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Ecosystem collapse threatens us all

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By Ben Mott Newspaper Science and Technology Editor A new report by Swiss Re has revealed that one-fifth of nations worldwide are at risk of ecosystem collapse, with potentially crippling economic consequences.

Based on analysis from a newly developed index, the Swiss Re Institute has uncovered highly concerning trends in biodiversity declines and the economic impact collapsing ecosystems could have.

The insurance firm’s report examined the status of biodiversity and ecosystem services across the globe to reach these conclusions. Biodiversity and ecosystem services (BES) are the benefits humans obtain from the natural world, and the provision of these services is dependent on often delicately balanced compositions of living organisms.

Focusing on 10 key ecosystem services highlighted by scientists — including provision of clean water and air, food, timber, pollination, fertile soil, erosion control, and coastal protection, as well as a measure of habitat intactness — only one in seven countries assessed had intact ecosystems representing over 30% of land area. Countries were considered at risk of ecosystem collapse if more than 30% of land area ecosystems were considered fragile.

Developing countries that have a heavy dependence on agricultural sectors, such as Kenya or Nigeria, are susceptible to BES shocks from a range of biodiversity and ecosystem issues, the report finds.

Among G20 economies, South Africa and Australia top the rankings of fragile BES. The well-known impact of water scarcity is a driver for these countries, alongside factors such as costal protection and pollination. Brazil and Indonesia enjoy the highest percentage of intact ecosystems within the G20, however the countries’ strong economic dependency on natural resources highlights the importance of sustainable development and conservation to the long-term lifespan of their economies Initially created as a way to assess ecosystem risks for business insurance premiums, the index’s use will also extend to allowing businesses and governments to factor biodiversity and ecosystems into their economic decision making, according to Jeffrey Bohn, the institute’s chief research officer.

In a press release, Christian Mumenthaler, Group CEO, added that “there is a clear need to assess the state of ecosystems so that the global community can minimise further negative impact on economies across the world. This important piece of work provides a data-driven foundation for understanding the economic risks of deteriorating biodiversity and ecosystems”.

So, what are these risks: what do these findings actually mean, and how has the situation become so severe?

According to the report, biodiversity and ecosystem services (BES) provide 55% of global GDP each year – which equates to 41.7 trillion USD. Attributing monetary value has drawn criticism for “commercialising” life forms which possess inherent value, but it is arguably the most effective way of highlighting the severity of the threat in a world where money reigns free. Even so, whilst economic translation of these crises is effective for comprehension of the scale of the problem, to truly understand what all this means, money is immaterial.

Over the last few decades, the growth of neo-liberal, extractive capitalism has fuelled an environmental crisis, the likes of which have never been seen before.

For a single species to cause as much damage to the natural world as we have is not natural, and not sustainable.

Biodiversity loss is at a critical rate. We are now in the Sixth Mass Extinction event; the first to be caused by the actions of one species out of the millions that share this planet. The main drivers of this decline are land-use change (deforestation and habitat loss), climate change, pollution, human-wildlife interactions, and invasive species, usually introduced into an area by humans.

Land use change is the most significant of these factors. Throughout the world, forests and woodland are being cleared at a devastating rate as agriculture expands. The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation suggests production could reach 515m tonnes by 2050, almost double 2012 levels - with most of it fed to non-human animals as livestock.

Amazonian deforestation has risen once again this year and will reach an ecosystem “tipping point” at 20-25% deforestation, fading into a dead savannah.

By 2050, based on current trends, between 21-40% of

the Amazon’s original area could be deforested – the world’s greatest rainforest could be lost. Slash-andburn agriculture practices, encouraged by far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, are fuelled by demand for beef and soy (predominantly exported for animal feed). EU figures have shown that in 2018, 20% of soy and 17% of beef imports from Brazil were linked to illegal deforestation, and even legal deforestation under Bolsonaro is a feeble term: illegally occupied indigenous land has previously been offered for legal use.

Palm oil, found in many packaged, processed supermarket goods, has driven orangutans to the brink of extinction on the Indonesian islands of Borneo and Sumatra; 50% of the species are located in forest area owned by timber, oil, or mining companies. The future of our distant cousins, far more alike us than not, looks increasingly bleak, as oil palm monoculture seethes across the forests.

In these cases, our demand for an overseas product perhaps offers an illusion of comfortable distance from the atrocities which result. We can express our sympathies, share our sorrow, but in less time than it takes for an area of forest the size of a football pitch to be cleared, our thoughts are elsewhere: out of sight, out of mind.

But similar events are taking place at home too – or rather, they have taken place. The UK has one of the lowest rates in forest cover in the EU, and our biodiversity has been subject to a similar decline.

This is partly due to our extirpation of predator species. Most notably in the Scottish Highlands, lynx and wolves were hunted to extinction, allowing deer populations to flourish. Young tree saplings are the meal of choice for deer, and without the natural population control the carnivores provided, tree cover was severely reduced. Now deer are considered a pest needing to be culled, and lynx re-introduction in Scotland is gaining popularity — a clear and pertinent lesson that nature knows what it is doing, and we do not.

But there is another aspect to the resulting monotony of heather and rough grass —excessive overgrazing, as farmers turn out livestock onto green pastures.

Where temperate rainforest should lie, Continued on page 3...

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Science & technology Record wildlife to keep it safe

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Monday 2 November 2020 InQuire

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The election section: a leftwing landslide

By Alex Charilaou News Writer

longer need to govern with a coalition partner.

Since 2017, the Labour Party had been governing in coalition with New Zealand First, a national-populist The weekend of 17 September saw two party led by former National MP Winston Peters. elections held, both crucial in interpreting In this election, Peters’ party failed to reach the 5% the state of global politics near the end of threshold to win seats in Parliament, meaning they a tumultuous year. Saturday saw the triumare no longer represented, and Peters has automatphant re-election of Prime Minister Jacinically stopped serving as Deputy Prime Minister. da Ardern’s Labour Party in New Zealand, Peters was being advised during the campaign by leading the first majority government in leading lights of the Brexit movement, including the country for nearly 30 years. On Sunday Arron Banks and Andy Wigmore. Their support does 18, the twice-postponed general election in not appear to have done Peters much good.

Bolivia between left-wing former Finance Despite her newfound majority, Ardern has not Minister Luis Arce and centrist former Presi- ruled out a coalition agreement with the New Zeadent Carlos Mesa, which ended with Arce re- land Green Party, who gained 2 seats in this election, ceiving 55% of the vote. . In their own ways, bringing them to a total of 10. Co-leaders Marama both elections reflect tensions and shifts in Davidson and James Shaw are confident Ardern the international landscape, and perhaps will invite the Greens into her government in some shed some light on what we can expect of form. Several of Ardern’s ministers are from the the year’s biggest election: The United States Green Party already as part of their previous confiPresidential Election. dence-and-supply arrangement, including the portfolios of Climate Change, Conservation and Women.

On Saturday, Jacinda Ardern won the largest share It would make sense for Ardern to keep them in of the vote for the New Zealand Labour Party since position, as well as strengthening her parliamentary 1946, at 49%. This means she now controls a parliamajority and keeping allies close with an eye to the mentary majority of four. Majority governments are next election. incredibly rare under proportional voting systems Many world politicians have congratulated Ardern and one has not emerged since the country adopted on the election victory, including Boris Johnson, Keir mixed-member proportional voting in 1996. Many Starmer and Nicola Sturgeon. have attributed this landslide win to Labour’s worldAcross to South America, where the twice-postclass handling of the COVID-19 pandemic (only 25 poned Bolivian general elections were held on COVID-related deaths throughout the crisis) and Sunday. The elections, delayed (apparently) due to Jacinda Ardern’s international popularity.

COVID-19, were a rerun of last October’s incredibly controversial ballot which resulted in the fleeing of On Saturday, Jacinda Ardern won the largthree-term president Evo Morales to Mexico. Having est share of the vote for the New Zealand just won the election by a margin of 10 points against Labour Party since 1946, at 49%. his centrist ex-President challenger Carlos Mesa, Ardern said the following at her victory speech: “We Morales was forced to flee in November by threats of are living in an increasingly polarised world, a place military and police violence, along with other memwhere more and more people have lost the ability to bers of his party, the Movement Towards Socialism see one another’s point of view. I hope in this election (MAS).

New Zealand has shown that this is not who we are.

Installed in his place was an unelected right-wing That as a nation we can listen, and we can debate. Afcoup regime, led by self-declared “interim President” ter all, we are too small to lose sight of other people’s Jeanine Áñez, who promptly presided over a military perspective. Elections aren’t always great at bringing massacre that killed dozens of Morales’ indigenous people together. But they also don’t need to tear one supporters and then granted immunity to all the another apart”. Many have taken this as a thinly soldiers involved. Figures like Donald Trump praised veiled allusion to the divisive US presidential election the unelected coup government as “a significant modue to take place in November. ment for democracy”. The legitimation given for the The election saw the New Zealand National Party, coup was a report by the Organisation of American the main opposition party, reduced from 56 seats in States (OAS) claiming election fraud on behalf of the last election to 35. Party leader Judith Collins Morales. This report was later debunked by The New conceded defeat on Saturday night, congratulating York Times and The Intercept.

Labour on an “outstanding” result and assuring The results of Sunday’s Bolivian elections took a voters the party “will be back” in three few days to finalise, but early counts and exit years. After leaving the party’s polls had the MAS candidate winning the results party without taking presidential election by a landslide. Voting questions, it was reported by totals have Morales’ former finance minThe Guardian that Collins, ister (and his handpicked candidate) Luis who many expect will soon Arce winning 55% of the vote, including have to see off a leadership over two-thirds of the electorate in the challenge, took to the Bolivian capital of La Paz. Last October’s bar of her hotel for a candidate Carlos Mesa, who was stiff drink. forecasted to be neck-andNow elected with neck with Arce in opinion a majority, Ardern surveys, achieved 28% in will no the election. This means that Mesa has performed more poorly in this election than in 2019, Photo by Hannah Peters Photo by UNCTAD/CC BY-SA 2.0 when he won 36% of the

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vote., Áñez congratulated Arce and his running mate David Choquehuanca and asked them “to govern with Bolivia and democracy in mind”.

Those that have congratulated MAS on the presumptive election victory include Jeremy Corbyn, Bernie Sanders and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Elections for the two chambers of the Legislative Assembly were also held, with MAS winning a majority in both chambers.

Though not uncontroversial, Morales’ 14-year presidency was generally seen as a success, even by the Western establishment. As well as securing a more stable democracy, Morales presided over economic growth so remarkable that the country was adulated by the IMF and the World Bank. Morales, the country’s first indigenous president, was successful in including the country’s sizable indigenous population in both democratic and redistributive processes.

His popularity waned in the run-up to last year’s election, which he announced he would run despite constitutional term limits disallowing it. Even though the constitutional court in Bolivia ruled that term limits were unconstitutional, 51% of the country had voted to keep them in a referendum the previous year. Despite this, Morales still won by an impressive 10% margin in that election — a mandate that was immediately disrespected by Áñez and her US supporters. This breach of democracy may account for MAS increasing their vote-share this time around to over half of the country. Presumably in an effort to make his presidency a clean slate, Arce has confirmed that Morales will not have a role in the new administration (though he is still MAS party leader).

The election victory is unlikely to be taken well by the United States and its allies. Not once in recent history has a US-backed coup attempt backfired so spectacularly. Morales, in an interview with journalist Glenn Greenwald last December, blamed the green-lighting of the coup by Western powers on the fact that Bolivia had diverted some of the country’s valuable lithium supply trade from the United States to China. Notably, tech-billionaire Elon Musk, who relies on Bolivian lithium for Tesla production, replied to a tweet accusing him of a role in the coup with “We will coup whoever we want! Deal with it”.

Evo Morales quote-tweeted this, taking it as admission of the United States’ involvement in the toppling of his government.

Not once in recent history has a US-backed coup attempt backfired so spectacularly.

Indeed, the failure of US imperialism and the decline of the country’s global hegemony, especially under the Trump administration, is reflected in different ways by the weekend’s two elections. In Bolivia, a US-sponsored coup (something that was once done with ease) was brought down by a mass-mobilisation of the working people, and a landslide rejection of what Bolivians saw as an attack on democracy. In New Zealand, we saw the defeat of divisive rhetoric and overt racism in favour of a movement more optimistic and constructive. Echoes of this should be expected when Americans return to the ballot box to decide on the next President of the United States.

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InQuire Monday 2 November 2020

News

UK students withhold £1 million in rent to protest against online learning

The threat of further pandemics is also exacerbated by deforestation, as humans increasingly come into contact with species carrying viruses we have not yet been exposed to, and thus to which we have no immunity.

Invasive species are also ruthless drivers of biodiversity decline — the most infamous of which

N

such as in Germany (and in some rare locations in Scotland), sheep, fencing, and roads are in their place. Our National Parks are widely praised for the serenity and beauty of the views they offer, not for the abundance of thriving wildlife, both faunal and floral, which are the attraction of national parks elsewhere in the world. The very deforestation practices which we, as a nation, critique, have long since served their purpose on our island.

Barren, ecologically dead grasslands remain, with soil quality and vegetation growth only suitable for the non-human animals we continue to exploit — as if by design.

Through decades of industry-sponsored advertising, we have come to expect meat for every meal, aided by the rise of fast food. Meat turned from a weekly treat to an everyday necessity on the orders of land-owning classes who funded politicians, who in turn now subsidise the farms.

British farmers receive over £3.4 billion yearly, which is by far the dominant income source. If that seems surprising, consider the fact it is based on how much land is owned, not on production rates.

73% of farmed non-human animals are kept in factory farms. These farms, renowned for abusive conditions, are what allow meat to be affordable enough to be consumed every day. Not only is this intensive farming process culpable in global warming, these conditions are ideal for viruses to spread, through stressed, cramped creatures with diminished immune systems. SARS, Zika virus, Ebola, swine flu, avian flu, and now SARS-Cov2 have all been borne from live animal markets and factory farms. Whilst from a global perspective, the UK has previously been comparatively progressive in how it farms non-human animals, uncertainty over the future has arisen as we try to strike a deal with the US. The threat of further pandemics is also exacerbated by deforestation, as humans increasingly come into contact with species carrying viruses we have not yet been exposed to, and thus to which we have no immunity. However, this is not the only consequence of rainforest decimation: almost 50% of medicines are sourced from within these precious ecosystems. In the frustratingly, inexplicably popular business-as-usual scenario, the implications for global medical research are unsettling to say the very least.

can now be found anywhere, anytime in Britain.

Grey squirrels, introduced from the United States at the turn of the century, have driven red squirrels to extinction in mainland England, save for a few isolated populations which continue due to concerted re-introduction efforts.

Red squirrels are just one of the quarter of mammals in the UK threatened with extinction.

Classed as “endangered” by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the hedgehog, a childhood favourite, looks increasingly likely to join it in this classification. My generation, who grew up with hedgehogs, will have only records to point to when our children ask after the charismatic spiky individuals. 45% of our mammals require urgent action to save their species from the damage we have caused.

Furthermore, we continue to overspend on a poorly budgeted HS2 project, whilst callously chopping down trees which have stood proud on our land for over 250 years. The current “green” thinking by those leading the project is that replanting obstructive ancient woodland elsewhere will have a minimal impact on the ecosystem’s biodiversity. No evidence for this has been nsplash U provided.. th/ ae At home, and across the globe, rv a the situation is undoubtedly overwhelming. It takes time not only for the magnitude of what is yet to come to sink in, but also to admit that many things are now set in motion that cannot be reversed. But there is still time to soften the impending blow.

As an individual, the appropriate response to such as crisis is along the lines of “what can I really do about it?”. If governments continue to pursue destructive policies, if money remains our world’s sole ambition, what can one do to change things?

Well - more than you think.

Sir David Attenborough recently pointed to “curbing excess capitalism” in Western nations to allow nature time and space to breathe. Excess capitalism is somewhat of a tautology, but the point stands: as individuals, for the sake of our home, we cannot afford to keep living beyond our means. Reducing consumption of plastic is significantly more effective in reducing pollution than recycling, and everyday there are opportunities to do so. A one-time investment in a water bottle, a reusable coffee cup, a container for produce can, over time, make a difference. Avoiding palm oil, where possible, is harder but checking ingredients takes but a second, and could stop you inadvertently contributing to damaging deforestation.

It is worth noting that we are conditioned ra

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yS ie r

Students in Bristol are threatening to withhold £1 million pounds worth of rent as social unrest continues to mount across the UK over universities and their new method of learning. This is the first of what is likely to be many such rebellions against paying full rent and tuition amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The virtual learning experience is leaving students wondering what they are paying for. The question that is then posed is how any effective form of protest will take place whilst a pandemic is ongoing.

With 80% of students worried about how they can manage/pay rent thanks to COVID-19, according to a National Union of Students survey, it’s clear that money is on the minds of students across the country. “We are now starting the semester in September, six months later (since

the crisis forced students home) and the lack of preparation is completely evident,” says a 4th year student at the University of Liverpool, studying Spanish and English Literature. She also had this to say about the consequences of online learning: “Not only this, but as landlords seem to think we’re happy squatting in conditions all too often unacceptable for living, we now have to spend nearly all our time in these residences, with curfews and additionally now, our studies online”.

800 students at the University of Bristol in halls have apparently signed a pledge to withhold rent money due on Friday the 23rd of October. This is the safest way they can currently protest as students struggle to make their concerns heard through the barrier of a computer screen.

Contradictorily, according to the University and College Union (UCU), a majority of staff would prefer for teaching to operate predominantly online in order to keep both staff and students safe.

Photo b

By Tom Nice News Correspondent

“The pressure on institutions to attract tuition fee income, combined with the government’s failure to stand behind the sector financially during this crisis, has contributed to the decision to push ahead with unnecessary face-to-face provision which threatens the physical and mental health of students, staff and local communities”.

While students are desperate to see their tuition fee money put to use, lecturers are equally desperate to be paid proportionate to the extra strain online teaching has incurred.

Students are ploughing between £9,250 and around £20,000 into their university tuition, while the average annual salary for a lecturer in the UK is around £33,000. While students are desperate to see their tuition fee money put to use, lecturers are equally desperate to be paid throughout our lives to demand more, to purchase more. Advertisements are hurled at us wherever we turn: TV, social media, papers, streaming services, billboards. Products are continually updated, not extensively, but enough to make it worthwhile buying a new edition — especially when everyone else has it.

Under capitalism, a tree, such as the 250-year old community favourite felled by HS2, only has value until it is cut down. Replacing such an established economic system may or may not be an effective response to the environmental crises, but there is no doubt a debate must be started on whether or not there is a better way.

It is worth noting that we are conditioned throughout our lives to demand more, to purchase more.

As well as addressing our levels of consumption, the legendary naturalist has also highlighted the need for us to switch to plant-based diets.

Speaking in an interview with Radio Times earlier this month, he admitted “‘the planet can’t support billions of meat-eaters”, and our insatiable mass consumption of animals has become a “blind assault on the planet”. Whilst still often a highly divisive subject, the science behind veganism remains calm and to the point in the face of the highly emotional responses the V-word evokes.

A recent University of Oxford study confirms previous UN statements that switching to a plant-based diet is the single-biggest way to reduce your environmental impact and contribution to the crises unfolding. Aside from causing a 73% reduction in individual carbon footprint, global farmland use could be slashed by 75% if the whole word went vegan.

Whilst such a transition is unfeasible, as animal products currently provide the only viable protein source in many nations, those of us in the Western world who have the luxury of choice should be mindful of the consequences our actions have.

As the vegan-alternative market continues to rapidly expand, potential transition becomes a smoother scenario. Whilst meat replacements can be expensive, leading to claims that a vegan diet is not suitable for students on a budget, focusing more on wholefoods (beans and pulses in particular) is often cheaper than meat and dairy diets.

There are also societies at the University of Kent which allow you to participate in environmentally-focused activities and encourage greater environmental awareness.

Speaking to InQuire, James Bonthron, President of the Conservation Society, explains that “the

proportionate to the extra strain online teaching has incurred.

Despite young people largely choosing to follow COVID-19 safety measures, the overall consensus has been that they should not be required to pay full tuition if they aren’t being able to make full use of university facilities.

5 virtual hours a week costs students roughly £421 a week, assuming that the fee for the year is £9250. With reduced library and resource access, restrictions on social integration, and very few in person meetings, students believe they are getting less for the same price.

“And, as if being charged £9250 a year for 11-20 hours a week wasn’t already enough, we are now getting charged the same for as little 1 hour of contact a week”.

Conservation Society is well situated within the School of Anthropology and Conservation, so it has a close connection to lecturers. With a growing social media presence, the society helps to inform interested students about conservation issues with a particular focus on the UK and Canterbury.

As a society, we are engaging different audiences via collaborations with other societies, increasing their knowledge of conservation issues. We recognise the colossal issue that is the climate crisis and, by discussing conservation issues as well as reaching non-conservation students, we are spreading the message and informing students in a fun and engaging way”.

Collaborations are in the works between the Conservation Society, the Environment, Conservation, Sustainability (ECS) Society, and the Anthropology Society, so make sure to keep updated on any potential events.. The ECS Society “educates and engages its members to strive for environmental change,” according to Dalia Tarazi, the society’s president. “We are a unit passionate about conserving our environment and striving for sustainability. ECS encourages those who are eager to raise environmental awareness and take urgent action to combat climate change to join the society! Let’s make our university, city, and this country a more sustainable place for us all!”

Focusing on improving our home environment is certainly essential before we look elsewhere.

Yet in any crisis, it is always the poorest and most vulnerable who are most affected. The links between environmental, social, and racial justice have enjoyed greater media attention after a summer of protest but have been ever-present in our societies. Polluted air and water affect communities of colour to a far greater extent than they do white communities, and the discord also prevails between poorer communities and richer. Climate change, caused by wealthy western nations, is likely to accelerate ecosystem collapse in the sub-Saharan region of Africa, which in turn will severely inhibit food crop yields – which communities rely on for income as well as sustenance.

Indigenous rights are regularly exploited in favour of economic interests, and environmental defenders are murdered for protecting indigenous and environmental rights.

Many individuals will now have to consider the moral implications of their actions. With evidence for climate change and ecosystem collapse having been well-documented for decades, the question is how much longer we as a society can afford to ignore it.

You can find the societies mentioned, and find their social media, on the Kent Union website.

4

News

At a glance Fire reported in Darwin College A microwave was recorded to have caught fire in Darwin College on the night of 23 October. Kent Fire and Rescue was alerted about the fire by students pulling the alarm manually.

They had been visiting the residence after a night out when they smelled smoke and noticed that the other flat-mates were asleep. Kent Fire and Rescue has been approached for comment. Students were all let back into their accommodation within the hour.

Kent organisations and charities provide free school meals over half-term Organisations and charities across Kent have rallied together to feed the 52,000 schoolchildren in need of free lunches over half-term. This comes after 322 Conservative MPs voted against Labour’s proposal to provide £15-a-week free meal vouchers for every holiday between now and Easter. In Kent, Rosie Duffield (Labour MP for Canterbury and Whitstable) was the only one to vote in favour of the proposal. Two Conservative MPs abstained, and the remaining 14 Conservative MPs all voted against.

In Canterbury, Bounce Vintage on the high street announced on their Instagram that they would be providing free lunches all week. They were provided with the meals by Space Gallery, Big Boys Burgers and Unit One Hythe.

In Rochester, a micropub called The Dead Pigeon said they would provide free pizza to all children eligible for the scheme. A post to their Facebook page read “No matter what our political beliefs may be there is one thing we can all agree on and that is no child should go hungry!”

Another Medway eatery feeding children over half-term was Bryant Road Fish Bar, who offered free sausage and chips with a maximum of three servings per family.

Medway Council announced that it would be feeding 6,000 children this half-term. Kent County Council also launched a helpline which families could call in order to claim one £15 voucher per child to do supermarket shopping over half-term. “Now, more than ever, it is imperative that we support the most vulnerable within our community. I hope that this service will quickly provide families with the help they need and ensure that no child in Kent is left to go hungry”, a statement by Kent County Council Leader Roger Gough read on Wednesday 28 October.

Monday 2 November 2020 InQuire

The Sustainability Working Group: UKC and the Environment

By Tom Nice News Writer

The Sustainability Working Group (SWG) is a direct by-product of the school of Anthropology and Conservation and is leading the charge for a greener UKC. Project Lead Dr Charlie Gardner, a lecturer in conservation science for the university, is hard at work with like-minded students and staff pushing through what he believes is important change at a critical time.

“2030 is widely regarded as a serious deadline in which we have to have achieved serious change. We basically have to have halved our global emissions at the very least. This is a series of long processes that need to be started now, and it is dangerous having 2050 deadlines as it allows the government to kick the can down the road. These things need to be dealt with now”.

In May 2019, Keele University was the very first higher education institution to declare a “climate emergency”. Since then, universities across the UK have followed suit and declared a state of “climate emergency” themselves, a list that includes Manchester, Warwick, Sussex, and Canterbury Christ Church.

The University of Kent is absent from this list. However, Kent Union has independently declared a state of climate emergency.

Vice Chancellor Karen Cox released a statement detailing the university’s intentions concerning the environment: “We fully acknowledge the climate and ecological crisis facing the planet and strongly support Canterbury City Council’s recent declaration”. Though the university has not officially declared a state of climate emergency, the statement also detailed the foundation of the SWG.

The SWG is a group spearheaded by a mutual collaboration of lecturers and students from the School of Anthropology and Conservation, but they stress that this is not a requirement for contribution as the group has adopted a “more the merrier” approach to achieve one of their main goals of “addressing the limited options for environmentalism within other schools”, according to the project leader Dr Gardner.

The School of Anthropology and Conservation (SAC) has declared a state of climate emergency, creating the SWG to achieve two primary emission-orientated goals. First, they want to achieve a 45% reduction in the school’s total emissions by 2025. Secondly, they want to claim carbon-neutrality by 2040. They believe that by achieving these goals they can create a repeatable “blueprint for success” for other schools at the University. “There is an opportunity for leadership via developing working models which would make the transition easier, we can create a blueprint for success that schools across the University can adopt without having to reinvent the wheel”.

When asked about whether the university should do more for the environment, Gardner said, “Yes I do. UCAS polling consistently shows that students across the country feel that universities should be more engaged with sustainability. It is important that they do as it is the role of the university to contribute positively to society, we are thought to be leaders in many ways. We are overly focused on two ways of learning and changing: training and research — both are important but the world needs to change very fast and universities need to set an example right now.

They have a responsibility to lead these changes and model them for society”.

Charlie Gardner also goes on to detail the benefits for students the SWG offers beyond environmentalism: “The group offers the opportunity to meet like-minded people with shared interest but also

improves your employability beyond what your course offers.” Katie Hargrave-Smith, a 3rd year studying Environmental social science details her experiences as a member of the group since Charlie and Miguel, the original selected sustainability champions, expanded the group’s missions to capture “as much participation as possible”.

“I would never have imagined then that I would be comfortable sitting in a room with academics, PhD students, support staff and fellow undergraduates, joining in a discussion and being listened to as an equal. I would never have guessed that I would assist in composing a written Declaration of Climate and Environmental Emergency. There was no way I would have been willing to stand up and speak in front of a lecture theatre so full that people were sat on the stairs at the public event where the declaration was announced. These are only some of the opportunities that I have been afforded by being a member of the SWG”.

To achieve their goals the group has divided into 7 sub-sectors, all focused on a core area of development. These sub-sectors include food sustainability, green spaces, wellbeing, emissions, curriculum and waste, and networking/communications. Each sector has teams devoted to creating and implementing environmental policies, with Food Sustainability looking to introduce more meat free options at campus cafeterias and “meat-free Mondays” in the spring term. Members of the group are free to associate with as many or few of the sectors as they wish, allowing for more concentrated contribution.

Students and staff who wish to be a part of their mission should get in contact with Dr Gardner directly, or follow the group's Instagram.

University experts’ latest plea: stop comparing COVID-19 and the flu

By Tarini Tiwari Newspaper News Editor University of Kent Professor Martin Michaelis and Dr Mark Wass work on virus-host cell interactions and antiviral drug targets. They have released multiple reports and analyses of their tests over the course of the pandemic.

Their latest public plea: stop comparing COVID-19 to the flu. According to them, it is a waste of time and even runs the risk of spreading misinformation.

According to Michaelis and Wass, the SARS-CoV-2 virus differs from the influenza virus “in its structure and composition, in the way it replicates, in the range of cells that it can infect, and in the disease that it causes”.

A major distinction that Michaelis and Wass are attempting to make between the flu and COVID-19 is the mortality rate. Without any lockdown measures, “seasonal influenza epidemics are estimated to cause between 100,000 to 650,000 deaths each year. In contrast, COVID-19 has already caused more than one million confirmed deaths, although the pandemic is globally still not over its first peak”.

They go on to say “A recent study performed in Manaus, Brazil, suggested that 66% of the population had been infected by SARS-CoV-2 during the

first peak. If 66% of the world population became infected, and considering that between 0.2% and 0.9% of SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals are estimated to die, this equates to 10-46 million deaths globally. Hence, the number of deaths expected from an unhindered spread of COVID-19 exceeds those of most influenza pandemics. Countries like the UK, with a high proportion of individuals over 60, would be disproportionately affected by a COVID-19 spread unhindered by containment measures”.

The next distinguishing factor brought to light by Michaelis and Wass is the body’s immune response to the virus.

“Infection with an influenza virus strain typically results in life-long protection against that strain and cross-protection against a range of related strains”. The reason why people can get reinfected with the flu each season is that the virus evolves “to escape pre-existing immunity”.

However, they argue that evidence has shown patients can get re-infected with the same strain of SARS-CoV-2 and are unable to develop life-long protection. “Very early results from antibody therapies suggest that SARSCoV-2 can mutate and escape antibody recognition. Thus, it is unlikely that an unhindered SARS-CoV-2 spread would result in the desired herd immunity to

end the pandemic”.

In terms of long-term damage, “SARSCoV-2 seems to be able to infect more tissue and cell types than influenza viruses and to cause more harm to a wider variety of organs. A substantial fraction of COVID-19 survivors experience long-term problems and organ damage, which is expected to result in a level of secondary mortality that is not seen in influenza survivors”.

Michaelis and Wass reiterate that “COVID-19 is not a lesser flu, but a novel and dangerous disease. Equating COVID-19 with flu only provides a false sense of safety at a time when we must be vigilant”.

Photo by Krzysztof Hepner/Unspash

5

InQuire Monday 2 November 2020

News

anti-sars protest held on campus

By Rory Bathgate Newspaper Editor A large scale protest was held on campus Thursday afternoon as part of the ongoing international movement to call for the end of the Nigerian Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). The unit have been accused of various human rights violations, with Nigerian citizens and human rights groups alleging counts of extra-judicial killings, extortion and rape.

Although the unit was officially disbanded on 11 October, protests continue with a focus on the need for more changes in the country’s security force. Thursday’s protest saw a students make speeches and chant “enough is enough” while marching across campus.

InQuire spoke to Oluwadara Apampa, one of the organisers of the event which was organised just two days prior to being held, to explain the planning behind it and the message they hoped to spread.

“I would say the chief organiser was Sikemi Okurinboye, helped out by Wuraoluwa Nihinlola, Oghusa Akpata and Anjola Biobaku. We’ve done it independently.

We’re just a group of Nigerian students who are fed up honestly, especially after the events of Tuesday evening. We felt that we

needed to do something”.

The campaign to end SARS has reached fever pitch in recent days, with a Tuesday protest leading to the death of up to 38 protestors. Nigerian officials have denied these numbers.

When asked about support generated by the protest, Apampa was very positive.

“Just from this protest alone, so many people who aren’t even Nigerian, who joined the protest as we were walking as well, came and spoke to us and gave their sympathies, gave us their number to reach out if we need any more help protesting, It’s just been really nice to see.

This is something that Nigerians generally have not seen before, where young people are putting themselves forward, stepping up and saying ‘No, we won’t let you guys ruin the country for us’.

Because at the end of the day, as crude as this sounds, they will die and leave us to deal with the damage they have done”.

The overall tone of the march was one of defiance and exhaustion, with the organisers stressing just how urgent the need for change is.

“Too many people have lost their lives, too many people have suffered unnecessarily, too many people have been stolen from, so

enough is enough.”

Regarding their hopes for support from the University, Apampa stated that “We were hoping that they would at least put out a statement, but we know that they tend not to do that. In general we just need their support, I mean we had the support of campus security to do that, which was really lovely.

“We had a meeting with Campus Security and they gave their blessing. So I think we just need more support like that, just allowing us to fight in our own way and be there for our countrypeople even though we’re not physically there”.

Photo by Tarini Tiwari

University professor feels nationwide lockdowns call into question “the moral authority of democracy”

By Tarini Tiwari Newspaper News Editor Professor Frank Furedi, an Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of Kent, has called into question the implications on democracy of lockdowns aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19. His book Democracy Under Siege: Don’t Let Them Lock It Down unpacks the history of democracy as well as the impact nationwide lockdowns have had on its core principles.

According to Professor Furedi, democracy is more than just the right to vote. In his eyes, a “good society” is where “the people take responsibility for themselves and their communities”. He is therefore arguing that, rather than governments having imposed lockdowns in early 2020,

Photo by Rory Bathgate

they should have trusted their citizens to observe distancing measures on their own.

Professor Furedi links back to the political climate postWorld War II, claiming that, despite democratic values being widely cherished during the war, there has been a steady decline in support for them ever since. Furedi says “The moral authority of democracy is being openly questioned in the most explicit way since the 1930s,” questioning how democratically-elected governments use their authority in times of “risk”, such as a war or a pandemic. In one of his previous books, How Fear Works: Culture of Fear in the Twenty-First Century, he creates a correlation between the “culture of fear” and “an unravelling of moral authority”. This is reiterated in Professor Furedi’s latest publication, where he believes that people fear the coronavirus thanks to nationwide lockdowns but are none the wiser in terms of how to avoid the spread of it.

What Profes sor Furedi wishes to put across through Democracy Under Siege: Don’t

Let Them Lock It Down is that “democracy must not be taken for granted and its future requires the willingness of citizens to participate in public affairs. Even under the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, democracy must not be put on hold”. Even in countries with right-wing governments such as the United States or the United Kingdom, left-wing groups have been found to observe lockdown measures more stringently. As a result, in the United States, President Donald Trump pulled funding to the US Postal Service in order to reduce the number of mail-in ballots, that would be coming largely from Democratic Party voters choosing to stay home due to the pandemic.

6

Monday 2 November 2020 InQuire

Opinion

Is Halloween cancelled this year?

H

alloween is a highlight of a Kent student’s autumn term. With the first deadlines looming or just passed, an ever-present desire for catharsis and excitement hangs over campus. Throughout October, students notice the typical orange and black decorations, pumpkin-themed merchandise, and advertisements for ‘spooky’ events crop up both on and off-campus. For many incoming students, this is one of their first festive events at university, marking an important point alongside Fresher’s Week and Christmas, in their timeline of fond memories.

“Halloween in my second year was one of my best memories from uni’, I was told by former Kent student Claudia Parker. “My friends and I all dressed up” (herself as Britney Spears) “and went on a pub crawl. There were loads of costumed students in big groups having a good time”.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the same level of festivities will not be taking place this year. Local event organisers and Kent Union are trying their best to salvage All Hallow’s Eve, but one feels their Venue-based socially distanced ‘Scare Maze’, which will essentially be a one-way sanitised group walk with an occasional jump scare, will prove rather dry. More large-scale events like Margate’s ‘Screamland’ are still ongoing, but they have noticeably not been advertising students’ discounts on campus like in previous years. Canterbury’s nightclubs like Chemistry and Tokyo Tea Rooms are still arranging Halloween events, but they can do little to ‘spook’ up the night whilst adhering to current regulations.

With the additional blow that trickor-treating, although not usually a student activity, is also prohibited, the only semblance of a Halloween experience students might get this year will be in small groups and likely at home. This year may not be the drink-fuelled jamboree it normally is, but that does not mean Kent students should go without.

Having experienced Halloween at Kent since 2017, I can truly say that the best experiences come not from the events, but from the effort put in. As exciting as going out and partying in a horror-themed masquerade seems, what makes the evening more memorable is what you make out of it. I remember more fondly than anything else the hilarity of seeing friends arrive in garish matching outfits, or when my girlfriend and I were cheap and went as characters from The Office US, signified only by clipped on post-it notes. The rest of the evening was just a busier and more decorated club-night, with the occasional Halloween song or drink, with some ‘spooky’ activities like apple-bobbing

Photo by Pixabay

Still not enough: The 3 tier COVID system George Knight thrown in for effect.

Instead of worrying about what you might miss, instead, be resourceful and think about how you can make your Halloween unique. Why not have a themed party where all your five guests must come as characters from a certain franchise, with rewards and punishments for the best and worst? Or, if you are in campus accommodation, why not arrange a socially distanced trick-ortreat with your neighbours? Families in Thanet have made similar arrangements with their ‘Thanet Pumpkin Trail’, which features a pumpkin system that makes clear who does and does not want to participate. Failing all that, why not make your house more festive by picking pumpkins from a local farm and watching a scary movie steeped in the darkness of your kitchen.This is a Halloween that you will have to make yourself and only you can make it great.

When you look back upon Halloween 2020, it will not be the drinks or music that stand out, it will be the people and the effort you all put in to make it special for each other.

Photo by Unsplash

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Having experienced Halloween at Kent since 2017, I can truly say that the best experiences come not from the events, but from the effort put in.

In light of the UK Government’s recent changes to their COVID restrictions and guidlines, Amitesh Das analysis the strenghts and weakesses of the new ‘3-Tier’ system, and contemplates its long-term effectivenss in controlling the spread of the virus.

N

umbers related to the coronavirus meal is “substantial”, which is highly subjective lockdown have begun to perplex me. at the very least. A ‘very high’ alert doesn’t see The seemingly meaningless COVthe closure of schools, universities, or higher ID alert level has now been abaneducation services either, giving the message doned for a that office work is causing the spread, more important instead of schooling, and universities.

With rules not being number: the This is obviously untrue. This mulpoliced effectively, COVID-restricti-pronged approach isn’t enough: schools staying open, and while it is doing well to standardtion system.

With the govise the process across the country, it business owners trying ernment now to understand the new rules, isn’t going far enough to be effective standardising in stopping the spread. With rules the lockdown the system solves only one not being policed effectively, schools restrictions and problem of communication, staying open, and business owners dividing them leaving others just as bad. trying to understand the new rules, into 3 tiers, it the system solves only one problem of has solved sevcommunication, leaving others just as eral grey areas and reasons for confusion. bad.

The three tiers, ‘medium’, ‘high’ and ‘very It seems, then, that the rules that the new high’ are an attempt to explain the rules in a COVID approach sets out are effective, but in a more cohesive manner, moving away from the unilateral sense. It only improves the communilocalised lockdown approaches back in August/ cability of the rules, but doesn’t do much more.

September, where everybody was doing what The Manchester incident, where they outright they pleased. Some cities couldn’t have people refused to comply with the government’s recmeeting up outside, others couldn’t go to resommendation of moving to ‘Very High’ retaurants, but some could. The aspect of ‘constrictions, is an exemplification of just anothfusion’ around these rules is something I perer problem that this approach still has. Not to sonally don’t understand, but I did mention that Not to mention that the the growing see it as being problematic nonetheless. People were genuinely ungrowing rates of Coronavi- rates of Coroaware of how their neighbourhood navirus have rus have long outgrown the long outgrown was affected, since the media over‘rule of 6’; we need more the ‘rule of 6’; whelmed them with different lockdowns for different places. What disruptive enforcements and we need more the 3-Tiered approach sets out to do enguidelines that everybody can disruptive is sensible: the government wants forcements and see the value of, take seriously guidelines that you to remember these levels like you remember your friends’ nickand follow. everybody can names, and understand them like see the value a pop-culture reference. This can also be seen of, take seriously and follow. in the way social media is pushing the new reWith these flawed approaches, it doesn’t seem strictions. Being an avid user of social media, like the UK Government can curb the virus any I see at least one advert about the new restrictime soon. Cases are still on the rise, the Unitions daily, reminding me of what system I am versity’s COVID count is getting worse every in, and what the rules are. (I would recommend week, and students are still engaging in house following the UK Government page on all social parties; all while the government is coming up media for regular updates). with new systems to make us ‘understand’ what While it has expanded accessibility and outthe restrictions are. While the rules might not reach, the new approach on its own isn’t effecwork, at-least we Wknow what the rules are. tive enough to curb the increased spread of the virus. For example, even at the highest level of lockdown, people can still go to restaurants.

Restaurant owners don’t have it any better: they aren’t allowed to serve alcohol unless the

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Amitesh Das

7

InQuire Monday 2 November 2020

Opinion

‘Rethink. Reskill. Reboot’

Are the government dancing around the arts issue?

The withdrawal of the ‘Fatima’ ad shows that the government has no solid stance on support for the arts industry during the pandemic. They are willing to overhaul their policies based on what is popular at the time, whilst neglecting to provide any solid information on how they are aiding this struggling industry.

Though it may have been a slow process, there has been some financial aid towards those in the creative sphere, but many have been left in the dark surrounding their employment. The idea that those who have lost their jobs should adapt for other industries seems fairly reasonable in theory, but how? Who is providing this retraining?

Will it cost the individual more to learn new skills?

Should the focus on career shifts lie solely on those who work in the arts?

The government seem fairly happy to spew out catchy slogans but avoid the details of how any of these schemes will work

El Kennett

W

ho knew an image of a ballerina could create such a social media storm? The UK Government’s ‘Rethink. Reskill. Reboot’ advert shows the dancer tying her pumps with the words “Fatima’s next job could be in cyber. (she just doesn’t know it yet)”. Certainly, the ad couldn’t have surfaced at a tenser period of time. After many had criticised Rishi Sunak for his comments on employment in the arts, it seemed as if the government’s attacks on the industry were in full swing. However, ‘Fatima’ was revealed to be part of a government scheme from 2019 encouraging people to work in cyber and Sunak’s original words were that people of “all walks of life” are having to adapt to different forms of employment. Yet the advert was pulled after backlash from those in the arts and students alike. So, what is the government’s position on the arts industry? What is clear to me, at least, is that they are continuing their track record of sending mixed messages.

Photo by HM Government

The importance of Elon Musk’s Gigafactories

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tive to fossil fuels.

with growth-centric models, demanding that all commodities and services are as cheap as possible in order to turn as large a profit as possible. Renewable energy alternatives require investment, investment which isn’t favourable with the short-term mindset of the business world.

So how can the Tesla Gigafactory combat this shortcoming? By flooding the market with lithium-ion batteries charged from a renewable energy source, which just so happens to be the factory itself.

When a Gigafactory is complete its entire roof will be covered in solar panels, with the factory holding the record for the largest physical footprint of any building in the world. The solar energy collected is used to run the factory and to charge the lithium-ion batteries that are produced.

As a result, the Gigafactory presents the renewable energy industry with a way to make batteries affordable and in turn, provide consumers and businesses alike with a viable alternative to fossil fuels.

According to Elon, the creation of 100 of these factories alone would be enough to supply the entire world with sustainable energy. Only 100. And, given the extent of investment into renewable solutions from nations across the globe, there is no reason why carbon neutrality can’t be achieved within 10 years or less.

100 factories. That’s it! A completely achievable solution. Only problem is, Tesla can’t build all 100. Given the size and scale of the operation, it is meant to be a blueprint for other nations and businesses

to adopt so that we can all achieve a sustainable future. Tesla currently has three Gigafactories in operation, with a fourth being pushed for approval. A substantial contribution for one company, think about what 10 could achieve? What could the world’s superpower nations achieve?

The real question is, as always, what can I do about it? Climate consciousness is something that needs to be a part of everyday life. With such a short window for change, it is of paramount importance that we arm ourselves with the necessary information to consume smarter and to engage/demand more from the political institutions and big businesses around us.

The key to this success, as aforementioned, is making renewable solutions cheaper.

What we can do is push for the production of a Gigafactory in the UK and, for a universal carbon tax that forces businesses to be climate conscious to achieve that same profit margin.

Everyday counts, please don’t waste it.

Photo by Pixabay

F

or a man that is often seen wearing an Occupy Mars T-shirt, Elon Musk seems to be doing an awful lot to keep mankind on this planet, certainly more than any other high-profile business entrepreneurs. When you ask people about Elon Musk the responses are often mixed; no doubt naming his first child ‘X Æ A-12’ doesn’t help. If you ask those same people what he does you will also get the same spectrum of answers, detailing Elon’s various well-documented business ventures, whether it is Tesla’s meteoric rise or revolutionising commercial travel with SpaceX. Even digging tunnels for electric shuttles across LA, or the creation of The Boring Company’s ‘Not a Flamethrower’.

Whatever he does, it gets coverage… except in the case of the Tesla Gigafactory.

You would absolutely be forgiven for not knowing what the Tesla Gigafactory is. Perhaps the reason it isn’t as well known is because on the surface, it’s just a battery and car assembly line. However, its applications are so much more. The single greatest barrier to The Gigafactoovercoming ry presents the climate renewable energy change is industry with a way the economto make batteries af- ic viability fordable and in turn, of fossil fuels. Profit provide consumers and businesses alike margins with a viable alterna- perverse the economy

Tom Nice

in reality.

Dodging questions and clear communication may as well be the skill we could all learn from our government.

Sunak seems to divert the conversation from the ilk of musicians, artists, actors to the general public. Yes, many people are adapting across the nation, but those in the arts industry have understandably been hit harder due to COVID-19’s impact on social gatherings. Ignoring this will only increase the stigma that working in the arts is not a worthwhile ambition. In pulling the ballerina image, the government are essentially telling the public to forget their mistakes as well as dismissing the much needed conversation on the arts. It boils down to the government suggesting we should adapt to this ‘new normal’ and then overlooking how we should adapt. My message to those in the arts industry would be one of determination. I don’t think they should be worried about their careers, but stay cautious. They should remain undeterred and put more pressure on the government to include them in the conversation and create viable resources for the future of the creative fields. The arts are an important aspect of Britain’s culture, and as I’m sure many students would agree, it’s a fundamental part of our lives. It would be a great injustice to see the industry suffer simply because it is viewed as a lesser line of work by an ignorant government.

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Editorial Editor-in-Chief Tímea Koppándi

Monday 2 November 2020 InQuire Have something you want to say? Write a letter to newspaper.editor@inquiremedia.co.uk and be featured in the next InQuire newspaper

Newspaper Editor Rory Bathgate

Website Editor Emily Webb-Mortimer

What’s different isn’t treated the same

Watch your government, and remember

Is optimism possible?

When picking a subject for a degree, we all know that there are some more desirable than others. For example, some parents may encourage you to head towards business, engineering or something that will enhance your IT skills. But in reality the only thing that they are actually pushing you towards is making money. As much as we would like to pretend that jobs in the field of humanities aren’t paid less in comparison to other subjects, we have to face the truth: they are. What is saddening is that this culture starts ever since you attend university. Let’s take for example job fairs: the majority of the advertised jobs are in law, business, marketing and other departments similar to these. Finding a placement or internship in the arts is harder, not only because you struggle to find the advertisement for them, but also because the competition is much higher, and that is owed to the fact that the open positions are limited.

Why is it that in most cultures across the world, working in the department of humanities is regarded as a poor job choice with less earnings?

One of the reasons is that humanities enhance ‘soft’ skills. Most of them are developed by our experience with people, with stories and certain projects we might have worked on. The point is, we learn life experiences. We might not always be able to say “I am proficient in this coding program”, but we can say “This person is struggling with anxiety therefore they might need more encouragement”. We analyse, observe and understand the world around us. It might seem silly, easy or even pointless to have these abilities, but they are endlessly valuable in any career.

Anyone applying to a humanities degree because it is “sooooo easy” will find themselves in for a shock.

Telling students, and individuals who are looking for jobs, that some subjects are more important than others is devaluing their passions and their hard work. Even though I am aware that not every department can be treated the same, I think there is a need to pay more attention to those departments who do feel left out and try to bridge the gap.

“That’s just politics isn’t it”. “All politicians lie though eh”. Statements such as these help no one. Not only is the implication that we should expect those in power to fail us, which is at best laughably cynical and at worst a drab reflection on the poor character of our nation, but also that we can do nothing about it. That each official is the same as the last, and there is therefore no need to participate in political conversation.

Now is not the time to shy away from politics. The sad truth is that there never is such a time. Democracy requires us to be aware always of its decline, and fight hard for it whenever we can, in any way that we can. The US election is upon us, and it will shape the path of the world for this century. The next UK election is set for 2024, but in all the time between now and then keep an eye on the key decisions made on the biggest issues.

The time to watch politics is not just before the next election, when candidates are making empty promises fuelled by hunger for re-election. It is now, when those same candidates are being asked to provide for their constituencies in such dire circumstances. When the foremost scientists are saying that our government failed to prevent excess deaths, take note.

When children are going hungry because elected officials vote against helping them, ask yourself who these officials actually represent. Political decisions can at times seem somewhat ephemeral; trade deal delays, policy disagreements and logistical issues all cause long-term problems that can be brushed away with so much PR bluster. Rarely does a populace get to view disastrous leadership in such grim clarity – all one needs to do these days is watch the case numbers or cries for help. This is true across the board. Watch both the nation and your local community, and ask yourself this: who is helping?

Next election, remember how those running acted when people really needed them. Listen to the pledges being made, but never forget the failures. Vote accordingly.

The answer to that question, that horrible question, is surprisingly and unfailingly, yes. As highlighted in an opinion article by an InQuire alum in the previous issue, a reported 72% of Generation Z expect the pandemic to get worse rather than better in the coming months. This damning example of a fatalistic outlook from a generation born into a world of terror attacks, economic downturn and The Black Eyed Peas’ My Humps in the charts is one of many. However, I believe (and I would love you to as well) that optimism, rather than being naive or childish is a wonderful thing. Though the worst of this particular horror (and to be quite fair a slew of others) may still be yet to come, there are a thousandfold more things to consider evidence that though there is dark, there is also light.

I ask you not to see optimism as a flaw, an attempt in futility or something reserved for simple minds and children.

It is a tool of survival, a truly wonderful aspect of humanity and a way of staying sane when faced with absolute reality. I hope our generation is not remembered for our cynicism, for assuming the worst and falling into a self fulfilling prophecy, rather that we will stand out as a generation of resilience and hope reminiscent of The Greatest Generation, a legacy achieved solely through optimism.

10

Monday 2 November 2020 InQuire

Lifestyle

Life

Where have you bean all my life?

The top latest places in Canterbury to study

B

ored with the same study spot and background for online seminars? Well grab your laptops, bring your notes, and do not forget that mask because here are my top five study spots picked espresso-ly for you.

The Gulbenkian Café

My first spot is not far for those living on campus or near the University.

This café is popular for getting a coffee and buckling down with work.

The best thing about this café is that it is on campus; being surrounded by students helps you to not feel that apprehension while getting your laptop out, as everyone else is already doing it. The location also means if you have left that charger in your halls it is not too far to go back and get it. Plus the coffee is rich and smooth giving you a boost to power through that essay.

Costa Coffee

Now this pick might come across as a little cliche but it is a popular chain of coffee shop and, let’s face it, Canterbury boasts an abundance. The reason

Photos by Jonny Swales, Unplash

why it is on this list is because there are so many of them around; you will always find a space in one of them.

Head to the one down the high street rather than at Whitefriars if looking for a lunchtime study break as that one is generally less busy. Costa also offers plenty of outlets for charging laptops and has great free Wi-Fi so there is little to no excuse to ignore that Teams meeting.

Eleto Chocolate Café

This is a café for any chocolate lovers out there. I went there for the first time recently and completely fell in love. The vibe is relaxed and quirky. I sat right by the window which was the perfect spot for people-watching while struggling to write the next sentence of my work. The White Hot Chocolate Deluxe is highly recommended as is the Kinder Bueno crêpe; my mouth is watering just thinking about them.

It is very cosy and a lot of students already make use of the space so you will not feel as uncomfortable taking up an entire table just for your notes.

And the best part? The top floor is

dedicted to being a study area and maintaining a studious atmosphere.

Which is a really nice place to meet up with classmates and get work done to the atmospheric smell of chocolate.

Stag Coffee Shop

This coffee shop is fairly new to the area. Located down the end of the Marlowe Arcade, it is a refreshingly modern, industrial style café. There are outlets at most of the tables, and a lot of space to work as well as an extensive menu to choose from.

From burgers to soups, breakfasts to deserts, this café’s menu is truly impressive. They also offer alcohol and cocktails: post-essay celebrations, anyone? It is a space that feels as if it was made to be studied in, and is fairly quiet so it gives you the chance to settle down and focus. Indeed, this café can really feel like an adult study place, which is quite refreshing being a postgraduate student. A side note: if you order a slice of cake, which is always highly recommended, make sure to bring a friend as their portion sizes are generous to say the least.

Burgate Coffee

Just a stone’s throw away from the Cathedral this little coffee shop is a perfect stop to get some studying in.

It has locally roasted coffee and an array of homemade cakes which are delicious. It is a small cosy coffee shop so there might not be many tables if you pop by during the lunchtime rush, but you will be rewarded if you do grab a spot. The staff are all incredibly friendly and they will know your order by the second time you visit. The chilled background music and smell of the amazing coffee gets you into the headspace to crack on and pour your soul into

an essay.

Have a favourite study space that is not listed? Why not get in touch with us through our social media (Instagram: @inquirekent) and tell us more!

By Laura O’Callaghan Writer

11

InQuire Monday 2 November 2020

Life

Sustainable fashion

By Estelle Curiel Writer

Photo by Pina Messina, Unsplash

M

any of us love fashion but feel that there is a lack of sustainability within the industry and the spending habits it reinforces in us consumers. But what can be done to change this?

The rise of slow fashion and a return to focus on style rather than trends means sustainable fashion has never been more achievable. Slow fashion is a process of making garments in a sustainable and circular manner in order to reduce waste and carbon footprints. It focuses on better quality items that will last longer as well as fair treatment of people, animals, and the planet at the core of its values. This is an important response to fast-fashion, in which clothes are made cheap to rise to the demand of ever changing trends. Fast-fashion creates tons of waste that ends up in landfills and uses unsustainable materials. The water usage and carbon footprint needed to sustain fast-fashion are a major factor in the climate crisis, and is heavily associated with deforestation.

Slow fashion is the way forward, but it is often associated with quite the price tag. We know that buying one good pair of leggings at £100 that will last you years is better than buying a new £10 pair every few months, but unfortunately this is not student budget friendly.

The most affordable option for sustainable fashion is shopping second hand. Charity shops are a great place to start, and Canterbury high street is bursting at the

seams with them. Not only is buying from charity shops more sustainable than buying new clothes, but you are also donating money to amazing causes. A new sustainable clothing store called Karma has also just opened on the same street as Canterbury Cathedral (Sun Street), and although small they offer a variety of coats, sunglasses, dresses and tops.

Not a fan of shopping in person?

No problem! eBay is no longer the only place to buy second hand items online. Depop has revolutionised the art of second hand shopping with a social media design. Just look up a hashtag and scroll through beautiful pieces to find your dream staples. Other apps/websites include Vinted and Gumtree.

Following suit, we can now find many second hand pages on Instagram to buy unique vintage items. Some accounts I love are:

“A focus on creating timeless and unique statement pieces tailored towards the ‘Instagram generation’.”

H&M’s ‘close the loop’ initiative lets you bring your unwanted clothes in to recycle in exchange for a £5 voucher.

Those textiles will be recycled to make new clothes with the ‘close the loop’ label. H&M conscious line is their other sustainable and ethical clothing line which can be recognised by the green label. Just look for the clothing dispenser box in store. And do not forget to let a member of staff know that you have donated so you can receive your £5 voucher which you can use when you spend £25.

Similarly, Primark has an instore recycling program where they recycle clothes that are dropped off and create new clothes under the ‘Primark cares’ initiative.

All their profits go to UNICEF and no donated clothes go to landfills. Primark has also started a sustainable cotton program as part of the Sustainable Clothing Action Plan in partnership with environmental experts WARP. The program centres around traceability of raw materials and sourcing cotton in a sustainable and ethical manner. Primark are doing this by limiting the amount of chemical pesticides, fertilisers and water used to grow the cotton all the while increasing farmers’ income. Their long-term plan is for all their cotton to be sustainably sourced.

“The water usage and carbon footprint needed to sustain fast-fashion are a major factor in the climate crisis” @yellowtartanskirt, @archiverie, and @imparfaiteparis.

The Facebook marketplace is also a great place to check-out if you are not too keen on paying for shipping (as it mixes the convenience of online shopping with the option of meeting up in person).

Joining sustainable groups on Facebook or societies such as Swish are a good idea as they often organise clothes swaps which are a fun and ecologically friendly way of sprucing up your wardrobe while giving some less loved pieces a new home. You could also organise your own clothes swap between friends and make a fun night out of it (while following current COVID-19 regulations).

Photo by Estelle Curiel, Writer

If you are not interested in pre-loved items, some highstreet brands have started making sustainable collections as well.

Clothes renting is the newest development in sustainable fashion and has already won over many.

The popular new system can either be peer to peer whereby individuals rent out their own clothing for you to borrow (By Rotation, Hurr) or a company which rents out its stock (Rotaro, My Wardrobe HQ, The Endless Wardrobe). This allows individuals to rent outfits for special occasions rather than splurging on something that will only be worn a handful of times — saving both the planet and your wallet. Some rental services, such as Onloan, work as subscription services to curb the need of any designer enthusiast.

There are also plenty of sustainable brands on the market. Their price tags can get quite steep but the quality tends to be much better. The website Good On You rates brands sustainability so it is a good tool to keep in mind while shopping for new items.

Some sustainable slow-fashion brands:

Before July ££-£££

No Encore Apparel £-££ A new ethical, sustainable and vegan streetwear brand inspired by music with “The Earth gets no encore” as its catchphrase.

Lara intimates ££

London based brand making sustainable underwear from deadstock with a zero-waste policy. Their bra sizes are the most inclusive of any sustainable brand, ranging from 26A to 36I.

Tala ££

Activewear brand created by influencer Grace Beverly with the aim of rivalling fast-fashion brands for style, comfort, and price.

Ana Luisa ££

Sustainable jewelry brand using recycled gold and silver to create beautiful designs that are modern and trendy.

Veja ££

A French brand focused on sustainable and stylish trainers and accessories.

If you spend any amount of time looking at sustainable brands, you will most likely come across the term TENCEL™. It is a form of lyocell fabric produced by environmentally responsible processes from sustainably sourced wood. TENCEL™ is also extremely soft and comfortable to wear and could very well be the future of clothing.

The cheapest way to be sustainable? - Learn to repair or re-purpose clothing you already have. Whether it is fixing a hole with a cute stitching design or cropping an old t-shirt, there are many ways of revamping the clothes you already have in order to feel like you have a brand new wardrobe. There are many videos on YouTube which show you

“Focuses on better quality items that will last longer”

British slow-fashion brand created as a response to fast-fashion with a focus on creating timeless and unique statement pieces tailored towards the ‘Instagram generation’.

Organics basics ££

Danish clothing brand with sustainability as the core ethos.

They make basics from underwear to t-shirt dresses and ship to the UK.

simple yet pretty stitches that you can do on broken seams, tears and holes. ‘O-Crafts’ is only one of many accounts which offers tips and step by step guides to fixing your clothing.

Lifestyle

How to: Personal Vitamins

By Katinka Pim Writer

L

iving with the threat of Coronavirus, and with winter fast approaching, it is important we all take extra care to be as fit and healthy as possible. We know the basics; eat well, exercise regularly, get plenty of rest, but is there more we could be doing?

Perhaps providing that extra boost for your immune system when not feeling your best?

I have been taking vitamins for a number of years, and I believe they help with just that. Here is a ‘How To’ on vitamins, however I always recommend doing your own research and seeing what fits you best! Any major changes to supplements should always be done in-line with a GP’s advice.

“Most significantly an ‘immune’ vitamin C and D”

B12 - commonly known to be in meat, poultry or eggs, so

if you are vegetarian or vegan this is an especially important one to take. It can also be found in marmite and nutritional yeast and is a supplement even your average meat-eater is low in. So it would be great to add to your list of dailies!

Omega-3 - again commonly found in fish, this is sim-

ilarly important for vegetarians. In supplement form it is most commonly found in fish oil (so if you are not a big fan of your seafood then this is a great supplement for you!) alternatively you can also buy Omega-3 made from algae.

Magnesium - especially important if you are prone to

headaches, migraines or cramps, magnesium is a supplement that can help with all that. It is naturally found in things such as spinach, beans, tofu, nuts, and also pumpkin (try using your pumpkin pulp from this Halloween to make something delicious!)

Vitamin D - more important than people realise; only

in the last couple of decades have scientists understood the importance of this vitamin. Most significantly, it fights disease, reduces depression and even aids weight loss.

Naturally found in fish, egg yolk and milk, for those not eating these you can buy cereal and plant-based milks with fortified vitamins as well. The NHS website recommends taking 10 micrograms of vitamin D throughout autumn and winter.

If the idea of buying all these vitamins is slightly overwhelming, then try buying a multivitamin, with all the ingredients above (aside from Omega-3, which is usually sold separately), and as Healthline suggests, with added Calcium, zinc, iron and folate.

I know as students we may not financially be able to afford such vitamins daily, as they can be expensive. My recommendation in that case is buy what you can - a multivitamin (with the vitamins listed above) or most significantly an ‘immune’ vitamin C and D - then hold on to them. And if/ when you begin to feel under the weather, or are under a significant amount of stress or are sleeping poorly, use them as a supplement.

Healthline says experiencing stress, sleeping poorly and not getting regular exercise, even with a perfect diet, leads to not being able to absorb your nutrients properly. So try it out, head to Holland and Barret, Boots or other local shops, and take that first step to further looking after your own health.

Check out the InQuire website for articles like: - A Guide to The Ordinary - At-home cocktail recipes - Sprucing up your student house without jeopardising your deposit

12

Monday 2 November 2020 InQuire

Feature

The Climate is changing... why arEn’t we?

Armaan Latif Head of Design

are being developed to tackle climate change.

Dr. Jason Box tells Vice Media Executive Chairman Shane Smith that, “Plan A, which was conservation, has largely failed. So, plan B, geoengineering, needs to [become] plan A”. Geoengineering is the deliberate and large-scale manipulatioWn of the Earth’s climate, commonly used to manage the adverse effects of climate change.

After watching this video, I sat in my room at 3am on my sixth cup of coffee laughing manically because through the storm clouds of fear and anxiety, there is a shaft of sunlight.

“Knowledge is the key to all shackles”

Y

ou know what it is, you know what it is about. If you do not know at this point, then you really need to sort your life out. Climate Change is our generation’s biggest threat.

Turn the TV on, look out the window: it’s happening baby. Forest fires, tropical storms, ocean acidification, displaced peoples the list goes on. The heralds of chaos arrived years ago, and we did not heed their warning. So, is it the end of the world? Should we just roll over and submit to our failures? I don’t think so. I think there is hope. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, if you’re feeling anxious; welcome to the year 2020, we hate it here. Let that fear and anxiety fuel you because we have a long way ahead of us. I urge you not to run away from these feelings, for there is a way out of this nightmare for us to find.

Knowledge is the key to all shackles. This article isn’t going to be entirely doom and gloom, I assure you.

I was lucky enough to have an interview with the UKC Oxfam Treasurer, Becky Elliot to discuss the future of our climate and the role of students in tackling the looming crisis.

Over lockdown, I am sure everyone has spent much more time online.

Being stuck indoors led me to delve deep into YouTube videos on climate change.

One of those videos which has stuck with me is a Vice News documentary called Geoengineering May Be the Answer to Climate Change. A year since its’ release, the video remains relevant to what we are experiencing in 2020. During this pandemic, this was one of the only videos that brought me a true sense of comfort. The video follows Vice journalists as they travel the planet, looking into the technologies that

There is hope. But why haven’t these efforts been reported on more? Why haven’t these efforts been put into play? Climate change is an international problem and is thus hugely complicated by politics. But should it be?

I asked Becky Elliot, UKC Oxfam treasurer about her optimism for the future of our climate, “It doesn’t make me feel good. But I don’t think, that to do something, you must think about the big picture.”. This made me question our individual impact on our environment, questioning whether it is our fault as consumers for this crisis or the rich and powerful, who have ignored the problem and only continued the devastation. Becky followed on, “I really think that saying individuals need to be responsible for their own actions is really harsh and I do think most of the blame needs to be put on government and corporations.”’

On May 26 this year, the streets of Minneapolis were populated by those Photo by Armaan Latif who decided to stand up for justice against systemic racism. On March 31, 2019, the streets of Hong Kong were populated by those who stood up against an encroaching authoritarian state. Protests are taking place in South Africa, the UK and in Kenya because of what happened in Lagos. Members of Extinction Rebellion protest around the world to highlight the very real climate crisis. As perfectly summarized by Becky “When it comes to big issues like climate change and systemic racism, neither of these issues are political, they’re human rights issues. Calling them political issues reduces them to a set of policies which they are not”. My point is, it is difficult to decide what the politics of climate change should look like, we should see the problem as a human rights issue and unite to fight it.

“Kent county council, they have said that there’s a climate emergency, but nothing’s been done. We need to keep applying the pressure”.

Recently the actions of the Extinction Rebellion movement have shifted focus onto the climate crisis at hand. UKC Oxfam is an apolitical organization so I was curious to hear what Becky thought of Extinction Rebellion, “As a group, they are great, and their goals are great. But there are some individuals that ruin it for everyone, like the public transport disruptions during the London protests. I think they’re a great organization, but there needs to be more discipline within the organization”. Some actions taken by the protesters may have been a bit too much, but the reality of the situation is that we are dealing with a huge problem to humankind that has largely been ignored.

How are things presently on our little blue planet? Pandas aren’t considered ‘endangered’ anymore they’re now classified as ‘vulnerable.’ There’s a pandemic, the magnitude

of which no one has ever witnessed. There’s a country, with one of the world’s strongest military forces, whose president, living caricature Donald Trump, refuses to publicly condemn white supremacy. There are civilians being beaten by members of the Indian army on the streets of Jammu Kashmir. In China, Uighur Muslims are being sent to “re-education” camps as Xi Jinping’s government carries out, what is essentially, cultural genocide. In Lagos, Nigeria, security forces, using live rounds, fired at and killed demonstrators. And to top it all off, the environment is broken.

To a large extent, this is the state of the world today. This is the state of our political, social order. What happens when the socio-political order is flawed? If an authority fails to meet the conditions of legitimacy, if we stop believing in the authority, do we still

“most of the blame needs to be put on government and corporations.”

13

InQuire Monday 2 November 2020

Feature

Photo by Marianne Martin

Photo by Jon Tyson / Unsplash

“It’s the action that’s important at the end of the day” micro-spheres”; each sphere is a silica shell that surrounds a gaseous core. It’s basically super reflective sand. Her team was testing the effect of the material at a small scale. The use of this sci-fi sand was predicted to reduce the amount of ice lost over a period of days.

Eventually, it is hoped, that the operation is carried out at a much larger scale, covering key reflective points in the arctic. Dr. Field said that “the idea is to try rebuild a natural system with the least possible intervention”.

Additionally, progress towards a cleaner future can be found In Sunnyvale, California, where we find a group that has been studying and developing technology that brightens clouds with the use of saltwater sprays. The academics and entrepreneurs’ efforts are funded by their own savings and seed money from Bill Gates. Volcanologist, Dr. Matt Watson (from the University of Bristol) talked about his field of research. He explained how sulfur dioxide that is spewed into the atmosphere by volcanic activity, is converted into sulfur aerosols which can effectively help reduce the global temperature by reflecting solar radiation back into space.

Steps are being made towards progressive change. But I question, what can we do to make our own impact? When I proposed this question Becky, she delightfully told me to do “what works well for you as an individual. Doing something is better than doing nothing. Don’t get scared away!” We should not be afraid; in a world seemingly divided by chaos, we are united in protest. “If a university student is more interested in action, sign petitions, join protest efforts. Join ECS, Environmental Conservation Society at the University of Kent”. There are plenty of ways to get involved.

We, the enemies of oppression, the champions of good, have a responsibility to alter what today’s political landscape looks like.

Politics does not exist as a concrete science, it’s an ever-evolving thing, it is growing with us as a community. We must make sure it’s growing in the morally right direction. If we have genuine reason to doubt the ability of our governments to tackle the issues that we hold sacred, then we must stand-up.

Humankind faces an existential crisis: climate change. It is an international problem and will take a united, global, effort to be properly dealt with. Our governments have failed to right this wrong, and I predict they will continue to do so considering the state

Photo by Susan Kramer/Ice 911

“There are plenty of ways to get involved.”

have an obligation to obey? I don’t think we do.

As a Student at the University of Kent, I wondered what students can do to help provoke change.

Becky told me ‘the most important thing we can do is join in with the younger students that are doing climate strikes.

Like Greta Thunberg. In the Kent county council, they have said that there’s a climate emergency, but nothing’s been done. We need to keep applying the pressure”. Knowing that there is a climate emergency should provoke everyone into urgent action. We’ve seen how many aspects of our lives have changed since the arrival of

COVID-19, we should see similar dramatic changes for our fight against climate change.

Becky continued “We need to hold big corporations accountable”. Large corporations and governments have the most power (and money) to fight against climate change. New procedures and environmental laws are urgently needed globally to hold those who cause major damage to the environment to account.

With an endless list of issues, it is easy to crawl up in a ball and ignore them. However, for the climate I am hopeful of genuine change. For example inn Barrow, Alaska, Dr. Leslie Field talked about her team’s efforts to reduce the amount of sunlight absorbed by places like the Arctic. Her non-profit organisation Ice911, has developed “hollow glass

“New procedures and environmental laws are urgently needed globally to hold those who cause major damage to the environment to account.”

of their current moral compasses.

Unfortunately, the responsibility to correct this species’ course of direction has been thrust upon us. This is no small responsibility, but we share the weight. We must ensure our voices are heard and listened to. We need disciplined, well-informed, action. It is normal to feel anxious in such a situation, it is normal to feel fear and so, I leave you with this quote from the well-known sci-fi book and film, Dune:

“I will not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. I will face my fear. I will let it pass through me. Where the fear has gone, there shall be nothing. Only I will remain”.

(Frank Herbert)

14

Monday 2 November 2020 InQuire

Culture

A fight against anti-migrant rhetoric: in conversation with Isaac Snow

By Morgan Rodway-Wing, Website Culture Editor

I

n 2019, the UNHCR (United Nations Refugee Agency) warned of a rise in anti-migrant rhetoric despite the number of migrant arrivals in Europe actually decreasing to 116,000 in 2018 (down from 172,000 in 2017). The disparity between the rise in anti-migrant rhetoric and the decrease in migrant arrivals in Europe is alarming and exhibits an intolerance that is only being furthered by the current political climate.

Isaac Snow is a singer-songwriter who is particularly concerned with this growing issue and has dedicated himself to educating people through his music. Snow has “always had a deep interest in the asylum system in the UK” and has seen first-hand “how unfair the system is and how it can grind people down”. This is particularly topical, given the rising conflict between the Kent Anti-Racist Network and far-right protestors over refugees in Dover.

“Music has the power to make political issues widespread and musicians have the ability to increase awareness” Snow’s newest single, Why, looks at how “the narrative of the press and politicians in the UK promotes and normalises violence towards asylum seekers and refugees”. When asked why he wrote this song, Snow responded that he was “frustrated” and “angry”, which is conveyed through the dark tone of the song. At the time of writing, he ‘felt like this was a message which is often unheeded and one that needs to be heard’ because it “isn’t really spoken about in music”.

Why choose to talk about it through music, then?

Snow believes that “music and political activism go together” because “music has the power to make political issues widespread and musicians have the ability to increase awareness”. He even nods to Stormzy’s activism in relation to the Grenfell enquiry, in which he used his platform as a rapper to fight for social justice.

This parallel of music and politics is mirrored by an alignment of sound and visuals. Snow has paired the single with a video because “a single by itself wouldn’t have been impactful enough”. Most striking is his exclamation that “this issue is a very visual one”. How can a political issue be visual?

Snow argues that his combination of sound and visuals “helps to present the issue in a sensitive but effective way”, and the video makes his single more “confrontational”. Having heard the single and seen the video, I would be inclined to agree that the multi-media nature of Snow’s activism is powerful and has much more of an impact than it would if there was a single or video on its own.

Is interdisciplinarity the way to move forward when combating political issues then? The field of Interdisciplinary Studies is always evolving and adapting in the 21st Century, encouraging a crossing of boundaries and disciplines. If, as Snow states, music is no longer enough on its own, then is interdisciplinarity the way to go? Well, if Snow’s single and video are anything to go by then yes, absolutely. The video evokes emotions that the single is unable to, yet without the single the video would cease to exist.

The political climate of today demands activism and requires activists to use whatever plat-

forms they can to bring attention to issues such as anti-migrant rhetoric. The combining of more than one platform, therefore, can only have a positive impact on raising awareness.

Snow is keen to acknowledge that it isn’t solely political issues that are important to highlight his previous work has seen mental health at the forefront. With there being such a focus on mental health in students at the moment, particularly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, could interdisciplinary activism be the way forward for political, social and cultural change?

Snow’s single Why and accompanying video are available to listen to and watch on Spotify.

Photos by Sonnet Music

Creating a legacy at the University of Kent

By Eleanor Summers, Culture Corespondent

M

oving out of home for University can be a huge challenge for people, whether they're moving to the other side of the country or to the next town. The uncertainty of change can scare and excite, and some students can end up feeling unsure and nervous as a result. In our current climate, fears can only increase as the country goes into different stages of lockdown, meaning you may be living under different rules to your family back home. Whilst the University is putting measures in place to make sure students feel included and safe, I thought this would be an optimum time to reflect upon the community we as students have

Photo by the University of Kent

decided to join.

It is all too easy to get caught up in the academics and the statistics that we as individuals achieve. But there is so much more to student life and the stories we leave behind as we graduate. Each one of us impacts the University in a plethora of ways, just as the University also shapes us.

So where does our legacy lie? Who has passed through these hallways before us that should inspire us? And what does it really mean to be part of the University of Kent? Over the coming weeks, join me through the InQuire website as I delve into the past to discover the University’s heritage and to help you reflect upon the role you play in the University’s life.

Photo by Marianne Martin

15

InQuire Monday 2 November 2020

Culture

a strange exploration but easy on the eyes: meeting jason

Photos by Fantagraphics

By Kristianna Engbrecht, Newspaper Culture Editor

S

ince this pandemic hit, I have seen post after post of people who are ready to tackle that pile of leisurely books they’ve been collecting. They’re gonna take this opportunity to read as many books as they can. They’ll take this time to devour books. I want that. In my mind I’m one of those people laying all over my house pressing my face into book after book. I’m fusing those books to my brain. I’m opening my head up and shoveling books in like it’s the return box on the side of the library. But who am I fooling? I’m not there. Instead I’m buried in academic journals and articles and an ungodly number of tabs on safari. My eyes can’t handle more reading. I grab a book, any book, anything that steps out of academia and my eyes ache.

I’m exhausted from reading, from comprehending and instead I end up asleep in that pile of books, all of them unread.

into a streaming hole.

But the subject today isn’t a matter of superheroes. There are no colorful capes or underwear on the outside. Today we step away from the stereotypical DC vs. Marvel, outside of the battle between good and evil. Today we meet Jason.

The first time I met Jason a copy of Pocket Full of Rain was placed in my hands by an old co-worker.

It wasn’t just a comic book, but it was surprisingly thin. I stared blankly at the cover. An anthropomorphic figure in a Hawaiian shirt holding a briefcase and a gun looked away from me while another played a cello next to him on the beach. Pocket Full of Rain and other stories by Jason. Just Jason.

“Two-time winner of

the Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material for his books The Bank on the Left and I Killed Adolf Hitler” What’s a girl to do?

I’ve turned to the one thing I have left, my comic book collection. I find that comics and graphic novels are the perfect balance, they’re quick, colorful, stimulating, and they give you the satisfaction and accomplishment of reading a book with the storyline and visuals of a Netflix series without falling

John Arne Sæterøy, writing under the name Jason, is a Norwegian cartoonist currently residing in Montpellier, France. His work is characterized

by his anthropomorphic figures and minimal use of speech making way for a wordless exposition of characters and space. His work spans over twenty books that explore general topics like love, longing, loss and grief while mixing in humor, whimsy and blending genres like sci fi and mystery. Two-time winner of the Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material for his books The Bank on the Left and I Killed Adolf Hitler, his wild bend of topics and feelings makes Jason unique to any other comic book writer, graphic novelist, or author I’ve read.

Most works of Jason are anthologies of vignette style stories featuring characters with dog, cat or bird-like creatures among other animals and the occasional skeleton. The line work is clean and the speech is minimal with long swaths of silence before speaking. Some stories and books are even completely void of any narration or dialogue. This silence is used to highlight movements and moments, it gives the reader a chance to explore the page and savor each feeling. It is a strangeness that is hard to describe.

My book of choice at the moment is If you Steal a collection of short stories released in 2015. The cover features Jason’s rendition of Frida Kahlo who is later discovered to be a hit woman with a peculiar parrot. Other stories draw inspiration from paintings by Magritte, luchador movies and vampire slayings not to mention a take on Waiting for Godot, the Kennedy assassination, giant chameleons and much more.

Together it may sound silly but I find these books fun, genuine and endearing. There is never a time where a Jason book hasn’t held my heart in its hand by the end. I close each book with a feeling of tenderness. Each time it takes me a moment to realize that indeed I am just holding a book. It’s a feeling that is hard to come by, but sometimes it’s just what you need. So if you’re tired of reading or too tired to read, get your hands on a Jason book.

It’ll give your eyes a break, but it might put a hand through your chest.

Recommendations by Jason: The Bank on the Left Lost Cat On the Camino Meow, Baby!

Sshhhh!

Werewolves of Montpellier

16

Monday 2 November 2020 InQuire

Music & Television

Entertainment

The life and death of Eddie Van Halen: “Heaven will be electric”

By Yoan Dzhugdanov, Website Entertainment Editor

Eddie Van Halen, the pioneering, virtuoso rock guitarist died on October 6 2020 at the age of 65, losing his long battle with throat cancer. Eddie’s passing was confirmed by his son, Wolfgang, who announced the news on Twitter.

Photo by Alan Light | Wikimedia Commons “I can’t believe I’m having to write this but my father, Edward Lodewijk Van Halen, has lost his long and arduous battle with cancer this morning,” He wrote.

“He was the best father I could ever ask for. Every moment I’ve shared with him on and off stage was a gift.

“My heart is broken and I don’t think I’ll ever fully recover from this loss”.

He added: “I love you so much, Pop”.

Van Halen, a Dutch native, was born in Amsterdam in 1955 and raised in Pasadena, California. He would go on to form the eponymous band in 1974 with his brother, Alex Van Halen as drummer, bassist Michael Anthony and singer David Lee Roth, all of whom met during their studies at Pasadena City College.

The band burst onto the rock scene in 1978 with their self-titled debut album, selling over 10 million copies, and changing the course of rock music forever.

Considered one of the 20 bestselling artists of all time, the band went on to release a

“He was, in the trusest sense of the word, an innovator” slew of multi-platinum albums, sporting hits such as Jump, Panama; Runnin’ with the Devil; and Why Can’t This Be Love.

The band’s last studio effort, 2012’s A Different Kind of Truth, saw the return of original vocalist, David Lee Roth, following his departure after the band’s biggest hit album, 1984.

Eddie Van Halen’s blistering solo on Eruption is his perhaps his most distinctive and infamous piece of guitar work which propelled the band’s appeal, cementing his reputation as one of rock’s all-time greats. The track showcases his seemingly effortless, acrobatic guitar technique, with his sensational guitar-tap-

ping and pick slides all embodying the pioneering noises, sounds and phrasing that he could summon from his electric guitar. He was, in the truest sense of the word, an innovator.

In the days following Van Halen’s passing, the streaming of the band’s catalogue surged by a staggering 1,300% just in the US alone, according to Billboard. Tributes have poured in from all over the music world, with Van Halen’s long-time frontman David Lee Roth posting a photo on social media of himself beside his former bandmate, writing: “What a long, great trip it’s been”.

Queen guitarist Brian May hailed Van Halen as “probably the most original and dazzling rock guitarist in history”.

Lenny Kravitz remembered Van Halen as a “legendary guitar and musical innova-

tor”, writing “Heaven will be electric tonight”.

Sammy Hagar, who replaced Roth following his split from the band in 1984, shared a picture of himself alongside Van Halen, with the caption: “Heartbroken and speechless.

My love to the family”.

Hagar has also revealed that he was able to rekindle his friendship with Van Halen prior to the guitarist’s passing.

Van Halen and Hagar experienced a strained relationship and hadn’t directly spoken since the

Van Halen reunion tour in 2004, before they reconnected earlier this year. In a recent interview with Rock 105.5’s Angi Taylor, Hagar stated that Van Halen’s death would have been “way too much” to process had they not settled their differences.

Photos provided under CC BY 2.0

Photo by Abby Gillardi | Wikimedia Commons

Photo by Anirudh Koul | Wikimedia Commons

Ratched: Netflix’s prequel series to Kesey’s classic novel is gothic Halloween fun

By Jena Butler, Writer

As the spooky season approaches, one can’t help but look a little further than Hocus Pocus or The Corpse Bride for a slice of Halloween entertainment.

After a considerably stale year for entertainment, audiences are deserving of something a little fresher and are ready and waiting to be shocked; not just terrorized by another typical horror film either. Enter Ratched, a Netflix psychological thriller co-created by Evan Romansky and Ryan Murphy.

The first series starts off with Edmund Tolleson (Finn Wittrock) murdering four priests in their own home and sentenced Photos by Netflix

to Lucia State Hospital, a mental institution.

The protagonist, Mildred Ratched (Sarah Paulson), the same titular character introduced in Ken Kesey’s novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, sneaks in undercover as a nurse to save her brother from the death penalty.

Naturally, the narrative isn’t such smooth sailing.

There are lots of characters who come up along the way to excite Nurse Ratched’s initial quest. Evil villain with monkey on shoulder?

Check. A nurse with half a face? Check. And as for Nurse Ratched, she is like a cat who has brought you a dead mouse but isn’t sure

why you’re screaming.

Paulson’s character is a testament to the term psychological thriller, with something sinister in her smile even when it is sincere. Ratched’s humble fascination for the twisted, her sexual fantasies and strange outbursts of human compassion are compelling. Each character is as well developed as the last, even when entering halfway through the season.

Perhaps a little over assuming of mental illness at times, the patients seem to be brimming with violence and ready to kill. This generalisation of mental hospitals as a stereotypi-

“The show is deliciously decadent” cal horror setting has been long overused. But with a plot that keeps on giving, I’m willing to let it slide.

There was something so refreshing about a series less predictable than a horror and a lot prettier than any psychological thriller I’ve seen before. As a matter of fact, the show is deliciously decadent. Set in the late forties, any lover of a period drama would appreciate the costumes and art decor of the time. Even the hospital is fancy.

Ratched takes all the

stylistic conventions of a Hitchcockian film and adds a contemporary twist.

Think The Shining as we steer down long winding roads to a hospital fit with endless corridors. Split screens and an intriguing use of coloured lighting are notable too.

During a harrowing realisation or flashback, a character will be plunged into gel lights of turquoises, greens and reds. A firework display for any screen enthusiast, the careful attention to the colour scheme is gorgeous to look at. Everything seems so naturally and beautifully placed, even the deaths.

Perhaps the real fright of

the show, however, is the light it sheds on the misconceptions and mistreatments of mentally ill patients, particularly during the mid-twentieth century.

Little boys are punished for daydreaming and women are boiled alive for lesbianism. Yes, it is horrific to watch, but it is all the more terrifying knowing this happened in real life as well.

Towards the end of the series, the story becomes quite the female empowerment tale as relationships are kindled and women pull together to keep the hospital running. I would say, however, the season mellows out near the end. Perhaps the

show would benefit from a few scene cuts to keep the action going. Nevertheless, one is still ready for more.

Series one ends on a mysterious cliff-hanger, with Nurse Ratched a wanted woman as a Buick peels out of a gas station and takes down the dusty road to who knows where.

Ratched is available to stream on Netflix.

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InQuire Monday 2 November 2020

Entertainment

Television & Gaming

How Netflix’s Deaf U

made me feel heard

By Jake Yates-Hart, Newspaper Entertainment Editor

As a rule, I don’t really watch reality television, nor do I care for it very much. I guess it is the snooty TV critic in me; I’m far more interested in watching a show that challenges me intellectually, and reality television just does not do that. And Netflix has tried it’s hand at the genre before, with varying degrees of success. However, Nyle DiMarco’s Deaf U, which follows the lives of several D/deaf and hardof-hearing students at an elite university in Washington, D.C., did something for me that very few shows have managed to do. It made me feel seen… or better yet, heard.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been in and out of hospital, and it almost always had something to do with my hearing. I would say I have had at least 10 surgeries to improve my hearing. When I was 11, I was given my first set of hearing aids, but after a year or so, it was declared that I no longer needed them.

My hearing had improved, and I begrudgingly let that part of my identity go.

Now, nearly a decade and one horrible ear infection later, I have a hearing aid again, and I’m so relieved I do. But it did raise some questions I never really thought about the first time.

Namely, where do I fit in? Will I have to keep adjusting to the hearing world, trying to ignore someone’s frustration when I ask them to repeat themselves?

Or will I manage to be fluent in British Sign Language, and communicate easily with other hardof-hearing people, if my hearing

worsens?

Luckily, Deaf U calmed some of those insecurities by shining a large spotlight on the students at Gallaudet University. We see various members of the D/deaf community on the college campus; from D/deaf party animals, to deaf influencers, to even deaf beer fanatics.

Each of the seven main cast members provide a meaningful insight into the D/deaf experience, but most importantly of all, they remind the audience that they are just normal people.

They are not one-dimensional characters you see in mainstream fictional shows that need ‘saving,’ from the able bodied.

They are confident, smart, and proud of being capital-D Deaf.

As someone who feels stuck between two worlds sometimes, I particularly enjoyed Rodney and Daequan’s communication, where they would alternate between sign and speech. One of the difficulties I have studying BSL is that I sometimes jumble my sentences, or forget to mouth words altogether. Yet Rodney and Daequan’s choice to combine speech with sign eased those worries, and made me feel I can sign in a way that makes me comfortable and that others can still understand.

That said, as the show is set in the U.S., I found myself becoming disgruntled seeing the cast sign certain words that mean something entirely different in BSL. I couldn’t help groaning when I saw Alexa make an ‘r’ shape with her finger and brush it across her nose - in BSL that means ‘sister,’ Alexa, not ‘red!’

Nit-picks aside, I really enjoyed the show on an aesthetic level, too. Each episode begins with the usual ‘A Netflix Original Series’ chyron, but then ‘Netflix’ is replaced with the signed version of the word (albeit, in ASL).

The ‘talking heads’ portion of the episodes uses a calming backdrop of one of common rooms on campus, which creates a safe and comforting setting for the viewer, especially when the show explores darker topics.

The show’s representation of the D/deaf community is impressive but could be improved upon for next series. Five out of the seven main cast members are white, and one of the only two black men in the ensemble is edited to fit the reality-television-bad-guy trope, which I found uncomfortable, especially when considering that the sortof ‘antagonists’ of the show are not given as much screen time as they should have.

That would be the Elite, those who have been signing since birth and come from a long line of non-hearing families, and often criticise those in the community that aren’t fluent in ASL. The clique’s animosity towards kind-hearted vlogger Cheyenna Clearbrook didn’t get nearly enough screen time as it should have, so when that storyline concluded in the series finale, it felt rushed and clunky.

Unfortunately, where the show falters is that there aren’t enough episodes to see a natural progression of events. Certain storylines are brushed under the rug to give screen time to the endless romantic subplot that involves nearly all of the friends - I honestly couldn’t tell you who in the love pentagon slept with who.

If Netflix picks up Deaf U for a second series, I hope DiMarco intends to explore more important issues that the cast has faced. There is something very powerful about someone who has never heard their own voice, using sign language as their only form of communication to discuss sensitive topics

around mental health, domestic be able listen to a narrator exabuse and consent. Those are isplain what the cast are signing sues Deaf U has explored before, while you write that essay you’ve but not nearly as much as they been putting off for weeks. should have.

Deaf U truly means a lot to me, it’s just a shame I could only spend a short time watching this amazing group of people navigate the hearing and non-hearing world. Considering DiMarco managed to break down these barriers of communication in only eight episodes, there is definitely hope for another series. After all, series one ends on (somewhat) of a cliff-hanger for the cast as they make big life changes, for better or for worse.

Also, for those who have the television on as background noise while studying (like myself), audio description is an option; you’ll Photos by Netflix

Deaf U is available stream on Netflix.

to

Among Us: Trust is put to the test in this delightful online multiplayer game

By Megan Warwick, Writer

As the world slowly makes its return to normalcy (with varying degrees of precautions in place), the gaming industry has certainly picked up even more clientele. With games like Psych and even Zoom online quizzes now an old craze that kept many of us socially distancing, a new app has come out of the woodwork to carry that torch, allowing players to enjoy themselves with friends, but in the safe confines of their home: Among Us. For those who spent the last month hiding under a rock and haven’t heard of this addictive game, Among Us is more or less

a murder mystery, with little colourful minion-like-astronauts.

Up to three players can be ‘the imposter’ (depending on how

large your group is), whose goal is to kill the rest of your team who play as crewmates, navigating a ship and completing tasks.

It is not as simple as it sounds, though. There is an emergency button, which players can press only a set amount

of times each round to make an announcement. Some tasks take longer than others too, which leaves crewmates fearfully watching over their shoulder. When an imposter kills a crewmate, a player may find the body, and report it.

This

leads to a meeting between the players to discuss who they think the imposter is. Players then have a limited amount of time each meeting to decide who the imposter is, and whoever gets the most votes, is ejected.

Whether you’re a gamer or not, Among Us can be, and practically is, played by all. Having recently taken on a fulltime job as a teach-

ing assistant, I’ll sit at the back of an ICT lesson and see students watching YouTube videos of Among Us gameplays or playing with one another online.

Young or old, the game has gone global. I have played it with my flatmates, friends, and even strangers from all around the world. And, honestly, it has become an obsession! Every night, when bored, my flatmates will turn to one another and say, “Among Us?”. Two hours later, we’ve spent the whole evening interacting on our phones while sat next to each other. Even in regular conversations, someone will always respond “that’s a bit sus” if anyone says something remotely strange.

If you do find yourPhotos by InnerSloth

self hooked, don’t forget to have a break from playing every once in a while. Better to give your eyes a rest. A piece of advice I will give to anyone who intends on playing Among Us after reading this article: don’t trust anyone! And if you’re still not convinced to play, well… you’re a bit sus.

Among Us is available on PC via Steam for £3.99 and free on mobile from the App Store or Google Play

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Science and Technology

Monday 2 November 2020 InQuire

NASA announces water found on surface of moon

By Rory Bathgate, Newspaper Editor

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has announced that it has discovered water on the sunlit surface of the Moon. While water had previously been detected in the darkest parts of the Moon’s south pole, the new data shows that water can be found in the Clavius Crater, one of the Moon’s largest sunlit craters. Although the evidence indicates only minute amounts to be found – equivalent to 0.3 litres of water for every square metre, or 100 times that found in the Sahara – it nevertheless marks a groundbreaking shift in our understanding of the resources available on the lunar surface.

The discovery was made with the use of NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), which is a Boeing 747SP modified to accommodate not only onboard astronomic instruments, but also a 2.5m hole in the fuselage to accommodate its reflector telescope. SOFIA is a joint venture between NASA and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), and has been operating since 2010 with the goal of observing infrared light sources and planetary atmospheres. Able to fly at up to 45,000ft, it gives researchers the opportunity to make readings without the atmospheric disturbance one experiences when making readings from the ground, without the need for costly satellite launches.

Explanations for the water’s presence range from chemical reactions between the hydrogen from solar winds and oxygen in lunar soil combining, to micrometeorites crashing into the Moon’s surface and bringing with them trace amounts of water. Future SOFIA missions will probe the findings further, with NASA hopeful the findings could assist with their Artemis program, in which they will land “the first woman and the next man” on the moon by 2024.

“Now we know it is there. This discovery challenges our understanding of the lunar surface and raises intriguing questions about resources relevant for deep space exploration” - Paul Hertz, director of Astrophysics Division at NASA”

Photo by NASA | Unsplash

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InQuire Monday 2 November 2020

Science and Technology

Record to victory: why you should document the everyday

By Steven Allain, Writer There has been growing effort in recent times to help prevent the inevitable: an ecological apocalypse caused by habitat destruction, pollution, and the release of greenhouse gas emissions, among other factors. Looking at the science, there is no doubt that these various forms of degradation are having effects on the environment. However, not everyone has the power to help reverse these at the individual level. In my opinion, there is something that every individual can do to help inform scientists and conservationists who are devising ways to help prevent this ecocide: recording wildlife. This makes perfect sense, as we can’t protect wildlife and wild habitats if we don’t know the true extent of a species’ range or the requirements that they need. That is one of the most basic fundaments of conservation – however, it seems to be left out of a large portion of the messages provided by various conservation and environmental organisations.

Let us look at an example to demonstrate this, using the humble common toad (Bufo bufo). A large proportion of the general public will be familiar with common toads. They are a regular visitor to garden ponds but they can also be found in a number of environments. You may have seen one whilst walking your dog in the woods, or whilst on a run through the park on a dew-soaked spring morning. Until fairly recently, common toads were regarded as a protected species and the government had even devised a Biodiversity Action Plan to aid in their conservation. Despite all of this, no one had any idea on the population trends of the species, as no long-term monitoring had been carried out. After all, why would it? As their name suggests, common toads are, well, common. Or, at least they were. A pair of researchers compared the data collected from volunteers around the country that help toads cross roads on their spring mi-

gration back to breeding ponds in 2016. What they found was shocking. In the thirty years preceding 2016, common toad populations across Great Britain had declined by 68%.

How could we not have noticed this and what can be done to reverse these declines? Common toads are not an isolated case, but it seems that there are a number of species suffering the same fate, although the jury is still out because the data is yet to be crunched. Common toads tend to breed in the same ponds each year, making annual migrations in the spring following their winter slumber, to breed en-masse. Sometimes this means hundreds, if not thousands, of them will try to cross busy roads during rush-hour in mid-late February, or other such human-made hazards. Without the dedication of volunteers and a handful of mitigation techniques, these populations would surely go extinct. As a species we also suffer from what is known as Shifting Baseline Syndrome. We’re unable to imagine the wealth of wildlife our grandparents saw in nature, as unfortunately many of us are disconnected from the natural world. Instead, we just accept the levels of biodiversity that we see as normal, even if populations are in decline. Due to this change in perception, the common toad (among many others) was slowly slipping away to extinction in Great Britain. Thankfully, the alarm bell was sounded at the right time.

So, what can be done?

This is where you come in. Everyone who has a smartphone has the ability to record species in real time, thanks to the powers of apps and the internet. I would encourage you while you’re out and about exploring the natural world, to record as much wildlife as you can -from the rarer species to the more mundane. You can do this by using apps such as iRecord, and if your expertise

is not to the same level as Sir David Attenborough, there are a number of useful apps that aid in the identification of everything, from spiders to toadstools. You have the power in your hands to aid conservation, and I bet you don’t even know it. The records you submit will be readily available to conservation organisations working on the ground to protect both species and their habitats, ensuring their longevity for generations to come. For a long time, common species have been overlooked, and the common toad is a great example. Now we have the power and the ability to turn a corner, and ensure that such declines do not continue unnoticed. If such trends are observed, they can be mitigated before it is too late.

The power is in your hands.

Photo by Gary Ellis | Unsplash

Nobel Prize winners 2020: black holes, DNA tools, and the discovery of a virus Photo by Duncan Hull | Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

By Jamie Neil, Website Science and Tech Editor Since 1901 the Nobel Prizes have been awarded every year, named for the Swedish Scientist and Philanthropist, Alfred Nobel. Nobel allegedly came up with the idea for the awards after a French Newspaper misreported his death. In their obituary, they named him ‘”the merchant of death” for his creation of dynamite, leading him to question his legacy.

Despite current global circumstances, the Nobel Prize winners were announced at the beginning of this month.

Physics saw the prize get split between two discoveries. Dr. Roger Penrose from the University of Oxford won half of the prize, for his work proving that black holes are a direct result of general relativity.

Penrose first proved the existence of the black hole in 1965. This discovery has led him to make great contributions to the field of general relativity, a theory a fellow Nobel prize winner pioneered, resulting in prizewinning work.

The other half went to Dr. Andrea Ghez and Dr. Reinhard Genzel for their work demonstrating that at the centre of our galaxy in the Sagittarius A* region of space there was a supermassive object pulling in all around it. Their work also led to developments in techniques that allow us to see through dust clouds, which is critical when trying to observe the centre of our galaxy.

The Nobel prize for Chemistry was awarded to Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier and Dr. Jennifer A. Doudna, for their work in genome editing. Their work involved the development of the CRISPR/Cas9 genetic scissors. This tool not only allows us to further explore the DNA build-up of animals, plants, and micro-organisms but also enables us to alter their genetic makeup. This can be used for the creation of crops that can survive harsh conditions, for example drought, a danger that has become more prevalent in parts of the world due to climate change. It also has applications in the medical field as it has unlocked new ways to treat cancer, something which is currently undergoing trials and could even lead the way to a method for treating inherited diseases like cystic fibrosis.

In the fields of Medicine and Physiology, the Nobel Prize was pre-

Photo by MPE | Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

sented to Dr. Harvey J. Alter, Dr. Michael Houghton, and Dr. Charles M. Rice. Their discovery of the Hepatitis C Virus has led to huge developments in the fight against liver cancer and blood-borne hepatitis cases. By identifying the virus, they have enabled scientists to develop test methods to help treat those infected. The disease is now curable, and many lives can be saved, all thanks to the work of these scientists.

Other Nobel prizes went to Louise Glück for Literature, The World Food Programme (WFP) was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and for Economic Sciences, the prize went to Paul R. Milgrom and Robert B. Wilson for work in the auction field.

Photo by Elena Zhukova | University of California

Photo by United Nations World Food Programme

Photo by Emmanuelle Charpentier | Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Monday 2 November 2020 InQuire

What’s on...

ROH: Manon Lescaut Wed 4 November 2020 ROH: Manon Lescaut Wed 4 November 2020 23 Walks Thu 5 November 2020 Saint Maud Fri 6 & Thu 19 November 2020 The Human Voice (plus Q&A with Pedro Almodóvar and Tilda Swinton) Sat 7 November 2020 Family Film: Hocus Pocus Sun 8 November 2020

Photos by The Gulbenkian

Free student gigs in theatre In partnership with UKC Live Music Society, Gulbenkian presents a new music night, featuring some of campus’ most talented bands and musicians.

As a student only event, valid Student ID is required at the door. Gigs running in Gulbenkian Theatre on: - Fri 6 Nov at 8pm - Fri 13 Nov at 8pm - Fri 4 Dec at 8pm Line-up changes at every event, so come and see some of UKC’s best live acts!

The Rocky Horror Picture Show Tue 10 November 2020 NT Live: War Horse (recorded) Wed 11 November 2020 I Am Greta Thu 12 November 2020 Kajillionaire Fri 13 & Tue 17 November 2020 Casablanca Sat 14 November 2020 Eternal Beauty Wed 18 November 2020 NT Live: Fleabag Fri 20 November 2020 Funny Rabbit Comedy Club: Michael Legge & Chelsea Birkby Fri 20 November 2020 Breakfast at Tiffany’s Sat 21 November 2020 Pan’s Labyrinth Thu 26 November 2020

Prices Full - £8.95 GulbCard Member - £6.70 Senior - £7.95 Registered Disabled - £7.70 Student - £3.00 Student GulbCard Member £2.50 Unemployed - £7.70 Under 25 - £6.00

Celebrate Cinema Season Must-see classics back on the big screen, curated in partnership with Gulbenkian Uncovered.

See the pink highlighted films in the sidebar!

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InQuire Monday 2 November 2020

Satire

Welcome back to Satire!

By Aedan Weston and Tahmid Morshed, Newspaper and Website Satire Editors Hello. Good Morning. Good Evening. Good whatever it is. This is an unimportant announcement for you.

Satire is back. There’s new management.

Now, it is time to delve into the state of affairs. What does this mean for everyone? It means absolutely nothing. Or something. Over the apocalypse, Satire has undergone a renaissance; there’s two of us running the thing now. One for the online stuff (Tahmid), and one for the offline stuff (Aedan). The InQuire Department of Satire (DoS), simply being the greatest representative of the student body, has some pledges for you and we aim to achieve all of them.

As you’ve heard, students are being locked in due to the ongoing apocalypse and things are seeming pretty dire. People can’t go out or do anything, especially here in our own home grounds of Canterbury.

We’ve heard reports of students only getting a shoddy sandwich and a mushy banana for food and it is simply too much to bear. We promise to rectify this by sending all students two whole bananas, a deluxe sandwich and a bottle of mineral water.

Society has also run into this thing called the “6 person rule” which is inherently ridiculous. The rules from the government are unclear and hazy. Furthermore, it facilitates exclusionary behaviour to cer-

tain people and that is simply unacceptable! Fear not, the boffins at DoS HQ have solved this. The DoS will allow 6.5 people to meet so you can have 13 people meet instead of 12. Sometimes, the intellect over here at HQ is astonishing.

After meticulous planning and careful decision making, we at the DoS have decided to perform a holy ritual in unison across the city! Our chosen plant in the ritual is a hop. This is fitting because it represents the city’s bustling, bubbly, alcoholic culture… they can also be found everywhere here, so it makes our lives easier.

We will form squadrons and send them off to collect as many hops as can be found. Once the teams have foraged them, we shall take them on a holy pilgrimage to the Canterbury Cathedral, where they shall be blessed by the Archbishop himself. Once blessed, we will deliver the hops to all in the city and in one great ritual, we shall cast them down to the ground. With God on our side we shall send the virus back from whence it came... nay, we will destroy it!

Society is falling into the dregs again. We can’t socialise, there is no entertainment, the arts and culture are dying a painful death. It is simply too much! When these restrictions have been lifted, we call upon the powers that be to give us the freshers we never had! However, in the meantime the DoS aims to solve this through a gigantic festival dedicated to Apollo which will flow through the streets of Canterbury. If it brought great health to the Greeks, it’ll bring great health to us. Music, laughter, and cheers and tears of joy shall emanate through the city as we bring entertainment back into the world. Our health, wealth and culture will be returned during this amazing two week long festivity. Purchase tickets from the DoS office now!

In terms of practical economic solutions, we will restore your favourite shops back to normal using our astounding recovery plan. We will replace the pound with virtual game currency that is easily accessible to all. This currency will be distributed to business owners so they can reopen your favourite haberdasheries and coffee shops. Minecraft diamonds and other gemstones seem to be the favourites at the moment since they are self replenishing. Rodriguez (the intern) has suggested that this will cause something called “inflation” and that “we can’t promise any of these silly things to people” but we try to ignore him and his negativity.

If none of the above works in stopping the virus and restoring our lives to how they were, more drastic actions must be

Photo by Shalone Cason | Unsplash taken. Sometimes in life we are forced to make difficult decisions for the good of the species… if all else fails we must do the unspeakable… we must sacrifice a small robotic child, or one of those damn Furby things to the old gods. As the clock strikes midnight on the eve of a full moon, we must make an offering to the gods on the hill near the cathedral. Then, and only then I fear, will our prayers be answered.

Finally, our boldest plan (if the robotic child sacrifice, the blessing of hops, or the festival to Apollo is not enough) at the DoS club is simply extraordinary. We will abolish all tuition fees and fund education via increased taxation. We will simply outlaw billionaires and tax them properly in order to get the funds needed to support higher education. Maybe this one is a little too outlandish.

Now I know that you are probably thinking “wow, this is too good to be true”... and it is. All of our promises will only work if every student on Medway Campus (if they actually exist) likes, shares, comments, and subscribes to our social media… if not, everything will stay the same and you will have bad luck for ten years (Medway, we’re counting on you!).

So students of Medway, we have never seen you, we have never spoken to you, but now we turn to you in our darkest hour… you are our only hope.

Government Man cannot survive on top five percent wage

By Tahmid Morshed, Website Satire Editor Famous comedy man, Alexander Johnson has recently said that he is unable to survive on £150k a year which is interesting since that falls into the top 5% of income in the UK. As a man who has consistently fallen upwards through sheer incompetence and ineptitude, he is quite distressed that he can no longer earn the big bucks. Johnson went from earning £23k a month with a cushy Fleet Street job to running the country and the pay cut has hit him oh so dearly.

The mastermind behind destroying the UK's international standing and economy apparently plans to resign in Spring 2021 after realising he cannot live his lavish lifestyle on “only £150,000" while child poverty in the UK rises. People have pointed out that he needs to send his youngest child (of which Wikipedia says he has "at least 6") to Eton and that costs a whopping £42k a year.

From failing to pay for free meals for children, to being unable to

“I personally think we have only had bad times since 1951.” negotiate trade deals, to stopping a dangerous disease, this man has blundered his way through it all. Meanwhile, his supporters are raucously cheering "hallelujah" as he metaphorically defecates a mountain of failure on them from high heaven. The so-called modern-day Churchill failed to lead as PM for the good times and bad times al-

though I personally think we have only had bad times since 1951. If the verbal spankings from Daddy Keir at PMQs was not enough masochism for him then like a pauper on only £150k probably is.

I decided to ask the common person what they thought of this and got a variety of responses.

One man from Whitstable said that he "didn't care" as he had voted for Johnson to "sort out Brexit" and the "undesirables" but then got a text message from the bank saying he was about to default on his mortgage. He promptly ran away without a word. A working mother from the suburbs of Canterbury said that Johnson had "failed everyone" but that "he was trying his best in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic" but said she would vote Lib Dem like she's always done. Finally, one university student from Kent said that they had "no sympathy" and that the rich should be "eaten and turned into a nice broth" for everyone to share. When asked for who they would vote for in the next elections, they said the Greens.

Good luck everyone.

Photo by Artsy Crafty | Stocksnap

“he is unable to survive on £150k a year”

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Monday 2 November 2020 InQuire

Sport

Why you should get into running

By Jaden Shepherd Website Sport Editor

Photo by Josh Gordon on Unsplash

It is a trope of runners to constantly go on about it and tell you that you should try it too. So, in celebration of that trope here’s an article telling you to try running.

I am a compulsive runner; I’ve always run a little bit but when lockdown began I used that precious one hour a day of sunlight to run. By mid-summer I was running 10k a day and while I love it, that is not what I’m recommending to you as now my knees are broken.

However, let me sell you on the benefits of running. That one precious hour I get at the start of every day clears my head and sets me up for the 24-hour onslaught of stuff we have to contend with each day. Running is a daily reset button where I just get time to myself to think about the world.

I run early in the morning behind the university, so I get to run through beautiful fields and trees; there is something to be said about being connected to nature

here, but I’m not soppy enough to come up with the right line. It does make me feel good inside thoiugh.

The same can be said to the people I run past every morning. I do not see many but those I do see are a weird little community, as we all see each other at the same time every day. There’s the farmer who is always strangely with a wheelbarrow, there’s the nice smiley old couple, and then there is the short Scottish woman who is always slightly panicked as she has about four dogs.

Now you may be thinking “yes Jaden this all sounds very quaint and pleasant but why would I bother to do that, it is a lot of effort and, importantly, boring”. And to you I say yes, it is a lot of effort but that is the point: you start your day off with a huge achievement, having gone out and actually done something. That sense will carry with you for the rest of your day.

As for it being boring, podcasts are amazing. They will open your mind up to the entire world, with hilarious podcasts to make you

laugh, news podcasts to keep you informed and story podcasts to intrigue you. All the while you aren’t thinking about putting one foot in front of the other. My personal favorite is the Jeselnik & Rosenthal Vanity Project.

Actually doing it is easy too, as you do not need lots of fancy expensive things. Just walk out your front door and run. If you’re unsure about how to build up your distance and time I recommend the Couch to 5K app, which is really good at getting you to be able to run 5k. Once you have done that, everything else comes easily. If you get properly into it, I would also spend money on decent running shoes as it will prevent injury.

So sorry for once more being that guy telling you try running, but it will honestly cheer you up and keep you fit, and is more fun than you might think. And please follow me on Strava.

Photo by Shen Liu on Unsplash

2022 can’t come soon enough for Formula One

By Joe Acklam Newspaper Sport Editor Practically my whole life, since the first seasons I watched in which Lewis Hamilton and his McLaren battled against Kimmi Raikkonen or Felipe Massa in their Ferraris, the whole season has been something of a procession.

From Brawn to Red Bull and now with Mercedes for the past seven years, there has been little to no competition towards the top of the driver’s standings. Whilst some races in a season can still be exciting due to circumstances conspiring against the dominant car, the vast majority seem to have the same outcome, Hamilton converting a pole

position to a race win. Lewis’ talent is undeniable, and for my money he is the greatest of all time, but it greatly detracts from the spectacle when you can predict with a great degree of certainty who is going to win. This season has been particularly bad for this; the regression of Ferrari has led to a position where Hamilton can fail to finish the next three races, with second place Valteri Bottas taking the chequered flag each time and the Briton will still lead the world championship.

In the deep mists of earlier this year, this would not have seemed such a problem, as change was on the horizon.

The rule changes which were due to take effect in 2021 would have seen

radical changes to the design of the car and also budget caps which would mean that the bigger teams would not be able to outspend their competitors off the track and therefore dominate them on it. The performance of Racing Point this season, to become Aston Martin next season, gave hope that the smaller teams would be able to truly compete at the front of the grid when the deck was not stacked against them.

That was until coronavirus hit and pushed back these big changes to how cars are designed until the 2022 season, with budget restrictions still set to come in for 2021, meaning that next year the cars will be largely similar to those of this season. Thus, another year

of monotony is confirmed.

I am not saying that every season has to be an exact duplicate of the 1976 season, which would inspire the terrific film Rush, just that I would like to see a bit of competition. Those who are slightly more acquainted with the intricacies of the sport than myself will likely counter that in fact Ferrari were faster last season, as happened when I wrote a not dissimilar article to this one in 2018, but the fact I have written it twice shows that nothing has changed.

I really enjoy motor racing, and often go to the race track which is closest to my home, Castle Combe, and watch the lower formulas, the best being Formula Ford which has no issue with

monopolies at the front as the cars are more or less the same and there are so many crashes that it is hard to be in front for long. But I am just rapidly reaching saturation point with Formula One, where I struggle to summon the strength to watch the highlights unless I have seen something on social media which makes it worth watching. And one more year of this is almost too much to bear, even with the potential salvation of 2022 in sight. It would be a far more exciting and fitting way for Lewis Hamilton to break Michael Schumacher’s record for most world titles if he did it in a true fight, rather than in yet another landslide.

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InQuire Monday 2 November 2020

Cuffing Season

Sport

Women’s Lacrosse couple up to support domestic abuse charity Rising Sun

By Jaden Shepherd Website Sport Editor

Photo by Rakshana Gopinath

“We chose Rising Sun as our charity at the beginning of the year because the President and I wanted to work with a local charity that makes a difference in our community, and where any money we raise would make a significant difference.”

Women’s Lacrosse have launched an innovative charity fundraiser in order to raise money for a local domestic abuse charity.

The fundraiser dubbed “cuffing season” has multiple societies nominating three people to be matched with prospective partners from other societies. The nominees will be asked a number of questions and then matched based on their preferences.

The couples then have a chance to meet either in person or online. Then the matched pairings will be put to a vote on Women’s Lacrosse Instagram to narrow it down to the final three couples. There will then be a final showdown between the remaining pairs in order to decide the ultimate winner.

Nominations and votes will take place on the events Just Giving page, which can be found on their Instagram. Nominations cost £2, with a £3 entry fee for those who are nominated and then votes will cost 50p each.

As of time of writing they’ve already raised £86.

The fundraiser is all in aid of local charity,

Rising Sun. The Charity was set up in 1975 as a refuge for women suffering from domestic abuse in Canterbury. The charity now provides a range of services for those who suffer from domestic abuse as well as support for families and training to others about how to deal with the issue.

When asked why they chose this charity in particular, Women’s Lacrosse Charities and Welfare Officer, Krishna Rohan, said “We chose Rising Sun as our charity at the beginning of the year because the President and I wanted to work with a local charity that makes a difference in our community, and where any money we raise would make a significant difference.”

As with everything, sports teams usual fund-raising activities have been curtailed

by COVID-19. However this novel approach has already had lots of engagement from the universities sporting community with many teams getting involved. Next month will see the hugely successful Movember charity drive get underway, with sports teams across campus raising large amounts of money for men’s mental health by growing some truly awful facial hair.

Football needs evolution not revolution

By Joe Acklam Newspaper Sport Editor

In the past few weeks we have seen multiple plans, largely from the ivory towers of Liverpool and Manchester United, which plan to revolutionise football for the future. A future which, based on the plans being put forward, involves eighteen super clubs living like Scrooge McDuck whilst everyone else thanks them for their good grace as they starve.

Project Big Picture was very quickly rejected by the Premier League, in a very unsurprising turn of events, as Liverpool and Manchester United were trying to get the majority of Premier League clubs to sign away their own voting rights and in turn their relative economic parity with the clubs at the top of the division. As a fan of a lower league football club, there were many elements which I saw as positive, but the voting stipulation in particular was completely unacceptable under any circumstances.

Then one week later we found out that Liverpool and Manchester United were at it again, this time in cahoots with perennial good guys, FIFA, in usurping the Champions League with a new “European Premier League”.

This would see 18 teams battle it out in a league format, getting rid of those pesky minnows who are shamelessly stealing their money. UEFA have very quickly referred to such a competition as, “boring” and it is hard to disagree, as the concept of a giant killing goes by the wayside along with almost seventy years of European competition, in favour of an NFL-style closed league and play-offs system which will have become tiresome after a year or two, as the novelty of seeing the big boys face-off every other week wears off.

The point of all this derision is that

football may have crashed, but it is not written off. There is certainly a massive financial inequality in the game which is hurting it at all levels and posing a real threat to the future of many clubs and that is what needs to be sorted, not made worse by giving the clubs at the top more money.

Despite its flaws, Project Big Picture did contain some very good ideas to secure football’s future for the longterm. Distributing more of the TV revenue further down the football pyramid will no doubt help clubs not only survive, but hopefully thrive. As the difference in revenue between the divisions would no longer be so stark, there will hopefully be fewer Bury situations where teams spend so aggressively to achieve promotion that they go out of business altogether.

The salary caps that were instituted in Leagues One and Two were an important first step and are going to become a necessity in the future as more responsibility is needed, nobody is denying that. On top of that the ownership test needs to be revisited, with more stipulations required to purchase a club so that the people in the boardroom aren’t deliberately attempting to destroy their club. But these are not measures that will completely change football as we know it, they are small fixes to the system that we have had for decades to make it more appropriate for the world we now live in. That is what will make football better and more sustainable, not allowing the teams who are fine to abandon the rest and go on their merry way into the sunset with sacks of money slung over their shoulders.

Football does not need Machiavelli, it just needs someone to fix what is wrong and leave the rest alone.

Photo by Rakshana Gopinath

Sport www.inquiremedia.co.uk/sport

InQ Quire

#dontcancelmysport Kent Cheer a part of successful campaign to lift restrictions on cheerleading

Photo by Violeta I.

Quick Crossword

Sudoku

Across 1 4 8 9 10 11 13 15 17 20 21 22 23

Common tree (5) Stupor (4) Point in dispute (5) Long (7) Polite (8) Group of three (4) Thrilling (5-8) Well-informed (4) Small hedge tree (8) Potato dumplings (7) Attribute (5) Run away (4) Gentle push (5)

Down 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 12 13 14 16 18 19

Kind of rice (7) Facial cosmetic (8) Illusion (13) American coin (4) Engine (5) Monarch (4) Bionic being (6) Worried (8) Liquid waste (6) Set apart (7) Mar (5) Record in writing (4) Pain (4)

Compiled by Matthew Sapsed

Across: 1 Beech, 4 Coma (Beachcomber), 8 Issue, 9 Lengthy, 10 Gracious, 11 Trio, 13 Spine-tingling, 15 Wise, 17 Hawthorn, 20 Gnocchi, 21 Trait, 22 Flee, 23 Nudge.

On Wednesday 21 October Kent Cheer became active across their social media channels in support of the #dontcancelmysport campaign being spearheaded by Royals Cheer UK to allow them to return to their sport.

The campaign page on the Royals Cheerleading website discusses the governing body of cheerleading having submitted a document detailing their plan to return to action to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on 19 July, which had not received a response. The statement reads, “It is unjust for the DCMS to ignore cheer and as such, we are calling for them to approve the SportCheer England document and let our sport re-commence now”.

The page details ways in which people can help raise awareness and support, actions which Kent Cheer have taken. Methods including emailing local MPs, as well as the secretary and shadow secretary of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, sharing images and

isolated at uni”.

In reference to the campaign and their role they said, “We haven’t just been publicising Kent Cheer but for the sport as whole. Not only is it not recognised as a sport by Sport England, our ‘governing body’ SportCheer England has in fact written a ‘return to play’ which was originally rejected by the government but from excessive pushing from the UK cheerleading community it was finally accepted less than a week ago. And as Kent Cheer is required to follow a National Governing Body publicising cheerleading as a sport, to go back has been so important for Kent Cheer. Because of all this as well we haven’t received much guidance not only from the union (as they have been helping as much as they can), but from the government as well and the NGB”.

Now that they are able to return to action, they said, “In terms of plans for the society we are in the process of working with the union on how much time and space we will be allowed as all the information that we have been given, at the moment, is still very fresh”.

Down: 1 Basmati, 2 Eyeliner, 3 Hallucination, 4 Cent, 5 Motor, 6 King, 7 Cyborg, 12 Agitated, 13 Sewage, 14 Isolate, 16 Spoil, 18 Note, 19 Ache.

By Joe Acklam Newspaper Sport Editor

messages on social media, and distributing the campaign page among teammates and friends so they can also raise awareness.

Following the social media and email campaign there were tangible results. DCMS confirmed on Thursday 22 that Cheer England’s return to play document had been approved and therefore they could return to action soon. In a post on their Instagram page Kent Cheer announced this development, adding that although they are not currently able to confirm any training or pre-season this term, they are likely to be able to return in January for the spring term.

In an interview with Kent Cheer co-presidents, Phillipa Englefield and Olivia Gates, they said on the issue of not being allowed to get back to normality, “It’s extremely frustrating, on average Kent Cheer has 100+ members a year and for many of those members cheer becomes a huge part of their university experience, it certainly has for me and I know it has for Pip as well. Although with the current climate we fully understand social distancing and that socials are a no go. However, the social side of just going to practice is so important as it allows people to make friends and for them to not feel so