InQuire The University of Kent’s student publication
www.inquiremedia.org
Monday 14 February 2022 17.8
Students should be angry with senior management, not our striking staff By Anonymous
I
t has recently been announced by the University and College Union (UCU) that further strike measures will be taken by lecturers nationwide, including at the University of Kent in the coming term. These dates will be spread over three separate weeks, for a total of ten working days. The dates where students can expect disruption are as following: Monday 14 to Friday 18 February, Monday 21 to Tuesday 22, and Monday 28 February to Wednesday 2 March. There are also reports that further strikes may occur later in the year, potentially later in March. The disruption this industrial action will cause for students is huge, and the lack of responsibility taken by the university is extremely concerning. Since I arrived at Kent in 2019, there has not been a single term that has not been disrupted in one way or another by strikes or pandemic. This includes having endured strikes in the winter of 2019 and the spring of 2020, and it will be a similar story for this academic year. While this is happening, the university have stood firm in their opposition, and have refused to mandate any significant mitigation, either financially or academically. But the fact remains that the university must take responsibility for these strikes. The reason lecturers are taking part in industrial action is because of unfit working conditions. Most academics have poor pension plans, and many are on zero-hours or precarious contracts. The blame for this
Pancake Day recipe inside!
rests firmly with those in senior positions across UK higher education. Lecturers have suffered a 20% pay decrease over the last 10 years, and are facing cuts to their pensions of around 40%. At the same time, those senior workers in the executive group at the university have not been met with especially difficult financial problems. There are currently 41 members of staff that earn over £100,000 a year. And as recent as 2018, it was reported by KentLive that senior bosses at the university claimed almost £77,000 on expenses over a two-year
Photos by Kent Union period, the bulk of which was spent on flights abroad. Karen Cox, the Vice-Chancellor, receives a basic salary of £240,000 (before pension contributions). The Prime Minister’s salary is smaller. This salary is simply decadent when many academic staff are struggling to get by. As a third-year politics student, I cannot fathom why the university is still happy to let these strikes commence. They should be doing everything in their power to end the industrial action, and to ensure that students receive value for the money they are paying. For UK undergraduate students, as I am
treated as businesses rather than an education service. The people suffering from this mindset are everyone involved with the university, barring the select few in the Executive Group. The culture surrounding universities nationwide is now clearly one that prioritizes profit over everything else, ensuring that those at the top reap the benefits at the expense of its clients and employees. All students rely on university services to further our education, to help each of us become a more competitive individual in the labour market, but when you are not seen as the priority, the future begins to look bleak. This
business mindset has led many students to feel like they’re not being listened to. From the perspective of senior staff, everything is fine and dandy: they’ll still receive their paycheck. At the end of the day, the needs of their customers are of limited concern. Saying a lot while doing little seems to be senior staff's favoured approach to the crisis. While in the short term this may bode well for them as an evasion of accountability, there will come a time where they can no longer ignore the needs of both students and staff. If the university continues its stance of refusing to offer acceptable terms with the UCU, it’s likely that further action will be taken, which will eventually backfire. If the hard-line approach taken becomes synonymous with their running of services, it is extremely likely that eventually, staff will transfer to other universities with superior working conditions, and students may stop applying to study here. Students want to apply to universities where they feel that their best interests are paramount. This is clearly not currently the case. There also comes the financial impact that these strikes may have on students. Due to the huge costs of tuition fees, and the resulting debt due to these fees, you may have thought that the university may offer at least some monetary reimbursement should the services provided not be up to scratch... Continued on page 8. This is an opinion piece, and does not necessarily reflect the position of Kent Union. InQuire's leadership stands with striking staff.
Sport New Manager Bounce at Gillingham? By Samuel Leah Newspaper Sport Editor
G
illingham have made a good start to life under new manager Neil Harris after a 1-0 win against fellow relegation rivals Crewe Alexandra. The Gills had been on a run of poor form; this being only their 4th league win of the season, their last win before this one coming in October 2021. They’ve remained in the relegation zone for the majority of this season, with previous manager Steve Evans leaving the club with the Gills sat 22nd in the table. Following his sacking former Gillingham manager Steve Lowell took charge on an interim basis, until Harris accepted the role and signed for the club on a two and a half year deal. It’s a case of familiar territory for Harris. The 44 year old enjoyed a successful loan spell here in his playing career, scoring 6 goals. In his official interview with the club, Harris stated that he treasured the time he had at the club, and that returning to Gillingham is a ‘privilege and an honour’. He previously had successes at his boyhood club, Milwall, where he became the club’s all time leading goal scorer as a player. He went on to spend 6 years in management at the club, with the under-23s and later the first team, leading the club to consecutive play off finals, promotion to the Championship, and reaching the quarter final stages of the FA Cup in the 2016/17 season. He joins Gillingham after being out of management for over a year... Continued on back page.
The Dresser In review
James Webb space telescope begins alignment
News Page 2
Lifestyle: Page 11 Entertainment: Pages 18-19
sure you are aware, this comes to a total of £9,250 a year. It is even more for international students, the minimum cost at Kent currently being £17,400 for full-time students. The service received for these exorbitant prices is nowhere near satisfactory. Fees were initially brought in during Blair’s premiership, with the hope that this would allow universities to be better funded, which would encourage better investment and should result in more efficient services. This has clearly not been the case. It has instead led to them to now be
Feature: Page 12
Science & Technology: Page 15
Afghan students stranded in India
Hawkeye: has Marvel hit the mark again?
2
Monday 14 February 2022 InQuire
Editorial
Meet the team
T
Committee
Tarini Tiwari Editor-in-Chief
editor@inquiremedia.org
Alex Charilaou Newspaper Editor
newspaper.editor@inquiremedia.org
Jake Yates-Hart Website Editor
website.editor@inquiremedia.org
Ainy Shiyam Head of Photography & Design photography@inquiremedia.org
Grace Bishop Head of Media & Events
media.events@inquiremedia.org
Johnathan Guy Head of Technology
technology@inquiremedia.org
Editorial
Tarini Tiwari, Editor-in-Chief
Nathan Collins-Cope Newspaper News Editor
I
newspaper.news@inquiremedia.org
Gharam Al-Zubi Website News Editor
website.news@inquiremedia.org
Sam Webb Newspaper Opinion Editor
newspaper.opinion@inqiremedia.org
Dan Esson Website Opinion Editor
website.opinion@inquiremedia.org
Priya Hawes Newspaper Features Editor features@inquiremedia.org
Rashida Hassan Website Features Editor
website.features@inquiremedia.org
Grace Bishop Newspaper Lifestyle Editor
newspaper.lifestyle@inquiremedia.org
Katie Daly Website Lifestyle Editor
Alex Charilaou, Newspaper Editor
website.lifestyle@inquiremedia.org
newspaper.entertainment @inquiremedia.org
Elena Martyn Website Entertainment Editor website.entertainment @inquiremedia.org
Juliette Moisan Newspaper Culture Editor
newspaper.culture@inquiremedia.org
Eleanor Summers Website Culture Editor
website.culture@inquiremedia.org
Johnathan Guy Newspaper Science & Tech Editor technology@inquiremedia.org
Jamie Neil Website Science & Tech Editor Samuel Leah Newspaper Sport Editor
newspaper.sport@inquiremedia.org
Omar Ahmed Website Sports Editor
website.sport@inquiremedia.org
Harvey Blazquez Newspaper Satire Editor
t's been a funny few months. Cost of living crisis, strikes, energy hike, precarity, political uncertainty... and a pandemic which hasn't ended to boot. A couple of months ago, I was privileged to have been elected as one of Kent's delegates to the NUS Conference this Spring. The conference - held on the 100th year since the National Union of Students was founded in February 1922 - will decide NUS policy for the next two years. Given the number of simultaneous crises young people and students are having to navigate at the moment, I would really encourage students to engage with the conference process. With one of the most radical leaderships it's ever had, now is the moment for students to get involved - we're one of the biggest unions in the country. We can demand the government gets a grip on the cost of living crisis. We can demand that the government responds to climate change. We can demand better democratic structures, including at our universities. Our Kent delegates will be prioritizing measures about sexual harassment on university campuses and, as has been reported by InQuire on page 5, universities' profligate use of NDAs. What is important to remember, however, is that getting a vote through conference is not what makes change. Ultimately, even if something is voted on by NUS, it will still require the mobilization of millions of students from across the UK. If history can teach us anything, it's that change is something which must be fought for. Recent moments of rupture like Black Lives Matter and the pro-Palestine movement give us a blueprint. If you have something you want taken to conference, don't hesitate to contact me or any of your other elected delegates. United, we can change the world.
T
Jake Yates-Hart Newspaper Entertainment Editor
science@inquiremedia.org
he past few years that I’ve been at university in the UK have shown me the unfortunate reality of British politics. In India, an almost identical parliamentary system, the norm is for Prime Ministers to complete their terms. Letters are rarely sent in calling for resignations by MPs, especially in recent years with the Modi government’s absolute majority. However, through keeping up with politics, I grew up with the understanding that, in Britain, leaders were held more accountable. I heard of Prime Ministers resigning, calling for general elections to confirm their support, and attending PMQs every week so MPs could actually hold them accountable. However, Boris Johnson has completely changed that understanding. Being elected in 2019 despite years of horrific Islamophobic, racist and misogynistic language was the first sign that the majority of Britain was unable to hold a well-known public figure to account. Throughout the pandemic, his mismanagement was explained away by saying a change in leadership during such a crisis would be irresponsible. Now, as restrictions lift, Johnson’s flagrant disregard for lockdown rules and for the suffering and mass death of the population show he never cared about protecting the country. None of these issues have been enough to encourage many Tory MPs to write in asking for his resignation. None of these issues have been enough for those in his cabinet to put pressure on him. None of these issues have been enough for him to decide of his own accord to resign. It’s created an even greater sense of frustration with political leaders for me. I feel as though – neither in my country of study or my home country – can I effectively express the issues with the leader and have it actually followed through on by an MP. Maybe this is just me being overly pessimistic, but I think that’s all I can feel with the current state of affairs.
Jake Yates-Hart, Website Editor
wo weeks ago, the new website was released. During our amazing launch party on the 28 January (which also coincided with my birthday!) several members of the team stood at the front of the crowd to discuss why this six-month long project was so important. The website is a turning point for the publication. In the same vein as, ‘New year, new me”, we have ‘New website, new InQuire’. Both suggest an exciting future filled with new possibilities, and the chance to grow and reinvent ourselves. Over here at InQuire, that is what we've been doing since even before the academic year began. Tarini, Alex and I had regular meetings throughout the summer about what we hoped InQuire could be under our leadership; we wanted to modernise the publication in every aspect. From the website, which now has a much more professional design and is easier to navigate, to the newspaper, which is constantly experimenting with creative layouts and content, InQuire is the best it’s ever looked. Our main goal, however, was to reinvent the culture at InQuire; to create a safe space that enables writers to share unique stories that aren’t often told. So far this year, we’ve published pieces on the UCU strikes on campus, interviewed Israel and Palestine students on the ongoing tension in Gaza, and publicised events across Kent. Our content has been worldly and varies, but purposefully narrowed down to focus on how it will affect students. Throughout this term, InQuire will be covering Kent Union elections, an exciting opportunity for students to get involved with; and Varsity is coming up, a chance for sports fans to show off their journalistic prowess and athletic knowhow, covering Kent’s biggest play offs. 2022 is looking great for InQuire, and whether you’re a reader or a writer, I hope you join us on our journey.
Corrections
Enquiries
We will report any inaccurate information published as soon as the error is discovered. Editorial corrections, including factual errors, missing photo credits etc., will be printed on this page. For more information, contact Tarini Tiwari at editor@ inquiremedia.org
Mail and Office: Student Media Centre, Above Venue, Kent Union, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NW Additional copies may be found online at issuu.com/inquiremediagroup or on our website: www.inquiremedia.org Please report suspicious activity at our distribution racks by emailing editor@inquiremedia.org. © MMXXI InQuire Media Group, in partnership with the Canterbury Media Group. All rights reserved.
newspaper.satire@inquiremedia.org
We apologise to our Science Correspondent for mistakenly duplicating a piece from 17.6.
www.facebook.com/inquiremedia
Tahmid Morshed Website Satire Editor
If you have spotted a mistake in an issue, please contact us at editor@inquiremedia.org so that a correction can be issued in 17.9.
www.twitter.com/inquiremedia_
website.satire@inquiremedia.org
www.instagram.com/inquirekent
3
InQuire Monday 14 February 2022
News
Problems with kent student support? By Megan Brown News Writer Trigger Warning: Descriptions of the consequences of bad mental health
T
he past two years have presented unprecedented challenges for students. We are all used to the congratulatory statements from the university and from each other on how we have handled the pandemic with resilience. These well-intentioned messages, however, can only go so far in aiding the student body. It has come to the attention of InQuire that, even through the claims of increased support for students and emails thanking staff and students for their continued efforts to make our campus covid-safe, the support system within the university is crumbling under the ever-increasing weight of the highdemand, and with thin solutions being offered. Several students, many who have ILPs (inclusive learning plans) in place, have come forward recounting of how they have reached out for help through Student Support or from individual support networks specific to one’s school, only to be met with generalised advice which doesn’t apply to their situation, automated replies or simply no reply at all. The purpose of this article is not to talk badly of our support network, rather to bring to attention the lack of funding and (ironically) the lack of support this sector of our institution is facing. When this sector suffers, the student body suffers. The hope is to draw attention to the issue and, hopefully, encourage more funding, staff, and internal support to be given to this overstretched and fragile support system. InQuire spoke to six students,
Graphics from Kent Student Support and Wellbeing
only two of whom were happy to be named, the rest wish to remain protected by anonymity for fear of the repercussions they may face from their schools by airing their experiences and criticisms in public. These are student experiences in trying to access help. We spoke to Em - a third-year Psychology student, who has an ILP in place due to mental health and dyslexia. She recounted the first term of her third year: “I knew that I would need help in September, I went straight to my academic advisor at the start of my third year and I told them I knew that I was going to need some help. They were forewarned. I booked an appointment with my disability advisor, bearing in mind that they were all like, basically fully booked. [Even at the start of term?] Yeah, I booked it two to three weeks in advance to be able to get one by basically the end of term, which obviously is ridiculous. I appreciate that they're busy. But I had to contact way, way in advance. The situation [of trying to access help] was stagnant for ages. And then I finally get this [disability] meeting. I basically had a complete mental breakdown, only essentially to be told that because of my changing work schedule - I had to work X amount to afford rent - that my one hour a week of recommended disability support would be ineffectual. I kept saying “nothing is going right, nothing is working. I don't have the time for anything. I'm really struggling!” And I think it
was maybe two weeks before the end of term. I had four bits of coursework that were due the same day at the same time. And you know, I was getting more and more exhausted by the second and completely burning myself out just trying to afford rent. [That sounds horribly stressful, I’m very sorry] It was! It was so bad. And then, I got COVID. I tested positive on the 20th of December, which is when I actually had a deadline. I had to contact the extension people and say, “Look, I know that we've extended three of the four deadlines out to the fourth of January, but I've got COVID, and I've not had the chance to do the other [deadline]” And they go right, okay, perfect, we'll extend that fourth deadline out to the fourth of January. But, that only gave me two weeks, 10 days of which was my isolation period over the Christmas holidays. I only managed to get home on Christmas on New Year's Eve, which obviously was awful, awful, awful for my mental health, which was already bad. I was struggling the whole time both mentally and physically.” Em says she just wanted to recover from Covid but was entirely unable to due to stress. She attempted to contact her school’s student support team for advice: “I sent [school’s student support team] an email. They were out of office until the fourth of January, which was the date of the extended deadline. And I just kind of thought that, you know, I have been away from my family for months. I still felt awful physically from Covid, my mental health was terrible, I only saw my family for a few days, I need help. And then I get a response back on the fourth of January to say that there was nothing else that they could do. I had a complete breakdown especially as somebody who wants to be a Master’s student next year at Kent, I kind of just had a bit of a meltdown because anything I hadn't done anything over the Christmas holidays, not out of lack of willingness, but just because I was ill, I was in isolation! I was really suffering and struggling to function. I had to get put forward to the mitigation process.” Because of this, Em was referred to the university counselling service, her first appointment being on the fourth January: “I went into that counselling session and broke down immediately after a panic attack. The counsellor immediately said “I think you need to go to a GP. You know, there's something more
to this”. I ended up calling up the GP and managed to get a diagnosis of depression. And actually, on my record and official diagnosis documents, they mentioned that I have suffered with [depression] for five or six years now. So, the fact that I've managed to even get to third year, by myself completely unassisted is insane.” Em goes on to state that the process of mitigations and the network of student support is incredibly confusing. She claims that it is a detriment to those who are already struggling as it takes so much time and energy to complete and battle through and when you’re barely functional, energy is a hot commodity. Em finishes her statement with this: “The tone of all of the extension and ILP processes are very much guilty until proven innocent. And it's just something that has been a huge obstacle because on top of everything else, you have to completely engineer your own help. Even over COVID, there was there's never really been any extra support for ILP students. […] It's not that the university didn't help me, it’s that they didn't make it easy to get help. And I think that's the main problem. I think there are a lot of things that could be done to make the process easier for everybody. I think that that's the is the university's responsibility to do that and make those changes.” Charlie, a third-year Classic student, similarly with an ILP, says much the same: “The uni's been like “come to this event, come to this event! This is what we've got on”, but they haven't emailed or asked, “Yo, how you doing? Christmas can be hard; winter can be hard. Financially, how are you? Stress wise, how are you? How are you finding the course?” I’ve wanted counselling for ages, I’ve asked for help so many times before. There's nothing sincere actually communicated from the university to [the students]. It's just like, come to our thing about a year-in industry, come to this activity, well done for continuing
even when you’re alone, come see the opportunities that you know you'll never have time to use or do.” The remaining students I spoke to, a mix of second- and third-year students, all made points of a similar sentiment. One second year student said, “it’s weird, because on one hand you know they want to help, on the other hand you feel completely forgotten. You really have to push to be seen and I know it’s probably because of Covid but every time I ask for help or advice from my academic support, I’m pointed to Student Support who are just way too overwhelmed to help”. This is the current state of the support network within the university. The waiting list for counselling, advertised as a two-week long wait actually takes around three months of waiting – that was my own personal experience last term. There is a lack of funding, a lack of communication and a lack of internal support and help for those in a care giving role. One must ask what can be done? Will the university offer more support? Allocate more funding? Or will it be a case of ignore it and hope it goes away? The consensus of the student body is that something has to give, and in the current state with lack of external care, many believe it will be our support system. InQuire reached out to the university for comment on the matter, and heard nothing back. Have you been affected by any of the isusues discossed here? If you are in need of someone to talk, the Samaritans are only a phonecall away. 116 123, at all hours of the day.
Are you ready for the upcoming elections? Kent Union's Sabbatical Officers are going up got election this coming March. Candidates will be announced later this month, with InQuire giving full election coverage in the newspaper and online. Make sure you pick up our special election edtion of the paper, as well we check out our new website inquiremedia.org for news and opinions on the subject. Want to get involved in the coverage? Have an opinion on a candidate? InQuire is open to all, whether you are interesting in the elections or anything beyond. So feel free to get involved by joining us at our Monday meetings: 6:15pm in the media centre, above The Venue.
4
Monday 14 February 2022 InQuire
News
"Disorganisation and Negligence" in Kent Computer Science Department By Nathan Collins-Cope Newspaper News Editor with support from Madita Schindler
I
n a fast moving world where computers as so essential to everyday activity, one would think the people behind tech education would be efficient, streamlined and without lag. However, InQuire has been hearing the contrary from Kent Computer Science students, who have complained frequently about the quality of their lecturers and difficulties with assignments. This aim of this article is not to pour scorn on particular people or the department - rather it aims to help shed light on the problems they face, in the hope they are addressed and student experience is improved. One student who we spoke to, who wished to remain anonymous, talked of the frustration of "last minute information" coming out before their project week. Another source said that details were not declared until after the beginning of project week, leaving students fumbling for instruction and therefore having less time to work on the assignment. In another instance, first year students were given an overly complex task, which was later realised to be a second year assignments.
This has been alleged to be going on while leadership in the department were unaware of problems. It has been suggested by these students that authority figures lack a sense of how to do their jobs. One went as far as to proclaim “disorganisation and negligence” throughout. Our team spoke to Cosomo, a third year who was willing to put his first name in record. He gave his analysis on these issues in a more understanding tone. “One thing that happens regularly is that helpful information is added incrementally by the lecturer in response to questions, information that would have been better to have before the assignment was started. This is then later interpreted as necessary information, even though it was merely extra guidance, and many people complete the assignment without it. Sometimes the same thing happens in retrospect, where it´s thought that some marking criterion should have been transparent from the start, when in fact it may be an intentional way of testing who is able to make a certain inference. A pattern InQuire discovered when talking to students seems to include a lack of information being readily available before assignments were due. This was found particularly in modules such as ‘genetic algorithms’ and ‘reoccurring algorithms’. The
impact this caused on students meant many wanted to resubmit their work, but the 50% mark cap meant full potentials were not met regardless of retake-ability. Although all of the interviewed first, second and third year students of Computer Science agreed there are a number of top quality lecturers in the course, all admitted others had room for improvement. One third year student said “there are good lecturers but they are few and far between”. Some put this down to lecturers are not really motivated to actually teach – rather they want to focus on their academical research. Another third year student stated “teaching skills are not there”. As a consequence of the above, students didn’t feel like they got the marks they deserve. Cosomo had the following to say on the subject: “It´s certainly not my first thought when a lecturer makes some kind of mistake that they just don´t care about teaching me. But it´s certainly true that just because they´re good at research doesn´t mean they´ll be good at teaching and it doesn´t make sense to me that we should have to suffer for that when the subject matter is complicated and in need of a very good teacher.” One second year student talked of their coding assignment, with criticism of bad quality being
thrown. It “was terrible and against everything we were taught about programming making the assignment very challenging”, the student complained. “Assignments that were set were poorly written and worded”. A problem that was widely complained about included assignments having overcomplicated questions, untaught material being assesed; code in assignments that didn´t work and general ambiguity in coursework. One point of criticism was automated marking of assignments. They have been said by students to give general, nonindividual feedback therefore allowing less chance for students to improve for next time. When asked about problems with modules, Cosomo said he had “noticed that the changes in the theory of computing module made this year seem to have added a lot of significantly more complicated content.” Combined with a new additions to the lecture team, he thought considered it “unwise for the administration to allow so much change to this module” especially as the content of the module is one that is particularly hard to grasp. InQuire reached out to representatives of Kent Computing for comment and received no response.
Photo by Amar Preciado Edit by Rory Bathgate
5
InQuire Monday 14 February 2022
News
UK Universities' Usage of Non-Disclosure Agreements Trigger Warning: Fallout of crimes related to indecent assult By Hestia Linford-Allen Deputy Newspaper News Editor
N
early two years after a BBC investigation uncovered that almost a third of universities have used non-disclosure agreements to gag students who claim sexual assault, the government have come out in support of a pledge against their use. Their investigation shows that around 300 students nationally were dealt an NDA, with pay outs totalling more than £1.3 million since 2016 the equivalent of nearly 50 university degrees. Amid ongoing demonstrations against sexual harassment and assault on campus and in the wider Canterbury area, many feel it is essential that students feel supported and safe when they come forward. InQuire Media approached the University of Kent for their stance on the use of non-disclosures but was denied a comment. Despite a legal request under the Freedom of Information Act (2000), the university has yet to get back to us. The BBC’s original report, published in February 2020, found that students felt pressured to sign the NDAs, with one female student, Charlotte (her name has been changed to protect her identity) seemingly being threatened by The University of West London administration with explosion if she breached the rules of the contract. This incident of alleged coercion seems to add to a culture of intimidation, as audio footage obtained by the BBC records staff at the university telling Charlotte’s classmates that she ‘got herself into a very bad place,’ as well
as discouraging them from contacting her. After graduating, Charlotte submitted a formal complaint to the university about ‘how they treated me and their behaviour towards me.’ She reveals that she was paid £1,000 compensation and that the university covered her legal costs but adds: ‘It was written in the contract that I had to keep it confidential and couldn’t disclose (anything) to a third party without the written permission of the uni.’ She now admits her compensation was ‘a pittance’ compared to the mental health problems she suffered with because of the assault and subsequent silencing. In an instalment of the BBC podcast The Next Episode, Freedom of Information requests were sent to 136 UK universities, with 45 responding that they had used NDAs to settle arguments over a range of issues including assault, discrimination, false advertising of courses, as well as poor staff treatment and working conditions. While the pledge begins to tackle the problem, currently only 14 universities of the 164 in the UK, have committed to it- less than 10%. Kent has yet to sign . A list of those that have signed up is available online at cantbuymysilence.com. The pledge, backed by MPs and campaign groups, has been boosted internationally by the #cantbuymysilence movement, which emerged following the Harvey Weinstein scandal to counter NDA ‘gaggings.’ They campaign for ‘legislative and regulatory change that will make NDAs unenforceable for anything other than their original purpose – the prevention of sharing confidential business information (intellectual property).’ Known more commonly as ‘confidentiality clauses’ in the legal
field, non-disclosure agreements are predominantly used when hiring new staff to prevent the leaking of trade secrets such as plans for buildings and new inventions. However, they can also be used when an employee and their institution resolve a dispute in order to prohibit discussion of any alleged professional misconduct. On the Kent University blog, there is a post from July 2019 addressing the ‘significant amount of negative press coverage’ that the use of NDAs had received. The post takes care not to make any reference to the actual university, instead providing a vague explanation of confidentiality clauses that is a defence of their use, citing ‘essential protection of commercial information.’ The post was written by the JPP Commercial Team, a department of JPP Law LLP. The law firm is part of the university’s Employability Points Scheme and therefore already
works with the university to provide placement opportunities and in return, receive publicity through the scheme’s popularity with students. The blog post acts as a way to individualise the problem: rather than addressing the systemic use of intimidation and extensive legal jargon to pacify students and staff, the blog instead reinforces the need for protection of capital interests, underlining that ultimately NDAs can be ‘very valuable’ in ‘a variety of [unspecified but supposedly] legitimate business situations.’ The official position of the Universities and Colleges Union (UCU), which represents nearly a quarter of all staff across all of the Kent campuses, stands at odds with use of NDAs, especially in cases of discrimination and harassment. This was laid out in 2019, as the UCU published their mid-year report: ‘UCU branches have become increasingly concerned about poor practice in using confidentiality agreements in harassment, bullying and discrimination cases which
Photo by Dom Fou
Mass Shooting on German Campus
By Priya Hawes Newspaper Features Editor
O
n the 24th of January at 12.24pm, the German police received an urgent call from the University of Heidelberg. An 18-year-old student at the University of Heidelberg has opened fire in a lecture theatre located in the sciencewing of the university. Four were injured in total, with recent reports highlighting the death of one 23-yearold girl, who took a gunshot-wound to the head. She sadly died in the hospital later that day. The motives for this attack is still unclear, with it being likely that his motives will never understood, as the shooter later turned the gun on himself in
the Universities Botanical Garden . The attack started at 12:20pm, four minutes later the police were called. They were reportedly quick to the scene and were able to block off certain areas of the city. No further injuries were reported. InQuire sat down with Julie Dumong, an educational sciences student at Heidelberg, who was in the University canteen as the events took place. “We received voice messages on WhatsApp saying there’s been a sighting of someone with a gun in one of the student accommodations. We were not allowed to leave. There was a group chat with reports coming through every couple of minutes, stating the events as they occurred. In that moment of realisation, I felt
hides the extent of misconduct and a toxic workplace culture.’ In support of their union members, the UCU also took part in a Women and Equalities Committee inquiry into the use of NDAs in cases involving alleged discrimination, including harassment. While this is an ongoing story, with more universities signing up each day, it merely serves to expose a single channel of unethical treatment. Viewing the NDA misuse crisis as a symptom of a larger power imbalance is essential. We have a Vice-Chancellor that doesn’t ‘believe people need to go on strike to achieve their aims.’ This culture of organisations bullying their employees and, in this case, paying ‘customers’ with legal firms seems to be endemic.
sick and started shaking. I just feel so sorry for those who had to witness it.” Many students have expressed concerns of returning to the university as this event has shocked the city. A city, usually very safe, has now been riddled with fear of the worst. Germany has some of the strictest
Logo from the University of Heidelberg
Trigger Warning: Descriptions of traumatic events relating to gun violence
laws when it comes to buying weapons, with obstacles including a psychiatric evaluation for those under the age of 25. However, there have been reports on the student acquiring the weapon from the neighbouring country of Austria Prior to the attack, the shooter allegedly sent a text message to his father saying, “he wants to be scattered in the river” to which the father replied, “call me back or I will call the police”. The father is being questioned by police on the matter. A mass was held
one week later at the “Peterskirche” in the city centre in memory of the life lost and the tragedy that struck this respected city.
Photo from AP
6
Monday 14 February 2022 InQuire
The success stories of British minorities are just as important as their struggles
Opinion By Amun Bains Opinion Writer
T
he vast majority of ethnic minority groups in Britain can trace their British roots to the 20th or 21st centuries. In other words, Britain has become far more diverse in the last two centuries compared to those preceding it. It is an underreported fact that many of these migrants came from within Europe; Ireland especially saw mass migration to Britain. However, the most visible groups arrived from India and the Caribbean soon after the end of the Second World War, followed by Ugandan Indians in the 1970s, as Idi Amin expelled them from the country. But by being non-white, those with ancestry from these regions will not be treated the same as those from European descent, despite often being brought up in a culturally British environment. When considering the level of racial prejudice these migrant groups have suffered, their achievements and those of subsequent generations are remarkable. This is important because the identity of ethnic minority groups is one of confusion. For myself, my grandparents came to the UK from the Punjab in the 1960s. Having had family here for almost 60 years, and being born and bred in Britain, to call myself anything other than British seems nonsensical. This is not a rare case; many British Punjabis have the same story. However, between aspects of the ‘old’ culture lingering (food, language, religion- although to vastly differing extents depending on the individual) and living in a racialised Britain, we are not viewed as fully British. This is even the case for someone like me who was brought up with a very British culture (even relative to other British Punjabis my age) and who literally had parents born in this country. As controversial as the Norman Tebbit cricket test is, it is an interesting yardstick for measuring identity. Unfortunately, the implication of the Tebbit test was that if one supported anyone but the English cricket team, they were wrong to do so and therefore not significantly integrated into the UK- hence the controversy. Although, it can be reimagined as an interesting identity tool to investigate how British South Asians feel in regard to their nationality. It is fascinating that, even today, young British South Asians do sometimes choose to support India
or Pakistan over England, sometimes without having visited these countries. This can even be true with cases such as my own; with a family history in the UK stretching back decades. To be able to take pride in a new identity when old ones do not fit is necessary to solve the confusion. I can be British Punjabi- not just British and not just Punjabi. That identity is a source of massive pride. From Monty Panesar to Steel Banglez, so many with a similar ancestry to mine have achieved so much. British Sikhs are exceptionally well educated and wealthy compared to the UK population. Despite many, if not most, coming from farming backgrounds with little education, they may been able to benefit from British schooling and culture, and flourish, in many cases better than other ethnic groups. Indeed, one of the most successful migrant groups in the UK are British Indians, and most British Sikhs have an entirely Indian background. On average, British Indians earn on average 16% more than white British workers, and significantly more than other ethnic groups. We can also learn from these success stories and apply them to other, less successful communities. Much has been made of how poor white British groups are falling behind in education. If we are serious about solving this issue, it begs the question- why not ask people within the successful minority groups? Uplifting from tough beginnings to true success has happened in Britain, in very recent times. The media, political parties, and individuals across the political spectrum seem only to focus on statistical anomalies for British ethnic minorities when studying negative aspects. Even the left, which concerns itself more with racial issues, focuses more on pitying ethnic minorities rather than celebrating their triumphs. Instead of focusing on areas in which minority groups are falling behind, we must focus equally on the successes. Focusing on negatives such as racism, poverty, education and imprisonment which disproportionally affect certain ethnic minority groups is imperative to help those in need. However, the solution comes from the same logic. By focusing on where those exact same groups have achieved well, we can derive solutions as well as give healthy, positive pride in one’s complex British identity.
Photo by CGP Grey
The issues in Taiwan are not purely about reunification
Photo by Jirka Matousek By Hyunseok Ryu Opinion Writer
T
aiwan is in a unique situation. It is located in an area where a tug of war between the US and China is underway, and where geostrategic concerns of nearby Japan remain exigent. This is all while being themselves a nation of impressive economic prowess, thriving under historically Western economic influence. However, there is also another side to the story, a side that’s less geopolitical, and one which focuses more on socioeconomic and cultural issues. Viewing the tension from that side is important, focusing more on the will and views of the Taiwanese people. China deems the island as a rebellious, breakaway province, while the US ally themselves with Taiwan, promising to defend against any potential invasion. News on the situation is lively, as the entire world has its eyes on China and Taiwan due to the controversy surrounding the region. Japan is also involved, which still holds a strong sense of affection for its former colony, which for the most part is mirrored by Taiwan. This in itself is unusual for most former Japanese colonies. Taiwan has a relatively strong military and economy, and yet the involved powers continue to fight, even despite its ambiguous stance over sovereignty: they have still not declared themselves independent due to the fear of how China may react. But the story of the geopolitical and militarist struggle is only half of the story of Taiwan’s identity, and it’s the half that gets the most notable attention. We often hear about Chinese planes flying into Taiwan’s airspace, and President Biden renewing the
US’s support for the island, but read little reports on the social impact and struggle for the Taiwanese people themselves. The reason why Taiwan is often referred to as a sovereign country (even if officially it isn’t), goes beyond just the functionalities of the state. Taiwan has its own unique culture, identity, and lifestyle, which separate it from the values of mainland China. While Chinese Mandarin has been the official language since 1945, around 70% of the population now speak Taiwanese on a day-to-day basis. Now this doesn’t mean Taiwan is devoid of connection to China - its citizens are ethnically similar, enjoy similar cultural pastimes, and share elements of art and cuisine. However, all these similarities have been overshadowed by increased pressure from China. It is increasingly questionable as to whether it would be a good decision to reunify with one of the most totalitarian countries in the world, which frequently threatens them with invasion or militaristic pressure. It is not uncommon for young Taiwanese to regularly argue with their parents on the issue of reunification. It is important to remember that Taiwanese culture now features a more liberal society, having freedom of speech and expression, and it remains one of the most LGBTfriendly places in Asia. The rights that the people hold is not something that they can let go of so easily, as these values are now entrenched in society. Factors like these have emboldened many Taiwanese in order to defend their identity against China. But even with culture, there comes another extent of its unique position, focusing on socioeconomics and politics. Both Taiwanese and Chinese
nationalists are deeply fixed in their aims. But this can overshadow how there is more to Taiwanese politics than just being pro-independence or pro-reunification. Most of the pangreen camp (Taiwanese nationalists) are partial to keeping the status quo, officially remaining part of China, whilst governing separately. This stance is similar to that of the pan-blue camp (Chinese nationalists), meaning that elections are decided on more than just issues over reunification. They are important issues, but many elections are instead decided on economics or social issues. When Ma Ying Jeou won the presidency in 2008, he won partly on the issue of rising unemployment and a faltering economy. In 2018, the KMT won the local elections by a landslide due to its various social and economic policies such as the legalisation of same-sex marriage, and pension reform. But this didn’t necessarily mean that voters wanted a change in cross-strait policy, which was shown in 2020, where they renewed the mandate of incumbent Taiwanese nationalist Tsai Ing-wen. So why focus on the dynamic situation of Taiwan? Because behind many debates over lands, sovereignty, and identity, there are always people. And in the case of Taiwan, it’s not officially a country, but it functions almost entirely like one. It has its own dynamic layers of culture and politics, and its own internal debates. Behind this topic is an immense struggle against authoritarian China, but also the situation of changing political winds and developing society. Every issue is deeper than it seems on the surface, and the issue of Taiwanese sovereignty has its own web of social factors.
7
InQuire Monday 14 February 2022
Opinion
Including pronouns on nametags is a positive step By Sam Webb Newspaper Opinion Editor
I
n recent years, more and more businesses have allowed employees to include their preferred pronouns on nametags, the most recent being banking giants HSBC and NatWest. They join a
rapidly growing list of employers seeking to guarantee that workers can identify as they wish, and to ensure that “everyone feels they can be themselves in the workplace”. Allowing for individuals to declare their preferred pronouns shows a quickly improving business culture, which allows for workers to be more comfortable in the workplace. It can
help to ensure that both staff and customers who have diverse gender identities can be better represented and supported with their work. The private sector appears to be catching up with the public sector on the issue of personal identity. Even four years ago, NHS managers were trained to use gender-neutral pronouns in order
to avoid offending staff and patients. The law firm Shoosmiths has since advised businesses to “get in the habit of using ‘they/them’ in conversation until they know someone’s chosen gender pronouns”. This effort to expand the inclusivity of businesses is a no-brainer, benefitting both the employers and workforce. By ensuring that workers can comfortably express themselves how they wish, this social liberalisation will attract a larger number of prospective employees by proving their diversity credentials, making sure that workers can feel welcomed and included in their working environments. In the same vein, this will Photo by Diego Delso/Wikimedia Commons lead to a more pleasant working environment for staff, who may feel that they do not have to fight for their identity to be recognised. When someone is referred to with pronouns with which they do not identify, it can lead to them feeling alienated, and can lead to a wider and long-lasting effect on them as a person. This small difference will therefore mean that increased inclusivity is expanded even further, where all workers can be treated the same. In other words, a small change such as this can lead to a larger positive impact by ensuring that peoples’ requirements are met. It also goes further to ensure that employees are increasingly recognised as real people, rather than just cogs in society that work to provide the richest with greater wealth. The new social norm surrounding inclusivity and identity has taken huge leaps forward in recent years, a trend that will hopefully continue. It is important to recognise that same-sex marriage has not even been legal for 10 years, with the first marriages in England being performed criticism from all corners of the globe. Perhaps it is in 2014. Abortion was not legalised in now time for this soap opera to take a long-awaited Northern Ireland until 2020 following break from its airtime and take note of the monarchs pressure from the United Nations, and of Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands, who live was implemented by the Westminster mostly retreated ordinary lives. The Prince Andrew government after the Northern Ireland scandal could serve as a catalyst towards this process Assembly was suspended. The fact that and could even save the monarchy from further these legal changes have only happened embarrassment in the future. so recently shows that momentum is on All the wealth and power in the world may not be our side. The last few decades have seen enough to protect the reputation of the royal family rapid change, both socially and legally, as this collective enterprise continues to find itself in and this has encouraged people to be true precarious positions that may leave it behind in the to themselves. dust of a new age. Though, what is clear is By furthering these norms and ensuring that this scandal will continue to that individuals can express themselves haunt the monarchy for a as the people that they truly are, this siglong time to come, and will nals that society is improving at rates that inevitably shape both have never been seen before. The culture the future royal family of the UK does indeed seem to be changand public o p i n i o n ing to become more inclusive to individtowards it as a whole. uals from all different upbringings, and the British society has never been so diverse. While it is true that this has led to some revolting sentiment towards some groups, both ethnic and social, the fact is that more and more people are becoming more open to diversity and are willing to incorporate differing views and ideas to their own. After all, a more diverse nation will only further the UK’s social development, making it increasingly open to new and different values.
Is the downfall of the British monarchy imminent?
By James Davis Opinion Writer
T
he British monarchy has been littered with scandals and controversy in recent years which have shaken the foundational roots of the state of equilibrium it so carefully maintains. Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, faces the greatest royal scandal in living memory, facing charges of sexual assault from Virginia Giuffre, a prominent victim of a sex trafficking ring run by Jeffrey Epstein, with whom Andrew developed a long-term friendship. With the only far too recent controversy over the departure of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from the royal family, the public eye still very much hotly rests on Buckingham Palace and how it will react next. The nature of such a high-profile scandal once again brings the British monarchy not only to the attention of the public, but also the political and legal lens which may have the potential of bringing the monarchy to its knees and could mark the beginning of the end of the celebrity status of the royal family. Following the official announcement from a New York judge that the civil suit against Andrew could move forward, the not so royal Prince has officially returned his military titles and royal charities to the queen. This long overdue recognition of his alleged wrongdoings has been one that we have all been expecting, yet such an act on behalf of the royal family should not be glossed over as being condemnable. Through the royal family disassociating themselves entirely with the allegations against Prince Andrew, it is all too clear to see that they are doing so as to not drag themselves down with him. The recent allegations against Prince Andrew mark
a continuation of an abuse of unchecked power. Allegations of racism within the royal family by of Meghan Markle, and claims of being out of touch with contemporary society have rocked the ‘modern’ image of the family, especially in a time of great turbulence and rapid societal change. This has been clearly reflected among the attitudes of younger generations, who are growing increasingly out of favour with the monarchy. According to YouGov, 41% of 18 to 24-year-olds now say that Britain should have an elected head of state, while only 31% would like to see the monarchy continue. The younger generation of today are becoming less convinced that the monarchy should play a role in society, and who can blame them? When we are faced with the prospect of the monarchy losing the respect of public opinion, it in turn faces the real threat of losing the embodiment of the nation itself. ‘The Firm’, as often used to describe the family, is very much now in survival mode, and will continue to be until recent scandals are suppressed into a distant memory. Yet, the Queen’s ‘favourite son’ has broken down the sealed hidden doors to the vault of royal secrets, and has left it wide open for further attack. This prospect seems all too likely to occur, as the united front of the royal family is currently in disarray. The vulnerable state of transparency that the monarchy now faces undoubtedly undermines its once highly esteemed elevated status in society. The royal family has widely become recognised as an international soap opera, which has left it severely open to interpretation and Photo by Thorne1989/Wikimedia Commons
The views expressed in each article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of InQuire Media. To publish a response, contact newspaper.opinion@inquiremedia.org
8
Monday 14 February 2022 InQuire
Opinion
Continued from front page... Considering that this is now standard for most businesses, you would be forgiven for thinking that the university would offer this compensation, especially seeing as the industrial action taking place is directly derived from their own actions, due to its failure to adequately provide its employees with satisfactory working conditions. As the university is clearly preferring to be ran as a business, rather than an education provider, it is only fair to offer financial refunds. Most students do not feel that they are getting value for money, especially when comparing the enormous fees with the amount of academic disruption in recent years. The point of industrial action is to essentially force the hand of the university to improve working conditions. It does this by disrupting teaching and direct contact with students. To be clear, lecturers are undertaking these measures because they view it as a last resort: it is not in their interests to strike. Rather, the fact that these strikes are becoming ever more regular is concerning: it shows that conditions are not improving, and still the university is refusing to react. Lecturers who choose not to strike are stuck in a limbo. They continue to work, and in some cases, this may lead to them being forced to take up lost work from those striking. While this is not meant to be the case, in some cases they are left with no option, which in itself undermines the measures taken by those striking. For example, I am in my third year, and currently in the process of undertaking a research dissertation. One proportion of this 30-credit module is a presentation at a student conference. It is worth 15% of the total module, and all presentations take place on the same day – during reading week, in order to avoid any timetable clashes for both students and lecturers, who grade the presentation. This year it was scheduled to take place on February 14th: the first day of strikes. Due to this, this initial date has been cancelled, with the aim of rescheduling later in the year. The university has argued that it cannot be cancelled completely,
and replaced with mitigation measures, due to it being advertised in the module outline, as it would mean that they would not be providing the services promised. However, deciding to move the conference later in the year for a date (which is yet to be decided) is also just as unacceptable. As a dissertation can only be taken in the third year, which is already notoriously stressful in order to keep on top of coursework deadlines and exams, deciding to take this action is undesirable for all involved. It requires either that lecturers take up the work that they refused to do during the striking period, or that others will cover for the missed time, therefore undermining the strikes in the first place. Simply delaying the work for a later date does not avoid this fact. No matter what date the conference would be moved to, it will cause further disruption. There are currently discussions to move it later in the term, which would clash with other deadlines, and even potentially during the summer term, which will result in less focus and preparation for exams. One reason for scheduling the conference in February is in order to receive feedback to improve the final piece itself. However, if the conference is moved until the summer term for example, this would mean that it would end up taking place AFTER the final dissertation is to be submitted. Therefore, one of the main goals of the conference would not be met, undermining the refusal to cancel and mitigate. Seeing as the university reduced the number of credits from the dissertation module from 45 to 30 this year, this would seem to suggest that a third less of the effort from previous years will be required to obtain the same results, especially as it means that students are forced to undertake another module in the place of the remaining 15 credits, resulting in more deadlines and effort. By discussing the strike action, and how this would affect the dissertation, and specifically the student conference, this turned a normal two-hour lecture into essentially an open forum, discussing the best way forward. This wasted valuable faceto-face time with a lecturer, due to the lack of
meaningful and concrete information. Instead, this time was spent proposing potential solutions. The university could have avoided this waste of time by simply allowing for the conference to be cancelled. After all, it is not as if some modules have been slightly changed in the past, due to unforeseen circumstances. Last year, for example, I had been enrolled on PO686, a module which had advertised producing a poster as part of the coursework, which would have been worth 20% of the final grade. This may or may not have been one of the reasons for taking for this module, however, this project was quietly excluded with little explanation. However, this is not the only way that the strikes will affect me personally. Due to the nature of writing a dissertation, a large proportion of the research is guided with the advice of a supervisor, in order to ensure that the final piece is of the highest standard. However, strikes will drastically reduce the amount of potential contact hours with supervisors. This may include email contact, especially if lecturers decide to undertake Action Short of a Strike (ASOS). Personally, my supervisor is already rather poor at replying to emails, so this in itself will be detrimental. Especially when comparing these actions with other advisors, who may not be striking, this results in a further uneven playing field. This will naturally mean that some students will benefit from sufficiently more support while others will suffer more from the strikes. In the spring of 2020, following the Covid-19 outbreak, a no-detriment policy was implemented, which included the use of a safety net calculation. This was based on previous assessments, and guaranteed that any further results would not be graded lower than this mark, provided that a 40% minimum was obtained. By refusing to implement a similar policy or safety net following the extremely disruptive strikes, the university is essentially playing with our degrees, and in the longer term, our future lives and careers. In regard to the dissertation conference, a blended approach could be used, similar to how schools and colleges awarded GCSE and A-Level grades in response to the Covid-19
pandemic. However, in this case, rather than using predictions, mitigation measures could discount the conference, and work out the final grade from the other two forms of coursework on the module. If any students are unhappy with their result that they may receive from this, they could still be given the option to perform their presentation, should they choose. This would relax the requirement to find a day which would be available for all, without disregarding other commitments and timetabled events, but would ensure that individuals could still present in order to secure valuable marks. With other deadlines, the university should implement a no-detriment policy in order to ensure that students are valued as equally as possible. This would mean that students would be unable to perform worse than if the strikes had not taken place, but would still be able to improve. In conclusion, the university must take a number of actions in response to industrial action to ensure that life on campus is comfortable for all. Firstly, and most importantly, they must engage with its staff, and meet their demands. They should eliminate precarious employment practises, increase pay in line with inflation (at least), and agree to campaign for more sustainable higher education pension schemes to ensure that staff are met with improved conditions which better mirror the amount of work put in. Secondly, the university must ensure that students do not suffer as a result of their indolence, and that grades and degrees given represent each student’s ability. At the end of the day, change will only come about if students show their support with lecturers, and fight back against the measures currently in place. Calls have recently been made to better involve students in the running of the university, as it is clear that the university’s priorities are not with those who rely on its services to further their education. After all, if a vast majority disagree with the way that decisions are made, and agree on an alternative, then there must be something inherently wrong.
9
InQuire Monday 14 February 2022
Lifestyle
Smoothie Recipes for Weight Control, Energy and Skin
Photo by Brenda Godinez/Unsplash
D
uring the New Year we all aim to be better in one way or another. The fresh start gives us a reset button allowing us to amend our mistakes and become better people. Whether that is a health goal or a daily habit you’d like to achieve. The vast majority of us aim for health. A recent study found that 64% of people abandoned their New Years resolutions within the first month and more than half of the participants’ resolutions addressed health behaviours, such as diet (29%) and exercise (24%). As I’m aware we are all students and the majority of us do not have blenders in our kitchens. They have always had the reputation of being a ridiculously expensive culinary machine however this is all just a myth! On amazon there is an abundance of affordable blenders ranging in price from roughly £15 to £25. This investment into your health and wellbeing can aid weight loss, clear skin, energy as well as reducing hangover symptoms. A nutritious breakfast gives a good start to your day. It gives you energy to keep going all day long. In the summer, people around the world look for ways to blend flavour and good nutrition together and get relief from the scorching heat. Having smoothies with breakfast every day can surely pave the way for good health and enjoyment throughout the hot season. Smoothies can help you lose excess body weight without skipping any meals. The fruits and berries that are used to prepare these drinks serve as excellent companions for keeping you healthy and feeling cooler on a hot summer morning. The
enzymes present in several fruits help dissolve body fat and clear up your circulatory system.Water is the most abundant thing both on earth and in your body. About 70 percent of your body is water. Having smoothies along with breakfast is a great way to replenish the loss of water in your body during the summer.People trying to lose weight often skip the morning meal and end up snacking on food in larger amounts between meals. To avoid this, experts advise having smoothies made of excellent fruits and flavours so that you stay full for a long time.A lot of protein along with many nutrients subdue food
"During the New Year we all aim to be better in one way or another. The fresh start gives us a reset button allowing us to amend our mistakes and become better people." cravings and keep you away from eating junk food. Weight Loss: This berry smoothie is great considering it is only 230 calories and is packed with 26 grams of protein to help you get energised for the day. This smoothie includes a handful of your favourite berries and spinach as well as a cup of your preferred milk and a scoop of protein powder. However if you’d prefer something
greener try this smoothie which includes 58 calories per serving as well as no fat. I’d recommend berries as they are high in fiber, low in calories, and loaded with disease-fighting antioxidants. This combines a frozen banana, handful of spinach and kale, 2cm of ginger as well as lime juice and water. Although this sounds less appealing, the banana sweetens this treat up and disguises the health into something far more indulgent. Skin: If you struggle to maintain clear skin, then look no further as I have the smoothie for you. Just combine a cup of coconut water, 2 bananas, a cup of pineapple or mango, 2 cups of spinach or kale, 1/2 avocado and flax seeds. The frozen banana and avocado leave it incredibly thick, the mango and pineapple sweeten things up, the coconut water thins it out and helps it blend, and the greens pack one HUGE nutrient punch. Other foods that contribute to glowing skin include avocado, walnuts, sweet potato, red/yellow peppers, berries and broccoli. However avoid processed sugars and complex carbohydrates which has been known to clog pores. Energy: For this smoothie combine strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, kefir or yogurt, chia seeds and ice for a nutrient-dense treat. Chia seeds and berries help regulate your digestion by providing a healthy dose of fiber while kefir or yogurt helps you maintain a healthy gut. However if you’d prefer something slightly more indulgent then try our peanut butter and banana smoothie. For a longlasting boost of energy, mix peanut butter, banana, milk of any kind, protein powder, flax seeds and honey together. The peanut butter, protein powder and flax seeds provide healthy fats and protein, giving you a sustained boost, while banana provides fiber and a burst of carbohydrate energy. This also tastes exactly like a Reece’s peanut butter cup without all the processed ingredients! Hangovers: This pharmacist a p p r o v e d smoothie has been known to cure the worst of hangovers! Alcohol and students tend to go hand in hand and often the next morning is spent in bed with a bucket and a slice of toast. However this
green smoothie is the perfect solution to have you out of bed and back on your feet. Simply blend together 1tbsp of coconut oil, 1 cup of greek yoghurt, 1tbsp of chia seeds, 1 banana, a handful of spinach and berries of your choice, 1 cup of coconut water and honey to taste. This green drink may not appear appetising but it is packed with goodness to replenish yourself after a night of drinking. Enjoyment: Who ever said that smoothies had to be boring? During the warm months a smoothie for breakfast can be a delicious choice packed with sweet goodness. For this summer smoothie mix together strawberries, 1 banana and 2 cups of orange juice. This fruit only smoothie is the definition of luxury. Another smoothie idea combines mango, pineapple and passionfruit along with 2 cups of water. This golden smoothie could not be more refreshing on a sunny morning. Enjoy! Whether you enjoy smoothies for breakfast, a snack or even dessert, they're a great way to increase your daily servings of fruits and vegetables. But depending on the ingredients they're made with, smoothies can quickly become heavy on the calories and filled with sugar. A good smoothie should include some protein and fiber to help keep you full and provide antioxidants, vitamins and minerals—typically from fruits and vegetables. However if you fancy a treat, then a simple fruit smoothie is a great sweet treat!
By Grace Bishop Newspaper Lifestyle Editor/Media & Events
Photo by Nature Zen/Unsplash
10
Monday 14 February 2022 InQuire
Lifestyle
My skin journey: the long road to a clear complexion and self-acceptance! I
was about 11 when I got my first spot and, much like everyone I’m sure, was told that “it’d al clear up in a few years’ time!” I was lied to. Cut to me developing painful cyst-like acne on my cheeks, spreading down my neck, across my shoulders and back, onto my chest, down my arms, and beyond. Although this hurt physically, the emotional challenge it presented me with felt far worse, especially as my peers’ skin seemed to improve. I tried everything I could get my hands on. Witchhazel, Neutrogena, Simple, T-zone, and the list goes on. All the while I was feeling increasingly inferior, when the people selling me these products on the adverts where they would be complaining about their skin, in fact, had flawless complexions! On a sidenote, all of these products were sold to me as “dermatologically tested”, which 15-yearold me took to mean as having been tested for its effectiveness; it was sold to me as being almost second to seeing an actual dermatologist, yet I learnt much later that all it means is that the product won’t cause some awful reaction. I couldn’t look at myself in the mirror. I felt unclean, ugly, and unworthy. I refused to wear anything that didn’t cover my body completely which, in summer, only serves to make you uncomfortable and sweaty, which obviously then exacerbates the acne. I would get in the shower and scrub my skin red-raw in the vain hope that I’d get out and all the spots would be gone, that I would feel “clean”. They never were, cleanliness had nothing Photo by Michaela Ampolo/Unsplash
to do with my acne, and the scrubbing only ever made it worse, leaving me in pain and incredibly sensitive skin, which I still deal with to this day. So when literally scrubbing the blemishes off failed to work, and all of the “miracle cures” turned out to be nothing more than carefully crafted lies, designed to entrap desperate people, like I was, I turned to make-up. My first concealer stick made me feel like a brand-new person, one who could make eye contact with herself and others. This feeling lasted for all of one week. I was not familiar with the term ‘noncomedogenic’, which means that a product’s undergone testing to ensure it’s not likely to clog pores and worsen skin conditions. Therefore, I was also buying products that weren’t familiar with the term either. I was wearing layer upon layer of make-up every single day, even when I wasn’t leaving the house and my pores, which were already struggling, were suddenly clogged with more impurities than they had ever been before. Finally, when I was around 16, I went to the doctors in my hometown. I was prescribed with Lymecycline (an oral antibiotic) and Zineryt (a topical antibiotic acne solution). The idea was to flood my skin with antibiotics in order to kill the bacteria that were the root cause of the acne, and I was told to expect results in about 10-12 weeks. Again, I was lied to. I persisted with Lymecycline for a whole year, yet nothing was changing. I returned to the doctors and was switched to a
different antibiotic, Tetracycline Photo by Valerie Miller/Unsplash and Duac gel. This didn’t work either. I was switched back over to Lymecycline, but this time my topical treatment was Epiduo gel. I’m sure you’re noticing the pattern by now: nothing was working. Once at university, I was prescribed with Clarithromycin. Yet another antibiotic. Yet another thing that was ineffective. By the time I hit 20, I’d been on antibiotics in one form or another for 4 years. I’d convinced myself that both the physical and mental challenges of acne would be something I would simply have to deal with for the rest of my life. The constant barrage of antibiotics on my body meant that I was all seeing other issues arising with my body and immune system, and so I made the decision to come off the medication. My last-ditch attempt to find a cure came towards the end of 2020 struggled with more than one of the side effects when I finally demanded that my doctors refer that was flagged to me at the beginning, and I me to a dermatologist (something I’d been denied still struggle with the fear that it might all just multiple time before now). After a few months come back. The lessons I’ve learnt, however, are on the waiting list, I finally found myself sat in not about loving myself; that’s been secondary to the dermatologists’ office on a cold November learning to stand-up for myself; once I realised morning. that my doctors It was should be here that I there to guide discovered and advise, that all not dictate, t h o s e I was able to antibiotics demand from I’d been my healthcare putting providers the my body proper care through after years of often only failed doctors’ had around visits and a 50:50 prescriptions. c h a n c e Skincare is of being immensely effective. It was also here that I was introduced to personal, and just because certain things did or a drug called Isotretinoin; a medication, processed didn’t work for me, doesn’t mean that the same through the liver, which restructures your pores to thing will work in the same way for others. If you’re produce less oil, by shrinking the glands in the skin. struggling, and the overthe-counter remedies I signed a waiver where I recognised the risks of aren’t working, then don’t shy away from talking to sever depression and anxiety, suicide attempts, your doctor and getting to help you do something if severe headaches, chronic nosebleeds, and that’s what you want. At the same time, be accepting extremely dry skin, eyes, and throat, and had to of your mental state fluctuating more than usual acknowledge that I would not become pregnant, during this time, I know mine did. And, as cliché drink, or give blood whilst on the medication. as it sounds, be kind to yourself; on the most basic Despite all this, I sat in the dermatologists’ office of levels that means that sometimes you’ll have to in tears; there was some light left. Thus began 7 do (or not do) certain things for the good of your of the most challenging months of my, admittedly health, even if it means you’re self-conscious, like short, life. I had to take monthly pregnancy me not wearing jumpers in the middle of June. tests, have bloods done multiple times, and If it’s any consolation, I can say from experience had monthly check-ups with my dermatologist, that you’re not the only one struggling, and people all of which involved an interrogation of my really don’t notice of the “flaws” you perceive mental health’s progress. It was also at this yourself to have as much as you do. Demand time that the January lockdown of 2021 began. kindness from yourself, and from others, and I had a drug in my system that was making me everything will fall into place… albeit eventually. miserable (literally), couldn’t go outside in direct sunlight for any length of time, and was locked in my room studying online anyway; a room whose mirror I looked in everyday, and could see no progress being made with my skin. Was I doing this for nothing? As it turns out, no! I looked in that mirror one morning and suddenly everything felt clearer. As the weeks went by even my scarring seemed to recede. By Amber Lennox My journey with my skin has not been an easy Writer one, and although Isotretinoin provided me with all of the results I could have possibly wanted, I
"Be kind to yourself; on the most basic of levels. Demand kindness from yourself and from others and everything will fall into place...albeit eventually."
11
InQuire Monday 14 February 2022
Lifestyle
Switching Valentine's for Galentine's! By Emily Erskine-Grout Writer
A
s Valentines rounds the corner, we would like to remind you of the best fake holiday ever. Galantine’s day – February 14th – the day to celebrate your friendships because no matter what the films say, romantic love is not the only love that deserves our attention this year. It started as fiction, a Parks and Recreation episode where lead character Leslie Knope; bubbling over with love for her ‘gals’ invented a festival that insisted our female friends are awesome. Sometimes our friends are there for us in ways a partner can never. Who do you call when debating those jeans? Or who can you count on to take your side as you complain about your partner’s pet peeves? Friends are the binding glue of our lives, and they deserve to be pampered. We have rounded up our top 10 not to expensive Galantine’s ideas for you and your friends: Homemade Cocktails: Everything is better with a cocktail in your hand, so take out those cocktail kits and get experimenting. Each friend can make their own cocktail to be rated by the group, best one can win the title of the ‘best and the booziest’ (themed drinks get extra points of course).
Pottery Painting; This could be a day out event, you and friends can paint an item for each other with a valentines’ theme. There are many sip and paint workshops around where you can choose from a selection of items to paint, and it will be glazed for you.
"Galentines
Day
-
February
14th - the day to celebrate your friendships because no matter what the films say, romantic love is not the only love that deserves our attention this year." However, if you would like a cheaper option there are paint-your-own mug sets in any WHSmith. Baking Party: As with every holiday one of the best parts are the treats whether giving to your loved ones or to eat up yourself. Strap on an apron and invite your friends’ round for a baking party filled with all of your favourite desserts (music and drinks included). Struggling with ideas, well don’t worry, cut any cupcake, brown-
ie or cookie into a hearts and decorate with red, to both your mental and physical health, so why pink, and white themes for a valentine’s touch. not host a relaxing spa day. You and your friends Games Night: Beating your friends with your can each bring some of your favourite products, game expertise is always fun. If you don’t have any some vital things to any spa day may be classic games to hand why not make up your own, nail polishes, PJs, fuzzy socks, a pack of cards can go a long way or a Valface and hair masks, and a entine’s scavenger hunt with candle burning. heart shaped chocolates Secret Cupid: A awaiting at the end. new Valentine’s Slumber Party: tradition, Like Sleepovers are a staSecret Santa, pick ple of our childhood names from a bowl and why shouldn’t we to randomly assign continue the traditions a gift giver to each on to adulthood. Get in of your friends. Gifts Ph your comfiest PJs, collect can be presented on ot ob some face masks, and settle the 13th and are a great yK ell down under a pile of duvets for way for everyone to get yS ike some good old-fashioned chats. involved and feel included. m m Pub Crawl: With any holiday comes Bring-your-Own-Dish a/U ns the right to get absolutely sloshed. So Dinner: For a relaxing night pla why not make a night of it to go to every pub in and without the expense sh in sight. Too spice up the night, enforce a valof a restaurant, a homemade entine’s dress code and the best outfit gets a free dinner with friends could be pershot from everyone. Routes for pubs crawls can fect. Have each friend bring a dish of be looked up online if your unsure of where to go. their choice to add to the dinner, these could be Movie Marathon: This is easy, settle on the couch themed (if your confident in your friends cookwith some fluffy blankets and a bowl of buttery ing abilities) to create a larger meal or buffet popcorn to spend the night watching your favourstyle. Fill up your stomachs and your hearts. ite movies (romantic if the evening requires). If you’re feeling especially adventurous, why not start a new series to binge for the night. There are many options to choose from that will suit every group (including the classic and tearful Titanic). Spa Day: A day to pamper yourself is essential
A Healthy Twist on a Delicious Treat: Pancake Day Edition! bump in the road with an entire (coconut oil is a great day dedicated solely to eating healthy alternative to this). calories. 4. Pour the pancake batter into the pan in round Although eating as many pancircles. cakes as possible may not appear 5. Cook for roughly 2-3 minutes on one side and healthy, it can actually act as a then 1-2 minutes on the other. great treat for your emotional 6. Plate up and add your choice of toppings! wellbeing. Eradicating all things Some Topping ideas: This could include fresh sweet and yummy from our diet fruit, maple syrup or the traditional lemon and may be physically nutritious for honey. If you’re a chocolate fiend then try some our bodies - but can be extremely dark chocolate which is filled with nutrients, damaging for our mental health antioxidants and has been scientifically proven and pose a dangerous threat to to lower blood pressure. However who ever said our relationships with food. By allowing yourself Pancake Day had to be a sweet treat? If you crave these things in moderation you are more likely to salt and all things savoury then add a poached egg stick to your diet and overall are more successful and your choice of protein. This can make a great in transforming your lifestyle to a healthier one. substitute for carbs in your fry up breakfast! Enjoy Food should be enjoyable and who says you can’t this low calorie alternative to the classic treat! achieve both health and comfort all in one recipe? This remains a filling and sustainable addition to Instructions (This makes 10 servings - each your lifestyle change - not to mention a delicious pancake is 85 calories and 3g protein) dessert. 1. Combine all of the ingredients together in a bowl and mix. 2. (If you’d prefer a smooth mixture, then add this to a blender By Grace Bishop and blitz). Newspaper Lifestyle Editor/Media & Events 3. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat with a small knob of butter
Ingredients: 1/2 cup milk of your choice 2 eggs 1 egg white 1 banana (optional) 2 tbsp maple syrup 1 1/2 cups of rolled oats 2 tbsp baking powder 1 tsp vanilla extract
A
Photo by Jacqueline Pelzer/Unsplash
fter the annual ‘New Year, New Me” posts, people often aim to start off the New Year with a health kick. This mental reset to your life can be a great way to transform your lifestyle…if you can stick to it. Whether your goals are weight loss, gain or a healthier lifestyle - pancake day tends to cause a
12
Monday 14 February 2022 InQuire
Feature
Afghan students stranded in India By Akhtar Makoii Writer
Photo by Jawad Azizi
J
awad Azizi celebrated his arrival to the Indian capital one and a half years ago. He video called his parents who live in a remote village in northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif to celebrate the path towards his new life consisting of more contemporary education. They were hopeful and cheered for the new opportunity. However, after all celebrations and hope, the unimaginable happened and he is now stranded in India. Jawad is the first member of his family to graduate University. Both his parents are illiterate and are farming wheat in their home village. The village has no communication tower, so they went to the city of Mazar in March 2020 to make the video call with their son. Jawad was studying on a partial scholarship for his master’s degree. He was also receiving some £30 each month from his parents. Since the fall
of Afghanistan to the Taliban, he is now stranded in India with no money as the international banking system is out of service in Afghanistan due to sanctions on the Taliban and the unstable economic situation. He is among thousands of Afghans studying in Indian colleges and universities who were receiving financial support from their parents back at home but are stranded with a future in limbo far from home with no financial support in sight. Many of them had government-employee parents and were receiving a share of their parent’s salary, but as Afghanistan has once again fallen to the Taliban, almost all of the parents lost their jobs, and those who are still going to their old offices have not been paid f0r the past five months. With the Taliban limiting weekly withdrawal from banks, it makes it harder for parents to send money to India.
"We reached whoever we could, to help us spread the word and share that on their social media accounts. But now after around two months we are being denied access to that money."
I n the city of Bangalore, which hosts h u n d r e d s of Afghan students, the situation is much worse. Earlier last month, the 'left behind' students launched a fund-raising campaign which has so far been 'useless'. They have however c o l l e c t e d 250,000 Indian rupees (£2,500) for the 300
hundred students. "We looked for a month to create a fund-raising campaign for ourselves, we could do it with assistance from a local reporter here," said Jawad. "We reached whoever we could, to help us spread the word and share that on their social media accounts. But now after around two months we are being denied access to that money." The organisation which launched the programme on behalf of Afghan students is telling Jawad that they cannot provide them with the cash, which the trapped students desperately need, looking at this as against Indian law. They should either find a local charity then the organisation will transfer the money to its account or students should accept anything rather than cash for their donated money. According to a document seen by the InQuire team, more than 300 Afghan students are currently living in this city and a third of them were living on the monthly amount of money which they were receiving from their parents in Afghanistan. Most of these parents were working as civil servants for a government which no longer exists. "Even those of us who are on a partial scholarship here are struggling to even feed ourselves," Jawad told the InQuire team via phone. Speaking from his shared room with two other students, he said many students are facing hunger in India. He is now representing all Afghan students in the city of Bangalore and advocating and looking for charities to collect help for his fellow students. "Those who are on a partial scholarship here are getting food from the Indian government-funded accommodations every day except Sundays and many eat nothing on Sundays as they have no money to buy food for themselves," he said. The Indian government has so far accepted that it will extend the expired visas
for 3 to 6 more months, meaning many of those who have already graduated are facing deportation to Afghanistan, Jawad said. Most of the Afghan students are not willing to go back to Afghanistan, but there are some who have graduated and now want to go back but there is no flight as Kabul airport is still closed for commercial flights. The situation and dilemma are even worse for girl students. All of them have already broken a taboo. Going abroad alone and for education in a country where even under a western-backed government and in many parts, girls were not even allowed to go to schools, let alone now as the Taliban who are not allowing girls upper than 6th grade to go schools, officially. Nafisa, who asked to be named without her surname as she is worried about her family back at home, said she had been receiving money from Afghanistan, but does not know what to do now. Her father, a retired army colonel, was sending around £100 to her but he is now receiving no salary and even hiding as the Taliban may be looking for him. She has been studying management in India for the past one year. Beside the cash she was receiving from her father, she was also getting money from her sister who was a university professor. Her sister has lost her job after the Taliban took over in August. Her own Afghan bank account, which she was holding her money in has blocked her access to her account due to the new situation in Afghanistan. "My father has had so many arguments about sending me abroad for education with my other relatives," Nafisa told the InQuire as was mentally struggling to prepare for upcoming university exams. "But my father is ashamed now, because he is no longer able to financially support me. My other relatives are calling him every day and telling him that he should take me back to Afghanistan. But I don't want that, and I also don't have other options. Students like her benefited the rights won by women in Afghanistan in the last 20 years. She lives independently in India, doesn't have to cover with veils and is taking a modern education. She had hoped to go back and work in a country that was making progress but is now stranded between past and future. "I had planned to go back and work in the civil sector," she said. "But now I'm trapped here with nothing. Even if I study and get my degree, so what? My plans for my future are gone now."
13
InQuire Monday 14 February 2022
Feature
How Dupixent changed my life By Priya Hawes Newspaper Features Editor
Photo by Luisa Gomes
I
was born with neurodermatitis, also known as eczema. A common autoimmune disease for children and teenagers. The severity ranges from a small patch of skin that is irritating, red and inflamed to a large portion of your body being irritated, red and inflamed. I got the latter. Since being old enough to remember, I spent hours in dermatologists’ offices, trying to figure out a solution for my skin. Every time I went, new atopic creams were presented to me which calmed my skin, only for them to stop having effect after a few weeks. It was a constant cycle of going back to
your skin is red and hot and basically just burning. became the worst I had ever seen it. It became Not a great feeling, right? Now imagine, having inflamed and travelled from my legs, my arms, ants crawling all over you. The combination of the my chest, neck and lastly to my face. There would former and the latter is what people who severely be many occasions where suffer from eczema feel like on a daily basis. It’s not I could not move as it a fun way to live to say the least. Your whole life hurt too much. The most revolves around keeping your skin under control frustrating thing about and ultimately it is just tiring in the end. It felt this disease is that no like an endless path that kept getting steeper and one could help me and I rockier and as the journey continues, you grow could not see a permanent weaker by the day. I remember my parents solution to this which putting cream on me before going to bed put my mental and and wrapping my arms in conforming physical health bandage for under strain. dressing, so The biggest that I wouldn’t issue with scratch. But in eczema is the morning, I that is an would wake up with my arms autoimmune disease… which means bleeding and it comes from within you. However, sore because at the same time your skin is I ripped it off exposed to the outside world so in my sleep. it’s basically being attacked from As I’ve already both directions. It did not help that mentioned, my skin was bad, I had almost every allergy under so I needed a solution for it the sun: nuts, yeast, pollen, to increase my quality of life dust… the list was endless. as it was affecting my Having to manage school sleeping pattern. stress with my skin is When I was 19, where it became too around the time much. I received of my A-levels, cortisone tablets the pressure after finishing of getting school which good grades suppressed the affected my inflammation Photo by Ainy Shiyam skin and it for the time I
"It felt like an endless path that kept getting steeper and rockier." the drawing board. I tried different diets, cut out many different food items, made sure there was no dust in my room, changed the covers on my sheets every couple of days, switched laundry detergent etc… the list is endless, and yet nothing. Nothing changed. My skin would be good one day and the next it was as if I had been thrown into a bath of acid. The problem with eczema isn’t even how sore it looks (in my opinion) it’s the constant feeling of the skin. Imagine you come back from the beach in summer and realise that the SPF 30 you put on before did absolutely nothing for you and now
was taking it, yet after I stopped, it came back 10 times worse. The summer of 2019 was filled with doctor’s appointments, staying out of the sun, and months of no sleep and many more allergy and blood tests. One morning, I woke up not being able to move and my skin looked as if it was about to fall off. My mum didn’t know what else to do so we went to the emergency room. As we sat there waiting to be seen all I wanted was to look like the people around me. Clear skin and no scars. I was prescribed sleeping pills for the time being so that I would be able to at least function during the day and was booked in for a consultation with Dr. Kiesch, one of the best dermatologists in the country. This is where things started looking up. She prescribed me a 300mg injection called “Dupixent” that I have to inject twice a month for the rest of my life. It started working after a month and finally, I was able to sleep and look forward to outdoor activities. My sensitivity to food and other allergies dropped my half and I was able to relax when sitting outside in the sun with family. I have been taking these injections for over two years now and my friends who met me after all of this have said on many occasions they would have never guessed that I had eczema. There is no need for me to wear makeup or long trousers and tops to cover up my skin because it is finally at a point where I can look at it without crying. Don’t get me wrong, the needle was daunting in the beginning, it does occasionally still hurt however, my quality of life has increased so much I will never go back. The best part about all of this is that as it already exists it can be improved. The change in practicality over the past two years has been immense. Instead of having an exposed and injecting the liquid in myself, all I have to do is push an invisible needle once and the rest is all done for me. My skin has never felt and looked better, and I finally feel like I am able to do what I want to do without my skin getting in the way of things. I am writing this article today because I want to help people. I want to make people aware of this miracle injection called Dupixent. I n j e c t i n g yourself twice a month is a small price to pay for having clear, smooth skin after years of sleepless nights because of how bad the pain was... After 20 years of scarring my skin, missing out on so many activities and generally not enjoying life to its fullest, Dupixent has changed my life and I will never look back.
"Dupixent has changed my life and I will never look back."
14
Monday 14 February 2022 InQuire
Science and Technology
Will the discovery of a new asteroid bring us one step closer to exploring the solar system? “Earth Trojans could become ideal By Johnathan Guy, Newspaper Science & Tech Editor
Lagrange points of various planets,
I
n the world of astronomy, finding new planets, comets or asteroids is always amongst the list of major goals those working in the field hold without fail. Recently, an international team of astronomers led by Toni Santana-Ros at the Institute of Cosmos Sciences of the University of Barcelona has confirmed the discovery of an ‘Earth Trojan’ asteroid. These ‘Trojan’ asteroids sit in the
Photo from NASA
which are the (as according to
bases for an advanced exploration of the Solar System; they could even become a source of resources.”
classical physics), five points where all the forces that act upon an object cancel each other out. This generally leads to stable orbits. For quite a long time, trojan asteroids were so named due to their shared orbit around the Sun with Jupiter, with any asteroids of this nature found to be hiding in that orbit were named after heroes of the Trojan war, and it later became convention to name Jupiter’s L4 asteroids after Greek characters and Jupiter’s L5 asteroids after Trojan characters, so L4 and L5 became the “Greek camp” and the “Trojan camp”. The first accepted discovery of such a Trojan was in 1906, when astronomer Max Wolf discovered an asteroid at the L4 Lagrange point of Jupiter and the Sun, which was later named 588 Achilles. By 1961, only 14 such asteroids had been discovered,
but as instruments improved as we approached the new millennium, 257 total were discovered by January 2000. As of October 2018, this number now stands at 4,601 at L4 and 2,439 at L5. This confirmation of the discovery of a new Earth Trojan is only the second transient Earth Trojan known to date, with everything in the data indicating that it will remain in one of Earths Lagrange points for over 4000 years. “There have been many previous attempts to find Earth Trojans, including in-situ surveys such as the search within the L4 region,” said Toni Santana-Ros, author of the publication in an interview
with SciTechDaily. He adds that “all the dedicated efforts had so far failed to discover any new member of this population.”. Only two asteroids of this nature have been discovered thus far, likely due to the way these objects orbit. It is also thought that they might hold the key to several mysteries about our Solar System. This is because scientists believe that these asteroids often hold a pristine record of the early conditions of its formation, due to the likelihood of many such asteroids having been in orbits around planets in the system during their formation.
University of Kent chemistry group publishes in renowned science education journal By Holly McPhillips, Science Correspondent
M
any undergraduate laboratory experiments at the university have been inspired by those written in educationfocused science journals. These journals contain articles full of tried and tested experimental procedures from all areas of STEM, making them invaluable resources to institutions around the world. R e c e n t l y , researchers in the Supramolecular Interfacial Synthetic Chemistry (SISC) Group at the University of Kent published in the Journal of Chemical Education. More excitingly, this is the first article from the university to be published in this type of journal in fourteen years. This education-focused article from the SISC group is aimed at second year
undergraduate laboratory teaching and covers a variety of key techniques in synthesis and spectroscopy to train chemists of the future. The candidate experiment is the wellknown Diels-Alder reaction, which is
industries today. For undergraduates, this reaction can be introduced by combining cyclopentadiene and maleic anhydride to form himic anhydride. This product can exist as equilibrium mixture of two isomers, endo- and
It also highlights the potential of increasing the yield of one isomer over the other by understanding thermodynamic versus kinetic control that dictates which isomer is more favoured in the product mixture and the
a type of pericyclic reaction between a conjugated diene and an alkene, involving no charged intermediates and forms a ring product. This reaction type was also awarded the Nobel prize in Chemistry in 1950 as a route for diene synthesis and continues to be an important chemical reaction used in drug and pesticide
exo-himic anhydride, which are distinguished by the spatial position of two hydrogen atoms, as shown in the reaction scheme figure. The published article turns this conventional reaction into an experimental procedure that further develops purification techniques and data interpretation.
importance of solubility to isolate the isomers. Therefore, such a practical session encourages students to link their theory-based lectures to the laboratory experience and recognises that, low quantities of pure and useful product are commonly retrieved during the early stages of research and development.
Consequently, education-focused journals, where this article has been published, are important to universities and colleges to prepare and train students for the real world. They provide teachers of chemistry at all levels effective ideas and methods to teach and improve the learning experience, as well as exchanging ideas to modernise the field, making training progressive and universal. In the case of this article published by the SISC group, a different approach to teaching aspects of physical chemistry using the notable Diels-Alder reaction is reported and provides a space for students to draw on knowledge learned from all levels of their university modules. The article and reaction scheme figure can be found in L. T. Birchall, S. Shehata, C. J. Serpell, E. R. Clark and S. C. G. Biagini, J. Chem. Educ., 2021, 98.
15
InQuire Monday 14 February 2022
Science and Technology
James Webb space telescope begins long journey through mirror S alignment phases By Johnathan Guy, Newspaper Science & Tech Editor ince the James Webb telescope was launched on Christmas Day last year, it has been a very nerve-wracking wait for the scientists that created it, hoping that, above all, the mirrors that are absolutely essential to the mission the telescope has been launched into orbit to perform are undamaged by the rigors of the launch itself. In order to achieve this, upon launch, the 18 hexagonal segments of the main mirror and secondary mirror were folded and stowed using pegs held snug
in the sockets. However, the launch
Photo from NASA
being a success, it is now time for the mirrors to be released and begin the lengthy process of aligning themselves, ready to reveal previously untold secrets of our universe. “Each mirror now needs to be deployed out by 12.5 millimetres to get the pegs clear from the sockets. This will give the mirrors ‘room to roam’ and let them be readied in their starting positions for alignment”, said Marshall Perrin, deputy telescope scientist at the Space Telescope Science Institute that manages Webb, in a NASA blog post. Unfortunately for the scientists that are no doubt eager to get their hands on the first scraps of data from the telescope, aligning the mirror
segments is incredibly involved and will likely take until late April before they can be used at ideal clarity and precision. Luckily, the telescope is fitted with the ability to have the mirror finely tuned remotely down to increments as small as 10 nanometres, and the team on the ground will be using that fine-grain ability in the later stages of the alignment process. This is handled by Webb’s mission operations centre at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, where teams send code to the telescope, telling it to move, with a top speed of 1 millimetre per day, per mirror. According to Scott Acton and Chanda Walker of Ball Aerospace, the procedure that will take place over the next few months consists of 7 main steps: segment image identification, segment alignment, image stacking, coarse phasing, fine phasing, telescope alignment over instrument fields of view and iterating alignment for the
final correction. The first of these is to align the telescope relative to the craft it is sitting on, using a pre-chosen, bright, isolated star. This first stage refers to segments as the 18 mirrors will each capture slightly shifted and distorted images of the star. The next few stages are all about getting the light to reach a single place on the telescope, rather than 18 individual spots, allowing incredibly clear images once the other stages are also complete. The latter stages are then largely used to ensure the correct phasing and alignment of the mirror segments, with the very last stage being key to remove any small, residual positioning errors in the segments of the primary mirror. Once this is complete, a final check of the image quality across each of the science instruments is made, and then the telescope is ready for its (hopefully) long life, peering into the stars and the history of the cosmos.
Potentially game-changing carbon capture technology developed in Delaware
By Johnathan Guy, Newspaper Science & Tech Editor
C
ombating climate change is one of the largest challenges we face as a species today, and it is widely known that if we are to be successful, it will likely be due to a combination of technologies. One key avenue for these technologies is carbon-capture, of which there are many different types, and this avenue is particularly vital for hydroxide exchange membrane (HEM) fuel cells, which have until now been kept off the road by a sizeable flaw. They are, unfortunately, extremely sensitive to carbon dioxide in the air, and any amount of around 400 ppm or above can reduce the efficiency of the fuel cell by up to 20%, which means the fuel cells end up no more efficient than regular petrol engines. After 15 years of searching for a solution to this problem, a research team led by University of Delaware professor Yushan Yan has discovered a very effi
cient carbon-capture technology in the form of a specially-designed HEM fuel cell. A few years ago, the team realised that the flaw of HEM fuel cells may in fact be a fantastic way of capturing carbon. “Once we dug into the mechanism, we realized the fuel cells were capturing just about every bit of carbon dioxide that came
into them, and they were really good at separating it to the other side,” said Brian Setzler, assistant professor for research in chemical and biomolecular engineering and paper co-author. The way they designed involves, in
Photo from Fa. Viessmann
effect, embedding the device’s wires inside the membrane to create a short-circuit that makes it very easy for the carbon dioxide to travel from one side of the membrane to the other. “It turns out our approach is very effective. We can capture 99% of the carbon dioxide out of the air in one pass if we have the right design and right configuration,” said Yan. The research team’s results showed that one of these HEM cells, of only 2 inches – 2 inches could continuously remove
99% of the CO2 from air flowing at a rate of around 2 litres a minute. One of their larger prototypes is capable of scrubbing 98% of the carbon from 10 litres a minute. It is hoped that this technology could be used most effectively in situations where proper carbon dioxide removal is absolutely critical like spacecraft or submarines. The only arguable downside to this technology is that is requires hydrogen – and the hydrogen economy is still in its relatively early stages, but once, in the longer term, the hydrogen economy picks up, the patented technology could be used to enable air filtration in larger environments such as buildings.
“A shorted membrane electrochemical cell powered by hydrogen to remove CO2 from the air feed of hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cells” by Lin Shi, Yun Zhao, Stephanie Matz, Shimshon Gottesfeld, Brian P. Setzler and Yushan Yan, 3 February 2022, Nature Energy.
16
Monday 14 February 2022 InQuire
Puzzles
Puzzles
Solution for last issue's Crossword Across: 1 Pan, 3 Toe, 5 Mime (Pantomime), 9 Piper, 10 Present, 11 Cash register, 14 Sleigh, 16 Poncho, 18 Indisputable, 21 Ice rink, 22 Latin, 24 Gate, 25 Yew, 26 Paw.
Across 1 4 8 9 10 11 13
Down: 1 Pupa, 2 Nap, 3 Torch, 4 Espied, 6 Identical, 7 Exterior, 8 Mexico, 12 Amendment, 13 Aspiring, 15 Gossip, 17 Turkey, 19 Allow, 20 Snow, 23 Tip.
Solution for last issue's sudoku
New (5) Begin (5) Very happy (colloquial) (4-1-4) Acquire (3) Showy plant (4) Disloyalty (8) Healthy pulse (6)
14 17 19 21 22 23 24
1
Down
Truthful (6) Order (8) Just (4) Organ of sight (3) Company of musicians (9) Milky coffee (5) Vacant (5)
2
3
4
5
7 8
6 5 1 3 9 4 7 8 2
8 9 7 6 2 1 3 4 5
2 4 3 5 8 7 6 9 1
9 2 4 8 6 5 1 7 3
1 6 5 7 4 3 9 2 8
7 3 8 9 1 2 4 5 6
5 8 9 4 3 6 2 1 7
3 7 2 1 5 9 8 6 4
4 1 6 2 7 8 5 3 9
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 12 15 16 18 20
Creative writing (7) Dutch cheese (4) Vacuum (6) Better (8) Annoyed (5) Dictatorial (12) Weak point (8,4) Irritating (8) Spot on (7) Frozen spike of water (6) Search (5) Low (4)
9
10
11 12
13
14
15
16 17
18
19
6
Puzzles compiled by Matthew Sapsed Pick up InQuire 17.9 in two weeks for answers!
5 7 2 8 1 3 6 3 5 9 2
4 4 1
2 9 6 4
20 21
23
22
7 6 24
2 3 9 5
17
InQuire Monday 14 February 2022
Culture
Power, Identity, Cultural Blending, Caribbean Art: a Review of Life Between Islands
ardia n
S
She Ain’t Holding Them Up, She’s Holding On (Some English Rose) - Sonya Boyce, 1986
eeing as the three of us are very interested in museums, and particularly in the way in which art is presented within them, it seemed fitting for us to select Curating Art History as one of our wild modules, as it is dedicated to exploring this topic precisely. Each year, the module convenor chooses an exhibition to focus on and to explore in depth. The spring term coinciding with the opening of a new exhibition at the Tate Britain, we launched ourselves into Life Between Islands. Exploring Caribbean-British art from 1950 to now, the exhibition features a wide
Hairy Man, Zak Ove - tate.org range of artists and mediums to techniques used. Walking through properly convey the incredible Pressure, for example, you find a lot diversity and wealth of this part of of photographs taken in Black Panthers history. The exhibition takes you down a meetings and events, which aim at long road, deeply infused with history depicting the reality of this period much and heritage. As you walk through the more efficiently than paintings could. different rooms, you progressively learn In the Creolisation room, one of the about (or remember) the lives and the works that particularly captured our unique stories of the Caribbean people attention, Hairy Man, by Zak Ové, takes who emigrated to the United Kingdom the form of a heap of ropes of different in the 1950s and ‘60s. All of these stories sizes and colors, collected from the still find themselves tightly interwoven Thames and tied together to form a and there is a sense of commonality gigantic Carnival costume representing the in the themes explored. Caribbean Hairy Man, a forest dweller who protects immigrants were not always welcomed animals and plants. He is an emblematic in Britain, despite the governmental figure in the folklore of the Caribbean and process of encouraging immigration to develop embodies the multiculturalism and spirituality the workforce. Therefore, key themes like police of this community. The use of ropes to create the violence, rejection and insecurity transpire from costume adds a political and historical dimension many of the artworks. Alongside that, you are also to the work: they represent the stories having been immersed in colourful, bold pieces celebrating life, brought across waters, evoking the deportation of community and family. people from Africa to America. The fact that they Chronologically divided into five parts, the are used to craft a carnival costume ties once again exhibition explores Arrivals (1940s-60s), Pressure into the theme of identity and the personal choices (1970s-80s), Ghosts of History (1980s-early ‘90s), made to either reveal or conceal it, its construction Caribbean Regained: Carnival and Creolisation between two territories, the Creolisation and (1990s-now) and finally Past, Present, mixing of cultures between Caribbean heritage Future (2000s-2020s). and life in Britain. The different One of the rooms each strengths of the have very strong exhibition is its personalities and ability to capture convey a sense the intersection of progression of themes such as in the themes political claims and they explore, the construction of alongside a clear identity, cultural evolution in the mixes and the weight of the past. This is
Phot o fro m Th e Gu
By Clara Dayan Writer, Solenn le Divenac'h Writer, And Juliette Moisan Newspaper Culture Editor
Photo from All Events
The dresser at the marlowe: a review By Nathan Collins-Cope Newspaper News Editor and Zsófia Tiszai, Writer
C
anterbury’s award-winning Marlowe Theatre was this month host to ‘The Dresser’, a play about a tired old actor and his dresser starring Matthew Kelly and Julian Clary. This comedic yet dramatic production, directed by Terry Johnson, is a semi-autobiographical play by Ronald Harwood. The play depicts the run up to, performance of and aftermath of a production of King Lear. Against the backdrop of the Second World War, chaos and calamity are never far in the travelling theatre company. Kelly’s character, known only as ‘Sir’, has slight parallels with his Shakespearean counterpart – with both men showing signs of madness. Sir goes from mania to meltdown frequently and often, with Kelly putting on show the full range of his acting talents. His booming, McKellen-esque voice portrays the great thespian the character once was, only to fall into a sobbing mess at the drop of a hat. Clary plays Sir’s committed, camp assistant Norman – a dresser that goes beyond the call of duty in picking up
the pieces. So far in fact, that Norman seemed to be the only one who truly believes that Sir can make it through the night. He flusters and flams at the other members of the company, rebutting any attempt to prevent his subject from taking to the stage. At one rare moment when Sir gains self-awareness of his state and attempts to pull out of the night’s performance, Norman overrules even him. This is only the beginning of their strange, shifting relationship, in which Norman morphs from friend to nanny, then quickly to lowly employee. The power dynamics at play are often in flux, with Kelly and Clary portraying this aspect confidently. Both are commanding and condescending in different moments. This falls back on a greater theme of power and how it can change depending on the context. This theme rears its head in a scene with Sir and an aspiring actress, Irene. Throughout the play Sir makes inappropriate g e s t u r e s towards her and at one point they find themselves alone in his dressing room. In this scene, it is not always obvious
particularly the case with Remain, Thriving, presented at the end of the display, in the ‘Past, Present, Future’ section. This colourful and intriguing piece subtly celebrates black leaders and activists, also evoked in the rest of the display, and grabbed our attention. By Nigerian artist Njideka Akunyili Crosby, the painting, at first sight, presents a classical family scene in a living room. Yet, when coming closer to the artwork, you realize how the wallpaper consists of a collage effect full of historical photos dating back to major historical events and figures engaged in the fight for the inclusion of Black people in Britain. This work encapsulates all the historical fights and ongoing issues presented in the whole exhibition, with a call to Remain, Thriving in the future, as explicitly presented in the title.
Remain, Thriving, Njideka Akunyili Crosby static.standard.co.uk All in all, the exhibit is worth checking out whether you’re interested in the political and historical ramifications of the Caribbean immigration, in its artistic choices or in simply immersing yourself in rich and diverse artworks. While we all had a different approach to the exhibit, we agreed that it could also feel overwhelming at times: the diversity and sheer number of pieces makes it incredibly rich but it’s also easy to feel like you are missing key points if you just stroll through the museum. Working on the exhibit gave us a solid foundation on which to rely, and without this baggage we would probably have missed important aspects. The dialogue between cultures that this exhibition celebrates is, regardless, incredibly interesting and could be a stepping stone in bringing about a new way to look at art history.
whether Irene, played by Natali Servant, is attempting to use her beauty and youth to charm the old actor and advance her career. Or whether Sir is taking advantage of the girl, as an attempt to recapture his glory days as a vibrant actor. Credit is due to the director here, as Johnson takes on a controversial issue within the arts world. In this short but memorable scene, he shows how power structures can be corrupted; that it is not always clear from the outside whether there is one perpetrator or whether both parties are complicit. Since The Dresser is theatre about theatre, it pseudo-satisfies the audience. Crowds are usually as fascinated by what is going on behind the scenes of a production as what is going on in front of them, and this script plays with that idea. The metatheatrical nature of the play is strengthened by the strong set dressing of Tim Shortall. The different sections of the ‘backstage’ shown in the production are immersive and era-appropriate. Transitions between each location were smooth and did not distract from the action, even though they often took place during scenes. Overall, we very much enjoyed our evening out, with the production bringing both laughs and thoughtful moments. Photos by Alistair Muir
18
Monday 14 February 2022 InQuire
Culture
Love, Death and Animal Sacrifices:
The Bizarre Origin of Valentine’s Day By Rashida Hassan Website Features Editor and Literature Correspondent
V
Photo from headstuff.com
alentine’s Day. Undoubtedly one of the most popular holidays in the world, it has celebrated love in all its strange forms for decades. However, have you ever wondered where it came from and when the emphasis on romantic love began? It may surprise you to know that the origins of one of the world’s favourite holidays is subject to much contention and that there are no certain answers to its advent. There are, however, a few speculations coming from both the Catholic Church and Roman traditions. The origins of this holiday are, surprisingly, not as steamy as the holiday itself has become. One of the most popular suppositions to explain the origin of Valentine’s Day is his namesake, Saint Valentine, sometimes referred to as Valentinus. The Catholic Church has records of at least three different saints known by the name Valentine, all of whom were martyred. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served
in the third century of Rome during Emperor Claudius II’s reign. Emperor Claudius had imposed a ban on marriages for younger men, as he believed single men were better soldiers than their married counterparts. In response to this, Saint Valentine, measuring the injustice of preventing young lovers from being wed, officiated marriages for them in secret to spare younger men from war. As a result of his insubordination, he was executed. Isn't there something poetic about believing in the beauty of love so much that you are willing to risk your life for it? Other stories suggest that Saint Valentine may have been killed for attempting to free Christians from draconian Roman prisons where they were often tortured and beaten mercilessly. A theory claims that while Valentine was imprisoned before his execution, he fell in love with a young girl who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter signed “from your Valentine,” an expression that is still in use today. The Catholic Church considers that this holiday stemmed from honouring the martyrdom of the priests. Originally called Saint Valen-tine’s Day, it is now colloquially known as Valentine’s Day. The Roman Pagan Festival of Lupercalia and the many attempts to Christianise it are also said to have created Valentine’s Day. Lupercalia was a festival
dedicated to fertility celebrating Faunus, the Roman God of Agriculture, and Romulus and Remus, the mythical founders of Rome. What follows the holiday and its celebrations is everything short of romantic. To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather in a sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification. They would then cut the goat’s hide into strips, dip them into the sacrificial blood and take to the streets, gently slapping both women and crop fields with the goat hide. Roman women apparently welcomed the touch of the hides because it was believed to make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city’s bachelors would each choose a name and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage. Lupercalia survived the initial rise of Christianity but was outlawed — as it was deemed “un-Christian” — at the end of the 5th century, when Pope Gelasius declared February 14 Saint Valentine’s Day. It was not until much later, however, that the day became definitively associated with love. The English poet Geoffrey Chaucer was the first to record Saint Valentine’s Day as a day of romantic celebration in his 1375 poem Parliament of Foules, writing, “For this was sent on
Photo from ThoughtCo
Photo from ancienthistory.com Seynt Valentyne’s Day/Whan every foul cometh ther to choose his mate.” Valentine’s Day did not come to be celebrated as a day of romance until about the 14th century. The genesis of the industrial revolution allowed mass production of cards to come into fruition, which in part is an explanation for how popular this holiday became. Over the last century, this day has become more and more popular and now significantly impacts several markets such as greeting card and lingerie companies. Valentine’s Day in the 21st century is increasingly tied to much more than strictly romantic love, with people celebrating Galentine’s and other variations of the holiday celebrating familial and platonic love. In my opinion, this is a much better interpretation. Our societies' obsession with romantic love forces people to believe that they need a partner, or that being single/alone is inherently wrong; the entire rhetoric of ‘finding your other half’ leaves people preoccupied with finding a partner in order to ‘complete themselves’, which should never be the case. Regardless, and even if the story of its creation is not what we might have expected it to be, there is a certain beauty in celebrating love. How do you think this holiday should be celebrated?
Photos from godfatherstyle.com
How manga helped me (an autistic guy) understand love and romance very difficult to summarise all of this in a limited number of words, lines and paragraphs, given all the books, examples and references I have available to me. was originally tasked to write a piece about Instead, I chose to focus on Japanese comic how books and literature have influenced and books, known also as manga, and especially on changed our perspectives surrounding the how they have helped me, an autistic person, ideas of love, relationships and all things related to understand the profundity of human emotions them. While I am a serious bookworm who has read much better, comprehend why everyone holds the hundreds of books, I was looking forward to writing idea of love so closely and why everyone values the this article. However, I h a v e romantic relationship so highly. come to realise that it Before I came across manga during my secondary/ would high school years, I was already reading books b e containing romantic elements as part of their storylines, but I grasped them simply as plot devices that formed part of the narrative. Basically, I registered them only on a superficial level and I used to view them through a lens of impersonality and, sometimes Photos from ors-renders.animemeeting.com even, cynicism. When I read a book, all I used to see was words through which I was able to comprehend what the author had wanted to say. It did give me a restricted perspective into the human condition, yet the printed words were still able to provide and inspire me with creative literary ideas that I once would have perhaps thought impossible to materialise without them. When I started reading manga, their visual helped me process the By Thomas Gough Writer
I
Photo from Radio-Canada
narrative better: the mangaka (manga artist) visually depicts their characters’ emotions, which helped me concretely understand what kind of emotions the characters were feelings. When, in a novel, I read a passage about someone in a certain emotional state, I would create a mental image of their face and change it according to the words of emotions used. The problem was that the image I created would have looked like a identi-kit face, lacking dynamism and finesse of detail. But when I read manga, it provided me with a guide that my autistic mind could process more easily, and which I could use as a reference elsewhere – it was a breakthrough Photo from Getty Images for me. I have read a few manga comics of various genres, but, for the purpose of this brings tears to my eyes every time I remember it. article, I will focus on a series called Nisekoi by It is the manga – and many other books as well Naoshi Komi. This particular series is one of those – that have helped me really understand the power rare ones that pulled at my heartstrings and which and significance of the emotions that people feel actually made me cry. Indeed, its dénouement for each other. This is particularly the case for was, I believe, a piece of sublimely, well-executed love, which I used to dismiss as saccharine and and beautiful storytelling. In the final volume, the superficial sentimentalism. Ever since finding protagonists, Raku Ichijo and Kosaki Onodera, these manga comics, though, I have learned not to meet up. Kosaki confesses her love for Raku, be such a pessimistic cynic and instead, perhaps, which she had kept secret from him since junior to embrace it more openly. I’ll admit that I’m high school and, likewise, Raku reveals his love to not a full-on convert to all of this since I don’t her. Alongside this storyline, however, Raku had want to overdo the sentimentality, but I know also been developing romantic feelings for Chitoge that I can demonstrate more genuine sympathy Kirisaki, a girl he initially despised but who he towards others thanks to what manga has taught had had to pretend to be in a relationship with in me. It has helped me feel more human and better order to avoid escalating conflicts between their comprehend the complexities of human emotions respective families. After their confessions, Raku and relations. finds Chitoge and confesses his love for her and, And to end this piece on the right note, I shall say after tensions and suspense, she finally admits, this: be kind to one another and love one another in a flood of tears, that she loves him too. While this Valentine’s Day. this is a condensed summary of what happens, I can still vividly remember what happened, and it
19
InQuire Monday 14 February 2022
Culture
CHRISTINA QUARLES FOR AN ART PROJECT OF REVELATION AND DELICACY By Gabin Berthouloux Writer
C
hristina Quarles is a contemporary painter born in Chicago in 1985. Her colourful, abstract and gestural paintings explore themes of racial and sexual identity, gender and queer. In 1991, she moved with her mother to Los Angeles, California, where she still lives and works to this day. In 2021, Quarles joined the Board of Trustees of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles. In parallel to her high school studies, Quarles regularly participated in drawing classes which allowed her to acquire a solid foundation in art. She then continued her studies in Art and Philosophy, graduating in 2007. In a research paper as part of her curriculum, she explored the topic of critical race theory, including multi-sited racial identity. In 2016, Quarles completed her training in painting and received a Masters of Fine Arts from the Yale School of Art.
Who is Christina Quarles? "As a queer, cisgender woman, born to a black father and a white mother, I engage with the world from a multisituated position. The contradiction between my black ancestry and my light skin means that my place is always a place of displacement." Her black heritage and white skin make her a woman of mixed race, at the intersection of two identities that are most often distinguished. Yet the artist's identity reflects a multi-situated p o s i t i o n : Innocence Lost/In a Sense, Lost Quarles speaks Christina Quarles 2020 of her sense of permanent discrepancy, and how she is a source of ambiguity or contradiction for others. In her personal life, her racial and sexual identity as a black, queer and cisgender woman is often confused. Quarles testifies that she has often been misunderstood as white, especially by white people.
An art project... ... inspired by the daily experience of ambiguity Her multi-sited identity and experiences with others are the starting point for a unique and intimate artistic project. Christina Quarles' art project is a testament to her willingness to 'expose' herself: the artist draws her creativity from her history, her identity, her intimacy and her personal experience with ambiguity.
"My project draws on my everyday experience of ambiguity and seeks
to dismantle the assumptions of our subjectivity through images that challenge the viewer to confront the disorganised body in a state of excess." Christina Quarles has become known for her paintings featuring a multiplicity of bodies, disorganised and in a state of excess. The state of excess directly echoes her daily experience of ambiguity. This ambiguity lies, for example, in a lack of legibility of her identity as a mixed-race woman in the eyes of others. This directly feeds into the artist's artistic project. Legibility is the borderline between too little and too much information. When we lack information about something, it is vague. However, as information accumulates, the risk of contradiction increases, and legibility shifts into ambiguity. The state of excess in the painter's paintings reinforces this dynamic, leaving the viewer in a contemplative state, but also in a form of confusion and questioning. The works also reflect the artist's scruples about misrepresentation. By dismantling the assumptions of our subjectivity, Quarles challenges the viewer to question the illegibility of the identity of the represented body. The relationship with her works reinforces the confusion so that ambiguity persists and dominates.Her daily experience of ambiguity is also reflected in her artistic practice. By painting bodies in a state of excess, Quarles draws abstract lines with a brush, giving the image of a gestural line. The painter places particular emphasis on the arms, legs, feet and hands. These areas of the body are the ones we can see of ourselves: they indicate an internalized sense of self and the world. Quarles explains her choice by the desire to represent moments of intimacy when the idea of being that frontal face collapses. The faces remain present, however, because they embody our social relationships, our appearance and our identity.
... with a political and social dimension
or bring about political/social change.
"This paradox is the central point of my practice.” In her paintings, Quarles fragments and fractures bodies, making them disorganised. The artist refers to our desire to be social: to be seen, accepted and included in a group or community. Referring to the concept of 'over-representation', Quarles argues that we tend to have a constant excess of our full identity potential in order to be social beings recognised in society, and therefore beings able to exist.
... expressing the experience of living in a racialised and gendered body According to Quarles,
"painting itself can be an interesting conceptual means of expressing my ideas”. Her abstract paintings are a tool for projecting her personal reflections and addressing ideas of identity, but also those around the body and the intimate. The artist shows a strong interest in the body and its social dimension. Quarles is interested in the expectations, limits and freedoms that are imposed by existence in a form. In her work, Quarles pays particular attention to intimacy and touch. The artist invites a broad understanding of intimacy, including love, sexuality, illness, relationship to the body, violence, hunger, etc. In her artistic practice, Quarles provokes a sense of gravity or weight, creating the sense of being held or contained by the context of a patterned plane for example. The use of fragmentation and containment expresses the intimate feeling of living in a racialised and gendered body.
Photo from Artsy
"As a queer woman, as a person of colour, it's important for me not to perpetuate the passive consumption of the body. But that's also what I like to do, paint the body. So I try to find ways to not allow a passive reading. I see my work as exploring the ambiguity of identity. I see my characters as moving between the sexes. I tend to have breasts in my work, but I see it more as an opportunity to express gravity through this weird, fleshy, bumpy thing." Christina Quarles, 2018
In a few words, what should we keep in mind about painter Christina Quarles?
Christina Quarles is interested in the paradox that resides in our social relations, particularly in terms of fixed categories of identity. She argues I Don' Wanna Be Funny Anymore that fixed categories of Christina Quarles 2019 identity (in this case the black/white dichotomy) can marginalise people of mixed race, of both white and black heritage. Paradoxically, these same categories are also the means by which marginalised people can emancipate themselves, feel a sense of community, gain visibility, political power,
Inspired by her research, p e r s o n a l reflections and daily experience of identity, Christina Q u a r l e s ' a b s t r a c t paintings have an emotional, intimate, but also political resonance.
Hold Tha Line (Hold That Thot) Christina Quarles 2017
Originally published on Ar(t)ches, 20/01/22 French blog on Contemporary Art : https://artchesspl.wordpress.com/
20
Monday 14 February 2022 InQuire
Entertainment
Hawkeye hits the bullseye in Marvel’s latest TV venture
By Rhona Lonergan Writer
H
awkeye was the fourth Marvel show to come out in 2021 and initially felt like the youngest sibling in the Marvel TV family. The show didn't promise the scope or spectacle of any of the previous shows, nor was Hawkeye a hugely popular MCU character despite being one the original six Avengers. However, Hawkeye managed to turn what may have been perceived as a weakness into one of its greatest strengths. Hawkeye’s low stakes are a breath of fresh air
Belfast review: Branagh’s tribute to his home city is much more than just Oscar-bait By Harry Brown Writer t nine years old, Kenneth Branagh left Belfast with his family to escape The Troubles. Now he returns, half a century later, to direct a film based on his own childhood experiences. From the director of many Shakespeare and Agatha Christie adaptations, Branagh pens the script for only his second original screenplay. Belfastfollows a young Protestant boy named Buddy as he tries to navigate his everyday childhood in the titular city during The Troubles. Newcomer Jude Hill plays Buddy, a huge weight as the film views all t h e
A
after the year of potentially world ending, reality and time altering consequences of its sibling shows, WandaVision, Loki and What If. In comparison, Hawkeye feels grounded and relatable, especially when it focuses mostly on our main characters, Clint Barton/Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and newcomer Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), and the personal consequences of their actions. There is a comfortable simplicity in worrying about something so objectively trivial such as whether Clint will make it home to his family in time for Christmas. Based on the award-winning 2012 Matt Fraction authored run of comics by the same name, Hawkeye follows Clint post-Endgame as he attempts to clean up his Ronin legacy and protect newfound protégé – and Hawkeye superfan – Kate Bishop, when Clint’s past gets her tangled up with New York gang the ‘Tracksuit Mafia’. Hailee Steinfeld is undeniably likeable as Kate Bishop, a young martial artist and fencing champion, as well as an ace archer in her own right (as she likes to remind everyone, often). The introduction of Kate’s family gifts us a criminally underused Vera Farmiga as Kate’s mother Eleanor and the entertaining gem that is Tony Dalton as Eleanor’s fiancé Jack. Hawkeye doesn’t just draw inspiration for its style and imagery from the previously mentioned comic series of the same name. It also gets one of its best characters, Lucky the Pizza Dog who is just as adorable on the screen as he is on the page. The show takes full advantage of its festive timing. At its core, ‘Hawkeye’ is about the common Christmas theme of family. It explores the good and bad of both blood and found family. It leans
into the pain of losing those close to you and the joy of forging new close bonds, as well as the pressures and expectations that exist around family, particularly during the holidays. ‘Hawkeye’ does a good job with its central relationship between Clint and Kate. What starts off as a hero worshiping mentee and a reluctant and jaded mentor quickly grows as both Hawkeyes relearn what it means to be a hero. The interplay between the duo gives us an unusually intimate window into the visceral physical and mental effects of being a human superhero and the sacrifices that come with this life. The best example of this is the comics accurate hearing aid that Renner’s Clint is now sporting as a result of many years operating in active war zones. The weakest part of ‘Hawkeye’ is one that is common in the MCU. It tries to do too much in too little time. There are no less than five named villains
events through his eyes. He performs well, with a natural, eager inquisitiveness to his performance. Surrounding him is an outstanding support cast with Jamie Dornan and Caitriona Balfe as Pa and Ma; his grandparents are played by Oscar-winner Judi Dench and Ciaran Hinds. Their family unit is believable with a natural and loving chemistry between them all and each display a close and unique relationship with buddy as they mentor him through his childhood years. With this family unit, the film emits a warmth and humour throughout where you feel a part of the family’s in-jokes. It does not, however, shy away from showing the threat of The Troubles as Buddy and his family are confronted by Ulster terrorists and riots. The pavement slabs from their street are torn up around them and turned into barricades, clearly affecting the family as they try to find joy in whatever way they can for escapism. This gives justification for certain character decisions and conflicts that arise between Buddy’s parents. Kenneth Branagh collaborates again with longtime cinematographer Haris Zamabarloukos to create an enticing aesthetic to the film. Shot in black and white, Branagh and Zamabarloukos are able to vividly paint the streets of Belfast
with swooping shots then tell the personal story through the eyes of Buddy in close ups and tracking shots. Whilst being a lighthearted drama, it does not limit itself in terms of style, as confrontations are shot like a standoff seen in Western films like High Noon. They are able to blend those various styles of camerawork together masterfully. Belfast is proving to be a leading horse in the awards race, tying for most nominations at the Golden Globes and getting six nominations for the BAFTAs, including not only Best British Film but Best Film as well. Catriona Balfe’s and Ciaran Hinds’ performances are most noted of the various voting groups whilst Branagh’s screenplay, combining the realness of The Troubles with a childlike state of wonder and light-heartedness, is proving to resonate with voters and viewers. Belfast is clearly a film made with passion and heart by it’s Belfast-born director. Featuring natural performances and poignant dialogue, with a beautiful aesthetic to form his hometown o n film, Kenneth Branagh has crafted Belfast into much more than simple Oscar-bait.
(some new, one fan favourite) throughout this six-episode series, as well as our
two headline heroes, and there is not enough time for each of their arcs to be concluded in a satisfying manner. Hawkeye is a Marvel tie-in in the best way. It is given very little work to do in moving the overarching plot of the MCU forward, but it takes full advantage of our history with Clint and what he’s been through. It provides some satisfying emotional catharsis particularly for Clint and the guilt that he’s still holding onto from his actions as Ronin and in the aftermath of Natasha’s death. It was not unreasonable to question whether Hawkeye could hold his own show, but the verdict is a resounding yes, he can! In fact, Hawkeye is now many peoples’ favourite Marvel show with its fabulous spread of talented actors, hilariously fun action sequences and touching sentimental moments. Hawkeye has introduced so many great new characters and opened many interesting avenues for future exploration and I look forward to seeing what Marvel TV goodies await us i n 2022.
21
InQuire Monday 14 February 2022
Entertainment
Netflix’s new whodunnit parody has us asking one thing:
Photo from jnightbrqid.grea.info By Jake Yates-Hart Website Editor
T
he Woman in the House Across the Street From the Girl in the Window is a ridiculously long title for an equally ridiculous parody that unfortunately ends up landing itself in the very genre it’s making fun of. Netflix’s new thriller-comedy intended on poking fun at psychological thrillers like The Girl on the Train and The Woman in the Window and their many clichés, but without providing any meaningful commentary on why we as audiences are drawn to them so much. Sure, there are some good jokes that stick the landing, but a lot of them awkwardly clash with the series’ darker elements. Kristen Bell plays Anna, a traumatised, loveless alcoholic turned amateur sleuth who attempts to solve the murder of the titular girl in the window.
Bell’s admittedly funny narration at the beginning of episode clues us in further on what the show is poking fun at. Anna relents in a hammy British accent that her husband would complain that she had an overactive imagination; that she drinks too much; and that sometimes she speaks in a British accent even though she’s not British. She then switches to her American twang. We soon find out that Anna also has ombrophobia (a fear of the rain), a dig at how psychological thrillers opt for using irrational
fears for plot convenience and to measure our protagonists’ mental wellbeing over the course of the story. While I think that Anna’s fear of the rain is a nice satirical nod to Amy Adam’s character in The Woman in the Window, like many of the parody elements in the series, The Woman in the House… is too afraid to make a good joke over a serious situation. Bell’s performance throughout is great but at times monotonous, trapped within the confines of an A. J. Finn novel adaptation. However, having seen Bell’s other work in comedies, this can only be blamed on the complete tonal car crash between co-creators Hugh Davidson, Larry Dorf and Rachel Ramras and series director Michael Lemann. The former aimed to write a parody on psychological thrillers, whilst the latter chose to direct it as a straight up whodunnit, resulting in a messy emotional viewing. That said, I found myself enthralled in the actual mystery. It isn’t until later that
Anna watches in horror as the gorgeous stewardess Lisa is murdered in the house across the street, which belongs to the handsome and newly widowed neighbour Neil and his daughter Emma. Like with every psychological thriller, there is more than meets the eye, but unlike with every parody, the plot is taken far too seriously. At most, The Woman in the House… is a decent watch. Its bingeable appeal is mostly sold by its well-crafted mystery and Kristen Bell’s star power. But viewers will often forget that the series is meant to be a comedy, and this is the show’s biggest failure. All the elements are there to execute an ingenious premise yet missing the stupidly slapstick appeal of, say, the Scary Movie franchise; perhaps this ‘parody’ would have fared better with Regina Hall as the star. The Woman in the House Across the Street From the Girl in the Window is available to stream on Netflix.
Photo from mudgins.com
where are the jokes?
Photo from jonesmark.us
FKA Twigs’ ‘Caprisongs’: Artistic Visionary Almost Sticks The Landing
F
ollowing her widely-acclaimed sophomore album ‘Magdalene’, FKA Twigs returns with her mixtape Caprisongs. Known for her experimental tracks, steering confidently in an alternative blend of many genres, Caprisongs delivers on this unique artistic stamp that Twigs has established for herself whilst moving toward more conventional productions. Whilst there is much to commend about the mixtape, it doesn’t ultimately reach resounding success, held back by mediocre collaborations and a lack of the artistic
Sergio's
Top Songs 1. tears in the club (ft. the weeknd) 2. pamplemousse 3. ride the dragon 4. lightbeamers 5. meta angel
Photos from Spotify
vision which made her albums excel. hope and finding love within yourself, which stand Opening the mixtape is ‘ride the dragon’, a out lyrically against some of the other tracks which bouncy track adorned with the occasional flourish fall back on discussing relationships more broadly. of an Asian flute which sets the tone of ‘Caprisongs’ However, the mixtape does slightly fall short very effectively. The song leans in the direction on some songs. Whilst some collaborations are of a trap production, but does not fully commit, effective, such as ‘tears in the club (feat. The retaining Twigs’ distinctive melodic variations. Weeknd)’, ‘jealousy (feat. Rema)’ and ‘darjeeling Her infectious cadence on the chorus is a highlight: (feat. Jorja Smith and Unknown T), others fail to “if you really wanna kiss me, do it by the end of interweave themselves into Twigs’ experimental the song”. style as well as these tracks do. Her innovative approach to conventional For example, ‘honda (feat. Pa Salieu)’, a hip-hop production is replicated track infused with a flare of on ‘tears in the club (feat. British rap, is not as strong The Weeknd)’, inherently as some of the other songs. radio-friendly but Pa Salieu’s verse is short nevertheless an “ethereal and does not contribute RnB banger” as Twigs much to the song, with describes the song on his deeper vocals Genius. Both artists blend contrasting with Twigs’ well on the track, with The somewhat higher vocals. Weeknd’s verse being a In effect, the track feels highlight of the song as his slightly out of place vocals rise and fall with the with Twigs’ style as dancefloor beat. established throughout The criminally short Caprisongs. ‘pamplemousse’, a Ending the mixtape, hyperpop track in the ‘thank you song’, the vicinity of Charli XCX, Photo from hiphopcanada.com closest track pushes Twigs into an area to a ballad, is she has not previously explored on the mixtape to both lyrically and sonically strong. This is great success. Her vocal delivery, almost blurring particularly evident with the repetition of the the lyrics together as the song progresses, is a lines, ‘Love in motion, my heart’s open/ sonically daring choice that flows well with the Thank you, thank you, I’m okay’ in rapidity of the beat. the chorus. Not only is the track ‘meta angel’ and ‘lightbeamers’, both lyrically sonically rich, with a reverberated pensive mid-tempo tracks, are other highlights of piano in the background, but it the mixtape. They delve into personal themes of also rounds off the mixtape in a
Overall, ‘Caprisongs’ is certainly a bold body of work from an artist with an admirable artistic vision. The mixtape doesn't fully stick the landing, though, as some of the collaborations dilute this.
satisfying way, with Twigs embracing that she is in a better place.
Photo from Complex
By Sergio Niblett-Morales Writer
22
Monday 14 February 2022 InQuire
Satire
Shakespeare on Valentine's Day: top 5 plays for broken hearts
5. The Merry Wives of Windsor
4. As You Like It
“Hang him, mechanical salt-butter rogue. I will stare him out of his wits, I will awe him with my cudgel: it shall hang like a meteor o’er the cuckhold’s horns.” Falstaff, 2.2 Holding the distinction of being the worst play to feature the recurring character Falstaff, The Merry Wives of Windsor is only appreciated by true Shakespeare connoisseurs. Falstaff finds himself in financial difficulty, and sends letters to two married townswomen in the hopes of wooing them and gaining money. When the two women realises that they’ve been sent the same letter, they decide to humiliate Falstaff. This results in Falstaff being tricked into hiding in a basket of dirty clothes and thrown into the River Thames, before he is jumped in Windsor Great Park, with both the attackers and victim in fancy dress. Falstaff’s belief that he still had a chance with the merry wives, even after nearly drowning in the Thames, is no doubt Shakespeare’s warning that despite the erotic nature of being waterboarded in a laundry basket, such an act is something of a red flag when it comes to romantic partners. His beating and burning in Windsor Great Park also falls short of an acceptable picnic date, though the effort put into wearing costumes and committing to the characters are commendable acts of cosplay. 2
“If it be true that a good wine needs no bush, ‘tis true that a good play needs no epilogue.” Rosalind, Epilogue In As You Like It, Shakespeare presents us with his most based character: Rosalind. A female character who disguises herself as a male, Ganymede, and taunts her male admirer, whom she reciprocates the love of, would’ve been played by a male actor in front of Elizabethan audiences. The male lover, Orlando, leaves love poems, that have all the intellectual quality of the mental intercourse of two dementia patients, on trees in a forest. Orlando is teased by the disguised Rosalind, who, having read the poems, assures Orlando that he is not, in fact, in love. Rosalind truly appreciates the art of the deal, navigating a difficult scenario in which the shepherdess Phoebe has fallen in love with Ganymede, the male guise of Rosalind. Whilst in disguise as Ganymede, Rosalind convinces Phoebe to marry another man. Harnessing the power of Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Rosalind grabs hold of the narrative and shapes it to her liking, without harming any of her friends: Rosalind shall restore amends. Instead of wallowing, learn from Rosalind and undertake legally questionable reverse-catfishing to truly take control of your love life. Photo credits: 1. John Taylor 2. Christian Michelides 3. Jules Lefebvre 4. Mary Harrsch
1
3. Titus Andronicus
“Though hast undone our mother.” Chiron “Villain, I have done thy mother.” Aaron, 4.2 With Titus Andronicus Shakespeare achieves unprecedented absurdity through depravity, violence and tragedy. The first scene of the play sees Titus invoke the wrath of the captured queen Tamora, whose desire for revenge drives the narrative of the play, before the title character kills his own son, with Mutius becoming 22nd son of his 25 to die. Titus Andronicus does not have the polished quality of King Lear or Coriolanus, but in a relatively short play Shakespeare compiles innumerous acts of savagery that in the end resembles a Jenga tower of rejected Madame Tussauds waxworks. Amidst grotesque acts of violence, Shakespeare introduces some of his most memorable characters. Aaron, the servant and lover of the vengeant Tamora, is one of Shakespeare’s most evil characters. Aaron seems to have no motive other than evil itself, “I have done a thousand dreadful things as willingly as one would kill a fly, and nothing grieves me heartily indeed but that I cannot do ten thousand more.” Lavinia, a victim of Aaron’s schemes, suffers the most brutal downfall of Shakespeare’s tragic women. With
1. Troilus and Cressida
“They say all lovers swear more performance than they are able, vowing more than the perfection of ten and discharging less than the tenth part of one.” Cressida, 3.2 This play follows the short-lived love between a Trojan prince and the daughter of a traitorous priest as the Trojan War drags on. As soon as Troilus and Cressida confess their deep love for each other, they are torn apart when Cressida is sent to the enemy camp as part of a prisoner exchange. As the two part, Cressida is offended by Troilus’ insistence that she explicitly promises to be faithful. The idea that they would be unfaithful to each other is unthinkable, even as the two find themselves on opposing sides in a war.
her hands and tongue cut off by her assailants, Lavinia is prevented from revealing who attacked her. When her father, Titus, eventually finds out what happened to Lavinia, he despairs at the loss of her chastity and kills her out of shame. Through sheer absurdity Titus Andronicus has the tendency to befuddle any victim with its haphazard structure and disturbing content. Having invested time in the play, any reasonable person will spend the next month waiting to see what kind of pay off awaits them. As such, the play completely alleviates heartbreak through the false promise of deeper meaning, which only arrives when you watch Anthony Hopkins’ portrayal of Titus on a Chromebook whilst removing the keys from the keypad with a sharp knife and rearranging them into alphabetical order. Menelaus holds the body of Patroclus. The death of Patroclus compels Achilles to join the Greeks in battle, turning the war in their favour.
Yet this promise is broken only a few scenes later, as Diomedes w o o s Cressida, w i t h Troilus seeing
2. Hamlet
“O, that that earth which kept the world in awe should patch a wall t’expel the winter’s flaw!” Hamlet 5.1 The pages of Shakespeare’s greatest play are the perfect place to dry your tears of despair after you find that your preferred sack of bones and flesh eventually deems you inadequate. Hamlet’s healing powers reside not in the haunting tale of Ophelia and the title character’s tragic intertwining and unravelling, but in the sobering themes that Shakespeare tackles. Hamlet struggles with deep misery after the murder of his father, and reasons against ending his life only on the depressing basis that what awaits after death could be worse than miserable life itself. The play transports you from immediate concerns and places you the encounter from the shadows. The scene is agonising to experience, with Troilus watching as Cressida initially rejects Diomedes’ advances before she cruelly gives Diomedes Troilus’ sleeve, a token of Troilus’ love for her, and takes Diomedes as her lover. The Trojan prince watches on helplessly as he lurks in the enemy camp, “O beauty, where is thy faith?” In several Shakespeare plays love overcomes extraordinary, adverse circumstances. This is not the case in Troilus and Cressida, where love meets reality and is quashed at the first instance of adversity. This plays out as the Trojans and Greeks prepare for bloodshed on the battlefield. Troilus and Cressida is a slow burner, dense with long dialogue, which is brilliantly concluded by a fast-paced, action-packed final act. The dialogue becomes snappier 4 as the play brings dozens of characters in
3
in the grander scheme of human history. Holding Yorick’s skull, Hamlet is troubled by the lifeless remains of a man that was once a lively, joyful source of entertainment during his childhood. All of us decay and return to dust, regardless of our earthly status and achievements. As you drunkenly stumble and fall down on St. Peter’s Street, dropping the dubiously sourced meat of an Ocakbasi kebab on the floor, you are reminded that the dirt coating your doner is not merely dirt, but the remains of Julius Caesar – or Alexander the Great. And one day you will coat the doner of another miserable fellow’s kebab, leaving behind the distinct taste of insignificance. The mental deterioration of Hamlet, and the wave of death that follows him, is a perfect distraction from earthly heartbreak. Combining the persistent theme of the futility of life with a scene of a stunningly beautiful death, of that of Ophelia, Hamlet has the potential to take your sorrows and drown them in even deeper sentiments. and out of focus, leaving you to realise that nothing actually happened in the first four acts. The classic tale of Achilles’ slaying of Hector ends a chaotic sequence on the battlefield that involves Troilus’s pursuit of Diomedes and Thersites’ cowardly meander across the battlefield. The high concentration of violence and death provides the perfect antidote to the cruel ending of Troilus and Cressida’s love. Troilus final words are not of Cressida, but of his vow to strike back at the Greeks, “I’ll haunt thee like a wicked conscience still,” even as he realises the ‘sure destruction’ of his peoples’ city. The play ends on an unsatisfying note, wrapping up an incoherent and thematically jarring work, making it Shakespeare’s most relatable account of love and heartbreak.
23
InQuire Monday 14 February 2022
Satire
Pimp my life: turn things around with these tasty tips
Tip One
Tip Four
Infidelity spices up a boring relationship. Who hasn’t in this day and age? You clearly get the best of both worlds. Having fun while having stability on the side is simply perfect. The exhilarating freedom from it is simply intoxicating. There are plenty of people who do it and feel nothing over it. No guilt, no shame. Feeling shame over such an archaic thing is simply nonsensical. Shame is like bad vibes on your soul. Your soul is a temple, don’t let anything crowd it. Yes, it seems like a terrible idea at first but don’t let societal “norms” dictate your passions. Let your aura flow. Take the first step. You won’t regret it.
Flavour your life with interesting choices. Find a third wheel. Go e-dating on online IRC systems. Attend a Muay Thai class together. Make a banana and seagull milkshake. Whatever it is, studies have shown that doing things improves the probability of being fine. Not doing things means things die. You don’t want things to die do you? You’re not a murderer, right…?
Photo by Ivar Leidus
Tip Two Go on an exotic holiday. Preferably somewhere with some sun. Vitamin D is essential.
Photo by www.scribbler.com
Final Tip Get some you fucking loser. I can smell the scent of desperation and loneliness dripping off of you from 1000 miles away. It’s so obvious that no one has embraced you in your life. Not your unrequited crush, not your partner, and definitely not your parents. If you don’t stop being a pathetic failure then Ricky Martin will enter your abode and beat you. You want to be Livin’ la Vida Loca not eating pizza at 2am while watching Netflix. Go out and touch some grass. Maybe smoke some. Whatever it is, do not continue to be an ostentatious little prick while having no actual substance to show for it.
Tip Three Purchase toys to make your private time more entertaining. Obtaining the latest branded Lego set is one way to build excitement. The ability to put together an expenPhoto by Tom Moreillon sive Millennium Falcon or Bionicle set establishes intimacy. Even better is purchasing a chess set. Regular games of chess create excitement like the time your parents bought you a Swarovski coated jacuzzi. A jigsaw can help you bond while putting the pieces together. A colouring book can distract someone Photo by Eva Rinaldi while you go for a nap. The possibilities are endless.
Design by Rory Bathgate
Bonus Tip
Photo by Matt Stern
Evidently, you aren’t the suave chodezilla and/or/nor pussy monster you thought you were. Consider eating some chocolate strawberry ice cream with a side of pineapple juice. Maybe stop being pressured into a system that rewards gross levels of exploitation. You don’t have to do a single damn thing. Maybe believe in yourself and take some pride in who you are. Corny? Definitely. But sometimes it’s good to take a step back. Buy the latest Blu-ray from the Home Office’s film department. $69.99!
Sport www.inquiremedia.org/sport
InQ Quire
Continued from front page... It was a scoreline that maybe could have seen more goals, but one that Gillingham will be delighted with. Danny Lloyd-McGoldrick scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot after a handball by a Crewe defender. On-loan striker Charlie Kelman had a golden chance for 2-0 just minutes later, whilst substitute attacker Vadaine Oliver had an equally strong chance in the second half, seeing his shot parry off the bar and roll agonizingly along the goalline. There were standout performances from goalkeeper Aaron Chapman, who kept a clean sheet after being introduced back into the team by Harris, as well as midfielder Olly Lee who played with a high energy in midfield and was key to a lot of Gillingham’s forward attacking play. For a first game, Gils fans should be absolutely delighted with the way they played under their new manager. It was an unorthodox setup from Harris which signals major changes in tactics and game approach at the club following his appointment. Harris lined up a three at the back formation, opting for a 3-4-1-2 shape and scrapping the usual 4-3-3. The formation requires a high amount of energy and pressing in both attack and defense, especially
Photo by KentOnline/API with the use of ‘wingbacks’, that push high up the pitch to support attacks as well as helping solidify
the defense. While there are definitely things to work on with the shape following this game for the
future, it showed promise when executed for large parts of the game. Despite the win, it still feels like Gillingham still have a while to go if they have hopes of holding their position in the league. They certainly had to hold on to ensure the result in this game, with Crewe definitely growing into the game in the second half and risking an equaliser. The Gills defense performed well, especially in the late stages of the game where Crewe had their best chances. Whilst the game was tight, Gillingham certainly showed Harris their intentions for the rest of the season. Safety from relegation is not too far away, and at time of writing Gills sit second from bottom, 8 points away from safety. Furthermore they made a promising signing during the January transfer window, bringing in former Millwall midfielder Ben Thompson, who will no doubt bolster Harris’ options in the squad. There is still lots of work to be done, with Harris post game admitting that things will indeed take time. Regardless, Gillingham fans will see this as a huge result in their season, and hopefully Harris is able to extend this run of good results, which will give them the push they need to remain in the division.
My disappointment with Mason Greenwood By Samuel Leah Newspaper Sport Editor Trigger warning: mentions of domestic violence, assault, blood/gore mention, sexual abuse, rape.
I
logged on to Twitter on an otherwise normal Sunday morning and my page was completely flooded with tweets about Manchester United player, Mason Greenwood. Curiously, I clicked on the trend and had a slow scroll through. The first thing I saw at the very top of the page was an article that said the club was investigating 'rumors that had spread on social media'. Uh oh. Then I see the words 'physical abuse' flash up and my stomach starts to turn. Then I see an audio recording which is allegedly Greenwood forcing his girlfriend to have sex with him. And then below that, is a photo of a girl with blood running from her lip, a thick line that goes all the way down her neck. Videos on her instagram which show in detail ‘what it’s like to be Mason Greenwood’s girlfriend’. I scroll further and further down, and see several articles detailing information about Greenwood’s counts of abuse and violence towards his girlfriend, including threats to kill her. Then I put my head in my hands, and think to myself: 'why’. At this point, I'm angry and upset. As a football fan, this is undoubtedly the last thing you want to see, but out of everyone, Mason Greenwood is the last player I would have expected this behaviour from. A promising 20 year old English forward, who otherwise avoided controversy in the game, focusing on his development at Old Trafford, and a person who was well on his way to solidifying his place in United’s attack. He was a player I actually admired quite a lot and I was excited to see his growth at Manchester United, especially come the summer when the club will welcome new management and a fresh start for trophy hopes. But the optimistic and promising footballing side of Greenwood has faded and tarnished for me now. Now he is simply an abuser who shouldn’t step foot on a football field for a very long time. And besides, at the end of the day we shouldn't even be worrying about the sporting side, if Greenwood will ever play Photo by Sky News
for the club again, or who United will 'bring in as a replacement'. Those points don't matter. Greenwood needs to be disciplined. On the other hand, I greatly applaud the bravery of Harriet Robson, Greenwood’s girlfriend and victim, to record and take account of the damage that has been done and I hope this acts as motivation and inspiration for other women to speak out and bring justice to their abusers. I completely believe the evidence that Harriet has put forward, moreso because there was actually more evidence of abuse from Greenwood back in November 2020, when he was taken into custody for similar reasons. These reports were not pursued, and many fans simply forgot about the situation. These recent reports, however, cannot be ignored. Harriet’s life will forever be changed by this, but this is absolutely a step in the right direction. Robson’s father released a statement not long after the initial story was published, but to me the phrasing of his words was disappointing, and essentially goes against his daughter and the entire reason she chose to release the images. In an interview he stated that his daughter's phone ‘was hacked’ and that ‘she never wanted it released..she was devastated’. I don’t believe this for a second. To see him take his stance just adds to the anger I feel. To see the images and information revealed by your daughter, knowing that Greenwood has had a previous history of this behaviour, and then stressing that Greenwood is ‘part of the family’ and that the two are ‘very much in love’ is honestly disgusting. It becomes crystal clear to me that Mr Robson cares more about being associated with a famous footballer and the income and fame that comes with it, than the safety and security of his own daughter. To repeat: the situation has upset me, it's made me angry, it's made me ashamed for not only the player but also the behaviour that he believes is okay. Most of all it makes me afraid. I'm sick and tired of, not just footballers, but anyone, using their positions of power or wealth to take advantage of people. Mason Greenwood is 20 years old. He's the same age as me. Something about that just gives you chills; the fact you simply don’t know what some people are hiding deep in their private lives.
A few days after the story first broke we got news from Manchester that a ‘20 year old’ (assumed to be Greenwood) had been arrested on charges of rape and assault, while his victim recieved the support and hospitality she needed from the authorities. He was then released on bail days later, pending further investigations. While Greenwood did not face any harsher action, he has still faced the consequences elsewhere. Nike, who are partnered with Manchester United and Greenwood, released a statement announcing they would cut all ties with the player, and found the whole situation ‘disturbing’. The video game FIFA has already removed all instances of Greenwood from their ‘Ultimate Team’ gamemode.. Manchester United have also pledged to offer free exchanges to fans who have bought shirts with Greenwood’s name on the back, whilst also removing all of the player’s merchandise from their store.. Several of the club’s football players as well as a few England international players have unfollowed Greenwood on social media, implying their desire to distance themselves from the player as much as possible. It is also certain that the player will not feature for Manchester United for a long while; the club
releasing a statement that Greenwood ‘will not feature in training sessions or matches until further notice’, reiterating their stance against violence of any kind. He’s also been barred from the national team until the situation reaches a conclusion. United boss Ralf Rangnick was quizzed on the controversy at the first possible opportunity, and the German ensured that the club carried out their business as normal despite the drama surrounding Greenwood’s arrest, stating that they can still compete even without the inclusion of Greenwood. If a harsher sentence is given in the coming weeks then it will absolutely be a blow to English football, but it will be unquestionably a fair decision. Greenwood has well and truly thrown his career and his livelihood away, at such a young age, and has no doubt upset thousands of fans and followers throughout the whole country. Legendary football manager Jose Mourinho puts it best when he says, “Don’t idolize footballers, some of them are pure trash”.