InQuire Issue 13.3 by InQuire Media

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InQuire The University of Kent’s student newspaper

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20 October 2017

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Issue 13.3

Akala Speaks at UKC Black History Month Lecture Page 24

Kent’s Kazuo Ishiguro, Wins Nobel Prize Book Reviews: Pages 16 & 17

Students Denied Morning-after Pill

By Caitlin Casey Writer

tudents were unable to access emergency contraception on campus during freshers’ week, following cuts to sexual health services. The University

Nursing Services (UNS) dropin clinic in Keynes College used to offer students the emergency contraceptive pill following a simple medical assessment, but this was suspended from September 15. Christine Lamb, Assistant

Practice Manager at the Medical Centre on campus, said that the nursing service was “unable to offer the pill” due to “funding” issues. Students looking for emergency contraception were referred to local pharmacies

during fresher’s week rather than being able to find it on campus. One student told us about her experience trying to access the pill on campus during freshers’ week: “There seemed to be a lot of confusion at the nursing services on campus,

nobody seemed to know what was going on. It was so stressful. It’s embarrassing enough to get the pill even when you just go into the drop-in centre, let alone to have to go through

Continued on page 2

Friday 29 September 2017 InQuire

News 2017/2018

Print and online editorial contacts: Editor-in-Chief Kiran Saggu

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By Bill Bowkett Website News Editor

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News

81-year-old Student Becomes Oldest to Gain PhD at Kent

Grace Pocock

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Bill Bowkett

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Opinion

Jesse Bedayn

Newspaper Opinion Editor

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Koeun Lee

Website Opinion Editor

t 81 years of age, Norma Stewart has officially become the oldest student to receive a PhD at Kent. The retired minister completed her PhD in Theology & Religious Studies at The School of European Culture and Languages last month, despite facing many health issues along the way. She said the University was “extremely understanding” and supported her with every step of her studies. Her thesis, entitled ‘A critical study of the settlement

CSRfm Receives Three National Nominations

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Lifestyle

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Entertainment

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narratives in Judges 1-5 using insights from Postcolonial Studies, to consider the relevance of these texts for the peoples of Israel/Palestine today’, is about the biblical conquest narratives in the current politics of Israel and Palestine. The Department for Religious studies said they were delighted to be able to award Reverend Stewart with her PhD. Yvonne Sherwood, Stewart’s supervisor, said that Stewart’s success signalled the University’s support for “lifelong learning for students of all ages”.

By Grace Pocock Newspaper News Editor

SRfm has received three nominations at The Student Radio Awards, a national awards ceremony supported by BBC Radio 1 and Global, which celebrates the diversity of content and talent in student radio. Nominations were announced

October 11, and the starstudded ceremony is set to take place at the indigO2, in London, on Thursday 9 November. The news comes following CSR’s recent success at The Community Radio Awards, and as it celebrates its 10th year in broadcasting. The station has been shortlisted for ‘Best Student Radio Station’, ‘Best Specialist

Programming’, and ‘Best SRA Chart Show’. Over fifty stations across the country belong to the Student Radio Association. In being nominated for ‘Best Student Radio Station’, CSR have been recognised as one of the top six stations in the country. James Love, CSR Station Manager 2016/2017 said “I’m extremely proud to have

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Sport

been part of the station last year. We just celebrated our tenth birthday, and these nominations are the icing on the cake in what’s been a great year for the station”. Jake Peach, CSR’s current Station Manager said “I’m very proud of the station for all of its achievements in the last year; everyone that is part of CSR has worked really hard. It takes a great team to make great radio. For this to be recognised amongst other student stations across the UK is fantastic!” The station has had a very successful year, picking up two awards at the I Love Student Radio Awards in April, and, more recently, a Gold Award for ‘Specialist Music Show of the Year’ at the Community Radio Awards in September.

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Students Denied Morning-after Pill Continued from front page: the process in the pharmacy in town; having to ask for the morning-after pill in front of all the customers.” Not all versions of the pill were available at the local pharmacy either, her options were limited to pills which had to be taken within three days of unprotected sex, rather than a

pill which could be taken within five days. The pill is still not available from the university nursing services directly, but from the 25th of September students were able to receive a prescription for the emergency contraceptive following a consultation with the nurses. This enables students to pick the pill up from the medical

centre’s pharmacy or collect it from pharmacies in town when it is closed. If you need access to the morning after pill or any other sexual health advice, the University Nursing Services are open 24 hours and the University Medical Centre is open 8am-4pm weekdays. To find your nearest pharmacy or clinic outside of University, go to

www.kent.gov.uk/sexualhealth. If you feel affected by these issues, we would love to hear your comments. Tweet us at @InQuireLive, on Facebook at InQuire Media, or send us an email at newspaper. news.@inquiremedia.co.uk.

InQuire Friday 29 September 2017

News

Government Announce Freeze of Tuition Fees By Connor HanaganMorrissey Writer

heresa May announced at the Conservative party conference plans for a tuition fee freeze at £9,250, and the rise of repayment threshold to £25,000. The conservative’s plan is a stark contrast to the labour party’s plan to eliminate tuition fees. The Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) describe these policies as “ a significant giveaway to graduates”, which will reduce average lifetime repayments by around £10,000. The proportion of graduates who are unlikely to pay off their loans will rise from 77% to 83%. The IFS estimate that

average student debt will fall from £50,600 to £49,800. The plan will provide some relief for students by guaranteeing the cost of tuition, while allowing those earning salaries below the £25,000 threshold to pay off their debt in a more reasonable time frame. The policy does not address interest rates, which puts the purpose of Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) into question. If universities meet certain standards the TEF enables them to raise tuition fees, but with the cap on tuition fees this policy may prove to be redundant. The tuition freeze may be good news for our wallets, but are there any downsides to the tuition freeze?

Repaying your Current Loan What and when you repay:

How you repay:

You will be eligible to start repaying your loan in the April after you have finished or left your course. What you repay will be depend on how much you earn, not how much you borrowed.

If you:

There is a minimum income threshold that students will have to earn before they begin to repay their student loan. In 2016, students from England and Wales will need to earn £21,000 and above. Students from Scotland and Northern Ireland will need to earn £17,495 and above. See SLC for information about loan repayments if you started your course before 1 September 2012. All students will repay 9% of their income when they are earning above this threshold. If your income is below or drops below these amounts, you will not have to make repayments.

Are employed in the UK your loan repayment will be collected through PAYE. It will be deducted from your gross pay with your income tax. The Student Loans Company and HM Revenue and Customs make the calculations. Are self-employed repayments will be collected through the tax self-assessment system. Intend to leave the country to work abroad you must inform the Student Loan Company. They will arrange to collect repayments directly from you. The Student Loans Company will send you an annual statement of how much you have repaid in the tax year. You can find out how much you owe by logging on to the Student Loan Company website. Here you can find information about making a payment as well as accessing your current balance.

Photo by pixabay.com

InQuire Asks an Expert By Jasper Gilardi Newspaper Editor

e asked Reader in economics, Edward Cartwright, for his opinion: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Dr. Cartwright writes: “The basic rationale for student fees is simple enough in that students benefit from going to university (they enjoy it, make networks, earn more in the job market etc.) and so they should pay for it. We can then also factor in the reality that more people are going to university, many of whom are from middle class backgrounds, and it would

be a big burden for the tax payer to fund all of this. Would the money be better spent on the NHS? The flip side of this is that education is a basic right, and it is unfair that a young person should be partly dependent on the income of their parents etc. Financial wellbeing should not dictate whether a person can pursue higher education. This, though, is all about the basic rights and wrongs of students paying for education. Clearly people can take different sides of that debate. Beyond that we have the far more practical problem of how to best get students to pay; this is where I think just about everyone can agree that the current system

has not worked. The system was set up to use tuition fees as a price mechanism to incentivise optimal decisions. But that seems increasingly naïve. The average 18 year old is not in a position to make an informed decision about the costs and benefits of higher education, or to say that one university is better than another. Decisions are going to be rough and ready. At first it seemed as though people simply carried on going to university regardless. That looked like good news. But now we are realising that students may not be able to repay that debt, which also comes with a big psychological cost. It

would not be surprising if some students are now being put off coming to university. So, what to do? To simply scrap tuition fees would bring us back to the start; asking how we can fund higher education. And it is worth recognising that UK universities are good and that comes at a high cost. To tinker with the level of fees seems pointless. What is the difference between having a predicted debt of £30,000 or £35,000? That difference is not going to mean anything to the typical student. But to cut fees would starve universities of money. Personally, I would favour a graduate tax. The basic idea here is that a graduate pays say

3% extra tax above a certainly threshold. Theoretically the graduate tax can be made to be identical to tuition fees. But, psychologically there would seem to be a world of difference. In the one you end up with a huge debt and in the other you do not! Some criticise a graduate tax because a high earner would end up paying a lot of money for having gone to university. That, though, could be capped if desired. Politically we seem to walking into a cul-de-sac. That can be bad news for universities.” facebook.com/wInQuireLive @InQuireLive

Saturday 16 September 2017 InQuire

News

Catching Lives Launches Mentoring Archbishop Speaks out about Depression Project Supporting the Homeless By Grace Pocock Newspaper News Editor

anterbury is the 6th highest city for rough sleepers per head of population, with the charity Catching Lives doing everything they can to change this. They are launching a new service to support clients moving into accommodation after a period of rough sleeping. Many people do not realise that receiving housing is just the first step to getting off the

streets, and in itself comes with many challenges. People may be moved to an unfamiliar location, may be shunned from their social group, and may struggle to support themselves. Life can suddenly become very lonely and monotonous. Without support, many of these people lose their accommodation and revert back to a life on the streets In launching a mentoring scheme, Catching Lives hopes to support people during this transition period. Mentors will work in

pairs to build positive relationships with Catching Lives’ clients, help to boost their confidence and work alongside them to reduce social isolation and boredom, budget effectively and improve their health and wellbeing. A similar scheme recently resulted in 92% of clients sustaining their tenancies for at least 12-months. Volunteers are to be recruited from a wide range of backgrounds, who can commit a minimum of 2 hours a week for 6 months, with full training and support provided.

A n y o n e interested in taking part in this scheme is advised to go to www.catchinglives. org or to contact Sally at mentoring@catchinglives.

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By Grace Pocock Newspaper News Editor

he Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has recently opened up about suffering from the ‘black dog’ that is depression. Talking about his depression to Alastair Campbell in GQ magazine, Welby said “I have those moments… when objectively everything is fine, but you think you are, beyond description, hopeless.” His admission comes following World Mental Health day, which was on the 10th of October. Mental health issues can affect anyone in society, with 1 in 4 adults experiencing this annually. According to Mind. students are particularly at risk of developing mental health problems because of:

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Their age – many students are young people, and for many people this is the age when you first develop a mental health problem. Stress – becoming a student can be a stressful experience. Although stress isn’t a mental health problem, it can lead to mental health problems like depression and anxiety. Lack of support – you might have left home for the first time, or just don’t have enough time to see your friends and family. Not having a good support network can make you vulnerable to developing a mental health problem. More information and support can be found at www.mind.org

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InQuire Friday 29 September 2017

News

Canterbury Festival Starts with a Bang By Grace Pocock Newspaper News Editor

ent’s annual international arts festival, ‘The Canterbury Festival’, kicked off on October 14 with a highspirited opening parade. The Mayor lead the psychedelic parade of drummers, dancers, and musicians from many different community groups around the city, starting at the Cathedral Precincts at noon, looping past Marlowe theatre, and down the high street, before

finishing up in the Whitefriars shopping area. The event marked the opening of the festival, which celebrates culture and the arts.The festival boasts a variety of activities; from live music and performing arts events, to visual arts installations, and academic talks. Skills workshops such as a pottery class, a creating writing class, and silk painting will also run throughout the festival. The festival will run from Saturday October 14 to Saturday November 4.

Key Events

SAT 14 OCT 2017 - SAT 04 NOV 2017 CANTERBURY THROUGH MY EYES Community Photo Exhibition TIME 9:00 AM GENRE Visual Arts VENUE The King’s Mile

SAT 14 OCT 2017 - SAT 28 OCT 2017 CANTERBURY THROWDOWN Community Pottery Project TIME 10:00 AM GENRE Family Friendly VENUE 12 Butchery Lane

Not everyone was as excited by the events

Community groups from across Kent took part in the parade

WED 25 OCT 2017 THE DEVIL’S VIOLIN PRESENTS: STOLEN A tale told through music TIME 8:00 PM GENRE Music VENUE St Mary’s Hall Studio Theatre

THU 26 OCT 2017 PROMISE & PROMISCUITY A one-woman take on Jane Austen TIME 7:00 PM GENRE Performance VENUE The Festival Spiegeltent

FRI 27 OCT 2017 TOM KERRIDGE IN CONVERSATION TIME 5:30 PM GENRE Talks VENUE Canterbury Cathedral Lodge

The Mayor opened the festival and could be seen enjoying the excitement of the day

The festival is sponsered by Canterbury Christ Church University A full list of events can be found at www.canterburyfestival.co.uk

Friday 20 October 2017 InQuire

Opinion

Burma and the Politics of Idolatry By James Marriott Writer

ince late September over 500,000 refugees have fled military led ethnic cleansing, moving from their home in western Myanmar to eastern Bangladesh. The root of the genocide can be traced to the 19th century British colonial policy, which encouraged a large influx of people from Bengal into modern day Myanmar. This was followed, in the 20th Century, by laws that appealed to Buddhist Nationalism; including the 1982 Citizenship law, which denied citizenship status to the Rohingya minority; and the 2005 Two-Child Policy that directly targeted Rohingya populations. For a long time the celebrated Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy and recipient of the Freedom of Oxford award for her political imprisonment in 1997, has been exempt from commenting on this problem; safe in the contradictory worlds of house arrest and public adoration. Since release in 2010 and return politics, however, she has yet to condemn the government’s genocidal actions. Her

silence came as a surprise and led to critical backlash, including calls for her to be stripped of the Freedom of Oxford as well as her 1991 Nobel Peace Prize. The climate of disapproval sloshing around the wine glass of consensus politics is as inebriating as a bottle of pinot noir, with none of its good taste. Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, spoke to the BBC about Suu Kyi, saying it was her “last chance”, and that being “the leader of the country” she should “contain and reverse” the situation. Guterres, however, completely ignored, or is ignorant of, the finer details of military leadership in Myanmar, Buddhist nationalism, and the constitution designed to hinder Suu Kyi’s powers. Though once the High Commissioner of Refugees, Guterres fails to understand the political nuance and corruption that plagues Myanmar. Britain’s own foreign minister, Boris Johnson, made the same mistake, calling on Suu Kyi to use her moral authority to stop the crisis. The irony is apparent when one looks at the UK’s former spending policy to educate the Burmese military officers who are now the perpetrators of

Photo by DFID | Wikimedia

the genocide. More serious and dedicated commentators on Burma provide a more educated perspective. The organisation Burma Campaign UK researches Burma and human rights, and their findings highlight the lack of focus and consequent blame given to the head of the military, Min Aung Hlaing. While not absolving Suu Kyi from her silence on the issue, Burma Campaign UK have pushed the Burmese government to act and speak

against the head of the military, acknowledging he is the sole person who can stop the ethnic cleansing. This comes after their successful lobbying to halt government payments to Burmese officers in the amount of £305,000 in 2016. Ironically this money was spent educating officers about “the role of a military in a democracy”. Money well wasted. Burma Campaign UK is now calling for a petition to be sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to support a global arms

embargo. There is a case to be made against Aung San Suu Kyi’s silence, but the media’s obsession with celebrity and idolatry leave it as a case based on presumptive inaccuracy. Days are taken up by the bleating of those disillusioned with their pro-democracy celebrity, sparing Min Aung Hlaing any criticism. Public opinion has clutched at the celebrity, Suu Kyi, in trying to understand calamity, and doing so has only inhibited the fight for justice.

Catalonia Deserves a Referendum By Alex Johnson Writer

ot since the Spanish Civil War, in 1936, has there been such a divide between Barcelona and Madrid. The Republican and Nationalist strong-holds of the two warring factions were staunchly opposed to each other during the Civil War, and now, with the latest protests in Spain, that rivalry has been revitalized. Madrid has called the Catalonian referendum illegal, and has prohibited the vote. The Catalonian people were determined, however, and, ignoring the injunction from the Spanish government, went ahead with the referendum. The Spanish government replied with violence, and arrested Catalonian officials. Though

the Spanish courts have ruled that the referendum was unconstitutional, it should be the prerogative of the provincial government in Catalonia to decide whether to stay or leave. Catalonia is one of the most populated areas as in Spain, holding 18% of Spain’s total economic wealth. Spain is worried that a cessation would prove disasterous to the Spanish economy. Despite the alleged illegal action taken by Catalonia, they are in the moral right; no truly democratic government can morally refuse a region a vote on its future. The Spanish government may be able to look at its own constitution and say that the vote cannot go ahead, but it does not have the moral authority to do so.

On October 1, the day of the referendum, the people of Catalonia and Europe held their breaths. No one knew what would

Photo by Liz Castro | Wikimedia

happen, or whether the vote would go ahead despite threats from Madrid. As promised, riot police were sent

to Barcelona to stop the vote. Three hundred and thirty-seven people have already been injured while trying to exercise their right to vote. Among the causalities were nine Madrid police officers and two Military Police officers. The violence across Barcelona has led to unprovoked police attacks, and the indiscriminate use of rubber bullets. The forces of Catalonia have taken a stand against the violence occurring in the region: the Catalonia Police Department has refused to block the referendum, leading the military police to attack the department over twitter. The Catalonia fire department joined the fray to protect voters from police by forming a human shield between the two warring factions.

Catalonia’s Parliament and President signed a bill on Tuesday, October 10, which gave it the right to declare independence at any point. Before declaring independence, however, President Puigdemont of Catalonia expressed a desire to open a dialogue with the Spanish Prime Minister, the Spanish Parliament, and other European nations, in the hope of being independently recognised. It is unclear whether this will lead to any meaningful change in Spain’s treatment of Catalonia, as Madrid sent police to arrest President Puigdemont in case the region declares independence. The situation is unpredictable, but, if dialogue between the two parties fails, Spain could start down the slow road to a second Spanish Civil War.

InQuire Friday 20 October 2017

Will the NFL Protests Work? By Jesse Bedayn Opinion Editor

ver the past month, players from every NFL team have united to protest police brutality dispaportionately perpetrated against black people in the U.S. It has caused a stir in American media, some applauding their resolve, while others are insulted by the athletes’ perceived disrespect for the American flag and anthem. The argument, no doubt, will continue to rage on as long as the athletes continue to kneel. But will all of this debate, all of this protest, actually do anything in the long run? Protests in sport have been around as long as there has been widely watched sport after all, what better place to make a stand than on a platform when you know millions will be watching? Duly, many of these protests are infamous and famous in equal measure. Who could forget Tommie Smith and John Carlos raising their gloved hands in support of the Black Panther movement at the 1968 Olympics? Or Muhammad Ali willingly risking prison to protest the Vietnam War? Moments like these have stuck in our collective mem-

ories, and are the keystone points of modern sport protest. There are many more examples – Billie Jean King standing for the equality of the sexes in the 70s, or more recently, the basketball team, the Phoenix Suns. wearing Spanish language jerseys to protest against racial profiling laws. Sports protests are not a new thing. Whether they work or not, however, is a harder question to answer. Billie Jean King may have successfully helped pass the women’s rights bill, but the Vietnam War ran on for 8 years after Muhammad Ali’s protest. Tommie Smith and John Carlos certainly shook the world with their sombre stand in 1967, but race issues in the US are still bad enough to instigate the NFL protests. Because of this, it is hard to argue that sports protests alone can make any direct change. What sport protests can do, however, is bring an underlying issue into the spotlight. The unity displayed by football teams across the US has got the world’s attention. Smith and Carlos got the world’s attention. Billie Jean King got the world’s attention. Protests in sport may not make a change, but athletes standing up and making people take notice surely helps the cause.

Photo by the BBC

Opinion

‘Mother Theresa, Judas, and the great hand of divinity’

Cartoon by Adam Millward

Friday 20 October 2017 InQuire

Opinion

Labour Success is Far from Guaranteed continue to simmer under the surface. Many MPs have been less voFrom appearing on the Glascal in their criticism of Corbyn tonbury main stage, to one of since he defied expectations the most improbable election in June’s general election. The results in recent years, Jeremy issue of the party’s position on Corbyn concluded a Brexit continues to be a major summer of pogrievance for many Lalitical shocks bour politicians who “Differences by claiming campaigned for within the that Lathe UK to remain government, on issues bour was in the European such as the terms of any “on the Union (EU). On transitional arrangement threshold the eve of this between the UK and the of powyear’s party EU, have highlighted the er”. This shortcomings of adopting a conference, a delighted vague approach to Brexit” group of Labour thousands politicians and of delegates trade union leaders who flocked to wrote an open letter Brighton for the urging the leadership to Labour Party Conference advocate staying in both the in September. Single Market and the Customs While many supporters Union to prevent what they see celebrated June’s remarkable as the destructive effects of a turnaround for Labour, the so-called ‘hard’ Brexit. tensions that have plagued the Perhaps wary of a less than party since Jeremy Corbyn was committed effort by Corbyn to first elected its leader, in 2015, keep the UK in the EU during Michael Lear Writer

the referendum campaign, the growing frustration of his former detractors at a reluctance to commit to a clear vision of the UK’s future relationship with the EU threatens to derail the progress Labour has made. Differences within the government, on issues such as the terms of any transitional arrangement between the UK and the EU, have highlighted the shortcomings of adopting a vague approach to Brexit. Furthermore, they have seriously undermined the Prime Minister’s authority and credibility. Jeremy Corbyn risks making the same mistake if he is unable to pacify those within his ranks who favour an approach that differs more clearly from that of the Conservative Party. The challenge for Corbyn now is to sustain the momentum and enthusiasm that he believes has put him on the verge of entering 10 Downing Street. But the prospects of an early election appear to have dimin-

ished since June. The embaton the party’s Brexit policy tled Conservative Party is sureor holding a vote on Single ly not willing to risk running Market membership, is not the head first into a potentially disastrous leadership contest over the direction of the Brexit negotiaPhoto by Rwendland | Wikimedia tions. This catastrophic weakness in the answer. Conservative Party can only If Labour is to fulfil its aim of be exploited if Labour itself is again being the leading party in confident in articulating what it Westminster and implementsees as the solution to the many ing its ambitious programme challenges posed by Brexit. of reform, it must not shy away The approach adopted at the from confronting an issue that Labour Conference, attempting will undoubtedly leave its mark to force the issue off the agenda on the UK economy, politics, by failing to stage a debate and society for years to come.

InQuire Friday 20 October 2017

Opinion

Veganism: Beneficial How Should or Bigoted Ideology? the U.S. By Ella West Writer

ith over a third of the vegetarian population now swearing their diets to veganism, it begs the question: “is veganism the best thing for animals and the consumers health?” I had never given this much thought until I found myself in a rather heated debate on animal rights with an individual who ended the discussion with: “but didn’t I see you posting a picture of your chicken in Nando’s yesterday?”. As embarrassed as I was, this got me thinking. We may say we love animals or that they at least have rights, but why then do we believe it acceptable to eat them? It was while I desperately tried to circumvent my classmate’s disparagement that I decided to become vegan - or at least, I tried. If I were to ever sincerely vouch for an animal’s right to life again, I knew that the biggest act of hypocrisy would be to tuck into a duck wrap ten minutes later. In ‘Ninety-Five: Meeting America’s Farmed Animals in Stories and Photographs’, it was stated that if one person were to stop eating animal produce, an average of 95 animals a year would be spared. Given that the average human will consume around 7,000 animals in their lifetime, it’s no surprise that the vegan community has exponentially grown. As part of the ‘new year, new me’ charade, I started eating vegan on the 1st of January, 2017. It dawned on me straight away that this would not only entail a

change in my diet, but also in the clothes and makeup I wear. Gone were the leather jackets and converse, as well as the harrowing departure of my beloved MAC makeup – who had recently been publicly shamed for their abhorrent animal testing. Of course, it was hard, but simultaniously, admittedly, morally rewarding. After four weeks, I began to feel incredibly drained and fatigued. My headaches were incessant, and I had nothing to show for my efforts other than an aching stomach and a lowered mental health. I researched the effects of vegan-eating on the human body. I found that 83% if vegans are B12 deficient as opposed to only 5% of omnivores,which explained my tiredness. Research shows the vegan supplement for Omega-3 – ALA – relies on zinc and iron (nutrients consisting of low quantities in vegans) to convert to DHA and be absorbed by the body. The average woman converts around 21% of ALA to only 9% of DHA. Given the incredibly stressful state of a full-time student, I figured it was not healthy for me to abstain

fromsuch vital nutrients. I returned to my class, ready to face my adversities once again. I stood in front of my classmates, and opened my speech with “something will die no matter what we eat”. Fieldmice were killed in order to grow the vegetation necessary to make the box of cereal you may well be eating as you read this. Our ecosystem naturally centers around the balance of predator and prey; as much as I object to the inhumane farming practices witnessed in countless Netflix documentaries (not for the faint-hearted), it cannot be ignored that vegan habits wreak chaos on our ecosystem in a less visible manner. This is not to say that veganism is to be considered more damaging to the animal kingdom; as we have already established, the mass spread of meat-harvesting has grown far beyond what was anticipated. I admire anyone who is able to subject themselves to a diet strictly plant-base. Lord knows I could not do it. However, what I think is important to create is the mutual respect that we must have for each other’s lifestyle choices. Rather than “meat-shaming” those who do consume meat, educate on the importance of buying from local-farmers and avoiding the corporate companies who are destroying more animals and landscapes than we have. The most sustainable way our ecosystem can survive is through balance. A world in which we can collectively regulate the use of resources and the consumption of mass produce is the ideal start to a harmonious and animal-infused future.

Photo by BigBrand | Flickr

Civil War be Remembered?

Photo by Thundersnow | Wikimedia

By Jordan Ifield Writer

eing remembered on the “right” side of history is usually a daunting idea for those in the process of making it. One’s impression on society can create an impact that will be remembered in perpetuity, with posterity inevitably becoming your judge, jury and executioner. Today, there is no better example than the ongoing debate over American Civil War statues, like that of General Robert E. Lee, the leader of the Confederate South. Supporters argue that statues such as General Lee’s in Charlottesville represent the history of their country. However, from a typically liberal perspective, it is hard to avoid the notion that it is one thing to remember history, but another to monumentalize its worst moments. Unfortunately, when constructing a statue of this sort you are doing both.

Despite what Lee is most remembered for during the Civil War: slavery and the Confederacy, he was also personally against the commemoration of the Civil War through the raising of statues. He was more concerned with allowing the wounds of an injured nation to heal, and believed that monuments would hinder that process. Thus, his statues in America and the violence they incite are a tragic irony. The rise of Trump has been cited as a giving the extreme-right a voice in such events, as he infamously refused to condemn those involved in the violence. Yet, when 8th grade children open their history textbooks in 30 years time, where will Trump, Unite the Right, and General Lee stand on those pages? One can imagine that students in Charlottesville, Virginia, may learn a different history of these events, than those in Alabama, Texas, or Arizona.

Friday 20 October 2017 InQuire

Lifestyle

How To:Vintage Kilo Fairs Halloween, Alcohol Free? By Isabelle Dray-Sharma Newspaper Lifestyle Editor

s a student, it’s almost a requirement to own at least a few vintage pieces nowadays. If you fancy embracing the fashions of the past, but don’t fancy the high price tags in specialist boutiques, head along to a kilo fair. The clothes are priced according the weight, and not their quality. Here are a few tips to help you in your fashion endeavours.

looking for It can be quite overwhelming when you are confronted with the sheer amount of clothing up for grabs. It’s important to keep a clear head and remember what you actually came to the event to find, rather than blindly diving into piles of clothes, and coming out with some stained tracksuit bottoms and a novelty Christmas jumper from 1986.

Dress sensibly and bring a small bag Get there early Especially if they Although you are held inside, may have to pay Vintage Fairs an entrance fee, it is can often be very definitely worth arrivcrowded and clausing as early in the day as trophobic, so it’s best Photo by PxHere possible. The most desirable to leave that puffer jacket items are often put out first, and at home and instead dress in they go quickly. Although you may have layers which are easy to take off. As to elbow your way through other eager there are rarely many dressing rooms bargain hunters, you will thank yourself this also makes it easy to quickly pull on when you find those hidden gems. an item to see if it fits. And a small rucksack leaves your arms free to browse the Have an idea of what you are racks and nab those bargains.

By Morgana Connor-Bennett Writer October! The month of Halloween, which also makes it the month of parties and therefore, drinking. However, if you are a person who rarely drinks, or isn’t always thrilled at the prospect of a party, Halloween can be a little less exciting. At this time of the year almost everyone wants to celebrate by going out, inevitably leading to drinking. And yet there are plenty of other ways to celebrate and enjoy holidays such as Halloween without needing to do either. A few of my personal suggestions include a horror themed night in watching your favourite scary movies, or even partaking in some Halloween themed baking. The best part? All your friends can join in without feeling any pressure. And, you can of course still enjoy a good Halloween party without drinking. Go with your friends, dress up, and dance the night away. Whether you are drinking or not this halloween, check out our top five nights out (right) to celebrate this spooktacular occasion!

Top 5...Spooky nights out Zombie Apocalypse Halloween Bar Crawl. Seven Venues, One Wristband. Monday 30th October. Tickets from £5 at www.studentrepublic.net Halloween Ball. Venue. Monday 30th October 2017, 10:00PM. Tickets from £10 at https://kentunion.co.uk/events/ White Walker Town Takeover. Thursday 26th October 2017, 7:00PM - 3:00AM. For details visit https://www.facebook.com/ events/373021159824213/ Club Chemistry Halloween. £1.50 Drinks / 4am Close. Tickets from £5 at https://www.fatsoma.com/clubchemistry/hgvet1g4/club-chemistryhalloween Haus of Horrors / Glitterbomb. Tuesday 31 October, 9:00 PM – 3:00 AM. At Steinbeck and Shaw. Entry £4 before 11pm, £6 before 12am, £8 after. For details visit https://www. glitterbombevents.co.uk/

The Joy of Diaries and Scrapbooking By Robyn Grant Writer

an invaluable insight and connection. Tracing over these words not only makes me feel like a child again, but ropbox, iCloud, OneDrive; I’m also gives me a sense of comfort that sure you’ll have all heard of them. her memories and experiences still Mysterious places which seems to hold live on lovingly contained amongst the all our private photos and memories. In pages. 2017, it’s perfectly normal to store our I often find myself on a rainy day with past in a place you can’t see or touch. a glue stick in one hand and a pen in Despite the convenience of being able the other casually decorating pages, so to access these precious memories with that one day my older self can apprejust a few taps on a screen, in my opinion ciate and look back on those cherished it doesn’t compare to an old fashioned, moments. lovingly made, scrapbook. At the age of 21 the concept of freezAs a child, flicking through my ing history and emotions either in a Grandma’s scrapbooks was scrapbook or diary still capone of my favourite past tivates my imagination. times. Not necessarily And, despite my love paying attention to for scrapbooks, it the photos, but seems to me that a What You Will Need the writing, the diary always holds Scissors or paper trimmer decoration, the more emotion in Glue stick way in which it than a scrapPaper history had book ever will. Scrapbook albums been captured Diaries are filled Sheet protectors and displayed with fear, love, Glitter pens on a page in a sadness, anger, Stickers book. every emotion a Photos I still look back person could spill Colouring pencils at these scrapbooks onto a page. It gives for the same you the opportunity reasons. I love that at to remember the points the time she was writing in time you thought you’d the dates, a name or even just forgotten. It allows memories and aimlessly scribbling on the pages; it was feelings to live on until those pages no insignificant to her but to me provides longer exist.

My most cherished diary is from when I went through a huge change in my life. Everything was exciting, and it seemed to fly past in a blur. But by keeping a diary with me, I can relive those feelings and memories as if I were carrying my life around with me. Diaries are not just useful at securing a memory in time;

they have a healing power which comes along with opening up. By pouring out your hopes, dreams, and fears, your emotions suddenly become clear to you, which in turn helps you to process them. It’s as if a weight is lifted off your shoulders. Your diary becomes your best friend…and one who will always

Photo by Pinterest

InQuire Friday 20 October 2017

Lifestyle

A Guide to Self-Care for Freshers By Hannah Browes Writer

o, you’ve just started university. You’ve moving away from home for the first time, perhaps even moving to a completely different country, and are having to readjust, make new friends, and manoeuvre your way around the expanse of Templeman library. Deadlines seem to be increasing tenfold and you’ve probably gotten lost in Rutherford or Eliot once or twice. You’ve left the comfort of all that you used to know and it feels like you have to relearn how to make sense of the

world around you. Everything just seems to be a little bit hectic. The matriculation period of university is tough, university is tough, and problems seem to arise that you never thought you’d have to deal with – just ask anyone that’s ever had a plumbing issue in their student house. The journey may be bumpy, and certainly terrifying at times, but it’s manageable. The time will soon fly by and you’ll be walking down the aisle of Canterbury Cathedral, degree in hand, and university will truly have been one of the best experiences of your life. So, it’s impor-

Photo by pixabay

tant to look after yourself along the way, and one simple but effective method of doing so is to practice the act of selfcare. The Danish have a particular art of self-care known as Hygge, and the Danes are some of the happiest people in the world! University seems like there is a perfect excuse for engaging in some acts of kindness towards oneself, something we often forget. Once you get into the habit of practicing self-care, you will be able to carry around this new-found shield; it will make pushing through the battery of assignments and mishaps a little bit easier. Looking after ourselves takes precedence, and here are some easy steps to practice self-care: 1. Take some “me time” We all know the feeling; assignments are stacking up, reading lists are never ending, your social calendar is chaotic, and there just doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day to do everything. However, taking some time out for yourself is crucial, and it’s important to factor this into your schedule. Engage in hobbies that you love, watch something funny on Netflix, or re-read one of your favourite books - do something that makes you happy. 2. Take a walk in nature Immersing yourself in the natural world is a great way to relax. It’s refreshing, peaceful, and it encourages

you to be mindful. Luckily, Canterbury has some fantastic walking paths; of particular note is the Crab and Winkle Way, a 7.5 mile walk to the quaint seaside town of Whitstable. And Blean Woods features multiple routes of varied lengths, and it’s only a short distance from campus! 3. Try to keep a routine Although you may become overwhelmed with trying to manage your time, it’s important to eat well, get good sleep, and to exercise regularly. These are all essential to maintaining your health, and failing to maintain one of them can be remarkably detrimental to your ability to cope with pressure. 4. Challenge feelings There’s no point in ignoring them. Keep a mood journal, write down days where you’ve been faced with difficulties, and start to think about how you can overcome them. Equally, record the great days as well so that you can look back over them and think about the positive experiences that surround you. Be as creative with it as you want, creative expression is a fantastic way to illustrate feelings! And lastly… 5. Forgive yourself Sometimes you will mess up, everybody does, but forgiveness is fundamental to self-care.

Top Five Halloween Costumes By Danielle Fowler Writer

yellow raincoat and go as Georgie!

Nun t’s that time of year again! October Even though ‘The Conjuring 2’ was is full of spooks, scares and most released in 2016, Valak is still capaimportantly, fancy dress. ble of giving people many Halloween costumes nightmares! Nuns are can be a difficult, time such a good Halloween consuming, expensive costume because you process, so I have can adjust your look picked out the five to be absolutely most relevant and terrifying. best Halloween costume outfit ideas for you so that you don’t have to! Pennywise the Clown A relevant, terrifying, and very popular outfit Photo by Wikimedia choice this Halloween for men and women alike. Just grab a clown outfit from eBay, a red wig, and some face paint and you are good to go! Bonus points for holding the scary red balloon around with you Fortune Teller all night, and even more points for This is the HallowPhoto by Pinterest persuading your friend to dress up in a een costume I have

decided on this year, there is something so bewitching and mysterious about their attire and can ultimately be quite creepy; crazy, unruly hair, white contact lenses, a red flowing skirt or dress, face jewels, and plenty of jewellery. You will look great!

Photo by pixabay

Negan If you are an avid TV watcher, then you should know that Negan from ‘the Walking Dead’ is the biggest TV villain right now, and he

happens to have such an iconic, simple costume too! Kit yourself out in a leather jacket, red handkerchief, black gloves, black boots and gelled up hair and you are ready! Also, don’t forget Lucille, wrap some wire around a foam bat and everyone will know who you are! Wonder Woman Stepping away from the scary outfits, Wonder Woman is a great ambassador for female empowerment, and I predict that she will be the new Harley Quinn of Halloween. With her badass outfit, you are sure to turn some heads. You know I had to throw a superhero in here somewhere!

Friday 20 October 2017 InQuire

Lifestyle

Three Ways to Make the By Georgie Hoffman Writer

f you’ve been into a supermarket recently, you’ll have noticed the arrival of glow in the dark skeletons, tubes of fake blood and other spooky paraphernalia. The most important of all of these are the pumpkins. I’m already looking up stencils and planning how to win the carving contest I’m having with my housemates. These recipe ideas make the seeds taste great and literally help you get the most

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

f you’re planning on carving pumpkins towel-lined this year, here is a great recipe that baking sheet; makes the most of the seeds left over. pat well to dry Method: 4) Pre-heat 1) Scrape the seeds out of your the oven to pumpkin using a large metal 170°C. spoon. Place the seeds in a colander and rinse well to separate INGREDIENTS: seeds from the Seeds from one pumpkin fibres. 1 tbsp olive oil/ melted butter 2) Once Salt and Pepper they’re clean, Variation 1 cook the 2tbsp maple syrup seeds in a 5) Toss ½ tsp nutmeg medium the seeds ½ tsp cinnamon saucepan in either ¼ tsp allspice of boiling olive oil ¼ salt salted or melted Variation 2 water butter. 1 tbsp olive oil/melted butter for 5-7 Line a ½ tsp smoked paprika minutes baking sheet ½ tsp garlic powder until they with grease ¼ tsp cayenne pepper begin to look proof paper. ¼ tsp ground mustard translucent. 6) Season the 3) Drain and seeds with salt and transfer onto a paper pepper and spread evenly on the baking sheet.

Creamy Pumpkin Soup I

f you’re someone who would rather eat pumpkins than decorate with them,

Roast for 10-12 minutes. 7) For a spicier variation combine smoked paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and ground mustard in a bowl. Toss the seeds in olive oil or melted butter. Stir in the spice mixture until evenly coated. Spread the seeds evenly on a lined baking sheet and roast for 10-12 minutes. 8) For a sweeter option exchange olive oil for maple syrup and toss the seeds in a mixture of nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and salt in a bowl. Roast on a lined baking sheet for 10-12 minutes. here’s a terrific recipe for pumpkin soup that will warm you up as well as get you into the Halloween spirit. Method: 1) Combine the pumpkin, onions, garlic and stock in a saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer until the pumpkin is tender. 2) Remove from heat and use a stick blender to blend until smooth. If you don’t have a stick blender, let this mixture cool slightly before putting it in a blender. 3) Season to taste, serve with crusty bread, a dollop of yoghurt or crème fraiche, and your favourite Halloween movie.

INGREDIENTS: 1 kg pumpkin (any), chopped into large chunks (remove skin and seeds) 2 medium onions, sliced 2 cloves of garlic 750ml chicken or vegetable stock 250ml milk (you can use soy milk to make this a vegan dish) Salt and pepper

InQuire Friday 20 October 2017

Lifestyle

e Most of Your Pumpkin

Pumpkin Pie

his last recipe is my favourite. 230°C. Typically pumpkin pie isn’t eaten 3) Mix together the brown sugar, sugin America until Thanksgiving in Noar, flour, salt, cinnamon, allspice ginger vember; fortunately in the UK this and pumpkin in a large is not one of our traditions. bowl, until blended. Regardless, I am taking the 4) Whisk in the opportunity this Halloweggs one at a INGREDIENTS: een to shamelessly enjoy time. 130g golden brown sugar this creamy autumnal 5) Grad100g sugar pie, and you should ually add 2 tbsp plain flour too. cream ½ tsp salt Method: and mix ½ tsp cinnamon 1) Roll out your until it’s ¼ tsp ground allspice pastry and place it in smooth. ¼ tsp ground ginger a pie dish, you can by 6) Pour One 425g can of pumpkin disposable ones from this mixture 3 large eggs if you don’t have a real into you 240 ml double cream dish. pie crust and 1 kg frozen short crust pastry/ 1 frozen pie crust 2) Place a baking sheet place it in the in the oven and preheat it to oven on the baking

sheet. 7) Bake for 10 minutes 8) Reduce the heat to 160°C and bake for 30-40 minutes (tip: cover the top of your pie with foil to stop it from burning in this step) 9) When the sides have puffed up and the centre is set, your pie is done. 10) Leave it to cool and serve it at room temperature with whipped cream

Friday 20 October 2017 InQuire

Across 1/16. American actress whose films include Twilight (2008) (7,7) 5. The capital and largest city of Bulgaria (5) 8. A circling or spiralling pattern (5) 9/14. American singer whose UK No. 1 singles include Crazy in Love (2003) (7,7) 10. An intimation, for example of warning, conveyed over a distance (6) 11. London ___, rugby union club founded in 1898 that currently play home games in Reading (5) 13. Creation that is created again or anew (6) 15. Cessation, arrest, especially of

9 4 3 1 9

2 8

4 7

growth (6) 18. An Eskimo hut; usually built of blocks (5) 20. Seventh ___, a state of extreme happiness (6) 23. A protein hormone used in the treatment of diabetes (7) 24. Port city on southern Honshu; a commercial centre of Japan (5) 25. Twelve dozen, 144 (5) 26. A young woman who enjoys activities considered to be maleoriented (7) Down 1. Colloquially, a New Zealander (4) 2. A very heavy metallic element; atomic number 77 (7) 3. A hooked claw or finger (5) 4. An immense cloud of gas and dust in interstellar space (6)

7 9 5 6

7 9

Help (with a crime)

Move

Use less

Fitting

Greek letter

3 5

Puzzles by Matthew Sapsed

Fun & games Going to all your lectures and seminars can really take its toll, so take some time to relax, but keep your brain ticking over at the same time with these quick puzzles!

Fleece, say

As well

Attic

Mutual

Ban

Wrong (law)

Drawing Jockey

Sudden rush

Hot drink

Refugee

Label Trounce

Large sea

Oven

Gentleman

Hinder Doctor's verdict? Ideal Deceit

6 1 8 5

Trap

22 23

4 3 9

17 18

5. Someone who cuts or beautifies hair (7) 6. The taxonomic kingdom including mushrooms (5) 7. A purple variety of quartz; used as a gemstone (8) 12. Practical education in any profession, art or handicraft (8) 14. See 9 Across 16. See 1 Across 17. Gabrielle “Coco” ___, 19th20th French fashion designer and businesswoman (6) 19. A long rope used to catch animals (5) 21. Girls ___, pop group created by the talent show “Popstars: The Rivals” in 2002 (5) 22. 1980 musical drama film starring Irene Cara and directed by Alan Parker (4)

Icy

12 13

3 6 4 2

8 3 7 7 8 5 2 2 8

Crossword

Down: 1 Port-au-Prince, 2 Spool, 3 Humble, 4 Rehab, 5 Ontario, 6 Fiasco, 7 Philadelphia, 13 Replica, 15 Xavier, 16 Gerbil, 18 Stoat, 20 Noise.

5 4

Sudoku Hard

Across: 1 Past, 3 Horror, 8 Rhodium, 9 Hutch, 10 Atlas, 11 Liberal, 12 Period, 14 Oxford, 17 Impasse, 19 Vinyl, 21 Chino, 22 Blemish, 23 Mantel, 24 Feta.

Arrowword

Last Issues’s Crossword Answers

Sudoku Easy

Lifestyle

Tape cylinder

Large plant

Notice

Friday 20 October 2017 InQuire

Editorial

InQuire Discusses Cutural Appropriation By Newspaper Culture Editor Molly Hope and Neswspaper Editor Jasper Gilardi

f you’re reading this then we owe you our gratitude. And feel we can speak for our fellow editors and writers when we say that we are quite proud of the work that we do, and that we are thankful when it is enjoyed by our peers. Countless hours, heated debate and careful consideration are in the pages of every edition. We argue about where to put sought-after articles, what will go on the front cover, whether to cover a particular story, and how to cover it. Heated debate amongst passionate editors is often what takes an article from average to truly great journalism. The topics that provoke the most contention in our editors’ meetings are usually those that most need to be written. By listening to each other’s opinions, we are able to see the entire potential of the article. Cultural appropriation took centre stage at this week’s editors meeting. With Halloween fast approaching, questions are sure to be raised about the offensive, intended or otherwise, nature of costume, and some thought it a prudent time to cover the issue; a sort of

‘how to be aware of how you may offend others’ piece that would fit nicely in the culture section. However, other editors objected to the idea of covering the issue as a ‘how to not step on toes’. They argued that it is not our job to tell free adults what to do or how to act, that is their own responsibility, and that the article would then belong in the opinion section as the issue of cultural appropriation is far more complex than the skin-deep layer of face paint of a costume. It became clear to all the editors that there were multiple sides to the cultural appropriation debate. We

do not object to the idea of Eminem rapping, or Yoyo Ma playing the cello. Many great masterpieces have been created when cultures mesh, and mix, and mash; it is one of the many incredible consequences of our plural

Photo by Flavorwire

society. In this context however, on our campus, at this time of year, cultural appropriation wasn’t about food, it wasn’t about music, the issue was how people ought to dress on a night riddled with insensitivity pitfalls. These are cultural questions and as journalists, is it not our job to use the platform we have to inform, educate, or even just provoke thought? Yes, perhaps our reach is not great, but our readership includes students from a variety of different cultures and backgrounds. The student body goes out in force on Halloween night, and it is conceivable that a well thought out article in the culture section could change the way some people think about their costume choices? Should the article that we ended up publishing have been placed in opinion, or in culture? Should it have been published at all? These kinds of debates occur regularly at InQuire, and we take a lot of care in deciding how to cover these contentious issues. It’s important to us to create a space in which the story is accurately portrayed, where tricky issues are not shied away from, but tackled head on.

InQuire

Friday 20 October 2017 InQuire

Kent alumnus wins Nobel Prize for Literature By Molly Hope Newspaper Culture Editor

ent alumnus, Kazuo Ishiguro, has been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature by the Swedish Academy. Ishiguro graduated from the University of Kent with a bachelor’s in English and Philosophy in 1978, before undertaking a master’s in Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia. Over the past three decades his novels such as ‘The Remains of the Day’, ‘Never Let Me Go’, and ‘An Artist of the Floating World’, have become wildly popular and earned critical acclaim. His first novel and master’s thesis ‘A Pale View of Hills’, won him the Winifred Holtby Memorial Prize, in 1982, just two years after his graduation. This became the first of a long line of awards Ishiguro has received for his work, including the highly sought-after Man Booker Prize, awarded to him in 1989 for his novel ‘The Remains of the Day’. His 2005 novel ‘Never Let Me Go’ was named Time magazine’s novel of the year, and included in its famous list of the greatest 100 English-language novels. “We couldn’t be prouder of our alumni, and we feel honoured to have Kazuo Ishiguro among them. His novels provide a compelling answer to this question: you can make us laugh, make us cry, and make us reflect deeply on the world around us, sometimes all at once. His Nobel Prize is a recognition of how valuable a thing that is to do with philosophy, and how well he has done it.” Dr. Graeme Forbes, Lecturer in Philosophy

congratualtions on his success. He is one of those rare writers whose work engages both our thoughts and emotions in a beguiling way.’ Professor Wendy Parkins, Head of the School of English

In an interview after the announcement of the Nobel Prize, Ishiguro said “It’s a magnificent honour, mainly because it means that I’m in the footsteps of the greatest authors that have lived, so that’s a terrific commendation. The world is in a very uncertain moment and I would hope all the Nobel Prizes would be a force for something positive in the world as it is at the moment. I’ll be deeply moved if I could in some way be part of some sort of climate this year in contributing to some sort of positive atmosphere at a very uncertain time. “I’ve always said throughout my career that although I’ve grown up in this country and I’m educated in this country, that a large part of my way of looking at the world, my artistic approach, is Japanese, because I was brought up by Japanese parents, speaking in Japanese” and “I have always looked at the world through my parents’ eyes.”

His works span many genres and have explored elements of science fiction, mystery, and themes of memory and loss through first-person narrative. In 2015, Ishiguro published his first novel in 10 years entitled ‘The Buried Giant’, a fantasy novel told in the third-person. It was a sharp contrast to his usual work. Tom Holland, wrote for The Guardian: “(Ishiguro) performed his most startling and audacious adaptation of genre yet”. The novel has received generally positive reviews from critics. The Nobel committee wrote that Ishiguro’s novels “uncovered the abyss beneath our illusory sense of connection with the world”, and were written with “great emotional force”. Dr. Graeme Forbes, Lecturer in Philosophy at Kent, highlighted how by studying Philosophy at the University, Ishiguro’s writing is able to provide a unique perspective: “(Ishiguro’s books) make us laugh, make us cry, and make us reflect deeply on the world around us, sometimes all at once”, much in the way philosophy does. “We are delighted to hear that former Kent student Kazuo Ishiguro has received the Nobel Prize for Literature and the University offers its warmest

InQuire Friday 20 October 2017

InQuire

InQuire reviews Kazuo Ishiguro By Rachel Marsh Writer

azuo Ishiguro’s melancholic exploration of ageing, guilt, and a struggle to function in a post-war, postimperial Japan in his 1997 novel ‘An Artist of the Floating World’ is a stunning triumph of a historical novel. The novel’s narrator, Ono, is an elderly man whose time is spent gardening and wandering around his local area of Furukawa. However, his efforts to arrange his daughter Noriko’s marriage leads to a great amount of anxiety over Ono’s potential son-in-law’s “investigations” into Ono’s past. In a nation that has rapidly changed since Ono was younger, his reputation is rapidly brought into question. His past decision to become a pro-government painter plays on Ono’s mind and creates a great complication for him as he fears the new politics of his nation will eradicate the social status he has garnered, due to his work as a painter and artist for the pre-war government. The tragedy of the novel is that, whilst Ono makes many questionable decisions (such as betraying one of his protégés to the secret police), he is ultimately an old man whose constant trips and reencounters with his past represent his inability and fear in moving forward in a rapidly changing world. By Jessica O’Connor Writer

fter 258 pages of willing something, anything, to happen, I couldn’t help but feel disenchanted that by the end of ‘The Remains of the Day’. I couldn’t

actually figure out what the plot line had been. Described my critics as a ‘subtle masterpiece’, I guess it was so subtle I must have missed it. In fact, the only thing I find it comparable to would be Downton Abbey – without the drama. Starring a butler reliving his uneventful career I found the most exciting scene in the book to have been when he accidentally suggested he might be a gentleman; could you imagine? Or maybe the real pinnacle of this endless monotony was when a diplomat from Germany commended the butler on some excellent silver polishing? In fact, it’s really not a waste of your time to have read this review as it’s far more exciting than the actual book. I hope I have saved you a precious few hours of your life and may I recommend if you are looking for a reminiscing tale of the past, you would be much better served by Mrs Dalloway. People always say end on a positive note so I’d like to say thank goodness this book wasn’t any longer. By Tomi Adegbayibi Writer ‘Never Let Me Go’ is the story of Kathy, Tommy and Ruth. On the surface the story tricks you into thinking this is

your typical love triangle in the haunting setting of Hailsham. However, Ishiguro doesn’t allow this delusion for long as the three of them are organ donors cloned for this purpose- and are almost harvested in preparation for donating. Modes of repression and self-denial are in place to help them be ‘successful’ donors in the future. Ruth has a compulsion to control what is around her and those around her (ironic), Tommy, growing up had problems with his temper and behaviour; and in this the two find apparent, yes apparent refuge in love. It has been internalised that art and love would get them deferrals which allow them more time together before they are called for numerous donations. Kathy is a carer by profession when we meet her for the first time in the book. She is often distant but she watches the decaying nature of the relationship around her and between her friends but still never lets go. After Hailsham, false impendence looms over them and they remain as aloof as when children. They continue to live superficially, waiting for their time to donate. Even though they are free to wander, as a reader you have moments of wanting to reach in and save them, even if they are laughing, learning how to drive, creating art and exploring what they know as Britain 1990s. Their lack of control and ignorance often paints them as childish and confused, sometimes even fighting between themselves. The author’s narrative genius relies on the plainness of his style. The words are easy to swallow and once digested one is still left hungry. He is intentionally clumsy and slipps between time. Underlining and underplayed suggestions often leave a sometimes-frustrating nervous tick for more information. By the end of the book you appreciate the tact of Ishiguro, despite the sometimes-confusing jumps between time and the holes in his presentation of cloning and the science behind it. This book is not in itself just about clones and donating but rather coming to terms with the oddly cyclical nature of our lives. Ishiguro uses the predictability of Kathy, Tommy and Ruth as mirrors turned in on our own lives. What keeps us going? Why are you still in the education system when you may or may not want anything from it? Why haven’t we all just stopped? Things look hopeless for Kathy at the end, but this jolts a desire to control your own life, your desires and how you chose to express them to have a more impulsive and determined life.

“I have always looked at the world through my parents’ eyes.”

Friday 20 October 2017 InQuire

Entertainment

No Fun and Games in Stephen King’s ‘Gerald’s Game’ By Annwen Adams Writer Perhaps you managed to catch the recent cinematic adaptation of the much-loved Stephen King novel ‘It’? Perhaps your hunger for horror has not been fully satisfied? With Halloween fast approaching, Mike Flanagan’s adaptation of the lesser known King novel ‘Gerald’s Game’ is the perfect nightmarish Netflix night in. Released on September 29th, the film lacks the $35 million production budget of the Pennywise revival, but far outweighs the box-office giant in production, casting, and cinematography. Written and directed by Flanagan, ‘Gerald’s Game’ has a distinct, well-developed style similar to his other films, such as his 2016 release, ‘Hush’. The game begins when Gerald Burlingame (Bruce Greenwood) takes his wife, Jessie Burlingame (Carla Gugino), to their secluded Maine summer-house for a kinky couples’

retreat. Less than twenty minutes into the film things take a dark turn when Gerald dies of a stroke leaving Jessie handcuffed to the bed. Alone and afraid, Jessie endures shock and dehydration, leading to intense hallucinations of repressed childhood sexual trauma entwined with supernatural elements,

colour schemes, and iconography with intense, dark moments of distress, resulting in an immersive sensory viewing experience. Originally published in 1992, the novel is a heart-stopping horror. Flanagan described the novel as ‘unfilmable’ in its authentic state, and adapted the plot in order to translate the psychological surrealism of King’s original work. King did, however, maintain casting and script approval for ‘Gerald’s Game’, which he Photo by the New York Times said followed “the course and grisly, animalistic, dog-eat-dog of the book[s] pretty closely” and survival tactics. Flanagan manages to highly commended Carla Gugino’s contrast soothing Wes Anderson-esque performance. From a voyeuristic

Political Evening Shows: Comedy or News Reporting? By Chris Atkinson Writer

he world of late-night television is often very formulaic: host does monologue looking back at the events of the day, host introduces and chats to celebrities, host thanks audience, everyone goes home. Whether it’s the ‘Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ or Conan hosted by, well, you know who, the late-night genre often plays within a very specific wheelhouse. That is, with the exception of two shows that go beyond pleasantries by satirizing news and commenting on political events. The shows in question? None other than ‘The Daily Show’, currently hosted by Trevor Noah, and ‘Last Week Tonight with John Oliver’. The controversial content the shows address has spurred debate as to the responsibilities they bear. The question is: are they purely comedic, or should they hold the same credibility as news reporting programs? The host of ‘Last Week Tonight’, John Oliver, already has a clear-cut view on his duty. When his show was called investigative reporting, Oliver plainly said, “it’s not journalism, it’s comedy. It’s comedy first, and it’s comedy second”. Even former host of ‘The Daily Show’, Jon Stewart, who is considered by many as founder of the political-comedy genre, pointed out that since the show is played on Comedy Central, it should not be counted as

journalism. And yet, there is no denying the influence that the hosts have as a result of their shows. ‘The Daily Show’ won two Peabody awards for its coverage of the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections. Furthermore, after the death of Walter Cronkite in 2009, Stewart was voted the most trusted newsman in America in an online poll. Stewart would go on to mock the decision, saying “it was an online poll, and I was the ‘none of the above option’”. Whether the comment was prompted by humility, or a shrewd critique on the lack of credibility of American journalism, Stewart’s humour connected with his viewers in a way that adds value to his opinions. Oliver is well known for the in-depth examinations of political topics on ‘Last Week Tonight’. One of the segments on Donald Trump went viral, gaining 19 million views on YouTube in eight days and spawning the hashtag “#MakeDonaldDrumpfAgain”. In a similar vein, Stewart was known for bringing political problems into the public eye. He shed light on some of

standpoint, the film felt incredibly authentic, with King’s language and style translating superbly through the alterations into a clear vision of female perseverance. ‘Gerald’s Game’ is dedicated to six influential women in King’s life, and is undeniably feminist in tone. Both the text and cinematic production highlight many serious, and relevant, issues such as domestic abuse, violence against women, rape, and misogyny. The film is teaming with immensely graphic special effects, and shocking visuals. ‘Gerald’s Game’ not only offers an exploration of the psychological processes that trigger fear, but our ability to endure hardship, and our unshakeable will to live. Do not watch it alone, and prepare for a scare! With the recent release of ‘It’, ‘Gerald’s Game’, and the upcoming Netflix exclusive of ‘1922’ on October 20th, as far as horror is concerned, there is only one true King.

Underrated songs We asked you for your favourite under-rated songs, and here is a selection of your suggestions. Tweet us @inquirelive with others! - “Klanga” (2015) by Gostan [Dance/ Electronic] - “So Fresh, So Clean” (2000) by OutKast [Hip-hop/Rap] - “Underdog” (2017) by Banks [Alternative/Indie] - “In Cold Blood” (2017) by alt-J [Alternative/indie]

Photo by YouTube

the health issues faced by 9/11 first responders. Some may simply watch ‘the Daily Show’ to chuckle at the various ways Trevor Noah can find to diss Trump’s hair, while others click on a ‘Last Weak Tonight’ video in the hopes of learning something about food waste through the entertaining manner in which Oliver delivers the information. Jon Stewart, as part of his long-standing feud with FOX News, created multiple 6-second long Vines listing the news agency’s lack of facts and outright untruths. The mastery of the genre is that it contains the perfect blend of serious facts and silly satire to invite audiences to form their own opinions on current events and compel further discussion on important topics that otherwise may remain unaddressed.

- “Lovin’ You Baby” (2011) by Charles Bradley [R&B/Soul] - “White Noise” (2017) by Coasts [Electro/Indie-rock ] - “Tidal Wave” (2017) by Portugal. The Man [Alternative/Indie] - “I Fall Apart” (2016) by Post Malone [Hip-Hop/Rap] - “Vodoo in My Blood” (2016) by Massive Attack [Dance/Electronic] - “Hello My Old Heart” (2011) by The Old Hellos [Acoustic/Folk] - “Thieves” (2015) by The Beach [Folk/Pop] - “Do You Feel It?” (2014) by Chaos Chaos [Pop]

InQuire Friday 20 October 2017

Entertainment

Get Spooked for Halloween with These Timeless Horror Films By Jackson Marsh Writer

ith Halloween fast approaching, we’ve gathered our experts and collated an indispensable list of Scary movies to cover any possible situation. Whatever you need we’ve got a horror for you. Evil Dead 2 Loud, slapstick, gore are three words to sum up ‘The Evil Dead 2’. Sam Raimi’s story of basement demons, and dismembered hands, is perfect for a post party movie. The woozy escalation of violence thrown at you with breakneck speed and excessive campiness will ensure a great time. The Thing (1982, John Carpenter) ‘The Thing’s’ undeniably fantastic

practical effects will linger in the memory of viewers, beginning with the repulsive sequence involving a very unhappy dog. However the effects are certainly not the film’s only virtue. ‘The Thing’ also manages to wrangle a claustrophobic whodunnit, Kurt Russell action flick, and monster movie into a skin-crawling, film. What more could you want? It Follows For those who wants chills rather than thrills this Halloween, give ‘It Follows’ a watch. It’s the story of a young woman who is relentlessly pursued by ‘It’, a sexually transmitted monster. This creepy film belies its tiny indie budget with slow camera movements, and some fantastic cinematography. It will leave you checking your back for weeks. Slither ‘Slither’ tells the story of a small town

invaded by alien parasites. It’s a bloody, sticky, repulsive mess of a horror film, and boy is it fun! A perfect party movie, ‘Slither’ keeps stepping up the horror and body count when you think it can’t possibly go on. Matched with a streak of dark humour, and a commitment to revelling its genre conventions, you’ll either love it, or you’ll hate it. Martyrs This is not a fun film. This is important to stress now, in case anyone ruins the next two hours, and probably the next year, of your life by not respecting the depths that it reaches. ‘Martyrs’ is about a girl’s journey to understand the horrific torture she endured as a child, not just violent for violence’s sake. The combination of sight, tone, and story work together to create a deeply troubling experience. Completely original, Martyrs is for true horror acolytes only.

Poltergeist A proper 80’s haunted house ghost story, ‘Poltergeist’ is a perfect balance of everything. It tells the story of an estate agent and his family as their new house becomes the target of a demon from hell. Scary, funny, creepy, gross, and even touching when it needs to be. I can’t think of another horror film as tonally spot-on as this one. Young Frankenstein For those of us out there who dread Halloween and can’t handle the scares, this is the Halloween movie for you. Starring Gene Wilder, the descendent of the original Dr. Frankenstein, who attempts to complete his work. You can laugh instead of cry at Mel Brook’s loving lampoon of old horror films. While Young Frankenstein hasn’t aged perfectly, but the tone of simple silliness is timeless, and a stellar performance from the late Gene Wilder holds everything together.

Jennifer Lawrence Shocks the World in ‘Mother!’ By Giulia Del-Buono Writer

ike a hot summer sun that comes scorching through your window and hits you in the eyes, ‘Mother!’ is not an easy film to watch. When I came out of the movie theatre, my first thought was: “People are either going to love it or hate it!”. It is aimed at upsetting people but also aimed at making them think. The drastic dichotomy of the movie is created by the violent, and sometimes gory depiction of the human condition, along with the prospect of a fulfilled life living and breathing inside people. It is difficult to review this movie without spoiling the plot, because it is a continuum of events all aimed at the final apocalypse; and it is not an exaggeration to use the word ‘apocalypse’. The film explores the relationship a young devoted wife (played by Jennifer Lawrence) and her poet husband (played by Javier Bardem), who live in tranquility in the middle of nowhere. The plot in brief; one night, out of the blue, a man (played by Ed Harris) comes knocking on their door asking for a room to stay, thinking that the place is a bed and breakfast. The next day,

Michelle Pfeiffer arrives, playing Ed Harris’s unapologetic wife. Although not formally invited, the guests make themselves at home, and Lawrence’s character reluctantly tries to remain poised. For whatever reason, Bardem’s character allows the intruders to do

whatever they please, and from then on the story falls into a downward spiral testing the couple’s once stable relationship. This surreal escalation of events is a real point of strength of the film,

it suggests that men and women are following a path of redemption from guilt. The choice not to name any of the characters enables them to represent specific types of human sins waltzing around the house to test the dynamics of perfection. Sinks that break, walls

throughout the whole movie. Lawrence’s performance was a surprising revelation, and by far the best she’s put on. By communicating through intense close-ups of her face with little to no speech, she manages to convince us of her character’s undying love for her husband despite the unbearable situations he puts her through. Bardem plays with strength and vigor, portraying a man who is well aware of his power over his wife, willing to protect her but also push the limits of her loyalty. Darren Aronofsky’s style of directing is intelligently aimed at making the audience part of the story by underlining the metaphorical themes they can notice in their own lives. The final scenes are a brilliant, giving the powerful essence of a controlled confusion akin to a contemporary dance choreography. ‘Mother!’ needs to be watched differently from other films. Don’t expect it to treat you with a pleasant, relaxing night at the Photo by Indiewire cinema. Everything about it, even the exclamation point in the title, that fall, people screaming and aims to shake viewers to the core. It is dancing around a table, a ceremony as happy to be hated vehemently as it of praise, words, prayers, light, and is to be loved unconditionally; as long complete darkness, these elements as it spurs conversation, and challenges make ‘Mother!’ a universal tragedy, the perspectives of the contemporary provide the soundtrack that is missing audience.

Friday 20 October 2017InQuire

Entertainment

Celebrating Greatness: Top 10 Songs by Black Artists By Kat Holmes Writer

Tyler the Creator – ‘Boredom’, from ‘Flower Boy’ Despite rumours of Tyler being about to cut and run from the music industry, the class clown of rap began a bee-themed countdown on his Instagram this summer before his fourth album, ‘Flower Boy’, was leaked. The street fashion mogul’s newest music is ferociously upbeat with complex and dreamy interludes, unexpected collaborations, samples, and even managed to spark up the ageold speculation that Tyler is gay. Tyler himself has said that he’s looking for a 2000’s Leo DiCaprio. Who isn’t?

Kanye West – ‘Blood on the Leaves’ from YEEZUS. Kanye is the standard by which greatness is judged, and each day we should all ask ourselves how to be a little bit more like the untouchable Mr West and proceed accordingly. That being said, if you’re not ready to commit to that kind of lifestyle change you can always start by listening to some of his mighty and impressive discography. His sixth album YEEZUS is full of modern protest songs addressing social issues such as the treatment of black Americans, race relations and police brutality. “Blood on the Leaves” even samples and takes its name from Strange Fruit – a folk song about lynching. Not afraid to upset the privileged and rile up the abused, Kanye exemplifies his versatility by mixing soundscapes, rap, vocals, contrasting interludes, distortion, breaks, features and frankly, some HARD bars.

If there’s one cultural event of the year that calls for some tunes, its BHM. In the interest of showcasing some of what the world wide black community has to offer Here is he music scene, I’ve put together a short playlist of what I think black excellence sounds like. is InQuire’s Black History Playlist 2017!

Childish Gambino – ‘California’ from ‘Awaken, My Love’ I have a confession… I missed this song completely, and idn’t hear it until September (despite Childish Gambino being a drunk favourite of myself and a first-year housemate). Building from the barebones of a reggae song to a sort of cracked-out calypso, ‘California’ has a chill, beachy mass-appeal. In all honesty though, everything Gambino touches turns gold, think Community, Atlanta, and his last 4 albums.

Whitney Houston: ‘How Will I Know’ Probably the most guaranteed floor filler on this list, Whitney Houston is not only your mum/auntie’s favourite but an undeniable queen. Not just a black icon but also a queer icon, Whitney’s reach knows no bounds. “How Will I Know” manages to stay timeless, played as is or remixed all over the world every weekend, every pride parade, every karaoke night in Ibiza.

Death Grips – ‘I’ve Seen Footage’ This collective is famous for creating an industrial glitchy sound, which is tentatively labelled on Spotify as “alternative rap”. Fronted by black artist MC Ride, the Death Grips’ sound demonstrates that even within such an established genre as rap there’s still mass variation, distinct styles and brilliant experimentation.

Chance the Rapper: ‘Favourite Song’ from ‘Acid Rap’ From his second mixtape Acid Rap, “Favourite Song” is a taste of Chance’s now well-established brand, featuring another heavy-weight Gambino. Bouncy and feel-good, it sounds even better when you remember that Chance doesn’t believe in charging for his music, making his money from touring and merch and all that other good stuff.

Azealia Banks – “The Big Big Beat” from ‘Slay Z’ Despite an often controversial social media presence, Banks does manage to have some positive influence on the music industry. She takes pride in who she is, and what she does. Many of her lyrics celebrate being a dark skinned female, seizing control of her own sexuality, disrupting the pre-existing expectations of women in the rap game, and she’s more than willing to go toeto-toe if anyone has a problem.

Khalid – ‘Young, Dumb and Broke’, from ‘American Teen’ Khalid’s voice is like a buttery angel from heaven. His first, self-produced, platinum album ‘American Teen’ is either all too relatable, or bittersweet and nostalgic, depending on whether you’re over the age of 18. Khalid slips between songs seamlessly, always mellow with a modern R&B style.

Frank Ocean – ‘Self Control’ from ‘Blond’ Taken from his long-awaited album/ zine/double album/global multimedia enterprise, “Self Control” is weird and beautiful. Ocean layers and distorts his vocals to take the song from pretty, to “wait, what?” and back to pretty over a synthy-guitar track. Perfect for reflective autumn bus journeys.w

Gladys Knight and The Pips – ‘I’ve Got to Use My Imagination’ from ‘Imagination’ It’s a classic Motown story of love gone wrong, complete with bigband sound, funk elements and raw, powerful vocals. Knight embodies the divas of old and shows y’all how it’s done. Swinging, soulful and reminiscent of a bygone golden age, it is too groovy not to bop to.

InQuire Friday 20 October 2017

Entertainment

How to Be a Student Gamer Without Failing Uni By Ben Robson Writer Sure, uni is a time for studying, bettering yourself, and reaching those lofty ambitions you so confidently set. It’s also about rediscovering yourself, having fun with a myriad of fascinating individuals, and devoting time towards the hobbies that are close to your heart - so either you’re lost soul, or those hobbies happen to include videogames. Contrary to popular belief, videogames are not a horrific waste of time, nor are they the enticing temptress who only seeks to devour your life. Now more than ever, the medium is accepted as an art form, and sometimes even a sport (I won’t tell them the truth if you don’t). So as long as you can keep your finger twitching habits under control, you can reason that three hours playing ‘Cuphead’ are for a good cause. The key word, is “control”; much like smoking, drinking, and exercise; booting up your PlayStation is a habit, and it could set

you up for a colossal failure come the revision period. It really does come down to who you are, and knowing your limits. An intense six hour session definitely isn’t wise, but if you’re the kind of person that is still able to keep up with your studies, and revise like a dog, there is no harm in it. Learning to balance your work and play will not only benefit your grades, but your mental well being - you have time to relax, unwind and stay involved in the things that keep you being you. Maybe go outside once in a while - Vitamin D is important. So we come to the second hurdle; gaming got bloody expensive and, no offense, you’re probably a student living on pasta and overdrafts. Finding equipment to satisfy the hardcore gamer within is going to cost at least a kidney. Rather than going all in for that twenty kilo desktop that looks like a spaceship, and sounds like an aircraft; look into laptops that have adequate specs, and can reasonably run your guilty pleasures

alongside SPSSs and Powerpoint. If you’re slumming it with your accommodation, I’m sure you can settle for thirty frames and trashy textures; having a machine to act as your all-inone takes up less desk space. If that still doesn’t satisfy, swallow your pride and purchase a console, new or old. Unlike a PC, a console is designed specifically to run the game you shove in it – you don’t need to download unofficial patches or spend an hour browsing forums to find out why “graphics driver was not detected process terminated”. You got your timetable, you got your hardware, but holy sh*t they’re charging upwards of fifty quid for a copy of ‘FIFA’. I’d be the last person to advocate you splashing on that regardless, but there are so many more affordable games out there for you to enjoy either with friends or as a solo experience without the insulting price tag. The indie crowd in particular is full of great

ideas, and down to earth solutions to the AAA developer’s convoluted and occasionally mediocre content. They also tend to come with cheerfully low hardware requirements, and playtimes that can range from an afternoon to every spare moment you have. Steam and GOG are your go-to platforms for variety and value for money. If you’re looking for suggestions, ‘Darkest Dungeon’, ‘Undertale’ and ‘OneShot’ are all great standalone titles that can provoke deep emotions and last you at least twenty hours each. Not to leave anyone out, I’ll let you in on a little secret, console gamers: buy hard copies from retailers like Amazon instead of getting digital downloads it will end up being a lot cheaper in most cases. Be controlled, be smart; dedicating yourself to studying shouldn’t mean abandoning the things that you care about, but it shouldn’t be taken lightly either.

Video Game Review: ‘Paragon’ By Ben Robson Writer

started playing ‘League of Legends’ just under a year ago more as a joke than anything else. MOBA is, as we all know, a dirty word, and playing with other people is a hassle at the best of times. I was more surprised when ‘Skyrim’ started taking the back seat for this crude looking, beautiful genre. ‘Paragon’ is ‘League’, but I didn’t actually know that when I booted it up on my PlayStation. I saw a dark eyed femme fatale and the words ‘play for free’ and I thought ‘why the hell not?’ Going into this, ‘Paragon’ is still in beta;the game could go through many changes by the time it’s released. Mechanically it’s a gem, with phenomenal visuals to boot. Every character I’ve played so far has had

some pretty flashy abilities that feel good to use, and the characters look damn good using them. The Countess and The Revenant both drew my eyes, as they appear wrong in this sci-fi universe while slotting into the roster seamlessly. The environments are detailed, exciting to explore, and no less that I would expect from a company like Epic Games. The characters manage to pop out against the backdrop in a way that just feels so right. Maybe it’s just me that still gets excited about the use of physics on clothes and hair, but in Paragon I still get that twitch in my heart when I see my coat flap open dynamically as I run. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable experience, and exactly what I would expect if League was developed by a company with a bigger budget. ‘Paragon’ neglects sound as being

relevant to player experience. The music feels powerful and exciting, which is exactly what you would want from this calibre of game, this does not follow through into matches though/ I think I might have heard one or two notes, but aside from that all you get is silence. There is the argument that in such a competitive genre, sound effects and the information that they can convey is far more important to players, but it also means the game feels lifeless. This applies to the characters as well. In ‘League of Legends’ the characters feel vibrant, unique and alive, in no small part to the lore and character relations that Riot has built up. But it’s also because of characters quotes and dialogue. Aside from bright colours, and pretty physics effects, characters in Paragon struggle to stand out as being

Photo by Gameplay Machine

unique personalities. It’s a real shame as there are some great characters. Serath in particular has this expressionless way about her that could definitely be mitigated by a small injection of personality. The game is also does a poor job at explaining rules to new players, only giving a brief tutorial covering basic gameplay mechanics. MOBAs are renowned for the toxicity of their player base, so if being called ‘noob’ or ‘feeder’ isn’t something you can be bothered to deal with, I’d definitely give this one a miss. During my fifth match, I got confused about where my character had to go, and no one had any intention of helping me. Every time I died, one player in particular would ping me a “Good Job!”, and tell me to enjoy my inevitable ban. As difficult as it might be in an ever-changing landscape of character balancing and gameplay metas, many new players would appreciate a more in-depth walkthrough of what will be expected of them by more veteran players. I would recommend giving ‘Paragon’ a go. It manages to give players that MOBA experience in a format closer to that of, say, ‘Call of Duty’ or ‘Skyrim’, with a variety in character capabilities that don’t constrain the game to either of those genres. With a little bit of audio design, and a tighter focus on making the game more accessible to new players, this one could really turn out to be a masterpiece.

Friday 20 October 2017 InQuire

Culture

The Gulbenkian Cinema Listings VICTORIA AND ABDUL (PG) Fri 20th - Thurs 26th Oct 2017 BORG VS. MCENROE Fri 20th Oct - Tues 24th Oct 2017 UNA (15) Sun 22nd Oct 2017 ROH: ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND Mon 23rd - Sun 29th Oct 2017 KINGSMAN THE GOLDEN CIRCLE (18) Fri 27th Oct Thurs 2nd Nov 2017 HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS (PG) Sat 28th Oct 2017 DRIVE-IN MOVIE: PSYCHO (15) Sat 28th Oct 2017 DAPHNE Sun 29th Oct 2017 IT (15) Tues 31st Oct 2017 ON BODY AND SOUL (15) Wed 1st Nov 2017 UNREST (12A) Thurs 2nd Nov 2017 GOODBYE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN (PG) Fri 3rd - Mon 6th Nov 2017 BLADE RUNNER 2049 (15) Fri 3rd - Thurs 9th Nov 2017 THE PARTY (15) Fri 10th - Mon 13th Nov 2017

Prices Full - £8.50 GulbCard Member - £6.50 Senior - £7.50 Registered Disabled - £7.50 Student - £5.30 Student GulbCard Member - £4.30 Unemployed - £7.50

Culture Editor

By Molly Hope Newspaper

vant Garde Dance Company brought Fagin’s Twist to the Gulbenkian this week, the untold story of a notorious and complex villain. It imagines Fagin’s youth, driven by greed and ambition in the face of overwhelming poverty. The streets are a place of little comfort and fairy-tale endings are hard to find in this poignant coming-ofage tale. Tony Adigun, the creative force behind the show has transformed this beloved classic into an Avant Garde production that flips your expectations of five familiar characters, with their unmatched contemporary hip hop style. Adigun, founder of the Avant Garde Dance Company, as well as Director and Head Choreographer of the show, had originally intended to retell the

‘Fagin’s Twist’ original story of Oliver Twist but after finding that it wasn’t challenging him creatively and finding it difficult to relate to the story. The character of Fagin struck Adigun as far more relatable and felt that perhaps he had been misunderstood in the original

For more information on how you can get tickets for one of their shows please visit the Avant Garde Dance website http://www.avantgardedance.com/ works/fagins-twist/

Photo by the Gulbenkian

story and so he was inspired to do an adaption of the classic. It was important to Adigun to be respectful with these beloved characters and make sure that they were clearly recognisable to the audience. He wanted the incorporation of dance to stay true and respectful to the original narrative and so tried to find movements that echoed but did

Drive-in movie: ‘Psycho’

overthrow the narrative. Adigun says that the response to Fagin’s Twist has been ‘amazing’, with audience members calling the show ‘west-end worthy’ and the production being selected to go to the British Councils Edinburgh Showcase. This innovative blend of hip-hop and contemporary challenged the audience and left everyone feeling satisfied and in awe of the breath-taking performers in this juggernaut of a production.

he first two entries in Brandon soldier, Shallan, the idealistic scholar, Sanderson’s Stormlight Archivebook and Dalinar, the battle-worn general. series are huge beasts, each one sitting They are all involved in a conflict that at over a thousand pages. However, continues to escalate until the fate of the within those many pages, Sanderson world is in their hands. Admittedly, the creates a masterpiece of fantasy fiction; series did not grab my attention right a tale told in a world with endless away. While I was enjoying reading the amounts of creative first half of ideas from the first book, The point of view Way of Kings, of multiple I sometimes interesting found myself characters wishing that the who undergo slow burn of a fascinating arcs plot would pick of change and up speed and growth. The novels that Sanderson Photo by the Gulbenkian tell the tale of a would stop Photo by the Gulbenkian war between two drowning armies in an area me under of broken rocks known as The Shattered seemingly thousands of names, Plains, with certain soldiers using locations, religions, ecologies and powerful armour called Shardplate. histories. However, I soon found myself While that may sound simplistic, the addicted to it and I finished the novel stories are dense and feature captivating within a few days. I then immediately characters such as Kaladin, the fallen ordered the next book, Words of

Flicks ‘n’ Chill With the support of Film Hub South East and BFI Film Audience Network and curated by Gulbenkian Uncovered, a group of students who aim to programme artistic events that will cater to students, Flicks ‘n’ Chill is creating an event film culture that is currently absent from Kent student life. Interested in making more of these events a reality? Come along to Gulbenkian Uncovered meetings every Tuesday, 6pm-7pm at the Gulbenkian. Inspired by brands such as Secret Cinema, they aim to bring elements of every film they screen to life, providing an interactive and unique cinematic experience. Radiance, and finished that in a week. Words of Radiance was even better than its predecessor, offering a gripping multi-layered plot, exciting action sequences and wonderful characters right from the first chapter and up to the last page. If you’re a fan of fantasy novels or epics this is a series you should definitely check out. Oathbringer, the third Stormlight Archive book, is due to be released on 16thNovemeber 2017. Psycho will be showing on Saturday 28th October at 7.30pm. For more information and tickets please visit www.thegulbenkian.co.uk or call 01227 769075.

InQuire Friday 20 October 2017

Culture

Poetry Events in Canterbury By Tyne Richardson Writer

re you a literary lover? Does poetry get your pulse racing? Then look no further as I have rounded up the best of what’s on offer in our city; whether you’re a fan of hard-hitting spoken word, or dynamic performance art; Canterbury has it all!

Writers Bloc’ at The Monument Pub Take a trip to The Monument where the

vibes are laidback and loose to enjoy an evening of poetry from a variety of local poets and acoustic musicians. Head down early to grab yourself a seat and a cocktail which are available 2 for £10! Next Event: Thursday 2nd November, 7.30pm, Free Entry. Creative Writing Reading Series This weekly event sees different leading authors and academics reading their work. Cosy armchairs and free wine provided! Running every Tuesday at 6pm in Keynes Senior Common Room, suggested donation of £2 or whatever you can afford. ‘Janet Montefiore’ at Waterstones Canterbury The Emeritus professor of the UKC English Department reads from her new autobiographical poetry collection Shaping Spirits. Thursday 19th October, 6.30pm, £3 Entry. ‘Experimental Words: Rhyme,

Rhythm and Reason’ as part of The Canterbury Festival A sensory marvel not to be missed, Kent’s leading scientists are uniquely paired alongside its finest spoken word artists to challenge how these two seemingly different disciplines can work together. Wednesday 1st November, 8pm, Canterbury Cathedral Lodge, tickets available online at £11.25.

Mary’s Studio Hall Theatre, tickets available online at £16.25.

‘Soul Food and Street Sonnets’ at The Cricketers Pub This Kent touring poetry event finds its feet in Canterbury to offer any up-andcoming poets, rappers and spoken word artists alike a chance to sharpen their skills and share their craft. Thursday 19th October, 7.30pm, Free Entry. ‘A Meeting of Minds’ as part of The Canterbury Festival Actor Martin Wimbush performs his one-man play based on the writings of two of our greatest poets: Philip Larkin and John Betjeman. Sunday 29th October, 7.30pm, St

‘The Slam and the Café’ at Eleto Chocolate Café This popular poetry slam competition sees up to ten performers compete for the title of ‘Slam Champion’ with this month’s theme being Morality/ Mortality. Next Event: Tuesday 7th November, 8pm, tickets available online at £5.

The Paper Stage Series If you are a fan of Early Modern drama then take a step back in time and join this informal and often humorous campus based reading series. Refreshments provided! Running every Monday at 6pm in Darwin Lecture Theatre 3, Free Entry.

Have you been to any interesting events recently? Write for us!

Friday 20 October 2017 InQuire

Culture

Mr King is Not All Black History: Akala’s Lecture By Tomi Adegbayibi Writer

he evening began with a spoken word performance combined with singing by Esere Ibeke and Kwame Osei Owusu (President of the AfroCaribbean Society at Medway) followed by a performance by Cariss Addyx, who sang the gospel song ‘You Made a Way’ by Travis Greene. The atmosphere was charged with curiosity and excitement as Jacob Bondzie, former ACS president, introduced the speaker Mr Kinglsee James Daley, also known as ‘Akala’. Mr Daley was humbled by the applause as he stepped up to talk and immediately won the crowd over with his relaxed and welcoming demeanour. Akala presented his talk on black history in Britain in the form of an interactive lecture that was full of information, and which often elicited laughter from the engaged crowd. He immediately made sure to point out that there was no particular time period where the whole world was racist, and that perfection has not yet been obtained; but that doctrines, and ideologies, are ever-changing, and still evolving. With Akala’s guidance, the auditorium embarked on a journey through black history that predated slavery and the European encounter.

Akala reiterates the danger and 5,500 miles. This is not to point out that importance of narratives and how they every black person living was a king or play a role in what we take as fact or queen of an empire, but to throw away myth. How many times have we heard the concept that black history or black the joke about sending someone to people become only relevant at the Timbuktu? It was widely insinuated point of slavery. that Timbuktu was a lawless, unruly The talk drew on the history of black place. Yet, Akala points out that people in Britain from 16th century Timbuktu was in fact a city in Mali until present day; John Blanke, a that had, at one time, supported and musician in the Tudor court; Lucy educated around 25,000 students. The Morgan, a black women Shakespeare Mali empire itself saw what is argued wrote about in sonnet 127; Ignatius to be the richest king to ever Sancho, the first black live, King Musa, amassing an man to vote; Olaudah equivalent of what is today Equiano, a novelist $400 billion during his who fought for the reign 1312-1337. Facts abolition; and like these highlighted William Cuffay, a intelligence, mixed-race Kent social order, and born political independence of leader in people thought to the 18th be the opposite. century. He gives more The list was examples of places long, and the such as the Congo, point was for us which, in 1669, had to “not simplify paved streets and history to make terraced houses much like ourselves feel better we know today. Similarly, about progression”. Photo by University of Kent Benin’s great wall which In a time buzzing stretched 10,000 miles with culture we must compared to the Great Wall of China remember to appreciate the efforts that which today measures only around were made to bring about culture in

the first place. Take Ross Henderson a Trinidadian (1924-2015) as an example; he was responsible for what we now know as Notting Hill Carnival, which hosts over 2 million people every year. In today’s world, it is essential that we tackle some of the prejudices we have all internalised. You might be surprised to know that, as Akala pointed out, in India one of the most listened to genres of music is heavy metal; that the life expectancy in east Glasgow is 53; that not all black homes absent of a father figure are destined to fail; that not all Asians are destined for the highest marks in class. The point here is that we need to learn not to look at ethnic or racial groups as undifferentiated masses. As Akala drew to a close, he made it clear that black history month is not there to downplay the genuinely brilliant innovations of Europe but is about “reclaiming a space where black history is normative, and takes its place without reduction amongst all forms of history in the world… The progression of black history month has been significant since I was young, but what we can do is to not focus only on slavery and Martin Luther King. We love Mr King, but let us look at the entire history of a people. History does not have one dimension.”

Cultural Appropriation in Halloween Costumes By Molly Hope Newspaper Culture Editor and Austeja Starr Writer

ou can be whomever you want for a day, but with what ramifications? Every Halloween, I come across the issue of cultural appropriation on many forms of social media. Many campaigns have been established to try to bring awareness to the issue. For exaxple, in 2013 American students strated the ‘We’re a culture, not a costume’ poster campaign’. Cultural appropriation is a term you may have heard a great deal, particularly around this time of year, or

“We’re a culture, not a costume!” maybe you’ve never heard it before in your life. Susan Scafidi, a law professor at Fordham University in America, defines cultural appropriation as ‘taking intellectual property, traditional knowledge, cultural expressions, or artefacts from someone else’s culture without permission.’ This can include the ‘unauthorized use of another

culture’s dance, dress, music, language, folklore, cuisine, traditional medicine, religious symbols, etc.’ The University of East Anglia decided

Photo by Pinterest

to ban sombreros after they were branded ‘racist’ whilst being handed out at Fresher’s Fair by a Mexican restaurant. The University proceeded to take the sombreros off students and later justified their actions by claiming it was in breach of their advertising policy which forbids handing out material including ‘discriminatory or stereotypical imagery’. However, by

dictating who can and can’t wear a not their own. For example, Katy Perry costume based on which culture they was criticised for wearing a ‘geisha’ belong to, leads many to believe that costume during a performance in 2013. this is where the true racism lies. Consequently, costumes such as these One example that stuck out to me are popularised and at Halloween was that of Native Americans. A people are drawn to costumes they may common fancy dress costume but one have seen their favourite celeb in. surrounded in debate. After watching a Some people have pointed out that YouTube video called ‘6 Misconceptions those not a part of a given culture about Native Americans’ I was engaging with it can be deemed a fascinated to good thing in breaking learn that the down cultural barriers. headdresses that However, critics of Native Americans cultural appropriation wear are symbols insist that they are of great respect opposed not to cultural amongst their engagement, but to tribe. Each feather racism. They want to in the headdress protect marginalized must be earned cultures and ensure that through selfless such cultures speak for acts of honour themselves, not simply and labour. By Photo by Flavorwire be seen through the purchasing a eyes of more privileged headdress to groups. wear as a costume it can be viewed as Whether or not you agree with cultural disrespectful as you have not earned it. appropriation, it is important to be Furthermore, the music industry is aware of it, especially as Halloween always subject to much debate as artists night draws closer and you begin choose to wear a variety of outfits/ browsing for that perfect costume. costumes that depict cultures that are

InQuire Friday 20 October 2017

Don’t Be The Odd One Out: a Lesson in Blending in Abroad By Beth Richards Brand Ambassador for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

oing on holiday used to fill me with excitement. I couldn’t wait for the adventure and the chance to strut around in my summer wardrobe. However, after being a victim of crime on the Paris metro, I realised that staying safe on holiday is just as important as having the time of your life. In 2015, my mum and I went to Paris. We went for the ultimate tourist holiday, but the trip turned sour when we got mugged on the Paris metro. It was our last day in Paris. Our suitcases were packed and we headed for Gare du Nord, the busiest railway station in Europe. No reason to worry because we regularly take the tube in London, right?

Nope. Let’s do it Dora the Explorer’s way. These were the three clues marking us as easy targets: •We had huge suitcases – we probably looked like walking cash machines. •We were speaking English, so they knew we were tourists. •My mum’s handbag was slightly open. As the train pulled into the station, a smiling man stood between us and the doors and started chatting. No red flags yet. Whilst we were distracted, another man barged into my Mum, throwing her off balance. She let go of her handbag to hold onto a bar – only for a second, but that was all he needed. He reached into her bag and took her purse. No one noticed – not even my mum. We managed to get off just as the doors slammed shut behind us. It was a traumatic experience – we were taken advantage of when we were

supposed to be having fun. However, it taught me invaluable lessons: •If you have suitcases, take a licensed taxi. They’re expensive, but safe. •Ensure your belongings are secure. Zip up your bag, and have it facing your body. •Try to blend in; don’t make it obvious that you’re a tourist. •Divide your cash between you so if something happens you’re never out of pocket. •Know the right numbers to call. Know the British embassy’s details and emergency number for the country you’re in (which you can find at https:// www.gov.uk/world/embassies). When we go abroad it can be easy to forget we stand out from the people around us. It is incredibly important to stay aware of your surroundings to prevent your dream holiday becoming the holiday from hell. For more information on what to do if you’re a victim of a crime abroad, check https://www.gov.uk/victim-crimeabroad.

Black Women in Literature By Isabelle Spurway Writer

novel, ‘Beloved’, Morrison explores the label of ‘feminist’ because there are physical and emotional devastation other women who see her views as brought on by slavery. Morrison herself old-fashioned, and even though she hen celebrating black history grew up in a world filled with racism hates misogyny and unequal pay, she month, it’s important to and segregation, but her heritage can’t agree with the ideals of radical appreciate the impact black women remained strong throughout. This sense feminism. She confesses to being “a bad writers have had on of self-help drove Morrison through feminist… but a good woman” and her literature. They have a life of setbacks and prejudices, honest and raw views make her writing unique experiences, helping her become the success unique and captivating. and knowledge, due she is today. I can’t talk about black women in to the repression A modern example of a literature without mentioning Maya many of them great black woman writer Angelou, a woman who opened have had to live is Roxane Gay, the worlds eyes to the through. Their author of ‘Bad struggles of black women unique outlook Feminist’, through her activism of life and social a feminist and literature. Her issues make for manifesto autobiography, ‘I some of the most that explores Know Why the thought-provoking what it Caged Bird Sings’, work in literature. is to be a is a coming-of-age Toni Morrison, an person, not story of Angelou’s Photo by flickr African-American just a woman. journey from being novelist, has had critical She confesses her a victim of racism success for her work, and even guilt about her ideals to becoming a won the Nobel prize for literature in as a woman, about how strong-headed young 1993. Her ‘Beloved’ trilogy contains she wants to be strong and woman, who can Photo by Wikimedia some of the most shocking yet relevant independent, while being respond to the unfair aspects of black culture. The characters looked after by a man. How prejudices life dealt her. in each novel are constantly searching she loves dresses and pink, and Her inspiring journey creates for themselves in a society tailored thinks taking out the bins is a man’s a book so poignant and powerful it will towards a different race. In the first job. She feels guilty giving herself the forever be a classic.

Culture Literature Review: The Stormlight Archive Series by Brandon Sanderson by Thomas Barry Writer The first two entries in Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archivebook series are huge beasts, each one sitting at over a thousand pages. However, within those many pages, Sanderson creates a masterpiece of fantasy fiction; a tale told in a world with endless amounts of creative ideas from the point of view of multiple interesting characters who undergo fascinating arcs of change and growth. The novels tell the tale of a war between two armies in an area of broken rocks known as The Shattered Plains, with certain soldiers using powerful armour called Shardplate. While that may sound simplistic, the stories are dense and feature captivating characters such as Kaladin, the fallen soldier, Shallan, the idealistic scholar, and Dalinar, the battle-worn general. They are all involved in a conflict that continues to escalate until the fate of the world is in their hands. Admittedly, the series did not grab my attention right away. While I was enjoying reading the first half of first book, The Way of Kings, I sometimes found myself wishing that the slow burn of a plot would pick up speed and that Sanderson would stop drowning me under seemingly thousands of names, locations, religions, ecologies and histories. However, I soon found myself addicted to it and I finished the novel within a few days. I then immediately ordered the next book, Words of Radiance, and finished that in a week. Words of Radiance was even better than its predecessor, offering a gripping multi-layered plot, exciting action sequences and wonderful characters right from the first chapter and up to the last page. If you’re a fan of fantasy novels or epics this is a series you should definitely check out. Oathbringer, the third Stormlight Archive book, is due to be released on 16thNovemeber 2017.

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