Palatinate Officially the North’s Best Student Publication, 2017
Thursday 25th January 2018 | No. 802
Fire, fury and fake news Comment and Politics reflect on Trump’s presidency, one year on from his inauguration
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Best Books of 2017
Our writers pick out the stories that shaped their year and how they might resonate with you in 2018
EU admissions to Durham have risen since Brexit vote Cameron McIntosh News Editor The number of EU students enrolling at Durham University has continued to increase despite Britain’s decision to leave the European Union, Palatinate has learned. The most recent census statistics published by the University reveal that 1,354 European Union students call Durham home this year, an increase of 147 since 2015-16. As a result, EU students now comprise 7.5% of Durham’s student population, including over 13% of students enrolled on postgraduate courses. These findings emerge over 18 months since Britain voted to leave the European Union in a landmark referendum held in June 2016. Concerns about the status of EU citizens living and studying in the UK were raised during the referendum campaign and reiterated by the higher education sector in the immediate aftermath of the historic result. It was disclosed by a parliamentary Brexit committee last year that EU applications to British universities had decreased by 7% since the referendum, the first drop in nearly a decade. However, the latest figures seen by Palatinate suggest that Brexit has not had a discernible impact on Durham’s EU admissions. Durham University’s Pro-ViceChancellor for Education, Professor Alan Houston, welcomed the publication of the statistics. He told Palatinate: “Durham is consistently ranked as one of the world’s leading universities. We hope that Durham will continue to be an attractive destination for EU staff and students following the UK’s exit from the European Union. “The number of undergraduate applications from EU students is comparable to this stage last year, so we do not believe Brexit is damaging our recruitment of EU students.” Continued on page 4
Durham students’ Instagrams greatly benefitted from last week’s heavy snowfall, with up to 15cm reported in some areas of the county (Dahyun Kim)
Durham Vice-Chancellor taken off committee that sets his own pay Professor Stuart Corbridge’s £231,000/year salary came under fire last year from students and the national press Tania Chakraborti News Editor Durham University’s Vice-Chancellor Stuart Corbridge has been removed from the committee responsible for setting his own controversial £231,000 annual salary. The decision was formalised on the 19th December at the University Council and made clear this month by Students’ Union President Megan Croll, in an announcement on the Students’ Union website. The decision to remove Pro-
fessor Corbridge from Remuneration Committee, which also decides salaries for the University Executive and professors, comes amid protest last year surrounding his pay. The University’s Terms of Reference outlines the function of the Remuneration Committee as being to “determine the framework or broad policy for the remuneration of the ViceChancellor, of other members of the University Executive, of professors, and of equivalent level senior posts remunerated
within the Grade 10 pay range. “No member of University staff shall be involved in any decisions affecting their own remuneration.” Regarding Vice-Chancellor pay specifically, the Terms of Reference state the “remuneration and terms of conditions of the Vice-Chancellor shall be determined by the other members of the Committee in his absence.” However, this new decision means that the ViceChancellor will no longer participate on the Committee. Speaking exclusively to Palati-
nate, Ms Croll said: “Given the national media attention around Vice-Chancellor’s pay, which rightly highlights the responsibility of Universities, especially as fees rise, to be accountable and thorough with their resources, I raised this issue with our VC, Professor Corbridge, at the very beginning of the academic year. “At that time, he was a member of remuneration committee where his salary was set. “I am told that he chose never to be in the room when his... Continued on page 5
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Thursday 25th January 2018 | PALATINATE
Editorial
Student life must be accessible It is difficult to meet anyone at Durham who does not participate in any extra-curricular activities, somehow balancing roles and responsibilities alongside demanding degrees. Each and every member of the student population at Durham should have the opportunity to take part in the wide variety of societies and sports that the University has to offer, developing specific skillsets that may be of use further down the line, when securing internships and jobs.
Every member of the student population should be able to take part in student life However, it’s hard to see how the University is promoting accessibility to such endeavours with the rise in accommodation fees, inflated rent, increasing tuition fees and strained student support. Going to a university as prestigious as Durham should not mean simply attending lectures, completing summatives and fulfilling the academic requirements of our degree programmes. It should mean being immersed in student life, embracing the wider opportunities that being among talented and enthusiastic peers has to offer, and developing your interests and skillsets, bulking the CV but
also contributing to your own improvement. Unfortunately, for the privilege of these things, financial security is often a prerequisite and not everyone can afford to dedicate hours of their lives to unpaid student life when there are costs to consider (rent, groceries, textbooks, bills). The Annual Student Survey reported earlier this year the student loan can leave students up to £221 short every month. In the same survey, 84% of students reported they are “worried about having enough money”. Statistics like this leave one wondering how students are expected to be able to balance financial responsibilities whilst truly embracing student life. This, I would suggest, is another of the New Year’s Resolutions Durham needs to make, in addition to those already outlined by Comment (p. 8), keeping student life affordable and accessible. Perhaps Durham is changing, with News focusing on ViceChancellor’s salary on our front page and the discussion about the concentration of privately educated students at Durham being focused on again on page 7. This edition of Palatinate, as usual, is a testament to those students who sacrifice their time and energy to contribute to Durham student life. Sport shines a light on both the DU and College Sport seasons so far, with a particular focus on
Hatfield cricket (p. 20). Politics casts its eye further afield, with coverage of the Iran protests (p. 15) and discussion about the controversial, yet wildly popular, Fire and Fury (p. 14).
It’s hard to see how Durham University is promoting accessibility SciTech’s piece on London’s Lumiere is illuminating (p. 16) and Profile’s interview with Angela Saini raises important points about gender in the sciences (p. 12). Reflecting Durham’s interest in culture and the arts – Indigo’s Fashion have an exclusive interview with DUCFS, another one of the elements of Durham life that give this University such vibrancy. Food and Drink talk about 2018’s food trends (p. 7) and Film & TV question Hollywood hypocrisy (p. 6). We’ll see you again in a fortnight. New Year, new Durham (I hope). Sophie Gregory
Inside 802 News pages 4-7 Comment pages 8-10 Profile page 12 Politics pages 13-15 SciTech page 16 Sport pages 18-20
indigo Editorial page 2 Features page 3 Visual Arts pages 4-5 Film and TV page 6 Food and Drink page 7 Creative Writing pages 8-9 Music page 10 Travel page 11 Fashion pages 12-13 Stage page 14 Books pages 15
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“If you want to have a laugh and enjoy the constant surprise of scratch comedy then this is worth watching,” writes Catriona Inglis.
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
Editorial Board Editors-in-Chief Eugene Smith & Sophie Gregory editor@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Editors Anna Tatham & Caitlin Allard deputy.editor@palatinate.org.uk News Editors Tania Chakraborti & Cameron McIntosh news@palatinate.org.uk Deputy News Editors Clara Gaspar, Tasha Livingstone & Tom Mitchell deputy.news@palatinate.org.uk Comment Editor Zoë Boothby comment@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Comment Editors Hana Kapetanovic & Danny Walker Profile Editor Isabelle Ardron profile@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Profile Editor Holly Adams Science and Technology Editors Martha Bozic & Jack Eardley scitech@palatinate.org.uk Politics Editors Rhodri Sheldrake-Davies & Julia Atherley politics@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Politics Editors Jack Parker & Tom Walsh Sport Editor Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero sport@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Sport Editors Ollie Godden, Will Jennings, Ella Jerman & Louis Gibbon Indigo Editor Tamsin Bracher indigo@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Indigo Editor Adele Cooke deputy.indigo@palatinate.org.uk Features Editor Rosie Dowsing features@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Features Editor Katie Anderson Food & Drink Editor Emma Taylor food@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Food & Drink Editor Sapphire Demirsöz Travel Editor Harriet Willis travel@palatinate.org.uk Fashion Editor Anna Gibbs fashion@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Fashion Editor Emma Denison Film & Television Editor Imogen Kaufman film@palatinate.org.uk Stage Editor Helena Snider stage@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Stage Editor Helen Chatterton Music Editor Tom Watling music@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Music Editor Ashleigh Goodall Creative Writing Editor Chloe Scaling creative.writing@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Creative Writing Editor Kleopatra Olympiou Books Editor [Vacant] books@palatinate.org.uk Deput Books Editor Tanvi Pahwa Visual Arts Editor Madeleine Cater visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Visual Arts Editor Anna Thomas Chief Sub-Editor Yongchang Chin Sub-Editors Inka Karna, Aoife Clements, Mint Parabatra, Zuzanna Gwadera & Angelos Sofocleous Photography Editor [Vacant] photography@palatinate.org.uk Illustrations Editor Katie Butler illustration@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Illustrations Editors Charlotte Way, Akansha Naraindas & Holly Murphy Social Media Office Helen Paton Website Administrator Alex Stuckey Advertising Officer Alex Hewitt advertising@palatinate.org.uk
PALATINATE | Thursday 25th January 2018
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#fakenews
Shoebox in middle of road only affordable housing left in Durham actually – by our calculations the University’s criminally underpaid Vice-Chancellor could afford to live in as many as 28 rooms in college at once.” A University spokesperson later emphasised a ‘Durham Grant’ is available for all students on lower residual household incomes, who “might need financial assistance to upgrade their home to a slightly larger shoebox”.
Clark Rhodes
I’m sure many of you will have noticed the building works going on at the moment on Mary’s field, across the road from the new Physics building. Some of you may even know that these are the beginnings of the new Centre for Teaching and Learning to be unveiled in late 2019 – part of the University’s ten year strategy, launched last year. So why is this something I think I should be telling you about? This new building is going to provide more of something many of us are aware we’ve had an increasing shortage of in recent years – study spaces. The new building is slated to have the capacity for an additional 400 social/open learning areas spaces and around 180 computer lab spaces. I am pleased to see that some of the real issues for students – issues that have been flagged and lobbied for by so many of us – are being addressed in this development. The University strategy poses many challenges for our growing student population. The new Teaching and Learning building development definitely isn’t a painless process (as I’m sure Mary’s students can attest), but I would encourage students to engage with it, and offer critique and feedback through whatever forums are available to them. We do have the power to make sure the strategy serves students. We can feed back on the University’s meeting through our Common Room and Students’ Union representatives, and through the forums, meetings and surveys seeking student opinions on upcoming changes. And of course, by running for a role yourself, to spearhead student voice within the University (Durham SU Student Officer nominations close on 29 January folks!). More info and a feedback form can be found at this link: www.dur.ac.uk/estates-developments/projects/ctl/ Megan Croll
Durham students with a penchant for living somewhere they can afford were given a ray of hope this week, as a hot new reasonablypriced property opened up on the inside lane of the A690.
The shoebox boasts “four walls, one bedroom, and fantastic views of the tarmac” Located 400 yards from the big roundabout down the hill from the town centre, the shoebox (pictured, inset right) boasts “four walls, one bedroom, and fantastic views of the tarmac beneath you,” according to the website of the estate agents doing their best to flog it. The property, which “has no
“
Campaigners protesting the fees hike last year (Ruby-Rae Cotter). Inset: the shoebox property in question (shoebox via Flickr)
bathroom but which on rainy days has an outside shower in the form of the spray from passing cars,” is offered at £76 a week – excluding bills – a steal, compared to the £8,199/year undergrads at St Aidan’s will soon have to pay for a
“Not another f---ing play,” sighs friend of Durham student with new profile picture Juliet McBeth Mark Zuckerberg’s net worth increased again last night as Facebook’s web traffic was set alight by a Durham student actor’s revolutionary decision to use his profile picture to plug that new play he’s in. The budding thespian, who has combined performing in forty amateur productions a term with systematically failing his £9,000-ayear degree, uploaded the new, branded self-portrait yesterday evening. Replete with the deprecatingly tongue-in-cheek yet thoroughly irritating caption of “I do theatre stuff,” the aspiring Laurence Ol-
ivier clocked in an impressive 22 likes, seven love-heart reacts and four laughing emojis for his handiwork – all of which being provided by other members of the play’s cast and crew.
The image was accompanied by the deprecatingly tonguein-cheek yet thoroughly irritating caption of “I do theatre stuff” The play in question will be showing at the Assembly Rooms Theatre from tomorrow, to be followed by a DST production like it for every week during term time until the day you die.
double-bed ensuite. The University’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Colleges and Student Experience, Owen D. GovernmentLoadsamunnyforlife, said: “The college accommodation price increases are quite reasonable,
The ViceChancellor could afford to live in as many as 28 rooms at once
”
Jubilant scenes as queue outside ‘Flat White’ moves an inch Luke Wahm-Beveridge Durham residents were given a startle on Sunday morning as the thousands of credulous morons queuing the day away for a slice of toast in ‘Flat White Kitchen’ gave out a loud cheer upon coming half a footstep closer to making it through the door. The café, which is located on the Bailey and which specialises in coffee, brunch and the slow but sure erosion of wills to live, has long been famous for its rustic aesthetic and inexplicable popularity. When asked why they were so keen on getting in, one ‘Flat White’ punter who’d been queuing since 7 a.m. told Palatinate: “I take my cafés like I take my coffee – way too full, a bit pretentious, and milked
to within an inch of its life.” One customer on their way out, who’d made it into the café earlier that morning, said: “Oh yeah, I had to pitch a tent overnight. But once you’ve done it a few times, you get used to it.”
With thanks to: Charles Pipe Find more cartoons on his Facebook page: Durham anthropology student adventures yay
Thursday 25th January 2018 | PALATINATE
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News
Durham Cathedral scaffolding to finally be removed later this year
Jack Reed Deputy News Editor The scaffolding on Durham Cathedral is scheduled to be taken down by the end of this year. The top of the landmark has been under repair since the start of 2016 due to efforts to conserve the stone forming the tower. The Cathedral is made out of golden sandstone, which is particularly vulnerable to erosion, and the tower had reached such a state of disrepair that a conservation project worth £800,000 was launched to fix the section of the Cathedral. Repair work was initially delayed as the scaffolding took around seven months to erect due
to the location of the cathedral. Nevertheless, the first phase of the repair work has recently been finished, which lowered around 200 stone blocks to ground level. The remaining work requires restoration to the inside and outside of the bell tower.
“Work will be completed by late autumn 2018 and then the scaffolding will come down” Maya Polenz, head of property at Durham Cathedral, stated: “We have just started phase two, which is the outside of the bell tower and we have just put up scaffolding on the inside, around the bell.
Durham Cathedral (Orangeaurochs via Flickr and Creative Commons)
“We will be in the workshop all winter to produce the stonework, which will go up in the spring. “Work will be completed by late autumn 2018 and then the scaffolding will come down. “This time next year we hope to have the scaffolding down. It takes quite a bit of work, it’s quite a bit of engineering.” Ms Polenz went on to explain the delayed nature of phase one: “We had to remove more stones in phase one than we had anticipated, but we had a contingency plan. That took a while. “The architect has looked at the stability of the tower and it looks like it is in good shape. “We don’t have to do as much in phase two and three as we thought.”
“A soft Brexit would have little impact ... a hard Brexit would be devastating” Continued from front page Furthermore, despite fears of a ‘brain-drain’ among university academics following Britain’s decision to leave the EU, the University – which, on the day the UK triggered Article 50, announced it would lobby for EU students’ rights – does not believe the referendum result to have adversely impacted its ability to attract members of staff.
“British universities won’t become more attractive if they receive less money” President of the Young European Movement Durham, Valentin John, responded with caution to the new statistics. After pointing out that Brexit was yet to take effect, he went on to cite the “good reputation” of British universities and the value of English as “the most spoken language in the EU” as the principal explanations for why Brexit is yet to impact Durham’s admissions figures. “I would expect a decline after the initial leaving, if the conditions for EU citizens worsen. That means that a soft Brexit would have little impact, whereas a hard Brexit would be devastating.
“I would expect a decline after initial leaving,” the Durham President of the Young European Movement said Valentin added: “Why should any European come any more, if the student fees increase [...] and British universities are excluded
from EU funding?” The Durham student, who is originally from Germany, pointed to the heavy reliance of research projects on funding from Brussels, saying: “British universities won’t become more attractive if they receive less money.” Furthermore, Valentin spoke of the ambiguities about the future of Erasmus programmes and gave examples of concerns raised among Durham’s EU community about their futures in post-Brexit Britain, including one student worried about his ability to finish a PhD in Durham. Finally, Valentin called for “more clarity” from universities and in particular he urged them to offer assurances regarding EU student fees and Erasmus funding upon the UK’s departure.
Just over 70% of Durham students are currently registered as Home students Although Britain is yet to formally leave the political and economic union, negotiations between the British government and the EU recently progressed to the second phase and the scheduled date of departure is set for the 29th March 2019. The newly published data also reveals that the proportion of students from the UK has once more decreased relative to international students. Just over 70% of Durham students are currently registered as Home students, which represents a 10% decrease in the last decade. The University further con-
firmed its commitment to expanding the size of the student body, which currently totals 18,013. “We plan to increase our student population to a maximum of 21,500 by 2027. This will include an increase in the number of UK students, as well as non-UK students. “This follows an increase in home students of about 1,000 (8%) over the last decade,” stated Professor Houston. Last summer, the University’s newly appointed Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global), Professor Clare O’Malley, pledged to increase the proportion of international students at the University to 35%.
On the day the UK triggered Article 50, the University said it would lobby for EU students’ rights In terms of ethnic diversity, 27.1% of Durham’s students are now from the Black or Minority Ethnic (BME) community, compared to 71.5% of students who are White, representing a 13% increase in the proportion of BME students at Durham since 2007/08.
“ We plan to increase our student population to 21,500 by 2027 ”
PALATINATE | Thursday 25th January 2018
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News “This move comes at a time when students are outraged by use of funds” Continued from front page “...own salary was discussed at remuneration committee, but removing him from the committee provides assurance that this cannot be the case at any point in the future, and means that his successors will also not be members of the committee.
“We’re lucky to have a VC that was very reasonable about this issue,” said SU President Megan Croll “We’re lucky to have a VC [ViceChancellor] that was very reasonable about this issue and was in agreement that he should not be on the committee. “The decision then moved through the University’s committees, and the final decision was made at University Council on 19th December.” She added she was “very pleased that the Vice Chancellor is no longer a member of Remuneration Committee and is therefore unable to discuss his own salary with the body that decides it. “I now aim to fill this space on the committee with a student representative to make sure that the students who pay so much to
attend this University have a say about how much the VC and other senior staff are paid.” When asked by Palatinate for an elaboration on the issue of remuneration and why the decision to remove the Vice-Chancellor for the Committee had been made, Jennifer Sewel, University Secretary for Durham University stated: “The University’s Remuneration Committee consists of independent external advisers with wide-ranging professional backgrounds. “The terms of reference and membership of the Remuneration Committee are reviewed regularly to ensure they are in line with relevant good governance guidance and with practice elsewhere in the sector.”
“Membership of the Remuneration Committee [is] reviewed regularly,” say the University The news comes a few months after national controversy surrounding University management pay when in September a host of Vice-Chancellors were forced to defend their high salaries after the government introduced new plans to bring “transparency and openness” to higher education ad-
ministration. In a one-to-one interview with Palatinate last September, NUS President Shakira Martin said Professor Corbridge was “definitely” overpaid.
The news follows national controversy in 2017 over high salaries for University management
Vice-Chancellor Corbridge (Durham University)
“
The ViceChancellor is now unable to discuss his own salary with the body that decides it
”
Students at Durham University have responded positively to the news of Professor Corbridge’s removal from the committee. Priyal Agrawal, a second year student from St Chad’s college, said: “This move comes at a time when students, as shown by the ‘Ripped Off’ Campaign, are outraged by the way that the University uses its funds. “This is a welcome change which will hopefully make the Committee a more objective body, and provide students with more faith in University senior management.” Emily Marten, a fourth year Hild Bede student, added: “Being on the committee that decides your own salary sounds like a joke, but it was the reality for Durham’s Vice-Chancellor until just recently, and is a similar trend at other universities.
“The amount of money they are paid is unjustifiable, and shows just how out of touch with students they are. “If only we could have more of a voice on, say, accommodation fees, yet they continue to increase seemingly regardless of what students say or do.” Rhiannon Morris, a second year student at St Mary’s, expressed that “the decision to remove Stuart Corbridge ... is one I think of as both just and fair. “When one considers the extortionate tuition fee rates that Durham students are currently paying, as well as college accommodation costs, his fee seems grossly disproportionate and inappropriate.
In a one-to-one interview with Palatinate last year, NUS President Shakira Martin said Corbridge was “definitely” overpaid “Not only is it problematic for Corbridge to be put in the position wherein he would have opportunity to influence his own salary because it leaves little room for unbiased consideration, it also allows senior positions in the University to potentially take advantage of financial resources.”
Bill Bryson Library forced to reduce opening hours due to staff shortages Marek Urawski, a second-year Law student, expressed his disappointment at the new opening times: “The first thing to point out is that the Library is this term not only not 24/7, but fundamentally only open until 10.
Clara Gaspar Deputy News Editor The Bill Bryson Library will be shortening its opening hours due to unforeseen staff shortages, it emerged last week. The library’s Twitter page announced that from “Saturday 13th January to Sunday 11th February, Bill Bryson Library will close every day at 22:00, with staffed service finishing at 21.30.”
“It results in the library being always busy and finding a place to study is more commonly seen as some kind of miracle, especially during the day”
The resignation of three members of staff over the Christimas holidays left the library with little time to recruit new staff When asked about the motivations for this change, library staff told Palatinate that the library was facing “operational challenges” and “didn’t really have a choice” but to shorten library opening hours. The resignation of three members of staff over the Christmas holidays left the library with little time to react and recruit new staff for late shifts.
According to the Library’s management team, the limited latenight transport to and from the centre of Durham makes recruiting for the late-hour shifts even more difficult. However, the decision has
caused dismay among several students. Second-year Physics student Daisy Balmont expressed her opinion to Palatinate: “I have an assessment due tomorrow which I need to use short term loan books
for as well as the quiet provided by the Bill Bryson. “However, due to the Library not being open 24 hours, I am facing extra time pressure and having to look for alternative study spaces after it closes.”
“Seeing that it used to be until 12 last year and the influx of Stockton students using the facilities, it results in the library being always busy and finding a place to study is more commonly seen as some kind of miracle, especially during the day. “Given that we also have lectures/tutorials during the day, it also means that there is limited time to use the library – and that’s why having it open at night is really important.” Photograph: Sam Vickers via Flickr and Creative Commons
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Thursday 25th January 2018| PALATINATE
News
Campaign to save Dunelm House from demolition exceeds fundraising target Clara Gaspar Deputy News Editor The Save Dunelm House campaign has successfully raised £8,383, exceeding their £7,250 target. 213 supporters donated to the cause over the course of 28 days. On their website, the Save Dunelm House team thanked their supporters and expressed the following campaign strategy: “The money raised will be used to help run an event, bringing together designers and engineers to test viable alternatives to the proposed demolition of Dunelm House and will help publicise the campaign through a website, exhibition and publication.” Since exceeding their target, the campaign has set a new aim to raise £12,000, which would allow the campaign to “pay a basic stipend to all the teams participating to help their costs and overheads.”
213 supporters donated to the cause over the course of 28 days
On their Crowdfunder website, the Save Dunelm House team wrote that “£12,000 would allow us to cover a small basic fee to each team. It will also allow us to increase the publication run and
reach a wider audience.” The campaign was originally created last October, when the Durham Students’ Union voted to support the University’s plan to demolish Dunelm House.
The University has estimated that repairs would cost £14.7 million
Durham University appealed to the Department of Digital, Media, Culture and Sport for immunity from Dunelm House’s listed status, noting its state of disrepair would present excessive renovation costs. The University has estimated that repairs would cost £14.7 million. As Palatinate has previously reported, the Assembly noted its belief that Dunelm House is “unfit” for the SU, with its lack of lifts rendering it inaccessible for many students. The lack of sufficient interior space “necessary for student groups to hold regular meetings, activities and events” was underlined. Additionally, Assembly stated that the building’s state renders it dysfunctional for continued use, noting “a leaky roof, damp and mould.” However, the Save Dunelm House campaign group has main-
tained restoration would be cheaper than a rebuild. Supporters of the maintenance of Dunelm House stressed the necessity of action to preserve the building; “The application continues to be appealed by the Twentieth Century Society, but given the Department for Culture Media and Sport’s track record and prejudice against modernist architecture a positive outcome is unlikely.” On their website, Save Dunelm House wrote: “We are launching a crowdfunding campaign to support the campaign to save Dunelm House from demolition. Building on the resounding support we gathered through our petition last year (3200 signatures, and rising), we are planning a series of events to gather evidence and build a case for the retention and creative reuse of Dunelm House.”
“Kingsgate and Dunelm House are physically connected, as a marriage of structures that depend upon each other”
Dunelm House is a brutalist build and was completed in 1966 by engineer Ove Arup and the Architects’ Co-Partnership. Arup originated from Heaton,
Newcastle Upon-Tyne, and is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest engineers of the 20th century, hence the attachment of many Durham citizens to his work. As well as designing Dunelm House and Kingsgate Bridge, he was the design engineer for the Sydney Opera house. His ashes were scattered from Kingsgate bridge after his death in 1988. Highlighting the merits of the structures, the Save Dunelm
▲Photograph: kaysgeog via Flickr House campaign state: “Kingsgate and Dunelm House are physically connected, as a marriage of structures that depend upon each other. “This makes Dunelm House and Kingsgate Bridge two of the most significant structures in the UK, if not Europe, if not the World! And they are on our doorstep in Durham. Why would you want to lose or damage either?”
Students’ Union makes tackling homelessness a priority as referrals increase by 50% Natasha Livingstone Deputy News Editor The Students’ Union is collaborating with Durham Action on Single Housing (DASH) to give students the opportunity to learn more about tackling homelessness in County Durham. The campaign will host an ‘Activist Academy’ on Wednesday 31st January, intending to rally student interest in homelessness.
52% increase in referrals for homelessness to DASH in 2016/2017
The day will consist of a series of sessions hosted by DASH, later be supplemented by workshops intended to equip students with the tools to effectively campaign on homelessness. The person responsible for the new initiative is the SU’s Opportunities Officer, Charlie Walker. The event has been organised in response to a 52% increase in referrals for homelessness to DASH in 2016/2017. DASH began in 1972 as a group
concerned about the plight of one homeless man. Since then, the organisation has grown to providing accommodation and support to hundreds of people who are homeless, or soon to become homeless. In 2015-2016, DASH received 357 referrals from people in need of housing support, which rose to 542 the following year. In the last 12 months, 655 people were referred to DASH, with 76 of those referrals living on the streets. DASH is currently only able to accommodate 63 people on short, medium, or long-term agreements. Their motto asserts that
“everyone, regardless of circumstances, should have a fundamental right to a place of shelter, and help to rebuild their life.”
“Everyone, regardless of circumstances, should have a fundamental right to a place of shelter, and help to rebuild their life”
Palatinate spoke to Shiloh, a young man currently living on the streets of Durham, who is one of the many people on the waiting
▲Photograph: Helen Taylor via Flickr
“
We get that students haven’t got a lot of money[...]Think of things like your grandma’s old blankets. Food is always good too
”
list to receive accommodation from DASH. Beyond attending the awareness session, Shiloh offered the following advice: “We get that students haven’t got a lot of money. The best things you guys can give are used boxers and socks. Think of things like your grandma’s old blankets. Food is always good too”.
He also suggested that student petitions for more accommodation would be beneficial. Engaging student interest is just one of the ways DASH tries to help the homeless. They also run the Durham Community Outreach initiative, which offers gym and boxing sessions for vulnerable adults to improve their fitness and socialise. Students can also engage in other charities to help those living on the streets. Anyone can donate to the Durham foodbank or volunteer with the charity Food Cycle that prepares meals for homeless people each week. They use surplus food from cafes and the market to reduce food waste. As previously reported by Palatinate, Julie Wearmouth, Housing Team leader of Durham County Council, recommends contacting StreetLink if you think someone is sleeping rough. This information will then be passed on to the local authority or council, who will work out how best they can help. Streetlink can be contacted on 0300 500 0914 or via their website at www.streetlink.org.uk.
PALATINATE | Thursday 25th January 2018
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News
University cancels plan to scrap social work MAs Cameron McIntosh News Editor Durham University has withdrawn controversial proposals to discontinue two postgraduate social work courses, following backlash from staff and students. A faculty-led review into two masters degrees in social work had previously recommended the University cancel admissions beyond the 2017 intake, amid concerns about their financial viability. This was followed by a lengthy consultation on the findings of the review, which prompted the University to defer reaching a decision until now. Opposition to the proposals was primarily led by the University and College Union (UCU) but was also supported by students, academics and local figures in the North East. An online petition de-
manding the courses be preserved garnered 642 signatures. The University confirmed that the decision to reject the proposals had been taken following a vote held by the Department of Sociology. However, a spokesperson added that it would “continue to assess its provision of academic programmes in line with its strategic priorities”.
“Social workers offer an essential service for our society, and it is vital that there is a post-graduate route into social work”
Roberta Blackman-Woods, MP for the City of Durham since 2005, expressed relief that the University had decided to withdraw the controversial proposals. In a public post on Facebook,
the Labour Party politician stated: “I am very pleased to hear that Durham University has made the decision to continue to offer social work degrees for Masters students. “Social workers offer an essential service for our society, and it is vital that there is a post-graduate route into social work. Durham University social work courses are respected around the world, and it is important for the whole region that these degrees continue to be offered.” She went on to state: “Retaining these courses means that Durham University will continue to provide high quality training for students interested in pursuing a career in social work, and will help improve social work practice in the North East.” A spokesperson for the UCU, Jon Bryan, also welcomed the announcement: “The social work
courses at Durham University have always been highly valued by staff, students and all those who work with them. Social care remains a huge issue both locally and nationally and we are pleased that these courses will continue.”
Durham currently has two postgraduate courses in social work: a one-year MA in International Social Work and Community Development, and a two-year Master of Social Work (MSW).
▲Photograph: Rose Innes
Loveshack set for return at new Durham location
Clara Gaspar Deputy News Editor
selling the business and would like to thank all team members for their efforts and enthusiasm over the years.
Loveshack has officially announced that they are opening a new venue in Durham. August saw the abrupt closure of Loveshack’s previous nightclub in the Durham Walkergate complex and many were left wondering when the nightclub would relocate.
“A brand new Saturday night, with a brand new venue”
In a post on Facebook last year, the company announced the closure of Loveshack, and its sister
“It will be retaining a few of the more popular aspects of Loveshack but with a few more twists” ▲Photograph: Gary Allman via Flickr location, My House. “It is with a heavy heart that we are writing to inform you that Loveshack and My House are now closed. We are in the process of
“Looking forward, we wish the new owners the best of luck for the future. “Finally, we would like to personally thank all our team members and customers for a fantastic and memorable 10 years.” Although the company hosts a weekly Sports night at Durham
art are rapidly disappearing from the curriculum.” Norris fears that this will “exacerbate inequality of opportunity.”
In Durham, admissions statistics report that state-school students are disproportionately under-represented in the arts and
Students’ Union on Wednesday, many are pleased to see the return of their popular Saturday night event. Loveshack posted numerous teasers over the weekend advertising the new event, which will take place on Saturday, 3rd February. Their Facebook event has promised a “brand new Saturday night’” with a “brand new venue”, a “brand new route”, and a “brand new vibe”. The new event will also feature an “All-Weather outdoor terrace” as well as “VIP tables” and “Guest DJs and Events”. Although the specifics of the new location have not yet been announced, one of Loveshack’s representatives told Chronicle Live that the new venue is not in Walkergate.
“It isn’t in the Walkergate complex or North Road but is still in a central city centre location. “It has two floors of different music and a great outside terrace area. It will be retaining a few of the more popular aspects of Loveshack but with a few new twists.”
Although the specifics of the new location have not yet been announced, the new venue is not in Walkergate
In the meantime, Loveshack promised “more announcements next week” on their Facebook page.
Privately educated ‘over-represented’ in the arts
Tom Mitchell Deputy News Editor One of the UK’s leading theatre directors has bemoaned the lack of students from state schools accepted into the arts. Durham University admissions statistics suggest that the University is symptomatic of the problem. Writing in The Guardian on 17th January, National Theatre director Rufus Norris noted that: “Since 2010 there has been a 28% drop in the number of children taking creative GCSEs, with a corresponding drop in the number of specialist arts teachers being trained.” He added: “the practice and study of drama, design, music and
humanities faculty. Overall statistics indicate that 39.5% of students at Durham were privately educated, but this figure increases to 49.2% when referring to students studying the arts and humanities.
State-school students are disproportionately underrepresented in the arts and humanities
▲Photograph: David Coggins via Flickr
This concentration of privately educated students exists despite the fact that, according to the Independent Schools Council (ISC), only 6.5% of British school pupils are privately educated, which rises to 18% of pupils over the age of 16.
Durham was accused by the New Statesman in 2017 of being among the most “elitist” British universities, accepting the second fewest number of state school applicants. According to the article there is a “stranglehold of private schools on the best universities.” The fact that nearly half of Durham students studying for degrees in the arts and humanities were privately educated is unlikely to quell such accusations of elitism. According to the World Economic Forum, by 2020 creativity will be in the top three most important skills and Norris argues that “the pipeline of talent into the industry is being cut off by the government’s misguided sidelining of creativity in education.”
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Thursday 25th January 2018 | PALATINATE
Donald Trump and ‘Presidential’ language Page 10
Comment
►
A 100% pass rate does not mean smarter students Wilfred Goodhart Pass. Pass. Pass. The repetitive nature of Durham students’ success was revealed by The Sunday Times through a Freedom of Information request with the astounding claim that not a single student was failed in their final exams last year. In some circles, this figure has been credited to ever-increasing intelligence, improved teaching and harder-working students. Students are clearly far smarter and innately more driven than their lacklustre parents and grandparents. We should pat ourselves on the back for becoming the most successful generation to have ever graced this planet.
Our generation is smarter than that of our parents, apparently After all, in the past few decades our parents have only developed driverless cars, 3-D printing, and, rather terrifyingly, intercontinental
ballistic missiles with the capacity to reach America from North Korea, to name but a select few of the myriad of discoveries and potentially global war-inducing breakthroughs which are being made every day of every week.
Universities should not be boasting about their perfect records To me, it is clear that, in comparison to our predecessors, our generation are very much equals in terms of ability, drive and imagination. Yes, we may hold a minute advantage, along with every ‘next’ generation, because modern technology is always available at our fingertips, allowing us to analyse and utilise resources in a different way. However, it is ultimately the same set of resources as was available to previous generations. Even when these resources were not available, such as for the Romans and Greeks, the world was inhabited by the most imaginative and awe-inspiring peoples to ever grace this planet.
They created art that still resonates thousands of years later. They conceived democracy in a time of despots. They created archaeology we cannot even now re-create, applying maths beyond their years. Yet, I hear you whispering under your breath, ‘But did the Romans and Greeks pass exams like we do today?’ Though modern day universities may boast of their perfect records, they should instead conceal these statistics in the deepest and darkest corners of the institutions, alongside the salaries of their vicechancellors. Common sense must prevail. As a generation, we are not inherently smarter or more hard-working than the previous; ultimately, we have the same brains, Photograph: rawdonfox via Flickr
and, as Malcom Gladwell astutely notes in ‘Outliers’, the hardestworking generation ever was the ancient Chinese. That generation, all those years ago, worked tirelessly on their rice paddies, bequeathing to later generations a work ethic and drive so intense that modern people still strive to match it. So why is it, then, that every generation does better and better, exceeding the impossibly high standards set before?
Pressure to constantly improve has caused severe grade inflation The causes of this improvement (or decline, depending on your viewpoint) are obvious. Throughout the entirety of the British schooling system, from the first public exam to the final university degree, there is a severe pressure to constantly improve standards which causes grade inflation like the monetary hyper-inflation of a Zimbabwean government under Robert Mugabe. As rival competition increases, universities understandably buckle to try to match their counterparts,
who might achieve a staggering 100% pass rate every single year. This sparks a consistent increase in grades by competing factions like an arms race between warring and hostile nations. Let’s hope the consequences are not so severe. However, there are certainly consequences. The value of every good degree declines slightly by the pass of each degree which should be a fail. Furthermore, the ability to stand out from the crowd becomes virtually impossible. Back in my mum’s day, when she too was at Durham, only one person in her year achieved a first in History. Immediately, he was elevated to the status of legend amongst their group: at their Durham-only dinner parties – for lack of other friends – they still recount that “Richard the first, he was a king amongst men!” Now society has created a culture that has simply re-defined the meaning of success. Despite the vast increase in the cost of degrees, their value is diminishing. They are not yet worthless by any means, but, if we are not careful, in forty years my friends and I will recount that “Richard the first, he was a man amongst kings!”
New Year’s Resolutions for Durham University New year, new you, right? But what could Durham University, in the interest of self-improvement, do better in 2018? Samuel Betley: Protect Free Speech Free speech is under threat across the education sector. The political monotony of the NUS has bred an insidious no-platforming culture that seeks to silence views that differ from its own. Durham University’s New Year’s Resolution should be a commitment to protecting free speech. Jo Johnson, the former Universities Minister, recently called for all universities to uphold the principle of free speech. However, the solution to this problem is not more state intervention. It is the duty of universities and student unions themselves to expose their members to views which, God forbid, might actually challenge them. The looming threat of government sanctions should be enough motivation to take action. The statistics regarding free speech on campus make for grim reading. In the most recent spiked Free Speech University Rankings, 61 Higher Education establishments,
including Durham University, were given a RED rating. This means that 63.5% of participating universities have “actively censored speech and expression”. It is not hard to find examples of this. King’s College London has been criticised for employing £12-an-hour safe-space martials to police events. Clearly, some will go to extraordinary lengths to prevent the discussion of ideas they disagree with at university. We all have a right to free speech. There is, however, no right to not be offended. Universities have always been places for intellectual engagement, debate, and disagreement. But now, a vocal minority wants to decide which ideas their peers are allowed to hear. They must be stopped. Sophie Gregory: Improve Mental Health Services As Palatinate reported last term, the number of counsellors at the University has been slashed to the extent that the service no longer employs the recommended number of counselling staff. This suggests that Durham University, despite increasingly urgent calls for better mental health
provisions, simply does not care about the psychological wellbeing of thousands of its students. Mental health needs to be properly addressed – and I don’t mean by bringing in dogs to help cope with stress. We need our mental health to become a priority. A YouGov poll reported in 2016 that 77% of students have a fear of failure. One in four students were reported to suffer from mental health problems, primarily depression and anxiety. These figures suggest that Higher Education institutions are not doing enough to ensure that students’ stress levels are challenging but not overwhelming. Students know that they are going to be tested at university but they do not expect to be under such mental strain that they become unwell. Durham needs to do better. The conversation about mental health must be wider and more accessible. They must listen to students and their concerns. Counselling services must be equipped with the appropriate resources to support students. We need to continue to erode the stigma around mental health; we need to learn how to listen to our friends and to look after ourselves. This year, Durham needs to
recognise that our wellbeing should not be secondary to our grades. This is a world-class University and it’s time that our mental health provisions reflected this. Tania Chakraborti: Listen to Students In 2018, our University needs to listen to its students on the issue of college accommodation fees. Last year, fees increased by a staggering 3.5%. This means that college accommodation will now cost over £7,000 a year, and the new tiered system means that in some instances disabled students may have to pay around £8,000. How is this justifiable? College accommodation cost under £5,000 a year in 2011; though the economic climate may have changed in the years since, this in no way justifies such disproportionate increases. Students have now staged multiple protests, including the most recent Palatine Centre protest which was attended by over 100 people. Yet, the University has made little effort to compromise. Pro-Vice-Chancellor Owen Adams, defending the change, said that “all students have been informed of our decision and they have also been
advised how to access financial support should they need it.” But where is this well-publicised guide on how to deal with this significant increase and the its financial strain? Many students choose Durham for its affordable cost of living, but if we are suddenly forced to pay London premiums, this choice is made redundant. How, in the north of England, can rental prices for residential homes, equipped with better living spaces and more centrally-located, cost far less than the premium to live in college? It is fair to say that, as we move in 2018, the University is attempting to force students into paying big city prices at an establishment that in no way justifies this price hike. If the University were more transparent with students about where their funds go, instead of attempting to deflect from the issue with such ambiguous terms as ‘the wider student experience’, perhaps there would be less outrage. But until Durham University start to value our student body more by enlightening us with such information, we must continue to voice our discontent. I hope in 2018, the University will begin to listen to us more. Illustration: Zoë Boothby
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PALATINATE | Thursday 25th January 2018
Comment
Forced class participation hurts introverted learners Kleopatra Olympiou “I will put more pressure on you,” was, verbatim, what one of my tutors told me last year as I was leaving a tutorial group. I was the last student to leave and was packing my stuff away when she asked why I didn’t speak in class very often. Startled, I mumbled something about feeling shy. Then came the alarmingly phrased, “I will put more pressure on you.” I am an introvert, and relatively shy. Not extremely so, but enough to make me very aware of when I speak and what I say in my classes (unless it is something I am really, really passionate about). I fully understood my tutor’s intentions and was not offended by their approach; I was simply surprised, and admittedly very nervous about the approach of our next tutorial.
I am very aware of when I speak and what I say I was reminded of this exchange recently when reading Jessica Lahey’s article in The Atlantic, ‘Introverted Kids Need to Learn to Speak Up at School’. Lahey discusses her decision to grade her students partially on class participation,
despite complaints by parents of introverted children. Instinctively, I felt that familiar pang of injustice on behalf of her shy students. After all, no amount of studying will change your personality, so a shy student of Lahey’s is destined for either eternally capped grades, or better grades earned with discomfort.
No amount of studying will ever change your personality Nevertheless, I found Lahey’s points compelling: aside from the academic syllabus, she argues that it is her job to “teach [her] students how to succeed in [...] a world where most people won’t stop talking”. She also quotes Dr Kendall Hoyt, who persuasively and truthfully states that “you don’t get a pass for your personality type”. It is heart-warming to read about educators who are actually concerned about preparing kids for something other than exams; call me cynical, but I think that’s rare, and I genuinely appreciate her noble motives. Still, I have my reservations. I don’t at all disagree with the idea that introverts should be encouraged to speak up for their own benefit, but I think that, particularly in higher education, emphasis on class participation has
serious implications. Educators who insist on participation need to be aware that it comes at a cost. Lahey triumphantly concludes that she “will continue to encourage [her students] to find their voices”. I am less inclined to share her optimism here, partly because I have seen the sad results of such attempts in my own classes. I am currently in a seminar group where everyone’s name must be ticked off on a list, showing that they have spoken at least once in the duration of the seminar – although this tick-sheet does not affect grades. This system has honourable intentions, but results in a distinct drop in the quality of the conversation, as everyone is visibly fidgety, stressfully raising their hands to contribute simply for the sake of contribution. The result? Often a conversation that isn’t a conversation, but a series of unrelated statements of vague relevance.
the discussion. I can only imagine the excruciating self-consciousness that students who are even shier, or have severe social anxiety, must experience in the same situation.
Surely there is a more positivewaytoencourage introverts? Eagerness to get one’s name ticked is so great that in the past I’ve asked our seminar leader a question, only for them to be interrupted mid-answer by someone volunteering an unrelated statement. Followed by another person’s thoughts on a seperate
issue. And another’s. My answer never came and yes, I could have emailed the seminar leader after the seminar, but the point still stands: forced group participation, though a great idea in theory, does not yield great results. While I don’t pretend to possess the solution to this issue, I believe that we need to be more careful before adopting policies that are counter-productive in practice. Surely there are more positive ways to reinforce introverts’ confidence, and help them speak up in their academic lives? I look forward to hearing others’ – especially introverts’ – views on this topic. Illustration: Katie Butler
Participation box-ticking results in a drop in the quality of the conversation Tension is felt in the room throughout the session: if I don’t make an immediate contribution, I sit in painful nervousness, worrying about finding an appropriate time to jump in, sometimes to the extent that I struggle to pay attention to
A letter from the President of the Union Society Jack Gilmore Last June I sat in the beer garden of 24 North Bailey Club, filled with both dread and anticipation, waiting to hear if my bid for President of the Durham Union Society had been successful. I spent hours trying to alleviate the nervousness with the help of alcohol and bar snacks. The results were read and, to my delight, I had been elected as the President for Epiphany Term 2018.
I tried to alleviate my nervousness with alcohol and bar snacks This was a very special moment for me. I have been a Union member since I joined Durham University and it has been the bedrock of my social life. The Union is the oldest society at
the University, and has hosted some of the greatest minds in the United Kingdom. It is built upon the time and efforts of some of the hardestworking and most amicable students at Durham.
I am the first student from John Snow College to be elected President However, there was another reason that I was inspired to run and it is one that makes me even more proud to be the Society’s President: I am the first from John Snow College to be elected to this position. So here we are, 176 years after the first meeting of the Durham Union Society, and it is now my honour to welcome you all back to what I hope will be a thought-provoking Epiphany Term. I trust that it will challenge existing perspectives and beliefs, and will serve to widen the horizons of all the Union’s members. The Union has always prided itself on being a bastion of free
speech at Durham University and this term we will remain committed to that work. This term’s debate motions range from Mother Teresa to Russia, from Brexit to feminism. These debates will be accompanied by various addresses featuring, among others, MPs from different political persuasions, an Ambassador, a mental health campaigner, and the founder of UKIP.
I hope this term will widen the horizons of all the Union’s members – debates range from Mother Teresa to Russia The first debate of term took place last week and saw the House debating whether borders should be a thing of the past. The debate featured a Member of Parliament, a professor, the Chairman of a think tank and the Chairman of the Libertarian Party UK. Following this, the first address of term was
given by businessman and Brexit bankroller Richard Tice, who spoke to the Union on the subject of the EU referendum. Our line-up of speakers this term will also include former Shadow Chancellor Peter Lilley, Ian Paisley Jr MP, Dr Joanna Williams, Chair of the London Assembly Jennette Arnold, and businessman Martin Ainscough CBE. However the highlight of term is likely to be our Brexit debate on Friday 2nd February where we will host some of the UK’s most noted Europhiles and Eurosceptics. The speakers will include Anna Soubry MP, Lord Adonis, Steven Woolfe MEP and James Delingpole: this is a debate that is not be missed! We will also see the first allfemale debate held at the Union since Epiphany 2015 which will focus on whether or not feminism has lost its way. This term we will continue the recent trend of hosting more social events than in previous years. This will include special themed-socials, inspired by such events as the
Winter Olympics. These events will be held at 24 North Bailey Club and we welcome all University students, members or not, to come along any night of the week and enjoy its facilities.
This term will feature the first all-female debate since Epiphany 2015 To anyone who is interested in getting involved in student debating, the Union has one of the best debating squads in the world. Simply come along to the Union Office in the Pemberton Buildings on Palace Green and sign up. The Union has been enhancing the lives and experiences of Durham students for the last 176 years and, together with your support and enthusiasm, I look forward to guiding it through its next chapter. All Union events can be found online: simply like our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter.
Thursday 25th January 2018 | PALATINATE
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Comment
How Trump sweet-talked the American people Noah Merrin
The day: Thursday, 11th January. The venue: the Oval Office. During a meeting on immigration reform, President Trump questioned why the US was granting Temporary Protected Status to citizens of “shithole countries”. His comment incited international condemnation and caused a diplomatic firestorm that is still engulfing the White House. But is this statement simply the natural corollary to Trump’s presidential campaign, during which he rejected the linguistic norms that we have come to expect from our politicians? If so, is there something new to learn about the power of language in politics? Although Trump’s vocabulary and linguistic complexity (or simplicity) are unprecedented in presidential terms, Trump’s core support base seems to be going nowhere. In fact, they seem to be enjoying it.
Is this the natural corollary to Trump’s presidential campaign? Analysis by Factba.se gives a fresh perspective to our understanding of Trump’s speech. According to the online database, which used the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level test to
measure the complexity of Trump’s vocabulary, his unscripted remarks are at a fourth-grade level. When compared to that of all previous US presidents stretching back to Herbert Hoover, Trump’s grade level is the lowest. When considering the gaps between each President ranked by these grade levels, Trump has the level of vocabulary most divergent from other presidents.
His unscripted remarks are at a fourth-grade level Nevertheless, his simple, direct language has proven to be popular. As a Channel 4 News report from Johnstown, Pennsylvania discovered, many voters were pleased to see “a balls to the wall kind of guy” in the White House. Johnstown was once a booming industrial town. It has seen its economy crippled and its population decline by two-thirds due to the closure of mines and factories. It is ripe with the disenfranchised working-class demographic that Trump successfully courted during his campaign for the presidency. His promise to return prosperity to America by challenging establishment elites in Washington was consistently delivered with linguistic simplicity and straightforwardness, which in itself challenged the presidential manner that America had become used to.
His supporter’s “balls to the wall” comment partially reflected Trump’s own crass frankness. Or perhaps it is the other way around. It seems that Trump is regulating his language according to the speech patterns of his core demographic. Such action demonstrates an ability to bypass established institutions of power and to seek legitimacy from less conventional routes, which was paralleled in his election campaign. Clinton relied more heavily on established institutions, via her superPAC, Priorities USA Action – a source from which Trump tapped less than half as much as Clinton. Crucially, according to the Washington Post, the Trump campaign received 26% of its total funds from donations of $200 or less, compared to 16% for the Clinton campaign.
Trump’s speech patterns mirror those of his core demographic
anteed him coverage in the mainstream media, at no extra cost. With soundbites of him promising to ‘drain the swamp’, to ‘lock her up’ and a disparate range of other anti-establishment policies echoing throughout America, Trump’s politically incorrect language mirrored his agenda. And his approach worked. He is now president. But, while he was able to successfully seek legitimacy in this way during campaigning, is Trump’s approach still holding up? Plagued by failure to push policy through the institutions that he once skilfully dodged, and with an average approval rating far below any president, from Kennedy to Obama, at this point in their term, it is not just Trump’s vocabulary that is breaking with precedent. Faced with an immovable, uncooperative establishment, the power
of Trump’s language is no longer enough to bring success. Like Britain in Brexit negotiations, populism faces the difficulty of actually challenging the elites that it regularly denounces. Congress witnessed a very different tone to Trump’s when Harry Truman announced his eponymous doctrine in 1947, which established foreign policy objectives that defined much of America’s action during the Cold War. If Trump wishes to reach similar heights, he will have to mediate not only his action, but his language too. On 13th January 2017, Trump tweeted in bold, exclamative fashion: “AMERICA FIRST!” With 149K likes, his supporters certainly listened. Did Washington? Photograph: IoSonoUnaFotoCamera via Flickr
By funding his campaign in this way, Trump was able to make controversial comments, especially during the Republican primaries, without worrying about losing sponsorship from the establishment. In fact, his uncompromising rhetoric probably helped him earn significant donations from his grassroots supporters. Unmissably outrageous, Trump’s language guar-
Should we look to the A-list for presidential candidates? Elizabeth Mohr Following Oprah Winfrey’s acceptance speech for the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement at the 2018 Golden Globes, a new movement was founded: Oprah for President 2020. Oprah is not the first celebrity to be hailed as a possible candidate for future elections: Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has also had his name dropped in media reports in past months. Though the seriousness of these suggestions remains debatable, the excitement surrounding nominating a celebrity as a future presidential candidate hints at a rather worrisome problem at the root. This change in the attitude towards career politicians has, in the case of the United States, already resulted in the election of a businessman and TV celebrity, Donald Trump. But what is the reason for this shift towards inexperienced
liked so much by both Republicans and Democrats. In contrast, a man distanced from the inner workings of politics seemed to be the one with the potential to bring promise to a system perceived as broken.
candidates? One would think that Trump’s lack of a political resumé would have deemed him unfit for the job; however, it seems that it was exactly this lack of experience that made him attractive to the electorate.
There needs to be a new attitude that plays down the two parties’ hostility Any trust and assurance voters should feel when electing a qualified candidate for president seems to have been undermined by a distrust of the current government and its politicians. According to Gallup polls of U.S. adults, trust in government institutions has seen a strong decline in the past 40 years, with only 36% of adults claiming to have confidence in the presidency in 2016. This distrust in the government seems to have resulted in a shift away from the career politicians that have dominated the presidential races up until now. Voters are looking for change and it seems to have
Voters are looking outside politics for change Photograph: Vic via Flickr
been decided that it won’t be found among those already immersed in the system. Trump’s 2016 election opponent, Hillary Clinton, provides a prime example of this.
After Trump’s election, people were quick to take sides Though she is extremely experienced in the field, it seems that Hillary Clinton’s long-term presence in politics and ties to former president, Bill Clinton, was one of the main reasons that she was dis-
Even now, though the 2020 political race has not yet begun, the fact that voters on both sides are once again looking to candidates devoid of political experience, suggests that there is an agreement amongst the public that the change the political system needs will not necessarily be brought about by politicians. Regaining the trust that has been lost in career politicians is not going to be an easy feat. In my opinion, the only way to redevelop this trust whilst avoiding another presidential candidate like Trump is a change in the public’s attitude towards each other. After the election of Trump, people were quick to take sides,
dividing into two opposing teams like they were in a sports match. It seems even now, despite the increasing transparency of what is happening within the White House, the idea of the good and bad continues to dominate in American society. In the long run, Democrats and Republicans both agree that there needs to be some sort of change – however, looking for change does not mean merely calling out the wrongdoings of the other party. Instead, there needs to be a development of a new attitude which emphasises less the hostility between the two parties and instead focuses on finding a new wave of promising politicians and emphasising the importance of having well-qualified people in charge to promote the well-being of society. HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION?
Tell us what you think by emailing us at comment@palatinate.org. uk.
Thursday 25th January 2018 | PALATINATE
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Profile
Using science to tackle gender and racial prejudice Profile meets science journalist, broadcaster and author Angela Saini The Beauty Myth criticises the media for selling a myth to society of a normative image of beauty.
Holly Adams Deputy Profile Editor “As long as there is gender disparity there is always more that can be done,” answered Angela Saini to a question concerning new government initiatives encouraging girls to pursue science and engineering at university and beyond. “But what we really need”, Saini continues, “is an end to stereotypes that women aren’t as suited to scientific careers. It hampers their potential for progress from the offset”. It is this societal need to break down prejudices that inspired Saini’s most recent book, Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong (2017). Yet the inspiration for this book also came from Saini’s desire for self-exploration and a better understanding of what science actually tells us about being a woman. Her book tackles the question, “How can I learn more about myself through science?” With so much contradictory research out there, Saini tries to present what biology really has to say about the differences between men and women. However, she accepts the fact there are large gaps in our knowledge and scientific research.
“What we really need is an end to stereotypes that women aren’t suited to scientific careers,” she says Although Saini expresses that “the target is women of all ages,” she hopes that her book can appeal “to everyone” as it takes a whole society to tackle established gender stereotypes. What makes Saini’s work particularly compelling is the neutrality of her approach to research. Saini reflects how she began the process open-minded and prepared to find differences between the male and female brain. Her rational approach is especially impressive in her exploration of the controversial work of Simon Baron-Cohen, whose book The Essential Difference (2003) maintains a stark biological difference between men and women thus arguably justifying the societal stereotypes. Saini has been applauded by both the left and right of the press
“In my generation we put up with a lot from men,” she adds. “Almost every woman I know has a story to tell”
▲ Science journalist Angela Saini (angelasaini.co.uk) for the objectivity of Inferior. In response to this praise Saini says: “Scientifically I have to interrogate everything thoroughly, regardless of whether I agree with it ideologically and politically”. Yet with all recent studies considered, Saini found an almost complete absence of differences between men and women. The stereotype about female inferiority does not at all match the science. From this scientific basis Saini disproves claims that patriarchy was inevitable. “I don’t think there is anything natural about male domination,” Saini argues, “there are matrilineal societies suggesting history could have been very different”. Saini later points to 21st century societies and nations where women are taking the lead in scientific research – such as Bolivia, where more than half of researchers are women.
Saini has been praised by both the left- and right-wing press for her objectivity Saini knows too well of the stereotypes preventing women from choosing scientific careers as, during her time studying engineering at Oxford University, Saini was the only girl in her class. Yet despite being in a tiny minority, Saini expresses how she felt “nurtured and supported by the staff” throughout her undergraduate and masters degree. It was partaking in student journalism followed by six months
Although it was published nearly three decades ago, Saini reluctantly suggests there is some accuracy of Wolfe’s accusations in the media today. Saini credits the success of Inferior to the current political climate. After Trump’s election victory in November 2016, sexism has soared up the agenda and women are looking for answers as to why many still maintain a view of female inferiority. Yet Saini’s concern for women
in scientific careers extends from simply the stereotype. Saini expresses concerns over the prominence of sexual harassment in the field. “In my generation we put up with a lot from men. Almost every woman I know has a story to tell.” Following the recent exposure of the sexual harassment case of an Antarctic researcher, David Marchant, Saini expresses hope such harassment in the scientific field is at last being addressed.
The success of Inferior could be attributed to the current political climate – Trump’s election win saw sexism soar to the top of the agenda She hopes for a world where “everyone should feel safe and comfortable” whether that is in Hollywood or science. Time’s up.
working in India for a current affairs magazine that led Saini to pursue a career in journalism and reporting.
During her time studying engineering at Oxford, she was the only girl in her class Going on to discuss her time as a reporter for BBC London, Saini expresses immense pride over her work on exposing bogus universities in the UK. Her investigation triggered a change in government policy and helped many individual students get their money refunded. Yet in 2008, Saini chose to leave her career at the BBC in order to pursue science journalism and to spend more time with her young family. Though Saini maintains a lot of respect for her colleagues and the BBC as an institution, on reflection she expresses concerns over the poor representation of ethnic minorities behind the scenes. “The ethnic minorities we see on the TV are not representative of the newsrooms. There is an imbalance, although things are improving.” It is partly this experience that drives Saini’s next book tackling racial stereotypes from her scientific standpoint, inspired by her concerns that “I feel that racial lines are coming back and that really scares me.” On further reflection of her time as a reporter and broadcaster, Saini refers to Naomi Wolf’s The Beauty Myth (1990).
▲ Saini’s latest book, Inferior (angelasaini.co.uk)
Thursday 25th January 2018 | PALATINATE
13
Politics
Politics News in Brief: What you missed Merkel & SPD talks
UK’s Rohingya response
Trump offends African nations
Jonty Bayliss
Sanya Mathur
Weiling Tay
German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s prospects of forming a new coalition government now hang in the balance. After talks with the Greens and the liberal FDP collapsed in November, Merkel has sought to revive the grand coalition with the Social Democrats (SPD) which governed over the last term. The parties have published a preliminary agreement, although an SPD conference on Sunday must approve progression to formal talks. Youth delegates are part of a sizeable veto movement, unhappy with Merkel’s concessions and fearful of further decline in the polls. Failure to form a coalition would mean either new elections or Merkel’s CDU party forming a minority government. which may lead to her resignation.
A House of Commons International Development Committee report released last Monday heavily criticised the slow response of the UK government to the growing Rohingya crisis in Myanmar. The report questions the lack of action against the abuse of Rohingyas, even as news of rape, torture and, sexual violence are flooding in. The committee of MPs has called out the government for delaying in its duties, concluding that “[they] are disappointed that it took so long to send any of its specialist resources on sexual violence to advise on dealing with the experiences of the Rohingya in Rakhine State”.
President Trump reportedly used the word “shithole” to describe African nations at a private meeting to discuss immigration issues including the DACA programme. He also allegedly made disparaging remarks about Haitian immigrants, suggesting that the U.S. take in more Norwegians and Asians instead. The African Union has issued a statement demanding a retraction and an apology to Africans and people of African descent, decrying the comments as “very racist”. The president denies the report, tweeting that “this was not the language used”. Last November, his administration announced the end of Temporary Protective Status for Haitians, requiring their return to Haiti by July 2019.
(Tim Jokl via Flickr)
(CAFOD via Flickr)
Momentum sweeps to NEC
Megan Dyson
(DonkeyHotey via Flickr)
Jon Lansman, the founder of grassroots activist movement Momentum, has been elected into the National Executive Committee; generating a powerbase of support for Corbyn. Lansman says he will use his newly elected position to Labour’s key decision-making body to call for a “labour transformation”; envisaging Labour to take on a community based, socialist agenda. The election of Lansman, and the consequent representation of Momentum into the NEC, is a cause for concern for Labour MPs, as it paves the way for a new method for reselection. However, Momentum’s sweep into the NEC could be the means required to steer away from ‘Westminster-centric’ politics.
(Simon Bleasdale via Flickr)
The Toby Young fiasco
Helen Paton If you have to delete 40.000 tweets, there is definitely something to hide. From being racist to constantly mocking women’s issues as well as disabled people, Toby Young demonstrated how he wasn’t fit for office and never will be. He would be a constant distraction to actually working for a better student experience and he does not represent someone who will include us all. His decision to step down is wise but he shouldn’t have been appointed in the first place. Apologies are not enough when you are public political figure with an opinion that has an impact on others. (Hammersmith and Fulham Council via Flickr)
Investigating the ‘annual’ NHS crisis Tom Mitchell The American Nobel Prize winner Sinclair Lewis wrote in 1917 that “winter is not a season, it’s an occupation”. For the 1.5 million NHS workers in the United Kingdom this will ring painfully true – a letter last week from senior doctors declared “some of our own personal experiences range from over 120 patients a day managed in corridors, some dying prematurely”.
“Winter is not a season, it’s an occupation”
Chris Hopson, the chief executive of NHS Providers, said that ‘things
got so tough in the NHS last winter that we said “never again’”. Only Chris Hopson will know whether this was an ingenuous ambition, but for the majority of the population the NHS ‘winter crisis’ has become an annual certainty of patient hardship and political squabbling. As per tradition, this winter has borne witness to missed targets, the cancellation of thousands of planned operations and anecdotes of patients dying in corridors. This is despite the fact that the NHS is supposedly the “envy of the world”. France, Germany, Sweden and practically every other Western European country whom Britain might consider a contemporary manages to negotiate winter without an annual debacle of huffing, puffing and finger-pointing. Given
Christopher Paul via Flickr
that these countries also have winters (often harsher than our own), the conclusion must be that they are better equipped to deal with the increased demand.
A new system is required
The standard explanation is that their systems are better funded. This is to some extent true – Britain spends approximately 10% of its GDP on health, which is slightly less (but only slightly) than the likes of France and Germany. However, the difference in funding is not significant enough to explain the vast disparities in outcomes, particularly given that Britain’s spending on health exceeds that of the average amongst OECD nations.
The problem is not financial but systemic Nor should we pretend that these deficiencies are limited merely to a winter squeeze: for example, the Euro Health Consumer Index found that the UK came 14th in Europe “mainly due to poor accessibility (together with Poland
and Sweden the worst among European healthcare systems) and an autocratic top-down management culture”. The UK has a poor record on treating cancer - OECD data shows that, out of 23 developed countries, the UK ranks 20th in bowel cancer 5-year survival rates. Funding increases would undoubtedly bring about minor improvements. Yet it does not hide the fact that the UK came 24th out of 30 in efficiency rankings of high-income states carried out by the OECD.
For the first time ever in NHS history, last year, all of the key targets were missed
A new system is required. The French universal health care system (where they pay for health through national insurance-style ring fenced contributions) is both better-funded and puts patient choice, provider competition and mutualism front and centre. Healthcare is still provided universally and free at the point of delivery, and the state subsidizes those with chronic conditions and those without the means to pay for insurance.
NHS Confederate via Flickr Hopson says that “for the first time ever in NHS history, last year, all of the key targets were missed.” This should focus the collective mind to search for a solution beyond throwing more money at the problem. It is true that there has been a funding squeeze since 2010, but overall healthcare spending at the current time far exceeds the 6% of GDP that was allocated to the health service at the turn of the century. The problem is not financial but systemic. We need to realise that plummeting temperatures will no longer correspond to plummeting results.
Thursday 25th January 2018 | PALATINATE
14
Politics
Anna Gray The publication of Michael Wolff’s book detailing the inner workings of the Trump White House has revealed some explosive details. Wolff asserts the Trump team did not expect to win the election and that Melania was in tears when it became clear her husband would be President. Perhaps even more shocking are Steve Bannon’s allegations that Donald Trump Jr.’s meeting with a group of Russians was “treasonous’”.
Trump allegedly only eats McDonald’s, as he is afraid of being poisoned
Fire and Fury presents Trump as a childlike figure who is unable to fulfil his role as President; he is described as a “recalcitrant two-year old”. This presentation only gained further credence with Trump’s response, declaring himself to be a “very stable genius”. Similarly, allegations such as Trump only eating McDonald’s – he is afraid of being poisoned – reinforce many of the popular caricatures of the President, including Alec Baldwin’s por-
Fire and Fury: truth or lies? trayal on Saturday Night Live. However, whilst it may bring those who oppose Mr Trump some comfort that their suspicions appear to be true, the validity of many of Wolff’s claims have been questioned.
Perhaps Wolff’s book can’t quite be interpreted as solidly factual
genes”. Whilst, like many of the press statements from the Trump White House, one must be aware of the propaganda purposes behind the language used in the report, it strengthens the view that Wolff overexaggerated and even fabricated some of his reporting, since
For example, in his book Wolff quotes Rupert Murdoch as describing Trump as a “moron”; but in a recent column for the Hollywood Reporter he quoted Murdoch as saying the President was an “idiot”. This indicates that perhaps Wolff’s book can’t quite be interpreted as solidly factual. Throughout much of the book Wolff provides verbatim accounts of conversations he could not have been present at, raising further questions about the accuracy of his reporting. Moreover, President Trump recently undertook the annual full medical examination required by US Presidents and Dr Ronny Jackson praised both his mental and physical health, attributing this fitness to his “incredible
Theresa May’s cabinet reshuffle was supposed to give the government a new image for the New Year. It was meant to be her opportunity to stamp her authority after a disastrous 2017 – yet it proved shambolic, and ultimately a little pointless. The chaos started to unfurl as the Prime Minister’s Twitter account accidently revealed that Transport Secretary Chris Grayling would become the new Conservative Party chairman, only for former barrister Brandon Lewis to be given the role an hour later. Despite initial speculation that she might be sacked, Amber Rudd, who only scraped a victory in the last election, remained as Home
Secretary. Chancellor Philip Hammond, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Brexit Secretary David Davis all also kept their jobs.
It proved shambolic, and a little pointless
It was instead Education Secretary Justine Greening who became the biggest casualty, opting to resign rather than move to the Department of Work and Pensions. That role was instead assigned to Esther McVey, who only returned to the Commons last year following her defeat in the 2015 election. Meanwhile, Sam Gymiah has become the new Universities Minister, replacing Jo Johnson, who was allegedly sacked for not acting de(Larry Koester via Flickr)
the President. Wolff blames the media for fuelling Trump’s more provocative activities, arguing the press is obsessed with the White House. However, despite this attack, Wolff seems to be fanning the fire himself with his hyperbolic account. Perhaps Fire and Fury can best be viewed as Wolff taking advantage of this obsession amongst liberals with the drama of the Trump White House as he certainly plays on popular stereotypes of the President and appears to confirm many rumours.
The main lesson to be learned is not that Ivanka aspires to be President or that Donald finds the White House “scary”
(dai18 via Flickr)
Theresa’s cabinet reshuffle
Jack Parker Deputy Politics Editor
this medical assessment directly contradicts the presentation of the President in Fire and Fury. While Wolff’s book certainly presents an overexaggerated and over-dramatized depiction of the Trump presidency, it poses some interesting questions about the relationship between the press and
cisively enough during the Toby Young scandal. Damian Green’s sacking last December left the roles of First Secretary of State and Minister for the Cabinet Office vacant – his replacement in the latter is David Lidington, who in 2009 claimed double his salary as an MP in expenses. Mrs May decided not to award the optional role of First Secretary of State. But perhaps Mrs May’s most controversial move was deciding to keep Jeremy Hunt as Health Secretary. He had been widely expected to be removed from the role, but after his refusal to stand down and a reportedly passionate argument to stay, Mrs May made another of her now-trademark Uturns. As night fell in Westminster, Jeremy Hunt, who has struggled to keep the NHS ticking over throughout its now-annual Winter Crisis, had somehow ended up with an even greater role – he’s now in charge of the nation’s Social Care as well.
Keeping Jeremy Hunt was the most controversial move
Many people, including Tory MPs, were left wondering if Mrs May had reshuffled much at all.
Therefore, the main lesson to be learned from Fire and Fury is not that Ivanka Trump aspires to be President or that Trump finds the White House “scary”. Rather, it highlights how whilst liberals condemn the ‘fake news’ espoused by Trump, we are all complicit in this new age of post truth politics.
Hate in UKIP? Simon Green For those of you who did not think the UK Independence Party (UKIP) could become any more farcical, Henry Bolton has proved this indeed is possible. His relationship with a model, Jo Marney, was propelled into the media limelight when texts revealing offensive racially insensitive comments were reported by a national newspaper.
She said black people were “ugly” and their children would taint the royal family
Ms Marney’s texts were sent to Bolton following the story of Meghan Markle’s engagement to Prince Harry, in which she stated that black people are “ugly” and that their children would taint the royal family. The UKIP leader immediately condemned the comments as “utterly indefensible” and has subsequently split up with Ms Marney, who is apparently distraught over the public release of her texts. Beyond the deplorable nature of the comments, politically it does not seem like this has damaged UKIP or Henry Bolton’s reputation. It is telling that Mr Bolton has not resigned or been removed from his
role. This perhaps shows the lack of suitable replacements in the party ranks.
The popularity of the far-right party has drastically declined since Nigel Farage gave up the leadership
The popularity of the far-right party has drastically diminished since Nigel Farage relinquished the leadership and it now seems that the only times they make the news are during a leadership change or leader-related gaff is revealed. The attention surrounding Mr Bolton’s private life reveals a party which wants to sell itself as the sharp-end of pro-Brexit scrutiny, but in reality is an incredibly blunt political instrument.
(Derek Bennet via Flickr)
PALATINATE | Thursday 25th January 2018
15
The EU referendum – Part 2? Against Leo N Barnes
(Ungry Young Man via Flickr)
Tom Walsh Deputy Politics Editor As calls for a second referendum escalate, arguments rage over its legitimacy. For many, the Brexit vote was one predicated on false promises – the initial question did not give us a clear idea of what was to come. It is suggested that going back to the ballot box would give us a real opportunity to decide on the actual future of our country. On the other hand, many treat these suggestions as undemocratic. To shed light on the issue, Leo Barnes and Alice Lassman feature in our debate.
The calls for a second referendum on leaving the European Union have arisen due to the climate of uncertainty and insecurity that appears to be the trademark of this government. But these calls must be rejected.
The responsibility is now in the hands of Parliament, not the electorate
One of the most prominent arguments that captured the ambitions of the British public was the desire (Avaaz via Flickr)
Iran protests Tom Shaw On 28th December, protesters gathered in Mashhad, Iran’s second largest city and home to the sacred shrine on the Imam Reza, to vent their anger at their economic situation. The trigger had been the collapse of two financial institutions, whose deposit holders lost their money, on top of rising food prices. By 7th January the unrest had quietened down, but only after clashes between protesters and government forces left twenty-three dead and thousands arrested. A week later, the majority of those imprisoned were released. While peaceful protests are common in Iran, the violent nature of the recent revolts made them the most serious since 2009.
The violent nature of these riots made them the most serious since 2009
The motivation behind the unrest has been hotly disputed. At the outset the protests were solely economic, with Iranians airing their frustrations with President Rouhani’s austerity budget. But the slogans soon developed a political tone. There was criticism of Su-
to reclaim absolute parliamentary sovereignty. This legislative authority was exemplified in the rulings of Miller v. Secretary of State for Exiting the EU, which gave Parliament final authority over the triggering of Article 50. This responsibility to scrutinise and execute the will of the British people is now in the hands of Parliament, not the electorate, and any attempt to subvert this betrays the foundational aspiration behind leaving the EU. As such, a second referendum is condemned as being a disastrous breach of trust, at a time that the electorate is disillusioned with the political establishment and tired of unfulfilled pledges. Furthermore, there is little demand for a second attempt, with esteemed pollster Sir John Curtice noting that there is “no change in the balance of public opinion” over Brexit’s realisation, relegating any second referendum to a position of legislative illegitimacy, electoral betrayal and unnecessary waste.
preme Leader Khamenei and Iran’s theocratic regime, and of Iranian involvement in Iraq.
“TIME FOR CHANGE,” Trump’s Twitter exclaimed
President Trump waded into the debate, tweeting that the “great Iranian people” were fed up and it was “TIME FOR CHANGE”. Theresa May called for meaningful debate between Iran’s government and the protestors. Nevertheless, the US was alienated by European allies as France and the UK reaffirmed their position in favour of the 2015 nuclear agreement.
For Alice Lassman “I agree with Nigel” – no, it’s not the latest viral hashtag, but our very own Nick Clegg voicing his support with Farage in his call for a second referendum. Although Nick and Nigel are unlikely to become 2018’s newest power couple, they do have a point: a second referendum entices both sides with the promise of a final, conclusive say on the B-word.
Let’s face it: the 2016 Brexit campaign was a poor effort from both sides
Let’s face it: the Brexit campaign in 2016 was a poor effort from both sides. In a desperate attempt to swing the vote their way, hypothetical scenarios, facts and figures were construed, forcing the electorate to vote off the back of uncareful and loaded analysis. A second referendum, timed
after a deal is presented to us, would offer voters a chance to vote on much clearer conditions, with a better vision of what a postBrexit Britain would look like. The first referendum for the UK to leave the EU isn’t legally binding, and a second referendum would help the government to understand where the electorate stands on their ‘final deal’.
Why not keep us engaged?
After all, much of the Brexit vote was a result of disenchantment, so why not continue to keep us engaged in the future of our country? (Anders Sandberg via Flickr)
The collapse of Carillion Julia Atherley Politics Editor
(Geoff Livingston via Flickr)
Politics
The contractor Carillion, responsible for many public and private sector contracts across the UK, has gone into liquidation. There is ongoing worry concerning job security and the directors of the firm face investigation as an estimated £1.3 billion is still owed to businesses, with a pension deficit of £600 million.
An estimated £1.3m is still owed, with a pension defict of £600m
Carillion Energy Services Limited is currently listed as a partner of the Durham Energy Institute, a
University led research group aiming to draw expertise from across departments. They were also listed as a benefactor of the university in the academic year 2014/15.
The company was part of the Milburngate development in Durham but sold its stake in December
Carillion was one of the partners in the Milburngate development in Durham City Centre but sold its £150 million stake in December. Carillion were also responsible for works carried out on Saddler Street in 2011, as well as the building of the passport office in Freeman’s Reach, completed in 2016. The collapse prompted a video Elliot Brown via Flickr
from Jeremy Corbyn in which he called the crisis a “watershed moment”. He argued that it is time for the government to stop using private contractors for public services. The failure of the company means that the government will have to step in to fund the public services currently outsourced to Carillion. In PMQs, Corbyn said workers on private sector contracts were no longer going to be paid, whilst the chief executive would be paid a salary for the next 10 months. Theresa May insisted that the taxpayers would continue to be protected and that the Conservative Party was consistently the party which supported businesses and investment.
Corbyn and May clashed at PMQs
Fresh concern arose when Interserve, another large UK contractor, was announced to be under government watch after a profit warning in September. The Cabinet Office has since released a statement reassuring the public Interserve’s position is not comparable to that of Carillion. Interserve are currently in possession of the Mount Oswald contract for Durham University, having completed the Ogden Centre in 2017.
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Thursday 25th January 2018 | PALATINATE
SciTech
Durham research to light up Lumiere London Jack Eardley SciTech Editor Last week, after being well received at Durham Lumiere, it was announced that the Cosmoscope display would make a return as a feature of next year’s London Lumiere festival. London Lumiere will “transform the city and offer new perspectives on the capitals iconic streets and landmarks”, said the mayor of
London.
It is regarded as one of the most accurate simulations of a collection of galaxies to date The Cosmoscope installation was created by the professor of sculpture at the University of Hertfordshire, Simeon Nelson, and is inspired by the cutting edge research of EAGLE (Evolution and assembly of galaxies and their
environments) at Durham. The artistic work employs a complex spherical structure to describe the similarities between the universe and atoms and molecules.
The simulation took 45 days of computer time on 4000 CPU cores The EAGLE project itself makes use of Durham’s supercomputer
to run a dynamic simulation of the formation of galaxies in our universe. The simulation took 45 days of computer time on 4000 CPU cores. A box with lengths of 300 million light years, containing up to 10000 galaxies, was simulated from an early fairly uniform stage up until mass galaxy formation. This simulation is regarded as one of the most accurate of a collection of galaxies to date. The EAGLE project showed galaxy
formation through the commonly accepted method of gas falling into dark matter structures and cooling to form stars, around which solar systems and galaxies can form.
(Simeon Nelson et al. Lumiere Durham)
Reader’s Scigest special: 2017 review Artificial Intelligence
Physics and Astronomy
Medicine
Psychology
Jack Eardley SciTech Editor
Lucy Williams
Ewan Jones
Martha Bozic SciTech Editor
As we waved goodbye to NASA’s Cassini mission in 2017, we said hello to several physics discoveries, including new Earth-like planets, an interstellar visitor to the Solar System, particle-free quantum communication and the first topological laser. 2017 will particularly be remembered for what the Journal of Science named the ‘Breakthrough of the Year’: The first observation of a neutron-star merger. It marked the start of an age of multi-messenger astronomy, as observations were made both with light and gravitational waves simultaneously. It was found that the universe’s heaviest elements are produced in these events, and that they have implications for the rate of universal expansion. The location of the merger was galaxy NGC4993, apparently astronomers don’t do catchy names.
In mid-2017, scientists in the US successfully edited the genome of human embryos for the first time. A research team from Oregon Health and Science University utilised the gene-editing tool CRISPRCas 9 to fix faulty genes responsible for some inherited diseases. Whilst the US team is not the first to modify human embryos, with three previous trials taking place in China, its application under the USA’s stringent genetic modification laws is definitely a turning point.
Advances in artificial intelligence this year were staggering and a little scary.
Facebook started to employ AI to identify users at risk of suicide The program AlphaGO defeated the world champion GO player Ke Jie, often stunning him with the foresight of its play. Additionally the AlphaZero program beat a different, world champion chess program after teaching itself the game for only four hours. Facebook started to employ AI to identify users at risk of suicide and direct them towards support and human counselling. Although, if a survey of 352 AI experts is to be believed, there is a 50% chance that in 120 years the Facebook AI will be sending users to AI counselling and that all human jobs will be intelligently automated.
Under the USA’s stringent genetic modification laws, this is definitely a turning point Despite many legitimate concerns, this successful use to cure genetic diseases illustrates that the technology has undeniable merits, which will become more apparent with greater usage.
It has been a big year for our brains. Although the impacts of concussion on the brains of American Football players is no secret - so much so that Will Smith starred in a biographical film on the subject in 2015 - 2017 was a game changer. A study released in July found that 99% of brains examined, from a sample of 111 American Football players exhibited Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, a form of long term brain damage. Meanwhile, in one of the less headline-making stories of the year, a comprehensive review of the research suggests that those ‘brain training’ apps don’t work – so no, they don’t count as revision… (Images: Pexels, Nasa via Wikimedia Commons, Vigorini via Wikimedia Commons, Pexels)
Thursday 25th January 2018 | PALATINATE
18
Sport
“I can’t accept going into administration”
With Hartlepool United in danger of going under, Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero spoke to Supporters Trust Chairman Ron Harnish about the club’s situation ahead of their sell-out match against Wrexham Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero Sport Editor
H
artlepool United are far from a big club. Their stadium, Victoria Park, holds less than 8,000 people, and they sit 18th in the National League. They have spent most of their 110-year existence in the third or fourth tier of English football. And yet, they are the heart of the community in this County Durham town. As Chairman of HUST (Hartlepool United Supporters Trust) and a lifelong Pools fan, Ron Harnish, has witnessed this first-hand. But while Premier League clubs splash out on big name signings in the January transfer window, Hartlepool are in danger of going out of business. Needing to raise £200,000 by January 25th to avoid going into administration, a JustGiving page was set up which has raised almost £70,000. Saturday’s game against Wrexham was dubbed Save Pools Day and sold out, with Middlesbrough fans turning out in force to lend their support to the club who helped them during a period of financial insecurity in the 1980s. ***
seasons, it’s not been fantastic. It’s like being hand-to-mouth, and you could see it slowly degenerating, playing-wise and the feeling around. There’s lots of things added up to it, and it’s just come to the crunch. Once we got relegated last season out of the Football League, I don’t think that things have laid out the way they should have done, because they’ve ploughed a lot of money back into the club, hoping they could bounce straight back up. He’s got a big playing budget, 29 players, but we’ve had more injuries than ever I’ve known. But that still doesn’t detract from the fact we have more than enough players to do the job, and it’s not working at the minute. How do you feel the players, the manager, the chairman have reacted to the situation? It’s a case of not reacting. If they’d reacted to the situation, they’d start improving the results. As for the chairman [Pam Duxbury], I’m sure she’s tried everything she can but unfortunately she did state when she came in to the job that she’s not a football person. To be blunt, I think you can tell, that’s it. She hasn’t had good advice.
You needed to raise £200,000 by the end of the month. Is that still the case? Yeah, that’s to get them through by paying all the relevant people and paying the National Insurance and all the usual things to keep the wolf from the door. That’s all been done, I’m led to believe, and we’ve got Saturday’s match [against Wrexham] to come, along with the results of the [JustGiving] page on the internet. Were you surprised by the initial reaction to the JustGiving page? Not really, because the football community’s a fantastic thing. But I was really pleased from it, because it was a really fantastic achievement to do what they’ve done – I think it’s just over 60,000 and there’s still money coming in, so that’s absolutely fantastic. How did it come to this? It’s not been a sudden thing. We’ve been on a downward spiral, I would’ve thought, for the last 10
“
Even though we’re a non-league club, we’re still getting 3,000 gates. Not many teams can say that
”
So it’s your understanding the £200,000 has been raised? Yeah, it’s a sell-out on Saturday. Even though we’re a non-league club, we’re still getting 3,000 gates. Not many non-league teams can say that. Just the other week, with all the doom and gloom hanging over us, we still took almost two and a half thousand fans up to Gateshead. In this league, it’s very much southern-based, and I don’t think
▲ Hartlepool had to raise £200,000 by January 25th to avoid administration (Mark Fletcher, Shutter Press) that’s helped. I think it’s 12 or 13 teams [from the] London area and beyond, and then you’ve got Torquay on the other side of the country, so there’s a fair bit of travelling. I’m sure that’s been a contributing factor. You think [about] the cost of 20 people going down on the team coach and stopping overnight, it won’t be cheap will it? What do you think the club has to do next? This is a good little club that can do stuff, and I’m sure with the right leadership you could definitely break even. I really believe that. But, for that, you’d have to have a serious cull and look at it sensibly and think where have all the expenses gone. Without crippling the team on the pitch, because that’s the crux of the matter. If you can keep that team going and winning, that is a big plus, because then you’ve got all the associated things which happen. If the team’s doing well, everything’s fine. Do you think Hartlepool’s problems are indicative of a wider trend in English football? Without a doubt. It’s especially hard for teams in the north. When it used to be the Third Division North and South, your clubs didn’t travel more than two and a half
hours, three hours tops. Now, it’s nothing to have a six-hour journey. It’s a lot different now, but we can go deeper and deeper, and I think the Premiership’s caused an awful lot of trouble for English football. Yes, it’s the promised lands for the teams that are in it, and even if you drop out, you get something like £30million. Come on, where’s the sense in that? Poor Darlington were a league club, and they went to the wall, for less than half of a week’s wages for a Premiership footballer. It’s farcical. Does that worry you? Yeah. It comes to the point [where] you find your level, everybody finds their level. Hartlepool will never be a big team, but there’s times when you have that little spark, you have that bit of fun, you get your cup run, you do things like this. And that’s basically what fans in the lower leagues live for. But unless you’ve got a great chairman and manager who have the same view and have the same outlook
“
Supporting Hartlepool is a labour of love, it’s like being married
”
on the game, to go for it… How have other clubs helped out? The Middlesbrough fans can’t be praised enough, the way they’ve backed the campaign, they’ve been absolutely brilliant. They’ve come in their droves, and I think it’s something like 1000 are coming. Now that is unbelievable. And Danny Graham, the ex-Sunderland, Middelsbrough player, he put two and a half thousand pounds of his own money into the appeal. Are you optimistic about the future? Yes, definitely. I can’t accept going into either receivership or administration, I can’t accept it, not while there’s hope. This fantastic appeal we’ve done... it has given us literally four weeks to work on it with the new owners. Hopefully, three or four weeks, people working, beavering away in the background will get it all sorted and we’ll have a new owner and a new horizon to aim at. Do you still enjoy supporting Hartlepool? It’s a labour of love, it’s like being married. It doesn’t mean you have to love your partner but you still stick with them. How’s that?
PALATINATE | Thursday 25th January 2018
19
Sport
Strong start for Durham across BUCS just one point behind second-placed Northumbria and have a superior goal difference and game in hand on their main league rivals. Netball
▲ Durham’s First XV have had a mixed season so far (DURFC via Twitter)
Will Jennings Ella Jerman Deputy Sport Editors Women’s Football The 1s went into the Christmas break on a high having already secured the Premier North League title. With 27 points from nine games and a striking goal difference of +31, it is safe to say they have enjoyed an extremely successful league campaign. The 2s are currently fourth in
Division 2 North with nine points. Wins in their upcoming home fixtures against Sheffield Hallam and Newcastle will be essential if the Palatinates want to keep pace with the top three. Women’s Hockey The 1s currently sit in fourth with 11 points and are yet to win away from home this season, but a win in their upcoming home fixture against Loughborough could take them up to second. Meanwhile, the 2s are
Durham’s netballers have been flying high so far this season with the 1s, 2s and 5s all currently topping their respective leagues. The 1s will be looking to capitalise on York St John’s poor recent form in their next game to put some distance between themselves and Sheffield in second place. The 2s are currently six points clear at the top of the Northern 3B. The 5s are unbeaten in the league and their goal difference of +208 is the highest of any DUNC side. Men’s Rugby League Having achieved promotion to the Northern 2B division two years ago, DURL are pushing again for promotion this year. They currently sit in second, three points behind Leeds Trinity. The team are preparing to face the league leaders at home in what is likely to be a titledeciding match. Former DURL captain and senior member of the squad Calum
Graham reflects on the season so far: “This season has seen us go from strength to strength and pick up some seriously good results such as our 42-0 away win against a once dominant Sheffield Hallam side. This improvement from last year has been down to the hard work of all the boys, especially the Pres Rob Dessington.” Men’s Rugby Union
In a league as competitive as the BUCS Super Rugby division, Alex Keay’s First XV were always aware of the challenges this season would bring. The side currently sits eighth in the top flight following a disappointing run of results including defeats at Exeter, Loughborough, Northumbria and Cardiff Metropolitan. Brighter moments have emerged, however, with victories against Bath, Leeds Beckett and Nottingham Trent instilling some confidence. Men’s Football Durham’s First XI have experienced a turbulent campaign so far, sitting in third place in the Northern Premier division after a first term characterised by both goals and
inconsistency. Despite important victories against Northumbria, Loughborough and Stirling, dropped points in the return fixture against Loughborough and against Birmingham on two occasions have halted their progress. Nevertheless, the league title remains a viable achievement for the side. Men’s Hockey
The hockey club continues to go from strength to strength, with all five teams entering the second half of the season in strong shape. The First XI are at the summit of the Northern A division, while the Second and Third XIs occupy the top two places of the Northern 2B division after just one loss each. With four of the five teams still in the hunt for titles, the apogee of this season looks set to be compelling. Tennis Both the men’s and women’s tennis teams have enjoyed considerable success so far. The first teams both sit top of their divisions following near-flawless first terms, with the women’s side still in possession of their laudable undefeated record.
Collingwood clear at top of points table Ella Jerman Louis Gibbon Deputy Sport Editors Collingwood lead the way in the College Sport Competition with an impressive 2433 points which puts clear daylight between them and St Cuthbert’s in second place with 1472 points. Collingwood’s closest contenders last year Van Mildert have failed to build on last year’s successes and currently sit in seventh place, only one above St John’s despite having almost three times the number of students. Men’s Rugby Collingwood A have continued from where they left off last year. Having gone unbeaten last year, they have started this season in similar fashion, winning all four league fixtures and topping the Premiership at Christmas. Van Mildert A are the only other side to bolster a 100% record but were on the end of a floodlit cup upset to the controversial Trevelyan A. Collingwood B have been similarly successful topping Divison One,
with five wins from five, but are being pushed closely for promotion by Hatfield B and Josephine Butler A. Collingwood and Hatfield As have both impressed in the Floodlit Cup and are on opposite sides of the draw, which could set up another thrilling final between the two later this term. Men’s Football It is incredibly tight at the top of the Premiership. Grey A are the only side with an unbeaten record but, with games in hand, they trail St Cuthbert’s A, Collingwood A and Hatfield A, who top the league, despite crashing out of the floodlit cup to reigning league champions Van Mildert A on penalties. In division one, St Mary’s A and Trevelyan A look in good candidates for promotion. Men’s Hockey Collingwood continue their sporting success in the hockey, with the A team sitting 5 points clear of a strong St John’s A side, who have had a great start to the
season. Trevelyan A look in a great position for promotion with seven wins from seven, as do Mary’s A, who also boast a 100% record. Women’s Football Last year’s Football Trophy winners Josephine Butler A currently sit 11 points clear at the top of the Premiership table and are still involved in both knockout competitions. In Division One, unbeaten Grey A look more than likely to secure promotion to the top-flight after having won all five of their league games so far. The league leaders have already caused an upset in the Floodlit Cup by knocking out last season’s double champions Collingwood A on penalties in the first round.
knocking them off the top spot will be some feat. They went 19 games unbeaten last season to win both the league and cup and they have extended this incredible unbeaten run. Having only conceded five league goals since the beginning of the 2016-17 season, teams are will have to create something special to break down Grey’s defence. Netball
up Collingwood A are mounting a serious title challenge this year, leading the table having won all seven of their fixtures. Likewise, St John’s A are impressing in Division One with seven wins in seven and an average of 32 goals per game. Just three points behind, both St Cuthbert’s A and Hatfield A are intent on chasing down the league leaders in what looks to be a thrilling promotion race.
Last season’s Premiership runners-
Women’s Hockey Competition is tight in the Premiership with five potential contenders in the reckoning for the league title. St Cuthbert’s, Van Mildert, Collingwood and St Mary’s are all level on 12 points to keep up the pressure on Grey A, but
▲ Grey A are the team to beat in women’s hockey (GWHC)
Sport
Thursday 25th January 2018 | PALATINATE
Hartlepool United on the brink Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero speaks to the Chairman of the Supporters Trust about the club’s situation (page 18)
Team Durham and College Sport roundup We assess the season so far in BUCS and the College Sport Competition (page 19)
College Sport Manager: varsities mean best is yet to come LJ Crawford College Sport Manager
▲ DUWAFC 1s wrapped up the Premier North before the winter break. On p19 we look back at Team Durham’s season so far across all sports (Briana Rose Norton)
‘No Boundaries’ for cricketers in pursuit of mental health awareness Ollie Godden Deputy Sport Editor Cricket is the only sport that spans five days, only for a draw to be declared at the end of play. An alien concept to nontraditionalist cricket fans, the sport has an enticing ability to keep the spectators captivated for hours. However, Hatfield student Ben Gould is looking for cricketing captivation of a different kind, namely in the form of a world record-breaking marathon match, lasting 48 hours. In aid of PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide, the indoor event ‘No Boundaries’ will take place at Durham School on 12th-14th February. With suicide the leading cause
of young deaths, PAPYRUS exist to listen, support, and guide young people with mental health issues who are thinking of committing suicide. The event itself will rely entirely on volunteers across the spectrum of roles from players to videographers and everything in between, while all equipment will be donated by willing helpers. The event’s Twitter and Facebook pages, ‘noboundarieswr’, offer more information for anyone keen to help. There are a number of ways to help out from volunteering, raising awareness and, most importantly, donating. Funds are already flooding in on the JustGiving page which is well on its way to the £500 target. A quiz night held at Hatfield last
Sunday further bolstered the fundraising efforts, weeks before the start of the game. Gould explained to Palatinate he wanted to use sport to raise money for PAPYRUS because making sport more sensitive to mental health issues will help people engage in camaraderieinducing activities. “We are aiming to bring together people from the university, local sports clubs and wider community”, he said. “We will be running a raffle, selling t-shirts and other activities over the 48 hours and everyone is welcome. There are some exciting additions, which are yet to be announced, too.” Gould went on to announce the exceptional support the project has received thus far.
“The support from a variety of people has been exceptional”, he continued, “we’ve got ex-students taking days off work to come up from London, [we’ve] had some great support from local businesses, especially in regard to raffle prizes and merchandise printing and from organisations such as Durham County Cricket Club”. He admits the logistics of running the event can be tricky as there are so many components to the organisation. However, the support network seems to be making the task much easier. There seems to be no doubt in Gould’s mind that the Durham community can continue to come together to support the project and the great cause behind it.
First term provided an exciting start to college sport. We had over 540 teams competing across more than 70 leagues for their colleges, resulting in 17,000 college sport points being awarded. Michaelmas term also saw college sport points awarded for the college pool leagues for the first time, as well as for one-day knock-out competitions in rowing, ultimate frisbee and volleyball. Collingwood College still sit comfortably in first place in the college sport table, but with events like the Collingwood vs Grey Varsity this term and Festival of Sport in third term, their title can still be challenged. Epiphany term also sees the return of regular annual college sport competitions including the Hatfield vs Castle Varsity (March 3rd/4th) and the York Colleges Varsity on Sunday February 25th. This year we return to York for the Varsity. The last time we competed away for the trophy, York kept it from us, and we do not plan on letting that happen again. Epiphany term also sees two new competitions; a Stephenson vs Josephine Butler College Varsity (Feb 17th/18th) and a varsity against Loughborough University Intramural Sports on Sunday February 11th. Keep your eyes on all Team Durham social media (@ teamdurham) for varsity team selection coming out in early February. Epiphany term will also see the completion of many of the college sport leagues and cups for the year so keep an eye on social media for winners announcements as well. Best of luck to all of the College Sport teams as they continue to play this term and let’s keep our fingers crossed the weather stays in our favour this time! You can read our roundup of the College Sport Competition so far on p19.