LSESU LENT TERM ELECTION SPECIAL: MANIFESTOS INSIDE, VOTING INFORMATION AND FEATURES GUIDE
TheBeaver
05.03.2013
Newspaper of the LSE Students’ Union FREE
Second coming of the UGM? Sophie Donzelmann 6WDૼ 5HSRUWHU
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Old tensions resurface in Israeli Apartheid Week Ira Lorandou
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Editorial
Editorial Board Executive Editor Liam Brown
editor@thebeaveronline.co.uk
Managing Editor Matthew Worby
05.03.2013
7KHBeaver Established in 1949 Issue No. 789
managing@thebeaveronline.co.uk
News Editors Hayley Fenton Arisa Manawapat Ira Lorandou
Telephone: 0207 955 6705 Email: editor@thebeaveronline.co.uk Website: www.thebeaveronline.co.uk
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Comment Editor Jon Allsop comment@thebeaveronline.co.uk
Features Editor Chris Rogers features@thebeaveronline.co.uk
Social Editor Amelia Thomson social@thebeaveronline.co.uk
Sport Editor Dennis Mooney sports@thebeaveronline.co.uk
PartB Editor Josh Jinruang Janie Tan
| The Beaver
Collective A E Dawson, A Doherty, A Fyfe, A Krechetova, A L Cunningham, A L Gunn, A Manawapat, A Moneke, A X Patel, A Peters-Day, A Qazilbash, A Riese, A Sulemanji, A Thomson, A Wright, A Young, B Arslan, B Butterworth, B Clarke, B Phillips, B Rogers, C S Russell, C V Pearson, D McKenna, D Ming, D Yu, E Beaumont, E Delahaye, E E Fraser, E Firth, E S Dwek, F Bennett, G K Chhina, G Manners-Armstrong, H Brentnall, H Burdon, H Dar, H Fenton, H J Sheppard, I Lorandou, I M Silver, J Allsop, J Attueyi, J Austin, J Curtis, J M Palmer, J M Still, J R Peart, J Stoll, J Tindale, J V Armstrong, J Wacket, J Yarde, K C Hughes, K Kenney, K Pezeshki, K Rogers, K Singh, L A Yang, L Atchison, L Aumeer, L Brown, L Kang, L Slothuus, L Vardaxoglou, M C +H૸ HUQDQ 0 )OHWFKHU 0 -HQNLQV M Pearson, M Veale, M Worby, N Antoniou, N J Buckley-Irvine, N Jaroszek, N Mashru, N Mateer, N Russell, P Gederi, R A Coleman, R Chouglay, R Al-Dabagh, R Browne, R Cucchiaro, R Gudka, R Hamer, R Holmes, R Illingworth, R J Charnock, R Serunjogi, S Chaudhuri, S Desai, S Gale, S H Low, S Newman, S Nissila, S Poojara, S R Williams, S Sebatindira, S W Leung, S Hang Low, T Barnes, T Poole, V A Wong, V Chan, X T Wang
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Splitting Your Attention We here at the Beaver have several rules that we’re meant to uphold. But being the notoriously uncooperative scamps that we are, sometimes we break them. Currently there is one such rule that states we are unable to name individual members of your Students’ UnLRQ VWDŕŽ‰ 1RZ ZH ZRXOGQ‍ڑ‏W want to cause trouble, so it is in no way our intention to name anyone who works for the Union. Any identifying comments or remarks contained in this editorial were completely and utterly accidental. We understand that there is a relatively sane basis for this rule, it helps protect them from salacious gossip and unfounded rumours. And really, this is probably for the best. However, what’s frustrat-
ing us presently is that this means that we also can’t print someone’s name when we want to praise them for the outstanding job that they’re doing. There are many reasons why you might want to give someone some recognition, presently we’re amazed not only by how well run the hustings have been so far, but also at the sheer number of candidates that are running in the elections this time around. It’s like someone new has come into the organisation and really excelled in restoring democracy to the Union. Coordinating it, in fact. We guess since we can’t name them you’ll never know who we’re talking about, but suffice to say, there has been some FKDQJH DQG WKDW LW ZDV GHன
nitely for the best. On a separate, but related issue, we here at the Beaver would also like to question, or highlight, the issue that WKH /6(68 VKDUHV LWV VWDŕŽ‰ with the University of the Arts, London. Now, we’re all for economies of scale, but ZKHQ \RX KDYH VLJQLன FDQW QXPEHUV RI VWDŕŽ‰ GHFDPSLQJ over to a separate campus during one of the busiest weeks of the year, well, it raised our eyebrows. It’s just interesting to see that for all the electioneering about what to do with the Union, no one wants to talk about the people who have just as much, if not PRUH LQŕŽ‹ XHQFH RYHU GHFL sions that are made as your Sabbatical Officers. Actually, fuck it. Keep up the great work, Laura. You’re awesome.
2ŕŽ‰ HQGHG" (PDLO us! editor@thebeaveronline.co.uk
8QLRQ %DVKÄ? #LTelections Look! Many people came to election hustings. UGM healthy?
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News
The Beaver | 05.03.2013 Continued from front page.
Jay Stoll answered this question by assuring the audience he was “known as being ‘the Jew’ on campus� and that “liberation issues were close to his heart.� Many anticipated some “provocative� remarks from Jason Wong, a candidate for Education Officer and known on campus for his controversial views. Despite a less than subtle swipe at the current General Secretary, Alex Peters-Day, for her views on LSE100, Wong did not seem to create the controversy that some may have expected. He did, however, vow to cut his salary by twenty per cent, and pledged to “stop the at-
tack on capitalism and start the attack on the issues that students faceâ€?. His speech managed to cause enough of a stir on Twitter as people tweeted about his education policy for online subscription for the Financial Times and The Economist. The opportunity to answer questions, “couldn’t have been betterâ€? according to Hannah Richmond, a candidate for the Activities and Development Officer, as “the questions allowed me to show that my policies, such as better, closer facilities, ZRXOG KDYH UHDO EHQHன W WR DOO the students on campusâ€?. The attendance to the event was substantial as Anderson said it was “the high-
est it has been in years.â€? A candidate for Women’s Officer, Sally Bonsall, said, “it’s really encouraging to see a high level of student interest DKHDG RI ZKDW ZLOO GHன QLWH ly be an exciting election.â€? Richmond suggested that the turn out showed “how important the elections are to the school and the student body. It would be amazing to have that sort of turnout at all 8*0V LW‍ڑ‏V GHன QLWHO\ VRPH thing I would want to encourage and promote. More students need to be made aware of the opportunity they have to get their opinions heard.â€? However, some questioned whether the majority of audience members were in attendance to support a friend
or out of a general curiosity in the university’s primary democratic institution. The hustings event marked the official beginning of the allotted oneweek period of campaigning. Many candidates have created websites and Facebook groups and events, as well as the traditional on-the-ground campaigning on Houghton Street. The candidates expressed their excitement for the elections and have encouraged all the students to vote. Their manifestos can be found on the LSESU website. Voting opens 10:00 am Wednesday March 6th, and closes 7pm Thursday March 7th.
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EVENTS IN BRIEF The LSESU Grimshaw IR Club Presents: The Ambassador Series Falklands / Malvinas: The Referendum does not end the dispute H.E. Alicia Castro, Ambassador of Argentina to the UK 4 March 19:00 Hong Kong Theatre, CLM G.02 Registration required: http://lsesugrimshawmalvinas.eventbrite.com/ TwentySomethings
VOTE IN SU ELECTIONS 2013
Tuesday 5 March 8:30- 10:30pm
Voting opens: 10am Wednesday 6 March, closes 7pm Thursday 7 March Log on to https://elections.lse.ac.uk/elections/voter/login
/6(‍ڑ‏V ELJ QDPHV DXFWLRQHG R૸ Hayley Fenton
The Quad welcomed the LSESU Development Society and LSESU RAG last Thursday evening to the annual People’s Charity Auction. The Charity Auction enabled students to bid on some of LSE’s biggest names from the Athletics and Student Union, with the highest bidder securing a date. Several members of the school management and DFDGHPLF VWDŕŽ‰ ZHUH DOVR XS IRU JUDEV LQ D UDŕŽ? H LQFOXGLQJ Lord Nicholas Stern, Professor Danny Quah and Professor Connor Gearty. All proceeds from the auction went to one of RAG’s charities, Find Your Feet, an international development charity that works in some of the most remote areas of India, Nepal, Malawi and Zimbabwe. Among those who were auctioned was the LSESU Community and Welfare Officer, Jack Tindale, who took to the stage to woo the audience with a well-rehearsed Alan Partridge impression. Eventually being auctioned for ÂŁ40 to the ex-LSESU RAG President, Jenny Wilkins, Tindale stated it was a “tremendous honourâ€? to have been asked to partake in the event. The LSESU Activities and Development Officer, Matthew De Jesus, got particularly involved in the auctioning spirit, securing the LSESU General Secretary Alex Peters-Day for ÂŁ100 and ex-UGM chair, Jay Stoll for ÂŁ60.
Professors Paul Kelly and Connor Gearty were won by students Marine Gill and Eve Wright respectively in the rafŕŽ‹ H After a brief interval, those being auctioned were brought
onto stage. Second year BSc Government and History student, Thomas Meaden, marketed himself with promises to take his date to the LSESU drama production, TwentySomethings. Despite an energetic performance, Meaden went for one of the lowest bids, eventually being auctioned to Alex Peters-Day for ÂŁ7.
Speaking after the auction, Meaden said, “I think PetersDay got a bargain buying me for just ÂŁ7 and I look forward to seeing the next LSE Drama Society production with her.â€? Third year Bsc Philosophy,
/RJLF DQG 6FLHQWLன F 0HWKRG student, Kobi Finestone, thoroughly enjoyed the auction, stating “it was a good evening in which we got to see all of the biggest names on campus look like fools, and as it was for charity who could complain.â€? When asked if he placed any bids, Finestone admitted, “I did bid on the Environment
and Ethics Officer, Naomi Russell, as I would have liked the chance to go to the Vauxhall roller disco, but I didn’t have enough cash.â€? Russell was auctioned for ÂŁ65 to Lauren Thomas, a third year Mathematics and Economics student. RAG Events Officer, Nona Buckley-Irvine, felt the auction was a “really successful event and raised RAG a substantial amount of money for Find Your Feet. “A special mention has to go to all those auctioned, who ZHUH JUHDW VSRUWV DQG RŕŽ‰ HUHG prizes spanning from football tickets, to painting portraits, to a visit to a farm. It couldn’t have gone better.â€? Although the exact amount of money raised by the auction KDG QRW EHHQ FRQன UPHG DW WKH time of print, Buckley-Irvine FRQன UPHG WKDW QHDUO\ e had been raised.
Find Your Feet is being supported by an LSE Alumni who has promised to match all funds raised for the charity.
Wednesday 06 March 2013 7pm - 10pm The Old Theatre An original play by Luca :LQHU DERXW ன YH WZHQW\ somethings and the way that they each deal with the inevitable quest for meaning, love and self realization.
Working in the Charity Sector Tuesday 05 March 2013 5pm - 6:30pm EAS. E168 A talk led by Jennifer Coleman who previously worked for the NSPCC and now works for the Children’s Museum London
Results Night Thursday 07 March 2013 8pm - 11pm the Quad The Quad will be full of candidates waiting to hear the results of the elections. Make sure you come to see your favourite win!
LSEES Annual Energy Conference 3URIHVVRU -HŕŽ‰ UH\ ' 6DFKV will speak at the LSE on ‘What is Sustainable Development and How Can We Achieve It?’ on Wednesday 13th of March. For tickets, email v.capaccio1@lse.ac.uk
GOT A SCOOP? Got a story that you think we should be printing? Send us an e-mail: news@thebeaveronline.co.uk
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News
05.03.2013
| The Beaver
Maths graduates earn highest starting salaries Mathematics (ÂŁ33,438), Economic History (ÂŁ32,061) and Geography & Environment (ÂŁ28,338) department. On the other end of the spectrum, Law graduates receive the lowest pay post-graduation, with an average salary of ÂŁ20,300. According to a second year Law student, the reaVRQ EHKLQG WKH ORZ னJXUH LV because a fresh graduate HQWHULQJ D ODZ னUP XVXDOO\ VWDUWV RŕŽ‰ ZLWK D ORZ paying training contract. Nevertheless, the pay will rise to “50 to 60 thousand poundsâ€? after one or two years, and will rise even higher once he/she qualiனHV DV DQ DVVRFLDWH Other departments with graduates earning less than their peers are the
Shu Hang
Despite the economic downturn, graduates from the London School of Economics continue to do well in the job market, with the Class of 2011 commanding an average salary of ÂŁ34,555 six months after graduation. Nevertheless, data from the Careers Department show that there H[LVWV D VLJQLனFDQW GLVSDUity between the graduate VDODULHV RI GLŕŽ‰HUHQW GHSDUWments. According to the 2010/11 statistics, undergraduates from the Department of Mathematics enjoy the highest starting salary, earning an average of ÂŁ35,519 post-graduation. Other high-earners include graduates from the
International Relations (ÂŁ21,833), Social Policy (ÂŁ22,757) and Sociology (ÂŁ23,000) department. One of the main reasons behind the disparity is that JUDGXDWHV IURP GLŕŽ‰HUHQW department tend to enter GLŕŽ‰HUHQW MRE VHFWRUV 0DQ\ students noted that Economics and Mathematics graduates are more likely to join investment banks and professional services னUPV ZKLOH ,QWHUQDWLRQDO Relations graduates are more likely to enter the less lucrative public and non-governmental organisation (NGO) sector. According to statistics from the Association of Graduate Recruiters, investment banks, at ÂŁ45,000 have the most generous graduate pay
rate. Meanwhile, the public sector, at ÂŁ22,200 and UHWDLOHUV DW e RŕŽ‰HU the lowest pay to its graduates. Nevertheless, many students are unbothered by the disparity, stating that the amount of the graduate salary is not the main criteria for them in choosing a job. Hayley Fenton, second year Philosophy and Economics student, said “Far more important than a career that would give me the privilege of sitting behind four computer screens for sixteen hours a day, and earning a salary that I would realistically never have the time to spend, is having a job that I would actually enjoy and would enable me to give something back to
society.� Disparity between departments also exists for the employment rate after graduation. Figures show that 96.2 per cent of Government and 95.3 per cent of International History students were in employment or in further study six months after graduation. Meanwhile, Philosophy and Anthropology students seem to have a tougher time seeking employment, with an employment rate of 85.7 and 87.5 per cent respectively. On average, the proportion of unemployed graduates after six months at the LSE is 8.9 per cent, which is comparable to the national average according to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).
LSESU Emerging Markets Forum On February 27th and 28th, the annual LSESU Emerging Markets Forum was held at the Park Lane Hotel in Piccadilly. With over 300 students arriving from GLŕŽ‰HUHQW XQLYHUVLWLHV DQG countries as faraway as Brazil, there was a sense of undeniable excitement buzzing from the start of the arrival reception. According to the cofounder, Michael Soon, the forum was “created with a vision to inspire and expand students’ participation in and understanding of emerging markets’ strengthening role in our worldâ€?. From the carefully prepared table setups on arrival (a complimentary LSE notepad, copy of Time Magazine, personal business cards for networking, detailed agenda book, and even a pack of mints) to the well-placed refreshment breaks in between every two talks, the team made sure the 10 hours each day was as comfortable as possible. On day one, Dr. Amlan Roy, head of global demographics and pension research at Credit Suisse, delivered the opening keynote and discussed population and demographic issues in emerging markets. Afterwards a panel of speakers from Macquarie Capital, Credit Suisse, Armajaro Asset Management Emerging
LSESU EMERGING MARKETS SOCIETY
Tanya Mahp
Markets Fund, Abraaj Capital, and Financial Times discussed the topic of investing in emerging markets. One participant noted that although this appeared to be a knowledgeable group, the speakers “did not have as much time to go into evidence behind their claims. Everything said felt like speculation.â€? A choice from two workVKRSV ZDV RŕŽ‰HUHG WR DWtendees each day. This was a new addition to the forum this year and an opportunity for attendees to have
interactive discussions with the speaker. In the “Building a Global Fashion Brand� workshop led by Isabelle Li, founder and managing director of Maryling, many attendees were wowed at the success of her empire of stores erected in just the past three years. However, Li abruptly ended the workshop when she refused to answer questions from attendees about how she found seed money for her business and why she chose to only use white models in her advertising campaigns
when the majority of her stores and headquarters were in China. Other topics covered were Brazil and Latin America, Oil and Gas, Investing in Frontier Markets, Exploring the African Growth Story, Asian investments into Europe, the Consumer and Middle class, FX and Capital Flows and Fixed Income Trading, and Intersection of Developed and Emerging Markets, all of which once again saw panels of speakers from various hedge funds, private equity
னUPV RU LQYHVWPHQW EDQNV With the few exceptions of one lecturer from LSE, Keyu Jin, and an author, Dr. Linda Yueh, the whole lineup of speakers were overZKHOPLQJO\ IURP னQDQFH focused backgrounds. There was a sense of disappointment for students hoping to learn about the involvement of civil societies and NGOs. One undergraduate from the University of Bath expressed her disappointment that more speakers with “on the groundâ€? experience weren’t invited such as scholars from think tanks, government officials, or even more locally based professors who have spent their career researching emerging markets. An LSE student noted that it was a shame that LSE professors who have worked on government policies were not included in the forum. She commented that the forum should be renamed as the “Future Financial Outlook of Emerging Marketsâ€?. Lastly, another participant thought it was ironic that the price of the forum, despite its purpose of spreading knowledge about less developed countries, came at 90 pounds for two days and an extra 100 pounds for dinner. He believed this made the forum very inaccessible to LSE students, “who are already facing high costs of tuition and London living standards.â€?
News
The Beaver | 05.03.2013
5
LSE ranked 21st in sexual health Arisa Manawapat
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LSE100 misses out on distinction, is runner-up Hayley Fenton
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News
05.03.2013
| The Beaver
Rosling on population rise Faye Wong
ZERO EMISSION RESOURCE ORGANIZATION
Last Tuesday, Hans Rosling, co-founder of the Gapminder Foundation and Professor of International Health at the Karolinska Institute, discussed the history of population growth in certain countries and its relation to their economic growth and social well being. As part of the LSE Space for Thought Literary Festival 2013, Rosling was welcomed by a large audience in the Old Theatre for his public lecture entitled ‘Communicating Population Change’. The co-founder of Gapminder, an interactive programme which allows users to use two indicators to establish a trend on a graph EHWZHHQ GLஉHUHQW FRXQtries, Rosling demonstrated his passion for statistics and data. As a professional, he SDVVLRQDWHO\ GHP\VWLஊHG tales that typical geographers might have about population. He believed that countries in Africa can and should rise as economic strongholds, whereas other states or individual attitudes believe otherwise. He strongly argued that the term ‘developing countries’ one of the best healthVKRXOG EH DQ XQGHஊQHG care systems in the world term. For example, he inand yet ironically it is sugdicated that Singapore has gested to be a developing
country. Rosling appeared to have no shame in using toilet rolls to demonstrate future demographics of
population. The audience belted out laughing. The Professor stressed the changing roles between
genders in modern society and the mobilisation of women in more developed countries. This in turn has DஉHFWHG WKH SRSXODWLRQ growth rate. For example, he stressed that more women today are given more equal opportunities in life – they are given the freedom to choose to do what they want. Evidence shows that men are more willing to play a more domestic role and allowing women to pursue their career goals and aims. Moreover, more women nowadays are choosing not to marry and are having IHZHU FKLOGUHQ ,Q UHHFWLRQ of states becoming wealthier, there is less children being born. The most important point to which Hans Rosling tried to demystify was the overall world population rise. He claimed that there was a misconception that the world is becoming too RYHUFURZGHG 6HYHQW\ ஊYH per cent of the world population live in families that have three children or under. More families around the world are realising the EHQHஊWV RI KDYLQJ OHVV FKLOdren. Sarah Robinson, a teacher at a London primary school commented, “Hans Rosling’s professional performance was insightful into the future changes of population.”
at 80, an opinion that was shared by a surprisingly Last Tuesday at the Sheikh large number of audience Zayed Theatre, the LSE and members. The main part of the disthe BBC World Service hosted a forum discussing the cussion concentrated on the challenges of ageing as part economic implications of an of the public lecture series ageing population. Despite “Space for thought” that some vocal opposition from WDFNOHV ஊYH PDLQ FRQFHUQV the audience Hans Rosling of the 21st century: ageing, argued that it is “naive” to inequality, society versus believe in equal state-prothe individual, leadership vided health care for all, and instead advocates chanand education. Members of the panel in- neling resources to the last cluded the Swedish statisti- year of life, which takes up cian Hans Rosling who has half all health costs. Later parts of the disDFTXLUHG D JOREDO SURஊOH through TED talks, Sarah cussion focused on gender Harper, professor of Geron- issues regarding ageing. tology at Oxford University Several members of the auand director of Oxford’s In- dience recounted anecdotes stitute for Population Ageing of how the way old women and P D James, celebrated are perceived in society difcrime novelist and President fers from the way old men of the British Society of Au- are perceived. Sarah Harper mentioned thors. Helena Kennedy, human several professions in which rights lawyer and chair for older women have very little the event introduced the chance to succeed: she artopic by asking when old gued that acting and other age begins. P D James, her- professions such as TV-preself 92, argued that for her senting discriminate heavpersonally, old age started ily against older women, Anna Bartsch
but also exempted her own career path, academia, from it. Known for his penchant for witty remarks Rosling pointed out that the fear of getting older is somewhat irrational: “I don’t understand when people say they do not want get older. The alternative is not youth; it is death.” Helena Kennedy continuously encouraged the live audience to express their emotions and the request was frequently met by spontaneous clapping and loud laughter. Brandon Petillo, general course student from American University, DC characterized the event as “thought-provoking and entertaining” but expressed disappointment with the short nature of the discussion. The event was broadcast by the BBC World Service on 1.05pm on Saturday and will reach a world-wide audience of 188 million people.
LSE LITERARY FESTIVAL
Literary Festival 2013: Challenges of Ageing
News
The Beaver | 05.03.2013
7
French-Islamic relations Professor of Political Science at Stanford University, David Laitin gave a public lecture entitled ‘Muslims in France: Identifying a discriminatory equilibrium’ at the LSE on February 28. The event, which took place in the New Theatre at the East Building, revealed VRPH RI /DLWLQ‍ڑ‏V XQLTXH னQGings concerning the patterns of assimilation of the Muslim population into the French society. It has been found that Muslim communities perceive discrimination as an institutionalised factor, and are therefore reluctant to assimilate into the nation. The native French, on the other hand, identify this low level of assimilation and thus reveal their distaste for Muslims. Hence, a ‘discriminatory equilibrium’ is maintained by both groups of the society. Throughout the lecture Laitin made it clear that it is not the religiosity of the Muslims that is causing the discrimination, but rather the whole set of qualities attributed to living in a Muslim community. In fact, the evidence collected in support of this னQGLQJ LV VR UHYHDOLQJ IRU the French community, that no French mass media have agreed to publish Laitin’s re-
MARIACHILY
Raisa Antaranyan
port. For instance, a CV experiment, carried out using a random sample of French னUPV KDV VKRZQ WKDW D K\SRthetical female called Aurélie is 2.5 times more likely to receive a call-back from a potential employer than a hypothetical female Khadija with a CV of equal quality. In addition, surveys have shown that average monthly household income
in Muslim communities is lower than the one in Christian communities by more than 400 euros. A possible explanation of this discrimination is that Muslim workers have different gender norms and do not take orders from female bosses, making them less attractive as employees. However, Laitin insists that discrimination is not limited to
employment and is related to all spheres of social life. Thus, a number of gamestyled experiments, held by Laitin in France, have shown that native French individuals are less altruistic towards people they can identify as Muslims. In addition, Muslims themselves expect such attitude towards themselves and are therefore less generous towards people they can
identify as Christian French. These two trends do not allow for the discriminatory deadlock to be resolved. Simon Hix, the Head of Department of Government at the LSE, commented on the report, questioning the importance of names as a signal of one’s identity and suggesting that this issue could be elaborated on in future research.
Kohli and Baggini on humour Audrey Pang
Organised by the Forum for European Philosophy on February 18th, the dialogue “On Humour� with raconteur Hardeep Singh Kohli and philosopher Julian Baggini shed light on eccentric topics ranging from the representation of Muslims, Kohli’s TV show and his intention for “brown comedy�, “Monty Python�, social satire, to the brief mention of Tesco’s beef. A lover of jokes, puns, and anything funny, Kohli captivated the audience immediately with his theory that “comedy greats� are usually the most terrible and awful people. He suggests that comedians who reach the “pinnacle of comedy� are those who have experienced and suffered a great deal. Kohli’s message resonated with the audience: humour is beautiful, but if used in-
correctly, it is awkward and redundant. Sometimes it is scary to be telling jokes. Kohli UHŕŽ‹HFWV WKDW WHOOLQJ D MRNH is like going to the gym; everyone does it, and exercising on the treadmill becomes so easy and natural. But humour is like UXQQLQJ WKH னQDO UDFH The best ad-lib humour is a question of spontaneity, like a “personalised, Machiavellian momentâ€?. According to Baggini, WKH UHDVRQ ZH னQG FODVsic British humour incredibly funny is for the simple reason that we all have a sense of the “existentialistâ€? in us. We laugh at the most absurd and inappropriate situations, because there’s a distinct “disconnectâ€? between us, as the audience, and the joke’s victim. Ultimately, both speakers contend that a third-party audience indelibly controls the extent
of humour. Baggini also analysed why some jokes aren’t as funny as they seem. PeoSOH UHDFW YHU\ GLŕŽ‰HUHQWO\ to various degrees of humour – from deep ripples of laughter to a soft chuckle. Both him and Kohli agree that humour is often relative to the intent of the recipient and the teller. The dialogue concluded with an amusing question from the audience: is it true that we are consuming more humour in today’s society? Both speakers made insightful contributions to this debate—in summary, Kohli and Baggini believe that jokes are told to instill comfort and similarity between individuals. Through the “universalisability of humourâ€?, maybe the things we have in common are greater than our GLŕŽ‰HUHQFHV
Comment
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Comment
05.03.2013
| The Beaver
Reclaiming liberal interventionism Comment Leader: Liam Hill on why the Left must rethink its post-Iraq foreign policy of power the invading forces have no intention of giving them. The reality is that the war in Iraq was a noble idea. Its faults are derived not from inherent wrongness but from failures of policy-makers and politicians, the failure to achieve support through the United Nations, the failure to provide the public a convincing set of reasons to justify the invasion, and the failure of post-invasion planners to rebuild an Iraqi state in an efficient manner. Any attempt to liberate a nation from the clutches of a sadistic and genocidal despot, be it Saddam Hussein, Slobodan Milosevic, Muammar *DGGDன
or Bashar al-Assad, should be welcomed. The desirability of an oppressor’s removal must be weighed against the likely outcome of any attempt to do so, including the legal and political implications at home DQG DEURDG ,I DQ HŕŽ‰ HFWLYH policy can be formulated, then an invasion might well be the most morally tenable option. This is where the contemporary Left’s view of foreign policy is both cynical and complacent. Any discussion of an attempt to install a democracy or improve human rights, particularly in the Middle
East, is dismissed as imperialism or an imposition of Western values, and part of an important debate about how to improve the living standards of hundreds of millions of people living under autocratic regimes is choked RŕŽ‰ Another typical reaction of the Left to discussion of foreign policy is to draw attention to the hypocrisy of Western nations. The United States condemns torture and human rights abuses, and yet Guantanamo Bay remains open, and s m a l l groups in the US military have indulged in some of the most abhorrent DŕŽ‰ URQWV WR KX man decen-
WIKIMEDIA
Seemingly, one of the fundamentals of being left-wing today is an uncompromising opposition to the war in Iraq and, at least a moderate scepticism about the war in Afghanistan. So much is the /HIW WRGD\ GHன QHG E\ WKHVH stances, that left-wing or liberal commentators and journalists, such as Christopher Hitchens, Nick Cohen, David Aaronovitch and so on, have been labelled as ‘right-wingers’ and ‘neo-conservatives’ for their support of military intervention to bring down Saddam Hussein. The history of the modern Left begins, if not with the fall of the Iron Curtain and the death of Communism, then with the mass opposition to the war in Iraq in February and March 2003. From the experience of this opposition, and its failure to prevent the war, the Left acquired much of its modern cynicism and complacency with regard to foreign policy. With the ten year anniversary of the invasion of Iraq upcoming, journalists and politicians have taken the opportunity to ask whether Iraq DQG WKH ZRUOG DUH EHWWHU RŕŽ‰ as a result of the removal of Saddam Hussein. Opinion is divided, but always strong. Sceptics point to continuing violence, the Iraqi government’s authoritarian policies and question marks over human rights there. Supporters of the war claim the Iraqi people are freer and able to exercise their democratic right to have a say in their RZQ DŕŽ‰ DLUV D ULJKW VR FUXHOO\ and brutally denied to them by the Ba’athist regime, not to mention the right of the Kurdish people to a degree of self-governance. Both are right. Life in Iraq has been improved in some ways and made more difficult in others. There have been modest improvements in the quality of life and respect to human rights there, but sceptics point to the amount of civilian blood spilt and the number of families bereaved and ask if it was really worth it. The world, and especially the Middle East, are undoubtedly safer without Saddam Hussein’s malign rule over Mesopotamia, but the power struggles in Iraq post-2003 have allowed dangerous extremist murderers a degree
cy in modern times. Just look at Abu Ghraib. This is not to mention many Western nations’ quickness to condemn their enemies for wrongdoing compared to their glib silence when their allies are involved in similar atrocities. But to complain about hypocrisy is not enough. State-sponsored abuses of human rights or outrages to decency are worth pointing out whether they take place in Guantanamo or Damascus, Bahrain or Kosovo. Sections of the Left forget that highlighting misconduct, even crimes, by Western nations is not cause to disregard the often considerably more abhorrent crimes committed by the nations Western armies might have or have had cause to invade. The Left also has a tendency to blame the world’s ills on its colonial past. There may often be some truth in the DQDO\VLV RŕŽ‰ HUHG EXW LW UHPDLQV fallacious to argue against humanitarian military intervention on that basis. Even if the evils of the Taliban or the Ba’ath Party were caused, in part, by Western colonialism, that is no reason to deprive the West of a chance to right past wrongs, and to create free, democratic societies out RI FRQŕŽ‹ LFW ]RQHV RU DEKRUUHQW autocracies, if the evidence shows that this is possible. Almost ten years on from the invasion of Iraq, there is a transnational mass movement for democracy in the Muslim world. The Left should not complacently turn away from the liberals, secularists and democrats being VODXJKWHUHG ZKLOH ன JKWLQJ for their rights in Syria and Bahrain, nor the oppressed masses in Iran or Saudi Arabia. The Left has an opportunity to ally itself with liberals and democrats seeking freedom, human rights and democracy the world over. At the moment, its myopic FRPPLWPHQW WR SDFLன VP DQG unconstructive cultural relativism prevents it from doing so, and people will carry on dying, and carry on being denied freedom, if a swathe of the politically aware popuODWLRQ UHPDLQV XQMXVWLன DEO\ sceptical about the potential positives of humanitarian intervention. It can work. The Left needs to realise it.
Comment
The Beaver | 05.03.2013
BONAPARTE
Sebastien Ash
Italy needs Beppe Grillo and M5S It might have made a nice change to see the Italian Prime Minister be a joker instead of a joke for once. In all likelihood neither Silvio Berlusconi nor Beppe Grillo will become the leader of the Eurozone’s third largest economy; that honour will most likely be given to the leader of the centre-left Democratic Partyled alliance, Pier Luigi Bersani. In fact, the enigmatic comedian-cum-blogger-cum-politician Grillo won’t even enter the Italian Parliament as a deputy, having purposefully denied himself candidacy due to a conviction he received for manslaughter in the 1980s. This move, among others, embodies what his party, ‘MoVimento 5 Stelle’ (Five Star Movement or M5S) stands for: clarity, responsibility, an end to corruption and the rationalisation of Italy’s shambolic democracy. In short, M5S is a protest party but it could be so much more. The movement’s success at the elections last week has resulted in a lot of handwringing in political circles in Rome and widespread consternation in the markets. M5S rejects the Italian party political system and claims that it will not enter into government as kingmaker for the practitioners of cronyism and corruption that it despises. Grillo himself said with typically biting satire that there
will be “no stitch-ups and no little stitch-ups�. The rest of Beppe’s band hasn’t been as unequivocal as Grillo (who also compared Bersani to a member of the living undead), yet in the technocratic former Prime Minister Mario Monti’s wake, the Italian republic now faces serious deadlock. For the sake of stable government in Italy, Grillo needs to put his prejudices aside. That’s not to say that he doesn’t have a point; as they say, all jokes have an element of truth. The everyday reality of corruption up and down the peninsula and from the towns up to the high offices of the nation has provided Grillo with the ammunition to bring down ‘i big’the giants of Italian politics. However, standing outside of government for too long will do nothing to help his cause. Soon enough, the Italian public should see that what is holding up the political process is no longer Bersani, Berlusconi or ‘Rigor Montis’ (Grillo’s pet name for outgoing Monti), but M5S. Italian politics is broken, that is not news to anyone. For examples, one need look no further than the world’s most infamous hair transplant recipient: not Wayne Rooney, but Silvio Berlusconi. Besides monopolizing the major television networks and changing the law while in of-
fice to try and avoid prosecution for any number of misdemeanors, rumors circulated this January that Berlusconi-backed football club, AC Milan, had only signed the immensely popular Mario Ballotelli, one of the few people who can actually match the former Prime Minister’s maverick behavior, in order to win votes in Lombardy. Beppe Grillo himself has been accused of being a populist, a demagogue and even a fascist and he might turn out to be if he continues his ideological crusade instead of showing that he has the political credentials necessary to lead M5S into government and help achieve its reforming objectives. On this matter, Bersani said of Grillo, “up to now, they have been saying: ‘All go home’. But now they’re here, too. So either they go home as well, or they say what they want to do for their country and their childrenâ€?. He might just have a point. This remark by the leader of the Democratic Party formed part of an appeal the day after WKH HOHFWLRQ RŕŽ‰HULQJ 0 6 H[DFWO\ such a chance to work towards an agreement. Should Grillo accept on behalf of M5S, it would not be D TXLFN ன[ WR ,WDO\‍ڑ‏V ZRHV :KLOH the Democratic Party has put forward a proposal for reforms to clean up the Italian system, the
Dennis Mooney
two parties are still far apart on a number of issues. The Eurozone is just one example, with Grillo wanting to hold a referendum whereas Bersani has said that such a decision would be a disaster and that “with Grillo, [Italy] will end like Greeceâ€?. Nonetheless, with the reforms in hand, Grillo should be able to show the ‘Grillinis’ and maybe the rest of Europe that they are making a GLŕŽ‰HUHQFH The risk for M5S if they enter government is that the economy will go from bad to worse and that Grillo and his motley crew of deputies will be blamed alongside the old guard for how things turned out. Still, with Berlusconi circling, waiting to pick up the pieces and form a grand coalition, what was once nothing more than a fan club for Grillo’s blog that has risen meteorically to become the single largest party in Italy should take the plunge. What are the other options? Bringing ‘bunga-bunga’ back in from the cold? That wouldn’t much please anyone, least of all Grillo. In lieu of M5S dropping its implacable stance towards the other parties, it seems more likely that democracy in Italy will grind to a halt. The people have spoken, Beppe. They want change, and you hold the keys.
UNION
The importance of engaging with the SU elections Apathy is not an inspiring emotion, but for most people it is one that surrounds student union politics like a mist which clears only when a mountain of personal interest pokes through. Cynicism is better yes, but only when informed by a view of both sides. I can see the argument of those who think SU politics is irrelevant, exclusive and confusing, but as a friend of some current elected representatives and some candidates standing this week, I can also see how important, and often under-appreciated, their work is. Although as a Beaver hack I have to maintain independence, I have strong feelings on several of the issues up for debate and I expect that if people actually take the time to read through manifestos, they will discover that they do as well. Election week is not the always the most fun for anyone. Candidates are rushing around campaigning, hacks are making predictions with very dubious bases or trying to eke out a bit more sup-
port from that society or this sports team and the general student popuODWLRQ LV EHLQJ GHOXJHG ZLWK ŕŽ‹\HUV banners, slogans and more FaceERRN QRWLனFDWLRQV WKDQ DQ\RQH FDQ reasonably keep track of. Twitter, normally just a hive of meaningless but hilarious puns and dodgy social commentary, is suddenly a ‘key battleground’, with retweets highly prized and the more followers the better. I’m yet to see the னUVW FDQGLGDWH WZHHW DW DQ\ /6( celebs pleading for publicity, but I have a hunch, and a sweepstake, that says it won’t be too long. I love Twitter, and I enjoy tweeting about SU elections as much as the next topical issue, as anyone following me during last week’s hustings will be aware. I don’t, however, think that a 140 character post is enough on which to base a judgement about your representative for the next year. I don’t really think a Facebook group or event is either. I’d urge you all to turn to page sixteen, read the manifestos and then question them.
Find the candidates (odds on they’ll be on Houghton Street or outside the library) and ask them what they mean when they use the words progressive, proactive and dynamic. If you get a good answer, act on it, and if you get a bad one, don’t be afraid to let the candidate, and the other voters, know. Find the current holder of the position (they might be in the Tuns relaxLQJ DV SHRSOH னJKW RYHU WKHLU OHJDcy) and ask them if their potential replacements’ manifesto promises are reasonable, ambitious or downright fanciful. They’re probably a mixture, but it’s still good to be aware. Arguably the biggest criticism that people have of the whole notvery-glitzy shebang is that it’s too reliant on people’s friends voting for them. Society endorsements and networking are undoubtedly part of the process, but ultimately it’s an election which is open to the whole student body, nearly 15,000 people (arbitrarily generated statistic klaxon). A politically active
society background or friendship group is helpful but if a candidate can’t win the popular vote, it’s not going to get them elected. Crucially, all of you are the popular vote. If you don’t like someone’s ideas, don’t just sigh quietly, turn the page/ignore the tweet or Facebook QRWLனFDWLRQ 9RWH IRU VRPHRQH HOVH and encourage others to do the same using your democratic right. The Students’ Union is subjected to a lot of criticism, some of which is undoubtedly valid, but if one of the officers does something you disagree with and you didn’t vote against them (or for them, for that matter), then you have absolutely no right to complain. Even if you ignore Facebook and Twitter for the next 72 hours, and don’t have any friends to tell you who to vote IRU PDNH WKH HŕŽ‰RUW WR னQG RXW ZKR wants what and then to vote for whoever you agree with, because then you can criticise them as much as you want. Love, hate, anger and inspiration should decide the elections, not apathy.
9
10
Comment
05.03.2013
| The Beaver
DICEY Jon Foster
Why Eastleigh hasn’t taught us anything new
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A turning point? A watershed? A moment of historic change and upheaval of the established political order forcing the rest of the UK to sit up and take notice? Hardly. As can be expected of any byelection, the proclamations of paramount change had begun even before the words had left the Returning Officer’s lips. Indeed, on ன UVW DQDO\VLV WKH UHVXOW LV RQH WKDW causes even the casual political Dன FLRQDGR‍ڑ‏V HDUV WR SULFN XS 7KH Liberal Democrats have held a seat following the resignation of the sitting MP due to imminent criminal prosecution, whilst simultaneously ன JKWLQJ D VH[ VFDQGDO DQG KDQG FXIILQJ WKH ŕŽ‹ HHLQJ UDWV WR WKH KHOP RI WKH VLQNLQJ VKLS 7KH 8QLWHG Kingdom Independence Party, the ‘fruitcakes’ and their ilk who just two decades ago were closer to the Monster Raving Loony party than the corridors of power, have attained 28 per cent of the vote. Meanwhile, David Cameron blushes a deeper shade of red than Ed Milliband’s supposed background as the ruling Conservative party are pushed into third and Labour languish on a lowly ten per cent. Cue Andrew Neil’s well-trodden, GULYHO ன OOHG WDONLQJ SRLQWV DQG WKH now routine downplaying from Grant Shapps, or whichever nobody has drawn the short straw back at Millbank. 7KH SHUHQQLDO DUJXPHQWV KDYH ensued and shortly normal service will be resumed. Should David &DPHURQ EH FKDVLQJ KLV ULJKW ŕŽ‹ DQN" Are Ukip the next kingmaker? Does this prove that the people long for change? Is the ‘third way’ truly on the horizon? Despite the gleeful proclamations of the over-excited puppy that is Nick Robinson or the smugness exuding from Nigel Farrage’s toadlike face, it is obvious that this byelection has taught us absolutely nothing of any value. First, attention must be directed at a highly fortunate Labour Party. In the furore surrounding Ukip’s metaphorical rise and Lord Rennard’s rapid fall, no-one has focused on a Labour campaign which if being described generously can only be labelled as disastrous. Labour’s groundwork proves that the result, though disappointing, was far from unexpected; Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna had peddled the ‘hardly Labour heartland’ line even before the count proper had begun. Indeed Labour had been downplaying their chances from WKH EHJLQQLQJ ன HOGLQJ D FDQGLGDWH in comedian John O’Farrell who can quite literally be described as a joke. However, to suggest that an expected defeat is a welcome one
LV IDU IURP WKH WUXWK 7KH (DVWOHLJK result is the kind that will keep Ed Milliband awake for many nights to come, proving that despite the failings of a hated government marred by scandal, with the promise of the ‘Omnishambles’ sequel just around the corner, Labour still can’t compete in the South. If you compare the 9.82 per cent of 2013 with the 27.6 per cent of 1994, it becomes perfectly clear that Labour are not making headway, nor are they the vicious standard bearing opposition they should be by the mid-point of WKLV SDUOLDPHQW 7KH /DERXU SDUW\ are still scarred by the dying years of the Brown premiership and the KRUULன F FRPPXQLFDWLRQV VWUDWHJ\ that characterised Ed Milliband’s ன UVW WZR \HDUV :KLOVW WKH ‍Ú?‏2QH Nation’ strategy has had some efIHFW WKH ன UVW OHVVRQ RI (DVWOHLJK LV hardly revolutionary. Labour are in trouble, they know it, and they still haven’t done enough about it. Lesson two is similar in the way that it simply restates what was already known and allows the ghosts of elections past to resurface. If anyone is having more sleepless nights than Ed Milliband, it is likely to be the man who occupies WKH GLVSDWFK ER[ RSSRVLWH :KLOVW lesson two is so obvious that even the Daily Politics has managed to spot it, it must be acknowledged once again. David Cameron’s Conservatives have yet again failed to
snatch a marginal parliamentary seat from the cold dying grasp of WKH /LEHUDO 'HPRFUDW FRUSVH :LWK out seats like Eastleigh, David Cameron will not win a majority in WZR \HDUV WLPH 7KH HOHFWRUDWH RI (DVWOHLJK WROG WKH 7RULHV WKDW HYHQ with a Labour Party that struggles to critique government policy without looking crass, let alone create some of their own, and a Liberal Democrat party which on a national scale has evolved from inspiring KDWUHG WR RQFH DJDLQ EHLQJ GHன QHG by irrelevance, they still don’t trust David Cameron enough to give him the keys to number ten outright. 7KH &RQVHUYDWLYH SDUW\ ZLOO QRW IRU give two unsuccessful elections in a row and for many backbenchers WKH WKRXJKW RI DQRWKHU ன YH \HDUV sharing the Government benches is less appealing than the idea of a dinner party hosted by Owen Jones. Despite the opinions of backbench leadership challenger Adam Afriyie, they aren’t savage enough to turn on a sitting prime minister this far out (at least not anymore). However, should things not change soon, David Cameron has a torrid time ahead. Lesson three is that Ukip are not going to decide the next General Election. Ukip are not going to feature at the next General Election, once again melting into political obscurity. It cannot be denied that 28 per cent of the vote and a sec-
RQG SODFH ன QLVK DUH LPSUHVVLYH DQG ZKLOVW 1LJHO )DUUDJH‍ڑ‏V ன UVW SODFH SUHGLFWLRQ KDV D ZKLŕŽ‰ RI RYHU FRQ ன GHQFH DERXW LW LW LV KLJKO\ OLNHO\ Ukip will do well at next year’s European elections. However, general elections have the wonderful quality of being able to reverse the hysteria of the previous weeks in a way which by-elections do not. Come polling day 2015, voters will not be focused on Europe and they ZLOO QRW EH YRWLQJ 8NLS 7KH RQO\ way in which David Cameron risks DQ DWWDFN IURP WKH ULJKW ŕŽ‹ DQN LV LI KH DWWHPSWV WR FKDVH LW 7KXV (DVW leigh has proved that the protest YRWHUV‍ Ú‘â€ŹŕŽ‹ DYRXU RI WKH PRQWK FRPHV packaged in purple, proving that Ukip remains the nation’s favourite plucky loser. However, one impressive by-election result does not allow Ukip to emerge as the political saviours of the disillusioned nationwide. 7KH ன QDO OHVVRQ WR EH OHDUQW LV perhaps the most surprising, although it will not come as a shock WR PDQ\ :KLOVW VHHLQJ WKH ZRUGV ‘Liberal Democrats’ and ‘win’ in the same sentence is a growing rarity, (DVWOHLJK KDV VLPSO\ FODULன HG WKDW which many thought might be posVLEOH 7KH /LEHUDO 'HPRFUDWV DUHQ‍ڑ‏W going to implode quite as much as everyone had thought (or hoped). Set against the background of an internal investigation into sexual harassment, a disgraced MP facing a stay at Her Majesty’s pleasure and the popular image that Nick Clegg is barely capable of carrying David Cameron’s luggage, the Liberal Democrats held on. It would be fair to state that no party needed a ZLQ PRUH WKDQ 1LFN &OHJJ‍ڑ‏V :KLOVW many sleepless nights lay ahead for Clegg too, Eastleigh proves the ironic truth that the Liberal Democrats may be saved by the very political system they entered the coalition to dismantle. Consequently, Eastleigh has taught us nothing new and nor should we have expected it do so. By-elections are often touted DV WXUQLQJ SRLQWV 7KH\ DUH RIWHQ proclaimed to change the political game or to alter the electoral landVFDSH 7KH PRVW ZRQGHUIXO WKLQJ about such turning points is that every historian or analyst claims to have seen them, several years after the event has transpired. Eastleigh is not the whole of the UK, nor is a by-election even comparable to a general election. If one lesson is to be taken from Eastleigh, it is that it is beyond foolish to see a by-election as anything other than a day out for the nutters, fruitcakes and loonies.
Comment
The Beaver | 05.03.2013
11
BY-ELECTION SPECIAL
Marion Osborne
Eastleigh: an important moment for the ‘big four’ With all the media coverage of Eastleigh, you may be forgiven for thinking that we are in the midst of a general election. But no, there has merely been a by-election in Eastleigh for the seat of the former Liberal Democrat cabinet minister Chris Huhne, who stepped down after admitting to lying about speeding. So it was a contest over a measly one of the 650 seats in the House of Commons. What does it matter? Under normal circumstances, you would be right to assume that as a local by-election, it should have EHHQ RI OLPLWHG VLJQLனFDQFH QDWLRQDOly. Eastleigh, however, was one of the exceptions. It matters for the big four at least. The Liberal Democrats retained the seat by a majority of 1,771 votes. This Southern constituency is a Liberal Democrat stronghold and every councillor is a Liberal Democrat. The Liberal Democrats have done a ‘good job’ there. In light of the Huhne controversy and the more recent allegations of sexual harassment against the former party chief executive, Lord Rennard, the victory is perhaps unexpected. Their response is a mixture of elation and relief. As the party’s President Tim Farron coined it, “a win after the week we’ve had? Flipping heckâ€?. The Liberal Democrats are certainly couching it as a victory. In fact, the Liberal Democrat share of the vote fell by fourteen per cent from 2010. This by-election was about winning, not the points scored. It was critical for Nick Clegg’s position as party leader; a make or break moment. His strategy of joining a coalition government with the Conserva-
tive party was much criticized. After growing accusations of compromising Liberal Democratic values and losing coherence as a party, this ‘win’ can be used as a sign that Clegg’s strategy is working. Indeed, he looked a new man compared with his interviews on the Rennard scandal. As the new Eastleigh MP, Mike Thornton, said “the liberal democrats can do itâ€?; increasing their credibility and presenting themselves as a viable choice for government. That may be stretching it a little far, but it is certainly a morale boost both for leader and party. The Liberal Democrats were certainly revelling in Conservative embarrassment. Although they are coalition partners, many of the Liberal Democrat seats look vulnerable to Conservatives at the next election. The UK Independence Party (Ukip) was the real winner in the by-election, the only party to really increase their vote share and by 24.2 per cent to overtake the Conservative party to come in second. Eastleigh marks Ukip’s best performance ever in a Westminster poll. Their campaign focused on immigration and Europe. Nigel Farage, the Ukip party leader, speaking on Friday, attributed their success partially to “Conservatives talking about wind farms and gay PDUULDJH‍ ڕ‏,W LV GXELWDEOH ZKDW VLJQLனcance it has for Ukip’s performance in the general election, where the economy will be key. The Conservatives’ fall to third place is ‘disappointing’ according to David Cameron and a ‘disaster’ for others. Eastleigh was one of the Lib Dem seats targeted as part of their
wider strategy to win a majority in 2015. Like the Lib Dems, they lost a staggering fourteen percentage points, which calls into question their potential to take seats from the Lib Dems. The main challenge they face is what to do about Ukip, or as Cameron described them, a party of “loonies and fruitcakesâ€?. This is where party is divided. There is pressure from backbenchers and grassroots to shift to the right and beat Ukip at their own game. However, as many of the votes lost to Ukip are in protest against the mainstream parties, this would not be productive. Cameron has said the party will not change tack, but will hold their course. Indeed Tim Montgomerie of the blog Conservative Home stresses the importance of a policy of ‘broad conservatism’. The defeat in Eastleigh has given ammunition to the more right-wing Eurosceptics who are critical of Cameron’s leadership, but there is currently no credible alternative. Despite criticisms from the right, he is an asset, continually polling ahead of his party. The Tories can gain small comfort from Labour’s dismal performance. They were not expected to win, but there was no increase in their share of the vote. The comedian turned poliWLFLDQ -RKQ 2‍)ڑ‏DUUHOO GLG QRW SXOO RŕŽ‰ D coup akin to the comedian on the continent Beppe Grillo’s win in Italy. This result raises serious concerns over Labour’s strategy which relies on targeting seats in the South. Labour’s lead in national opinion polls has not been converted into even a medal po-
sition in this Southern constituency. Although by-elections are useful for political narratives in election campaigns and providing momentum, they are rarely predictive of national elections. Yet one prediction suggests that it seems increasingly unlikely that any party will secure a majority. Probably another coalition lies ahead, although perhaps composed of other colours than blue and yellow. The bombardment of Eastleigh with battle-buses of campaigners, phone calls and knocks on the door reminds us that ‘pavement politics’, or the work of local activists, is a crucial part of campaign strategy by all. The surge of Ukip votes, together with the drop of the Lib Dem and ConVHUYDWLYH VKDUHV UHŕŽ‹HFWV D (XURSH wide trend over the last few years of the rise of populist protest parties such as France’s Front National, Greece’s Golden Dawn and Italy’s 5 Star Movement. A crucial part of their rhetoric is that all the established parties are the same. Nigel Farage thinks that people who haven’t voted in twenty years were “re-engaged by the Ukip message and are going back to the polling stationâ€?. He hails a new era of politics, which is perhaps a little extreme, like Ukip itself, but holds some truth. Despite the protest party gaining votes, only half of the electorate bothHUHG WR YRWH 7KH ORZ WXUQRXW VLJQLனHV SROLWLFDO LQGLŕŽ‰HUHQFH HYHQ LQ WKH IDFH of inordinate amounts of campaignLQJ ERPEDUGPHQW E\ OHDŕŽ‹HWV SKRQH calls, and knocks on the door. Political disenchantment was the successful non-candidate.
Sam Barnett
The Dunkirk spirit of Eastleigh’s Lib Dem heroes In retrospect, I wish I had gone to (DVWOHLJK , FULHG RŕŽ‰ WLPH DIWHU WLPH KDQJRYHUV RU HVVD\V RU VRFLHW\ VWXŕŽ‰ make LSE a permanent excuse for someone who can’t be arsed to go campaigning. Truthfully, though, the amount of time I spent pouring through incoming news, polling data and (god help me) blogs, trying to get a measure of the feeling on the ground and speculating on what it meant for national politics, was probably twice what I would have used going down there. If I’d have gone, I’d be able to call myself an Eastleigh hero. But I didn’t, so I can’t. So, instead, I just wrote a column about how great it is. I still can’t believe that I’m hearing Lib Dems say ‘we won’. How could we? Everybody I talked to told me we were through, they said it on the TV and on the radio. We hadn’t achieved enough, apparently, and we’d enabled the Tories to do too much. When we lied, apparently it mattered more than when other parties lied. When we allowed our chief
strategist, Chris Rennard, a quiet exit to avoid a scandal, it merited vast media coverage, despite the fact that nearly every other major organisation in the country has doubtless acted similarly (note: today it is emerging that the BBC allegedly gagged twenty harassment complaints). These were obviously bad things; horrible things even. We shouldn’t have lied, and we VKRXOGQ‍ڑ‏W KDYH OHW /RUG 5HQQDUG RŕŽ‰ VR easily. But apparently we deserved to be destroyed for them. Our cohorts of dedicated local activists were reading on the front of every paper about how the party they loved and fought for RQ WKH GRRUVWHS ZDV EURNHQ னQLVKHG and deservedly so. And they had no right of reply whatsoever against this narrative that seeped through the national consciousness like poison. Except they did; they had the byelection of ironies. It’s ironic that the disgrace of Chris Huhne could provide his party with a shot at redempWLRQ ,W‍ڑ‏V LURQLF WKDW WKH னUVW SDVW the-post system that punished us for
years in opposition protected us in government. It’s ironic that the strategy of doorstep-by-doorstep, councillor-by-councillor local issues attrition that won us the day was pioneered by none other than the disgraced Chris Rennard. Most of all, it’s ironic that we won not on promising to be better and cleaner than the establishment, but because Eastleigh voters simply didn’t care about Huhne or Rennard’s indiscretions. They voted for the legion of lunatics that got their bins WDNHQ DZD\ ன[HG WKHLU SDYLQJ VWRQHV and cleaned up the dog crap in the park. They voted for the Lib Dems, god bless ‘em. And the Lib Dems were just glad to have the chance to roll their sleeves up, push coalition and scandal and headlines out of their PLQGV DQG KDQG RXW )RFXV OHDŕŽ‹HWV LQ the rain at half past four in the morning on election day. The politician that embodies the Liberal Democrats in government, all the failings and sell-outs and scandals that the public want to attribute to
us, is of course Nick Clegg. He is a victim of his own success. He wanted the Lib Dems to be taken seriously as politicians. Now we are, with all the contempt that that entails. In spite of this, we won Eastleigh and saved Mr Clegg’s bacon. This marks a Dunkirk moment for the Liberal Democrats. We are certainly not winning the war for hearts and minds, but we have proved that we are not about to passively acquiesce to our own destruction. Even at our lowest, we are formidable. Now, it is incumbent on us to make sure that our record in government is not only defensible, but impressive. Then, maybe, we can be taken seriously as a party and draw on our fantastic outsider spirit as well. Hopefully, when the polls open in 2015, we will not only be able to rely on the fortitude of the Eastleigh heroes, but on the acceptance of the electorate of our permanence. Sam Barnett is chair of the LSESU Liberal Democrat Society
12
Comment
05.03.2013
| The Beaver
A new business model?
Kirsty Kenney on the value of social entreneurship in a sustainable economy
:25/' (&2120,& )2580
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13
An Infallible Guide to Internships
TILEMAHOS EFTHIMIADIS
Social
The Beaver | 05.03.2013
Hayley Fenton on the doâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and dontâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s of interviews
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s an LSE-er you will inevitably be inundated with emails from Target Jobs and Milkround the day you enrol. You will EH VZDPSHG ZLWK OHDŕŽ&#x2039;HWV on Houghton Street telling you how badly the likes of JP Morgan and Linklaters need someone â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Just Like Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. If you hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t already, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll soon start to believe that you were, basically, destined to LQWHUQ ZLWK D ODZ ŕŽ&#x160;UP EDQN MP, before going on to take over the world and being so unfathomably successful, people will simply melt away from your aura of awesomeness. Even if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s against all your morals to succumb to the capitalist, money-laundering roaches of The City, you will. There is a pervading attitude at LSE that screams, â&#x20AC;&#x153;no internship? What a waste of a degree.â&#x20AC;? Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had people literally â&#x20AC;&#x201C; literally â&#x20AC;&#x201C;reel away from me when I expressed D ODFN RI LQWHUHVW LQ DQ\ ŕŽ&#x160;nance-related career. As a (partial) economics student, there is something DERXW ŕŽ&#x160;QDQFH WKDW , HQMR\ Maybe itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the satisfaction that those weird symbols and lines, in all their squiggly, algorithmic brilliance, actually mean something. Maybe itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s because, to some extent, ŕŽ&#x160;QDQFH SURYLGHV SDYHPHQWV
for the future. 7KH ZRUOG RI ŕŽ&#x160;QDQFH ZDV a natural route for me to dabble in. On interview days I found myself bundled into a suit WKDW ZDV VR VWLŕŽ&#x2030; DQG VKDUS LW seemed to cut the air around me. I even brushed my hair in a bid to look semi-professional. I would sit on the tube, a copy of the FT that would remain forever unread on my lap, recalling my Mumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s adYLFH DERXW QRW ŕŽ&#x160;GJHWLQJ RU JD]LQJ RŕŽ&#x2030; LQWR WKH GLVWDQFH or asking contentious questions, and wholeheartedly managing to go against everything she said. So, drawing from personal experience, I have compiled some advice for those who are seeking to do well LQ ŕŽ&#x160;QDQFH LQWHUYLHZV DGYLFH that, to my surprise, is not touched on in WikiJobs.com. Tip 1: Do not make the rookie error of assuming that these ŕŽ&#x160;UPV ZDQW \RX WR HDW WKH IRRG they provide at interviews. Quite rationally, I reasoned that it was perfectly acceptable to take full advantage of the free food on RŕŽ&#x2030;HU +RZHYHU IRU UHDVRQV that still escape me, cramming twelve sandwiches onto a canapĂŠ plate intended for two, and shovelling countless
apples in my handbag did not win me very favourable looks. Tip 2: Do not laugh when your interviewer asks you how PDQ\ FDUV \RX FRXOG ŕŽ&#x160;W back-to-back from London to France, or when they ask you to discuss your stock portfolio. These are serious questions: what 19-year old student doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a nice package of FTSE stocks bobbing along the markets after all? Tip 3: When asked your opinion on bankers pay, do not give your honest view, but instead pull out a chiselled, mahogany pipe that belonged to your great grandfather, Lord Alfred of the Third Regiment, and declare that those wanting to cut well-deserved, million pound bonuses must be MHDORXV DQG XQWDOHQWHG Tip 4: Do not comment on the lack of other women at the assessment centre. Do not comment on the fact that all your interviewers have been white, middle-class males. Do not comment that every applicant is from LSE, Imperial or Oxbridge. Instead, revel in the fact that you and
your interviewer are clearly superior to everyone else, and yes, you would like some sparkling nettle-infused, golden-leafed water, thankyou. Tip 5: There is only so long you can spend bullshitting your way through a presentation. Know when your time is up before your interviewer does. This makes them think you are self-assured, intelligent and psychic. Tip 6: Do not, midway through your interview, state that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t actually have any LQWHUHVW LQ ŕŽ&#x160;QDQFH HTXLW\ UHVHDUFK DXGLW FRQVXOWDQF\ whatever, and do they have DQ\ IDPRXV ŕŽ&#x160;OP GLUHFWRU friends they could land you a part with? Tip 7: When asked â&#x20AC;&#x153;where do you see yourself in 5 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;timeâ&#x20AC;?, be sure to have a slick response relating to your desire to hold a specialist position high up in the company. Do not reveal any well-harboured ambitions of working on a leopard conservation farm in South Africa. Tip 8: Assume that your inter-
viewer knows nothing about you, so start with the basics and try to avoid creating a bad impression by snorting with laughter mid-way through your interview at your own badly executed pun. Tip 9: On your lunch break, try to avoid quoting the Voltaire (because no one will ever know who he is, no matter how hard you try) or going into in-depth discussions about your obsession with cake. Tip 10: It is alright to be nervRXV DQG D ELW ŕŽ&#x160;GJHW\ EXW LI your interviewer hands you his business card, try not to shred it to pieces in front of him and then chuck the remQDQWV RQ WKH ŕŽ&#x2039;RRU Tip 11: If you are asked if you are willing to work long hours, compromise having a love life, snitch on your friends, lose all your friends, dabble in illegal activities, snort cocaine, and sell your soul, remember your answer must always be a resounding yes. Disclaimer: following this advice does not guarantee an LQWHUQVKLS RŕŽ&#x2030;HU
14
Social
05.03.2013
| The Beaver
Friendship fluctuations
Emma Beaumont explores the changing nature of university friendships
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eekends are futile at university. At all other stages in life we are trained to realise that we only really live in indulgent, two-day bursts after the drudgery of work is done. Yet for these three years, where little routine is demanded and waking up at 1pm on a Thursday is a social norm, they rather lose their purpose. Rather they are rendered as awkward add-ons to the week, generally VSHQW LQ \RXU GLUW\ ŕŽ&#x2039;DW ZLWK your dirtier thoughts. My previous weekend was particularly wasted. Armed with a troubling hangover and an injured foot (origins of which may either have beer being trodden on, an unlikely sports injury or, as GoogOH VXJJHVWHG WKH HŕŽ&#x2030;HFWV RI drinking too much whiskey) I was rooted to the sad sofa in the lounge. The mood was nostalgic and things soon took a turn for the self-indulgent as I URERWLFDOO\ ŕŽ&#x2039;LFNHG WKURXJK ROG Facebook photos. All these pictures of cuddles, kisses and larking about with people that are now rather distant is telling. Univer-
sity is the most intense period of socialisation we are ever likely to experience. We are expected to make an army of friends upon arrival, with the emphasis on quantity rather than quality. And herein lies the problem; is it really realistic to maintain all these connections? In the cosy world of halls perhaps, but when we all disperse to various pockets of London, these ties that seemed
nights out. Sure, much merriment was had, but after a while the mobile uploads lose their sheen, the club lights come on, and they are strangely absent come exam time. More dramatic to observe is the sudden friendship implosion. Generally (sadly) occurring between females, this one is a mess of egos and insecurities. It seems these splits are compounded by the fact
cancelled. The decline and fall of these friendships is almost inevitable, because it is impossible to maintain that level of intensity, where they are privy WR HYHU\ ŕŽ&#x2039;DZHG GHFLVLRQ \RX may make, every stupid opinion you hold. Interestingly, we are so schooled in how to deal with the breakdown of romantic relationships, with friends, PXVLF DQG ŕŽ&#x160;OPV RŕŽ&#x2030;HULQJ FOLchĂŠd prescriptions. Yet when it
It seems there are various types of friendship fluctuation and breakdown that are specific to university life. so binding inevitable loosen and our social pool becomes suddenly more shallow. It seems there are various W\SHV RI IULHQGVKLS ŕŽ&#x2039;XFWXDWLRQ and breakdown that are speFLŕŽ&#x160;F WR XQLYHUVLW\ OLIH )LUVW thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the demise of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;party friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; who you had endless woozy fun with, but your conversations generally entailed anticipating nights out, experiencing nights out and performing post mortems on
that whilst you may have made an instant connection, when a rupture occurs, there arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the solid foundations that secure older friendships to save it from oblivion. Most troubling of all is the closest friendship that slowly drifts away. At one point the bond between you may have felt almost familial, but steadily the phone calls lessen, the texts become briefer and the increasingly awkward lunches
comes to the diminishing of intoxicating friendships, we are expected to simply adjust. But there is a certain emptiness that accompanies this decline that can be equally debilitating. This void is enlarged in a university context because you probably still see them around campus living a similar life to the one you used to play a large part in. Furthermore when our friendships devalue, and we are edited out of
peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives with such ease surely that challenges our selfworth. However Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve heard other rather more positive perspecWLYHV RQ IULHQGVKLS ŕŽ&#x2039;XFWXDWLRQ One wise woman suggested that these changes are just natural streamlining. Perhaps WKH JLGG\ KD]H RI ŕŽ&#x160;UVW \HDU LV not the best arena in which to assess whom we are really compatible with. And after all is it really feasible to carry 60 close friends with you into the working world? So, maybe many leave university with a cluster of friends that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t quite resemble the one they started with. But perhaps we leave as people who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mirror the ones we arrived as. We should be allowed to mourn the friendships we have lost because chances are they were formative in our development. However, we should also take comfort in the enduring ones. The ones we never question, the ones that are constant. Chances are these are the people youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be spending your precious weekends with, when all this is done.
One book down, ten more to go Amelia Thomson looks at the relative value of reading weeks I would just fritter reading week away, I made a pact that I would prove myself and the doubters wrong. In a quiet and scenic corner of
read (a few) cases. On top of this I returned to LSE feeling refreshed and revitalised after a week spent in the care of my parents! On compari-
Yorkshire I embarked on a productive week, focused on a combination of work and relaxation. My aims were to attempt to understand everything the lecturers had said, be able to take the time to actually read cases and to tackle those all-important essays. Of these aims I managed to write two essays, overview my courses and
son with other law students my week seemed to be on par with most of my friends as the majority of people had managed to be fairly productive. There were of course the extremes on either side of the spectrum who had either literally spent the whole week sleeping or had been chained to the desk day and night. However discounting
KOLINIO NIUMATAIWALU
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id-way through Lent term there is either happiness or annoyance when LSE students remember that law students are given a reading week. This week, the sixth of the term, is a time for the law students to come to terms with their ridiculously long reading lists and to attempt to understand legal concepts which were only taught last week but somehow seem a lifetime ago. However it is often suggested, normally by non-law students, that this week is just a waste of time where the only thing that will be achieved is lots of sleep and procrastination! However being one of the more fortunate students who are given a reading week I believe they have an inherent value and further to this are of particular use to law students. Admittedly the prospect of a completely free week was the saving grace that got me through the post-Christmas blues and early Lent term realisation that exams are a whole lot closer than you wish they were. In light of the fact that my grand plans for work over Christmas had not fully been fully realised and the continual joking that
these anomalies it can be presumed that reading weeks do have an inherent value both in terms of academics and maintaining oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sanity. However if you are one of the people who still had to trudge to class in week 6 whilst you believed your lawyer friends were essentially enjoying a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;holidayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; then you may be asking â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Why donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t I get a reading week too?â&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Indeed I am not in the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;antireading week for allâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; camp but rather believe they are of particular use to law students. For those who have never seen a lawyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reading list they are a thing to behold. The textbook readings are perhaps not altogether unachievable but the number of cases and articles which one has to read are unimaginable in number and sheer length. It would be physically impossible for anyone to read everything every week even if they never slept. However unfortunately as humans we do need to sleep, if only for a couple of hours a night. Moreover most other LSE students do a mix of subjects which require reading components but also other elements such as problem sets. Law however is based primarily on read-
ing and so it is to be expected that the amount of time spent on reading will necessarily be longer. Further to this the study of law is new to every law student who begins at LSE. The ideas and concepts DUH GLŕŽ&#x2030;HUHQW WR DQ\WKLQJ VWXGLHG EHIRUH 7KLV DW ŕŽ&#x160;UVW can seem incredibly daunting especially after coming from the safe environment of school. Whilst these feelings are surely shared by most LSE students they are particularly pertinent in the study of law which represents a complete unknown. A reading week just allows the law students to catch up on subjects which until a couple of weeks before, and maybe even still, remain a complete mystery. Thus I do count myself lucky for having reaped the EHQHŕŽ&#x160;WV RI D UHDGLQJ ZHHN however this privilege, which law students have, should not be begrudged by others. Instead it should be understood that reading weeks have an intrinsic value and are actually utilised for good by most students. All FRXUVHV DUH GLIŕŽ&#x160;FXOW LQ GLŕŽ&#x2030;HUent ways â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it just so happens that law students have a lot of reading!
The Beaver | 05.03.2013
Social
15
So, whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the weather like today? Hinesh Karia on exploring the British fascination with the weather and not taken as literally as it is in the UK, where it is more often than
Canada and Russia seem to cope much better with extreme weather
WORDSHORE
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survey of 5,000 adults asking them to identify what they think is unique about Britain found that 58 per cent of people prefer chatting about the weather forecast than anything else. This characteristic also came at number one in a list of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Top 50 typically British Traitsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. This interest in the weather ZDV FORVHO\ IROORZHG E\ WKH ŕŽ&#x160;QGLQJV that the British view sarcasm as the highest form of wit and are the politest nation at queuing. Research also shows that almost 70 per cent of British people check the forecast DW OHDVW RQFH D GD\ ZLWK WKLV ŕŽ&#x160;JXUH rising to over 80 per cent for those over 55. But why isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the weather such a popular topic in other countries? Is it because the weather in the UK is more volatile and unpredictable, is it to do with the fact that the we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cope with extreme weather conditions, or is it that we have nothing better to talk about? Many people view talking about the forecast as a safe and impersonal conversation starter. On this basis it would seem that although we are slightly obsessed with the weather, we may use it as a way in which to appear to be friendly. However British fascination with the weather isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t completely strange or unique. It is common to hear a conversation in Japan start with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it good weather today?â&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it raining hard?â&#x20AC;?. However, WKH GLŕŽ&#x2030;HUHQFH LV WKDW LW LV WUHDWHG DV more of a rhetorical question there,
not used as an icebreaker. Is the unpredictable nature of weather the only thing that makes it interesting, or is our inability to cope with extreme conditions also a factor? For example countries like
than the UK does even though they have much more snow. Also, we seem to be unable to cope with even a bit of heat. As one month there are drought warnings and hosepipe EDQV IROORZHG E\ ŕŽ&#x2039;RRG ZDUQLQJV
the next month. Weather in recent years has been even more volatile, possibly due to the consequences of climate change. From making it difficult to know what to wear in the morning to ruining outdoor events, the UK has very unpredictable weather. Statistically at any time of year, there is a 40 per cent chance of sunshine on any given day, a 25 per cent chance of rain, and a ten per cent chance of wind; while the temperature can vary up to a range of 15°C. However, although there is a greater degree of unpredictability in the weather in the UK, New York for example has similar changes being slightly warmer than London in summer and slightly cooler in winter. Most children seem to like the snow because it often means days RŕŽ&#x2030; DQG D FKDQFH WR SOD\ RXWVLGH EXW for most of us it just means disruption. Britain cannot cope with even a few dustings of snow, and the media makes a big deal of it in the news, especially when it disrupts roads, rail and airports. The survey also showed that 32 per cent of us enjoyed curling up indoors when the weather is bad, but that 79 per cent of us prefer sunnier and warmer weather on the whole. It seems as though the unique British fascination with the weather is here to stay, whether it be just a mere conversation starter, or an interesting British trait in its own right.
How to live, learn and grow Jiayi Fan delves into the way in which we grow through experience
I
f you have ever counted, you will find that a person has about 20,000 days to live in his or her whole life. These 20,000 days can be very meaningful if you devote them to your career and interests; or they can be pale and plain if you just let time flow by. Some things can extend the length of your life, others can broaden the depth of your life. Time can be a constraint, or it can make you fearless. As for me, spending time is not reasonable. We should invest time to see the value of every moment. Study is the most fundamental thing we have learned for years. No matter whether you are in school or in work, studying never seems to come to an end. Investing time in study contributes to knowledge, wisdom, and literacy. School is the place where your education begins and you get in touch with new things and remain curious towards the unforeseen of this world. You explore, enjoy, and discover. Although grades and exams are important and often worrying, it is knowledge that changes your destiny rather than examinations. After years, study has just become one of your habits. No matter where you are, you study consciously while
faced with unfamiliar and unknown fields. If reading is the input, then writing is the output. Reading is great because you can always learn good study habits from great authors that you may not have otherwise had the chance to meet. I strongly recommend the two-way reading method in which you read the latest published books to know what has happened and keep pace with this modern
from a book, and you also learn life experience from travelling. Investing time in travel can give you lifelong benefits. Once you set foot in another new culture and environment, your original narrow planet is broadened, you are only the centre of your stage rather than this world. The self-complacency and arrogance inside yourself fades away. A modest and courteous you has come out. Travel is your freedom to extend the length of your
Home is the harbour where we can rest during this long trip of life. world, while also reading classical works written by the ancients to master their valuable wisdoms and particular way of thinking. From your reading and the process of formulating your world view, writing can keep track of your improvements and you will be surprised by your progress. Thanks to the new media, writing is no longer limited to pens and diaries. You can be a blogger and have your own place online expressing yourself and communicating with people from the world. Whilst you can learn knowledge
life, for days of travelling are full of surprises and highlights which cannot take place in your daily life. New friends, customs, manner, and culture enrich your experience so that even a one-week trip can make you feel as if you have been away from home for a month. Investing time with family and friends can make your world warm and safe with their strong support and altruistic love. I still remember years ago when my mum dropped me at the airport and told me: â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like your life abroad, come
home. We are here.â&#x20AC;? I comforted her: â&#x20AC;&#x153;No worries. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be back with knowledge, experience, critical thinking, mature character, and a shining diploma.â&#x20AC;? Home is the harbour where we can rest during this long trip of life. In that familiar environment, we can be ourselves by taking off our masks of different social roles. There is no need to camouflage in front of family and best friends. It is a blessing to have someone who can be deeply affected by me as if she had experienced it herself. It is fortunate to have someone as quiet a listener and supportive an advisor when I am in desperate need of help. It is even a miracle to maintain friendships over years, across distance and time zones. With family and friends, we will never walk alone. Since you have already been in this world and you only live once, investing your time to see the value of every moment. As in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people who have a different point of view. I hope you live a life you are proud of, and if you find that you are not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.â&#x20AC;?
16
Elections
05.03.2013
| The Beaver
LSESU Lent Elections Full Time Sabbatical Officers
General Secretary Izmir Bajrami Vote IZMIR BAJRAMI 4 General Secretary A former zombie and Harlem shaker What better preparation for General Secretary? My Manifesto What I would change: More social and interactive events. We need more Harlem Shakes DQG DFFRXQWLQJ DQG роК QDQFH VSHHG GDWHV 0RUH IRXQGLQJ IRU VRFLHWLHV DQG FOXEV LWтАл┌СтАмV DERXW WLPH :H QHHG VSRUW FRDFKHV QRW D IHOORZ VWXGHQW ZKRтАл┌СтАмV GRQH D WZR ZHHN WUDLQLQJ FRXUVH DW WKH ORFDO \RXWK FHQWUH $Q LPSURYHPHQW LQ OHFWXUHV DQG FODVVHV YDOXH IRU PRQH\ %HWWHU HVVD\ IHHGEDFN QRW MXVW DQ H[FHOOHQW DQG D VPLOH\ IDFH , ZDQW D GHWDLOHG WZR SDJH UHVSRQVH DQG D thorough check of my bibliography. Publish more online readings. Let us welcome this electronic revolution. More drama SOD\V OLYH PXVLF DQG WKH RGG PLVDQWKURSLF SRHWU\ %HWWHU FDPSDLJQV ZLWK DFWXDO JRDOV DQG DLPV 3URYLGH EHWWHU IXQGLQJ DQG VXSSRUW IRU WKH %HDYHU 3XOVH 5DGLR DQG /RRVH 79 ,QWURGXFH D GLVDELOLW\ DZDUHQHVV ZHHN +ROG 3URIHVVRU &UDLJ &DOKRXQ DQG WKH %RDUG RI 'LUHFWRUV WR DFFRXQW IRU WKHLU DFWLRQV ,QWURGXFH D RQH KRXU FODVV RQ WKH VHFRQG ZHHN RI 0LFKDHOPDV WHUP WR JHW to know our fellow class students. Omi Russell 9RWH 2PL 5XVVHOO IRU *HQHUDO 6HFUHWDU\ /HWтАл┌СтАмV :$.( 7+( 81,21 83 )81 81,21 :,'( (9(176 7+$7 6+2: /6(тАл┌СтАм6 ',9(56,7< $V (QYLURQPHQW DQG (WKLFV RIILFHU , UHDOLVHG D 8QLRQ PXVW EH IXQ , KDYH HQJDJHG VWXGHQWV ZLWK LQQRYDWLYH SURMHFWV VXFK DV FKLOOL JURZLQJ FRPSHWLWLRQV DQG VPRRWKLH ELNHV ,тАл┌СтАмOO H[SDQG WKLV LQWR WKH UHVW RI WKH 8QLRQ DQG FUHDWH D FDOHQGDU RI FXOWXUDO HYHQWV WKDW FHOHEUDWH RXU GLYHUVLW\ HOHFWLRQ QLJKWV IHVWLYDOV DQG GD\V RI QDWLRQDO FHOHEUDWLRQ XQLWLQJ VWXGHQWV RQ FDPSXV DQG IDFLOLWDWLQJ FROODERUDWLRQ EHWZHHQ FOXEV VRFLHWLHV DQG RIILFHUV *,9( (9(5< 678'(17 $ 92,&( 6DEV QHHG WR EH HQJDJHG ZLWK DOO VWXGHQWV (YHU\RQH VKRXOG EH DEOH WR WDON WR WKHLU UHSUHVHQWDWLYH NQRZLQJ WKHLU RSLQLRQ LV KHDUG )URP FUHDWLQJ D EHWWHU SUHVHQFH LQ KDOOV WR UHJXODU VDE GURS LQ VHVVLRQV ,тАл┌СтАмOO HQVXUH VWXGHQWV IHHO LQYHVWHG LQ WKH /6( FRPPXQLW\ &5($7( $1 $&7,9( $1' ,1&/86,9( 81,21 %\ HQJDJLQJ VWXGHQWV ZLWK WKH 8QLRQ ZH FDQ VXS SRUW FDPSXV QDWLRQDO DQG LQWHUQDWLRQDO FDPSDLJQV WKDW KDYH JHQXLQH HQWKXVLDVP DQG VWXGHQW VXSSRUW DQG FUHDWH WKH VHQVH RI FRPPXQLW\ QHFHVVDU\ WR HOLPLQDWH LQVWDQFHV RI SUHMXGLFH , ZLOO GHOLYHU D 8QLRQ WKDW HPSRZHUV DOO VWXGHQWV WR FDPSDLJQ RQ ZKDW WKH\ DUH SDVVLRQDWH DERXW 9RWH 2PL :$.( 7+( 81,21 83 Rosina St James 927( 5RVLQD 6W -DPHV 1R IRU *HQHUDO 6HFUHWDU\ '21тАл┌СтАм7 *(7 0$' тАл(*┌Ю┌ЮтАм7 526,1$ ,I HOHFWHG DV *HQ HUDO 6HFUHWDU\ , LQWHQG WR 5 5($&+ 287 (QJDJH ZLWK PRUH 3RVWJUDGV DQG 8QGHUJUDGV VWXGHQWV ZLWK HYHQWV роЛ DVK PREV SDUWLHV IHVWLYDOV HWF ,QFUHDVH роК QDQFLDO VXSSRUW IRU VWXGHQWV ,QFUHDVH YLVLELOLW\ RI /6( WR WKRVH IURP ORZHU VRFLR HFRQRPLF EDFNJURXQGV 5$,6( 67$1'$5'6 %(77(5 IHHGEDFN IRU FRXUVHV DQG DVVHVVPHQWV 0RUH VWXGHQW SHUVRQDO GHYHORSPHQW DQG VNLOOV ZRUNVKRSV 6WHS XS VDIHW\ RQ FDPSXV 5HYLHZ 2XU 8QLRQ /REE\ HQJDJH DQG LQроЛ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роК GHQFH 7UXVWHH IRU Y,QVSLUHG 0HQWRU DQG FDUHHUV DGYLVRU WR H[ \RXQJ RроЙ HQGHUV 'RQтАл┌СтАмW JHW 0$'тАл(* ┌ЮтАм7 526,1$тАл ┌ЮтАм/(76 5 RXU XQLRQ Jay Stoll $V D VRFLHW\ SUHVLGHQW $8 PHPEHU 8*0 FKDLU , KDYH VHHQ RXU 68 IURP WKH LQVLGH DQG WKH RXWVLGH , KDYH WKH H[SHULHQFH SDVVLRQ DQG YLVLRQ WR GULYH RXU 8QLRQ IRUZDUG $ 1(: 52$' )25 285 68 2XU 68 QHHGV LPSURYLQJ :H QHHG RQ FDPSXV VSRUWV IDFLOLWLHV EHWWHU IXQGLQJ DQG VXSSRUW IRU FOXEV VRFLHWLHV FOHDU FRQVLVWHQW FRPPXQLFDWLRQ WR SXEOLFLVH HYHQWV :H QHHG WR EHFRPH DQ DFFRXQWDEOH WUDQVSDUHQW 68 WKDW WUXO\ OLVWHQV WR VWXGHQWV *(77,1* /6( ,172 *($5 /6( VWXGHQWV DUH H[KDXVWHG RI WKH SRRU TXDOLW\ RI WHDFKLQJ ,тАл┌СтАмOO EH HQVXULQJ ZH KDYH VWDQGDUGL]HG PRRGOH UHVRXUFHV DFURVV GH SDUWPHQWV OLEUDU\ SULRULW\ IRU /6( VWXGHQWV \HDU URXQG FRQVLVWHQW H[DP IHHGEDFN PRUH WLPH ZLWK SHUPDQHQW WHDFKLQJ VWDроЙ RQOLQH OHFWXUH FDSWXUH IRU DOO FRXUVHV EHWWHU SD\ DQG VWDQGDUGV IRU *7$V DQG D IRFXV RQ роК QDOO\ LPSURYLQJ WKH TXDOLW\ RI WHDFK LQJ 6(59,&,1* 285 &20081,7< /LYLQJ LQ /RQGRQ VKRXOG EH D GUHDP QRW D QLJKWPDUH ,тАл┌СтАмOO EH ORZHULQJ FRVWV RI DFFRPPR GDWLRQ RQ FDPSXV FDWHULQJ FUHDWLQJ DQ /6(68 KRXVLQJ QHWZRUN OREE\LQJ RQ LQWHUQDWLRQDO YLVD UHJXODWLRQV DQG SULRULWL]LQJ GLYHUVH FDUHHU RSSRUWXQLWLHV DQG HPSOR\DELOLW\ VXSSRUW IRU DOO VWXGHQWV )RU DQ 68 WKDW SXWV <28 LQ WKH GULYLQJ VHDW '217 67$// 927( -$< 672// )25 *(1(5$/ 6(&5(7$5<
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The Beaver | 05.03.2013
Education
Elections
17
Rosie Coleman Your Education can be Rosier: As Education Officer, I will campaign for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;participatory feedbackâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. I will work WR UHGXFH GLVSDULWLHV DFURVV WKH VFKRRO DQG PDNH VWXGHQW HQJDJHPHQW WKH IRFXV )RU H[DPSOH VRPH GHSDUWPHQWV RQO\ RŕŽ&#x2030; HU exam feedback in exceptional circumstances. Therefore I aim to secure accessible exam feedback for all students. Furthermore I will ensure â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;best practice teachingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, by replicating the best aspects of the school across all departments. For example, I will lobby every department to introduce at least one module with a summative coursework component. To gain more credLELOLW\ /6( UHIRUP LV QHFHVVDU\ , ZLOO HQVXUH WKDW WKH FRXUVHZRUN JDLQV PRUH VLJQLŕŽ&#x160; FDQFH LQ RYHUDOO JUDGH GHWHUPLQDWLRQ making the time you spend throughout the term as valuable as your exam. Securing students have access to perfect information is of paramount importance. I will procure an explicit commitment from the school that any potential future rise in fees will be subject to the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s democratic structures and not automatically implemented without student knowledge. Lastly, LSE needs to improve the overall student experience and guarantee value for money. My policies include more exchange opportunities, securing lecture-capture capabilities, and a greater integration between LSE services and departments.
Emir Nader WE NEED EMIR-ACLE FOR EDUCATION! LSE has a 10% budget surplus, yet basic teaching necessities are neglected â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I will tackle: ***CLASS SIZES:*** Almost every department has â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;oversizedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; classes. I WILL pressure the school to stick to a 10 student limit â&#x20AC;&#x201C; improving the QUALITY of contact time. ***TEACHER PAY:*** Many teachers arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t paid for DOO WKH KRXUV ZKHQ WKH\ VKRXOG EH DVVHVVLQJ \RXU ZRUN DQG SUHSDULQJ IRU FODVV , :,// ŕŽ&#x160; JKW IRU D ZDJH WKDW LV )$,5(5 DQG allows teachers to focus on what really matters â&#x20AC;&#x201C; quality teaching. ***Q GUIDES:*** The information LSE provides about courses is insufficient. I WILL establish online module evaluations BY students FOR students, like Harvardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, that gives you the INSIDE WORD on what a module is really like. ***I have the EXPERIENCE of being central to the campaign that successfully negotiated with the School to cap YOUR FEES at 8.5k.*** So for experience and achievable policies, please vote Emir Nader for Education because -----WE NEED EMIR-ACLE! ------
Tina Salih If elected to education officer, I will improve YOUR experience at LSE. As a course representative, I have spoken to PDQ\ VWXGHQWV DQG IRXU LVVXHV KDYH FRQWLQXRXVO\ HPHUJHG ,PSURYH WHDFKLQJ , :,// ŕŽ&#x160; JKW WR PDNH VXUH VWXGHQWV UHFHLYH WKH KLJKHVW TXDOLW\ RI WHDFKLQJ E\ KDYLQJ IDLUHU VWDQGDUGV IRU *7$V DQG E\ HQVXULQJ SHUIRUPDQFH PRQLWRULQJ LV HŕŽ&#x2030; HFWLYHO\ implemented. *Improve feedback* - I WILL push for standardised feedback on all courses so that students can monitor their ZRUN PRUH HIILFLHQWO\ DQG HŕŽ&#x2030; HFWLYHO\ /6( /6( KDV KXJH SRWHQWLDO EXW FDQ EH UHVWUXFWXUHG LQ RUGHU WR EHWWHU DOLJQ course material with studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interests. For example, split up weighting of assessments more evenly to enhance studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s productivity. *Reading week* - Instituting a reading week is essential in order to maximise studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance. It will allow students to approach their coursework with a more critical and analytical perspective. I am a hard working, dedicated and passionate member of the LSE community. If elected I will be proactive in ensuring that your voice is heard and that your education is the main priority of the school board. Remember, you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t spell EDUCATION without TINA!
Ross Speer Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Ross Speer and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m running to be your next Education Officer. Currently I am a Masters student studying for a degree in Political Theory. View my full manifesto online at http://rs4lseeducation.wordpress.com/. Local issues: better feedback on work, improve essay return times, more core readings in the library and/or on Moodle, ensure departments keep Moodle up to date with the information required by students. Postgraduates: Masters application system should be free for /6( XQGHUJUDGXDWHV DQG ŕŽ&#x160; QDQFLDO DVVLVWDQFH VKRXOG EH FOHDUHU DQG EHWWHU WDUJHWHG 6XSSRUW *UDGXDWH 7HDFKHU $VVLVWDQWV demand fair pay and working conditions. GTAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cheap labour to be exploited! International Students: Equal rights for international students, no repeat of what happened at London Metropolitan. International students are not suspects. I will resist attacks on international students by the UKBA. Education is liberation: Race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, physical ability and being a parent or carer should not be barriers to educational attainment. No platform for fascists, no to Islamophobia. I will put challenging oppression and prejudice at the top of my priorities. Fight for free education: No to priYDWLVDWLRQ HGXFDWLRQ IRU SURŕŽ&#x160; W DQG IHHV )UHH HGXFDWLRQ LV JRRG HFRQRPLFV DQG WKH RQO\ HŕŽ&#x2030; HFWLYH ZD\ RI UXQQLQJ DQ HGXFDWLRQ system.
Jason Wong The last two years was the best Alex Peters-Day could do, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not the best LSE can do. In a recent employability ranking, LSE ranked 15th below Nottingham, Leeds and Loughborough. We risk turning into a second rate university EHFDXVH RI WKH 68â&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹV WKLUG UDWH SROLFLHV $WWDFNLQJ FDSLWDOLVP LVQâ&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹW JRLQJ WR KHOS VWXGHQWV LWâ&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹV JRLQJ WR VFDUH DZD\ HPSOR\HUV from LSE. When Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m elected, instead of attacking capitalism, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to attack the challenges students face. My Five Point Plan to deliver real change from day one: 1. I will cut my salary by 20% and donate it to RAG amongst other charities. 2. Postpone library construction till after exams. Reduce the number of non-LSE students using our library. 3. Make LSE100 optionDO 6WXGHQWV FDQ GHFLGH ZKHWKHU WKH\ ZDQW WKHLU /6( JUDGHV WR DSSHDU RQ WKHLU ŕŽ&#x160; QDO WUDQVFULSW 7KH 6FKRRO UHFRUGHG D PLQG EORZLQJ e PQ LQ SURŕŽ&#x160; WV LQ 7KH 6FKRRO VKRXOG PDNH OHVV SURŕŽ&#x160; WV DQG JLYH VWXGHQWV D e IUHH SULQWLQJ credit AND free online subscriptions to publications such as The Economist & Financial Times. 5. Introduce Reading Week at LSE. Join me because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to take a path of bold, aggressive change. Campaign Page: Facebook.com/jasonw306.
18
Elections
05.03.2013
| The Beaver
Community & Welfare Anneessa Mahmood ***Happy*** School Spirit: Create a sense of community spirit and belonging @ LSE!! : - )Make Community Festival crowning glory of Student-Union Calendar : - )NO TO LOTTERY STUDENT EXPERIENCES! DonтАЩt let FresherтАЩs Week dictate your entire school experience! : - )More Society-Networking events throughout the year : - )De-stressing Exam Time: The Houghton Street Fayre! : - )Initiatives to get YOU involved in SU : - )Implement year-long community programme ***Cohesive*** Revive Campaigns/Student Participation! : - ) Work with societies to involve under-represented communiWLHV LQ HOHFWLRQV VWXGHQW PRYHPHQWV 2роЙ HU 6$%% VXSSRUW WR 6WXGHQWV ZDQWLQJ WR UXQ DZDUHQHVV OLEHUDWLRQ DQG SROLWLFDO campaigns Safe Space for Everyone! Freedom to express opinion and ideas : - )Co-ordinate тАЬdifficultтАЭ debates on campus : - ) &UHDWH D FXOWXUH RI UHVSHFW VHQVLWLYLW\ =(52 72/(5$1&( IRU 6H[LVP +RPRSKRELD 7UDQVSKRELD ,VODPRSKRELD DQWL 6HPLWLVP $EOHLVP 6XSSRUWLYH &UHDWH DQ /6( +RXVLQJ 1HWZRUN %HWWHU TXDOLW\ KDODO NRVKHU IRRG LQ /6( ,QWHUFRO OHJLDWH +DOOV 0RUH YLVLEOH VXSSRUW VHUYLFHV (VWDEOLVK 6FKRRO 68 :HOIDUH SROLF\ $SSURDFKDEOH 6$%%6 +HUH WR VHUYH <28 6$%% 2IILFH KRXUV RSHQ GRRU SROLF\ 6$%%6 WR SXEOLVK SHUIRUPDQFH WDUJHWV DQG UHVXOWV
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Hari Ramakrishnan ,I HOHFWHG DV &RPPXQLW\ :HOIDUH 2IILFHU , DLP WR FUHDWH QRW RQO\ D PRUH XQLWHG IURQW DJDLQVW DOO PDQ QHUV RI GLVFULPLQDWLRQ EXW D PRUH SRVLWLYH DSSURDFK WRZDUGV FHOHEUDWLQJ GLроЙ HUHQFHV DPRQJ DOO FXOWXUHV DQG SHUVRQDOLWLHV %\ ZRUNLQJ FORVHO\ ZLWK WKH YDULRXV SDUW WLPH RIILFHUV :RPHQтАл┌СтАмV $QWL 'LVFULPLQDWLRQ 'LVDEOHG 6WXGHQWVтАл ┌СтАм/*%7 , DLP WR GHDO ZLWK WKH SUREOHPV IDFLQJ VWXGHQWV DW /6( EXW DOVR WR SURPRWH D IDU IULHQGOLHU DQG KDSS\ DWPRVSKHUH DURXQG FDPSXV 7KLV ZLOO UHTXLUH JUHDWHU FR RSHUDWLRQ ZLWKLQ WKH 68 EXW DOVR EHWZHHQ WKH 6WXGHQWVтАл ┌СтАм8QLRQ DQG WKH YDULRXV +DOO &RPPLWWHHV WKDW H[LVW DURXQG /6(тАл┌СтАмV KDOOV RI UHVLGHQFH %\ SURPRWLQJ OLQNV WKHUH ZH FDQ HQVXUH WKDW WKH SUREOHPV IDFLQJ VWXGHQWV DUH KHDUG DQG LW DOORZV IRU JUHDWHU VFRSH ZLWK UHJDUGV WR RUJDQLVLQJ VRFLDO HYHQWV IRU VWXGHQWV WR HQMR\ 2QH RWKHU IRFXV ZLOO EH PDLQ taining the previous successes that have taken place on LSE campus and ensuring their continuation for the upcoming StuGHQW 6HUYLFHV &HQWUH 7KLV PD\ JLYH XV JUHDWHU VFRSH WR HQVXUH HQYLURQPHQWDO DQG HWKLFDO VWDQGDUGV DUH EHLQJ PHW DQG WKDW GLVDEOHG DFFHVV LV JLYHQ LWV ULJKWIXO LPSRUWDQFH RQ FDPSXV
Activities and Development Sebastian Bruhn 0\ QDPH LV 6HEDVWLDQ %UXKQ DQG , DP UXQQLQJ IRU DFWLYLWLHV DQG GHYHORSPHQW RIILFHU LQ WKLV \HDUтАл┌СтАм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тАл ┌СтАм8QLRQ /HWтАл┌СтАмV PRYH DKHDG 9RWH 6HE
Elections
The Beaver | 05.03.2013
19
Dominic Chakra Thomson Societies and Sports teams are the backbone of student life. They ensure that we have a vibrant and varied student experience, and they keep us from going completely crazy during our studies. I propose: 1. Greater cohesion between societies, the AU, and the media group through union wide events and cross-society collaboration. The SU stands strongest when it works together. 2. Giving LSE societies more freedom to create truly imaginative projects, which can showcase the full extent of LSE talent. 3. More casual sporting events open to the whole student body, as well as the AU, such DV D VLGH IRRWEDOO WRXUQDPHQWV DQG ŕŽ&#x160; JKW QLJKWV 7R PDNH LW HDVLHU IRU VRFLHWLHV WR IXQFWLRQ )DVWHU UHSD\PHQWV IRU WUHDV urers will ensure that events run smoothly and individuals arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t left out of pocket. I will do this by increasing the accountDELOLW\ RI SDLG 68 VWDŕŽ&#x2030; 0\ LQYROYHPHQW LQ /RR6( 79 GXULQJ P\ WLPH DW /6( DQG HVSHFLDOO\ ZLWK WKH ŕŽ&#x160; OP â&#x20AC;ŤÚ?â&#x20AC;Ź5XWKOHVVâ&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹWKLV \HDU has given me valuable experience in organising large-scale projects and encouraging LSE societies and departments to work together. With these skills, I believe that I can further unify the SU and help promote LSEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amazing creativity.
Areez Rahman $Q (17+86,$67,& DQG (;3(5,(1&(' FDQGLGDWH ZLWK JUHDW XQGHUVWDQGLQJ RI WKH FKDOOHQJHV QHHGV DQG ZDQWV RI DOO VWXGHQWV /2&$/ ,17(51$7,21$/ 3UREOHP 6ROYHU *RRG /,67(1(5 )5,(1'/< 62&,$/ DQG 3$66,21$7( DERXW DVVLVWLQJ )HOORZ 6WXGHQWV DQG FRQWULEXWLQJ WRZDUGV WKH 8QLRQ $&&203/,6+(' 62 )$5 186 'HOHJDWH 'H 0RQWIRUW 68 >'68@ &RPPXQLW\ ,QYROYHPHQW '68 9LFH &KDLUPDQ 'H 0RQWIRUW &ULFNHW &OXE >'08 &&@ 7UHDVXUHU '08 && 9ROXQWHHU '08 ,62& 9ROXQWHHU '08 $OXPQL %((1 3$57 2) 186 %/$&. 678'(176â&#x20AC;Ť& Ú&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹRQIHUHQFH 186 &RQIHUHQFH 186 ,17(51$7,21$/ 678'(176â&#x20AC;Ť& Ú&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹRQIHUHQFH ,17(1' 72 '2 .HHSLQJ DQ 23(1 '225 SROLF\ IRU DOO ,QFUHDVH VWX GHQW $:$5(1(66 RI DOO FOXEV DQG VRFLHWLHV 0RQWKO\ 1(:6/(77(56 UHSRUWLQJ DFWLYLWLHV RI DOO FOXEV DQG VRFLHWLHV &RQ WLQXH WKH DPD]LQJ ZRUN RI WKH 5$* $UUDQJLQJ IUHTXHQW ),(/' 75,36 DQG WRXUV .HHSLQJ ',6&2817(' PHPEHUVKLS IHH IRU DOO 0HPEHUV ,QFUHDVHG FRPSHWLWLRQ LQ WKH %8&6 /HDJXHV 0RUH -2,17 VRFLHW\ HYHQWV DQG ,17(5 FOXE WRXUQDPHQWV ,PSURYLQJ 0DLQWDLQLQJ VWDQGDUGV RI DOO 63257,1* (48,30(176 6XSSRUWLQJ WKH QDWLRQDO .:$) .HHSLQJ :HGQHVGD\ $IWHUQRRQV )UHH &DPSDLJQ (QFRXUDJLQJ $LGLQJ FUHDWLRQ RI 1(: 62&,(7,(6 9RWH â&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x201D;â&#x20AC;Ź$5((= 5$+0$1 â&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x2022;â&#x20AC;ŹIRU $FWLYLWLHV 'HYHORSPHQW 2ŕŽ&#x152; FHU 7R %ULQJ â&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x201D;â&#x20AC;Ź025( &+$1*( 7+$1 ,1 <285 32&.(7â&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x2022;â&#x20AC;Ź
Hannah Richmond Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been a member of the AU for 3 years playing in a variety of clubs and this year I have worked as an $8 ([HF 7KLV KDV DOORZHG PH WR H[SHULHQFH D QXPEHU RI WKH SUREOHPV GLŕŽ&#x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train closer to campus. I will focus on bringing it into discussion with the school as well as community outreach projects and LPSURYLQJ WKH UHODWLRQVKLS ZLWK 8/8 )RU \RXU 68 9RWH 5LFKPRQG IRU $ '
Part Time Sabbatical Officers :RPHQVâ&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x2018;â&#x20AC;Ź2૿ FHU Sally Bonsall I have always been very SDVVLRQDWH DERXW JHQGHU HTXDOLW\ and active in promoting the cause. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m running for womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s officer to ensure that LSESU continues to FRPEDW VH[LVP SURPRWH HTXDOLW\ and provide strong support for female students by doing the followLQJ 3DUWLFLSDWLRQ DQG 5HSUHVHQWD WLRQ *HQGHU HTXDOLW\ LV DQ LVVXH WKDW DŕŽ&#x2030; HFWV XV DOO KHQFH , SODQ WR UDLVH awareness by hosting fun socials, whilst fundraising at the same time. This will generate funding for further feminist activities on campus, as well as supporting the great work RI FKDULWLHV VXFK DV 5DSH &ULVLV DQG Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Aid. - I want to ensure that
womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s achievements are celebrated by inviting more female speakHUV LQ DUWV EXVLQHVV VSRUW HWF WR visit the LSE. This will inspire and empower female students. Empowerment and Support - I will create LQIRUPDWLRQ SDFNV IRU ZRPHQ SDU ticularly aimed at freshers and new SRVWJUDGXDWH VWXGHQWV SURYLGLQJ D resource for victims of sexual harassment, assault, and other issues that impact women. - I will provide better information on where students can access free contraceptives. - I would like to link up with as many societies as possible when hosting womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s events, so female students feel supSRUWHG %216$// &$1 '2 ,7
Imogen Young )25(9(5 ,1)250 $7,9( 7R SURSRVH VROXWLRQV LW LV QHF HVVDU\ WR LGHQWLI\ WKH SUREOHPV ŕŽ&#x160; UVW $ campus-wide consultation will be held to ask female students what they feel are the important issues needing to be addressed Holding forums on womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leadership, alongside sessions for
prominent members of S.U societies and the A.U to foster a greater support QHWZRUN IRU ZRPHQ RQ FDPSXV )25 (9(5 ,1&/86,9( :RPHQâ&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹV ULJKWV arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just for women - though we must lead the debate on some issues, men should be involved in the discussion. This will be done by actively including
Ava Mayer :H QHHG WR NHHS WKH ŕŽ&#x160; JKW IRU HTXDOLW\ IUHVK DQG ŕŽ&#x160; HUFH >7$/.@ 675(1*7+(1,1* &211(&7,216 72 675(1*7+(1 ,03$&7
:RPHQ DW /6( KDYH many common interests, whether we ZRUN WKURXJK :RPHQ LQ %XVLQHVV )HPLQLVW 6RFLHW\ :RPHQ /HDGHUV RI 7RPRUURZ ,QWHUQDWLRQDO -XVWLFH 0LV sion or the many faith-based, political or international societies. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s join together at Monthly Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Assemblies to multiply our impact. >.12:@ ,1)250$7,21 ,6 32:(5
:H QHHG WR ŕŽ&#x160; QG RXW what the issues for women at LSE really are by auditing the experience and outcomes for women stu-
dents at LSE. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s set out the facts in simple and readable terms to agree an agenda for change and focus action where itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most needed. We also know a tough jobs market is especially difficult for women. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s link up with women of parliament, the women of corporate giants, the women of the third sector to make sure our women are ready to climb WKRVH FDUHHU ODGGHUV >$&7@ ,1(48$/,7< ,6 5($/
/6(â&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹV VWXGHQW ERG\ LV XQLTXHO\ LQWHUQDWLRQ al. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choose one global human rights issue together each year and focus our campaigning work to make D UHDO GLŕŽ&#x2030; HUHQFH
men and women in activities, allowing both sexes to help improve campus life. There are many men on campus ZKR DUH LQ IDYRXU RI JHQGHU HTXDOLW\ and they should not be denied a role LQ WKLV SURFHVV )25(9(5 ,1129$ 7,9( 7R HQVXUH D EURDGHU PHVVDJH on campus, events concerning gen-
der issues must not be restricted just WR PHPEHUV RI WKH )HPLQLVW 6RFLHW\ 6XFK HYHQWV ZLOO LQFOXGH 4 $ VHV sions with panels of women who are renowned in their chosen careers, as well as giving greater platforms for current student-led initiatives such DV : ( DUH /6( )25(9(5 <281*
20
Elections
05.03.2013
AU President Harold Craston **BETTER 86( 2) $8 )81'6 8VLQJ the Annual Fund to secure bigger and better entertainment events, including live music, to add to our longstanding traditions. With a EUDQG QHZ 6WXGHQW 6HUYLFHV &HQWUH ZH VKRXOG EH VFDOLQJ XS RXU DPELWLRQV '(3$57MENT SPORTS TEAMS** $Q RSSRUWXQLW\ IRU ZLGHU VRcial participation in regular sport. After years of unfounded verbal abuse, departPHQWV ZLOO ŕŽ&#x160;QDOO\ SXW WKHLU EDOOV ZKHUH WKHLU PRXWKV DUH competing in LSE leagues for football (nearby 5-aside pitches), netball (L.I.F), basketball and dodgeball (Old Building gym), etc. **LESS ,17,0,'$7,21 &UXFLDOO\ GHSDUWPHQW VSRUWV WHDPV ZLOO
be strongly encouraged to attend AU nights together and LQWHJUDWH ZLWK H[LVWLQJ FOXEV 7KLV ZLOO LQ WXUQ H[SDQG WKH number and array of peoSOH EHQHŕŽ&#x160;WLQJ IURP /6(â&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹV most exciting night of the ZHHN DQG RXU EUDQG QHZ $8 venue. **MORE COLLABO5$7,21 :,7+ 5$* :RUNing more closely together to promote each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s events and collectively contribute to ZRUWKZKLOH FDXVHV 025( $&&2817$%/( $8 $'0,1ISTRATION** Ensuring more efficient, transparent organisation of AU activities including university trip funds and ŕŽ&#x160;[WXUH VFKHGXOLQJ %(7TER SPORTS FACILITIES** Improving on-campus sporting facilities to be enjoyed by anyone in the SU.
| The Beaver
International Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Officer Hamza Jawaid With over 70% of the student body originating from outside the UK, and having over 150 countries represented on campus, LSE stands out as a uniquely INTERNATIONAL and COSMOPOLITAN university. The Student Union itself has over ),)7< GLŕŽ&#x2030;HUHQW FXOWXUDO VRFLHWLHV +RZHYHU KRZ PXFK LQWHJUDWLRQ DQG FROODERUDWLRQ KDYH ZH VHHQ DPRQJ WKH LQWHUQDWLRQDOV RYHU WKH years? I, as an International Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Officer seek to bring together all of YOU from ZKLFKHYHU FRXQWU\ RU FXOWXUH \RX RULJLQDWH enhance the International experience at LSE and provide the proper channel for Your voices to be heard! 1)Increase the prominence of the International Week to make it even more
engaging and attractive for all societies to actively contribute. 2)Raise important issues ZLWK WKH VFKRRO H[HFXWLYH VXFK DV ULVLQJ ,Qternational Fees, availability of scholarships, DQG ODFN RI PRUH LQWHUQDWLRQDO IRRG H J +Dlal/Kosher) at the 4th Floor. 3)With the help of the School careers service, assist internaWLRQDOV ZLWK HPSOR\DELOLW\ LQ OLJKW RI QHZ YLVD UHJLPH DQG SROLFLHV ,QWURGXFH QHZ VSRUWing competitions among internationals. 5) *HQHUDWH LQWHUHVW WRZDUGV RWKHU LPSRUWDQW platforms such as the Language Centre and regional research centres. It is imperative to KDYH DQ $FWLYH 9RLFH DQG (ŕŽ&#x2030;HFWLYH 5HSUHVHQtation to bring about an active international participation in the running of the school.
Majed Al-Faraj No manifesto received.
LGBT Students Officer
Fikri Alkhatib 7KH /*%7 FRPPXQLW\ ZLWKLQ outside LSE is amazingly diverse. I believe in David Poole -Make the AU competitions, raise money strengthening our community by celebrating more accessible and less ex- IRU JUHDW FDXVHV DV ZHOO DV RXU GLŕŽ&#x2030;HUHQFHV ',9(56,7< ,'(17,7< %Hclusive, enabling expansion fostering healthy rivalry, and LQJ /*%7 LV MXVW RQH SDUW RI ZKR ZH DUH , DP LQ VL]H LQŕŽ&#x2039;XHQFH DQG DELO- , ZLOO SURPRWH VXFK HYHQWV FRPPLWWHG WR H[SORULQJ KRZ LVVXHV RI JHQity to facilitate participation that incorporate the entire GHU VH[XDOLW\ RYHUODS ZLWK HWKQLFLW\ UHOLin sport. Through increased AU. -Encourage and support JLRQ DQG FODVV DPRQJ RWKHUV , :,// â&#x20AC;Ť& Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;ŹROFROODERUDWLRQ ZLWK WKH 68 the increasing prominence of ODERUDWH RQ HYHQWV ZLWK RWKHU 2IILFHUV H J VSRUW ZLOO EHFRPH D PRUH smaller teams by promoting %ODFN +LVWRU\ 0RQWK ,:' â&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;Ź%ULQJ LQ PRUH prominent part of the LSE representation for all clubs. VSHDNHUV ZKR DUH ZRPHQ IURP PLQRULW\ experience. -Create a more 5HJXODU PHHWLQJV ZLWK WKH JURXSV â&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;Ź6WDUW UHJXODU WKHPHG GLVFXVVLRQ positive reputation of the AU Exec and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;drop-inâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sessions JURXSV H J 6H[XDOLW\ )DLWK â&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;Ź/DXQFK DQ based around our athletic IRU FDSWDLQV ZLOO FUHDWH D IR- DQWL KRPRSKRELD FDPSDLJQ ZLWK DQ LQWHUQDachievement, as I believe rum for discussion to resolve WLRQDO SXUYLHZ ',9(56,7< ',$/2*8( :H the primary focus of the AU any issues. -Establish greater GRQâ&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹW DOZD\V IHHO WKH VDPH ZD\ DERXW LVVXHV should be sport. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve already communication and coordi- DŕŽ&#x2030;HFWLQJ RXU FRPPXQLW\ ,Wâ&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹV LPSRUWDQW WR PH initiated this process by pub- QDWLRQ ZLWK VSRUWV PDQDJHOLVKLQJ /6( VSRUWV ŕŽ&#x160;[WXUH UH- ment and Sabbs in order to Nathalie Pinole **Vote Nathalie for LGBT Ofsults in the Beaver. -Maintain resolve any organizational ficer!** Making the LGBT community at LSE DQG H[SDQG FRQQHFWLRQV ZLWK issues that may arise. As a PRUH ',9(56( *LYLQJ OHVELDQ DQG ELRAG so that the AUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s corner- team current captain, I have VH[XDO ZRPHQ HTXDO UHSUHVHQWDWLRQ DW /6( stones of charity and gener- the requisite experience to Make sure that ALL aspects of the LGBT comosity remain prominent. RAG GR WKLV WKURXJK P\ ZRUNLQJ PXQLW\ DUH UHSUHVHQWHG ZLWK DQ LQFUHDVH LQ the visibility of other non-normative sexualievents, such as interclub UHODWLRQVKLS ZLWK WKHP WLHV DQG JHQGHUHG LGHQWLWLHV ,1)250(' , ZLOO WDFNOH LJQRUDQFH RQ +,9 $,'6 DQG FUHDWH JUHDWHU VH[XDO KHDOWK DZDUHQHVV WKURXJK information campaigns // Giving all students the chance to have their voice heard, and campaigning on the issues that are impor-
that the diversity â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and divergence â&#x20AC;&#x201C; of opinLRQV H[SHULHQFHV LV HPEUDFHG , :,// â&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;Ź ([SDQG GLYHUVLI\ 3ULGH :HHN /*%7 +LVWRU\ 0RQWK â&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;Ź2SHQ XS GLDORJXH WKURXJK GHEDWHV GLVFXVVLRQV ,1&/86,9,7< 6WXGHQWV ZKR DUH TXHVWLRQLQJ RU FORVHWHG QHHG PRUH KHOS , LQWHQG WR VWUHQJWKHQ VXSSRUW DGYLFH channels for students exploring LGBT issues, ZKHWKHU SHUVRQDOO\ RU SROLWLFDOO\ , :,// â&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;Ź (VWDEOLVK DQ DQRQ\PRXV FKDQQHO YLD ZKLFK DQ\RQH FDQ DVN DQVZHU TXHVWLRQV â&#x20AC;Ť& Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;ŹRQsolidate support resources provided by the 6FKRRO 68 â&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;Ź3UHSDUH D ZHOFRPH LQIRUPDWLRQ SDFN IRU IUHVKHUV â&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;Ź,QLWLDWH D SHHU VXSSRUW QHWZRUN â&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;Ź6XSSRUW /*%7 VWXGHQWV WKLQNLQJ RI UXQQLQJ IRU RŕŽ&#x152;FH
Matt White 3/$< 6$)( â&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;Ź3URPRWH VDIH VH[ and testing to combat the increasing spread RI 67,V â&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;Ź6XSSRUW /RQGRQâ&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹV LQ +,9 PHQ ZKR KDYH VH[ ZLWK PHQ 060 %<( 72 12 %, â&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;Ź5HPRYH DQ\ GRXEW VXUURXQGLQJ WKH H[LVWHQFH RI ELVH[XDOLW\ â&#x20AC;Ť& Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;ŹKDOOHQJH DUJXments suggesting that bisexuality is merely confusion or a phase ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NOT GAY TO BE *$< â&#x20AC;Ť= Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;ŹHUR WROHUDQFH SROLF\ RQ DOO /*%7 GLVFULPLQDWLRQ QR PDWWHU KRZ PLQRU RU FDVXDO â&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;Ź7DUJHW /RQGRQ VFKRROV WR VSUHDG WKH ZRUG WKDW LWâ&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹV QRW JD\ WR EH JD\ '28%/( 7528%/( â&#x20AC;Ť& Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;ŹRPEDW WKH WZRIROG GLVFULPLQDWLRQ WKDW OHVELDQV DQG ELVH[XDO ZRPHQ IDFH GXH WR JHQGHU DQG RULHQWDWLRQ â&#x20AC;Ť& Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;ŹRXQWHU WKH VH[-
XDOLVDWLRQ RI ZRPHQ '21$7,21 127 ',6&5,0,1$7,21 â&#x20AC;Ť) Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;ŹLJKW ULGLFXORXV OLPLWDWLRQV RQ EORRG GRQDWLRQ IRU 060 â&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;Ź:RUN ZLWK 186 to ensure that donation selection criteria are based on participation, not orientation TOI/(76 )25 75$16 â&#x20AC;Ť( Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;ŹQVXUH WKDW ZH KDYH a number of gender neutral toilets on LSE FDPSXV :(â&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;Ź5( %(77(5 72*(7+(5 â&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;Ź6KDUH H[SHULHQFHV YLD â&#x20AC;ŤÚ?â&#x20AC;ŹFRPLQJ RXWâ&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹZRUNVKRSV â&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;Ź :RUN ZLWK $8 WR EDWWOH KRPRSKRELD LQ VSRUW â&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;Ź,QFUHDVH LQWHJUDWLRQ RI /*%7 FRPPXQLW\ â&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;Ź 7DNH DGYDQWDJH RI WKH 8/8 QHWZRUN â&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;Ź7LJKWHQ UHODWLRQVKLSV ZLWK JUDGXDWH HPSOR\HUV WR build opportunities across the board
ELECTION INFO VOTING IS OPEN AT 10am Wednesday 6 March, and closes 7pm Thursday 7 March
RESULTS NIGHT 6WDUWV DW SP DQG UHVXOWV ZLOO VWDUW WR trickle in from that time. Come cheer RQ \RXU IDYRXULWH FDQGLGDWH DQG ŕŽ&#x160;QG RXW ZKR ZLOO EH OHDGLQJ WKH /6( 68 next year!
SOCIETY HUSTINGS Come out for Society/RAG/Media Group +XVWLQJV RQ 7XHVGD\ DW SP LQ WKH Underground. Ask candidates questions and help us keep them honest!
tant to them ** â&#x20AC;Ś.OPEN: create a space for those questioning or exploring their sexualLW\ WKURXJK ZRUNVKRSV DQG HYHQWV WKDW $// VWXGHQWV ZLOO EH HQFRXUDJHV WR DWWHQG &211(&7(' , ZLOO FRQWLQXH WR ZRUN FORVHO\ ZLWK WKH /*%7 $OOLDQFH DQG 63(&7580 WR UXQ FDPSXV ZLGH HYHQWV VWUHQJWKHQ WKH DIŕŽ&#x160;OLDWLRQ ZLWK RWKHU XQLYHUVLW\â&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹV /*%7 VRFLHties for intercollege events // foster a stronger sense of community through ON-GOING alliance meetings throughout the academic \HDU RSHQ WR HYHU\RQH DQG ZHOO DGYHUWLVHG ITS TIME FOR EQUALITY! **
RAG President Nona Buckley-Irvine RAG (Raising and Giving) VRFLHW\ KDV EHHQ WKH GHŕŽ&#x160;QLQJ IHDWXUH RI P\ XQdergraduate experience at the LSE. It has given me the opportunity to hitchhike, skydive, organise this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s freshers ball, see people gunged, have fun, and most importantly fundraise for incredible causes. In the past year, RAG has been WUDQVIRUPHG E\ RXU FXUUHQW 3UHVLGHQW LQWR D ZHOO RUJDQLVHG SURIHVVLRQDO VRFLHW\ 'HVSLWH WKLV WUDQVformation, many people arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t involved in RAG or HYHQ NQRZ ZKDW LW LV ,I HOHFWHG LQ WKH QH[W \HDU , ZDQW WR UDLVH WKH SURŕŽ&#x160;OH RI 5$* VR HYHU\RQH NQRZV and can get involved in helping charities elected
E\ WKH VWXGHQW ERG\ , DOVR ZDQW WR %XLOG OLQNV ZLWK VPDOOHU FKDULW\ VRFLHWLHV DQG VXSSRUW WKHP LQ fundraising. 2) Provide events that everyone can get involved in: for example non-alcoholic events DV ZHOO DV DOFRKROLF HYHQWV DUWV HYHQWV DFDGHPLF HYHQWV HWF 'HYHORS D YROXQWHHULQJ VFKHPH ZLWK the Volunteer Centre so that people can donate WKHLU WLPH DV ZHOO DV WKHLU PRQH\ ,QFUHDVH WKH total amount of money raised by RAG and create a ŕŽ&#x160;YH \HDU SODQ WR DLP IRU UDLVLQJ e PLOOLRQ ,PSURYH WKH RUJDQLVDWLRQDO VWUXFWXUH ZLWKLQ 5$* WR EHWWHU FRPPXQLFDWLRQ EHWZHHQ 5$* DQG UHVLGHQtial halls.
Elections
The Beaver | 05.03.2013
Anti-Racism Officer Tom Glen Harry Fellow students, as Anti-Racism Officer I would promote an LSE free of racial discrimination, prejudice and abuse. This I would do through the following policies. I would forge stronger links with local
groups against racism. I would build on the anti-racism campaign of 2012-3, with the aim of expanding the scope and reach of these events. Finally, I would campaign for an LSE helpline dedicated to victims of racism.
Ethics and Environment Officer (Conâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t)
Michelle Warbis INTEGRATION: Environment: -Integrate environmental polices with those of ULU for supRayhan Uddin With one of the most ethnically FDPSXV LQ D WUDQVSDUHQW DQG HŕŽ&#x2030;HFWLYH ZD\ port and advice -Integrate diverse student populations in the UK, it is im- MORE REPRESENTATION: I will encourage separate societies under perative we have a strong Anti-Racism cam- those from ethnic minorities to run in SU the environmental umbrella paign within the LSE Students Union. Hav- elections. Between elections, with the help of IRU JUHDWHU LQŕŽ&#x2039;XHQFH :RUN LQJ KHOSHG EULQJ WKH ŕŽ&#x160;UVW HYHU ,VODPRSKRELD the Anti-Racism Forum, I will act as a strong closely with halls officers on Awareness Month to LSESU and been part of voice representing ethnic and faith groups environmental issues -Create WKH ŕŽ&#x160;UVW HYHU 68 GHOHJDWLRQ WR $XVFKZLW] , in the executive decision making process of an LSE Free-cycle and stage have been at the forefront of the Anti-Racism the SU. RAISING AWARENESS: I will continregular swap-shops -Promote campaign. As YOUR Anti-Racism officer I will ue SU run campaigns such as Black History fair-trade and organic food focus on three areas. GREATER TRANSPAR- Month, integrating them more with societies across campus -Encourage ENCY: I will create an Anti-Racism Forum to get a wide range of events and exhibitions. the widespread and accepted that consists of delegates from all faith and I will campaign for more educational delegause of recycle paper across ethnic societies across the Student Union. tions to help raise awareness about racism the university Ethics: -EnThis will help us to share ideas about cam- worldwide (e.g. a delegation to Bosnia). courage societies of the SU paigns and resolve any issues that arise on to be fair -End the intimidating and daunting image of
Ethics and Environment Officer Gabriel Everington I want to maximise the resources of the Union by minimising waste. Less waste: I will be a tireless campaigner on environmental issues, social justice and soliGDULW\ E\ WDNLQJ VWXŕŽ&#x2030; RŕŽ&#x2030; WKH 6DEEVâ&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹGHVNV , will ensure your representatives can better VHUYH \RX , ZLOO ZRUN WR UHGXFH /6(â&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹV FDUERQ footprint, and to make our forward-thinking university an environmental leader. I believe that: 1. More must be done to help and unite VRFLHWLHV DURXQG FRPPRQ FDXVHV (ŕŽ&#x2030;HFWLYH campaigning and events require better organisation and assistance. 2. We must match our academic achievement by leading the way in protecting the environment. 3. If the
6FKRRO ZRQâ&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹW IXUWKHU H[SDQG LWV ŕŽ&#x160;QDQFLDO DVsistance, the Union should assist in providing scholarships and bursaries for students from lower-income backgrounds. 4. International students are under increasing threat. As a cosmopolitan student body we should EH OHDGLQJ WKH ŕŽ&#x160;JKW WR VWRS DQRWKHU SRWHQtial disaster like at London Met. 5. The NUS PXVW EH PDGH WR OLVWHQ WR VWXGHQWVâ&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹFRQFHUQV because at the moment an inanimate carbon rod is more in touch with what we think. Be an angel â&#x20AC;&#x201C; vote Gabriel for E&E. Engage students in campaigns and events & Empower students to make changes
Laura Mai Ehrich +H\ ,â&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹP /DXUD , VWXG\ Bsc Environment&Development. This is my plan: Increase Communication between societies Establish an Environment and Ethics Committee that will help the E&E Officer coordinate events with several societies Encourage relevant societies to elect an â&#x20AC;&#x153;Outreach Officerâ&#x20AC;? as part of their committee and hold several Environmental/Ethics assemblies throughout the year with Outreach Officers in order to to talk about communal projects, inform each other about events and plan campaigns I wish to encourage large scale, school-wide campaigns to get back some of the political enthusiasm that LSE was once known for Increase Information
for Freshers Produce a brochure containing an overview of all relevant societies, volunteering schemes, projects and facilities (for Sustainability/Human Rights respectively) to facilitate the choice to students wanting to get involved During orientation week: Info Session for Freshers, Sustainability Treasure Hunt, better arrangement of societies DW )UHVKHUVâ&#x20AC;Ť) Ú&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹDLU ,QFUHDVH LQIRUPDWLRQ ŕŽ&#x2039;RZ for Halls Residents to encourage more to become â&#x20AC;&#x153;Residence Sustainability Championsâ&#x20AC;? Other Purchase reusable mugs to be provided at all Environment and Ethics Meetings Support the founding of a Gardening society to get students involved with the garden-rooftops :)
Dom Feroze +L P\ QDPHV 'RP )HUR]H DQG ,â&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹP running for the position of Environment and Ethics officer.****ENVIRONMENT- Being environmentally conscious at LSE should be an HDV\ WDVN IRU HYHU\ VWXGHQW WR IXOŕŽ&#x160;OO DQG LI elected, I will support and encourage each LQGLYLGXDO HŕŽ&#x2030;RUW PDGH ,W LV DQ LPSRUWDQW time at LSE with the construction of the new students union. I would campaign to make this as green a union as possible with more recycling bins, bike racks and battery disposing points.**** Water- more water fountains across LSE to reduce the need for bottled water. For example in the LG library.**** After
the great success of green week I would work to promote this in 2013. With a particular focus on ensuring the values that are encouraged resonate throughout the year not just for one week.**** ENGAGE WITH PEOPLE, REDUCE APATHY **** ETHICS- LSE has a long and proud tradition of promoting social justice. I would go into my tenure as officer with this at the forefront of my mind aiming to PDNH WKH XQLYHUVLW\â&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹV QDPH V\QRQ\PRXV ZLWK the highest standards possible. For example Fairtrade and other organisations with high environmental and ethical standards which will enhance the reputation of the University.
Harry Maxwell If elected, my main promise is to be sympathetic to the varying interests and commitments of the wider LSE community. I am not about clogging inboxes with statistics, but more for campaigns that reward students for becoming more aware of environmental and ethical issues. The main
points on my agenda involve subsidised parties throughout National Green Week, increased on-campus involvement (such as free smoothies from smoothie bicycles), social media giveaways and starting collaboration projects with graduate employers and their CSR policies.
21
the SU -Promote membership to all societies to all students KNOWLEDGE: Environment -Ensure universal understanding of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;EnvironPHQWâ&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹDQG â&#x20AC;Ť(Ú?â&#x20AC;ŹWKLFVâ&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x2018;â&#x20AC;Ź,QFUHDVH DZDUHQHVV RI /6(â&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹV VXVWDLQDELOLW\ HŕŽ&#x2030;RUWV 3URYLGH LQIRUmation about carbon outputs and emissions -Stage regular open meetings to allow for information sharing, advice and feedback on policy -Expand and better promote green week Ethics -Ensure XQGHUVWDQGLQJ RI WKH 68â&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹV management -Provide access to information on guidelines, VWDWLVWLFV ŕŽ&#x160;QDQFH DQG PDQagement of the societies
Democracy Committee Members (x5) Joe Anderson Democracy at LSESU needs a strong voice. It needs a voice that lets us hold our Executive to account, that lets us design and pass policy, and lets us have fun doing so. As UGM Chair, I have seen how our current structures are failing us. I KDYH VHHQ WKH ŕŽ&#x2039;DZV WKDW VWRS our democracy from functioning, but I also know what steps forward we should take to REVIVE OUR DEMOCRACY. I will REFORM democratic structures so we can CHANGE our SU for the EHWWHU ,Q DGGLWLRQ WR ŕŽ&#x160;JKWLQJ for constitutional changes, such as bringing back online
UGM voting, I will ENGAGE VWXGHQWV LQ WKH 8QLRQâ&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹV GHmocracy, to make sure we are INCLUSIVE, DIVERSE and REPRESENTATIVE. I will do this through working with CLUBS and SOCIETIES, LIBERATION campaign and Departments, ENCOURAGING students who may never have participated before to get involved. Furthermore, I will be DEDICATED, IMPARTIAL, and COMPETENT. Democracy at LSESU needs a strong voice: to REVIVE OUR DEMOCRACY, VOTE JOE ANDERSON #1 FOR DEMOCRACY COMMITTEE.
Hassan Arif 1. Reliability ,â&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹYH SXVKHG IRU UHIRUP WR the UGM and if re-elected , ZLVK WR ŕŽ&#x160;QLVK LW ([SHULHQFH ,â&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹYH EHHQ FKDLU RI WKH Democracy Committee this year and I know what to do 3. Determined - I will continXH WR ŕŽ&#x160;JKW WR NHHS WKH 8*0
DQG UHWXUQ LW WR LWâ&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹV IRUPHU glory If re-elected I promise to continue with the much needed reforms to the UGM and democratic process of holding officers to account as well as the motion/debate procedure.
Rooshan Aziz If I get elected in the Democracy Committee I will make sure of the following: 1. Inclusion- The gap between students and the school should be bridged. I believe that the LSE community needs to be more cohesive, and no one should be XQIDLUO\ PDUJLQDOL]HG IURP the community. I hope to bring the SU to its former glory, where the UGMs used to be packed. 2. Fairness- As democracy committee member, I will make sure that all proceedings and logistics of the SU are conducted in a fair and democratic manner, whereby no one is excluded. It has come to my attention
that there has been an element of favouritism, if I get elected, I will make sure that this is dealt with as a matter of urgency. 3. Implementation- I will also make sure that all the laws and regulations of the SU constitution are implemented properly, so that everyone has a say, and those contending in any future election are given a OHYHO SOD\LQJ ŕŽ&#x160;HOG 7UDQVparency- The Students Union is the sole property of the students themselves and that is why I believe that there should be complete transparHQF\ LQ WKH ŕŽ&#x160;QDQFHV GHDOLQJV and decisions.
22
Elections
05.03.2013
Democracy Committee Members (x5) - Continued Louis Davies VOTE LOUIS DAVIES #1 FOR DEMOCRACY COMMITTEE Three objectives to increase democratic accountability in our studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; union. 1) Bring back paper throwing
at UGM 2) Bring back online voting 3) Bring in community voting ASAP. LOOK LIKES DEMOCRACY IS BACK ON THE MENU BOYS!
Prateek Gupta , DP D ŕŽ&#x160;UVW \HDU 0DVters in Management student and I am running for the position of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Trustee of the Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Unionâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Democracy Committee Memberâ&#x20AC;? in LSE Student-Union (SU). I joined LSE in September-2012, and have eagerly followed and observed LSE-SU activities and functionality. I have always believed that SU is not just about the societies or the people who run-it; its success is determined by the extent to which students feel that union is of the students, by the students and for the students. During my under-graduation, I started my own NGO and served as its president and treasurHU IRU WZR \HDUV , JDLQHG ŕŽ&#x160;UVW KDQG experience in structuring organisa-
tional goals in addition to learning key-skills for strategizing plans to bring them to fruition. Furthermore, my experience as a consultant in two OHDGLQJ FRQVXOWDQF\ ŕŽ&#x160;UPV KDV PDGH me recognize the importance of â&#x20AC;&#x153;cusWRPHU VWXGHQW ŕŽ&#x160;UVWâ&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x2022;â&#x20AC;ŹSHUVSHFWLYH while taking strategic decisions for the future of an organization (LSESU). My biggest contribution to the LSE-SU would be a unique combined knowledge that I bring to the table from the above-mentioned experiences and by being the trustee and member of democracy-committee I will ensure student-centric future growth of the Union. Requesting your support! Prateek Gupta
| The Beaver
Ali Issa Vote ALI ISSA for democracy committee. Democracy at the LSESU is in danger, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to call in the A WHDP $V D ŕŽ&#x160;UVW \HDU ,â&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹYH DWWHQGHG all of the UGMs so far and have been disappointed by the bad attendance and lack of motions. SU involvement is being monopolised by a small portion of the student body and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time for the rest of us to be included. If elected Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d advocate the following: Numbers- I aim to widen participaWLRQ LQ WKH 8QLRQ DQG JHW GLŕŽ&#x2030;HUHQW parts of the LSE community to voice their concerns and use their SU representatives. I want to liaise with the
LSESU media to do this UGMs- they shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be a regulatory chore but the heartbeat of student activities and concerns. I will strive for either a motion put forward or a speaker to discuss a topic of concern every UGM Transform- Above all I want to help change the image of the SU in general from one that is a political playground for some to a positive platform for all Support- I will help the rest of the team implement a transparent system that upholds the constitution DC needs some NUTS, Vote Ali!
Charley Jarrett Procedure is important for fairness; so is communicating LW HŕŽ&#x2030;HFWLYHO\ ,I HOHFWHG WR 'HPRFUDF\ Committee I promise to uphold both of these principles to ensure that LSESU is run smoothly, fairly and accessibly. If elected, I willâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; Ask liberation societies how we can ensure that democracy at LSESU is open to all Use plain language when explaining the constitution and the byelaws, helping to make LSESU democracy
accessible to more students Utilise my love of all things procedural for the good of the student body by ensuring that the constitution is upheld during elections, decision-making and anything else undertaken by LSESU Serve with impartiality during debates and campaigns â&#x20AC;&#x201C; whethHU \RXâ&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹUH D ŕŽ&#x160;UVW WLPH 8*0 DWWHQGHH or a seasoned sabb candidate â&#x20AC;&#x201C; every student should have a fair say
Trustee of the Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Union (x2) Joe Anderson Democracy at LSESU needs a strong voice. It needs a voice that lets us hold our Executive to account, that lets us design and pass policy, and lets us have fun doing so. As UGM Chair, I have seen how our current structures are failing us. I KDYH VHHQ WKH ŕŽ&#x2039;DZV WKDW VWRS RXU GHmocracy from functioning, but I also know what steps forward we should take to REVIVE OUR DEMOCRACY. %ULQJLQJ P\ ŕŽ&#x160;UVW KDQG H[SHULHQFH to the Trustee Board, I will REFORM democratic structures so we can CHANGE our SU for the better. I will ENGAGE students in the Unionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s democracy, to make sure we are
INCLUSIVE, DIVERSE and REPRESENTATIVE. Being EXPERIENCED, DEDICATED, IMPARTIAL and COMPETENT, I will promote GOOD GOVERNANCE, ensuring that the SU meets the high expectations students rightly have. Our constitution must be followed, and the Executiveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decisions must be consistent with our values. The Union must also have VRXQG ŕŽ&#x160;QDQFLDO VWUDWHJLHV VRPHWKLQJ vitally important as we look forward to moving into the New Student Centre. For GOOD GOVERNANCE and to REVIVE OUR DEMOCRACY, VOTE JOE ANDERSON #1 FOR TRUSTEE.
Rahat Dewan As your Trustee, my responsibility will be the long term development of the LSESU, its strategic GLUHFWLRQ DQG LWV ŕŽ&#x160;QDQFLDO PDQDJHment. I am responsible for making sure that decisions taken are in line with the values that the Union stands for. To that end, I will ensure that resources are prioritised on your behalf, that they are readily and fairly available to all members and societies, and that money is spent sensibly and MXVWLŕŽ&#x160;DEO\ ZKHUH LW LV PRVW QHHGHG , will campaign for full transparency DQG DFFRXQWDELOLW\ LQ WKH PDMRU ŕŽ&#x160;QDQ-
cial and strategic decisions taken by the SU. I will ensure a higher level of communication between the student body and the SU, such that the students know what the SU is doing, and that the SU takes on board, and deals with, the views and concerns of the student body. I will be an active, involved and responsible Trustee that will listen to your concerns, and that you can rely upon â&#x20AC;&#x201C; make Rahat DeZDQ \RXU ŕŽ&#x160;UVW FKRLFH IRU WKH 7UXVWHH board. TRUST ME 4 TRUSTEE, VOTE RAHAT #1
Prateek Gupta , DP D ŕŽ&#x160;UVW \HDU Masters in Management student and I am running for the position of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Trustee of the Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Unionâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Democracy Committee Memberâ&#x20AC;? in LSE Student-Union (SU). I joined LSE in September-2012, and have eagerly followed and observed LSE-SU activities and functionality. I have always believed that SU is not just about the societies or the people who run-it; its success is determined by the extent to which students feel that union is of the students, by the students and for the students. During my under-graduation, I started my own NGO and served as its president and treasurer for two-years. I gained ŕŽ&#x160;UVW KDQG H[SHULHQFH LQ VWUXFWXULQJ
organisational goals in addition to learning key-skills for strategizing plans to bring them to fruition. Furthermore, my experience as a consultant in two leading consultancy ŕŽ&#x160;UPV KDV PDGH PH UHFRJQL]H WKH importance of â&#x20AC;&#x153;customer (student)ŕŽ&#x160;UVWâ&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x2022;â&#x20AC;ŹSHUVSHFWLYH ZKLOH WDNLQJ VWUDtegic decisions for the future of an organization (LSE-SU). My biggest contribution to the LSE-SU would be a unique combined knowledge that I bring to the table from the abovementioned experiences and by being the trustee and member of democracy-committee I will ensure studentcentric future growth of the Union. Requesting your support! Prateek Gupta
Prateek Gupta , DP D ŕŽ&#x160;UVW \HDU Masters in Management student and I am running for the position of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Trustee of the Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Unionâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Democracy Committee Memberâ&#x20AC;? in LSE Student-Union (SU). I joined LSE in September-2012, and have eagerly followed and observed LSE-SU activities and functionality. I have always believed that SU is not just about the societies or the people who run-it; its success is determined by the extent to which students feel that union is of the students, by the students and for the students. During my under-graduation, I started my own NGO and served as its president and treasurer for two-years. I gained ŕŽ&#x160;UVW KDQG H[SHULHQFH LQ VWUXFWXULQJ organisational goals in addition to
learning key-skills for strategizing plans to bring them to fruition. Furthermore, my experience as a consultant in two leading consultancy ŕŽ&#x160;UPV KDV PDGH PH UHFRJQL]H WKH importance of â&#x20AC;&#x153;customer (student)ŕŽ&#x160;UVWâ&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x2022;â&#x20AC;ŹSHUVSHFWLYH ZKLOH WDNLQJ VWUDtegic decisions for the future of an organization (LSE-SU). My biggest contribution to the LSE-SU would be a unique combined knowledge that I bring to the table from the abovementioned experiences and by being the trustee and member of democracy-committee I will ensure studentcentric future growth of the Union. Requesting your support! Prateek Gupta
Musty Kamal MUSTYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PROMISES 1.CHEAPER AND BETTER FOOD. As an Undergraduate Representative the biggest complaint I got was about the quality of food at LSE and Halls. ¡ BETTER QUALITY MEALS AT A LOWER COST ¡ MEALS THAT PROVIDE A BALANCED DIET 2.CHEAPER ACCOMMODATION. We live in the most expensive city in the WORLD. LSE could give us a hand. ¡ MORE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION PRICES WITH OPT IN OPTIONS FOR CATERING 3.KEEP LSE TRANSPARENT ¡ I WILL PREPARE EASY TO READ BREAKDOWNS OF WHERE YOUR MONEY ACTUALLY GOES 4.MORE OF A UNIVERSITY FEEL. LSE consistently comes high in all the academic rankings but student satisfaction is LOW. We need
toâ&#x20AC;Ś ¡ INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SOCIAL EVENTS WITH OTHER UNIVERSITIES ¡ KEEP THE THREE TUNS AND STUDENT UNION OPEN ON WEEKENDS + LATE AND HAVE SOMETHING HAPPEN! 5.FUNDING FOR SOCIETIES AND SPORTS/ TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE MULTICULTURALISM AROUND US. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to start hearing about an LSE rowing team -elite Unis should have elite training. Have more interfaith and intercultural events throughout the year. ¡ SPECIALIST TRAINING FOR SPORTS TEAMS OF ALL LEVELS ¡ MORE FUNDING FOR MINORITY SPORTS ¡ â&#x20AC;&#x153;LSE FESTIVALSâ&#x20AC;? TO CELEBRATE RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL EVENTS AS A UNIVERSITY ¡ BE AS INCLUSIVE AS POSSIBLE MUSTY FOR TRUSTEE
Josh Newlove Each year our Student Union needs a strong and rational leadership. It also needs the supSRUW RI 7UXVWHHV WR KHOS LW GHŕŽ&#x160;QH D clear direction, with well managed ŕŽ&#x160;QDQFHV DQG VWUXFWXUH WR EHVW VHUYH and promote the interests of all our students. I believe good Trustees donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just help ensure this so OfŕŽ&#x160;FHUV KDYH WKH PHDQV WR PDNH GHcisions and take actions, but I also believe good Trustees hold Officers
to account after such decisions and actions have been made. I seek to serve you as one of your Trustees to play my part in securing a rational, progressive and functioning Student Union. When we elect people to speak as a collective voice of us all and spend our money, they must be held to account on what they do, and indeed should it be the case, on what they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t.
Elections
The Beaver | 05.03.2013
23
Trustee of the Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Union (x2) - Continued Sanya-Jeet Thandi A vote for Sanya is a vote for efficiency, transparency and real democracy. Firstly I am keen to listen to all students who have a say on the strategic ideas of LSE. Ultimately my role will be to represent you! Additionally, as SU Trustee I am keen to make the ÂŁ2m budget spending known to the student body. This will prevent future abusive expenditure by the SU itselfâ&#x20AC;Ś I assure you no 5 star hotel scandals will happen again! Funds will be spent on what most ben-
efits you, the fee-paying students! Transparency in spending will allow greater efficiency. Having previously worked on one of the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading political partiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; youth councils, I have the skills necessary to work effectively in a team to get the best possible outcome (teamwork is key!). Consequently I have harnessed the skills to respond effectively to strategic issues, legal and financial. Vote #TeamSanya! Xx
Prateek Gupta Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m John Ward, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m asking for you to vote for me to be a Trustee because I want to ensure the LSESU works as hard as possible to meet the needs of students. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m in my second year studying Business Mathematics and Statistics, which means I like to solve problems, and get stuck into the details of anything Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m presented with, which should be good skills to have when working with the board to make important decisions about the future of LSESU. The SU works closely with all LSE clubs and societies, so my experience on the committee of a newly
formed society this year should help me understand what they expect and require of it. Throughout my time here, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve enjoyed meeting Undergrads, Postgrads, and General Course students from all the various departments of the school, and I believe I have a good understanding of what students expect from their SU. My approach to decisions the SU KDV WR PDNH ZRXOG EH WR ŕŽ&#x160;QG RXW DV much as possible about whatever issues arise, then engage in discussion with a wide range of students. If you think Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m up to the job, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m asking for your vote!
AU Executive (x5) James Broad 0\ ŕŽ&#x160;UVW SULRULW\ LV HQsuring that the AU will once again be seen as the sports club it really is; utilising The Beaver for weekly updates on the progress of teams in the AU will give people the chance to see the level of achievement being attained by all of you, whilst allowing you all to compare the success of each other. I appreciate as much as DQ\RQH KRZ QLJKWV OLNH ŕŽ&#x160;JKW QLJKW Mr LSE, AU Ball (and of course the Carol), bring us all together as one club and I am fully committed to
ensuring that the social events we have experienced over the past few years continue to go from strength to strength, with increased participation. The transition into the new student union facility next year is an exciting time, and I will ensure that this huge change remains seamless. Although Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure many of you will be sad to leave the Tuns, the new SU EXLOGLQJ ZLOO RŕŽ&#x2030;HU WKH RSSRUWXQLW\ WR reinvigorate the Wednesday night experience, and I will thoroughly enjoy being a part of this.
Saro Djerrahian The lSE AU has found itself within a fundamental dilemma. 2012 has gifted us with a year of instrumental success and athletic achievement; however we have not achieved our full potential as a club and a society. For years we have remained in the shadow of the SU and have failed to dominate the arena of ULU sport. We have over-
looked one key element LSE has to RŕŽ&#x2030;HU 6D] +H LV DQ LQVWUXPHQW IRU success we have failed to utilise. By accommodating for his unique leadership style and by cementing him within the foundations of our AU, we can transform the union from a simple sporting association, to a substantial entity.
Nino Enukidze *More representation for smaller clubs. By encouraging smaller clubs to participate in GLŕŽ&#x2030;HUHQW HYHQWV WKH\ ZLOO JHW WKH FKDQFH WR UDLVH WKHLU SURŕŽ&#x160;OH ,QYLWing a wider range of clubs to take part in events such as Fight Night, will give everyone the opportunity to demonstrate all their club has to RŕŽ&#x2030;HU 'HYHORSPHQW EDVHG EXGJHW allocation. By allocating the budget in accordance with the development of each club, smaller clubs which have showed promise and growth will get encouragement and support from the Exec, in order to further develop the club in the future. *Sup-
porting other teams. Encouraging the AU to go out and support each other for big games will help bring the AU together and will publicise what a wide array of talent is present in the AU. Integration with RAG will promote the charitable aspect of the AU and improve our reputation within the student body, as well as reporting our successes to the Beaver through team reports. *More efŕŽ&#x160;FLHQW FDVKŕŽ&#x2039;RZ 5HLPEXUVHPHQW RI expenses has been too slow and has hindered the functioning of the AU. I will improve repayment schemes and increase the transparency with the repayments of funds
Nino Enukidze *More representation for smaller clubs. By encouraging smaller clubs to participate in GLŕŽ&#x2030;HUHQW HYHQWV WKH\ ZLOO JHW WKH FKDQFH WR UDLVH WKHLU SURŕŽ&#x160;OH ,QYLWing a wider range of clubs to take part in events such as Fight Night, will give everyone the opportunity to demonstrate all their club has to RŕŽ&#x2030;HU 'HYHORSPHQW EDVHG EXGJHW allocation. By allocating the budget in accordance with the development of each club, smaller clubs which have showed promise and growth will get encouragement and support from the Exec, in order to further develop the club in the future. *Sup-
porting other teams. Encouraging the AU to go out and support each other for big games will help bring the AU together and will publicise what a wide array of talent is present in the AU. Integration with RAG will promote the charitable aspect of the AU and improve our reputation within the student body, as well as reporting our successes to the Beaver through team reports. *More efŕŽ&#x160;FLHQW FDVKŕŽ&#x2039;RZ 5HLPEXUVHPHQW RI expenses has been too slow and has hindered the functioning of the AU. I will improve repayment schemes and increase the transparency with the repayments of funds
Thomas Meaden Vote Meaden #1 for AU Exec If elected I will; 1) Ensure proper representation and supSRUW IRU DOO FOXEV UHJDUGOHVV RI VL]H 2) Act as a reliable and trustworthy
OLQN EHWZHHQ FOXEV DQG 68 VWDŕŽ&#x2030; Promote a positive image of the AU to the whole LSE community. 4) Increase the number of AU-Rag events. 6WRS UXQQLQJ IRU HOHFWHG RŕŽ&#x152;FH
Will Essayan If elected to the AU Executive there are two main areas I want to develop: **ACCESSIBILITY** 1) The AU has a wide range of members but there are still many students who are not involved because they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see the AU as accessible. I will support and encourage schemes such as Give it A Go to help smaller clubs gain notice and more established clubs build their membership. 2) Cost of travel is also a prohibitive aspect of AU sport, which is why I will also seek more sponsors alongside KPMG in order to subsidise travel to and from train-
LQJ $'0,1,675$7,21 0DQ\ clubs have ended an academic year with a positive bank balance, only to struggle to recover the money next year. I will look to streamline the process of reclaiming rollover money, so that clubs do not have to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;panic buyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; unnecessary equipment to spend out their accounts. I have worked closely this year with the AU administration so I have experience with how the system works, and because the AU has given me so much in my time at LSE, I want to make sure that others get as much out of the AU as I have.
Alistair Lynch Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Alistair Lynch, LSE cricketer and if elected I would look to focus on the following; 1) Promoting the idea of joining more than one sports team especially to freshers as well as encouraging social memberships to sports teams, having perVRQDOO\ IHOW WKH EHQHŕŽ&#x160;W RI WKHVH LGHDV 2) Bigger inter sports club events having seen success of Fight Night, 7DNH 0H 2XW DQG 0U /6( DV WKHVH DUH EHVW ZD\ WR LQWHJUDWH WKH GLŕŽ&#x2030;HUHQW VL]HV RI VSRUWV FOXEV DW /6( Encourage Mini-tours, enough said 2SSRUWXQLWLHV IRU VSHFWDWRUV WR
watch LSE sports teams in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Glamorous Fixturesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; or just casually bashing KCL 5) Some AU activity post exams, we need this These only scratch the surface of what can be done with the AU and there will be big changes to Wednesdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next year with the new Student Centre and deciding how best to use it. I feel that my experience playing with a big and a small AU team will allow me to represent the interest of the vast majority of AU-ers and best serve what I think is the most enjoyable part of LSE life.
Jamie McSherry My decision to run for the Athletics Union Executive stems from the fact that my university experience has been formed and built around my involvement through both the social and sporting side of the AU. As a result, I believe that I should give something back to the community which has so greatly LQŕŽ&#x2039;XHQFHG PH DQG , EHOLHYH , KDYH the skill set required for the role and passion to deliver adequate representation for all LSE sporting societies. There is a sense that smaller clubs and societies within the AU are not included or promoted when
it comes to the large events such as Fight Night â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this was evident when only rugby and football were inYROYHG LQ WKH ŕŽ&#x160;JKW FDUGV , ZRXOG OLNH to implement a change in the way these events are promoted, and run, so as to bring together all sporting societies to provide an inclusive and VRFLDEOH $8 $QG ŕŽ&#x160;QDOO\ , ZRXOG FDPpaign tirelessly for more pitchers in The Tuns on Wednesday nights. This ZRXOG XQGRXEWHGO\ EHQHŕŽ&#x160;W WKH HQWLUH AU as inter society - and inter gender â&#x20AC;&#x201C; socialising is always more easy with adequate pitchering.
Maddy Pearson 5(&2*1,7,21 )25 63257,1* $&+,(9(0(17 :HHNO\ Beaver column to highlight successes of all teams and Wednesday night perks for Players of the Match from all teams as well as end of WHUP DZDUGV 025( ,17(5 &/8% &203(7,7,21 *HW DOO WHDPV LQvolved in inter-club competitions throughout the term to encourage integration ***ALL CLUBS REPRE6(17(' ,1 %,* (9(176 (QVXUH DOO WHDPV QR PDWWHU ZKDW VL]H DUH LQ-
YROYHG LQ DOO WKH ELJ $8 QLJKWV 63257 )25 $// $%,/,7,(6 (QFRXUDJH people of all abilities to both play DQG VRFLDOLVH ZHHNO\ 025( 632576 7($06 21 7285 0DNH tour BIGGER and BETTER than ever through greater integration and soFLDOLVLQJ EHWZHHQ WHDPV $8 )25 (9(5<21( 0DNLQJ VXUH HYHU\one, freshers, masters students anyone can approach the Exec with ideas for events and desire to take part in events
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05.03.2013
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AU Executive - Conâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Megan Trethewey I am a dedicated, organised and creative person who will contribute everything I can to the AU to improve it throughout my year as your Exec. As a fresher, and a frequent Zoo Bar victim, I know what students ZDQW IURP WKHLU ŕŽ&#x160; UVW \HDU DQG from the LSE AU. I want to make it easier for people to mix with other teams, so that you know what happens in the Zoo before the Beaver tells you. To do this Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll introduce more INTER-TEAM SOCIALS. As a member of a MINORITY CLUB, I know what itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like to be forgotten by the AU. As your Exec, I promise to never let that happen. Next time someone
asks you what sport you play and you reply, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ever want the person to say, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;oh I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know LSE had a team for thatâ&#x20AC;Ś.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; To make sure the AU is exactly what you want, iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll host REGULAR ONLINE POLLS. And as a member of the LSE Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rugby team, I am the sort of girl ZKR ZLOO ŕŽ&#x160; JKW IRU \RX LQ WKH mud and the rain, to make sure that what you want actually happens.Although Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure many of you will be sad to leave the Tuns, the new 68 EXLOGLQJ ZLOO RŕŽ&#x2030; HU WKH RS portunity to reinvigorate the Wednesday night experience, and I will thoroughly enjoy being a part of this.
TheBeaver We are looking for new Executive, Managing, and Design Editors If you are interested in any of these Senior Beaver Editor positions, please email the Beaver Collective Chair at: collective@thebeaveronline.co.uk
LSESU ARE ELECTIONS ARE RUN FAIRLY
LSESU ARENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T ELECTIONS ARENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T RUN FAIRLY
NOMINATIONS OPEN 18TH-25TH FEBRUARY VOTING OPEN 6TH-7TH MARCH #LSESUDEBATE @LSESU | LSESU.COM/STUDENTVOICE FOR MORE INFORMATION EMAIL L.PEDLEY@LSE.AC.UK NOMINATIONS OPEN 18TH-25TH FEBRUARY
The Beaver 05.03.2013
25
B
PART
26
B.EAUTIFUL MINDS
05.03.2013 PartB
A TECHNOLOGICAL UNDERGROUND Can technology empower the people of North Korea?
PartB
JOSH JINRUANG JANIE TAN partb@thebeaveronline.co.uk
Fashion
LSESU FASHION SOCIETY fashion@thebeaveronline.co.uk
Film
KOKO OWUSU
MIKE PEARSON
ஊ OP#WKHEHDYHURQOLQH FR XN
Food
LAURA RANDLE
food@thebeaveronline.co.uk
RACHEL WILLIAMS
literature@thebeaveronline.co.uk
Music
TOM BARNES EMIR NADER
PXVLF#WKHEHDYHURQOLQH FR XN
Private B
GINGER WHOREBY
privateb@thebeaveronline.co.uk
Technology MIKE PEARSON
technology@thebeaveronline.co.uk
Theatre
LAURENCE VARDAXOGLOU
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Video Games
PHILIP GALLAGHER
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Visual Arts ERIKA ARNOLD
visualarts@thebeaveronline.co.uk
Cover Art BY x_magician
B.
I
magine a country where you have no access to the Internet. Imagine a country where you are forbidden from spreading information about the outside world. Imagine a country that uses surveillance to monitor your phone calls to ensure you are not being politically subversive. No Google, Facebook, YouTube or Twitter. Imagine a country where the flows of information are restricted by the state, and freedom of expression is an alien concept. There’s no need to imagine; North Korea is this place. Techonology plays a key role in empowering people politically, the most effective of which is the way in which Internet and telecommunications enables the flow of information. Technology can empower people in the political process in many ways, but the flow of information brought by the Internet and telecommunications brings empowers the people the most. The freedom to establish networks of communications and share thoughts and opinions without recrimination lies at the heart of every democratic society. For decades, the North Korean state has realised the importance of flows of information. Media is state-controlled and communications are monitored. Whilst the Arab world uses Twitter as a vehicle to advance political mobilization, the regime will feel vindicated in ensuring technology’s role is to advance and stabilize the party machine. However, the landscape in North Korea has been changing recently. Eager to not be seen to be stalling in a Stal-
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inst time vacuum, they have allowed foreigners in the country to make international phone calls and access mobile internet, aimed at encouraging foreign investment. However, the real change is bottom-up. South Korean DVDs flood the markets from illegal channels in China. Foreign radio broadcasts populate living rooms and bedrooms across the Hermit kingdom. A survey of 1,486 defectors in 2011 found that the most common
Whilst the Arab world uses twitter as a vehicle to advance political mobilisation, the North Korean regime will feel vindicated in ensuring that technology's role is to advance and stabilise the role of the party machine." on what the regime wants”. Besides, the regime has no incentive to open up channels of communications. Priority number one post-Kim Jong-Il is to stabilize the regime under Kim Jong-Un and ensure no underlying political thought pervades society; just blind worship of the Kims. However, blocking these flows can only happen for so long. “Illegal” technological means of accessing information are on the up and show no sign of abating. Having said this, many of the mobile phones in use are in the showcity Pyongyang in the possession of the elite, with rural communities being left behind. When I visited North Ko-
methods of outside information are CDs and DVDs (37.2 per cent), verbal communication (22.4 per cent) and foreign radio broadcasts (14.1 per cent). Although radio and DVDs may appear to be outdated by Western standards of ondemand radio, podcasts, Netflix and LoveFilm, these technological forms provide key information that allow people to compare their lives with that of those across the border and beyond. South Korean dramas have gained underground popularity as perceptions of the outside world. In the same survey of defectors, when asked the effect of outside information, the most common effects were
about to input, and allowing phrases to 'flow' by gesturing to the space bar.
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“admiration for foreign societies” (44 per cent) and “desire to defect” (33 per cent). It’s not only in media consumption that technology is helping to drive flows of information. The security forces have cracked down on the use of cell phones to make calls abroad. Bought in China through smugglers, people avoid the regime by riding fast on bikes or walking at a pace down the street. They use Chinese mobiles as the North Korean mobile system is monitored by the state. Orascom, an Egyptian telecommunications company with operations in Egypt, Algeria and Tunisia ventured to the DPRK to set up a mobile phone network in a society that knows not the meaning of freedom of speech. As a result, the Orascom supported network has over 1m users and is proving to be extremely profitable for the country. Angel Dobardziev of Ovum noted that the earnings before tax margin of an “emerging market is generally recorded at 30-35 per cent, but in North Korea we know it to be around 64 per cent”. Because of this, he argues that Orascom “faithfully tows the line
rea last year with the Grimshaw Society, we visited the Grand People’s Study House in Pyongyang, the country’s largest library. Gathering around a computer, we attempted to find books on the library’s database. We asked if they had any books on The Holocaust, our guide replies, “Is that a famous English book?” This highlighted that although information is being spread to a greater extent (one of our guides had even heard of the Royal Wedding), there is still a long way to go. Politically subversive behaviour in North Korea is still dangerous. Unless the state changes its policies, any political change in the country will be driven by technology bought or accessed through illegal methods. Bottom-up rather than top-down, technology may well empower the people to call for change. Knowledge is power; and the North Korean regime knows it.
UNIVERESITY ELECTIONS HITTING SOCIAL MEDIA As campaign season is underway for university union elections across the country, several campaigns have taken off in a big way on social media. Aaron Bowater, running for president of the University of Warwick has nearly over 30,000 views on youTube after a week of campainging. His videos include a Harlem Shake, speaking out on racism, talking about the "continued threat of Coventry University's nuclear programme" and meeting supporters on the ground. A terrifically funny campaign that might well get him elected. Another candidate causing a whirlwind in the social media grapevines is Kirk Sneade at UCL, standing for Womens' Officer at UCLU. Trending on Reddit earlier last week, Mr. Sneade issued an apology for a "homophobic campaign photo", maintaining he was a serious candidate wishing to turn the position into an "Equalities Officer".UCLU Womens Network have argued that that Mr. Sneade has published misogynisitc material on his Facebook campaign page. We'll be keeping a close eye on this race in the coming week.
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The Beaver 05.03.2013
E
SIDE EFFECTS
his marriage and his career. Soderbergh delivers a very compelling thriller with a tricky screenplay by Scott Z. Burns, a haunting musical score by Thomas Newman (quite possibly the best thing about the picture), and a first-rate cast. Rooney Mara in particular does a fantastic job with a role that grows more complicated and unnerving as the story develops. After The Social Network, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and now Side Effects, it is clear that Ms. Mara is a major talent. The cast also includes Catherine Zeta-Jones as the mysterious woman who used to be Emily’s psychiatrist. Soderbergh’s direction is also very effective. He often keeps his camera slightly in motion, slowly pushing in on characters or dollying around them as they sit still. Sometimes simple dialogue scenes will use unexpected angles of the same character, jolting us into discomfort when we expect to be returned to the same place. These techniques increase the voyeuristic feeling of the picture, the sense that we are peering into matters that we should not be seeing and the sense that there is more going on here than we think. However, even though Soderbergh has made an effective thriller, it does not feel very significant. While viewing it, the film is compelling and intriguing, but thinking back on it, I can’t remember many scenes that were very important or suspenseful, apart from the early twists. The film is interesting and unsettling when it focuses on Rooney Mara, but it begins to feel more conventional when the focus shifts to Jude Law, whose serviceable
performance is undermined by the ineffective writing. The picture also invites comparison with two masterpieces by Alfred Hitchcock (it would be a spoiler to reveal their titles), and Side Effects suffers by comparison. The plot includes several hallmarks of Hitchcock, but this film lacks the emotional charge of his pictures. Of course, it is not fair to fault a film for not being of the same quality as a Hitchcock film, but this comparison (which the film deliberately invites) underscores the lack of lasting emotional impact in this picture. There is some deeply unsettling material here about the way we treat mental illness (material that feels particularly strong compared to the simple wrap-up at the end of Silver Linings Playbook), but the lack of strong emotional impact makes Side Effects an entertaining but slight exercise in the genre of the Hitchcockian thriller.
STOKER
embodies the film’s essence as we begin to see strong blood ties and personalities. However, this determinism is not all encompassing. Throughout the film each character’s choices matter, even though all they establish are brutal actions and eerie eroticism. Little is said but much is done. One must remember the ease with which things can change behind closed doors. While Stoker explores desire and innocence, both expressions are not as they seem in this film nor perhaps anywhere else. The film highlights the line we draw around family, death, sex and sanity. As the characters develop we see how thin this line is, how deep the vein of eccentricity and caprice can flow. The intimacy India feels with her ‘Uncle Charlie’ is one of both blood and character. It seems they share a twist in destiny, something that both find attractive. Similar feelings arise from interactions with death, where
heightened senses usher novel reactions. The natural naiveté in humanity is warped by perceptions and to us, by production. As director Park Chanwook’s first English-language film and Wentworth Miller’s first produced script, the fresh nature of Stoker works. The elegant depictions of affection and destruction as well as the advantage of an uninformed audience allows for the decomposition of one’s innocence. It is unsurprising that Stoker shares both a composer and a production designer with Aronofsky’s Black Swan. The dichotomy of beauty and brute force shatters chastity and questions the nature of morality. Each character is not necessarily as innocent as their impressions, but luckily the audience is, even if only at the start.
OPEN ROAD FILMS
mily Taylor (Rooney Mara) doesn’t seem particularly troubled. She looks sad and tired, but that’s understandable: her husband has been in prison for four years, convicted of insider trading. When he is released they seem happy together. He’s planning to start a new business, and it looks like they will have a bright future. Then she tries to kill herself. This all happens in the first 15 minutes of Steven Soderbergh’s smart, though ultimately slight Hitchcockian thriller Side Effects. In the subsequent scenes, we are introduced to a psychiatrist (Jude Law) who meets with Emily in the hospital. As he continues to meet with her and prescribe her medication, her depression becomes more apparent. The effects of her medication are just as troubling: a new pill named Ablixa causes her to sleepwalk and do things without seeming to be conscious. She sets a dinner table for three people in the middle of the night, an image that becomes even more troubling with the revelation that she has had a miscarriage. And then the picture springs another twist on us, a twist that is not as blindsiding as the suicide attempt but so significant that to discuss the plot of the film in any detail after the 30-minute mark would constitute an unforgivable spoiler. Suffice it to say that Emily is undoubtedly the protagonist of the picture’s first act, but after this the focus of the story begins shifting to her psychiatrist as he becomes increasingly obsessed with his patient. As the film progresses, his obsession has devastating effects on
In Cinema Now Director Park Chan-Wook Writer Ted Foulke Starring Mia Wasikowska, Matthew Goode, Nicole Kidman Run time 99 minutes
I
n his 2003 revenge thriller Oldboy, South Korean director Park Chan-wook shocks his audience with a scene in which a man scoffs down a live octopus. Bringing that stylised guttural provocation into this English-language debut, Stoker transfixes the audience with its continuous unsettlement, building up a familiar sense of pent-up frustration only to be release in final revelation. A psychodrama of beauty and dichotomy, Stoker depicts the tale of India Stoker (Mia Wasikowska), a young girl introduced to her uncle Charles (Matthew Goode) following the funeral of her father (Durmot Mulroney). With Charles as an eerie addition to an already surreal situation, the audience is invited to observe India and her fragile mother Evelyn (Nicole Kidman), as they deal with a brutal set of complex emotions spawned in the tragedy’s wake. The structure of the film is simple with only a handful of
characters and a smattering of dialogue. Raptorial Charles is an attractive and dark figure, understandably roused from Alfred Hitchcock’s mysterious Shadow of a Doubt and the veiled innocence of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. India, on the other hand, is an eighteen year-old girl of both silence and turmoil; her untouched, inscrutable features serve as a counterpoint to the former’s predatory mystiques. With this minimalistic approach to narrative, much of the film’s tone is established by its atmospheric setting. Influenced by gothic fairytales as much as by Hitchcockian psychological thrillers, the mansion and its luscious estate emerge as characters in their own right. At once confining and liberating, the culturally non-de-script surrounding plays dream-like host to this visceral drama of sexual arousal and violence. The sweeping staircase accommodates shifting campaigns for control, while bestial imagery and India’s hunting trophies encapsulate the domestic dynamic of predator and prey. Stoker arouses queasy eroticism for both women of the household as Evelyn and India turn increasingly suspicious and enamored with this visitor. Whilst the integrity and
solidarity of the family unit falls, the audience is forced to evaluate the virtue and guile of each character. The innocence within every player is brought to light as we see how far within themselves it truly reaches. Moments, just like the people, are not always as they seem. Slowly, motivations are revealed through subtle suggestions expressed by repeating scenes that only upon their reprise divulge sequential significance. The flickering of light, path of a spider and shedding of clothes are among the cinematic recurring motifs that bind the story together through incongruous unease. India’s opening narration— ‘just as a flower does not choose its color, we do not choose who we come to be’—
FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURESE
Nick Kelly
In Cinema 15 March 2013 Director Steven Soderbergh Writer Scott Z. Burns Starring Jude Law, Rooney Mara, Catherine ZetaJones, Channing Tatum Run time 106 minutes
Anna Boumeester
28
05.03.2013 PartB
INTERVIEW:
IF YOU DON’T LET US DREAM, WE WON’T LET YOU SLEEP ROYAL COURT until 9 Mar 2013 Written by Anders Lustgarten Directed by Simon Godwin Starring Susan Brown, Ben Dilloway and Laura Elphinstone
A
nders Lustgarten’s new play, If You Don't Let Us Dream, We Won’t Let You Sleep, attacks austerity by presenting a not-too-far-away dystopian world where every public service has been privatised. Lustgarten, an activist cum playwright, claims that he wrote the piece “because now’s the time for a return to proper political theatre” and while he is arguably right, the play unfortunately failed to pack a punch—instead relying on ideas and stereotypes we are all too familiar with. The play opens with a meeting in the Department of Home and Business Affairs; politicians, investors and bureaucrats are finalising a plan to turn the ‘burdens’ of deprivation and dependency into ‘opportunities’. Lustgarten introduces ‘unity bonds’, which give the investors a return if, for example, the number of reoffenders falls. The outcome of this is shown to be catastrophic—innocent people are imprisoned on the notion that when they are released they wouldn’t reoffend (and so investors gain a reward!). For much of the first half, the play systematically shows the degradation of a number of public services—the police force, social services, prisons, schools and hospitals—through a quick secession of short scenes. The actors played multiple roles, each one encapsulated with brilliant skill. The play is ultimately an ensemble piece, and this works well to emphasise the number of people affected by the privatisation of the public sector. The strength of the cast makes it difficult to pick individual actors out, although Susan Browns depiction of a brittle but nonetheless sympathetic pensioner thwarted by debt was particularly moving. A meter is fitted to the wall for the collection of her unpaid debts, and when she is advised to “just pay”, Brown holds her head high and defiantly questions, ‘with what?’ Unfortunately, despite the ability of the actors, while the personal stories were effective in contextualising the impact of austerity measures in the real world, the amount
of ground covered within the play meant that the characters felt underdeveloped. Indeed, not only does Lustgarten highlight the problems associated with the “market knows best" paradigm, he also focuses on how this problem can be solved—all in 75 minutes. The second half of the play thus presents what he, presumably, perceives as a way to confront the issue. A group of protestors set up a ‘Court of Public Opinion’, whereby the general public will put decision-makers and bankers ‘on trial’—the idea being that they are never really held to account. Lustgarten’s attempt to provide a solution to the problem he attacks is admirable, particularly considering that all too often the far left are criticised for having no real alternative to capitalism. However, despite this, once again, the characterisation of the protestors undermines his political message. In the same way that the elites in the opening scenes were presented as caricatures of evil, single minded, market-based fat-cats, in the second half the general public are suggested to be humble, honest, intelligent, moralistic and largely northern. While the appeal of such stereotypes is clear, and even seems fair, Lustgarten’s polemic would have benefitted from allowing more nuanced characters to develop. Without this, any proper idea or comment fails to develop and drowns in easy stereotypes. Similarly, whilst in theory the device of having an ex-city boy come to the court, “to see what all the fuss was all about”, should have allowed a more nuanced, holistic debate to develop—reductive characterisation (Tom was, of course, a privately educated Oxford graduate) undermined the effectiveness of this. If you Don’t Let Us Dream, We Won’t Let You Sleep is undeniably both entertaining and moving. The cast is excellent but the overall success of the play is, however, undermined by the dichotomous representations of the character. Since the beginning of the financial crisis, fat cat politicians have been continuously played off against hippy protestors, and while such generalisations may be arguably relevant, it is hard not to feel that in 2013 ,there is more to challenge and say than this. Although a valuable offering, I would guess that Lutzgarten himself identifies firstly as a political activist and secondly, a playwright.
Jess Austin
Pan but I’m also sort of playing the conscience of Peter Llewllyn Davies, sometimes I’ll say things that he is thinking. I mean, what is amazing is that the actual people did have the most extraordinary lives, the writers were obsessed with childhood and became totally obsessive over these kids, Peter and Alice. I think if I was going to sum it up, I would say that it is exploring how people reconcile themselves with their past, especially if your past was one of the world’s most famous literary characters. It seems like it might be quite dark. Yeah, it is, really. I think because people think it's about these kids’ characters, it will be a kind of fun, light-hearted show—but it isn’t. It’s about loss, grief and regret. I think people will be surprised to see how much of a thrill it is to watch.
MICHAEL GRANDAGE COMPANY
OLLY ALEXANDER
ABOVE Judy Dench and Ben WIshaw, respectively set to play Alice and Peter.
A
fter his morning flying lesson—a necessity in theatre nowadays—I sat down with Olly Alexander to discuss obsession, Judi Dench, and pan pipes as he prepares for his role as Peter Pan in John Logan’s new play Peter and Alice. Could you tell me about the story that the play is based on? The play is based on a meeting that actually happened between Alice Hargreaves and Peter Llewellyn Davies (the inspirations for Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan, respectively). They meet in a bookshop, where Alice Hargreaves is about to give a talk about being the girl who inspired Alice in Wonderland, and as they start to speak, fantasy merges into reality, and then Peter Pan comes on stage, and Alice (the character) comes on stage. So it’s a real clash of reality and fantasy played out on stage. It all blurs into one. Two characters talking about their lives conjure up the characters from fiction, from their past. For instance, I’m playing Peter
It will be a thrill to watch Judi Dench, too. She’s amazing, she’s so cool. Although this morning, I went to kiss her on the cheek but I kissed her on the ear, which was pretty embarrassing! How is your flying going? It is actually surprisingly difficult, and scary, and I’m pretty sure I look like an idiot. This was my fourth lesson. I’m hoping by the end that I’ll be a certified flyer. So you can put that on your CV. Exactly, I also play the panpipes, so I can put that on there too. Has John Logan, the writer, been in to talk to you? He was here for the first week of rehearsals but I think he was quite keen to let the actors and Michael (the director) find the play for themselves. Which I always think must be a difficult thing if you’re a writer, having someone else just take on your work and then left thinking, ‘hope it turns out like I want it to’. After having been involved in creating a film, I was wondering which you prefer, the stage or the screen, as it were? Each time you do a job is so different from the last, I always find it weird when people say ‘I only want to do film’, or ‘I only want to do theatre’, because it all depends on the project. You get different things from both, and I still feel lucky to just be working. You know, the biggest theatre I’ve performed in so far is in had ninety people in the audience, and this is 900. Shit. Yeah I don’t know what this is going to be like, it might be horrendous and terrifying.
It’s a great show to be involved with though. Definitely. I mean I hardly every audition for theatre, so I was so shocked when Michael gave me the job. I didn’t go to drama school or anything, so it’s been quite a challenge. How did you start, then? Well I was involved in the National Youth Theatre, and they let all of their members know about an open casting for Skins. I didn’t get the part but the casting director recommended me to an agent. It’s weird because, five years later, I’ve just done Skins. Are any of the earlier characters still around? They brought back the characters Cassie and Effie. It was cool, I was playing Cassie’s stalker, so I took a lot of pictures of her when she wasn’t looking.
"I'm just getting closer and closer to becoming [Ben Whishaw]" I asked Joseph Timms, of Privates on Parade (the first play in the Michael Grandage season) which ‘star’ in the season would you have chosen to work with. Would you have gone for Judi Dench, and Ben Whishaw? Totally! Every time! Sometimes it’s a bit too much though, they’re just too good. In fact I played Ben’s younger brother in Bright Star a few years ago, and now I’m sort of playing him. So I’m just getting closer and closer to becoming him, really.
Laurence Vardaxoglou The Michael Grandage Company presents
PETER AND ALICE Noel Coward Theatre From 9 Mar - 1 Jun 2013 £10/£27.50/£57.50 Written by John Logan Directed by Michael Grandage Starring Judi Dench and Ben Whishaw Tickets are available for purchase at the box of fice at 0844 482 5141
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The Beaver 05.03.2013
"The world must be all f*cked up," he said then, "when men travel first class and literature goes as freight."
— Gabriel Garcia Marquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude
FACTS, FICTION AND PHILOSOPHY How best to explore the philsophical underpinnings of literature
toyevsky’s work, Notes from the Underground, is nothing if not a vitriolic attack on emerging ideas in western philosophy and more directly against Chernyshevsky’s What is to be done? The question therefore, is: what does philosophy take from literature in return? A dialogue between economics and philosophy students takes us to the heart of the argument. What would philosophical thought experiments be if they were not accompanied by their articulation in the actions and feelings of characters to which we relate or reject? The experiments would be “cold”, says the student playing devil’s advocate for the literature department. Those inclined to agree contest that the relationship is perhaps best seen as playing out as any relationship would. At times, one may take too much from the other, not realising that it is only serving itself. Then after a period of time, one side comes to realise that they need to give back; to be present, to be welcoming and to listen. If philosophy wishes to talk through literature, the former must at times be willing to listen to the latter. Indeed, these conversations need not be embodied by a philosopher and novelist respectively. Both Sartre and Camus, to name but two, are happy to take on
PCAMBRAF
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hat is the relationship between literature and philosophy? A vociferous argument? No, more of a probing dialogue. Better yet: a gentle conversation? Such are the questions which the departments of literature and philosophy tried to answer during last week’s “Facts, Fiction and Philosophy” event. Luc Bovens, in the philosophy corner, suggests that we should see the relationship as akin to an unhappy marriage, quoting the first line of Anna Karenina: “happy families are all alike; [but] every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way”. The relationship between literature and philosophy, then, is an unhappy marriage which deserves to be understood in all its complexities and subtleties. Part of the unhappiness may come from a power differential, the idea that one needs and uses the other more. Yes, literature may take much from philosophy. Philosophical ideas have the ability to drive someone to write a persuasive character that embodies an abstract concept: the absurd in Camus’ Mersault, or the utopian in De Saint-Exupery’s Little Prince. What other than the principles of utilitarianism guide the actions of Raskolnikov in Crime and Punishment? And moreover, Dos-
the role of each to show that they need not be opposed. To deny the right of one or the other to have a presence in the others’ field would be akin to denying the conscious projects of authors such as Camus and Kafka in their attempt to argue a particular case, a philosophical position—the point being that in trying to understand the relationship between literature and philosophy, what we really need to understand is the individual author’s relationship to a particular philosophy which they set out to either elevate or enervate. It is through philosophical discus-
sion and speculation that we can come to fully appreciate the intentions and motivations behind an author’s writing, enabling us to go beyond cursory surface analysis. Deleuze and Guattari encourage us to see the absent presence of the father in Kafka’s novels not as a by-product of him having had an uneasy relationship with his father but rather as a motif. A conscious “oedapalization of the universe”,
DAY JOBS AND THE TWILIGHT WORLD LSE Literaty Festival explores 'Spy Fiction'
the matter and talked of various plots he discovered in archives, yet he and Professor
stunts; jumping off helicopters, hanging from dangerously high bridges and running
Andrews agreed that the vast majority of archival material simply would not fit the mould of spy fiction, as so much of it revolves around the importance of one character. In real life, there is a network of individuals involved in operations and bureaucracy. That’s why fictional spies are far more interesting than their real life counterparts, who never make headlines for their crazy
out of exploding buildings. The conversation then turned to the ever-sustaining British character of spy fiction over the decades. Alan Judd was quick to add there was a “no brand competition” with James Bond. Part of this, he explained, was due to the historic recruitment process of the security services. Judd described how the recruitment process historically had been from the
DANJAQ / LLC / UNITED ARTSTS CORPORATIOONS
T
he theme in this year's Literary Festival held last week was: “branching out”. In accordance with the theme, the Literary Festival explored the genre of spy fiction, its relationship with reality and why the best spies are always British. In the panel discussion were historian and journalist Lord Peter Hennessy, former soldier, diplomat and current writer Alan Judd and Cambridge Professor Christopher Andrew. The discussion began by exploring the obvious questions to the two historians in the panel: why didn’t you become novelists? And: is it even possible to translate the history of espionage into the creative realm? Lord Hennessy dwelled on
in which the father is used as an index of intractable power, the mere starting point for an attack on elusive, bureaucratic and intangible forces which threaten to compromise our everyday existence. There is much that philosophy can do for literature, but so too is there much that literature can do philosophy. Neither side has to win. What each side aims for is a greater understanding of philosophy and literature. Despite the oppositions between the two, these are merely ostensible oppositions which all involved would argue are placed as such as a prelude to greater discussion and engagement. What these discussions and debates get to the core of, from a literary point of view, is how best to read a novel. Where philosophical context may be important to a novelist and the period in which they are writing, the admonition would be how could we possibly read or discuss it without this prior knowledge and understanding of the relevant context in mind? This is a point which the European literature and philosophy degree course provided by the language centre (the antecedent of the “Facts, Fiction and Philosophy” event) aims to bring to the fore. Whilst revising for our endof-year exam, I and my friend came to reflect on what we had gained from reading the various authors over the course through philosophical lens. Our perspectives had no doubt been enriched, for example, by delving into the philosophical context of Dostoyevsky’s novels; reading characters as perfect articulations of particular philosophical ideas. By Gentlemen’s club, a very literary and classically trained part of society. These employees carried a rich imagination and that’s probably why so many of them went onto become writers with John Le Carré, Ian Fleming and Judd himself following this pattern. After establishing a consensus that spy fiction truly is removed from reality due its nature and writers, Professor Andrews made an interesting point about the political benefits of this trend. Andrews argued that there was an element of self-parody in spy fiction. Alan Judd expanded on this point by referring to the Olympics display of the Queen parachuting from a helicopter as a crucial example of selfparody. Professor Andrews spoke of how this self-parody encourages stereotypes which are deeply advantageous in keeping the secrets of operations in British intelligence. Andrews highlighted how
CDRUMMBKS
"The relationship between literature and philosophy, then, is an unhappy marriage which deserves to be understood in all its complexities and subtleties."
comparing the philosophical and literary representations of the existential and the absurd, our evaluations were critical and nuanced. But just as there is no privilege that should be assigned to the role of literature in philosophy or vice versa, neither I feel is it paramount for philosophical speculation to inform everything which we read. The same novels, we concluded, had the same ability to evoke wonder as when our eyes were blind to the philosophical context of it. It may be the case that to read without context, specifically philosophical context is to read something blind, I think however, that it is not the case; it is just that the experiences of each are different, and they enlighten us to different aspects of the novel. The relationship which we perceive between literature and philosophy is one which I think ideally needs to be the result of a conscious choice, both by the author and the reader, deriding neither for whatever choice they make.
Jade Grogan
in many John Le Carré’s novels, life in British intelligence is cut-throat, where agents are burned and betrayal seeps from everywhere, in contrast to the true ethos of intelligence: loyalty. The last topic of the evening was: can you spot a spy? Alan Judd answered confidently that this was a very difficult thing to do as by nature, spies are meant to appear ‘normal’. They are masters of camouflage. Therefore, he grinned, “we could all be spies”. The talk of spy fiction seemed a particularly apt part of the festival, as we celebrate the 50th year of James Bond. We may now finally be able to understand why the infamous 007, George Smiley, Agent Quiller or even Alex Rider seem to find lodgings in our homes now and for many years to come.
Sarah Essa
30
05.03.2013 PartB
SPOT ON! LIGHT SHOW AT HAYWARD GALLERY
Dan Flavin, artist
pletely monochromic situation which causes visual disturbances to the eye. Several installations are hiding in separate, entirely obscured chambers—as for instance
Carlos Cruz-Diez, Chromasaturation (1965- 2008)
and its power to create optical environments that alter perception and trigger individual perceptional responses. Light Show exhibits 25 of the most influential works which emerged during that hugely inventive period as well as more recent installations featuring state-ofthe-art-computer-controlled LEDs (light-emitting diodes) like Leo Villareal‘s Cylinder II (2012). Right upon entering the generous exhibition
patterns and shapes with varying speed and intensity. The sequencing has no beginning, middle or end and invites the spectator to wonder at, contemplate or simply be mesmerised by the sculpture. Other exhibits like Chromosaturation (1965-2008) by Carlos CruzDiez create an artificial environment composed of three coloured chambers, one red, one green and one blue that immerse the visitor in a com-
Anthony McCall‘s hugely popular You and I, Horizontal (2005) ‘solid-light‘ installation. The artist created a large sculpture of light by using a video projector and a haze machine, which can be walked around, into, and through. As McCall points out, ‘in three-dimensional space, this creates a complex sculptural form in a state of slow continuous mutation‘. Light Show explores how we experience and psycho-
do some students hoard the bean bags in the library while others go bagless? Louis XIV showed more restraint than some of these greedy, imperialist resource-hoarders. Everyone deserves equal access to 90s furniture nostalgia, y'all. 2) Chatting on the Stairs—I’m not sure what architectural genius designed the disproportionate stairwell that forces everyone to walk like an injured horse, but thanks to him taking the stairs is truly a humiliating experience. So, please, don’t prolong the mis-
ery by clogging the flights with your obnoxiously loud group pow-wows. For those of you for whom this seems to be a force of habit, here are some suggestions of better places to have a chat: outside the library, in the Tuns, on the Tube, in the privacy of your own home and literally anywhere else in the entire world beside the middle of the stairs where you are in everybody’s way. Thanks. 3) Eating Smelly Foods— Look, I understand that sneaking food into the library is the closest to civil disobedience
that most LSE students will ever get. I totally support your resistance efforts, and agree that breaking the rules is totally sexy. It is, however, a lot less sexy when you’re eating week-old tuna salad with a side of rotting produce. 4) Failing to Silence Your Phone—I really don’t understand why this continues to occur. Did you somehow miss the memo that we all switched to full-time vibrate about 3 years ago? At the very least, if you insist on disturbing the peace, try to choose something less embar-
By actively engaging with the installations on display, the exhibition asks us to reconsider our relationship to our surroundings and how we see the world. Not everything we visually experience in everyday life ought to be taken at face value. However, no matter what messages we might take home from this exhibition— it remains a truly entertaining and sensory experience.
1 Erika Arnold Light Show Hayward Gallery until 28 April 2013 £9 Concession
HAYWARD GALLERY
As its title already suggests, Light Show is all about light art which has gained increasing prominence in the past decades, yet light and its nature, be-
space, approximately 19,600 white LED lights supported by an almost invisible armature of reflective hanging rods arranged in concentric rings display changing
HAYWARD GALLERY
"It is what it is and it ain't nothing else. There is no hidden psychology, no overwhelming spirituality you are supposed to come into contact with. It is as plain and open and direct an art as you will ever find."
haviour and peculiarities have always fascinated mankind. In the early 1960s, artists on both sides of the Atlantic were experimenting with artificial light forms
HAYWARD GALLERY
R
egrettably, conventional visual art exhibitions more often than not fail to engage a broader audience at a deeper emotional level reaching beyond mere admiration for a commercially successful artist‘s oeuvre. This, however, is certainly not true of the Light Show—London‘s latest blockbuster exhibition hosted by the Hayward Gallery at Southbank Centre.
logically respond to illumination and colour, and also encompasses more conceptual and political concerns. Inside Reality Show (Silver) (2010), a brightly lit, mirrored phonebox-like cubicle, the visitor finds him or herself ‘placed into abyss‘ of infinite reflections where, mysteriously, their own image does not appear. At the same time, they can be seen by other viewers outside the box, and so are effectively placed under semi-involuntary surveillance. The artist of this installation, Ivan Navarro, thereby comments on his experiences of systematic control and repression during the dictatorship of General Pinochet in Chile.
ETIQUETTE
LS
Josh Ellman says... Shhh!
S
ince we’ll all basically be living together in the library until exams end, I figure it’s high time we set some ground rules: 1) Hogging the Bean Bags —We here at LSE are supposed to be invested in the reversal of the global trend of rising inequality. So, why, then,
rassing than a Katy Perry song. 5) Making Out—The last thing anyone needs to see while cramming for an exam is you preparing for an entirely different kind of cram session. Remember, kissing implies that you are happy, and happiness of any kind has no place at the library during exam season. This space is reserved for the miserable, lonely and overwhelmed. If you have managed to find solace in the arms of another, kindly exit before we chase you out with our pitchforks!
31
The Beaver 05.03.2013
PARIS JE T'AIME
TOM'S PICK DHAFER YOUSSEF
Parisian fashion trifecta
F
“M
ake a noise, make it my noise, then make a rhythm.” If only it was that simple. But Dauwd’s music philosophy is hard to argue with when it leads to records as good as his latest 4-track EP Heat Division. From your first listen to your fiftieth it’s a release that keeps of revealing more and more; a perfect example of what electronic music should aspire to be. With humble beginnings growing up in rural Wales, it’s very clear how Dauwd alHilali’s youth has shaped his music. A two-hour drive away from the nearest record store meant he wasn’t saturated with influences. Freed from musical bias and armed only with a copy of Cubase he got from his school, the purity of Dauwd’s style is what hits you most. He sees it as both “a drawback and a blessing”, but from the listener's point of view it’s certainly much more the latter. Heat Division starts particularly strong. A pulsing trancey pad gives way to stuttering triplets. Heavy filtering and a smooth sidestepping melodic line dominates the sound at first, but it rapidly cycles through different dynamics and glittering beats freely coming and going. It’s certainly the houseiest track on the EP, especially during the middle, but still adheres to Dauwd’s trademark ambient sound.
What continues to astound the listener on this record is Dawud’s ever-increasing palette of colours. ‘Aqueous’ is a good example of this, nodding towards more minimal and futuristic elements. Paced by a gently throbbing beat and a dark vocal sample flickering through, you are taken down a much more ambient road. His early influences of Gold Panda and Daphni can be heard breaking through. ‘Silverse’ tends towards the garage end of the spectrum, guided by juddering chord stabs and background ethereal synths. Slightly more minimalist in nature it lacks a strong core and so doesn’t have the same attraction as the other tracks on the EP, where the drop in the second half of track feeling slightly lacklustre. It still forms an important section though in Heat Division’s arc. Picking up the pace from ‘Silverse’, the final track ‘And’ bookends the 23 minutes of music nicely, starting with sounds reminiscent of Burial’s work. ‘And’ has a much stronger beat, set against a rippling synth arpeggios that lead us forward towards a simple but catchy melodic hook. The climax of textures; ethereal vocals, filtered pads, and soft hats reminds you possibly of Bonobo’s latest release ‘Cirrus’. With every release Dauwd seems to be exploring his own
Dhafer Youssef, the Tunisian-born vocalist and oud player, returns to the UBS Soundscapes: Eclectica Series. Dhafer Youssef bypassed formal music lessons, borrowing a friend’s electric guitar and saving up for his first oud, and learned a mixture of genres by ear. In 1990 Youssef travelled to Vienna to collaborate with some of Europe’s most original contemporary and jazz musicians and has gone on to build a major international following. His work combines stirring vocals with an unstoppable groove. The Independent has called his sound “a meditative thing of frequent beauty” and Time Out noted his unique juxtaposition of “the ancient, mystical hypnotic music of Islamic Sufism with the textures of electric jazz.” imagination further. As he puts it, “I’ll try and find and manipulate sounds for a track, which then might inspire my next track.” This domino theory of creating music seems to be working well, so it’s not farfetched to see 2013 as a potentially huge year for Dauwd. Heat Division is an exceptionally produced piece, and although might not contain a hit like ‘What’s There’, it’s an important entry in Dauwd’s growing discography. Above all is Dauwd’s attention to detail. Many would agree with him when he says “a lot of people just release whatever they make.” It means Heat Division stands above a lot of electronic music that’s currently about, and can be listened to on all levels. Dauwd’s achievement on the record makes it the one of the most exciting releases this year so far—“I think it’s time to be prolific.”
Ɖ
“Fashion fades, only style remains the same.” This unique designer had a timeless allure whereby “effortless chic” and an air of “enduring youth” came naturally, and were key elements reflected in the clothes she designed in the period of La belle époque and the jazz age. Responsible for inventing everything ranging from the suntan to the LBD, Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel was one of a number of designers who set the tone for informal womenswear. She anticipated the post-World War I spirit and represented the modernist woman. Most looks of the 1920s and ‘30s were simple and sombre, working with fabrics such as tweed and jersey. She successfully showcased the functionalism of wartime clothing. Using her own boyish figure to her advantage, Chanel embraced a less confined approach by creating clothing which was both comfortable and easy for “new” women to wear. The timeless purism of Chanel will always remain: the so called “classic suit” with its relaxed style, easy to wear fabric is easily recognisable and is still going strong today.
Tom Barnes
YVES SAINT LAURENT
CHRISTIAN DIOR
“Dressing is a way of life.”
PARIS FASHION WEEK
“Simplicity, good taste, and grooming are the fundamentals of good dressing.” French fashion couturier Christian Dior created a revolutionary “new look” which greatly influenced womenswear in the late 1940s-50s. Suddenly shoulders were soft and sloping, skirts appeared longer, tiny waists were emphasised and bust lines were noticeably high. After the plain and boxy styles of the Second World War, the return to elegance was refreshing and alluring. Dior set off many style setting trademarks, from dramatic “coolie” and “cartwheel” hats to Y-line tapered skirts. The success of this designer is immaculate today, and is owed in part to his brilliant knowledge of marketing and product promotion, as much as his legacy of revolutionising a “new look”. While at the top of his game for only a decade, the influence that Dior has left is still thriving. Not only has he has been a major inspiration to designers such as Christian Lacroix and the Marchesa label, but the multi-product global brand has been an enormous success generating revenue of over €14.3bn for the first half of 2012.
COCO CHANEL
SAINT LAURENT PARIS
TAILORED COMMUNICATIONS / GHOSTLY INTERNATIONAL
28 Mar LSO ST. LUKE'S
ashion designers of today have become celebrities in their own right and catwalk shows such as London Fashion Week (LFW) are major events, generating mass media attention worldwide. Creativity has reached new heights from the late twentieth century onwards where designers began to use runway shows as theatrical platforms, ranging from Alexander McQueen’s Spring/Summer 1999 collection (where machines spray painted the models' dresses in front of the audience), to Gareth Pugh’s outrageous and dramatic designs which truly challenged the status-quo of what truly defines “fashion”. As the fashion world descends upon Paris for the A/W 13 Fashion Week, it’s only appropriate to take a look at a trio of iconic Parisian designers, and arguably the founders of modern fashion, whose fashion houses are amongst the most popular, luxurious and respected in the world.
WIKIMEDIA
heat division [ep]
Yves Saint Laurent dominated in the 1960s and ‘70s. He became Christian Dior's principal assistant in Paris, and at the age of 21 took over as the head of the House of Dior. With the opening of his own Paris fashion house in 1961, his collections featured styles such as knitted turtlenecks, thigh-length boots, and women's broad-shouldered trouser suits. Saint Laurent created a combination of traditional tailoring with street style, and is the brains behind the reefer jacket, the sheer blouse and the jumpsuit. He greatly popularised women’s trousers as a daily womenswear staple and raised expectations of “prêt-à-porter” clothing. Although Saint Laurent closed the couture business in 2002 to retire, the YSL logo today is featured largely in multi-product lines ranging from handbags to cosmetics. His promotion of the timeless classic remains a legacy and is echoed in the collections of new generation designers such as Stella McCartney.
% Sheshaya Surtani
32
05.03.2013 | The Beaver
THE SILENCE IS DEAFENING
Ginger Whoreby
There was widespread panic in the library last week as the construction work for the Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s library stopped for approximately four hours. The lack of drilling, sawing or swearing was such a surprise to those in the library that several fainted and a further three complained that the lack of an ear splitting racket was hindering them completing their work. Indeed, the silence was so severe several students had to ask nearby students to turn on phones with particularly loud speakers, in order to attempt to study in a vaguely loud environment. It has come to the attention of the B that the reason for the unprecedented break in work was because several key
supervisors had gone to locate a few copies of the Sun, but upon being unDEOH WR ŕŽ&#x160; QG LW LQ WKH 6WXGHQWVâ&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x2018;â&#x20AC;Ź8QLRQ
launched by the university as to quite how potentially dangerous levels of silence were present in the library. One
EXCAVATION GOING SMOOTHLY shop they were forced to trek several source who begged to remain anonymiles to the nearest convenience shop mous stated â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quite a concern that to purchase their newspaper of choice. something as pervasive as silence An investigation is already being could be found in the library. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like
the asbestos in other parts of campus really. You know thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the potential for the hazard to strike at any time. Really makes you want to go into the Tuns and have a shandy.â&#x20AC;? Interestingly, a potential solution has been suggested by one member of the general course that the LSE could simply borrow yet another leaf from the American government. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The decour of the library already utilises elements of guantanamo bay in the drab walls and stern security guards. Why not go the whole hog and just pipe Metallica or Barney into the computer area?â&#x20AC;? The B is yet to hear the commissarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thoughts on the matter, presumably he is too busy snorting lines of coke with the PM whilst on his jaunt to the Indian sub-continent.
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Features
The Beaver | 05.03.2013
Eastleigh: the fallout
Lib Dems win Eastleigh
Liam Hill
The Liberal Democrats have won the Eastleigh by-election. The UK Independence Party pushed the Conservatives into third place, with Labour comming fourth. UKIP candidate Diane James received 11,571 votes, on a 19.3 per cent swing from the Lib Dems.
The Liberal Democrats have won a by-election in Eastleigh, the seat made vacant by Chris Huhneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resignation. UKIP won another record Westminster result, coming second with 28 per cent, beating the Conservatives into third. Labour came fourth, only just increasing their share of the vote. The Lib Dems held Eastleigh despite unfavourable circumstances. The former Eastleigh MP Chris Huhne resigned after being admitting to for perverting the course of justice. Allegations that the partyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s former Chief Executive Lord Chris Rennard sexually harassed female party members in the last decade also surfaced this week and questions are being asked about ZKDW KLJK SURŕŽ&#x160; OH SDUW\ PHP bers knew and when. However, there is much more to the story of the Lib Demsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; victory than a tale of two Chrises. The Lib Dems lead a popular local council and hold every council seat located in the Hampshire constituency. The Lib Dems combined a popular local councillor, Mike Thornton, as their candidate, a focus on local issues and a strong local party machine with an urgent sense of the need to win the seat (Nick Clegg visited Eastleigh ŕŽ&#x160; YH WLPHV WR FDPSDLJQ WKHUH The victory will provide both UHOLHI DQG FRQŕŽ&#x160; GHQFH WR WKH Lib Dems, and force their detractors to think again before predicting annihilation at the next election. The Conservatives were pushed into third place by UKIP. It is a damning result for David Cameronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prospects of winning a majority in 2015. Eastleigh is high on the Conservativesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; list of target seats, as are many other Lib Demheld seats. If the Lib Dem vote holds up in seats like Eastleigh in 2015, the Conservatives will have to rely on an unlikely swing against Labour in Labour-Tory marginal seats. The Conservativesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; failure might be attributed principally to the success of UKIP. Nigel Farageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s party came second with a new UKIP record of 28 per cent of the vote. To what extent UKIPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s high share of the vote is a sign of dissatisfaction with the three main parties or an indication of votersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; preferences towards UKIP policies would be dif-
Italian election result uncertain. Italyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parliamentary elections have ended in stalemate amid the possibility of a hung parliament. With all domestic votes counted, Pier Luigi Bersaniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s centre-left bloc has narrowly beaten that of ex-PM Silvio Berlusconi in the lower house but has failed to secure a majority in the senate. Iceland Pies contain no horsemeat Icelandic meat inspector Kjartan Hreinsson VD\V KLV WHDP GLGQâ&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹW ŕŽ&#x160; QG any horsemeat, but one brand contained no meat at all. Hreinsson said it appeared to be some kind of vegetable matter. He said the mystery pie was WUDFHG WR D ŕŽ&#x160; UP LQ ZHVWHUQ Iceland and the case had been handed to municipal authorities. Aaron Bowater unsuccessful With incredible sadness across all of twitter, at 1:00 am on Friday it was announced that Arron Bowater has not won the race for Warwick SU President. #HopeisBowater Vicky Pryce wanted â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;revengeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; over Chris Huhne The ex-wife of Chris Huhne took the story about accepting her husbandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s speeding points to the newspapers because she wanted revenge, she has admitted at her retrial.
33
ficult to determine. Certainly, some of UKIPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s messages on the European Union and immigration resonate with voters, and their ability to paint the three main parties as politically indistinguishable also taps into some votersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; apathetic prejudices against the state of party politics. UKIP might even feel a little disappointed. Had Nigel Farage himself stood as the partyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s candidate, as he did in the by-election there nineteen years ago, he might now be 8.,3â&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹV ŕŽ&#x160; UVW HOHFWHG 03 7KH question for UKIP is whether their current performance can be repeated in a general election. 7KH /DERXU 3DUW\ ŕŽ&#x160; QLVKHG a quite disappointing fourth place in Eastleigh. They had hoped to do well by drawing votes away from the Liberal Democrats by saying the vote was a choice between the coalition parties and the alternative, but voters rejected this analysis, and the anti-Tory vote Labour believed it could win mainly stuck with the Lib Dems. Labour will hope that this is the case only in the Lib Dem-Conservative marginals and not in Labour-Tory ones. There had also been controversy that Labourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s candidate, the satirist and comedian John Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Farrell, had written that he felt disappointed when Margaret Thatcher was not killed in the Brighton Bombing in 1984. While this quote had been taken out of context, it can hardly KDYH UHŕŽ&#x2039; HFWHG ZHOO RQ /DERXU candidate, and there were more activists willing to use it to their advantage than there were Labour activists in Eastleigh to explain the context. The immediate impact of the Eastleigh by-election will be relief for the Lib Dems, JURZLQJ FRQŕŽ&#x160; GHQFH IRU 8.,3 anything from concern to crisis for the Tories and mixed feelings for Labour. The by-election victory might be the end of a dismal few weeks for the Lib Dems, or at least an indicator of their long-term safety despite short-term trouble for them. For rightwing Conservatives, UKIPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strength is David Cameronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weakness. Tory backbenchers will be pushing for a more rightwing agenda on Europe, immigration and welfare at every opportunity, and if David Cameron fears them enough he is likely to give in on some issues. Eastleigh is not the end for David Cameron, but history might
LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
The World this Week
Features
see it as the beginning of the end. For UKIP and Labour, the lessons for Eastleigh are much more long-term. UKIP can hardly hope to win 28 per cent in Eastleigh again next time, when turnout picks up and votersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; focus returns to who they do and do not want in government rather than the signals they want to send to Westminster. Nonetheless, UKIP can make a real impact. They FRXOG FRPH ŕŽ&#x160; UVW LQ WKH HOHF tions to the European parliament in 2014 and build their activist base up in view of the general election a year later. UKIP might win some seats in the House of Commons in 2015, but their even greater HŕŽ&#x2030; HFW &RQVHUYDWLYHV IHDU DQG Labour hope, might be upon Labour-Tory marginal seats, where the UKIP vote, detracting more from the Conservativesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; share of the votes than Labourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, makes the balance of power tip in Ed Milibandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s direction. Labourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disappointing performance can be attributed mostly to the Lib Demsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; success and other partiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; attacks on their candidate. In Lib Demheld seats where Labour is the second largest party Labour will be hoping to do better, but the really crucial seats for Labour are the seats in which
they must beat the Tories, and winning over former Lib Dem voters is possibly the most vital strategy in those seats. What Labour will hope for is essentially a national repeat of the Corby by-election. Labour had said there were no â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;nogo areasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;One Nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; party, but will know where its resources are best focused in 2015. Nick Clegg is safer, but has more work to do to preserve his partyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s standing and keep the bulk of the Lib Demsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; representation in parliament come 2015. UKIP and Nigel Farage have little to lose and everything to gain but, as expectations of UKIP rise and ULVH FRXOG WKH\ ŕŽ&#x160; QG WKHP selves making little progress in 2015? David Cameron will have to try and manage the Tories dire defeat carefully, without exploding the landmine of backbench discontent with this leadership. The Tories could still win Eastleigh and seats like it in 2015, but they ZLOO VWUXJJOH LI LQWHUQDO ŕŽ&#x160; JKW ing blights their prime ministerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leadership a la Thatcher and Major. Ed Milibandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;One Nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; project might be dented by Labourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lack of success in Eastleigh, but Ed Milibandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s path to 10 Downing Street will be through Corbys rather than Eastleighs, and he knows it.
34
Features
Welcome
05.03.2013 |
The Beaver
Development: a virtue or vice?
Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re still reading this? I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe it, fantastic. There are only a couple of weeks left of term, when we will be needing new features editors, if you would be interested in finding about this position for next year drop us an email on: features@thebeaveronline.co.uk My co-editor has stepped down, so Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m writing this column again this week. I feel it would be remiss of me not to mention the SU elections this week. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a political hack, so Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m meant to care about them. But really I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t as much as I should. Those of you doing government degrees will be well versed in the reasons for voting in a democracy. Though democracy at the LSE seems to be dying. The UGM is dead, I really have no idea how they will fix that. But best of luck to them. A fair number of candidates who applied for the positions have dropped out. This is sad, but is expected, and still there are more candidates standing in this election than has been the case for a long time. To be honest it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter who wins most of these HOHFWLRQV (YHU\RQH EDU RQH RU WZR H[FHSWLRQV DUH ZKDW could be described as moderate. The usual race is between those backed by the far left, and those backed by the moderate left. Do you care about world issues or your union. But this year only one manifesto even mentioned trying to fight tuition fees. and external campaigns. Sadly turnout will be around twenty per cent, quite depressing for one of the more â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;politically activeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; universities in the country. But what can you do. Many of you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t vote. And if you do, by being on this paper, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not allowed to endorse anyone in particularly anyway. If you vote, you will vote for one of three reasons. One you know who the candidate is and you are their friend. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how most of this election will go down. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m torn by the fact I have two friends running for the same position. Thankfully its a secret ballot. Second, because you read their manifesto and are impressed in their forthright hatred of the government / thing they will make changes to the school that will affect your welfare positively - though I suppose the latter is not acceptable for Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and third year students who wont be here next year. Great if this is the case, this is what democracy is meant to be about. I imagine this section is the minority of you though. Finally, and sadly this category fits the majority of you. You are going to vote for the person with the funniest campaign. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get me wrong, this is probably how I will vote in many of the elections. Funny campaigns stick in your mind. But there is something perverse in a democracy when we value the wrapping paper more than what is actually in the box. So go out an vote. Turnout is important. But try and have a look at their manifestos. Many of those standing donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; actually seem to know what the position they are standing for actually do. I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t vote for them tbh. But read the manifestos. What is the kind of LSE you would like to see. Whose election video/manifesto clearly shows they want the position and will put in the effort. Who is the nicest person, who you would be proud to have them represent your union. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d vote for them. But if you want entertaining campaigns - wander over to UCL, a number of people are standing with very innovative / entertaining campaigns - my favourite being a guy standing with the slogan â&#x20AC;&#x153;pints not placardsâ&#x20AC;?. Though to be fair nothing will ever reach the dizzying heights of Aaron Bowaterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; run at Warwick. just look up HopeisBowater. Finally I feel obliged to ask you to vote in ULU (the UniYHUVLW\ RI /RQGRQ WKH SODFH LV QRWHG E\ OHVV WKDQ RQH SHU cent of the LSE, but it costs us a fortune (around ÂŁ100,000 a \HDU DQG ZH FDQ YRWH You will have just had an email with your login details attached. People just vote. Its not that hard. You are LSE students for crying out loud. Their elections are open at the moment, and some the candidates standing are mired in controversy - but since we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ever vote in this election (turnout is around 0.5 per cent ULU will never be relevant or value for money for us. Look up the candidates, what they stand for and their history. And please vote. I know its dull, but do it anyway. Its your civic duty. Chris Rogers Features Editor
KJD
UK DEPARTMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
are plentiful. As a British national, post-colonial conSo youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve read the headline. quest initially seemed the Suddenly youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve realized, a best source of skepticism question this big surely canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t for me. Through an analysis be answered be answered in of Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s colonial history, 583 words. Well youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re prob- ZH ŕŽ&#x160; QG GHŕŽ&#x160; DQW VWDWHPHQWV ably right, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have a go like â&#x20AC;&#x153;we will not be in India at articulating something forever, but now is not the vaguely meaningful. When time to quit.â&#x20AC;? Seeing Develanswering whether Devel- opment in a positive light opment is a good or bad becomes hard when one concept, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s probably best realizes that this wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a WR VWDUW ZLWK ŕŽ&#x160; UVW LPSUHV statement by some historisions. Personally, my initial cal Viceroy but by Andrew JOLPSVHV LQWR WKH ŕŽ&#x160; HOG ZHUH Mitchell MP, the ex-head of centered around statements DFID. From a quick search by friends on their gap-years into the background of this which generally started â&#x20AC;&#x153;I VWDWHPHQW \RXâ&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹOO ŕŽ&#x160; QG LW was in Africa in Tanzaniaâ&#x20AC;? comes in response to a failed and then normally ended arms deal with India in 2012 with a half-hearted Gap Yah that caused the Daily Mail reference to someone â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;chun- to howl; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Well thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gratidering everywhere!!!!â&#x20AC;&#x2122; This tude! We give India ÂŁ1bn JDYH ZD\ WR D VXSHUŕŽ&#x160; FLDO XQ in aid, THEY snub the UK derstanding at Development and give France a ÂŁ13bn jet that gave the impression contract.â&#x20AC;? So apparently, it that it centers around giv- seems the notion of helping ing â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;poorerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; countries â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;char- other countries overcome ityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; so that they can become poverty derives not simply â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;developedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in the same way from altruism, but also from the West is. This goal cer- self-interest. In light of this, can we tainly comes from an altruisHYHU KRSH WR ŕŽ&#x160; QG D SRVLWLYH" tic desire but is there someWhat evidence is there of a thing more to Development? pure good, one free of the In reality, can we really say potential vanity of altruism the notion of Development and the politics of self-interis as squeaky clean as some est? of the gap year students Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve found the hope for who go and build walls in Development isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a mirathe Sahara? cle solution, an economic The sources for cyniformula or a human rights cism about Development document. The hope comes Jonny Levy
from the people who slave DW WKHLU GHVNV RU LQ WKH ŕŽ&#x160; HOG understanding that DevelRSPHQW LV DQ DUWLŕŽ&#x160; FLDO VR cial mechanism created by people and as such, can be changed by people for the better. For me, Margaret Owen OBE, is an inspiration and evidences of this idea. Graduating from law, she went to the criminal bar in the 1950s, no mean feat given the sexist environment she occupied. Moving on, she has traversed the academic world of Development and delved deep into defending the rights of not only her compatriots, but also the likes of the Kurds in Turkey and widows in Nepal at the UN. Now in her 80s, she still has the vigour and passion to campaign for womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rights in those countries that are sorely lacking any semblance of the rule of law (a western construct by the way, but one, I suppose might be jusWLŕŽ&#x160; HG LQ DQRWKHU DUWLFOH As LSE students, we are in a lucky enough to receive an education that provides us with opportunities to PDNH D GLŕŽ&#x2030; HUHQFH ZKDWHYHU ŕŽ&#x160; HOG ZH FKRRVH 6R LI \RX see Development as vice, in the words of Jason Hickel, we need to remain optimistic that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;another world is in fact possible.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;
The Beaver | 05.03.2013
Features
Helping the poor and needy in Kisangara, Tanzania
Philosophy Problems
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Features
05.03.2013 | The Beaver
Chris Rogersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; SU
House of Cards, LSESU edition House of Cards just got real, get used to it for another week. Election season has begun in earnest. Now if you read my blog on the other page I touched upon the importance of voting as it is my civic duty to do so. However, now I can write an article with my own name on it. Let me give you my thoughts and observations on the overall process. Mostly, it has to be said that for the vast majority of the voters present for the election itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pointless, most of those who will vote will probably be third year students or Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s students. As such they will be completely XQDŕŽ&#x2030;HFWHG E\ WKH RXWFRPH RI the elections, they have no real incentive to take the process entirely seriously. Importantly, it should be recognised that these are personal views on the elections process within the Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Union as a whole. At the paper we are not allowed to present biased reporting, so I will not PHQWLRQ VSHFLŕŽ&#x160;F FHUWDLQ FDQdidates. I might consider them to be completely inappropriate for the role, and who, should they win, I will certainly consider doing my Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s somewhere else. But those are personal beliefs and this column will be devoid of them. These elections are student elections, and student politics can be horribly vicious. Some candidates have been downright unprofessional already in this campaign, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a sad fact of life, but a race to the bottom is almost inevitable. The underlying point, however, remains thus - most of these elections are pointless to the extreme. This student body is hugely apathetic, we are students, we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t vote and we certainly donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t care about our Union. Can you, the reader, name one thing the Union has done this year (bar the reindeer thing) - in all honesty I doubt it, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a hack, and I can only name a couple of things. This isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t to say theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done nothing - but you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know. Jack Tindale has been getting the rent guarantor scheme up and running, Duncan McKenna and Matthew De Jesus have been busy behind WKH VFHQHV GRLQJ WKH LQŕŽ&#x160;QLWH hidden things that make the experience tick. But in terms of direct impact on students, the Union seems remote. This is one of the things that constantly comes up on reviews, Students donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what it is the union does. But you should. This paper could arguably be to blame, but then we are not an SU
publicity machine. The weekly newsletter seems nothing more that a waste of electricity, apathy remains king. But back to the original point; you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t notice a sigQLŕŽ&#x160;FDQW FKDQJH EDVHG RQ ZKRever wins. Only if you elect someone radical on the extremes of politics will you notice a change, realistically the RQO\ GLŕŽ&#x2030;HUHQFH ZLOO EH ZKHQ you get all of those infernal FaFHERRN QRWLŕŽ&#x160;FDWLRQV WHOOLQJ \RX to â&#x20AC;&#x153;come join us on yet another demonstrationâ&#x20AC;?. Given students have failed for over ten years to remove tuition fees, and all they have done is rise. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll leave it up to you, to decide whether it is worth voting for someone like that. Mind you, if you go by LSE enthusiasm for demonstrations, they seem to have died in a rather remarkable fashion. ,Q P\ ŕŽ&#x160;UVW \HDU DURXQG students went on the NUS GHPR ZKLFK UDWKHU EDFNŕŽ&#x160;UHG by smashing up Millbank, and WKURZLQJ D ŕŽ&#x160;UH H[WLQJXLVKHV RŕŽ&#x2030; WKH URRI /DVW WHUP , WKLQN it was around fourteen people who went from the LSE. And that ended with the president RI WKH 186 EHLQJ VKRXWHG RŕŽ&#x2030; stage and egged, it is unconŕŽ&#x160;UPHG MXVW KRZ PDQ\ /6( VWXdents even made it that far on the demo. This is niche politics to the extreme. And by reporting on it, I am in a sense trying to bring it to your consciousness. These people, these Sabbs represent us, they can go to the media and speak on our behalf. Have a look on Youtube about some of our previous leaders â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they appeared on the news quite a bit. Do you want to be represented by these sort of people? 7KH\ KDYH D WDQJLEOH HŕŽ&#x2030;HFW RQ the public perception of the LSE student, the more people that vote the closer the elected representatives in political views will be to the mean LSE student. If so vote for them, if not, look somewhere else. But at the least please go and have a look. Of course there is one particular group for whom the elections are extremely important. The Candidates, without being overly cynical, this gives WKHP D \HDU WR SXW RŕŽ&#x2030; WKH LQevitable trial that is the real world. Some candidates put their all into the campaign, and havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really got a backup plan for the future. Losing is thus something they want to SXW RŕŽ&#x2030; DW DOO FRVWV 5HJDUGOHVV of what you base your decision to vote, you should at least give it a shot.
Features
The Beaver | 05.03.2013
Election Guide
37
How to win an SU election Now, to understand the main election dynamics across these elections one has to understand that â&#x20AC;&#x153;bloc votesâ&#x20AC;? are generally crucial in this election. As few people vote, 1000 votes is generally required to ZLQ WKH PRVW VLJQLŕŽ&#x160;FDQW HOHFtions (our Union is around 9000-10,000 potential voters). Thus if you can get a few societies with more than 100 members to back you - and who actually can get out their vote - you are have a huge advantage in winning. 7KXV WKH LQŕŽ&#x2039;XHQWLDO SHRSOH in societies who traditionally endorse, have been inundated by emails and texts this last week from every candidate and their supporters. I am not a fan of this personally, but every promise under the sun KDV EHHQ RŕŽ&#x2030;HUHG IRU HYHQ WKH endorsements of smaller societies, in a bit to secure the votes needed for victory. Needless to say, numerous societies are currently negoti-
ating with one another behind the scenes trading endorsements in one race to secure their candidates election in another. Cynically, therefore one could argue that the hustings that take place next week are purely for show. Just about everyone in that room will have made up their minds who they are voting for, and many of those will simply be making party political points. For example, take the political society hustings next week. I have it on good authority that the Societies have essentially already made up their minds on the major positions. Nevertheless they will undoubtedly be asking pointed political questions designed to annoy or embarrass those of an opposing political alignment. It has been said that â&#x20AC;&#x153;Academic politics is the most vicious and bitter form of politics, because the stakes are so lowâ&#x20AC;?. The same could easily be said for student politics. When you think about it,
there is little if anything to be gained from what is going on, other than a potential something to place upon your CV, ready for your next job application. Anyone who thinks that by being elected to a student position they can change the world, has, in my view at least, delusions of grandeur. Nevertheless, student politics continues unabated. First the manifestos. Those, like myself, who can be described as Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Union hacks, are always distressed by studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; manifestos. Firstly, several people didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even supply manifestos, and, of those who did, some donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have anything to do with the positions they were applying for. The other noticeable side of these elections are the campaigns themselves. Few students can fail to be annoyed by the blockage of Houghton Street by the vast number of candidates standing in the election. The one redeeming feature seemed to be that the
posters provided a colourful change of scene to an otherwise drab street. Furthermore, student politics has always been known for having gimmicks, and though this may detract from the candidatesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; messages, it is clear that they work. Last year, Jack Tindale achieved the largest majority in the SU elections, after his campaign based around him as a pirate and a campaign video showing him wandering around Houghton Street with the Pirates of the Caribbean theme playing in the background. This year there are going to be some extremely entertaining campaigns. And though none quite come close to the HŕŽ&#x2030;RUWV RI $DURQ %RZDWHU LQ :DUZLFN WKH QXPHURXV ŕŽ&#x160;OPV taken over the weekend were highly entertaining. Who is going to win? The result remains unsure. The traditional alignment of block voting has been destroyed in true post-Thatch-
erite fashion after the moderates all four Sabb positions last year. This is also, in my view why so many candidates are standing. Voting blocks, though important are no longer coalesced around particular individuals, and as a result more individuals have entered the race, each with a stronger chance of winning. There are favourites in this race, but there is no possibility of complacency for anyone. Several candidates have pulled out, but those who are OHIW FXUUHQWO\ KDYH VLJQLŕŽ&#x160;FDQW voting bases each, and the campaigning is going to be intense to win over as many people as possible. The trading of second preferences is likely to be key, as it is unlikely any candidate will achieve 50 per cent RI WKH YRWH LQ WKH ŕŽ&#x160;U Though there are front runners in some of the SabbatiFDO SRVLWLRQV QRQH DUH VLJQLŕŽ&#x160;cantly far enough to relax, and the part time positions are unguessable.
What are they standing for? The big question is: do you know what the positions you are voting on actually do? There are numerous positions on the Exec, and the union does spend phenomenal amount of money (it made a GHŕŽ&#x160;FLW RI DURXQG e ODVW year). However there powers DUH QRW LQŕŽ&#x160;QLWH WKHLU MRE LQvolves particular roles, and in these roles they can push for things, but do not think that they can change everything. Have a look at what these roles entail and look at their manifestos, and see if they are able to achieve what the promise. General Secretary:
The General Secretary is the primary representative of LSE students to the School, the media, and the outside world. They sit on the most important committees of the School, working across the Executive to make sure every officer is able to campaign on the issues they are passionate about â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and that the School is listening to students. Education Officer: The Education Officer is the leading student voice on academic issues. They chair the Education Assembly, and responsible for leading the
student voice on academic affairs, such as teaching quality, feedback, the lack of resits, broader teaching and learning developments and putting LSE students at the heart of national education issues. Community and Welfare Officer: The Community and Welfare Officer is responsible for working with fellow students to improve the quality of life amongst the student body. They take a lead role in coordinating accommodation issues, creating a more ethi-
cally responsible School and prompting healthy living. They also assist with improving the provision of student support and widening participation. Activities and development officer: The Activities and Development Officer has overall responsibility for developing societies, Athleticsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Union, Media Group, RAG and volunteering, and working with students to achieve a fun LSE! As the chair of the Activities Assembly, also has responsibility for developing
a student network of volunteers and campaigning activists. It is also worth having a look at previous years manifestos to see what was promised then and what was promised now, if its a recurring theme, its quite probable that they are not going to be able to achieve that promise in office. Now the rules governing the election here are vague so I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think I am able to condemn particular candidates for this, but I can encourage you to look through them.
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05.03.2013
Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Managers Have Form? Decline is a concept many football fans struggle to come to terms with. One of the most oft-peddled (and annoying) clichĂŠs in the game is â&#x20AC;&#x153;form is temporary, class is permanentâ&#x20AC;?, which is frequently spouted by fans and pundits wondering why Fernando Torres is no longer the player he was 5 years ago. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s infuriating because Torresâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; poor form in English football is actually beginning to outlast his blistering start for Liverpool, so surely his â&#x20AC;&#x153;classâ&#x20AC;? is the slow, ponderous man we see squandering chances for Chelsea, and the temporary form was WKH EULHŕŽ&#x2039; \ SKHQRPHQDO VSHOO he had at Liverpool? If continual poor form is downplayed with footballers, it is almost completely ignored when it comes to managers. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a pretty obvious statement WR VD\ WKDW IRRWEDOO LV GLŕŽ&#x2030; HU ent from 99% of other careers but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impossible to envisage another profession where you could be sacked numerous times for being grossly incompetent and still walk into a job, or cite achievements from well over a decade ago as proof of your ability. These characteristics are rife within football management and partially the reason why we often see so many unimaginative appointments in terms of head coaches/managers. The muse for this article came in the form of Rafael Benitez whose outburst after the midweek FA Cup win over Middlesbrough led me to ask myself the question why on earth did Chelsea hire him? His interim reign at Stam-
tably barren. Without wanting to turn this into a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Wenger Outâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; piece, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s astonishing that the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Arsene Knows Brigadeâ&#x20AC;? will nonchalantly bring up the InWIKIMEDIA
Brett Errol Lewis
ford Bridge has seen him be standoffish, uninspiring and crap; characteristics I could have told Roman Abramovich about before he sacked 'L 0DWWHR DQG RŕŽ&#x2030; HUHG 5DID a contract. Surely anyone in the Chelsea hierarchy with a modicum of common sense could have looked at his last season with Liverpool, his time at Inter Milan and the fact he couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even get the Aston Villa job and known he wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the right man for the job. This is the point where some will smugly remind me that Rafa Benitez took Liverpool to second in 2007-08, won the most dramatic Champions /HDJXH ŕŽ&#x160; QDO RI DOO WLPH LQ and broke the Real MadridBarcelona duopoly in La Liga by winning the league twice with Valencia, as well as the UEFA Cup. The most recent of those achievements came in 2008 which was a long time ago but still within recent memory. However trying to claim a Champions League win in 2005 or La Liga wins that came well over a decade ago as proof of ability is tenuous at best. Benitezâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most recent work has been an unmitigated disaster, yet this is always swept under the carpet and only his ancient achievements are focused upon. Benitez is not the only one whose legacy seems to immunize them from criticism; in fact I would say Arsene Wenger is probably the most divisive manager in football today. There is a lovely symmetry to Wengerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reign at ArVHQDO ZLWK KLV ŕŽ&#x160; UVW HLJKW \HDUV there being very productive and the second eight being no-
vincibles (2003-04), or either of the Double-winning sides (1998 & 2002 respectively) as evidence he is the right man for the job in 2013. Since 2004, the team has become progressively worse under his guidance, yet his ZRUN ŕŽ&#x160; IWHHQ \HDUV DJR ZKHQ IRRWEDOO ZDV FRPSOHWHO\ GLŕŽ&#x2030; HU ent is meant to be a valid defence of this. Managers, like players or like anybody in any job, in-
variably go through patches of form and those within the game should be more aware of it. Sam Allardyce may not be everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cup of tea but the guy has been remarkably consistent in his time in football. He will make your home ground a fortress, play brutal football, focus on set-pieces, build the side around Kevin Nolan and a bruising big man centre-forward (these factors probably precluded him from the England job) and most importantly, he will keep you in the Premier League. You can look at Sam Allardyceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s record and see he has been doing that season-in season-out for about a decade now, and so his â&#x20AC;&#x153;formâ&#x20AC;? is very established. So all of this begs the question of why do managers who out of form continually get hired? The answer is desperation. Within football, we (fans, players and boards) are relentless optimists and as such, we prefer to hope that the dip in form was only temporary and that the previous capabilities of the manager can be coaxed out once more. This is the sad reason why the likes of Mark Hughes and Roy Keane will eventually be hired again by some desperate Chief Executive. If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe this, just look at the example of Juande Ramos. After his â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;2 points from 8 gamesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; debacle at Spurs, the next job he walked into was Real Madrid. It is a depressing thought that should Jose Mourinho (the most in-form manager around along with Sir Alex Ferguson) depart, the same club is also likely to be Rafa Benitezâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next destination after he leaves Chelsea.
Crossing The Line? Cathal Loughran
Whilst playing FIFA with friends, have you ever been robbed of a golden opportunity by what appeared to be a catastrophic blunder on behalf of the linesman, only to be informed that â&#x20AC;&#x153;the computer never gets it wrongâ&#x20AC;?? Imagine thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what real football was like. Recently FIFA announced in a statement: â&#x20AC;&#x153;After a successful implementation of Goal-Line Technology (GLT) at the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan in December 2012, FIFA has decided to use GLT at the FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013 and 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.â&#x20AC;? The English Premier League also said last Tuesday that plans are on
course to introduce goal-line technology by the start of the new season in August. 7KH REYLRXV EHQHŕŽ&#x160; W RI GLT is a reduction in refereeinduced errors, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d argue that this is not in the best interests of football as a whole. Goal-line incidents do not occur frequently enough to warrant such a drastic attack on footballâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s human element. As technology is permitted its initial imposition upon the integrity of the sport, we have to wonder where its advance will end. After a few games are decided by GLT rulings, how long will it be before fans are clamouring for an expanVLRQ LQ WHFKQRORJ\ WR DLG RŕŽ&#x2030; side decisions or determine whether or not a player dived? GLT will improve the accuracy of results, stats and
numbers, but what about the experience? Debate is part and parcel of football, maybe even the best part. Perhaps more cynical fans will disagree but, for me, the enjoyment derived from football doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t boil down the league table at the end of the season. Whether it be on the way home from a match on Saturday afternoon, in the pub on Sunday evening, or in work/school on Monday morning, everyone has an opinion to share about the weekendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ŕŽ&#x160; [WXUHV 7KH LQWURGXFWLRQ RI technology means that these opinions will matter a little less. As other leagues and competitions scramble onto the bandwagon and sign up for GLT, football at once becomes less universal. It will soon be-
come clear which Football AsVRFLDWLRQV FDQ DŕŽ&#x2030; RUG WR HTXLS their stadiums with the necessary gadgets, and then we will have an indication of the extent to which the disparLW\ ZLOO DŕŽ&#x2030; HFW WKH JDPH :LWK costs estimated at ÂŁ100, 000 per ground, the Scottish Football Association have already balked at the notion of introducing GLT in SPL grounds before next season, leaving them trailing behind their English counterparts. This leads me to wonder where it will stop, if technology reserved for the elite. Perhaps the most daunting effects of technology remain to be seen, if the gap between professional and amateur becomes more of a schism.
| The Beaver
YOUR SPORT, IN BRIEF WILKINS SAYS LAMPARD MUST STAY AT CFC
Chelseaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s former assistant manager Ray Wilkins has said it is imperative that WKH PLGŕŽ&#x160; HOGHU VLJQV D new contract at Stamford Bridge. Lampard, 34, has been linked with moves to LA Galaxy or Australia KDYLQJ QRW EHHQ RŕŽ&#x2030; HUHG an extention, despite praise from manager Rafael Benitez.
SHAKES-DRAYTON WINS GOLD British sprinter Perry Shakes-Drayton won gold in the 400m at the European Indoor Athletics Championships in Gothenburg. She beat compatriot Eilidh Child by nearly 1.5 seconds. In other British success, Holly Bleasdale won gold in the pole vault.
NADAL WINS SECOND TITLE SINCE COMEBACK Rafa beat fellow Spaniard David Ferrer 6-0 6-2 LQ WKH ŕŽ&#x160; QDO RI $FDSXOFRâ&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹV Mexico Open. Meanwhile in Dubai Novak Djokovic triumphed over Tomas Berdych, who beat Roger Federer in an earlier round. Andy Murray is expected to return next week for the tournament in Indian Wells.
FIRST FEMALE NFL PLAYER Lauren Silberman will compete at a regional combine in the near future, hoping to become WKH ŕŽ&#x160; UVW HYHU ZRPDQ to compete in the NFL. She is more likely to be hindered by her lack of college experience than her gender, however.
BALOTELLI NEWS In a surprising turn of events, we have nothing to report on mario balotelli this week
Dishing Out Truth And Bruises Ella Britton
So we made our way to Middlesex with high expectations following our phenomenal VHDVRQ VR IDU )UHVK RŕŽ&#x2030; D ZLQ against Queen Mary, we were buzzing at the possibility of moving up in the league; little did we know what was in store. We arrived at the pitch, confused to why it was basically a hilly swamp but keen to show our competitors a rough game of rugby. We provided the rugby, they were just bloody rough. %DUHO\ ŕŽ&#x160; YH VHFRQGV LQWR WKH game the abuse started. One of my personal highlights was being told that we collectively looked like we spent the last eighteen years on the back of the bus. Great chat girls, well done. We decided not to rise to it, but when one of our opponents started kicking our IXOOEDFN &KDUGD\ RQ WKH ŕŽ&#x2039; RRU needless to say the proverbial struck the fan. We started to realize that we were not playing against a rugby team but just a massive group of undesirables. This was further affirmed when Mollie, our adorable winger, got tackled and then punched in the stomach. Following that our glorious captain Cynthia decked it, leading to some fa-
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The Beaver | 05.03.2013
cial cuts that made her look like Rocky. It was only after realising that we were the much classier players that the tries VWDUWHG ŕŽ&#x2039; RRGLQJ LQ Charday was absolutely on it, outrunning all of the opposition, which wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t that hard seen as the majority closely resembled Shamu. Their unfortunate size made it a bit challenging to tackle them, but props (rugby banter) to Riya and Steph for using their munchkin size to their advantage. Anyway, after a while we realised that it was going to be a tough game, with the score fairly equal and the tackles really bloody brutal. Then it all NLFNHG RŕŽ&#x2030; Firstly these girls went all â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Yo mamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on our team after apparently being high tackled (bollocks) but we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t rise to it, then the ref decided to announce that anymore high tackles would lead to the perp being sin binned. We continued to play the game long enough to see them throw the most disgraceful tackles youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever seen, without so much of a whisper from the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;imparWLDOâ&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹUHI 7KHQ LW DOO NLFNHG RŕŽ&#x2030; Eva decided to get a bit vocal and tell the opposition to *************. Next we experienced what I think is the most hilarious thing Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever seen in my life.
The captain of the other team, miss ginger pigtails screamed â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;NO ONE TALKS TO MY TEAM /,.( 7+$7â&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹVQDSSLQJ KHU ŕŽ&#x160; Q gers like she was some massive big dog. After that I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think anyone could take this team seriouslyâ&#x20AC;Ś we were literally playing a violent girl gang. They might have had the pissy attitude but we had the skill, absolutely dominating WKH ŕŽ&#x160; HOG ZLWK VRPH VLFN FRQ versions from Camila and runs from our forwards, particularly jess and lisa who absolutely smashed it. Then the unthinkable happened, some girl claimed to have been kicked by Charday, which, in my esteemed opinion is utter bollocks, and our star was sin binned! This didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t break our spirit, we continued to put pressure on the convicts-in-waiting, with a few of us getting into some scraps, like Ellie who showed that its not only in zoo bar that she unleashes the beast but also Kat who genuinely was about to hit someone. We were GRZQ EXW LQ WKH ŕŽ&#x160; QDO PLQXWHV Charday was allowed to come back on, she strutted on the pitch with the determination our collective opposition must have shown to get their one GCSE and scored an absolute diamond of a try, while all the whales on Middlesex could do
was look on. After securing a further conversion the whistle was blown. BUT DID WE WIN? We asked the ref the score, shitting ourselves because the score was so tight, then he said itâ&#x20AC;Ś 34- 29 to... LSE! I thought I was going to have an asthma attack I was so happy and nervous that we were all going to get stabbed in the pub afterwards. After some celebrations on the pitch we decided to be the bigger people and ignore ginger pigtails who left us with the charming retort â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;well weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re still ahead of you in the league so you can all f*** RŕŽ&#x2030; â&#x20AC;Ť Ú&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹVXFK D SOHDVDQW FKDUDFWHU she will be missedâ&#x20AC;Ś until next week WHEN WE ARE PLAYING THEM AGAIN. So we will bring the same spirit, energy and teamwork we showed this week, and that LSE class the rugby girls have in abundance, as demonstrated weekly in Zoo bar, especially on Rachelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s birthday. As we move up in the league ZH FDQ UHŕŽ&#x2039; HFW RQ RXU XQEHOLHY able win and feel proud that we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t rise to the bait, or at least not too much, and remember as Steph so graciously concluded â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;well, at least we have actual employment prospectsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.
LSE RESULTS THIS WEEK Rugby Union LSE Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1st 36 - 24 Royal Veterinary College Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1st Middlesex University Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1st 29 - 34 LSE Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1st
Netball University for the Creative Arts, Surrey 1st 40 - 37 LSE 3rd
Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s football LSE 2nd 2 - 5 Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College London Medics 3rd St Bartholomewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and the Royal London Hospitals 5th 2 - 3 LSE 7th LSE 4th 2 - 1 Imperial College London Medics 2nd LSE Mens 2nd 4 - 3 Royal Free and University College Medical School Mens 1st St Bartholomewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and the Royal London Hospitals Mens 4th 1 - 2 LSE Mens 6th
Badminton LSE Mixed 1st 8 - 1 University College London Mixed 1st LSE Mixed 1st 8 - 1 University College London Mixed 1st The Tuns may not have been full, but those making their usual Wednesday pilgrimage were not disappointed with the available talent. The increasingly common pairing of womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rugby and pretty much anyone in Zoo witnessed Ella and footballâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s almost Mr LSE. Netball were not to be left out this week with a number of lucky young men doing well for themselves. Footballâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s AU President candidate Crasto pulled in the heart of Devon, no doubt hoping he will do as well in the election as he did with her. Meanwhile the sixths DA Chalkered one up throughout the evening with this netball girl. Yet another netballfootball success was between possibly the blondest netballer up the Creek with AS-H. Rugbyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most obvious contribution to the evening rested on the decidedly unstable shoulders of Hobbs who enjoyed the company of one
of the twins on the sofas. We canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be sure which one it was but as long as he can tell the GLŕŽ&#x2030; HUHQFH WKDWâ&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹV DOO WKDW PDW ters. As the Beaver would never knowingly print lies, this next indiscretion is from a few weeks ago but has only reFHQWO\ EHHQ FRQŕŽ&#x160; UPHG WR EH completely and utterly true by both parties involved. One of the many charmers in the rugby club managed to acquire D QHWEDOOHU RŕŽ&#x2030; KLV KRXVHPDWH and, for want of a better way to phrase it, was less than acFXUDWH LQ ŕŽ&#x160; QLVKLQJ WKH GHHG Whilst he was not breaking the Law, it probably wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the best way to end this netballerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s night. For the second week running Megatronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s awkward disposition proved irresistible for the LSE add-on, although it is unknown if he has managed to convert this pull, next week could be third time lucky. Hockey were pulling out all
the stops for a bit of a comeback after a seemingly well behaved few weeks. A 22 year old member of womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hockey, Ferris, had her eyes set on acquiring herself a younger man. This took her no time at all as she found an eighteen year old fresher, taking him home for the night. The usual slightly homoerotic stripping by menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rugby is customary with one rugby boys being stripped by a member of womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rugby whilst doing karaoke in the Tuns. Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rugby continuing with their desire for nudity hit a new Low with the birthday girl stripping in Zoo, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure the boys werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t too begrudging of her exhibitionism. The Tuns also witnessed some rugby-on-rugby drama with Roome being head butted by a fellow fresher. His broken nose did not stop him going to Zoo and proceeding to cock block anyone getting too close to any of the women he has
ever had a thing with. Equally cock blocking was womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hockey second team captain who ended up sleeping in bed with Sabs and Haigh. A VOLJKWO\ GLŕŽ&#x2030; HUHQW RXWFRPH IURP the week before when she ended up going home with a Jewel IURP PHQâ&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹV KRFNH\ ŕŽ&#x160; UVW WHDP Rowing as usual were notable by their absence, aside their ever-present Governator, the Honey Badger. His usual pot was elsewhere however. So he had to make do with some substitute treacle from across the Strand. Our Bridget Jones may have been behaving herself for a couple of weeks now but even without a young man to entertain her she managed to stay to the very end of Zoo proving herself, as always, to be an AU keeno.
EDITORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NOTE: OTHER AU EXEC CANDIDATES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE.
Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Table Tennis LSE 2nd 7 - 10 City University London 1st LSE 1st 15 - 2 Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College London 2nd
Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hockey London School of Economics 2nd 5 - 0 Portsmouth University 5th Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College London Medics 1st 4 - 2 LSE 1st
Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hockey University of Chichester 2nd 0 - 1 LSE 1st LSE 2nd 2 - 3 Royal Veterinary College 2nd
Sport
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05.03.2013
| The Beaver
Inside â&#x20AC;Ť'Ú&#x161;â&#x20AC;ŹR 0DQDJHUV +DYH )RUP" â&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x161;â&#x20AC;Ź:KDW +DSSHQV ,Q =RR %DU â&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x161;â&#x20AC;Ź1R 7R *RDO /LQH 7HFKQRORJ\
)HOORZVKLS RI WKH .LQJ James Foley on LSE Chess Clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weekend of playing and partying.
The LSESU Chess Club achieved a phenomenal result at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s British Universitiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Chess Association (BUCA) Championships reaching third place in the prestigious tournament. With LSEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s previous record at a respectable 13th position at the High Wycombe venue, fans of the club have lauded the performance as â&#x20AC;&#x153;inspirationalâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;heroicâ&#x20AC;?. A closer look at the weekendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s events is testament to the exciting acts on the boards in those two days, but can in no way recreate the emotion felt by the team (Leonardo Elias, James Wei, Shyamal Patel, Siddharth Gopakumar, Tariq Amru, Anup Desai, James Foley, David Kovacs and Aldo Sainati) as they raised their trophies above their heads. For those (few) who read last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trip report (in Beaver issue 769), you would remember the bleak and barren landscape that is High Wycombe, with LWV YHUGDQW ŕŽ&#x160; HOGV DQG ODFN RI UHWDLO RXW lets. But the weekend at the end of LT Week Five saw seventeen chess teams congregating at a surprisingly comIRUWDEOH YHQXH WR ŕŽ&#x160; JKW LW RXW 7KH /6( team had some difficulty in actually leaving London, since Siddharth Gopakumar felt above the level of mere mortal in requiring a train ticket, leaving it kindly for Leonardo Elias to pick out of the machine (as usual, the Argentine makes a save, no change since the 1998 World Cup then). Who was more to blame, Sid for not taking his ticket, or Leo for not realising he had double the expected number of tickets with some in the name of the Indian prodigy? Despite Sid protesting to get out through the barriers at Wycombe, it took far too long to discover the mishap. Somehow, the fellowship of the board continued on to reach Middle High Wycombe. Knotted ginger beards stared on at shoulder-length greasy mops as chess players from throughout the UK took their places at the boards for Round 1. Unfortunately for LSE Seconds, the draw was unfavourable with last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
winners and top seed, Edinburgh as the ŕŽ&#x160; UVW RSSRVLWLRQ 'HVSLWH $QXS 'HVDL putting in a remarkable performance on Board One against tough opposition, the end result was an unsurprising 4-0 loss. This was balanced however by the Firsts winning their Round One match 4-0 against UCL, a very satisfying victory. Each player was slightly relieved WR JHW WKURXJK WKH GLIILFXOW ŕŽ&#x160; UVW URXQG ZLWK 8&/ SXWWLQJ XS D JRRG ŕŽ&#x160; JKW GH spite the crushing scoreline. Round Two was somewhat of a gift IRU WKH ŕŽ&#x160; UVW WHDP DV WKH\ ZHUH SDLUHG RŕŽ&#x2030; against the formidable Bristol Thirds (the only third team in the tournament). In the words of a way-too-intoxicatedfor-a-chess-tournament-and-probablyhigh Bristol Thirds player, â&#x20AC;&#x153;we came to drinkâ&#x20AC;?. Even more amazingly, they had a female amongst their ranks (it is rare in chess). Anyway, they were squished within minutes with another 4-0 victory. The Seconds had more tough opposition, with Southampton Firsts scoring 3.5-0.5 against our blasĂŠ Seconds. David Kovacs did very well to draw against a strong opponent, but the result was nevertheless slightly disheartHQLQJ 2K ZHOO 7KH ŕŽ&#x160; UVWV ZHUH RQ HLJKW out of a possible eight wins and it was looking like we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need any Pope to ask God for miracles. When Gandalf brought the riders of Rohan to Helmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Deep, it seemed the ultimate save, until being upstaged by the arrival of Tariq Amru of Rosebery Hall just in time for Round 3 to play Board 1 for the Seconds. Round 3 however, saw the Seconds play the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Reservesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; which included players from an assortment of teams, including LSE. As a result, squad captain James Foley was put against his own man, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Catalanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (Aldo Sainati). No love was lost, but there had to be a winner (there could have been a draw, but no, there had to be a winner). The game was great, and mutiny was prevented. Incidentally, well done to Aldo who was the
least experienced player on the team but played some exceptional games and had the keenest attitude to competition of anyone in the competition. The Firsts were paired against Imperial. Imperial had two of the strongest players in the tournament, and went on to win overall. The Firsts can be proud at their result with a 2.5-1.5 scoreline. Leo on Board 1 faced a particularly tricky opponent. In true Leo style, each move was thought on for less than ten seconds throughout the last part of the game to save losing on time. This made each of his games exciting to watch, but incredibly nerve-racking (a bit like the Argentinean Peso). Night fell in Wycombe. The brave nine men (actually eight, Sid was too cool to have team dinner) advanced forth to the renowned â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Curry Centreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trip. Beers and curries were ordered. Poppadams were blagged. 7KH ZDLWHUâ&#x20AC;ŤÚ&#x2018;â&#x20AC;ŹV DSRORJLHV ŕŽ&#x2039; RRGHG IRUWK as his phone rang when taking an order because of his newborn baby at home. Curries were eaten, or at least attempts were made to eat them (Aldo discovered that Madras is not actually â&#x20AC;&#x153;mediumâ&#x20AC;?). Upon return to the hotel, Leo gets word from stray chess players of a â&#x20AC;&#x153;party in room 57â&#x20AC;?. Such an unlikely possibility was ignored, and we settled down to play â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;group drinking chessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. But when all retired to their rooms, James Foley decided to investigate the rumors of a party. And so, Shayamal, Tariq and Leo joined him WR ŕŽ&#x160; QG QRQH RWKHU WKDQ %ULVWRO 7KLUGV absolutely hammered in a very smoky hotel room. We were gutted. If the LSE Seconds could not win most sociable team, then we had failed in our quest. Two rounds remained for the Firsts to win something thenâ&#x20AC;Ś The sunny morning set the scene for Round four, in which the Firsts played Edinburgh and the Seconds played York (another incredibly strong team). Despite difficult games, Tariq Amru
saved the day with his outstanding draw against Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s James Adair who was the highest rated at the tournament and one of the strongest in the country. It was all down to the Firsts though, who had to improve on the 4-0 managed the previous day by the Seconds against the same opponents. Siddharth â&#x20AC;&#x153;best game of my lifeâ&#x20AC;? Gopakumar and Shyamal â&#x20AC;&#x153;did it againâ&#x20AC;? Patel won their games in impressive style to give the team a 2-2 draw, and set up SRWHQWLDO WRS WKUHH ŕŽ&#x160; QLVK ,W ZDV DOO RQ WKH ŕŽ&#x160; QDO URXQG 7KH Seconds had some chance against Swansea, but didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t quite manage to scrape a win. The Firsts were against Durham, a strong but beatable adversary. Luckily, Warwick had been avoided, with their formidable Boards One and Four. A fantastic 2.5-1.5 win over Durham left the Firsts with two more matchpoints, bringing up their total to seven. After some fussing about other teamsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; results, it was realised that only two teams had more matchpoints (Imperial and Warwick scored nine). LSE had achieved a great victory to gain third place. Only six gamepoints of WZHQW\ ZHUH GURSSHG E\ WKH ŕŽ&#x160; UVW WHDP WKURXJKRXW WKH ŕŽ&#x160; YH URXQGV D IDQWDVWLF result. The most impressive bit was still to come. On the train back to London, Leo successfully outclassed all others with his blindfold chess skills. Anup even used an app to play him, but Leo couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be beaten even without seeing the board. True mastery of the game. The weekend was a great success for LSE chess, and put us on the chess map (Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure there must really be such a map kept by some sweaty chess-player, SUREDEO\ LQ <RUNVKLUH +RSH ŕŽ&#x160; OOV WKH air of LSE chess sessions now as next year we could even win the competition. If you play chess or are interested to learn, come along to a LSESU chess club session!