Profile
Gina Sternberg, President of Oxford Pink Week
Comment Labour reshuffle highlights recent party tensions Page 17
Page 11
Screen
Music
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It’s time to bring balance to ‘The Force Awakens’
A tribute to one of music’s most loved stars
15.01.2016 Volume 75, Issue 1 oxfordstudent.com
Junior doctors protest in force in Oxford Toby Clyde
Deputy News Editor
Large numbers of doctors and supporters turned out to protest on Broad Street this Tuesday as part of a nationwide strike. Up to a ‘100 standing protesters’ were present at one point with striking doctors remaining long into the afternoon to talk to passers by. The protest coincided with the admission ceremony of the new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Louise Richardson in the Sheldonian, with banner holding medics parading outside while whilst gowned academics filed out.
Professor Louise Richardson was previously Chancellor of St Andrews University in Scotland
Continued on page 3
Image: OUImages/John Cairns
First woman Vice Chancellor installed at Oxford • Professor Louise Richardson was installed at the Sheldonian on Tuesday Scott Harker Deputy Editor
Oxford University’s new Vice-Chancellor has used her installation speech to lay out her agenda for an ‘agile’ university at the pinnacle of global change. Professor Louise Richardson, Oxford’s 272 nd, and first woman, Vice-Chancellor called on the university to show ‘agility’ in an era of globalization and technological change in a speech given to the congregation of the University shortly after she had been accepted into the office of Vice-Chancellor at a ceremony in the Sheldonian Theatre. Professor Richardson said: “If we can provide leaders for tomorrow who have been educated to think critically, to act ethically and always to question, these are the people who will prevent the next financial crisis;
who will help us to grapple with the fundamental questions prompted by the accelerating pace of technological change, as we confront profound ethical choices about the prolongation and even replication of life. People who will force us to confront the costs we are imposing on the next generation by our wasteful use of the earth’s resources; who will articulate our obligation to the vulnerable, the poor, the victims of war, oppression and disease, wherever they live.”
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How do we ensure that our students understand that true nature of freedom of inquiry and expression? Amongst other topics touched upon in the Vice-Chancellor’s
speech included criticism of moves towards greater governmental control over higher education and questioned how the University can address the challenge of ensuring freedom of debate within the student community. On this, Professor Richardson said: “How do we ensure that they appreciate the value of engaging with ideas they find objectionable, trying through reason to change another’s mind, while always being open to changing their own? How do we ensure that our students understand the true nature of freedom of inquiry and expression?” Professor Richardson then also made a point of calling for the University to make ever-greater efforts to attract the world’s best students and scholars to Oxford regardless of who they may be. She concluded her speech by
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Fashionshoot:JanuaryBrights
Please join me, it will be hard, it will be fun, but we owe it to those on whose shoulders we stand
making an appeal to all at the university: “Let’s all make the most of the time we have here in this privileged, magical, extraordinary place to leave it even better than we found it. Let’s keep our eyes firmly fixed on the future, without forgetting the traditions that bind us to our forebears and the values and interests that unite us to one another. Please join me, it will be hard, it will be fun, but we owe it to those on whose shoulders we stand, and Oxford deserves no less than our very best.”
Continued on page 4
See pages 26-27
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
Editorial
2
Editorial
Editors: Ariane Laurent-Smith and Naomi Southwell
Hello
Hilary, 0th week
Friday 15th January 2016 “Your essay was like a round of golf: you started off well, poor in the middle, and then you lost interest so you hurried up to get to the bar.”
Tutor comments
Oxford weather Storms are looming in the rest of the UK, with more strikes from the BMA on the way and no sign of a truce any time soon. In Oxford, the sun is shining with the appointment of a new vice-chancellor, the first female vice-chancellor in Oxford’s 800-year history, but the debate raised by theof Rhodes Must Conspiracies the week Fall campaign threatens more lightning flashes in our mellow spring.
Conspiracy theories of the week New College Mound is a secret meeting-place for Satanic alumni #thegreatergood.
The vac is over, most of us have trooped back to Oxford with bundles of clothes, books and general rubbish from the bottom of drawers we did not bother to clear out last week. Many thanks to our predecessors, David Barker and Laura Whetherly for training us in how to use InDesign so well, bringing us food and, least importantly, designing and laying such an amazing paper last term.
office we’ve been playing David Bowie songs non-stop as our own small tribute. However, we’re sure throughout Oxford people have been paying their own poignant tributes. David Bowie meant so much to so many people as a music star, fashion icon and all round avant garde performer.
69 is the new 27
Both Bowie and Alan Rickman were
Alan Rickman
69 when they passed away this week. Is this a coincidence? I think not. My only commiseration is that Donald Trump is 69.
New term new Oxstu
Everyone is already sick of New Year’s resolutions already. So ours are pretty simple: expand our content, update our website and keep on featuring the best of Oxford’s student writers. We’ve
As we were editing in the office, Naomi broke the news that Alan Rickman had died to the rest of the office. Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought about the reality of never hearing any new Alan Rickman content. I think I may have to have a Rickman fest, definitely valid procrastination!
A massive thankyou to our new team for sitting through our thrilling training Here’s to a great term!
This week also saw the loss of one of music’s greatest stars. In the
Richard Barrett: ISISRegional problem or global threat? Page 31
Vice Chancellor
The appointment of Oxford’s first female vice chancellor is significant to us as Editors as we want to continue to make the paper as inclusive as possible. In a world where the media is often dominated by opinions from the same groups of people we want to change that by making a conscious effort to feature the voices of those underepresented
Finally
David Bowie
What’s on
already achieved number two, with the hard work of our online editor Jake Wismeman our website looks fantastic if we do say so ourselves. To expand our content we are looking talented broadcastors so don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. And as ever, we aim to give you the best student opinions, reviews and creative writing.
Fashion Oxford’s most stylish: 0th week street style
Page 29
Art and Lit The Van Gough Museum in Amsterdam delights Page 23
OxStuff
Sam Sykes looks for love amongst the VERSA blog pages Page 33
Write for us! editor@oxfordstudent.com
St Catz College was originally a social experiment set up by Ringo Starr in the ‘60s.
Alumnus of the week
Hilary Benn New College
odds-ford bets. Jeremy Hunt to apologise to the 50/1 BMA in a viral video. The Daily Mail to publish a scare-story about a Britain governed by Ntokozo Qwabe
12/1
Sanders-Clinton sex-tape to appear online.
7/1
Rhodes statue to fall, grievously injuring Chancellor Patten 3/1
The OxStu team Ariane Laurent-Smith and Naomi Southwell Jake Wiseman Scott Harker, Daniel Haynes, Flora Holmes, James Sewry, and Sam Sykes. Matt Burwood, Megan Izzo and Jan-David Franke News Editors Laura Whetherly Investigations Editor Imogen Gosling and Ben Oldfield Comment Editors Chloe St George and Clio Takas Stage Editors SherryTan and Alice Townson Fashion Editors James Charter and Beth Kirkbride Music Editors Jasmine Cameron-Chileshie DavidtoParton Features Editors Oxford Unionand election be Art and Lit Editors Rosie Collier and Tristan Wilson conducted in harmonious and Screen Editors Daunish Negargar and James Riding Adam Hilsenrath and Ned Walker Sports Editor Toby Clyde and James Broun Deputy News Editors Deputy Comment Editor Louis Trupia Editors-in-Chief Online Editor Deputy Editors
Deputy Features Editors Deputy Arts and Lit Editor Deputy Music Editor Deputy Screen Editor Deputy Stage Editors Deputy Sports Editor Deputy Fashion Editors Profile Editor Chief Sub-Editor Sub-Editors
Robert Pepper and Jamie Russell Hetty Mosforth Katie Collins Robert Selth Georgia Crump Josh Stickland Xuemei Chan, Claire Leibovich and Alexandra Luo Nayra Zaghloul Elizabeth La Trobe Lizzie Evens, Joshua Dernie, Jei-Jei Tan, Jane Yu and Amelia Wrigley
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
News 3
Chancellor Patten dismisses Rhodes Must Fall movement in Vice-Chancellor admission Jan-David Franke & Toby Clyde
News Editor and Deputy News Editor
During this morning’s admission of Vice-Chancellor Richardson, Chancellor Patten, the ceremonial head of Oxford University, spoke out strongly in his welcome speech against historical revisionism in Oxford. Speaking before Professor Louise Richardson’s appointment, he stressed the need for both competitive public education spending and academic autonomy before moving on to criticise
“intolerance” in universities. Chancellor Patten was not shy to address a range of controversial issues, stressing that revisiting and reinterpreting history in light of contemporary political morals is futile. “We have to listen to those who presume that they can rewrite history in the confines of their own notion of what is morally and historically and politically correct,” he stated. However, the Chancellor also acknowledged the University’s role in providing a platform for protest, stating, “Because we value tolerance, we have to listen to people who shout at the university about speechcrimes and no platforming”. The Chancellor went on to challenge this viewpoint stressing that it is a sign of “intellectual pusillanimity” to give in to this historical revisionism.
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‘well-intentioned efforts’, like affirmative action, ‘might have the effect of deterring applications’
Chancellor Patten’s message follows the controversial Rhodes Must Fall Campaign in Oxford which has attempted to remove the statue of Cecil Rhodes in Oriel College as part of their movement to: “decolonise the space, the curriculum, and
the institutional memory” at Oxford. The group has received considerable media attention in December over its criticism of the statue as symbolic of racism and colonialism.
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We have to listen to those who presume that they can rewrite history
Much of the Chancellor’s address was also devoted to acknowledging the need for adequate funding in the face of rising costs, in particular the provision of need-blind admission. However he also made clear that provision to broaden access should not take precedence over “how and why we teach”. Chancellor Patten suggested that some ‘well-intentioned efforts’, like affirmative action, ‘might have the effect of deterring applications’ from the students most needed at Oxford. In turn while he stressed the importance of competitive public investment in education, the Chancellor also stated that, “[a] university is not an agency of government, subject to bureaucratic rule”. Lord Chris Patten of Barnes was elected to the Chancellorship of Oxford University in 2003, and is the ceremonial head of the University.
Lord Patten dismissed historical revisionism during the Vice Chancellor’s instalment ceremony Image: James Yuanxin Li
Junior doctors protest in force at the heart of Oxford Continued from front page The demonstrations came as part of the nationwide junior doctor strike over proposed government contract changes. The union action, the first of its kind by doctors in more than 40 years, was called after talks between the British Medical Association and the Government failed last week. Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, has said the dispute was ‘completely unnecessary’. However protesting doctors on the streets yesterday were critical of proposed changes stressing that they would ‘critically stretch’ services and ‘were not safe’. A key point of contention in the new contract is the reclassification of regular hours to cover weekends and create more seven-day services. One of the picketing junior doctors present, Andrew Smith stated that he: ‘didn’t see any benefit in the changes’. ‘The same amount of doctors would be working longer hours and that would inevitably reduce care quality’. He emphasized: ‘I wouldn’t want my Grandma to be admitted on a weekend and to receive poorer service’. He went on to stress the
already ‘stretched’ state of the NHS: ‘in an environment where doctors are struggling to provide adequate care on limited funding there is little incentive to continue’. Other protesters were even more direct accusing the government of ‘dirty tricks’ to smear doctors with ‘not protecting our patients’.
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‘I wouldn’t want my Grandma to be admitted on a weekend and to receive poorer service’. Ministers offered doctors an 11% rise in basic pay last year as part of these contract changes but a union ballot in the autumn showed that 98% of those who voted in favor of strike action. Despite plans for further industrial action the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) announced shortly after the strike that negotiations would resume on Thursday. This fresh round of talks presents a renewed effort to resolve the four-month dispute and avert future closures.
11%
Pay rise ministers offered doctors last year as part of changes to the junior doctor contract
98%
Percentage of junior doctors who have voted in favour of full strike action
Junior Doctors’ Strikes
53,000 37, 000 76% 98% 99.6% £22,636 10,000
Junior doctors Junior doctors in BMA Voted Voted for strikes Voted for action Starting salary Reported for duty (of 26,000)
3,300
Operations postponed (1 in 10)
26th Jan Next strike (48 hours) 10th Feb Another strike (no emergency cover)
Gowned figures from the Vice Chancellor’s ceremony cross paths with the protestors
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
Professor Richardson becomes Vice Chancellor Scott Harker Deputy Editor
Continued from front page Also speaking at the ceremony was the Chancellor of the University, former Conservative Minister and Governor of Hong Kong, Lord Patten of Barnes. In his speech, Lord Patten told Professor Richardson: “You have, Professor, an outstanding record as a teacher and scholar, and have been until recently the head of another eminent university. I know that you would wish to be judged primarily not on the glass ceilings you have smashed, but on your achievements as an academic leader on both sides of the Atlantic. They provide the principal argument for our choice of you as our next leader, as this world-class university confronts the trials and opportunities of the 21 st Century.”
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you would wish to be judged primarily... on your achievements as an academic leader In his speech the Chancellor also criticised historical revisionism following the widespread debate created by the Rhodes Must Fall Oxford campaign. Professor Richardson’s previous position was that of Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of St Andrews, a position she had held since 2009. During her time at St Andrews she was involved with a wellpublicised dispute with the former SNP leader Alex Salmond over her refusal to release a statement praising the record of the Scottish government with regards to higher education and has subsequently been critical of the increased regulation of higher education institutions in Scotland under the SNP.
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you have, Professor, an outstanding record as a teacher and scholar Prior to her appointment at St Andrews Professor Richardson had also served as Executive Dean of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University. Her teaching positions at Harvard included courses on international relations focusing on terrorism, and American foreign policy. During this time she also received numerous awards for the quality of her teaching and advised policy makers on issues surrounding terrorism and security. She holds a bachelor’s degree in History from Trinity College, Dublin, an MA in Political Science from UCLA and an MA and PhD in Government from Harvard University.
272
nd Professor Louise Richardson is the 272nd Vice Chancellor of Oxford
7
years she was Principal and Vice Chancellor of St Andrews University
12
years Professor Richardson was a professor in the Harvard Government Department
Notable Vice Chancellors of Oxford
The new Vice Chancellor spent seven years as the Principal and Vice Chancellor of St Andrews Image: OUImages/John Cairns
William Stallybrass 1947-1948
Colloquially known as ‘Sonners’, he worked as a barrister then held the position of Principal of Brasenose College, where the Stallybrass Law Library is named after him. He only served as Vice Chancellor for a year before he was killed in a railway accident, he was nearly blind at the time.
Sir Arthur Lionel Pugh Norrington 1960-1962
Studied Classics at Trinity College, Oxford and later became President of Trinity College after working with Oxford University Press. He devised the Norrington table and the Blackwell’s in Oxford named the ‘Norrington Room’ after him for his work in publishing.
Image: Godot13
Professor Louise Richardson with two honorary graduates at the 2015 graduation ceremony at St Andrews Image: St Andrews 2015 Graduation Gallery
Baron Alan Bullock 1969-1973
An eminent historian, he wrote on modern history, particularly Nazi Germany and is most noted for his book, Hitler: A Study of Tyranny. He was also the founding master of St Catherine’s College and fundraised great amounts of money for the college.
Andrew Hamilton resigned as Vice Chancellor in December, after six years in the position.
News 4 University
Celebrating life outside of lectures, labs and libraries
27th February 2016
W.245mm x H.320mm This day long festival includes: Full11.00 Page - 5.00pm Clubs and Societies Showcase International Festival 7.00 - 9.30pm
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awards one great night! Nominate online from 1st Week
To get your society involved or to nominate visit ousu.org/get-involved/oxford-students-festival
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
News 6
Oxford translates Enlightenment works on tolerance to commemorate Charlie Hebdo James Broun
Deputy News Editor
Over one hundred Oxford students and tutors have translated a body of French Enlightenment works about tolerance and free speech into English. Available for free online, the book was published last week by Open Book Publishers to commemorate the anniversary of the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris, which took place on 7 January 2015. The original French book, Tolérance: le Combat des Lumières, was put together shortly after the Charlie Hebdo attacks by French academics as a show of solidarity. It contains excerpts from fiftynine 17th- and 18thcentury Enlightenment works on freedom, equality, the rights of women, exploitation, and tolerance by a diverse range of authors. The book opens with The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizens, followed by selected writings from Voltaire,
Montesquieu, Condorcet, Locke, Diderot, and Kant, to name but
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The text was downloaded more than four thousand times on its first day of publication. a few. Dr Caroline Warman is VicePresident of the British Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies (BSECS), and a fellow and tutor in French at Jesus College. She said that the French effort “was such a wonderful initiative, and done in such a collective spirit” that the BSECS wanted to support the project and discuss it at its annual conference. To make the most of the texts, the society wanted them translated into English, which would enable a wider readership and greater appreciation of their value to debate. Dr Warman commented that these works allow for discussion on some of the most important issues in
political discourse. This enables “an awareness of the past in which these issues were already being debated, and a willingness to engage with the past in a nuanced way that also takes on board the centuries-long result of colonialism.” The translation process involved 102 staff and second year students at Oxford. The works were translated in college classes under the supervision of tutors over the course of last Trinity Term. Dr Warman praised the undergraduate students: they were “brilliant at it, and [loved] to be involved in a collective effort of consciousness-raising.” She translated the remaining works over the summer and proofread the compilation before submitting it to publishers in late November. Open Book Publishers agreed to waive the usual charge for downloading the book as a PDF. The release made national news and the text was downloaded more than 4000 times on its first day of publication. According to the publisher’s website, it has
been viewed over 8000 times as of 0th week. Tolerance aims to share writing about freedom and equality so that these issues can be debated as fully as possible. Can academia help combat extremist ideology? According to Dr Warman, it is potentially very valuable. She said it functions as a “space to understand the world we live in, to understand what extremist ideology is, by whom it is given that label, and how the global political systems behave.” But she also believes that current antiextremist legislation constitutes a limit of free speech; academia “must resist the current Prevent Legislation [The CounterTerrorism and Security Act 2015] which requires all universities and schools to monitor their own students and alert the authorities should anything linked to ‘extremist ideology’ be in question. This in itself is a limit to free speech which we cannot accept.”
The book contains excerpts from fifty nine 17th and 18th century Enlightenment works.
‘Hogwarts generation’ undaunted by Oxford traditions Amelia Wrigley News Reporter
Dr Samina Khan (Director of Undergraduate Admissions and Outreach) has told the Times Educational Supplement that pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds are excited about the prospect of Oxford traditions, rather than put off by them. In her first full-length interview since starting her job in 2014, Dr Khan claimed that students who have “grown up with Harry Potter” are “really excited” about the overtly traditional aspects of the university, stating that the “grand dining halls” are often “compared to Hogwarts.” She rejected the idea that teenagers from disadvantaged backgrounds would not consider applying to Oxford on the basis of its more archaic traditions, saying, “they are probably far more familiar with it than we give them credit for.” “They recognise the benefits of [a] small college community, the grand tables, talking about current affairs that’s what we want them to embrace and take ownership of.” Dr Khan also stated that students from poorer backgrounds who are predicted three A grades at A-level are “more likely” to be invited for interview than their more advantaged peers. She explained that this is mainly the case when the university reaches a ‘threshold point’, the point at which it becomes difficult to distinguish between applicants solely on the basis of grades. The university uses ‘contextual data’ in order to help tutors “understand academic potential”. Other information taken into account includes exam results relative to the school’s average, any admissions tests taken by the applicant, and their socio-economic
background. A spokesperson for the university clarified Dr Khan’s comments: “The point about students from disadvantaged backgrounds getting extra consideration is related to our use of contextual flags to invite extra candidates to interview (not pushing out otherwise more qualified candidates) on the one hand, and making marginal decisions about candidates on the borderlines on the other.”
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The grand halls at Oxford are often compared to Hogwarts by prospective students Dr Khan also stressed the importance of schools starting preparation for Oxbridge admissions at a much younger age. She believes that schools should start working with potential applicants from the age of 11, rather than leaving it until sixth form. She told the TSE: ‘‘I would say with some of the schools we visit, it very much falls upon the head of sixth form and I think they are then perhaps realising, in terms of Oxford and selective universities, it needs to have happened further down.” Samina Khan, who is a parent governor for two schools in Buckinghamshire, said that state schools should provide ‘super curricular clubs’ in order to increase pupils’ passion for and broader understanding of the subject they will eventually apply for. She stressed that applicants for Oxford need to be able to “think on their feet”, and practice of doing so “needs to happen earlier and not just a couple of weeks
before the interview is due.” However, Charles McGrath, JCR Access Rep at Pembroke College, said: “It’s quite an ask for students to have to prepare their future years in advance. This would be particularly hard for those from backgrounds where the parent or parents have not attended university, as they will most likely not know the challenges associated with applying to university, and certainly not top universities like Oxford and Cambridge. From my experience, it was only really at sixth form that I was given the support needed to consider putting Oxford on my UCAS application, and did not have the information or confidence to seriously consider it beforehand. Improving university applications advisers in schools with low participation rates may be a step forward, but it can’t be seen as the whole solution to this problem.” Dr Khan stressed that schools that lack the time or resources to work with potential applicants over a long period of time should contact the university itself for support. She said that the University of Oxford aims to “reach out to schools and teachers who are currently not engaging with us; those in those schools who are thinking Oxford is not for them, not right for their students.” Dr Khan’s interview with the TES follows a report published last month from the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission, which criticised Oxford and Cambridge for giving places to a “disproportionate number of students from private schools”. The report showed that Oxford would need to increase its intake of pupils from state schools by 24% in order to meet its benchmark. In the most recent round of admissions, the university had 19,000 applications for 3,200 places.
Image: David R Tribble
Prospective students not discouraged by Oxford’s Hogwarts image Image: David Purchase
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
News 7
Dictionaries for refugees: OUP helping out in Calais Matt Burwood News Editor
Oxford University Press have made their Oxford Arabic Dictionary available to refugees and aid workers for free online.
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OUP has sought to play a targeted role in improvng the quality of life of displaced people.
The dictionary, first published in August 2014, purports to be “the most authoritative English/Arabic - Arabic/English dictionary ever published”, and retails at £65. The extensive work is currently fully accessible on mobile and tablet devices, as part of an effort to provide language support to the more than 900,000 refugees who have arrived in Europe,
primarily as a result of the ongoing humanitarian disasters in Libya and Syria. The Editorial Director of Oxord Dictionaries, Judy Pearsall, observed that “it has become increasingly apparent that communication has a fundamentally important role to play in helping those arriving from Syria and elsewhere to receive help and adjust to their new environment.” While numerous charities and state-funded efforts around the world provide assistance to refugees in the form of food, shelter and clothing, OUP has sought to play a targeted role in improving the quality of life of displaced people, by doing what they were founded to do - providing high quality learning resources. The Editorial Director added: “We are constantly looking at ways to help that are central to what we do, which are about learning and education and communication
rather than giving money to charity.” The log-in details for the online initiative have been passed on to all the major aid agencies and relevant government departments. Tressy Arts, Arabic scholar and editor of the Oxford Arabic
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[The dictionary] provides language support to the more than 900,000 refugees who have arrived in Europe. Dictionary, said “any resource that helps [the refugees] complete paperwork, or express what they need, or show where it hurts, or what they’re looking for, is very much appreciated.” The dictionary focuses on Modern Standard Arabic, the standardised variant of the language which is understood
and written by literate users throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa. The online app has been designed to be easy to use not only for Arabic speakers translating English words, but also for aid workers and officials not acquainted with this notoriously complex language, with a simple interface reducing the difficulty associated with typing the Arabic characters. Oxford University Press is a department of Oxford University, and thus has status as a charity. Their charitable activities and social responsibilities are outlined in their Code of Conduct: “We support a number of organizations on a longer term basis including several that donate books to educational outlets in developing countries and widen access to education and research. We The dictionary, first published in also make one-off donations of publications and small financial 2014, focuses on modern standgifts to many small charities every ard Arabic. year.”
Syrian refugees settle in Oxford over vacation Toby Clyde
Deputy News Editor
Two families arrived at Oxford in December as part of the national Syrian resettlement program and are settling in to Oxford life. Oxford City Council is working with Asylum Welcome, an organization providing support for asylum seekers, refugees and detainees in Oxford and Oxfordshire. It is expecting to settle a number more families over the coming months. Councillor Bob Price, Leader of Oxford City Council, said: “These families have had a very long journey before arriving in Oxford and I am pleased to welcome them to our city. I am pleased to hear that the families have settled in so quickly and are enjoying their time here.”
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The families are in good spirits and are responding well to our efforts to cram information into them
This is part of the 20,000 Syrian refugees that the UK will accept over the next five years, a ‘moral responsibility’ that David Cameron has called a ‘national effort’. This number has been criticized however as “falling pitifully short of what is needed” by the Green Party’s Caroline Lucas and as “a very slim response” by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. Refugees have arrived with little or no possessions so Asylum Welcome has been working hard to provide for arrivals. As Kate Smart, the Director of Asylum Welcome, said, “the orientation has been a mixture of English lessons, workshop sessions with a range of people such as police
officers, social workers and health professionals.”
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This is part of the 20,000 Syrian refugees that the UK will accept over the next five years
“A really moving moment for us was to see the children in their brand new school uniforms for the first time last week - because they have been living in camps some have not been to school for several years, some never.” She has said this introduction to Oxford is going well: “The families are in good spirits and are responding well to our efforts to cram information into them and to inspire them with the confidence that life here is going to be OK.” The overall scheme will be paid for in the first year by the overseas aid budget but after this the source of funding will be decided by the government, in conjunction with local councils. At the same time the Oxford Students Refugee Campaign (OXSRC) has been working separately in the University to develop schemes that will provide financial and welfare support for displaced students. They aim to get every Oxford student to contribute just £1 a month to fund such a scholarship, a motion that has passed in 21 common rooms amounting to around 8000 students who are now subscribed in an opt-out scheme.
Image: Wikipedia
Caroline Lucas Criticizes the number of refugees accepted to the UK as “falling pitifully short of what is needed”.
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Image: Wikipedia
Image: Image Editor
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
News
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News
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th October 2016
News In Depth
old chum, Cecil Rhodes. It was filled with what you call ‘suppositories of wisdom.’
“ How do we ensure that they [Oxford students] appreciate the value of engaging with ideas they find objectionable.”
Rhodes Must Fall Oxford : ‘Victory’ followed by Media Storm Matt Burwood News Editor
The Rhodes Must Fall movement in Oxford faced redoubled media interest over the winter period, following a partial success in their campaign to remove a statue of Cecil Rhodes outside Oriel College. Since the end of Michaelmas last year, the campaign to remove the statue of Cecil Rhodes from Oriel’s High Street facade has garnered the attention not only of the British and South African press, but also international public figures. Amidst this all, Oriel College responded to the petition handed to them at the protest on the 6th November, putting in place active measures to ‘make Oxford more diverse’ and to distance themselves from the views and actions of their controversial colonialist benefactor, Cecil Rhodes.
Oriel Responds
On the 17th December, Oriel published their eagerly anticipated response to the demands of the Rhodes Must Fall movement in Oxford . They recently announced ‘a series of substantive actions to improve the experience and representation of ethnic minorities in Oriel’, which would include BME-specific outreach, graduate scholarships and ‘a series of lectures and other events examining race equality and the con-
Lord Patten, Chancellor
Image: Daniel Enchev
‘Dear Freddy, We read your recent letter, begging Oxford to retain the Rhodes statue. We thought it was cute: apartheid’s last president defending one of its architects. It was retro, like the Force Awakens, but with white supremacy.’
RHODES MUST “ FALL OXFORD THE WORLD RESPONDS
tinuing history of colonialism and its consequences’.
Rhodes did not have a scholarship. It was never his money. All that he looted must be returned
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The College does not in any way condone or glorify his views or actions
Signing off with ‘all our love’, the letter to de Klerk jibed, ‘you and Tony Abbott should get coffee sometime’. Though significant developments, the contributions of statesmen were not what generated most news stories over the Christmas period, with what RMFO later described as an attempt to ‘ victimise and abuse individuals connected to RMFO’ launching in sections of the British media.
As for the fate of the offending statue, Oriel provided something by way of compromise between the demonstrators’ calls for immediate removal, and the apparent implausibility of significant alterations to the facade of a Grade II* listed building, announcing a ‘structured six-month listening exercise on the statue’, in which students, staff, heritage bodies, and residents of Oxford could offer their views as to the best way forward. In the short term, a sign has been positioned below the statue, clarifying that the building was funded by a bequest from Rhodes, and that ‘in acknowledging the historical fact of Rhodes’s bequest, the College does not in any way condone or glorify his views or actions.’
Rhodes Scholar
The national press respond to Rhodes Must Fall in Oxford
RMF ‘Victory’
In what was a broadly positive response to the conciliatory tone of the college’s remarks, the RMF movement heralded the ‘victory’, and thanked all ‘progressive Oxford stu-
Image: Rhodes Must Fall
‘immediately expunged’ from educational spaces.
RMF response after Oriel annouces six-month listening exercise “We find little sense in the immediate removal of the plaque of Rhodes while the fate of the colonialist’s statue remains uncertain, and apparently subject to further drawn out bureaucratic processes.”
The success if the Rhodes Must Fall movement in South Africa has prompted calls for the removal of a similar state in Oxford Image: Desmond Bowles
Ntokozo Qwabe, one of the prominent figures in the campaign and a Rhodes Scholar from South Africa, came under fire from several newspapers for a status he published at the time of the Paris attacks last November, in which he wrote, ‘I do NOT stand with France. Not while it continues to terrorise and bomb Afrika & the Middle East for its
Image: Rhodes Must Fall
dents’ for their involvement in public demonstrations. The lack of traction regarding the focal point of their campaign did not go without mention, with the message continuing: ‘We find little sense in the immedi-
ate removal of the plaque of Rhodes while the fate of the colonialist’s statue remains uncertain, and apparently subject to further drawn out bureaucratic processes.’ They went on to call for all ‘violent symbolism’ to be
International Response The response from Oriel appeared to amplify interest in RMF, and more generally in the debate about attitudes to historical figures. One notable figure to weigh in following the statement was the former Australian Prime Minister and Rhodes scholar, Tony Abbott. In an email to the Independent, he said that in removing the statue ‘Oxford would damage its standing as a great university if it were to substitute moral vanity for fair-minded enquiry’, and that ‘The students of Oriel should be clear-eyed about Rhodes’ faults and
“Oxford would damage its standing as a great university if it were to substitute moral vanity for fair-minded enquiry” “The students of Oriel should be clear-eyed about Rhode’s faults and failings but proud of his achievements.” Tony Abbott , former Austrialian Prime Minister
Image: Daniel Enchev
All “violent symbolism” should be “immediately expunged” from educational spaces.
Image: Daniel Enchev
failings but proud of his achievements.’
Image: Alf
Days later, the final National Party President of South Africa finally offered his thoughts, with FW de Klerk telling the Times newspaper that ‘if the political correctness of today were applied consistently, very few of Oxford’s great figures would pass scrutiny’. Suggesting that Oriel be ‘a little more gracious in its treatment of its most generous benefactor’, de
Klerk suggested that if the college found Rhodes’s legacy so reprehensible, then the correct course of action would be to return the benefaction to the victims of imperialism in South Africa.
“
We read your recent letter, begging Oxford to protect a statue of your old chum Cecil Rhodes
The response from RMFO to the high-profile messages to broadsheets was that of ridicule, with two satirical open letters appearing shortly after on the #RhodesMustFallOxford website, beginning: ‘Dear Tony, We read your recent letter, begging Oxford to protect a statue of your December 2014
17th
Oriel college publishes their response to the demands of Rhodes Must Fall
The Rhodes Must Fall movement have sparked debate about public attitudes to historical figures Image: Desmond Bowles
9
imperial interests.’ He followed this up by remarking that the French flag is ‘a symbol of violence, terror and genocide’. Several news outlets attacked Ntokozo for accepting money from the Rhodes Foundation whilst campaigning for the dismantling of Rhodes’s legacy, with the Daily Telegraph reporting accusations against him of ‘disgraceful hypocrisy’. In response, Ntokozo wrote: ‘Rhodes did not have a scholarship. It was never his money. All that he looted must absolutely be returned immediately.’
Chancellor weighs in
The latest entry to the debate arena has been the Chancellor of the University, who used his speech at the inauguration of the new Vice-Chancellor Richardson to condemn efforts to ‘rewrite history’. The Oxford Student reported earlier this week that Lord Patten, a former Conservative Home Secretary, deemed it a sign of ‘intellectual pusillanimity’ to give in to historical revisionism. The Vice
“How do we ensure that our students understand the true nature of freedom of inquiry and expression” Lord Patten, Chancellor
Image: Daniel Enchev
Chancellor also took the opportunity to weigh in on the general issues of free speech and students’ exposure to controversial views and figures, asking: ‘How do we ensure that they appreciate the value of engaging with ideas they find objectionable, trying through reason to change another’s mind, while always being open to changing their own? How do we ensure that our students understand the true nature of freedom of inquiry and expression?’ After an eventful start to the year, it seems the debate surrounding Rhodes, his legacy, and his statue on the High Street shows no sign of subsiding for some time to come.
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The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
Profile: Gina Sternberg “I personally do love pink” Oxford Pink Week President on the importance of inclusivity Pink Week Contributors
Q
When was Pink Week started and why?
A
This is the first Pink Week we are holding in Oxford, and we hope to bring the model of the highly successful Pink Weeks at Cambridge, Durham, Bristol, Birmingham and Sussex to Oxford. This UK-wide movement began at Cambridge University three years ago to raise money and awareness for breast cancer charities. Nina Rauch founded Pink Week in honor of her late mother, the Guardian columnist Dina Rabinovich. Dina fought cancer with grace and with humor, raising over £110,000 in her last years. Through Pink Week, we hope to continue to raise much-needed funds to help those who are diagnosed as well as spread awareness to both students and the wider community.
Q
A
We have chosen to split 100% of our proceeds between three valuable causes. Pink Week, as a nation-wide initiative, raises money for Breast Cancer Care. The substantial sums raised from Pink Weeks provide much needed funds so that those diagnosed with breast cancer are provided with the best treatment, support and information. As a committee, we also decided to support two less well-known causes, each of which provide a unique approach to breast cancer awareness. Hello Beautiful run exhibits and sell artwork, with the aim of stamping out the stigma associated with Breast Cancer. Coppa Feel work across the country to prevent late detection of breast cancer. We aim to not only raise money for these causes but also increase their profile. We feel that the nuanced approaches
Pink Week is the first cancer awareness organisation to successfully focus on university campuses Image: Oxford Pink Week
Where does the money raised go?
Profile these charities bring to raising funds and awareness for the cause, as well as developing the support network available for those affected, deserves the utmost recognition alongside more prominent charities.
Q
Who does involve?
Pink
Week
A
Pink Week is currently held in universities across the UK and offers events for the student community alongside the wider community. Our main fundraising event is Pink Night at Freud, a ‘pink tie’ event which will feature a number of student acts, pink cocktails and other entertainment. The aim of Pink Week is not just to raise funds but also awareness. We’re putting on a series of free talks given by surgeons as well as representatives from the charities we will be supporting. We’ve also been fortunate that the wider Oxford community have reached out to us. This will include Deliveroo donating £1 for every delivery made during the week, as well as a special ice cream flavour from G&D’s.
Q A
Is pink your colour?
I personally do love pink. This question, however, feeds into the dual concerns that the committee had about Pink Week. Firstly, we, do not wish the week to be associated
with any colour prescribed gender stereotypes. When Pink Week was founded it was named as such to make use of the widely recognized pink colour which is associated with the global campaign against breast cancer. Secondly, we do not wish for the week to be a week exclusively run by females and for females. We have made a conscious effort to ensure that no one is excluded from our events Indeed, although Breast Cancer is a disease that primarily affected females, we wish to raise awareness that it can also affect males: around 400 men are diagnosed each year.
Q
Do you worry that ‘pinkwashing’ is an issue in relation to breast cancer awareness?
A
I do. As a committee we are keen not to loose touch of the reason why we are holding the week. Pink Week’s philosophy is grounded in the severity of the disease and the lives of the people who are affected on a daily basis by breast cancer. The week itself will, of course, be full of enthusiasm from both co-ordinators and participants, and it is this enthusiasm (manifest in the colour pink) that we hope will encourage increased awareness and support of the cause. In addition we are incredibly conscious that people may be affected by some of our events. If they wish to reach out, we will be able to put people directly in touch with the charities or other support networks.
11
Q
What could the university/ colleges do (and what do they already do) on a morelregular basis to raise awareness for breast cancer?
A
It has been amazing to hear that many colleges have already held charity events where money has gone towards Breast Cancer Care. I hope that in the future, the university will provide more advice about breast checking and increase awareness of the support networks that are available for those affected. During the week we are hoping to have a university-wide event where advice is provided about breast checking. More generally, organising Pink Week has re-affirmed my belief that when the energies and imagination of students at Oxford are put behind a good cause, great results can be achieved. The committee and team of college representatives have united behind this cause and it is through all their work that this idea of launching Pink Week in Oxford has become a reality. The support of RAG and RAG Network has also been amazing. I highly recommend that anyone who has an ideas about charitable initiatives reach out and get in touch with them. Pink Week will be held in 2nd Week of Hilary. Pink Night will be held at Freuds on the 25th January featuring a number of student acts, pink cocktails and other entertainment. Like ‘Oxford Pink Week’ on Facebook for more information.
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The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
News 13
Recap: other news from during the vac Scott Harker Deputy Editor
Oxford provided the setting for a variety of news stories across the vacation. Here are some of them:
Drama at Screening
Star
returned to the screening but with the film unable to be restarted were sent home after an hour.
Frideswide Square Revamp
Wars
Hundreds of Star Wars fans had to be evacuated from a muchanticipated midnight screening at the Odeon cinema on George Street. The audience were evacuated after the activation of the fire alarm system at the site, people at the screening reported hearing a loud noise as the film suddenly cut out. The audience
Image: Jaggery
The square, next to both Oxford train station and the Saïd Business School has reopened following a redevelopment designed to create a better space for pedestrians. There have already been problems however as a large amount of chewing gum has already been deposited on the pavement meaning that Oxford City Council will have to fork out again in order to clean it up. The Oxford Student reported earlier this year on the fears of some bus drivers that the new bus lanes in the revamped square were not wide enough
and therefore dangerous. Oxford City Council subsequently denied the claims arguing that the bays were safe and of a reasonable size.
Blatvatnik School Government opens
of
The new site of the Blavatnik School of Government on Walton Street in Jericho finally opened its doors following the conclusion of the £75million project to construct the new building. The School of Government has previously been based at various temporary sites around Oxford since it was founded in 2012. The building has already been accredited as having a very low environmental impact but its financing has
Image: David Hallam-Jones
attracted controversy after a group including academics and Russian dissidents signed a letter in the Guardian criticising the University of Oxford for accepting a significant donation from the school’s namesake Len Blavatnik accusing them of failing to adequately investigate Mr Blavatnik’s background. The University of Oxford subsequently denied the accusation arguing that the process for scrutinising donations was robust.
schools. The report identified a number of colleges that were failing to offer even half of their available places to pupils from the state sector. Figures in the report indicated that around two fifths of students admitted to Oxford and Cambridge were educated at private schools.
Oxford and Cambridge Universities criticised
Both the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge have been criticised following a report from the social mobility and child poverty commission that both universities were failing to increase their intake of students educated at state
Image: Jpbowen
News In Brief Headington Quarry landslide
Board games at the Bodleian The Bodleian Library has recently acquired a collection of one and a half thousand board games dating from 1800 to the last millennium. Donated by Richard Ballam, the Library has selected 22 Edwardian and Victorian examples and put them on display at the Weston Library. The exhibition, Playing with History, opened on 8 January, closes on 6 March and includes antique examples of puzzles, spinning wheels and building blocks. A free talk about the collection by Ballam is due to take place at the Weston at lunchtime on 20 January
The miserable weather across Britain has also hit Oxford with a landslide occurring at Headington Quarry. Thought to be down to the bad weather, the landslide occurred in the back garden of a family in Coppock Close at around 7am on Sunday morning. Heavy rainfall across Oxfordshire has seen river levels rise as Britain has so far experienced one of its wettest and warmest winters on record. Warm air blown in from the Azores has also helped to create an exceptionally warm and wet December and early January.
Refugee art exhibition
Empty homes in Oxford The number of homes that are currently empty in Oxford has fallen by 67% according to recently released statistics. There are currently 300 homes in Oxford that have been empty for 6 months or longer compared to the 900 that had been empty for the same period in 2005. Of the number currently vacant, 59 have been empty for more than 2 years. The figures were released to coincide with Empty Homes Week that exists to draw attention to the large number of empty homes across Britain. The housing situation in Oxford has been highlighted as being amongst the most desperate in the country with house prices and rents soaring to extremely high levels.
An exhibition at Fusion Art on Tuesday brought together artwork inspired by conversations with people seeking refuge in Sofia, Bulgaria. The exhibition was curated by Simon Davies, originally from Swansea, who was inspired by his recent visit as part of Oxford Aid to the Balkans and The Refugee Project to Voenna Rampa a reception centre for asylum seekers in Sofia, Bulgaria. The aim of the exhibition was to, “portray refuges for who they are, not for the past over which they had no control.” Artists featured in the exhibition include Shilan Alselo, interviews were conducted by Simon Davies and Ahmad Yousef with photography by Carlie Fuentes.
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
Comment 14
Comment Junior doctors are striking in their own interests: why don’t they admit it? Politics
Jack Evans Staff Writer
The BMA’s reasons for promising to take industrial action on 13th and 28th January, as well as 10th February, betray the crux of the conflict between itself and the Government. It’s really about pay and working conditions; patients are of secondary concern. In the BMA’s summary of its position as of 4th January, the ‘areas of disagreement’ between itself and the Government include: safety; pay progression; and pay for all work done. Dr Johaan Malawana, Chair of the BMA junior doctors’ committee, contests they have ‘consistently been clear that we want to reach a negotiated agreement to achieve a contract that is safe for patients, fair for junior doctors and sustainable for the NHS’, and yet all the areas of disagreement listed by the BMA concern first and foremost doctors’ interests. The disagreement over safety is a question of hours, with the Government proposing to abolish the financial penalty for hospitals that overwork doctors. However, Jeremy Hunt plans to limit the number of hours junior doctors can legally work to 72 per week. He maintains that the current limit is 90. Quite reasonably junior doctors argue that ‘tired doctors make mistakes’, although it is misleading to argue that patients will be directly affected by Government proposals. If doctors were to be overworked, it would be their own health and social lives that would take the hit. Only as a consequence of their tiredness, leading to impaired concentration and judgement, would patients be affected. Unequivocally the remaining four areas of disagreement appertain to pay. They are the last to be resolved, thus presumably the most contentious and critical. Nonetheless, as is manifest in Dr Malawana’s statement, the BMA has deliberately misled the Government and public by not listing its grievances in order of importance. By continuously placing patient care first in their list of concerns, they have sought to distract from the fact that their own pay is of primary importance. Another example of this spin comes from Dr Mark Porter; he claims that the BMA seeks a contract that is ‘good for patients, junior doctors and the NHS’. It would be disingenuous to allege that these three issues are of equal weight in their dispute with the Government. The BMA have accused the Government, in particular Jeremy Hunt, of resorting to ‘political spin’, yet they have flagrantly been at it themselves. Likewise, protesting junior doctors, with their ‘not safe, not
fair’ placards, create a smokescreen to conceal their true concerns. Hysterical claims that the NHS is in mortal danger (‘Save the NHS’) also distract scrutiny from the doctors’ own interests and deceitfully elevate their protests to the category of brave and selfless struggles. This self-righteous tone is encapsulated by the BMA’s statement that ‘the proposed contract represents an existential danger to the NHS as an institution.’ It would be more honest to state that the proposed contract is unfair on junior doctors, but the BMA and its members have not missed an opportunity to ennoble their cause.
“
Their lack of transparency undermines their cause If patient safety were truly their primary concern, why would they be so resistant to the Government’s laudable intention to reduce the weekend mortality rate in NHS hospitals? Why would they decide to strike if, as Dr Mark Porter put it in a letter to Jeremy Hunt, industrial action will ‘cause disruption to patient services’? With breath-taking arrogance some members of the medical community have tried and failed to refute convincing evidence of a ‘weekend effect’ in NHS hospitals. Unfortunately for them, the BMJ itself conducted one of many studies that pointed to this ‘weekend effect’ of higher mortality rates. While Jeremy Hunt was rightly criticised for his erroneous suggestion that the 11,000 extra deaths at weekends were avoidable, attempts from some of the medical community to spin what Sir Bruce Keogh, National Medical Director of NHS England, termed the ‘inconvenient truth’ of higher weekend mortality rates are deplorable. While I feel the BMA and its members have campaigned misleadingly, the Government has come out just as badly. Although its intention to reduce weekend mortality rates is admirable, its approach and method are misguided. A full seven-day NHS service may not be cost effective if it unnecessarily stretches resources. How, without employing more doctors and consultants, would there be enough of them to cover more hours? Moreover, it would be a waste of money to have non-urgent services such as dentists’ surgeries open on the weekend. Thus, it could be preferable to extend only essential services to the weekends. Were there a more competent opposition in place, the Government would not have got off so lightly with its foolhardy confrontation of the
medical industry. As our population ages and requires increasingly levels of care, the NHS has never been more important. In pursuit of his goal of reform Jeremy Hunt has surely broken most of the rules in the diplomat’s guide to negotiating. The approach of the Government and the content of its proposals could well cause the next generation of doctors to have second thoughts about a medical career. At a time when fewer doctors are qualifying and being retained by the NHS, this is extremely reckless. The BMA and juniors doctors may be concealing their true motives in this conflict with the Government, yet I am firmly on their side and respect their right to reject the proposed contract. They have a strong hand; they are skilled, in-demand specialists, so why shouldn’t they fight to be properly treated by their employers? There is no shame in them explicitly demanding not to have their pay cut. Nonetheless, they have so often concealed this primary concern under the pretence of a moral crusade that they appear ashamed of it. Their lack of transparency undermines their cause and impairs their chances of success; they have obfuscated their message and these attempts to mislead may diminish public sympathy. I dismiss the argument of commentators like Dominic Lawson that the BMA are concealing their financial motivations because they’re some sort of Marxist cabal. Indeed some prominent BMA members have expressed sympathies for the Labour party, but this is not about political affiliation; it’s about privilege. The fact remains that junior doctors are privileged in relation to the rest of the population. Many, but not all, will have enjoyed comfortable upbringings before cementing their middle class status upon qualifying as doctors. It is understandable that their favourable position in life might cause them to shy away from publically fighting for money in the aftermath of a recession during which the living standards of millions worsened. Despite the economic recovery, average pay is not expected return to pre-crisis levels until 2017, so they may well consider it churlish to complain while the majority of people would envy their career prospects and earning potential. The way in which they have positioned pay as a secondary concern is therefore understandable, yet it is unnecessary and unhelpful. The time has come for junior doctors to stop playing righteous charades. I support their right to a fairer deal, but I’d be more endeared to their cause if they’d stop trying to con us and come clean about their true intentions.
Image: Garry Knight
Junior doctors strike over contract dispute with government Image: Garry Knight
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
Comment 15
Saudi Arabia’s human rights record must not go unchallenged Politics
Shahryar Iravani Staff Writer
The execution of Nimr Al-Nimr, a Shia sheikh and political dissenter who called for free elections in Saudi Arabia and for better treatment of the oppressed Shia minority in the kingdom represents the same violent repression of ideological diversity as the beheadings enacted by the Islamic State. Both the Islamic State and the House of Saud target the Shia minority, justify their killings under religious pretences, and use them to wage a form of political terror on civilian populations. The killing of Sheikh Nimr, along with 46 other men on one single day, was the largest mass execution in the kingdom since those carried out against extremists who seized the Grand Mosque in Mecca in 1979, when 63 were publicly executed across Saudi Arabia. Sheikh Nimr’s nephew Ali AlNimr is currently on death row, despite being a minor when convicted, for attending a political rally; he is already the victim of torture, and is set to be beheaded and crucified. This weekend’s events epitomise Saudi Arabia’s historic brutality with regards to capital punishment, following a year in which 158 people were executed on the grounds of ambiguous laws, mock trials, and accusations ranging from adultery to homosexuality to witchcraft.
The floods are a sign that change is needed Environment Helen Megone Staff Writer
While The Independent’s hilarious article showing David Cameron pointing and looking at various floods over the years certainly eased any fears the public may have had regarding the function of our Prime Minister’s arms and eyes it also underlined the more serious issue of the government’s failure to respond effectively to recent flooding. Having lived in York all my life flooding no longer comes as much of a surprise but the recent wave has only been matched by those in 2000 in terms of their severity. While I was only three at the time of those floods, which failed to significantly impact my life, they remained an ominous memory for many others. Then, 300 houses had to be evacuated; this time the figure was closer to
Apostasy and blasphemy are also capital offenses. Much like the Islamic State, and indeed the former Taliban government in Afghanistan, executions in the kingdom are usually held in public, and can involve stoning, beheading, and crucifixion. Sheikh Nimr was a vocal critic of the regime and champion of the rights of the Shia minority in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, a state which thrives off the continued subordination of any religious minority which differs from the promoted form of Sunni Islam. The House of Saud has historically combatted Iranian influence in the region by exporting an Islamist ideology defined by the same hateful rhetoric that characterises the selfstyled Islamic State’s politics, and yet Saudi Arabia is the favoured power in the region. This is despite it having all the makings of a pariah state, aiming to corrode the existence of pluralism within Islam, and stability in the Middle East along with it.
“
Saudi Arabia has all the makings of a pariah state
This raises the question of why the West backs the House of Saud over Iran, whilst Saudi
600. According to the latest reports, in 2004 an independent inquiry suggested that the York flood defenses were not good enough – no action was taken. As water levels rose on Boxing Day this year it quickly became apparent that the flood barrier would not hold and either had to be raised, leaving 400 houses unprotected, or left alone, risking 1800. Admittedly it’s a decision none of us would like to make and, though obviously horrendous for those 400 houses, it was a lose-lose situation. But why were they ever put in that situation?
Present day US politics has a tendency towards Cameron’s new 12-seat extremism majority have moved quickly to change benefit policies The UK’s relationship with Saudi Arabia has been called into question Image: Number 10
Arabia continues to promote the ultraconservative Wahhabism which characterises the self-styled Islamic State’s ideology. It seems that oil wealth is enough to buy our silence when it comes to what can only be described as state sanctioned terror. Saudi Arabia’s historic position of strategic importance, aiding America in its war against Soviet power in Afghanistan, has also bought it immunity from condemnation. Iran, in contrast, whilst itself not innocent, has been described as the greatest source of instability in the region, and has been punished through sanctions and diplomatic isolation. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia continues to worsen sectarian violence across the Middle East, as well as making a mockery of human rights at home. As long as the Saudis continue to facilitate American military presence in the Middle East, provide intelligence to western powers, and keep Iranian influence at bay, it seems they will remain immune to any criticism for their practice
and export of fundamentalism. The House of Saud has spent decades and billions strengthening this particularly puritanical interpretation of Islam, notably its militant literalisation of Sharia law, across the Middle East through financial support for puppet regimes and the sponsoring of terrorism. However, Saudi Arabia’s brand of Islamic teaching has faced very little condemnation from the United Kingdom despite our supposed belief in upholding the dignity and sanctity of human life. As long as Saudi Arabia keeps the price of oil down, it will remain an ally of western powers, regardless of its blood-drenched human rights record. The message is clear; violations of human rights, even if they parallel those of the self-styled Islamic State, are inconsequential if you have the right friends. There is clearly a massive ethical problem with the United Kingdom posing as a defender of human rights in the Middle East, and yet still allying itself with a nation whose politicised
violence and subordination of minorities is unparalleled in the region, with frequent and draconian punishment, including death, on any religious or ideological dissenter and a misogynist attitude to women. It is difficult to talk about moral imperatives when the Middle East is full of regimes which systemically abuse human rights, but the heinousness of cruel and arbitrary capital punishment is a moral absolute. The United Kingdom, therefore, has a moral obligation to not only criticise Saudi brutality, but to actively confront it, with opposition to unwarranted and barbaric killings, for example crucifixion and stoning, reflected in both policy and diplomacy. Supporting a state which exports violent Islamist ideology is also a risk to our own national security; it amounts to little more than appeasement. Saudi Arabia even remains a member of the UN Human Rights Council despite a history of brutality. The amorality of this kind of realpolitik is clear.
increasing it seems to me not only stupid but also cruel. Surely having witnessed the plight of those affected Cameron would have felt enough empathy to reconsider? I would not blame the Environment Agency for its handling of the floods, since everything happened so quickly, and yet the lack of preparation for such a scenario is arguably immensely worrying. Floods have an ancient tradition of acting as warnings (or at least if Noah and his ark are to be
believed…) so even if Cameron is foolish enough to ignore it in terms of spending, I can at least hope that the warning about climate change is too great to be forgotten. Although Cameron took the admittedly bold step of appointing a climate change sceptic as Environment Secretary (Owen Paterson) under the Coalition government, the claim that Britain is a world-leading country in tackling climate change is one that doesn’t quite convince me. The Energy Act passed in
2013 expressed a commitment of, ‘encouraging low carbon electricity generation’ which is vague enough to prevent any direct attack but suggests enough desire to allow itself to be defended. After the (so we’re told) success of the Paris summit at the end of 2015, we can but hope that not only the floods (though surely that should be enough?!) but also the appearance of daffodils in January should be enough to make 2016 the year that we do at least do something, please.
“
The York flood defenses were not good enough yet no action was taken
Since they came to power Cameron’s government has cut funding to the Environment Agency by 14 per cent and while it has defended the further cuts that are still to be made, a recent report suggests that they could cause the number of homes at risk to be doubled. Given the devastation caused in York by flooding, reducing funding rather than
Cameron visits areas affected by flooding admist claims of government incompetence Image: Number 10
Comment 16
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
Comment
The Rhodes statue: it’s all about the location Oxford
Paul Ritchie Staff Writer
It finally happened. Following months of protests, comment articles, arguments and counterarguments, the debate over the Oriel Rhodes statue has burst free from the Oxford bubble. For the first time the opinions of politicians and the public have entered into the limelight of this discussion.
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Rhodes’ statue is incongruous in a space of progression and diversity Yet amidst the debate’s new national, and even international, platform, the same arguments that have dominated the student press for the past year reassert themselves. For former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, the removal of the statue would be “moral vanity”, whilst many people agree with Cherwell’s Henry Shalders that it would constitute Oriel “rewriting their most generous ever alumnus out of history.” But there is also sympathy for the arguments of the Rhodes Must Fall movement. Many do see the statue
Oriel College: the present site of the controversal statue of Cecil Rhodes. Image: Alf
as iconography, a visible symbol of a colonialist influence which doesn’t exist purely in the past but also holds resonance in Oxford’s present. A single statue in a University with perfect demographic representation wouldn’t be particularly noteworthy; but in a University with a startlingly low BME acceptance rate and a disturbing slowness to move away from a Eurocentric literary and philosophical focus, it raises understandable concerns. It’s here that we begin to see how the Rhodes debate is not just about ideology and representation, but also about location. A statue which memorialises a proponent of Apartheid is incongruous in an institution which aims to recast itself as a space for progression and diversity. The crux of the matter is what the University’s students believe Oriel College should be. Either it is an educational and residential space designed to get the best from students (both within the college and across Oxford) in a relaxed social atmosphere, or it’s a cluster of buildings dedicated to the preservation of historical symbols (however alienating they may be). Certainly, we’ve come to the stage where these two purposes can no
longer coexist. Colonial iconography understandably alienates many students, and renewed interest in the statue will only lead to fewer applicants, since many (like many students of colour) will feel estranged by the apparent memorialisation of such a controversial figure. And we mustn’t forget that the University’s structure doesn’t allow students to simply avoid the statue – they may have tutorials taught by a fellow at Oriel or even be reallocated there during the admissions process. From the viewpoint of an institution aiming for better ethnic representation of the most academically able individuals, the choice is a simple one. Oriel must decide what matters more: the wellbeing and potential of students, or the vitriol of those who aren’t even impacted by the statue’s continued presence. Of course, the opinions of those
“
Oriel needs to retain its history without honouring a colonialist patron
who oppose the statue’s removal must not be ignored. Accusations that RMF is making a wishy-washy attempt to wrap Oxford students in cotton wool unfairly demean the emotional reaction of students of colour. However, worries that removing the statue would constitute an effacement of history have more validity; there is always the concern that destroying a visible referent of history facilitates the denial that this very history exists. Destroying all evidence of Rhodes from the built environment may well begin a process that ignores his role in forming Oriel College as it currently is. Ultimately the removal of a statue’s presence
could even act against RMF’s desires, with Oxford’s colonial past sinking further into the mire of history. It’s no surprise that many argue history is integral in forming identity, and its symbolism should therefore remain untouched. And if the Rhodes statue were removed, what next? Statues of Queen Victoria can be found across London, Winston Churchill is edified in Parliament Square, and even the pyramids were built on racial exploitation. Should there be a global movement to dismantle this imperialist iconography? The answer, of course, is no. History
“
In a museum a statue is neither hidden away nor placed in an honorific locale
is indeed integral to the formative experiences of humanity, and visible monuments remain the best reminder of the processes – both laudable and immoral – which place us in our current position. Many historical spaces actively embrace and interrogate their past, recognising how interactions with history enable the criticism of its events (something that would perfectly suit a colonialist statue). Unfortunately the Rhodes statue’s current location complicates things. Oriel College (along with students across the University) naturally values debate and criticism of difficult topics as a form of academic pursuit, but it has become a hindrance for a space devoted to forward-thinking study and inclusivity to cling onto a colonial remnant which isolates students. The statue is a crucial reminder of the crimes of our colonial past, but if it threatens the University’s
commitment to embrace each and every student then removing it is the only strategy remaining. To sustain its academic purpose whilst retaining as much of its historicity as possible,Oriel needs to find the middle ground and retain its history without seemingly honouring a colonialist patron The resolution is a simple one and, crucially, one which abides by RMF’s demands. Rather than the destruction of iconography feared by many, the statue requires a slight transfer of location. It must move from a space aiming towards diversity to one whose dedicated purpose is the preservation of symbolism and polemic. A museum would be this suitable environment. In a museum a statue is neither hidden away nor placed in an honorific locale; it exists in a space designed for the contestation of ideologies and perspectives. There Oriel’s past would not be far removed and would remain freely accessible to interested students, but it would no longer co-habit the same space as individuals who must live and work in the College. If anything the statue would become an even better symbol for historical debate than it ever was, on public view for those who choose to see it. Rhodes would be remembered as a part of history, where a suitable information board would enable his views and ‘achievements’ to be understood and repudiated in democratic fashion. History won’t be effaced, Oriel would acknowledge its past, and iconographic resonances would be moved from where they do damage to where they can be challenged. So as Oriel College undertakes a consultation on the future of the Rhodes statue, they should bear in mind that there is a feasible, sensible solution with the potential to satisfy all parties.
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The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
The refugee crisis is a shared responsibility Politics
Tilly Nevin Staff Writer
The Oresund bridge, which connects Sweden to Denmark, stretching from Malmo and Lund to Copenhagen, and which sees 20,000 crossing daily, has, for 15 years, been a monument to international cooperation, a sign of openness, a symbol of interchange between nations and cultures. Now it has become something more akin to the Berlin Wall. On the 4th January 2016, for the first time in 50 years, a new Swedish law was implemented which will require travellers crossing the bridge to present photo ID on entering Sweden. The country had
previously stated that it would allow all refugees to resettle within its borders, but this new law comes after the country’s more recent statement that Sweden can no longer provide housing for all the refugees who have entered the country. Residents of the Oresund region have objected to the new law, which has caused turmoil for both commuters and rail companies. Denmark has also reacted negatively and, fearing that it will have to deal with the refugees who can no longer gain entry into Sweden, has stepped up border controls with Germany. This increasingly cynical attitude towards migration will make it a lot harder for refugees to find safety. The ‘odyssey’ of Syrian
The Oresund Bridge now requires travellers crossing the bridge to present photo ID Image: Håkan Dahlström
Labour reshuffle highlights party tensions Politics Claire Sims Staff Writer
Having accepted leadership of Labour in September 2015, Jeremy Corbyn announced that his party was “stronger than we have ever been for a very long time.” Indeed, the highly contentious leadership race behind him could have been an indication of Labour’s vitality. And yet this is not how it was seen by the party or the press,and many hearken back to the summer of 2015 when three other leading Labour MPs could have taken his position. Nevertheless, in a ground-breaking leadership election, Jeremy Corbyn was the undisputed winner, perhaps reflecting public preference for ‘common man charm’ over modern political savvy. But his defeated opponents have not gone away - not least Burnham, whose elevated power after the election has been used to great effect to ensure his influence in the cabinet. As Corbyn’s recent reshuffle shows once again, Labour is a fragile coalition of disparate interests continuously unravelling, rather than uniting, under his ‘alternative’ leadership. It is the expectation of change that has made his leadership so hotly debated; throughout the leadership campaign, his principle was one of
straight-talking politics, sleeves rolled up and jargon toned down. He pledged a return to discussing real issues in Parliament rather than scoring petty points against opponents; indeed, his commitment to activism and even rebellion as a backbencher gave credibility to his cause and helped him win the leadership. Why, then, has the optimistic air of his election suddenly turned sour with internal disputes? Corbyn’s promise of a deliberative Opposition was previously undermined by his decision to silence one of his most enthusiastic critics, Hilary Benn. Reorganising the cabinet to suit current needs must be considered the prerogative of any party leader and yet to truly appear as a move of strength, it should be enacted with one eye on the overarching goals of the party. The removal of Maria Eagle as Shadow Defence Secretary, the most high profile move of the reshuffle, means that Corbyn will face less opposition on Syria and Trident in the challenging months ahead. This is not the discursive cabinet that was heralded in Corbyn’s ‘new age of Labour’.
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Corbyn’s promise of a deliberative Opposition was undermined by his silencing of Hilary Benn
In fact, this is not a new age at all. Labour suffered eighteen years out of government, which Corbyn is certainly
refugee, Hashem Alsouki, as he journeyed to Sweden, which was chronicled by Patrick Kingsley for The Guardian, would no longer be possible within the current climate. The tightening of Sweden’s borders also constitutes an exemption from the Schengen Agreement – a treaty which abolished border checks in the region. This has worrying connotations regarding the future of the European Union itself, raising fears of the collapse of the accord. Germany’s foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, has expressed fear that one of the ‘biggest achievements for the EU in recent years’ may be overturned. As Andreas Onnerfors put it: ‘A borderless Europe cannot be a dream reserved for time of perfect peace’.
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Negative consequences would not arise if the responsibility were fairly shared between states However, if Sweden’s avowal that it can no longer cope with the number of refugees it has resettled seems disappointing, this is not so much indicative of a weakness on its own part as of a failure of other EU member states to accept their fair share of the responsibility. Sweden has taken in more asylum seekers per capita than any other European nation so far. Meanwhile, nations such as Denmark refuse to accept asylum seekers and claim to have no responsibility for solving the largest refugee crisis since World War II. While Danish migration minister Inger Stojberg has claimed that Sweden ‘have put themselves in this situation’, it trying not to repeat; it was thought that a strong hold on the party’s different branches and a renewed purpose in the age of austerity would prevent such a disintegration in post-coalition politics. As Corbyn’s faltering first steps as party leader have shown, it is perhaps not the issues but indeed the petty squabbles which determine party strength. The removal of some ministers was as contentious as the survival of others; while two junior shadow ministers followed Pat McFadden out of the cabinet, countless more would have followed Hilary Benn if his rumoured replacement had come true. Corbyn could not ethically have culled the Shadow Foreign Minister without starting a miniature revolt within party ranks and destabilising his own leadership. It is Benn’s now conspicuous presence in the shadow cabinet which proves the issue at the heart of Corbyn’s reshuffle. He is a leader with unprecedented popular support behind him, and yet the chaotic glory of his September election means little in the halls of Westminster where compromise and control are key. As many as 15 shadow junior ministers threatened to resign if Corbyn demoted Hilary Benn; within the cabinet itself, Andy Burnham threatened serious consequences if his former campaign manager, Michael Dugher, was removed as shadow minister for culture. Though he sought greater overall unity, Corbyn’s hands were tied in the reshuffle by those keen to preserve a unity which advantaged them,even at the expense of maintaining
is, in reality, the unwillingness of other nations that have caused the problem. To ease the refugee crisis in a sustainable way, more countries need to be willing to accept refugees. Benjamin Teitelbaum, of The New York Times, criticised Sweden’s migration policy for the reason that it has already redirected 20 percent of its foreign aid budget, with plans to increase this percentage, to domestic migration agencies. He argues that Sweden is ‘shunning those abroad in greatest need’. However, again, these funds are only being redirected in order to mend an infrastructure partially crippled by the weight of a burden that could easily be shared across nations. If any progress is to be made, an open discussion is needed. The EU commission into migration has begun a migrant relocation plan agreed in September, but the implementation of it has proved slow. This needs to change. So too does the Dublin Regulation which means that refugees can be sent back to their original point of entry into Europe, which again concentrates the responsibility for refugees on individual countries. More Intergovernmental cooperation is also needed. For example, if France and England work together, the refugees currently living in ‘the jungle’ in Calais can be resettled – after all, the camp represents just 0.0006 percent of the French population. One of the most pressing impediments to this progress is the negative public perception of refugees. Migrants have been demonised either as villains, as responsible for the crises from which they flee, or as being ‘healthy and wealthy enough’ to fund their own way to new countries, and therefore a splintered party in the long term. This has not been the first test of Corbyn’s government – indeed, the Syria debate in December with its backbench revolts and civil liberty undertones must surely be considered a baptism of fire for the shadow cabinet. Nevertheless, though the first reshuffle of 2016 affected relatively few ministers, its impact on Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership must not be understated. His shadow cabinet, already fraught with the internal fractures of Labour’s difficult past, was promised to be one of collaboration – in a show of discipline over discussion, Corbyn has proved that this is perhaps not as simple as he had hoped.
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undeserving of our help. The refugee crisis is not too big to bear; as early as 2014, Eiko Thielemann, professor of migration at the London School of Economics, developed a model that allowed for refugees to be distributed across the European Union depending on each country’s infrastructure. A solution is possible, but would require countries across the EU to accept joint responsibility. However, this won’t happen until negative myths surrounding refugees are dispelled. Often, these myths arise from other countries seeing the problems faced by those such as Sweden. Yet what these countries must realise is that those negative consequences would not arise if the responsibility were fairly shared between states.
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To ease the crisis in a sustainable way, more countries need to be willing to accept refugees We need a concerted effort on the part of the European Union, of all European countries and, if possible, countries such as America and Canada, too, the latter of which has welcomed Syrian families recently. Manuela Bojadzijev has said that the crisis facing Europe is ‘personified by the figure of the migrant, in search of a better existence’. Europe will have its own ‘better existence’ if all the countries within the European Union work together. If we cannot learn to do so, the consequences will be dire, not only for the European Union but for the families and the children who have become refugees through no fault of their own. the upcoming debate on Europe will see his own cabinet fracturing to accommodate the party’s most heated opinions and yet, in an astute move of false tolerance, Cameron has promised a free vote on the European referendum for his divided ministers. What is key to Corbyn’s comparative weakness is that he did not give his party permission to critique and oppose him as he had promised, and thus had to simply watch as his junior ministers balked at his attempted authoritative reshuffle. With further battles to come, it appears that Corbyn’s push for strength has served only as a humbling experience in the subtle art of party leadership.
As Corbyn’s reshuffle shows, Labour is a fragile coalition of disparate interests The Opposition now features different personnel in the ministries of defence, Europe and culture, and yet the previous ministers who occupied these spots were hardly well-known enough to cause huge debate. Instead, the spotlight falls on Corbyn himself, and it has illuminated some worrying inconsistencies between the optimistic new Labour leader of September and the somewhat disillusioned Jeremy Corbyn of the New Year. David Cameron’s Conservatives are certainly not a model of party cohesion and
Corbyn’s contenious cabinet reshuffle has resulted in a number of resignations Image: Garry Knight
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
Screen
Screen
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This Week At:
Magdalen Film Society What’s On
James Riding Screen Editor
Magdalen Film Society kicks off a new Hilary term of exciting and provocative films from around the world with our theme for 1st week, ‘A Tale Within a Tale’. We begin on Sunday with a free screening of Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel, followed by the Hungarian arthouse hit Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen and the dramatic Day For Night, and conclude with Kubrick’s increasingly celebrated Barry Lyndon. ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ Free screening in 1st week
Image: Fox Searchlight
Image: Walt Disney Studios
It’s Time to Bring Balance to ‘The Force Awakens’ Gavin Fleming Staff Writer
Gavin Fleming reviews the latest installment in the Star Wars series. A deafening hush descended over us as the lights dimmed. Way back in the cavernous theatre behind me I heard some indistinct mumblings die as the haunting blue preface to the film appeared on-screen. The hand of (movie) history clutched at our throats, and for a moment, all seemed still. Then – an atmosphere of wonder swept through the theatre, and chords ascending with the title crawl brought us back, once more, to that galaxy far, far away. The nostalgia is strong with this one. And a good thing too, for nostalgia is the most endearing trait of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. I mean that both as a compliment and a criticism. Of course, the settings are as glorious as ever and the visual effects spectacular, but ultimately there’s something soulless about this reboot of the classic space saga. The epic scope has grown broader but not deeper. The heroic poetry is gone, only to be replaced with a hash of super-sentimentality. On the occasions where it does succeed it does so only by leaning on the saga’s illustrious past. Unfortunately, the plot in general is not one of these occasions. Much criticism of Episode VII centres on the claim that it is ac-
tually just a hyped up refashioning of Episode IV (which was, convolutedly, the very first Star Wars – the guiding principle of the numbering seemingly being: “Go backwards with the story and forwards with the money”). An hour into the film and the viewer should find such claims entirely accurate. The only thing “original” about The Force Awakens is what it steals from its predecessor. An endearing little droid that winds up on a desert planet with key information is found by a local orphan who dreams of something greater. The two, along with friends and a rag-tag Resistance movement, are drawn into a battle with the forces of an authoritarian regime which possesses a massive super-weapon capable of immense destruction, but with one oh-so-convenient weak spot, as is always the case (Star Wars villains clearly employ Cantabrigians as engineers).
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Where it succeeds it does so only by leaning on the saga’s illustrious past
But I won’t spoil it for you. You can do that quite easily with your own imagination. My point is, if you’ve seen Episode IV, then The Force Awakens will be as sadly predictable as a Stormtrooper’s workwear. I have no doubt the creators tried to surprise us with certain elements of the plot,
but therein lies the problem. Did they learn nothing from Master Yoda? “Do or do not. There is no try.” There were no moments of revelation in this movie, only of confirmation.
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Perhaps, after the disappointment of the prequels, fans want a Star Wars they can love again But it’s not merely the plot that jams this movie’s hyperdrive. Characters, too, are critically underdeveloped and most serve only to fulfil the virtually unaltered typecasting of the original. Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn ( John Boyega), and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) emerged as three new heroes of the story, but when the credits began to roll, I felt like I hardly knew any of them. The return of old favourites (Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill etc.) might bring a smile to your face, but it’s blasted away when you realise they are really only there to “pass on the torch”, then disappear. And there were a host of nonentities so bankrupt of personality I’m having difficulty recollecting them. Among them, Maz Kanata - the cantinaowning alien, with an appearance not dissimilar to ET’s granny who was meant to fill the role of enlightened mentor and instead ended up filling some rather insignificant screen-time. The vil-
Feature
lains, too - a key component for any good Star Wars film - were tragically underwhelming. For all the hype over Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), he came across as nothing more than a tantrum throwing teen: there was no true sense of threat about him. Meanwhile, Domhnall Gleeson’s General Hux bore all the fearsomeness of a trumped-up school prefect drunk on his own insignificant power. It’s not to the film’s credit that the most excited I got about a character during two hours and sixteen minutes was at the brief appearance of Admiral Ackbar from Episode VI (the “It’s a trap!” guy: words that I found very appropriate in describing this film). Why then, after all this, is the The Force Awakens so popular? Perhaps, after the disappointment of the prequels, fans want a Star Wars they can love again. But for me this is not that Star Wars. If I go to see Episode VIII, it will not be to see a continuation of the tale of Episode VII, but another homage to the originals. Until then, the force, for me, will remain very much asleep.
For 2nd week, as well as hosting the finale of the OBA’s film competition on Saturday, we are tackling the theme of ‘Corruption’. Sunday sees a double-bill of communist send-up The Witness and the silent masterpiece Diary of a Lost Girl. On Monday watch Paul Thomas Anderson take on Thomas Pynchon in Inherent Vice, preceded by the shocking Ozon short Truth or Dare. Finally, on Wednesday, we commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day with a free screening of Schindler’s List and the powerful warning of Dennis Gansel’s The Wave. Unless stated, our screenings are just £3, so why not come along to the Magdalen auditorium and witness a huge variety of films on the big screen Paul Thomas Anderson’s ‘Inherent Vice’ in 2nd week
Verdict It may be the most successful film of 2015, a critical and commercial triumph, but frankly there’s far too much hype and not enough hyperdrive in JJ Abrams’ Episode VII. I find its lack of soul…disturbing.
Image: Warner Bros.
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
The Danish Girl: Problematic?
Screen Debate
Claire Sims
Chloe Funnell
For Redmayne playing the part of a trans woman in The Danish Girl .
Against Redmayne in a transgender role.
Staff Writer
It is somewhat ironic that, almost a century after the real Danish Girl underwent pioneering sexual reassignment surgery, her plight should be played out by a male actor on the big screen. Naturally, Eddie Redmayne’s portrayal of Lili Elbe has incurred the criticism of transgender activists who suggest that 2016’s approach to gender issues should be remarkably more enlightened than that of 1930. They are right to maintain that a transgender actress would have been the more forthright choice for the lead role – and yet such a decision would have made the film impossible. The script has been around since 2004, with few male actors willing to accept the role of Lili Elbe. 2016 is thankfully a more modern world, and yet it is still not quite ready to give a transgender actress the attention that she and the film would deserve. Casting Eddie Redmayne as Lili was just daring enough to remain faithful to her story whilst maintaining the interest of mainstream audiences. Redmayne has come under particular fire for taking ‘Oscar bait’, or choosing the most controversial role available in order to garner acclaim. It is his earnest promotion of the film, however, which must truly be applauded. If the world is not ready for the film to be led by a transgender person, the best possible representative for the movement would surely be an actor as committed to the character, film and enigmatic Lili as Eddie Redmayne. 2015 was a year in which transgender issues rose to greater prominence, and it won’t be long before Hollywood must and should confront them. As shown by Tangerine, last year’s critically lauded picture starring transgender actresses, a film can be innovative and yet commercially ignored if it breaks with Hollywood convention. It’s not what the transgender community deserves and no male actor could ever represent Lili’s story with the depth of someone who knew her struggle, but in a film culture still reluctant to embrace the topics of tomorrow’s world, Redmayne was the best choice for The Danish Girl of today.
Staff Writer
I’ll start with a disclaimer; I’ve always been a massive Sherlock fan. I loved the first series unconditionally, the second almost as much, and while I thought the show became a bit too self-referential and pleased with itself in the last series, I was very much still on board the Sherlock train and had high hopes for this one-off special. The Victorianera conceit seemed like it could be the perfect way to strip the show back to the basic elements that made it great: a gripping and unpredictable mystery and a compelling and entertaining relationship between the two impeccably-acted central characters. Yet the writers threw away the chance to simply deliver an absorbing story in the historical setting of the original books in favour of a convoluted, tedious and frankly annoying plot that thought it was much cleverer than it was.
This Week At: Another Gaze What’s On
Staff Writer
The past year seems to have been an important year in the exposure of trans issues and trans people in the mass media. But, and a big but, more than one of these representations has been problematic. The one which stands out the most is probably Eddie Redmayne playing a trans woman, Lili Elbe, in The Danish Girl. On one hand, yes, it is fantastic that an Oscar-winning actor has undertaken a role which enables trans issues to be thrust to the forefront of current cinema. However, the problem is that a cisgender man is playing a transgender woman, which does not sit well with some members of the LGBTQIA+ community, especially trans people. By choosing to have a cisgender man playing a trans woman role, the audience are shown that a trans person is just a cisgender person dressing up as a different gender. It also means that, once again, a group of marginalised people are being presented to the general public by something that too often dominates everything: the white, cisgender, heterosexual majority. It leaves no opportunity for wider discussion of transgender issues, other than the very male-centric portrayal of trans women. Many people use the argument that gay people can play straight characters and vice versa, and so trans and cis should work in the same way. Here is the classic example of people conglomerating sexuality and gender identity. It’s not often that we see a cis woman played by a cis man in a film, unless they are portraying a character in drag. Is that a double standard I see? I think it is. It must be said that, whether an actor is queer or straight, for some sexualities there is still the capacity for the romance which is often shown on screen. In contrast, there is no way that a cis person can fully understand what it means to be trans: there isn’t an equivalent, because they identify with the gender assigned to them at birth. It all seems to come down to accommodating for cisgender heterosexual discomfort with what doesn’t fit into established ideas of heteronormativity. It would be great if one day we came to a place where trans people were cast into cis roles, and vice versa, but for now we should focus on the fair portrayal of those who are marginalised.
Should Eddie Redmayne, as a cismale, have been given the role of a trans-woman in ‘The Danish Girl’? Image: Working Title
Sherlock: The Abominable Bride Laura-Beth Shanahan
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A convoluted, tedious and frankly annoying plot that thought it was much cleverer than it was
The episode started out promisingly with a fast-paced sequence transposing the main characters’ first meeting into the Victorian setting of the original Conan Doyle novels. We meet a Watson who writes stories for the Strand magazine rather than blog posts, while Sherlock’s nicotine patch is replaced with a pipe, reminding us of the many aspects of the books that were ingeniously modernised by the series. The case seemed interesting at first, with a murderous zombie bride on the loose, and the added intrigue of Mycroft’s advice to Sherlock that the perpetrator is “right” and must be allowed to triumph. Yet from the moment Sherlock woke up in the present, in a groan-inducing moment that was little more than a rehashing of the
Review
good old ‘it was all a dream’ cliché, I lost all interest. The ‘mind-palace’ concept was a halfway-cool idea when it was first introduced, but it had already worn thin by the time it was used as the entire resolution of the last season finale. Falling back on this tired device just to be able to relentlessly jump back and forth in time and throw in a fanservice-y scene of Sherlock and Moriarty wrestling by a waterfall seemed like lazy writing. It was all trying so hard to be ‘meta’ and to pull the carpet out from underneath the viewers’ feet at every opportunity that it became almost unwatchable.
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If this was Moffat’s attempt to prove his feminist critics wrong, he might want to rethink his strategy Then there was the weirdness of the scene in which the culprit of
the murders turned out to be…all of womankind. Of course, this includes every woman who has ever been in Sherlock, and whom Sherlock and John have ever wronged who are naturally all members of a KKK-hat-wearing cult of murderous suffragettes. Sherlock helpfully mansplains the oppression of women to them all, and we then find out that the whole thing was actually demonstrating how Moriarty survived a bullet through the brain, and wasn’t about the women at all. If this was Steven Moffat’s attempt to prove his feminist critics wrong, he might want to rethink his strategy. I wanted so much to like ‘The Abominable Bride’, but aside from some fun moments early on (moustachioed Molly and Lestrade with more mutton-chops than face were highlights), it was a total disappointment. The writers tried to do too much and ended up with an episode that neither focused on the individual case nor advanced the plot of the wider series, with the result being that no-one cared about either. The heavy-handed faux feminism was the bitter cherry on top of a stale, hollow, unsatisfying cake.
Daunish Negargar Screen Editor
Another Gaze is a feminist and LGBTQ+ focused film club which holds screenings once a week in the Somerville College chapel. Mainstream cinema far too often neglects female, LGBTQIA and non-eurocentric narratives, and that’s something we’re aiming to change through the films we choose to screen. Our selection for this term begins in Iran, and ends in America. Our first week screening will provisionally be on Wednesday 20th at 8pm (but this is subject to change – like us on Facebook for more up to date information!) We’ve decided to show A Girl Walks Home alone at Night, a film directed by Ana Lily Amirpour, which first aired at the 2014 Sundance Festival. It tells the story of an ‘Iranian ghosttown’, whose inhabitants are stalked by ‘a lonesome vampire’. Tagged ‘the first Iranian vampire Western’, it was received to great acclaim at Sundance, and promises to be a uniquely dark and twisted love story. All are welcome to attend, learn and enjoy.
‘A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night’ - our first week screening Image: VICE Films
The new ‘Sherlock’ special was a radical departure from previous series’ modern aesthetic Image: BBC
Music
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
Music The best albums of 2015
The Ox Stu revisits their favourite records from last year music I’ve ever made.” This enthusiastic build up, after 4 years of waiting, led to a significant hype surrounding the record. This was slightly dampened by the release of the album cover art. It is awful, it reminds me of the worst types of faux tribal tattoo designs. But perhaps this is the best example of the old maxim, don’t judge a LP by its cover.
Child Death - Balam Acab Naomi Southwell Editor in Chief
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This is the best example of the old maxim, don’t judge an LP by its cover
The ominously titled Child Death is Balam Acab’s latest release since his debut LP Wander/Wonder. The artist is known for his ethereal watery sounds immersed in psychedelic witchy beats. In anticipation of the new release Alex Koone (Balam Acab) revealed a photo montage of samples he had used on the new record, significantly less than on Wander Wonder. He also tweeted that Child Death would include live vocals and Konne’s own guitar playing. Koone tantalisingly declared that Child Death is the“favourite
The album, whilst failing to reach the surreal witchiness of Wander Wonder it does have beautiful moments, felt mostly on the tracks ‘Glory Sickness’ and ‘Spend Lives’. Both emulate the multilayered rich vocals in Wander/Wonder. It feels as if, with the infrequent sampling and live performances, Koone has emerged from the surreal soundscapes of Wander/Wonder and into reality. A slightly halted and sparse reality but one that echoes its former eerie ghostly self.
Art Angels - Grimes
“World Princess Part II”, “Venus Fly” and “Flesh Without Blood” (really, there are more bangers than not on this album), Grimes shows that she can use the pop formula to stunning effect. Opening track “laughing and not being normal”, a textured orchestral meander, serves as Grimes’ reminder that she doesn’t need to become a homogeneous popstar copy in order to make fun and accessible dance songs.
Zachary Leather Staff Writer
When Grimes insisted in a 2012 interview that she made pop, nobody quite believed her. Grimes’ last album, Visions (2012), was a pleasurable, but slow and dreamy, album that you wouldn’t expect to hear on a dancefloor. Early LPs Halfaxa (2010) and Geidi Primes (2010) are weird, borderline atonal, records full of interesting ideas, but bereft of pop tunes. After this year’s Art Angels, however, nobody should be surprised by Grimes’ self-assigned ‘pop’label. Grimes came out with the best pop album this year: 13 brilliant tracks of infectious choruses and club beats. With songs like “Kill v Maim”, “Realiti”, “Artangel”, “Butterfly”, “California”,
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Grimes came out with the best pop album this year The rest of the album is a powerful statement that there is musical integrity to be found in making catchy dance tunes. Listening back over her previous albums, it’s stunning to see how little
of soul-infused rock. Despite the popularity of tracks like ‘Hold On’, the album overall betrayed qualities of a group still searching for their unique generic and stylistic angle. In their 2015 album Sound & Color, Alabama Shakes not only remedied this issue but set new precedents in their ability to seamlessly blend stylistic contrast into a coherent whole.
Sound & Color – Alabama Shakes James Chater Music Editor
With the release of their debut album Boys & Girls back in 2012, Alabama Shakes made an impressive mark with their distinctive sound We Slept At Last – Marika Hackman Owen Sinclair Staff Writer
Released way back in February of 2015, Marika Hackman’s debut album, We Slept at Last, is definitely worth a listen if you haven’t already. While her music could loosely be described as folk rock, or electro folk, such labels fail to capture the record in the light it deserves. It’s far more delicate and brooding than such a blunt description might suggest. Hackman, 23 from London (not to be confused with her brother, who produces dance music under the name “Hackman”), taught herself to play the guitar as a child. She has been composing music since 14 and has released 4 EPs prior to her debut, which she worked on
The opening of the title track is ingenious. The ethereal and wandering vibraphone chords evokes a kind of synesthetic stupor that actualizes in an instant the album’s title.The band’s sensitivity to instrumental colour pervades the album and is deployed
intelligently to great effect. Later in the title track this is exhibited perfectly when what begins as isolated dissonant string chords slowly begin to enter actual harmonic sphere of the track without ever fully resolving. However, the album’s greatest asset lies in its ability to set up broad stylistic opposition whilst always maintaining an unmistakably Alabama Shakes quality. The driving rhythm of the brilliant ‘Don’t Wanna Fight’ gives way to the intensely personal moments of the soul-drenched ‘This Feeling’ and ‘Miss You’, which in turn is set in relief to the upbeat ‘The Greatest’. The stunning and versatile vocal performance of Brittany Howard is fundamental to this achievement. For this reason and many others, Sound & Color represents one of the most refreshing Grammy nominations for Best Album in a number of years.
with producer Charlie Andrew. Serene and ethereal, the album varies from beautifully simple constructions to more upbeat tracks such as ‘Animal Fear’. Her delicate vocals - at times trailing off to barely more than a whisper - sit clearly and softly amongst her music, neither muddled nor overbearing. It is clear that she needs nothing more than a guitar to enchant the listener, surrounding herself with only a small collection of them when playing live, devoid of bandmates and other instruments. Despite this, many of her tracks make use of electronic sounds, often adding a surreal depth. ‘Undone, Undress’ features Hackman’s voice floating lightly above ominous electronic undertones, before being joined by drums and strings. However, Hackman doesn’t shy away
from her darker side; the video for ‘Animal Fear’ features her transforming into what appears to be a werewolf, before taking out her two fellow band members, splattered with fake blood. The entire album has something of a melancholic air to it, yet remains enjoyable to listen to. Hackman has also made We Slept at Last available to stream in its entirety on her Soundcloud account so anyone can listen to it.
The band’s sensitivity to instrumental colour pervades the album
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Maybe Grimes was the queen of pop all along?
she’s changed; here you can find the same otherworldly vocal style, the same dreamy synthesisers and the same original writing. In fact, the only tangible difference is the beats per minute, but it makes all the difference. Maybe Grimes was the queen of pop all along?
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In Colour - Jamie xx Matt Fuller Staff Writer
With a UK platinum album and a Mercury Prize to his name as part of The XX, Jamie Smith (a.k.a Jamie xx) is far from a breakthrough artist. Even so, 2015 has seen him to rise to new heights with a string of festival appearances and his August LP In Colour.
Jamie xx continues to lurk in the leftfield, not quite experimental but at the edge of the mainstream. In Colour has seen both critical and commercial success. Tracks like ‘Loud Places’ would not be out of place on a new xx project whereas the single ‘I Know There’s Gonna Be (Good Times)’ lends itself to most clubs. Many of the samples keep up his knack for finding music in the unlikeliest of places, like the opening to ‘Girl’ with the ambitious sampled line “you’re the most beautiful girl in Hackney y’know”. Despite this In Colour is no mishmash. It’s atmospheric to the extreme and even on the most minimalistic of tracks such as ‘Obvs’ there’s a clear sense of melancholy. A note of nostalgia is also present and In Colour draws heavily on the early nineties scene. This adds to the consistent ambivalence of the album, which is at once ecstatic and thoughtful, like a moment you hope will never end, but know eventually will.
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
Boulez: a tribute
Seb Black Staff Writer
On Wednesday, upon hearing the news of the death of the composer, conductor, writer, intellectual, teacher and bon vivant, Pierre Boulez, the musical world paused to recollect everything that he had given it. He had gifted not only many dazzling musical masterpieces and a wealth of the highest quality recordings with the best orchestras and ensembles, but several concert halls, a research institute and, most importantly, changed attitudes towards contemporary culture the world over. Boulez’s music is challenging, though. His work is so often to do with space – musical space, physical space, and intellectual space. As such, it takes time to appreciate and is music that benefits from unprejudiced ears. This is music whose expression does not necessarily lie on the surface, but beneath, and, as such, one should really devote oneself to it without distraction.
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Boulez’s music takes time to appreciate and benefits from unprejudiced ears But does this not suggest that Boulez’s music is elitist, esoteric and largely inaccessible? Maybe this is true in part, but to reject Boulez completely on these grounds is useless. It’s probably true to say that creating music that is ‘open’ to the listener was not as big a concern for the post-war modernists as it is today and – let me be clear – of the things I disagree with about Boulez’s thinking, this is the issue that I feel most strongly about. But, to a certain extent, it’s also dangerous to say that lack of accessibil-
ity is just the fault of the composer. Sometimes, ‘accessibility’ can be used as an excuse by somewhat prejudiced listeners – ‘oh no, not modern music! It’s all too esoteric and irrelevant’ – whereas, quite often, they do not wish to commit to it. But who is to blame? The problem lies, in part, with the way classical music is presented: in unrelaxed, austere environments in which audiences must commit to a list of old-fashioned rules and conventions, and frequently without a hint of curative creativity or entertainment. It’s maybe unsurprising to say that Boulez was, in fact, on top of all of this: he designed concerts in informal settings, with audience participation and interactive learning experiences. Boulez’s music, however, is only one part of ‘Boulez’, and, in some ways, I feel that there are other aspects of his legacy from which we can learn even more. In 2000, he said ‘be aware of the inertia of others, and be more stubborn than they are’. A statement with typically Boulezian incisiveness, it is designed to make you sit up and think: yes, we must rethink and reinvent everything that we do; yes, artists should seek new ways to inspire and innovate; yes, audiences must seek to push themselves; yes, musicians must find new ways to present concerts; and yes, most importantly, we must seek to do these things in a manner that inspires new audiences. It is in this way that we all can and should learn from him. In some ways, I like to think of ‘rethink, reinvent’ as not only an aesthetic mantra but also a way of life – and this is thanks to Pierre Boulez. But, lastly, we should simply remember the passing of a deeply kind and generous man. I met him once, aged 14: Mr Modernism talked only about his over indulgence of birthday cake. And so – if Boulez’s life was nearly 800,000 hours long – why not devote just an hour to listen to his music?
Music 21
Everything’s Alright: Bowie’s light still shines on Bethany Kirkbride Music Editor
It is a truth universally acknowledged that people are born, and people die. Stars are born, and they too, must eventually die. On 6th January 2016, a star whose light has been shining since he launched his music career back in 1967 died aged 69, after an 18-month long struggle with cancer. That star, of course, is the one and only Ziggy Stardust: David Bowie.
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Bowie has influenced an entire generation of musicians
Bowie’s career has spanned an impressive 49 years, and in that time he has sold an estimated 140 million records worldwide, earned a number of Platinum album certifications, and been indicted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But perhaps most importantly, Bowie has influenced an entire generation of musicians. Many projects would fall short of what they are, if it wasn’t for Bowie’s contributions – including Lou Reed’s 1972 album, Transformer, Arcade Fire’s song ‘Reflektor’, and (no less importantly) the Shrek 2 soundtrack. Music isn’t Bowie’s only talent, though; over the course of his career he has acted in various films (including his role as the Goblin King in the 1986 film, Labyrinth) and done a number of things for good causes, including from performing at Live Aid (1985) and opening the Concert for New Y o r k
City, hosted to benefit the victims of 9/11. Whilst Bowie’s first single ‘Space Oddity’ charted in the UK in 1969, it wasn’t until the glam rock era of the ‘70s that Bowie really made a name for himself, with his dazzling dress sense and enchanting stage persona of ‘Ziggy Stardust’. After a successful period touring as Ziggy Stardust with his ‘spiders from mars’, Bowie produced a funk album, Diamond Dogs, in 1974 – a record centred on the premise of setting George Orwell’s dystopian novel, 1984, to music. Then, the bizarrely prophetic single ‘Fame’ (co-written with John Lennon) ensured Bowie just that; the singer broke into the major leagues in 1975, as he crossed the Atlantic and landed in America with the album, Young Americans. In 1976, with the release of Station to Station, Bowie reinvented himself as the Thin White Duke. After struggling with his cocaine usage, the singer moved to Switzerland and discovered more docile hobbies, including painting and visiting galleries. Bowie’s interest in the growing German music scene prompted him to move to Berlin, and whilst sharing an apartment with Brian Eno and Iggy Pop, he produced three albums which have come to be known as his Berlin Trilogy: Low (1977), Heroes (1977) and Lodger (1979). 1989 signified the temporary end of Bowie’s solo endeavours, and he formed a hard-rock quartet called Tin Machine whose first album reached number three in the UK charts. This d i d n’t
last long though – seemingly once you’re a frontman, you’re always a frontman. Following struggles with the label, and group dynamics, Bowie returned solo in 1993 with a soul, jazz and hip-hop influenced record called Black Tie White Noise. The record is distinct in it’s utilisation of electronic instruments, and saw a resurgence in Bowie’s popularity. Reuniting with Brian Eno, in 1995, Outside was born and achieved chart success in both the UK and the States. Following this, Bowie’s 1997 record, Earthling, which experimented with British jungle music and drum ‘n’ bass was both a critical and commercial success.
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Ziggy Stardust’s light will continue shining long after his star has died Following the turn of the century, Bowie released several more albums including Heathen (2002), Reality (2003) and then finally Bowie took a much deserved rest from producing music and touring in 2005. After a short hiatus in which Bowie was still very much active in the music scene – curating festivals and performing at charity events – in 2013 he released his first studio album in a decade: The Next Day. Back to his old ways of churning out stellar records at a rapid rate, in 2014 fans were graced with Nothing Has Changed. But, sadly, everything has changed, now that one of music’s greatest stars has been taken from us just two days after the release of his latest album Blackstar. The man who taught us that we can all be heroes, even just for one day, has passed and music fans everywhere are feeling the loss heavily. Whilst the loss of such a huge presence isn’t the happiest of starts to 2016, we can at least take solace in the fact that Ziggy Stardust’s light will continue shining long after his star has died.
Spotify: Best of Bowie ‘Changes’
‘Fame’
‘Heroes’
‘Life On Mars’
‘Dancing in the Street’
Art & Lit
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
Art and Lit
The Versions of Us: Laura Barnett Review
Charlotte Lanning Staff Writer
A thought-provoking read that will resonate with many and serve as a source of comfort when it feels like everything is falling apart. I ordered The Versions of Us instantly when I found out it was about a couple that met in their second year at Cambridge. As someone who developed an obsession with all things Oxbridge from my (somewhat extreme) yearning to attend (Cam)bridge (but obviously Ox once I came to my senses), I was automatically excited about this story. The idea of different fates reminiscent of two of my favourite films, Back to the Future and It’s a Wonderful Life, made it all the more appealing.
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I didn’t anticipate that the book would make my mind go into such overdrive
However, I didn’t anticipate that the book would make my mind go into such overdrive (I ploughed through the 400 pages in two days when I should have been revising for collections – sorry tutors). In short, the novel describes three possible lives of the two main characters, at times together and at times apart, all flowing from a single moment in 1958 and the subsequent events and choices that followed. It’s easy to take this as any other love story. Sometimes you’re rooting for Jim and Eva as a couple and sometimes for just one of
them as an individual. However, there is so much more depth to this novel because of how it prompts you to reflect on your own life and the repercussions and possibilities that stem from your actions. My perspective is this: there are three consecutive components that define the path your life will take. Firstly, your mere existence, depending on the choices made by your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, et cetera. If my grandparents had emigrated to Australia in 1973 as they had intended, my parents would not have met. This is reflected in the eight different children that are born over the course of the three versions; the decisions of Eva and Jim impact the lives of their children’s would-be partners, children, and so on – the butterfly effect. Similarly, Eva’s childhood is largely defined by the chance meeting of her mother and father on a train in Vienna in 1938. Anyway, that’s quite morbid, so assuming you were born, you’re here and all is well, the next step is the circumstances that you end up in: your hometown, school, university, and choice of career. Personally, I view this as my place at Oxford – what if I hadn’t got in? Where would I be and what would I be studying? Even if I had got in but into a different college – who would my friends be? Would I still be as happy? Would I be happier? My life could be very similar on the surface, albeit entirely different due to the people that feature in it, and this is something that defines the novel, with various partners, lovers, colleagues, friends and acquaintances fea-
The face of poetry is changing with the growth of slam poetry
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tured throughout. This is perhaps the only drawback as at times it becomes difficult to keep tabs on the three separate plot lines, with the same characters sometimes appearing in more than one. Finally, the first three chapters of the novel are entirely based on tiny details, such as not being in a certain place at a certain time or not responding in a certain way. Had I not cried when my boyfriend had annoyed me in a JCR meeting, I probably would never have gone up to him and had a go at him the following week, which started the chain of events that led to him asking me out for a drink (and me realising he is actually not annoying). We are shown what happens if Eva doesn’t meet Jim at Cambridge in version two and how what would seem to be a tiny difference defines the majority of their lives.
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It’s easy to take this as any other love story... however, there is so much more depth to this novel
I filled up pages thinking about all of this after finishing that book and had to stop myself as it approached 3 am. What struck me was that although the story was confined to three versions, there are hundreds of other versions that could have been written if Barnett had decided fate should work a bit differently or if another option had been chosen. The infinite possibilities are slightly dizzying. Among all this fate and choice there is however an element of destiny: the connection between Jim and Eva, the presence of both characters at a 30th birthday party, the character of Penelope (Eva’s best friend from Cambridge), Eva’s accomplishments as a writer and moist poignantly, the ending (which I won’t spoil). These threads of continuity demonstrate how some things are meant to be and it is this we can take solace in
Like the German film ‘Run Lola Run’, Barnett’s novel combines elements of love story and alternative history when our minds are going crazy at the thoughts of what could have been. A final thing to remember is that we never know which version we are living. We can torture ourselves over the “what ifs?”, but the way we respond to things is a result of the circumstances that brought us to that moment. This explains why the perspective Jim has of Eva differs so greatly between and throughout the versions. Jim takes advantage of her in one version and longs for her after having lost her in another, showing people’s dif-
ferent responses to different circumstances. Eventually, life will work itself out in some way or another, and just because it is not what we originally visualised, does not mean it isn’t wonderful. After all, you could have simply not existed, and how bad would that be?
The Versions of Us is available at a reduced price of £5.59 from Blackwell ’s Bookshop, Broad Street, which is also running a Price Match promotion for many core undergraduate textbooks.
Will Shaw’s Top Science Fiction Stories of 2015
Ghost Champagne
Blood on Beacon Hill
Pocosin
Remembery Day
I mean, the title is brilliant just on its own. The story of an aspiring stand-up attempting to deal with the numerous relationship difficulties involved in being haunted by the ghost of yourself from the future, this is an immensely witty, heartfelt tale, with a conclusion as deeply moving as it is flagrantly over-the-top. This is a story that earns its silliness. Charlie Jane Anders has been a rising star of the short fiction scene for a while now, and this is an excellent introduction.
A combination of political satire, domestic drama and awful, awful puns, this story of anti-vampire discrimination in the United States has serious bite. Opening with a court case involving a human-vampire relationship, the story flashes back to the main character’s day-to-day life, and relates the mundanities of an immortal existence in a hugely compelling and frequently hilarious manner. Dark, gripping, and brilliantly cynical from Russel Nichols.
The tone of Ursula Vernon’s story is best summarised by its central image of drinking whisky with Death. A contemplative tale about an old woman who takes in a dying swamp god, this is a slow, sad little number which nevertheless sparkles with the sense of wit and worldly wisdom that a story involving passive-aggressive banter with the devil really ought to have. Melancholy without being mawkish, funny without being daft, this is a gem of a story that highlights some important environmental concerns.
With the controversy surrounding this year’s Remembrance Sunday, a story like this feels very timely. Sarah Pinsker’s depiction of a future society in which veterans are only allowed to remember the war they fought in for one day a year is unsettling on its own, but what really sells it is the narrator, the young daughter of a military family. The result is a story both politically angry and emotionally intelligent, and one of the most interesting explorations of this difficult theme that 2015 had to offer.
Image: Tony Hughes
Woman at Exhibition
If you thought Angela Carter’s The Bloody Chamber would have worked better as an art catalogue, then this from E. Lily Yu is the story for you. Admittedly that’s a very specific set of criteria, so it’s a good thing that this is a fantastic story anyway – a fascinating character study as well as a blisteringly angry polemic about gender politics in the visual arts. This is a strange, seething and sometimes disturbing portrait, mesmerising in its intensity. I defy anyone to have a mild reaction to it.
Art & Lit
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
For your leisure... Sonder Please don’t think I’m crazy but There were stalwarts on street corners And grass stains on your jeans I knew we built the steps too steeply I’m grateful for the space between our mouths Stained red from homemade wine Your kids played on the water’s edge All chubby calves and dimpled fingers I picked you out tonight, scarred cheekbones Straining through the blackened din The smoky catcalls hung In my hair still Did everyone know we were together except me? I caught their whispers in my coat Moths, they feasted on my hunched shoulders Your foot jarred as it kicked The nape of my neck Stale sentiments lined up along the garden wall As we doused ourselves in shade Come out tonight and I will give you Endless wine glasses to stare into I will give you forced laughter Gritted teeth, knock kneed against the table’s edge Lilacs in your hair and blood in your teeth
Double Dutch: Van Gogh in Amsterdam Natasha Burton Staff Writer
It is ironic, perhaps, that Vincent van Gogh spurned fame in 1882, reflecting that: “I’ve never felt a desire (and I don’t believe I ever shall) to bring the public to my work [...] a certain popularity seems to me the least desirable of things.” His contemporary popularity is indeed certain, with his most famous works appearing in endless reproductions, from school children’s easels to fridge magnets and aprons vended in tourist-saturated streets. This ubiquity of Van Gogh was brought home for me when staying in Hostel Van Gogh in Amsterdam with friends at the end of December. Here the walls are made up of enormous prints of the old favourites – sunflowers and his face in melancholy self-portrait. Whilst I’ve always liked Van Gogh, this over-exposure has made him liable to seem somewhat surreal and meme-like to me, a sunflower fridge magnet clinging to the sub-conscious, as it were. (In fact, the last time I’d come across Van Gogh directly prior to the trip had been in a meme captioned “Van Gohtye”, his missing ear lamenting: “You didn’t have to cut me off!” Very amusing. Love the pun.)
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In fact, the museum was incredibly refreshing
The museum seemed like it would be another tick-box gallery of famous paintings – mostly I was fearing the bathos of confronting something I’d seen a thousand times before transferred to a slightly small canvas. But perhaps my whirlwind trip to the Louvre was too much in my memory. In fact, the museum is incredibly refreshing. Firstly, it is a museum and not an art gallery, which made it particularly interesting. I don’t dislike art galleries, but with an artist as well-
known as Van Gogh, the museum helps visitors to get to know the artist rather than affirm their preconceptions of the art. This idea is imbued in the new exhibition When I Give, I Give Myself, in which modern artists were asked to respond to Van Gogh’s musings on art and life expressed forcibly in his letters. There are contemporary responses which emphasise his use of broad brush strokes, and bold colours which create startling contrasts – these seem almost like a continuation of his career. The open call winner, Being Unpolished by Gwen van den Bout, is strikingly different. Uncompromisingly modern, it features an unpolished gem embedded in a fractured wall – it doesn’t look like a Van Gogh at all. It expresses his sentiment of discovering the unpolished gem within reality, seen in his early paintings of rural life such as The Potato Eaters. Van Gogh’s insistence on a pre-existing external stimulus rather than a flawless unreal scene is also reflected in Being Unpolished.
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The Van Gogh revealed in these is entirely passionate and dedicated
This exhibition’s title is furthermore exemplary of what the museum conveys of Van Gogh – that he reveals himself through his work. Particularly memorable is the emphasis on letters to his brother Theo, containing thousands of eloquent expressions of his aspirations and emotions in pursuing his artistic career, amazingly started relatively late in life. The Van Gogh revealed in these is entirely passionate and dedicated; in fact, in his happier moments he often comes across rather like the product of a selfhelp guide advocating practice and perseverance for success. Van Gogh’s use of colour becomes particularly personal in the letter that discusses
Bargain Basement
Tristan Wilson Art & Lit Editor
The second-hand bookshop is the domain and the lifeblood of the academically-minded but penniless student, and nowhere is the trade in well-thumbed volumes more lively than in bookish Oxford. One of the main strength of Beth Chaplow Oxford’s second-hand bookshops is the fact that the city, notoriously, exists in its own little academic bubble, and consequently many The Oxford Student is looking for students graduating and departtalented poets to submit original ing their spacious college sets content for the Art & Lit section; for £1200 per month London warrens will leave their unwantwhether you are a prolific poet or an occasional scrawler, get in ed (and often unused) academic books to local charity bookshops touch with us at oxstu.culture@ or vintage stores; other stock is gmail.com! commonly provided by departing tutors, like the entire set of Kant’s
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philosophy which sometimes appear in the window of the Turl Street Oxfam bookshop. Whilst students will hardly be chomping at the bit to read that kind of thing, Oxfam bookshops, the largest among their number on St. Giles, provide quality, well-kept copies at very reasonable prices, and with the majority of their stock Gift-Aided it goes to a good cause too. As an impecunious student I certainly found them very useful for Christmas presents, whilst the University’s dominance in the city translates into well-stocked History, Science and Philosophy sections. Around the end of Trinity, the shelves are replete with barelyused Blackwell’s and OUP castoffs which make for great academic reading if you don’t want to rely on your tute partner not eating every one of the books you
his frustrating struggle to capture the dazzling brightness of a yellow house and the particular blue sky in The Yellow House: “The theme is a hard one! But that is exactly why I want to conquer it. Because it is fantastic, these yellow houses in the sun and also the incomparable freshness of the blue.” He is obsessed with colour as an expression of emotion, justifying that the particular beauty of the scene is in its colour. Whilst the museum does lay this on rather thick, with headsets so you can “listen to Vincent” (his letters read by an actor), the selection and presentation of this material is seamless – I don’t think I’ve ever left an exhibition feeling I had learnt more about an artist. From the paintings of Dutch artists who influenced him, progressing through his later impressionist influence in Paris and beyond, the development of his style which initially
seems unique and natural is presented as a complex personal and artistic evolution. The well-known pieces are reinvigorated by his intimate expressions alongside his desire to combine reality with fervent expression of feeling. Appropriately for Amsterdam perhaps, this adds an almost hallucinogenic quality in viewing – we are aware simultaneously experiencing life as it was and as it felt. Definitely worth the admission fee, then, if you’re heading on the Varsity trip this Easter; and if you still want Van Gogh fridge magnets there is a wide selection alongside the printed dog jackets in the gift shop. The Van Gogh Museum is located on Museumplein in central Amsterdam. Entry is 17 euros, or is free with the I Amsterdam City Card, which costs 55 euros for 24 hours.
Image: Howard Lake
need that’s supposed to be in the library, or can’t afford to pay for the unnerving smell of new books straight from the Norrington Room. The Turl Street Kitchen also runs book sales in association with the Oxford Book Club, the latter of which is a society worth joining if only for their desperately classy/pretentious ‘Gin and Phonics’ nights at Freud’s. These sales are somwhat more limited
than Oxfam, but even cheaper and an excuse to get a salted caramel brownie too. Finally, for those who have ventured to the upper echelons of Blackwell’s, there is an extensive selection of second-hand books, which are well kept if a little too close to new book price. You’ll be sure to find a gem or two there, if you can wade through the cascading piles of economics textbooks gleefully discarded by PPEists.
Stage 24
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
Stage
The woman putting the magic back into Shakespeare Review
Georgia Crump
Deputy Stage Editor
2016 is set to be an exciting year for the Globe Theatre in London: celebrating the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, the construction of a glittery ‘wonder forest’ on the South Bank, and most importantly, the arrival of a new artistic director. Emma Rice, born in Oxford and trained as an actor, sees herself as not just a director, but a storyteller and an artist. Rice has made her name as joint artistic director of the renowned Kneehigh Theatre Company. Her first season at the Globe, which she has titled ‘Wonder Season’, opens in April. Although some worry at her possible lack of experience, having only produced one Shakespeare play before, she is confident that fresh eyes and ears are precisely what are needed to give the beloved bard a new lease on life.
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Rice is the first to admit that Shakespeare’s language can be challenging
That isn’t to say Rice doesn’t have sufficient credentials. Her production of Rebecca, which came to the Oxford Playhouse in November last year, has just finished touring the UK, and her success in staging romantic legends such as Tristan and Yseult has brought her great critical acclaim and made her a se-
rious theatre heavy-weight. It will be exciting to see how her organic method of directing – preferring to start with an idea rather than a script – transfers to productions at the Globe, which have in the past flopped precisely because they failed to lift the words off the page.
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Rice sees herself not just as a director, but as a storyteller and an artist Rice is the first to admit that Shakespeare’s language can be challenging, and that all too many people today associate the Bard with school exams and incomprehensibility. For this reason she is unafraid to edit the plays, making them shorter and more relevant through retelling, and even altering the script on occasion to convey the richness of the language. In the same vein, Rice has commissioned the ‘wonder forest’, a glittering, sparkling mass of trees created by set designer Lez Brotherston, that will spread around the Globe to give the theatre an enchanting, welcoming aspect. Under the direction of Mark Rylance and then Dominic Dromgoole, the Globe has expanded into a global theatre company, reaching audiences around the world with travelling productions and live screenings. Rice is now keen to bring the focus back to the experience of being in the theatre, encouraging people to “wander
Harry Potter Play: a magical adaptation? Opinion Eleanor Hunter Staff Writer
There is no doubt that most of the publicity surrounding Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the stage adaptation and next instalment of the Harry Potter series set to appear on the London stage later this year, has been to do with the casting of Noma Dumezweni, an actress born in Swaziland to South African parents, in the role of Hermione. To ask whether Hermione should be played by a black actor is, I think, rather an uninteresting question. As has been said, it would be very depressing if we were able to entertain the idea of dragons, wands and invisibility cloaks, but not the idea of a Hermione whose skin colour marks a superficial departure from the one we have been used to seeing. The casting may still be otherwise significant, but I hope that when
the reviews start coming in, there are far more note-worthy aspects of the production.
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My concern is that the franchise has gone on for too long It is a shame that this has been the focus of all the media attention towards the play. Aside from suggesting, as Dumezweni herself does, that the attention and criticism surrounding her casting stems from “ignorance” and lack of imagination, it brings to mind the possibility that the controversial casting was a publicity stunt designed to make the play a topic of discussion, and also means we have likely glossed over some of the other interesting points about the production. Personally, my concern is that the franchise has gone on too
Emma Rice’s first season at the Globe as artistic director is titled ‘Wonder Season’ Image: marsroverdriver
around, drink beer, and throw things at the stage” in the Globe to promote a more relaxed environment like that which Shakespeare’s contemporary audiences would have known. Unlike previous seasons, which have grouped the productions by genre, the plays Rice has chosen for her season are linked by their emphasis on folklore and mysticism, celebrating the magic within Shakespeare’s works. The result is a kaleidoscopic line-up of com-
edy, romance and tragedy, from Macbeth to A Midsummer Night’s Dream to The Merchant of Venice. Joining the ranks of a growing number of female artistic directors, including Josie Rourke at the Donmar and Vicky Featherstone at the Royal Court, Rice has a particular interest in exploring 21st century female experiences through the lens of Shakespeare’s works. Cymbeline will thus reappear renamed as Imogen, placing more emphasis on the now epony-
long. And I don’t say that as a born sceptic but as a Harry Potter fan who read the books religiously and waited in the rain in the early hours of the morning for the film premieres and DVD signings. However, it’s always honourable not to milk your time in the limelight but to leave an audience wanting more, and I have to admit that, for me, it sounds as if some of the magic of the world that Rowling created will be lost now that Potter is no longer “The Chosen One” but an “overworked employee at the Ministry of Magic”. Secondly, I wonder how much of this magic can be translated onto the stage. Live theatre can be praised for its intimacy and immediacy, and could no doubt handle levitation, but surely fire-breathing dragons and epic wand battles are feats best left to CGI? Yet Rowling insists that the story is completely new material, not recycling anything we have already read or seen, and which would only work through the medium of a play. But maybe this is where Jack Thorne, the play’s scriptwriter, steps in. Thorne has a string of successful writing credits to his name, perhaps most notably for
his television work, including Skins, Shameless and This is England ‘88. At this summer’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival, he received positive attention from critics for his play The Solid Life of Sugar Water, a candid piece following a couple dealing with the effects of the stillbirth of their child. What unites these projects, and is a distinctive feature of Thorne’s writing, its shocking honesty and explicit sexuality. This makes him a somewhat unlikely candidate for adapting the relatively straight-laced dialogue of Rowling’s boarding school
mous character of the daughter, who, Rice points out, actually has three times more lines than Cymbeline. Alongside Shakespeare’s plays, 946: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips, an adaptation of a Michael Morpurgo novel, and The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk, about the artist Marc Chagall, will both be performed by the Kneehigh company. It may not yet be midsummer, but this season at the Globe is set to be a dream!
Image: Tom Blunt
teenagers, although his writing, much like the Potter series, does have something distinctly English to it. But perhaps this is exactly what the play needs – not to try to cling onto and recreate the magic and wonder of the books, but to transform it into something completely new. Again, this might not be the Potter we’re used to, but this may not be such a bad thing.
Verdict
Adapting a national treasure could be dangerous, but the production seems in safe hands.
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
OXSTU’S FAVOURITE MUSICALS
Checking in with the Oxford Revue
Interview
Chloe St. George Stage Editor
Naomi Southwell Editor-in-Chief
Q:
A:
Hello. Who are you and what’s your role in The Oxford Revue?
Hiya! I’m Jack, and I’m president for The Oxford Revue this year. Along with my good buddy, copresident, and local MP Georgia Bruce, we sort of act as head writers and general organisers.
Image: HarshLight
My bitter, twisted soul makes me hate all musicals with a vehement passion. Nevertheless, I can get behind Les Mis - it’s about revolution and freedom from poverty.
Ariane Laurent-Smith Editor-in-Chief
Image: Royal Opera House
Contrary to Naomi, I do not hate musicals. ‘Cats’ was my first musical obsession - I still dream of being able to dance and sing like those graceful felines.
Stage
Q: A:
What has the Revue got coming up this term?
Erm, do we have a lot of shows this term? Just a bit, mate. We’ve got the spring show at the BT Studio in 3rd week, which is called Heavy Petting. It’s all new stuff in an all new show – the best sketches from it will be taken to the Edinburgh Fringe this year, so do come along and let us know what’s not so funny by awkwardly coughing and checking the time on your phone. Then in 4th week, some of our members are doing their own show called Triptych at the Pilch, which I’m told will be far more edgy but also very funny. Then, very excitingly, in 8th week at the Pilch, we’ve got our Freshers’ Show. We’ve essentially got together the most promising young bucks, thrown them in a room together and told them to write a show. That’s going to feature some raw new talent, so not to be missed! This is what’s really nice about the Revue at the mo: we’ve got loads of brilliant people doing their own brilliant things – there’s no one style, and we love to try and represent that mix.
Have you ever been watching people in the Bod/Park End/lectures and thought “I’m going to recreate that exactly as a sketch”
Q:
A:
It’s really difficult to use real life like that sometimes; if I’ve learnt one thing about sketches – and I probably have only learnt one – it’s that they’re perversely silly. They’re like these bizarre little microplays where people don’t behave normally, whereas the things we laugh at most in life are the jokes we have with our friends (about that person in the Bod/Park End). It’s so hard to contain a funny idea in such an, at times, anti-funny vehicle like a sketch, and so often that joke or idea doesn’t play out optimally in a two to three minute scene, performed by characters we’ve never seen before and with whom we have no emotional attachment and will never see again. The editing process can be pretty brutal if someone takes having their sketch rejected as “this wasn’t funny” – because, more frequently, it’s: “This was funny, but it didn’t work out being expressed in this way.” I think you’ve certainly got to think like that anyway.
Q:
If not, where do most of the sketches come from? Are they written or improvised? Or do they come to
Q:
Laura Whetherly Investigations
Image: Andy Roberts
Everybody loves a happy musical: Billy Elliot is a feel-good story about a talented boy achieving his dream to dance (spoiler, but come on, what else would you expect?).
What’s the worst/most embarrassing thing to have happened on stage?
A:
Obviously there are countless incidents to choose from, but my personal most embarrassing moment has to be from last year’s Fringe. I was supposed to storm off and look like I’d given up on the show, trying to build up to this bit where I come on and play a massive guitar solo. But as I was backstage I noticed some people were in hysterics. I was so confused because it was this really sad bit where the person whom I’d abandoned was sort of sadly playing a song about friendship without me, but I then realised I’d left one of my size-thirteen hooves blatantly sticking out from under the curtain, which I’m told “ruined the vibe”.
Image: Oxford Revue
25
you in spiritual visions?
chat up lines?
It’s a mixed bag - some stuff I’ve done was improvised entirely and just recorded on a phone so we could learn the lines. Other things get typed up and presented at the start of rehearsals. I once woke up and thought I’d dreamt one of the best sketches ever, feverishly scribbled down the dream, then went back to sleep. When I looked at it later it just said “parents sue children?”. I was sad for a long time after that.
One of the most crushing things about comedy is how unsexy it is. I don’t think any of my jokes would have that effect, and this all goes back to how weird and removed from real life sketches are. Nobody fancies you if you’ve just slithered up to them in Cellar and described a piece you’ve written called ‘The Silly Doctor’. Or maybe they do. Whatever. Get in touch with me if you do. Or don’t. Not bothered.
Q:
Q:
A:
A:
Who’s really funnier: you or the Cambridge Footlights?
The Footlights is like a comedy production line – they just spit out pros. The ones we meet during our exchange shows are usually really, really funny and nice, but the distinctive thing I think you get from Footlights is a certain confidence from the thought that you’re part of that group. I think it’s fair to say that, at this amateur student level, there’s nothing between us. But so many of them just have that self-belief, that desire to see it through, improve and adapt, and that’s where they flourish and deservedly dominate the scene, whereas someone doing it here might just think, as nice as it was to write the odd joke at university, it’s now time to grow up and do something proper. It doesn’t seem as obvious to us that we’d make it in the same way. That said, they all smell like plastic and eat their own scabs.
Q:
Do you ever use jokes as
A:
Ever tempted to have some sort of political message underlying the comedy or is it pure laughter you’re after?
A:
On a serious note, we’re nothing if not critical about what we choose to portray on stage, and generally try our very best to make sure the platform we’ve been given isn’t just another way in which to reiterate unhelpful and unfunny stereotypes. But our satire stays pretty tame – lampooning H from Steps is about the most controversial thing we’ve done.
Q: A:
What was the best comedy show you saw at the Fringe this year?
For me personally, it was a sketch troupe called Daphne, comprised of some ex-Footlights guys. So, so, so funny and oddball and brilliant. I’ll certainly be ripping them off for a good while.
Look out for the Revue’s shows in 3rd, 4th and 8th week!
Fashion 26
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
January Brights Photographer: Xixi Yu Models: Alexandra Murray Luo & Xuemei Zhang Styling: Alexandra Murray Luo & Alice Townson
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
Fashion
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Fashion 28
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
Fashion Winter warmer Alice Townson Fashion Editor
Christmas Day was pretty balmy, but then as the New Year drew in, so did the biting temperatures. As we were prowling the streets of Oxford looking for street style inspiration, we realised that winter really does make people wear darker, more sombre colours. Our shoot this week was an attempt to counteract this and show winter clothes don’t have to be confined to black, grey and navy. Arguably winter is the best time to add a dash of powder blue or a splash of tangerine orange to your ensemble. This week I wax poetic on why I LOVE coats and the transformative powers they hold. When it hits you haven’t done any washing all term and it may not be socially acceptable to wear your favourite jumper for the fourth day
in a row, the whole situation can easily be rectified by throwing over your favourite coat. Flora Holmes also reminds us of the potential of colour, along with some other fashion resolutions for the New Year, as she provides fun inspiration for easy ways to change your shopping behaviour and reminds us that January doesn’t necessarily mean making a resolution to ‘get in shape’ (Rectangle? Trapezium?) or go teetotal. Claire Leibovich rolls with the winter theme and shares her passion for knitting, which is definitely no longer the domain of grandmas. #knittersofinstagram – need I say more? Trying to keep warm is a conundrum which Sherry Chen proves is experienced by many international students experiencing their first winter in the UK. We hope we can inspire to wear some great colours this January. Enjoy our first issue!
The magic of a good coat Alice Townson Fashion Editor
Whenever I leave my damp student house for the bright, cheery comforts and never-ending cleanliness of my family home, I’m always faced with a horrid decision I’d rather avoid – what to take and what to leave behind. When I set off to Oxford in September, I realised I’d neglected to bring any socks or tights with me, but had, very usefully, remembered to bring my salad spinner… Forgetting socks and tights was easily rectified with a few weekly trips to Primark, however my concern when coming home for Christmas was which coat to bring. Unfortunately a four hour train ride didn’t allow for the transportation of the four coats I would ideally have brought, so a decision had to be made. A coat needs to be light enough to be able to fit a jumper underneath, but not so light that it starts to resemble a jacket; a mellow enough colour to be able to match the rest of your wardrobe, but not so boring that you end up resembling your great auntie; short enough that you don’t trip over it or end up resembling a billowing, swooshing Severus Snape. Personally, my favourite coats have always been quite simple (think Stella McCartney, Acne and the coats that businessmen on the tube are always wearing over their suits) but these are not very warm or waterproof – so I had to say goodbye to my grey and black versions. I have another navy blue coat that resembles a bruised teddy bear but only reaches below my hips and looks weird with midi skirts and dresses. In the end, I chose my brown faux fur coat - a very bad decision, almost entirely motivated by recently following Shrimps’ (a London based faux fur outerwear fashion brand) Instagram account. Faux fur is not in the least waterproof - this particular coat has no hood and smells very faintly of wet dog when I come in from the drizzle.
A good coat is like magic; it can turn you into a completely different character. Sherlock Holmes? Little Red Riding Hood? Cruella de Vil? Where would they be without their coats? All these characters are easily imitable as well – a green rain mac, a red duffle coat, or a white fluffy coat and you’re away. If we bought coats for practical reasons then everyone would be walking around in waterproofs, but I don’t think I’ve ever bought a coat for practical reasons in my life. I don’t own a coat with a hood, yet I have coats that make me feel like a powerful businessman, and a teddy bear, respectively. Some may say I need to set my priorities straight. There was a beautiful, faux fur orange coat in the Topshop sale that I was sure was calling my name, but my mother talked me out of it eventually by pointing out that ‘wanting to feel like a glamorous sweet potato’ was not good enough grounds for parting with cash. I like to think there’s a perfect ‘glassslipper’ coat waiting out there for everyone, that will keep them warm and dry and transform them into all the personalities and characters they could ever wish for. I’m desperate to find mine so that when I go home for Christmas next year, I can avoid ‘eau de wet dog’ after the drizzle.
Image: Caroline Francischini
New Year’s fashion resolutions Flora Holmes Deputy Editor
For many of us, the New Year is a time to reflect on the previous one and make some changes in the hope that, if we stick to them, they will help us to enjoy a better year ahead. Fashion resolutions can appear trickier to achieve, perhaps because they don’t receive the same media attention as the more common variants like a new gym membership or clean eating that become almost impossible to avoid as January progresses. OxStu Fashion is here to help you out with your New Year fashion goals in this shortlist of resolutions and how to achieve them.
1
‘Wear what I want!’
With a plethora of fashion magazines churning out advice on how to be ‘on trend’ and regular reports from Paris, New York and London fashion weeks about the latest looks, it’s easy be hooked by the latest micro trends. Your own personal style, along with a sizeable chunk of your bank balance can get lost as you try to keep up. Many people find that their wardrobe is often full of too many clothes that were bought to fulfill a desire to
be ‘on trend,’ rather than because they actually liked them. As well as being a waste of money, this won’t make you happy. As Yves Saint Laurent said ‘fashions fade, style is eternal’. People that look confident and comfortable in what they are wearing tend to ooze a natural sense of style. Those who are wearing something simply because they’ve read that it’s on trend tend to look and feel awkward and uncomfortable. There is no easy way to end this cycle, but it comes down to making sure you are buying clothing for the right reasons and building up a personal style confidence from there.
2
Make ethical style choices
You talk about your opposition to animal cruelty and the exploitation of child labour, but when you spot a bargain on the rack all morals go out the window as you rush to the till to cash in on that endorphin-fuelled rush that only finding a killer sale reduction can induce. You leave the shop feeling content and quash down any niggling worries about where your new buy came from or what cruel practices you may have been implicitly endorsing half-way across the world, because what you don’t know, can’t hurt you, right?
Image: Craig Sunter
If this sounds like you, and you want to rid yourself of those niggling worries, making ethical choices has never been easier. The Internet is practically bursting with websites clambering to help you, such as PETA’s search engine of cruelty-free products. Simple things such as reading the label of clothing can give you information such as where the product was made, which can help you make a wellinformed buying choice. In terms of helping the environment, buying less stuff in general, or trying to buy second-hand can help reduce your carbon footprint. Mend or customize your clothes before you throw them away, or give them to a charity shop if you no longer want them.
3
Inject some colour into your style
Many people find themselves unintentionally wearing a largely neutral palette of clothes and makeup. Neutral clothes and makeup often seem more attractive and better value for money because they go with more, therefore they will be worn more and ‘earn their keep’. However, a wardrobe full of neutrals can sometimes feel a bit drab, especially when already surrounded by a distinctly lacklustre palette of grey during the dull winter months ahead of us. If you feel intimidated by colour, inject some brightness to your wardrobe with a bag, belt, or lipstick, before taking the plunge to other garments, like the bright orange jacket sported by Xuemei in our shoot this week. Don’t feel restricted by rules of what colours can and cannot be worn together – clashing, especially against a neutral background, brings excitement to an outfit.
Why knitting is your newest and most stylish hobby Feature
Claire Leibovich
Deputy Fashion Editor
Winter is definitely the cosiest season, the season when it becomes to common practice to snuggle up in a fluffy blanket and drink hot chocolate. Most importantly, we get to wear and/or make our favourite knitted clothes and accessories. Knitting can be a fun way to relax, practice a little bit of self-care, or procrastinate. However, it also has an incredible potential for creativity, as demonstrated by brands like Ryan Roche, &Daughter, and Coohem. Here is a list of cute and trendy knits that you can make yourself (or take the easy route and buy) in 2016:
Jumper: it simply had to be mentioned. Knitted jumpers are as intrinsic to winter as smoked glasses are to Karl Lagerfeld. From your dad’s oversized jumper to a beloved charity shop gem, a jumper is winter’s ultimate go-to garment! For the New Year, look out for beautiful ombré gradient colours as seen in Elie Tahari’s Fall 2015 readyto-wear collection. For those who are after something a bit more original, try the poncho! It was in all the shops last year and is still going strong in 2016.
Tea cosy: that will brighten any stressful or gloomy winter afternoon in Oxford. They are really easy to make and you can let your imagination run wild with this one: colours, patterns, animal shapes and anything else you could ever dream up. There’s definite Instagram potential here. The prize for the most original design seen on Pinterest goes to a Yoda-shaped tea cosy. The possibilities are endless. Knitted book cover: this is a really pretty alternative to the slippery commercial covers or the ugly paper ones we make for ourselves (or is that just me?). The same can be done with E-books, Ipads or phones. Wrap up everything around you in the wintertime! You can find some gorgeous patterns on the Internet with cute little pockets for writing items. Knitted headband: this boho
hair accessory is my absolute favourite for the winter. It is stylish, keeps your ears warm, and gives a sexy sweep to the hair. I love how adventurous knitting designers get with this deceptively uncreative accessory: braids, bows, crosstie knit, button loops, pearls, monograms. You can opt for flowers or leaves on your headband! Knitting patterns
are easy to find on Google, and Missoni do a range of brightly coloured metallic crochet that means you can avoid the designer price tag and knit your own, how could you possibly say no to such a fabulous combination of adjectives?
Snood: I always get frustrated with scarves. To me they always seem to be awkward lengths and I have not yet managed to tie one up nicely, and probably never will. The snood is the perfect scarf; it has all its advantages without its defects. You can also avoid hat hair by using a snood to keep your ears warm. Happy days. This a personal and very limited list of useful and fashionable knitted items you can make, buy or get the familyknitting addict to make for you (here’s looking at you, Grandma). Writing this has actually made me realise what a great place the UK is for knit lovers: it offers an incredibly large and goodquality choice of wool. Whereas in other countries young people tend to think that knitting is only for grannies, the UK has a young and lively knitting community. Check out knitting shop Loop for yarns, wool and super cool knitted items or @knitwitknitwit and @knitables on Instagram for never-ending inspiration.
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The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
Wrap me up for the freezing English New Year The trials and tribulations of a Chinese girl trying to survive the bitter Oxford winter Sherry Chen Fashion Editor
Having lived in Hong Kong for the past few years for my undergraduate studies, I have entirely lost the ability to survive wintertime. Waterproof jackets, faux fur coats, and thermal leggings-why would I ever need that stuff ? If summer means one shirt, winter simply means two, right?
“
I decided it was time to arm myself from head to toe for the coming winter.
I did listen to warnings given by various friends and somehow managed to squeeze a pair of gloves into my suitcase, but I don’t think I really took their advice to heart. “Come on,” I thought, “hats, scarves and gloves are no more than ‘accessories’ for stylish people – you’d have to be really meticulous about how you present yourself to ‘go that far.’” I would love to look great every day, but picking a single dress to wear is hard enough; should I really spend more money on unnecessary stuff and spend more time trying to match the colours or styles? It transpires that the answer to this question was an emphatic YES. In late September I landed at Heathrow Airport, confident that I was pretty well prepared for the English weather, but the
winter chill went straight down my spine the moment I exited the aeroplane. I realised that the advice I had thought to be unnecessary was actually essential to my survival in this new country. So instead of coming home looking like a White Walker from Game of Thrones every day, I decided it was time to arm myself from head to toe for the coming winter. But looking stylish still had to be rule number 1. I am quite a petite girl and sometimes people still mistake me for a teenager, so I know it’s a safe bet to play it cute. When it comes to hats, I went straight for animal-shapes: cat, rabbit, panda, provided it works well with everything else I’m wearing. Picking a scarf was tougher, simply because I’m always stumped as to how you’re supposed to tie it, and it inevitably makes me look like I have trouble breathing. Perhaps neckerchiefs would be more to my liking? They are lightweight and shorter (or at least not long enough to trip me up) but not as warm as a good old-fashioned woollen scarf. By the time I got to gloves, my brain had been fried and I couldn’t take any more winteraccessory related outfit conundrums. I dashed out of the store with a few dark suede options, hoping that no one would pay too close attention to my hands. After living in Oxford for two months, I felt much more confident about my winter accessories. In my head, I was this lovely Asian girl wrapped up in cuteness with no fear of the cold weather.
But reality usually falls pretty short of the mark and my attempt at being stylish while keeping warm was no exception. During the last week of Michaelmas, I received a few gifts from my Secret Santas. Surprisingly (or unsurprisingly because I’ve complained so much about the cold weather on Facebook) I had been given a perfect collection of winter warmers: a hat that covers my ears, a scarf that reaches my ankles, and a pair of gloves with cosy fur inside. To be warm or not to be warm – it’s not even a question; it’s essential. The struggle has been long and hard for me, and I have a lot to learn about striking a balance between warmth and style in the years to come.
Image: Yevgen Pogoryelov
Image: Simon Q
Street style: 0th week’s best dressed
Name Yussef Robinson
Name Ja Amen Kanwal
Name anonymous
Name Tom Wood
Name Ollie Baker
We spotted Yussef walking down Cowley Road and we love his brightly coloured scarf bought from Monsieur Fox as he brightens up his otherwise muted colours. Yussef ’s coat and jacket layering combination that he purchased in Suit Supply and Lanieri is both stylish and warm.
We saw this lovely lady on Turl Street and then almost chased her up Ship Street because we were desperate to snap a picture. Her bright sun yellow coat, which she purchased from Helly Hanson in Alaska, is the perfect way to offset the rainy weather. We love it!
We were stunned by this beautiful and stylish lady’s amazing umbrella, when we passed her on Cornmarket because it matches perfectly with her scarf, hat and bag combination. Her green coat made her stand out against the mass of black and navy blue in the rest of the city centre.
Tom caught our eye walking down New Inn Hall Street, near to St Peter’s. His black coat is practical and simple and he continues the monochrome colours in his shiny bright trainers. His cord shirt is a great way to stay warm plus it’s a fabulous colour. Skinny jeans complete the look.
New Inn Hall Street proves itself to be a great street style spot. The pink hues in Ollie’s hair and jumper are like a match-made in heaven. The autumnal colour of his shirt is almost the same colour as the lady we spotted on Cornmarket. His dungarees are vintage Dickie’s workman wear.
The Student Advice Service live chat facility is now available on the OUSU website during term time Tuesday 3:00pm-5:00pm Thursday 11:00am-1:00pm W.245mm x H.320mm
Full Page
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
What’s on 31
Pick of the Week
0th-1st week 15th - 22nd January
15 Sat 16 Sun 17 Mon 18 Tue 19 Wed 20 Thu 21 Fri 22
Pick of the Week
TedXOxford Launch Event
Oxford Union Holocaust Denial Debate
Rad Cam and G&Ds Wednesday 20th January
The Oxford Union Thursday 21st January, 8.30-10pm
From noon, TedXOxford will be handing out free tea and coffee from a stand by the Rad Cam. In the evening, there will be viewings of old Ted talks as well as a limited number of free ice cream scoops at G&Ds.
Speakers for the proposition include eminent historian, Sir Richard Evans and Professor Deborah Lipstadt, Dorot Professor of Modern Jewish History. Professor Charles Asher Small, founder and Director of the ISGAP and François de Smet, Director of Myria, form two thirds of the opposition.
theatre
speakers
going out
music
misc.
th
Fri
Viennese New Year Concert Beethoven concertos and Strauss favourites Sheldonian Theatre, 8pm, £32 / £23 / £15 / £10
th
London Chamber Collective Mozart Clarinet Quintet and Schubert Octet . Holywell Music Room 3-5.30pm, tickets £20.
th
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The Oxford Imps at the Wheatsheaf A rehearsed reading of Duncan Macmillan’s play. 8pm, Michael Pilch Studio. Free entry. Must Rhodes Fall? Union panel discussion with three professors, the head of the Oxford University Africa Society and an RMF representative.
Rumbelieber One for the beliebers featuring £1 jagerbombs (before 12) and £2.50 rum cocktails. Lola Lo’s, 10pm.
People, Places and Things- 20th-22nd A rehearsed reading of Duncan Macmillan’s play. 8pm, Michael Pilch Studio. Free entry.
TedXOxford At the Rad Cam and G&Ds From midday TedX will be offering tea and coffee and in the evening free ice cream and TED talks.
The ISIS presents: GRIME & PUNISHMENT Grime, Hip Hop and Garage night at Cellar. 11pm. £5 or £4 before 12.
OUSU council Holding elections for eight vacant part-time executive positions, 5.30pm, venue TBC.
Josh Widdicombe Comedian brings his new standup show ‘What Do I Do Now?’ to the Oxford Playhouse. 7.30pm, £17.50/£15.50
Richard Barrett: IS Regional Problem or Global Threat? 8.30-11pm at the Blavatnik School of Government. £2 entry.
SQUAD Thursdays at Plush Starts 10pm. Cheap drinks and pop music, what’s not to love?
Moving Pages Film Book Club: Before I Go to Sleep Blackwell’s Bookshop, 6.30-8.30pm, free entry, sign up via their email.
th
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SusCam Tea and Cake OUSU’s campaign invites students returning from suspension to have tea with them 7-9pm, Graves Room at St John’s.
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
OxStuff
OxStuff
Screaming Spires
I’m Tired of Living Out COLLEGE VS COWLEY Ah, Oxford. Nobody ever mentioned that living out would be like this. Maybe I was spoiled by college, with its sumptuous views and cheap bar. But when they gave us those all the guides to living out, they showed us pictures of Jericho. They promised us those dreamy sandstone buildings and made everything else look like the trenches. Living out would be great they said, a new-found independence they said. THE TRENCHES
Dan Haynes is disillusioned with life outside the college bubble...
So here I am in the trenches. The belligerents: my sleeping pattern vs. Cowley’s party animals. It’s a world war of epic proportions, waged violently in the early hours of the morning. NOISY NEIGHBOURS And this one goes out to noisy neighbours everywhere: you’ll be the first to go when this OxStu thing
pays off and I achieve Murdoch-esque global control. It’s 0th Week and I’m already overworked and tired and running out of Citalopram. Scratch that; it’s 2am on a Wednesday in 0th Week AND YOU’RE PLAYING DUBSTEP REMIXES OF BOB MARLEY. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? B U I LD I N G (MORE) SPIRES It’s not just noisy neighbours that are grinding my gears, it’s the fact that Oxford seems to be undergoing constant, ear splitting building work despite the city looking as if it hasn’t aged a day since 1600. The various trucks, drills, saws and cranes are accompanied by equally raucous builders, blaring out their radios at 7.30am which for students is a frankly ungodly hour. LIVING OUT LOTTERY Living out is like losing the Powerball, if losing meant a 99.999993% chance of living
Vagina: A New Biography It’s a good job that we don’t have our French family around at Christmas otherwise receiving a book entitled Vagina might have led to some interesting questions, especially with the artistic representation of the female genalia on the cover. Yet another of Naomi Wolf ’s bestsellers, Vagina: A New Biography, was published in 2012 so I’m a bit behind the times. For anyone who has even glanced at the cover of Cosmo or any socalled woman’s magazin, the obsession with sex is evident. Yet, this has often focuses on male pleasure, ‘10 tips on giving a blowjob’ and while it is improving, there is still a long way to go. In Vagina, Naomi Wolf seeks to redress this balance. Research into sex has been neglected but research into women’s sexual parts and sexual reactions has been especially neglected, leading to misunderstandings about their nature. Wolf highlights the intricacy of the female gentalia
in terms of the networks of nerves which vary from woman to woman, the ANS. She explains that woman have different amounts of nerves in their various sexual centres (vagina, clitoris, anus etcera). This is why women require different forms of stimulation, it is not lack of skill or their own inepitude as many women (see women’s magazines) worry. The book posits that there is a strong causal connection between orgasm and creativity, detailing female authors, artists and other creatives who wrote about their sudden inspiration following great sexual relationships in letters and journals. She says that some centres of the brain, such as those which make us worry, are dimmed when we orgasm whilst others ‘light up’, including those which
OXSTU LOOKALIKES
next to a Cowley drug den – or perhaps, as the Oxford Times kindly informs me, a brothel. Either way, the noise is killing me. I’ve got two collections and an essay for Monday, please stop. So I get out of bed and crawl next door in my dressing gown. Knock knock, Clarice. MARX MADNESS You’ve got a framed poster of Marx in your hallway. You’re wearing a Bosnian military jacket. When you say, “It’s just a party mate,” I’m not sure if you mean the music or the genocidal maniacs on your wall. You fucking idiot. The lingering weed in the air has achieved sentience, I think. BALLOT BLUES
JAMES BLUNT Blunt will forever be known as the singer of that heart-warming ballad, ‘You’re Beautiful’. His dulcet tones ringing out throughout the whole of 2005. He’s more used to playing Wembley Stadium than the Conservative Party conference but I’m sure he wouldn’t oppose to a rendition of ‘Goodbye My Lover’ on Tom Quad.
Overall my living out experience has been an auditory hell. I’m now left in my cold, noisy room cursing the ballot that has severed me from my college room I didn’t know I missed. Please take me back, college. I promise
Cliterary Theory make us more creative and inspired and just generally happier. Vagina also explores the depiction of the vagina throughout history and its perception in different cultures. Wolf expounds especially on the Tantric views of the ‘yoni’ (vagina) and the techniques they use. She analyses the various names given to the female gentalia and notes the tendency nowadays to use more violent language such as ‘gash’. Wolf suggests this contributes to the stress that women can feel surrounding sex, particularly when in their teens. The chapter on the ‘Pornographic Vagina’ is arguably the most pertinent to our generation. It suggests that the pacing of porn by prioritising PIV sex means that the foreplay, or the ‘Goddess Array’ as Wolf calls it, does not last long enough. This leads to female dis-
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DAN FREEMAN satisfaction as well as an impression that women should be able to orgasm solely through penetrative sex. Modern-day porn contrasts with 17th and 18th century erotica which focus on long and intricate foreplay, despite also being targeted to men. There are certain elements of the book which are highly problematic not only conceptually but in excluding transgender women and not really including lesbian sex. She does offer a disclaimer that she is not a scientist and is only using the current research on which to base her theory, which is far from complete and still controversial. In particular, I found the implication and sometimes explicit statement that the vagina equals femininity very uncomfortable. On that note, we have also recognised that the title of this article, ‘Cliterary Theory’, is exculsionary as is the logo and are in the process of thinking of innovative and humorous alternatives. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed Vagina and felt that it did go some way to redressing the balance and provided some interesting techniques which my partner and me may or may not have been trying out....
OUCA’s former Poltiical Officer will be forever known as the man who failed to convert Owen Jones to the Conservative Party. His distinct ‘Radio 4’ accent could be heard drifting delicately through the Tory conference hall and continues to delight listeners in Tom Quad.
GOT A LOOKALIKE?
email us at: oxstu.editor@gmail.com
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
OxStuff
Flashback Friday
17th May 2007
Excrement accident stinks out St Hughs A substantial amount of excrement was found on the floor of St Hugh’s laundry room on Monday morning. The excrement had also been smeared over the inside of a tumble-drier, where it had dried and stuck to the drum. John Wordsworth, a second year Medic at St Hugh’s, found the mess on Monday, two days after it was made. Wordsworth said, “I had the inauspicious honour of finding the poo. I just went in on a Monday morning to do my laundry and thought the room smelled a bit off. I found excrement in front of the drier and also smeared on the inside.” Wordsworth added that the smell was quite potent. “I’ve worked in a hospital before and know that it was undoubtedly human faeces so I
took my laundry and legged it as quickly as I could.” It is thought that the incident was the outcome of a drunken accident that took place on Saturday night, after the college bop. The mess was cleaned out on Monday morning by a scout, who was then given the rest of the day off. The accomodation and Facilities manager at St Hugh’s College, Charles White said “Unfortunately a member of staff was obliged to clean up after the incident, but was thereby given the day off. The incident was presumably caused by an individual who was either ill or extremely immature.” Laura Hutchinson, a second year studyig History, said, “I think it’s disgusting, I don’t think it is funny at all. I could have dried my
clothes in there. It is very irresponsible and immature. I hope they catch the person who did it.” It is beleived that the students have a general suspicion as to who the offender is but refuse to act on these suspicions. Several students have, however, confirmed that the offender is male. Ajay Ahluwalia, a first year lawyer who lives above the laundry room said, “If the College authorities were to find out, they would probably suspend him.” JJ Powell, a French and Spanish first year, said, “I think it’s hysterical but I feel sorry for the girl who put her whitewash in afterwards. But at least all of her clothes match now. You see a bit of everything in Oxford, but when it comes to poo in a washing machine I am
shocked.” The College, however, is not as amused and has started an investigation to find out if sutdents really do know who the offender is. They had no further comment on the issue. The JCR Vice President Andrew Hearn, a second year PPEist said, “The College was very disgusted, as were all the students. I can’t imagine the consequences if it were to happen again but I do hope it’s a one-off thing. I don’t think there will be any penalties as long as it doesn’t happen again.”
If Corbyn were your boyfriend... were your If JEZZA boyfriend, you’d have picked him mostly for the
banter (sik) and the beard (phwoar). But he’d surprise you with his hidden depths. He’d teach you how to be the sassiest muthafucka in Westminster, as long as you had the eyebrows for it. were your boyfriend, he’d be everyone else’s boyfriend as well, because it wouldn’t be fair for you to have a monopoly on our glorious leader’s sexual and romantic prowess. But the system would ensure that you’d get your fair share. were your boyfriend, you’d come home after a long, hard day at the office to find him reclining seductively on your bed with flowers woven into his beard and a copy of The Communist Manifesto between his teeth. ‘Paint me like one of your alienated petit-bourgeois females’, he’d say, fluttering his eyelashes and purring like a lion. were your boyfriend, you’d ride a tandem to work together, and then The Daily Telegraph would call you out for riding a ‘Pol Pot-style tandem bicycle’. But you wouldn’t care, because you’d know you looked on fleek. were your boyfriend, you’d come to love the colour beige. Every year he’d knit you a woolly jumper in a subtly different shade of it, and you’d nuzzle up by the fire in it, resting your head on his silky beard. were your boyfriend, you’d keep your diet proletarian most of the time. But every once in a while you’d let it all hang out and have a cheese orgy. Jez would use his contacts at the Parliamentary Group for
If JEZZA
Sam Sykes “imagines” what it would be like if Jeremy Corbyn were his boyfriend
If JEZZA
If JEZZA If JEZZA If JEZZA
Cheese to get you a smorgasbord of dairy delights, including the dankest Gruyere money can buy. It would be luxurious, and exploitative – but he’d find the guilt almost as delicious as the cheese itself. were your boyfriend, you’d get a pet robot, to avoid exploiting animals. But then you’d start to have qualms about the robot’s feelings, and his freedom, and you’d set him free into the wild, like a protective mother bear letting go of her kids. were your boyfriend, you’d check your privilege. Damn straight. You’d get a watch with a privilege hand tattooed on your wrist for ease of access. were your boyfriend, you’d learn to love the taste of dry baked potato and watery vegetable soup. After all, it’s better than the taste of CAPITALISM. were your boyfriend, you’d get jealous of his beard, and eventually you’d shave it off out of spite. And while it grew back his powers would be gone, and you’d feel terrible. were your boyfriend, you’d start spying on him to see if he was in fact a wizard. You’d never find out if he was, but the suspicion would always lurk at the back of your mind. were your boyfriend, he’d be really sweet when you started going out – he’d look you in the eye, he’d whisper sweet nothings, he’d listen attentively to what you had to say. Then he’d give all the senior cabinet positions to men, and you’d break up, consigning him to a cascade of angry rebound sex with his mate John.
If JEZZA If JEZZA If JEZZA If JEZZA If JEZZA If JEZZA
Overheard in Oxford “Brainwashing is not
pleasant.”
“No one is getting killed for this debate. I don’t want that on my CV.”
“Shit is fucked for some people and that’s how it is.”
A: “They will find you and kill you.” B: “That’s not too bad.”
“We’ve tweeted the Saudi Embassy without capitalizing Saudi or Arabia.” A: “He’s got a good life.” B: “You don’t know me.” A: “Peter’s has a sort of composite charm.” B: “Hmmmm, shit charm.”
Yak of the week “CHAT SHIT and get surprisingly good essay results.”
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talk 2: Living Advice and Information to help you during your Living Out year Building successful relationships with your housemates W.245mm H.320mm and yourxneighbours can make a big difference to your living out year. Full Page An Advisor from the Student Advice Service will provide key information and advice you should know while you are Living Out. They will also be available to answer any questions or concerns you may have. Ask your Common Room Welfare Officer to book a Living Out Talk
Email: advice@ousu.ox.ac.uk
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Features 35
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
Features The Unenthusiastic Vegetarian
Dinner in a dash
Food
David Parton
Features Editor So I’m a vegetarian. Great! But that’s about it really; I don’t eat meat. I’m not particularly excited by the many opportunities cutting meat of all forms, out of my life possesses. I could revolutionise the way I eat. Venture into new and exciting dishes, with foods I’ve never tried before as compensation for the lack of chicken or fish in my life.
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I’m the sort of vegetarian who gets meat-free mock-ups
But do you know what, I can’t be bothered. It’s too much effort. I know some people say that being a vegetarian is a lifestyle choice – and to some extent that is true, as it reflects my values and worldview – but it’s too much effort to go all out. I’m the sort of vegetarian who gets meat-free meat mock-ups, like meat-free burgers. I make Quorn-chicken stir-fry and meat-free mince spaghetti bolognaise. None of this fancy artistry with pepper-sculpting or exploring the 1000 ways to utilise a courgette. I’ll leave that to people with actual skill. Making exciting pastries filled with all the imaginable cheeses in existence sounds fun, but when I’ve got 2000 words to write in three hours, it’s just not practical. Whilst cheese has taken a big
new role in my diet (by cheese I mean cheddar and brie), I’m just not enthused by the opportunity to rebalance my diet now meat has gone. It’s true, I probably eat more fruit and vegetables than I used to, but I put no conscious effort into doing so. I removed meat from my diet, but didn’t seek to add vegetables in its place. I didn’t become a vegetarian for love of vegetables. My diet probably contains just as much chocolate, potatoes and pasta as it always did (just now with the removal of bovine gelatine sweets – perhaps the most insidious of meat products). I didn’t set out to explore meatfree foods. I just wanted to give up meat for three reasons. 1) It’s better for me – the health risks of red meat is proof enough. 2) It’s better for the environment, as the meat production industry is a major emitter of CO2 and deforester, and it’s also an inefficient use of the environment; if the same land was used for crop production, many millions more people could be fed. 3) It’s better for the animal as it’s not killed, in often inhumane and brutal conditions, or in some cases, with major repercussions on eco-systems, for example in relation to fishing. So yeah, I am possibly the most boring vegetarian in the world (I’ve never cooked couscous and only discovered lentils last term), but it’s ok. The main values and virtues of being vegetarian are still being observed. And in that respect, I’m as much a vegetarian as anyone.
Jamie Russell
Deputy Features Editor And I’m not one for New Year’s resolutions, especially where food is concerned. In spite of this I’ve realised that I desperately need to cook for myself more after Michaelmas saw me spend a terrifying amount on college food and takeaways. Cooking in a crowded and ill-equipped communal kitchen can be challenging but it becomes bearable with a microwave, a mug, and a few simple recipes.
Bacon
Crispy bacon can be prepared without a frying pan or grill. Lay a couple of sheets of kitchen roll on a plate, spread bacon out on top and cover with another couple of sheet of kitchen roll before microwaving for five minutes on high.
Chill Con Carne
In a large mug heat one tsp of vegetable oil with four tbsp of minced beef for one minute on high. To this add one tsp of chilli powder, ½ tsp cumin, ½ tsp of paprika, ½ tsp of cocoa powder, four tbsp of chopped tomatoes, and a small (227g) tin of kidney beans (drained and rinsed). Mix with a fork to break up the mince and cook on high for three minutes, stirring halfway through. This is a great winter warmer with some microwave rice or a jacket potato. If you don’t want to buy separate spices those listed can be substituted for two tsp from a prepared packet mix.
Beans on Toast
This student staple doesn’t have to be dull. Soften a handful of finely chopped onion and garlic in the microwave with a little butter or oil; add beans and one or two tsp of curry powder and cook for a further two minutes on high, stirring halfway through. Why not experiment with other spices, or even other beans? Butter beans with chopped tomatoes work brilliantly.
Scrambled Egg Image: Masahiro Ihara
Jazz Apples: The Real Musical Fruit Rob Pepper
Deputy Features Editor There’s a party in my mouth and only one genre of music is playing. Also no-one else is invited, that would be disgusting. Jamie Oliver’s would be the 1905 Revolution in comparison with this bona fide Bolshevik Uprising in the fruit bowl. When the Frankensteinian fruit scientists of New Zealand put a Braeburn to stud with a Royal Gala, they could not have predicted what the consequences would be. I learned about the concept of the Jazz Apple from my brother, proving, I suppose, that the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. With a 75 percent sales increase in four years, according to The Economist, the Jazz Apple fan base has blossomed from a core of fanatics into an orchard of admirers. Perhaps only the Pink Lady presents any
real resistance to the relentless march of the Jazz, but do not be deceived by her strumpet-like ways. The erroneously named Golden Delicious, the Cox (tenuous pun intended), those big red ones that decompose in your mouth; all are pipsqueaks in
Image: Gordon Joly
comparison with the mighty Jazz. After a head of acidic crunch, the taste crescendos into sweet honey, followed by a coda redolent of those sultry New Orleans evenings in which the Jazz Apple is rooted. The Jazz Apple phenomenon has riffed upon its successful
Food
theme. The Yarra Valley orchards in Victoria, Australia now produce a Jazz Apple cider. While some polemicists may question the efficacy of brewing a cider using apples designed for consumption, they should bear in mind the words of one reviewer: “Yes is [sic] does lack in tannins, but i [sic] don’t think that the Jazz Apple Cider is aimed at that end of the market.” Finally, in the context of budget cuts to NHS services, what would ministers not give to ease the workload of NHS medical professionals? As the famous adage goes: “An apple a day significantly reduces the need to consult a healthcare practitioner.” Just remember to keep your Jazz Apples in the fridge. That way they stay particularly crunchy.
Melt a little butter in a mug. Add two eggs, one tbsp of milk, and salt and pepper before beating with a fork. Cook on high for thirty seconds, remove from the microwave and break up the egg with a fork. Cook for a further ten seconds before breaking up the egg again, repeat this process until none of the egg is runny (twice more should do). These scrambled eggs can be eaten as they are or form a base to mix in further ingredients. Salmon and cream cheese, anybody?
Chocolate Mug Cake
For a sweet treat melt 30g of butter and 30g of milk chocolate in a large mug; with a fork beat one egg, two tbsp of sugar, and five tbsp of self-raising flour into the butter and chocolate; microwave on high power for one minute 30 seconds; and enjoy (once it has cooled a little). *Disclaimer: The OxStu are not responsible for any food induced injuries
Image: Meaghan O’Malley
Features
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
Travel Paris in a day Ariane Laurent-Smith Editor in Chief
Nothing like attempting a little slice of the impossible, but if you have the option, why not try? The best and most efficient way to travel, like in most metropolitan cities, is the very thing that takes its name from ‘metropolitan’: the metro. In Paris, the older metro stations have beautiful artdeco signage designed by Hector Guimard for its opening in 1900, as well as the more modern and practical signs. Whilst these were mostly clear, their distinct absence in the Gare du Nord meant we spent twenty minutes there looking for the left luggage lockers, plucking up the guts to ask the
SNCF people, despite having forgotten the French word for ‘left luggage’(it’s consignés). I then had to wait another twenty minutes for my travel companion, during which time I saw so many similar lost-looking passengers that I considered a sort-of signpost. I settled for playing a quick (not that quick it turned out!) game of guess the nationality. We started at Montmartre so we could climb the hill in the sweltering heat that builds around midday - great planning. Finding our way to Place du Tertre, which is filled with portrait artists and cafés, was remarkably easy despite nearly killing our legs and the view was definitely worth it. By this point, we were starving
Feminism, Japan and Me Jasmine CameronChileshe Features Editor
In a bid to put my English degree to good use and rekindle my love affair with East Asia, in the summer of 2015, I embarked upon a seven week teaching programme in Japan. From the mountainous bowls of octopus and copious amounts of sushi thrown my way, to the rampant gambling slot machines and the futuristic bullet trains, Japan never failed to surprise, inspire and excite me.
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I have joined in with assertive and belligerent rallying movements
But what I found most intriguing about Japan was that despite being the world’s second largest developed economy and in the midst of huge technological strides, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed at what I initially perceived to be an outdated approach to femininity, equality and womanhood. As a self-identifying feminist, within westernised Britain, I have become accustomed to and have joined in with the assertive and belligerent rallying movements for equal pay, reproductive rights and an end to FGM, to name a few. Wandering along the sprawling urbanised streets of Tokyo however, I was bombarded with ferocious advertising campaigns, perpetuating a rigid form of beauty which consisted of huge childlike eyes, a small face shape, porcelain white skin (in spite of the stifling temperatures up to 35 degrees), supermodel legs and a petite svelte figure all of which encompassed the idealised ‘kawaii’ image. Worse still, working at an all girls university, I was saddened to see firsthand the impact such images had upon young women, when one of my teenage students boldly asserted that ‘Western girls were naturally beautiful’ however, Japanese girls had to work harder
to achieve such beauty. All of this works in direct opposition to the ‘love yourself whatever your shape, colour and size’ mantra that has become so popular in western media. Furthermore, this emphasis on the kawaii aesthetic lends itself to a more disturbing trend in Japanese pornography. Pornography shops are extremely common occurrences in larger Japanese cities
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Underneath my superficial observations lies genuine inequality in Japan
such as Osaka, and are multiple stories high, filled with pornographic books, comics and DVDs that frequently depict a sexualised image of young women, dressed up as innocent looking underage girls in school uniforms. Underneath my superficial observations lies genuine inequality within Japan. Indeed, of the four host families I stayed with, there was only one family where both the mother and father were employed. In a recent study carried out by The Economist, after the birth of their first child, 70 percent of women abstain from work for a least a decade. Those who do choose to work make up 77 percent of the part-time low-skilled workforce, whilst the percentage of women in technical, managerial and corporate roles barely reaches double figures. Meanwhile, the estimated pay gap between men and women is around 40 percent Since the Meji period, women have been regarded as managers of their household and certainly now in modern Japan, the relationship between childcare, motherhood and the workplace is complex. The term ‘matahara’ has been dubbed to describe the discrimination faced by expectant mothers and mothers alike and there have been reports of employers actively discriminating against female workers in the expectation that they will evidently leave to pursue motherhood. In a
having foregone breakfast, and so settled for a small sandwich shop just off the square called ‘Les Galettes des Malins’. A mistake, never buy sandwiches in France, especially in peak tourist area, this may sound obvious but the food will be overpriced and a tad tasteless (I know, tasteless French food does exist!).
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Never buy sandwiches in France, especially in peak tourist area This slight niggle was quickly made up for when we made it to the Sacré-Coeur Basilica. It was only consecrated in 1917, so is a relatively new monument but it is simply stunning, with its blinding white, intricate and ornate walls and domes. To top it off, the view from it was even more extraordinary than from the Place de Tertre. We jumped on the Metro again to go to the Ile de La Cité, where some of oldest buildings in Paris
2014 study assessing overall national gender equality, The World Economic Forum ranked Japan 101st out of 145 countries. Comparatively speaking, the US is ranked 19th whilst the UK is ranked 25th in the world. In spite of such statistics, working as a teacher within Japanese schools and universities, I was astounded by the ambition and intelligence of all my students, both male and female and certainly to simply sit and write a list comparing feminism in the west and in Japan, would be naive and dismissive, completely undermining the uniqueness of Japanese culture and the progress that the country has and continues to make. The women’s liberation movement began in October 1970 when women marched through Tokyo’s streets to protest in favour of greater women’s rights within the domestic environment. Today, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has advocated a policy dubbed ‘Womenomics’ and has vowed to increase gender equality for the social and economic development of the country, labeling
Image: Moyan Brenn
are situated. Notre Dame de Paris had a ridiculous queue, trailing around the square and being stereotypically English we did not dare sneakily queue-jumping so we had to settle for seeing the outside, which for those who have seen it, is not too bad. So we went for ice-cream instead, which had the convenient consequence of getting us out of the glaring sun. We then metroed our way to Place de la Bastille, before relaxing in the shade of the small park in the Place des Vosges, the oldest planned square in Paris. It was also reputedly the home of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, as my mother warned me; I don’t know what kind of scenario she was envisaging! A stroll through the Tuileries then back to Montmartre for dinner at ‘Relais aux Gaston’, which specialises in South-Eastern French cuisine which provided un repas correct (a decent meal) which was at least authentic. Then goodbye to Paris…. women as ‘the most under utilised economic resource’ of Japan’. His goal is to increase female leadership positions up to 30 percent and to increase the percentage of women in the workforce to 73 percent by 2020. Indeed, small improvements have occurred. I witnessed the presence of single-sex carriages on trains, designed to provide a safe space for female commuters amidst thousands of incidents of harassment on public transport. Indeed, I spoke to young women who praised the introduction of harsher anti-stalking laws in response to high profile stalking cases. Abe’s policies are certainly aspirational, as to whether the changes have been felt on a day to day level by Japanese women however is still debatable.
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Women are at the forefront of cultural, political and economic debate As I became entangled in the
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Image: Ian Muttoo
chaos of Tokyo’s infamous scramble crossing on one of my final days, it was clear to me that Japan certainly has emerged as a global superpower. However, it is a superpower, uneasy about its relationship with women as ultimately, Japan is a dizzying array of patriarchal expectations, with an increasing desire to be economically competitive alongside a cultural need to maintain traditional gender structures. The huge targets and measures being put in place to rectify years of gender inequality are in my opinion unlikely to produce the quick fix results, the government so desperately desires. However, women are now at the forefront of cultural, political and economic debate and this in itself sends out a positive message, that women within Japan are not silent, unwanted and unappreciated but the essential key that will help the country unlock its potential for generations to come.
Analysis
40%
Pay gap between genders
Features
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
Lifestyle It’s time to give up alcohol (for now) David Parton
Features Editor The beating drum of the relentless march of time is constant. So being hungover every other day doesn’t help me maximise what little time I have before my next essay deadline, before I leave Oxford, before I die. In fact in relation to the last point, the cause of a hangover will actually reduce the time between now and death. Scary? Well I think so. Now, after so so so much alcohol, it’s time to call time on my consumption of alcohol. Anyone who knows me knows I like a tipple (understatement). Lots of people do. In the mythology of student life, alcohol is the elixir of life, seemingly the life blood of every waking moment. To make things worse, it’s engrained in the fabric of Oxford life. From bops to crewdates, subject drinks to formal hall, alcohol is everywhere. Alcohol flows through Oxford
like the Cherwell. And yet just when the presence of alcohol at Oxford, and I’m sure Cambridge and other universities too, is so evident, the requirement to be sober, responsive, and productive is greater than ever. To be on top of my game, I just physically can’t go out four out of five nights a week and sleep in until 10 am the next morning. There simply isn’t the time. So something has to give.
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I just can’t go out four out of five nights a week and sleep in until 10 am
It got to the point where I would genuinely savour sober moments, where I was fully sensitised to the world around me and maximise every interaction with Oxford I had. But it’s true, sometimes we need to desensitise ourselves
Jazz up your January Jasmine Cameron-Chileshe Features Editor
When I look back at my Hilary term last year, it was nothing short of dull. The excitement of freshers’ week had long since dissipated, aside from one glorious bout of snowfall in February, the weather remained damp at best and Arctic at worst, whilst my idealistic Michaelmas expectations of being enlightened by the written word were replaced by the realisation of the drudgery that is an Oxford English Literature reading list. I have a poor track record with New Year’s Resolutions and I am certainly no advocate of them. However I have ruthlessly stalked the internet, to gain a few bits of advice in order to help tackle the stress, exams, essays, collections, rainy days and dark nights, that Hilary term will inevitably bring. With this in mind, I wanted to share what I felt were the most useful tips to a busy Oxford student:
Feel Good Playlist
Start your day with a feel good playlist. Hundreds of studies have proven the soothing and therapeutic effect of music on the mood, and certainly pounding out the S Club 7 tunes on your way to that 9 am lecture is bound to give you those Park End Cheese floor vibes in no time.
Laugh Often and Always
Laugh often and always. Urban legend has it that the average child laughs 300 times a day, whether this is even feasible or true is still up for scientific debate. But the fact of the matter is, in the serious and at times stifling academic bubble that is Oxford, we could all do with learn-
ing from our younger counterparts. Whether you find humour in memes, Instagram accounts such as @kanyedoingthings (a personal favourite of mine), silly YouTube videos or old reruns of F.R.I.E.N.D.S, laughing loudly and often on a daily basis is a sure fire way to lift your mood.
Plan a Genuine Netflix and Chill
Plan a genuine Netflix and chill. All sexual connotations aside, planning a meal in with friends, a film night, an evening of sketching, will provide some much needed motivation when the sun has gone down and library slump hits at 4.30 pm.
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Planning a meal in with friends or a film night, will provide some much needed motivation when the library slump hits
from Oxford. Student life at Oxford is hard. Really hard. And for many, including myself, alcohol is an escape from the massive reading list to be completed in two days, or ever approaching finals. But it’s not good for me, and it really isn’t for you either. Now, I don’t want to sound all preachy (believe me I’ve drank enough for both of us), but this month the UK’s Chief Medical Officers’ research indicated that any amount of alcohol consumption can increase the risk of cancer, stating that there is no safe drinking limit. I guess we all knew that really, but what of it? Will this deter anyone? Probably not. I do believe alcohol has benefits, even despite its risks to health and safety. But it was after a very heavy New Year’s Eve that I finally realised that alcohol had to go. So I’m doing Dry January. By this point I’m quite into it – it was easy at home – but can I complete it? It’s tough. To go three weeks of term without a drop... Can you imagine it? However for me, I see it as an opportunity- an opportunity to reconnect with sobriety and rediscover the benefits of full consciousness, to minimise my susceptibility to illness and to maximise my encounters with the true wonders of Oxford life; finding the joys in life without drinking. If I last, who knows? I may even give it up for good.
Image: Juan Pedraza
The Slump before (and after) Xmas Jamie Russell
Deputy Features Editor One of the most disorientating things about short Oxford terms is how early many of us arrive home for Christmas. After secret Santas, final tutes, Christmas dinner and the frantic, post-bop rush to pack and vacate college rooms; we collapse at home, exhausted but more or less in the Christmas spirit. That is when it sets in: “Oxmas” was only last week. Christmas is still three weeks away and no one understands why you’re feeling so festive. This shock can generally be overcome by getting some rest, doing some Christmas shopping and maybe even starting vac work. After a couple of weeks friends at other unis arrive home and everyone begins to agree with you and Noddy Holder: it is, in fact, Christmas. Christmas and Boxing Day are a different variety of chaos in every
Sleep Your Way To Success
Sleep your way to success. Whilst the temptation to stock up on a toxic mix of energy drinks and coffee in order to get through a ‘stressay’ is tempting, lack of sleep has been proven to increase weight gain, stress and reduce creativity and decision making ability. However, Dr Mednick, writer of the book Take a Nap! Change your Life advocates a twenty minute power nap during the day in order to increase concentration and alertness and most importantly elevate one’s mood. So whatever your Hilary term brings, don’t forget to take care of yourself.
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Image: Dan Kitwood
household with general trends of starting drinking far too early, exchanging gifts, eating far too much and falling asleep while watching appalling television. After that, though, comes the second slump, the awkward silence that falls between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Is it acceptable to play Christmas songs? No one knows. Should you brave the sales? Probably not. Should you go out come New Year’s Eve? Definitely not. But many will, very many will, a few might enjoy it and even fewer might remember it. Clubbing on New Year’s Eve is generally one giant, expensive game of sardines with a large group of people who you don’t really know or particularly like. The truth is that getting legless and playing daft party games are generally activities best done with friends and family in your own, or better yet, one of their homes. As hangovers fade a third and fi-
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Clubbing on New Year’s Eve is generally one giant, expensive game of sardines nal slump sets in: this one. New Year’s resolutions, which we know we won’t keep, are made here. Foremost amongst these is that we will do more work which we promptly try to instil in ourselves by finally attempting to do a month’s worth of vac work and revision in the fortnight before term. Hillary brings us out of this final slump with a jolt. There are collections to be sat and battels to be paid (those two were definitely listed back to front). In spite of this it’s good to be back. It’s good to be back amongst those dreaming spires and back amongst friends.
Sport
The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
Oxford Sport
In brief...
Wadham top Premier League With the JCR Premier season about to restart, it is Wadham College who find themselves dominant within the college football world. Spearheaded by captain Benjamin Williams, the light blues lead St Catherine’s by two points going into Hilary. St Hugh’s might have to accept the inevitability of their relegation, with no points from five games. In the Women’s First Division, the joint Keble/Hertford side are level on points with Mansfield Road Women, but are kept off the top spot by the latter side’s impressive 15+ goal difference.
Men’s fencing dominate Bath The Oxford fencing team achieved an impressive result in their last game of the term, routing Bath away from home, winning all three weapons (Sabre, Foil, and Epee). The 135-90 victory foilowed an equally dominant perfomance from the women’s seconds, who trumped Keele by the score of 133-87.
Blues victorious in Varsity Rugby Oxford Blues
12-6 Cambridge Blues
Oxford Women
Cambridge 0-52 Women
Oxford Greyhounds 50-5 Oxford Whippets
Cambridge LX Club
Bristol 29-27 Freshers XV
Shared honours in Varsity skiing Despite high-level athletic competition not being on most people’s minds as hoards of Oxbridge students descended on Val Thorens, both Varsity Races and Cuppers took place. In the women’s races, Benedetta Pacella continued her threeyear dominance of the slopes, leading her Cambridge side to victory over the dark blues. In the men’s however, Corpus Christi first year Josh Deru made sure honours were even at the first team level, propelling his side to a comfortable victory. In the skiing Cuppers, a distinctly more amateur affair, Oriel College, with a team heavy on uni racers, ran out as victors without breaking sweat.
Sport news to share? Contact us at: sport@oxfordstudent.com
Predicting the unpredictable season Adam Hilsenrath Sport Editor
It hardly seems prudent that, half way through the most unpredictable Premier League season imaginable, and with the transfer window yet to really get going, one should be making any predictions for the rest of the season, with the risk of being hoisted by one’s own petard very real indeed. Yet, after the annual bumper holiday run of league football, broken up only by the 3rd round of the FA Cup, it’s time to fulfil that seasonal tradition of Premier League predictions for the end of the 2015/2016 season.
1st: Man City
Though City missed Kompany at first, they’ve improved in their last few games, and their comparatively immense pool of talent, seeming rather more motivated than last season, could prove the difference. I might as well have flipped a coin between Arsenal and Manchester City, but in my mind City’s experience grinding out the results come the end of the season will just about see them through.
2nd: Arsenal
Arsenal’s quote of the season is that they may not get a better opportunity to win the league for a while. They’ve got their injuries, and a lack of rotation may make things difficult but their starting XI are relatively intact. Arsenal are traditionally seen as the harbingers of their own downfall and though a potential upcoming exit from the Champions League may help, I still see them being pipped by City after 38 games. Just.
3rd: Tottenham
Arsenal’s friendly neighbours have been consistent, and increasingly impressive, with but one loss since their first game of the season; not to mention that Harry Kane is on fire. Turn a small handful of draws into wins in the return fixtures, and Tottenham should be sitting pretty in the Champions League next year. Dark horses for the title.
4th: Man United
Van Gaal’s so-called boring style stopped producing the results that would justify it, and Manchester United started to look like Chelsea did a few games ago (before their narrow defeat of Swansea). United are going to need some serious improvement and some consistency to get back into the top four but a lack of consistency from some of the usual frontrunners might save their season if not their manager.
5th: Leicester
The neutral’s heart longs for Leicester to win the league; scoring in every game until Boxing Day, and losing only two all season so far bodes well, but their lack of depth in comparison to title rivals like City will cost them, in addition to the seemingly unending view that at some point this wonderful insanity must stop. With chaos throughout the league, they could well still hold on to 4th, and what a magnificent story that would be. It would hardly be a disappointment to play Europa League football after last season’s great escape.
6th: Liverpool
Klopp’s arrival has brought in five wins, three draws and four losses in the league. Performances are showing glimpses of what the new high-pressure game can bring, but it’s hardly
much better than the inconsistency of the late Rogers era just yet. If they keep their sudden plethora of striking options fit, the results could well keep coming, but the top four may be a little out of reach this season, despite the frenzy of the league.
7th: Chelsea
Chelsea have given themselves a vast mountain to climb. Under Mourinho the players gave less than they should have done even if unmanaged and untrained; for that, Champions League football next year is almost certainly out of the question. If some of the unexpectedly successful clubs keep it up even a Europa League spot might be a challenge.
8th: West Ham
West Ham were winless in seven before reeling off victories against Southampton and Liverpool, after a really strong start to the season. Expect a little more stability in results for the rest of the season, and though they may fall just shy of the Europa League spots, it would be an impressive debut season for former Croatia manager Slaven Bilić.
9th: Crystal Palace
In any other season, Palace’s form and consistency in getting them to 5th on Boxing Day would be one of the stories of the league. Alan Pardew has done a phenomenal job with the Eagles; all he needs do is keep up whatever he’s doing to recreate their brilliant performances and a European football berth could be waiting in May.
10th: Stoke
Stoke have been magnificent this season, and all credit goes to Mark Hughes. With some nifty signings, the manager has produced a side that has done the job on Chelsea and both Manchester clubs. Hughes announced a reluctance to rush into buying anyone in January, only if the ‘right players’ come along, and it doesn’t look like he’ll need all that much.
11th: Watford
Watford have been one of the stories of this astonishing season. Quique Flores has produced a team that gels superbly and works unbelievably hard on a weekly basis. They have a little less depth than the teams around them, which may cause them to drop a few places, but not too many if their brilliant performances continue.
12th: Southampton
It’s been a disappointing season for Southampton so far, with the side that finished 7th last season languishing in 13th after fairly consistently unexciting performances this season. There have been signs of improvement, not least their 4-0 demolition job on Arsenal; more of the same, and a better second half of the season is in order, though they still may come up somewhat short of last season’s heights.
14th: West Brom
West Brom had one win in seven before grabbing six points from
Opinion
Newcastle and Stoke, but have had a solid enough season and are now nine points clear of relegation, with a cushion of five teams. That breathing space means that there aren’t too many worries for the Baggies.
15th: Swansea
Where did it all go wrong for Monk? Swansea started so brilliantly with eight points in August, but victory against West Brom on Boxing Day was their second in the league since then (the exception being at Aston Villa). The consolation, as it has been all season, is that the performances haven’t been completely lacking quality, and fortune simply hasn’t been on their side; if their execution continues as it has all season, relegation shouldn’t be an issue in May.
16th: Bournemouth
Bournemouth’s rise to the top of the Championship last season with their small stadium and budget, their team ethos and the Football League manager of the decade in Eddie Howe won the hearts of many neutrals. However, fears for their survival in the Premier League appeared justified as they struggled for results, despite turning out brilliantly on a weekly basis. One loss in their last eight games has changed all that, and should Howe keep working his magic, Bournemouth will be playing in the Premier League again next season.
17th: Norwich
Alex Neil is another great young manager of a newly promoted club. And Norwich’s good results haven’t been in batches, but spaced out throughout the season, which is always a good sign. Three wins in four, including an impressive away performance at Man United, has lifted them from the bottom three, and if performances continue, they should remain that way on May 15th.
18th: Newcastle
Newcastle kept faith with McClaren when they seemed destined to finally fall on the wrong side of the relegation line, and since October the Magpies have finally provided some hope. However, it is still a slim hope that has receded a little since back to back wins over Liverpool and Spurs. The success of the promoted clubs hasn’t helped and this might not be the season for Newcastle fans.
19th: Sunderland
Whilst Sunderland have improved under Allardyce, that says very little. The black cats had three points before the end of October, and didn’t pick up any points in December. In the recent
13th: Everton
Lukaku scored in seven consecutive Premier League games, but the inconsistency of the team around him is such that they only managed two wins from those seven. Everton need to shore up defensively and produce some form if they want to move up the table, otherwise a mid-table finish is the likeliest finale for the Toffees.
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Santi Carzola’s Arsenal are flying high at the top Image: Ronnie Macdonald
Hazard has yet to score this season Image: @cfcunofficial
defeats at Man City and Chelsea they looked absolutely woeful. They’ll need a few good signings in January to save themselves, but even that might not be enough.
20th: Aston Villa
By far and away the easiest prediction to make: eight points from 20 games is unacceptable for any team in any league. In fact, it’s really five points and no wins from 19 games. No wins as of yet for Garde, but it seems Villa are a lost cause regardless of who is in charge.
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The Oxford Student | Friday 15th January 2016
Can Jones’ England banish World Cup woe? Josh Stickland
Deputy Sport Editor
Let’s be honest, any supporter of a Six Nations rugby team would have been bitterly disappointed after RWC 2015. Scrumfuls of ‘what ifs’ and ‘if onlys’ all round. Teams were broken, coaches questioned (or moved on in the case of Stuart Lancaster and his team), belief irrevocably shattered. The Welsh put in a valiant effort to overcome hosts and arch-rivals England, but ultimately came up short against a Du Preezinspired South Africa. The Irish, looking forward with glee to an ‘easy’ pathway to their first ever semi-final at a World Cup, were blitzed apart by the dazzling Pumas and their scintillating back three. The English fell flat on their faces at the first hurdle of the group stage, in a campaign overshadowed by the family-dividing question: ‘to Burgess or not to Burgess?’. The French were utterly bulldozed by an admittedly phenomenal All Blacks team, and Italy once again failed to make an impact on the world stage. Finally the Scottish, perhaps the most heartbreaking tale of all, were cruelly denied a spot in the last four by a Craig Joubert refereeing mistake. The Six Nations 2016 presents a fresh start, a return to the drawing board to try and figure out how on earth to wrestle the coveted William Webb Ellis trophy from New Zealand’s grasp come Japan 2019. The key is establishing the right philosophy early on. It is no longer enough simply to win the Six Nations. It is the style of victory which must now become paramount. Ireland may have successfully retained their Six Nations crown in 2015, but their game plan of accurate, tactical kicking coupled with a strangling defence ultimately came unstuck against the attacking verve of Argentina. It is this creative ability with the ball in hand, admittedly coupled with a solid defence, that Sir Ian McGeechan amongst others identified as a major factor behind New Zealand’s world cup triumph. To copy such a style identically would perhaps be foolish, given rugby is akin to a religion to many Kiwis from the moment they can walk. A trip to YouTube to see Julian Savea’s
exploits as a Rongotai College school boy paints a staggering picture of the quality of rugby from a young age on the islands. But the way to win Test matches on the big stage is to score tries, and to couple any creative spark with the confidence and nous to manage the outcome of a game: qualities the Six Nations teams severely lacked at RWC 2015. To focus on the English side, now that Sam Burgess has slunk back to Australia with his tail between his legs, Eddie Jones has a fantastic opportunity to harness the immense talent on
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Robshaw came up short both as a No.7 and as a captain display around the Premiership into a world-beating team (I daren’t open the tin of worms that is the RFU’s overseas ‘nonselection’ policy). Some stars did hold their heads up at the World Cup, the dazzling feet of Antony Watson springing foremost to mind. Joe Launchbury, despite little game time after coming back from injury, also cemented himself as a world-class athlete and a leader for the future. Yet there were also fundamental failures. The scrum, long prized as the English’s most potent weapon, was taken apart by the Welsh; it is high time the donkey Dan Cole is cast aside in favour of the highly promising talents of Kieran Brookes and Henry Thomas of Bath. Robshaw, an honourable character who gave the jersey his all, regrettably came up short both as a No.7 and as a captain once again; the decisions made in the dying moments against Wales still frequently haunt the dreams of many Englishmen. Please Eddie, let’s pick an out-andout openside in the No.7 jersey and leave Christopher to ply his trade on the other flank, where his phenomenal work rate will earn the plaudits it deserves. The captaincy, then, must be moved on too. The tenacious Mike Brown and the Martin Johnson-esque Joe Launchbury seem to me to be the most likely
candidates. Dylan Hartley is the bookies’ favourite at the moment, but how a man who clearly has the temper of a small child (he has been banned for a total of 54 weeks in his career for offences including biting, gouging and abusing the referee) could even be considered as England captain shows just how muddled English rugby has become; without even mentioning that Hartley is currently struggling to get into the Northampton side. Stuart Lancaster’s selection U-turn during the World Cup marred the back division in controversy, which took away from the fact that England have some truly exciting, young players in their midst. George Ford was jettisoned mid-tournament in favour of Mr Reliable Owen Farrell, and since then his form with Bath has stuttered, perhaps as a result of this knock to his confidence. But let’s not forget, he was the star of an England side which scored 18 tries in the 2015 Six Nations, and with his creative eye and timing of the pass possesses an X-factor that Farrell simply doesn’t. If his form doesn’t pick up, why not give the increasingly impressive and much matured Danny Cipriani a run out, recently man of the match against Wasps. Australia demonstrated the huge benefits of including a second distributor (aka Matt Giteau) in the backline, and Henry Slade of Exeter, sadly injured for this
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Unlimited substitutions could Eddie Jones will face his firstfor test give greater opportunities as England coach in February underused players like goalkeepers Image: Utter Rugby Rant
year’s tournament, seems to fit the bill perfectly. Capable of playing across the backline, the brief glimpses of class and ability he offered in England’s first warm up game against France should more than convince Mr Jones that he should be involved in any long term plans. England’s back three were beacons of hope amidst a dreary World Cup, and though Jonny May has been confirmed out of the Six Nations 2016, the trio of Nowell, Watson and Brown should kick on and establish themselves as a trulyworld class attacking threat. Let’s hope the respective Six
Nations’ coaches throw caution to the wind and blood some new and exciting players in this year’s tournament. Despite the failures of the World Cup there is talent aplenty, and with all to play for in this new ‘post-McCarter’ era, it’s high time the rugby fans of Europe were given something to cheer about. If all else fails, there is the mouth-watering prospect of Sonny Bill Williams and other stars battling it out against the stunning backdrop of Rio de Janeiro, as rugby sevens makes its bow at the Olympics 2016.
England will hope to turn Twickenham into a fortress again Image: Alessio Bragadini
Cam Newton leads the way for Panther’s title bid Continued from back page combined with the returning wide-receiver Julian Edelman, the frighteningly monstrous tightend Rob Gronkowski and the creative genius in Head Coach Bill Belichick, it would be a brave man who would rule out the Patriots this season for what could be consecutive Super Bowls. On the other hand, last year’s runners up and the 2013-14
champions the Seattle Seahawks could, despite being a wildcard team, go all the way. Poor offensive play-calling cost them victory last year, but with the offensive force of quarterback Russell Wilson and returning running-back Marshawn Lynch, no team will want to play the Seahawks on route to Super Bowl 50. The Seattle secondary defence, dubbed the ‘Legion of Boom’, is not what it once was in
their Super Bowl winning season, but with Kam Chancellor, Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas still in the Seahawks’ ranks, they will be more than equipped for victory in Super Bowl 50. The rather inconsistent Denver Broncos have the awesome Peyton Manning back at quarterback, very few teams could live with an on form Arizona Cardinals’ or Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense on their
day, while the Kansas City Chiefs come into the playoffs on a 10 game winning streak. The truth is, this could be anyone’s year. If this is to be a fairy-tale end to a fairy-tale season for Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers, only one thing is certain – it will be tough. In the playoffs, where so many games are decided by mistakes, Newton’s expansive game may count against him - even during his stellar year,
his penchant for the extravagant still remained his Achilles’ heel. It may be that the cool-headed nature and experience of players such as Peyton Manning and Tom Brady may give them the edge in the playoffs, yet either way, Carolina’s chances rely on a performing Newton. SuperCam’s temperament will be tested to the maximum, and if he passes, then the sky will be the limit for Carolina.
Premier League Predictions Adam Hilsenrath, Page 38
Looking ahead to the Six Nations Josh Stickland, Page 39
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Honours even but impressive performances in Varsity cross country Varsity
Newton is the favourite for NFL MVP honours after leading his Panthers side to a 15-1 season. Image: Keith Allison
Can Superman win the Superbowl? Sam Morris Staff Writer Without doubt, Cam Newton has been the biggest talking point of the NFL season. The Carolina Panthers’ quarterback, nicknamed ‘Superman’ or more recently ‘SuperCam’ due to his almost inhuman ability to both throw and run the football, has been a revelation on the pitch this season and looks like an almost certain MVP winner. Newton may not have the dashing looks of Denver Broncos quarterback Brock Osweiler or the legendary status of the New England Patriots’ Tom Brady, but do not have any reservations about his popularity across critics and fans alike. Between the heart-warming act of presenting a child fan with the football after each one of his 10 rushing touchdowns this season and winning over the internet with his elaborate celebrations (much to the chagrin of opposing teams), Newton has certainly gained a cult following, but also made the pivotal transition that is applicable to any sport: from the archetypal ‘ris-
ing prospect’ to bona fide star, not only an inspiration for millions of aspiring athletes, but a veritable cash crop for the hypercommercialised NFL. After leading the Carolina Panthers to a 15-1 regular season (the best record in the entire NFL), Newton has been tipped to take Carolina all the way to Super Bowl 50. Should Newton do so, it would only be Carolina’s second appearance in a Super Bowl, the other coming in 2004, a game more widely remembered for Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction, while a victory would provide the franchise with their first ever Super Bowl crown. As a college player, Newton was outstanding. Newton remains the only player in the modern era to win the Heisman Trophy for best college footballer, a national championship and be selected as the first overall draft pick in the same year. Yet many wondered whether Newton would just be another who never reached the heights he was so clearly capable of, remaining a frustrating farrago of raw talent and unfulfilled potential. Yet, Newton proved many of his critics emphatically wrong, playing with a maturity that belied his rookie status. Debut games are never easy. Unless your name is Cam Newton. Becoming the first rookie quarterback to throw for 400 yards in their first game was only the first indicator of the success that Newton would
see in his first season, breaking the rookie records for total yards and touchdowns on his way to the Pro Bowl. Four seasons and two more Pro Bowl selections later, Cam Newton is now regarded as the leading ‘new age’ quarterback, those that can throw but also have a substantial running ability too, giving defensive coordinators around the NFL nightmares week after week. No stat can demonstrate Newton’s incredible versatility greater than his career total forty-three rushing touchdowns, an incredible feat for a quarterback, equalling Steve Young’s record. Newton has equalled this record in five seasons. It took Young 15. Moreover, Newton’s emergence has a significance that relates beyond the narrow confines of the game. One of the worst archaisms about the modern NFL is the unfortunate demarcation between its black and white players and their shoehorning into the ‘athleticism’ and ‘skill’ positions respectively. Newton, a black quarterback, thus transcends this categorisation, shattering stereotypes in doing so. As a player, Newton is exceptional. This season, Carolina have almost been flawless. But can they earn their first set of Super Bowl rings? Newton has been well supported in offense by the formidable tight-end Greg Olsen, receiving well over 1000 yards this season, while although the wide-receiving unit may suffer from a dearth of
houehold names, the touchdown quota has been more than shared throughout the roster. Defensively, Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis have been a dominant force in the NFL, recording 223 tackles during their season-long rampage, while the emergence of Josh Norman, possibly the best cornerback in the NFL this year, has shored up a ropey secondary. .
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The Panthers surely have a considerable claim to the NFL title Offensively intimidating, defensively ruthless, in a season widely claimed to be the most open in a generation, the Panthers surely have a considerable claim to the NFL title, and all the accompanying. But the NFL Playoffs can be a cruel mistress. Teams need not a second chance to end another’s Super Bowl dreams. Each and every team shares the same unbreakable belief: that this, is their year. Despite losing four out of their last six games, it is forever a mistake to write off the New England Patriots. Led by the indomitable Tom Brady, a true legend of the game having appeared in six Super Bowls, winning a magical four,
Continued on page 39
Jack Evans Staff Writer Oxford University Cross Country Club (OUCCC) bounced back from a 5-0 defeat in 2014’s IIs-IVs Varsity to comprehensively win this year’s event 3-1. On Saturday 28th November the men’s IIs, IIIs and IVs emerged victorious on home soil at Shotover, whilst the women’s IIIs faced a narrow defeat. Controversy surrounded the result of the women’s IIs race which, although won by Oxford on paper, was nullified by representatives from the opposing clubs after a Cambridge runner leading the race deviated from the course on the last lap and subsequently did not finish the race. Cambridge blamed a marshalling error and maintained that they could have won the overall race had their runner, far ahead of the field, continued. However, this hardly takes the gloss off five Oxford runners finishing in the top seven. Oxford’s victories were underpinned by outstanding individual performances, notably by Joe Selley, Dan Mulryan and Cameron Taylor making up the top three of the men’s IIs and Toby Clyde, Miles Weatherseed and Michael Constante following suit in the IIIs. Support in the form of Oxford runners packed close behind them sealed emphatic overall victory in both races. 5th December saw the Blues teams compete at Wimbledon Common in the 2015 Varsity races. In the Ladies’ Race, Cambridge took individual and overall victory by a margin of 23-38. Although Sophia Saller (2nd) and Bethanie Murray (3rd) starred for Oxford, the Light Blues occupied places 4-9, which saw them home to victory. Contrastingly, Oxford won 27-55 in the Gentlemen’s Race to record their 63rd and in the process overtake Cambridge in the overall standings. The Dark Blues’ winning margin was the widest since Cambridge’s in 1995. Impressively, Miles Unterreiner (Oxford) won the race while William Christofi, Alexander Howard and Jamie Parkinson completed an Oxford 1-2-3-4, a feat that has not been achieved since 1993 by either team.