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Thursday 14th November 2019 | No. 822
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7.8% of Durham graduates are from the North East Naomi Clarke & Tom Saunders News Editor & Deputy News Editor Palatinate can reveal that the average percentage of Durham University graduates from the North East over the last five year is 7.8%, This percentage is significantly less than other universities located within the North East of England. 23% of Newcastle University’s admissions in the 2017/18 academic year were from the North East and a Centre For Cities study reported that half of the students at Northumbria originated from the region. The North East of England has been identified by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) as the region where young people are least likely to access Higher Education. The latest Higher Education Statistics Agency’s (HESA) data, published in February 2017, confirms that the region also has the highest proportion of entrants from low participation neighbourhoods (LPNs), at 23.2% compared to a national average of 11.3%. Durham University has recognised that ‘the most significant access challenge is the participation of students from areas of lower higher education participation neighbourhood (LPN), lower household income and lower socio-economic status groups.’ Durham University has affirmed that the majority of their students are from ‘the highest participating in higher education neighbourhoods’, on average 52-55% over the past five years, comparative to 5-7% ... Continued to page 3
▲ The Durham Lumiere 2019 will run from 14th - 17th November. Pictured: I Love Durham by Jacques Rival (Mark Norton)
Durham UCU: “We would rather not strike but there seems to be no alternative” • Durham University set for 8 days of strikes from November 25th until December 4th • Staff nationwide are protesting changes to pensions, pay and working conditions • University: “We ask that you act on the assumption that classes will be held as scheduled”
Naomi Clarke & Jack Taylor News Editor & Editor-in-Chief Durham University is set to face eight days of strikes at the end of November, as the University and College Union (UCU) announce planned action. UCU members are set to strike from Monday 25th November until Wednesday 4th December. This comes after two national legal disputes, one over pensions and the other over pay and working conditions.
In a statement to Palatinate, the Durham University UCU said: “We, UCU members at Durham, would rather not strike but there seems to be no alternative.” 60 universities across the UK will be hit with this strike action unless universities ‘respond positively and quickly.’ Durham University said in a statement sent to all students that “Pay and pensions are subject to national negotiations, and, as one of a large number of employers, we have limited influence over the outcome, especially when many
other higher education institutions are experiencing significant financial challenges.” On their decision to strike, Durham UCU stated: “Universities UK (UUK) and UCEA (the group that represents Vice Chancellors) need to take the issues of equalities, casualisation, pay and pensions seriously, and listen to University staff. We still have time to avert the strike if UUK and UCEA come back to the table with sensible offers. The dispute centres on changes to the ‘Universities
Superannuation Scheme (USS)’ which, since 2011, have sparked action after analysis showed a typical union member will pay around £40,000 more into their pension but receive almost £200,000 less in retirement. The USU’s action has already initiated with ‘action short of a strike’ taking place outside these strike dates which included: working to contract, not covering for absent colleagues, and refusing to... Continued
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Thursday 14th November 2019 | PALATINATE
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Editorial
I’m supporting the striking staff
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nother fortnight, another edition of Palatinate. In the past two weeks, Durham has been hit with the news that we’ll experience 8 days of strike action by University and College Union (UCU) members, unless universities respond ‘positively and quickly’ to concerns over changes to pensions, pay and working conditions. This will be the second bout of strike action during my three years in Durham. Back in Epiphany Term 2018, when I was an 18-year-old fresher, the University faced 14 days of strikes over a five day period. Back then I didn’t notice the disruption. Only three of my lecturers actually went on strike and my tutorials fell in such a way that I only missed one.
Do get behind your striking academic staff This time around the strike will be for 8 consecutive working days and I’ve been told by numerous members of staff that it will be a larger strike than last time. Those students here in 2018 might notice more disruption than a fortnight last time around and second or first years may be inconvenienced but know this, the members of staff striking are not doing so with the intention of damaging your education. Due to my role as Editor-inChief of the student newspaper, and previously as News Editor, I end up having a lot of conversations with different people around Durham. Those staff members that I have spoken with over the past fortnight completely understand that their actions will be disruptive.
Many are still trying to decide if they will strike or not. As you’ll see on this editions front page, the Durham UCU have said: “We, UCU members at Durham, would rather not strike but their seems to be no alternative.” Do get behind your striking academic staff and don’t buy into the narrative that they are striking to damage your education. The average union member will be £240,000 worse off in the future with planned changes to their pensions, and they would be paying £40,000 extra for £200,000 less from their pension. The UCU are also striking over pay, casualisation and working conditions. Those are massive issues that don’t only affect this generation of academic staff but also the next, those masters and undergraduate students that have their eyes set on academia. To think practically about any disruptions impact on your education, if you’re going to lose contact hours during those eight days of strike action, treat it like a reading week. Get into the library, catch up on lectures, write that formative or get on with the dissertation literature review that you’ve been meaning to do all term. Last time around, content that would have been covered during strike action was scrapped from my exams - my final grade wasn’t negatively affected, if anything it probably got better. If anything an extra eight days to get ahead or catch up might do your grades some good before a Christmas holiday of catching up with friends, avoiding your family and gaining a stone in turkey and trimmings.
In this edition, Profile also talk to the Presidents of both Students for Life Durham and Durham Students for Abortion Access, Joëlle Lucas and Chelsea Lowdon, respectively.
Treat it like a reading week They both go into detail about their own beliefs on the issue of abortion. Palatinate is Durham’s official student newspaper, and with that comes a responsibility for us to give a voice to groups in Durham. I understand that many people reading these two articles will have a strong opinion either way. Just know that the views and research expressed in either article are not necessarily those of Palatinate. If anyone would like to talk further on this matter, feel free to email me at editor@palatinate. org.uk. Look to our Facebook page for the most recent vacancies on offer. We are currently hiring a new Politics Deputy Editor, a role I held myself last year, and a new Travel Editor. Email vacancies@ palatinate.org.uk for more information and an application form. Enjoy this edition and do continue to read Palatinate.
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FEATURES: Joshua Morka and Meghna Amin discuss the complicated relationship between mental health and gender.
Editorial Board Editors-in-Chief Oscar Elmon & Jack Taylor editor@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Editors Jamima Westermann & Tom Mitchell deputy.editor@palatinate.org.uk News Editors Naomi Clarke & Will Hutchings news@palatinate.org.uk Deputy News Editors Emma Lucia Felisi, Joshua Hurn, Anna Marshall & Tom Saunders deputy.news@palatinate.org.uk Investigations Editor Toby Donegan-Cross toby.donegan-cross@palatinate.org.uk Comment Editor Natasha Livingstone & Jacob Whitehead comment@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Comment Editors Lauren Naughton & Michael Knezevic Profile Editors Philippa Murrison & Alexandra Beste profile@palatinate.org.uk Science & Technology Editors Ewan Jones & Hannah Goldswain scitech@palatinate.org.uk Politics Editors Katie Fraser & Jack Parker politics@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Politics Editor Alisa Anwar Sport Editor Tim Sigsworth & Tomas Hill LopezMenchero sport@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Sport Editors Alana Ker Mercer & Hector Pearce Indigo Editor Shauna Lewis indigo@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Indigo Editor Carys Frost Features Editor Kleopatra Olympiou features@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Features Editor Mary Bradshaw deputy.features@palatinate.org.uk Food & Drink Editors Imogen Higgins & Elle Woods-Marshall food@palatinate.org.uk Fashion Editor Molly Goetzee fashion@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Fashion Editors Freya Ellingsen & Hugo Millard Film & Television Editor Madeleine Strom & Aadira Parakkatt film@palatinate.org.uk Stage Editor Martha Wrench stages@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Stage Editor Gabriella Sills Music Editors Theo Golden & Matthew Prudham music@palatinate.org.uk Books Editors Lotte Hall & Imogen Usherwood books@palatinate.org.uk Travel Editor Abir Mishra travel@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Travel Editor Alex Bicknell-Cummings Interview Editors Kiara Davies & Rachael Brown Chief Sub-Editor Alex Leggatt Sub-Editors Clara Knight, Juliette Holland & Lizzy Merrall Photography Editors Mark Norton photography@palatinate.org.uk Illustrations Editor Nayva Lobo illustration@palatinate.org.uk Website Administrator Calum Johnston Advertising Officer Oliver Henry oliver.advertising@palatinate.org.uk Social Media Officer Connie Castle
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
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PALATINATE | Thursday 14th November 2019
News ‘Many of Durham’s indicators of success can be barriers to students traditionally under-represented in higher education’ Continued from front
Hello! Welcome to the first President’s This is one of my favourite times of the Durham year. For most, deadlines aren’t yet around the corner, everyone’s looking ahead to the festive season, and the city looks great in autumn weather. This year, we get the treat of Lumiere, which is the perfect reminder of how special this city is. My top tip is to skip the crowds and see the illuminations late at night – they’re on until 23:00. You can also warm yourself up in Riverside Bar and Café, where we’ll be serving Bailey’s hot chocolate and hot toddies. You may have heard the news that UCU, the union that represents lots of university staff, has called an eight-day strike. The dispute is over pay, working conditions and pensions, and Durham is one of the 60 universities which will be affected by the strike action. Our position as a students’ union is clear – the working conditions of university staff are students’ learning conditions, and it is in our interests to support staff on strike. I know how much we care about the rights of university staff, and I know that our community will continue to demonstrate that strength of support. We are also working very closely with Durham UCU to ensure that we do everything possible to mitigate any negative impacts on students. Another thing I enjoy about this time of year is the NUS delegate elections. Running to be a delegate is your chance to shape national policy and help elect the leaders of the national student movement. You don’t need prior knowledge to run – when I ran in my second year I knew nothing other than that I wanted to change Durham for the better. Going to National Conference will teach you loads, so it’s an opportunity you shouldn’t miss!
...5-7% coming from the Low Participation Neighbourhood group, measured by ‘POLAR4 quintiles.’ ‘Durham recognises that many of its indicators of success can also be barriers to students traditionally under-represented in higher education. ‘Demanding entry standards and a perception of high cost may discourage students who are already likely to become disaffected with formal education or lack confidence in their academic ability.’ Following a Freedom of Information request, Palatinate found that, on average over the last five years, North East students account for 7.77% of Durham graduates, Non-North East UK Graduates account for 72.45%, and Non-UK students make up 19.78%.
Over the last five years North East students account for 7.77% of graduates
students within that school. However, Durham University recognises they cannot alleviate the discrepancy through just making more contextual offers, which take into consideration socioeconomic backgrounds. The ratio between ‘POLAR 4’ quintiles 1 (lowest participation) and 5 (highest) at application is still above 1:8. The University has admitted they ‘undoubtedly need to generate more quintile 1 applications.’ However, ‘doubling the number of LPN students would bring Durham close to the average LPN population for universities in the North East, but it will not achieve the 3:1 ratio. In a statement to Palatinate, Professor Alan Houston, ViceProvost (Education) said: “At Durham we aim to attract the brightest and best students with the merit and potential to succeed here, regardless of their background. “We are determined to enable more students from the North East to graduate with a Durham degree. We have just released a
The University has stated they have worked hard to increase the proportion of students from ACORN (A Classification of Residential Neighbourhoods) categories 4 and 5, rising from 7% in 2012-13 to 13.4% in 2018/19. To increase their contextual offers, the University has created a membership scheme for schools in the North East called ‘Excellence in a Local Context’ initiative. This will enable the University to enhance their current contextual offers based on the individual circumstances of
bold plan which will enable us to do this and we will be taking some significant steps to ensure that these statistics will look very different by 2025.” Initiatives the University has put in place to improve representation from students in the North East include the Durham Mathematics School. The University states they are ‘currently working on plans to launch a specialist mathematics school, offering exceptional teaching at a sixth form level to talented students from the region who would not otherwise have access to mathematics education post-16.’ They have also established a ‘Schools outreach’ programme, where they plan to ‘continue to foster strong relationships with local schools, providing activities and resources to target groups, and encouraging students to access higher education.’ They also plan to redesign their ‘supported progression scheme’ specifically for students in the North East from Low Participation Neighbourhoods. The other major universities in
(Naomi Clarke)
the North of England, Liverpool and Leeds, also far outstrip Durham in terms of local students. At the University of Leeds, 23% of their students originally came from the region of Yorkshire and the Humber. This figure was substantially higher at the other major universities in Leeds: Leeds Trinity University and Leeds Beckett. In the North West, Liverpool University attained a similar figure with 30% of their students for the year 2014/15 coming from the area.
Durham have established a ‘Schools outreach’ programme to continue to foster strong relationships with local schools In reaction to these findings, Sam Johnson-Audini, SU Undergraduate Academic Officer said: “The university’s move towards recruiting more students from low participation neighbourhoods is welcomed, however an increase in contextual offers and involvement with local schools will not alone solve the perception that Durham is not a place for those from low socio-economic backgrounds. “The University needs to tackle the high cost of attendance and elitist cultures if it hopes to ever achieve the OFS target. Durham needs to not just recruit more students from low participation neighbourhoods- they need to ensure students from low participation neighbourhoods feel included at Durham and are able to thrive while here. “
Durham Ergathon raises over £10,000 for Mind
Anna Marshall Deputy News Editor Over 200 members of the Durham rowing community took part in a charity ergathon, which collectively raising over £9,000, for the mental health charity Mind. This year the ergathon, which was held on Sunday 10th November, was in memory of a Hild Bede College rower, George Somerset.
“We’ve raised £10,000”
almost
Nineteen teams entered ‘The Great Durham Charity Ergathon’, to work in relay to row the distance from Land’s End to John O’Groats, a distance of more than 1407 kilometres, which took teams around 4.5 hours to
complete. There were prizes for the fastest team to complete the challenge, and refreshments and support was provided by volunteers. Charlie Knowle, an organiser of the event as part of Durham College Rowing, spoke to Palatinate halfway through: “It’s going really well so far, we’ve raised almost £10,000. We’ve got a great team of volunteers, who’ve been making sure everyone has everything they need. We couldn’t have run the event without them, but everyone’s showed up, and everyone’s putting the work in, so it’s been really successful so far. “We’ve got 220 people rowing, I’d say at a max about 250 people are here in total, so even the bar and the kitchen are pretty full. Last year a similar event was organised to raise money for
breast cancer, so we’ve carried on the idea and made it our own a little bit. This year it’s for Mind mental health charity,” continued Knowle.
“We’ve got 220 people rowing, I’d say at a max about 250 people are here in total” Another organiser, Lauren Newbould, told Palatinate, “we really want to encourage everyone in the rowing community to speak up about their mental health as we’re such a large support network.” Outside the boathouse, many of the rowers were taking the opportunity to catch their breath. “It’s good energy but long and tiring. We’re doing really well and it’s for a great cause. This is
the first charity rowing event I’ve done,” said Catherine Roberts, of St Aidan’s College Boat Club (SACBC). Galbraith Auden, co-chair of SACBC, added, “I feel like everyone’s taking it at their own pace. People on the one hand want to make it not competitive, because it’s about mental health, but eve-
(Anna Marshall) ryone’s still trying their best.” In November, Hild Bede organised a 24-hour ergathon to raise money for a new boat, which they hoped to name after George Somerset.. Somerset had reportedly wanted to fundraise for Mind, so The Great Durham Charity Ergathon was organised.
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Thursday 14th November 2019 | PALATINATE
News
Durham SU suspends Labour co-chairs Toby Donegan-Cross Investigations Editor On the 5th of November, the Durham Students’ Union (DSU) suspended Jack Pearce and Zoe Haylock as co-chairs of Durham University Labour Club (DULC) for organising canvassing in anticipation of December’s General Election, despite apparent warnings against doing so.
This decision was taken in recognition of charity law from 2014 In addition, the DSU have warned DULC that should they continue campaigning, they risk the club’s continued affiliation with the Students’ Union. Gareth Hughes, Chief Executive at the DSU, has said that they have been working with other groups “who have not applied the guidance fully”, in order to avoid similar steps being taken. The DSU argued that “student groups are all morally, legally, and practically part of Durham SU.” Therefore, although they encourage ‘educating students to cast a well-informed vote’, as a charity they cannot endorse any particular party or candidate. This decision was taken in recognition of charity law from 2014, which states that, although charities are able to campaign with political parties on single issues, this is only permissible if it ‘makes clear its independence
from any political party advocating the same policy, and does nothing to encourage support for any political party.’ DULC have labelled the decision “unfair” on the grounds that since this legislation was enacted, they have actively campaigned without any interference during both the 2015 and 2017 General Elections, as well as the 2019 European Elections. The DSU, they argued, should “be proud” of the work they do. Since Tuesday evening, DULC’s Facebook announcement has attracted over 100 responses and 50 shares. In response, Pearce, as well as other members of DULC’s executive, attended the DSU’s assembly on Thursday night, to raise their issues in the ‘Any Other Business’ section. They were told, due to rules in the assembly’s laws, that they were unable to do so. When asked by Palatinate how the process had been, Pearce replied, “pretty terrible – they kind of accused me of breaking the law, which was quite upsetting.” He also criticised the DSU for their conduct: “The way in which they have dealt with us seems so standoffish and aggressive.” He argued that they had shown “no regard for how we are doing as students and as people.” In Pearce and Haylock’s absence, it was announced that Rida Aslam Azmi and Ellie Bagley have stood in as interim leaders. Bagley commented that this came “at a very bad time with a general election.” DULC’s frustration, beyond timing, is largely due to a per-
ceived inconsistency in the DSU’s approach. Pearce asked, “why didn’t they tell us this when we passed our constitution in summer?” The third aim in DULC’s constitution is “to campaign for The Labour Party in local and national elections.” In response to questions put by Palatinate to Gareth Hughes about the consistency of the DSU’s approach, he responded by saying that their understanding of how they “had to apply certain laws and regulations, including charity law, changed over 2019.” This was, in part, in response to new agreements made between Assembly and the Board of Trustees. Hughes maintained that the DSU had made their change in approach known to all student groups, having run five general election briefing workshops, as well as sending guidance notes. He noted that groups who had been unsure had contacted the DSU for guidance.
ing that they felt the DSU were “being harsh on DULC specifically.” DULD have also found themselves under scrutiny from the DSU, particularly over two items they had shared on their social media. The first, on Twitter, was a post from the central Liberal Democrats page which encouraged people to join the party, while the second was cited as concerning because it came from the page ‘Nobody likes a Tory.’ In response, DULD have told Palatinate that “disaffiliation is an honest option for us” given that the DSU has “silenced us and
other political societies.” They argued that if the DSU’s money was not spent on the campaign, there should be no issue. In the meantime, due to the short timeframe between now and the General Election, DULD have considered organising canvassing through private group chats, as DULC continues to do so. DULC’s announcement on Twitter also saw criticism from Han Latif, who co-chaired DULC during the 2015 General Election, and said that this rule was never put in place during that period.
Other political societies in Durham have criticised the DSU’s decision Other political societies in Durham have criticised the DSU’s decision. The Durham University Liberal Democrats (DULD) commented that the decision seems nonsensical “when the society name pretty much gives away a political endorsement anyway.” At their AGM last Wednesday night, they voted to show solidarity with the DULC co-chairs, say-
(Durham University Labour Club)
Common Room framework not updated since 2011 Will Hutchings News Editor The Durham Student Organisation (DSO) framework has not been updated since its inception in 2011. This framework regulates the management of most of the University’s Common Rooms, and is therefore important to the operation of these colleges. According to the University Communications Team, “a formal review of the DSO Framework commenced in May 2019.” It began “in consultation with 2018/19 academic year student leaders from College Common Rooms, Experience Durham and Careers & Enterprise student organisations, as well as Professional Services staff who support our Durham Student Organisations.” Before this review, there had been “informal” reviews of “the
working practices associated with the Annexes” of the framework.
“I’m skeptical of how wellenforced the regulations are” The lack of a formal review of the document contradicts the terms of Article 10.1, which states that “this framework and its annexes will be reviewed at intervals of no more than every 5 years.” The University did not give reasons for the delayed review of the document, stating only that “this approach has enabled us to support our student organisations effectively.” Any changes to the framework will not be presented until Epiphany Term, according to the Communications Team. In 2011, the framework was developed as an alternative to the
colleges’ separate constitutions, and put the colleges which subscribed to it under the governance of one central document. All of the college JCRs adopted the framework except Grey College, St Cuthbert’s Society, and Ustinov College, all of which pursued charity status instead. St Chad’s and St John’s exist as separate entities, and thus follow different guidelines. In ‘going the charity route’ (as it is often termed), these three colleges will maintain their individual constitutions and each be registered as separate student unions. Following the belated review of the DSO framework, Van Mildert College is in the process of transferring to charity status. The current President of the Mildert JCR, Sheehan Quirke, claims to have been “re-elected specifically to guide us out of the framework and to transition
into an independent charity.” For Quirke, the “outdated” framework was just one example of the University’s “mistreatment of Common Rooms.”
Just one example of the University’s “mistreatment of Common Rooms” St Aidan’s also recently voted to leave the framework and go towards the charity route. The outdated framework has caused stress to Common Rooms in the past. Hatfield’s JCR Exec have not had assistance with their current financial situation, and the Treasurer expressed frustration that “there is no mechanism to prevent this from happening,” and it does not give an “overarching helping hand.” According to the Treasurer, “at this point, the DSO is so outdated that it refers to positions which
do not even exist anymore. I’m skeptical of how well-enforced the regulations are.” Currently, the DSO framework’s Annex 3, which deals with financial regulations, sets out the role of the Treasurer and measures taken to prevent organisations from facing financial difficulty, but it does not contain any spending limits or budgeting guidelines. The Students’ Union plans to set up a Student Organisations framework of its own, but it is in very early stages. Although the framework is to be updated in Epiphany Term, contact with JCR presidents has allegedly been “minimal,” and some are “not very optimistic” about its future.
The current framework does not contain spending limits or budgetary guidelines
PALATINATE | Thursday 14th November 2019
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News
Strike action can cause “anxiety, frustration and distress” Continued from front... The USU’s action has already initiated with ‘action short of a strike’ taking place outside these strike dates which included: working to contract, not covering for absent colleagues, and refusing to reschedule lectures lost to strike action. Durham UCU acknowledged in their statement to Palatinate: “This will undoubtedly affect the workings of the University, but we remain hopeful that the strength of feeling that we have shown in our ballot results will mean that a resolution to our disputes will be found.”
79% of UCU members who voted backed strike action in the ballot over changes to pensions. 79% of UCU members who voted backed strike action in the ballot over changes to pensions. Whilst in the ballot on pay, equality, casualisation, and workloads, 74% of members polled backed strike action. Legally, while a 50% turnout locally is the minimum threshold for strike action to take place, Durham’s turnout stood at 53.6% and 53.9% for strike action over pensions, and pay and working conditions, respectively. UCU strike action has been supported by the National Union of Students (NUS), and in response the Durham UCU stated: “We are heartened that NUS stands shoulder to shoulder with UCU on the current HE Higher Education] disputes [1], and look forward to meeting representatives from
Durham Students Union next week. Following this discussion, the Durham Students’ Union President, Kate McIntosh, told Palatinate: “Students and staff alike are subject to unfair treatment by the university, and we should work together to protect our interests. “I am absolutely clear that staff pay and treatment has a direct relationship with the quality of the education we receive. The working conditions of university staff are our learning conditions.” McIntosh affirmed the intentions of the UCU members: “staff do not strike because they want to disadvantage students – rather, they want the University to improve their pay, pensions and working conditions to the benefit of us all.” Durham Students’ Union confirmed that their officers, Kate, Sam and David, “with the support of the whole Student Officer team” are “working very closely with the Durham branch of UCU to mitigate the negative impact of strike action on students.” The ramifications of lecture strikes are always hotly contested as students typically bear the brunt. In February 2018, industrial action was taken by UCU against 64 universities, represented by Universities UK (UUK). The strikes took place over fourteen strike days, the longest-ever strike in UK higher-education history.
Durham UCU acknowledged the hardship this can bring upon students, stating: “we know that many students at Durham have strong feelings about the pending strike, and we urge them to support staff by asking the Vice Chancellor to do what he can to resolve the dispute as quickly as possible.”
Durham SU “are working hard to ensure that clear, accessible guidance is issued” Kate McIntosh also commented on the welfare of students, noting “strike action can cause anxiety, frustration and distress”, but affirmed that the Durham Students’ Union “are working hard to ensure that clear, accessible guidance is issued to students as soon as possible.”
Durham SU has an advice service which is open to all students and McIntosh is “working on equipping other student leaders with the information they need to support and signpost others effectively.” In a statement sent to all students last week, the University stated: “We understand the outcome of the 2019 pay negotiations and the proposed changes to USS are important issues that concern many of our staff. “We also know the decision to vote in favour of industrial action has not been taken lightly by many of our staff, and we respect their right to take part in industrial action. However, we are disappointed by the outcome from the UCU ballot given the potential impact on you, our students. “Pay and pensions are subject to national negotiations, and, as one of a large number of em-
ployers, we have limited influence over the outcome, especially when many other higher education institutions are experiencing significant financial challenges. “We ask that you act on the assumption that classes will be held as scheduled and that assessments can be submitted as usual. If this is not possible, then we will do our best to rapidly communicate this to you and find alternative means of ensuring that all learning outcomes are met.”
The University is “disappointed” by the outcome from the UCU ballot HEARD ANYTHING NEWSWORTHY? Email news@palatinate.org.uk
Durham UCU urged students to ask the Vice-Chancellor what he can do to resolve the issue
£1250 increase in Postgraduate tuition fees from 2020 Emma Lucia Felisi & WIll Hutchings News Team Postgraduate taught tuition fees will experience an overall increase, beginning from the next academic year (2020/2021). It has been confirmed that MA taught tuition fees for certain courses, including Philosophy and History, will be increased by £1250, from £7750 to £9000. Some subjects will see an even greater increase, such as taught MA English Literary Studies, which now costs the student £9500. This information was made
available on Durham University’s website, but current and continuing MA students have not been notified directly of this increase as of yet.
This increase is particularly concerning to students from lower-income backgrounds Ewan Swift, current MA Philosophy student at Durham University, who paid £7750 in tuition fees for the academic year 2019/2020, commented on the unexpected rise in tuition fees to Palatinate: “The [rise in tuition fees] was only brought to my attention when a friend was looking at
courses and I saw the £1250 increase which came about both under the radar and seemingly without justification. “If the rise in fees is not met with a rise in standards in taught MA courses or an increase in allotted contact hours, then how is the University justifying this?” As the UK government currently offers almost £11,000 as a Master’s loan for food, accommodation, and fees, this increase in fees is particularly concerning to students from lower-income backgrounds. Swift expressed a concern that the increases would adversely affect “groups such as workingclass students and estranged students.” This has the knock-on
effect of “reducing working class representation within academia even further.” Though many universities have increased their course costs, Durham’s fees still appear high when compared to other Russell Group universities. Exeter’s MA courses sit at around £8,750, York’s at £8,050, and Bristol’s at £8,700. In explanation for the sudden and unexplained rise in Postgraduate tuition fees, Stephen Willis, Chief Financial Officer at Durham University, has said to Palatinate: “We review postgraduate taught tuition fees annually. The review takes into account inflationary cost increases, compari-
son with other leading institutions, and the broader financial context.
Durham University’s CFO stated: “The fees we set maintain our global reputation” “The fees we set maintain our global reputation for excellence, whilst securing the financial sustainability of the University. “Updated tuition fees are advertised on our webpages over a year in advance of the course commencing, typically over the summer. So, for example, fees for courses starting in October 2019 were published in August 2018.”
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Thursday 14th November 2019 | PALATINATE
News
SU campaigns to get students to the polls
Naomi Clarke News Editor Durham Students’ Union (DSU) have initiated a campaign encouraging Durham students to register to vote. This campaign began before the General Election was announced. Kate McIntosh, President of Durham Students’ Union, summarised the campaign: “We’re encouraging people to register to vote as soon as they can, and to plan where and how they’re going to vote.” Their campaign involves posters taking direct quotes from national newspapers on the public’s opinion of students and their ap-
parent apathy in politics. Statements like ‘Students don’t care enough to vote’ and ‘Pathetic snowflake students’ are countered with the tag ‘Prove them wrong.’
“As students, being registered to vote gives you a stake in society.”
The campaign also involves informative posts on how to register, and why it is important as a student to vote. Representatives have held roadshows at colleges to bring the message directly to the students. McIntosh affirmed the primacy of this election for students, stating: “Undoubtedly, this election will decide what our futures look
like.” The Durham Students’ Union website states “when politicians make decisions, they look at who is on the electoral register and who votes. As students, being registered to vote gives you a stake in society, providing you with the power to influence the decisions being made. “The decisions being made now will affect you and future generations to come and you deserve the opportunity to have your opinion on these decisions heard.” The snap election will be held on the penultimate day of term, 12th December, and McIntosh stated: “the timing of the election puts us in a precarious position – you need to register before 26th No-
vember, plan where you’re voting and know how and when you’re doing it.” The Durham Students’ Union website informs that as a student, “you can register to vote in Durham at either your college or student house address, and at your home address. “For a general election, however, you’ll need to decide which address you want to vote at when you register. If you decide to vote at home, you can apply for a postal vote, so that you don’t need to go home to vote.” Their statement also cautions, “it’s worth thinking about where your vote will be most valuable when you decide where you are going to vote.” The Durham Students’ Union has
(The Speaker) created a team of ‘Register to Vote Ambassadors’ who are out getting people registered now. McIntosh spoke of how “they’ve been given a budget and asked to come up with an inventive way to get people registering.” Positions are still open if students want to register to be an Ambassador. The SU website contains further information on how to get involved.
New mental health training module on DUO
Joshua Hurn Deputy News Editor Students can now access a module on DUO designed to help students “support both themselves and others” in dealing with mental health problems they may encounter whilst studying. The course is now available to all students and consists of an in-depth guide to the mental
health challenges each type of student at Durham may face. In total, the module takes around 30-45 minutes to complete. One of the first sections gives a detailed account of how to recognise when a friend may be struggling, including when people may change their eating habits, post worrying things on social media, and when they begin to have worrying injuries that may be self-inflicted. As well as making students
aware of the different issues they may encounter, there is also a section entitled “responding to someone in distress or crisis” where you can complete a test recognising if someone is in crisis or distressed. The course also focuses on self-care, in a section entitled “identifying distress in oneself”, where there is information on how to realise when your mental health may show signs of deterioration.
Mental health problems amongst students have skyrocketed in recent years, to the extent that there is now a student suicide, on average, every four days.
The course is designed to help students “support both themselves and others” This module comes at a time where the debate on student mental health is more relevant
than ever. It follows an academic year in which 1 in 11 students received a University mental health session, and 94% of Durham freshers declared mental illness before coming to university. Universities across the country have attempted to tackle increases in the use of mental health services by students. The number of students declaring mental health issues has doubled in the last 5 years, according to figures from The Telegraph.
Unity in the Union: Durham Union Society’s Presidential Race Will Hutchings News Editor Durham Union Society closed its nominations for presidential candidates on Friday 8th November. The Union had previously intended to hold a paper ballot in their building at Palace Green, but voting closed before any votes were cast. Durham Union’s Rules Committee decided to rehold the election when their electronic voting system began running properly again. The new voting period will be November 15th-16th. There are two candidates contesting the presidency this voting period: Eduardo Enamorado, who ran in the previous paper ballot election, and Fergus Barker, who is a newcomer, and sees himself as the “underdog”. According to his manifesto, Eduardo’s vision for the Union is “Member-Led, Welfare-Focused, Accountable”. He is currently the Union’s Assistant Secretary. He thinks that “bringing in new members is crucial”
and he is focused on internal changes that can make the Union more representative. It is important to him that “the membership needs to be wellrepresented, and all ideas should be well-represented. “There is a white male precedent in terms of who is speaking in the chamber, and the ideas are not well-represented by the speakers we bring in.” His proposals do not end with demographic representation in the speakers. He even proposes “multilingual debates and multilingual debate training to improve accessibility.“
There are two candidates contesting the presidency: Eduardo Enamorado and Fergus Barker, Enamorado believes his policy proposals reflect a wider desire for change within the Union: “I think there’s a big change now where candidates want to run a platform of having the members choose what they want to talk about.” He also aims to loosen up
the formality of the Union. Under Enamorado, the Union would have fewer black tie balls with a much looser dress code. Fergus Barker, the other hopeful for president, is more focused on external changes than internal ones. To him, the best way of increasing membership numbers is to advertise directly to non-members. Barker is particularly conscious of the Union’s political reputation, saying, “I want to get rid of this notion that the Union is just full of Tories. It’s not true at all anymore.” “What’s the best way to get rid of these ideas and bring more people in? Go out directly to the science site and talk to them!” Apart from outreach, his campaign also aims to increase Union support for student campaigns such as #RippedOff. “The Union has such a huge presence in the University, and it should be put to good use,” Fergus said. His manifesto promises “A Friendlier Union, A Fairer Union” and “A Clearer Future”, and to achieve this he is adamant that the Union should remain impartial and apolitical,
yet without neglecting its duty to support students. “One thing I really advocate for is the Union’s formal presence at Pride. It would go a long way to signal support.” One feature of both campaigns which has struck members of the Union is their similarity. Both manifestos have the idea of an open, 24-hour suggestion box and both advocate for greater support for charitable causes. Barker, who sees himself as an “underdog” candidate, claims
that “the opposition’s manifesto only included this idea once they found out I had suggested it on my manifesto”. He added that “they appear to be playing political games, which is against the spirit of the Union to me”. Enamorado responded with the following quote: “I added new ideas into the manifesto based on the concerns raised by members during my previous campaign. If I have an opportunity to do better, I’ll take it and improve in any way possible.”
(Durham Union Society)
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PALATINATE | Thursday 14th November 2019
Comment
The Essex lorry deaths have proven that Britain is a nation of apathy Tabatha Baylis “We are between two deaths. If we go back to our countries, it’s death; if we try to get to the UK, maybe it’s death, too,” says Taish, a Kurdish man talking to the BBC, whilst waiting for a lorry at Dunkirk to take him into England. 21 days have gone by at the time of print since 39 Vietnamese migrants were found dead in a refrigerated lorry in Essex. Multiple newspapers and online publications covering these deaths and the following investigation have adopted, as pointed out by Imogen Dobie of The Guardian, the language of “horror and shock”.
Such an emotive response is understandable given the circumstances The Independent calls them “tragic deaths”, the BBC similarly refers to it as a “tragedy”, and a Global Times editorial calls it a “serious humanitarian disaster”. Following this example, the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, signed a book of condolence to the victims, writing that “the whole nation and indeed the world has been shocked by this tragedy and the cruelty of the fate that has been suffered by innocent people who were hoping for a better life in this country.” The Vietnamese Embassy
in London has said it was “deeply saddened” and sent its “heartfelt condolences” to the families of the victims. Such an emotive response is understandable given the circumstances. 39 people asphyxiating in the back of a lorry in the hopes of making it to England is horrible beyond words. However, the use of words such as “tragedy” and “shock” from officials and the media rings a bit hollow when you notice this deadly trend associated with illegal migration. It was only last July that a suspected stowaway – who is believed to have fallen from the landing gear of a flight into Heathrow Airport – was found dead in a London garden.
The use of words such as “tragedy” and “shock” rings a bit hollow when you notice this deadly trend Describing the victim, one eyewitness said, “One of the reasons his body was so intact was because his body was an ice block.” This type of death by plane reportedly happens once every five years. None of this sparked a wider debate on migration policy - people simply forget about it within the week, and we move on to the next Brexit problem until something similar happens again. Our dismissal of such deaths is not new. After the discovery of the bodies of 58 Chinese people in a container in Dover in 2000, Gwyn Prosser, the then Labour
MP for Dover and Deal, remarked on “the awful desperation some people must be experiencing to take the chances they take to cross the channel on the backs of lorries”. This incident was hailed as a “case for more international cooperation”, but this never really came to fruition. A nation that is so numb to tragedy does carry out other work behind the scenes – work that is not concerned with the migrant’s best interests. Whilst actively condemning the practice of human smuggling is understandable, it conveniently avoids those in power having to look at the circumstances which cause such deaths to occur. Simply labelling these deaths as “tragedies”, without any identification of the conditions that created them, seems to suggest that such incidents are rare, unavoidable, and isolated. We are subsequently not encouraged to criticise or question. Why did these people think that their only real option for a better life was to potentially risk a slow and painful death? People smugglers in northern France charge up to €10,000 (£8,640; $11,100) per person for passage to the UK.
from such extreme desperation? If we do not look into the deeprooted dynamics of migration and its connection to suffering, then we will never truly be able to prevent incidents like this from happening again. It’s a bit of a moot point to question whether our migration policies will change because of this - these 39 dead migrants are not special in the nation’s eyes, they
are simply another small addition to a large pile of other dead migrants. We are nearly 20 years on from the almost identical incident of the Dover lorry deaths, and with a clear pattern showing itself, nothing has fundamentally changed.
Nothing has fundamentally changed
“One of the reasons his body was so intact was because his body was an iceblock” Why are there systems in place that permit such an abuse of human rights, allowing smugglers to profit
(Lav Ulv via Flickr)
The SU cannot afford to restrict student activism Charlie Taylor We are currently witnessing the biggest political turmoil of 21st Century Britain. If someone had told me in 2016 that by 2019 Brexit would still dominate public debate, I would not have believed them. Student activism is caught up in this sea of political turmoil, and never have students been so engaged with current affairs. Despite a stereotype of apathy, the side-lining of students’ interests and categorical failures such as the Coalition’s disastrous hike
of tuition fees, our generation has become completely disillusioned from the farcical and pessimistic discourse in Westminster.
The SU has to preserve its non-party alignment, but this decision sets a dangerous precedent These factors made Jeremy Corbyn’s politics attractive to students in 2017 and fuelled an opposition to Brexit, since 85-87% of students voted to remain in the European Union. Students who couldn’t vote in
2015 or 2016 are angry and active in political discourse. We are demanding answers for political incompetence, orchestrated by a generation increasingly seen as out of touch and entrenched in ambivalence towards students. In this background of political crisis, the Durham Students’ Union has suspended the Durham Union Labour Club (DULC) co-chairs and implemented a ban on the DULC canvassing as a group. This is an outrage for student activism. The justification for the ban cites the 2014 charity law regarding funding of SU groups and partypolitical affiliation.
The SU has to preserve its nonparty alignment, but this decision sets a dangerous precedent. Jack Pearce, the former chair of the DULC, explains why: “They told us a day before the election was called that we had to stop any political activity. If charity law was the problem, this should have been told to us 5 years ago and they’ve had 2 general elections since then without a problem.” He adds, “the law they cite applies permanently, not just in general elections- they’ve just never interpreted it this way before.” Now, the DULC cannot canvass in key marginals in County Dur-
ham, which is completely at odds with the SU’s message of getting students involved in politics. If other universities follow suit, Tory, Labour or Lib Dem associations and clubs will become completely redundant. This is the election that will define a generation; an attempt to restrict activism doesn’t just have ramifications in Durham but worrying consequences for student groups across the country.
Completely at odds with the SU’s message of getting students involved in politics
Thursday 14th November 2019 | PALATINATE
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Comment
I’ll be striking on the 15th - see you there Abraham Leonard Strikes can be messy. They can be a disruption, a nuisance, and can foster hostile backlash. And this is precisely why we must engage with those concerning the climate crisis. We live under the illusion - the myth, even - that our society is a functional one, efficient and prosperous, in which we have neither the cause nor will to adapt from our standard routine. And yet, below the surface, our very means of sustenance, and the environmental foundations upon which our societies have been built, are systematically corroding as a result of our own practices. Today’s social order has proven itself fundamentally unsustainable and in consequence, dysfunc-
tional to the core.
Strikers in London have been accused of turning people away from climate activism - supposedly the mass inconvenience caused by the strikers was only serving to prevent decent, hardworking individuals from doing their work and living their lives as they otherwise would. And yet this is exactly what we must do. We cannot stand by and enable the façade of functionality to continue, as ecosystems collapse and people suffer. If people cannot see dysfunction, they will not force through adequate systemic change; if we make society more evidently dysfunctional, they shall have no choice but to do so.
We cannot stand by and enable the façade of functionality to continue And so, if the streets are
blocked and the roads are congested, if the sources of expropriated labour cannot produce and the gig economy workers and transporters cannot distribute, we are preventing the profit-driven modes of production and distribution from having any semblance of functionality, and with that pushing the proposition of a more functional (and hence, sustainable) alternative for present institutions back into both public discourse and political agenda. But where our institutions continue to engage in frivolous competition and careless overproduction, short-term profits will remain the focus of the very institutions and corporations most responsible for the crisis: the hundred most prominent of these being responsible for 71% of all global emissions, and the most prominent twenty being responsible for one third. Short-term profits, rather than
sustainability, will remain the fac- it should be regarding emissions. tor we most readily consider in asStudent strikes give us the sessing functionality. power to alter this: whilst we as students are partly the consumers A strike presents us with the of the university, we are also an espart of the product. Even opportunity to hold up society sential a glimpse of the dysfunctionalif we so wish ity and chaos would send a better warning than none to the univerA strike presents us with the op- sity, that they must take sustainportunity to hold up society if we ability seriously. so wish. It’s a chance to force in I will henceforth be striking on the necessary debate as to how to the 15th, and I would urge you all realign society towards an empha- to do the same. I hope to see you sis upon sustainability. And to ev- there! eryone it inconveniences, it poses a test as to whether or not their actions match up to their words in combating the crisis. Sadly, Durham University is itself a profiteering institution like any other, whose operations are not primarily focused upon sustainability. It subsidies unnecessary luxuries for those in prominent positions and is not meeting the targets
“
A strike presents us with the opportunity to hold up society if we so wish
”
Student strikes are a good starting point, but we need political engagement Natasha Livingstone “I want you to act as if the house is on fire, because it is.” Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past year, you’ll know these words well. Rightly or wrongly, 16-year-old Greta Thunburg has become the poster girl for the climate movement, with her school strikes kick-starting her fame. Other well-meaning strikes have been less popular. Extinction Rebellion’s tube protest in London last month damaged much of their popular support. The misdirected effort targeted affordable, and environmentally friendly public transport, making the climate movement appear middle class and out of touch. Students striking in Durham later this month should bear the errors of Extinction Rebellion in mind. I agree that everyone has the right to strike and it is one of the best features of democracy. But we have to question whether this particular strike is being organised in the most effective manner and directed at the most critical target. The whole point of a strike is to cause disruption. Yet we all know that making someone late to work on a low paid, 0-hour contract isn’t going to solve climate change and could reduce support for climate activism. The relationship between students and Durham locals is al-
ready fractious, the organisers need to ensure that this strike will not damage that relationship further. I agree that Durham University should work harder, much harder, to become more sustainable. In the People and the Planet’s environmental ranking, Durham University was rated ‘third class’ for its efforts to limit climate change. And yes, in theory, the University is accountable to us because we pay the fees: ‘No taxation without representation’ is the democratic basis of the argument. But who represents the students at university? The Students’ Union. Yet this strike has not been organised with the SU. Instead, the organisers are trying to unite societies to push the strike forward. Perhaps there are valid reasons for not working with the SU, but currently only a few societies have signed up and working with the SU could bring more students into the fold.
We should be pushing for a collective student boycott over such fees I also agree that the greatest power we have over the University are our tuition fees. Surely, then, if we really wanted to force the University to change its ways, we should be pushing for a collective student boycott of such fees? Naturally this option is far more radical and harder to organise, but as Greta says, our house is on fire.
The organisers are right that we need structural change rather than individual action. Yes, if Durham University became more sustainable, that would have a bigger impact than me ditching plastic for ineffective, package-free deodorant.
The University is a business within a capitalist system But fundamentally, the University is a business operating within a capitalist system with little climate regulation. Surely our focus should be to target Westminster, rather than our University? Strike against the Uni if you wish, but also think about lobbying Durham’s MP, Roberta Blackman-Woods, or getting her involved. We also have a General Election coming up. Students concerned for the environment should be canvassing for political parties pushing climate reform at the forefront of their manifestos. Short term profits will continue to be the University’s focus unless there is significant change in government policy. As an individual, the general election is the biggest opportunity to put the environment in national focus. Student strikes are a good place to start, but we must go further. Durham University is just the tip of the iceberg, we need to lobby for national, political change. (Heidi Januszewski)
PALATINATE | Thursday 14th November 2019
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Comment
Is the student housing panic overblown? William Costley
An article published by Palatinate recently observed thirty plus students camping outside letting agency JW Wood on Halloween, all eager to snap their desired home first, once the agency formally began the signing of contracts the next morning. If you haven’t been living in a fantasy world where the Durham housing crisis hasn’t come up in regular conversation, this news would not come to you as a surprise, but would perhaps trigger a fear that maybe you’re a little too late. Watch out! If you haven’t signed your house by now, you can be certain the only property left for you and your friends is in Darlington. Wrong. There are plenty of properties available. You may suffer from having to walk more than 10 minutes to your friends’ place, but do not fear. The group of students camping outside one of the many agencies in Durham is nothing more than a frantic student trepidation. One of the students quoted in the article admitted that they were “guilty of exacerbating the problem” but denied that the problem was entirely down to them. Additionally, two first-years were also camping outside, claiming that “the best houses would go quickly” and even though they thought it was “ridiculous” they were having to camp outside, it was ultimately “worth it.”
Was it? How can two first-years without proper knowledge of which parts of town are which, or which properties are best, become completely absorbed by the housing hysteria? It seems as though they are acting out of fear, being fed disquieted information that if they don’t sign something as soon as physically possible, they would have nowhere to live. Although we are all guilty, and arguably powerless, of succumbing to the powerful market forces, the least we can do is try and defuse the hype to those coming in. Camping outside is not a good start. It is without a doubt that there is some sort of housing problem in Durham. Miriam Brittenden wrote for Palatinate in 2015 and underlined the soaring increase in rent prices, matching levels London costs .
Durham is a very small city and unfortunately students are senselessly willing to pay £15 more a week just to cut their commute by 5 minutes. What should be a concern is the rise in student rent, especially the relationship between what you pay for and what you get. Landlords are getting away with charging students hundreds of pounds for small shared houses, usually with one shower room and a small kitchen. Landlords are going unchecked and lacking responsibility for taking care of their tenants. One student, who wished
to be unnamed, discussed how on £138/week, she was greeted with mould on the ceiling. Additionally, there seems to be a lack of communication between the University, the letting agencies, and the landlords. Although the students outside JW Wood are the extreme version of the competitive Durham housing market, that is not to say that students aren’t worried and pressured into finding a house for next year so early on. By advertising and giving into landlords’ demands for their properties to be put up early, students have no
choice but to start looking now. Furthermore, with the University opening a new college, and increasing their accommodation prices without much scrutiny , prices will continue to go up as demand outweighs supply. Agencies need to come together and develop a common policy that releases properties in an organised and distributive manner. Ultimately the University is at fault for inadequately supporting students and letting them go to the extremes of camping out for overpriced accommodation.
The least we can do is try and defuse the hype to those coming in. Camping outside is not a good start Therefore, it can be argued that there exist two types of housing crises. Firstly, with regards to the students camping outside, it would seem as though there are simply not enough properties that can accommodate every student. However, stepping out of the campsite bubble, does this sound plausible? It could simply be the case that those specific students just don’t want to live in areas of Durham perceived to be too far from... well just too far in general.
(Lucia Jones)
Geopolitics is holding back the global climate Niamh Moody-Paterson Climate change is a recurring theme in the media and public consciousness, and yet there is no solution for this global issue. Countries have committed to reducing emissions to achieve a relatively safe level of warming. The 1997 Kyoto Protocol was a huge step, setting a precedent for future emission reductions, leading to the Paris Agreement being signed in 2015 by 175 countries. This was seen as a victory for global environmental politics, with countries setting aside their political agendas for the world and committing to keeping global climate warming below 2 degrees through implementing carbon cutting policies. Once the glamour of the Paris Agreement faded, it brought with
it a formidable sense of reality. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) stated that if carbon reduction practices were to be immediately implemented, the target of remaining under a 2 degree temperature rise offers a mere 50:50 chance of the human population avoiding the worst impacts of climate change.
The perceived success of the Paris Agreement is inherently wrong The perceived success of the Paris Agreement is inherently wrong. I myself am a victim of being blinded by the media suggestion that international policies will be able to commit countries to enforcing mitigation and adaptation policies. The Paris Agreement itself has no mention of greenhouse gas sources or fossil
fuels and therefore, no means of regulation. So, we must ask ourselves, how is it that the Paris Agreement was seen as such a triumph – when in reality it is merely a repackaging of the failed Kyoto Protocol, signed 18 years prior. The premise of the agreement was constructed by corporations who pushed for economic growth as the solution to climate change with the development of the green economy. How does society strive to make money out of a global disaster? The answer falls down to the general consumerist society that is inherent of the west. It is these politicians who ultimately decide the international climate policies and therefore, it is the same mode of thinking that drives forward the idea that a slow transition towards a green economy will be enough. The fires that raged through
the Amazon earlier this year were just one example of the devastating impacts of the warming world and a failure of politicians to act. Brazil contains about 60% of the Amazon rainforest and is considered to be the ‘lungs of the earth,’ absorbing 25% of the earth’s CO2 emissions. The fires were a result of illegal forest clearing in order to create more farms. At its peak, satellite imagery proved that there were 9507 fires spread across the Amazon, resulting in a loss of 9060 km2. Failure of politicians to act on this global crisis demonstrates that agreements such as the Paris agreement and many more are merely a way to placate the global population, as geopolitical tensions continue to play a large role in mitigating climate change. This follows after Germany and Norway decided to withhold more than $60 million in funds for sustainability projects in Brazil,
claiming that there is a lack of commitment to fight deforestation. I am not sat here asking you to strap yourself to a tree or protest outside of parliament. But I am asking for consideration. I implore you to consider how climate change policies are portrayed in the media and whether or not they truly represent a step in the right direction. It is not enough to accept international action towards climate change at face value. We need to understand that there are deep geopolitical tensions that run behind it - the simple act of reducing emissions is not so simple.
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Thursday 14th November 2019 | PALATINATE
Profile
“I believe that life starts at conception”
Profile speaks to President of Students for Life Durham, Joëlle Lucas, about her newly ratified society and the Pro-Life movement in Durham. Pip Murrison Profile Editor & Natasha Mosheim Why are you pro-life? I grew up in a Christian home. It is kind of assumed in that tradition that you are pro-life because we believe that humans are incredibly valuable, that life is a gift from God. But when I was in high school one of my friends asked me the hard question. She said, ‘Well what would you do if a girl was raped or something?’ And I hadn’t thought about that. I went home and I asked my mum that question. My mum just started crying and she looked at me and said well obviously that’s horrendous and that’s awful, but we don’t kill children for the sins of their fathers. We are actually fighting for two victims, we are fighting for a woman and her baby, who were both hurt by someone who was abusive. I think because I heard that emotional, kind response, I became pro-life, it helped cement that. Do you think that abortion will be abolished worldwide in our lifetime? I hope that it will be abolished in our lifetime. I would really like to see women given more options, and the abortion numbers to decrease. When abortion was passed in both the UK and the US, especially in the US, the tagline was ‘safe, legal and rare’ - right. Well over 200,000 abortions [last year] in the UK is not rare, especially when upwards of 90% of those abortions are not because of health of the mother, they are not because of rape, because of a deadly problem or the foetus or anything like that, they are simply because of inconvenience. Is abortion unacceptable in cases of rape? I believe in embryology that life starts at conception. I believe that every human deserves human rights - that includes the child. The women who was raped, her body was violated by the rapist. When you choose abortion, you are also violating the life of the unborn child right, it’s a similar kind of crime just in a different way, I think that both are wrong. That doesn’t mean that I don’t have compassion, I think that rapists should be put behind bars
at the very least. But I don’t think that having an abortion would fix rape. I have done studies on post abortion counselling and things like that, and its so important and vital that we understand how many women are suffering from post-abortion trauma. If a woman in a normal situation chooses to have an abortion and she suffers from post-abortion trauma, then you go to the woman who is already suffering from the trauma of rape and then add post-abortion trauma on top of that. Why would we want to add to the problem? ‘I was violated, then I tried to get rid of the problem, so I violated and ended up killing another person.’ I just don’t see abortion even in cases of rape as consistent or ultimately really caring, and nothing is going to undo it. We have to find the way that’s going to create the least amount of trauma. Is it ever okay to have an abortion? Even if mother’s life at stake? Pro-Lifers want to save as many lives as possible, hopefully mother and child but if it is a situation where we have to do something as if you do nothing the woman and the child will die, in that case we chose the operation that will save the most lives.
Because that’s how we get the holocaust, that’s how we get slavery, that’s how we get things like racism and ableism and whatever else you want to call it. If we say that every person is valuable, then we have to include the unborn in that. Donald Trump says he is Pro-Life but with ‘caveats’ i.e. abortion is acceptable in cases of rape and incest. Obviously, you don’t agree with the caveats, but do you support Trump, based on his Pro-Life stance? I’ve been really surprised with how pro-life President Trump has been, because I was concerned, and thought maybe he’s just saying that to get the Republican vote, who knows. I’m not one of those people that will say we have to agree on every single point in order for you to get my vote… but Pro-Life was the main one and I think anything we can do to protect women and reduce abortion I think is a good thing. Why do Pro-Life activists struggle to make their voices heard over the Pro-Choice campaign?
I think it is because it’s swept in with other things in Conservatism. Oftentimes there is that silent majority where you have one small group of people yelling really, really loudly and everyone else is like I have my voice but I don’t need to shout. That can be the case with people that are pro-life. If you say you are pro-life in the wrong crowd, you’ll get hate, you’ll get bullied, people will make fun of you and they will make assumptions about you and before you even have a chance to say anything about I care for women or that I spend a lot of time wanting to champion for women and things like that, they’ll say you racist, bigoted, women hater, anti-feminist, Nazi. And you’re just like, well you’ve already decided who I am, what more is there to say? So I think that that causes a lot of people to want to be silent. You talk a lot about how being Pro-Life for you is tied up with female empowerment. Would you describe yourself as a feminist? I generally don’t use the term ‘feminist’ because of what the feminist lobby stands for today, I don’t agree with them on a lot of things.
Many would argue that the right to choose abortion is a human right, how would you respond to that? Some would argue it’s their human right. I would think that it’s not consistent and not correct because then you’re disregarding the human right of the child. The child inside your body is not your body. That’s a separate human. No woman has two heads or two hearts. It’s a separate body. And no person should be able to decide who is valuable and not. These children are just as valuable. But the only difference is somebody decided that they were valuable or not. I think we get into really, really sticky territory as humans, when we start deciding that because someone is smaller than us, less capable than us, less able than us, maybe looks a little different than us, that we have the right to decide that they are not human.
I don’t agree with third wave feminism. I would agree with first and probably second wave feminism. Actually the first feminists were all Pro-Life. They were huge champions for women. A lot of what feminism is doing today is really just trying to turn women into men. I just don’t understand that. What the original feminists were trying to do were to say we can be women, we can love being women and have jobs and vote and we don’t have to become men to do that. That, to me, is what being feminist is and what I would like feminism to return to. To say we don’t have to be men to be valuable people. Do you think that the scare factor of having an unplanned pregnancy whilst at university drives students towards abortion? How would you advise someone who has an unplanned pregnancy? I would say absolutely. Not every woman is the same, for some women it would not matter what the options were, they would just want the abortion. But for the majority of women I have spoken to, when I have said if were to get rid of everything that would be impeding you having this baby, be it funds or a house or a jobs or a boyfriend or whatever, they most often would say yes I would want this baby. I see a massive problem there, that if they had the support they would want their baby and our response is ‘too bad, we will just give you an abortion any way’. So I would encourage them to think 10, 30, 40 years down the road, and you look back and can say I made the right choice, the best and most loving choice for me and for this baby. I think all to often we think abortion is the undo button. What we don’t talk about is how emotionally difficult it is to end the life of a child, to live with that, we live in a culture that tells women if you chose an abortion you should not feel bad about it, you should feel empowered and you should get over it. Disclaimer: All views and research cited above are those of the interviewee and are not necessarily reflective of Palatinate.
Joëlle Lucas, President of Durham Students for Life (Photograph via Joëlle Lucas, )
PALATINATE | Thursday 14th November 2019
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Profile
“It’s more important than ever to stand up for other people’s rights”
Profile speaks to Durham Students for Abortion Access President, Chelsea Lowdon, about bodily autonomy, intersectional feminism, and conservative politics. Alexandra Beste Profile Editor The Abortion Act of 1967. Roe v. Wade in the United States in 1973. The repeal of Section 58 and Section 59 of the Offences Against the Person Act in 2019. Since the second half of the twentieth century, abortion has been one of the battlegrounds of civil and womens’ rights movements across the world. Durham itself has borne witness to this phenomenon, seeing the emergence of both a pro-life and a pro-choice group on campus within the past year. In light of this, I decided to speak to Chelsea Lowdon, the President of Durham Students for Abortion Access (DSAA). Talking about the foundation of the society, Chelsea explains, “We were founded last year in second term and it was because the Durham Students for Life group started. One of my friends sent me a link to their very first event called a ‘Voice for the Voiceless’. A lot of my friends said, ‘We need to do something about this.’” The budding pro-choice group decided to attend the event with the intention of having an honest debate about abortion. “But they banned us, they banned us from the church and said that if we tried to get in, they would call the police. So instead, we had to do a protest outside.”
The emphasis is on the choice It was in that moment Chelsea realized just how important abortion access was to students. “We were outside while everybody was walking in, and I honestly didn’t expect us to be there when they came out. But people wanted to stay because there was such anger about the fact that there was a group that were trying to stop people from having the right to their own body.” Inspired to take further action, the pro-choice group applied to be a society in the Students’ Union. Their goal is to help pregnant students find resources in Durham and support them with
whatever decision they make. ‘I think people often assume that because we’re ‘Durham Students for Abortion Access’ that we’re for abortion. But the emphasis is on the choice. If you want to continue with your pregnancy, that’s fine and we’ll support you through that. And if you don’t, that’s also fine and we’ll support you through that.’ The right to bodily autonomy lies at the heart of pro-choice activism, and the DSAA President emphasizes how, in this way, “the right to abortion is intersectional with a lot of other rights. We saw that abortion and same-sex marriage were both legalized at the same time in Northern Ireland. That shows how these issues are intersectional and that there’s a common goal that we’re working towards.” Chelsea explains this intersectionality of abortion in the context of feminism. “I think, inherently, abortion is a feminist issue, but I don’t think that it’s only women that should be involved.
The right to abortion is intersectional “Something we are trying to do this year is work with Be North, which is an organization in the Northeast for transgender young people. We are trying to emphasize the fact that it’s not only women that can get pregnant, it’s not only women who can get an abortion. So we need to be careful about our language and how we talk about it and how we frame it.” In this context, feminism has provided another platform outside of language to address abortion and related issues: art. “Feminist artwork,” as Chelsea explains, “has been used throughout the years as a way of activism, because it embrace(s) a different way for women and other marginalized groups to talk about things like gender inequality, in a way different to using man-made language which feminists have often found hinder the ability to talk about these issues.” She continues, “It was also important in the art scene, because it challenged it’s male
dominated nature and creates alternative spaces for women to engage. So it’s only natural really that we’ve seen feminist artwork be used in the fight for reproductive justice, for instance in Northern Ireland around the Repeal the 8th activism, and increasingly on online spaces.” Despite this output of prochoice positivity, Chelsea believes there is still a lot of misinformation and stigma regarding abortion. She discusses how this is largely due to pro-life views and efforts.
They think that they know what’s best for people “One thing that pro-life groups always say is if you legalize (abortion), then you can decide 32 weeks in you don’t want the pregnancy. But nobody goes through 32 weeks of pregnancy and then just one day decides, ‘Oh, actually I don’t want to go through with this.’ “By the (end of) the 24 week period, people’s minds are made up about what they want to happen. It is only a small minority of abortions that take place after 20 weeks anyway. It’s only ever done in that late stage when there’s a massive risk to the woman’s life.” In tandem with this misinformation, pro-life groups, as Chelsea claims, stigmatize abortion by “really push(ing) that people who get abortions are vulnerable and they can’t make fully informed decisions themselves and that they need support. They think that they know what’s best for people, that people aren’t able to have their own opinions… and that’s what pregnancy crisis centers are formed around, that ‘we can tell you what’s best for you, you don’t know what you’re doing.’” The DSAA President also sees a connection between the stigmatization of abortion by prolife groups with the rise of “more conservative ideology”. “Donald Trump’s election, that was a big one. That’s normalized people being able to come out and say, ‘Oh, actually I don’t think you should have the right to bodily autonomy.’ That’s normalized people being able to say racist
President of Durham Students for Abortion Access Chelsea Lowdon (Photograph via Chelsea Lowdon)
and homophobic and transphobic things.” What concerns her about these inflammatory attitudes is the potential consequence of restricting or criminalizing abortion. “One thing we really push is that it’s got to be free, legal and safe – done through the NHS, done through a proper health service. Because what you see when abortion is highly regulated, like it was in Northern Ireland, is women buying abortion tablets online, which is really unsafe because you don’t know where the source is from… You can never ban abortion, you can only ban safe abortion.”
political climate, with heightened conservative and right wing views both in our country and overseas in the USA, for instance, where law makers and political leaders are trying to push pro-life views – you can see Jacob Rees Mogg’s views for one example of a prominent UK politician – it legitimizes other people being able to share their stigmatizing, anti-abortion views. “That’s why it’s so important, that if you are pro-choice, you’re vocal about it, so we can try and reduce the stigma and open up these discussions.” Disclaimer: All views and research cited above are those of the interviewee and are not necessarily reflective of Palatinate.
You can never ban abortion, you can only ban safe abortion. To see more Palatinate Chelsea stresses how fragile the right to bodily autonomy and pro-choice can be, but she also believes in the power of the individual voice. “In this
Profile interviews, including Jeremy Vine and MP Simon Hoare, visit: palatinate.org.uk/category/ profile
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Thursday 14th November 2019 | PALATINATE
SciTech
Quantum supremacy: what’s all the fuss about?
Tarek Schoehl On October 23rd, 2019, Google finally released its paper claiming to have reached ‘quantum supremacy’, four weeks after rumours and leaks pre-emptively announced the achievement. Google’s quantum computer, utilising their brand-new ‘Sycamore’ chip, can complete a problem in 200 seconds, a feat that would supposedly take supercomputers 10,000 years!
But what does ‘quantum supremacy’ mean? Quantum supremacy is defined by the ability of a quantum computer to carry out a specific problem impossible for a classical computer, due to the insane lengths of time it would take to calculate the result (think along the lines of 10,000+ years). Theoretically, a classical computer could solve any problem given enough time, but that’s just impractical for obvious reasons. Oh, and keep in mind when I say “classical computer”, I really mean supercomputers, which can be as large as 2 basketball courts, a fair bit faster than the phenomenal Billy B computers. So how exactly is this quantum computer supposed to beat a normal computer? While both computer types use
bits (a string of zeroes and ones) to carry out their computations, classical computer bits can only either be a zero or a one. This is where the quantum computer has a massive advantage: it computes using quantum bits (qubits), which can be either a zero, a one or both a zero and a one at the same time. The only thing that matters here is that the more possible states (states being a one, a zero and a zero and one at the same time), the more computing power you have. Increasing the number of qubits increases the possible states much faster than standard bits do. This is what makes a quantum computer so powerful. What gives this so called quantum computer the right to be called one, and what does one look like, or even consist of? The definition of quantum is “the minimum amount of a physical quantity”, whatever this physical quantity may be. Some quantum computers consist of an array of atoms, on which computations are carried out on. Let’s try to wrap our heads around this: we are talking about manipulating singular atoms in order to solve a complex problem. Just for measure, atoms are around one million times thinner than the human hair! However, the quantum computer Google used is slightly different, as it uses superconducting circuits, which is closer to
Has Google achieved quantum supremacy? (Steve Jurvetson via Flickr) what a normal computer is made from. Without subjecting you to a lengthy discussion of what ‘superconduction’ consists of, at its most basic it requires things to be extremely cold. Cooling these chips down sufficiently makes the electrons in said chip turn (condense) into a quantum state. These quantum states are incredibly sensitive to outside interference, with even a slight vibration whilst the computer is running resulting in a worthless calculation. This intense sensitivity, combined with the high-tech equipment required before even considering building a quantum computer, all contribute to the difficulty and importance of Google making this claim of achieving quantum supremacy.
IBM, one of Google’s rivals, has said that Google’s claim of beating a classical supercomputer by such a margin and hence having established quantum supremacy is ill-founded for two reasons: A) IBM believes that if the most powerful supercomputer were to be fine-tuned for the problem Google sought to solve, it would actually be able to solve the problem in a mere two-anda-half days; quite the improvement from the 10,000 that Google claimed it would take. B) The problem that Google sought to solve is very much an isolated one and solving it is not going to help solve other problems in the same way To understand what is meant by B) I should talk about classes of problems:
Different problems are categorised in ‘sets of difficulty’, where if you can solve one problem in the set much quicker, then you will be able to solve all of the problems of this set quicker as well. Whilst Google may have been able to solve this particular problem much faster than a supercomputer, it cannot, as of yet, use its quantum chip to solve other problems in the same short amount of time. This makes Google’s quantum chip very useful for this one problem, but useless in solving very difficult problems, such as factoring integers. Yes, you heard right, factorising integers into prime numbers is apparently a very difficult problem. This is because we are talking about incredibly massive numbers here, so if you keep increasing the digits, the computer will soon enough reach its limit too. A quantum computer, on the other hand, uses quantum algorithms to solve these problems much faster than classical computers. In order to refute IBM’s claim, and retain the quantum supremacy crown, Google needs to increase the number of qubits they can fit into one chip (currently at 54 qubits), increasing the power of their quantum computer and allowing them to apply its superior strength to more complex problems.
Durham scientists go dark with DESI Ewan Jones Scitech Editor A team of researchers from Durham have contributed to the construction of a cutting-edge telescope to be used for the creation of the most detailed 3D map of the Universe, to date. Featuring 5,000 fibre-optic ‘eyes’, the “Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument” (DESI) will be able to measure the expansion rate of the Universe to an as-yet unreached level of precision. Our expanding Universe is a recent discovery, with a fascinating story behind it. Celestial objects (such as galaxies) approaching the Milky Way are ‘blue-shifted’ due to the higher frequency of light, whereas objects moving away are ‘red-shifted’, with lower light frequencies. In the 1900s, when astronomers, such as Edwin Hubble, were able to use sufficiently advanced telescopes to observe the heavens in detail, it was expected that celestial objects such as galaxies would be
moving towards or away from us at random depending on their trajectories. However, when Hubble took a look at the sky, he was shocked everything was red-shifted, indicating the rest of the universe was moving away from us at a rapid pace. Not only that, but galaxies further away were more red-shifted than those closer, suggesting that the further away from Earth an object is, the faster it is moving away from us!
DESI is able to cycle through 5,000 galaxies in 20 minutes This finding indicated that the universe is expanding, with the space between galaxies simply getting larger over time, causing the rapid movement of these objects away from one-another. The expanding universe discovery laid groundwork for the big bang theory, a logical deduction that an expanding space must have originated from a much smaller, single point in its distant past.
DESI seeks to measure the effects of dark energy, hopefully facilitating greater understanding of the universe as a whole. Modern theories suggest that dark energy is the major agent behind the expansion of the universe that is leaving scientists stumped- surely gravity suggests objects are pulled together not apart? Installed on the four-metre Mayall Telescope in Arizona, DESI can photograph galaxies up to 11 billion light years away, peeking back in time at the early universe. The researchers were part of
a collaboration of scientists from 75 institutions in 13 countries. The Durham team, led by Dr Luke Tyas, focused on the fibreoptic system, critical to splitting observed light into narrow bands, allowing measurements of the distance from Earth of any observed objects. By looking at how fast and how far galaxies are moving away from Earth, researchers can begin to make precise measurements of how fast the universe is expanding. DESI is able to cycle through 5,000 galaxies
Will it change the face of dark energy? (Fan D via Flickr)
every 20 minutes, hopefully collecting ten times more data on galaxies than humans have collected to date.
Researchers can now make precise measurements of how fast the expansion is Professor Carlos Frenk, part of the Durham DESI team, said: “The DESI project epitomizes the best of modern science. It is designed to answer a fascinating question about the fundamental fabric of our universe: what is causing the cosmic expansion to speed up?... Bringing together scientists from 13 countries, DESI shows how people from across the globe can come together to tackle key scientific questions.” Final testing of DESI has recently begun, with formal observations beginning in 2020. What will we find by looking back into the past of our universe, and what will it mean for the future of dark energy and astronomy as a whole?
y o o
PALATINATE | Thursday 14th November 2019
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SciTech
The science of scary films: fear or fun?
Elise Garcon Love them or hate them, horror films are extremely popular. In 2017, ‘It’, based on the novel by Stephen King, grossed $123.4 million in its opening weekend alone.
Why do we like scary films so much? It seems against our evolutionary code that we should take pleasure in the idea of murderers stalking us through the night, or clowns waiting in the sewers, but this doesn’t stop thousands of people flooding to see midnight showings of ‘Saw’ or ‘Psycho’ on Halloween. So, why do we like scary films so much? Fear is an evolutionary survival mechanism meant to stimulate us to recognise and respond to danger, specifically concerning the amygdala: a primitive part of the brain. Do you still remember the scenes from that scary film you snuck a peek at when you were eight? When stimulated by the tension or horror depicted on screen, the amygdala will provoke the classic physical responses associated with fear: shaking, sweating, rapid breath.
However, this primal response also creates strong associations with the perceived environment and the danger you are in, and its connection to the hippocampus forms memories. This is why creepy soundtracks can make you shiver, and why your childhood fear is still so strong in your mind. For young children, seeing is believing. The forebrain, a higher evolved area of the brain, can override the amygdala, but is less likely to in youth.
but without any of the danger: since there is no real threat, we are able to feel the true ‘high’ of these chemicals, This is supported by a psychological study conducted in 1994: participants were shown a series of gruesome documentary clips, which 90% turned off before they had finished, finding it disturbing. However, these same people would willingly pay money to see the same level of gore in the cin-
ema. Horror can also be cathartic to our own fears: it explains why, as young children, we are afraid of animalistic monsters; it is the ingrained fear of our hunter-gatherer ancestors. When our brains develop, the films we are drawn to reflect our societal fears. An example of this is Godzilla, made in Japan in the 1950s, it depicts a hulking monster and reflecting the fear of nuclear destruction.
Seeing these fears play out in a fictional context can be satisfying, exploring the unknown and putting this to light. It is clear that our own innate self-preservation systems are still present in our day to day life. Horror films exploit this response to create fear, and maybe even some enjoyment, using our own neurotransmitters against us.
Horror films exploit our own innate self-preservation systems to create fear One reason for our fascination with the grim could be the possibility of ‘risk-free thrill’. Just like how people love the simulated plunge into nothingness on rollercoasters, the danger being safely confined behind a screen can partially overcome the grip of the amygdala. A fear stimulus causes a rush of neurotransmitters in these situations: serotonin, dopamine, adrenaline. This pushes us into a state of readiness that we would need to face, for example, a sabre-toothed tiger. It makes us feel as if we are in the place of the protagonist,
Why would you put yourself through this? (Matthias Ripp via Flickr)
Spider-toxin-producing fungus: malaria cure? Hannah Goldswain SciTech Editor A recent study in Burkina Faso suggests that a genetically enhanced fungus can wipe out up to 99% of mosquitoes within 45 days. With 219 million cases of malaria globally every year, resulting in more than 400,000 deaths, there is a high demand for a solution to the disease. Vaccine trials are the most popular option, with a major vaccine trial beginning in April 2019 in Africa, but could targeting the mosquito vector also be a solution?
A genetically enhanced fungus can wipe out up to 99% of mosquitoes The main malaria controls implemented consist of malaria nets impregnated with pyrethroid, an insecticide, or spraying of insecticides around buildings. However, recently, some malaria carrying mosquitoes have developed insecticide-resistance, which calls for new methods to be rapidly developed for their eradication.
As well as transmitting malaria, Anopheles mosquitoes are prone to infections themselves, and this is what researchers at the University of Maryland in the US and in Burkina Faso decided
to investigate. Metarhizium pingshaense is a fungus that naturally infects Anopheles mosquitoes, and was genetically enhanced to produce a spider toxin to kill the mosquitoes.
From a species of funnel-spider found in Australia, the toxin proves a more effective killer in the genetically modified (GM) fungus, than the fungus alone. Tests found that the GM fungus needed fewer fungal spores to kill and could kill more rapidly than the fungus. Not only that, but it reduces the amount of bloodfeeding by the mosquitoes infected, which reduces transmission of malaria.
There are around 219 million cases of malaria worldwide every year To test the GM fungus in nearfield conditions, a 6,500-sq-ft fake village, known as a MosquitoSphere, was set up in Burkina Faso. It had all the mod-cons you would expect from a fake village, including plants, huts, breeding sites, food and water sources for the mosquitoes. After leaving them to their own devices without introducing the fungus, numbers of insecticideresistant mosquitoes soared. But with the introduction of the modified fungus, around 75% of the insecticide-resistant mosquiCan the funnel spider solve malaria’s problems? (Frank Starmer via Flickr) toes became infected with the GM
fungus, leading to the population shrinking by 99% in 45 days. The success of this trial could mean promising things for malaria reduction in the worst hit endemic areas, including regions of Africa, Asia and the Americas. But could this mean the end for Anopheles mosquitoes? At the risk of tampering with nature too much, the fungus treatment would only be used in specific locations to avoid wiping out a whole species of mosquito which would impact the ecosystem at large. But what about the rest of the animals? The fungus only infects the mosquitoes, so won’t damage other insects or animals in the vicinity, limiting collateral damage of the method. Next on the list for this malaria treatment is fully elucidating the scope of the GM fungus, but with the promising results researchers are excited for its prospects out in the real world.
Next on the list is fully elucidating the scope of the GM fungus
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Thursday 14th November 2019 | PALATINATE
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PALATINATE | Thursday 14th November 2019
US election update Aisha Hussain Former Texan Representative Beto O’Rourke has announced his withdrawal from the 2020 election race, three months before the first Democratic caucus. Once a little-known Congressman, O’Rourke’s impressive, albeit unsuccessful, performance throughout the 2018 Texan senatorial election propelled him into social and political stardom. The momentum following him allowed for an opportunistic entry into the 2020 Presidential Race, something which was well received among his existing supporters. For a first-time Presidential contender, O’Rourke certainly ran an ambitious and admirable campaign. Ultimately, he failed to recapture the energy of his 2018 campaign and thus formally withdrew from the Presidential Race on November 1st, 2019.
and was consistently defeated by big names in the party, including Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders. His final statement of the campaign was filled with solemn patriotism and hope. Acknowledging the importance of uniting the voting pool around a single nominee (perhaps referring to the dilution of the Democrat vote during the 2016 race), O’Rourke placed huge emphasis on the capability of voters to defeat what he referred to as the systematic racism, white supremacy and violence against
minority communities perpetrated by the Trump administration. O’Rourke ended his campaign with a nod towards the remaining Democratic pool, telling his supporters: “We will be well served by any one of them, and I’m going to be proud to support whoever that nominee is.” Whether we will see him appear on the American national stage in the upcoming years is yet to be determined, though his national support networks and the El Paso community remain hopeful.
Politics
MP exodus Frances Halliwell The Westminster exodus is well underway, as more than 60 MPs have now announced that they will not stand in the coming election. Though departures on this scale are not unprecedented, the same can’t be said for the demographic pattern. According to The Spectator, 21 of the outgoing MPs have spent less than a decade in the Commons, while The Times reports that almost one in six female Tory MPs elected in 2017 have either already quit or will stand down at the 12th December election.
Almost one in six female Tory MPs have quit or will stand down for the election
His final statement of the campaign was filled with solemn patriotism and hope Although not anticipated to have occurred this early in the race, O’Rourke’s eventual withdrawal was widely expected given his failure to stand out as a competitive contender. Democratic primary opinion polls show his backing peaked as early as March/April of this year, only one month into his campaign – he rarely hit 10%
(Gage Skidmore via Flickr)
Some would claim that these demographic trends are more than merely coincidental. Female MPs, including Nicky Morgan, have cited the impact of abuse on their families in their resignation letters, while Heidi Allen, who was recently accused of having “killed a baby” after having an abortion, has advised people considering careers in politics to “let this period of toxicity pass” first. Teresa Pearce believes the abuse is worse for women because “there are people who hate MPs and there are people who hate women, and the Venn diagram between the two is quite large.”
In September, Boris Johnson was accused of fuelling abusive attacks after dismissing MP Paula Sheriff’s complaints about death threats as “humbug”. It has been suggested that his comment exacerbated insecurities across party lines.
“We are all entering the parliament much younger than before” There is also speculation that many fresh-faced politicians are joining Parliament with the intention of serving for no more than 10 years, and that this is part of the explanation for the exodus. “We are all entering parliament much younger than before,” Labour MP Gloria de Piero said. “I always thought I wanted to do this for ten years.” The environment in Parliament, described by government advisor and psychology professor Cary Cooper as “a pressure cooker for politicians”, is also likely to have contributed to the proliferation of ten-year MPs. An unnamed Tory MP recently told The Spectator that “ten years may well become the norm because it is now such an intense job.” Due to Corbyn’s neutral stance on Brexit, many Labour MPs who are standing down support Brexit, or at least oppose a second referendum. At the same time, the trickle of Tory moderates is threatening to become a flood.
Farage-Johnson: the new dream team? William Costley In what has been flagged as a controversial intervention on Nigel Farage’s LBC segment by President Donald Trump regarding Britain’s December general election, what we really hear is nothing that we haven’t heard already. Political commentators, Lord Parekh, has described the intervention as “disturbing” and that his intervention was “blatant and “aggressive”.
Farage has come under fire for upholding a double standard From these comments, one would feel that Trump’s behaviour was similar to Russian or Chinese intervention, or that his intervention was even more unprincipled considering America’s interests in a post-Brexit
USA-UK trade deal. However, listening to the interview in full, the conversation surrounding Brexit and Boris Johnson continuing as Prime Minister is unsurprising, lacking criticality, and is nothing more than a conversation between two friends. Additionally, Nigel Farage has come under fire for upholding a double standard as, unlike his previous disapproval of Obama’s Brexit comments in 2016, he had no problem asking President Trump the following question: “We got a general election coming up, is this the moment that Boris should just drop this deal and go for a clean break so we can have serious conversations with you?” It seems that the acceptance or rejection of any kind of comments made by a foreign leader on important matters in another country is based upon whether or not you like that political leader. Even Trump avoided telling Boris what to do, but suggested a
Farage-Johnson partnership. He commented that Johnson is “a fantastic man and... is exactly the right guy for the times” but that his negotiated Brexit deal would prevent any kind of trade deal with the USA. Trump described Jeremy Corbyn as someone who would take Britain in a “bad way”.
He commented that “Johnson is a fanstastic man” By reading the headlines, one initially thinks that Trump is making an outrageous intervention that could potentially weigh heavily on voters; however, listening to the conversation in full, no new opinions were involved but rather a catch up between two old friends.
Trump is outrageous
making an intervention
(Gage Skidmore via Flickr)
Thursday 14th November 2019 | PALATINATE
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Politics
Another Spanish election Bolivia protests
Reeya Gadhvana
Sol Noya-Carreno
Voters in Spain will head to the polls on November 10th for the country’s second general election. This is set to be the fourth election in the past four years. The snap election has been called because Acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez believes his Socialist Party will win more seats in a repeat election. After winning the biggest share in the April 2019 election (123 seats), Sanchez was still short of an absolute majority in the 350-seat assembly.
The abundance of elections can, in part, be attributed to the historic lack of coalitions Recent events point to a difficult fight ahead for the Socialists, partly due to the recent chaos in Catalonia, voter fatigue, and a slowing economy. In order of seats secured in the April elections after the Socialist Party, the other major players in this upcoming election are: Pablo Casado’s conservative Popular Party, Alberto Rivera’s socially liberal Ciudadanos (or Citizens) party, Pablo Iglesias’s left-wing Podemos party, and Santiago Abascal’s far-right Vox Party. Vox saw its support surge in April’s general election – winning 24 seats in parliament with more than 10% of the vote.
Political tensions continue to grow in Bolivia as protests against Presidwent Evo Morales have entered their third week.
In 2016, Bolivians voted against eliminating term limits in a referendum
(Image via pxhere) The abundance of elections can in part be attributed to the historic lack of coalitions within the Spanish system. The country has been gripped by political instability since the December 2015 elections ended the traditional two-party system, with the emergence of Podemos and Ciudadanos. The rise of the farright Vox Party, which entered parliament following April’s election this year, has further complicated the political picture. The Spanish Centre for Sociological Research paints a more optimistic picture for 47-yearold Sánchez’s party in the upcoming election. Its last opinion poll suggests that the Spanish
Socialist Party would in fact gain support in this repeat vote and could easily reach a majority by forming a coalition with far-left party Podemos or the right-liberal party Ciudadanos. The issue of Catalan separatism still remains a subject of contention. With opinion polls suggesting a third of voters are still unsure of who they will vote for, right-wing parties are now competing on which would take a harder line on the restive region. Meanwhile, Iglesias has stressed the existence of a “plurinational” country, with Sánchez himself aiming for de-escalation tactics in the region; this stands testament to a nation more divided than ever.
tics was about noble pursuits and doing what you believed to be best for your country.” Significantly, these events illustrate how our society as a whole is becoming more accepting of discussion surrounding sexual assault. A still much regarded taboo topic is slowly being given the
attention it so desperately needs. Although Sweeney’s allegations are yet to be proven right or wrong, it is important that we recognise that unwarranted groping is still very much an unspoken part of our society. It is still worth commenting how a commonplace act that oc-
Morales has been in office for almost 14 years and ran for a fourth term in office this year, despite his legitimacy being strongly questioned. In 2016, Bolivians voted against eliminating term limits in a referendum, but the government later ruled that term limits violated human rights. His main opponent in these elections was former President, Carlos Mesa. Early returns from the election on the 20th October suggested that Morales had not obtained the 10% margin over Mesa that he needed to secure the presidency without a runoff.
Protestors have progressed from demanding a run-off, to calling for Morales to step down as president However, updates on the quick count were interrupted abruptly.
24 hours later, Morales was announced as the winner of the elections with a 10.35% margin – just enough to stop a runoff. In the following days, once all the votes were counted, the results said Morales had secured the 10-point lead he needed, but Bolivians no longer trust the electoral authorities. The opposition to Morales has accused him of voter fraud and called for new elections to be held. Since the announcement from the quick count, protests and marches have been organised across Bolivia, with electoral offices being set on fire, and a general strike on the 23rd of October. Protesters have progressed from demanding a runoff, to calling on Morales to step down as president.
30th October, an unknown gunman opened fire on protestors On the 30th of October, an unknown gunman opened fire on the protestors, leaving two dead and six wounded. The military has stated that they will not intervene against the protestors. The OAS is conducting an audit of the election, expected to be completed by mid-November. Both the EU and the OAS have recommended that a runoff be held and the US has expressed its concern.
We need to talk about groping...
Katie Fraser Politics Editor Ross Thomson, MP for AberdeenSouth, has announced that he will not be standing in the general election due to groping allegations. Paul Sweeney, MP for Glasgow North East, told the Scottish Mail on Sunday that Thomson grabbed him at the Strangers’ bar in the House of Commons October 2018 and tried to put his hands down the front of his trousers. “I felt paralysed. It was just such a shocking thing. I was in a cold sweat, it was mortifying.” According to Sweeney, Thomson was “drunk to the point where he was barely able to stand up.” Thomson continues to deny the allegations and has stated that he is working to clear his name. Posting on social media, Thomson said: “Anonymous and malicious allegations this year has made my life a living hell. It has been nothing short of traumatic.” Thomson went on to state that he would be leaving the job he “loved more than any other” and that he has always believed “poli-
curs in everyday life – in bars, nightclubs – only reaches the headlines once it happens within a male-dominated political sphere. We need to address this behaviour, and even the potential for it, in the seemingly ‘mundane’ situations that it occurs in – not just in an elite setting. The
normalisation of groping means that it only becomes remarked upon when it happens to someone operating within a sphere of society under the public gaze.
Groping should be no more tolerated in public settings as it is in the House of Commons This is a repeatedly recurring reality for too many women and men whenever they go out. It seems as though as soon as we enter a bar, night-club, or pub that the rights we have over our own bodies becomes void. Yes, it is positive that allegations such as this are being taken seriously, but this needs to be extended into a public setting where groping is no more tolerated than it is in the House of Commons.
(UK Parliament via Wikimedia Commons)
REALITY CHECK? For sources on this and all our articles please see our online editions at www.palatinate.org.uk
PALATINATE | Thursday 14th November 2019
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Politics
Deadly blow dealt to Islamic State Tanay Vakayalapti This past weekend, the President of the United States announced to the world that the IS leader and one of the most pre-eminent terrorists in the world, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, has been killed after an operation by US Special Forces. His speech bore an uncanny resemblance to his predecessor Barack Obama’s famous address over eight years ago, following the death of the al-Qaeda founder, Osama bin Laden. For Trump, much like it was for Obama, this marked a foreign policy success for his administration – the culmination of American and allied efforts against Islamic State and its brutalism. The group’s future is now even more so in question as the reshaping of the Middle Eastern political landscape continues. The question is whether the death of their leader will halt or quicken their descent.
The death of al-Baghdadi confirms the end of an era for IS Notoriously averse to using technology in fear of surveillance, Al-Baghdadi remained concealed in hiding for years, despite the best efforts of foreign intelligence forces. He was only located through information provided by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) rebels and the Iraqi government, and then tracked to a safe house in Idlib, a region in north-west Syria, close to the Turkish border. This was unexpected by many, given the
area is controlled by rival jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, who have publicly opposed IS. It perhaps shows how far Islamic State have fallen in recent years. Having lost their caliphate and with no more contiguous territory of its own, its self-proclaimed Iraqi caliph had no other option but to hide in enemy territory. He died at the hands of the states he had spent his life terrorising.
The group established itself as not only a regional threat but a global terror Al-Baghdadi rose to prominence as the Iraqi head of operations for al-Qaeda from 2010, after his release from internment at Camp Bucca, a US detention centre in Iraq. He led the group as it broke away from al-Qaeda and expanded past Iraq, joining with Syrian jihadists groups to form Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, commonly known as ISIS, in 2013. Shortly after taking the Iraqi city of Mosul the following year, the group proclaimed it had established a caliphate and al-Baghdadi proclaimed himself its caliph. As foreign fighters flooded in, their power and territory increased. At its peak, the group controlled a region containing over ten million people. Capitalising on weak state governments and armies in Iraq and Syria, the group established itself as not only a regional threat, but a global terror organisation inspiring attacks across the world. It was only through the intervention of foreign powers, including the US, working with non-state actors in Kurdish and Syrian militias, that
the group was restricted and all its territory finally retaken, culminating in the seizure of their strongholds in Raqqa and Baghuz. The death of al-Baghdadi confirms the end of an era for IS. Having lost its land, there was little need for its caliph. The highly organised, war tactician had no role left to play as his armies were captured and his territory seized. Indeed, what made IS and its leader unique was its ability to rip through existing state boundaries and carve out a caliphate of its own - no longer. Al-Baghdadi once claimed his state would conquer land from the Middle East to Europe, ex-
tending to Rome and Spain. With his death, his barbaric dream, once and for all, dies with him.
IS remains a threat as an online community, fostering radical Islamism It does not, however, mark the end for the group he has created. As US troops are set to leave Syria, and regional instability is expected to follow, scattered IS militants might yet have the opportunity to reform and regroup, with their primary opponents in the SDF, including the Kurdish YPG militia, now facing
Gage Skidmore via Flickr existential threats to their continued existence from Turkey. Perhaps more likely is the possibility that the group will change its objectives. With affiliates active in countries across the world, IS remains a threat as an online community, fostering radical Islamism worldwide. Whilst it may never claim a state again, it remains a potent and dangerous threat to stability. The death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi confirms the end of a caliphate which in all likelihood could never have lasted. However, the remnants of the group he has left behind should not be underestimated.
Protests in Iraq: “By order of the people!” Katie Fraser After more than a month of ongoing protesting in Iraq, the roles have now been reversed.
“The fear factor is broken” Recently, police attempted to block entrance to Tahrir Square, described as ‘ground zero for protests in the capital’. The police were chased down by protestors, who pressured the police into reopening the road. Unlikely as it is, the police relented and a sign was hung nearby: “Reopened by order of the people!” Despite this small, albeit uplifting victory, the death toll continues to rise. Violent retaliation
from the government at the start of the protests in October left 250 people dead. In the past weeks, police have shot and killed six protestors in centralBaghdad. Four other protestors were killed and one hundred injured when Iraqi security forces opened fire on a demonstration in front of the government headquarters.
The UN has called for an end to the “senseless loss of life” No official death toll has been confirmed by the government, but it is clear that protestors are paying the ultimate price for making their voices heard. The UN has called for an end to the “senseless loss of life.” Hope, however, is a power-
ful force. November 1st saw thousands of protestors who gathered in central Baghdad, demanding an end to Iranian influence in Iraqi politics. Under constant threat from the police and the government, the civilians of Iraq refuse to be silenced. In a battle between hope and fear, freedom and entrapment, the former seem to be winning. As one student protestor said: “The fear factor is broken.” These protests may seem far removed from us in Britain, and from the University itself, but the Iraqi protests are demands for things we take for granted: democracy, safety, and freedom of speech. These are all things that we take for granted every single day – not everyone is so
lucky to have such privilege. This is especially worth considering since the Iraqi government has had backing from the West, as well as Iran backed Shi’ite armed groups. In what seems to be be-
coming ‘an age of protest’, we need to be more aware than ever of our complicity. With the continuing protests comes the awareness that with one voice comes many - the people of Iraq are tired of injustice.
Bryan Jones via Flickr
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Sport Sport
Thursday 14th November 2019 | PALATINATE
An evening with David Moyes
Moyes speaking candidly on his time at United, Everton, and his proudest managerial triumphs Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero Sport Editor It would be easy for David Moyes to feel hard done by after his last few experiences in management. At West Ham he took over with the team in disarray and kept them up in 13th place, but the club decided not to renew his contract at the end of the season. His Real Sociedad side beat Barcelona at home in La Liga, but he was sacked after 364 days in charge at the Basque club. Then there is the fact that many football fans remember him for his ill-fated spell at Manchester United rather than the 11 hugely impressive years he spent at Everton in which he completely transformed the Merseyside club. And yet Moyes is genial, intelligent and funny in person. He cut an impressive figure during a question and answers session at the Durham Union.
“Sir Alex said ‘David, you’re the new manager of Manchester United’” “I’ve really enjoyed my career, but I still think the best is to come,” the former Everton, Manchester United and Sunderland manager told the audience at the Union. “I’ve always felt that way about life. I’d like to win more; I’ve not won enough, I’ve only won the odd trophy, so I need to win more as a manager.” It was inevitable that lots of questions would centre around Moyes’ time at United. Sir Alex Ferguson chose Moyes as his successor when he retired in 2013, and following the most successful manager in the club’s history was always going to be a difficult task. The former Everton boss was handed a six-year contract but was only given nine months at Old Trafford as the club’s aura in the Premier League rapidly disappeared. It is a process which continues to this day; Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side are seventh in the table, the same position United were in at the time of Moyes’ sacking. To his credit, Moyes was frank when asked about his experience at one of the most demanding clubs in English football. “I thought I fitted what Manchester United stood for,” he said. “United had always stood for giving the managers time, giving them an opportunity, playing young players. But in the end they’d gone along with the others, they’d had to try and keep up with them.
“Everything couldn’t be changed, it had to be done slowly. In a way, I wanted to follow everything Sir Alex had done, why would I not? And the club worked that way. Obviously, personality – players realising that I’m not Sir Alex, I don’t manage in the same way as Sir Alex, which means that they would need to change also. So that problem made it difficult for us.” He also shed light on the speed at which he was made United Manager after Ferguson handpicked him as his replacement. “Sir Alex didn’t say to me ‘David, do you want the job?’, Sir Alex said ‘David, you’re the new manager of Manchester United’. There wasn’t an interview process, it wasn’t a ‘Why don’t you go away and think about it?’, it was simple as that. In hindsight, I should probably have said ‘give me a few days, let me go away and just think about if this is correct’. “But the minute he said it to me, I wasn’t going to turn down Manchester United, even though Everton were my love and I had brilliant times at Everton. Manchester United were just too big an opportunity to say no to.” It is clear Moyes looks back fondly on his time at Everton and that the rivalry between Merseyside’s two biggest clubs has not left him. The Scotsman recalls seeing only Everton jerseys as he drove through Liverpool for his first press conference at Goodison Park, and how he won instant respect with fans when he remarked “The people in the streets of Liverpool support Everton”. There was also a tongue-incheek response when a Liverpool supporter asked him why Anfield was such a hard stadium to go to given the former Everton boss has yet to win a game there. “When I was manager of Everton, it was always difficult to go, and it was very difficult to win. But I ended up leaving Everton because I was fed up of finishing above Liverpool in the league, winning at Anfield didn’t really matter to me then.” He credits the recruitment of “unbelievable players” for his long-term success at the club. His first answer when asked about which players he would like to go back and work with in their prime drew laughter from the chamber, but it was telling that two of the names he picked out were archetypal Moyes signings at Everton: hard-working players brought in for relatively little who he moulded in his image. “I wish I had got the Manchester United players in their prime,” Moyes said. “I wish I had got [Nemanja] Vidic, [Rio] Ferdi-
nand, [Ryan] Giggs in their prime, because when I had them they were great players, but in their prime they were top players. “It would be easy to say Wayne [Rooney], because I had Wayne at Everton. But I probably had as much pleasure out of taking someone like Tim Cahill from Millwall, or Mikel Arteta from Real Sociedad. We got really, really good players and great characters. People want to work with good characters, people who they can trust, and people who they can rely on, and just the names I’ve mentioned would be all that.” In the case of Arteta, Moyes tips the former midfielder for a fine career in management when he makes the step up from being an assistant with Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. “Mikel was a bit different. He was a bit more of a thinker, a bit more thoughtful,” he said. “Do I think he can step up? Yeah. But it’s not always the ones who you think are going to do it, it’s not always the best players.” Born in Glasgow, where he started his playing career at Celtic, Moyes hails from a tough school of management: “You had to play very well not to get a bollocking. Even if you played good, you’d probably still get a bollocking”. Perhaps that is why the Scottish city has produced so many top-level managers, including the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson, Jock Stein, Sir Matt Busby and George Graham. Even so, he remembers feeling out of his depth when he first set foot in Everton’s dressing room as a young manager, faced with so many world class players. The transition from player to manager had been easy enough at Preston North End, where he had made over 100 appearances for the Lancashire club. The same could not be said for Goodison Park.
“For all the training you do, there’ll be times when you start somewhere and you’ll go ‘Oh shit, what have I done?’” “When I first became a coach, they taught me all of these things – how to put on sessions, how we speak, who we speak to and all the things,” he told the audience. “But then I got the job at Everton, and when I had to come in on the first day on the Friday morning and speak to the players, I had Paul Gascoigne, David Ginola, Duncan Ferguson, Tommy Gravesen, a host of highprofile players. And I was thinking ‘What the hell am I going to say to these players?’. They’re
(Durham Union Society)
probably thinking ‘Who’s he?’. “For all the training you do and the roles you’re doing just now, there’ll be something when you start somewhere, where you’ll go ‘Oh, shit, what have I done? Am I prepared for this, am I ready for this?’. Sometimes you have to bluff it a wee bit as well, you have to get through it and you have to make sure that you stick your chest out and chin up and say ‘This is what we’re going to do’.” It was interesting to hear Moyes speak about the signings he missed out on at Everton and United. He is frequently cited as claiming his Everton side were one player away from being Premier League title contenders, and he reiterated that here. Miroslav Klose and Demba Ba were targeted in the search for a “real top-end centre-forward”, but the Germany striker broke his wrist in a friendly on the night Moyes flew out to meet him, while the latter failed a medical. At United, the two big misses which came to define his tenure were Cesc Fabregas and Gareth Bale. Fabregas had agreed to join if Barcelona did not select him for the first game of the season, and Moyes says United offered Bale and his agent more money than Real Madrid. In the event, the midfielder started Barca’s opener against Levante and put in a man-of-the-match display, while United could not talk Bale out of his dream move to the Spanish capital despite having a helicopter ready to collect him. Moyes has taken the reins at several relegation-threatened clubs in recent years, including Sunderland and West Ham. He was unable to prevent the Black Cats from dropping out of the top flight, but still describes the club as “one very close to my heart”. He laments the situation
the North-East club finds itself in after years of overspending. Indeed, Moyes was effusive about all the clubs he has worked at. His time at Real Sociedad was characterised by his struggles with the language among other cultural differences as he recorded a mere 28.57% win rate, but he talked glowingly of the opportunity to work in Spain. “It was a brilliant experience,” he told the audience. “The players were fantastic. They would do anything, anytime, except they wouldn’t do it at lunch.
“I left Everton because I was fed up of finishing above Liverpool in the league” “One of the things we talk about technically in this country is are we doing enough work with the ball? In Spain, everyone was considered good enough on the ball. Everybody took the ball, everybody played. “Beating Barcelona at home was great, and the chance to play in Madrid and the opportunities to see Messi, Ronaldo, close-up at that time, was certainly very special.” So, which game would he single out as the highlight of his career? “It’s too difficult to think of one game,” Moyes said. “I think I’ve had moments – I lost in an FA Cup final at Everton to Chelsea, I won the Community Shield with Manchester United. I lost a semi-final to Liverpool in the FA Cup at Wembley which we should have won, which was really disappointing. “I’ve been really, really fortunate, I’ve had some great times as a manager. But I think whatever manager takes any of the jobs, you’re going to have bad times as well as good times. You can’t always win.”
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PALATINATE | Thursday 14th November 2019
Sport
Float like a butterfly, sting like a BNOC Alana Ker Mercer Deputy Sport Editor Aggression Sessions sees a selection of athletes train intensely over the course of four months, competing in front of a live audience to be crowned Aggression Session champions. By taking students who are either current DU Athletes, on college sports teams or simply gym-goers, Aggression Session seeks to take the competitors, most of whom have never previously participated in boxing, out of their comfort zone. Although there are additional fight nights hosted throughout the year, Aggression Sessions is an annual event with extreme hype and publicity that anyone at the University can get behind. Having begun a few weeks ago, training is now well underway and takes place two to three times a week. Two of last year’s competitors – Rob Singleton and Ben Jones – are looking to pass on their own experience and enjoyment of the sport and have taken roles relating to the organisation of the event, whilst also leading the weekly sessions and putting hopeful competitors through their paces. The event is in aid of PAPYRUS, a charity focused on the prevention of youth suicide which works with trained professionals and aims to influence national policy, providing help and advice to young people. Aggression Sessions views itself as “bigger than a single event”, acting as a platform that aims to remove stigma and promote conversation around mental health and youth suicide, “providing a safe and expressive environment for anybody that wishes to be involved”. Two of last year’s Spar-5
athletes and current DUWHC first team players, Helena Youmans and Emma McIntyre, gave Palatinate an insight into the event and what it was like to trade their sticks for the gloves.
“Going from not knowing how to wrap hand wraps to boxing in front of 1,000 people demonstrates how quickly you can learn a new skill” As they already hold the status of DU athletes, both Emma and Helena initially viewed Aggression Sessions as an opportunity to develop fitness for use on the hockey pitch, but the “opportunity to do something” active and alternative to “help raise money for an amazing charity” sealed their attraction. Helena, noting that she “had never done anything like” boxing prior to training and the event, sees Aggression Sessions as an entirely new challenge. Going from “not knowing how to wrap hand wraps to boxing in front of 1,000 people” within four months demonstrates how quickly you can learn a new skill and “raise confidence” in your abilities. The difficulty in transitioning between sports lies not only in learning new technique, but also understanding an entirely new environment. Having “spent a lot of time sparring and being punched” after the first initial weeks of fitness, the process of moving “into the ring” and then to performing competitively in front of a crowd is a jolt to the system. Considering their involvement in the event as female athletes, Emma highlighted the fact that “the female fights were taken just as seriously as the guys and all the training is the same”.
Emma McIntyre (left) and Helena Youmans (right) in the ring during their Aggression Sessions bouts (Jack Dobson)
Boxing is typically a maledominated sport, with fewer female fights taking place on the night of Aggression Sessions, but the female competitors are nevertheless treated with equal respect and regard. And having “never before” put herself in such an open position, Helena draws attention to her initial apprehension “about people’s views”. She “didn’t want to be seen as an aggressive girl or unattractive” due to the physicality involved in the event. Once her participation had commenced, however, Helena realised “everyone is supportive and have a lot of respect for what you are doing”, with previous stigmas on certain sports as gender-imbalanced beginning to diminish – especially through events like Aggression Sessions.
“To go out in solo is a crazy feeling”, especially when you are more accustomed to being surrounded by at least 10 other girls on a hockey pitch. Although the “competitive drive” is certainly one that Helena is used to, “walking out by myself” and knowing that “this was all on me [to win the fight]” was a new experience that she would certainly relive.
“Female fights are taken just as seriously as the guys and all the training is the same” On the night, everyone is weighed in by an England Boxing doctor and fully checked over, with each fight taking place under England Boxing rules. No one can be too far under or over the fight
weight to ensure safety, with each spar additionally being overseen by England Boxing judges and a qualified referee. Both Helena and Emma agree that “their eyes were opened” to the world of boxing, encouraging anyone interested to “give it a go”, even if it’s simply for some alternative fitness training. For Emma, “the event itself was by far the best thing I have done to date at university”, with Helena highlighting the “unique” aspect of the event, unfazed by others’ opinions and instead reassuring athletes to “back themselves”. The training is a great way to learn how to balance academics with fitness, and the event is not one to miss during your time at Durham University.
Durham student and alumnus qualify for Tokyo 2020 Alana Ker Mercer Deputy Sport Editor Continued from back page... She promised herself that she would only play if she continued to love the game. As experienced by all involved in elite performance, Howard is certain that there will be very hard times ahead, as she found out when she fractured her hand in August and was unable to perform in the Bronze medal game of the European tournament. It was only nine weeks later, however, that she achieved a full recovery and played a significant role in
helping her squad qualify for the Olympics. Ultimately, for Howard, “these moments are indescribable and addictive”, constructing an adrenaline high which enforces determination to compete to one’s best ability at all times. These moments do come to an end, however, and sometimes things in life occur out of your own control. This is why she has chosen to prepare for the next chapter in her life by pursuing environmental and social law within postgraduate studies – assuming the initial degree is sealed down first. Howard states how “incredibly grateful” she is for all the
support from Team Durham, the Geography department and DUHC, especially the aid and coaching of Gareth Weaver-Tyler, head of Performance Hockey. “Without their belief and trust, I wouldn’t be able to chase the dream”.
DUHC can claim a hand in contributing to the success of their past, current and future stars As with Tess’s famous words of self-motivation, encouragement and ambition – keep visualising. “Be confident” that the scenarios
playing out in your head come to fruition and, crucially, enjoy what you do. Recent graduate Jack Waller, meanwhile, has made himself a mainstay in the Great Britian men’s hockey sqaud since his arrival from the England Development Program. Now holding 22 Great Britain caps to his name and having played for the junior England teams prior to his U21 performances, Waller remains within the defensive line on the pitch, a solid appearance from one of the more youthful players. Great Britain men sealed their place at the Olympics with a 5-2 win against Malaysia, with
a hat-trick from Forsyth and a double from Ward. Waller saw himself begin the game in the starting line-up, putting in a fine performance as Great Britain overcame the opposition in style. With Waller previously participating in the Sultan of Johor Cup in 2017 alongside current student and Great Britain U21 Ollie Payne, and Tess Howard performing alongside current England Development Program and DUWHC 1st team players Louisa Bray and Fiona Crackles, Durham University Hockey Club can claim a hand in contributing to the success of their past, current and future stars.
Thursday 14th November 2019 | PALATINATE
20
Sport
Moyes speaks at the Union Society
The former Man United and Everton manager comes to Durham (page 18)
Inside Aggression Sessions
We talk to two DU athletes swapping the pitch for the boxing ring (page 19)
Team Durham keep up good work with football and hockey charity clashes Hector Pearce
Deputy Sport Editor
Tess Howard, a third year Castle student, celebrates in Great Britain’s win over Chile which secured their place at next year’s Olympics. (Kent Sport Images)
Durham duo reach 2020 Olympics Alana Ker Mercer
Deputy Sport Editor Two Durham University hockey players – current third year Castle Geography student Tess Howard and alumnus Jack Waller – participated in qualifying both the men’s and women’s Great Britain teams for the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Speaking to Palatinate, Howard noted the “huge amount of pressure” placed on the squad to perform – both to secure qualification and to exhibit world-class hockey in front of a home crowd. Only taking place every four years, the qualification rounds are make or break for those teams wishing to travel to Japan and pursue a highly soughtafter gold medal. Although she is “one of the youngest players on record” to play for the Great Britain squad, Howard considers this factor irrelevant once on the
pitch, with everyone in the team “fighting as hard as they can” to seal quality performances. The Castle student, however, reflected on her “youthful passion” as easily identifiable in her performances, bringing an added level of energy to training sessions and competition. For Howard, it is “a privilege to be so young in the team”, competing alongside women who were once – and still are – her “role models”, having been 17 when she watched the girls win gold in Rio. She still often rewatches the highlights from the tournament for inspiration and insight into what pure fight and determination to win look like. She remembers arriving at the Olympic Park in 2012 and going “on a quest” to find the Olympic Rings, stating that “they have terrified [her] since” but now she tries to “look them in the eye and say ‘I’m coming for you’”. They say there are four elements of your life: your
passion, your profession, your vocation and your mission. When all four combine, you find your purpose. For Howard, hockey “ticks all the boxes” and she “finds it hard not to smile” when she thinks of hockey as her profession. Whilst it is “surreal when you step out to perform in front of your home crowd”, this is now her day-to-day life. As a 21-year-old, however, Howard realises the sacrifices she has made with regards to her “Durham life”. She was required to transfer clubs from DUHC to East Grinstead, a ridiculously hard transition for a young athlete to undergo due to loyalties as well as attachment to friends and teammates acquired at the University. Whilst the third year student can technically still perform for the University within BUCS competitions, the travel and commitment within the Great Britain set-up “make it very hard” for her to spend time in
Durham, with the toughest part of relocating south not being the self-studying, but the lack of socialising. Her statement of “dearly missing Boat House Wednesdays” will ring true with any of DUWHC’s current squad or alumni. Looking ahead, Howard is aware that she “only had one chance to play international hockey”. Howard hopes to play a large part in creating history for British and English hockey alongside her teammates over the next 10 years. Part of the role of being a Great Britain athlete is also teaching and educating the next generation in the ways of hockey, team sport and performance. Howard often coaches younger players, returning to her old school or various hockey clubs to encourage a continued love for the game and inspire others to strive for success. Continued on page 19
Team Durham have continued their charitable efforts into the new academic year with a series of hugely successful charity matches across a range of sports. Following DURFC’s clash with Northumbria earlier in the term in aid of Sport in Action, DUAFC and DUHC have followed suit. Despite falling to a 2-1 defeat against Stirling in atrocious weather conditions, Durham University Men’s Football Club’s match in aid of Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), a charity which helps to raise awareness of young and sudden cardiac death, was a resounding success on Wednesday 6th November. DUAFC had taken the lead in the 39th minute when Callum Begg latched onto a lethally accurate cross from Oli Kilvington, but two second half goals for the visitors, and a disallowed one for the hosts, meant they returned north of the border with the victory. Speaking to Palatinate, club captain Josh Buys was nevertheless proud of what the club had achieved. “The day was good overall. Despite the result, the boys played well and massively appreciated the support. “This was a test run for a much bigger game in January that we’re hoping to play against Northumbria,” he continued. “We will change the game to a Friday and do our version of Friday Night Football.” The next Team Durham charity event takes place on Wednesday 20th November in aid of Sport in Action, a charity which uses sport to engage youth communities in Zambia. The University’s elite hockey teams will take on Nottingham University in a tight contest organised around the newly established BUCS schedule that means teams only play each other once a year.