Volume 46 Issue 03 - December 2023 by The Boar

Dec 1 2023 Vol. 46 Issue 3 Students’ Union University of Warwick Gibbet Hill Road Coventry CV4 7AL

Warwick University's Newspaper

creating conversation on campus since 1973

It's not the '70s anymore, check out our website: theboar.org

'In the '60s, everything ALIVE AND KICKING was possible'

AN INTERVIEW WITH KASPER DE GRAAF, CO-FOUNDER OF THE BOAR Chatting to Kasper de Graaf, co-founder of The Boar, is a bit like sharing stories with an older student about teachers, campus, and extracurriculars. Except, this older student is around 50 years my senior, we have no teachers in common, and the Warwick campus he grew up on looked quite different compared to mine. There are some things we have in common, however: we have both struggled to reconcile time for our degrees with our dedication to The Boar. “I did it for a term, but Godfrey did it for a week, before he realised he needed to get his degree,” he says about the other co-founder, writer and musician Godfrey Rust. by Alexandra Luca (she/her)

Godfrey gave The Boar in 2020, we learn that they were involved with Campus before its demise, such that they were best suited to continue its legacy. The name of The Boar was inspired, in reality, by a made-up tradition of a wild boar in the area surrounding campus, imagined by Kasper and Godfrey. Godfrey told The Boar that “it was so bad that it just kind of worked. It was completely [the work of ] two drunken students”. see Features p12 » Images: Jack Bernard (top left), The Boar (top right), Collections - Get Archive (bottom)

The Boar turns 50 Welcome to The Boar’s Volume 46, Issue 3 print. For those of you who are particularly observant, you may have noticed that this print is a little different to our previous editions, as our entire paper is black and white. We’ve spent the last four weeks perfectly crafting and curating an issue that honours our 50th anniversary through a vintage look whilst also exploring the future of Warwick students in articles throughout our 16 sections. As one of the oldest societies on campus (founded in 1973), and the biggest media society at Warwick, our editorial board feels a certain responsibility to uphold journalistic standards, alongside holding the University and the Students’ Union accountable, as we have been doing for the last 50 years.

48 pages each edition, The Boar has strived for and succeeded at maintaining relevance on campus, as well as being renowned nationally for the multitude of awards our writers and digital media team have won. Our ‘throwback’ paper revitalizes the original black-andwhite design of previous editions of The Boar, many of which can still be seen in the Modern Record Centre’s archives. As an editorial board, we were keen to re-introduce the popular satirical sections of our papers, hand-drawn cartoons, Letters to the Editor, and the best of ‘70s music, and we are incredibly excited to be able to share our hard work with you.

The legacy of The Boar is one of artistry, community, and reliability.

We would like to thank the last 50 years of writers, editors, photographers, readers, and anyone else who supported The Boar for half a century. Here’s to the next 50 years of reporting at the University of Warwick and continuing to launch the careers of many successful journalists to come.

by Ellie Mitchell (she/her) & Eden Fall-Bailey (she/her), Co-Editors-in-Chief

Looking back over our tenure, The Boar has been responsible for breaking the biggest stories on campus, producing high-quality student journalism on topics ranging from student politics to national news, conducting interviews with everyone from high-profile CEOs and politicians to student activists, and the list could go on. From our humble beginnings as a five-page pamphlet, to our current production of between 40 to

» Current and previous members of The Boar at the 2023 Midlands Media Students Awards (Image: Richard Hammersley)

What made '70s music WARWICK'S RELATIONSHIP WITH so good? ABORTION: looking back to the '70s Journalists at The Boar have been reporting on abortion since the paper’s launch in 1973 – the same year the Supreme Court deliberated on the landmark Roe v. Wade case. This ruling, decided by a 7-2 margin, protected women’s right to abortion in the United States. Just over a year ago, this was overturned, with five conservative Supreme Court Justices voting to do so. by Grace Goodwin (she/her) & Rachel Gore (she/her)

As we reflect a year on from the historic overturning of Roe v Wade, it is important to not look singularly at its impact on wom-

en's right to abortion in America, but also as it pertains to those living in the UK. In 1967, abortion legislation was passed in the UK. Today, around 200,000 abortions are carried out in England and Wales each year. As part of this investigation, The Boar News launched a poll that was answered by over 60 Warwick students across a variety of year groups and courses. Of those polled, 58.2% responded that they were very familiar with the Roe v. Wade case, and 79.7% believed that it should not have been overturned, with 6.3% being unsure.

A letter written in a '70s edition of The Boar saw Barry Myers, then a student at the University of Warwick, complain about pro-life

activists on the rampage. He emphasised that those campaigning for sexual freedom simply want a life that can be lived “free of guilt, shame and despair” – arguing they in no way are campaigning for a “promiscuous and disease-ridden" world. Myers also commented that, whilst abortion is not a procedure most people wish to resort to, the “anti-anti-abortionist abortion is a necessary evil, which at the time should be regarded as the unfortunate but essential final means of contraception.” It appears that today, the British public lean more towards this opinion than ever. see News p3

In the three iterations of Rolling Stone’s ‘Top 500 Albums of All Time’, the 1970s have consistently been the decade with the highest number of albums featured on the list, never dropping below 150. by Tom Lowe (he/him)

Of course, there is far more to musical quality than an ‘objective’ album ranking, but there is no denying the prestige that the 1970s have in the industry. But what makes this decade better for music than the decades that have come before or after? First and foremost, the musicians of the 1970s were able to build on the countercultural revolutionary experimentation and sacrifice of those of the 1960s. The boundaries of musical genres

had been pushed and definitions blurred beyond recognition, making the '70s fertile territory for those that would have been called radical in the previous decade. In other words, the wacky and wonderful innovations of the 1960s became the musical norms of the 1970s. see Music p20

theboar.org

Edi to r s' P ic k s

'The Warwick Arts Festival: A whirlwind weekend championing the student creative scene' p10

by Abhay Venkitaraman (he/him)

Learning more about the Warwick Arts Festival in this article makes me long for the days of big names like Pink Floyd and Bob Marley in the Students' Union. Despite how much I enjoy POP! Wednesdays with Disco Dave, the experience simply cannot compare to the music scene at Warwick in the 1970s. Sanjana compares the events of the era to how music is currently celebrated at Warwick, building a bittersweet reminiscence of the past while hoping for a revived arts festival in the future, making use of our diverse cultural student body in the process. Ellie Mitchell (she/her) Co-Editor-in-Chief

by Sanjana Iyer (she/her)

'The rise and fall of ‘Red Warwick’' p10

The Boar Senior Team'sNews favourite articles from this edition

'Only three channels, you say? How TV has changed since the '70s' p40

'Fans will be fans: Redefining what it means to be in a music fandom' p20

'Travel from the other side: an international student looks back at their first term at Warwick' p44

To celebrate The Boar’s 50th anniversary, Abhay has dived into coverage of student activism at Warwick. We've seen articles that has fuelled student advocacy for a Students’ Union building in the ‘70s, as well as highlighting the issue of high rents on campus. Time and again, The Boar has facilitated student movements on campus, and Abhay’s article comprehensively demonstrates the power that student journalism has at Warwick. Although ‘Red Warwick’ seems like a thing of the past, if this issue tells us anything, it's that student protest and activism still thrive at Warwick.

My mum always reminds me of how much harder things were when there were only three TV channels and she had to get up to flick between them. Reading this article provides a closer insight into this aspect of society that grew so significantly in the 1970s. Thomas emphasises how TV became a prominent aspect of daily life and remains so to this day, reflecting and replicating the values and crises within the wider world. Equally, the article embraces the impact that the world itself had on the ability of broadcasters to provide their usual output.

I semi-ironically describe myself as ‘fangirling’ about my latest musical obsession at least twice a week, so Anna’s reflections on fandoms hit close to home. As she rightfully calls out the pernicious side-effects of excessive fan culture, Anna’s case for blurring the boundary between avid listeners and ‘real’ fans speaks to the part of me that feels the need to frantically memorise song lyrics when preparing for a concert. What’s more, the article invites us to reflect on broader practices of cultural gatekeeping in related areas such as literature or the performing arts.

Just like Angel, I’m an international student from Hong Kong, and as such, I found myself identifying with many of the experiences she describes. The transition from a city you’ve lived in your entire life to the chaos of British university life is incredibly jarring, and as Angel points out, there’s often moments along the way that are deeply demoralising. That being said, her description of how she overcame her initial difficulties is really empowering and goes to show just how much confidence prevailing over personal challenges can provide oneself!

Eden Fall-Bailey (she/her) Co-Editor-in-Chief

Emily Neville (she/her) Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Communications

Monika Hartmann (she/her) Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Physical Media

Abhay Venkitaraman (he/him) Chief Sub-Editor

by Thomas Bartley (he/him)

by Anna Barnard (she/her)

T h e Bo a r Ed i tori al SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY science@theboar.org Sub-Editor: Zoé Barret (she/her) & B us ine s s Te am Ellie Mitchell (she/her) Co-Editors-in-Chief editor@theboar.org

Deputy Editors-in-Chief communications@theboar.org physicalmedia@theboar.org Chief Sub-Editor subeditor@theboar.org Head of Business & Sales business@theboar.org

Eden Fall-Bailey (she/her)

Emily Neville (she/her) Monika Hartmann (she/her) Abhay Venkitaraman (he/him) Jack Crosby (he/him)

Head of Events & Social Media events@theboar.org

Emilia Growney (she/her)

Head of Photography multimedia@theboar.org

Finn Chadwick (he/him)

News news@theboar.org Sub-Editor: Abhay Venkitaraman (he/him)

Luke Chapman (he/him)

FEATURES features@theboar.org Sub-Editor: Alyssa Tingle (she/her)

Alexandra Luca (she/her)

COMMENT comment@theboar.org Sub-Editor: Srinithi Murugeshan (she/her) LIFESTYLE lifestyle@theboar.org Sub-Editor: Laura van Diesen (she/her) FINANCE finance@theboar.org Sub-Editor: Snow E (she/her)

Archie Clarke (he/him) Grace Goodwin (she/her) Lauren Hadeed (she/her) Rachel Gore (she/her) Juliette Hatton (she/her)

Thu An Vo (she/her) Hillary Boye Doku (she/her)

Sanjana Iyer (she/her)

Maddie Scrimshaw (she/her) Veeraja Kamthe (she/her)

Gunisha Aggarwal (she/her) Sofia Drake-Perello (she/her) Odette Dyer (she/her)

Tanvi Jain (she/her)

Sanskriti Thakur (she/her) Ollie Hotchin (he/him)

by Angel Sun (she/her)

George Smith (he/him)

Rodrigo Castro Fernandes (he/him) Sujaya Shrestha (he/him)

Film film@theboar.org Sub-Editor: Anoushay Dhar (she/they)

Kavin Kannan (he/him) Eirlys Tse (she/her) Rhea Kapoor (she/her)

ARTS arts@theboar.org Sub-Editor: Sanjana Iyer (she/her)

Mateus Guarda (he/him)

BOOKS books@theboar.org Sub-Editor: Anna Barnard (she/her)

Zoé Barret (she/her) Anna Ilchenko (she/her)

Erin Lewis (they/them)

Ruqaiyah Jarviton (she/her) Jenin Chaaban (she/her)

CLIMATE climate@theboar.org Sub-Editor: Amy Adshead (they/she)

Tra My Insua-Luu (she/her)

games@theboar.org Sub-Editor: Rebecca Meldon (she/her)

Gabriela Josefowicz (she/her)

music@theboar.org Sub-Editor: Lara Tokar (she/her) TV tv@theboar.org Sub-Editor: Tania Karmokar (she/her)

Austin Lawrence (he/him) Gorja Agarwal (she/her)

Saud Juffa (he/him)

Sophie Flint Vázquez (she/her) Alex Bird (she/her) Lucy Gibbons (she/her)

Sebastian Smith (he/him) Hayden Waller (he/him) Alice Evans (she/her)

TRAVEL travel@theboar.org Sub-Editor: Mahak Chowdhury (she/her)

Ben Ockrim (he/him)

SPORT sport@theboar.org Sub-Editor: Ollie Hotchin (he/him)

James Taylor (he/him)

PODCASTS podcasts@theboar.org Sub-Editor: Tauseef Parkar (he/him)

Erin Wallace (she/her) Ayse Oltan (she/her)

Jack Kingston (he/him) Camille Charlot-Vickers (she/him) Muadh Ansari (he/him)

Matthew Randell (he/him)

Gemma Short (she/her) Aura Bamber (she/her)

News

3 Editor: Luke Chapman (he/him) news@theboar.org

Warwick’s relationship with abortion: looking back to the '70s J

ournalists at The Boar have been reporting on abortion since the paper’s launch in 1973 – the same year the Supreme Court deliberated on the landmark Roe v. Wade case. This ruling, decided by a 7-2 margin, protected women’s right to abortion in the United States. Just over a year ago, this was overturned, with five conservative Supreme Court Justices voting to do so. by Grace Goodwin (she/her) and Rachel Gore (she/her)

As we reflect a year on from the historic overturning of Roe v Wade, it is important to not look singularly at its impact on women's right to abortion in America, but also as it pertains to those living in the UK. In 1967, abortion legislation was passed in the UK. Today, around 200,000 abortions are carried out in England and Wales each year.

should have a right to an abortion – this has risen by over 30%, with 70% of those surveyed in 2017 shown to have this view.

In the poll carried out by The Boar News, 12% said that they had encountered pro-life pressure or criticism whilst at university. One student said they had seen “talks by pro-life speakers in association with religious societies”, whilst others spoke of debates they have had with “more conservative people”. One student faced significant pushback with this issue, describing how “pro-life speakers in association with religious societies, usually men from America invited to talk”, would weigh in, “commenting on the value of human life they didn’t create or carry”.

As part of this investigation, The Boar News launched a poll that was answered by over 60 Warwick students across a variety of year groups and courses. Of those polled, 58.2% responded that they were very familiar with the Roe v. Wade case, and 79.7% believed that it should not have been overturned, with 6.3% being unsure.

A letter written in a '70s edition of The Boar saw Barry Myers, then a student at the University of Warwick, complain about pro-life activists on the rampage. He emphasised that those campaigning for sexual freedom simply want a life that can be lived “free of guilt, shame and despair” – arguing they in no way are campaigning for a “promiscuous and disease-ridden" world. Myers also commented that, whilst abortion is not a procedure most people wish to resort to, the “anti-anti-abortionist abortion is a necessary evil, which at the time should be regarded as the unfortunate but essential final means of contraception.” It appears that today, the British public lean more towards this opinion than ever. In a report by the National Centre for Social Research, it was found that an “overwhelming majority” of people were in favour of a liberalised approach to abortion. The report also found that public attitudes have substantially liberalised during the last 50 years. In 1983, 37% of those surveyed held the view that women

Norma McCorvey ( Jane Roe) (left) and her lawyer, Gloria Allred (right), on the steps of the Supreme Court, 1989

While 50 years have passed since the letter written by Barry Myers was published, it is clear that pro-life advocates still exist at the University of Warwick. It is also apparent that the implications of the Roe v. Wade overturning are inescapable for UK students.

28.4% of responses said that they do not find space for debate and discussion surrounding abortion at universities today, with a further 37.3% saying that they are unsure as to whether there is any. Given the outcome of the Roe v. Wade overturning, it is unsurprising that students would be hesitant to engage in abortion debates. A report by Varsity showed Cambridge Students for Life, an organisation at the University of Cambridge, faced severe backlash due to its pro-life stance. The or-

ganisation's Vice-President suggested that some students not only refuse to tolerate pro-life attitudes, but also that attitudes towards pro-life campaigners were prejudiced at times, commenting that students “had their own ideas of who we were and didn’t give us the opportunity to actually show who we were.” Ultimately, it does seem to be the case that there is a significant amount of apprehension amongst students towards pro-life campaigners. In Leamington Spa specifically, there is a history of extremist pro-life views. The maternal support charity Life, which is still in operation today, was especially vocal during the '70s. In a 1973 issue of The Boar, Rob Whitehouse reported on Life issuing 15,000 anti-abortion leaflets in a bid to shut the abortion clinic River Park Nursing Home. Acts like this have been restricted in legislation implemented this year, with ‘safe access zones’ being put in place to protect women accessing abortion services.

In 1997, the cover of The Boar was titled: "Emergency meeting decides on abortion". Students witnessed a pro-choice group successfully get a motion passed to limit the activities of the pro-life group at a Students’ Union (SU) Emergency General Meeting. This motion was the latest in a termlong battle between the pro-life and pro-choice groups on campus. It prevented pro-life groups from affiliating with other organisations and ensured a new policy: that the SU's Equal Opportunities Committee would regulate pro-life publicity. This blatant challenge to pro-life campaigning shows how passionately Warwick students of the past have felt about abortion, to the extent that motions were passed to challenge pro-life campaigning. This remains relevant in the present day, as 74.6% of responses in the poll said that they believe University students of today would put forward similar motions if pro-life movements were to reemerge on campus today. The legislation around abortion isn’t the only stumbling block women face today. The dearth of access to contraceptive and preventative healthcare is an international struggle. However, despite living in a country where abortion is legally available, only 16.3% found sexual health services accessible in Warwickshire, and 48% said that they did not fully know how to access these sexual health

services. It may be the expectation for students to turn to the University of Warwick’s own Health Centre – however, they were found to only provide a “limited service” for the testing of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This proves to be an issue, especially for freshers living in a new location away from their family and friends.

The overall poll results, especially the fact that 65.7% feel women’s healthcare in the UK is under-prioritised, are evidence that perhaps the abortion situation in the UK is not quite as rosy as it seems to be on the surface. In Davina McCall’s Pill Revolution documentary, from earlier this year, McCall interviewed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Women’s Health Strategy, Maria Caulfield, to discuss the £25 million the government has devoted women’s health hub expansions. Caulfield acknowledged that the policy may only be “a start”, but that importantly it will be “the first time in generations that women’s health will be a key priority for the government.” Abortion law in the UK may ap-

pear more unwavering than in the US, but UK legislation technically only allows abortions in “restricted circumstances”, and they are still considered to be a criminal act in England, Scotland, and Wales under the 1967 Abortion Act. Many believe that more could be done, and many live in fear that, as it has been in America, this right could be taken away at any given moment. The inadequacy of UK abortion law can be highlighted across a variety of surveys, including our poll of Warwick students. Clare Murphy, Chief Executive of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) suggests that present legislation is “vastly out of step with public opinion”. The updating of abortion laws in the UK is being pushed for by BPAS among others, though with such drastic shifts in legislation as the Roe v. Wade case, it remains uncertain how the treatment of women's healthcare and the discussion around abortion will evolve in the coming years – both in the UK and abroad. » Images: Grace Goodwin / The Boar (top right), Flickr / Lorie Shaull (middle)

News

Labour MP Matt Western helps deliver supplies to Ukraine: an interview

>>Image: >> Image: Matt Western MP

and whatever, but after we started driving again it was just silence – we couldn’t talk. It’s one of those experiences that I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to describe.”

att Western, Member of Parliament for Warwick and Leamington, spoke to The Boar about his humanitarian mission to Ukraine at the end of September 2023.

Alongside eight other residents of his constituency, Western drove two ambulances, two Land Rovers, and a large quantity of medical supplies to Ukraine during this time. The group travelled 1,500 miles over three days to deliver the vehicles. by Archie Clarke (he/him) Medical supplies and vehicles are some of the most needed humanitarian aids in Ukraine. The two Land Rovers provided were particularly useful to Ukraine’s Armed Forces. They are currently being used as ‘snatch’ vehicles: transports for wounded personnel from the front line.

How was the drive through Europe to the UkrainianPolish Border? “We set off from Warwick [and] Leamington, and then we drove all the way across Europe, ending up on the Ukraine-Polish border. We actually went into Ukraine, albeit just on the margin, to hand over the ambulances to some of the frontline Ukrainian military. “We alternated driving because we set off at 6:00 in the morning every day and we'd finish driving about 7:00pm, except on the third day when we set off at 6:00am on Wednesday, and I didn't get into my hotel room until 6:00am on Thursday morning. “The vehicles themselves are of a certain age and [the NHS] dispose of them through vehicle auctions. So, of the two ambulances they had, one had 460,000 miles, and the other had 550,000 miles on the clock, which you can appreciate is quite a distance.

“All the vehicles were literally packed to the ceiling with medical supplies, and those had to be dropped off at a depot. The depot is secret, even though it is in Polish territory, because there was a hu-

manitarian warehouse in eastern Ukraine that was attacked by Russian missiles and destroyed.”

During the trip, you stopped at Auschwitz. What was your reason for stopping there?

“It was really important that we stopped at Auschwitz as I’d never been, and as you know the reputation of Auschwitz goes before it. We wanted to go in context of the Russian attack on Ukraine with how Putin is or was describing this as a war against Nazis in Ukraine, which, of course, is a complete lie.

“With Putin, there is this President who has absolute control over all the institutions for his own ends and where that can take you. And, as a reminder of the last major war across Europe and the acts of a totalitarian regime, I just thought it was really pertinent to go and see and be reminded of those horrors.

“ It's really vital that we

Once you got to the Ukrainian border, how were the vehicles and supplies received?

“So, we met members of the Ukrainian military, and it was very emotional. I met with an officer and three others from the Air Assault Brigade. They were seasoned, aged men who were really grateful and moved by the generosity. And I’ll forever remember that, because you’re shaking hands with them, and you can just see it in their eyes, what this meant. “Those vehicles are now helping save lives in an unnecessary war – it’s a very striking thing. Before this escalation in Israel and Gaza, that interest or concern in what was happening in Ukraine was beginning to falter. It was being displaced in international news. It's really vital that we remember this conflict and that there is a real need on our doorstep to be doing more to support the Ukrainians, because it is devastating. “The mission was set up through members of the Polish community in Warwick and Leamington and they’ve done an amazing thing – they really stood up. They set up a warehouse for humanitarian support, and they’ve sent over 19 vehicles full of supplies, and the remarkable thing is that’s just from this group.”

driving conditions, and you need to have special snow tyres fitted which would cost many hundreds if not thousands more to do so. So, they’re not doing it through winter, but come the spring, there will be more vehicles going out.”

With a similar situation unfolding in Palestine and Israel, do you think humanitarian aid like what you delivered to Ukraine should be sent there as well?

“Yes, it’s really shocking what’s unfolding in Gaza. I've met with the Medical Aid for Palestinians representative in London, and I've met with the Palestinian Ambassador and listened to some of the challenges. There is a real need for humanitarian aid. But it's terrifying, because even the United Nations are losing people there. “I've met with the Union of Jewish Students, and I'm concerned about what is happening – not just what happened in Israel but also what's happening in Gaza and how this manifests itself internationally. My concern is just what damage this will do. Thousands of lives so far have been lost in the most recent escalation, which of course goes back over decades. I was nine years old when the Palestinian Liberation Organisation attacked Israeli athletes in Munich, and I was totally dismayed as a nine-year-old when that happened.

“Now to see what’s happened remember How can univer- on 7 October – I was disgusted the brutality – the maiming, sity students in the by the mutilation, the murder of this conflict help with the sit- children, women, and men. But must be cognizant of how and that there UK uation in Ukraine? Israel far it goes in its will to defend itAnd there is increasing conis a real need “As we enter the winter there self. cern about what this looks like in will be real need for humanitar- terms of taking out Hamas opon our doorian assistance. I realise that for eratives, but the scale of loss of times are really tough – ordinary Palestinians is huge, and step to be do- students, the cost-of-living crisis is biting that is deeply distressing for all of hard for students. But just keep- us who care about the humaniing more to ing the awareness of this war on tarian situation.” the front pages is important. support the “Financially, just urging people How can universito do what they can. The amUkrainians bulances are costing about five ties support Ukraingrand each and it’s very special ian students in gen to know that you’ve made a con-

”

“Words can’t describe [Auschwitz]. So, when we got back into the ambulances, normally you’re driving with a mate for all those hours – there’s a lot of banter and you make small talk

tribution to an ambulance that’s helping out there.

“We need to keep doing this really valuable work because of the weather conditions. Trying to take vehicles in through the winter gets more difficult because of the

eral, and specifically those who decide to return to Ukraine to fight for or support their country?

“They should do what they have to do if they feel compelled to give up their lives and their studies. That’s for them – its unimaginable for the rest of us. If the UK was in a similar situation and there was a chance to go to Ireland, would you feel compelled to come back?

“The university sector has done a really good job in its outreach work to the Ukrainian university sector, to students and the support that it’s given. We should continue to do that because they have lives, and they have futures – the country has a future and it’s important that we do all we can in so many different ways to support them. The educational side is just as important as the humanitarian aid. For those young people to miss out on their education because of Putin’s actions would be deeply damaging, not simply for the individual but also the country and would set them back socially, culturally, and economically.”

University of Warwick sets out to challenge 'harmful' data using AI by Angel Sun (she/her)

omputer science experts at Warwick are collaborating with AI research firm Google DeepMind to develop technology that can help AI forget "harmful" data. The aim is to remove troublesome data from Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) and improve the accuracy of AI.

Professor Peter Triantafillou, a staff member within Warwick's Computer Science Department, said: “Machine unlearning is an exciting field of research that can be an important tool towards mitigating the risks of AI.

“DNNs may be harmful, for example, by being trained on data with biases – thus propagating negative stereotypes. The data might reflect existing prejudices, stereotypes and faulty societal assumptions – such as a bias that doctors are male, nurses female – or even racial prejudices.

“Our recent research has derived a new ‘machine unlearning’ algorithm that ensures DNNs can forget dodgy data, without compromising overall AI performance." This research is to be presented at the Thirty-Seventh Annual Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS) in December 2023.

News

A semicentennial retrospective: how have student outlooks changed due to the cost-of-living crisis?

ince the implementation of the 1969 Representation of the People Act, 18-year-olds have been eligible to vote in the UK. However, youth turnout at elections has dwindled since the ‘90s. Links have been drawn between the turnout slump and political phenomena such as conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, alongside the increasing cost of higher education. More recently, think of the war in Ukraine, the global pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis, and the Israel-Palestine conflict. As such, many would argue that students have been handed more than enough reason to abstain from voting at the next general election.

The cost-of-living crisis appears to have hit students especially hard. What may have been a relishing of independence and financial freedom for students in previous years is now, more than ever, a weighty burden that may unpredictably transform political views. It’s too early to see the full extent of financial disadvantages faced by 2023’s cohort, but Warwick’s Students’ Union (SU) membership numbers already show a shift in student participation this year. Especially in the next general election, how young people will vote is more uncertain than ever – assuming they choose to at all. by Grace Goodwin (she/her)

In 1973, the year of The Boar’s launch, the outlook of students was dramatically different. With a twoyear-long recession beginning in 1973, the UK was veering towards a Labour government – just as it is right now. Harold Wilson was elected back to power at general elections in February and October 1974. However, whilst political attitudes may have favoured Labour at this time, the lifestyle and outlook of students were dramatically different. According to History and Policy, higher education was “essentially free” between 1962 and the 1990s. Even despite this, only 1/7 of 18-year-olds participated in higher education in 1972.

cost-of-living crisis, the Society’s Chair, John Challenger, commented: “I think for a large number of students the cost-of-living crisis has highlighted the inequalities in society, it affects those who have the least and are the poorest the most. We see this at university, with some students having to work whilst studying to get by, or many not being able to afford the overpriced food and drink on campus, so I think it has brought home to people just how bad things have gotten.”

in Warwickshire. HomeLet found that, during the year leading up to September 2023, the average monthly rent in the UK increased by £117.

However, the struggle isn’t only for those living off campus – rents for on-campus student accommodation have also risen. In 2019, the most expensive on-campus accommodation, Bluebell, had a weekly rent cost of £189. It’s now at £233. Whitefields, the cheapest on-campus accommodation, has seen weekly rents rise from £75 in 2019 to £91 in 2023. For both accommodations, lets are 40-weekslong. Overall, finding affordable housing for students is becoming increasingly difficult.

In 1973, students also struggled with student accommodation. The responsibility of universities to provide proper on-campus accommodation was broached by students in the West Midlands and reported on by The Boar in our first ever edition. Kasper de Graaf, co-founder of The Boar, reported that the “accommodation crisis had clearly reached crisis point, and despite effort by the National Union of Students … no solution [had] yet been found.”

John Challenger, Chair of Warwick Labour Society Recent SU figures demonstrate the pressures Challenger references. Students are now less engaged in a well-rounded university life than in previous years. At the end of the 2022/23 academic year, the Societies Federation had just over 9000 members, 500 less than the year before. According to the most recent data, there are now only 8308 current members. The drop between the 21/22 and 22/23 academic years could have been due to the increase in the standard single-year Societies Federation fee from £19 to £23 during that time period but could also reflect student’s financial struggles amidst the cost-of-living crisis. For this year, the fee has been reduced to £20, providing some respite for an already-overburdened student body.

Accommodation for the freshers of the ‘70s was greatly underprovided by universities. Similarly, many students across the UK currently are disappointed to find that, whilst accommodation is provided, this means little if it is out of the realm of affordability. Forbes reported that 90% of first-year students are worried about their finances.

“ If the university was

think the cost-of-living crisis will affect voting patterns?

“We always see that the majority of our members are freshers and this year has been another great year for the society in terms of the number of freshers who have joined. I hope that the cost of living will make people consider how politics can change things and the solutions that can be found there, and even if they don’t find themselves enthused by any political party, I hope that they will take the opportunity to engage in democracy and vote.” The need for students to find work to make up for rapid price increases was studied in a survey of 10000 students by the Higher Education Policy Institute. It found that over half of the students surveyed did paid work during term time. So, the question is, how will the financial strain affect voting choices and turnout?

When asked how students of today have been affected by the

in the two years between 2019 and 2022, rental prices rose by 3.2% in the West Midlands, and by 8.7%

”

The Boar asked Challenger: have you noticed an influx in fresher members this year, and how do you

“ To student

voters, I would say get informed and vote Many students feel universities,

including Warwick, simply aren’t doing enough to provide cost-ofliving support. Challenger commented: “I think one of the biggest things that highlights this to me is the fact that the only grocery store on campus is Rootes, which charges extortionate prices that many students can’t afford. Some people may point out that the university doesn’t own or run Rootes, which is true, but to them I’d say, if the university was that bothered about how much Rootes was ripping us all off, they’d do something about it.” Apathy amongst young people is becoming an increasingly pressing problem. In 2022, the UK Parliament noted that 60% of 18–25 year-olds think politicians don’t care, and that only 54% of young people turned out to vote in the 2019 general election. The Boar asked Challenger: To what level should we be concerned about student turnout in the next election?

that bothered about “I think we should be very concerned how much about student turnout in the next election Rootes was and the university should be doing everything ripping us The increase in rent and food Seeking opinions on how reit can to encourcent political developments have prices may hugely affect how stuage students to all off, they’d affected young people, The Boar dents vote. Studies have shown that vote. Despite the approached every party-political in years of lower student wealth, society at Warwick. Unfortunately, Labour’s vote share amongst do someThe University of Warwick Liberal young people has increased. AcDemocrats and The University of cording to Hamptons Real Estate, thing about Warwick Conservative Associa- rents have been reported as ristion declined to comment, with ing more rapidly in the past year it. only the University of Warwick than “over the four years to 2019”. Labour Society responding to our Varbes, a company that provides housing-related data showed that queries.

state of the country and the issues it faces, there will still be students who don’t see the point in voting, as a society we will be running campaigns to encourage people to register to vote and to remember ID on polling days, and the university should join us in doing this so as many students as possible get out and vote.”

”

To wrap things up, The Boar asked: Is there anything you would like to specifically comment on about student voting, outlooks, or impacts of the cost-of-living crisis that hasn't been touched on?

“To student voters, I would say get informed and vote. Read the party's manifestos or at least see what each party stands for … At the moment parties don’t see the need to engage well with young people, because they think we won’t turnout enough to make a difference. This next election offers us an opportunity to change that, and to all young people I’d say we have to take it.” Students of the ‘70s grappled with the beginnings of a modernised university system. Today, the students of 2023 are dealing with the fallout of the cost-of-living crisis, trying their best to prevent their anxieties from affecting their academic and social aspirations. >>Images: John Challenger (Top Left), saasmarketingstrategy.blogspot.jp (Bottom Right)

News

Labour mulls student loan forgiveness in bid to boost NHS staffing

CHAPMAN'S CORNER

he Labour Party could introduce plans to write off the student debts of doctors and nurses if they win power at the next general election, a senior shadow minister has suggested. by Martin Day (he/him) Wes Streeting, the Shadow Health Secretary, made comments about the plans in a Q&A session at a meeting of the Hornsey and Wood Green Labour Party in London.

He was speaking in response to a question asking what incentives could be provided to retain staff in the NHS. In recent years, the service has faced what health think tank, the Nuffield Trust, has described as a “dropout crisis” among nurses and frontline staff.

A recent report by the group, published in September this year, found that close to 1/5 of nurses and physiotherapists left the NHS within two years of starting work. About 1/8 of trainee nurses, radiographers, and physiotherapists did not even finish their training. Mr Streeting, responding to the suggestion of incentives, ruled out the idea of stricter measures, such as compelling new recruits to work a minimum number of years in the NHS. In a statement reported by the Guardian, he said: “I don’t want people, especially staff who are

coming out on strike for the first time … to think that we think that the answer is some new penalties [on staff ]. That’s the worst thing we could do.”

He left open, however, the idea of a more reward-based system, adding: “I think we should look at those incentives.” This aligns with the Nuffield Trust’s report, which recommended progressively forgiving student loan debts for some medical professionals over a 10-year period.

That report was rejected by government officials, who insisted enough support was already in place. Loan forgiveness is the latest NHS reform floated by Labour as it approaches next year’s general election.

The party has also recently called for a greater integration of AI into cancer care, with Shadow Science Secretary, Peter Kyle, saying he believed such improvements would have saved his mother from dying of lung cancer. More recently, Streeting has attracted controversy after saying that, if Labour were to enter government, he would “hold the door wide open” to the private sector, in comments he made as part of a recent episode of The i Podcast.

ack in the ‘70s, Wilby’s Week was a column that featured heavily in The Boar’s weekly, yes, WEEKLY print editions. Before you call us lazy for only having three prints per term, we must stress that we have done away with the absolutely astronomical prices we were charging back in the day. A regular reader of Wilby’s Week would have to fork out a whole four pence a week to keep up to date. Aren’t you glad we’re now dishing these out for free? by Luke Chapman (he/him) As Wilby left the University of Warwick almost 50 years ago, The Boar was crying out for someone to take the reins in this edition. Thus, I present to you: Chapman’s Corner! Woke up this morning to the news that a ban on e-bikes and e-scooters in Coventry city centre has been given the green light.

When riding through the city, anyone who dismounts their e-bike, who isn’t exempt because of a disability, will risk a fine or prosecution. The ban will be put in place

Students report excessive rent and inadequate living he University of Northampton (UoN) has seen conditions across the UK undergraduates protest

over “appalling conditions and extortionate rent” within university-owned flats. by Ellie Mitchell (she/her)

The students are particularly outraged with St John’s Halls, in which flats lacked running water and functional hobs. Although residents are paying around £150 for single en-suite rooms, the conditions within them have been compared to “slums”. Protestors gathered at the university’s Waterside Campus on 8 November holding signs saying “UoN Take Action + Take Back St Johns” and “Ban Agency and Contract Fees”. The Northampton Chronicle quoted one protestor as saying: “The University care more about lining their own pockets than they do about the welfare of their own students.”

The students had previously protested at the start of the academic year after an extra week’s rent was

added to the contracts of those living in St John’s Halls without any prior notice. The university opted to reverse their decision following the protest.

Other demands include “launch[ing] a mass building programme with the local council of good-quality, affordable housing for students and local people”, “no evictions for students who can’t afford rent” and “emergency cost-ofliving grants for all”. A University of Northampton Spokesperson stated: “[We have] no record of numerous complaints regarding fire doors, water pressure, lack of hot water, or mould at our halls of residence or they would have been swiftly dealt with.”

They added: “We continuously worked to avoid rent increases for university-managed accommodation and any revision of prices will be linked to inflation and the cost of utilities such as energy and gas which have risen exponentially since the start of 2022.” Students at the University of

today (as of writing, November 20) after it was signed off by the Council’s Cabinet on November 7.

Set to be in place by January 2 2024, the Council unanimously backed plans to increase prices.

The Coventry Observer reported this morning that Coventry swimming pools have been granted a cash boost amid rising costs.

Perhaps they were put off the idea after drunken students could be seen complaining, waving kebabs outside Viallis.

Expect to see more people on the 12X bus from here on out.

Coventry City Council and CV Life won a share of Sport England’s Swimming Pool Support Fund, which intends to get local people more active.

The city was given £216,000 to help with increased operating costs, and it will also be used to improve sustainability at leisure sites.

Steve Wiles, CV Life’s Director of Operations, reportedly said: “This funding will help us to keep providing the same services to the people of Coventry without a detriment to quality.” Warwick District Council are being indecisive again.

Motorists look set to have to pay up to £8 per day to park at Castle Lane, The Butts, Priory Road, and West Rock: a £1 increase.

They did plan to put up the day rate in St Peter's car park, Leamington Spa, but this was scrapped to keep the car park in line with others across the district.

News just in that hundreds of people flooded the Leamington Parade this evening to see the annual Christmas lights turn on.

The lights have sensors that leave them lit until very late at night, which has had mixed reactions from students living in the area.

Social media was flooded with pictures and Instagram stories of people counting down to see the much-anticipated lights in action.

A member of The Boar’s exec said: “When it’s dark at night, I can’t sleep. It keeps me up at night and there’s a star gleaming directly towards my window.” Ironically enough, during the weekend, she said she was “blinded by the lights”.

» Image: The Boar (Jan 1975) / MRC UWA-PUB-WB-31

Warwick have also reported similar issues to The Boar regarding high rents and substandard living conditions.

One resident of Arthur Vick 2 told The Boar News team: “There’s an open panel, underneath the sink area that we believe the rat is coming through. “We reported it the weekend before reading week and there’s a sign on our door that says we know about your rodent, we will come but the rat is still there.” Another student living in Arthur Vick 1 talked of a silverfish issue: “The cleaner said we could report it but there’s no point because they’ll come back again in about a week.”

A motion for this term’s All Student Vote labelled “Let’s fight for better on-campus accommodation” was passed overwhelmingly on 17 November. It lobbies “for the President and VP Democracy and Development to lobby the University to freeze rents and bring them back down to pre-COVID levels

and for Warwick SU to full and unequivocally support the aims of Warwick Housing Organisation, to campaign for rent reductions, future rent freezes and more accessible accommodation.”

dation in January 2023 by withholding rent payments. They reported mould, leaks, and cracks in the wall, as well as issues with mice and rats.

These complaints follow students at the University of Manchester similarly protesting over the conditions in their accommo-

The University of Warwick has been contacted for comment.

The motion noted that “only 1% of on campus accommodation is rated affordable by NUS standards”.

Students across the UK are often subjected to poor living conditions at high prices, a situation which the Guardian describes as a “crisis point not seen since the 1970s”.

News

Taking journalism seriously since 1973: 1973: In the news this week... BREAKING: All buses to BREAKING: The Boar News the University of Warwick arrive on time cancelled after publishing

strange atmosphere reigned across campus yesterday as all buses from Coventry and Leamington Spa arrived on time. Thousands of students seemed completely disorientated and shocked in the face of these events.

satirical news pieces

ollowing The Boar's 50th Anniversary, The Boar News team have all been cancelled after publishing "terrible" journalism that is "not fit for purpose". by Luke Chapman (he/him) It comes after hundreds of Warwick students sent in a succession of complaints to The Boar News team's email address.

The Boar understands that The Boar News team ignored all complaints sent in to them.

Luke Chapman, News Editor at The Boar said: "These articles are NOT, I repeat, NOT to be taken seriously. They are just a bit of fun and a throwback to the type of journalism we did in the '70s."

One student told The Boar: "I had never even heard of The Boar up until now. The prices those people charge for their papers are ludicrous."

After being told that the paper was, in fact, free, the student said: "Even if you were to pay me to read it, I'd still refuse." It was later discovered that the student was studying a STEM subject and hadn't read a book since 2011.

Reece Goodall, who has written over 2000 articles for The Boar, said: "I retired for one minute ... I thought I was done with all this." Experts suggest that Reece is the only person who can save the News team now.

Some students have argued that this is nothing new.

Consequently, The Boar is expected not to win any awards this

STEM students swamp FAB in Reading Week takeover

status quo in which STEM students are given open access to the Building.

he Faculty of Arts Building (FAB), regarded by many as the best place to study on campus, has seen an intense surge of usage by STEM students as many arts students left campus to, quote unquote, “read”. by Arthur Newns (he/him) However, this has caused much anger from arts students, who argue that since the Building was built for arts students specifically, they should receive priority access to the FAB. It follows recent news that STEM students have more than enough space elsewhere. In response, STEM students argued that since all the STEM-exclusive study spots are just as crowded, and typically a lot sweatier, they should continue to be allowed to use the FAB. The University, however, refuses to take a side, maintaining the

year, except for one.

A writer from an unnamed student publication told The Boar: "It's not looking good for us. We were well set to win this year's 'Most mediocre journalism award'. However, The Boar looks set to win that now having resorted to publishing this page."

“

These articles are NOT, I repeat, NOT to be taken seriously

- Luke Chapman, News Editor

”

With an average of 1.3 stars out of five on Trustpilot, there is a consensus among UK residents that the Stagecoach bus service is not the most efficient. by Juliette Hatton (she/her) However, today, the dreaded cluster of students at the U1 bus stop was nowhere to be seen. An uncanny phenomenon of patience and understanding from students wanting to go home took place as they formed a perfect line to get on the bus. One student, who was very emotional at the scene, said: "I do not know how they managed to do it. All the people I talked to today arrived on time for their lectures and seminars. I finally feel that my bus subscription is worth every penny.”

The Boar was approached by multiple Social Secretaries of different societies later that night. It appears that no students were “late to circle” thanks to the buses being on time. Several factors have led to this unbelievable event. Firstly, not a single bus spontaneously broke down.

The Boar understands that none of the students had to walk all the way to the University, having not been left to their own devices in the middle of the road. Secondly, in rather bizarre circumstances, the weather conditions were pleasant. No flooded roads have been reported to the authorities for more than four days, ensuring a smooth and risk-free journey for passengers.

Finally, it appears there were no traffic jams throughout the entirety of Warwickshire, even during the 5–7 pm rush hour. One bus driver said exclusively to The Boar that Warwick students “should not worry as this will never happen again.”

Increased par ticipation in circling calls for bans for being 'too much fun' While exam season may seem

While tensions are high now, they are only expected to get worse. As term time passes it is expected that more and more students will continue flooding into the FAB, until utter chaos ensues during exam season. like a long enough time for a solution to be found, the effects of failing to broker a deal would be catastrophic, as the FAB does not have enough seats and infrastructure to accommodate the rapid rise in demand.

However, to the delight of almost all students, it is possible that some sort of compromise may be achieved.

Recently, in an attempt to limit the number of people in the FAB, agreements have been made to permanently ban anyone who begins loudly talking on their phone for long periods of time whilst people around them are trying to study. The Boar couldn’t be bothered to contact the University for comment, as experts suggest it would take another 50 years before they would receive a response.

his term has seen a rise in the number of students who choose to spend their Wednesday evenings sat in a circle drinking purple, the concoction of the gods, in an attempt to relive their primary school playground experiences. by Sanjana Iyer (she/her)

Despite accusations that this is “cult-like” behaviour, proponents of the ritual advocate that an increased community spirit arises out of older years collectively haunting first-year students, as they leave each week with the chants of “stupid fresher” ringing in their ears.

Circling disbelievers claim that this is “belittling”, yet supporters of the geometric game argue that upperclassmen are kindly introducing the wide-eyed freshers to, and preparing them for, the harsh

realities of the world. Fourth-year students, in particular, have argued that if anything, this will actually support the freshers’ lives and careers. The more oval-like circles that happen in the hallowed chambers of Kelsey’s, Assembly, and the Vatican of circling itself – the Copper Rooms – are experiencing staggering participation rates.

It follows news that Social Secretaries are now being forced to defy the laws of basic shapes and create concentric circles to fit everyone in. This rise in enthusiasm for what can only be described as tomfoolerous drinking games has led to outcries that “too much fun” is being had. The Boar understands that societies and sports clubs are now welcoming upwards of 60 people (and

180 pints) to circle. Consequently, it appears that the hordes of costume-clad adolescents are becoming increasingly boisterous. It is attested that those who choose to live in Rootes or the neighbouring abodes surrounding Viallis have knowingly signed away their rights to a good night’s sleep on Wednesdays. Many students therefore argue that these claims of “too much fun” being had hold no basis. The University is reluctant to enforce a ban on the worshipped ritual, as they fear widespread backlash from hundreds of students dressed in Mario costumes.

As far as we know, those whose body percentages contain more purple than water have no reason to worry for the foreseeable future.

Features

8 Editor: Alexandra Luca (she/her) features@theboar.org

The rise and fall of ‘ R e d Wa r w i c k ’

he 1970s were a period of profound economic, social, and political upheaval – and the trends of the time clearly manifested within Warwick’s student activism scene. The era was replete with protests, rent strikes, and occupations of University buildings, to the point that the University was branded ‘Red Warwick’. Warwick student politics was not only incredibly dynamic during this time, but also diverse – with political organisations on campus ranging from a Conservative Association to a hard-left Socialist Society. The Modern Record Centre’s digital archives contain every print edition of Warwick’s student newspapers from 1965 to the mid1990s, and it is with the aid of this that I was able to delve into the intricacies of a crucial period in Warwick’s history.

“The Students’ Union will never have its own building”

- Lord Butterworth

We may take the Students’ Union (SU) Headquarters for granted these days, but the establishment of the building was a product of a protracted struggle between student activists and University administrators. Agitation for the creation of an SU building began in the late-1960s. A print edition of Warwick’s student newspaper, at the time named Campus, highlights the fact that there were already SU-controlled buildings at 11 other universities, including Birmingham, York, and Manchester. Not only did these buildings provide SU’s greater control over their affairs, but they also raked in tonnes of money – 10 out of 11 of the SU’s in question made

“considerable profits” from SUowned stores within the buildings. Alongside this, students also argued for an SU building on the basis that it would allow them to develop organisational skills, and that it would be a clear recognition of the notion that the SU was an important stakeholder within the Warwick community. Whilst proposals for an SU building did receive substantial support from student activists, initially, it was opposed by Warwick’s higher-ups. At one point, the University’s then Vice-Chancellor, Jack Butterworth, remarked that “the Students’ Union will never have its own building”. by Abhay Venkitaraman(he/him)

Because of this dispute, the 1970s started with a bang. Students organised sit-ins as part of their fight for an SU building. It was during one of these, within the University’s Registry, that they struck upon documents that uncovered a stunning revelation. University administrators, in collaboration with industrialists on Warwick’s governing Council, had been spying on leftist student activists and staff. The scandal, subsequently termed ‘The Files Affair’, sparked further sit-ins, nearly causing Butterworth to resign. Ultimately, the student activists won – University administrators acquiesced to the creation of an SU building, which was opened to the public in 1975. Another hallmark of the decade was rent strikes. Warwick students participated in NUS-organised rent strikes in 1973, with the SU threatening “direct action” in the event that students taking part in it were targeted by University administrators. A particularly intense strike took place in 1975 – with over 12,000 students with-

holding rent payments in protest of a proposed 50% rent hike. As part of the strike, students occupied Senate House in April, until they were thrown out weeks later by hundreds of police officers. The rent strike proceeded to collapse, contributing to internal turmoil within the SU as members of a socialist grouping tabled a no-confidence vote in the organisation’s Executive, and the Union’s President resigned.

Alongside university-specific developments, discourse surrounding national and global political developments flourished, featuring frequently in the ‘Letter to the Editor’ section of the student newspaper. For one, discussion abounded surrounding ‘The Troubles’: a violent conflict in Northern Ireland. Opinions on the issue sharply diverged. One student in a 1972 edition of the paper praised the IRA and argued the British Army was engaged in a “war against the six counties” of Northern Ireland, whilst others, including a member of the Conservative Association, viewed the British government’s actions more favourably. Other discussions revolved around the liberation movements of the time, with students advocating against racism and discrimination towards members of the gay community. A cause that was particularly pertinent was the struggle against fascism – in 1974, a Warwick Maths student named Kevin Gately was tragically killed in London whilst protesting against the National Front, a fascist political party. In a similar vein, an article in The Boar from 1976 discusses a protest in Coventry in response to a National Front demonstration, in which over 200 Warwick students participated.

Looking back at 1970s Warwick politics, there’s some striking continuities between then and now. For one, the University’s penchant for spying on its own students has seemingly continued into the 21st century. In 2021, a report by openDemocracy found that a Warwick student climate activist, who requested access to BP archives at the Modern Records Centre, was surveilled by the University and the oil giant. Moreover, a 1970 column by the SU President in Campus discusses issues that Warwick students continue to be plagued with to this day, such as shoddy bus services and accommodation shortages.

However, one particularly problematic aspect of that era that’s remained a constant ever since is student apathy, exacerbated by the opaqueness of the SU as an organisation. One article from 1970 points out the fact that many students knew little about what the SU was actually up to, with another highlighting the poor publicisation of Union General Meetings (UGMs) – events at which SU motions were discussed and voted on. If anything, the problem seems to have worsened over the decades. One Comment piece from 1973 laments the fact that only 1100 students (out of a student population of 2700) voted in that year’s SU President elections – a turnout rate of roughly 40%. Whilst that might seem awful, it’s relatively respectable by today’s standards. Turnout in this year’s SU President elections totalled a staggering 9%. With most students, as was the case back then, being unaware of what actually goes on within the SU, the situation doesn’t look particularly promising. Heading into the 1980s, War-

wick continued to be a hotbed for student activism. In 1982, there were protests against a ban on the SU sale of chips, with the University soon backing down. Students also rallied against the Thatcher government’s funding cuts to education, organised another rent strike from 1986-87, and mobilised against the University’s decision to ban overnight parking for on-campus student residents. However, the spirit of ‘Red Warwick’ slowly but surely began to fade, perhaps best exemplified by the fact that, in the 1990s, Union General Meetings, which took place weekly, were replaced by Annual General Meetings, which, as the name suggests, only occurred once a year.

Even though Warwick’s activism community isn’t as lively as it used to be, it still maintains a robust presence on campus. Students have frequently engaged in direct action and protests in response to issues such as the Israel-Palestine conflict, tuition fee hikes, and the University’s infamous ‘rape chat’ scandal. That being said, it’s clear that the Warwick student activism of the 1970s remains unmatched to this day. Time and again, students demonstrated the sheer power of collective action, seeking out every avenue to fight back against entrenched power structures and further what they saw as just causes. Whilst they didn’t always succeed at realising their aspirations, their relentless passion and determination should be an inspiration to us all.

>>Images: The Boar/Jack Bernard

Features

Fighting for better: activism in the ‘70s T

he 1970s were a cornerstone of social justice and equality. The success of the civil rights movement in America in the 1960s, which fought against racial discrimination and segregation, inspired marginalised groups across the world to use their voice and seek social change. This was the beginning of the ‘70s social movements that would challenge prevailing norms and demand justice, shaping the world into what it is today. Why were the uprisings during the ‘70s unique? by Amyra Varma (she/her) In particular, these movements adopted a bold approach which did not just advocate for change but also demanded it and made it a reality. Some notable movements include the women’s liberation movement, the gay liberation movement, and the anti-war movement.

Breaking chains: the women’s liberation movement The women’s liberation movement, dubbed “second-wave feminism”, was instigated in the ‘60s with the creation of the National Organisation of Women, founded by Betty Friedan, along with other women’s rights activists. The movement mainly gained attention in the ‘70s and went on to create radical changes in favour of equal employment opportunities, reproductive rights, and removal of gender stereotypes.

Women who had entered the workforce during World War II were expected to return to traditional domestic roles afterwards. This disjunction sparked a re-evaluation of traditional gender roles. In the ‘60s and ‘70s, the number of women entering the workforce and in higher education increased, which drew significant attention to systemic gender inequalities in these spheres, leading to a growing demand for equal opportunities.

Additionally, the increase in media content disseminating feminist ideas and raising awareness around gender inequality strongly contributed to the movement’s visibility. An example is the publication of Ms. Magazine in 1972, which provided news specifically focused on female empowerment, reaching over 300,000 women in the US. Its issues covered women’s history, celebrating the achievements of women as well as discussing some sensitive topics and directly challenging stereotypes. One such example is a list of 50 well-known women who have had abortions, in order to normalise the practice in society. Today, content questioning degrading gender stereotypes is seen to align with prevailing social values. However, in the ‘70s, it was seen as a challenge to existing social values and a medium for introducing radical ideas into the public sphere.

The movement included the formation of consciousness-raising groups, a distinctive feature considered to be the key to its success. These small, intimate gatherings allowed women to share personal experiences and collectively challenge systemic inequalities. This facilitated a sense of solidarity and empowered women to take collective action. Overall, it yielded strong legal results that protected the interests of women in society. One such milestone was the introduction of Title IX in 1972 in the United States, which prohibited sex-based discrimination in federally-funded programmes, increasing access to education among women. The Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision in 1973 legalised abortion nationwide in America, enabling women to make decisions regarding their reproductive health. This also led to an increase in access to contraception and birth control pills among women and ended stigma surrounding them. In recognition of the positive change inspired by the movement, Time Magazine replaced their Man of the Year issue with

a Women of the Year one in 1975. The article ‘Women of the Year: Great Changes, New Chances, Tough Choices’ highlights these milestones. It states: “They may be cops, judges, military officers, telephone linemen, cab drivers, pipefitters, editors, business executives – or mothers and housewives, but not quite the same subordinate creatures they were before.”

Boldly queer: the gay liberation unveiled It was not just women who fought for their rights during this period. The gay liberation movement began in the ‘60s and continued throughout the ‘70s. This differed from earlier homophile movements, which focused on assimilation and presenting a more acceptable image of homosexuality to society. The new wave of activists rejected assimilationist approaches and adopted a more radical stance, demanding societal acceptance and celebration of diversity instead. This perspective was concentrated on the idea that people of the LGBT+ community did not need to apologise for their sexual orientations and gender identities to receive social acceptance. New York City saw the first gay pride march on 28 June 1971 organised by the Gay Activists Alliance. In the present, even though there are multiple pride parades across the world, little thought

is given to the advent of these demonstrations. This event solidified the concept of pride as a public demonstration for LGBT+ rights and had a profound impact on society, inspiring many new and creative pride celebrations to this day. In the same year, activists from the Gay Activists Alliance (GAA) disrupted the American Psychiatric Association’s annual meeting, demanding the removal of homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. This demand was officially met in 1973 and was a significant step towards destigmatising homosexuality and increasing social acceptance towards it. The movement also secured legal recognition for same-sex marriage in numerous countries, granting LGBT+ couples the same rights and benefits as heterosexual couples. Moreover, many companies began implementing inclusive policies, recognising the importance of diversity and equality in the workplace and forming the basis of the protection of LGBT+ rights in corporations in the present.

Dissenting drums: the beat of the anti-war movement

Lastly, increasing US involvement in the Vietnam War in the ‘60s, which continued in the ‘70s, created a strong wave of anti-war sentiment and protests demanding a peaceful resolution and withdrawal of troops from Vietnam. These were met with violence from the government under the Nixon administration, resulting in several casualties. On May 4 1970, the Ohio National Guard opened fire on students at Kent State University protesting the US invasion of Cambodia following the escalation of the Vietnam War. Four students were killed, and nine others were injured. This event galvanised opposition to the war and sparked nationwide protests. Just 10 days later, police opened fire on students at Jackson State College (now University) in Mississippi which further contributed to the overall climate of protest and opposition. The government’s violent response led to more ardent protests by the people. The Vietnam Veterans Against

the War (VVAW), a non-profit organisation, became a prominent voice within the anti-war movement. In 1971, VVAW conducted the ‘Winter Soldier Investigation’, where veterans testified about war crimes and atrocities they had witnessed or participated in during their service in Vietnam. This spread awareness of the gravity of US engagement in the war, the extent of harm caused by it, and its effects on soldiers and their families, which fuelled protests. Ultimately, the movement successfully forced the US to withdraw from the War in 1975 following the end of the draft in 1973. Protesters expressed solidarity with the people of Vietnam and emphasised the right of self-determination for the Vietnamese people, rejecting the notion of US intervention in the internal affairs of other nations. The anti-war movement mobilised public opinion against US intervention and neo-imperialistic policies. It culminated in the War Powers Act in 1973, created to place checks on the President’s power to initiate actions without explicit congressional authorisation. As a result, US intervention in the contemporary political climate is met with higher scrutiny to avoid past failures.

Undoubtedly, society has come a long way, yet it is far from perfect, and there is a wide scope for improvement in terms of social and political rights for women and the LGBT+ community as well as the reduction of wars. Nevertheless, these movements were a prominent step towards change, giving people in the 21st century more freedom to express their opinions, escape the bounds of stereotypes, and advocate for peace. But most importantly, they gave us hope – hope that change is possible so that every individual facing discrimination is empowered to use their voice and demand action for peace, equality, and justice. Just as how people in the ‘60s and ‘70s fought for what they knew was right, we can do the same in the 21st century. >>Images: Flickr/TommyJapan1 (top) and pingnews.com (bottom)

Features x Music

The Warwick Arts Festival

A whirlwind weekend championing the student creative scene

ive music is a central tenet of the University of Warwick, and this pillar of campus life was established right from the beginning in the ‘70s. Students in 2023 can attest to melodies ringing out of the Arts Centre practice rooms at all times, from Mozart to modern pop. With over 30 bands participating in BandSoc’s Battle of the Bands and more than 20 ensembles in the University’s own Music Centre – and all of these groups being student-run – the student live music scene could not be more alive and well.

The Students' Union hosted numerous notable acts, including Pink Floyd and Bob Marley & the Wailers This remains a testament to our predecessors from the founding of the University, with the campus being known from day one as one of the places outside of London to host big names as they made their way through the industry. Even before the commissioned construction of the Arts Centre in 1974, the Students’ Union hosted numerous notable acts, including Pink Floyd and Bob Marley & the Wailers, both of whose legacies still ring throughout the music industry to this day by Sanjana Iyer (she/her) Crucially, despite the star-studded guest list the University has seen over the last 50 years, it has always championed equality of opportunity, enabling anybody to participate in live performances. In an entry from the Coventry Music Archive’s Blog, Trev Teasdel describes not fitting in amongst the other poets at one of the University’s festivals but remaining determined to go up and perform his reading. While Teasdel recounts a room of poets in tuxedos waiting to go on stage, there is no longer any certain type of look defining a creative on campus. With dozens of societies carving out creative spaces on campus, from Warwick Creatives and Black Untitled to Line (Warwick Fashion and Editorial Society) and Word Society, the diversity found in this next generation of creative minds is probably the peak of what the University has seen so far. This leaves a very exciting image of what’s to come from young artists on campus across all artistic forms, yet it’s the mixed media arts festivals of the 1970s that established a focal point for student performance and expression. The annual Warwick Universi-

ty Arts Festival, taking place over a weekend (Friday to Sunday) in early March, brought together both students and local performers in a symphonious blend of self-expression, whether through music, poetry, theatre, or dance. The beauty of the Festival was its open arms welcoming anyone in. For performers, even without a designated slot, they had the opportunity to go on stage in the ‘Open House’ hours where “anyone [could] come up on stage and do anything”. The festival was also a fun for the whole family event, with numerous plays in the Warwick Children’s Theatre and even a grand kite competition (though this is something I’m sure would not just excite kids). A jam-packed schedule for one incredibly cheap (£1-2) all-inclusive ticket meant the campus was truly taken over by the arts for this weekend. The claws of inflation held their grip even in the '70s, with incremental 25p increases in ticket prices each year, but with a ‘high’ price of £2 in 1975 for three packed days of entertainment, this entry fee was a complete steal. The programme lists included not only concerts spanning genres including folk, classical, and rock, but also film screenings, dance performances, one act plays that ran on all three days, shows, guitar recitals, and more. Yet even outside the scheduled programming, there was no shortage of artistic action to be found, with an abundance of street theatre as well as troubadours busking around the buildings, not to mention the art and photography exhibitions. Even within the music scene at the festival, the acts on offer traversed continents and epochs, as the 1974 Festival hosted a classical Indian troupe named Gupta, comprising a sitar, tabla, and tamboura, as well as Gryphon, who used lutes and crumhorns to immerse themselves (and the audi-

ence) in mediaeval music.

Preceding the Warwick University Arts Festival was the Lanchester Arts Festival, organised by Lanchester Polytechnic (now Coventry University): a one-week affair that drew many Warwick students and featured substantially in the editions of Campus (the former Warwick newspaper) at the time. The Lanchester Festival invited some exciting acts, significantly hosting Monty Python’s first live performance at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry. Tickets were sold in cities across the country, from Manchester to London; this big affair still left a gap for a student-run festival that provided an avenue for anyone to perform. In the 67th edition of Campus, published in 1970, then student Bob Bone picked up on the “possibility of involving the community in the area of the University and students and staff of the University”, and then went on to ask: “What better way could there be than through an Arts Festival?” And he was absolutely correct.

Bringing together local performers alongside student-led acts, the Warwick Arts Festival drew crowds from around the surrounding areas, with ticket pickups available across Coventry, Leamington Spa, and Kenilworth alongside an atmosphere conducive to all groups and interests. Championing this community spirit, every festival also had opportunities for attendees to get deeply involved in the arts, running both workshops, such as a blues workshop, as well as having acts with audience participation, my favourite one being 'The Catastrophic Cosmic Climax Show', described as being a concert, a party and more with “a cast of thousands … including yourselves”. If I could visit one event from the Festival, it would probably be 'Through the looking glass: a human chess game' just for the sheer absurdity; perhaps this should inspire us to bring that one

Harry Potter scene back onto the hallowed halls of Warwick University.

The opportunity to experiment has always been a central point of the student arts scene at Warwick The opportunity to experiment has always been a central point of the student arts scene at Warwick, and continuing the legacy of the '70s, there are a plethora of ways on campus to exercise your creative brain. The whole host of different societies, with new ones springing up each year to cater to more and more niches, run incredible events, with a highlight of last year being BandSoc’s WICKFEST. Set up with a stage outside of Senate House, the booming bass could be heard from the path to Tesco, as students lay, danced, and cheered on the lawn outside of the FAB, drifting in and out throughout the day as they revelled in nine hours of free live music from our very own talented student body. Live music at Warwick had a strong folk epicentre in the '70s, which has shifted more towards rock, hip-hop, and rap with the prominence of BandSoc and Warwick Creatives across campus.

Their regular showcases and open mic nights are a core avenue for anyone who wants to feel the campus community come together to support aspiring artists, or just try something new. Yet, these events and societies still span genres as they did in the '70s, with acoustic sets and various solo acts always to be found. Still today, student artists can be seen to “row their artistic boats against the waves of artistic conformity” and find new ways to break the mould,

as Trevor Teasdel described the acts of the Warwick Arts Festival in the 1970s.

Besides human chess, if there were one thing we should revive from the '70s, it is the mixed media Arts Festival that runs across campus. While every creative society has their niche and excels in it, they only burrow further into their individual areas, and we have no focal point to experience all the Warwick arts scene has to offer in one whirlwind weekend.

We could bring back the festival to be even bigger and better, celebrating the significantly more diverse and international student body we now have Imagine the FAB spilling with spoken word poets; one act plays in the Oculus seminar rooms; troubadours trailing through Social Sciences; the WICKFEST stage in its glory outside Senate House and T-Bar; and the Copper Rooms and Fusion as late night bars and retro disco halls, bringing back the festival of student arts that runs into the early hours of the morning as it did in the '70s. As a weekend you would never want to end and a core memory of your Warwick experience, we could bring back the festival to be even bigger and better, celebrating the significantly more diverse and international student body we now have, with poems, dances, theatre music, and more that span not only genres, but cultures and languages too.

>> Images: Unsplash

Features

What did the Warwick student look like in the ‘70s? F

rom bell bottoms and disco music to activism and protests, the 1970s were an iconic period of history, leading us to question what the Warwick student looked like in this decade. The years 1970 to 1979 saw an increase in the number of students accessing higher education. By the end of the decade, 14% of school students went on to university, and 68,150 students were in the process of obtaining their first degrees. At the beginning of the 1970s, the University of Warwick was only five years old, meaning that the ‘70s saw the growth, expansion, and development of the University take place. by Rachel Gore (she/her)

Students’ Union After many campaigns by students, the Students’ Union (SU) Building was opened in 1975, giving students a place which belonged to them. Prior to this, Warwick students had enjoyed SU events that were held in a large, inflatable buildings on campus. The typical Warwick student had an affiliation with the SU and felt that the new building was a symbol of the student organisation at Warwick. It reflected the students’ right to have a say on University matters. Student life involved the range of services offered by the SU. These services included a record store, games room, travel bureau, coffee bar, second-hand bookshop, and juke box. In 1978, the SU’s turnover exceeded £300,000; it was reinvested into the Union so that the students could enjoy the benefits of the money.

showing us that 1970s Warwick students enjoyed socials similar to those that we enjoy today.

Academics By the beginning of the 1970s, the Library had already been built. It was vital for students as the World Wide Web was only founded in 1989. Students spent time in the Library studying and gathering information. Sally Waterson, a student at Warwick between 1969 and 1973, recalled the Library being her favourite place on campus. However, it struggled to meet student needs in the face of surging books prices. The academic departments at the University were divided into three boards in the 1970s. These were Arts, Social Studies, and Science. In the academic year starting in 1971, there were 596 students studying undergraduate Science degrees, with only 149 of these being women. The distribution was similar for Social Studies, with 193 of the 687 students under this board being women. However, the Arts board was majority-female, with just 265 out of 687 undergraduate Arts students being men. In the 1976-77 academic year, the number of undergraduate students in each department had almost doubled, but the majority were still men. Out of 1047 Science students, 197 were women. At this point in the decade, most students studied Social Studies.

Many 1970s students enjoyed socialising in the University bars. The Students’ Union ran many bars, with the main two being ‘The Market Bar’ and the ‘Sean Hosey Bar’.

RAG week, however, was an event that Warwick students participated in throughout the 1970s. For example, in 1971, RAG week involved a six-legged bar crawl,

Only a year later, students began protesting about an increase in catering prices. They were now required to pay 2p more; the price of a budget meal had become 32p. In response to the growth of the National Front, Warwick students became involved in anti-racism protests towards the end of the 1970s.

By 1980, Warwick had on-campus accommodation for approximately 2,600 students. The typical Warwick first-year student lived on campus or in other University-owned housing in nearby towns. However, some students who were late to accept their places at the University did have to live in private lodgings.

Over 800 students lived in Rootes Residences. It was made up of six ‘houses’ ,and like the Rootes we know today the halls had communal kitchens for self-catering. Unlike today, the student of the 1970s, had bedding provided and laundered. Cryfield Hall was another popular accommodation choice. However, here, residents shared a communal evening meal. Tocil Flats, Whitefields, and Cryfield Flats were opened for students later on in the decade.

Political opinion

These statistics highlight the fact that the typical Warwick student from this time was male. By the end of the ‘70s a further Department of Education Studies had been added, showing that the Warwick student was changing as new degrees were offered. In the ‘70s, 1/3 of students in the UK were awarded firsts. In contrast, in the 2022/23 academic year, over 2/3 of students were awarded firsts.

to SU meetings, outrage exploded across campus. Sit-ins were organised, and students in Manchester and Oxford followed suit, organising their own sit-ins. 1975 saw a rent strike that resulted in a month-long occupation of Senate House. These Warwick students were paying £4.82 a week for a room in Rootes Residences.

The campus catering team ran three refectories which offered breakfast, snacks, sandwiches, lunch, and dinner. Most students ate in these refectories with few leading an entirely self-catered lifestyle.

Social life

Popular music of the time, such as disco and punk, was played at the bars. Some students even enjoyed specific bars that played jazz music and sold wine. The most popular beverages amongst university students in the 1970s were gin and tonic, wine, beer, and vermouth. Unfortunately, the students of the ‘70s did not experience ‘POP!’ or nights out in the Students’ Union building, as ‘The Copper Rooms’ were yet to exist.

Accommodation

Most Warwick students had strong political and social stances which they made visible. Life in the ‘70s at Warwick was characterised by student unrest. In 1970 a 24-hour sit-in occured in the central administrative building. The students were disciplined, but a week later they returned for an unspecified length of time. It was during the second occupation that students found documents that detailed surveillance of politically-active students. After finding out that Warwick Council businessmen had sent informants

It was then in 1972 that the ‘Koan’, the ominous oft-spinning cone shaped sculpture towering over campus by Senate Hall, became a part of Warwick life, as students watched it be purchased by the University and placed on campus.

The 1970s was also the decade that saw the launch of ‘Nightline’, a service that offers emotional support, resources, and information to students across the country. The implementation of this service at the University of Warwick shows that the typical student felt that they could need support during the night. It also highlights the fact that these students had strong opinions and acted on their thoughts to make the university a better and safer institution.

Religious beliefs

Final thoughts

In the ‘Guide to First Degree Courses 1973-1974’ the section titled “RELIGION AND THE CHAPLAINS” shows the growth in religious beliefs at the University. The Anglican and Free Church students shared a service each Sunday morning, with the Catholic Mass occurring at the same time in a different room. Students would then meet afterwards for coffee, showing how they enjoyed expressing themselves through religion and that religion was a way to meet other people and develop relationships with fellow students.

The typical University of Warwick student in the 1970s lived a life filled with socials and activism as they watched the university change and grow. The fact that these students could attend university for free, with grants for tuition and accommodation, meant that cohorts were from all different backgrounds and ways of life. However, many students were male, and religious opinions tended to be similar amongst the pupils.It is clear that the ‘70s was an exciting time to attend the University of Warwick. It was a decade of music, progress, and crucially, one that saw the University of Warwick develop into the institution that we know it to be today.

The fact that the ‘70s saw the beginning of discussions on the construction of a Chaplaincy Centre speaks to the importance of religion at Warwick. A building dedicated to religion was seen as a necessity for the University. This building would be home to the three chaplains who were Anglican, Free Church, and Roman Catholic respectively. There was not much diversity in the religious opportunities at the University in the 1970s, suggesting that the student body did not hold diverse religious beliefs.

Daily life The Sports Centre was constructed in 1971 which gave students the opportunity to exercise and socialise through sport.

» Images: Guide to First Degree Courses: 1977-78 UWA/PUB/4/14, Guide of First Degree Courses: 1972-73 UWA/PUB/4/9, Union handbook: 1968-9 UWA/PUB/S/HB/3 (Modern Records Centre) (edited) (top to bottom)

Features

In conversation with the co-founder of The Boar

hatting to Kasper de Graaf, co-founder of The Boar, is a bit like sharing stories with an older student about teachers, campus, and extracurriculars. Except, this older student is around 50 years my senior, we have no teachers in common, and the Warwick campus he grew up on looked quite different compared to mine. There are some things we have in common, however: we have both struggled to reconcile time for our degrees with our dedication to The Boar. “I did it for a term, but Godfrey did it for a week, before he realised he needed to get his degree,” he says about the other co-founder, writer and musician Godfrey Rust. by Alexandra Luca (she/her)

Kasper de Graaf (then)

Students meeting during occupation

The pair were chatting over beer in the Penny Farthing Bar, which in 1973 was located above Rootes Hall, when they came up with the name. “We wanted to give it some suggestion of gravitas ”, Kasper noted. The suggestively named Campus newspaper, which preceded The Boar by a few years, lived a life about as exciting as its name and died a timely death, but, as Kasper points out, “any university’s gonna have a newspaper”. From an interview Kasper and Godfrey gave The Boar in 2020, we learn that they were involved with Campus before its demise, such that they were best suited to continue its legacy. The name of The Boar was inspired, in reality, by a made-up tradition of a wild boar in the area surrounding campus, imagined by Kasper and Godfrey. Godfrey told The Boar that “it was so bad that it just kind of worked. It was completely [the work of ] two drunken students”.

“In the ‘60s, everything was possible” “There was a jokey atmosphere around it”, yet Kasper noted “it got very serious very quickly”. It was certainly the real deal: available in print once a week, The Boar soon became the heart of campus politics. And, well, there was a lot to cover regarding student politics at University. “In the ‘60s, everything was possible – there were grants for everything and increasing accessibility”. However, the following decade saw the birth of austerity. University became less financially accessible, rents went up, and students were consistently making demands of their administration.

March through Coventry with (later Home Secretary) Charles Clarke » Images: Jack Bernard

The ‘70s were a period of protracted turmoil. Students were discontented with the “rising youth unemployment, lack of job availability and no prospects”. Students weren’t only concerned with local issues, however. Kasper remembers

the decade with nostalgia, but the storyline is far from lighthearted. I learned about Kevin Gately, a 21-year-old Mathematics student, who was the first person to die in a public demonstration in Britain for 55 years, at the 1974 Red Lion Square counter-protest against a fascist National Front march. The then-four sections of The Boar – News, Art and Culture, Features, and Sport – covered stories about liberation movements that transpired across the world, according to Kasper.

Student politicians and The Boar’s journalists were very close, I learned. “We still keep in touch a lot. I saw them last night, actually.” I learnt a lot about the group then and now: South African-born Stephen Laufer surprised everyone by becoming a Spokesperson for the US Army and Speechwriter for a right-wing Christian Democratic Union mayor in Germany, before being arrested after the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989. He was unmasked as as KGB agent and deported to South Africa, where he became a Transport Spokesman in the Mandela government. Another, Linda Gunter (née Pentz), followed a different, but similarly spirited professional rollercoaster: she became a tennis commentator before going on to work as an anti-nuclear campaigner.

The ones who made their voices heard “really represented the attitude of a majority of students” I am taken aback. Kasper reassures me: “There were equally many unremarkable people.” It goes without saying that the ones who made their voices heard “really represented the attitude of a majority of students and what Warwick was all about”.

This is the landscape against which Kasper saw The Boar become a “campaigning newspaper”. Kasper was more politically minded, while Godfrey leaned towards the arts. However, the paper couldn’t escape expressing its political leaning. After the first week, Godfrey stayed on as a columnist and would publish poems under the byline ‘G. Thomas Utcocks’, an acronym for ‘Shattock must go’ (Michael Shattock was Warwick’s Academic Registrar). The paper also regularly featured political cartoons and once even published a feature signed by Tony Benn, a former Labour MP.

He thinks things are different now. With everything being “at our disposal”, but also facing a constantly changing job environment, he thinks a lot of people “have switched off, they don’t trust anyone anymore and they believe all politi-

cians are the same”.

“I don’t think, at the situation you’re in, the student newspaper at a university like Warwick is capable of that now,” Kasper remarked. I asked why. After all, while the political and social context Warwick is situated in has changed, students still feel threatened by the University’s tendency to run the institution like a business. Similarly to ‘70s protesters against then Vice-Chancellor Lord Butterworth’s efforts to make the University commercially viable, which some perceived as taking place at the expense of students, the same is true of some current students, who feel unsettled by the University’s industry links.

Kasper de Graaf (now)

“The challenges are still there, the extent to which you can change these things is limited.” If anyone should know, it’s him. Kasper was part of the group who occupied Senate House in protest of rent hikes. “We lost, we got thrown out by police and we didn’t get anything out of it.”

The spirit of change is, as I learned, ingrained in Warwick’s DNA. But why does learning about the ghosts of the past feel forbidden, like holding the philosophers’ stone, exciting but in a stomach- turning kind of way? Kasper has an answer for me. “There is a sense amongst the group of old Boar people and former student politicians that the present-day University likes to forget that period, they don’t want to encourage students to get uppity. This is a very short sighted view.” He argues we ought to embrace our whole heritage, not just the bits we like.

50 years on, The Boar newsroom still houses the same stereotypical student journalists. Though our focus is now more global in scope, it doesn’t mean we aren’t deeply preoccupied with campus matters. Perhaps we needed a friendly reminder that the 200 acres that we eat, sleep, and study on were built, shaped, and directed by students just like us, who weren’t afraid to speak up for what they thought was right. After all, Kasper’s words ring true: “You don’t always win, but the important thing is to always question and challenge.”

Stephen Laufer

“ In the ‘60s, everything

was possible – there were grants for everything and increasing accessibility

”

Niall Kavanagh

Comment

13 Editor: Sanjana Iyer (she/her) comment@theboar.org

' T he B usin ess Un i v ers i t y ' :

A reflection on E. P. Thompson’s critique of the University of Warwick

t’s 3 February 1970. As a student of the relatively new University of Warwick, you are one of the 300 students marching on the Gibbet Hill site to occupy the Registry as a part of a protest against the administration’s unwillingness to accept proposals for a Students’ Union (SU) building. A few days into the occupation, dossiers recording the political activities of members of the University community are discovered. Staff immediately go on strike, demanding a full investigation and accountability of the Senate and Council for their authoritarian surveillance of the university’s workers and students. by Theo Redman (he/him)

These are the events that historian E. P. Thompson relayed in his 1970 book: Warwick University Ltd. As a second-year history student myself, Thompson is all too familiar to me, because staff in my department proudly claim him as one of our own. What they have never mentioned is the scathing critique of the University of Warwick that he wrote when he resigned. His argument was this: from the University’s inception, its interests have been subordinated to those of local industry and industrial capitalism. As a result, the University’s leadership acted with no respect for the interests of its staff and students, whom it treated like recalcitrant agitators. At the same time, they catered to the private interests of “an industrialintellectual oligarchy.” It is for these reasons that he condemned it with the epithet, “The Business University”. As The Boar reflects on Warwick in the ‘70s, I wanted to bring this work to light for its insight into the then and now. Though they are far from prophets, historians sometimes offer prescient warnings about the future. Do Thompson’s criticisms about the marketisation of the university hold up today?

Higher education is currently having an identity crisis. Since the 1970s, state funding to universities has been cut, causing them to seek more and more investment from private sources. The introduction of tuition fees in 1998 fully formalised the transformation of higher education into a commercial product as opposed to a state-provided service. The financial burden and means of access now falls to the private wealth of individuals rather than the state.

Sunak's heavy-handed plans deny intellectual freedoms The impact of this is still being reckoned with today as the government’s education reforms hold employability and economic outcomes in the front and centre. Rishi Sunak’s “crackdown” on so-called “rip-off ” degrees that don’t increase employability or earning potential is the result. Thus, what is

available on the higher education market has become economised and subject to state interests before the interests of individuals. Alongside the brutalisation of degrees deemed to be unprofitable, Sunak’s heavyhanded plans, that force students between 16 and 18 to continue to learn Maths and English for these same reasons, further deny the intellectual freedoms and possibilities of our education system. Preparing people for the career world is what university is about, isn’t it? Today this viewpoint is widely agreed with. It’s hard to go two steps on campus without stumbling upon representatives from banks, investment firms, hedge funds, and companies seeking to recruit you. Our SU hosts a multitude of societies that reinforce the idea that the university is a launchpad into the career world. Even academic societies do their part in running LinkedIn workshops and CV clinics. I don’t want to derogate these aspects of university life. In fact, I believe the careers-based support at Warwick is one of our advantages. It screams opportunity, ambition, and future thinking. No doubt it greatly benefits and enables many people.

Yet in my view, we’ve lost the general spirit of academia and what it means to be a student as a result. It sometimes feels as though students are just slugging through lectures, seminars, and exams so that someone like J.P. Morgan or Goldman Sachs will view us more favourably in their recruitment processes, as a result of the Warwick name, regardless of any personal passion for the subjects we are doing. In this case, degrees have simply become a rubber stamp that mark you as a potentially valuable asset to someone else that you are incurring thousands of pounds of debt for. Therefore, the degree itself is robbed of its enriching potential.

A lack of participation dampens the potential [of the SU's democracy] Thompson also saw how democracy at the University was at risk. Of chief concern was how the higher management continually acted against the interests of its members. Through continued pressure, the goal of having an SU building was finally realised in 1975. It’s also reassuring to now see that the University Council has two student members from our elected SU leadership, as opposed to the business cabal he describes in the '70s.

The SU is a firmly democratic institution with elected leadership and termly All Student Votes (ASV). Nonetheless, levels of participation are low, with only 671 individual voters taking part in the Summer 2023 ASV. It seems that most of our interactions with the SU are for its commercial services like the club, the café, and the pub rather than political campaigning. I reckon it’s possible for you to spend your entire

time here without even knowing its politics. Technology has the potential to widen student participation, but the low levels of engagement in these digital votes may stem from a general lack of awareness of the SU’s political functions. In Thompson’s Warwick of the '70s, such alienation seems impossible as students were dependent on word of mouth or print for the spread of information. While democracy at the University is promoted by the SU, a lack of participation dampens its potential.

Higher education primarily produces workers before thinkers The tradition of activism at Warwick continues, with demonstrations from groups such as Plant-Based Universities Warwick and Warwick Action for Palestine seen on campus this October. The upper management of the University still comes under fire from community campaigns as they did in the ‘70s, such as those in recent years that criticised their handling of sexual assault cases, their involvement with the arms industry, and their provision of substandard accommodation. Strike action taken by the University and Colleges Union (UCU) during the cost-of-living crisis against the casualisation of teaching expectations and real -terms pay cuts have further increased the pressure. That being said, the possibility of hundreds of students storming Gibbet Hill seems unlikely, let alone such an endeavour being led by the SU itself. It’s even more surprising when you bear in mind that the population of the university at the time was approximately 1,800 students, compared to the nearly 30,000 that there are today. It’s hard not to see Warwick today as reflective of Thompson’s belief that higher education is a commercial product serving economic rather than educational purposes. In this way, capitalism does subordinate the university by making this its primary function. We live in a world where higher education primarily produces workers before thinkers, managers before academics, and capital before creativity. That being said, Warwick has maybe not suffered such a democratic crisis as Thompson foresaw. The SU has been transformed to take on a more integrated role in the University’s governance rather than being an antagonist to it. Activism on campus continues to pres-

sure the university and be an important vocalisation of student and staff demands. Yet most concerningly, it’s entirely possible for students to glide through time at Warwick without giving University politics a second thought.

HAVE AN OPINION? WRITE FOR THE COMMENT SECTION! WHETHER YOU WANT TO RANT ABOUT ANYTHING OR DISCUSS A MODERN ISSUE, WE WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.

Illustration by Maddie Scrimshaw (she/her)

LETTERS

15 November 1973

THE IRISH CASE Dear Sir, and Fellow Students,

Many British citizens- ask “what does the IRA want – why don’t they come out in the open and fight etc?” This is understandable. However, so long as there is a cause for which men and women are willing to die, the struggle to solve the problem will continue ad infinitium. The Irish cause has existed for hundreds of years, but as long as the average Britisher was not directly affected, (as they have been lately) they could not give one damn for the Irish people’s wishes. Every British schoolchild learned how and why the conquest of Ireland was accomplished. But how many of us ever learned that well over three million Irish died from starvation, noose, pipe, pitch cap, and from slaughter in general. Genocide was practised on at least two occasions.

We British should ask ourselves if the “shoe wer on the other foot”. And France, under Napoleon, had treated the English as we did the Irish, would we not struggle as the Irish have done and are still doing? Some of your readers may not realise that Ulster was created as a colony, in order to control the native Irish and to protect Britain’s western flank from France and from Spain. Northern Ireland is today, merely 4 continuance of that same colony. In fact, Northern Ireland is the world’s only white colony, outside of the Iron Curtain (nothing for Britain to be proud of ).

We say that the majority of citizens in NI wish to maintain the British connection. Quite true. But, and here we may become enlightened the results of the ALL IRELAND VOTE, held in 1918, yielded the following results: for continuing the Union with Britain – 308,713, as opposed to those who wishes to break the connection – 1,207,251. A tremendous majority one must admit. After three years of revolt against the 70,000 British troops of occupation the country was forcibly divided. Even the division was a botched affair, for at least two of the six counties did not want to be included in NI. It is interesting to read the statement of the General in charge of the British troops in Ireland, General Gough wrote – “law and order have given way to bloody and brutal anarchy, in which the armed agents of the crown violate every law in aimless and vindictive savagery. England has departed from her standards and further from the standards of any nation in the world, not excepting the Turk and the Zulu, than has ever been known in history before.”

The solution is simple. We must first realise that Ireland is a Nation in her own right. We should also admit that Britain has treated her in a most disgraceful manner. Sincerely,

George Sandys

11 November 2023

THE OPPOSING IRISH CASE

LOVELY LEAMINGTON

Dear Sir, and Fellow Students,

It is my great pleasure to inform you (though I suspect you would have no such similar reaction) that 50 years on from your letter, Northern Ireland remains loyally a part of the United Kingdom. I won’t pretend that this has been an easy achievement – more keen historians than me could count the hundreds killed and dozens of treaties violated that threatened to derail a resolution to the conflict – but I think it would be fair to say that we have today achieved a lasting peace of the kind that you would never have dreamt possible.

Your argument, that conflict would continue so long as there remained a cause for which people were willing to die for, grossly underestimated, plainly, the drive of others to bring about peace, a determination which in the end bested the thirst for more senseless violence. We can be thankful for men unlike yourself, who were able to look beyond abstract historical grievances in studying the situation of the day – and who, I might add, were able to refrain from so blatantly twisting the facts to suit their own agendas. Your supposition that an island-wide vote held 50 years before your own time provided a valid mandate for Irish unification is brazenly ignorant of the actual cultural makeup of Ulster, then and now, and was clearly only intended to justify an inane desire for neat borders on a map. You treated readers then to a poem that simplified all the complex cultural and religious nature of the territory into a straight case of British imperialism. Putting aside that crass disregard for the desires of the people of Ulster themselves, let me concern you with my own excerpt, from a song published in 1984. “All rights and all wrongs have long since blown away,

For causes are ashes where children lye slain, Yet the damned UDL and the cruel IRA will tomorrow go murdering again.”

That song gets to the heart of the matter. 257 children died in The Troubles, according to the Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN). 23 of them were five and under. In no world could protesting “the world’s only white colony” justify the deaths of, for instance, Jonathan Ball and Tim Parry, 12 and three years old respectively, killed by an IRA bomb hidden in a litter bin in the town of Warrington, England. What possible relation could their lives have held to the conflict, besides the cruel fashion in which they were ended?

The simple truth is that no struggle, however righteous, becomes anything more than an irrelevant grievance the instant the first child dies. Once, in your time, it might have seemed impossible that Unionists and Nationalists could have found anything in their myriad ideologies to agree on. Now, however, we can see that what wins out in the end over any agendas of blood, soil, or creed, is an overwhelming urge to simply stop the deaths of innocents. And thank heavens for that. Sincerely yours,

>> Image: Flaticon.com

1 February 1978

Martin Day (he/him)

Dear Bore,

Having spent three delightful terms in Leamington last year, we, the undersigned, should like to express our shock and distaste at reading Ms. J. Hardman’s misconception in last week’s Boar.

Music of the '70s by Alina Miao (she/her)

Anyone who has sought a decent place of imbibation or even a chip shop, or even any shop (bar, V.G. and Sainsburys) within reasonable walking distance of their habitation could extol endlessly upon the virtues of this Jewel of Warwickshire. Its wide tree-lined boulevards, and its melowing grandeur compare favourably with the concrete canyons of campus. Let’s face it: Leamington is Bloody Marvellous. Ex-residents of 51 Russel Terrace and Breton Lodge, Roger, Anne, Frances, Tim and Roy.

5 November 2023

LEAMINGTON IS STILL LOVELY

TO LEAM OR NOT TO LEAM?

Dear Roger, Anne, Frances, Tim and Roy,

As you're forced to leave the comfort of campus behind after your first year, the age old question arises: to live in Leamington Spa or not to live in Leamington Spa? If you're unsure of where to go, or doubting your decisions as you sit in your second-year house, take this short quiz to find out where you should be!

Clearly, I accept this is not the fault of our beloved town, but merely a symptom of Stagecoach’s market monopoly. If anything, our pub-studded vape-shop-spotted Parade is the ideal wallpaper to wait against.

1. WHAT MATTERS THE MOST TO YOU?

I need only skim your account of Leamington to gauge that it was written before the genesis of Stagecoach and its many issues. In my second year of habitation in the town so widely considered the gem of the Midlands that it received its own Monopoly game, I have never met such a life-affirming bus-taker (or, rather, bus-awaiter).

Indeed, it is the duality of Leamington that intrigues me: how one minute the Parade can smile on you, as the breezy cedar trees pave your stroll, and the next you’ve crossed the frontier into the south; the clouds menacingly gather above your head and ominous music starts playing. It’s never sunny in the south.

Leamington is the kind of town that has been touched by modernity, yet hasn’t embraced it fully. Anyone who has strolled home from a night out on the bridge over Jephson Gardens can sense this: Parish Church stands at the throne over the River Leam, lamps from surrounding establishments light the path, yet the predominant noise in the crisp air is the water flowing, the overlord of the town.

Regarding modernity, dear Bore, I think Roger, Anne, Frances, Tim and Roy should know their former residence at 51 Russell Terrace presently hosts a software company. I would be amused, but I know better: why should I conceive my home now has been dealt a better hand? My home, above The Old Library Pub (yes, I can sleep, and no, I don’t go there that often), might very well turn into an office building for the latest plant-based locally sourced start-up. Perhaps this is the disillusionment you face now.

I imagine life outside the “bubble”, as we self-indulgently like to call it, is bittersweet. I couldn’t find what Ms. Hardman wrote that called for such an impassioned Letter to the Editor, but for what I know Leamington to be, I will join ranks with your cause. Here’s to our chip shops and our (sometimes) decent places of imbibation!

A: Proximity to a public house to imbibe in B: Never having to wake up earlier than 8am C: Being unlikely to run into intoxicated students on your walk home 2. WHICH IS YOUR IDEAL HOLIDAY? A: A week in Malaga, Marbella, and/ or Ibiza B: A retreat in the woods away from civilisation C: A city getaway filled with museums and cafe visits 3. WHAT'S YOUR IDEA OF GIRL DINNER? A: Walk to the nearest restaurant B: A Tesco meal deal C: I will always chef up a meal If you chose mostly A's, you're destined for the Leamington life. You may not get much sleep living opposite Viallis, but you will be the embodiment of work hard play hard (arguably more of the latter).

If you chose mostly B's, Coventry, Canley or Warwick campus are the places for you. You value your sleep and proximity to Big Tesco, and could not be paid to have to deal with the buses on the daily. If you chose mostly C's, you may be best suited to the calmer areas of North Leamington. You like your space but still value being surrounded by things more interesting than just student houses.

Sincerely,

Alexandra

Letters

Japanese cartoons of the '70s by Alina Miao (she/her)

10 November 2023

CALL FOR AN END TO WAR Dear Editor,

Gaza has now seen the arbitrary killings of over 10,000 civilians. In retaliation to Hamas, Israel has taken the lives of seven times as many victims as those stemming from the attack on 7 October 2023.

“Over the coming days, we will remain united and coordinated, together as allies, and as common friends of Israel, to ensure Israel is able to defend itself, and to ultimately set the conditions for a peaceful and integrated Middle East region”, said our leading nations, as if they are humble heroes here to save the day.

Injustice speaks for itself. Just take a look at the mass public agitation against war across the world. Globally, tens of thousands have rallied in solidarity with Palestinians at the heart of the escalating terror, condemning these countless attacks and demanding an immediate ceasefire. In Cape Town, a collective of Jewish, Muslim, and Christian students organised an ‘Honour of All the Palestinian Martyrs’ vigil where candles were lit, flowers were laid, and messages were written by activists. NGO-operated cruise ship Pacific World, also hosted a demonstration carrying a banner stating "Stop killing Gaza", with numerous travellers on board holding up signs in solidarity with Palestinians. Believe it or not, noble leaders of Paris, Indonesia, Pakistan, Syria, Rome, and California have all protested. Even an Orthodox Jewish rabbi attended a rally in support of Palestinians in New York recently. So, surely, we’re not still excusing this as self-defence, right?

by Gunisha Aggarwal (she/her)

Take a second to think about all the information presented. Political warfare, Western incitement of that state of conflict, and a public response that is overwhelmingly against the stance taken by the government - does that ring a bell? The 1970s-era United States of America witnessed the peak of their historical peace movement in opposi-

tion to the USA's escalating role in the Vietnam war, famously known for its slogan ‘Flower Power’. The anti-war movement in the USA began with demonstrations in 1965 and blossomed into a broad social movement that continued for several years. The movement was salient in informing the polarising debate within the United States and ultimately contributed to the withdrawal of troops in 1972 and a complete end to American involvement by 1973. If they did it then, what goes to say it can’t be done now? More than ever, during this moment in time, anti-war action is in dire demand.

Second to none is the proliferation of public protest. Needless to say, with that comes unity. Not bifurcations like supporters of Israel and defenders of Palestine or Jews and Muslims – rather, only one body with a common desire for world peace and an end to terror. We all want to prevent future generations from experiencing trauma, another wave of victims stifled in silence by the unimaginable bloodbaths that could have been stopped. The same veterans who defended their country in Vietnam swallowed their pride in the name of justice, throwing over 700 medals onto the Capitol building in 1971. Equally, the 1970s peace movement grew its powerful force via the participation of the African-American civil rights movement, second-wave feminist movements, Chicano movements, and organised labour groups. Once defined by their differences, from 1965 they were empowered by their common humanity. Don’t settle with Sunak’s support for specific pauses. There is nothing humanitarian in gifting Gaza a ‘break’ from ceaseless missile fire. "Humanitarian" means no violence, no hatred, and an end to nurturing the ghosts that haunt Gaza. Yours truly,

Lauren Hadeed (she/her)

News

Lifestyle

Editor: Gunisha Aggarwal (she/her) lifestyle@theboar.org

THATCHERISM: girlbossing since the 1970s?

Gaslight, “gatekeep, girlboss

”

plex legacy. She broke a number of gender barriers, but she simultaneously garnered an unfavourable reputation as she disregarded women’s rights, sparked the rise of British nationalism, and shunned labour groups. In my opinion, Thatcher holds the title of a feminist icon without deserving it – a ‘girlboss’. She is seen by many as someone of the ‘wrong’ gender from the ‘wrong’ class who overcame invincible barriers and positioned herself at the top of the political hierarchy. Nevertheless, her role can be seen as an evident example of a more nuanced issue. Due to the lack of representation of women in a male-dominated society, political and personal views are often simply overlooked for the sake of putting strong women in power. The women who, instead of advocating for other women, defend questionable ideologies and anti-feminist policies, such as Thatcher, are portrayed as feminist messiahs.

As a woman, serving these distressing facts on a silver platter, although meaningful, does still not feel sufficient when trying to convey what it truly means to be discarded mainly based on one’s gender. I have seen how women underestimate their own abilities. Discrimination and misogynistic behaviour have been normalised and internalised in daily life and the workplace. Therefore, the development of concepts such as ‘confidence culture’, the umbrella category under which the ‘girlboss’ movement falls into, comes as no surprise. However, these movements neither address nor aim to fix systematic inequalities. They encourage women to change themselves to fit into the existing capitalist society instead of challenging the status quo. In other words, aspire to become a ‘girlboss’ by working on yourself instead of changing society's misogynist attitude.

What the people want back in fashion from the '70s

“Bring back maxi dresses” - Aanya Sisodia ot l-b e l be m he ee rs con! T so s o e o e e t us hi ar ” ov tro fas res tile l o a a d “I' tom int ig fl vers her k b c d is ba ally l an th F re coo - Be

by Estella Neumayr (she/her)

he seemingly simple phrase has taken over the Internet, spreading over every social media platform, from Instagram to TikTok. We all seem to understand the meaning behind the apparently straightforward slogan, which raises many questions. What even is an accurate representation of a ‘girlboss’? Are we using this term in an ignorant manner? I wonder if this title might have originated from the ‘Iron Lady’: Margaret Thatcher. In some ways, she arguably normalised female success in British politics. I question if a ‘girlboss’ truly reflects women's empowerment. On further analysis, I feel like it goes against the core principles of feminism. Let's dig deeper into the true complexities of ‘girlbossing’, starting with Margaret Thatcher before investigating the connotations and criticisms of the term in modern society. In 2013, late-night host Eric André invited singer Melanie Brown onto his talk show and asked her an innocent question: “Do you think Margaret Thatcher had girl power?”

Brown, without needing to think and without hesitation, confidently replied, “Yes, of course.” He followed up: “Do you think she effectively utilised girl power by funnelling money into illegal paramilitary death squads in Northern Ireland?”

The singer was clearly caught off guard, too stunned to speak, and simply responded, “I don’t know about that.” Margaret Thatcher was Britain's first female prime minister. Yet, she left a com-

The first female prime minister of the UK was able to garner that title, but during her tenure, she disempowered women everywhere. Is she still the original ‘girlboss’? Unfortunately, from the perspective of many, the answer to that question is still a resounding yes. This is true especially because a popular definition of the term, as the Michigan Daily reports, is “to make something or someone appear as a feminist idol or inspiration for profit, despite the numerous flaws of the person.” To understand the crucial point that I am trying to make, the key word to highlight here is “appear”. 'Girlbossing' these days is perceived as being all about appearing to rise above the patriarchy. It provides this illusion of an invincible woman in power without actually shining a light on the real issues women face in the workplace and society. This popular understanding of the term is why, at its core, the concept of a ‘girlboss’ cannot coexist with the principles of feminism. Instead, it should be seen as a form of toxic ‘empowerment’ that is slowing down the fight for gender equality. The modern-day ‘girlboss’ doesn't need to be empowered anymore. Her existence wrongly implies that all the progress that needs to be made in order to achieve gender equality has already been made. By loudly asserting how empowered she is while smashing the patriarchy and taking matters into her own hands, the ‘girlboss’ neglects that most of her peers are still battling misogyny. There have been many prominent examples of ‘girlbosses’ who have climbed the corporate ladder and credited their achievements to being a woman. This leads many to wrongly think that gender equality has been established successfully. However, this couldn't be further from the truth. These ‘girlbosses’ are among the few who have managed to climb the corporate ladder despite being women. To date, women, especially those in positions of power, are victims of misogynist backlash and face more scrutiny than their male counterparts. The gender wage gap is still very much a thing. According to the Guardian Guardian,, the gender wage gap stands at 9.4% in 2023 in the UK.

“Go go boots” - Abigail Mableson

of rio ds, t he an o t t db es t he n a o wa e h . T s ly its, hrm s ack e '70 l ” a re su tfo eb th g. “ I mp pla come of eeinr ju nd e a tyl y fr yya a ak ie s er a m ipp ms v hi N h ee Vid s -

We mustn’t let trends like the self-entitled ‘girlboss' detract from the importance of the pertinent and prevailing need of the feminist movement. We, as a society on the whole, not just women, are responsible for reinventing the meaning of a ‘girlboss’. I believe a true ‘girlboss’ should uplift others whilst fighting against the system and not other women. I hope this article has informed and inspired others to realise the importance of understanding the deeper meaning behind the seemingly empowering ‘girlboss’ wave. True feminism should work to uplift women. There is no one quintessential type of strong woman. Some strong women are trying to break the glass ceiling in the corporate world, while others are embodying more traditionally feminine jobs. As a collective, we shouldn't glorify Thatcher as the feminist aspiration for all. As women, our selfworth shouldn't be bound to the romanticised image of a ‘girlboss’, which revolves around individual success and sugarcoating it as feminism. Rather, we should have the freedom to choose our very own meaning of empowerment.

“Ponchos!” - Scott Steer

ee o snd r t e a e lik ld, ow 0s d p 7 o l ou ig, b wer he ' ck.” w o t “ I he b t fl om eba ng t ran fr m ua o s vibrint e a cica H p ak ss m - Je

» Images: Flickr (top left), Wikimedia Commons (centre), Flaticon (top right), Rawpixel (bottom right)

Lifestyle

The renaissance of flared trousers: why are they back in 2023?

grew up in the era of skinny jeans: the generation of ripped knees and the stretchy jeggings. It was the phase of skin-tight denim that just never looked quite right – too loose at the waist, too tight on the thigh, and too uncomfortable to wear for more than two hours. Whilst it was a fit that worked for Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, it just didn’t work for me. However, a couple of years ago, jeans on the high street began to diversify. New shapes included wide-leg, boyfriend fit, mom jeans and most notably, flares. Since their quiet demise in the late 1970s, bell-bottoms or flared jeans had become a fashion taboo. They were a relic of a time gone by. Yet, around 2021, they made a triumphant return to our shelves as an item that could add a splash of retro style to anyone’s wardrobe. This included my own wardrobe.   by Amelia Coleman (she/her)

Suddenly, jeans were not as horrific as I had initially thought. Flares seemed to balance my body out. They gave the illusion my legs were longer and even gave low-effort outfits a pop of character. I understood why they were such a staple item in the '70s. From ABBA to football hooligans and even hippies, they were universally adored by a generation. Yet I wondered, whilst trends like the mini skirt had consistently retrained

their grasp on young girls since the 1960s, why had the flared trouser failed to do the same? Despite being more heavily associated with the 1970s, the origin of flared trousers can actually be traced back to the 19th century. It is believed their earliest origins were around 1817 in the US Marines. Flared trousers were adopted into military uniform on grounds of practicality. Their design meant the trouser legs could easily be rolled up when scrubbing decks, and they were also easier to remove when wet.

For a long time after their adoption by the US Marines, flared trousers remained a style solely associated with the military. However, from 1918 onwards, flared trousers began to be reimagined as a symbol of feminine grace and style. Until then, trousers had been mainly found in menswear and only adopted for practical reasons by working women in World War I. However, Coco Channel was eager to challenge the status quo and redefine the limits of women’s fashion. She introduced the first high-end fashion trousers specifically for women –known as ‘yacht pants’ or ‘beach pyjamas’. Inspired by the nautical practicality of the US Marines’ trousers, these flared, wide-leg trousers were designed to be worn over women’s swimsuits in yachting season. Soon, they became all the rage for wealthy women in the French

Riviera and highlighted how fashion could be both chic and practical for women.

Following the birth of the ‘beach pyjamas’, there was a short lull in the development of the flared trouser. Despite this, by the 1960s, this style was back in public discourse. In countries like the US, where anti-war sentiment was on the rise, many young people began thrifting as a revolt against the status quo and a commitment to sustainability. During this movement, many young Americans began to rediscover marine-style flared trousers in army surplus stores. They went on to decorate and embroider these trousers with flowers and peace signs to symbolise their desire for pacifism. However, beyond their political symbolism, this reclamation of the flared trouser was soon picked up by

17 theboar.org '60s style visionaries in wider pop culture, such as Mick Jagger, Jimmy Hendrix, and Twiggy.

By the 1970s, the flares looked like they were here to stay. Once again, this cut of trousers was embraced by high-end designers, with Mary Quant posing in flared trousers herself in her 1972 Autumn Collection. On top of this, flares became synonymous with other key cultural moments throughout the decade. From being a fashion favourite of the 1974 Eurovision winners, ABBA, to being sported by John Travolta in the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever, they were everywhere. Unfortunately, the heyday of the '70s flare was short-lived. By the 1980s, the rising popularity of punk rock music saw flares begin to be revived with skinny jeans, as they were promoted by bands like The Ramones.   Our returned passion for the flared trouser in 2023 perhaps shows us that we are in a moment echoing the 1960s and '70s. A moment where the youth of society is restless. Just like back then, we are living in a time when society's youth are angry about social conflicts and injustices. We are back in thrift shops, looking for future direction through emblems of the past. As flared trousers returned to the runway in Dior and Celine’s Spring 2023 collections, we know we are in an age far removed from the glam rock and disco mania of the '70s. Maybe our generation shares a hunger for change that resembles the restless era of the '70s. Or perhaps we were simply reacquainted with how flattering a flared leg could be.

» Image: Wikimedia Commons

Either way, for the foreseeable future, I will be celebrating the return of flares, and dreading the inevitable rebirth of skinny jeans in a few years.

What has happened to clubbing?

Unravelling the chaotic world of clubbing culture and how we got to today

s professed by F. Scott Fitzgerald, “Here’s to alcohol, the rose-coloured glasses of life”, which suggests that having a drink will cure all the trials and tribulations of everyday life. From the iconic Pulp Fiction dance scene to when Renton spots Diane in that crowded club in Trainspotting, it is evident that people love having a drink and a dance to solve their woes. Clubbing is the perfect fusion of these, where the alcohol makes you let go of your inhibitions – but where did clubbing originate, and how did we learn to enjoy this strange but exciting atmosphere every Friday night?

anca Jagger entering on a horse, the owners spending $100,000 on one night’s party decor, and the blatant drug use. Studio 54 made drinks and dancing a classy affair and birthed modern clubbing in a celebratory and chaotic way.

by Abigail Mableson (she/her)

The British clubbing scene became hardcore, littered with drug culture and acid house music in protest to Margaret Thatcher’s uncompromising and traditional leadership. This kind of culture saw the rise of Britain’s biggest clubbing capitals, such as Manchester and London. The era became redefined in the 1990s with idolised pop stars, such as the Spice Girls, and the rise of ‘Brit Pop’, with the famous ‘Oasis vs Blur’ debate reaching new heights within the quality of rock music. All in all, the British rave scene was the christening of UK clubbing, paving the way to the new model of clubbing prevalent today.

To even consider this, we have to take it back to New York City in 1977, which oversaw the opening of the legendary Studio 54. This incredible midtown Manhattan club, as writer Bob Colacello highlighted, was “a sociological phenomenon and a historical event” where celebrities and socialites, from Andy Warhol to Jackie Kennedy, celebrated the birth of disco in the most flamboyant outfits. Studio 54 inspired some incredible benchmarks in pop culture, such as Chic’s platinum hit ‘Le Freak’, narrating Grace Jones’ introduction to the disco scene. In a time when homosexuality was still taboo, celebrities such as Elton John and the late drag queen Divine flaunted their individuality to the world, with references to Studio 54’s rich drag culture inspiring episodes of the Emmy Award-winning hit RuPaul’s Drag Race in recent years. In this wild microcosm of clubbing chaos, many a crazy story has come out of this club, such as Bi-

In the same way that the peace and love of Woodstock 1969 turned to the anarchy and violence of Woodstock 1999, the late 1980s saw the arrival of the British underground rave subculture. In a period “when ecstasy and acid house galvanised a disenfranchised youth”, an era of spikey hair and sweat became characterised by the rise of The Prodigy and high-flying DJs.

Moving into the 2000s, as the Brits travelled to the Ibiza club scene, escaping the heyday of the millennium for the heat of the Balearic Islands, an infamous club in Berlin arrived – Berghain. Everyone knows about Berghain, argued as the ‘World’s Most Exclusive Club’, where people are judged by their ‘vibe’ upon entry to experience the pinnacle of the techno scene. Rumour has it

that the key to successfully entering the club is adorning yourself in a black leather outfit, synonymous with Berlin techno culture. The club’s mysterious nature has only heightened its appeal. As it is considered a high-profile tourist destination, many people attempt to stay for over 24 hours, a completely different world to the standard 4am curfew in British clubs today. Whether you like techno or not, Berghain is renowned for its mystery and haziness, a real enigma of the clubbing world.

In the present, the clubbing scene is very much interwoven with the university lifestyle. However, this statement cannot be seen to apply to Warwick. From Smack and Neon to an adventure in Kasbah in Coventry, the clubbing scene is reduced to minimal clubs that play the same fusion of music. However, there is a trick to acing the clubbing scene at Warwick, with my friend Jasmine suggesting: “It’s really fun if you go on the right night, along with the right people.” To me, this indicates that enjoying Warwick nightlife relies on having good company, rather than good music as was the case with the crowds of Studio 54 or the rave scene.

After exploring the clubbing scene, from a classic New York disco to Berghain, it is evident that clubbing has lost its sparkle unless you live in a big British city. While a classic Wednesday student night could never mirror the exclusivity of a lavish club, the whole night revolves around the alcohol rather than the experience. I suppose that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, because drinking is a major part of the university culture, but bring back proper clubbing and proper music too!

» Images: Wikimedia Commons (top), Pexels (middle), The Boar/ Boar/ Sofia Drake-Perello (bottom)

Live at Bush Hall Black Country, New Road

So Much (For) Stardust Fall Out Boy

Chaos for the Fly Grian Chatten

by Alex Bird (she/her)

ith its themes of heartbreak, the passage of time, and stardom, Fall Out Boy produces a cohesive album that places melancholy alongside almost euphoric highs. Lyrically, the album is incredibly self-referential, something which appeals to diehard Fall Out Boy fans. A perfect example of this is the self-referential closing track ‘So Much (For) Stardust’ which features a heartwrenching reprise of ‘Love From the Other Side’, solidifying the package. Notably, there is a return to their earlier sound, not just in returning to a more guitar-centric style as Pete Wentz returns to spoken word in 'Baby Annihilation', reminiscent of From Under the Corktree. Personal highlights include the violent guitar lead 'I am my own muse' and the moving power-ballad 'Heaven Iowa'. This album feels like an intimate labour of love from Fall Out Boy, marking it not just as one of their best releases but as one of the best releases of 2023.

by Dan Nobbs (he/him)

by Lucy Gibbons (she/her)

by Anna Bickerton (she/her)

he band whose name derives from a random Wikipedia article generator – Black Country, New Road – have continued to stand out on the post-punk scene this year with their third album: Live at Bush Hall. The departure of characterful frontman Isaac Wood had left questions about how the band would live up to the success of their critically acclaimed sophomore album Ants From Up There – concerns that the bewitching showcase of May Kershaw, Lewis Evans, and Tyler Hyde’s vocal talents throughout the album comfortably dispelled. The six-piece’s now well-established practice of lengthy album tracks endures with the 10 minute ‘Turbines/Pigs’, a simultaneously mesmerisingly beautiful and soul-crushing performance. But it is the endearing “Look at what we did together, BC, NR friends forever” call of the opener, ‘Up Song’, an assertion of the Windmill Brixton alumni’s continued commitment to creativity and dedication, that finalises my nomination of the album.

Javelin Sufjan Stevens

Unreal Unearth Hozier

ozier’s masterful Unreal Unearth takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions. The singer-songwriter had a tough act to follow after the success of both his debut and sophomore albums, but his third album is arguably his best one yet. The beautiful ‘De Selby (Part One)’ transports you into a hypnotic trance, while the transition into ‘De Selby (Part Two)’ will snap you back into reality. His renowned lyricism permeates each track, particularly the soulful ‘Unknown / Nth’ and heart-wrenching ‘All Things End’. Over the hour-long duration of the album, Hozier evokes every possible emotion. By the very end, you are left questioning: "What just happened?", as the final note of ‘First Light’ hits.

by Sophie Flint Vázquez (she/her)

n his debut solo album, Grian Chatten, renowned frontman of post-punk sensation Fontaines DC, boldly departs from the raucous, allconsuming instrumentals that characterised their previous works. Instead, he invites us to the stagnant world of small, Irish, seaside towns through mellow vocals, lilting guitars, and sparkling synth rhythms. Chatten’s haunting vocals, reminiscent of the late Elliott Smith, create a mesmerising patchwork of emotions saturated in sombre, treacle-like melancholy. Chatten’s lyrical prowess makes Chaos for the Fly more akin to poetry set to music. His vivid portrayal of workers salting roads in ‘Salt Throwers Off a Truck’ is nothing short of genius. Another standout is ‘Bob’s Casino’, a nostalgic journey led by emotive brass arrangements, elevated by the backing vocals of Chatten’s fiancée, Georgie Jessen. Despite being less than a year old, Chaos is a musical gem that transcends time and sounds like it could have been written at any point in the last 70 years, a testament to his artistic brilliance.

ufjan Stevens captures blisteringly raw emotions on this intimate and oddly beautiful record. Javelin recaptures the magic Stevens found with his acclaimed 2015 album, Carrie & Lowell, delving into contemplations of death and grief. In the space of a year, Stevens has had to relearn how to walk after a crippling illness and endured the devastating loss of his partner: Evans Richardson. He delivers an oddly comforting and tender record, confronting the effective collapse of his life as he knows it with warm and intricate singer-songwriter work, which stands tall with the best work of his two-decadelong career.

the record boygenius

by Tom Lowe (he/him)

his album is a true blessing from three of the most elite members of indie royalty. Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus have combined their artistic talents to produce something truly special. From the instant classic ‘Not Strong Enough’, to the introspective soul-searching ‘True Blue’, boygenius’ the record is a landmark in song writing and music production. Some may criticise the album for lacking a cohesive structure or style, but it is important to consider that this is still a band finding their footing in the industry, and the record is a wonderful foundation from which boygenius can propel themselves forward.

19 Editor: Sophie Flint Vázquez (she/her) music@theboar.org

AURORA Daisy Jones & The Six

RUSH! Måneskin

GUTS Olivia Rodrigo by Emily Neville (she/her)

by Tilly Armstrong (she/her)

urora by Daisy Jones & the Six was a soundtrack I had been looking forward to since the first time I read Taylor Jenkins Reid’s fascinating 2019 novel. And although I had expected the exact replica of what was written in the novel, I was even more impressed with the final product than I could have ever imagined. The backdrop of a 1970s theme provides exquisite vibes and easy listening, regardless of whether you are familiar with the plot or not. But with the added knowledge of the storyline, the voices of the cast truly shine through.

livia Rodrigo’s GUTS as the successor to her critically acclaimed debut, SOUR, is the ultimate ode to and lamentation of the inner conflicts that teenage girls experience. This album is even less repressed than the previous one, more overtly frustrated at society’s unattainable beauty standards and contradictory expectations of women. Yet perhaps GUTS’ greatest asset arises from the fact that most of its bubbling rage is directed towards the self and the tendency to make the foolish decisions which characterise adolescence. GUTS’ acute sense of self-awareness is a stark reminder that the teenage era, although romanticised, is often one defined by mistakes, misplaced trust, and crumbling identity.

Desire, I Want To Turn Into You Caroline Polachek

Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent Lewis Capaldi

by Anoch Tiwana Parmer (he/him)

by Devina Singh (she/her)

aroline Polachek’s sophomore album, Desire, I Want To Turn Into You, is fantastically vivid. I’ve found that I love albums that have a certain transportive quality. Desire, I Want To Turn Into You is sure to whisk you away – Polachek’s use of imagery and a tropical backdrop places its listener right on an island. Each track could stand on its own. When tied together with Polachek’s piercing vocals, they create a seamless listening experience. An album ripe with colour, Desire, I Want To Turn Into You is a yearning escapist's dream world, as each song is imbued with imagery and want.

ewis Capaldi’s 2023 album was the one I listened to while going through my heartbreak this year. It was emotionally captivating, and it left a particularly painful sting as ‘Wish You The Best’ was released around the same time I received the same message. His vocals, as always, are searing, and while the melodies are simple, it’s his ability to capture the universal stages of grief we all have when we lose someone we love and can’t bear to be without, that fully impresses. It will always be the album I associate with the start of my twenties and life lessons I needed to learn. I never thought, when listening to ‘Forget Me’ at the start of second year, that it would end up being a song I related to just months later. ‘Haven’t You Ever Been In Love Before?’ will always be the album’s highlight and the one that profoundly moves me yet again to tears. As always, Capaldi proves his ability to transform pain into a series of emotive hits.

by Grace Goodwin (she/her)

'm surprised to say that my own choice comes from the Italian rock group most famous for winning Eurovision in 2021. This year, they've hit the music scene with a distinctive brand of what can be called 'sleaze-rock'. That might seem like a reductive label, but in the case of Måneskin, it seems to be the very image they thrive off of. My personal favourites range from the louder, more crazed anthems: 'MAMMAMIA', 'GOSSIP (feat. Tom Morello)', and 'BABY SAID', which fuel the anti-authority, provocative rock foundation of the album, to more dynamic personal songs: 'TIMEZONE' and especially 'THE LONELIEST'. Critics have debated the necessity of their place in the music world, but I think the point is that they’re unabashedly fun and don’t take themselves too seriously, as their songs suggest. This album has become my car litmus test among friends and is definitely my highlight of the year, however rogue it may be.

Do you agree? What was your favourite album of 2023? Did we miss any?

Music

What ma de '70 s m u si c s o go o d?

n the three iterations of Rolling Stone’s ‘Top 500 Albums of All Time’, the 1970s have consistently been the decade with the highest number of albums featured on the list, never dropping below 150. Of course, there is far more to musical quality than an ‘objective’ album ranking, but there is no denying the prestige that the 1970s have in the industry. But what makes this decade better for music than the decades that have come before or after? by Tom Lowe (he/him) First and foremost, the musicians of the 1970s were able to build on the countercultural revolutionary experimentation and sacrifice of those of the 1960s. The boundaries of musical genres had been pushed and definitions blurred beyond recognition, making the '70s fertile territory for those that would have been called radical in the previous decade. In other words, the wacky and wonderful innovations of the 1960s became the musical norm of the 1970s. One of the most prominent of these was David Robert Jones, who would eventually be known by a much more famous name: David Bowie. Bowie, who was catapulted to fame with the release of Space Oddity (1969), recognised that the time was ripe to make experimentation mainstream and achieved this with the critically acclaimed albums Hunky Dory (1971) and The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972). Both embodied the ex-

periments of the '60s, with Hunky Dory paying homage to '60s musical icons Bob Dylan and The Velvet Underground’s Lou Reed, and Ziggy Stardust building on The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) to flesh out and popularise the idea of a concept album.

The grounds for bigger and bolder musical innovation were catalysed by the introduction of new technologies that affected music consumption and production. Cassette players began using Dolby’s Noise Reduction System in 1970, making albums easier to buy, store, and transport. This resulted in an increase in money flowing into the industry allowed for the development of new production technologies, especially electronic instruments. The invention of the synthesiser was largely overlooked in the '60s, but the increased popularity of electronic music in the '70s meant that its potential could finally be realised. An entirely new genre, synth-pop, came about as a result and underlined the music of Bowie, Kraftwerk, and Donna Summer. Synthesisers and electronic instruments also led to the popularisation of disco and funk, two genres that would define the decade. 1978 saw the release of disco’s two most iconic tracks, Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I Will Survive’ and The Bee Gees’ ‘Stayin’ Alive’. Meanwhile, funk truly reached its heyday with the release of Stevie Wonder’s

Innervisions (1973) and Songs in the Key of Life (1976).

What made the 1970s so good was the great balancing act that music played at this time However, what made the '70s so special for music was that it wasn’t all synthesisers and electronics; it was able to blend more traditional production with the new. This was embodied in the music of household names such as Elton John, Billy Joel, Joni Mitchell, Fleetwood Mac, and former Beatle: George Harrison.

Ultimately, what made the 1970s so good was the great balancing act that music played at this time – whether that was balancing the legacy of '50s and '60s rock ‘n’ roll with the emerging genres of funk and disco, or balancing traditional instruments with new electronics and synthesisers. This ‘great balancing’ allowed for a wider range of music to reach the charts, and went hand in hand with advancements in music accessibility and the rise of stadium performances to create the ideal cultural and technological environment for music and musicians to flourish. There may never be an era quite like it again. » Image: Collections- GetArchive (below)

This synthesis of folk and pop went hand in hand with the never-ending evolution of rock, which developed a darker and heavier sound at this time. Heavy metal saw its birth with the rise of Black Sabbath, Kiss, and Van Halen, whilst prog rock entered its golden age with the release of The Dark Side of the Moon (1973) by Pink Floyd. Social commentary remained heavily influential in music during this time, with The Clash and The Sex Pistols overseeing the eventual transition from the counterculture movement of the '60s to punk rock, though some elements of this movement remained with the release of What’s Going On (1971) by Marvin Gaye.

Redefining what it means fans will be fans: to be in a music fandom

started planning on writing this article while listening to Lana Del Rey, and I would consider myself a big fan of her music. I love discussing Del Rey’s intricate lyrics, and I could quite easily (albeit badly) sing all the words to ‘Mariner’s Apartment Complex’. However, I haven’t listened to all the songs on Honeymoon. I haven’t bought her poetry anthology, and I only just learnt that she once recorded under the name of Lizzy Grant. Could I be considered part of the Lana Del Rey fandom? by Anna Barnard (she/her)

who are equally as passionate about an artist can be immensely valuable. The ability to connect with other fans around the world through social media also adds to the sense of community and belonging. Fandoms, however, are not a new phenomenon. Looking back to the punk movement, the influence of the Sex Pistols on street fashion, the legacy of Beatlemania, and the beginnings of Antmania show how the 1970s had their own iterations of the modern fandom, giving those with specific and alternative music tastes a sense of belonging to a greater group of fans. This is what I love about fandoms: they give people a space where being nerdy about a niche interest is celebrated.

commercial success for artists, which aren’t necessarily negative things to want your favourite artist to achieve. However, this can alienate fans who do not have the disposable income to participate. Fandom culture can even become a lifestyle or aesthetic, which can mean that listeners feel a need to shape their personalities and appearance around their music taste, to be able to fit in with the other members of the group.

But fandoms can also be exclusive and feel alienating. Being a member of a fandom can seem to require a level of dedication, whether that be spending time streaming their songs, or spending money on exclusive merchandise and live events. For me, intense fandoms can be driven by money and

However, the concept of the ‘fake fan’ seems paradoxical. Who are we to say that someone doesn’t really like someone’s music? What is wrong with only enjoying a few of an artist’s songs, and still choosing to identify as a member of the fandom, and be a smaller part of a wider movement?

The difference between being an avid listener and being part of a fandom is really difficult to define. For me, being a member of a music fandom is presented as having a greater level of commitment to an artist, a desire to form a social identity around a music taste, and belonging to a larger community of like-minded fans. There is the expectation of fan dedication also, but what this consists of is varied and difficult to measure.

The ability to connect with other fans around the world adds to the sense of community and belonging Fandoms can be exceptionally welcoming places for music consumers. Being able to have in-depth discussions with others

Artist trivia and specific discussions can also impact feelings of isolation for potential new fans. Before I plummeted into the Taylor Swift rabbit hole, I remember being flummoxed by the concept of her ‘secret sessions’ and her re-recording project. Even more recently, I see Swifties voicing strong opinions and meticulously analysing Swift’s love life, and their loud (even if not explicitly malicious) discussions can make the fandom seem quite a heated space. Furthermore, the passionate defense of an artist’s every move, in groups such as the BTS ARMY and Beyonce’s Beyhive, can make fandoms seem as if they elevate their artist to an almost saintlike level. This parasocial relationship can lead to fandoms labelling those who fail to forge this one-sided connection and wealth of knowledge of an artist as ‘fake fans’.

Every listener can bring something new to discussions or communities surrounding music artists I think it is time that we redefined what it means to be in a fandom. Making music an accessible and welcoming space for everyone is so important, as every listener can bring something new to discussions or communities surrounding music artists. Implicitly gatekeeping or obscuring access to a fandom and raising the level of dedication required to be considered a member of the group of fans can amplify the more negative sides of fan culture. Everyone enjoys art in different ways, so I think that we should view music fandoms as a space where everyone is welcome, with no unspoken criteria to abide by. Everyone who wants to be in a fandom can, and should, be considered a member of a fandom.

» Images: Flickr (left), Unsplash (right)

PUZZLES

C r o s s w o r d Across 1 Dismissals from employment (informal) - as he hove (anagram) (5-3) 6 (Facial) skin disease (4) 8 Covert (6) 9 Pact (6) 10 Disappearing person (8) 12 Ripped (4) 13 German submarine (1-4) 15 Small (film) role (5) 17 Existence (4) 19 Furthest back - rotamers (anagram) (8) 21 Opportunity for action (6) 22 Push forward (6) 24 Small bird - mews (anagram) (4) 25 Intimidate (an opponent, for example) (5,3)

Down 2 Female sheep (3) 3 Sensation of dizziness (pathology) (7) 4 (Minor) obstacle (5) 5 Ironical - cat iris (anagram) (7) 6 Representative (5) 7 Disreputable - so iron out (anagram) (9) 11 Light metallic element atomic number 13 (9) 14 Vomit (informal) (5,2) 16 Extinct elephant (7) 18 Owned (anagram) - finance (5) 20 Use - exercise (5) 23 Flightless bird (3)

Last issue’s solutions

S u d o k u

Across: 1 Three, 4 Lion, 6 Esses, 7 Nigeria, 9 Colombia, 10 As is, 12 Result, 13 Matter, 16 Loss, 18 Judicial, 20 Denmark, 21 China, 22 Neon, 23 Haiti Down: 1 Tussles, 2 Resemble, 3 Ennuis, 4 Logo, 5 Ogres, 6 Encircled, 8 Australia, 11 Mariachi, 14 Tbilisi, 15 Dukkah, 17 Sense, 19 Pain 8549176320 is the only number to use all the digits and have them in alphabetical order

Puzzles created by Matthew Sapsed Webb Crosswords: Suppliers of crosswords & other puzzles since 2013

Podcasts An audio institution

22 Editor: Matthew Randell (he/him) podcasts@theboar.org

through time:

Desert Island Discs in the 1970s

here are few radio programmes which have stood the test of time like Desert Island Discs. Lasting over 70 years and 3,000 episodes, the programme has had a lasting impact on British culture. But how has this modern-day national institution evolved through the decades?

It has a simple but magical format: what eight tracks, plus luxury item and book, would you take with you to a desert island? I first began listening to Desert Island Discs about seven or eight years ago. It is probably my favourite radio programme. So many episodes stop me in my tracks, leaving me with lingering emotions and life lessons for days on end. In so many senses, it is the pre-podcast podcast. It has a simple but magical format: what eight tracks, plus luxury item and book, would you take with you to a desert island? by Thomas Bartley (he/him)

And although presenter and guest may be confined to just under an hour, it has that other stardust component: space. No matter who is in the chair, each desert islander has the time to breathe, compose their thoughts, and truly reflect. At times, it is proto-therapy. Tears will be shed, and no emotions spared.

some criticism since taking on the mantle, though lots of it is quite frankly scoffing and snobby (so much so it may well have read: ‘how can this music DJ from Sunderland inherit such a prestigious job?’). She may have had a different journalistic background to her predecessors, but she approaches the job with equal diligence, empathy, and inquisition. But given all of this, my only expectation of what Desert Island Discs may have sounded like in the 1970s was perhaps a little … stuffy? Radio 4, for one, is very different today to how it was at the time, and back in the '70s, the programme was still presented by its creator, Roy Plomley. 43 years later, how would Plomley approach the task at hand, and what would this say about how the remit of the show has changed? All I had read about the earlier programmes was that they more closely resembled music programmes rather than interview series'. I also wondered how the guests’ attitudes, both to selecting records and reflecting on their lives, would differ. We now take for granted a sense of emotional openness in society. But surely the 1970s would show something different and reflect a fundamentally different Britain?

My list was decided, one which could just as easily have served as the answer to ‘most unlikely dinner party guests’: David Hockney, James Stewart, and Margaret Thatcher Tackling all of this with scientific thoroughness, I decided to select three different episodes, all from varying points of the decade and all featuring slightly different guests. There were a multitude of options. After conducting some whittling down, my list was decided, one which could just as easily have served as the answer to ‘most unlikely dinner party guests’: David Hockney, James Stewart, and Margaret Thatcher.

>> Image (edited) Kirsty Young - presenter of Desert Island Discs 2006-2018 (BBC/Abigail Zoe Martin)

But until this pitch came upon my desk, I am ashamed to say I had never listened to an episode of the show dating from before the 21st century. I was first raised on a diet of Kirsty Young’s tenure, the ultimate interviewing pro. Probing but utterly calming, Young had an art of enticing her guests to break open almost without fail. So many of her skills have I tried to imitate in interviewing people since. “It’s a kind of dance,” she has said of the programme, “with its rules.” Since Young’s departure in 2018, the programme has been hosted by the affable Lauren Laverne. Laverne has come in for

First up was Hockney, a well-known British artist who, aged 86, has just launched his latest exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. Having recently enjoyed his Sky Arts In Conversation series with Melvyn Bragg, I knew he was thoughtful and insightful. Would this side of him show in Desert Island Discs? The first thing that is noticeable is the absence of any gushing or complimentary introduction, something that is common today. Plomley gets straight to the point, asking Hockney if he is a ‘gregarious’ man. The other thing that dawned on me in listening to Hockney’s selections was also how our consumption of music has changed. Guests today might select songs they listen to in the car or on their AirPods, whereas 1970s ‘castaways’ are likely to have had to procure a physical record to listen to their disc of choice. Plomley’s discussion with Hockney does feel a bit linear, rarely escaping a ‘first you did this, then that’ script. Unfortunately, the surviving downloadable version is only 20 minutes long, cutting short some of the

>> Image (edited) BBC Studios in Northern Ireland (K. Mitch Hodge/Unsplash)

original conversation. It is funny to hear the artist being grilled on whether he is an outsider, railing against the orthodoxy, given he has now ascended to ‘national treasure’ status. There is also little discussion of Hockney’s personal life or sexuality (the only indication is through his book choice, a gay pornographic novel), with more time spent talking about the practical skills he could apply to island life. Today, the desert island concept is almost a safety blanket for the show, an anchor to somewhat guide conversation. Here, it felt more central, and it left me wanting.

Next it was actor James Stewart’s turn. Everything about Stewart epitomises cool mid-20th century Hollywood: handsome looks, delicate charms, and clean, authoritative acting. His turn in It’s a Wonderful Life, for me the greatest Christmas film of all time, never fails to inspire on rewatch. Stewart was in his 60s when the episode was recorded, in the final stages of a long and prestigious career. He talks wistfully of his father and of his regret about not learning a musical instrument. His track selections also feel more filled with pathos than Hockney’s, more about times of his life than just the enjoyment of listening.

tion was of course different then, and so the use of this sort of discussion was much greater at the time than now, when we can easily turn to Wikipedia. There are some interesting thoughts on serving in World War II and developments in technology. But it still feels harder to build a picture of Stewart the man than recordings permit today.

The final episode of choice perhaps sits a little separate from the previous two. Few people perhaps symbolise the shifting sands of the decade more than Margaret Thatcher. Her arrival to Downing Street in May 1979 began a transition in some ways more significant than the end of a decade. Her appearance in February 1978 also wasn’t the former Prime Minister’s first time on the programme. Comedian John Cleese had previously chosen her – accompanied with a baseball bat – as his luxury item in 1971. I was intrigued as to how PR-smooth the episode would be, given that several politicians from Tony Blair to David Cameron have been accused of playing to the gallery with their musical choices. Modern-day politics is also obsessed with the humanity and relatability of our leaders. For example, Keir Starmer used his appearance on the show back in 2020 to emotionally discuss his family background, something he has admitted he has found difficult since becoming Labour leader. Would we see something similar with the notoriously emotionally reserved ‘Iron Lady’? For the most part, yes. It does show Thatcher in more hushed tones, not winning an argument at the despatch or ballot box instead. The music choices are sincere and reverent, indicative of her Methodist upbringing. It feels a fair reflection of Thatcher the person and the politician. She talks of learning in youth "not to follow the crowd for fear of standing out". Regardless of political opinion, a better summary of Thatcher and Thatcherism you will not find.

>> Image (edited) Margaret Thatcher (UN Photo/x)

Beyond this, though, talk is dominated by a story of a life in Hollywood and layers of biographical information. Media consump-

All tired out and stuck in a reverie of yesteryear, it was time for me to do some reflection of my own. There is no doubt that Desert Island Discs, regardless of the presenter, guest, or era, will always remain one of the best insights into interesting people. But there is something about the older recordings which makes them feel more guarded and format-led. Desert Island Discs may be the pre-podcast podcast, but it learned this through becoming less conservative and, dare I say, less like a radio programme. It is all the better for it. Thank you for now, Roy, but I will stick with Kirsty and Lauren.

Podcasts

The Boar: a microcosm of the incremental rise of podcasts

his edition of The Boar is themed around the 1970s, when the newspaper was founded. While other sections are able to publish articles about media from that time, podcasts were tragically not yet invented. In lieu of this, therefore, allow me to walk you through the history of podcasts’ rise to fame, and detail how this has been reflected in the articles published here in The Boar. It may not encompass 50 years, but it’s probably slightly longer than you think. by Matthew Randell (he/him)

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when podcasting as a medium began. A portmanteau of iPod and broadcast, podcasts as a term was coined in a 2004 Guardian article by futurist and broadcaster: Ben Hammersley. This was just one of three terms he threw out, along with “audioblogging” and “GuerillaMedia”. But things exist before they’re named – downloadable audio news stories were available from companies like i2Go as early as 2000, the same year Tristan Louis put forth the idea of attaching files to RSS feeds (which is how the majority of podcasts are distributed to this day). In the early 2000s, podcasts existed only in the minds of futurists and technophiles. It was years before the general public became familiar with the term. The first mention of podcasts in The Boar was in 2009. A Comment article casually acknowledged the existence of lecture podcasts as a way technology can supplement learning. Podcasts are namedropped again a year later – in a 2010 article about Birmingham Book Festival. It seems the festival was aiming for a broader range of artistic media, so podcasts were included in a vague list that also consisted of “social networking websites” and simply “the internet”.

>>Image Image (edited) Radio, in many ways the predecessor of podcasts (Alberto Bobbera/Unsplash)

This is how podcasting was written about for quite a while. It’s not until a 2012 Arts article that podcasts are really talked about, rather than simply skimmed over. It’s an interview with Richard Herring, which asks (amongst other things) about the difference between his stand-up touring show and his podcast – presum-

ably referring to Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast (or RHLSTP RHLSTP). ).

It was only in the autumn of 2014 that [reporting on podcasts] appeared to pick up This apparent spike in podcasts' legitimacy is short-lived, evidence of it being a phenomenon very few were interested in at the time, and the medium quickly returns to the world of mere acknowledgement. A Sports article kindly directs readers to our colleagues over at RAW, who had released a podcast about the World Cup (the episodes no longer appear to be available, but you can read about RAW’s latest podcasting ventures in a recent Podcasts section article). A TV article about family vlogger Shay Carl mentions in its penultimate paragraph that he also has a podcast. I had high hopes for a Science and Technology article about how to pursue a career in science communication, but again, podcasting got a mere mention as another tool this role can utilise.

Time, The Boar published an article called Time, ‘Listen Up: The best podcasts to try in 2017’. A year later, a Lifestyle article called ‘Conquering the commute’ recommended podcasts as a good way to start your day. To quote this article, by Emma Coles: “Whether you choose something educational, cultural or even an interview, listening to something you can enjoy gives you a head start for the day, sparking your creativity and mentally preparing you for the day ahead.” I want to be clear that I don't disagree with this, but for me, this is a narrow idea of what a podcast is, indicative of the time it was written in. Podcasts had become too big to go unnoticed by broader society, and capitalism had come knocking with a wave of podcasts promoting toxic productivity. I remember attending a meeting during my undergraduate degree, around this time, for an employability award that rewarded extra-curricular activity. At the end of the session, we were asked to each share one thing we’d do to make ourselves more employable going forward. One person’s answer? Listen to a podcast.

Podcasting being largely overlooked in this way is no fault of The Boar, Boar, nor of any of its writers past or present. The Boar is a microcosm of the world at large (or at least the university-going UK Midlands), and podcasts at this time were rarely taken seriously. It was only in the autumn of 2014, with the release of hit investigative journalism podcast Serial Serial,, that things appeared to pick up. With over 300 million downloads and winning multiple awards, Serial felt like a milestone in podcasting’s journey into the limelight. Was Serial a catalyst, or simply an early warning of the inevitable? Who’s to say (maybe somebody, someday, in an article in The Boar Podcasts)? Podcasts)? But it is clear that, at this point in time, podcasts had skyrocketed into the public zeitgeist, suddenly becoming interesting to write and read about. It makes sense therefore that 2015 marks the first release of an article in The Boar entirely about podcasts. The piece, published in the Features section, is an interview with Victoria Brignell, one of the producers of the BBC Radio 4 show In Our Time, Time, and provides a deep dive into how that podcast and radio show is made. It holds up as a fascinating article, and a worthy companion to the Podcasts section’s 2023 review of the show. This isn’t to say that, from that point on, writing about podcasts was an immediate hit. Even from a listening point of view, podcasting as an industry has had several small blow-ups. Consider this 2015 article a soft launch. Much of the following years provided nothing more than passing mentions. A 2016 Books article argues we didn’t need The Cursed Child because we have plenty of fanfiction, including podcasts. A 2017 Music/Features collaboration speaks in a slight detail about Laura Marling preceding her album with a series of podcast episodes where she interviewed other female artists. This occasional mention of podcasts in The Boar articles resonates so much with me and how I remember people in my life thinking about podcasts at that time. It seemed like there was no such thing as a casual listener. You had either never listened to one or you were all in, as was the case for the writer of one TV/Features collaboration; in 2017, two years after the Features piece about In Our

Illustration by Grace Goodwin (she/her)

As someone who had already consumed four podcast episodes that morning and was sure at least three of them would make me less employable if a prospective employer found out, this idea was laughable to me. But to many, that’s what podcasts meant in 2018. Another Lifestyle article called ‘Three Perfect Podcasts for Procrastination’ shows promise but still dedicates a third of its word count to TED Talks. The Boar is as much a time capsule as any other media from the time.

Heading into this decade, mentions of podcasts in The Boar really start to pick up, across nearly every section Heading into this decade, mentions of podcasts in The Boar really start to pick up, across nearly every section. Comment articles talk about Joe Rogan and Andrew Tate. Sports articles promote The Boar Sport Podcast.. I write an article in the TV section Podcast about the end of The Walking Dead but am unable to go five minutes without mentioning podcasts. Lifestyle, ever the home of interesting writing with no obvious place to go, published several articles about how podcasts help people endure long commutes or days on campus. This culminated in 2020

OLD NEWS!

Podcasts may not have been invented, but The Boar has published articles about radio since its very first issue in 1973!

with an article entitled ‘Popular, portable, and poignant: the beauty of podcasts’ – a beautiful piece where the author concludes: “I believe podcasts will continue to be a significant cultural medium in the 2020s, and we’re all the better for it.” Despite the controversy surrounding some podcasters these days, I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. This writer, Noah Keate, also published several of the other articles mentioned here, as well as one titled ‘Literary podcasts worth listening to’. This is more evidence that the people who were into podcasts – Noah, me, Thomas Bartley, to name a few– are really into podcasts. Meanwhile the rest of the university populus was not quite there. In 2021, the Music section published a listicle of the best music streaming platforms, and the detail regarding the capacity of each service to provide podcasts is so prevalent, I can’t help but again take it as proof that the demand for articles about podcasts has existed for years – there just wasn’t an obvious avenue available to publish them. Rather than sneak mentions within unrelated articles, some writers boldly turned to the Arts section, which in 2021 published an interview with the cast of Three, Three, Three (a radio play distributed via many podcast providers) and a delightful overview of the comedy landscape and how celebrity comedy podcasts boomed during lockdown. This brings us pretty much up to May 2023, when the Podcasts section was launched. This article you’re reading right now marks the 30th instalment of the section, about half of which are podcast reviews, crafted by thirteen different writers. The Boar’s Boar’s publication history, and its role as a reflection of the society it seeks to observe and comment upon, has aptly reflected the gradual rise of the podcast. Not quite over the past 50 years, but at least the last 20, the humble podcast has developed from an obscure, barely-mention-worthy medium into a celebrated, if at times controversial, media commodity now consumed by millions. What might the coming decades of podcasting look like? Who knows, but The Boar will be here to write about it.

THE

Editor: Emilia Growney (she/her) @WarwickBoar

Bauble

NIXON SENDS GIs INTO CAMBODIA New York, N.Y. Friday, May 1, 1970

ELVIS PRESLEY DIES AT 42 Singer Suffers Heart Attack

COURT VOIDS ABORTION LAWS

HOT

All the Christmas markets! Buying needless tat and sipping mulled wine, there's nothing I crave more. The Birmingham Frankurt Markets are a must-see – filled with authentic German sausages and beer, what's not to love?

New York, Wednesday, August 17, 1977

NOT

The end of the Lennon-McCartney song team

PAUL IS QUITTING THE BEATLES

Linn Legislators Agree: Need New Abortion Law IOWA, MONDAY, JANUARY 22, 1973

WHAT'S HOT & WHAT'S NOT HOT

HOT Do you agree with The Boar's Sitting in your Xmas and drinking HOT Christmas PJs Bucks fizz in the takes? morning.

Headlines of the 19 70s Decade

Wrapping a mountain of gifts and ending up covered in squashed tape and paper cuts.

HOT Giving and receiving presents you've been waiting all year for!

THE FOOD Roast turkey with all the trimmings, honey roast parsnips, thick glorious gravy, and those golden yorkshire puddings ... need I say more? Check out our Christmas mix, perfect for your festive parties!

Images:Canva, flaticon.com

Friday, April 10, 1970

Image:Wikimediacommons

What's up, Warwick? As we approach the end of Term 1 and Christmas holidays, let's take a look at all that is happening on and around campus! Tue

Mon

TICKET FINAL 50th S A L E S A RY ER N A NIV 7 Hanukkah Begins

Krampus Night 11

12 Gingerbread House Day

27 Boxing Day

Sat

Fri 1

Boar Xmas Dinner

Sun 3 (Alexandra's Birthday)

24 Christmas Eve

50th Anniversary Party

National Lager Day

Hanukkah Ends Go Caroling Day

Thur

Wed

National Leftovers Day

21 Samuel L.Jackson's Birthday

(Emilia's Birthday)

Images: Canva

Term 1 2023

National Bacon Day

NOT The weather (literally), although I love the festive season, shivering on my way to Tesco and carrying all my bags back is not the way to go.

Image:Canva

THE

Bauble

Growney's Gift Giving Guide

THE BOAR's DON'Ts THIS XMAS

H T S I T '

N O S A E SE

E UY PR (TO B

SENTS

)

Still extremely popular this Christmas, a Jellycat is a great way to show your appreciation for a friend.

Regift last year's presents

There's nothing more awkward than regifting the ugly vase your sister got you last year back to her! Either keep a list of the gifts you don't like and who gave you it to avoid embarrassment or just suck it up and learn to love it.

Get blackout before Xmas Dinner

Xmas is the only time it's acceptable to be drinking fizz at 9am – this doesn't mean chugging entire bottles to yourself in the name of 'christmas spirit'! You don't want a telling off from Grandma.

IT'S THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS!

Something cosy...

Something cheap and cheerful....

Something festive... Great for times when you need a generic present this festive season, check out your local shops. From reindeer socks to a sparkly eyeshadow palette, these gifts can be reused when the next December rolls around. If you've got a random Secret Santa present to purchase, this would be a great idea!

Etsy is great for finding original gifts for friends and family. People always enjoy a themed mug or personalised tote bag with their favourite TV series or singer featured. My personal favourites are the wooden spoons with celebrity faces or the scratch off maps for every possible activity! Have you considered a massage gun for a present this Christmas? Great for working out those post-turkey cramps, Amazon sells some great options.

Help out with the cooking

Watching your poor mum slave away in the kitchen all day whislt you sit in your Pjs doing nothing, although a vibe, is not how you're getting on next year's good list! At least offer to help and do the dishes whilst giving supportive words about her stuffing.

Something practical...

Binge-watch Xmas Movies

If you are doing anything other than stuffing your face, knocking back some Baileys, and watching Home Alone, you're doing Christmas WRONG! My personal festive favs are Elf, The Grinch, Deck the Halls, and Die Hard.

Monopoly

Everything starts getting a bit too jolly, and someone gets the awful idea to whip out Monopoly – like childbirth, it seems we collectively forget the horror and pain that is playing family board games. Just don't do it unless you want to spend the rest of Xmas in enraged silence!

Something that will brighten their day...

Something sweet... Chocolate is your best friend at Christmas! Who doesn't love a cheeky Quality Street or a Terry's Chocolate Orange? There's even a mint version out this year for all of you fruit and chocolate haters. Alternatively, a customised sweet bundle is available from a range of online stores.

This can be taken as literally or figuratively as you'd like! The Boar Exec are big fans of scented candles and fairy lights to add that extra warmth to your bare student accommodation rooms. If you want your friends to fit into The Boar's '70s theme, consider some brightly-coloured flower power outfits. Can't wait to see you all at our 50th anniversary event this Friday in the vibrant attire!

>> Images: Flat Icon / Goodware

26 Editor: Saud Juffa (he/him) games@theboar.org

THE RISE OF THE ARCADE

hen we look back at the 1970s, we think of tie-dye shirts, bell bottoms, and the disco, but most importantly, the arcade. From Space Invaders to Pac-man, the 1970s experienced an arcade golden age, with many games and machines becoming so iconic that they can still be seen in media culture today. by Gabriela Jozefowicz (she/her) What kicked off this arcade craze is a game not many would suspect. That game is, of course, Atari’s Pong. Pong was by no means a graphically complex game, featuring just two digital paddles and a ball. This simple yet beloved arcade classic was released in 1972 and quickly became the first successive commercial video game. In turn, this helped the video game industry to bloom, and gaming

PIXELS TO

PITFALLS HOW ATARI LOST ITS GRIP ON THE GAMING INDUSTRY

he humble beginning of video games as we know them today comes from the development of a home video game system called Atari 2600. Atari might not have been the first to develop a home video console, but it was certainly the one to change the game. Suddenly, people were exposed to better quality images, brighter colours, and clearer sounds all from the comfort of their homes. Atari was the first system that allowed the public to bring the arcade home, connect it to their television sets, and change games whenever they liked, just by inserting different cartridges. by Sunehar Aneja (she/her)

Atari faced serious competition from the Magnavox Odyssey, which played 12 different games on your television. While Atari was extremely popular for games like Pong, you could only find these games in the arcade. However, Atari started the new era

was slowly but surely being seen as a legitimate hobby. Surprisingly, Pong was not made with the aim to become successful. For Allan Alcorn, it started off as a training exercise. However, it impressed the Atari co-founders, who decided to manufacture the game based on its quality. However, this also led to another pivotal moment in history as Atari and Magnavox went head-to-head in a patent infringement lawsuit over Pong. This led to a long battle between the two, and Magnavox experienced a financial boom through filing lawsuits. While Magnavox would not have been a so-called ‘patent troll’ at the time, this Pong patent infringement lawsuit did lead to the first major patent troll case in 2002.

The arcade craze quickly grew with the release of an iconic arcade staple – Space Invaders. For those who are not familiar with the game, Space Invaders is a fixed shooter game in which the player moves a laser cannon horizontally across the bottom of the screen in order to shoot at the aliens above it. The aliens start off in five rows of 11 and slowly move down while shooting at the player. The game ends when the aliens reach the bottom, even if the player still has three lives. One of the elements

of the home gaming system with the introduction of the Atari 2600. The video game console came with two joysticks, two paddle controllers, and one game cartridge. But the most notable developments brought forth by the Atari 2600, previously known as the Atari VCS, were the microprocessor-based hardware and swappable ROM cartridges. While Atari’s first major production was the Pong home console, its fame grew exponentially with the introduction of the home version of Space Invaders. Around 1978, Atari began to struggle desperately due to the competition it faced from Mattel Electronics and Magnavox Odyssey. This forced Nolan Bushnell, Developer of the Atari VCS, to receive financial support from Warner Communications. The arcade conversion for a home console of Taito’s Space Invaders turned out to be Atari’s saving grace. It helped to double their sales for the next two years. By 1982, the introduction of Pac-Man ensured that Atari had roughly 10 million console sales, with 8 million copies of PacMan sold by 1990.

that makes the game more fun and immersive is that the music speeds up in turn with the aliens’ movement. Lastly, a mystery ship will zip across the top of the screen and award bonus points if destroyed.

Space Invaders was released in 1978. It was developed by Taito in Japan and shortly licensed to Midway Manufacturing for overseas distribution. This game was the first of its kind and set the template for the genre. What truly makes the game even more impressive is that the designer, Tomohiro Nishikado, had to design custom hardware and development tools in order to complete the game. Despite this specifically designed hardware, Nishikado was still unable to programme the game in the way he originally wanted. While he continued to work towards the end goal, he realised that the processor could render the aliens’ animation graphics faster when there were fewer aliens on screen. This led him to embrace the bug and use it as a feature of the game so that when the player destroys the aliens, they speed up. From there, Space Invaders took over the gaming scene and became Images:

Wikimedia Commons/Rob Boduon (top), taylorhatmaker/Flickr (bottom)

In 1982, Atari launched their second home video console: the Atari 5200, which meant renaming the Atari VCS to the Atari 2600 in an attempt to standardise naming. This was also the time when Atari was facing a significant threat of hardware domination from ColecoVision. While they attempted to maintain superiority by selling seven million copies of Pac-Man, the game still had technical issues and design flaws. To stay in the loop of the widely competitive market, Atari developed E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in six weeks. While the game arguably sold well due to its introduction in the holiday season, it didn’t live up to the expectations that were set for it by Atari and Warner Communications. This started a cycle of decline for Atari. Warner Communications reported a stunted growth of 10-15%, as opposed to the expected 50%. Investors and shareholders began to lose faith and started to pull out funds from the gaming system. As time went on, the disastrous effects began to be felt all over the market, causing the video game crash of 1983. The video game crash of 1983 was one of the most notable recessions of the vid-

the highest-grossing game of all time. It inspired numerous video games and was ported and re-released in various forms.

Another notable game that contributed to the golden age of arcade gaming was Asteroids: Atari’s most successful coin-operated game. Asteroids was yet another space-themed game, a multidirectional shooter released in 1979. In the game, the player gets to control a single spaceship amongst an asteroid field, which occasionally has flying saucers. The player must then shoot and destroy the asteroids and saucers while protecting themselves. As the game progresses, the number of asteroids and flying saucers increases. The game was a hit and sold around 48,000 upright cabinets and roughly 9,000 cocktail cabinets. The game was also quite popular as it was one of the first to allow players to enter their initials for a high score.

Overall, it is clear that the 1970s oversaw a boom in arcade gaming, propelling the industry forwards. Some more notable games that followed shortly after in the 1980s include Pac-man, Donkey Kong, Frogger, Q*bert, Mario Bros., and many more now-beloved classics. These games are now iconic within the media, which is seen most notably with the pixelated enemy alien from Space Invaders, which is used as an emblem of video games within pop culture. eo game industry, primarily occuring in the United States. One of the primary reasons for this disastrous outcome was the overload of home video game consoles in the market and the poor quality of games that they offered. There was also a loss of interest in gaming consoles with the introduction of personal computers. Home video game sales fell from 3.2 billion to 100 million, and this played a role in the bankruptcy of several gaming companies including Atari Inc., thus ending the golden age of arcade video games.

The effects of this crash were significant. However, there were two positive outcomes stemming from it. Firstly, it led to the success of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) which was released in October 1985. The NES was designed to save the gaming market from collapsing completely and revive the enthusiasm for video games culture. Secondly, the crash effectively began Japan's domination in the home console market. Two new consoles were released within the span of one month, the Nintendo Family Computer and Sega’s SG-1000. They brought about the third generation of home consoles, effectively making Atari’s existing systems obsolete. While Atari’s success was extremely fluctuant and ever-changing, it would be wrong to deny the hold it had on the gaming culture of the '70s. Atari’s widespread popularity, affordability, and innovative culture had a pioneering effect on the way video games are perceived and produced today.

Games

or lovers of the Rubik’s Cube, the greatest of all pursuits is ‘speedcubing’, the challenge to solve the Cube as quickly as possible. It’s a sport that attracts thousands of players from across the globe, competing in tournaments hosted by the World Cube Association (WCA). The largest of these events nationally is the Rubik’s UK Championship, held this year in Coventry from 20-22 October. Reporting for The Boar, I sought to obtain a comprehensive picture of cubing to look at who takes part, how it’s done, and above all, just what it is that makes solving the same Cube for hours on end so exciting for the participants. by Martin Day (he/him) From the outset, I’m stunned by how busy the event actually is. There are over 500 competitors, most of them with an entourage of parents (the median age being probably somewhere around 14). I spent 45 minutes queuing to get inside. Standing amongst the waiting competitors, their heads bowed over Cubes turning furiously in their hands, I get the impression of being surrounded by typewriters; such is the chorus of clacks from rotating Cubes. Once eventually inside, I meet with Adam, an organiser for the event and Warwick alumnus. I note with bemusement that he too has a Cube, which he manipulates without even looking as we talk.

The UK Championship, Adam tells me, has been going on since 2008. Its scale is international, with competitors from 25 dif-

Image: The Boar/Martin Day

obscured by a box resembling a popcorn bucket. Once placed on the table, competitors are allowed a minute to prepare for the ‘solve’. The box is then removed, starting 15 seconds of ‘inspection time’ – it is during this time, I realise, that the best players actually solve the cube, rather than in the act of turning it as I had always assumed. By the time the 15 seconds have elapsed, the best players already know every move they will make, so can achieve solve times in the single digits. The timers for each solve are triggered by removing all eight fingertips from special mats and stopped by placing them down again. The scores are then recorded by the judges on personal cards and calculated to an average.

Now briefed by Adam, I am anxious to meet some of the competitors themselves, so I’m extremely fortunate to interview two international delegates, Carolina Guidetti of Italy and Delphine Tran of France. Both have been competing since 2017, and reckon they spend about one-to-two hours a day just solving Cubes. But the real professionals, Tran says, will do it for a good fourto-five hours daily. As I’ve noticed by now, almost every competitor will carry around a personal Cube with them, which they seem to spin almost compulsively, allowing for a degree of latent practice. “It’s like an addiction”, Guidetti adds, grinning. What skills do they reckon are required for speedcubing? Guidetti thinks a good memory is key – the best cubers are the ones who can memorise and plan the furthest ahead. When competitive margins come

journey in 2015. He first got into the sport via trying Cube magic tricks. Once he starts a hobby, he explains, he tends to become extremely devoted to it. Nationally, he is now ranked fourth for best average solving time, and boasts two world records, for the most solved Cubes on a skateboard and for the most solves in 24 hours. Scholey now works for the Rubik’s brand itself, for which he says he is extremely fortunate. Boasting a best time of 3.31 seconds, against the

learning chords on a piano – once you learn the different manoeuvres necessary for each problem, you can solve them almost automatically. Of course, it takes thousands of hours of practice to get to this point. To stop himself getting bored, he explains, he remembers that there are more possible combinations of Cube than there are grains of sand on Earth, and that therefore every scrambled Cube is completely original. Every cube, he says excitedly, is as equally challenging as before.

SCRAMBLED record of 3.13 seconds, Inside the 2023 Rubik’s UK Championship world Scholey can rightfully claim to be one of the world’s best.

ferent countries across three continents. Impressively, much of the administration of the tournament is crowdsourced – that is to say, most of the judges and many of the helpers are themselves competitors in the Championship. With no set staff and 17 different categories, each for a different type of puzzle and nearly all taking place on the same stage, the potential for delays seems enormous. Yet, the tournament proceeds at breakneck pace. Even as I talk with Adam, a loudspeaker announces the end of the first round of the 3x3 solving – what Adam calls the main event of the Championship. The top 150 contestants have advanced to the next stage, all with times shorter than 13.12 seconds. These contestants include Adam himself, who previously studied Mathematics at Warwick. Having been speedcubing competitively for six years now, this is his 48th competition. He has been a delegate, a competitor who helps run tournaments, for a year. Being so immersed in the world of speedcubing, he employs a slightly dizzying array of terms as he explains to me exactly how the Championship functions. ‘Scrambling’ refers to the act of messing up the puzzles to be solved before each round, and this is done by hand by top volunteers. A computer generates a specific combination for every cube in the round to be matched to, so that no contestant gains a potential advantage – it means the scrambling is arguably harder than the solving.

Once scrambled, the puzzles (‘puzzle’ rather than Cube, given that, I quickly learn, Rubik’s ‘Cubes’ come in every shape) are then brought out to the competitors’ tables,

down to the decimal point of seconds, pausing just once can wreck a record attempt. Tran adds that simple speed is important too – knowing all the moves is useless if you can’t manoeuvre the Cube fast enough. By far the most exciting opportunity I get is an interview with a titan of the Rubik’s Cube world, George Scholey. Despite only being 21, he is a veteran of over 50 Rubik’s Cube tournaments, having stated his cubing

For someone who hasn’t solved a Cube once, this is astounding. How does he do it, I ask him. Everything, he explains, is based on algorithms, and as he talks, he produces a cube from his jacket pocket and begins to twist it in his hands to demonstrate. Immediately, the colours are spinning like a slot machine; I feel my eyes glaze over. Scholey says that he memorises the algorithms necessary to solve different Cube faces until it is like muscle memory. He compares it to

Having spoken to these top players, the head-to-head Finals of the Championship turn out to be far more exciting than I had anticipated. The top 16 competitors of the 3x3 category go up in pairs to race for the fastest average solving time. Each competitor mounts the stage to thumping bass music, reminding me of a wrestling match. Then suddenly there is dead silence, besides the quiet, incessant rattle of Cubes from the audience. The biggest challenge of the Final, I muse, is perhaps the atmosphere, as I watch sweat wiped off cubes with t-shirts by shaking hands. Every competitor here performs worse than in their previous round. As the psychodrama plays out, the judges do not announce the times, so as not to psyche out the competitors – but the audience more than makes up for this with their reactions; hushed gasps and rounds of applause seem to cause competitors to shrink into their chairs. Ultimately, the top contestant is Twan Dullemond, with an astonishing 5.07 seconds as his best time. His runner-up is Mika Smulders, on 6.22 seconds. Both men are Dutch. Thankfully for national pride, this discredits them from actually winning the competition, so Nicholas Archer, with the third best time of 7.35, is duly crowned the UK speedcubing champion.

Afterwards, I wander over to a merchandise stand where the tournament’s sponsors have made a fortune selling puzzles. With the lessons of the championship echoing, I pick up a cube and study it apprehensively. Is it possible after all? Beside me, a small boy picks up a puzzle shaped like a dodecahedron, and solves it in 10 seconds. I stare at him, and then at the cube in my hand, and without another word let it clatter back onto the table.

Image: The Boar/Martin Day

Finance The past, present, and future of finance

e all know that the world today was not the same some thousand years ago, and whilst it has changed in almost every way possible, one of the most notable advancements we have had lies in our development of financial institutions and system of trade. From the bartering system some 5000 years ago back to the emergence of the crypto market some years back, technology has been a powerful driving factor for change and is still very much involved in changing the way we handle money at the present time. by Sanskriti Thakur (she/her) Today, money is kept within banks and behind the digital banking applications on our phones, and in the past, the way we stored money, and what we thought of as money, were very different. Items like grains and precious metals held value instead of bank notes, and they were stored in temples within certain societies, particularly within Mesopotamia, some 4000 years ago. It was only until some thousand years ago that bank notes came into play, and initial financial practices like lending became common.

What can we learn from the past about change, is it always for the better? Following the industrial revolution in the 17th century, central banks and investment banks emerged, and eventually, they drove economic activity. Whilst the new era of finance brought new prospects, it came with the realisation that financial markets need some level of regulation, and this became evident with the stock market crash of the Great Depression that happened during the 1930s. Whilst policies were introduced to stabilise the economy and create a safety net for individuals

during times of economic hardship, 2008 saw a housing market crash that took unemployment and debt levels to a great extreme.

Can the future of finance be entirely driven by technology? Modern financial institutions today offer a vast range of services such as asset management, insurance services, and deposit accounts among many other services, evidence of how far we have come from years ago. What’s fascinating to think is that we’re continuously developing new technologies to digitalise the future of finance. Nowadays, the widespread use of cashless payments echoes the digital future we’re headed to. With the development of artificial

» Image: Wikimedia Commons

intelligence and algorithmic trading, there may come a time when banks will run entirely on computers, and finance will work in a way unlike anything we know now. Whilst this kind of future is inevitable, it is worth thinking of its moral implications. What can we learn from the past about change; is it always for the better? Most importantly, and perhaps the most pressing, what of the population and the concerns of unemployment? Can the future of finance be driven entirely by technology? Would human input be worthless eventually, and are we prepared to face that?

28 Editor: Tanvi Jain (she/her) finance@theboar.org

Follow the money, just follow the money all the way to the '70s

A low-down on personal finance and budgeting in the '70s and 2023

n the '70s, a pint of milk cost 6p, and you could buy a house for £5,158. These prices seem unfathomable today. Prices have skyrocketed since then, with a pint of milk costing 90p and house prices increasing to £257,808 on average. It’s not all doom and gloom since average weekly earnings have risen by almost 65% from £32 to £6642 based on data from the Office for National Statistics.

Prices and wages don't exist in a vacuum Prices and wages don’t exist in a vacuum. They are a good starting point for comparison, but it’s important to look at the macroeconomic conditions to gain a better understanding of the bigger picture. The era of bell bottoms and disco was marred by economic uncertainty. The British economy was experiencing booms and busts as it was constantly swinging between periods of unsustainably high growth and low, even negative growth. The government reacted with stop-go policies of deflationary and inflationary measures, propelling this vicious cycle even further. As the economy was facing stagflation (high inflation and unemployment), Chancellor Anthony Barber in 1972 announced a “dash for growth” to stimulate the economy and achieve an unrealistic 10% growth over two years. The ambitious policy included substantial tax cuts and liberalisation of the banking system. The oil crisis of the 1970s further exacerbated problems as oil prices quadrupled, which fuelled inflation to rise to 25%. By 1979, the economy was spinning out of control, with people facing a drop in living standards due to increasing prices in a decade dubbed the “decade of price rise”. The macroeconomic conditions in 2023 are eerily reminiscent of the '70s. With the rising inflation and the cost-of-living crisis, it sometimes feels like the economy has moved one step forward and three steps back. The Russia-Ukraine war has increased energy prices, like the oil shock in the '70s. Parallels were drawn between Kwasi Kwarteng’s audacious mini-budget in 2022 and the Barber boom of the '70s. Inflation fatigue and uncertainty are bringing about a resurgence in the shop-

ping habits of the '70s. Bloomberg reported consumers across Europe are “switching to discount grocery stores, buying private-label items and reduced products, as well as out-of-date goods” to deal with the increasing cost-of-living. The uncertain economic conditions have implications for personal finance and budgeting, especially for students. Vidhi Nayyar, a second-year Management student mentions: “Even if you make a budget, it’s hard to stick with it because of price volatility.”

“

In the '70s, you could live in Rootes for £4 a week, which seems unimaginably cheap

”

As an international student, I was initially surprised to learn that the UK doesn’t have a maximum retail price (MRP), which sets an upper limit on the price of goods and moderates fluctuation in the price of goods in countries like India. There is a recommended retail price (RRP) in the UK, but this price isn’t legally binding and is more of a recommendation.

The uncertain economic conditions have implications for personal finance and budgeting In the '70s, you could live in Rootes for £4 a week, which seems unimaginably cheap when the cost of living in Rootes this academic year is £119 a week. An international student expressed frustration at the rising on-campus accommodation prices: “The university keeps hiking up the tuition fees every year. Even the accommodation prices are becoming more and more unreasonable.

The gym and swim membership is a whopping £300 this year. All of this makes it hard to survive on a student budget.” by Gunisha Aggarwal (she/her) Since the '70s, information about managing personal finances has become more accessible with the advancement of the Internet. In many ways, financial literacy has also become more formalised. In 2014, financial literacy education became a mandatory component of the national curriculum. However, research by the Centre for Social Justice, a centre-right think tank, highlights that the inclusion of financial literacy in the financial curriculum hasn’t adequately translated into secondary school students actually gaining the skills required to make financial decisions. The '70s was also a monumental decade for the advancement of women’s rights. It was only in the mid-'70s that women could open a bank account under their own name. The Equal Pay Act and the Sex Discrimination Act came into force in the '70s, which codified the rights of women to get paid equivalent to their male counterparts and rendered discrimination on the grounds of gender illegal. In 2010, the Equality Act consolidated and updated previous anti-discrimination legislation. Fifty years on, substantial strides have been made in increasing women’s financial rights, but the gender wage gap still looms large. As a society, we need to have more conversations around money and a culture of pay transparency to bridge the gender pay gap. There has been a rise in the use of digital money as cryptocurrencies have gained popularity and notoriety. It would have been hard for someone in the '70s to imagine paying via their mobile phone when the first handheld mobile phone was only produced in 1973. The ubiquitous credit cards of today were in their nascent stages in the '70s. 50 years later, the value of money, the forms of money, and access to it have changed, but our spending habits are diverging back to those of the '70s with increasing inflation and the cost-of-living crisis.

Finance

The Boar Finance in the '70s W

hat were students at Warwick thinking about in the '70s? What troubled them, and what interested them? While browsing through editions of The Boar dating back to the 1970s, I was fascinated by the world they created.

A newspaper meant something different to them than it does to us now A newspaper meant something different to them than it does to us now. It is strangely grounding to see them dealing with financial issues at that time, and how they compare to today.

An article from 16 January 1970, titled, ‘Banks to Back Centre’, talks about four major banks preparing to form a consortium to finance a shopping centre on campus, the shopping centre that is indispensable to us today. Another small section in the foundation issue includes a sheet titled 'Where Your Money Goes', providing a breakdown of costs by societies, the NUS, and various committees – I believe this presentation reflects impressive transparency in student finance. by Tanvi Jain (she/her) As for the continuities, worries about the rent crisis still pervaded that decade, and they were influenced highly by the government and grants. A quote from the article says: “Warwick proudly regards itself as a Campus University - almost 2/3

of all students live on Campus. The aim of the University is to improve upon this proportion - a most necessary ambition if they are to realise their expansion programme in student numbers: especially given the chronic shortage of privately rented accommodation in the Coventry area for students.” Moreover, a photograph on the page titled, ‘The beginnings of Cryfield Residences, whose rents may range from £5 to £7’, immediately caught my attention.

The '70s also seem to be a crucial time for our Students' Union. The Union building (which houses our very own and beloved Boar offices), which is an inextricable part of the central campus and Warwick as a whole, did not exist yet and was still in a process of formation amongst much argument. “At the end of October, a decision will be made on the five-year

fight for a Union Building at Warwick.”, a statement foretells. Looking at these old editions makes me proud of the accomplishments of our alumni, and makes me appreciate where we stand today. At the same time, it makes me conscious of the fact that students play in shaping the university even today. The Boar, our time-travelling guide, sparks appreciation for the journey from then to now, a journey marked by progress, passion, and a touch of that groovy '70s vibe.

» Image: Alyssa Tingle

The automotive path to net-zero Ex-Aston Martin CEO and electric vehicle guru entertains and informs

ollowing a day of stall shopping, shameless LinkedIn network expanding, and freebie grabbing, the Warwick Careers in Economics Fair on 8 Wednesday November had one final treat in store. by Ollie Hotchin (he/him) Organised by the Warwick Economics Summit, Dr Andy Palmer, erstwhile Aston Martin CEO, made his way up onto the Panorama 3 stage at around 4:30pm to discuss all things vehicular.

Or rather, more specifically, everything pertaining to the electric vehicle (EV) revolution. A Warwick alumnus, Dr Palmer started his career at brake-and-clutch manufacturer Automotive Products – which can count F1 teams among its clients.

It's hard to overstate the Leaf's success Seemingly unsatisfied with just making parts, he soon moved onto the full package. In 1991, Dr Palmer joined Nissan, where he remained for the next 23 years. By the time he left in 2014, he had risen through the ranks all the way to the position of Chief Operations Officer.

At this point, Aston Martin beckoned, plucking the Japanese brand’s number-two

man from right under its nose to fill its vacated CEO role after long-serving German, Ulrich Bez, decided to step aside.

The car's triumph brought Dr Palmer the moniker of the 'Godfather of EVs'

the future by five years, he implored those in Westminster to invest in new battery plants in these isles.

Moreover, he prognosticated that it wasn’t a question of whether China would win the race of making the EV market firmly its own, but instead one of just how big this victory was going to be, and at whose expense it would come.

Nonetheless, it was during his time spent at Nissan where Andy Palmer really made a name for himself. As the man chiefly responsible for the 2010 rollout of Nissan’s first fully electric offering, the Leaf, the smash-hit that the zero-emission, smooth, little auto proved to be meant his star was on a motoring rise. It’s hard to overstate the Leaf ’s success. It was the first mass-market EV and held the impressive record of being the best-selling plug-in electric model worldwide until 2020, when the Leaf was dethroned by Tesla’s Model 3. Furthermore, the car’s triumph brought Dr Palmer the moniker of the ‘Godfather of EVs’, a title surely far more prestigious than that of any C-suite role. And it is in this space where his professional passion so clearly lies.

Now CEO of PodPoint, an EV charging station provider, he strives to make the UK competitive on the electric transport front. Expressing frustration at the government’s recent announcement to shunt the 2030 new-petrol-car-selling deadline further into

Dr Palmer also advocated for a proper UK industrial strategy to avoid complete Chinese hegemony in the EV arena. In addition to the requisite infrastructure improvements, he believes mechanic reskilling is imperative to dealing with the different challenges EVs pose compared to internal combustion engines. Having helped the Labour Party with the transport section of their upcoming election manifesto, this isn’t just talk.

Will it be hydrogen combustion and sustainable fuels paving our way to a net-zero future?

Already, BYD and CATL (two Chinese EV battery manufacturers) represent over half of total global EV battery sales between them, as per Bloomberg. Able to take advantage of significant economies of scale, Chinese EVs sold by the likes of BYD, SAIC, Great Wall Motors, and Geely have been increasing in popularity around the world thanks to relatively cheap prices.

Figures from the Guardian put this rapid rise into further context. In 2019, Chinese EVs made up 0.5% of all EV sales in Europe. Two years later, the same statistic had nearly increased eightfold to 3.9%. By September 2023, it had shot to 8.2%.

Highlighting the major trends of car sharing and integrated charge-share systens; the movement towards autonomous, or self-driving, vehicles; and the unstoppable rise of the EV, Dr Palmer lucidly explained how the vehicle industry is being retooled. There is, of course, uncertainty. How might semi-solid- and solid-state batteries change things? Will it be hydrogen combustion and sustainable fuels paving our way to a net-zero future?

However, what is certain is that the chance to listen to such an esteemed figure in Dr Palmer, from an industry which will only continue to move through the gears, growing globally both in size and prominence, was a real pleasure. He just hopes to avoid being labelled as the ‘Grandfather of EVs’ anytime soon. » Image: Wikimedia Commons

Science & Technology E

Editor: George Smith (he/him) science@theboar.org

The smartest of their time: the Nobel prizes of 1973

ach year, five Nobel prizes are awarded to those whose achievements have "conferred the greatest benefit to humankind" in the preceding year. What work did the three science prizes – for Chemistry, Physics, and Medicine – celebrate in 1973? by Maddie Lee (she/her)

are also able to pass straight through barriers that classical particles cannot penetrate. This phenomenon is known as quantum tunnelling, and its existence was established in the late 1920s. The best-known example of tunnelling is alpha decay, where an alpha particle (made up of two neutrons and two protons) is able to escape the atomic nucleus, despite being attracted to it and repelled by the electrons surrounding it. Leo Esaki is a Japanese physicist (he’s still alive at 98 years old!). He was working for Sony in the late 1950s when he produced the first demonstration of tunnelling effects in solids. He used this tunnelling in semiconductors (materials which conduct electricity more than an insulator but less than a conductor) to produce a type of diode (a circuit component which only allows current to flow one way).

The medal of Sir Alfred Nobel, given to the recipient of a Nobel prize (Unsplash)

Physics To Leo Esaki and Ivar Giaever "for their experimental discoveries regarding tunnelling phenomena in semiconductors and superconductors, respectively" and to Brian David Josephson "for his theoretical predictions of the properties of a supercurrent through a tunnel barrier, in particular those phenomena which are generally known as the Josephson effects" Electrons are known to behave like particles and waves in different situations. They

Ivar Giaever, a Norwegian–American, also going strong at 94, was working for General Electric when he built on Esaki’s work to demonstrate tunnelling in superconductors (materials which can conduct electricity without any resistance at all). When he was only 22, Welsh physicist Brian Josephson discovered the ‘Josephson effect’. Put simply, this describes the flow of a current between two superconductors which are separated by a thin insulating layer. This led to the discovery of bound pairs of electrons called Cooper Pairs, which were used to explain how superconductors worked – a theory that had won the Nobel prize the previous year.

Quantum tunnelling effects have subsequently been used in the invention of a type of microscope, as well as in flash computer memory. A controversial idea is that quan-

tum tunnelling is involved in how we smell, allowing our palate to conceive of a plethora of different flavours. The effect is still a hot topic in modern research and adds to our understanding of the mysterious world of quantum physics.

Chemistry

Professor Ernst Otto Fischer, Munich, and Professor Geoffrey Wilkinson, Imperial College, for their pioneering work performed independently on the chemistry of the organometallic, so called sandwich compounds German chemist Ernst Otto Fischer and Englishman Geoffrey Wilkinson won the Nobel prize in Chemistry together for their work on ‘sandwich compounds’. These are types of organometallic compounds, which are compounds containing organic molecules (made up mostly of carbon and hydrogen atoms) and metal atoms. In a sandwich compound, a metal atom is bound on two opposite sides by ring-shaped organic molecules. They are not known to exist naturally, only synthesised by chemists. Sandwich compounds can be used as catalysts to speed up chemical reactions, and can improve fuel for engines. Their discovery has also improved understanding of chemical bonding.

Medicine

Karl von Frisch, Konrad Lorenz, and Nikolaas Tinbergen "for their discoveries concerning organization and elicitation of individual and social behaviour patterns"

German–Austrian Karl von Frisch was a type of zoologist called an ethologist. Ethol-

ogy is the study of the behaviour of animals. Von Frisch researched the methods that honeybees use to communicate and established a set of ‘dances’ they perform. To tell other bees that there is a source of food nearby, a bee returning to the hive will perform a ‘round dance’ that the other bees join in. If the food source is further away, the bee will instead perform the excellently named ‘waggle dance’. This involves flying forward while wiggling, then turning to alternating sides to circle back. The dance actually acts to direct the other bees to the food and indicate its distance. They even use their inbuilt circadian rhythms to correct their calculations according to the time they reached the food and the time it takes to perform the dance!

Konrad Lorenz was an Austrian ethologist who, using geese, demonstrated that birds perform robot-like ‘fixed action patterns’ in response to key stimuli, without any learning. However, some other actions are imprinted early on in response to specific stimuli. It is worth mentioning that Lorenz was a member of the Nazi Party.

Biologist Niko Tinbergen built on Lorenz’s work to establish a more detailed model for instinctive behaviour, and how they might require chains of specific stimuli to elicit certain actions. He also used dummies with exaggerated features to act as ‘supernormal stimuli’, causing more extreme reactions than normal in species including sticklebacks.

The work of these three scientists together improved our understanding of how behaviour is formed. Humans and other primates have some instinctive behaviours, some of which can be impacted by neglect in infancy.

STEM welcomes all! provided you pay

cience, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), often hailed as the hub for innovation and progress, paradoxically mirrors a bleak socio-economic divide. Typically, those entering STEM fields have been disproportionately likely to come from STEM backgrounds. Although progress has been made, the platform is by no means even. To answer why this is, we must delve into the very core of our social differentiation: education. by Andrew Miltiadou (he/him)

Only 15% of scientists come from working-class households In the United Kingdom, university tuition fees have drastically changed over the last 50 years. From 1962 to 1998, the Education Act granted an exemption of tuition fees for "ordinarily resident", full-time students at university, along with the introduction of a right to a maintenance grant that provides term-time financial aid. The act remained until 1998, where the Teaching and Higher Education Bill introduced a new structure for determining tuition fees based on students’ household income. Households receiving less than £23,000 a year would be

exempt from fees, whilst households earning between £23,000 and £35,000 would be charged a percentage of the fees on a sliding scale. Households earning over £35,000 a year bore the full fees, capped at £1,000 annually. Maintenance grants transitioned into loans, creating the financial landscape we see today. However, the cap on tuition fees has subsequently increased over time to £9,000 since 2012. The standard undergraduate tuition fee for most courses in 2023 is capped at £9,250 a year for UK and Irish students, adjusted for inflation. Although there is government funding provided by the Student Loans Company to aid students, the high fees and cost of living deter many potential students from applying to university or pursuing careers in STEM, which require additional fees for postgraduate courses.

[Part-time work] can lead to burnout, fatigue and stress A study by King's College London found that only 15% of scientists come from working-class households. Aspirations, a key determinant for a career within STEM, were highlighted and explored, with the investigation still ongoing. Intriguingly, it found most English 10–14-year-olds to find science interesting. However, those from

working-class backgrounds rarely saw it as a career – perhaps because the fees required to pursue these jobs act as a massive deterrent to those who grow up in lower-income families. A further deterrent from full scientific inclusivity is the low payout from maintenance loans. These loans are often insufficient to cover a student’s living costs during term time, pushing many students to seek part-time jobs or, in some cases, request financial aid from their family. For students from families without extra funds, they must therefore balance studies with part-time work, leading to more burnout, fatigue, and stress than those who can rely on their families to cover the bills.

[Socio-economic divides] will not only squander talent, but also increasingly isolate science from the many within our society This situation is exacerbated at the top universities in the UK. At Oxford, students are strongly advised against relying on employment to fund their studies, as it is believed that doing a degree should leave them with little free time. Cambridge University takes this doctrine to the extreme with a 'no jobs' policy during term time. This strongly favours students who come from wealthier backgrounds, and the only way many can af-

Oxford University: There are wide socio-economic disparities between students at Oxbridge (Unsplash)

ford to attend is through scholarships, which are extremely competitive and difficult for even the brightest students, or by working secretly. The danger of imposing such strict rules for students is the failure to represent all backgrounds at the top universities in the UK, which will not only squander talent, but also increasingly isolate science from the many within our society.

Science & Technology

Auspicious or genius?

Darwin's bizarre rise to the godfather of evolution

e’ve all heard of Charles Darwin, right? He's the man who invented evolution. Well not really, but he sort of did; it’s either him or God, right? In any case, the trail to his metaphorical immortality wasn’t short of strange and wonderful foibles. To an extent, he was a genius and was considered one of the greatest freethinkers of his time – even as a child, other families paid money for his thoughts and ideas. But of course, this sort of intellect comes with some interesting, how do we call them, quirks? by Harriet Sharp (she/her)

Instead of living in his family home, Charles (I’d like to think we’re that close) preferred to live in a homely looking tree in his backyard where he would live a standard childhood whilst intensely observing the behaviours of his family and animals around him. This is ultimately where he came up with the first theory that we are all familiar with. Charles’ father, who couldn’t be said to be the healthiest man, passed away, and Charles, with complete remorse for his deceased father, coined it: ‘survival of the fittest’. Fast forward a few years: Charles sets sail to the Galapagos on The Bagel. What? That can’t be right. No, no, it was The Beagle, I got my timeline mixed up, my bad. The ship Charles travelled on was in fact originally called the Bagel, name after a prestigious

Romanian baker; but having heard the name prior to boarding the ship, Charles requested a change, as he refused to step foot on a ship whose insignia had a hole in it. So, Charles sets off, and everyone is fervently excited for him to discover the roots of life as we know it! Well, no. Charles didn’t actually tell anyone, not even his wife, that he was leaving; he claimed instead that he was off to buy milk, returned five and a half years later where his wife Emma asked angrily, “Charles, where’s the milk?” – I think he got a little distracted.

We are all familiar with what happened during his trip, but to summarise: Charles formulated his theories on adaptation through feelings of sexual deprivation, concluded humans developed a lower lip to whistle at women and eat spaghetti, and deciphered his theories on natural selection because he saw green beetles get eaten by birds and brown beetles replicate freely. Sounds like a trip with a rigorously planned itinerary. Once back home and quietly proud of his groundbreaking discoveries, that would print him in scientific history forever, Charles found out another scientist, Alfred Russell Wallace, also observed similar phenomena to him and was about to publish the work he had toiled and strained to discover. So, Charles dropped everything and somehow convinced Alfred to co-publish with him. The reason he was remembered as the godfather of the origin of life and Alfred wasn’t? Charles’ long beard reminded people

of Santa Claus and therefore caught the attention of kids and adults alike.

What happened in 1973?

On 14 May 1973, Skylab launched from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, marking the first ever successful space station mission from the US. Skylab subsequently spent six years orbiting earth, with its voyage ultimately terminated through a sudden re-emergence into earth’s atmosphere. If you look hard enough, you can still see its remnants scattered in the Indian Ocean and Western Australia. by George Smith (he/him)

2 A Galapagos Dodo, an animal theorised to become extinct in line with Charles Darwin's theories (Unsplash)

Charles Darwin eventually died on 19 April 1882, 47 years after his groundbreaking holiday to the Galapagos. Luckily to be with him on his deathbed was his wife, close friends, and an armadillo renting a room in his house.

In 1973, Ralph Steinmann discovered one of the most important immune cells to date, the dendritic cell. Named after its ‘tree-like’ projections, Dr Steinmann hypothesised that these cells could be a potent cancer vaccine. With little backing for his idea and fervently determined to witness the applications of his discovery, Dr Steinmann knew only one person with cancer to test the vaccine on: himself. Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2007, the vaccines extended his life by multiple years and are still under development today. He did eventually win a Nobel prize for this feat in 2011, but never knew. Ralph Steinmann died on September 30 2011 and was awarded the Nobel prize two weeks after by an uninformed Nobel Committee. He remains the only posthumous Nobel prize winner to date.

EU leaders call for more Big Tech regulation

n 10 October 2023, Columbia University Law Professor Anu Bradford spoke at the European Union Parliament Library about the need for more robust regulation of Big Tech companies and digital markets.

the Chinese government has introduced farreaching state controls over data collection and online infrastructures.

She was joined by a panel of MEPs: Germany’s Andreas Schwab, Italy’s Irene Tinagli, and Romania’s Dragoş Tudorache. The discussion was centred around Bradford’s new book, Digital Empires: The Global Battle to Regulate Technology, and was chaired by Adam Satariano, The New York Times’ Technology Correspondent. by Ben Ockrim (he/him)

The talk was introduced by the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola. During her introduction, Metsola described the EU as a “global leader” in regulating technology. She praised the European Parliament for passing legislation that protects citizen’s data privacy; ensures contestable and fair markets in Europe’s digital economy; and safeguards users from illegal content online.

Regulation was seen to come at the expense of innovation As the EU’s AI Act nears adoption, she also highlighted the EU’s “trailblazing” role in artificial intelligence (AI) legislation. The focus of the talk was on the differing policies of the USA, the EU, and China regarding technology regulation. Bradford argued that the 21st Century so far has seen the USA adopt a “libertarian” approach where regulation was seen to come at the expense of innovation, and thus limited. In contrast,

Robot powered by artificial intelligence (Unsplash)

Bradford stated that the EU was a world leader in technological regulations that took a “human centric” approach. She praised the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for protecting individuals’ privacy and the Digital Markets Act for harmonising the EU’s competition laws in digital markets. Throughout the talk, Bradford emphasised her view that extensive regulation was not the reason why the EU is lagging behind the US as the driver of technological innovation. Instead, she stated that the EU was held back by the lack of an integrated capital market for funding technology startups and called upon European nations to

embrace a culture of risk-taking. Bradford contrasted many European states’ “punitive” bankruptcy laws with the risk-seeking attitude of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. ISS: International Space Station (Unsplash)

Bradford argued that the threat of Chinese authoritarianism ... highlighted the need for individual data privacy protection

Later in the discussion, Satariano asked why America’s position on regulating technology had shifted away from a libertarian approach in the last few years. Tinagli and Bradford argued that the threat of Chinese authoritarianism underpinned by the state’s online surveillance highlighted the need for individual data privacy protection, whilst the war in Ukraine reminded America’s political leaders of their shared values with the EU.

During an especially long solar eclipse on 30 June 1973, observers on board a Concorde jet were able to witness an eclipse for a record breaking 74 minutes by flying along the path of the moon’s umbra (dark centre portion of the moon’s shadow). Jerrod Schwaber developed the first ever translational monoclonal antibodies made through a hybrid of mouse and human proteins. Now coined ‘Covalescent antibodies’, they are still used as an effective therapy today and were a prevalent player in the fight against Covid-19.

However, Bradford noted that the current legislative inefficacy of the US Congress and the uncertainty surrounding the upcoming 2024 presidential election prevented further alignment of cross-Atlantic policies.

At the end of the discussion, the panel answered questions about problems surrounding AI regulation. Tudorache stated that the pace of AI development made producing effective legislation extremely difficult. However, he also thought that legislators should take the time to learn about the technology and particularly its potential impact on democratic processes and citizens’ lives. He cited the EU’s Special Committee on Artificial Intelligence in the Digital Age, which he previously chaired, as exemplifying the notion that politicians can produce precise regulation on complex technological issues.

Concorde, the retired supersonic airplane (Unsplash)

Climate

32 Editor: Tra My Insua-Luu (she/her) climate@theboar.org

Carter, climate, and a road not taken CARTER AND THE CLIMATE

hroughout his presidency, Jimmy Carter pushed for policies to mitigate climate change against the backdrop of an oil crisis. Today, 50 years on from the ‘70s oil crisis, the effects of Carter’s actions can still be felt. by Sinai Ejechi (he/him)

21st century leaders, with both George W Bush and Barack Obama re-introducing solar power to the White House in various forms. Today, Joe Biden, who endorsed Carter’s presidential bid in 1976, continues the push for renewables with the Inflation Reduction Act. Governments around the world attempt to attract private companies with tax incentives and subsidies in order to achieve decarbonisation and meet crucial renewable energy targets. Carter’s original solar panels may sit in museums as a marker of the past, but his championing of renewables was forward-looking.

as diamond-studded drill bits and directional drilling, which were key to the eventual commercialisation of fracking.

Despite the backlash, Carter pushed ahead and, in a final climate victory, passed a law through Congress in 1980. In total, over 100 million acres of Alaskan land was protected.

A ROAD NOT TAKEN

Further efforts Carter made include providing tax incentives for the downsizing of passenger vehicles. He also made great strides in conservation, passing the largest land conservation bill in US history during his final year as president.

Ex-President Jimmy Carter walks with members of the Three Mile Island Commission

The solar panels he installed on the roof of the White House in 1979 stood as visible symbols of Carter’s environmentalism. This show of faith in solar has been mirrored by

s part of the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th century, the burning of coal and natural gases catapulted us into the world we know today. However, we did not know when to stop. The IPCC (2021) report revealed that human activity (most notably the burning of fossil fuels) has been responsible for about 1.1°C of global warming since 1850-1900, and at this same rate, the average global temperature will increase by another 1.5°C in the next 20 years.

At the time, there was some opposition to Carter’s focus on green policies, as the memory of the 1973 OPEC oil crisis made energy security a key issue within the electorate. The 1979 Iranian oil crisis provided another nudge for government agencies to strengthen the domestic oil supply. At first glance, it seemed this was done in keeping with Carter’s green sensibilities – windfall taxes were levied on oil producers, which helped fund research and development for the new Department of Energy (DoE). Upon closer inspection, however, some aspects of the fight for energy security ran counter to the climate-friendly policies Carter had pursued. The DoE funded the development of technologies such hell, wiping out many of the achievements of human civilization.” This “hell” pertains to its potential to cause irreversible social and environmental harm, with risks such as ineffective nuclear waste management and disposal, the inevitable transferral of nuclear technology into weaponry and warfare, and the threat of human decimation at the hands of the nuclear bomb.

by Tra My Insua-Luu (she/her)

Where else can we look for clean energy? Environmentalists James Hansen and James Lovelock have asserted nuclear energy as a solution for the looming climate crisis. Nuclear fission is a technology that creates energy through the splitting of atoms, generating heat and releasing water vapour. Therefore, no carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gas emissions are released. In fact, today, France derives 70% of its electricity generation from nuclear power and boasts comparatively low rates of carbon emissions. However, nuclear energy can only be green if it is safe. In a review of Horace Herring’s From Energy Dreams to Nuclear Nightmares: Lessons from the Anti Nuclear Power Movement in the 1970s by Brett Clark, he notes Herring’s eery assertion that “a single mistake could transform the Garden of Eden into

Aftermath of the Chernobyl fourth reactor explosion

While Hiroshima and Nagasaki are the looming faces of nuclear energy in the public eye, its commercial facets only began to prosper in the 1950s. US President Dwight Eisenhower announced a push for economic and civil development of nuclear energy use under his 'Atoms for Peace' program, in an effort to deviate from the nuclear arms race. However, in the 1970s, in line with calls for global peace, the development of nuclear energy suffered stagnation. In the 1970s,

tect 56 million acres of land in Alaska by declaring new national monuments, sidestepping Congress in the process. Many Alaskans felt that such a move took away land which was rightfully theirs and showed their feelings in protest. Hundreds lined the streets in marches, and protestors burned Jimmy Carter in effigy.

Ex-President Jimmy Carter delivering a speech

In regard to energy security, the DoE’s investment in unconventional oil and gas has paid off. Economists Manuel Frondel and Marco Horvath posit that increased adoption of fracking since the late 2000s has tempered oil prices in the long run, while the US has become a net exporter of petroleum today. However, the environmental impacts of fracking, including groundwater contamination and a heightened risk of earthquakes, have soured public opinion in parts of the US. Perhaps Carter’s most striking climate action was his conservation effort in Alaska. In 1978, he moved to pro-

For much of his climate policy, Carter leaned on reports from the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). In Carter’s final few weeks as president, the CEQ released a report suggesting a prescient 2°C global temperature target. Against the backdrop of the Iranian oil and hostage crises, Carter had lost the election in 1980, and was unable to act on the report. The Paris Agreement came 35 years later. During the 1979 unveiling of the solar panels, Jimmy Carter suggested a future in which the panels sat in a museum, representing “a road not taken”. In 2023, as policy sprints to catch up with targets suggested decades ago, one can’t help but wonder how today’s world would differ had Jimmy Carter served one more term.

>>Images: Library of Congress' public domain

How the world feared the atom because it feared the bomb

communities across the globe called for peace. In 1978, a rally drew 10,000 demonstrators at the UN’s First Special Session of the General Assembly Devoted to Disarmament, promoting the priority on phasing out nuclear weapon development and eliminating them altogether. A year later, in 1979, the Three Mile Island incident in Pennsylvania, US, exacerbated public fears about nuclear reactor safety and increased global public opposition to new construction of nuclear power plants. Subsequently, Chernobyl happened in 1986.

Environmentalist groups identified and reprobated thermal pollution caused by the steam seeping off nuclear cooling systems, as well as the issue of radioactive waste harming not only humans and living organisms, but the environment at large. In the 1980s, anti-nuclear movements called for cuts in funding for the development of nuclear energy, halting the production of nuclear power plants, and global nuclear disarmament.

How has the situation changed since the 1970s? Friends of the Earth, an environmental organisation founded in 1971, remains strongly opposed to the building of nuclear power plants in the UK. They promote the deviation from nuclear energy development to that of renewable energies such as wind and solar, which “the UK is blessed with”. The Sierra Club, who orwganised Earth Day in 1970, “remains un-

equivocally opposed to nuclear energy”. Nevertheless, it is safe to say that the movement’s efforts have been answered over the years. They raised a concrete, large-scale safety issue with nuclear energy development and demanded change. Arms-control agreements came to fruition between Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan. International conventions and legal agreements have been enacted to control and dictate the conditions and requirements for nuclear development. Modern-age technology is brewing solutions to safety hazards, such as nuclear reprocessing systems and radioactive disposal sites. Solutions are relentlessly being deliberated amongst scientists and policymakers – the question then shifts to whether anything will be enough to assuage public fears so that nuclear power will be considered to be an indisputably viable alternative energy source once and for all. >>Image: Wikimedia Commons

Climate

Young people An interview with Ifeyinwa, member of and the climate The People's Plan for change crisis Nature T

he clock is ticking, and it’s not hyperbole anymore. We are experiencing the devastating repercussions of climate change, from heat waves to flash floods. For a crisis that impacts everyone and disproportionately impacts the most vulnerable communities, the climate change crisis is still frustratingly framed as a problem for the future. by Gunisha Aggarwal (she/her)

The People’s Plan for Nature is working to change that by calling for “urgent, immediate action to protect and fundamentally change how we value nature.” This initiative, or roadmap, was undertaken by citizens from England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. It aimed to kickstart national conversation about what nature means to different people and methods to protect it. The People’s Assembly for Nature was then brought together as a diverse set of people with the goal of learning more about the UK’s nature crisis and discuss recommendations to tackle it.

When asked about how she thinks the People’s Assembly will impact local communities and the environment, she highlighted how the discussions revolved around individual actions but also emphasised involving “NGOs, government, and policymakers”. She said: “We spoke about what we should do to protect nature, the policies that should be discussed by the government and corporations.” She also mentioned the role of intermediaries such as “scientists and research people”, who could bridge the information gap between the public, government, and non-profits.

I was curious to know if she was the only student who took part in the discussion and wanted to ascertain the diverse perspectives presented.

When I asked her about the challenges she has faced in her role as an environmental activist, she was quick to point out: “I don’t think of myself as an activist. I have a passion for nature, which makes me more conscious of my individual actions. I am prochoice, i.e. people should be able to make their own choices.” She believes in the role of incentives in encouraging people rather than “forcing people” to make environmentally conscious choices. When asked if she would like to be involved with the People’s Plan for Nature in the future, she said: “Yes, if there is an opportunity that arises and fits into my schedule, I will take it.” Environmentalism and climate advocacy can take many forms. I asked Ifeyinwa: “How do you think your background in

ABERYSTWYTH UNIVERSITY Ifeyinwa said: “Young people were involved heavily in the discussions. There were different demographics in each group. However, at the end of the day, we all spoke about the same thing - the importance of diversity in the outdoors, nature being there for us, and our responsibility to protect it. We also spoke about farming and the types of farming that are more profitable.”

psychology informs your approach to addressing environmental challenges on these issues?” She emphasised the connection between psychology and nature. She quipped: “I have spent more time being in nature than the time I have spent studying psychology.” “Psychology draws on the connection with people, and it’s important to let people know that they are doing it for themselves. There is strength in the people and strength in numbers. It’s important to allow people to express different experiences to change different stereotypes and allow access to nature for different communities.”

"We all spoke about the same She said that the People’s Assembly inAs a young person, I wanted to know her thing - the volved a lot of discussion. She elaborated: perspective on the role of youth in address“We learnt how to commit to change by ing the nature crisis. She reiterated that she importance of changing our lifestyles as individuals and inwas pro-choice, and that people should act volving different communities.” In addition according to their beliefs. She advised: “Find to learning about biodiversity and pollution understand why nature is important diversity in the atowayyou.toPeople more tangibly through the use of statistical are activists because they are facts, she learnt about practical ways to savepassionate about it. Find a thing you love, outdoors" food through the People's Assembly with something that you want to protect.” She “apps such as Olio and Too Good to Go". I asked her: “As a member of the People’s Assembly for Nature, what were your main takeaways?”

Given that young people advocating for tackling the climate change crisis are often portrayed as upset or angry about lengthy deliberations and the lack of action, I asked her: “What are your thoughts about the dichotomy that takes place in terms of slower-paced environmental negotiations and deliberations in summits versus the demand for fast-paced action through protests? She simply said: “I think I am not in the position to answer the question”, perhaps underlining the lack of tangible action arising from these deliberations.

I then asked her: “How do you envision bridging the gap between different generations and communities when it comes to protecting nature and addressing the environmental crisis?”

Intrigued by her passion for the outdoors, I asked her about her personal motivations for joining the People’s Plan for Nature, and if any specific environmental concerns led her to become involved.

Ifeyinwa explained: “I am not into technicalities. I felt like I wasn’t doing enough. I was enjoying all these outdoor activities, such as climbing and canoeing, but not contributing enough. The People’s Plan for Nature provided an opportunity to learn.”

I probed her more about leveraging social media for climate change advocacy. She said: “My big thing (on social media) is diversity and inclusion in the outdoors and nature.” She gave an example of a vlog she created for She Climbs, an organisation that takes girls and young women on climbing trips, where she spoke about girls not participating in outdoors activities because of period discomfort or the fear that their nails and hair will be ruined. As a black woman, she said that even getting her hair ready for events is hard. In her vlog, she highlighted how she climbed with her long nails, which she didn’t trim but wrapped to be able to climb. She continued: “People said the vlog was useful. I have seen the impact of social media myself.”

"Generations have changed, but there are like-minded individuals"

I had the opportunity to interview Ifeyinwa, a 20-year-old Psychology student at Aberystwyth University and member of the People’s Assembly for Nature. Originally from Nigeria, she has always been “interested in being outdoors”. She had a small farm in her compound in Nigeria and didn’t realise “how much she liked her farm ‘til she missed it when she moved to the UK five years ago”.

"Young people were involved heavily in the discussions"

light how everything is interconnected. She continued: “Voting is the power of the people. Don’t underestimate the power of social media and TikTok.”

spoke about the ecological system to high-

She said that the thing with People’s Plan for Nature was that there were different demographics on each table. She said: “Generations have changed, but there are like-minded individuals who we can connect to. The information is the same but passed in different ways.” She emphasised the importance of involving everyone by saying: “different people should be able to share ideas, and no one is left behind.” Throughout the interview, Ifeyinwa highlighted the importance of “representation of people across different communities, age, race, and gender” in climate change action. For tackling the climate change crisis and protecting nature, an issue that impacts everyone, it’s important to have initiatives such as the People’s Plan for Nature, which include diverse perspectives to initiate change. As Ifeyinwa mentioned: “If you are thinking of future generations, involve them. If you are thinking about inclusivity, involve a diverse set of people.” >>Image:Wikimedia Commons/GerritR

FOR MORE INFO: https://peoplesplanfornature.org/ https://peoplesplanfornature.org/peoples-assembly-nature

Arts

Editor: Mateus Guarda (he/him) arts@theboar.org » Images: Shutterstock (bottom left), Wikimedia Commons (top left), Charles Uzzell-Edwards (right)

How political was fashion in the 1970s?

t is easy to presume we know the distinctive influences of the 1970s: the bell-bottoms, flared shirts, and jumpsuits, sported by pop artists. It’s essentially a flipbook of ABBA and Sonny and Cher fashions. However, ‘70s styles also mirrored great cultural paradoxes. Radical social movements, an increase in androgynous dressing, military activity, and a focus on individualism can all be seen as direct interactions between fashions and the political sphere. by Grace Goodwin (she/her) Politics was suddenly so closely mirrored in 1970s fashion due to fashion’s accessibility to a larger proportion of socioeconomic groups. The revival of boutique stores and diffusion lines resulted in ready-to-wear clothing becoming more affordable. New synthetic fabrics made more clothes available to more social groups. This accessibility is evident in many designers, but Diane von Furstenberg’s wrap dress stands out. The 1974 silk jersey wrap dress gave women of all sizes and economic backgrounds a simple, timeless silhouette that is still considered a favourite in the 21st century. By 1976, the dress had been sold over five million times. The introduction of simple and adaptable statement pieces like this meant that individualism could be augmented, and clothing could be affordably altered, manipulated, and in some cases, weaponised as a representation of political beliefs.

Women rejected white beauty standards and embraced their natural hair and heritages to promote black beauty Military styles were also embraced by several movements. The Vietnam War took place from 1955–75 and interacted hugely with fashion throughout this period. The punk movement used military influence to emphasise their anti-establishment stance, while hippies wore more feminine, flowy clothes to symbolise peace. Jane Fonda’s infamous political stunt in North Vietnam posing in military gear with Vietnamese soldiers sparked anti-war sentiment and personal backlash against her in the US, highlighting the era’s deep fears of communist takeover. Military clothing also influenced the Black Panther Party, which used it to express black power. Subversive militant iconography was created with a black leather jacket, trousers, dark sunglasses, and beret. This movement allowed women, especially, to have a sense of fashion liberation. Women made up almost 2/3 of the Black Panther Party in the 1970s. They rejected white beauty standards and embraced their natural hair and

heritages to promote black beauty.

The ‘70s was a transformative era for the crossover of male and female styles The ‘70s was a transformative era for the crossover of male and female styles (androgynous dressing). Androgynous dressing had been embraced throughout the 20th century in many iterations. However, it became particularly prominent in the ‘70s, allowing for a whole new lexis and mindset towards fashion. It became more socially acceptable after Gender Scientist Bem introduced the concept of psychological androgyny. She created the Bem Sex-Inventory Index (BSRI) to identify masculine and feminine traits. This established that a person could have both masculine and feminine qualities, influencing ‘70s fashion. More importantly, it showed that having that mix of qualities could be good!

Androgyny interacted greatly with ‘70s feminism. The second-wave feminist movement produced icons like Gloria Steinem, known for her long sleek lined style, embracing more traditionally masculine clothing like jeans and workwear. The movement took much inspiration from the styles of the suffragettes and the reclaiming of practical women’s wear. When prejudices and stereotypes shaped gender roles, such that only men could wear trousers, it was unthinkable f o r a woman to wear trousers. The ‘70s eliminated this internalised idea. This is due to ‘60s styles’ lasting impact. With tie-dye and mini skirts coming to the fore, the ‘70s showed a continuation of the late 1960s hippie style. The mini skirt, particularly, was a marker stone for pushing the boundaries of traditional accepted fashions for women. The mini skirt was introduced to the public in 1963 by Mary Quant, who was celebrated by the Victoria and Albert Museum from 2019–2020 for the skirts’ revolutionary impact on women’s social liberation. It was reimagined by designers across the ‘70s and encouraged women’s social mobility, not just for practicality, but for fun and self-expression. Perhaps, in as significant a way as the suffragettes who first sported trousers.

'A lot of pop artists in the 1960s and 1970s influenced my style today' An interview with Charles Uzzell-Edwards, aka Pure Evil

ure Evil, also known as Charles Uzzell-Edwards, is a graffiti artist who has exhibits all over the world and owns two art galleries in Shoreditch. He is well-known in the art world for his signature pop art/street art style. Charles has been painting for a while, having exhibitions in countries including China, Hong Kong, Mongolia, Brazil, and the United States, alongside numerous European locations. This interview delves into Charles’ journey in the art industry; who inspired his name and style; how his years in San Francisco influenced his career, and what Charles’ future goals are. by Mateus Guarda (he/him) So, you mentioned you have a gallery in Shoreditch; how did you start it?

"[I have] two galleries in Shoreditch. Street artists are like a big family, and I wanted to show their work as well, whilst simultaneously specialising in street art. When I started my gallery, I just got a space, and produced loads of press articles stating that I had a gallery. Doing graffiti in different places like Barcelona, Berlin, and Sao Paolo helped me understand that internationally, there were a lot of artists who were not shown in the UK. Whenever I was travelling around, I was meeting up with different artists, and I would invite them to come and do shows. Part of the gallery enabled me to sell my own work, and most galleries take 50% commission; I was only taking 25% of other artists."

What inspired the name ‘Pure Evil’ and the signature bunny?

"I shot a rabbit when I was a kid, and I was a bit traumatised by it. My cousins gave me a shotgun, and it was a shock as I was playing the hunter game. The character that I draw all the time while I’m doing my tags is in memory of that, and I believe we are animals like all other animals, and therefore we do not have dominion over other animals, causing me to become a vegetarian and protesting cruelty to animals."

What artists were most influential to your art career and why?

"My father was an artist too, so a lot of my influential figures came from reading his books and looking at his art collection. JeanMichel Basquiat, and a lot of pop artists in the 1960s and 1970s influenced my style today, such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Keith Haring. They all played a key role in developing my career. I’ve even been going back to earlier artists such as Picasso, who played a key role in forming my career. My dad had every single book about him."

You mentioned you moved to San Francisco during the 1990s; did its graffiti and street art boom influence your style today?

"After graduating from university, I moved to San Francisco, where there was a lot of poetry in the form of graffiti on the streets. There was a lot of anti-consumerist art in the streets, and as a skateboarder, it gave me a unique perspective of the city. There were many psychedelic raves, which resulted in a rave scene conversion, with people from Silicon Valley, Hell’s Angels, and chemists all enjoying these scenes."

Describe your time at Anarchic Adjustments. Which two moments most shaped your art style and why?

"Anarchic Adjustments was a critical period in my career shaped by street art and BMX culture. The brand was a synthesis of these worlds, establishing a space where the rebellious spirit of street art and the dynamic movement of BMX clashed.

"Two pivotal moments in my artistic development stand out. The first was a tragic incident in which an employee committed a shooting in a shop in San Francisco. This horrifying event made me realize something very important: art can be a way to be an upstander. As a protest gun violence, I spray-painted 'murderers' outside the gun store that supplied him the weapons. " How do you think AI will impact the art industry in the next couple of years, and your career as an artist?

"I use AI, not for creating art itself – I still believe [that] should be done manually – but [I believe it is incredibly valuable] for research, and I think that’s how it will impact the art industry. A lot of people will lose their jobs due to AI, yet there will be a lot of jobs created and I see technology as a tool. There was a new show that I made that came out on November 3 entitled ‘Welcome Machine Overlords’, where I asked ChatGPT to give me 100 names of actors, so I could make artworks of them. This is how I believe artists should utilise AI."

What advice do you have for people who want to start working in the art industry now, and how would you start if you do it in the 21st century?

"You must be like an octopus – learn about technology, social media, learn about art history and study a lot of people who have come before. My biggest inspiration was Leo Castelli who was the gallerist for all the pop artists. But depending on the movement you want to focus on, you should research and take inspiration from the key gallerist[s] and successful people in the movement you want to follow.

"Having an ego is also somewhat important. You must think that you are doing something great and that you are the next big thing. People will only take you seriously if you act like that. I call this era the ‘culture of the thumbnail’ as the first time anyone will see your artwork will be through a little image they receive on their phones. So, if you want to stand out, focus on presenting yourself in the best way."

Arts

Macbeth comes to the Loft Theatre in Leamington

’ve crossed paths with the story of Macbeth various times over the years, from GCSE English studies to acting exams, to inevitable encounters with Shakespeare by studying Theatre at Warwick. Yet, I had never seen it live before, until I was lucky enough to get to see the Loft Theatre’s production in Leamington Spa. by Gemma Short (she/her)

orated with old lamps. I’m a sucker for stage sets that the actors can actually play and interact with. Unfortunately, I think it was underutilised. There were some inventive and symbolic uses of the platforms – Macbeth’s and Lady Macbeth’s King and Queen debut worked well, and the staging of the Birnam Wood ambush was creepily effective – however, it’s a shame that it was used sparingly.

One of Shakespeare’s most well-known plays, Macbeth, follows the story of Macbeth and his wife desperately clamouring for power after three witches prophesied Macbeth’s ascent to the Scottish throne. Among the countless adaptations of Macbeth, I found this to be a refreshing and compelling take on the story that deliberately departed from the original 11th century Scotland setting.

With that being said, I found the setting to be ambiguous, unsure about how far back to date it or where to place it. Personally, I don’t mind not anchoring historical context to it; it gives the freedom to enjoy the production without worrying about potential inaccuracies.

There were some inventive and symbolic uses of the platforms Thanks to the Set Designer, Amy Carroll, the set created an eerie atmosphere, consisting of a series of grey wooden platforms upstage at varying heights, with alcoves dec-

The performances of the Ladies in this production stood out to me. Poor Lady Macduff, whose only scene consists of the demise of herself and her son, was harrowing to watch. It’s a great shame that Shakespeare specifically crafted her as a martyr for her husband to then take action, yet Sophie Jasmin Bird gave it her all in this role. The complexity of Lady Macduff processing her inevitable murder while trying to be there for her son haunted me.

Notably for this production, the son was acted out through puppetry rather than having a child actor; Bird’s interactions with the

The arts in the 1970s: a critical period

he 1970s were a pivotal decade in artistic history, witnessing the emergence of postmodernism and pop art, as well as a new aesthetic that blended high and low culture. Postmodernism was a reaction against modernism, a movement which dominated the art scene from the 1860s to the 1970s, and was founded on the principles of reason, clarity, and idealism. The arrival of postmodernism in the 1970s transformed art on a global scale, embracing a new sense of freedom which championed authority and advocated suspicion of reason. It also introduced the idea that there isn’t one single definition of what art should be, but that it consists of multiple layers of meaning to be unpacked, and drawing from different artistic styles is a crucial method in doing so.

by Isabella Denny (she/her) Andy Warhol’s ‘Marilyn Diptych’ explores the impact of celebrity culture, created just months after Marilyn Monroe’s death in 1962. Warhol repeats Marilyn’s face 50 times across the two panels that make up the diptych. Half are made up of bright hues – vivid pinks, blues and yellows – which mirror the opulence and glamour of celebrity. The other half are made up of a silver under-paint and black overlay. In this panel, the black ink distorts Marilyn’s face and becomes faded near the final column. This gives the piece an eerie feel, symbolising the destructive effect of the tabloid papers which both tortured the actress in life and glamorised her death.

‘Marilyn Diptych’ explores the impact of celebrity culture Pop art was a distinctive postmodern art movement that was born in the ‘50s and popularised in the ‘60s and ‘70s, at a time when hippie, psychedelic art, and fashion was beginning to emerge. This artistic and cultural shift was accelerated through the rise of glam rock stars such as David Bowie, who experimented with bold, androgynous looks. There is no doubt that pop art was revolutionary, often tying in elements of comic books, mass consumerism. and commercial culture, while simultaneously acting as a social commentary on topics such as celebrity culture and war.

This artistic style undeniably gave Warhol the freedom to experiment with the relationship between life and death, as well as to comment on how the idolisation and promotion of the cult of celebrity life can induce great despair and tragedy within their lives. This is perhaps even more rele-

puppet were really well executed. Although the choice of having a puppet was likely for practical reasons, it served thematic purposes as well, emphasising the helplessness of the son’s situation and how everything is out of his control.

Julie Godfrey’s Lady Macbeth is also a force to be reckoned with. Godfrey demonstrates a strong sense of self-control, with Lady Macbeth’s actions feeling very carefully curated and restrained, and her moments of outbursts then clearly derive from a place of desperation. There is an obvious love between Lady Macbeth and her husband in this production (oftentimes their connection is sacrificed for exploring other plot elements), and there is an obvious physical intimacy. However, this intimacy is cleverly conditional. Their moments of physical connection are during times where Lady Macbeth is trying to reassure her husband or trying to coax him into her plans; in stark contrast, she is notably withdrawn from Macbeth when the annoyance and frustration bubble over.

Then there’s the titular character of Macbeth. The production intentionally focuses on his mental deterioration more so than his capacity for evil, which is evident in Mark Crossley’s portrayal. Crossley is eerie in his monologues, successfully physically embodying Macbeth’s emotional turmoil. Unfortunately, it was perhaps too far. While he had great stage presence and clearly gave it his all for this role, I believe it a shame to overlook the complexity of the evils at play, particularly when the performance misaligned with the director’s intent.

Director, David Fletcher, in the director’s notes section of the production’s programme, claims not to see it as “a descent into insanity”. Yet that’s how it is performed. Although each of Macbeth’s monologues are well performed, they’re sadly too similar.

Despite small gripes with intent, I was fully engrossed in the performance Fletcher also expresses insistence on the three witches being part of the community. Usually, the witches are isolated from the rest of the story and only appear when interacting with Macbeth; this production carefully embeds them into the setting, working as servants around the castle. Though constantly present, they remain unnoticed until Macbeth actively seeks them out regarding his fate. Having the trio so different from their usual fantastical and maniacal selves was an interesting choice, and it emphasises the agency Macbeth had, and that ultimately the choices he made were his responsibility. However, this perhaps clashes with the presentation of Macbeth himself.

Despite those small gripes with intent, I was fully engrossed in the performance. With a wonderful cast, great pacing, and Duncan’s demise being prefaced with a porter telling knock-knock jokes, it’s truly a production I implore you to go and support if you can. Check out the Loft Theatre Company for more information regarding Macbeth and any of their future endeavours.

vant today, with social media largely contributing to the distorted image of celebrity and the fleeting and futile nature of fame. Warhol himself predicted celebrity culture in the modern world, stating that “in the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes”.

The comic-book style reinforces the notion that art itself is a commodifiable product Roy Lichtenstein has also greatly influenced the Pop Art movement, and is most notably known for his 1963 painting, ‘Whaam!’, in which he critiques a post-war commodity-driven world. In the image, an American fighter plane shoots a missile at an enemy, accompanied by the text: “I pressed the fire control...ahead of me rockets blazed through the sky.” Our eyes are subsequently drawn to a consequential explosion: streaks of red, white and yellow with the word “Whaam!” spilling out in bold, yellow lettering. This violent subject matter is contrasted with its presentation as a fictional comic strip, which features bright and clean lines. This desensitised and almost frivolous depiction of war represents widespread emotional detachment from violence, alluding to its prevalence in the news and media. It must be noted that ‘Whaam!’ was created in the context of the Vietnam War, when anti-war sentiment was high. Perhaps this explains the comic-book appropriation, which parodies American propaganda and illuminates the absurdity of the juvenile obsession with conflict. The use of the comic-book style also reinforces the notion that art itself is a commodifiable product, uniting high art with the commercial. Similarly, art as an anti-war response has been further explored through video

and performance art, which emerged in the ‘70s. In 1971, Chris Burden, one of the most influential performance artists, asked his friend to shoot him with a .22 calibre rifle to protest against the Vietnam War. In ‘Doomed’ (1975), Burden laid under a large sheet of glass for 45 hours and 10 minutes. This symbolised his potential death and alludes to the inevitable passing of time, while simultaneously blurring the line between body and canvas. While the art scene is still rapidly evolving, with continual access to new mediums and methods of using them, I believe the 1970s art industry has, and will continue to have, a profound influence on the art world and popular culture. The impact of pop art on visual culture alone can be seen through the minimalism of Apple’s logo and the multi-coloured typography of the Google design, among others. However, the industry ultimately instigated a new era of unrestrained freedom of expression, laying the groundwork for the exploration of new subject matter and social critique.

Books

36 Editor: Erin Lewis (they/them) books@theboar.org

Lasting reputations: why have some authors dominated the publishing industry?

by Thomas Ryan (he/him) The 1970s was a time of change across the literary scene. In the backdrop of a moreturbulent political and social landscape, authors were honing in on a reflective style with texts encompassing an awareness of the changing world they formed a part of. The youthful voice was being captured with the emergence of upcoming authors like Toni Morrison and Martin Amis. Literature was being used as a vehicle for political and social change. Yet, ironically, the call for modernising which was ever present in the 1970s is something that is being halted today by the authors of that era outlasting many of their contemporaries.

The literary establishment seemed rooted in conservative values and traditions

With book sales in the UK in excess of three million copies, two-time winner of the Booker Prize Margaret Atwood cemented herself as a prominent name in the literary world in the 1970s, with her 1972 novel, Surfacing , which was adapted for film in 1981, and Life Before Man (1979) making the final of Canada’s prized Governor-General’s Award for English-language fiction. Atwood was clearly emerging as a name to watch out for in the literary world – a position she would clearly assert in 1985 as she broke new ground with The Handmaid’s Tale. As a fan of dystopia myself, I cannot deny the impact Atwood has had, continued to be made evident by her Oryx and Crake series and The Year of the Flood. Yet, her joint win of The Booker Prize in 2019 for The Testaments began to raise questions about whether the longevity of '70s authors was

fair, and whether readers are now costing on nostalgia for the past. Considering the undermining of women’s rights, which was so important given the backdrop of the book’s publication, just a year after the election of Donald Trump as US President, it cannot be denied that Atwood’s latest novel is, no pun intended, a testament to her ever-apt eye for change in the world around us. Johanna Thomas-Corr even went as far to say, in the Guardian, that Atwood was “ahead of everyone in the room” with the publication of The Testaments. However, despite Atwood’s astute observations, views like this reinforce the literary pedestal that authors like Atwood are placed upon.

Literature should offer us choice, a range of opinions, and a variety of viewpoints

Bernadine Evaristo’s Girl, Woman, Other, which shared the 2019 Booker Prize with The Testaments, proved that Atwood wasn’t the only author that could analyse the world around her and spill raw emotion and feeling onto paper. Exploring themes as wide-ranging as racism, feminism, relationships, and sexuality, Evaristo could have easily held the Booker Prize title on her own. Yet, the longevity of the 'Old Gang' meant that she had to settle on sharing the prize with Atwood, the first time this had happened in the award’s history. The literary establishment seemed rooted in conservative values and traditions – harshly ironic considering the change that was being set down by authors in the 1970s.

Bernadine Evaristo However, putting aside this criticism of the 'Old Gang' for a moment, maybe we should be paying credit to the '70s authors, who are still standing up for what they believe is right, proving how literature can take a hold of sharing views and opinions which are there to be read, critiqued, and challenged. Salman Rushdie, who came to prominence in the '70s with Grimus, has long been the

»Image: Flickr/Lancaster litfest (left), Flickr/Piaras O Midheach (right)

ife Before Man, The Cement Garden, and Grimus. Whilst this may just seem like a list of books published some five decades ago, all these books have one thing in common. Their authors, who found fame in the 1970s, are still being revered for their literary efforts in 2023. Atwood, McEwan, and Rushdie are all stalwarts of the 'Old Gang' who are still finding their books in best-seller lists today. When so many new authors are fighting to be seen on bookshop shelves and to be promoted on social media, it may seem absurd that we are still returning to books by older authors, but nevertheless, their works have a longevity that have allowed them to continue selling thousands of copies in the 21st century, whether this seems detrimental to the literary industry or not.

Margaret Atwood subject of assassination attempts, following the publication of his 1988 novel, The Satanic Verses, which has long been wrapped up in controversy and religious debate, with some Muslim readers seeing the novel as blasphemous and overstepping the limits of freedom of speech. While it is not my place to judge the morality of the novel, Rushdie’s continued presence in the literary world proves how literature can be a space in which views are openly challenged and debated, a value that is becoming increasingly important in a world viewed, by some, to be marred by censorship. Despite being stabbed just last year, Rushdie has gone on to release and promote (albeit, not in public) his fifteenth novel, Victory City, which was published in February. As he continues to stand up to opposition, why should we simply turn our back on Rushdie as part of the 'Old Gang'? The 'Old Gang' may be held in a higher esteem by the literary world, but as they continue to challenge the status quo and strive to make change in the world, can’t we find place for both the 'Old Gang' and the 'New Gang' on our bookshelves? After all, literature should offer us choice, a range of opinions, and a variety of viewpoints.

Taking a risk on a new author is a big move, and many publishers are just too afraid to

With no sign of the '70s authors taking a step back from the literary forefront in a while, it may simply raise questions as to why we are in a position where older authors are getting more recognition than newer ones. Put simply, familiarity allows the 'Old Gang' to immediately sell more copies and

promote a book more easily when released. Take The Testaments as an example again. Realistically, Atwood didn’t really have to promote her book much if she didn’t want to – name recognition in itself would have been enough to secure plenty of book sales. Indeed, people were even waiting for hours outside Waterstones stores to get their hands on their copy at midnight. Atwood has ‘status’ in the literary world – publishers will be desperate to publish her works, and indeed works by any established author. With Atwood selling copies by virtue of name recognition alone, publishers are confident that they’ll rake in the money. Stephen King, who also rose to fame in the '70s with Carrie, reportedly received a £30m advance for a three-book deal in 2000. On the other hand, new authors will struggle to find their feet in the literary industry and find a publisher. It’s almost common knowledge now that the first Harry Potter book was turned down by 12 publishers before finding success, but this is a challenge faced by many authors to the present day. Publishers will help promote a book, find an agent, copy edit – but they work on the basis of earning money. Taking a risk on a new author is a big move, and many publishers are just too afraid to do so for the risk of publishing a “flop”. Hence, authors like Atwood and King will keep raking in the publication deals instead. It may be time we move on and stop the 'Old Gang' having an omnipotent control over the literary industry, overshadowing newer authors who are trying to assert their voice, just as authors did in the '70s, pushing for social change. Yet, the literary world is so diverse and full of many voices, we shouldn’t simply get rid of these older voices altogether. It is time to find a place on our bookshelves for both the 'Old Gang' and the 'New Gang'. Let’s strive to celebrate the diversity and uniqueness that literature can offer us, as we both hark back to the nostalgia of decades like the 70s and move forward seeing what the new voices of literature can offer us.

Books

The '70s library is not past its due date

ecently, I visited Coventry Library for the first time. It is worth a trip if you haven’t been before – there are so many cosy reading spaces, a lovely study area, and a wide-ranging selection of books to read for pleasure (which is well-needed escape in the chaos of university life). My visit prompted me to reflect on what libraries were like in the 1970s after hearing the theme for this paper, so I decided to talk to my family about their experiences at their local libraries in the '70s. by Anna Barnard (she/her)

I hope that libraries continue to thrive and provide a place for everyone

The 1970s were a time when there were only three TV channels, no Internet, and an apocalypse of bell bottoms, and the position of the library was quite different to what it is today. My family recalled how the library had a lesser focus on community activities and reading groups and was instead a silent space for reading and browsing the book selection. I was particularly surprised when my dad referred to the ‘Reference Section’ as the “Google of its day”, as I don’t think I’d ever considered how people would look up information without the Internet. These encyclopaedias and reference books were not available to take out of the library, so people would take their notebooks and jot down key information. My mum also remembered rushing to the library to borrow other non-fiction books for her homework, before other members of her class got there first. I definitely take my phone camera and ebooks for granted when I need to keep hold of information today, but I reckon a part of me would enjoy the library scavenger hunt.

which book. While I do appreciate the ease of the self-serve machines in libraries today, part of me would love to have my book stamped with a return date, with its respective ticket placed in my own personal borrowing file.

Students at work in Haifa library

Technology has definitely changed how libraries are run as well. My mum remembered the library’s filing system of little blue envelopes, each labelled with the names of each library member. These envelopes would keep hold of a small ticket corresponding to a specific book, and this was kept behind the library desk to know who had borrowed

As a self-proclaimed Waterstones addict, I was also shocked to learn that owning books was more difficult in the 1970s. Compared to income, my family recalled that books were more expensive than they are today, and in their experience, they would borrow books from the library instead of owning them. My dad told me that he re-

Zone, by Stephen King in 1979, Italo Calvino’s If on a Winter’s Night a Traveller can most definitely be described as one of the strangest and most experimental books of its time.

the last person left, but “You” find a problem with this one too. It’s almost hypnotic how this whole book is structured – each story introduces you to a new world and new characters, but you never find out how any of these stories end. It was so frustrating but very clever.

membered being given a few Famous Five and Rupert Bear books as Christmas presents. This culture around treating books as gifts made the library a way for everyone to access fiction, and to read a broader range of stories. Reading was one of the key sources of entertainment in the '70s, and my family remembered reading newspapers and fiction books during work breaks and on trains, unlike how most of us today would just scroll mindlessly on our phones. My grandad, especially, would not be seen without a new library book in his bag, just in case he had a spare few minutes to fill. Though my family told me about the many differences that they noted between libraries in the 1970s and today, I feel that the need for libraries has not changed at all. My grandad was certainly a big bookworm in the '70s, and my nan told me that he would always say that “reading is escapism” – this sentiment is one that I still get from libraries today. The need to make literature accessible to everyone is just as important today as it was back in the 1970s, and I hope that libraries continue to thrive and provide a place for everyone to escape to fictional worlds and discover new stories. »Image: WikimediaCommons

A daring, experimental novel: a review of If on a Winter's Night a Traveller by Italo Calvino “You go into a bookshop and buy If on a Winter’s Night a Traveller by Italo Calvino. You like it. But there is a printer’s error in your copy. You take it back to the shop and get a replacement..."

hen this blurb was read out at my monthly book club, I couldn’t wait to get started. Written by Italo Calvino, the most translated contemporary Italian writer at the time of his death, this book turned out to be expertly crafted, covering multiple genres and exploring the complex interaction between reality and imagination. by Hannah Colechin (she/her)

I was more relieved that I could move on to the next story

Published in 1979, this book was considered to be part of the postmodernist genre which emphasises fragmentation, metafiction, and intertextuality. Being partially written in the second-person narrative, it tells the story of the Reader (or, “You”), attempting to read an array of unfinished novels. Each chapter is split into two sections: the first part describes “You” trying to read the book and the second is a transcription of whatever book “You” are reading.

For me, the structure of this book was very difficult to get used to. Having never read anything like it before, I found this book very unconventional and totally bizarre, but I kind of liked it. It’s almost as though Italo Calvino started writing a novel, built up the tension a bit, and then abandoned it before he could think up of a resolution – and he did this 10 times! He toys with his readers quite a bit, not letting them finish any of the novels he starts in this book. It was very difficult to wrap my head around at points, and I was a bit lost for the majority of the book, but I think this was his intention.

Published alongside the likes of Sophie’s Choice, by William Styron, and The Dead

Being a rather small book, I was particularly impressed by how many genres he managed to fit in. The first story is set in a railway station and follows a man with a mysterious piece of luggage. However, the story abruptly ends when “You” discover a printer’s mistake. The second story is set on a farm, but for every printed page are two blank ones, so “You” decide to return it. Another story is about a man who erases everything on the planet, starting with women, then people, then everything else until he is

It’s almost hypnotic how this whole book is structured

A photograph of Italo Calvino

feel as angry when they ended abruptly; I was more relieved that I could move on to the next story. For its time, If on a Winter’s Night a Traveller was a daring move by Italo Calvino. Being a book about books, it addresses many overlooked topics such as issues of translation, how books are produced, and the complexities of language. However, for those of you who may not be fully aware of how unique this book is, I would say that it is a very philosophical kind of read – some of the concepts and literary techniques are quite difficult to understand, and every time I picked up the book to continue reading, I had to quickly remind myself about what had happened as it was quite difficult to keep track of it all. Despite my criticism and the fact that this book was written over 40 years ago, it definitely remains to be one of the most popular books of all time. In 2009, The Telegraph ranked it 69th in a list of '100 novels everyone should read’ describing it as a “playful postmodernist puzzle”. Italo Calvino has been described as “the greatest Italian writer of the twentieth century” by The Telegraph ,and he published many ground-breaking novels throughout the '70s until his death in 1985. He will most certainly continue to be one of the most celebrated writers of not just the '70s, but of all time.

in an interview Rating: I will warn you, however, that some of the stories are far more enjoyable than others. Some are very thrilling, and I felt genuine anger over not finding out the resolutions to these ones. However, others proved to be rather slow, and it was hard to grasp what was actually happening. Therefore, I didn’t

»Image: Store norske leksikon/Johan Brun

Books

The Boar at Cheltenham Literature Festival: the epitome of what we mean when we say books yield the power to bring people together

ast year, former Books Editor, Gaby Shedwick, reported on the 2022 Cheltenham Literature Festival. Being a former Books Deputy Editor and subsequent Books Editor, it felt right that I should carry on The Boar’s literary tradition of making the annual pilgrimage to Cheltenham. Consequently, for the first time ever, it was The Boar News team that found themselves at the Cheltenham Literature Festival this year. by Luke Chapman (he/him) and Grace Goodwin (she/her) Given Gaby’s rather critical review of last year’s Festival, we set out to do the Festival some justice. This year, the plan was simple: make the most of the final weekend, and go to as many events as possible. On the morning of Saturday 14 October, 2023 we set off to the familiar Montpellier Gardens in Cheltenham, where the Festival was well and truly underway.

Cheltenham Literary Festival It is a very impressive setup, the epitome of what we mean when we say books yield the power to bring people together. We started out as nothing more than tourists to begin with, attempting to make sense of what was where and how to best spend the weekend there. We began with the basics: we took photos underneath the iconic Cheltenham Literary Festival arch, explored the Waterstones book tent, bought several books, ducked past the men on stilts, walked past the typewriter sculpture and a sign next to it that read "Please DO NOT climb on the giant typewriter" that was not being adhered to, and of course, went to a variety of talks. You can make half a day of just walking around the place, given that Montpellier Gardens is at the heart of what is known as "the Garden Town of England". Our first event was at the Festival’s free ‘Voicebox’ space, where up-and-coming writers and performers could showcase their projects. We went to watch Warwick’s own nearly-alumnus-turned TikTok sensation Isabella Dorta, who performed poetry from her new book: The Letters I Will Never Send.

It was a wholesome, enriching setup that had several fans openly talking about the emotions that poetry can evoke. That was the moment we both knew what the Festival was all about: chiefly bringing people together and meeting some truly incredible creators. We were pleased to meet Dorta afterwards, discussing her time at Warwick and her relationship with poetry. Her book signing amassed a queue of faithful fans carrying sunflowers to greet her with, which was the beginning of some incredible opportunities that the Festival presented to us.

tival. Sunday 15 October 2023 marked the final day of this year’s Festival. We started the day at the Queen’s Hotel, where many celebrities and authors at the event had stayed overnight. This we felt was quite an underthe-radar coffee spot and was our first encounter with Noel Fitzpatrick, A.K.A. the Supervet. To mark the end of what had been an incredibly action-packed weekend, we decided to split up to get as much coverage of the final day as possible.

After making use of several coffee shops and food outlets, we both attended a heartfelt talk delivered by none other than Charlie Mackesy. Both of us being fans of his bestselling book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, there was a real atmosphere of hopefulness, encouragement, and togetherness. He was on stage alongside his dog Barney, and later revealed his Oscar, which he won at the Academy Awards earlier this year. Despite it being a rather surreal moment, Charlie Mackesy appeared as decent and modest as the kind words of his book suggest. As the talk came to a close, we overheard someone say: “Well, that was the best talk of the week.” Given the calibre of names that appeared at the Festival this year – including the likes of David Mitchell, Elizabeth Day, and Tim Peake, we certainly got the impression Mackesy's talk was the highlight of them all. There was a real togetherness as the crowd rose to their feet, many of which waited up to two hours to meet Mackesy at his book signings. It was a wholesome end to what was a very successful first day, and it is safe to say that everybody who waited in line thought it was worth it.

It was a community in itself, which needn’t be defined by how much you spent on the day This year’s Festival offered plenty of opportunities to meet some truly wonderful authors. As with any Festival, it’s all about taking the opportunities that arise. One key thing Gaby pointed out at last year’s Festival was: “If you can only afford one or two events, the Festival falls flat.” That certainly rings true to an extent. However, we felt that if you pick your events wisely, you can certainly make a worthwhile visit to the Fes-

in itself, which needn’t be defined by how much you spent on the day. And so, I did the interview, attended the talk, and met some fantastic people along the way. Grace Goodwin: The highlight of my day was the interview with rom-com mogul Richard Curtis, interviewed by his daughter, feminist activist and screenwriter Scarlett Curtis. With both Richard Curtis and Dr Alex holding events simultaneously, it was safe to say that the Festival catered for a variety of audiences. The event had been almost fully sold out and featured a series of clips from Curtis’ many works. What the interview embodied more than anything was the generational changes between both father and daughter. Richard Curtis was often looking back at things he may have done differently in Blackadder and Love Actually, and it was refreshing to see that the Festival had made space for that. We felt that was what made this year’s Festival so special. The Boar’s report on the Festival last year very much focused on this idea of catering for young children and older adults, with little to no in-between. But this year it seemed every event we attended had an incredibly diverse mix of people in the audience, and the events themselves were almost catered to appease that.

Luke(right) and Grace (left) at Cheltenham Literary Festival We felt our differing accounts of the final day truly reflected the rich literary variety that this year’s Festival had to offer. Luke Chapman: Having spontaneously set up an interview with Dr Alex George the previous day, I was on a mission to cover all things mental health. Once I had finished the interview, Dr Alex was to do a talk about his latest book, The Mind Manual. As I was waiting in the theatre hall, I was quite astounded at how open the conversations around me were. The fact that the Festival had a space for such conversations was truly mesmerising, and I felt they really spoke to the authenticity of the Festival as a whole. Last year, Gaby said of the Festival: “I can’t help but feel my generation is forgotten.” For us, even on the Saturday, we could only praise the Festival for being entirely inclusive. There really was something for everyone, it seemed. We felt we saw the true value in the events, and even if you could only attend a few of them, you could still meet some amazing people and feel accepted in an enriching literary community. That, we quickly learned, was what was at the heart of the Festival. It was a community

On the whole, we felt the closing weekend was well worth the lengthy commute. Once we walked under the famous archway for the final time, we couldn’t help but feel incredibly welcomed by such an inspiring and diverse literary community. That to us, we felt is what the Cheltenham Literature Festival was all about. As fun as the events are, there’s a real atmosphere there. It’s a spectacle in itself, which is only complemented by any of the events you attend. We both fully enjoyed spending the two days at this year’s Festival, and feel as though we truly made the most of it. Who knows, maybe The Boar News will make a return next year, unless the Books section has anything to say about it!

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THE inception of Warwick student cinema 50 Years later

Where did it all begin?

n the autumn of 1973, a student named Clive Gardener attended a couple of showings at the existing Film Society and swiftly realised something was amiss. Inspired by his stint working as a film projectionist the previous summer, Gardener embarked on a mission to run an alternative ‘Film 8 Society’. Armed with an Eumig Mark S 710 D dual-gauge sound projector, he turned the smaller lecture theatre in the Arts Block into a portal to escape into the big screen. by Emily Neville (she/her) Alongside Gardener was the late Bob Kerslake (later known as the Lord Kerslake of Endcliffe in the City of Sheffield) and his friend, Stephen Spencer. Together, they began showing a range of 8mm films, and as the years unfolded, their cinematic canvas expanded to embrace 16mm. Gardener joined forces with the Film Society, working on technical aspects in L3. Guided by the leadership of then President, Nick Landau, the future founder of both Forbidden Planet and the Titan Publishing Group, the administrative and programming basis was much improved, enabling multiple screenings weekly. The work of the Publicity Officer at the time, Charles Griffin, endures to this very day through the iconic programme booklet and poster. The very foundations of one of the most prominent student cinemas in the nation were formed through a group of friends' passion for cinema. Delving into the archive of the Warwick Student Cinema (WSC) shines a light on just how much cinematic history has passed by since its inception. The trailblazer Gardener worked towards the purchase of a 35mm film projector for L3 – a risky endeavour as the item was second-hand and costly. 20 years later in 1993, the Cinema launched 70mm film in L3, and made the switch to digital film in 2013. However, even today, many of the WSC crew are trained and capable of running 35mm and 70mm showings. The cinema is still able to show films in ways that were once unremarkable but are rare now.

team of volunteers. The WSC are proud of how they are still able to show traditional film and can boast that they are one of only 10 cinemas in the UK still able to do 70mm projection, and the sole student cinema to do so. Another element of this pride is their ability to maintain incomparably low prices for their tickets, and joining the society as a member makes these tickets even cheaper. The Student Cinema has indelibly woven itself into the cultural fabric of the Warwick student experience.

But not everything has stayed the same since 1973. The very same trends that affect modern-day moviegoing have trickled down to the student cinema. Audience preferences, and therefore how films perform at the box office, are dramatically more unpredictable than they used to be. The Cinema has noted that a phenomenon like ‘Barbenheimer’ will emerge out of nowhere and bring great success for their showings—their Welcome Week event which showed both Barbie and Oppenheimer sold out, for example. Internet-specific phenomena, like memes, have become indicators of how successful a film is likely to be. Equally, the genres of cinema that were reliably successful hits in the past, like action or dramas, now receive a wider range of reactions.

And what about the next 50 years? In line with the challenges confronting cinemas nationwide, student cinemas are becoming increasingly rare. Remaining strong at Warwick is a great achievement, especially considering the significant decline faced by counterparts at other universities during the last few years. The pandemic posed a specific challenge – film showings were not possible when lecture theatres were kept empty.

After half a century in L3, a potential demolition of the Science Concourse by the university would wreck the fortunes of Warwick Student Cinema. Regardless, Daniel Kallin, the current Vice-President of WSC, told The Boar: “With fifty years behind us, we’re not planning on going anywhere anytime soon.”

Where is it now? Still based in the iconic L3, and running on the same ethos with which it was founded, WSC runs solely off the work of a

Editor: Kavin Kannan (he/him) film@theboar.org peared on the screen. Instead, films had to attract audiences through deftness of plot, quality of acting, and skill of directing, thus forcing filmmakers to create an artisticallyworthy work. It is no surprise, therefore, that these pressures produced some of the greatest films, actors, and directors in the history of cinema.

The 1970s and the artistic revival of cinema A more permissive culture had been born into existence, liberated by the sexual revolution, peace movements, and general T excesses of American society

he movie-making landscape fundamentally transformed during the 1970s. From the scale and spectacle of the 1950s and ‘60s, Hollywood pivoted to smaller, grittier productions, and thus ushered in a golden age of artistic license in cinema. by James Beamish (he/him)

A quick glance at the list of Best Picture winners at the Academy Awards confirms this schematic sketch. From 1956 to 1968, nine of the 13 winners of the award were either epics or musicals, whilst out of the four dramatic winners, two were period productions. Movie studios sought to win over audiences from their television sets by awing them with spectacle, either through the grand scale of the epic, or the assault on the senses of the musical. Lawrence of Arabia, The Bridge on the River Kwai, Ben-Hur, West Side Story, and The Sound of Music, among others, all triumphed in an era where bigger was better. From 1969 to 1980, however, this trend had reversed. Only one epic, 1970’s Patton, took home the award for Best Picture, whilst in all the 11 other years, it was a dramatic production that triumphed. Instead of Lawrence of Arabia, we had The Godfather. In place of Ben-Hur, there was The French Connection. Rather than West Side Story, The Deer Hunter stood at the peak of cinema. Two factors explain this transformation. Firstly, by the late 1960s, Hollywood was facing mounting economic problems. Between 1956 and 1970, Hollywood as a whole was only profitable for five out of 15 years. By 1970, aggregate losses had reached $4bn (adjusted for inflation), with the grand scale of epic movies bankrupting studios.

The epic was thus fast becoming the poisonous adder which threatened to kill Hollywood and its major studios 1963’s Cleopatra is a case in point in this regard. Starring Elizabeth Taylor and Burt Reynolds, the film cost an enormous $31m to make, a sum not surpassed until 1978’s Superman, and not exceeded, adjusting for inflation, until 1995’s Waterworld. Despite being the highest-grossing film of that year, Cleopatra nearly bankrupted Fox Studios. The epic was thus fast becoming the poisonous adder which threatened to kill Hollywood and its major studios.

>>Image: Warwick Student Cinema

As such, there was increasing economic pressure to abandon the scale and expense of previous projects and focus instead on smaller and cheaper productions. Because of this, the audience could no longer be distracted by the riotous spectacle which ap-

Secondly, society had profoundly changed by the 1970s. A more permissive culture had been born into existence, liberated by the sexual revolution, peace movements, and general excesses of American society. In 1968, the repressive Hays Code – which prohibited profanity, suggestive nudity, graphic violence, and drug use, among other things, in cinematic productions – was repealed. As such, filmmakers were now afforded greater scope in terms of the themes they could explore and the ways in which these themes could be portrayed upon the screen.

1969’s Midnight Cowboy is perhaps the movie which kicked-off this new permissive era of cinema. A tale of a cowboy who travels to New York to work as a prostitute, it won the Academy Award for Best Picture, quite the contrast with the previous year’s winner, Oliver!, a musical based upon Dickens’ Oliver Twist. More was to follow, with Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange (1971) depicting extremely controversial graphic violence, whilst Dog Day Afternoon (1975), starring Al Pacino, depicts a man robbing a bank to pay for his transgender partner’s gender-reassignment surgery. Throughout Hollywood, therefore, a greater permissiveness gave filmmakers the license to create movies which would never before have been made.

A golden era of artistic license thus overtook Hollywood in the 1970s, prompted by both economic and cultural imperatives. Of course, as with all good things, it did not last. Hollywood returned to big-budget blockbuster cinema, with Chariots of Fire’s victory at the 1981 Academy Awards indicating the start of a new era of filmmaking, though in truth this was presaged as early as 1977 with the release of Star Wars. Nevertheless, the legacy which this era left behind, in the films of Scorsese, Coppola, Kubrick, and Allen, amongst others, is nothing short of immense. Never before, or since, has so much great cinema been produced in such a short space of time. >>Image: Komers Real

40 Editor: Sebastian Smith (he/him) tv@theboar.org

Only three channels, you say? R

How TV has changed since the '70s

eports about the death of linear TV have been grossly overstated. Or have they? It is often said that the days of appointment-to-view television are behind us, as streaming rules the roost and habits have changed. Is this the case, or was it ever so? It’s time to turn back the clock and find out.

Saturday Night Live: a retrospective

he USA in the 1970s can be characterised as a time of great pessimism. The Vietnam War was ending years after it was promised, Watergate was only a recent memory, and the economic recession had not yet lifted. It was in the middle of this that Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol dreamed up a live sketch show called Saturday Night Live (shortened to SNL) for NBC, premiering in 1975. It was a hit, becoming both water-cooler conversation material and the benchmark for carving out comedy in the US for the proceeding years.

Watching it as someone from the UK, knowing the sense of history and prestige before you even watch it, can be quite intimidating. It’s regarded as a pillar of American culture; it’s what adults look forward to after a long week and what children stay up late for, desperately praying that perhaps one day they will be famous enough to host. It seems an almost insurmountable pressure to live up to, and yet, when SNL is good, that description could not be more fitting. In this piece, I want to highlight why it works and has worked for so long, alongside some of the show's best work over the seasons. There tends to be such a debate about what the best ‘era’ of SNL is, and each generation of people likes to signpost and declare their opinion as factual. However, to say that there is a best ‘era’ of SNL is to treat it like an ancient empire, where there are the clear peaks of a golden age and the marked deterioration that inexorably follows. I believe why SNL works and has worked for nearly 50 years is that the show is more like your favourite sports team, where they have had great seasons and bad seasons across the years, and the hope of having a perfect season is what keeps people tuned in and watching during the ‘bad’ seasons, for the hope that gold will be struck again. by Reah Kapoor (she/her) Another reason SNL works so well became apparent to me when I went back to watch sketches from the 1970s and 1980s and compared them to the more recent seasons. A pattern started to emerge. What stood out to me is that on SNL there are no archetypes of cast members; each sea-

Back in the 1970s, there were only three channels in the UK: BBC1, BBC2, and ITV. Channel 4 would arrive in 1982, but for the time being it was a triopoly (or duopoly, given there were only two broadcasters). It was a significant decade for the old box. Sales of black-and-white licences hit their peak in 1970, with the purchase of colour licences overtaking those of their more outdated counterparts in 1977. And yet, these were the days before VCR (videocassette recorder) had truly cemented itself as an option for viewers. More people than ever were watching TV, yet choice remained limited. by Thomas Bartley (he/him) One thing that was no different to today is the buzz that is generated by the hottest new shows. But while today this fever is driven through social media, back then it was the written press that drove intrigue, telling readers that they would be missing out if they failed to tune in. Shows like Dallas gained traction and built audiences accordingly. Never before had TV played such a dominant role in society, and it wasn’t something it took lightly. Whether it be Coronation Street or Top of the Pops, TV had the ability to shape and control culture. But it was also a decade in which it took on a greater social awareness. The BBC gave birth to Play for Today, which gave space and airtime for some of the nation's upcoming writers and a fair number of taboo subjects too. It served as a way to bring widespread attention to issues that may have previously been con-

son doesn’t have a type of role, like an ‘impressionist’ or a 'straight man’ that needs to be replenished every time someone leaves. Different and numerous sets of skills were brought by new cast members, and the best and most innovative sketches came from the writers catering to these skills. The most prolific and famous comic minds of American comedy came out of SNL, including Eddie Murphy, Conan O’Brien, Larry David, Martin Short, Tina Fey, and Kristen Wiig, amongst others. The list is endlessly impressive (seriously, look it up; the talent is staggering), and I wanted to highlight some of my favourite sketches over the years. Chevy Chase as a Weekend Update host in the 1970s was a great combination of silly and, also, wry.

Eddie Murphy made his debut on SNL, and his sketch 'The White Man' is daring and sharp. His sketches where he did a spin on the show Mr Rogers, where Mr Rogers was African-American, are timelessly funny. Chris Farley as Mike Foley, the motivational speaker, had the wackiest physical

signed to small audiences.

But this wasn’t something only restricted to the more serious outputs. Many comedies, such as Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? and The Good Life, broached important and developing subjects such as class and individualism (see my article in Issue 1 of this term). TV served as a lens through which contemporary society could view itself and how it was changing, getting audiences to think as well as laugh. It was a notable if gradual shift away from a more punchline-centric brand of humour that had come before.

Just as TV said something about the way Britain wanted to be, it also explored its more challenging and provoking edges. Programmes like Love Thy Neighbour were reviled by critics for their conspicuous racist attitudes, but they also typified a nation struggling to understand the consequences of mass immigration and multiculturalism. Historian Gavin Schaffer has considered the role television played in shaping attitudes on race in the period, arguing it had a significant impact on presenting the new nation to audiences. With TV’s newfound national power came responsibility.

Other programmes exposed the more sexually liberated side of 1970s Britain. The poorly aged Confessions of a Window Cleaner fed a new culture of smut and soft pornography as seedier content weeded its way onto our screens. The consequences of a

more permissive society were being felt on the screen, no matter what viewers may have felt about it.

While much of the nation might have been united in only having a few channels to pore over, many still assigned themselves to either the BBC or ITV camp. The former, the markedly older of the pair, was seen as slightly more middle-class and traditional. The latter, meanwhile, was more associated with vulgarity. The two rivals may have later converged in audiences, but in the 1970s, a divide remained. As the end of the decade hit, Brits were united in having nothing to watch, not just metaphorically, but also literally. Strikes forced the BBC off the air in the middle of December 1978, as well as a halt to production in the spring of 1979, delaying the completion of the final episode of Fawlty Towers. Not all were that bothered by the news. As Joe Moran outlines in his book Armchair Nation, it elicited a rather bemused reaction from a Guardian reader: “Should it matter one jot that Fawlty Towers fails to appear? Are the mass of people, after all, the helpless improvident ‘gammas’ of [Aldous] Huxley’s Brave New World? What manner of homo sapiens is evolving when it betrays all symptoms of addiction, and is distressed when the drug known as pap is temporarily withdrawn?” I suspect she wasn’t a fan.

Such an observation does warn us against seeing TV as some almighty and omnipotent creature. Just as today, many bemoan the effects of social media or influencer culture, many too viewed television as the route to a dumbing down of society. But there are perhaps fewer times in history when the small box has exerted so much influence. There may have been less on, but just about everyone was watching. » Images: Microphone cartoon by MILMAT (left), TV and family cartoon art by Alina Miao (centre)

comedy moments and would have everyone in the cast cracking up.

favourite sketches of all time.

Maya Rudolph and Amy Poehler were great as New Yorker talk show hosts who complain a lot in 'Bronx Beat'. They had a great natural chemistry and were so in sync that their lines and deliveries were perfect.

SNL’s legacy lives on to this day and is still popular on platforms like YouTube, where it continues to rake up millions of views. The 2020s appear to be an increasingly cynical and hopeless time, and people fear that the SNL is perhaps going to struggle to stay on air because of it. However, it’s a good reminder that SNL was a product of the '70s, one of the most cynical and hopeless times in American history, and I have hope that, because of its origins, SNL will continue to thrive by discovering new talent and reaching for that ‘perfect’ season.

Bill Hader, one of my favourite cast members of SNL and one of the gems of comedy in the 21st century, continues his run as one of the great imitators. He played a real-life dateline host in 'The Mystery of the Chopped-up Guy', seeming to be a bit too enthusiastic about the gruesome stories, and the fake Italian talk-show host Vinny Videcci interviewing real actors like Robert De Niro was hysterical.

There are also certain people who elevate sketches just because they are in them, including Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig, and Fred Armisen. Watching anything featuring them will make this apparent.

A very underrated cast member is Will Forte, and his sketch with Jon Hamm, 'Trick-or-Treat', where he plays a sex offender going trick-or-treating, is one of my

It wouldn’t be as enjoyable to highlight sketches or cast members that haven’t worked well on SNL, but it’s the inverse of what I said. When the writers don't cater to the strengths of the cast or members, or combinations don’t work, some of the cringiest and poorest-aged moments occur. This is more apparent in their political humour, which has a much higher hit-or-miss rate than other sketches, and, as said before, the good comes with the bad with SNL.

41 theboar.org

Television

Fawlty Towers

omedy reflects culture, and culture is changing faster than ever. Of course, comedy itself may have started with the Ancient Greeks, but it’s rare to see the works of Homer and Aristotle getting loud laughter when performed. Comedy is also subjective, which makes it one of the most divisive genres. Apparently, some love Mrs Brown’s Boys after all. Culturally, the '70s was a lot different from today and included everything from the breakup of the Beatles to the creation of Microsoft, but they also included attitudes and beliefs that many today would be shocked were ever allowed. So how does something that is created to push boundaries and challenge what we deem acceptable hold up 50 years later? One of the first British sitcoms that comes to mind from the '70s is the beloved Dad’s Army, which followed a regiment of the Territorial Army during the Second World War. Created by Jimmy Perry, the show ran for nine series and regularly gained audiences of around 18 million.

But has it aged well? According to critics, certainly. In 2004, Dad’s Army ranked fourth in a BBC poll for the best British sitcom, and four years earlier, it ranked 13th in a list of the greatest British television shows of all time by the British Film Institute. by Charlie Spence (he/him) Despite this, however, it seems that Dad’s Army may have lost some of its popularity over recent years. The Territorial Army is a long-forgotten memory for most, and Dad’s Army doesn’t satirise war for a modern audience as well as, say, ‘Blackadder goes forth’, because it isn’t trying to. The show worked for its target audience, which was the pop-

that definitely hasn’t is The Black and White Minstrel Show, which ran from 1958 until it was cancelled in 1978. If something was too controversial in 1978, you can only imagine what it feels like to a modern audience. The show’s racist portrayals of minority groups led to protests to cancel the show all the way back in 1967, but it was only in 1978 that the BBC saw fit to finally cancel the show.

ulation in the '70s, and it works as a reflection of what the '70s were like, but that sadly does not translate easily for modern audiences. This is further shown by the poorly reviewed 2016 revival, showing that, maybe, the show’s time has passed.

But what if one show could defy the odds? One of the most iconic and persevering comedy shows from the '70s has to be Fawlty Towers. Created by Monty Python’s John Cleese alongside his wife, Connie Booth, the show only ran for 12 episodes, making the fact that we still talk about it today a testament to just how good the episodes were, and still are. The show gained a huge variety of famous fans, from John Lennon to Martin Scorsese. Ricky Gervais even cited it as the reason The Office is only two series long. Cleese and Booth clearly cared about the legacy the show would have, choosing to

end it in its prime rather than drag it out too long.

Probably the show’s most famous episode is the Series 1 finale titled ‘The Germans’, which involves a group of German tourists visiting the hotel. Although this episode may cross the line a few times with its jokes, in general, the material has aged pretty well. The truth is, if a current audience finds that the jokes may go slightly too far, then there is no doubt a 1975 audience would have felt the same. Only 30 years after the end of World War II, many watching would have lived through the war. Also, Fawlty Towers’ influence on subsequent comedies have made its jokes and comedic timing still feel just as fresh and unique to a modern audience as they would have at the time. If Fawlty Towers has aged well, one thing

The timeless appeal of The Muppets

“I

t’s time to play the music, it’s time to light the lights, it’s time to meet the Muppets on The Muppet Show tonight”. It seems hard to believe that a show about talking, singing, and dancing puppets was such a hit when it premiered in 1976, especially when you consider that the show featured an anthropomorphic frog, mad scientists, singing chickens, a cringey standup comedic bear, and pigs in space. A brief ‘Muppet News Flash’ will perhaps explain their legendary status.

tent that specifically appeals to us. But in the 1970s, this wasn’t exactly the case.

With only three television channels in the UK, TV required universal appeal. People sat down together on the sofa to watch what was being broadcast, so successful shows had to cater to absolutely everyone. That’s exactly what The Muppet Show did. Adopting a variety format, it had something that all ages could find amusement in. Children could relish in the weird and wacky sketches by the likes of ‘Gonzo the Great’ or the Swedish Chef; adults were able to snigger at the proliferation of innuendo; and the elderly perhaps felt an affiliation with the OAPs, Stadtler and Waldorf. Each episode even featured a celebrity guest, and who in their right mind wouldn’t have enjoyed seeing the likes of Julie Andrews and Elton John cosy up to a bunch of puppets? by Sam Riley (he/him)

The current television landscape is awash with shows. We can click through a variety of channels using a multitude of streaming services, choosing whatever tickles our fancy. An entire family can now all watch different TV shows in a single room at the same time, allowing us to seek out the con-

and the like–how does it hold up?

It is this format that has allowed The Muppets to remain in the public consciousness in the nearly 50 years since its debut. Whether it’s Kermit the Frog singing about 'making whoopie’ with Ulrika Jonsson (look it up), performing concerts at the O2, or their frequent posting on social media, their

wild and zany antics have seamlessly fit into the changing tides of pop culture, remaining relevant for both old and new fans. Nothing makes this more evident than the eight feature films and numerous TV series that the franchise has spawned.

I didn’t grow up watching the original series, though; my first foray into the ‘Muppetverse’ came when my parents dragged me to the cinema to see 2011’s The Muppets. Some may ask: "How can you be a fan if you didn’t watch the classic series?" Yet, that is what is so great about them. You can watch any of their content and fall in love with the vast array of characters on screen. Personally, this has manifested in a borderline dangerous obsession with Miss Piggy. I simply cannot write this article without paying respect to the true supermodel of our time. Miss Piggy is a true feminist icon who embraces body positivity, preaches self-love, and karate chops anyone who stands in her way. Her feisty, powerful demeanour has, quite frankly, made her my favourite celebrity of all time. She now adorns my phone case, and when she announced her breakup with Kermit, I don’t think I’ve ever known pain quite like it. You may think I am being ridiculous, but to me it’s a testament to the brilliance of The Muppets. In Elstree Studios, right here

Although the BBC at the time called it "good-hearted family entertainment", it is clearly reflective of just how seeped racism was in society in the 1970s that blackface and cultural stereotyping would have seemed appropriate for the whole family sat around the TV. It is also worth noting that, despite being cancelled, the show continued to tour live, performing at Butlins' across the country until 1989. So, in summary, it seems that the '70s are just as much a mixed bag as modern British comedies are, albeit more overtly controversial. But a show not ageing well should not detract from its value, as it is unfair to judge something 50 years old by our modern standards. If a show does manage to remain relevant and funny, it’s a testament to just how well it managed to influence the culture it was aiming to reflect. In 50 years, who knows what people will think of today’s comedy shows? Maybe they’ll even like Mrs Brown's Boys. » Images (edited): Wikimedia Commons, Adam Jones (centre), Jeff Chrstiansen, Flickr (left)

in the UK, Jim Henson was able to craft a show that softened hearts around the world, brought families together through laughter, and allowed us to find something profound in the art of puppetry. I believe nothing is a more profound example than perhaps their most famous song, ‘The Rainbow Connection’. Kermit the Frog starts the tune atop a log, plucking a banjo before being joined by his friends, where they sing the lines: “Someday we’ll find it, the rainbow connection, the lovers, the dreamers and me”. In the bleak world in which we live, it’s hard not to listen to this message, shed a tear and be filled with hope. And the fact that this can be done by a Muppet!? Well, I think that’s magical. Don’t you?

Fancy writing? We'll have you! Send an electronic mail addressed to tv@theboar.org

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Television

The Mayor of Casterbridge:

'70s programming done right

n the summer, I was rummaging through a town hall jumble sale when I stumbled across a copy of the BBC’s 1978 adaptation of The Mayor of Casterbridge, which I bought for a pound. Based on Thomas Hardy’s 1886 novel of the same title, the story charts the life of Michael Henchard, a farmhand who, when drunk, sells his wife and child to another man at a country fair. What follows is a story of one man’s desperation to move on from his past, keeping it secret and making a name for himself as the Mayor of Casterbridge, a rural and semi-fictionalised town in Dorsetshire. Both of my parents watched the series as it was broadcast from January to March 1978, and so rewatching it with me was a very nostalgic experience for them. It was lovely to get some use out of our DVD player, too, which is far less used now than it was in the era before Netflix, Disney+, and other widely used streaming platforms. by Rebecca Meldon (she/her)

The novel is rife with coincidence, overheard conversations, and miscommunications that result in direct confrontation – tropes that lend themselves well to a screenplay – and Potter’s adaptation takes its time with the source material. There is ample appreciation of the nuances of Hardy’s writing, devoting the 50 to 55-minute-long episode runtime to fleshing out his characters and their world in all their original detail. Back in the 1970s, there was no way to binge-watch an entire show on BBC iPlayer; people had to pace out the series and watch one episode per week. Similarly, readers in the 1880s had to wait each week for the next instalment of Hardy’s novel to be published.

Furthermore, the 1970s camera quality and lighting lend themselves to creating an authentic atmosphere in the show. The BBC only began offering colour programming in 1968, and this lends itself to the authenticity of Potter’s adaptation. Scenes like Lucetta’s evening piano practice in her parlour, lit by candlelight, and the natural lighting of the outdoor scenes make the viewer feel as though they are right there in Casterbridge, soaking up the scandals and dramas of the town. Because it was the first BBC production to have been recorded on Outside Broadcast (OB) videotape, and the '70s technology meaning there was certainly no strobe lighting or CGI sunlight, we see Casterbridge in a similar light to how Hardy might have visualised it himself.

Rather than watching it and considering it to have ‘aged badly’ because of old filming technology, I believe that the distinctly 1970s features of Potter’s adaptation lend it an essential charm. And the late Alan Bates’ phenomenal performance as Michael is the best part of all, and who can name a more quintessential '70s television star than him? Watching some other '70s programmes as a casual first-time viewer in 2023 can definitely be an alienating experience. A 1970s comedy, for example, can offer potentially

offensive humour that was more socially acceptable at the time. One example is Love Thy Neighbour (1972–1976), which, even during broadcast, was criticised for its bad handling of racism. Other 1970s British family programming often involved conforming, bland sitcoms such as Happy Ever After (1974–1979) or slapstick comedies like Dad’s Army (1968–1977), so switching on to a beautifully crafted production of a classic English novel must have been a real treat. Christine Rawlin’s costume design makes every episode a delight for the eyes – my favourite scene is in ‘Episode 2,’ where Farfrae, dressed in his traditional Scottish kilt, dances with Elizabeth-Jane, who wears golden ribbons in her hair.

I remember when Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss released their version of Dracula (2020), based on Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel. As Dracula is one of the most frequently adapted-for-screen texts out there, I had high hopes for an adaptation commissioned by the BBC, given their great track record, but I was disappointed by their extensive creative liberties. It felt like the programme had been inspired by Dracula’s pop culture imprint rather than by the book itself. The Mayor of Casterbridge has aged well, retaining its cultural value, and taking on a sense of timelessness despite being filmed 45 years ago. By looking back on 1970s television programming, we can see just how far this medium has progressed technologically. And yet, I think that, Potter’s production is far better than more recent literary adaptations have been, and that it is a testament to an authentic, accurate, and high-quality style of television adaptation that we no longer see in 2023. » Images: Galaxy Express 999 cartoon art by MILMAT (right top and bottom)

EDITOR'S NOTE

ith every new print issue of the TV section here at The Boar, there is an improvement in both the quality and originality of the writing – a newfound diversity of both thought and writing style that, honestly, I never expected to attract to the section. To put it lightly, I can now say I'm quite happy with how far TV has come. This issue is the fourth print edition I can say I've had the pleasure of producing, and I'd like to take some margin space to express my pride in running a section that has experienced such growth and development.

And it's all thanks to my writers. We've got some new names this time, Rhea and Rebecca, both of whom have shown a critical and considered approach that I aim to garner more of. I hope to see you both writing again soon! And as for my returning writers – Thomas, Charlie, Sam, and Angel – I'm not sure where TV would be without you. Also, I've got a couple new deputies now, so hopefully you'll notice me finding more time to actually write. Keep an eye out. Ciao.

MY PARENTS' HONG KONG CLASSICS

n my first seminar at Warwick, the tutor asked why we chose to study History. Many of my classmates said they began to love history because of the TV series Horrible Histories. Growing up in Hong Kong, I never watched Horrible Histories, so this was the first time I heard about this show. It was clear that, although we were studying the same course at the same university, we had different childhoods.

It appears that our parents have had different childhoods too. I googled ‘British cartoon 1970s’, and it seemed that the most terrific children's TV programmes in the '70s were Mr Benn, Rainbow, and Bagpuss. They all sounded unfamiliar to me because I had never heard my parents talk about them. To get a glimpse of my parents' childhood, I gave them a phone call and asked what they watched when they were little. So, here’s the '70s for my parents – Hong Kong kids with a Hong Kong perspective. by Angel Sun (she/her) Just like most Hong Kong people in the '70s, my parents were immigrants from mainland China. When they fled to Hong Kong due to political instability in China, it was the golden era of Hong Kong’s economy and Japanese anime. Therefore, they grew up with Japanese animes which were spreading across Asia at that time. Most of the animes they watched were sci-fi, such as Galaxy Express 999 and Ganbare!! Robocon.

It is striking to see how avant-garde the '70s Japanese animes were. For example, Dr. Slump talks about how a scientist tries to build the perfect little girl robot, Arale, who turns out to be naive and loves playing with humans. Arale’s misunderstanding of humanity is humorous, but it touches upon our contemporary fear of artificial intelligence and robotics. Furthermore, in the renowned cartoon Doraemon, where the robot cat of the same name always helps its human friends with many crazy gadgets, there is a smartwatch, 'Mecha Maker', that allows users to watch videos and make recordings, converting illustrations into real-life versions like a 3D printer does, and an ‘Editorial Robot’ that generates comic books like ChatGPT does. These futurist ideas not only brought joy to kids in the 1970s, but also impressed their children in the 2000s. Dr. Slump and Doraemon are undoubtedly two of my favourite cartoons. Broadcast at 4 pm every day, they motivated me to make sure I got all my homework finished at school before I went home. However, some Japanese animes in the 1970s have a Western background. For in-

stance, Heidi, Girl of the Alps is based on the Swiss children's novel Heidi. Nobody's Boy: Remi is adopted from the French novel Sans Famille about a young boy working hard to earn money and see his foster family again. From the 1970s to the early 2000s, this kind of anime was an important window for Asian children to European culture and classical literature. I have never watched Nobody's Boy: Remi, but I have watched the Japanese anime version of Les Misérables and Long Leg Daddy. I learned about the idea of revolution from them, and, funnily enough, I once thought characters in this kind of anime were the most beautiful because they all had blonde hair and blue eyes.

But in addition to cartoons, my parents watched quite a lot of TV dramas. Unlike the Japanese animes that fulfilled children’s fantasies of future technology and superpowers, the TV dramas my parents watched are very realistic and locally produced in Hong Kong. Crocodile Tears portrays how a young journalist failed to pursue his dream in the capitalist world, whereas Fatherland is a historical drama about the plight of farmers in Southern China. Focusing on the political tragedy in mainland China and social inequality in colonial Hong Kong, these dramas were trendy at the time. They remain very influential; Gen Z might have even heard about them indirectly at some point. They were always re-played on TV when I was little, and I still see them on memes nowadays.

I found that TV programmes eliminated the 30-year age gap between my parents and me. They let me watch their childhood favourites when I was little, and, in turn, I’ve recommended my favourites to them. Our classical cartoons do not just live in the '70s; they are passed down through generations, both by family and love.

Photography 1973

43 Head of Photography: Finn Chadwick (he/him) multimedia@theboar.org

THEN AND NOW

Illustrations / Persia Squires

By Finn Chadwick

Photography / Finn Chadwick

In these compositions, we witness the lively evolution of our campus over the past 50 years. Senate House and Cryfield, with their unwavering architectural brilliance, stand as resilient monuments, untouched by the passage of time. Each collage pairs a recent snapshot of campus that I took this week with a 1970s photograph overlayed, taken from The Boar’s 1970s print editions. The aerial view in the bottom-left corner further highlights changes, with notable omissions like the MRC, the FAB, The Oculus, and the Piazza. These compositions should also act as a testament to the staying power of The Boar, and illustrate its special place in the tapestry of this University. Yet, amidst these transformations, a lingering mystery emerges: 'Where has that statue outside the Library gone?'

Below: Image / University of Warwick Library

2023

Travel 50 years of travel: what's changed?

Editor: Ben Ockrim (he/him) travel@theboar.org

alling yourself a “traveller” nowadays invites assumptions of Instagraminfluenced grandeur. Descriptions of “voyager” are normally found in gap year photo collections and in the “authentic” lifestyle blogs of Instagram influencers, who post highly-edited photos of themselves leaping across the globe. by Alexandra Luca (she/her) Whatever it is that we are looking to discover in our travels, our surroundings, or ourselves, it is undeniable that the process of doing so has evolved massively in the last century. Vita Sackville-West and Virginia Woolf kept a memorable correspondence during the former's month-long journey to Iran that now tells us as much about their relationship as the distinguished atmosphere of interwar travel in the Middle East. Today, a bland “I landed” text would be the closest equivalent. I assume that is also where the saying, “It’s not the destination, but the journey that matters”, found its fame. Yet, in the era in which we have every corner of the world at our fingertips, it is difficult to imagine a different way to travel. For example, while now it takes a few moments to book a trip to anywhere on Earth, travellers in the ‘70s relied on travel agencies for their voyages. This was only briefly after airlines sur-

passed shipping lines as the go-to choice for crossing the ocean, and bus travel became more popular than trains for continental transport. Travel agencies had exclusive access to the areas they were assigned to by the International Air Transport Association, such that people had to rely on them for their plans. Travel has become more accessible in another way: the ‘70s was a decade defined by social movements and stark differences in regimes across the world. China under Mao, for example, was unreachable. Similarly, one could not travel to war-torn Vietnam. Africa, apart from few countries, was offlimits, as well as South America, which was seen as a very adventurous destination, despite its relative stability compared to the rest of the globe. The Iron Curtain proceeded to cut off the USSR and satellite states from communicating with the rest of Europe. My parents, who spent their teenage years under the Romanian communist regime, helped me put together this account of the history of travel by relaying their experiences travelling over 120 countries in 30 years. Russia was the first country my father visited, in 1988. It was “nearly impossible” to exit the country at the time, and he travelled to Moscow by train with the Communist Youth organisation. To be able to travel, they needed to belong to a group with a wellestablished pre-approved destination. He felt he had entered a “different universe”, as

everything was so much more developed as anything that was available in Romania at the time. The array of products on offer in stores, some of them which you could only get in rations in Romania, was “incomparable” to anything he had experienced before.

For the first time in their lives, they met other young people from all over the world The next time my parents left the country together was to travel the El Camino route by bus in 1997 to see a Pope John Paul II speech on a trip organised through partnerships between the Catholic churches in Europe. My parents were never religious, but this was one of the few accessible travel opportunities they had, and they were eager to explore Europe by bus, even if that meant they had to spend their nights in sleeping bags surrounded by other youth in gym halls. For the first time in their lives, they met other young people from all over the world and got the taste of real adventure, speaking to the transformative benefits of travel.

30 years later, the landscape has changed dramatically. One of the biggest changes my father has noticed is the fact that, at the dawn of the millennium, prices to travel from the West into Asia or Africa were double what they are now. The internet has also brought benefits to the industry,

by spreading information indiscriminately across the world and creating a diverse supply of experiences for all types of travellers. The only boundary is what our minds are capable of desiring.

“Price volatility”, he says, is a drawback the industry has faced. Real-time pricing has soared to the point that hotels can advertise different prices on different website, something that was “inconceivable” 20 years ago, when tariffs would be fixed for weeks or months at a time.

Whether the retrospective to the ‘70s instils nostalgia of an era of authenticity, dread of a time of high boundaries, or both, speaks to our approach to travel. The exponential increase in accessibility has opened plenty of doors for more people than ever, but this has come at at a cost. Aviation has evolved into one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions, and the massive influx of people in tourist hotspot places have left locals disillusioned, with some politicians now taking advantage of anti-tourism sentiment. Just as travel in the ‘70s reflected the issues of the decade, so does contemporary travel illustrate our biggest struggles around globalisation. For the future, we need to support and campaign for sustainable tourism practices that encourage ethical modes of transportation and mindful approaches to new and diverse cultures.

Travel from the other side: an international student looks back at their first term at Warwick

will never forget 26 September 2021. It was when I took a 13-hour flight, crossed the whole of Eurasia, and left home for the very first time. After a long sleep, I moved from Hong Kong to Britain, from summer to autumn, and from adolescence to adulthood. by Angel Sun (she/her) I had complex, mixed feelings on my first day in Britain. I felt so fortunate that several people helped me along the journey, such as the taxi driver who insisted on taking me right in front of my accommodation so that I would not get lost. I was also proud of my own strength. Many of my flatmates relied on their parents to help them transport their bags, but I carried my suitcases myself even though they weighed half my body weight. The autumn breeze was pleasant, and everyone was friendly. However, I burst into tears when I made my first video call to my parents. I did not know why.

I am an introvert. I enjoy being alone, and I do not mind trying out new things by myself I am an introvert. I enjoy being alone, and I do not mind trying out new things by myself. Therefore, I joined a lot of society events on my own in the first few months. Documentary Society is the first society I joined. I struggled to engage in the postscreening discussion at first as everyone

spoke too fast, but I loved learning from them. For example, I learnt what ‘Tory’ meant. I also learnt a lot from observing others. Everything was a cultural shock for me: I remember noticing a girl confidently not wearing a bra in public and watching my flatmate put his bread directly on the table. I knew that drinking was a huge part of British culture, but seeing just how much people loved to drink was the biggest surprise. I lived on the ground floor of Rootes. My flatmates drank a lot. It seemed that

whenever they spent time together, they drank. This was not something I expected.

I did not know why I was so scared of alcohol. In my first term, I never did anything involving alcohol, like flat parties or clubbing, not to mention circling. I had just visited Spoons once. I stored my dishwashing liquid and sponge in my room, so I could eat in my room and wash dishes in the toilet without entering the kitchen when my flatmates were partying.

Sometimes I hated my fear. On Snapchat,

which I downloaded when school started, everyone had fun and made friends in clubs. I wondered whether I had missed the best part of my university life.

The fact I survived my first term at Warwick shows I can survive any challenge that's thrown my way However, I enjoyed my first term at Warwick a lot. I loved running on campus with the geese. I was strikingly excited when I saw snow for the first time. I accidentally met my best friend on New Year’s Eve, when my flat was empty and everyone had gone home. These are all the loveliest moments in my university life that I will never forget.

I am in my third and final year now, and the first term this year has nearly ended. I have gone back home only once, so I have spent over two years in Britain. Have I fully assimilated into British society? No, definitely not. I still cannot understand some British jokes or eat potatoes every day like my flatmate. I still hate beer and clubbing. Yet, I have become the president of the first society I joined and made more friends. I have taken care of myself well.

It was my first term at Warwick two years ago, and it will be my first year of working or master's study next year. The fact I survived my first term at Warwick shows I can survive any challenge that's thrown my way.    >>Images: Unsplash (top), Flickr (bottom)

Travel

45 theboar.org

My summer working as a conservationist in New Zealand

>>Images: Unsplash (top left), Cantalapiedra (bottom left), Unsplash (bottom centre), Cantalpiedra (right)

f you come across any true New Zealander, chances are they will be passionate about three things: ice cream, rugby, and their country’s native wildlife. Despite its small size, New Zealand has the highest ice cream consumption per capita, while the All Blacks are regarded as one of the most successful national rugby teams in history. by Victoria Cantalapiedra (she/her) New Zealand, or Aotearoa in the local Māori, is also internationally recognised for its stunning natural beauty. It is a biodiversity hotspot, with an estimated 80,000 endemic plants, animals, and fungi. The uniqueness and richness of the local flora and fauna is due to the continent’s long isolation from other larger land masses during its evolution. However, human activity has threatened New Zealand’s environment for centuries. Before the arrival of the first Western travellers, the only mammal found on the archipelago were bats, meaning that settler migration and the introduction of livestock and “pests” (rats, mice, possums, stoats, etc) wreaked havoc on the native species populations. In the 21st century, the ongoing climate crisis has exacerbated the country’s internal struggle to maintain

its biodiversity. Fortunately, there are many organisations that are trying to fight back against a climate catastrophe. Over the summer, I was lucky enough to spend three months working as a conservation intern at Zealandia Eco Sanctuary. By “summer,” I mean July to September, which is technically winter in the Southern Hemisphere. I was living in Wellington, the capital city, where the temperatures ranged between seven and 15 degrees celsius. The frequent southerly winds made me question my decision to spend most of my working hours outdoors. Nevertheless, the occasionally sunny days more than made up for it, with the verdant green podocarp forests contrasting sharply with the sparkling waters of the South Pacific Ocean.

I spent the bulk of my time working in a fully fenced urban ecosanctuary, which focused on the conservation of native wildlife species, birds, and reptiles. The sanctuary’s long-term goal is to restore the protected area, and Wellington in general, to its prehuman state through the monitoring and reintroduction of lost species of plants and animals. During my stay, I formed part of the conservation team, where I was able to participate in various activities, from routine pest audits to the emblematic release of

a new pair of Takahē, a species of bird that was believed to be extinct in the late 19th century, into the valley.

The almost nine-kilometre fence surrounding the sanctuary was completed in 1999 and it is made of a tightly woven wire mesh to keep out unwanted predators. It also incorporates an underground skirt to prevent burrowing, as well as curved top hat and a height of over two meters to stop any animals from jumping over. The strict maintenance of this predator free environment is the sanctuary’s top priority, and any potential breaches are dealt with immediately. We had a few close calls while I was there, which meant that precautionary pest control systems were immediately put in place. These consisted of a series of humane lethal spring traps and tracking cards and tunnels to detect for any potential intruders. I was pleased that nothing was ever caught or recorded during any of these incidences, but it was impressive to witness the speed and efficiency with which these protective measures were seamlessly implemented. The reserve’s other main concern is the reintroduction and management of the local fauna and flora. A highly secured fence does nothing to stop birds from flying over, but the idea is to make the conditions of

the fenced area more favourable for their habitat and reproduction by eliminating the threat of predators. Some susceptible populations were routinely fed to maintain their numbers and specifically designed nest boxes were scattered throughout the valley to aid their nest building and breeding.

The sense of community I experienced while I was there will remain forever etched into my heart It is safe to say that there was always something for me to do, and each day I was faced with a new series of challenges. Fortunately, I was supported by my fellow staff members and all the courageous volunteers, who routinely took the time to offer their services and help whenever they could. The sense of community I experienced while I was there will remain forever etched into my heart. The size and scale of the project set out by this sanctuary, and by many others across the country, is simply gigantic. Considerable progress has already been made, but there is still a long way to go, and I am eternally grateful to have been able to help conserve Aotearoa: the “land of the long white cloud”.

Sport

Technology, teams, and tracks

An exploration of how F1 has changed in the last 50 years

ccording to coverage on Sky Sports, “Formula 1 has been the world's most technically advanced sport since the championship's inception” – something we can track through the evolution of racing. The first ever Formula 1 race was held at Silverstone in 1950 and was won by Alfa Romeo’s Giuseppe ‘Nino’ Farina, but his car then was significantly different to today’s F1 car. by Ria Ann Sam (she/her) Older F1 cars used to have a front engine, whilst those today have rear engines. Moreover, the engine size itself has also decreased. The steering wheel has evolved too. Historically, cars had a stereotypical steering wheel which was three-pronged and circular, whereas current steering wheels resemble video gaming remotes with their rectangular shape and multiple buttons, such as the one to activate the Drag Reduction System (DRS). Moreover, the little screen on these modern steering wheels can show the drivers their lap times and relay information from the pits – showing just how far we’ve come from the first steering wheels.

Leclerc, Hamilton, and Grosjean could have lost their lives if it weren't for the halo DRS itself was only introduced in 2011 as a tool to help drivers overtake the car in front by opening the rear wing flap – the rear wing itself being introduced in 1968. Importantly for driver safety, the halo was introduced in 2018 to provide drivers greater protection via a bar connected to the car which surrounds the driver’s head. Drivers such as Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, and Romain Grosjean could have lost their lives if it weren't for the halo. Historically, drivers wore a cloth cap, leather boots and gloves, and a pair of goggles. Nowadays, to make the sport safer, drivers wear fireproof overalls, and have sturdy, strong helmets alongside driving boots and

gloves. The gloves are so advanced they have biometric technology which shows teams their drivers’ pulses and blood oxygen levels. The age of the drivers has also decreased. The average age of drivers used to be around 39, whereas it is nearly 20 years younger today at just 20 years old. Furthermore, teams have evolved and changed; some have left while new ones have appeared. For example, Alfa Romeo – one of the most successful teams in the first few years of Formula 1 – have undergone significant change. After their initially successful years in the early 1950s, the team pulled out of the sport. They then provided engines to other teams, including Brabham who had 14 podium finishes between 1977 and 1978.

Some tracks have also evolved and changed, adding or removing a corner here or there An even longer hiatus followed. However, they returned to F1 in 2018 sponsoring the Sauber F1 team, before the Sauber F1 division was renamed as Alfa Romeo in 2019; they are set to be rebranded as Audi in 2026. Current Constructors’ champions, Red Bull, have also undergone significant change. They began their life as Ford, who rebranded to Jaguar Racing. Jaguar then put the team up for sale in 2004, and the Red Bull company decided to buy it – they officially became Red Bull Racing in 2005, with Christian Horner as their Team Principal. Some tracks have also evolved and changed, adding or removing a corner here or there. To give an example, Barcelona removed its final chicane earlier this year for a faster, more exciting finish and a shorter lap. Overall, as we can see, Formula 1 has changed and evolved drastically since its inception, most notably through cars and engines, but also through its teams, drivers, and tracks. Hopefully, the excitement and innovation in the sport will only continue.

From leather skates to modern greats

The last 50 years of history in figure skating

eople in Finland were using pieces of wood or bone to cut travel time when hunting 4000 years ago. This was when proto-ice skating was born. However, figure skating in its current form did not originate until 1772 when Lt. ‘Captain’ Robert Jones wrote A Treatise on Skating and designed boots you could screw blades on. 200 years later, in the 1970s, figure skating was, for the most part, developed.

The 1990s saw figure skating rise to the global stage as a response to the rivalry between figure skaters Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan during the 1994 US Figure Skating Championship, where Kerrigan’s shins were attacked by Shane Stant and Derrik Smith – contracted by Jeff Gillooly, Harding’s ex-husband, and Shawn Eckhardt, her bodyguard.

Figure skating is a sport in which ice skaters – on their own, in pairs, or in groups – perform jumps, spins, and footwork in a coordinated programme. But these last 50 years have proven to be a period of transformation, innovation, and evolving standards. by Sophie Flint Vázquez (she/her) The 1970s brought the shift from traditional figure skating to freestyle skating. Freestyle skating, unlike traditional figure skating, places a greater emphasis on jumps, spins, and footwork rather than on executing intricate circles and loops on the ice. Skaters are also scored on a broader range of elements. This made skating more athletic and interesting to watch. The 1970s also brought technological advancements to the design of the ice skates themselves. While up until this point boots were made of leather, lighter materials such as fiberglass and plastic began to be incorporated into ice skates’ design. These made them more durable, flexible, and lightweight, making jumps easier and movements more precise. Ice dancing, a discipline inspired by ballroom dancing, became an Olympic sport in 1976. The 1980s saw a huge increase in technical innovations for figure skating. Landing triple jumps – where the skater needs to make three full rotations in the air – became more important, with some skaters even practicing quadruple (or quad jumps) where skaters made four full rotations in the air. In the 1988 World Championships, the Canadian Kurt Browning landed the first quad toe loop – a jump where the skater begins facing forward, switches into a backwards-facing position, before taking off from their right back outside edge and left toe pick, rotating four times before landing on a backwards right outside edge. In 1988, history was also made when Midori Ito became the first woman to land a triple Axel in competition. The Axel is figure skating’s most difficult jump, where the skater takes off from a forward position, and rotates one-and-a-half times (or three-anda-half in the case of a triple jump) before landing on the backwards right outside edge. At the same time, synchronised skating was invented. A team-based sport, it combined elements of figure skating with synchronised movements and led to the creation of synchronised skating competitions.

Kerrigan was forced to pull out of the competition. The case became one of the biggest sports scandals in history and led to an increase in the popularity of ice skating. Moreover, broadcast and television meant skaters like the aforementioned Harding and Kerrigan, as well as others such as Midori Ito and Yuna Kim, achieved celebrity status. By the 2000s, technology was fully incorporated into the sport, with skaters using computer-assisted training and tracking software for performance analysis, allowing them to receive instant feedback and thus enabling them to refine their techniques and push the boundaries of what was possible on the ice. The introduction of the International Judging System (IJS) in 2004 also meant scoring became more objective; thus, figure skaters were rewarded for their technical skills and execution, and bias was removed. Since the 2010s, figure skating has seen a significant increase in skaters' athleticism. Quad jumps have become more common and both male and female skaters, such as Alexandra Trusova, have landed quad toe loops, quad Lutzs, and quad flips in international competitions. As for what’s going to happen in the next 50 years of figure skating? Who knows. Quintuple jumps could be on the horizon, with two-time world champion Nathan Chan already attempting them. The technology in ice skates and that used for training is also rapidly improving, and new materials and techniques are being tested regularly. Physics and the limitations of the human body aside, the sky is the limit. >>Images: Wikimedia Commons/Bernd Settnik (top), Wikimedia Commons/N/D (left)

'I don't call myself a women's footballer – I say I'm a footballer'

Sport

Rachel Gore analyses how the game has transformed since the 1970s

s we entered the 1970s, the 50-yearlong ban from the Football Association (FA) which prevented women and girls from playing football was still in place, only being lifted in 1971.

English women's football: a brief history The last half-century has been transformative for women’s football, and the dramatic history of the sport leads us to question how it has gone from being banned to being played by hundreds of thousands across England. The first few years of the 1970s saw the first TV reports of the Women’s FA Cup Final results. Women’s football was finally gaining some airtime on television; however, it was still extremely difficult to watch games. It wasn’t until 1989 that Channel 4 provided regular coverage of women’s football. In 1975 the government passed the Sex Discrimination Act – this not only prevented discrimination against women but also led to progression in women’s sport. It became a lot easier for women to train to become professional referees, and by 1997 the FA had outlined plans to develop the women’s game. In 2014, just under 20 years after these plans were outlined, 2.6 million women and girls were playing football across England. By 2017, Sport England had pledged to spend £30 million on grassroots girls’ football. Clearly, in retrospect, the plans of 1997

were the beginning of significant growth for the women’s game. While the sport was gradually becoming more popular, it was not until 2017 that the Women’s Super League (WSL) moved to a winter calendar to match the men’s game. Then, in 2018, the league became professional. Prior to this, stars of the game, such as Alex Scott, were washing the shirts and shorts of the Arsenal’s men’s team to earn money. This was all too common, with nearly all women’s footballers having to take up jobs outside of the sport to survive. Today this still occurs, with Leah Williamson, the player who led the Lionesses to victory at the UEFA Women’s European Championships in 2022, training to be an accountant due to the lack of money in the game. Similarly, Mary Earps (the Lionesses’ award-winning goalkeeper) attended Loughborough University, while playing in professional leagues with Birmingham City and Bristol City.

How has women's football been professionalised? The professionalisation of the league, which came seven years after its inaugural season in 2011, brought new licence criteria for clubs from the FA. For both of the first two seasons, clubs were given £70,000 from the FA. There were conditions to this, however, as no more than four players in each side could be paid more than £20,000. This ensured that stars were spread across the teams. Meanwhile, recent BBC analysis suggested that the average WSL player in 2022 earns £47,000. The growth in wages is one aspect of the transformation of the sport. Despite this, the average Premier League footballer earns more in one week – around £60,000 – than what the average WSL player earns over a full year. This is in part due to the smaller viewership of the women’s game, although it is growing rapidly.

Change in international football Following the 2022 Women’s Euros, WSL attendances increased by 276%. Alongside the growth of the domestic league, similar trends have followed within international football. When the first Women’s European Championships were held in 2005, England did not make it out of the group stages. Fast forward 17 years, and the Lionesses took home the trophy in front of a packed Wembley Stadium. International football has always been vital for the women’s game. It was the first element of the sport to become professional, with the first England contracts going to the likes of Jill Scott, providing players with

salaries of £16,000. This meant employment outside of football was no longer as essential. In 2011, 1.7 million people tuned in to watch the FIFA Women’s World Cup final in Germany, while in 2017, the Euros attracted four million viewers, a 68% increase on the 2015 World Cup. The spectator growth has been spectacular, highlighted by the 7.3 million who watched the Lionesses beat Australia in the 2023 Women’s World Cup semi-final. The first full-time head coach for the Lionesses came towards the end of the 20th century, with Hope Powell taking over in 1998 and leading the team for 15 years. Sarina Weigman, the iconic Manager of the Lionesses, has now led the England women to 34 victories. Under her management, the squad won the most recent European Championships, and then reached a World Cup final over the summer for the first time in history. The triumphant European Championship final, held at Wembley Stadium, had 87,192 spectators in the stands. This number is nearly double the 45,619 spectators present in 2014 at the Lionesses’ first game held at Wembley. The women had played a curtain-raiser, ahead of a men’s match against Chile at Wembley in 1989. However, this first standalone international game in 2014 was a turning point for women’s football. Thousands more tickets were sold than were sold at a previous Wembley friendly with England’s men, reflecting the fact that the women’s game was growing, perhaps even at a quicker rate than the men’s.

A whole new sport? Women’s football today is almost unrecognisable from what it was at the beginning of the 1970s. Girls have gone from cutting their hair short and pretending to be boys so that they could play in grassroots teams, to sporting England shirts with the names of Lionesses printed on the back, as they cheer on an international women’s team that has now

Lucy Bronze, Barcelona and England defender, quoted in the headline reached the final of their two most recent major tournaments. With a government pledge to provide equal access to football in schools, and £600 million in funding to PE departments, the women’s game is only going to keep on growing. This summer, fans travelled to Australia to watch the Lionesses play in the World Cup. Nike produced T-shirts with the phrase ‘Like a Lioness’ which were worn by players and fans alike. The Lionesses are proving to be an inspiration to young children across the country. While the women’s game is in a much better place than it once was, there is progress still to be made. It was only after petitions and campaigns that Nike began selling the match shirt of Mary Earps – who saved a penalty against Spain in the 2023 World Cup final. There have also been issues with injuries. Last season, five of the Arsenal Women’s squad suffered ACL injuries – including Beth Mead and Leah Williamson. Although it is vital that we look at how much there is still to do before women’s football is equal to men’s football, it is also just as important to recognise how much has already been done. The Lionesses squad of today recognise the shoulders they stand on: the women who fought for their right to play a game that was so easily played by men, and those that studied degrees and worked while representing their country in the world’s most popular game. If those women and girls from the 1970s could see the position women’s football is in today, they would not believe their eyes. >> Image: Wikimedia Commons/ James Boyes (top right), Wikimedia Commons/ El Loko (bottom left)

Sport

48 Editor: James Taylor (he/him) sport@theboar.org

Chelsea, football, and race Interview with Xaymaca Awoyungbo

any of us dream of donning the shirt of our beloved football club, but when this becomes impossible, working within it is arguably the next best thing. And in the last few months, those dreams have turned to reality for a former Warwick student. Xaymaca Awoyungbo graduated from the University last summer with a degree in History and has spent the latter part of this year producing a project for Chelsea FC’s Blue Creator Fund. by Thomas Bartley (he/him) Xaymaca explained how the project came about. “I always knew I wanted to get into journalism and was a big film fan”, he said. “During my course, I had the opportunity to make a couple of films, for example for my Undergraduate Research Support Scheme (URSS) project on decolonising the curriculum. “I didn’t really know how I was going to make it after my degree, but I saw the Blue Creator Fund come up when I was doing my dissertation and decided to apply. “I had a vague idea of what I was going to do and managed to get to the interview stage and then thankfully received the grant.”

The grant, awarded to both Awoyungbo and fellow fan Becky Gordon, gives the young creators £15,000 to explore an area of their choosing. It aims to target underrepresented groups by giving them a voice to explore something about their club.

So, what did the project involve? For Xaymaca, his subject was an important if not uncomfortable one: Chelsea’s relationship with race. But despite the potential awkwardness of the topic, he states that he was strongly supported by the club. “I think they are quite open to it given this was my focus straight off the bat. As long as it is obviously not about slandering the club, I think they were fine, but given I am a fan anyway that was not really my intention. Of course, they have a communications team which I have to run things by, but they have given me a lot of creative control.” The extensive project included lots of filming with current and former players, as well as fans, musicians, and journalists. Xaymaca was also involved in the management of a small production team who supported him in the delivery of the project. Given he is first and foremost a supporter, he may have perhaps become awestruck at the surroundings and access. But he assured me he was mostly able to keep focused. “There were a few times where I was a bit flustered and had to keep my cool, but for the most part it was very professional. You need to keep it like that or else you won’t get

Postecoglou and Spurs

here are the unique touches of madness which make a genius? Or the preposterous ‘motivational’ cartoons scribbled on whiteboards prematch? Even the presence of an aggressive ‘this is war, let’s kill 'em’ mentality?

only are Tottenham freed up, but they’re winning as well, unbeaten in their first 10 matches prior to the bizarre nine-man spectacle against Chelsea, in which Postecoglou adopted an offside trap – which more closely resembled a rugby match.

The temptation to find what Ange Postecoglou is doing differently with Tottenham this season is spellbinding. But there isn’t a whacky, simple answer – no Mikel Arteta-esque: “close your eyes and dream with me”, or Leicester's 2015/16 infatuation with eating beetroot. Why are we searching? Because despite doing absolutely nothing unique since the start of the season, Tottenham under Postecoglou have been electric.

When compared to Antonio Conte, the drab five-at-the-back seems like a distant nightmare, and full-backs Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro are playing like wingers.

by Ben Davies (he/him) Every type of manager has had their shot in the Premier League: arrogant and quiet; foreign, and so British as to be termed ‘Brexit’; tactical and brutish. But never have we seen a middle-aged Australian who says ‘mate’ every other sentence and is yet adored not just by the Spurs faithful, but by the rest of the league too. Tactically, it could scarcely be easier for Postecoglou to please the supporters. According to fans, having someone who understands the ‘Tottenham DNA’ is crucial. Not

Although Mauricio Pochettino was unreservedly loved at Spurs, even his system did not compare to Postecoglou’s fierce, daring attitude, in which high pressing without the ball makes Spurs just as dangerous as in possession. As for the elephant in the room, obviously Tottenham would be better with Harry Kane. On track to score over 50 goals in the Bundesliga, with 15 in his first 10 matches, he barely broke stride in adapting to his new climate. If that’s not enough, despite loving the responsibility of captaincy so far, shoehorning Son Heung-Min into the striker role may not work long-term: there’s often a reason wingers-turned-forwards rarely work (think Timo Werner and Marcus Rashford). Whether it was through managerial tactics or Kane himself, his frustration with staying high up the pitch (something that

the best answers.” As for the findings of the project, the Warwick graduate is keeping somewhat tight-lipped until the film is publicly released. But there were some interesting revelations along the way. “I did have an idea of the narrative I wanted to tell, but there were a few surprises later on, particularly with regards to the women’s game”, Awoyungbo detailed. “Some people had different ideas about what Chelsea should do to improve its attitude on race which didn’t align with what I expected. I think it is always the case with documentaries that people don’t always come up with what you expect.”

What is the potential impact? Awoyungbo hopes for the film to have a broad impact, even if the subject matter is fixed to football. “I definitely want it to go wider than the club, nor do I just want it to be a football documentary. It is quite politically and socially focused, especially with its take on the 1980s and that context. Hopefully even people who are not interested in football will watch it and enjoy it.” used to be a given before Cruyff/Guardiola) led to him dropping deep and playmaking. Clearly, it didn’t impact his goal record, but with Richarlison, and now Son filling in up front, the aggressive, high press works brilliantly without needing to ‘carry’ a goalscorer. On the whole, losing Kane isn’t anything other than a travesty, but it certainly has its benefits, not least for Postecoglou as it allows him to mould players to his vision. Of course, there are problems with Ange and his newlook side. The better a new, exhilarating team does, the quicker the ecstasy of fresh, fearless football becomes an all-consuming headache that makes you scared of losing every weekend – when at the beginning there’s no pressure. This could stop Ange’s all-out boldness from lasting forever – if not as a result of the Manager himself, then perhaps due to a nervous energy trickling down from the fans to the players. Moreover, Tottenham’s squad depth is criminally low for a top-four team. There are seven players that quite simply must play every game – a significant issue which supporters will hope is rectified in the January transfer window. However, under Daniel Levy, signings are not guaranteed. Meanwhile, recent injuries to James Maddison and Micky Van de Ven have dented morale; time will tell whether Postecoglou can adapt to losing such key players.

And as for the future, hopefully this is not the end of his filmmaking forays. As he explained, the Blue Creator Fund has only given Xaymaca a taste for more. “I really saw what it takes to make a documentary on a high level with lots of people and how the editing never really stops. More than anything though, it has been really fulfilling. Obviously, Warwick is typically associated with finance and consulting careers, but this is really the area I want to work in.” Xaymaca’s film premiers privately at the Saatchi Gallery on 8 December, with public release to follow

>> Image (above): Wikimedia Commons/Ank Kumar

All of his teams have played in a similar way, generally a 4-3-3 of sorts – high-pressing and unrelenting. Having previously said while at Celtic: "Apparently I’ve got one simple approach, a Plan A”, whether he steadfastly stays the course when Tottenham are tested remains to be seen. It will certainly be an assessment of his character, for better or for worse. However, there are so many things going flawlessly for them. Avoiding European football last year has proven to be perfect for Tottenham. There is even less pressure, and going out early in the Carabao Cup, albeit humiliatingly, has allowed the team to focus totally on the league. Furthermore, the high line will demolish weaker teams, and therefore allow rotation of functional players, like Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, Ben Davies, and Eric Dier. And so, although Spurs are yet to face the great problem: the need to change and adapt when things inevitably go wrong, Postecoglou will look to ride the early season ‘wave’ all the way up to Christmas, if possible. The straight-talking Ange has lit up the league, but more comprehensive verdicts should be held off until the end of the season. >> Image: WikimediaCommons/Кирилл Венедиктов