If I Were A Boy
It Went Down
Durham actresses pick which male stage roles they would play i.7
Music reviews latest Foals’ gig in Newcastle i.14
Durham’s independent student newspaper
Palatinate
No. 778
Thursday 19th November 2015| FREE
www.palatinate.org.uk
College mascots of all shapes and sizes get ready to get ready to welcome the Durham Freshers of 2015/16 A mystical glow shines over Durham Cathedral as the city enjoys Lumeire
Photograph: Durham University Photograph: Artichoke
University comes under pressure to implement living wage Jasper Cox Deputy News Editor Earlier this month Josephine Butler became the latest college to support a Living Wage for University employees, as part of an ongoing campaign to encourage Durham University to pay all staff the rate. The Living Wage is calculated by the Centre for Research in Social
Policy at Loughborough University, based on what is needed for a household to have a minimum acceptable standard of living. On 2 November it rose to £8.25 from £7.85 outside London. It is different to the National Living Wage, which was announced by George Osborne in July and will be £7.20 from next April, rising to £9 by 2020. Paul Gape, who introduced the
motion at Butler’s JCR meeting on 1 November, told Palatinate that the living wage at Durham “would ensure that all university staff could enjoy a reasonable quality of life.” He said he wanted Durham “to be more of a progressive institution on issues such as this.” The motion stated: “This JCR believes that as a leading academic institution, Durham University
must strive to be a responsible employer in the County Durham region. The current discrepancy in wage between the highest and lowest paid University staff members is unjustifiably high.” It continued: “Every employee of the University should be treated with dignity and respect, and should be paid accordingly. A Living Wage… will reduce poverty, household debt, stress and
illness and improve family life.” The fourth-year said it passed with “essentially no reaction.” He told Palatinate: “I think there are valid criticisms of the living wage so for the sake of rigour it might have been good if these were raised at the meeting and then could have been discussed, generally to raise the standard of the debate. Continued on page 6
2
www.palatinate.org.uk
Editorial In search of the meaning of life Thinking about something to write an editorial on is exhausting. I’m cold, painfully sober and have had no sleep because I was one of the unfortunate few to live on the same street as the Lumiere Viaduct house. Not that I was trying to sleep in the afternoon, but I’m still annoyed. Last summer I attended an event at Bloomsbury, where the Editor-in-Chief said she experienced her life’s epiphany when reading Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, an incredibly textured, rich vision of a patriarchal society, supposedly tackling cultural ambiguity and the destruction of African society. I read it. I didn’t get it. So now I’ve been looking for my ‘turning-point’ through literature. I’ve tried Hardy and found it was too intense to pull myself out of the black hole of misery afterwards and attempt to interact with the living. I’ve regrettably tried Chekhov and couldn’t find spirituality in the banality of his prose, as my first-year tutor told me I was a fool not to see. Just a lot of fuss about some tree and a gun really.
I’ve even tried Hermann Hesse, but I don’t speak any German, so to be honest that was a complete waste of time and effort trying to read and put on an accent. Maybe I have a myopic attitude towards these types of things. My epiphany nearly happened last night when I read an interview with Adele in The Guardian, ahead of the release of 25 on Friday, which left me musing about love and fame. But there again, I’m hardly snowed under with offers from beautiful women, and now that Jeremy Vine has just been knocked off Strictly my prospects as Editor aren’t looking great either, but it made me think about life nonetheless. Adele said she only realised why she sang after she had given birth to her son, and that he was her prime motivation for returning. This made me think how someone who had sold 30 million albums and achieved international fame still hadn’t her ‘turningpoint’, her motivation for what she does. Many of us are in our final year and often feel blindsided by the fact that it will all be over soon and we still
have no idea what to do. Don’t feel too put off by those that have graduate jobs and a firm sense of where they’re going. We’ve got one year left so best make it count, but take advantage of all the opportunities that will never be so readily available again. Call me naïve but I am a great believer that things will just fall into place if you work hard and just experience life. Don’t waste time reading Hardy and Hesse, spend your last few months at University doing things you’ll remember, you have the rest of your life to have some literature curdle your mind. How ironic that this started with my lack of understanding of great literature and is now ending with a quote. “Something it’s the journey that teaches you a lot about your destination” (Drake) Josh Smith
Thursday 19th November 2015 | PALATINATE
Inside 778
Editorial Board
News pages 3-8
Editors-in-Chief Henry Clare and Josh Smith editor@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Editor Sandy Thin deputy.editor@palatinate.org.uk News Editors Daniel Fox and Ryan Gould news@palatinate.org.uk News Features Editor Siena Morrell news.features@palatinate.org.uk Deputy News Editors Mirriam Brittenden, Jasper Cox and Charlie Taylor-Kroll deputy.news@palatinate.org.uk Politics Editors Sofya Grebenkina and Rob Littleton politics@palatinate.org.uk Profile Editors Will Fremont-Barnes and Oliver Mawhinney profile@palatinate.org.uk Science and Technology Editor Bruno Martin scitech@palatinate.org.uk Comment Editor Alex Cupples comment@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Comment Editors Ellie Mullan and Oscar Rocklin deputy.comment@palatinate.org.uk Sport Editor Kieran Moriarty sport@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Sport Editors Charles Richardson, Matt Roberts and Kishan Vaghela deputy.sport@palatinate.org.uk Indigo Editors Patrick Brennan and Sraddha Venkataraman indigo@palatinate.org.uk Features Editor Ellen Finch feature@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Features Editor Cristina Cusenza deputy.features@palatinate.org.uk Food and Drink Editors Adrian Chew and Charlotte Payne food@palatinate.org.uk Travel Editors Megan Thorpe and Laura Glenister travel@palatinate.org.uk Fashion Editor Sally Hargave fashion@palatinate.org.uk Film and Television Editor Rory McInnes-Gibbons film@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Film and Television Editor Hugo Camps-Harris deputy.film@palatinate.org.uk Stage Editor Isabelle Culkin stage@palatinate.org.uk Music Editors Jacqueline Duan and Will Throp music@palatinate.org.uk Creative Writing Editor Celeste Yeo creative.writing@palatinate.org.uk Books Editors Hannah Griffiths and Ellie Scorah books@palatinate.org.uk Visual Arts Editor Jane Simpkiss visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk Chief Sub-Editor Marianna Mukhametzyanova sub-editing@palatinate.org.uk Sub-Editors Sarah Boreham, Ollie Mair, Ciara Murphy, Maddy Winnard and Becky Wilson Online Editor Jessie Honnor online.editor@palatinate.org.uk Web Editor John Morris web.editor@palatinate.org.uk Photography Editor Venus Loi photography@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Photography Editors Verity Rimmer and Grace Tseng photography@palatinate.org.uk Illustrations Editor Kenzo Ishida illustration@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Illustrations Editors Faye Chua and Olivia Howcroft Events and Publicity Officer Morgan Hayden-Kent publicity@palatinate.org.uk Advertising Officer Jess Sham advertising@palatinate.org.uk
Comment pages 9-11 Politics pages 12-13 SciTech pages 14-15 Profile page 17 Sport pages 18-20
indigo
Editorial page 2
Fashion page 3 Features pages 4-5 Film & TV page 6 Stage page 7
Visual Arts pages 8-9 Books page 10 Travel page 11
Creative Writing pages 12-13
Music page 14
Food & Drink page 15
Get involved! Interested in joining the Palatinate team? No experience neccessary! Whether you’re an illustrator, photographer or writer, there are plenty of ways to get involved. To write for us, email the relevant section from the email addresses to the right. We hope to see you in the paper soon!
The best of Palatinate Online www.palatinate.org.uk
Stage: Who cares about being normal?
Politics: Post-Paris: How will solidarity go?
Film and TV: The Apprentice 5 reasons to watch
Comment: A Liberal’s take on the poppy
Isabelle Culkin talks to the cast and crew of DULOG’s upcoming production of ‘The Addams Family’.
Following last Friday’s tragic attacks in Paris, James Lindsay recounts events and looks at how France can recover.
Megan Hill explains why The Apprentice still makes for great telly, 11 years after its conception.
Geeks Teh argues that the poppy symbolises the Liberals’ betrayal of the people during World War One and a breach of international law during the invasion of the Falklands.
Palatinate is published by Durham Students’ Union on a fortnightly basis during term and is editorially independent. All contributors and editors are full-time students at Durham University. Send letters to: Editor, Palatinate, Durham Students’ Union, Dunelm House, New Elvet, Durham, DH1 3AN. Alternatively, send an e-mail to editor@palatinate.org.uk
PALATINATE | Thursday 19th November 2015
Union President’s Column
3 www.palatinate.org.uk
News
News
@PalatinateNews
Later this month and in the first weeks of December we will be hosting a series of zone meetings. These are like an open forum where students can come along to discuss issues affecting them. We pick different topics which fit broadly into three categories: University, Union and community. All students are welcomed and encouraged to attend. So what’s on the agenda this term? Sexual harassment zone: following lots of student interest and recent articles in publications such as Palatinate, we’ll be talking about sexual harassment, sexual consent and lad culture. We want to hear from you about what the picture is like in Durham University. The views and information gathered at this session will be used to inform the University’s sexual violence task force.
Mental health zone: we will also hold a session about mental health and how students’ issues are currently catered for in Durham. We want to hear from lots of different people, regardless of whether you have suffered with mental health problems.
Accommodation fees zone: there will be a session on accommodation fees and how these are affecting our students. This will be held in Durham City, but is open to students from Queen’s Campus.
Queen’s campus in 2018 zone: we will also hold a session specifically for Queen’s students about the future of Queen’s campus. As the University develops its new academic strategy, what would you like the future Queen’s campus to look like? The views gathered here will be fed back to the University when they are developing the academic strategy. Does the Union work zone?: this session will look at how the Union works for you and whether it is effective. We want to know how you would like us to gather students’ opinions; how students’ ideas should be handled by the Union and how we can ensure that every student’s views count. Find out more about these sessions on our website www. durhamsu.com
The colour triage of the French flag was projected onto Durham Cathedral during Lumiere following terror attacks in Paris last week. Photograph: Durham Cathedral / Ross Ashton
Students grill Vice Chancellor at consultation event
Orientalthemed event sparks cultural debate
Students protest against accomodation fee rises
Photograph: Durham University
Photograph: Arc & Fever
Photograph: Venus Loi
Turn to page 4 to read more
Turn to page 5 to read more
Turn to page 6 to read more
News in brief DSUR CALLS FOR UNIVERSITY REFORM IN OPEN LETTER TO VICE-CHANCELLOR
FUTURE OF QUEEN’S CAMPUS TO UNDERGO CONSULTATION
DURHAM UNIVERSITY CATERING STAFF CELEBRATE SUSTAINABILITY AWARD
Durham Students for University Reform (DSUR) has called on the Vice Chancellor to reform elements of University policy in an open letter backed by around 20 student societies. The six proposals include calling on the University to pay its staff the Living Wage, and the freezing of College accommodation costs for two years.
The future of Queen’s Campus is to undergo a “wide and robust consultation process” that will involve staff, students, and University stakeholders. Vice Chancellor Professor Stuart Corbridge revealed the news in an email sent to students on 2nd November.
Durham catering staff were awarded the top three star rating for their commitment to sustainable food provision. The award from the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) is regarded as the equivalent of a Michelin Star of Sustainability, and Durham is one of only three UK universities to receive this rating.
4
News
www.palatinate.org.uk
Thursday 19th November 2015 | PALATINATE
Students grill Vice Chancellor at consultation event
Miriam Brittenden Deputy News Editor In an open consultation on 10th November, students had the opportunity to meet the new Durham’s new Vice Chancellor, Professor Stuart Corbridge, and address him with their questions and concerns. In his introductory speech, the Vice Chancellor announced that the University was in the process of developing a new academic strategy that will be implemented by March. The strategy, he said, will focus on several key areas. These areas include the relationship between Queens Campus Stockton and the Durham City campus, the scale and resources of the Science Site, and equality and diversity within the University. He said that the University would be setting clear goals to be “world class in research and world class in education.” Several issues and concerns were raised by students. The biggest issue of concern appeared to be exponential rise in college accommodation costs in recent years, expected to rise again for the next academic year. Several students emphasised the University’s accountability on this. Two students noted that the
University’s commitment to “diversity and equality” was in some way compromised by the rise in College maintenance costs, which have inflated by over 20% in the past three years. Students wanted to know how the University could account for and justify these rises. Particularly, as one student noted, in the same time that this inflation has taken place, maintenance loans have stayed at the same level, while the Durham Grant has actually been reduced. The Chancellor stressed that the university remained committed to a policy of diversity and equality, but it did have to set rents in light of the fact that Durham offers a “different” kind of university experience than other British universities. The University did, he stressed, want to make sure that students are not being “frozen out” and he promised “robust consultation” around the accommodation issue. Divestment was another issue raised, noting the wealth of student support for action, now that several college JCRs have or are in the process of passing motions in favour of this. The Chancellor emphasised the role of this student support. “If as much student support as is likely is shown, the issue will be
taken to a consultation next term, then to Senate and to Council.” Palatinate asked Professor Corbridge what further steps the University would be taking to improve how it deals with sexual violence, in light of the recent criticism from student groups on its current policy. The Vice Chancellor commended the work of the University Sexual Violence Task Force so far, and said that the University Executive Committee would be getting an update on their work shortly. He was “keen to see Durham leading on this issue.” Other issues which came up during the consultation included whether the needs of postgraduate students were being catered for as well as undergraduates, particular within the collegiate system. Attention was also given to the issue of whether Colleges should remain able to choose applicants or if the system would become fully randomised, to which the Vice Chancellor said there was no current proposal to initiate change at this time. A final point made by one student speaking on behalf of Trevelyan College Executive Committee, was a criticism of the communication links between the University Executive Committee and the student body. The student noted that
Professor Corbridge was appointed in March Photograph: Durham University
the ‘Meet the Vice Chancellor’ consultation event itself had not been very well advertised. Speaking to Palatinate after the consultation, Harry Cross, co-chair of Durham Students for University Reform (DUSR), said it was “encouraging” that the Vice Chancellor was willing to meet directly with students to discuss the university’s long-term strategic vision. “However,” he said, “[the Vice Chancellor] was unable to give specific answers to several of the questions students raised, notably regarding college rents.” “I appreciate the Vice Chancel-
lor’s willingness to consult further with students on this issue. However, students have long made their grievances officially known and it is time for concrete commitments from the University.” “Student societies have made it clear to the Vice Chancellor through an open letter what their priorities are on campus in the immediate future. “The University knows what issues matter to its staff and students – it should address those issues openly.” The issue of the University not paying many of its staff the living wage was not raised at the consulation.
Sexual Violence Task Force “very keen to learn from staff and students”
Ryan Gould News Editor
The University has stated that its new Sexual Violence Task Force, designed to review the approach to sexual violence, is “very keen to listen and learn from students and staff” in a statement to Palatinate. The Task Force, which includes representation from students as well as staff, was founded in the summer to “research and review University practices” in the area of sexual violence. It is chaired by former Chief Psychologist at the Ministry of Justice, Professor Graham Towl, who is a Pro-Vice Chancellor at Durham. Durham is the first British university to set up an initiative of this kind. The University told Palatinate that the purpose of the group “is to research and review University practices in [the area of sexual violence], current forms of support for those who have been affected by sexual violence, and programmes aimed at generating
Photograph: Durham University
cultural change in the area of sexual behaviour and sexual violence. “It will make recommendations in each of these areas, and in the long term, management and governance structures required to
implement and evaluate their effectiveness”. The University also stated that the Task Force is “inclusive,” and where necessary, works closely with the police, Rape Crisis, and
other organisations in the field. Since its founding, the Task Force has held two public events, with one held in July, and another earlier this month. The most recent event, held
in Durham, involved a screen of Hunting Ground, a documentary about sexual violence on US university campuses. On its website, the Task Force says its vision is “a University community where survivors are supported while [the University] strives to eliminate sexual violence.” It describes its mission as “working together with members of the University community and key external stakeholders to make policy and practice recommendations on all forms of sexual violence, including the cultures that enable it.” In conversation with Palatinate earlier this month, Professor Westmarland, a member of the Durham Centre for Research into Violence and Abuse, said that she thinks Durham is “at the forefront of doing this type of work,” but warned students that they would have to continue to put pressure on the University to ensure that the Task Force’s strategy is implemented.
PALATINATE | Thursday 19th November 2015
5
News
www.palatinate.org.uk
Local oriental-themed night sparks debate over cultural appropriateness Charlie Taylor-Kroll Deputy News Editor A ‘Dance of the Dragon’ event at Loft nightclub has sparked debate about the issue of cultural appropriation as part of culturally themed events. The event, organised by Arc and Fever, originally had an oriental theme and pictured Shanghai as “a place that offers so much excess, debauchery, mystique, and exotic promise” on the it’s page on social media. The event also promised that Chinese face paint would be provided to ensure that all the participants of the event “look the part for the oriental adventure.” Both the event theme and its description have since been criticised by students and student groups alike. The Facebook group, Race Matters, accused the event of being both reductive and outright racist. Compass, an online group that platforms healthy debate, highlighted the fact that events, such as ‘Dance of the Dragon’ at Loft, encourage cultural appropriation when someone adopts aspects of a culture that’s not their own, and when this in turn can lead to participants using reductive and offensive stereotypes to express such themes. After discussion with Arc and Fever, Compass managed to get both the event theme and information changed so that the theme was no longer China. They said: “After discussions on why cultural appropriation is so problematic, they recognise the issue, and apologise for the offence caused.” The theme is no longer China,
Advert for Arc & Fever’s “Dance of the Dragon” event
Photograph: Arc & Fever
and despite the aesthetic appearance of dragons, the entire culture is not being reduced to what might be seen as basic and retired stereotypes. Although the debate over themed nights involving some aspect of cultural appropriation has been sparked by the ‘Dance of the Dragon’ event, it is just one in a myriad of culturally themed events that have taken place this year. Loveshack nightclub held a Mexican themed ‘Day of the Dead’ event on Halloween, while the Durham Union Society also held an oriental-styled event at the 24 North Bailey club. In March 2014, the Durham Students’ Union resolved that the Durham SU should encourage event organisers to consult students who might be affected by events of a racial or ethnic nature.
The issue was brought up in the wake of various themed events that had encouraged disrespectful stereotypes and that did not “respectfully represent the diversity” of various cultures. An anonymous member of the Chinese Society at Durham University told Palatinate: “I think the theme was plausible, but it is also important to note that different people may interpret the term ‘cultural experience’ differently, especially when it’s taken in the form of entertainment. “The right approach must be made with some thoughtful considerations for events similar to this in the future.” However, Durham students also conceded that cultural appropriation does not need to lead to offensive and racist stereotypes provided that they are organised in a tasteful manner.
In conversation with Palatinate, first year St Chad’s student Craig Bateman raised his concerns. “The problem of culturally themed events can arise through the creation of generalisations, but if conducted with respect and dignity, this can be avoided or at least made clear. “Themed events can be tasteful if they adopt an approach that takes into consideration the sensitivity and uniqueness of particular cultural groups.” Craig also attended the recent Durham Union Society themed event and believed that it was organised in a considered and sensitive way. He said: “In my view, the DUS event treated with supreme courtesy and respect the culture that it appropriated. “As such, it was able to attract a large number of members of that
particular cultural group.” “The end result was an increase in social integration, and general appreciation of the culture that was being appropriated.” A first year member of the Hong Kong Society, Hilaire Wong, shared a similar view towards culturally themed events. She told Palatinate: “I would understand how some could be offended by this supposed ‘exotification’ of Chinese culture, but I wouldn’t agree that such events are meant to undermine culture in such a manner. “Cultural themed events can absolutely be executed tastefully. When participants are conscious of the possible areas of sensitivity in the culture and act accordingly with appropriate behaviour, such as refraining from making jokes when it can be taken either way by the other party.”
will be held on 30th November, St Andrew’s Day. Earlier this year, Palatinate reported the findings of the Archaeology team. Since then the revelations have received the attention of much of the national press. After extensive analysis, the University announced that the remains, whose origin has been unknown for nearly 400 years, were Scottish soldiers who fought in the 1650 Battle of Dunbar. The team gave commitment to consult a wide range of interested parties and organisations before making any decisions.
The bodies will eventually be reburied – a condition of the exhumation licence issued by the Ministry of Justice. Professor Chris Gerrard, Head of the Department of Archaeology, who led the research team, said: “There has been a huge expression of interest in the project. “We have been engaging with people and organisations from Scotland and throughout the UK and globally, some of whom have a view on what happens to the remains of the Scottish Soldiers. “From the outset we have expressed our commitment to consulting widely on the next steps.
“Given the strong historical links with Dunbar we thought it fitting to bring our event there to give local people and interest groups a chance to hear from the researchers involved in the project and to give their opinions on further research, reburial and commemoration.” The Battle of Dunbar was one of the bloodiest of the 17th century civil wars and pitted English Parliamentarian forces against Scottish supporters of Charles II. In less than an hour the English Parliamentarian army, led by Oliver Cromwell, defeated the Scottish Covenanting army.
The Scottish prisoners were marched south to be incarcerated at Durham Cathedral. Around 1,700 people died of malnutrition, cold, or disease after the 100-mile march. Andy Robertson, Archaeology Officer at East Lothian Council, Scotland, said: “The work of Durham University adds an exciting new element to the story of the Battle of Dunbar and to our understanding of the events surrounding the battle. “This public consultation is a great opportunity to find out more about some of the participants in this famous battle.”
Durham University archaeologists to hold public consultation on Scottish soldiers
Daniel Fox News Editor Durham University archaeologists are to present their findings on the Dunbar soldiers to an audience in Dunbar, Scotland this November. The event reflects the desire of the team to consult widely on the next steps of the process. Durham University’s Archaeology team, along with Canon Rosalind Brown of Durham Cathedral, will present their findings and ask for feedback on the possibility of further research, reburial, and commemoration. The public consultation event
Continued from front page Palatinate spoke to Harry Cross, a member of the Durham University Campaign for the Living Wage (DUCLW). “The University claims to be an asset to the local region which is one of the more deprived in the country,” he said. Cross stated: “Durham Geography Professor Ray Hudson coauthored a paper in 2012 arguing that one the most important ways in which Universities can support disadvantaged areas is by paying local staff a Living Wage. It is frustrating that he did not act on this when he was acting Vice-Chancellor last year, but his arguments still hold.” Cross, who is also co-chair of Durham Students for University Reform, claimed: “There is a real hope that the arrival of a new Vice-Chancellor will provide an opening for Durham University to change its policies on a number of issues.” He argued that students generally support the campaign. “We send members to JCR meetings with arguments explaining the rationale behind the Living Wage Campaign. However, we invariably meet a receptive audience so there is not much persuasion that needs to be done. “Students in colleges are in constant contact with their cleaning staff who are invariably friendly and helpful. Students therefore feel strongly that these staff members should receive a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.”
“
www.palatinate.org.uk
There is a real hope that the arrival of a new Vice-Chancellor will provide an opening for Durham University to change its policies on a number of issues.
our case to the Vice-Chancellor and the relative bodies governing pay in the University.” “If there is no concrete response or an unfavourable reply we will seek to step up the campaign next term,” he said. Figures released by the trade union, Unison, in December 2013 obtained through the Freedom of Information Act showed that Durham had 597 staff earning under what was then the Living Wage, despite underspending by £4.5 million in their staffing budget. Meanwhile, it has been revealed that at Durham 67 members of staff earn over £100,000 a year, while five earn more than the Prime Minister (£142,000). This information was obtained by the Taxpayers Alliance through Freedom of Information requests. Discussing their activity on campus in Durham, the University’s Unison branch spoke to Palatinate. “The trade union ran a Living Wage campaign in 2012, has fought for the Living Wage in all pay negotiations and strike activities and were very grateful to the students who joined us on the picket lines.” “Along with the other campus trade unions, we are negotiating for Living Wage accreditation at Durham University and would welcome support from our students in any future activities.” The student campaign for the University to pay the Living Wage is not new. In 2013 Durham Students’ Union agreed to join the
DUCLW claim that the only colleges yet to have passed resolutions supporting the Living Wage are Collingwood and Van Mildert. When asked about whether college motions really have an impact on University policy, Cross said that this “forces the University to address the issue… passing motions in official bodies gives our campaign official recognition.” As for the future plans of the group, Cross said that once all the JCR’s have signed up, the campaign will “once again formally submit
Thursday 19th November 2015 | PALATINATE NUS in their Living Wage campaign. Last year the then-President of the DSU, Dan Slavin, sent a letter to Acting Vice-Chancellor, Ray Hudson, asking the University to pay the Living Wage. Slavin wrote: “some of the University’s lowest paid workers are the most valued by our students; with the domestic staff often cited as a key part of the college community.”
“
Some of the University’s lowest paid workers are the most valued by our students; with the domestic staff often cited as a key part of the college community.
“
News
“
6
Luke Whiting, Co-Secretary of Durham University Labour Club, agreed that the University should pay the Living Wage. He told Palatinate: “For a university as prestigious and wealthy as Durham to pay some of its employees, without whom the university simply couldn’t function, too little to have an acceptable quality of life is utterly reprehensible.” Whiting claimed that members of the Labour Club “have been integral to the work of DUCLW in campaigning for a living wage” and that the Club is “raising awareness of the problem by mobilising support in colleges, working within the framework of Durham University Students for University Reform and engaging with trade unions.” However, Rhys Tanner, President of Durham University Conservative Association, said he would not participate in the campaign to introduce a Living Wage at the University. He told Palatinate: “It’s important to give the University appropriate time to make the relevant changes and savings to their budget in order to afford the rightly-deserved wage increases for employees.” Jamie Penson Raja, President of Durham Young Greens, said: “Durham University, as a world-class university, should most certainly pay the Living Wage.” He said that the Young Greens were not planning a specific campaign on the issue, as it is currently focused on fossil fuel divestment. However, the group “would be very willing to work alongside other student groups within the Durham Left” on the issue.
Students protest against high college accommodation fees Daniel Fox News Editor This Monday, a group of students protested against high college accommodation fees outside the Bill Bryson Library. The protest was organised by the newly formed Trevelyan College Left Society, and attended by members of Durham University Labour Club, Young Greens, and Durham Students for University Reform. Millie Tanner, president of Durham Students’ Union, was also in attendance and gave a speech addressing the crowd. Jasmine Simms, Secretary of Trevelyan College Left Society, told Palatinate that “there was a total of about 150 students in attendance over the course of the protest.”
According to the press release the action was “in response to the prospect of above inflation rises in accommodation costs.” The protesters chanted and handed out leaflets to passers-by. The leaflet argued that Durham accommodation fees were out of proportion to those of other nearby Universities. “A standard catered room in college is almost £2000 more than nearby universities York and New-
£6,819 The cost of College accommodation for 2015/16
castle.” According to the leaflet, poorer students will be priced out of at-
tending Durham University. “In the past three years college accommodation fees have risen by 20%, reaching a peak of £6,819. “With maximum maintenance loans only £5,500, this causes major problems for students who are not from wealthy backgrounds.” The protestors have made two key demands to the University. These include a two year freeze on the spiralling rise in accomodation fees, and a commitment to fully consult the student body when agreeing those fees in future. In a comment seen by Palatinate, Jasmine Simms said: “It is simply unacceptable that the University is pricing out students from poorer backgrounds in this way. “We believe in public education, accessible to all. “As Durham students, we demand an immediate freeze to the price of living in College.”
Durham college fees have reached a peak.
Photograph: Venus Loi
8
News
Thursday 19th November 2015| PALATINATE
www.palatinate.org.uk
Durham academics shine in the public eye Ambitious Palatinate writers have the likes of George Alagaiah and Harold Evans; University cricketers have Andrew Strauss; Durham Student Theatre’s budding actors even have not one, but two incarnations of James Bond to idolize. (That’s Lazenby and Moore, for those whose Bond trivia is lacking.) Durham University’s list of illustrious alumni is extensive. We share a sense of pride when a former student appears on the news or the silver screen, or their name tops a column heading. But, we forget that we are in the presence of public figures on a day-to-day basis: our lecturers and professors, whose media appearances are often overlooked by students. Most recently, three Durham teaching staff appeared on BBC Radio Three’s Free Thinking Festival, which brings together leading figures from the arts, science, politics and literature to discuss and challenge current thinking. Professor Veronica Strang, a cultural anthropologist and Chair of the Association of Social Anthropologists of the UK and the Commonwealth, appeared on the Festival Monday, November 16. She is Director of Durham University’s Institute for Advanced Study. During the programme, Professor Strang discussed human interactions with the environment with “Twitter’s favourite shepherd,” James Redbanks, and asked whether we can learn from traditional knowledge in seeking solutions for contemporary challenges. “I am keenly aware that not many people know much about anthropology, since it is rarely taught in school, and doesn’t have a high profile in the media,” Professor Strang said to Palatinate. “Yet it provides a fantastic lens through which to understand human behaviour and cultural diversity. So I am on a bit of a mission to get it ‘out there’ a bit more.” Having started her career as a writer, before studying anthropology, Professor Strang firmly believes that “it is possible to make any subject accessible to audiences beyond the academy.” “Researchers in universities are now under a lot of pressure to make their work publicly accessible […] But as a practising anthropologist, of course, I take it for granted that we have an ethi-
cal responsibility to conduct our research collaboratively with host communities and share the outcomes of these efforts with them in ways that are readily accessible.” Professor Strang also stressed the role of academics in informing and engaging with public audiences to contribute to society’s potential to make informed, democratic decisions on complex issues. Her own work is primarily focused on social justice issues such as land and water rights, and on environmental concerns: how human societies engage with non-human species and ecosystems, and the consequences of neglecting non-human interests. “Promoting justice […] requires public support,” Professor Strang summarised. Also featured on the Free Thinking Festival was Dr Eleanor Rosamund Barraclough, Lecturer in Medieval Literature in Durham’s Department of English Studies. On the show, broadcast November 7, Dr Barraclough discussed Old Norse mythology alongside author Joanne Harris, whose new novel, The Gospel of Loki, is inspired by the Norse god of trickery. In 2013 Dr Barraclough was selected as a New Generation Thinker by the BBC and the Arts and Humanities Council. The competition is whittled down from hundreds of applicants - academics at the start of their careers - who demonstrate a passion to communicate their cutting-edge scholarship to a wider audience through radio and television. Dr Barraclough also emphasised the importance of striking the balance between making academia accessible and interesting without oversimplifying or misleading people. “As an academic, you’re trained to drill right down into the detail, reference everything, dissect everything, question everything,” she said. “When you’re explaining things to a non-specialist audience, you can’t add a metaphorical footnote after every sentence, otherwise everyone would get extremely confused and bored. “The book I’ve got coming out next year (called To the Ends of the Earth) is about Norse journeys through the world, and it’s meant for both specialists and non-specialists alike. “Trying to make it informative, accessible and entertaining was incredibly difficult at times, and I spent most of the last six months telling everyone ‘I’m nev-
During their time at Durham University, students can be taught by some of the world’s leading academic experts. Photograph: Durham University Images
er writing another book again.’” Belonging to a field of academic study that is occasionally accused of being ‘niche’, Dr Barraclough recognised the worrying idea that if a field of research isn’t of direct benefit to the economy, it can be considered obsolete. “Obviously that’s particularly worrying for the humanities, and it’s complete rubbish. The great thing about communicating your research to a public audience is that you have to think hard about what you’re saying, why it’s interesting, why it’s relevant, and why anyone should care.”
“
Media appearances serve the purpose of giving academia a voice in a matter of ongoing public interest.
“
Siena Morrell News Features Editor
“That definitely keeps you on your toes,” she said. Another radio contributor, Professor Helen Fenwick, recently appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live and a number of regional stations to comment on the government’s proposed new web surveillance powers. Noting the importance of tailoring an appearance to the target audience, Professor Fenwick said: “When being interviewed, whether live or otherwise, you are aware that you’re speaking to part of the general public. So although the topic may be complex, you must use appropriate, sometimes fairly colloquial language. “In this case, the relation of the law to the factual, topical situation under discussion must be clear. The intention is that the general public would gain greater insight into the relevant area of expertise in so far as it relates to the issue under discussion. “Media appearances serve the purpose of giving academia a voice in a matter of ongoing public interest, such as combatting terrorism. “Other groups - politicians, journalists, pressure groups - have voices on the particular matter; academics approach it as a matter on which they have expertise due to their sustained study of the area,” said Professor Fenwick. Such expertise can even prove influential in the field of policy-making. Last month, Professor Anoush
Ehteshami, founding head of the School of Government and International Affairs, held forth in an evidence hearing at a joint session of the Foreign Policy and Defence committees of the House of Commons. Addressing the nature of foreign policy in Syria, and the relationship between Syria and Iran, Professor Ehteshami imparted his expert knowledge to policy makers. One enthusiastic former student of Professor Ehteshami spoke to Palatinate on condition of anonymity. “I made sure to watch him giving evidence in front of [the Defence Committee and Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons] in case I bump into him and he just happens to question me on British foreign policy in Syria.” When asked if he would ever address the appearance with Professor Ehteshami personally, the student rejected that prospect out of hand. “It’s like my library girlfriend: admire from a distance. “Jokes aside, though, at risk of sounding like a brown-nose, it’s really quite cool to be taught by someone so highly esteemed. He’s humble, too, not showy about it at all.” Our professors and lecturers are important public figures, highly esteemed in their academic communities and in the wider public eye. We ought to recognise more often that to be taught by some of Britain’s brightest and best is “really quite cool,” even if they don’t have an Olympic Gold or Q’s latest invention.
9
Comment Experience
www.palatinate.org.uk
Thursday 19th November 2015| PALATINATE
Experience: English is my language too There are instances of British xenophobia or ignorance that make me feel uncomfortable Celeste Yeo
In the recent Durham Book Festival, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown talked about her book Exotic England and what Englishness means to her, with respect to England’s history and cultural changes. Her words prompted me to think deeper about my self-identity and my identity as perceived in England. To her, the English language is a gift of expression. This appealed to me greatly. One of the things she said that also stuck with me is that empire cannot be the defining element of relationships, because all empires are corrupt.
“
didn’t scrutinise the list of British colonies during the war, I wouldn’t know about Singapore too. Yet bigger Asian countries don’t seem to benefit from the size of their territories either. A friend from India was asked, “Why is your English so good?” to which she replied, “We received a very Euro-centric education but apparently that isn’t enough to impress you.” Why is my English so good? I am from an English-speaking country, I didn’t have to do an English test before coming to the UK to study. Why should you think that English is more difficult for me just because I speak it differently? Is then,
the British accent more English than the American accent? Is the Southern accent better than the Geordie or Scouse accent? Why are Asians assumed to be ignorant of English by virtue of their physical appearance? In Europe, people adopt multiple languages too. If Europeans are not judged for speaking and utilising the English language differently, why should people from other parts of the globe be treated with contempt, in a conversation? Just as empire cannot be the defining element of relationships, language shouldn’t be exclusive. Most of all, English shouldn’t define
Why is my English so good? I am from an English speaking country
”
I’ve never been insulted because of my race or nationality, but there are instances of British xenophobia or ignorance that make me feel uncomfortable. Fresher’s Week was exhausting. Self-introduction was exhausting, telling people that ‘I’m from Singapore’ seemed like one of the most pointless statements at the start of every conversation. I remember the frustration of correcting people that Singapore is not part of China, nor is it even geographically close, to which the next question would be, oh is it in Japan? Those three words felt like they were better left unsaid. I remember the patronising attitude of interviewers, to whom the number of years I spent in England seemed to be a measure of my aptitude. Elsewhere in England, a friend of mine received the comment, “Your English is pretty good. Did you study it in Singapore before coming here?” He said, “Oh, yeah, because of colonialism.” Unlike bigger countries like China and India, Singapore is a tiny country. I don’t blame people for not knowing that it exists. If I were British, and
The author and a British friend of hers in Durham Photograph: Celeste Yeo
superiority. Nationality shouldn’t be a privilege, but I am sad to say it sometimes is. Privilege comes in different forms but whatever it is, a privilege is a kind of burden. The world is big, England, and you’ve got a lot to learn. So do I, but you’ve made a lot of people feel so small, I challenge you to understand your history of empire better and to step out of your own self-entitlement. English is not something only the English can possess, it is my language too, even though I don’t have a British passport. And each time you question my relationship with the language that has dominated my consciousness since I was born, you question my very fundamental mode of existence, and I have to fight so hard to protect that, in your presence. I’ve learned that identity is not a given, it has to be articulated. It has to be articulated and defended when you are not the majority. I love being in England and Durham has given me some of the best memories I could ever hope for. However, Durham isn’t multicultural or cosmopolitan until people in Durham understand how to appreciate diversity. Being different has made me more conscious of who I am and how I want to be understood. While British people make up the majority here in Durham, they are not the only ones who jump to conclusions, so do people of other races and nationalities. A friend told me that I’m struggling with Old Norse because I am trying to learn a language from another language, although English is my first language. Yet that is the same friend who anxiously passed me some ice when I got injured. I don’t believe that this human flaw is distinctive of any one place or country, but I believe that we can all forge deeper relationships if we take a step back from our own knowledge and beliefs, to embrace new voices and faces. “What makes you British?” I asked a few of my good friends. One of them said behaviours suggesting stoicism, keeping your feelings repressed, a vague sense of being isolated from the rest of the world. The other said one distinctive feature is what he associates with people back home, observational and situational humour. A guy I met while doing some voluntary work said complaining about the weather makes him British! I’ve also asked friends from other
“
I challenge you to understand your history of empire better and to step out of your self-entitlement
”
countries how they relate to their own national identities. Everyone has a different idea of what their nationality means to them, which just goes to show that intellectual discourses are completely irrelevant, when it comes to interacting with people; so they shouldn’t be relied upon to understand any individual. ‘Colonisation is bad’, theories of post-colonialism, or imperialism are merely institutional ideas. Politics shapes culture, but cultural divide among individuals is mostly influenced by intolerance and apathy. The internet has gifted us with instant communication, but it only takes one wrong word to break a conversation. Globalisation can create a more interconnected world, but it cannot remove stereotypes, it cannot bring people closer together. This can only be done if we all regard each individual with an open mind, resisting the impulse to place labels on others. All we have to do is step into the shoes of others, so that those who are less represented feel less small. Yasmin Alibhai-Brown says that it is the porousness of the English language that appeals to her most, and this gift of language is inextricable from the spirit it encapsulates: one of autonomy and freedom. These ideals of democracy, I believe, point towards an accepting attitude to others. With events like the Durham Book Festival celebrating a diversity of voices, the rich literary culture in Durham is testament to its spirit of openness. And I hope that this spirit of openness continues to be experienced between individuals.
10
Comment
Thursday 19th November 2015| PALATINATE
www.palatinate.org.uk
Why our prisons are now safe in the hands of our old enemy, Michael Gove
“
Adam Cunnane on his interview with the Governor of HMP Durham and Gove’s reforms Adam Cunnane
I actually quite like Michael Gove. Now, for those of you still with me (I can appreciate a substantial exodus may have been sparked by the above), I will explain why. I understand that, for some time, the left has viewed liking Michael Gove as tantamount to hating human rights or refusing to fully support gay marriage (Tim Farron take note on the latter.) However, discussions over our exit of the Human Rights Act notwithstanding, it is very easy to like Gove for the prison reforms he intends to introduce. The problem stems from the fact that many leftwingers (myself formerly included) are so diametrically opposed to the idea of praising a Tory strategy, that they become blinded to the clear merits of Gove’s new plan. Even as a Labour supporter, it should be apparent that Gove’s reforms are more ‘left-wing’ than those enacted by many on the traditional left. Firstly, decentralisation and the devolution of autonomy to prison
governors will allow greater local control over where budgets are spent. This will surely allow for greater innovation and for Tim Allen, Governor of HMP Durham, it will help strengthen the position of education as his main priority. Gove has rallied against the idea that “prisons are not playing their part in rehabilitating offenders,” and has thus spoken of bringing businesses into prison to provide work for offenders on their release. As Tim Allen tells me, this will reinforce the inherent links between prisons and communities allowing
“
Many left-wingers are so opposed to the idea of praising a Tory strategy that they become blinded to the merits
”
prisoners the best chance of rehabilitation. These links are indeed already burgeoning in Durham with, for example, the Inside Out programme, which allows Criminology students to take one of their modules inside the prison. Secondly, and, with extension, Gove seems to be more attuned to the realities of desistance theory (being ideas about how to reduce reoffending rates) than many of his predecessors. His concept of earned release seems likely to imbue prisoners with the “ethos, culture and values,” that Allen argues they require to survive outside of prison. Allen further highlights how, in his role as prison governor, he tries to engender prisoners with the desire to serve their community through education; Gove’s reforms will further complement this by cultivating a more skilled prisoner population who will thus be more likely to contribute to society and not transgress its rules. Whether Gove will eventually seek to privatise prisons should also be considered. To my mind, introducing the profit margin into prisons, seems to open the door to a more cynical motivation: greed. Surely prison standards in privatised prisons will slip if the driving
This will help the Governor of HMP Durham strengthen the position of education
”
factor behind prison development is a thirst for money? Well, not really. As Allen explains, both nationalised and privatised prisons need to be ‘efficient’ and to exercise ‘effective spending,’ as both types of prisons need to be as successful as possible. It thus seems that, apart from an inherent ideological aversion to privatisation, we have nothing to fear in the possible privatisation of some prisons, if this will allow for greater innovation and possibly lower reoffending rates. Gove told us in his recent speech to the Prisoners Learning Alliance that “45% of adult prisoners reoffend within one year of release,” with this figure rising to 2/3 for under 18s. He also recognises that “Prison is a place where people are sent as a punishment, not for further punish-
ments,” making me consider, with extension, the benefits of prisoner enfranchisement. Allen tells me that anything that will allow released prisoners to conform to the law in future is a good thing and allowing prisoners to vote may well help vanquish any burgeoning apathy with the political system and society at large. If a loss of freedom is punishment enough, the vote should be extended to prisoners. This could firstly start with prisoners who are serving sentences for smaller crimes and the impact upon sky-high re-offending rates should be explored. Bill Bryson (I think they named a library after him somewhere… not sure where though), remarked in his latest book that Gove would be the one thing he would like to remove from the UK. So, it is with a heavy heart, that I argue that Gove’s plans for decentralisation, earned release and better prisoner education, mean he is shaping up to be one of the best Justice Ministers this country has had. Even if it is tragically ironic that Conservative cuts to tax credits will exacerbate the social problems that lead to crime. I think we’ve been wasting too much energy hating the wrong Conservative minister. Photograph: Isabelle Pallier
PALATINATE | Thursday 19th November 2015
11 www.palatinate.org.uk
Durham Comment
Lumiere is worth all the disruption in the world Lumiere bursts the Durham bubble, showing the true spirit of the city and bringing locals and students together Emma Yeo
Last week, Durham was transformed from a sleepy market city into a hub of activity. The fourth Lumiere arrived, bringing with it thousands of visitors to a city that wasn’t designed to be so crowded. Only during the annual Miners’ Gala, when most students are back home, have I ever seen so many people line Durham’s streets. While the Miners’ Gala is a celebration of the mining heritage of Durham and its surrounding pit villages, Lumiere is simply a series of art installations bringing light to dark winter evenings. The disruption caused by Lumiere is perhaps less justifiable, although the experience of watch-
ing such a spectacular event weakened my concern over the light festival’s negative effects. After all, during our time in Durham, we will experience just one or two Lumiere events. Visiting Lumiere on the Friday evening, before heading back home for the weekend, was a great experience. I was outside only a few hours and saw quite a few of the displays, from the whale under Elvet Bridge to the black hole consuming the Cathedral during the light show. Once I had seen all I wanted to see I was able to walk up North Road and hop on a train, for an undisturbed night in my own bed. It is the residents of Hawthorn Terrace I feel sorry for. While the music emanating from the Cathedral reaches inside Elvet Riverside and even as far as Whinney Hill, it is just a low lull in the background. You can wash the dishes or pro-
crastinate with the latest episode of your favourite show without much distraction. Over in Hawthorn Terrace, as one resident recently told a student news site, the incessant sound of ‘Home Sweet Home Durham’ is much more of an inconvenience. It seems more than a little unfair that the people living on that street have been singled out for misery during Lumiere. After all, the disruption for most
“
Durham was transformed from a sleepy market city to a hub of activity
students is restricted to being unable to access their college libraries up on the Bailey from 4.307.30pm. Which isn’t exactly the most devastating of things to happen… While people working in Durham may struggle to make their way home, due to the traffic restrictions in place, Lumiere can only be a positive for local shops and restaurants. It is also a good deal for other local businesses. With thousands of people brought to the city centre of Durham over the course of the weekend, stalls were set up outside of cafes and shops selling gloves, light up toys, coffee and mulled wine. The wave sculpture in Fowler’s Yard brought increased footfall to the artisan shops nearby, and I spotted a gorgeous cafe I had never even noticed before. Lumiere has given people an excuse to explore the city, seeing the alley-
ways and small streets they might otherwise have missed. During the course of the academic year there is much tension between locals and students. Lumiere broke down the divisions between us, if only for a few short days. In the massive crowd standing in the mud on Palace Green, gazing up at the cathedral, you could not see who was a student and who was a local resident. When I spotted the light up car on North Road, featuring an iconic symbol from my home town, it reminded me that Durham isn’t really so far from home, it’s just that the city is a bubble, keeping us cocooned inside. Lumiere burst that bubble and showed the true spirit of the city to us all. Just like during the Miners’ Gala, the people of Durham were brought together. And that is worth all of the disruption in the world.
” It’s time to rethink the year abroad A new university organisation, Compass, hopes to provide support for year abroad students from Durham Sophia Smith Galer
It should to be the best time of your life. You’re supposed to scarper off at the end of second year, casually pick up a couple of languages and frolic with the foreign for a year. Did my year abroad live up to these expectations? Largely, yes. My language skills improved exponentially and I did a lot of frolicking with the foreign (perhaps a little too much). But I won’t pretend that it wasn’t fraught with difficulties and, unfortunately, that I felt largely abandoned by the university not only in preparing for the year abroad but throughout the whole year itself. In coming back to Durham, I’m not alone. From funding to mental health issues, language difficulties to dealing with sexism, we all had our own problems which feel like they could have been better managed had we been better supported and
prepared by the university. So how can we work towards improving the year abroad? Compass, a new organisation at the university that aims to bring more cultural debate and investigation to students, will be holding a year abroad talk on 2nd December for first and second years. It will be the first major talk not only featuring linguists from across the departments but it is also the first entirely student-led talk. It’s there to give
“
I felt largely abandoned by the university in preparing for the year and throughout the year itself
”
future year abroaders the preparation that we never had. Students will be giving small speeches on issues like boosting employability, living in more dangerous countries and coping with isolation, and plenty of fourth years - with varied languages and countries on offer will be in attendance. To make sure we are offering the best information possible, Compass are in the process of gathering information from fourth years on their experiences abroad and, frustratingly, the answer to the question ‘Did you ever feel a lack of support from Durham during your year abroad?’ is a resounding yes. This should certainly not be the response expected from the university’s first cohort of £9000-a-year linguists. What is it we get now for paying the cost of what a Modern Languages degree used to be, three times over? Forced to organise our year abroads by ourselves admittedly demonstrates our resourcefulness, but when other universities seem to offer far more support to their students, why isn’t more
money directed towards helping us find placements? Speaking of finances, nobody seems to have any idea how much funding we are allotted either. Several Arabic students were told halfway through the year that the department had run out of money for them, despite having offered other students significantly higher amounts of funding. Couldn’t our fees be directed to more transparency and organisation in our year abroad finances?
of them on our behalf - especially in year abroad admin - what support do we realistically receive in how to cope with the day-today trials of being abroad before they escalate, and what support have we received now that we are back? Fourth years are expected to repatriate themselves with no input from the university. Is this realistic, fair, or just another test for what is surely the degree that demands the most adaptability, resilience and patience from its students? An awful lot of questions and a worrying scarcity of answers. Compass hope to go some way in leading the student initiative in answering them, but we need something from the university too.
Photograph: Compass
Whilst there are members of the department and university who go above and beyond what is asked
P
Have a different story to share? Email comment@palatinate.org.uk
I
12
Politics
www.palatinate.org.uk
Thursday 19th November 2015 | PALATINATE
Interview: DU Labour Club ‘Making a Difference in Opposition’
Robert Littleton Politics Editor Sitting with my cappuccino in one of Durham’s most fashionable and modern coffee shops, a mere stone’s throw away from the glistening cathedral, it is easy to feel isolated from the rest of the world. Yet as soon as my interview with Jade Azim, joint Chair of the Labour Club, begins in earnest, she is quick to remind me that her politics, and the society’s politics, transcend far beyond the narrow confines of the aptly branded ‘Durham Bubble’. Striking me immediately is the eclectic mix of hope and despair emanating from Jade’s views on the future of the Labour Party. As a seasoned activist, her disappointment at the result last May is tangible. Yet like the thousands of new Corbyn-inspired members, there is an equally clear sense of hope; not necessarily for the development of a longterm ‘social movement’, as the Labour leader has expressed himself, but also a genuine belief that the party can regain power in 2020. This is reflected when I draw the conversation back to Durham, and the goals of the Labour Club over the next couple of years. The focus, asserts Jade, must be on local campaigning with a national vision. Pertinent issues affecting both the student body and the wider Durham community, namely electoral registration and the proposed cuts to tax credits, will be the central campaigning points for the society going forward, achieved through close collaboration with the local constituency party and external organisations such as Citizens UK. Inevitably, the conversation then turns towards Jeremy Corbyn. Though acknowledging her numerous ideological overlaps with the new Labour leader, Jade is quick to recognise his considerable impact upon the wider party
Durham University Labour Club AGM 2015 As I move the conversation towards the Tories, I get the imminent sense that Jade has had a million conversations like this before. Dismissing Cameron as the ‘empty face of Osbornomics’, the dialogue moves swiftly towards the man who is perhaps most likely to lead the charge against Labour in 2020: our iron chancellor. ‘I fear him more than the Dark Lord himself’ proclaims Jade, a reference, of course, to New Labour’s philosopher-king Peter Mandelson. Despite explaining to me the innate depths of Osborne’s Thatcherite-inspired dogmatism (‘he is finishing the job she started’), I press Jade for
even a glimpse of anything she admires about the Chancellor. A few empty seconds follow. It is his ability to portray himself, and ‘an ideological agenda, as pragmatic and necessary’, replies Jade after racking her brain. I wonder if she would concede similar sentiments about the sometimes much-maligned Mandelson. Nevertheless, Jade is very clear about the pragmatism of Durham Labour for the next election, acknowledging that ‘we must win in 2020’. For people in poverty, for people on low pay, for our generation, winning matters. It is won, believes the Labour Club, through local
canvassing and doorstep-to-doorstep action. Indeed, this theme of mass participatory democracy resurfaces throughout our interview. Clearly Corbyn’s impressive performances in the Commons hitherto, and his emphasis on a ‘new kind of politics’ has transcended far beyond the Westminster bubble. Jade’s final message is a proverbial call to arms: If you are mourning from the last election, put that anger in practice and turn it into something positive. Join the Durham University Labour Club, concludes Jade, and we can begin to make a real ‘difference in opposition’.
about current affairs. We have shed traditional party allegiances and conformity but at the cost of participation. This lack of concern for all things political puts us at risk of being a lost generation. It is surprising that we have turned our backs on politics when its consequences affect us daily. We may have ceased to express our views because we are embarrassed. Or rather we believe that we may somehow fit in with the silent majority better than standing alone with a voice. Perhaps the social taboo that you should not bring up religion or politics in conversation lingers on. Surely we
but everyone has the right to comment on them. Even though we have a lot to share with the world as Durham students, we prefer the safe ground of political laziness. Let’s not fall into the trap of thinking our political views are solely whether you are a Tommy or a Tory. Politics affects every part of our lives - so why are we not taking greater concern? For example, Trevelyan’s Young Left Group organised the Student March on the 16th of November against rising college fees above maintenance loans and the rate of inflation, but you don’t have to be leftist to have an opinion on
the cost of living in Durham. The importance of this issue yet the silence of the student community towards it exposes the disregard for issues that affect us all. Furthermore, the recent political debate around the Tampon Tax and other sanitary products has taken centre stage on social media. This issue affects 50 percent of our university population and the other 50 percent’s relatives and friends. So why hasn’t it been shared in our College groups and Twitter feeds? This lack of interest in political issues is only damaging our own interests.
membership, and the membership of Durham Labour in particular. As a result of the reinvigorated enthusiasm brought by hordes of new members, Jade and her Co-Chair James Andrew have been ‘very grateful’ for the opportunity to contribute to the ongoing formation of a mass movement within the party; encompassing an ever-widening broad church, from Blairites of ages past, to Corbynites of the future. The message from Jade is clear: everyone is welcome at Durham Labour; be it participation at their fortnightly ‘Campaign Wednesdays’, to sharing a pint on the famous cross-party bar crawls.
Photograph: DU Labour Club, Facebook
Too busy taking selfies to think about politics?
Victoria Lincoln Where has all the passion for politics gone? Deep activist passions that lead to debates and megaphone-armed stand offs seem to be long dead and gone in Durham. More worryingly Durham students’ interests in wider politics seems waning. Did it get swept away with the social media tide? Research has shown that less than a third of young people are interested in politics. Our generation does not care
can do better than talking about the ‘Great British Bake Off‘, riveting as it might be! Recent upheaval in our last election with an unexpected outcome and a myriad of chaos in the international community are juicy topics to discuss and debate. So why do we shy away? These events should inspire activism, but instead we’re left with apathy. Surely we have opinions and passions on many topics drawing from our experiences in our backgrounds, degrees, the media and other rich content. Politics may be complicated and at times the issues seem far from home,
PALATINATE | Thursday 19th November 2015
13
Politics
www.palatinate.org.uk
Boundary review: it’s in your hands Constituency boundaries are, probably, not the most exciting topic of conversation for the average student. However, the way in which constituency boundaries are drawn forms the basis of much of British politics and an upcoming review may make the way in which we are represented in Parliament a lot less fair. Millions of people, including many students, may not be on the electoral register by December 1 and therefore not be considered in the review. The country is currently split up into 650 constituencies. Within each constituency, resident UK citizens who have signed up to the electoral register can vote to elect their Member of Parliament. The way in which the country is divided into constituencies is initially decided by the four independent Boundary Commissions – one each for England, Wales, Scotland
and Northern Ireland – which must then submit their recommendations for approval to Parliament. As the distribution of people in the UK is constantly changing, it is important that the constituency boundaries are regularly reviewed by the Commissions. However, the upcoming review, due to begin in 2016 and report to Parliament in 2018, is being seen by many as fundamentally flawed in the way it has been set up. Boundary reviews have never been uncontroversial. The number of constituencies a region gets has always been decided based on the number of people on the electoral register in that area, with the upcoming review using the data from the December 1, 2015 register. This is somewhat troublesome as MPs have to represent all the residents in their constituency, not just those on the register. It also means that regions with lower than average rates of voter registration will be under-represent-
“
...the way in which constituency boundaries are drawn forms the basis of much of British politics
“
Maciej Matuszewski
ed when it comes to the review. These areas are usually the ones that are the most socially de-
prived, or the ones which house the most students. The situation is even worse this time since the upcoming boundary review has been so poorly publicised. Few people know that it is happening, and even fewer know that you need to submit your voter registration before the last week of November in order to appear on the register in time to count towards the review. We are far away from any election so people who were not previously registered are very unlikely to do so now. This is especially the case for new students currently facing the pressures and excitements of starting university. Together with the introduction of single voter registration last year, which has led to a dramatic increase in the number of unregistered citizens, this all means that the data the review will be based on will not be representative of the population. Furthermore, the Commissions have also been mandated by gov-
ernment introduced legislation to reduce the number of constituencies from 650 to 600. This will lead to Members of Parliament having to represent more people, and therefore having an increased case-load – meaning that they have less time to spend on each individual constituent. This change will most severely affect those in the lowest socioeconomic categories, as they are the people who require the services of their MP most of all. The change is unnecessary as the savings arising from reducing the number of MPs are negligible compared to the size of the government budget. It is all well and good to talk about these problems, but there is one positive action that almost all of us can take. There are many aspects of the review that we can’t change, but we can at least ensure that it is based on the most accurate data by registering to vote and encouraging our friends and acquaintances to do the same.
14
SciTech
Thursday 19th November 2015| PALATINATE
www.palatinate.org.uk
Durham’s solar car races across Australia Bruno Martin SciTech Editor
An interview with Hugh Bird, third year engineering student and driver at the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge 2015
Throughout the last year, a team of engineering enthusiasts from Durham University met every week to complete the prodigious task of building a solar-powered car. They are the members of Durham University Electric Motorsport (DUEM), and earlier this term their hard work paid off when they travelled with the finished vehicle to Australia to take part in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge 2015. This event sees teams from around the world race their solar cars across 3,000 km of the Australian outback: from Darwin in the North coast to Adelaide in the South, along the Stuart Highway. DUEM took part in this event in 2011, and previously attended the North American Solar Challenge in 2008. Entering the race is no mean feat, since the team must design and assemble their car from scratch. And once they make it to Australia, competition is tough, as more than 40 teams race across the country for several weeks. “The event itself is a huge adventure and challenge,” says Amy Stockdale, from DUEM, “with the heat and camping in the outback wherever you end up at the end of each day!” I had the chance to speak with Hugh Bird, head of Aerostructures for DUEM and one of the team’s drivers at the race.
Hi Hugh, it’s great to speak with you. First off, tell us a bit about Durham University Electric Motorsport. What do you get up to during term-time?
Design, manufacture, testing and the odd social. Typically we’ll have two design meetings a week, with practical sessions on Sunday. Of course that template changes during the year to fit the needs of the team. In the run up to a deadline the team will work every waking hour – and then some– in order to have a working car. It isn’t all work though; we’re sociable too. Having a cohesive team is important, and this is what we do for fun. Clearly you’ve been working on this car for a while now – when did you know you were going to Australia?
For me, the crossing of the Rubicon occurred in March when the carbon monocoque chassis was laid up. Before then the car was a collection of small parts and something we talked about, but not something that was physically embodied in a substantial manner. The path to the World Solar Challenge is littered with teams which entered, but never really made it off the ground. Having a chassis was the major milestone. It must be an amazing feeling, finally getting there, with your car and your team from Durham!
Members of DUEM prepare their car for the race.
Was there ever a gnawing worry that the car would fail scrutineering upon arrival? Yes. Every car has to conform to a not insubstantial set of rules. As a result some failure in scrutineering was inevitable. When it came to scrutineering we actually did very well. And how come you ended up driving? Are you not head of Aerostructures?
Bluntly, because I’m short. In solar car racing, the main energy loss is due to aerodynamic drag. The smaller the driver, the easier the job for the aerodynamicist. That isn’t the only reason of course. For all the car’s telemetry and sensors, the most useful feedback comes from the driver. As such, we need drivers who know the car well. So, the race: 3,000 km through the Australian outback, camping out every night. What’s the atmosphere of the event like at the start, finish, and the lonely stretch in between?
Hugh Bird testing components.
Photograph: Pavlos Christodoulou
Thrilling. Intoxicating. Ecstatic. Seeing your baby –something you’ve dedicated yourself to and lost sleep over– make it over the line gives you a real high. And you’re not the only one. Everyone, hundreds of people, are seeing the realization of hundreds of hours of their work. The best word for the atmosphere at the start and finish is perhaps addictive,
because I and everyone who was there want to feel it again. The lonely stretch is different. Intense is the word. Spending a week with a constantly ticking clock and the amount of sleep you get during such an event is hard work. I think every member of the team must be a masochist though because we all loved it. Hugh, I’ve got the 2015 results sheet in front of me. Something about your average speed doesn’t seem quite right. What happened?
During testing, days before the race was due to start, we pushed our motor too hard and it failed. With the resources and time available to us we weren’t able to properly fix it. With a limping car, we didn’t cover so many kilometers and had to use the trailer for the majority of the race. Whilst falling at the last hurdle was a disappointment for the team, bad luck happens. How do you carry out repairs on the road? Does the race normally include maintenance stops?
Repairs on the road are simple: put down a tarpaulin, pull the car up on it and take the toolbox out of the Land Rover. We have lights for working at night. Whilst the race has “control stops” that provide a chance to do any really quick work, the golden opportunity is between dusk and dawn when the car isn’t allowed to
Photograph: Amy Stockdale
move anyway. Apart from that, you work when you’d like to be rolling. So you made it to the finish! Taking part in the race is an amazing feat in itself, but it’s a shame you didn’t get to race your car like it deserves. Back in two years time then?
A solid yes to that. Driving across the outback in a solar powered car you built yourself would normally be placed in the ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ category, but it was so awesome that the team and I will definitely be back for more. We’re hooked. In the meantime we’ll have to find another race to console ourselves with. Maybe the South African or European solar Challenge. It’s called the Solar Challenge – what do you feel has been the most challenging part of the project?
Working out what to do. Building a car is not the most simple of exercises, and the team was pretty much new to it. If I think back to the first carbon fibre part we made and compare it to our current standards, the difference is night and day. Experience is a valuable thing, and now the team has it, so bring on the next challenge! Thank you Hugh, I really enjoyed hearing your story. Congratulations and best of luck to the DU Electric Motorsport team!
PALATINATE | Thursday 19th November 2015
A QUICK LOOK AT SCIENCE
Tommy Pallett
ON THE RED CARPET
The most valuable set of science prizes – worth collectively $22m– were awarded last week to thousands of scientists. The stand out for Britain was the $3m prize awarded to UCL professor John Hardy, for his research on Alzheimer’s and other brain diseases. Hardy discovered the genetic mutation which gives rise to amyloid plaques, which are essentially the cause of Alzheimer’s. This enormous reward fund was launched in 2013, and is backed by entrepreneurs such as Russia’s Yuri Milner, who states that his motives were to promote fundamental science and to turn living scientists into household names; an Oscarstyle ceremony was held on Sunday 8th November in California.
CLIMATE CONSEQUENCE
You’ve heard about no-return ‘tipping points’ in climate science. Well this year, the MET office reports, we’ve actually reached one: the halfway line to the dreaded 2 degrees celsius rise in global temperature. This limit has become the central argument around which climate change agreements have been signed, because, according to a paper released back in 1977, such a rise would be the highest average global temperature experienced by humans in at least the last 100,000 years. A paper released in the 90s indicates that even the 1 degree rise we have now could “elicit rapid, unpredictable [...] responses that could lead to extensive ecosystem damage”.
SCANNING HELMET
PET is Positron Emission Tomography, a scanning technique used to image the brain in high resolution. Like CT and MRI scanners, the machines are huge and, importantly, require the patient to remain very still: the more the patient moves the worse the image quality. Now researchers in West Virginia, USA have developed a helmet style scanner they’ve named AMPET, which stands for Ambulatory Microdose PET and essentially means two things: firstly, the patient can be upright and move around within a limited space; and secondly, the procedure requires a far lower dose of radiation than with conventional scanners.
SciTech
www.palatinate.org.uk
“Women don’t understand fracking” Jennifer Hack “Women don’t understand fracking,” said a woman. Specifically, it was Averil MacDonald, a professor in science engagement at Reading University and chair of UK Onshore Oil and Gas, who said women “know that they don’t know and they don’t understand [fracking].” A recent survey carried out by YouGov and University of Nottingham found that only 31.5% of women believe that fracking is a good idea, as opposed to 58% of men. Professor MacDonald attributed part of this mistrust from women to the fact that many stopped studying science at 16. As a female scientist, this statement somewhat riled me up. I must admit that I’ve been ambivalent in my stance on fracking thus far; I haven’t made an effort to understand the process or the issues surrounding it. But reading what MacDonald had to say about wom-
en and fracking (and perhaps this was exactly MacDonald’s intention) spurred me on to find out the facts for myself. I invite any person, male or female, to correct me if I’m wrong. Fracking (or ‘hydraulic fracturing’) is used to access the abundant oil and gas that is trapped in shale rocks in the Earth’s crust. It involves drilling vertically down into the shale rock, which is full of tiny cracks where oil and gas are trapped. Upon reaching the shale, the pipe is bent at a 90° angle and drilling proceeds horizontally for several miles to give access to a large amount of rock. Next, a mixture of water, so-called ‘slickwater’, sand and chemicals is pumped at high pressure through the pipe into the rock, which causes the tiny fissures in the rock to spread apart. The sand serves to hold the cracks open and allows for the release of gas and oil, which can then be flushed out to the surface. So the process is relatively simple, but why are people so con-
Activists protest against fracking in New York.
cerned? Firstly, pumping chemicals into the ground increases the risk of contaminating the drinking water supply, and the process has also caused minor earthquakes. Another concern is whether removing vast quantities of oil and gas will have an effect on the geology of the Earth. A final argument against fracking is that it is not a long term solution to our increasing energy demand. Oil and gas are fossil fuels, and energy is required for transporting and pressurising large volumes of water. Given the many potential problems with fracking, it’s easy to see why anyone, regardless of gender, might remain sceptical. But as with any argument, there is another side. Oil and gas are ‘cleaner’ sources of energy than coal, and have fewer associated emissions. In addition, more fuel means a more secure energy supply. This lowers energy prices, which alleviates the pressures of cash-strapped Brits, and allows us to deal with the increas-
Photograph: CREDO.fracking via Flickr
“
It’s easy to see why anyone, regardless of gender, may remain sceptical.
“
Reader’s Scigest
15
ing demand of a growing population that is increasingly dependent on electricity. Finally, having access to a local supply of oil and gas means that we don’t have to buy it in from abroad; we reduce our reliance on other countries and provide oil and gas at fair and affordable prices. In light of all I have discovered about fracking, I will join the 31.5 % of women with concerns, although I think MacDonald and the polls are wrong to try to justify and quantify the different stances of men and women. We all need educating about fracking and we cannot get het-up with such unhelpful statistics. Surely it is better to invest our research efforts into actually finding out what concerns people have and then providing the answers? My biggest worry is the uncertainty of how drilling will affect the Earth’s structure, and the potential danger to UK towns. I do see fracking as a positive short-term solution, but if we are to create a sustainable energy landscape for future generations, we must invest in more reliable alternatives.
Patient died from tapeworm’s cancer Harry Jenkins In a discovery that baffled medical experts, the tumours within a 41 year old Colombian man’s lungs were found not to have come from him, or let alone be human: they were actually from a parasitic tapeworm that had been living inside him. Doctors had attempted to diagnose the man back in 2013 and only with the combined efforts of the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the UK’s Natural History Museum was the true reason uncovered. Initial confusion arose when the apparently normal tumours were inspected closely to find that the cells were far too small to be human,
leading to several theories from shrinking human cancer cells to a new type of infection. This prompted the Colombian doctors to contact the US CDC, for fear of an emerging protozoa or amoeba-like infection. Eventually molecular testing on the cells revealed high levels of tapeworm DNA, to everyone’s shock. Dr Atis Muehlenbachs, of the CDC, remarked that “it didn’t really make sense”. Unfortunately, by the time the doctors realised the origin of the man’s cancer, it was too late to treat him effectively. He died in Medellin, Columbia, three days later. The tapeworm in this case was Hymenolepis nana, the dwarf tapeworm, a specialism for Dr Peter Olsen of the Natural History Mu-
seum, who notes that the worm is unique in carrying out its entire lifecycle within a single organism. This property and the fact that the man had HIV, which weakened his immune system, meant that the worm could proliferate within his body without being destroyed, and so mutations buit up, leading to some of the worm’s cells to become cancerous. Rather than the worm itself getting cancer and that spreading to the patient, it’s thought that one of the thousands of eggs that it produces every day may have penetrated the lining of his intestine and mutated into a cancerous cell, spreading to his lungs and lymph nodes. A case of tumours originating from a parasite had never been
found before, however with Hymenolepis nana being the most common tapeworm in humans (infecting up to 75m individuals worldwide at any one time) and 35m people suffering from AIDS in 2013, it is possible that there are undiagnosed cases out there right now. However, even with an earlier diagnosis, it is unclear what treatment would have been appropriate for this situation. The doctors debate whether it can even be termed cancer – they are calling it “an infection with parasite-derived cancer which causes a cancer-like illness”. The discoveries from this case show that there is still much to be researched, especially in the relatively new and rapidly expanding field of cancer biology.
16
Profile
Thursday 19th November 2015 | PALATINATE
www.palatinate.org.uk
“I still have to pinch myself that I am the world record holder 20 years on.”
Oliver Mawhinney joins former triple-jumper Johnathon Edwards to reflect upon his record breaking career, his time at Van Mildert and athletics’ doping crisis. Oliver Mawhinney Profile Editor For a sport that abides by the mantra of harder, better, faster, stronger, it is commonplace for world records in athletics to fail to last the cycle to the next Olympics or World Championships. Not for retired triple-jumper Jonathon Edwards, for his world record of 18.29 metres in Gothenburg still stands the test of time twenty years later. It’s an occasion Edwards understandably reflects upon with great penchant: “I still have to pinch myself that I am the world record holder 20 years on. “The day in Gothenburg I was in great shape, the wind was just gently behind, it wasn’t over the limit because I’d broken the world record a number of times before but it had been wind assisted. I’d got my run up not absolutely right but nonetheless it was about half way of the board. You do rely on external factors coming together which you have little control or influence over but that time it all worked out.” As is eminently present throughout athletics careers, Edwards reflects that not everything in his career was smooth sailing: “From 1995 I’d gone into an Olympics and two World Championships and hadn’t won gold so I was all too well aware that being world recorder holder doesn’t guarantee you winning a title. “I was very nervous in Sydney [2000] in all likelihood it was my last chance to win Olympic gold so I think relief was certainly a very strong emotion and I felt incredibly grateful to all who had helped me. It was a remarkable feeling to stand on top of the podium with your national anthem especially in a stadium like the Olympic Stadium.” Embedded within athletics folklore as one of Britain’s athletic greats, Edwards, a CBE and former Sports Personality of the Year, recollects representing his nation with great pride: “I was hugely proud to represent my country. I think when I was on the podium my thoughts were less about winning it for the country but more about winning it for the people around me.” For Edwards, religion was just as constitutive to his outstanding career as representing Great Britain and Northern Ireland: “I was brought up in a very strong Christian home; my father was a Bishop so that had a big influence on my faith as I grew up, but my Christian faith was very much my own, it was something that I was very committed to. It certainly
was behind my decision to become an athlete or at least in part.” Edwards’ Christian faith was of such great importance that he did not compete on Sundays until 1993, resulting in him bowing out of 1991 World Championships. Yet it was widely reported in 2007 that Edwards had lost his faith in Christianity. “I guess my faith and athletics were very much intertwined and so now as I reflect on losing my faith I realise it probably had a lot to do with retirement, perhaps the freedom to question that I hadn’t had previously. My horizons had broadened. “A lot of different people from all walks of life with lots of different beliefs had challenged my own beliefs. In the end I decided that I didn’t believe in God, it was as simple as that. It was partly to do with process of retirement and the way I look back at my career, I have no regrets that where I was at the time, that’s what I believed, it was an incredible support and strength during an athletics career that was
“
In the end I decided that I didn’t believe in God
”
often very stressful. I don’t look back at it as wasted years. That’s where I was at the time: you can’t rewrite history. It’s as much as part of my life as winning a gold medal and being world record holder.” Edwards participated in most of his training in Gateshead, where he still lives today, after his father recommend a coach with the Gateshead Harriers. However, for a young Edwards, the prospect of becoming one of Britain’s greatest athletes was largely alien while studying at Durham in the 1980s: “I did some athletics at Durham but I wasn’t in any sense thinking that I was going to be a professional athlete, indeed, athletics was still amateur then.” Edwards displays great affection to the many experiences of university life which he experienced at Durham: “It’s a beautiful place. I was at Van Mildert, I really enjoyed the college life, I think it suited me well. There was always lots going
on in college and lots of clubs in the university.” Like many students, there is one thing Edwards does not reflect upon so positively: “Durham was such a long way from my home in Devon. I remember my Dad would take me up at the beginning and end of each year but for holidays in-between it was a coach down to Victoria in London and then a change and a coach to Barnstable in North Devon so it took pretty much the whole day.” I return to the present in our conversation by reflecting upon the current state of athletics. Edwards speaks positively about the state of British athletics: “It’s in a pretty good place, we had a great European Championships last year, a good number of golds were won in Beijing [World Championships] - our big stars came to the front - we had Greg Rutherford and Jess Ennis-Hill back again, Mo Farah back to his best. “There were some good performances underneath that too, youngsters like Dinna Asher-Smith doing incredibly well. She didn’t have a great championships but Katrina Johnson-Thompson really is one for the future so I think we took lots of positives from there. Athletics is well and truly a global sport; more countries take part in athletics than I think any other world championships - over 200 so it is very competitive. After Rio we have 2017 in London and I think there are reasons to be optimistic for the chance of British success.” Conversely, the mood surrounding global athletics is not so joyful. Our conversation occurred before the World Anti-Doping Agency recommended Russia should be banned from international athletics on the grounds of a systemic doping programme. Yet athletics was already a sport in crisis. In August, the German broadcaster ARD/WDR alongside the Sunday Times claimed to see a database containing more than 12,000 blood tests from 5,000 athletes and revealed “the extraordinary extent of cheating by athletes at the world’s most prestigious events”. Meanwhile many questions were raised towards Britain’s Mo Farah following allegations of doping associated with his coach Alberto Salazar. But for Edwards this has always been a problem for athletics: “My first Olympics were in 1988 and you couldn’t get a bigger name testing positive than the men’s 100m winner [Ben Johnson]. I think it’s always been there and it’s a spite that I think the sport will always have because it relies so much on human
Record Holder Edwards
performance - strength, endurance, speed - than perhaps some of the skilled sports so drugs are going to have a massive influence.” “It has become up to the sport to fight against doping which I’m sure Seb [Coe] and the team at the IAAF will do everything possible to ensure the public can believe what they actually see. Let’s make no bones about it, it is a very difficult thing to do. Even with the testing system now, the public will just think they’re
“
I wasn’t in any sense thinking that I was going to be a professional athlete
”
Photograph: Creative Commons
too clever for the testers to catch them. It is a very difficult situation. “If you look at the World Championships and Gatlin versus Bolt, I’m never suggesting that Gatlin is taking drugs any more but the whole Good against Evil, the way it was portrayed actually worked well for the sport, it was box office. So there’s a sense of the purity and then there’s the entertainment, and sport has always thrived on that rivalry between the good guy and the bad guy and probably will continue.” The hope Edwards continues to invest in athletics befits an athlete who has invested his whole life in athletics and continues to do so in reporting on the sport. Edwards provides a subtle reminder of the purity that has always been present and remains in athletics. Meanwhile, Cuba’s Pedro Pablo Pichardo and America’s Christian Taylor continue to play off each other in the pursuit of Edwards’ elusive record in one of the flourishing rivalries of field athletics. Twenty years after Gothenburg, Edwards concludes “I’m not worried but, after Beijing, I’m ready for it…”.
PALATINATE | Thursday 19th November 2015
17
Sport
www.palatinate.org.uk
Is the Premier League really a ‘poor’ league?
Lewis Wright
Speaking just minutes before the North London derby, often one of the highlights of the English football season, Gary Neville followed in the footsteps of many others by referring to our country’s elite league in a far from positive light. Just days later, Barcelona and former Manchester United centreback Gerard Pique told The Daily Telegraph that “there is no chance” Real Madrid or Barcelona would win the Premier League at the first attempt. The difficult question that emerges from this debate is surely how we can make a valid judgement on the strength of different leagues. Does European success entail a strong league? Is it instead the number of viewers of fixtures both within the crowd and on television that makes the difference? Does competitiveness of fixtures define a division’s strength? I am under no doubt whatsoever that Neville is referring to the first
of these questions, using Premier League clubs’ recent European success as evidence for his suggestion. If not then surely his position as a pundit, a football club owner, and an England coach is rather worrying. If European success is the marker of a strong division, then we have little to fear when it comes to the Premier League. In the twenty-three years of the Champions League, the Premier League comes second only to Spain’s La Liga in terms of the number of sides that have reached the competition’s knockout stage. The Premier League and English football have also been second only to their Spanish counterparts when it comes to the number of both quarter and semi-final appearances made in Europe’s elite club competition since its formation in 1992. The years 2007-2009 also place Premier League football in incredibly good stead when it comes to records in Europe. In all three of the aforementioned seasons, England boasted a total of three clubs reaching the semi-final
stage, a feat only achieved by Spain and Italy once. Of course, the number of trophies won is a fundamental aspect of being considered a strong division and as Europe’s best team. With fifteen titles (primarily due to Real Madrid’s ten trophies), Spain again leads the way, followed by both England and Italy with twelve apiece. If the mark of a division’s strength is more to do with the number of people who take a regular interest around the world in live fixtures and recent results from a league, then Neville’s statement looks even less valid. According to its official website, “The Premier League is broadcast in 212 territories around the world, working with 80 different broadcasters”. Rival countries have not managed to achieve anything close to these kind of statistics. This has coincided with a demand for viewing rights, especially in recent times with the development of BT Sport’s coverage. One might argue that a major rea-
son for this is because of the Premier League’s biggest clubs commercializing their ‘brands’ so successfully on a national and global scale. However, as justifiable as this may be, we should not look beyond the competitiveness of the division and the part this has to play on feeding viewers’ appetites for exciting football.
going into the fixture. “The 3rd years in the squad have really set the standards for the rest of the lads to live up to.” “Goalkeeper Ben Dudzinski and centre back Billy Wells have marshalled the defence, with tricky winger Dave Green a constant threat going forward. “As always ex Burnley pro Mike King has been leading by example with some outstanding performances”. The Palatinates will hope to con-
tinue their good run of form against a strong Loughborough side. Another team in action is Women’s Hockey 1s. After a well fought 2-1 win for Durham against Loughborough in the national league ten days ago, the team look forward to welcoming Loughborough to Durham for another competitive and exciting game! Captain Mollie Rawnsley said “The girls have been training very hard both on and off the pitch and we have a great range in our team from
experienced postgraduates to young talented freshers. “In our last game we took our chances in attack and worked incredibly hard in defence and as a result we were well rewarded on the final whistle.” “We hope to make it 2 out of 2 wins against our biggest rivals on the day of the varsity- may the best purple win!!” Finally the Men’s 1st Badminton team have made a strong start to their first season in the premiership,
Don’t get me wrong, I am sure we all get incredibly excited when it comes to FC Ingolstadt 04 vs. SV Darmstadt 98 in the Bundesliga. However, I for one would anticipate a mid-table (on current standings) Premier League encounter between Liverpool and Watford to be significantly more entertaining. You can’t tell me that Chelsea would be slumped all the way down in 16th in Serie A even on current form? The reason they are in this position (currently) is because of the division’s strength in depth (along with some poor performances), and this strength has become all the more apparent with the recent financial enhancement, which those smaller clubs have experienced due to the
sizeable television rights. Evidently the performances of our clubs in Europe have been poor over the past few seasons, and there are many factors that have led to this being the case. However, I cannot understand how someone can justify the Premier League to be a ‘poor league’, especially not someone who is as knowledgeable as Gary Neville. Let us remember that only four teams represent our division in the Champions League and a maximum of four more in the Europa League each season. These eight sides do not, and cannot, provide a true representation of the strength of an entire division and the entertainment and quality that is shown week-in, weekout, throughout an entire season.
Follow us @palatiSPORT or at ‘Palatinate Sport’
Palatinates raring to face rivals
Kieran Moriarty Sport Editor Ahead of the huge Varsity event, Palatinate spoke to three teams about their hopes going into these fixtures. With 5 straight wins including home and away victories against local rivals Northumbria, the Men’s 1st Football team sit comfortably top of the Northern Premier League, and confidence is high. Captain Ollie Beauchamp is confident about the strength of the team
recording two wins, one draw and two losses. This puts them in a position to challenge for second and third spots in the league, with 5 matches still to play. Captain Josh Males knows his side will be in for one of their toughest fixtures of the year,. He said “Loughborough are undoubtedly the strongest squad in the country for badminton. “The team will be hoping that the home crowd will give them a distinct advantage as they try to get a good result from the fixture.”
18
Sport Sport
www.palatinate.org.uk
Thursday 19th November 2015 | PALATINATE
“So what makes Hild Bede different?” Hild Bede are following in the footsteps of many Durham colleges this year and re-branding themselves. However, far from merely sticking to sport, the river college are doing things a little bit differently...
Hild Bede has changed the game with an allinclusive arts and sports philosophy
Now Durham’s only river college is looking to establish itself as a big player in an innovative re-brand. However far from merely imitating other colleges, Hild Bede has changed the game with an all-inclusive arts and sports philosophy. The College of the Venerable Bede (est. 1839), and St. Hild’s College (est. 1858), were initially established separately as teacher training colleges with strong emphasis on physical education. Bede College Cricket Club was established in the 1860’s. Soon after followed rugby and rowing, with St. Hild’s even allowing croquet and lawn tennis to thrive. In recent years, Durham has seen Hild Bede conquer in a diverse range of sports. From overall college champions in 2010/11, to promotions and victories for HBAFC, Hild Bede has a lot to boast about. In a composite crew, Hild Bede Boat Club’s Men’s 1st VIII, alongside Cuth’s 1st VIII, qualified 2nd fastest
Bede Daisies’, took Division One by storm and were promoted to the premiership in their first season. It’s a scheme based on success, something Hild Bede hasn’t been short of in recent years, and suggests a bright future for college participation and engagement. The Launch Week promises to establish the Team HB brand effectively, with a full eight days of fixtures and activities promising to rally the troops and provide some top quality entertainment. Major fixtures include HBWAFC vs. Stephenson (21st Nov, 2.30pm KO, Racecourse); Bede RFC vs. Grey A in a floodlit Sunday evening game (22nd Nov, 8.30pm KO, Maiden Castle), and HBAFC vs. Stephenson in a floodlit cup encounter (25th Nov, 8.15pm KO, Maiden Castle).
“
You don’t just come to university to get a degree but to make the most of oppurtunities at hand.
“
The ‘Team Hild Bede’ difference is achieved through our pride and inclusion of all clubs and societies from sports to the arts
“
“
Durham’s only river college is looking to establish itself as a big player in an innovative rebrand
“
“
In recent months, many colleges have concentrated their efforts on re-branding and marketing for social media, to good effect. Only in the previous edition, Palatinate Sport explored Durham colleges’ forays into the world of intercollegiate sport. Featuring heavily were brightly coloured crests and Team ‘x’ imagery – so what makes ‘Team Hild Bede’ different? Hild Bede has the largest undergraduate population of any college in the university; not to mention its sixteen acres of parkland. Inevitably, the college has a rich sporting history, and its students are known for their extra-curricular prowess: be it on the field, river, or stage.
in Henley’s Temple Challenge Cup 2015 – winning the right to compete against the University of Virginia later in the week. The college has a strong focus on women’s sports: from HB Cheer’s allwomen squad finishing 3rd of all colleges, to HBWAFC ‘The Mooses’ defending their title at the top of their league. The ‘Team Hild Bede’ difference is achieved through our pride and inclusion of all clubs and societies, from sports to the arts. The college is incredibly proud of its student theatre society, HBT, winning ‘Best College Musical’ for the fifth year running. Multiple performances are held throughout the year in the college’s Caedmon Hall. Team Hild Bede is musically diverse: a new Music Society occupies the space between Choral Scholarships and ‘Full Collapse’, Durham’s best-known heavy metal and rock night. Bede Film Society boasts Durham’s only 240-seat cinema, and at over 50 years old is one of our most beloved and illustrious student organisations. While ‘Team Hild Bede’ is the brain child of college president George McNeilly, the re-brand owes much to executive committee members, such as Gabriel Fidler (Postgraduate President) and Beccy Hodson (Publicity Officer). Ferdous Aolad, Hild Bede’s Clubs and Societies Officer noted that: “Team HB has an immensely wide range of opportunities available for students to get involved with college, socialise, compete at various levels, and pursue sporting/non-sporting passions. “ You don’t just come to university to get a degree, but to make the most of opportunities at hand. Our new rounders team, the ‘Hild
“
George McNeilly Hild Bede College President
To round things off is an obligatory performance from HBT, who will be presenting their Fresher’s play ‘House of Dracula’ (26th – 28th Nov, Caedmon Hall), and a showing of ‘Straight Outta Compton’ from Bede Film Soc (29th Nov, Caedmon Hall). Attendance at selected events will be recorded, with Hild Bede SRC donating, per head, to a charity of the students’ choice. If that’s not enough, college mascot Bedo Bear will almost certainly make an appearance. A link with Klute has also been mentioned: it’d be rude not to. In 2016, Hild Bede celebrates its 175th year of teaching. We can’t think of a better way to begin than by celebrating our students, and the diverse and successful organisations to which they are all a part. “It often feels like college spirit only manifests itself around sports: it’s great that now it can come forth in all aspects of student activity.” –Oli Rake, Hild Bede SRC Chair Like Team HB at: https://www.facebook.com/TeamHildBede/
“
PALATINATE | Thursday 19th November 2015
19
Sport
www.palatinate.org.uk
Palatinate’s Perfect Day of Sport
Maiden Castle has a lot to look forward to Matt Roberts Deputy Sport Editor Durham vs Loughborough on Wednesday 25th November will be no ordinary day of University sport. It has been christened a Varsity and it will have all the hallmarks of one – jam packed, competitive and hectic. However, in truth, it will be so much more than that. Durham and Loughborough have topped the BUCS points table every year since 2011/12 and it’s for that reason that the day takes on such significance. Sadly, with so much going on, it’s impossible to see it all. But fear not, here’s our guide explaining the places to be and the times to be there for the must-not-miss matches across the city. 09.40 – Mixed Golf
What better way to start the day than a leisurely stroll across Brancepeth Castle Golf Club to watch the two BUCS giants do battle down the fairways? The 6400 yard, par 71 course was designed by world famous golf architect Harry Colt and is recognised as one of the top 100 courses in Britain. Its defining feature is a deep ravine cutting through the course to provide a number of challenging tee shots. The last two meetings between Durham and Loughborough have been closely contested with one win
each.
13.00 – Men’s Football and Women’s Hockey
Once you’ve watched the opening pair play the front nine at Brancepeth, it’s time to head to Maiden Castle. The epicentre of Durham sport promises to be buzzing for two huge lunchtime matches. On 3G1 it’s the men’s football and on the water base it’s women’s hockey. As is the case with most Durham vs Loughborough games, both fixtures have historically been very tight and the same is expected again this year. Try to catch the key moments of both if you can. 15.00 – Women’s Lacrosse
Having caught your breath and visited the café to get yourself suitably refreshed, head over to 3G2 where Durham’s high-flying women’s lacrosse team are in action. In this fixture last year, the Palatinates ran out 6-4 winners as they topped the Premier North division and won the Championship. The women’s lacrosse side are one of Durham’s most successful teams so don’t miss out on the chance to see them play a fierce rival. 17.00 – Women’s Football
With the sun setting and floodlights illuminating Maiden Castle, at-
tention will turn, once again, to football and this time Durham’s women on 3G1.
Photograph: Simon Carey
Last year, Durham beat Loughborough 3-2 in the quarter-finals of the BUCS football championship before
going on to win the competition.. A repeat of that five-goal thriller could make this the game of the day.
Sport
Thursday 19th November 2015 | PALATINATE
The Big One - Durham vs Loughborough Varsity Palatinate Sport tells you where to be on this huge day of sport.
Team Hild Bede Launch In a year of college sport launch events, George McNeilly explains what makes Hild Bede different to the rest. Follow us on Twitter @PalatiSPORT and on Facebook at ‘Palatiante Sport’
Netball 3s pull off huge Cup upset Kieran Moriarty Sport Editor
Hild Bede rowing in action on choppy waters
Photograph: George McNeilly
Clash of the Titans: Durham & Loughborough BUCS Varsity Simon Carey Team Durham President Since the formation of BUCS, Loughborough University has dominated the rankings, having recorded 35 years as Britain’s top university in both team and individual sport. However, over the past four years the balance has shifted: Durham have emerged, not just as competition, but as the university to beat across team sports. 2014/15 saw the Palatinates topple the reigning champions to emerge as number one for both League and Cup sports, winning a staggering 10 Premier League titles and 7 National Championships along the way. This season sees Durham competing in a phenomenal 26 Premier Leagues – more than any other university in Britain. On the 25th of November we set out to defend our crown as fifteen
of our teams, across nine sports, do battle across the pitches, pool and courts of Durham against that other purple-clad team from the Midlands. Other universities may have varsity days, but never before has the rivalry and quality been so high across such a wide range of sports. In every contest, we expect to see this year’s Premier League winner in action – with Loughborough our closest rivals for many of the titles, victories on the day will be crucial at the end of the season. The competition kicks off with both golf and tennis in the morning, with both teams looking to secure the first wins of what will be very hard fought day. At Maiden Castle, the action begins with the Men’s Football team, in good form this season, up against Loughborough, the current reigning Premier League title-holders and National Championship runners up. It is without a doubt the highlight of the day when both Men’s
and Women’s Lacrosse teams take the field. At the time of writing, both teams are coming off undefeated national championship runs and are looking to retain their titles this season. The women’s game is a replay of last year’s national final, probably the highest quality lacrosse you will find in the country. The day will finish at the Freeman’s Quay pool, with Men’s and Women’s Water Polo. Both teams have emerged as early front runners and, in a sport with a growing fan base in Durham, will look to continue their good form against Loughborough. Last year Durham was the first university ever to reach 2000 league points and yet again the Palatinates have delivered so far, having already broken the 2000 point mark. For almost half a decade, every Durham/Loughborough fixture has been a headline game. To have 15 fixtures all on the
same day is an unprecedented event, never attempted before by BUCS. This is our opportunity to really show what we are made of. This day is truly going to showcase the best of University sport in the country; if there is any day you should spend watching sport at Maiden Castle it is the first ever BUCS Varsity. Even better, the whole event is free. Live music, purple radio and a lot of Palatinate will be on display all day at MC, so come down and support your teams! How to follow Team Durham:
Facebook (Team Durham Page) Twitter (@teamdurham)
Instagram (@team.durham) Snapchat (@TeamDurham)
DU Netball 3s pulled off one of the shocks of the season with an extraordinary win against York 1s in the Northern Conference Cup. Going into the game, Durham were the clear underdogs as they sat two divisions below their opponents. Furthermore, Durham 2s had lost to this same York team 42-39 only the previous week. York vindicated their reputation as favourites in the first quarter playing some clinical netball to edge into the lead. Nevertheless, Durham responded well and prevented York pulling out to far ahead By the halfway point, the scores were level at 16-16. In the third quarter, York seemed to assert their control and gained a 23-21 lead. Yet again, Durham refused to collapse. Not only did they level the scores, the Palatinates ended the third quarter in the lead 24-23. Maiden Castle dared to believe a giantkilling was on the cards. The final quarter was a chaotic blur of point scoring from both teams. Within minutes, the scores was 27 apiece. At this point, Durham found another gear and produced a heroic final surge to sneak into a 3028 lead. Against waves of relentless attacks from York, the Palatinates endured, with Bryrony Freer exceptionally neutralising at least three York attacks in the space of a minute. Nevertheless York were not beaten and inchead ahead 32-31 with about two minutes remaining. Durham refusd to surrender. Earwalker scored to make it 32-32 with one minute to go. With five seconds, left York clumsily gave away a penalty. Drury stepped up. Many on the sidelines could not watch but the GS showed no sign of nerves. Drury slotted the penalty home to ecstatic scenes, as she was mobbed by the DU Netball squad who raised the roof of Maiden Castle with their celebrations. A truly momentous victory and a huge scalp for the 3s. The victory was also made that much sweeter due to the return of Sophie Bingham, who was playing her first game in two years following an ACL injury. A fantastic day all around for DU Netball. Roll on the next round.