps to fit different numbers of struts. It also intends to model Te t r a f l e x ’ s locomotion strategies, and use artificial intelligence to study and optimise them.

‘There could be some really creative and effective ways of moving around or interacting with the environment that we haven’t yet

discovered,’ said Mr Wharton.

Image courtesy of Peter Wharton

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epigram 01.11.23

UBAFC 1s take on UBAFC 2s Kieran Warren reports on this exciting inter-university fixture for Epigram.

Kieran Warren Deputy Sport Editor

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or a gloomy, wet Wednesday lunchtime, this inter-university fixture between the Bristol 1s and 2s was something of a crucial standing point for both teams, to not only establish their aims for this year’s league but to claim bragging rights within the University itself. The 1s were looking to further separate themselves from the rest of the pack, following their resilient display against Cardiff Met 1s the previous week, whilst the 2s were looking to get off the mark after a harrowing away day against Hartpury 2s.

From kick-off it seemed that Bristol 1s were not eager to wait around to cause trouble.

They played a strong possession game and launched some crucial attacks, including a decisive 1-1 opportunity early on, only to be denied by the 2s GK Max Diment. Bristol 2s retaliated thoroughly to this onslaught, missing out only on a clinical chance from a freekick: the delivery missed the 2s

players by a matter of inches. The game would go on to take a seesaw approach with both sides alternating in their control. The 2s developed one of their finest chances when winger Marcus Gui saw an opportunity to finesse it to the keepers near post, only for it to be saved strongly by the 1s keeper.

The first half was a strong battle of goalkeeper heroics from the 2s and strong possession football from the 1s, however it would be the 2s who would break the deadlock when Gui struck the ball on the volley, having it sail over the 1s keeper and nestle in the top left corner: something that was a replica to Papiss Cissé against Chelsea and easily a contender for goal of the season. Following the goal, the 2s seemed to run riot, creating a more physical presence amongst their university counterparts. This proved a crucial defensive strategy, as a way of closing out the first half.

Following half time, the 1s seemed to have been revitalised, exhibiting extreme energy, aggression and concentration by establishing control during the fixture, something the 2s did not seem prepared

Image courtesy of Kieran Warren for. The 2s faced heavy pressure from the hungry 1s who didn’t take being the losing side with much grace. Mistakes soon became a common occurrence amongst the 2s teammates, including consistent errors from the keeper and backline - one of which would cost them. An error from the 2s CB fatally allowed Jack Bilbruck to latch onto a missed header and slot the ball past the keeper with a smooth right footed strike, levelling the game and making it all to play for. The draw, however, would not last long, as the 1s did not stop

their constant onslaught, thus further providing problems for the 2s defence. This defence would quickly crumble once again when a fantastic set piece in the form of a corner was whipped in for 1s Captain Pat Gibbs, to power home a bullet header into the top corner. Even with the lead finally in the grasp of the 1s, they did not refrain from applying pressure, including via a pinging long ball which created the final problem for the 2s. Bilbruck was left to look for his second with a dink over the keeper, only for CB Tom Flint’s heroics to clear

the ball off the line, thus keeping the 2s in the game (as pictured to the left).

Following a consistent display of midfield battles and crunching tackles, the final whistle blew and the 1s walked away with a 2-1 victory from a BUCS League match played amongst friends, putting them in a powerful title position whilst the 2s were left hunting for their first points. I managed to catch the 2s captain Ben Spano after the game for a quick interview regarding the match, to which his response was a proud one for that of his teammates, despite the negative results. Spano commented on the ‘real positives being how the team were working together and communicating’ which led the 1s to ‘not have an answer to our defensive shape in the first half.’ Furthermore, he reflected that improvements for the squad would focus on the ‘control’ of the ball, which was a crucial factor which led to the product of both goals.

Wild Swimming Society: ‘Taking the plunge’ The Wild Swimming Society speaks to Alice Williams about the health benefits of cold water swimming, social aspects of the society and more.

Alice Williams Second Year, English

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pigram recently had the opportunity to speak to the media secretary of Bristol University’s Wild Swimming Society Brannoc Stevenson, to find out why people love this activity so much. ‘Wild swimming is the act of swimming in untamed waterways, such as lakes, rivers and the sea.’

This quote is taken from their online SU page, giving us a simple overview of what the society is; but we want to delve a bit deeper…

Brannoc explains that ‘the wild swimming society started before Covid’, but one of

its members, Archie, raised its profile during the pandemic, organising swims here and there. You can understand the surge in interest during lockdown when students were stuck in halls, desperately wanting to get outside. This is when the activity ‘properly became known as wild swimming, rather than just a dip in the river’ says Brannoc.

Last year's president Caroline, ‘made the swims much more regular’ and the society began to have weekly sessions with organised trips around Bristol and beyond, with locations including Clevedon, Saltford and Beeses. Wild swimming has many benefits, in terms of both mental and physical health.

It is said to improve metabolism, lower blood pressure, combat stress, make you sleep better and much more, whilst also being a great form of exercise. Brannoc says, ‘when it

gets colder, you need to get into a meditative state, thus focusing on your breathing to allow you to get in. If you just jump in the water in the middle of December, you will go into cold-water shock and end up panicking.’ In fact, they recently held an event with Bristol Yoga Society, where members did an hour of yoga before going for the swim, which was described as being ‘very zen’, providing

Image courtesy of Brannoc Stevenson

some calm before the storm of getting into the river.

During freshers week this year, the society generated lots of interest, with the first session hosting no less than 150 people. Although this popularity is great, Brannoc explained that it ‘gets good when it gets to the winter’ as smaller groups attend, meaning that you can meet more people on a regular basis. Brannoc discusses the challenges of wild swimming in the winter months; ‘lots of people in the society enjoy the challenge’ turning it into a case of ‘can you hack it when it gets really cold?’

Indeed, some people take it more seriously than others: Brannoc tells me that ‘one person has filled their bin with cold water and uses it every morning along with her housemates.’ He was keen to stress that this isn’t expect-

ed for everyone to do, but the enthusiasm is great to see!

The society doesn’t just limit itself to wild swimming, it has lots of other social activities. After every swim, everyone goes to the pub for a well-deserved pint. ‘The best thing about the social is that you get a mixture of people from all walks of life, who are all just interested in going out and doing something.’

Some readers may be wondering about some of the dangers of wild swimming, for example the issue with sewage being dumped into rivers over recent years. Brannoc assures us that ‘we have a health and safety officer giving advice.’ Furthermore, the society only goes to places with tested water quality to ensure that everyone is safe.

For the rest of this article, please visit www.epigram.org.uk

Sport

Editor Oscar Coupal Deputy Editor Kieran Warren

In conversation with Pat Gibbs, Student Union Officer for Sport and Development Oscar Coupal speaks to the Students’ Union’s Sports and Student Development Officer, Pat Gibbs.

Oscar Coupal Sport Editor

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ecently, I spoke to the Students' Union’s (SU) Sports and Student Development Officer, Pat Gibbs, to learn more about his role, the achievements he has accomplished so far and his plans for the future. In his first year at Bristol, Pat was encouraged by his parents to trial for the university football team despite having an injury. A year later, he found himself as the social secretary of the club, organising nights out and strengthening the community of the team. Last season (2022-23) Pat was elected as the club captain of the University of Bristol Athletic Football Club (UBAFC), a role that demands punctuality and responsibility and one that was extremely rewarding for him. Pat comments: ‘I really enjoyed making a positive impact for a lot of students… there were times when I would stand at a social or at the side of the football pitch and have a moment to reflect on seeing a load of

people that I’m helping really enjoy themselves and make their university experience.’

The opportunity to become the Sports and Student Development Officer arose from Pat’s position as club captain.

He was contacted in Febru-

centric, or toxic’. Moreover, a ary 2023 by the SU Head of Bristol, tailor committee train‘wellbeing champion’ would be Student Opportunities for a ing for different groups and able to ‘signpost their memmeeting to discuss his suitreview financial accesses and bers’ to available ability to become an SU Ofexisting barriers ficer. The meeting was held to sport.’ Since 'Sport is the thing help and ‘handle twelve hours before the apstarting the job, that gives me most issues with disclosure’. Lastly, Pat plication deadline, giving Pat Pat has managed joy’ wants to instil in only around six hours to write to implement sev‘wellbeing chama manifesto and commit to eral useful changpions’ the fundabecoming a canes. The free mental knowledge of the supdidate. Election ‘As I have been elected We d n e s d a y port resources available, as he week started the from by students, my role is bus plans to cut no corners when it following MonTy n d a l l ’ s comes to the welfare and wellday, with Pat to effectively represent Avenue to being of students. The ‘welldescribing it as the student body and, Coombe Dinbeing champions’ would be on ‘one of the most gle now runs in my area specifically, the committees of sport sociefull-on weeks later into the people involved in ties to offer a helping hand to of my life.’ Pat evening, alsports and student any members who are struggained much of lowing for leaders’. gling. Reflecting on his time so his support from more students to watch and far in the job, Pat has come to online networking to ‘get his participate in sport. In addirealise that ‘sport is the thing name out there.’ He attributtion to this, Pat ran an introthat gives me most joy’ and ed his experience as club capductory session in September that he ‘enjoys giving opportutain as a vital factor to coming for club captains to increase nities to people through sport.’ out on top against his three the visibility of his role and For those of you potentially rival candidates across the the information on the support considering applying for the five-day election week. When that is available all year round. role of an SU ofdiscussing the demands of The Economhis job, Pat commented: ‘as ics graduate also 'I really enjoyed mak- ficer, Pat’s advice I have been elected by stuspoke about his ing a positive impact is to ‘just do it!’, dents, my role is to effectivedesire to improve for a lot of students.' as he has obtained a wealth ly represent the student body student wellbeing of experience, and, in my area specifically, and ideas he has developed his inpeople involved in sports and formed to do so, such as the terpersonal skills and broadstudent leaders. I make sure role of a ‘wellbeing champiened his future horizons. their voice is heard in univeron’. Pat describes a ‘wellbeing sity meetings and on a wilder champion’ as someone who Images courtesy of scale.’ Pat is committed to ‘de‘promotes a positive culture…

Pat Gibbs / Bristol SU velop[ing] the sense of comand creates a healthy atmosmunity surrounding sports at phere that is not cliquey, ego-