Issue 66 - February 2018

MAGDALEN

OH, THE HUMANITIES! SEE YOU, LUCERNE

FEBRUARY 2018

ISSUE 66

MAKING A STATEMENT IN MONOCHROME

Dundee University’s Free Student Magazine

Your career starts here

Step Forward dusa.co.uk/elections

Dundee University Students Association (DUSA) Registered Scottish Charity No. SC016047

MAGDALEN ISSUE 66 FEBRUARY 2018

Happy New Year and welcome to the February issue of the Magdalen - hope you’ve all had a great holiday and are enjoying being back for semester two! For those of you celebrating New Year later on this month, I hope you have a lovely time and join in the party at DUSA on the 16th of February!

We didn’t want to be overly cheesy with the theme this month so we focused on “writing with passion” - bringing together the things people are most enthusiastic about and celebrating the things they love.

This time of year it can be easy to get caught up with Valentine’s Day expectations alongside being chucked into the uncertainty of a new year, but it’s important to remember the things you like doing. As a good friend of mine once told me, “remember to look after number one... you are number one, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!”. It’s stuck with me since and I’ve tried to focus on my own happiness as a progressive New Year’s resolution instead of setting wild goals which I’m less likely to stick to, remember, or achieve.

Focusing on a single idea can give you “tunnel vision” where you just see one thing and miss opportunities around you - don’t limit yourself, let 2018 be the year you do something exciting and unusual for you - broaden your experiences in a positive way and see where you end up. You may just surprise yourself!

This month is a big one for the Magdalen as we have the first of our handovers: our Creative Director, Fabio, will be passing the torch to a new team as of our March issue. Fabio, the man with the patience of a Saint - putting up with my ever-growing list of “final changes” and tweaks which conveniently come in after deadlines, and the number of times my editor’s letter has been the last thing to go in! Sarah, the Assistant Creative Director, has equally been one of the secret superheroes on the team, and I can’t thank you both enough for all your hard work this year. (Or for fixing my Apple mouse so it can right-click!) Jokes aside, this magazine could not come together if it wasn’t for you: you’ve brought all of its words into colour and life.

All the best for the Degree Show, graduation, and the future!

And lastly but certainly not least: to the in-coming Creative Directors, Olivia, Molly, and Iona, congratulations on your new roles and welcome to the team! I very much look forward to working with you and introducing you to the Editorial team. If the designs you made for the Magdalen 10th Birthday Party are anything to go by it’ll be a fab year!

Mila Georgieva Editor in Chief

Having just handed-in some 7000 words for my dissertation I was hoping to save myself from much writing for a while. I’m not great at it. Visual thinkers, that’s how the designers like to call themselves. However, being this my last issue as Creative Director I felt it was right to put together a few words to sum up the last twelve months.

I started designing for the Magdalen around October 2014; I have been under the direction of three Creative Directors and when last year I was asked to take over the role it was an honour as much as a pleasure to work for the magazine. Passing over to me at the time, Monica Dunne, previous C.D. told me «Kenny - C.D. before her - used to say it’s quite an effort, but I don’t think it’s actually too much work». Well, I can frankly say: it is a lot of work. For everyone not involved in the making of the issues, we start working on each publication about two months prior the release date on campus. Approximately three and a half weeks are dedicated to the design, including from last September - for the first time - working with the Photography team, skillfully managed by Nicole, who managed to integrate perfectly into the workflow and make the Magdalen so much better. With only about ten days break from sending the files to print and picking up the new articles to design it’s quite some workload on top of our courses. And at the end of the month, it’s not only the awards - High Commendation for Best Design at the SPA Awards back in May - to make it all worth but mostly this effort that we all put into it. Mila’s team, all the writers and editors, all the graphic designers and illustrators, the photographers, Ana and the team at DUSA who all contribute to make this happen. A great quality end-product and invaluable experience for us all.

Funnily enough, this is one of the first goodbyes that will follow in the next few months as I am ending my experience here in Dundee. Many times in the last years I’ve been asked what brought me here from Milan; I always replied that for what I study, Dundee is a good place to be - some would say the place to be. And I think that experiences like the Magdalen prove that there’s something, a community, a strive that really mean something to the people here and to the ones that come and stay.

Olivia, Iona and Molly will do a great job taking it from here and I wish them luck: I will be looking forward to an improved, exciting new direction of this magazine!

As I did eleven months ago opening my first issue, I would like to close with a little “Oscar-acceptance” moment by thanking a few last people. Sarah, our Assistant Creative Director, who always clocked on every little detail that I had missed just before print, helping out with the design team and the massive re-design over summer.

Sorry I am a bit of a control freak! Once again thanks to Mila - as well as David, Ellie, Murray, James and all the editors - for doing such a great job: there wouldn’t be much for us to design without good content.

My girlfriend Eilish whom I reserve all the rant and stress throughout production, I couldn’t do without.

My friends Dario, Paolo, Andrea and Lucio; Stephen and Jamie. My parents and my sisters, and finally my grandma, who can’t really read English but enjoys the Magdalen nevertheless.

Thank you.

Fabio Maragno Creative Director

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Mila Georgieva SENIOR DEPUTY EDITOR IN CHIEF

David White OPERATIONS MANAGER

Ellie Biggs DEPUTY EDITORS

Murray Glen James Russell ART & ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS

Liam Biddle Rebecca Reid COMMUNITY EDITORS

Alastair Letch Taylor Petrie CREATIVE WRITING EDITOR

Becca Wilson CURRENT AFFAIRS EDITOR

Calumn Wilson FASHION EDITORS

Rachel Cairns Emily Fletcher INTERNATIONAL EDITOR

Shanley McConnell LIFESTYLE EDITOR

Malcolm Kyeyune MUSIC EDITOR

David White OPINION EDITOR

Ellie Biggs SCIENCE EDITOR

Alex McCraw COPY EDITORS

Catriona Leslie Dervla McCormick Paula Lyttle Stephanie Smith

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Fabio Maragno ASSISTANT CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Sarah Duffy DESIGNERS AND ILLUSTRATORS

Aaron Donald Claire Pollock Eilidh Ferguson Fabio Maragno Fraser Robertson Iona Sorbie Julie Cumming Molly Porteous Olivia Sharkey Piyanut Daodueng Ryan McKnight Veronica Hamilton Zara Elmi PHOTOGRAPHY MANAGER

Nicole Cumming PHOTOGRAPHERS

Aaron Donald Arjun Kalsi Dominic Younger Ellie Biggs Lizzie Ann Day Jacob Scoular Morgan Connelly COVER PICTURES

Jacob Scoular Lizzie Ann Day

08

Feature - Oh, the Humanities!

12

Lamppost and Other Works

16 18

The UK Film Industry Post-Brexit See You, Lucerne

22 24 28

Which Member of the Exec is Your Soulmate?

LGBTQ+ History Month Brightside: Something Positive

30 32

The Magdalen Guide to Israel-Palestine’s History An Uncertain Future

34 36

Empowered Making a Statement in Monochrome

42 44

Hygge Fiesta

46 48

The Ten Seconds Couscous

50

DUPS Photography Competition - Winner

52 54

ONR Interview A Million Love Songs Later

58 63

Intense Desire and Exceptional Enthusiasm Passionate About Love

64

DUPS Photography Competition - Runner up

66

A Year in Review

CREATIVE WRITING

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

COMMUNITY

FASHION

INTERNATIONAL

LIFESTYLE

MUSIC

OPINIONS

SCIENCE

PUBLISHED BY

Ana Ranceva VPCC DUSA Airlie Place Dundee, DD1 4PH vpcc@dusa.co.uk

PRINTED BY

The Magazine Printing Co. www.magprint.co.uk mpc@magprint.co.uk

CONTENTS

CURRENT AFFAIRS

Oh, the Humanities!

08

Murray Glen

There have always been anecdotal rumours of funding cuts here, redundancies there, and all the while we reassure ourselves with saying “yeah, but Dundee is actually quite good for *insert what subject you happen to be doing*”. In short, if you are a Humanities or Social Sciences student at Dundee who has been intimidated by the unparalleled wealth pouring into Life Sciences or by the lack of exposure of your subject, worry not, because the Humanities Society has heard those concerns and is making headway in their quest to make Humanities great again.

As I sit across from the representatives of the Humanities Society, I am struck by how capable they appear. Societies tend to have a very “student-y” feel to them, but talking to these individuals I feel like I’m interviewing politicians. That comparison is not unjustified as I find out from Rory, Editor of the Humanities Undergraduate Journal, who tells me that there is indeed a deeply involved campaign to heighten the reputation and exposure of the Humanities.

I start by asking about the Humanities Society’s dayto-day activities, curious to know what such a diverse band of students can have in common. “We don’t have events on every single week,” Rory tells me, “we are not outwardly an active Society because we are always working towards our bigger events like the Undergraduate Conference and the two-issue volumes

of the Journal”. It is here, they say, that the Society has its primary purpose. Unlike other student organisations the Humanities Society is almost exclusively academically-oriented, focussing on the betterment of the subjects within the School of Humanities and providing personal development for its students.

Julia, who oversees the majority of work to do with the conference told me, “for anyone thinking of a career in academia, there is no better way to get some experience in the area; it boosts confidence and gives you the chance to present a topic you’re interested in and that other people are interested in too”. She also makes a point of saying that it helps to boost the profile of the School within the University as well as nationally, saying: “the School has often been overlooked and we’re hoping to combat that”. Julia is referring to a feeling the Society also shared, that the department needs a bit more exposure and support to compete with Schools elsewhere. Far from pointing fingers, Julia tells me that this issue stems from student apathy in getting involved in interdisciplinary events. She mentions as an example the recent Global Health Challenge which sees students from different Schools try to tackle health issues in a worldwide perspective. She tells me: “The School of Humanities was the only School with no students participating. I think it’s somewhat down to students not thinking it involved them, maybe thinking ‘that’s for Life Sciences or Engineering,’ so making

FEATURE

If you are a humanities or social sciences student at Dundee who has been intimidated yet by the unparalleled wealth pouring into life sciences or by the lack of exposure of your subject, worry not, because the humanities society has heard those concerns and is making headway in their quest to make humanities great again.

09

sure students know how valuable and interdisciplinary their subjects are is so important”. There is an problem, they say, that despite advertising events there is a lack of incentive to take part in things. “It’s down to the individual,” says Rory. “It could be that they have other commitments but it’s something we need to look at”.

I wondered if Julia’s point about students not taking part in interdisciplinary events and the overlooking of the School could be linked to the aforementioned anxiety of a non-vocational humanities degree.

I put this to the Society, wondering if maybe students themselves do not see their degree as something worthy of getting deeper into: “A lot of us in the Society are self-celebrating our subjects,” says Rory. Agreeing, Julia adds, “I feel like Humanities doesn’t have a community - Life Sciences students, for example, take great pride in being Life Sciences students. They have an amazing building for example - we don’t really have a building at all due to all the works in Tower Building. We don’t see one another a lot. It takes away from our sense of community”. They also tell me that there is a division between the faculty and the students. For example, they tell me that Dundee is actually home to the UK centre for continental philosophy, but this is very rarely spoken of, let alone publicised as a selling point.

Matthew, who oversees a lot of the financial side of the Society says, “the School feels like a lot of different subjects thrown under one label”.

10

They cite the Humanities in Action Day and the Human Futures module as signs that there is evidence of cohesion within the department. Taking the Human Futures module for example: history, English, philosophy, and other subjects had lecturers and tutors taking part in the content and teaching of the module. Its aim was to show how interdisciplinary and relevant Humanities can be. This year there was also a Philosophy of Medicine module which put Humanities and Life Sciences together and was a great success in its first year, however Rory said there was much to be done to bridge the “fascinating incompatibility” between the Schools. The representatives of the Society seemed extremely pleased with the sentiments, but also made it appear that the majority of change would be best coming with the support and input of student organisations like them. Julia also says the plan to move the Humanities School to Airlie place by 2019 is a great step forward in the growth of the subject area. She says things are happening, “they’re just not happening tomorrow”.

On the topic of the Schools place within the University itself, Rory commented on a previously mentioned culture within the hierarchy of the University which appeared to look down on Humanities. “From a purely economic stand,” he says, “we understand why the University wants to invest in the departments with the quickest return: Life Sciences. However that’s just economical, humanities is a bit more abstract”. This being said, Julia also mentioned that there needs to be an attitude change at the top of the School saying, “there is a lot of talk that the Dean is not really standing up for the School, people are generally not very happy with him, they don’t trust him”. Rory agreed, saying that the main student body has little to no contact with that level of management or the Dean himself.

Associate Deans do go to SSLC meetings, but I am also told that none of the Society apart from Julia, who is also School President, has met with him to discuss the views of students. Many students have never even seen him, despite being “incredibly friendly” and open, it is apparently very difficult to contact the Dean and he did not actually attend the inaugural Humanities Undergraduate Conference last year. According to the Society, this comes from an attitude of the University to be increasingly based on contemporary research: something Humanities struggles to fit into, thus the Dean’s hands are tied.

The thing that keeps coming up though, is money.

The Society see the perceived lack of economic return as among the chief reasons for Humanities’

current standing. Matthew says that this is part of an overall societal trend towards STEM subjects, and the University is going along with this.

I wanted to hear the staff perspective, so I reached out to Professor James Livesey, Dean of the School of Humanities. I asked him to address the concerns raised by the Humanities Society. Firstly, I asked him about funding. He told me categorically that the School is not underfunded, adding that they earn in the region of £7.5 million a year, 33% of which goes back into the University’s running. On the School comparison when it comes to funding, he makes a point of saying that different Schools are funded differently. He went on to say that budgets are an “issue in the sector,” one which Professor Livesey “lies awake at night worrying about”, but not so much for Dundee compared to elsewhere.

Interestingly, the subject of exposure and School capability was the point of most agreement between the Society and Professor Livesey. He said that recently, they had secured two new members of staff for the Philosophy department from the University of Frankfurt who are big names in their field. According to Professor Livesey, this will bring fantastic academic exposure and development to the department. This runs along with plans develop a centre for Scots language in the School. This shows that the department is indeed improving as both the Society and staff agree, but exposure is something which is subjective and we should see in the near future.

On the issue of lack of contact, Professor Livesey said: “I really have no idea how there might be a perception of lack of contact, as it is very difficult to see ourselves as others see us. I am always around, and I hope visible, but that is not the same as being in contact…

I rely on people greeting and stopping me in my travels, so I’d be happy to get some ideas about how that might be encouraged”.

Overall, The Magdalen took steps to understand both the intangible anxieties and bravery of Humanities students, but also the equally tangible developments of the School. While students will forever worry about their subjects, so too do staff as they try to become not a “second rate Oxford, but a first rate Dundee”.

It is therefore easy to conclude that there is not an impending crisis in the School of Humanities, but there is an obvious need for greater communication between staff and students.

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dusamedia.com/jam/

Lamppost and other works...

I

by Stephanie Smith

can’t sleep for it. Seeping through the curtains is the coldest of lights. Pale, and flickering in defiance.

In the tender silence of my room I can hear its mournful hum. It does not stop, it does not sleep. All night. And here I am, the only company right now, to a lonely half-broken lamppost.

I resolve to turn, to stare at the blank wall until sleep washes over me. I try to shake my consciousness. I count myself out – one, two, three... but find myself staring still. I bathe in a sad, relentless glow. I try counting again.

12

One. The twitching of curtains steals my attention; a slow breeze permeating, enveloping. Tightly, I curl the duvet around me, crumpled material held in fistfuls.

A worn-out pillow cradles my restless mind. The mind that calls it okay to sleep with the window open, baring myself to the extremes of lonesome nights in winter.

Two. It is for the best. I needed this. The air feels somewhat cleansing on my face anyway. A refreshing break from the dull discomfort of hot, sweaty, sticky summer.

I revel in the icy nip, the stinging cheeks and numbing lips.

Three.

The noise is endless. On, and on, and on. A drone.

A dirge. Standing firm in a dead lane, it is there with me, as I turn over once more evading sleep. I see my clothes, a careless heap caught in the light. I see corners, bedside tables emerging from the darkness. I see my wedding ring.

I sense that morning is soon to come, and that with the rise of an absent sun the lamp will flicker out, and die once more. I try counting again.

One...

CREATIVE WRITING 13

o

A thorny crown of roses lies abandoned, paling in the earth. It is glazed with a thin sheet of ice, a sparkle stealing life. A flash of lightning illuminates the bitter rains of December. Falling, falling. Beady drops kiss velvet petals, bejewelling the wasted, the wilting.

o

io

i i

The selfish night wears on, and keeps it for its own.

A thorny crown of roses lies abandoned, paling in the earth.

i i i

The Silver Serpent

o

14

Cold and metallic. Each link of each chain digs in a little as I fasten it. It rests there, the cool surface of the ID plate on my wrist. A chain of black, and a chain of pale blue intertwine and hold it all together.

Strange. Bright light makes blue look white, and white look blue. I forget which colour it actually was to begin with.

Upon grey snow, there lies a dark flower, flat, but beating still with the smallest emblem of life. A snake, no, a silvery serpent – meticulously winds itself around a staff. What does it look for? Why does it entangle so?

A beady eye stares back at me. The serpent bears all storms, shrinks under sun, remains faithful to its staff.

Always.

If I should flip the plate around, and crush the serpent to my skin, what secrets would I unearth? Perhaps I might find more of the same endless grey. Perhaps I would find faded lettering, melting into the grey.

What ails me.

My name.

Who I trust.

I let the serpent breathe, and watch it gleam in the lamplight. The chains constrict, the plate is flush against my wrist. Every second passes and I feel it.

I feel the metal warming to me, I feel the serpent’s beady gaze.

I have no choice.

I pull at the clasp, and with a tiny click, it is undone.

White indentations decorate me. The chains and the serpent all fall free.

i

i i

Roses

i i

io

Snowfall

i

i i

o

i

i i o

The ashen sun sinks into the hills. Bitter and broken, with a persistent limp in her step, she goes on.

Searching, seeking light in the sea of iridescent white.

Snow upon snow, crisp and wet. The horizon twists and bends before her eyes. Blue shadows melt.

Cloud. Thick wisps of cloud blanket the pines, their jagged leaves thrust defiantly like frosted daggers. The wintry breath of night rustles them so, swaying toand-fro, to-and-fro. Emerald waves rising high above the water, waiting to crash.

i

i i

She feels her mind waltz with thoughts of despair, thoughts of desperation. She tries to still herself, tries to swallow the sickness. But the forest fast becomes a blur of icy colour.

o

i

i i

Winter rains come down slowly, silently.

She swims.

FEELING ANXIOUS? NEED A RECHARGE? COME TO OUR SAFE SPACE FOR A QUIET PLACE TO RECOVER LOCATED ON LEVEL 4 TUESDAY NIGHTS - VOLUNTEER DEPENDENT

THE UK FILM INDUSTRY POST-BREXIT 16

REBECCA REID

To put it lightly, Brexit is unchartered waters. As the first country to leave the European Union, we will be sailing into uncertainty, navigating the complexities of a good exit deal, whilst attempting to keep our British economy afloat. Although many Brits are happy to let their anchors away, others fear our ship will be grounded by unnavigable obstacles, particularly our wider role in the European and world economies.

Brexit will likely affect our own economy in complex ways, for better or for worse, primarily limiting free trade within the single market — but how might Britain’s disentanglement from the European Union impact the UK film industry?

film productions and studios that simply don’t have the money to inject into making a blockbuster hit.

For starters, it could potentially limit collaborations with European film companies. Our withdrawal from the proverbial members club might mean we miss out on exclusive deals and hefty contracts within the single market. Our exclusion from this market will undoubtedly affect trade and potentially make it much more difficult to collaborate with European film producers. The prospect of UK-European blockbusters post Brexit - the likes of acclaimed British director Ken Loach - seem marginally slim to none.

Yet, how might the value of the British Pound impact box office? Some fear the weakening Pound will have damaging effects on the British economy and impact our stance in the global economy, but Brexit could prove to be a double-edged sword. Perhaps this could increase collaborations between British and American film companies, in which we leverage the power of Hollywood to keep our film industry afloat in the midst of Brexitarian turmoil.

And what about film distribution? Bidding farewell to the European Union could limit circulation of British films within European countries, with these factors sure to cause a domino effect on the box office. Those that could potentially be hit the hardest are smaller, indie

However, the common proverb states: as one door closes, another one opens, and this could equally be true of the British film economy. In response to those of us that fear the uncertainty of Brexit, we have been presented with a fresh opportunity to negotiate new deals with other countries in our own best interests, independent from the single markets diplomacy of pleasing all parties. We are potentially free to make deals that work to our advantage. Whether we will be able to secure such deals or not is another thing.

But it isn’t all doom and gloom: perhaps this is an opportunity for the UK film industry to reinvent itself, wholly independent from Europe. Could this mark the dawn of a new golden era for British film?

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Perhaps Brexit is merely a tiny cog spurring the wheels of colossal change. Advancements within the media industry and in technology could result in the transformation of our film industry. The last 10 years has seen corporate giant Netflix introduce online streaming of media, and by the time we start to make sense of the long term effects of exiting the EU in a few years time, who knows what technological advancements could be just around the corner. With future innovations in VR and AI and lots of other scary acronyms, along with the increased interest in the development of smart cities, we could potentially be streaming the latest blockbuster hit from a streetlamp onto our iPhone XII by then!

Yet, in these politically turbulent times, whatever the outcome of Brexit may be, at least films will always have a special place in our hearts, providing a much welcome escape into a charming onscreen world… for approximately a couple of hours, at least.

17

‘‘

BIDDING FAREWELL TO THE EUROPEAN UNION COULD LIMIT CIRCULATION OF BRITISH FILMS WITHIN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, WITH THESE FACTORS SURE TO CAUSE A DOMINO EFFECT ON THE BOX OFFICE.

Brexit is undeniably a leap into the unknown.

This hugely anticipated coin toss could result in the delicate balance of our economic system becoming disturbed – but it could equally flourish in other areas.

Inevitably, we will see some subsequent changes in our economy due to the substantial shift in our political system, but it seems difficult to accurately predict with certainty what these changes might be.

01/2018

LIZZIE ANN DAY

18

CH-LUC SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU

SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU

SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU

SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU

SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU

SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU SEE YOU

Lucerne, I discovered, is rather beautiful in the most unusual ways. Its architecture ranges from traditional and Germanic to 1960s pastels and glass-fronted shopping centres. It is a mix rife with oddness yet, somehow, it all works. In amongst this assortment are several incredible museums and galleries, including the famed Rosengart Collection. Sitting across 3 floors, this gallery holds works from some of the most pioneering artistic minds in Europe. The collection itself is owned

by Angela Rosengart, whose own form is depicted in many of the galleries most famous works.

Part of you wants to cheat this tangle of paths, to better it, by holding onto the walls or watching the floor.

Yet, there is something wonderful about completing this maze honestly. At the end is a prize for the viewer.

A completely mirrored room, with small colourchanging LEDs. Again your form is duplicated, but this time the image is much more calming. It feels like a prize; it feels like a victory.

My final night in Lucerne was spent in Südpool, a venue famed for its dance and theatre events. On this evening, the building’s club welcomed Italian musician Alessandro Cortini, known for his live performances with US rock band Nine Inch Nails. Cortini presented a gig unlike anything I’ve experienced previously.

Performing his most recent album, AVANTI, in full, Cortini was placed to the right of the stage, his DJ booth tilted to face the audience at a 75-degree angle.

To his left was a large projector screen. As he played synth based experimental music, the screen showed continuous footage of home movies. Grainy and distorted, the images blended beautifully with Cortini’s smooth, almost fluid-sounding tracks.

The way the audience reacted to this performance was unique. Several people, myself included, felt the need to focus on the film, zoning out of the reality of our location. I sat on the floor, next to the stage as Cortini played, hypnotized by the images. I found myself looking for recurring characters, trying to decide if this footage was truly old or simply an excellent recreation of the past. Other viewers stood, but everyone watched, silently. There was no foot-tapping, or bopping to the music — it didn’t feel right to do so.

Further research of Cortini and his efforts prove that this footage was indeed legitimate. The album was created in response to films of the artist’s grandfather, and is designed to be experienced with both visuals and audio united.

Once Cortini finished his 7 tracks, there was no encore, no dragging out of the event. The artist had finished his set and that would be that. Despite this, the applause continued for sometime. Clearly the 40 or so people who had witnessed this performance had relished in it, and rightly so. Cortini stands as an excellent marker of what is possible in today’s creative industries and, like “SEE YOU”, he will forever remind me of my odd 5 days in Lucerne.

Text and Photography by Lizzie Ann Day

19

The Rosengart Collection was truly wonderful, yet it wasn’t my favourite site of this trip. That prize goes to Verkehrshaus der Schweiz, or The Swiss Transport Museum. In the newly refurbished automobile section is an exhibit designed to encourage the wearing of high visibility clothing on roads. In a style reminiscent of Yayoi Kusama’s infinity rooms, the transport museum has created a mirror maze. Lit with an eerie blue glow, a combination of mirrors and glass panels trick the eye. Large vinyl red lettering is stuck to some of these panels. “Do you reflect?” one portion questions. Sitting behind the glass, just inches away from the viewer, are large rotating traffic lights. These spin, duplicating their image hundreds of times as the light bounces off the mirrors opposite. A dead end leads to a display of car wing mirrors, propped onto a pillar like a tree. The glass is so clean, it’s hard not to walk into the maze’s makeshift walls.

Exiting this room, you are hailed by one final sign.

“SEE YOU”, it says, sending you out of the museum with a grin and a giggle that didn’t leave me until the very end of my trip.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

This was my first ever trip to Switzerland. I didn’t go to ski, or even to eat chocolate, but rather to visit a friend whom I try to see annually. Last January she made the journey to Dundee and this year, I travelled for 8 hours to arrive in Lucerne, a city famed for its lake and mountain views.

20

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 21

WHICH MEMBER OF THE EXEC IS YOUR SOULMATE?

WHAT IS YOUR NIGHT OUT!

WINE

PICK YOUR POISON GIN

WHAT DO YOU HAVE IT WITH? MORE WINE!

22

STOP THAT! HAVE SOME PIZZA?

COCKTAILS SOMETHING SWEET HAVE ALL OF SOMETHING THEM! SALTY

HAVE SOME AND SOME HUMMUS BEING SUPER

YES!

ELLEN CAROLINE TONI

ALEX

IDEAL EVENING?

WHICH MEMBER OF THE EXEC IS YOUR SOULMATE?

NIGHT IN! GAMING? DISNEY

NO THANKS, SOMETHING SUPERHERO / LET’S MARIO! OUTDOORSY PLEASE FANTASY ANYTHING DO YOU BELIEVE YOU’RE A SUPERHERO WITH BADASS PRINCESSES AFTER? FOOTBALL! WHAT IS YOUR POWER?

EXTREME SPORTS! 23

FLYING

SOFIA EZICHI

ANA

COMMUNITY

MOVIES!

SEAN

24

LGBTQ+ HISTORY

Written by Alex Muir Photography by Matt Popovich

There are arguments on both sides regarding this.

Some believe that it is not necessary, or that LGBTQ+ history should be properly integrated into regular curriculum and not trivialized to a single month. In this article, I hope to outline some of my opinions as to why I think we should have an LGBTQ+ history month, and why the discussion around LGBTQ+ issues and queer history is still essential.

But we cannot have a true meritocracy while there are still systematic barriers of oppression. It would be lovely to see queer authors and historians, etc. be naturally incorporated in work, but for now when it comes to looking at our history we have to set a different standard.

If we go with the simple figure that 5% of the world is to some degree queer (identifying as anything under the LGBTQQIAAP+ spectrum). How do you accurately and effectively work 5% into any reading list? How do you do know who was or was not queer against the historical backdrop of criminality and oppression? With the current education system we have, how do you incorporate the different cultures and histories and people that helped shape it? LGBTQ+ History Month is a time when queer people are able to share and teach their own history, whilst working so

My second reason for needing an LGBTQ+ History Month is the need for historical context. 2017 has been a year of historical firsts, from the marriage referendum passing in Ireland and Australia, openly trans candidates winning Senate seats in the USA. All amazing firsts... but still firsts... in 2017.

History month is a time when queer people are able to share and teach their own history, whilst working so that it is properly incorporated into our society.

Without historical context, you don’t realise quite how much of a leap that is. Danica Roem won the Senate seat in Virginia against a man that was actively trying to pass a bill that would force her into the men’s bathroom. Australia passed the vote 61% vs 38% when their former prime minister was coined ‘Dr No’ on the topic.

While I can rant away that progress is moving too slowly and you can counter with everything takes time, just stop to think, where would we be now if we had never had criminalisation? How many more literary works from Wilde, the potential computing advancement from Turing or Jorgenser, the American civil rights movement without James Baldwin and Bayard Rustin... if they had all not been criminalised.

Let alone the work of Barbra Gittings, Sally Ride, Harvey Milk, Tammy Baldwin or the Wachowski sisters to name but a tiny percentage. Being queer may not have been an integral part oftheir identity or work, it is still relevant to mention in the context of their work that they could achieve so much with so much against them. And this needs to be taught.

Let me try a slightly different approach to this debate.

The society you are born into passes down its history from generation to generation through family and community, it is something that you are born into

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I would like to start off by saying that I do believe that LGBTQ+ history should be part of normal discussion, school curriculum and life. The goal is a society that, moving forward, looks only at the merit and work of individuals and groups as opposed to seeing them as tokens to fit a quota to gain diversity points.

However, there are issues with that ideology. We are currently (debatably) in the most open and accepting era of human history for queer people. We have equal marriage, civil rights and elected officials (in some countries... kinda).

that it is properly incorporated into our society.

COMMUNITY

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his month is LGBTQ+ History Month and the University and DUSA are planning a variety of events throughout to celebrate. Yet, one of the things that comes up when I talk about history month is the question of ‘why do we need an LGBTQ+ History Month?’

and are surrounded by as soon as you are born. Whilst many argue that you are born LGBTQ+, we miss out on this shared history. Thank God for Google at least!

Our history is not often something that gets taught by our parents, it is something that we have to discover within ourselves. If you are lucky to live in a supportive environment where you find a community that can then pass on this knowledge. The queer community becomes, to many, the family that they never had, or that in some cases actually shunned them. If you are not so fortunate to have a family that supports you, then the only mention of people like us you will find in textbooks are of criminals, sinners, and the mentally ill.

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Our history is not often something that gets taught by our parents, it is something that we have to discover within ourselves.

We cannot rely on the state or the establishment to do this on its own, or we see representation like the 2015 film Stonewall; a film so white-washed and inaccurate that it was actively boycotted by many in the queer community. While the sometimes awkward and forced LGBTQ+ characters in mainstream TV have received a mixed reaction, to many of us it is the first time we have ever seen anything that represents us in the mainstream media. This is coming from a guy that learnt that gay relationships were normal from some cheesy fan video on YouTube of one of the only gay couples on TV when I was 14. It was that and the 30 minute social education class that made up all of my queer education until I got to university.

Even if you completely remove the idea of passing on history, campaigns such as LGBTQ+ History Month opens doors to wider discussion. Not everyone is in a secondary school classroom doing the history module.

The recent Rainbow Laces Campaign ran by Stonewall in November managed to get nearly every premier league team and others to sign up to their equality charter. The commentators were even wearing rainbow pins and there was a wee rainbow addition to the league table screen. While there is every possibility that all that could have happened at any other time of the year, campaign and movement such as history month open the door to a discussion on LGBTQ+ issues that would usually be ignored or pushed aside for more ‘pressing’ matters.

We are a community shaped by the police raids in 1950s New York, where trans women of colour threw

bricks at the police. A community that lacks so many “elders” because they were wiped out in the HIV epidemic. A community that fought section 28 and the current Chechnya genocide.

The little Eurocentric white-washed history we do have is ignored in the face of ‘the new modern queer fashion trend’. A former Conservative party chair hilariously equated the rise in the transgender population as being due to “a trigger such as pollution, which is the belief of some scientists”. This modern fad notion is more due to the fact that our culture and history has been actively erased. There have been historians tracking our progress for centuries.

Institutions such as the Institut für Sexualwissenschaft, based in Germany published the longest running journal on homosexual studies. That is until it was burned down in the 1930s by the Nazis, along with its whole archive. We still face discrimination today - with the Dundee LGBTQ+ charity building, “The Corner,” being vandalized in December, sparking a counter protest outside the Caird Hall.

We are at our most accepting time in history, but our own Prime Minister voted against allowing same sex couples equal adoption rights in 2002, and in 2004 abstained for all four votes on the Gender Recognition Bill.

It still takes a minimum of 12 months waiting time before trans people in Scotland can see a specialist.

Not because they need to “live in their chosen gender to be sure,” but just because there are only 3 clinics in Scotland and all are run by part-time staff. Where the life expectancy of trans women of color in America is 35 and the legal defense of “trans panic” is still a thing!

Scotland is 2nd in the EU for LGBTQ+ rights, and yet we have a 35% rate of trans people who have attempted suicide. I know it’s a fact because I’m one of them.

LGBTQ+ History month opens doors to wider discussion.

We don’t even have time to get into the amazing history of 2 spirits in Native American cultures. The 6 genders listed in the Tohra, the intermediate state between man and woman for the indigenous Māhū of Hawaii, or the Hijras of India.

But we will never learn about them in school. Maybe if we have a history month... we might.

Entrepreneurship Week 2018 February 19—23 #ThinkAskAct

→ FREE business events and workshops programme → Open to all staff, students, alumni, general public and businesses. → Leading entrepreneurial speakers → Start-up business support exhibitions → Principals Lecture in Entrepreneurship this year from Mark Beaumont → Venture 2018—£26k New Business Competition

Find Out More: uod.ac.uk/entweek

Brightside:

Something Positive 28

Alastair Letch

February is a trivialised month: not only is it remarkably shorter it is also a reminder of how our New Year’s resolutions are coming along. From personal experience, whilst setting goals is a fun and reflective process, the reality of realising that yes, you haven’t quite learned that extra language yet or your goal to travel has become seemingly impossible is grounding. Additionally, Valentine’s Day is to some another nail slamming into the February coffin, giving a reason to praise the velocity of time.

Nihilism aside, this is a very big burden on students’ shoulders, with great expectation placed on performance and achievement, mental distress and vulnerability intertwines with everyday life.

Upsettingly, the times we live in often present an impending doom, with climate changes acceleration and the global concerns surrounding politics present a dark reality for us. Things seem pretty... dire.

Enter Karran Bonner, director of Brightside, whom I was fortunate enough to interview about this matter.

To understand the values of the organisation, there is an objective to establish a person-centred coaching organisation that seeks to motivate and learn from the challenges of Dundee, in favour of working towards an empathetic alternative, through utilising the GROoW Model.

From a service design perspective, I thought to question what aim a private organisation had in meeting the needs of the community. Financial hardship is a good friend of students nationwide. From the perspective of the organisation, there is a benefit to funding for the needs that you are looking for, as coaching can encompass many roles: be it tuition, mentoring or self-development practice. It is ultimately your decision, in regards to how far you go.

In addition to meeting the expectations of the people who interact with the organisation, Brightside aims to engage with businesses to promote empathy and resilience, while seemingly innate traits, there is a necessity to develop skills that enable positive relationships to be forged.

As the reader, you might ask how coaching could be a relevant solution to fighting inner negativity that haunts us?

While that is something I wouldn’t be able to answer, the least I can say is that the rise in organisations that have an interest in supporting people is reassuring. As we all go down different walks in life, for anyone that is uncertain as to what path to take, organisations like Brightside are there to help light the way.

Do you have what it takes to be the voice of 17,000 students?

Step Forward dusa.co.uk/elections

Dundee University Students Association (DUSA) Registered Scottish Charity No. SC016047

THE MAGDALEN

guide to ISRAEL-PALESTINE’S HISTORY

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THE MAGDALEN Guide to Israel-Palestine’s History

E

ven if you are not a politics student, have no experience in International Relations or History, there is one particular Middle Eastern problem you should know the background to: Israel and Palestine. From reading Calumn’s piece, you may gather that the ramifications from miscalculating religious, political or historical tensions in the region can be catastrophic, so one should take the time to understand just how we ended up with two religious groups defined by hostility towards one another, living on top of each other.

Although Israelite tribes are known to have lived in the region from the eastern Mediterranean to the Jordan River Valley, the site of modern day IsraelPalestine, it has always been referred to in historical literature as Palestine or Jericho. It is also true to say that the region has a long and often incomprehensible history involving a plethora of significant characters.

For example, it played host to Alexander the Great during his conflict with Darius III of Persia wherein the aftermath of the conquest, Alexander began to import Hellenic influence to the region including architecture, art, and culture. This being said, the region still remained firmly dominated by established eastern customs despite being predominantly Jewish until the 3rd century. For the dedicated historian, the current situation is a reflection of the centuries of social upheaval caused by the mishmash of cultures created by the merging of the Roman provinces of Judea and Galilee in 132CE, however to greater understand the more recent developments, more

contemporary developments hold greater importance.

Like most problems in the Middle East, our story really begins with the involvement of Europeans. The Balfour declaration of 1917 mandated that a homeland for the Jewish people be set up in the land of Palestine as per the suggestions of Zionist political leaders in London, Chaim Weizmann and Nahum Sokolow.

‘conflicts of control of a city with phenomenal cultural importance to multiple faiths’ Despite its use being inflammatory today, Zionism is regarded as a legitimate political viewpoint at the time and was characterised by the demand for a Jewish homeland in their religious homeland. Subject to the development of this ideology, the British government and League of Nations in the hopes that it would not only unite Jewish opinion against the central powers of the great war, but also provide a British-friendly region around the Suez Canal, safeguarding access to British India.

However, the declaration and a French victory

Thus, we have two groups of people separated by religion living in the same strip of land they both lay claim to. Both have massive historical significance in the region and the desire to access their historical lands. Both also have the capability to wage successively devastating wars against one another for these sites. And they’re both just waiting for something to go wrong.

If you would like to learn more about this topic, you should read Jerusalem: The biography by Simon Seabag-Montifiore or Understanding Israel/Palestine by Eve Spangler.

The State of Israel itself was not formed until the partition of Palestine between Arabs and Jews by the UN in 1947. It was decided that the Jewish population were entitled to large central parts of the country with Arabs having the coastal region around Gaza and the upper-central portion, now known as the West Bank.

By Murray Glen

During this period and the initial years of the Israeli state, Jerusalem was held under neutral international control due to its significance to both the Israelis and Arabs. Sites like the Temple Mount, Wailing Wall and Al-Aqsa mosque hold great historical importance due to the fact that they all, like Jerusalem, symbolise a period of hardship in the Jewish and Islamic faiths.

All have been destroyed and rebuilt or are remaining parts of destroyed sites through the ages, meaning that access to them creates access to culture and history.

Eastern Jerusalem, even under UN control, was mostly populated by Arabs but after the Israeli victory of 1967 its status has been extremely controversial due to its historical status as an Arab region, but practical political state as a Jewishcontrolled region. This has lead to superpowers like the United States and most other countries in

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in Syria stoked resentment by Arab Muslims and provoked the growth of Palestinian nationalism, with the majority of sentiment centring around the regaining of formally Arab lands now under the control of waves of Jews immigrating to the area to escape Stalinist purges and Nazi propaganda.

CURRENT AFFAIRS

one should take the time to understand just how we ended up with two religious groups defined by hostility towards one another, living on top of one another

Tel Aviv, as to codify Jerusalem as an Israeli city would uproot decades of historical political precedent and reinforce the even older conflicts of control of a city with phenomenal cultural importance to multiple faiths. The historical connection to land also fuels the controversy over Israeli settlements, wherein townships are constructed by Israelis on land designated as Arab by the UN in 1947. This has lead to increasingly angry reactions from the Palestinian people, most notable in the widespread support for the current leadership, Fatah and their supporters by proxy, the Islamic fundamentalist and designated terrorist group, Hamas.

AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE WHEN THE POTENTIAL FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST MET TRUMP

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Calumn Wilson

‘never has a superpower had to contend with such universal backlash’ Condemnation of a global superpower by the UN is virtually unheard of. And never has a superpower had to contend with such universal backlash, leaving it with minimal support, in this case from Israel and nine other nations. With Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu believing it is an ‘important step towards peace, for there is no peace that doesn’t include Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel’. Both Israel and Palestine consider the city their capital and the US has essentially taken unilateral action in declaring what is considered occupied territory as part of Israel.

‘A country that needs to threaten allies does not have allies.’

The reputation of the US further deteriorated when it threatened to cut aid to those countries that had criticised the decision, with Trump being determined ‘not to be taken advantage of anymore’. The US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Hailey, told nations that if they voted against the US it would be ‘remembered’.

A country that needs to threaten allies does not have allies, and this tactless move is essentially hypocrisy for a country that prides itself on freedom of speech.

However, they are unlikely to follow through as many countries receive aid from the US, including several strategic allies. If the US cut them off, these countries would seek new partners, a void China would be most likely to fill.

Despite many believing that this is another reckless and rash decision made by a famously unorthodox leader, the US has been considering moving its embassy to Jerusalem for years. In 1992 Bill Clinton declared that he believed that the embassy should be moved there and criticised his opponent, George H.W. Bush, for not supporting it enough. Support for Israel has always been strong in the US, but this time, the support has come at the expense of the US’s legitimacy and impartiality. This taint on their global image is likely to affect US-led peace talks in other conflict zones. The US is souring relations around the world and no longer has the hegemonic power and respect it once commanded.

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Jerusalem is an extremely important city for the Abrahamic religions – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - and houses some of their most holy sites. By situating the US Embassy in Jerusalem, Trump has effectively declared it as Israel’s capital, which suggests that America is proactively taking the side of Israel in the conflict. A move which is detrimental to the peace process and has been met with condemnation globally.

Various European leaders joined their counterparts in Muslim-majority countries and other nations, in criticising the decision. Theresa May called the decision ‘unhelpful for the peace process’, Iran warned that it could spark a new Intifada – an uprising – by Palestinians. Jordan asserted that the decision has broken international law, and Qatar’s foreign minister claimed it was a ‘death sentence for all who seek peace’.

At the time of the annexation of Jerusalem by Israel in 1967, the UN condemned the action, just as it is being condemned now. With the UN General Assembly administering a ‘stinging rebuke’ to the Trump decision. Even after the US warned that there would be consequences for those who criticised, or tried to undermine the decision, the committee voted an overwhelming 128 to 9 in opposition to the move.

Although this vote has little actual power to stop the US, it shows just how unpopular the decision is and the diminishing respect America has as a mediator and global power. Palestine leader Mahmoud Abbas, stated that the US is no longer a ‘honest mediator’, and expressed his intention to reject any US backed future plan for peace with Israel. Leaving the situation in a turbulent state and with a mountain of potential violence.

CURRENT AFFAIRS

Few subjects garner as much controversy as the IsraelPalestine Conflict. So much so, that the goal of ‘peace in the Middle-East’ is often cited in popular culture as a representation of the most difficult problem there is, one with little sign of a lasting solution. The perpetual volatility of the relationship between Israel and its Arab neighbours was pushed to the limit recently when President Trump announced his intention to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem. A decision which was met with widespread international condemnation and saw violent demonstrations erupt throughout Muslimmajority countries and beyond, leading to Palestinian deaths in the occupied West Bank. The inadvisable decision to move the capital was cited by many as evidence of the diminishing legitimacy of America as a global power. A situation aggravated further when Trump proceeded to financially threaten countries who openly opposed his decision.

EMPOWERED? In the wake of Trump, Weinstein et al, feminism seems more fashionable than ever, but does it follow that fashion must be feminist?

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Rachel Cairns

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It’s hardly surprising that women feel the need to validate so much of their behaviour

This overflow of empowerment is not exclusive to women in the public eye however; similar selfjustifications are equally ubiquitous in everyday conversation. Personally, I have justified wearing make-up countless times, by explaining how ‘it gives me confidence’ or ‘makes me feel more comfortable’; what I’ve realised by embarking on this topic however, is that usually, no-one asked. I have offered

This is not to say that I, or anyone else, necessarily lies in their justifications however; the way I choose to look often gives me confidence, but it’s not a defiant act. I don’t wear makeup in an act of feminism, and I don’t dress ‘only for myself’ as so many women feel the need to claim; I choose what to wear in the same way as everyone else, constantly, and partly subconsciously, considering the messages and values that these objects and qualities convey to others about myself. As sociologist Erving Goffman put it, when you dress, you decide ‘which self-identification to favour in that particular situation’. So objectively, scientifically even, this idea of dressing solely for selfempowerment is simply not realistic. When we engage in material culture, we are engaging socially. Even when presenting ourselves in the specific way we wish to, makes us feel powerful or confident, it can never be a wholly individualistic, empowering act; there are other motivations.

Some of the things we do as women are not feminist, some are not empowering Before Ratajkowski’s video is feminist or anti-feminist, it’s just a really weird publicity stunt. And let’s be honest, at the point where you’re publishing a video like that, or even just wearing mascara to the gym, the decision has already been made, why bother attempting to justify it in terms of feminism? Some of the things we do as women are not feminist, some are not empowering, but this doesn’t mean that they are inherently anti-feminist or unempowering, and it certainly doesn’t mean that we ought to feel guilty or less because of them. Frivolity is not mutually exclusive with strength and pasta-sex clearly says more about other aspects of someone’s personality than about their views on equality. In reality, women engaging in material culture have as many complicated and multifaceted motivations as do men, and that of selfempowerment is far from the only valid one.

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Ratajkowski, of course, is best-known for appearing in the salmon-pink hellscape of Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines, a song which was not so much repeated ad nauseum, as it was inherently vomit-inducing, and has been continually vocal about being a feminist during her rise to fame since. Yet here she has done something which most people with working brains will agree is not particularly feminist, so what are we to think? Is she lying? Is she a mole, trying to bring down feminism from within? Does the spaghetti spell out subliminal, misogynistic messages? We shall never know. More interesting than Ratajkowski’s uncertain feminist status however, is the fact that she decided to justify her escapade in this way at all. In fact, she and her contemporaries seem to be constantly and outspokenly empowered by one thing or another, from lingerie (see Adriana Lima) to make-up (Zoella), to spending their own money; women being feminine, fashionable, sexual or materialistic continually justify their actions with the refrain of empowerment. It seems that women’s engaging in material culture is seen as so frivolous and incompatible with, not only feminism, but often even intelligence or worth, that empowerment is trotted out as an excuse.

justifications unasked for, because I have felt that wearing make-up when my friend goes barefaced somehow makes me less; less what, I’m not sure. Less capable? Less real than the ‘real women’ who don’t? In truth, constant, conflicting images of womanhood and feminism have infected us. In a world where the press and the internet will dissect the admittedly deranged, spaghetti-based exploits of an attractive woman as a proxy for her opinions on women’s rights, it’s hardly surprising that women feel the need to validate so much of their behaviour with the supposedly feminist maxim of empowerment.

FASHION

t the beginning of December, in yet another obvious glitch in the reality simulator, Emily Ratajkowski featured in a ‘fashion film’ being sexy with some pasta, wearing nothing but lingerie and woolly mittens. This, she initially felt to be sexually empowering and vaguely feminist. Cue straighttalking, male commentator and part-time psychic medium Piers Morgan to provide Mrs. Pankhurst’s opinion on the matter. She’s not a fan apparently, but then pasta was only just beginning to take off outside Italy at the beginning of the 20th Century, so she’s likely never experienced just how arousing a good carbonara can be. Messages from beyond the grave aside, the subject became controversial and the whole world was left wondering whether Ratajkowski really is a feminist or not.

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Making a Statement in Monochrome

Note to reader: this is not, I repeat NOT, an endorsement for all-black outfits.

FASHION 37

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lack and white, so simple and so easily overlooked. There are connotations of typically drab formal wear enforced upon people for their work, weddings, and funerals and for some perhaps church. The features that we have attributed to pure black and white outfits has tainted our mind to the true possibility that a statement outfit does not require bright colours or sparkles: it can be equally as striking in monochrome.

Sure, some of us will associate all-black outfits with some ability to make a striking statement, especially those who went through an alternative phase, but being a moody teenager is not the only way to make these shades fun. Despite some harkening to its lack of originality, it is a timeless combination that works with any accessories or makeup. This subtle yet unique quality makes me agree with the master of monochrome fashion himself, Karl Lagerfeld who stated - “Black and white always look modern, whatever the word means.” As you can see from this article, with aspects drawn from across the decades

with outfits still creating some striking presences, Lagerfeld is indeed correct.

The models here are Kristine Arnell and yours truly. Kristine describes her monochrome looks as a combination of high-end Victoriana, steampunk, and Lolita. She also uses the black and white colour schemes to create different interlocking patterns and forms within outfits. At times they are directed towards invoking a certain emotional response. Personally, I have a penchant for wearing formal wear to pretty much any occasion, so I picked out a couple of outfits to highlight a bit of vintage style – albeit not the original outfits I chose due to a mishap with black shoe polish and a white blazer.

The first outfit by Kristine is a combination of a black circle skirt, white tights, black socks, and white pleated fronted shirt. This look edges towards the more Lolita aspect of monochrome fashion, with the nipple pendant adding an avant-garde Victorian aspect.

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The second outfit, put together by me, is comprised of some classic black waistcoat and trousers, against a white shirt complete with a vintage black, director’s style scarf. This look was put together to show how something that may be normal in a formal context, can create a statement when applied to the everyday.

The final outfit was another of my own, this time inspired by the 50s. This larger peaked lapel, double breasted, cashmere jacket combined with cream travel trousers and a white shirt embodies the spirit of this bygone era creating an impactful and remarkably comfortable outfit.

The second outfit by Kristine is a combination of a stunning lace blouse, complete with cravat and accessorized with a steampunk brooch. When the long skirt was added to the set, the look displayed an image of Victorian aristocracy.

Finally, a photo of us both in the dark creating a picture that may have been better suited to our Halloween issue – but I think epitomizes the mystery and intrigue around the power of monochrome fashion.

David White Photography by Morgan Connelly

FASHION 39

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ADD JUST A WEE BIT OF

HYGGE

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ou must have heard of it at some point by now, even if you’re still lost when it comes to the pronunciation (which is who-guh by the way). That weird, Danish word that has somehow taken the rest of the world by storm. So what exactly is it, you might ask? You see, it cannot be translated into a specific word in English, but even it was, I bet it still would not carry the same meaning as it does for us Danes. So let me

educate you on why you should start adding a bit of hygge to your own life.

Hygge is a Danish concept that embodies the feeling of cosiness and well-being in simple things.

It is used to acknowledge a special moment or fond memory. This could be a movie-night-in with loved-ones, favourite sweeties, and candle lights.

has been nominated ‘the happiest country in the world!’

So all this sounds quite fulfilling, you might think, but how do I add hygge into my everyday life? Here is my step-by-step guide for you! It includes three easy things you can do to get a wee bit of hygge into your busy student life at the start of a new school semester.

INTERNATIONAL

It could be a cup of hot chocolate and good books read on rainy Sundays. It could be a quiet walk, alone or with friends. Starting to see what I’m talking about? The truth is: most of you have probably already experienced hygge without even realising it. Meik Wiking, the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen said: “What freedom is to Americans [...]

Hygge is to Danes.” In fact, hygge is one of the reasons why Denmark

CANDLE LIGHTS! I do apologise to all the freshers who aren’t allowed to have the real kind in university accommodation, but if you want hygge, cosy candle lights are a must. Danes burn the most candles in the world because it is one of the simplest ways to create an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. So turn off the overhead light, wear an oversized sweater and get those candles lit!

Put the phone away for a couple of hours, invite your friends over for a student-friendly dinner and throw some board games in the mix! Hygge is about making ordinary moments special, and it doesn’t really take that much effort, I promise you!

DON’T RUSH! As busy as life can get with lectures, assignments and tests, relaxing is essential for hygge. Why not take a walk along the Tay? Sit and talk for a few hours without looking at a clock? These are a few uncomplicated ways that often instill a sense of calm within, especially in the midst of student life where it is normal to get caught up in the stress and haste of completing ‘to do’ lists. Try not to feel restricted by time while enjoying your morning cup of coffee, or stay an extra ten minutes in the shower.

If you feel like this Danish concept sounds interesting and you would like to know more about Nordic culture, join the University of Dundee Nordic Society!

by Elisabeth Lizzie Bertelsen Photography by Ellie Biggs

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LESS SMARTPHONE, MORE TALKING.

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FIESTA English/Inglés

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ispanic countries are well known for their traditions and celebrations because they often involve parties that last throughout the day, and the streets are full of music and people.

Everything is surrounded in a cheerful mood and silence is nowhere to be found. More often than not, these celebrations, or fiestas, charm all who come and join in the festivities. For this reason, it is no wonder why Ernest Hemingway visited Pamplona (Spain) every July, even writing a book called “Fiesta: The Sun Also Rises”.

In Spain, celebrations take on many different tones; from throwing wine (often mixed with Coke) at each other, running before the bulls, or setting almost everything on fire, as they do in Valencia during Fallas.

You might end up deaf by the time you finish one of these displays!

But the fiesta that catches the eye is surely Carnival.

Although it is commemorated worldwide, the way it is often celebrated in Latin American countries (and in some of their neighbours, like Trinidad and Tobago)

is unlike any other. For instance, Rio de Janeiro is most known for its Carnival, but Veracruz, Oruro, and Barranquila also celebrate beautifully! Each Carnival has its own character, traditions, and music. Consequently, trying to describe them all would be a feat!

During Carnival, people take to the streets to parade sumptuous and colourful costumes, following the frequent circling of marching bands. The length of the Carnival ranges from three days to nearly six weeks, as the one of Montevideo, which commences in mid January and continues until early March.

But we encourage you not to read, but also to climb aboard the adventure and experience it by yourself.

And if Latin America is too far, Spain has also great many Carnivals, such as the ones in Cádiz and the Canary Islands. So do not hesitate, find a new costume and join the music bands on the streets!

Written by Lucas J. Morales Moya on behalf of the Hispanic Society.

En España hay multitud de celebraciones y de distintos tipos: desde lanzarse vino los unos a los otros (normalmente mezclado con Cola) hasta correr delante de los toros pasando por prenderle fuego a todo, como hacen en Valencia en Fallas. ¡Es probable que acabes sordo tras una mascletà!

En Carnaval, la gente toma las calles con disfraces exuberantes y coloridos, donde las cabalgatas no paran de pasearse y las bandas musicales no cesan de tocar.

La duración de Carnaval puede durar desde tres días hasta casi dos semanas, como el de Montevideo, que comienza a mediados de Enero y dura hasta comienzos de Marzo.

Pero queremos convencer al lector que no se limite a leer, sino que se una y que lo viva. Y si Latinoamérica queda un poco lejos, España tiene grandes Carnavales, como el de Cádiz o el de las Islas Canarias. ¡Así que no dudes, consigue un nuevo disfraz y únete a las bandas musicales en las calles!

Escrito por Lucas J. Morales Moya en nombre de la Sociedad Hispánica

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Pero la fiesta más llamativa es seguramente Carnaval.

Tiene lugar en todo el mundo, pero la celebración en países latinoamericanos (y en algunos de sus vecinos, como Trinidad y Tobago) se encuentra a otro nivel.

Por ejemplo, Río de Janeiro alberga uno de los más famosos, aunque Veracruz, Oruro y Barranquilla no

tienen nada que envidiar. Sin embargo, cada Carnaval tiene su propio carácter con sus propias tradiciones y música, y sería imposible describir cada uno de ellos.

INTERNATIONAL

L

os países hispanos son bien conocidos por sus tradiciones y celebraciones, involucrando en la mayoría de casos fiestas que duran todo el día con las calles abarrotadas de música y gente. Todo está envuelto en un ambiente festivo y la tranquilidad es imposible de encontrar. En gran parte de las veces, las fiestas cautivan a aquellos que las visitan. Por esta razón, no cabe duda por qué Ernest Hemingway visitaba Pamplona (España) cada julio e incluso escribió un libro sobre esto: “Fiesta”.

Español/Spanish

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THE TEN SECONDS

FOUR!

Someone exclaims from across the room, getting all of us to drop whatever we are doing, as if the number is some magic spell.

Wait! Are we old enough now to start whining about the ‘good ol’ days’?

NINE! Everything’s already quite fuzzy as one of my friends forces a rather fancy champagne glass into my hand.

EIGHT!

SEVEN! Too late to reminisce on the high-school memories now. We’re here as adults so why do we all feel just like kids a year or two too young to celebrate New Year’s Eve exactly like this?

SIX!

THREE!

Not nearly enough time to reflect on all the events of the past year. And boy, is there a lot to look back on.

TWO! The face of a certain someone flashes in front of my eyes as I allow myself to close them for just a split second. Open them again, there’s not enough time!

ONE! I look around the room and see all my friends.

Laughing, hugging, some of them already kissing as if waiting just one more second would’ve been unbearable.

ZERO! Excited screams. Bottles cracked open. Fireworks reflecting in the eyes we wish we were gazing into.

Zero seconds left, it’s a new year and just for tonight, it’s all okay because tomorrow we start from scratch and we are granted a new opportunity to do it our way. To make things better – or maybe we’ll choose to sleep in.

Nothing has changed. If only for tonight.

FIVE! I have five more seconds before I’m hit with the realisation that the resolutions I didn’t even bother writing down, knowing full well I needed no reminder of another failure, will not be kept.

Barbara Mertlova

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We’re all chanting in unison now. There are familiar faces in every corner. Well-known hands around my shoulders. Long-forgotten voices suddenly so easy to recognise. The class clown might be wearing a tailored suit now, instead his signature shorts paired with flip-flops (no matter the weather), and there may be a sparkling addition to the ring-finger of the girl whose neckline used to be just an inch too low... but we all know better.

FASHION

TEN!

COMFORTING COUSCOUS Ingredients Recipe 3 tomatoes

1

Slice the onions, tomatoes and peppers.

1 teaspoon of oil

2

Heat the pan on a medium heat then

2 sweet peppers

add the oil.

3

Once the oil is ready, add the onions and fry

them for 30 seconds.

4

Add the peppers and tomatoes, let them cook

1½ cups of dry couscous

for a few minutes until the peppers are slightly

1 cube of vegetable stock

soft and the onions have turned a light brown.

You should add salt at this point too.

5

Use your cup or container to dissolve the

vegetable stock cube into hot water.

6

Pour ¼ of the stock mixture into the skillet

A sharp knife

with the peppers and onions, then add the

Cup or container

couscous too.

Foil or clingfilm

7

Mix all the ingredients in the skillet and add

the rest of the stock until all the couscous is

covered. Avoid entirely submerging the

couscous.

8

Take the skillet off the heat, set it aside and

fully cover it with the lid, foil or clingfilm.

Let it sit for at least 5 minutes.

9

Garnish with parsley and enjoy!

½ an onion Salt (to season) Parsley (for garnish)

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Equipment A wide skillet (frying pan)

This recipe is vegan and vegetarian friendly but beef or chicken could be added if you prefer or experiment with more vegetables and spices.

Malcolm Kyeyune

LIFESTYLE 49

50

Dundee University Photography Society Monthly Competition winner Su Min @sumin_mars Theme: Winter

An unfinished painting of winter pine trees patiently awaiting to be covered in white completely

Interviewing Interviewing

ONR.

David David White White

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ONR. are a new exciting band from South of Scotland who have been making a lot of noise, and people seem to like it. They have been together as a group for a couple of years now writing, recording, rehearsing and performing across Scotland; towards the tail end of last year they released their debut single “Jericho” and off the back of that “5 Years Time”.

I had the opportunity to interview the lead singer of ONR. Robert, former lead singer of Finding Albert, about his experience with the Scottish music industry and the life of a burgeoning rock star.

When asked about his decision to become a musician Robert said: “I can’t remember a time when I wanted to be anything else, or even entertained the notion that I could do something else”. He went on to add:

“My Mum claims I could whistle before I could talk.

I don’t even know if that’s anthropologically possible, but she swears it’s true. I was always whistling and drumming and generally annoying everyone, and so one day my folks thought to buy an old upright piano, and that was it: I was hooked.”

Hooked indeed, as Robert goes from strength to strength in the music world he cites “sincerity, being genuine” as the key to his development as an artist saying: “I’ve only learned in the last few years to really

listen to how you’re putting together your own music.

It sounds like such a stupid, obvious thing to say… but that track you just wrote: it might be great, it might do everything you think it should do, it might get great reactions… but do you like it? If you heard it, unattached, on the radio or TV, would you go ‘what is this, I love this?!’ And if not, then why not? I guess I think that if you don’t genuinely love your music, it’s hard to persuade other people to.”

Robert goes on to paint a very exciting, yet honest, image of the music industry: “It’s an incredibly interesting time for music and musicians: for better and worse. There is boundless, limitless, infinite opportunity for almost everyone now, but the nature of that limitlessness means that there’s so much background noise, it makes it difficult to really stand-out.” He cites the rise of online music and online fan bases for this increasing ease of access to the public and thus the appearance of millions of artists.

Robert still holds faith though, in the traditional values of the industry: “if you’re good enough and you work hard enough, people will take notice.” He mentions the importance of live performances and states that despite the huge presence of on-demand online music: “live is becoming increasingly the medium that artists look (or should look) to secure themselves” and it seems he is right as it has been reported that Scotland’s live ticketing sector has increased by 25% in the last 5 years.

With the increase in festivals and musicians in Scotland, I asked Robert what he thought of the current surge in Scottish music. He replied: “I think it’s an incredible place to be right now. We’re right in the depths of a huge political reawakening, which in

““

MUSIC

IF IF YOU’RE YOU’RE GOOD GOOD ENOUGH ENOUGH AND AND YOU YOU WORK WORK HARD HARD ENOUGH, ENOUGH, PEOPLE WILL WILL TAKE TAKE NOTICE. NOTICE. PEOPLE

““

Instagram/onrhq

Instagram/onrhq

Concluding the interview Robert answered a far more general question: Why do you think music plays such an important role in people’s lives? His response: “‘This Is Your Brain On Music’ wraps it up pretty perfectly for me. There’s obviously a very conscious aspect to music that people relate to – the band, the lyrics, the meaning, technical capability, etc. – but beyond that, probably ahead of any other art form, music is so inherently visceral and instinctive. Most of the time, we can’t really pin-point the exact reasons we love a track or a band – we can have a stab at it: guitar tone, lyrics, percussion patterns, or whatever – but it’s mostly a chance composite of a number of factors that determine whether it speaks to us or not, and so what speaks to me might not speak to you. It’s an incredible thing. All you can ever hope for as an artist is that people want to make you a part of their lives too, and have your songs take up a little part of them.”

Despite the highly competitive environment of the modern music industry, Robert highlighting “paying my rent. And crippling self-doubt” as his main challenges, it is clear that he thrives in the industry and by his own volition couldn’t conceive of doing anything else.

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turn has made people re-evaluate huge aspects of their everyday lives and behaviours. Popular culture, and music in particular, is a lightning rod - it soaks up all of these tensions and emotions, not always consciously.”

He added that now is a particularly exciting time for young up-and-coming artists and said: “if you look at areas out with the central belt, areas like Caithness, or Perthshire, or Dumfries & Galloway, there are huge music movements happening in these places, with loads of young, fresh bands coming through.”

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Don’t worry, this article won’t make reference to them all but I thought with this being the February issue I would be committing something of an injustice to music should I fail to have at least one piece in this section on the vast category of music that is love songs.

Love songs come in all shapes and sizes through jazz, rock, pop, blues, opera and most variants in-between.

The theme of them also vary dramatically from unrequited love to being in a relationship, to losing one and even love in an unromantic sense. There are so many popular songs on this theme as, like many people know, love is one of the most powerful emotions as it can encapsulate pretty much every other mood into one ever-changing sense. This power and volatility makes love the perfect theme for songwriters who are frequently inspired by heart wrenching scenarios as can be seen in many of our chart toppers, e.g. Adele, Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, and so many more. For anyone else that needs further display of the

MUSIC

A Million Love Songs Later

prominence of love in song, at the time of writing 8 out of the top 10 singles in the UK featured love.

Now, it would be a bit too Buzzfeed of me to simply do a rundown of the greatest love songs which is why I won’t. What I will do however is hunt out some lesser known songs (and maybe one old classic) that highlight the varying impact that elusive element that is “love” can have in a song. First up is something upbeat and springy: “More Than Mates” by Jordan Grey.

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In “More Than Mates” Jordan creates an upbeat and exciting track with many of the key musical elements that could be expected in an early noughties pop song.

Thematically, it operates on a single level as it is to do with falling for a friend, hence the title. Typically when writing something like this I would want only hard hitting songs that can display a complex balancing act of different emotional levels but I thought I would get us off with a light start before heading into the depths of what is to come Abi Alton is the next artist I will cast a light on. Abi, whose haunting and soulful tones add a depth and poignancy to all of her songs, particularly the ones around the theme of love. Abi covers several aspects of the emotion in her songs and the first I will speak about is her most recent in this line up - “Personal Everything”. “Personal Everything” is all about looking forward to finding someone, a very specific someone for whom all of her previous heartache will be worthwhile. This song plays not just on the concept of longing for someone but also a need for someone else. The next two of Abi’s songs are what can only be described as break up songs and ones sure to bring a tear to the eye.

“Part of Me” looks at heartbreak in the sense that the memories will always be carried onwards and that although heartbreak is impermanent the memories and the time you spent with someone will always be there and to that extent will always be a part of you.

It presents itself as a sad and slow ballad but ultimately with lyrics that apply rational thought to the situation.

The other break up song by Abi I will mention is “Souvenirs”. “Souvenirs” is a piece that I would loosely describe as a ‘dumpee’ song. Its lyrics describe a longing for the return of her ex and a reluctance to move on, and also a lingering doubt as to whether her feelings were ever truly reciprocated.

As we continue to dive into these depths of despair I am going to throw one more sad song into the

equation before I lift us up for the conclusion. That sad song is “Dear You” by Lucy Spraggan, and although most people would argue this is a song about mental health I would also argue it is to do with love.

The lyrics revolve around someone who writes letters to an old friend in order to unwind from their messed up life and when they eventually end up getting in touch it is found the friend had committed suicide. To me this song speaks volumes for the love in friendships; despite the fact they hadn’t spoken in years, writing letters to that person gave them some relief. Many people when thinking of a love song would not think of a bond between friends as being a theme but to me it most definitely is. Why not have a listen to the song and judge for yourself?

On a final note I will leave you with not only an upbeat song but also a well-known one by the same group from whom I have stolen the title of this article, Take That. The song I have selected displays love as an empowering and unifying thing, plus listening to Ella Henderson’s cover of it genuinely gives me goose bumps. The song is of course is “Rule The World”, which displays a final type of love song: a serenade, and quite a hell of a one at that.

So I have taken this article through the ups and downs and ins and outs of “love songs” and what an emotional rollercoaster it has been, but hey, That’s Amore!

For music lovers out there all of the tracks mentioned in this article can be found on YouTube.

David White Photography by Dominic Younger

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58

OPINIONS

Intense Desire and Exceptional Enthusiasm

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The dictionary describes passion as: ‘an intense desire or exceptional enthusiasm for something.’

That’s pretty vague and covers a lot of bases. For instance, you’ve got fleeting passion – the drunken kiss under the fireworks heralding the new year, who you subsequently stalked on Instagram for six days straight without liking one of their posts until the dreadful inevitable happened; the bumpy bus back to Dundee resulting in a cringing accidental like of a photo from 2011. With enough embarrassment to make your teeth tingle, you decided to quietly ghost them.

Your other New Year’s passion, that resolution that you never really believed you’d actually commit to, but you kept going to the gym because you’d paid the membership and wanted to get your money’s worth.

Now you’re six weeks in, and while you’re aware that you still resemble more of a penguin in stature than the portrait of Arnold Schwarzenegger which you carefully printed out in and taped to the inside of your wardrobe door, you find yourself comparing protein powder flavours with the girl next to you in your lecture. When your flatmate groggily bumps into

you making coffee in full running gear at 8.30am on a Saturday morning, you realise that you do actually have an intense desire to go running, to eat clean, to get fitter and all before most people have even woken up with their hangovers. It might not be a passion that your flatmate understands (he just glanced at you, murmured ‘bloody ‘ell’ under his breath and stalked back upstairs clutching a fizzing glass of hangovercure), but it’s your passion.

You might be one of those people who have life-long passions that you have been living, breathing and dreaming for the last fourteen years. Ever since your uncle gave you ‘Operation’ for Christmas and then proceeded to laugh when you announced that you wanted to be a proper doctor someday. Naturally, there were times when you questioned the reality and wisdom of this choice; such as a particularly messy Halloween trick-or-treating incident, when your best friend had been gleefully skipping from house to house, gulping Vimto as he went, tossing his papier mâchè decapitated head - covered in copious volumes of fake blood - into the air. A misplaced hop on the cobblestones and you found yourself kneeling over your friend, trying to distinguish real blood from Vimto and fake blood, and wondering how much

“ 60

they just have to make you happy

more complicated medical emergencies would be in the future. Like when you were teased mercilessly after you invited friends over for your first sleepover, because apparently it’s not normal to have a life size, anatomically correct skeleton in the corner of your room. You keep it in your cupboard now. Well, it was worth it, all those years. And now you’re finally studying your passion.

Life-long passions are all very well and good; they give many people something to strive for and a longstanding sense of achievement. For some people, what they have an intense desire for depends on their friends. The reason for having exceptional enthusiasm for pole dancing has a lot to do with the “Oh wow, you do pole-dancing,” reactions you get when you tell people. Discovering new passions sometimes happens in unexpected ways.

You might be one of those people who have a plethora of weird and wonderful activities and passions you’ve been a part of, that you probably wouldn’t have done if that cute guy from the gym hadn’t asked you if you’d ever seen Star Trek and you’d gushed and told him you loved it. In fact, you’re such a big fan that you’re part of the Sci-Fi and Fantasy Society. Afterwards, you rushed home, found Star Trek to watch on some dubious internet streaming site, then messaged your flatmate to ask if you could tag along to the next Sci-Fi

Society meeting. So that next time, you could have a more educated conversation with the cute guy while trying not to trip over or seem too out of breath on the treadmills. You never saw that guy in the gym again but you’re excited about the Star Wars movie marathon that the Sci-Fi Society is holding next weekend and wondering if you’ll be underdressed in your Chewbacca onesie. Not really a passion you decided you wanted, but one you kind of fell into thanks to some mild vanity and white lies.

And some people don’t appear to have any passions at all. Well, they’d argue that they have passions; that after a successful presentation they have an intense desire to get drunk and dance with exceptional enthusiasm on Mono’s dance floor. Arguably, the dedication needed to watch nine episodes of Stranger Things 2 back to back (possibly more than once so that you can memorise the plot and key dialogue) is on par with memorising chorus lines or dance moves. Just because you’re at university and supposed to be having the best years of your life and that you should be trying to experience everything you can, doesn’t mean your passions have to be showy or chosen for the right reason or even improve you in some way. No, they just have to make you happy.

Rose Kendall

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PASSIONATE ABOUT LOVE

195 countries in the world. That’s approximately 7.5 billion people inhabiting one or another. What’s more, 2018 will mark the 70th year since the allegedly universal recognition of Human Rights.

The declaration which promises equality, security, and mainly, humanity. Virtually all 192 members of the United Nations have agreed to follow these non-binding rules, and yet, the situation which we’re looking at currently appears to apply double - if not multiple - standards. Of course you are entitled to your rights! Just make sure you fit a certain category.

Between the years of 2008 and 2014, there were 1,612 trans people murdered across 62 countries. For

Now, just imagine. Imagine waking up on a beautifully calm, sun-filled Sunday morning and wondering if holding the hand of someone you love while walking down the street will get you killed that day. Imagine standing in front of the mirror, reluctantly taking the make-up off of your face before heading to school, and asking yourself, “is it the world that has to change or is it me?” Imagine ticking the sex you know you do not belong to on job applications out of fear of being rejected, imagine changing the pronouns in a poem so that you would stand a chance of getting published, imagine biting your lip to stop yourself from accidentally speaking up when your ‘friends’ mock the guy in your class who proudly dyed his hair all the colours of a rainbow. Imagine love.

Imagine something so innocent and pure and natural, and then imagine being told that what feels so right is, simply, wrong.

You might ask what it is I’m passionate about?

Tennis, books, music, my friends, family – oh, cat!

God, yes, my cat (7% might get the hint there, eh?).

But above those, I am passionate about love. Love that doesn’t recognise gender, colour of the skin, or the figures behind the credit cards. I am passionate about Australia as the most recent part of the world that overwhelmingly voted in favour of legalising same-sex marriage, about the 70 countries which have, so far, introduced anti-discrimination laws on the grounds of sexual identity, and I am even more passionate about the 88% of the globe where rights of the LGBTQ+ community are lesser than those of the people who belong to the stereotype, in hopes that 2018 might finally bring a change. Love - blue, pink or yellow I am passionate about you.

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But let’s get back to the numbers; numbers are concrete, numbers are facts, and numbers we believe.

7 and 8 percent. 2.8 billion. 5 and parts. 78. Let me rephrase that. Seventy-bloody-eight! Now words, because we can play around with these, we can alter their meaning and depth and we can make them only as straight-forward as we’d like. Politicians are particularly good at the word game. Numbers, not so much. And maybe that is why the figures are what they are, whereas the rhetoric seems to go above and beyond. So, the statistics show, seven percent of the world female population identifies with an LGBTQ+ label, whilst the eight percent represent males within the community. Calculate it for yourself but even without taking the iPhone out of your pocket, minority may it be, it remains a decent sum of people, does it not? Wait for the next one, 2.8 billion. That is, believe it or not, the estimated number of population across the globe that lives in countries where being gay is a crime. Next one up, 5 countries and regions of 2 others (Nigeria and Somalia), those amount to the states where death penalty applies. Try wrapping your head around such statement; there are 7 countries in the world in 2018, where if you dare love a person the authorities decided not to approve of, you will be murdered for it and it will be not only legal, but maybe even applauded for. 78 countries can by law imprison you for any LGBTQ+ activity or identity. The count goes on, but I have two outstandingly terrifying ones to round this up with.

a comparison, that is equivalent to a killing every two days. And lastly, a quarter of the world’s population to this day believes that belonging to the LGBTQ+ community should be a crime. I know, right? Those couples harmlessly sharing some rainbow-themed Valentine’s cards definitely belong behind bars! Better yet, shoot ‘em all!

OPINIONS

Barbara Mertlova

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Dundee University Photography Society Monthly Competition runner up Domas Radzevicius @domas.radz Theme: Winter

65

The theme for the March issue will be ‘Abstraction’ Deadline for submission: 15th February Submissions to be sent to dups.dundee@gmail.com Max of 2 submissions per person

Science- A Year in Review Alex McCraw

2017 was, arguably, a bad year. Trump’s ascension to the highest office in America, accompanied by a surge in the ever intense racial tensions. Accompanied by the increasing threat of Nuclear warfare, multiple terror attacks, natural disasters has painted 2017 in a rather bad light.

This was a year filled with tragedy, but also resistance, endurance and tenacity. The Women’s March in January, spanning all 7 continents, followed by the ‘Me Too’ movement in the wake of the Weinstein scandal. Australia resoundingly voted yes to marriage equality; Saudi Arabia made small but noticeable steps in treatment of women. Not to mention the community and compassion expressed by people world-wide in response numerous disasters.

Regardless, this was a year of incredible scientific discoveries. Though, often buried under the latest political debacle, much of the research undertaken may end up paving the way for technology that will change the world as we know it.

NEW CANCER TREATMENT CAR T-CELL THERAPY

SYNTHETIC DNA X-Y BASE PAIRING

So called ‘designer microbes’ have been successfully created using a new synthetic form of base pairing.

All DNA on earth is formed of 4 key nucleotides - A, T, G, and C - in various sequences, coding for life itself. Now researchers in California have created new synthetic DNA using unnatural base pairs. The new base pairing nucleotides X and Y were inserted into E.coli to create so-called “expanded DNA”. The hope is that expanded DNA will allow for greater study of genetic pathways And protein expression ultimately allowing us to control how an organism operates and what it can produce. In particular, X-Y base pairing may eventually allow for the creation of new modified proteins which may be crucial in future drugs.

Currently, the technology is still in its infancy but it is an exciting step forward in the ever expanding field of synthetic biology.

Immunotherapy is fast taking over the medical field as an upcoming cancer therapy treatment.

One treatment rapidly gaining traction is CAR or Chimeric Antigen Receptor Cell Therapy, a form of adoptive cell transfer (ACT) treatment.

ACT treatment involves the collection and use of a patient’s own immune cells to treat the cancer - it is described as being a “living drug”. Immune cells from a patient are collected and modified to express synthetic antigen receptors not found in nature on their cell surface. In turn, these modified receptors allow the the killer white blood, or T, cells to recognise specific proteins expressed in tumour cells. If successful they will multiply and destroy cancer cells. In 2017, studies into the therapy demonstrated were granted approval by the Food and Drug Agency to proceed to a second clinical trial. The hope is that CAR T-Cell therapy and other such immunotherapeutic will provide a revolutionary approach in the fight against cancer.

With rapidly increasing frequency in which the people we love will hear “you have cancer.” This cannot come at a better time.

MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS

PHOTON TELEPORTATION IN CHINA Last year, a team of Chinese Scientists made what was described as a ‘profound’ leap forward towards the eventual development of teleportation technology, but more realistically, the development of super-speed quantum internet.

Using quantum mechanisms, photon properties were teleported from the earth to space over distances as far as 870 miles. Demonstrating photon teleportation at distances of 8 times the previous record, the experiment acted as a proof-ofconcept for technology that may allow high-speed communication between the earth and satellites, and eventually render our current internet defunct. But we leave the question of governing this potential new form if internet for our descendants.

As well as the above, great steps forward were made in the field of gene editing. The first successful editing of the human genome was performed in July. Closely followed by the removal of genetic conditions from human embryos in August, demonstrating the power of gene editing to remove life-threatening genetic disorders from the human genome for good.

Progress was made in the organ transplant sector through the development of pig-human chimeras which may one day be used to grow organs for use in transplants and cut waiting times spent by patients on the transplant list - saving countless lives, needlessly lost.

More research continued to be performed in the field of neurodegenerative diseases, revealing breakthroughs in brain aging, and drugs which may eventually be used to treat Alzheimer’s and Dementia. In March, a team of Dutch scientists revealed a drug shown to reverse aging effects on old mice that may have the same effect on humans.

Although 2017 is over, it can only be hoped that such successes continue to benefit the planet and those on it. 2018, has everything to play for and we cannot afford to lose.

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