The
OXFORD STUDENT Friday 10th November 2017
oxfordstudent.com
Vol. 81, No. 6
Tariq Ramadan takes leave of absence Facebook
Oxford’s offshore funds exposed in Paradise Papers Daniel Mahoney Deputy Editor
Janet McKnight
Liam Frahm News Editor
Following a series of accusations of sexual misconduct, including against minors, Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies at St Antony’s College Tariq Ramadan has taken a leave of absence “by mutual agree-
Features
Earthy Eats returns: A review of Westgate’s ‘Pho’ p.12
ment” and “with immediate effect.” In a statement, the University said: “An agreed leave of absence implies no presumption or acceptance of guilt and allows Professor Ramadan to address the extremely serious allegations made against him, all of which he categorically denies, while meeting our principal concern – addressing heightened and under-
standable distress, and putting first the wellbeing of our students and staff.” The move comes after new accusations surfaced from four Swiss women, who said that Ramadan made sexual advances against them while teaching in Geneva. One of the women, speaking to Tribune de Geneve newspaper, said
that Ramadan made unsuccessful sexual advances against her when she was 14 years old while another alleged that he had sexual relations with her in his car when she was 15 years old. The other two women were 18 at the time of their alleged sexual relations with him and have accused
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Édouard Boubat: the twentieth century’s secret pioneer of photography p.16
Art & Lit
Stage
Leaked documents from the Paradise Papers have revealed that Oxford and Cambridge Universities and almost half of all Oxbridge colleges have invested tens of millions of pounds in offshore funds. Notably, these investments include a joint venture to develop oil exploration and deep sea drilling. The Guardian revealed this week that both universities have invested millions in private equity partnerships based in the Cayman Islands, a notorious tax haven. Papers marked as “trade secret and confidential” show that Oxford invested $3.4m in Guernsey-based private equity firm Coller International in 2006, with money put in two separate funds coming both from the university itself and individual colleges. One of these funds, Coller International Partners V, was the largest of its kind worldwide, attracting over $4.8bn of capital from nearly 200 public institutions. The fund’s largest investment of around $1bn went to oil and gas company Royal Dutch Shell, with a joint venture, the Shell Technology Ventures Fund, in turn investing in “production and exploration” techniques. Oxbridge funds went to companies specialising in drilling rigs designed to “reach hydrocarbons in deeper horizons”. These revelations come amid mounting pressure for both Oxford and Cambridge to cease investing in fossil fuels. In 2015, Oxford announced it was exiting from coal and tar sands following discussions
An interview with the director of Candide p.19
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Editorial 2
The Oxford Student | Friday 3rd November 2017
STAFF LIST Editors-in-chief Alex Oscroft Rosie Shakerchi
Deputy Editors Daniel Mahoney James Evans Katrina Gaffney Madeleine Taylor Tara Snelling Verity Winn
News
Charlie Willis Liam Lucas Anisha Faruk (deputy)
Comment
Lizzie Deane Siddharth Jayaprakash Danielle Dean (deputy) Norbert Rebow (deputy) Will Evans (deputy)
Alex Oscroft Mansfield
Revelations about wealthy individuals and organisations investing in dodgy offshore funds to avoid tax are hardly unexpected or surprising, but the news of Oxford and Cambridge’s involvement in those schemes hits closer to home. It can be easy to ignore or diminish stories about Bono or the Queen avoiding taxes when you almost expect them to, and their lifestyles are never going to be anywhere near your own, but – certainly for me, at least – having the university you attend and live in included on that list makes the issue that much more pertinent. We probably shouldn’t be surprised – Oxford and its colleges number among the wealthiest institutions in the country, with endowments measuring into the billions from centuries of wealthy benefactions
and donations. From the University’s point of view, it might seem natural to maximise the returns they can get on their money, to re-invest in research and buildings and all the other stuff that makes Oxford unique. But it’s difficult to justify that when the university seems to be making no attempt to actually invest in those things. In the last two months we’ve heard about the astronomical pay of the vice-chancellor; the stagnant wages of professors across the university and higher education in general; and the chronic underfunding of access initiatives in Oxford. It rankles so badly because this institution seems so unwilling to actually meet the demands of the current climate. That’s why the work we, its students, do, is so important in making sure Oxford represents those it was established to teach.
COMMENT Saudi Arabia’s shifting religious policy
Investigations Aaron Robertson
Profile
Nicholas Linfoot Tobi Thomas
Features
Caitlin Law Penny Young Marina Hackett (deputy)
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Art & Lit
Abigail Eardley Sree Ayyar Isabella Cullen (deputy) Queeni Li (deputy)
Stage
Anya Gill Bethan Spencer
Screen
Eve Lytollis Richard Tudor Irina Boeru (deputy)
Editorial
Music
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Rosie Shakerchi St Catherine’s
Oh, fifth week. The just-past-midway point of the intense Oxford term. When you’ve been here over a month but Oxmas still feels so far out of reach. When friends at other universities experience what seems like a luxurious extravagance of a ‘reading week’, while you mimic the silent scream of the Bodleian gargoyles. When the Sisyphusean build-up of missed lectures and untouched reading lists starts to roll back down the hill and squash you - every bit of work becoming cumulatively harder as it relies on all those ‘unimportant’ bits you skipped. I won’t deny, calling it ‘Fifth week blues’ can trivialise the serious mental health issues occurring here - pretending it’s the fault of this particular time of the Oxford term (‘everyone gets fifth week blues, so I’m fine right?’) can prevent students
spot light SPORT Hamilton wins an historic 4th Title
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seeking the help they need. It also verges on a self-fulfilling prophecy, as we all expect to be swamped in work, making small tasks seem impossible and random misfortunes seem part of the weird torturous game Oxford is playing on you this week (yes, I’m blaming this morning’s 7:45am fire alarm on fifth week, so sue me). But I also won’t deny appreciating the unique ability it gives to spend a few days in that glorious strand of self-care, wallowing: holed up in our rooms, munching magic stars, Spotify’s ‘Life Sucks’ playlist on repeat while trawling through a year’s worth of Open Dogsford posts and missing pets at home. There’s so much pressure to ‘make the most’ of your time at university, to appreciate these ‘best years of your life’ (ugh), that there’s a relief to this week where just getting through it is seen as a success.
SCREEN Analysing the Game Theory of The Dark Kinight
20 STAGE
Reviewing Candide at the Oxford Playhouse
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LETTER TO THE EDITORS Dear Alex and Rosie, There are few pleasures in life as pure as gobbling on an avocado bagel. You can imagine our displeasure mid-gobble when we read the bizarre threat printed against us in last week’s issue. You have no idea what a can of worms you have opened now. Challenges to our imagination are not taken lightly. If war is what you want war is what you will get. I will have you know the Socialist Party Offensive Operations Ninja Section has been given the nod. SPOONS is a force to be reckoned with. What that means will soon become apparent. Spoons regards,
Spoons
Dear Spoons, If I’m honest with you I’ve completely lost track of what’s going on here. All I wanted out of this was a quick OxStuff article, and now my life’s been turned completely upside down. Members of your organisation keep standing outside my home and threateningly downing pitchers and chanting, and meanwhile there’s some other cult forming in order to try and combat you that keeps leaving black spots everywhere? I’ve only been out of the house in the last week to film Come Dine With Me, and have spent the rest of the time trapped in my own home out of fear. Can we please call some sort of ceasefire to this madness, or at least keep me out it? Yours exhaustedly,
D. Mahoney
News 3
The Oxford Student | Friday 10th November 2017
Oxford’s slick investments Continued from front page with Oxford SU, but the University continues to invest in other fossil fuels. 2016 also saw hundreds of academics signing letters to both Oxford and Cambridge to implore them to cease investing in hydrocarbons and instead adopt an “evidence-based, morally sound investment policy that serves the needs of the future”. Oxford SU sabbatical officer Tom Barringer said in a statement: “We believe that the University of Oxford should not invest in or accept money from sources of which its student body has repeatedly expressed its disapproval. That the financial affairs of the University, in particular its record of investment and accepting donations, should be as transparent as possible. The launch of these papers show the importance of transparency around university and college investments, including divestment from all fossil fuels (not just coal and tar sands) and the use of offshore funds.” In response to these leaks, Oxford have responded by saying that offshore investments are “commonly used in the investment industry, including higher education endowments globally”, and that they ensure “robust oversight” over their investments.
Chancellor Lord Patten criticises university safe space Anisha Faruk Deputy News Editor
Chancellor of Oxford University, Chris Patten, has branded safe spaces and no platforming policies at universities as “fundamentally offensive”. Patten, cross bench peer and last governor of Hong Kong, made the remarks whilst speaking at the Oxford Union, accusing those who ban or censor controversial public figures of “denying one of the most important roles of a university in a free society”. He said: ”I was in Hong Kong three or four weeks ago, talking to young men and women who face going to prison because they argue for free speech, and I come back to Britain and I find that people want universities to be full of safe spaces where you can’t speak your mind. “There is a huge difference between having an argument with someone and having a quarrel with them. It’s one of the reasons that I find safe spaces at universities or no-platforming so fundamentally offensive. “It’s nothing to do with my view of what university should be like. University should be regarded as liberal, with liberal values of free speech.” His comments are similar to those he made during the Rhodes Must Fall
campaign when he told students to “embrace freedom of thought, or think about being educated elsewhere.” Vice-chancellor of Oxford, Louise Richardson, has also spoken out on the issue of free speech on campuses. Speaking on Radio 4 last year, she argued that “universities are the place where we should hear any legal speech and should demonstrate to our students how to confront speech they find objectionable and safe spaces are stopping that from happening.” Richardson has also criticised no platforming culture and the removal of the Cecil Rhodes statue at Oriel College. Whitehall is currently weighing up whether to introduce a crackdown on universities that permit “no platforming”, a practice it wants to end. Powers will be given to the recently established Office for Students (OfS) after a consultation which is currently in the process of deciding its remit. Jo Johnson, Universities Minister, has suggested the OfS could be given powers to fine, suspend or de-register universities that fail to make a clear commitment to maintaining free speech on campuses. His brother and current Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, was the subject of a no platform campaign by students at King’s College London. In a letter sent to universities in March, Jo Johnson said it was the
“legal duty” of universities to ensure that freedom of speech is secured for “members, students, employees and visiting speakers.” He also said: “It is important to note that the duty extends to both the premises of the university and premises occupied by the students’ unions, even when they are not part of the university premises.” Recently, the debate on free speech has been reignited at Oxford after protestors organised a demonstra-
tion at a discussion panel hosted by anti-abortion student society ‘Oxford Students For Life’. St John’s College, where the event was being hosted, called the police who escorted the protestors out of the event. Balliol JCR executive committee also came under fire this term for banning Christian Union representatives from their freshers’ fair. A JCR motion was passed condemning the decision as a “violation of free speech”.
James Yuanxin Li
Ramadan suspended by Wolfson Fellow Dr Matthew Levy University after rape claims sues University over bullying claims Continued from front page
him of abusing his position of power as their teacher. Last month, Ramadan was accused of rape by French feminist author Henda Ayari, who claimed last week that Ramadan told her, “either you wear a veil or you get raped”. She told Le Parisien that “he choked me so hard that I thought I was going to die.” He also faced two further accusations last month, with one woman, who reportedly has a disability, accusing him of a “terrifying and violent sexual assault,” while another claimed he sexually harassed her in 2014 and blackmailed her for sexual favours. Ramadan denied these accusations and filed counter-charges for libel. Last month, he wrote in a Facebook post that a new suit would follow “within a few days, in response to the campaign of lies launched by my adversaries.” “These accusations are simply false, and betray all the ideals I have long strived for and believed in,” he said. In further statements on Facebook, Ramadan has claimed he is being targeted by “a campaign of slander clearly orchestrated by my longtime adversaries” and had been advised by his lawyers not to comment further. Director of the Middle East
Centre Eugene Rogan has warned against jumping to quick judgements about Ramadan. He told students: “It’s not just about sexual violence. For some students it’s just another way for Europeans to gang up against a prominent Muslim intellectual. We must protect Muslim students who believe and trust in him, and protect that trust.” Ramadan became a professor at St Antony’s in 2009 and previously worked on a taskforce to tackle extremism in the UK following the 2005 7/7 London attacks. He has also worked with the Foreign Office’s Advisory Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief.
Liam Frahm News Editor
Dr Matthew Levy, a Fellow of Wolfson College, is suing the University, claiming that he was discriminated against after rejecting an older professor’s advances. He claims he was the subject of a bullying campaign by Professor Peter Norreys, where Norreys “micro-managed [Levy’s] work, expenses and travelling.” Levy was a member of the Newton Fellowship and earnt his Fellowship at Wolfson after winning sponsorship from the Royal Society in 2015. Atanemploymenttribunal,Levysaid: “In September 2016 I was pursuant to the university’s policy and procedure regarding harassment and bullying. “I raised a grievance against Professor Peter Norreys for unwanted
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sexual harassment and victimisation when I thwarted his advances. In the months after, he said Norreys’ supervision “went far beyond that which was required under the conditions. “The conditions of my fellowship did not require the university or my supervisor to monitor my research and progress in such detail, or on such a regular basis as it occurred in reality. “In an investigation meeting relating to my grievance, Prof. Norreys stated that I ‘had a habit of not telling him’ what I was doing. This is simply untrue. “He referred in his investigation meeting to the fact that he wanted to be able to ‘interrogate’ me about the progress of my work. “In October he informed me in an email that my absences were having a detrimental effect on my productivity and they must stop immediately.
“The absences Professor Norreys was referring to related primarily to the invited presentations I gave in the name of the university and the department, which he needed to, and did, approve. “Professor Norreys also approved my expenses and travel plan. “Professor Norreys had ultimate control of the training I took as well as over the progress of my Newton Fellowship projects.” Malcolm Bradbury, speaking on behalf of the University’s Department of Physics, said that the university had never issued Levy with a contract of employment and that this was not stipulated in the Fellowship contract. However, Judge Andrew GumbitiZimuto concluded that he was satisfied of Levy’s employee status with the University and that the tribunal had jurisdiction. He then set the full hearing date for April next year.
News 4
The Oxford Student | Friday 10th November 2017
Bitesize ‘One-stop’ shop helpline now available for Your weekly roundup of university, research and city news New bipolar treatment begins phase two testing SPI-1005, an oral drug designed to help in the treatment of bipolar disorder, has entered its second stage of testing under Oxford University’s Department of Psychiatry and Sound Pharmaceuticals (SPI). The drug is intended to tackle reduction in Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx) which is present as part of both certain neurotologic diseases, including sensorineural hearing loss, ototoxicity, neurotoxicity and Meniere’s disease, and some neuropsychiatric disorders including bipolar, schizophrenia and autism. The treatment of bipolar disorder has historically been made difficult by the side effects of lithium, a mainstay in treating the disorder, which significantly limit the drug’s dosage. Professor of Psychopharmacology and Principal Investigator of the study, Philip Cowen, said: “Patients with bipolar disorder and resistant depression need additional treatment options to better manage their illness especially in the chronic phase.”
Charlie Willis Leiden Square officially opens on Saturday To commemorate Oxford’s longest twin city link, Leiden Square, Westgate, will officially open on Saturday. To recognise the 70th anniversary of the twinning the Square, part of the new £440 million Westgate Centre, will be officially named by Councillor Jean Fooks, Lord Mayor of Oxford, and Henri Lenferink, Burgemeester of Leiden, and marked with a mosaic. The Lord Mayor of Oxford Councillor Jean Fooks said: “It’s lovely to have this recognition of the twinning link at a time when it’s important to maintain a close relationship with our twin cities in Europe. The mosaic is a fine way of marking this friendship and will serve as a reminder of it for visitors to the Westgate Centre for years to come.” The mosaic commissioned for the square is designed by the artist group Klick, which includes three young artists: Lauren Baldwin and Tamsin Corrigan from Oxford and Emma van Noort from Leiden.
Liam Frahm
Oxford residents to keep homes warm Charlie Willis News Editor
A free helpline has been made available to residents of Oxford for advice and referrals to cope with cold temperatures this winter under the “Better Housing, Better Health” (BHBH) scheme. Fuel poverty, which affected 12.8 percent of households in Oxford in 2015, is primarily caused by low household income, high energy prices and poor energy efficiency of homes. The effect can be seen in data from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE): while the rise in winter deaths for those in the warmest 10 percent of homes was 0.9 percent for every degree Celsius drop in external temperature, in the coldest 10 percent of homes the rise in deaths was 2.8 percent. According to data from the Of-
fice for National Statistics, there were 24,300 excess winter deaths last year, a rise of 15 percent compared to non-winter months. Oxford City Council is strongly encouraging other parties including healthcare and medical professionals to refer people at risk to the helpline, with their consent. They can then be assessed for eligibility for energy bill discounts, grants and other funding, income maximisation and other council services. Councillor Marie Tidball, Board Member for Young People, Schools and Public Health, said: “Nobody should be spending their time in cold homes this winter. I’m especially worried about the impact cold homes has on people with disabilities, cardiovascular and mental health problems, older people, pregnant women and households with young children. “We need everyone in Oxford to be aware of the Better Housing Better Health helpline and
contact it if they or anyone they know can benefit from its services. It is important to prevent
deaths and illnesses in Oxfordshire that result from people unable to heat their homes properly.”
Mike Peel
Antibodies may be a Cost of honorary degree cause of schizophrenia ceremonies revealed Carla Fuenteslópez Staff Writer
Professor Belinda Lennox, from Oxford University’s Department of Psychiatry, has led a “radical” medical investigation which suggests that patients who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia might actually be suffering from immune malfunctions and could, therefore, be treated with immunotherapy. Lennox said: “We have shown that 8.8 percent of people with a first episode of psychosis have an antibody in their blood that may be responsible for their illness. The only way to detect these antibodies is through doing a blood test, as patients with antibodies do not have different symptoms from other people with psychosis.” Such a discovery offers fresh hope of new treatment possibilities for people experiencing psychosis, as quick identification and removal of antibodies associated with encephalitis - inflammation of the brain - leads to a dramatic improvement in condition and often complete recovery. The study analysed blood samples from 228 individuals presenting “first-episode” psychosis and suggested that certain “rogue antibodies”, present in one of 11 patients sectioned for psychosis, could actually be affecting memory and triggering hallucinations and delusions. Immunotherapy - effectively
flushing out antibodies in tandem with immune system suppression- was tested on nine patients with antibodies identified. The results were a “dramatic, if not total recovery,” and this method potentially could offer effective treatment for certain patients. According to World Health Organisation reports, at least 26 million people live with schizophrenia worldwide. Sufferers often lose touch with reality and experience delusions. Additionally, they frequently face stigmatisation. Although the causes of schizophrenia are unknown, episodes appear to be associated with variations in the levels of certain brain chemicals. Stressful experiences and recreational drugs have also been linked with schizophrenic episodes in the past.
Claude TRUONG-NGOC
Anisha Faruk
Deputy News Editor
Oxford University has recently revealed the cost of their honorary degree ceremonies, which runs into tens of thousands of pounds. Last year, £23,846 was spent on organising the events including £5,387 on an honorands’ lunch and £9,795 on honorands’ travel expenses. A spokesperson for the University defended the expenditure saying: “Oxford and many other universities around the world believe honorary degrees are an important and appropriate way to publicly recognise and celebrate excellence and achievement across all walks of life.” £37,701 was spent on a single lunch for Aung San Suu Kyi, de facto leader of Myanmar, after the conferring of her honor-
ary degree at St Hugh’s in 2012. Since 2012, £6,950 has been spent on choirs, £4,000 on trumpeters and £2,662 on hiring gowns. Paying for the travel expenditure of honorands has cost the university £41,844. Kate Cole, president of the Oxford SU, has criticised the expenditure saying: “In a time of increasing pressures on budgets of student services we would want to see as much money as possible being spent on developing the student experience and the quality of education. “We would question whether spending the equivalent of four undergraduates’ tuition fees for the year on a single lunch was value for money.” Garrick Taylor, President of the Oxford University and Colleges Union (UCU), commented: “We do have concerns about how much money was spent on a single lunch in 2012 and feel that the University should further explain and justify this, especially at a time when pay was being restrained and pension benefits cut.” The Encaenia ceremony, an annual celebration where Oxford awards honorary degrees to distinguished individuals and commemorates its benefactors, takes place in every ninth week of Trinity term. The Bodleian Library closes for a ceremony where the Chancellor confers honours on successful figures and is followed by an extravagant lunch in All Souls College and a garden party. Attendance is limited to senior figures of the university.
News 5
The Oxford Student | Friday 10th November 2017
Blavatnik academic argues Trump protest led to ‘excommunication’ from Oxford University Anisha Faruk Deputy News Editor
Professor Bo Rothstein has claimed that he was “excommunicated” from Oxford University after his resignation over a university patron’s support for President Donald Trump’s inauguration. Rothstein had been the Blavatnik chair of government and public policy and the Blavatnik school of government still lists him as a faculty member on its website. The school was established by the university after a £75m donation from the Ukrainian-born billionaire, Leonard Blavatnik. Rothstein resigned in August after claiming Blavatnik’s donation of £1m to Trump’s inauguration committee made his position indefensible. Rothstein said the school insisted he leave immediately rather than serve out the standard notice period of a full academic term. In a letter to Vice-Chancellor Louise Richardson, Rothstein complained that he had been banned from the school and from contacting his students.
In the letter, Rothstein said: “This policy of excommunication stands in conflict with the principles of academic freedom and freedom of expression. “According to these principles, I have the right to resign and also have the right to state my reasons for resigning to whomever I want without being banned from my workplace. “I think the leadership of the school should have used this situation as a teaching moment for faculty, staff and students to educate them that in academia we do not expel people with whom we disagree … The way this has been handled may be typical for a private business organisation, but the idea of academic freedom speaks another language. “I cannot imagine that the University of Oxford wants to be known as a place where the prize for criticising one of the major donors to the university is excommunication.” Richardson says she has asked her chief of staff to look into the matter. Rothstein welcomed her response but also said: “My experience from other people in
her position in matters like this is not, shall we say, encouraging.” Richardson commented on the issue: “My reply to a private letter from Professor Rothstein should not be interpreted as implying that I have concerns about the actions taken by the Blavatnik school. I have every confidence in the leadership and governance of the school, but when an academic writes to me as Professor Rothstein did it is only right that I take steps to make sure I am aware of the facts of the case. A member of my office is in touch with the
Blavatnik school in order to understand the sequence of events.” The Blavatnik school said it was saddened by Rothstein’s “false allegations”. “Professor Rothstein’s resignation made clear that he wished to disassociate himself from the Blavatnik school of government. So we were surprised to learn that Professor Rothstein wanted to remain in Oxford and in the pay of the school until December. When he proposed to the dean of the school that he base himself in Nuffield College, she agreed.”
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Robots helped Trump Council’s Oxford2050 win, OU study suggests consultation begins Carla Fuenteslópez Staff Writer
A study by academics from Oxford University suggests that President Donald Trump “might not have won last year’s US presidential election if it wasn’t for robots taking up an increasingly large proportion of the labour market.” Although technology has the ability to drive prosperity for mankind at large, it can also leave individuals behind “to vegetate in the backwaters of the stream of progress.” Similar to the Industrial Revolution in Britain, where a sizable share of the workforce lost their jobs to technology, employment and wages decreased in US labour markets as a result of robots. According to Carl Benedikt Frey, one of study’s authors, 47% of US jobs are at high-risk of being replaced with automation in the forthcoming decades. If this trend continues, it is expected that - by 2050 - 24 percent of “prime-aged” workers will be out of employment. The risks are even greater in South East Asian countries: more than half of workers will be at risk in the next two decades, according to the International Labour Organisation. Interestingly, the study shows that the areas most affected by job losses in the US are also some of the ones that had the highest support for the Trump campaign.
After the election, several reports were published in which Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton was credited with receiving several million more votes in total than Trump, but that Trump’s had a strong support base in rural areas, which typically have greater electoral sway per citizen. The study estimates that, had robot implementation been just two percent lower over the 2011-2015 period, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin - which voted Trump - would have instead favoured Clinton. This, if other results remained unchanged, would have given her a majority in the Electoral College and therefore the presidency. According to another study cited in the paper, US citizens feel “a deep-seated antipathy” towards automation. Seventy-two percent of people surveyed fear a future in which computers and robots will take over more human jobs while 85 percent favour more restrictive policies regarding automation. A solution, taking a leaf from the book of South Korea, involved taxation. The country is the most heavily-automated country in the world, having more than one robot for every 19 hightech manufacturing employees. In an effort to ease job losses derived from automation, South Korea revised its taxation laws to limit incentives for companies investing in robots.
Liam Frahm News Editor
For the next five weeks, Oxford’s residents and businesses will be asked for their views on wide-ranging aspects of city life as part of a consultation into what the city should look like in 33 years. The major themes listed are work, community, environment, transport and culture and locals will be asked to decide which area should be prioritised. One example question given is, “should most people be moving around the city in 2050 using autonomous pods, mass transit systems or perhaps bicycles?” The information collected will be used to create a “vision statement” called Oxford2050 to outline the city’s aspirations. The final document will be published in March 2018 and aims to pull together residents, businesses, charities, local authorities and organisations including the universities into one unified direction for the city. Government forecasts suggest Oxford’s population will be 180,000 by 2040 and potentially 190,000 by the middle of the century. The programme is part of the Council’s attempts to manage the 18 percent increase in population and is set to underpin future policy on investment in housing, economic and leisure developments across the city. While other cities in the UK - such as Edinburgh, Bristol and Mil-
ton Keynes - have created similar long-term visions, Oxford has not yet done so, with the council’s Corporate and Local Plans covering four and 20 years respectively. Dr Phil Clare, Head of Knowledge Exchange, University of Oxford, said: “Research from the University of Oxford will underpin many of the innovations which will change life in the next 30 years. We are already working with the City Council to ensure that this benefits Oxford citizens, for example through the Smart Oxford programme. Oxford 2050 is an excellent opportunity to develop a shared vision for the city which is dynamic and offers quality of life for everyone. To maintain our position as a globally leading university we must be part of a successful and sustainable city and we will continue to work with the City Council to play an active role in this process.” However, the programme has not pleased everyone. Green Group leader Councillor David Thomas said: “The future starts now and the City Council have proven spectacularly bad at putting in place policies which are anything other than short term. Take, for example, air quality which is deteriorating as a direct result of poor planning. Or, our dire housing shortage due to years of under investment. Yes, let’s think about a positive vision for 2050 - but this must start with the honest recognition by the Council that what they are doing now is - in many instances - making things worse.”
Oxford researchers carbon dates fake whisky Oxford University researchers used carbon dating to prove that an unopened bottle of whisky, labelled as an 1878 Macallan single malt, was fake. The story blew up on social media after Zhang Wei, a popular Chinese author, posted on Weibo about his experience ordering a glass of the Macallan’s for more than $10,000. Zhang was at the Devil’s Place bar in the luxurious Hotel Waldhaus am See in St Moritz, Switzerland, which is renowned for its extensive collection of rare whiskies. After pictures circulated online, experts reached out to the hotel concerned about the legitimacy of the bottle. Researchers at Oxford University carbon dated the label and cork, finding it was probably from the 1970s while Andy Simpson, co-founder of Rare Whisky 101, found the bottle filled with blended whisky, probably distilled between 1970 and 1972. After hearing the news, hotel manager Sandro Bernasconi personally flew to China to reimburse Zhang.
Liam Frahm Conscious Charity Ball announced On 19th November, a charity ball aiming to raise money for mental health charities ‘Mind’ and ‘Rethink’ will be held. Named ‘Conscious’, tickets for the ball will be open to students of both Oxford and Cambridge; with the event itself taking place in a secret location between the two cities. Aside from raising money, the ball organisers hope to raise awareness of the various issues surrounding mental health. On their website, they argue that “UK mental health statistics are unacceptable” and that “there is still a long way to go with regards to changing attitudes” – especially at the universities. Oscar #worldpeace has been named as one of the ball’s headliners. Tickets are available on the event’s website: www. consciousball.co.uk and cost £75 per head, £1 of which being donated to the ‘What’s a pound?’ homelessness mental health campaign. Each university member is allowed to purchase a maximum of four guest tickets.
OxStu News Team
News 6
The Oxford Student | Friday 10th November 2017
Oxford researchers believe humans and aliens may have more in common than previously thought due to evolution Charlie Willis News Editor
Researchers from Oxford University have theorised that alien predictions can be supported using evolutionary theory. Under this theory, alien life could be shaped by the same processes as human life, including natural selection. The theory, published as “Darwin’s aliens” in the International Journal of Astrobiology, supports the idea that extraterrestrials undergo natural selection and evolve over time. Sam Levin, researcher for the Department of Zoology, said: “A fundamental task for astrobiologists (those who study life in the cosmos) is thinking about what extra-terrestrial life might be like. But making predictions about aliens is hard. We only have one example of life - life on Earth -- to extrapolate from. Past approaches in the field of astrobiol-
ogy have been largely mechanistic, taking what we see on Earth, and what we know about chemistry, geology, and physics to make predictions about aliens. “In our paper, we offer an alternative approach, which is to use evolutionary theory to make predictions that are independent of Earth’s details. This is a useful approach, because theoretical predictions will apply to aliens that are silicon based, do not have DNA, and breathe nitrogen, for example.” Species complexity on Earth developed due to major transitions, where a group of organisms develop into higher-level organisms, such as when cells transition into multi-cellular organisms. It is commonly accepted that extreme conditions are required for a major transition to occur. Levin added: “We still can’t say whether aliens will walk on two legs or have big green eyes. But we believe evolutionary theory offers a unique additional tool for try-
ing to understand what aliens will be like, and we have shown some examples of the kinds of strong predictions we can make with it. “By predicting that aliens undergone major transitions - which is how complexity has arisen in species on earth, we can say that there is a level of predictability to evolution that would cause them to look like us. “Like humans, we predict that they are made-up of a hierarchy of entities, which all cooperate to produce an alien. At each level of the organism there will be mechanisms in place to eliminate conflict, maintain cooperation, and keep the organism functioning. We can even offer some examples of what these mechanisms will be. “There are potentially hundreds of thousands of habitable planets in our galaxy alone. We can’t say whether or not we’re alone on Earth, but we have taken a small step forward in answering, if we’re not alone, what our neighbours are like.”
Helen.S.Cooper
UK Councils invest billions of workers’ pensions into fuel plans
City Council announce Remembrance Day plans
Lucy Clay
Liam Frahm
Staff Writer
UK councils invest £16.1 billion from a total £287.9 billion - of workers’ pensions into fossil fuel companies, according to data released this week. The information, released by 350.org, Platform, Energy Democracy Project, and Friends of the Earth, ranks local councils by their fossil fuel investments and allows residents to see each company or fund their local authorities have invested in. Manchester, Dumfries and Galloway, Torfaen, Hammersmith and Fulham, and Merseyside authorities are among the most exposed to fossil fuel investments. Investments in fossil fuels have increased by market value - from £14 billion - since 2015 and have not changed significantly in proportion to
Tony Webster
the size of the pension funds. However, the figures show that councils have not made any significant changes to investments following calls to take climate risk into account after the Paris Agreement on climate change. Jane Thewlis, a West Yorkshire Pension Fund member and activist said that, “our pensions are investing in the companies responsible for the climate crisis. This flies in the face of the Paris Agreement, and of all the efforts being made locally to reduce emissions and combat climate change. It’s time to divest.” Some local councils have already made commitments to cleaner energy and Lancashire County Pension Fund became the first to invest in community energy in the UK after Lancashire County Council invested £12 million into Westmill Solar Cooperative, a community owned solar farm. Also, Waltham Forest Councillor Simon Miller noted his pride con-
cerning Waltham Forest’s commitment to divesting from fossil fuels. He argued that “our pension funds have a key role to play, not only in making our economy greener and our communities healthier, but as driver of sustainable, future focused investment in local areas.” In June 2017, UNISON, the largest trade union representing local government workers in the country, passed policy to “seek divestment of Local Government Pension Schemes from fossil fuels over five years”. UNISON is represented on the boards of a number of the council pension funds and argue that local councils can take an important step forwards in challenging climate change by divesting funds. Reinvesting this money into renewables, housing and public transport, they argue, is a feasible as a sensible strategy for long term returns and building safe pensions for workers.
News Editor
Oxford’s annual Remembrance Sunday Service will take place at the War Memorial in St Giles on Sunday 12 November from 10am to 11.30am, the council have announced. The Armed Forces, British Legion, ex-service men and women, and cadets will start to assemble from 10am at the junction of Beaumont Street and St Giles before marching up to the War Memorial for 10.30am. The Mayoral procession will leave St John’s College at 10.30am, with the military pro-
Katie Hunt
cession in place for the service to start at 10.40am. The wreath laying and the two minutes of silence will follow at 11am to pay respect to members of the armed forces who have died in the line of duty. Councillor Jean Fooks, Lord Mayor of Oxford, said: “The annual Remembrance events provide us all with an opportunity to remember and pay our respects to those who have lost their lives in the service of their country. I should like to invite everyone, from all of Oxford’s communities, to come to the service in St Giles on Sunday.” On Armistice Day, Saturday 11 November, there will be a short service from 10.45am in Oxford Town Hall led by the Lord Mayor.
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Comment 8
The Oxford Student | Friday 10th November 2017
COMMENT
Saudi Arabia’s shifting religious policy: why you should care Saudi Arabia’s influence means its transition to ‘soft Islam’ will have an impact across the Muslim world Siddharth Jayaprakash Comment Editor
There was a time – the early 2000s to be exact - when the fact that the only country the State of Qatar shared a land border with was Saudi Arabia was a cause for amusement not consternation. Although the tiny peninsular nation could not compare – yet – to the lavish spread that life in Dubai could be described as being, the residents of Qatar were reminded every time they crossed the SaudiQatar border that they were living in an oasis in the middle of the desert. Our Land Rovers and Mitsubishi Pajeros would park a kilometre or two from the checkpoint and the men would get out while the women changed into their burkhas - unless you were white, in which case you could dispense of such formalities. For 30 minutes or so, we would check our vehicle top to bottom for any pictures of Hindu gods and goddesses that might mistakenly have found their way into our baggage. Even CDs of devotional songs were dangerous. Saudi Arabia had strict rules regarding the proliferation of ‘foreign’ religions and even visitors on transit were not exempt from the rules concerning the smuggling of religious materials. Once we were across the border, we could look forward to an hour’s ride to the border of the United Arab Emirates. In that hour we would be greeted by signs at regular intervals warning visitors that non-Muslims were banned from Mecca and that if we were found on the road to that holy city with-
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out a valid excuse we would be prosecuted. Every now and then we could expect to be overtaken by SUVs well over the speed limit, loud Arab folk blasting music out of their open sun roofs. Finally, just as my mother would begin to complain about having to wear a burkha on top of the heavy layers of her sari we would see the UAE border check post come into view - our bizarre mini-adventure had come to an end. We were back in civilisation, where women could drive and flogging was kept to a bare minimum.
The USA’s discovery of how to make shale oil drilling efficient will perhaps be regarded by historians as the turning point for women’s rights in the Arab world Saudi Arabia has always been labelled a country of extremes. Aramco – the world’s most valuable company – is based here, but at the same time the rule of law is practically non-existent for most immigrants especially those from South Asia. Riyadh, its capital, is a city of stunning skyscrapers that rival those in the West but it contains parks where bachelors are not allowed to enter. There are private company enclaves in places like Jubail filled with foreigners where women can usually wear what they want and mingle freely with the men, while closer to the main population areas the strict guardianship laws would put them in trouble for the same. There was even a time when the religious police – the Mutawas – could put a man behind bars for chewing gum in the day during the month of Ramadan, but thankfully their powers have been greatly curtailed recently. But perhaps what is most insidious about Saudi Arabia is its soft power. This is a quality that is not felt much in the West where the problem is quite the opposite – it is Islamophobia that is the issue here. But in many areas of South and South-East Asia, Saudi Arabia is the trend-setter for Islam. Ever since the 1950s, when starving Keralites crossed the Arabian Sea to find jobs in the Gulf, they have brought back with them new ideas of what Islam entails. The moderate version of Islam indigenous to
the area was slowly replaced by the Wahhabist version of the prophet’s doctrine. Suddenly, Hindus and Christians were ‘kaffirs’ or infidels. A ‘Muslim League’ - modelled on the Muslim Brotherhoods found in many Middle-Eastern countries – was set up, and went on to win major elections. There was also a tendency to conflate speaking in Arabic and being a true Muslim. Basically, as the most successful of the Islamic nations – not to mention the caretakers of Mecca - Saudi Arabia had earned the power, in the minds of many South and South-East Asians, to decide the direction that Islam would take. It is in light of this powerful position that Saudi Arabia holds that the true impact of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s promise to change the country’s culture to one of ‘moderate Islam’ can be gauged. The easy manner in which he issued his statement in a recent interview with The Guardian belies the difficult nature of the enterprise he proposes to embark upon. It does not take a Nobel Prize-winning economist to tell you what is currently wrong with Saudi Arabia. Despite being among the richest countries in the world, the country’s economy is geared solely towards the extraction of its mineral resources. The human development index may be high, but that statistic tells us nothing about the anaemic nature of the entrepreneurial culture in the country. Coupled with an inefficient and overbearing regu-
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selves having to enter into partnerships with local citizens many of whom know nothing about running a business. Every South Asian in the Middle East knows at least one story of a man swindled by his business partner who then had to spend years in jail because of a breach of contract. The development of a marketplace of ideas is essential to encourage entrepreneurship in any country, but it is difficult to form one when an oppressive religious culture censors most ideas. That is precisely what Prince Mohammad is endeavouring to change.
There was a time when Prince Mohammad’s liberal policies and ideas of cultural revolution were considered a fringe element in Saudi Arabia’s political landscape
latory system and a close to nil recognition of substantive civil and political rights, Saudi Arabia is one of the worst places in the world to try and start a business. Another significant deterrent is the fact that it is close to impossible to register a company of your own in Saudi Arabia if you don’t happen to be a citizen – permanent residence is not enough. But citizenship is similarly impossible to get and is closely linked to conceptions of race. One does not become an Arab just because he or she happens to be born in Saudi Arabia – hence one does not become a citizen by birth. So enterprising businessmen from other parts of the globe find them-
But what is interesting is that there was a time when Prince Mohammad’s liberal policies and ideas of cultural revolution were considered a fringe element in Saudi Arabia’s political landscape. The House of Saud has always had liberal members educated abroad who subscribe to Western ideologies and dress up for Ascot. But there was a clear distinction between what the House of Saud could do and what the general public – always under the watchful gaze of the Wahhabist maulvis and other religious clerics – could do. But Prince Mohammad aimed to destroy this distinction. It was only in 2015, when oil prices suddenly fell dramatically, that his
fringe policies gained support. The political elite realised that in a world where the OPEC could not single-handedly determine global oil prices, Saudi Arabia was less immune to external changes. No longer could they implement increasingly authoritarian laws and remain unconcerned by any potential global backlash. In this brave new world, they would need alternative sources of income for which foreign investment is necessary. And for foreign investment, a certain degree of pandering to the global community and its values is a prerequisite. In a nutshell, the USA’s discovery of how to make shale oil drilling efficient will perhaps be regarded by historians of the future as the turning point for women’s rights in the Arab world. Saudi Arabia has always been a relatively unique country filled with contradictions. But it has also always wielded an almost disproportionate say over not only the world economy through the price of oil, but also world politics through its claim of being the protectors of Islam. The latter is a claim that was challenged when the Islamic Revolution in Iran 30 years ago put the Ayotollah in power, which explains not only the country’s political rivalry with Iran but also why it took a decisively radical turn around that time, consequently affecting global perceptions of what Islam should be like. But the incentives are different this time around. The global economy has never been more connected, and with the OPEC a mere shadow of its previous self, the softening of Saudi Arabia’s internal policies may just usher in an Islamic renaissance.
Comment 9
The Oxford Student | Friday 10th November 2017
As Kevin Spacey’s house of cards collapses, he hides behind homosexuality Tony Wilkes Staff Writer
Another facet to the sexual abuse and harassment scandal sweeping through the entertainment industry (and beyond) emerged recently in a BuzzFeed article. The piece contained allegations from the openly gay actor, Anthony Rapp, against the two-time Oscar-winning, House of Cards star Kevin Spacey. During a party in Spacey’s apartment in 1986 when Rapp was aged 14, Rapp claims the older actor came into the bedroom where he had gone to watch TV, scooped him onto the bed then lay on top of him, holding him down by force until Rapp managed to “squirm” away. Whilst Rapp’s accusations were no doubt prompted by the saga of sexual predation stories dominating the headlines, there is a significant difference in this case – this is a claim of same-sex assault against a celebrity long rumoured to be gay. Within hours of the story being published, Spacey issued a statement: “[I]f I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behaviour”. However, it was the next paragraph that made Spacey’s statement not only more complicated, but greatly disturbing. The allegations have prompted him to “address other things about my life...[that] I choose now to live as a gay man”. The word “choose” is significant,
exposing his revelation of his homosexuality at that particular moment as a calculated choice. As Josh Rivers, Editor of the Gay Times, told the Press Association: “It would make more sense for him to come out as an alcoholic”. Indeed, Spacey himself is keen to highlight his “deeply inappropriate drunken behaviour”. So, the question we should be asking, among others, is why Spacey decided to reveal his homosexuality in the wake of this abuse scandal? What does this achieve from his point of view? How does he benefit?
The question we should be asking is why did Spacey decide to reveal his homosexuality in the wake of this abuse scandal? What does this achieve from his point of view? Spacey is, in reality, drawing upon deeply engrained prejudices surrounding homosexuality to protect himself from the oncoming scandal. His statement reveals an alarming manipulation of the gendered perception of ‘gayness’, which in turn reinforces troubling gender stereotypes and constraints. In foregrounding the
ambiguous nature of his sexuality, Spacey dredges up a historic affiliation between homosexuality and sexual perversity. All this brings a sickening blow to gay people, whilst shielding Spacey himself. In deciding to come out, Spacey is playing upon a complex relationship between gender and homosexuality to undermine the horror of this abuse claim. To acknowledge this link, you only need to use your imagination: if the ideas of what is ‘male’ and ‘female’ played no part in our culture, if genders roles were fluid and men and women were equal, the gender of a person’s partner would be irrelevant in defining their sexuality. The categories ‘homosexual’, ‘heterosexual’, and ‘bisexual’ would be obsolete. Because this society is a fantasy – our culture contains rigid gender roles and inequality – we have gendered perceptions of homosexuality. Homosexual men often tend to be perceived as ‘feminine’ in societal stereotypes. Social surveys support this pattern, showing how people attribute characteristics of the opposite sex to homosexual people. This accounts for gay men sometimes being sterotyped as ‘weak’ or ‘submissive’. Unsurprisingly, homophobes tend to stereotype the sexes and attribute homosexuality to a man if he shows feminine characteristics. It is interesting that these people also tend to adhere to traditional sexual roles, disapprove of gender equality, and hold tra-
ditional beliefs around what constitutes the ‘female’. This is what Spacey is exploiting. In drawing upon this gendered view of homosexuality, Spacey is using gender stereotypes and homophobia as a means to blunt the allegations by representing himself as weaker, more submissive and less predatory. The implication being, that a gay sexual predator is less dangerous than a straight one. Because same-sex desire has historically been covert and concealed - the term ‘closeted’ epitomising this – ambiguity is branded into our culture’s perception of homosexuality. The whole reason behind this secrecy was society’s decree that same-sex desire was ‘perverse’ – outlaw passion and hail in furtive glances, ‘cruis-
ing’ and codes. Yet this secrecy can breed problems. As Michael Schulman wrote in The New Yorker following Spacey’s statement: “Ambiguity can also be a cover for predation; in the darkness of the closet, it can be hard to separate good secrets from bad secrets”. It is little wonder then, that Spacey’s decision to bring together the sexual abuse of a child and ‘gayness’ has simply reinforced a historical conflation of same-sex desire, sexual deviancy, and perversity. So why do this? In dredging up these disturbing connotations, Spacey is using his sexuality to hide a different truth– that is, his abuse of power that often comes with fame and success. In replacing the word ‘power’ with ‘sexuality’, Spacey has thrown gay people under the bus.
Pinguino k
Oxford Council’s proposed car ban: expensive, futile, and unnecessary Lucy Clay Staff Writer
Data released by the World Health Organisation last year showed that Oxford was one of 11 British cities to breach the limits set for toxic particles known as PM10s - now the city council has decided it is time for a change. In response to this rise in air pollution, the council has announced its intention to ban all petrol and diesel vehicles from the city centre beginning in 2020. The introduction of the zero-emissions zone is predicted by experts to see levels of nitrogen dioxide, which comes from cars (particularly those with diesel engines), fall by up to three quarters by 2035. If the plan were to go ahead, then Oxford would become the first UK city to ban all diesel and petrol cars in its centre; even cities such as London have only introduced an ‘ultra-low emission zone’, as opposed to a complete ban. However, with the UK government planning to ban the sale of all diesel and petrol vehicles by 2040 anyway, the Oxford car ban is a futile effort that will cause considerably more harm than good. The costs of the scheme
are set to be phenomenal, with estimates stating that it will cost bus operators, taxi firms, haulage companies, and councils a combined total of £14 million. Stagecoach, Oxford Bus Company, local businesses, and all taxi firms will have to spend a minimum of £7 million replacing petrol and diesel vehicles, including a complete change in all of the council’s bin lorries and gritting vehicles. Whilst these changes would have been made in the near future anyway as a result of the government’s
new transport legislation, enforcing it in the short term will only cause substantial damage to local businesses which may not be able to afford the cost so soon. For example, black cab drivers anticipate having to make an investment of £60,000 as a result of the proposals. Oxford City Council have proposed an extremely radical system prematurely, whilst ignoring the existence of future government measures. It is also a system which will only cause issues for students and residents, whilst making little
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impact to the air quality around the city. With only a handful of sites in Oxford experiencing truly high pollution levels, and air quality already seeing a huge improvement, the ban is unlikely to make a considerable difference. The proposed area also excludes St. Clements, which is the worst-polluted road in the city.
than installing expensive high-tech systems that will be redundant just five years after the complete ban has come into place in the city. Whilst London’s new T-charge aims to have similar effects as the Oxford car ban, with motorists who drive the most polluting cars in London having to pay £21.50
When our city faces pressing, endemic problems such as homelessness, the council would be better off spending money on tackling these social issues The council will also need to spend £7 million on administration and a new CCTV system that includes features such as automatic number plate recognition with which to enforce the ban. This is a high cost to shoulder, and considering that petrol and diesel cars will be phased out across the country over the next few years anyway, the system will not be put to effective use in the long term. When our city faces pressing endemic problems such as homelessness, the council would be better off spending the money on tackling these social issues rather
per day to use the capital’s roads, this seems like a more common sense approach. Of course public health issues are important and a solution is certainly needed, but Westminster has already provided for much of this in the long term. The council is therefore only causing more problems for itself - and its residents - by jumping the gun and trying to be the first to impose what are in any case unnecessary measures. The numerous detrimental implications of this ban are not worth the pioneering status which the council so clearly desires.
The Oxford Student | Friday 10th November 2017
Profile 10
PROFILE
Alexis Murray Luo
Creator of Homecoming Queen, an Oxford zine Tobi Thomas Profile Editor
Alexis is the creator of Homecoming Queen, an Oxford based print zine and multimedia platform, where people of colour and migrants share personal interpretations of belonging. Alexis is taking submissions for the second edition of the upcoming Oxford based zine, and we chatted over coffee about the idea of identity, migration, and belonging. What were your initial ideas for Homecoming Queen and has it stayed the same? My initial idea for the zine was intended to be some kind of space for conversations about belonging, family, culture clashes, fitting in and fitting out. Conversations with fellow POC friends or friends with diasporic upbringings have always been very precious spaces where un-belonging is the norm. We would share the struggles of our parent’s generation, the ongoing racism and sense of displacement we feel today. In that moment, I would feel a sense of solidarity and inclusion that I would almost never feel otherwise in society. I originally wanted the zine to be a portable version of these conversations; a capsule of solidarity and community for diaspora kids. As the zine progressed, I began to see the value of the zine to those beyond the diaspora community. It isimportant that everyone should bear witness to the voice of diaspora. Many might not be able to relate to our narratives but accept and respect them nevertheless. What’s the tone of the stories you tell? The zine is special in telling only first person narratives. I make it clear in the call for submissions that we don’t take opinion pieces. Even if people know someone with a great story, I encourage them to talk about how their understanding of this story relates to their own experiences rather than interpret the story with their own words. Narratives which homogenise ethnic identity are ridiculous and grotesque when we consider the deeply
personal nature of belonging. I want to create an interruption in dominant narratives for the truly subjective and distinct nature of belonging to be heard.
“It is important that everyone should bear witness to the voice of diaspora”
What kind of feedback have you received from Homecoming Queen? The feedback which touched me the most was when people thanked me for providing them with a space that was not judgemental, not intellectual and not pretentious. Because of the notions of being outspoken, liberal, ‘cool’, ‘popular’ that usually come with being a spokesperson of POC and belonging issues, young POC and migrants often feel excluded by their own tribe which is so sad. POC contacted me saying how usually they were afraid to put their opinions out there, feeling naturally shy, but people would interpret this as them ‘not caring’ or not having anything to say. Speaking to some of the contributors further convinced me that simply existing as a POC/migrant, navigating a white dominated space, being forcefed ideas of internalised inferiority, fighting institutionalised racism that limits opportunities, was exhausting. Who expects us all to be pretty and well presented and likeable and articulate on top of that! To share your pain and experiences with society is already a brave step and hopefully Homecoming Queen provided a safe space for that to happen. Who is behind the art direction and illustrations for the zine and what inspired the graphics? The graphics are a completely collective effort. Due to the personal nature of the zine, I wanted the graphics to mimic the style of a personal journal, something that you would carry around during all your migrations and contain little scraps from your journey at
every stage. This also stemmed from the idea that belonging is super nuanced and fragmented. Our senses of belonging are each constructed from memory fragmentations of a guardian, a place, a building, a moment, a sound, a smell. I didn’t feel like could impose any one graphics style on such diverse accounts unless it was super minimalist and I love colour and busy graphics! So each piece has its own style of graphics and illustration. I distribute pieces among design contributors, who vary massively in design experience, and ask each person to read the submission and be inspired to do design based on the writing. The end result is a flourishing of so many styles and interpretations, as if we were browsing through a pile of personal diaries.
“Narratives which homogenise ethnic identity are... grotesque when we consider the deeply personal nature of belonging”
Do you think you are “taking up space” with Homecoming Queen? Yes, I feel that the future of belonging and race in the UK rests on respecting the personal and the individual. POC and migrants are sick of being represented as a statistic or stereotype. Border laws, migrant crises, nationalist political agendas, all gain their strength from homogenized manifestations of identity and what it means to be of a certain nation state or a certain race or religion. Initiatives such a the zine emphasise POC’s multilayered identities, balanced within nuanced and delicate communities. Therefore the zine is disrupting popular narratives on identity that seek to homogenise. These narratives are borne from the colonial gaze; internalized and institutionalized white supremacy that builds its own identity on the oppression and subjugation of others.
Features
Features 12
The Oxford Student | Friday 10th November 2017
EarthyEats: PHOnominal PHOod at the Westgate
Lydia Earthy is impressed by Pho’s tasty Vietnamese cuisine Lydia Earthy Staff Writer
Much like the rest of West London, I spent the summer between first and second year travelling around South East Asia. I’ve eaten peanut pork vermicelli by the lantern-lit Thu Bon river in Hoi An, I’ve made spring rolls with the H’mong tribe of Sapa valley, and I’ve drunk iced coffee by the roadside in Hanoi’s Old Quarter — but never have I ever tried pho above the Oxford City skyline. This is mainly because Pho’s new branch on the Westgate rooftop terrace opened about five days ago. With this in mind, me and the EarthyEats team – this week, Ravi Ghosh — were warmly invited to try their wares last weekend. We arrive at 7:30 on a Saturday night, and the restaurant is buzzing. The venue immediately feels stylish and sophisticated. The decor is dark and woody — orange light bulbs dangle from the ceiling to create a warm, effusive and intimate glow. Although it classifies itself as a cafe, it seems that the restaurant is definitely a prolonged dining experience. We
get cocktails to begin; the ingeniously named ‘Phojito’ and a Gin Spritz — recommended by the manager who ‘doesn’t even like gin!’. Both are refreshing; the spritz minty, subtle and refreshing where the Phojito is sweet and syrupy.
While both were exquisite, the star dish was undoubtedly the restaurant’s namesake To start, we try Cha giò (spring rolls), Nem nuong (pork & lemongrass meatballs) and Goi ago sen (Lotus leave salad). I am disappointed to learn some starters have already run out, but I suppose this is just testament to their yumminess. Of the three, the lotus leaf salad is our favourite, combining spice, crunchy leaves, chicken, prawn and carrot in a sweet, pickled sauce. In at a close second are the spring rolls; crunchy, golden and beautiful with some lettuce and mint
to offset the thick, meaty filling. For our main, we tried two principle dishes: Pho tái lăn — garlic grilled steak in a fragrant noodle broth, and the chicken Com tam đac biet; a rice bowl topped with Chinese leaf, radish and cucumber. While both were exquisite, the star dish was undoubtedly the restaurant’s namesake. The pho meat was tender and succulent while the broth was salty, flavoursome, warming. It’s a fun dish to order too, as it requires DIY assembly with provided herbs and sauces allowing you to dress the dish to your own personal taste. My EarthyEats assistant comments that the curry was a “perfect” level on spice; an initially sweet flavour which unfolds to become more hot.
The Vietnamese coffee was a delightful end to the meal After another round of cocktails (Lemon & Basil Martini — sharp, sweet, apple-y; Bloody Mary — spicy), we progress to pudding. My favourite of the se-
lections tested was the chocolate ‘slab’. Given its compact description, this bar was surprisingly light and creamy with an almost mousse like texture. The Vietnamese coffee was a delightful end to the meal – a unique combination of rich beans and sweet condensed milk. In all, I was impressed; delicious food, a trendy ambiance,
friendly, quick service and a price range equal to most other high street restaurants. Also impressive is their music, featuring a diverse spectrum from the Kooks to Fatima Yamaha. I can conclude that visiting this restaurant is a quicker and more convenient way to experience the tastes of ‘Nam, and definitely an un-pho-gettable experience.
The harsh reality of a career in science Victoria Pike Staff Writer
A career in science is not for the faint hearted. It involves years of training, achieving a PhD and multiple post-doctoral positions before the ultimate goal of having your own lab or even a prestigious professorship is achieved. A recent survey in the journal Nature has suggested this already difficult path is harder than we all thought. The survey was extensive, involving over 5,700 students, and considered various aspects of PhD students’ lives.
Only 3-4 percent of PhD students go on to get a permanent job in a university The survey showed that the majority of students aspired to a career in academia, however in the UK only 3-4 percent of PhD stu-
dents go on to get a permanent job in a university — indicating, therefore, that in the UK we are producing more scientists than there are positions for them.
Have a backup career in mind just in case things don’t go to plan Additionally, the disparity in figures hoping to work in academia compared to those who actually achieve this suggests that PhD students are not aware of how big the issue of future job prospects actually is. These statistics mean that graduate students face a harsh reality: if they aspire to a career in academia then they should also seriously consider a backup. There are a huge variety of nonacademic career options for PhD science graduates. Skills developed during PhDs, such as data analysis and critical thinking are highly desirable for
many careers such as working in industry, banking, journalism or intelligence analysis. Some graduates even start their own spin-off companies as a result of their PhD. Other concerns raised by this survey include the high numbers of PhD students suffering from mental health issues. 45 percent of these students had sought help for either anxiety or depression which was thought to be caused by their PhD. The highest contributor to PhD student satisfaction was mentorship, highlighting how crucial it is for there to be a good match between supervisor and student. Although this survey has raised some concerning issues, you shouldn’t let it put you off doing a PhD or even aspiring towards a
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career in academia. Instead, let it teach you some valuable lessons. Firstly, have a backup career in mind just in case things don’t go to plan. Most universities have useful career advisors so be sure to make the most of them if you are unsure of the options available to you. Secondly, if you are suffering
seek support and thirdly make sure you and supervisor get on well. Finally, make sure you love the topic of your PhD — even if you don’t want a career in academia a PhD is still 3-4 years of your life and if you spend them researching something you love it will be a lot more enjoyable!
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The Oxford Student | Friday 10th November 2017
The real face of modern Parisian prostitution
When asked, “What is art?” Baudelaire answered —“Prostitution.” Melissa Godin Staff Writer
When walking along the Seine, it is easy to see how Baudelaire may have thought art was prostitution. A myriad of vendors sell identical sketches and paintings of prostitutes lounging in the nude, smoking cigarettes and laughing amongst fellow prostitutes and clients. These images, created by artists at the turn of the century, undoubtedly present a romanticized image of the Parisian women of the night—one that is far from the lived experience of the city’s prostitutes today. In the Parisian neighborhood of Belleville, an abundance of Chinese women loiter on the pavement in matching jackets and high-heeled boots, looking to make enough money to buy some food.
language—they struggle to find work and companionship. Consequently, many turn to the streets for their living – and while they have received some media coverage, they are often portrayed as uneducated and of low social class in China. In reality though, the majority come from the middle-class and migrate to France with entrepreneurial ambitions. While the Dongbei region has had its economic obstacles, this is not the principal cause of women’s migration to France. As uncovered by Florence Levy, a French sociologist specializing in Northern Chinese immigration to France, most Dongbei prostitutes had good jobs back home. “I had a car, a house, in my country — many people envied me.” says Chen, one of Levy’s interviewees. The decision of the Dongbei women to migrate is often not out of economic necessity, but rather
While many Dongbei women hope to assimilate into the well-established Chinese community in Paris, they immediately face difficulties. Consequently, many turn to the streets for their living. “They’re people, just like everyone else,” Donatien tells me as he sits down in front of me in the neon lit café. I first met Donatien at Aux Follies, an historic Parisian café by day and bar by night located at the heart of Belleville. Donatien, an expert in the Chinese community in Paris, can best be described as the rockstar of Belleville. Picture a middle-aged Frenchman strolling the streets of Belleville, hugging, high-fiving and kissing nearly every Chinese local he passes, all the while laughing and chatting in perfect Mandarin. Donatien first came to know these prostitutes during his Wednesday night French classes, which many of these women opt to take in the hope of improving their lives here in Paris. Chinese prostitution in Paris began in the 90s. The majority of prostitutes come from the northern region of China, also known as Dongbei. While many Dongbei women hope to assimilate into the well-established Chinese community in Paris, they immediately face difficulties. Most of the Chinese Parisians originate from the southern region Wenzhou; when these Dongbei women arrive in Paris —unfamiliar with both the community and the
to pursue opportunities abroad. The mere fact that they can afford to migrate — which costs roughly between 4000-10,000 Euros — suggests that they come from good economic standings. Meanwhile, there are approximately 500-700 Chinese women working in Paris, primarily in Belleville. The Belleville neighborhood is often the first place new Chinese immigrants go to find work. These Chinese women, who charge only 20-30 dollars, are the cheapest prostitutes one can find in Paris, followed by the West African and Romanian immigrants. The famous Asian fetish is no fallacy, for clients often seek a geisha experience — and these women, desperate for money, will put up with nearly anything. But for most of these women, they arrive in Paris having only ever slept with their husbands. Though some are still married back home, many are divorced, which is often cited as a motive to leave China. Sexuality in Northern China is taboo and conservatism still prevails throughout many parts of the country. As a result, these women consequently arrive in Paris with little understanding of health risks associated with sex work and know even less about proper protec-
Myrabella
tion. The nongovernmental organization Medécins du Monde has developed a Lotus Bus, a bus of doctors that visit four neighborhoods across Paris to provide health services, condoms, legal guidance, and a hot cup of tea to these Chinese women. Lotus Bus was established in 2002 and is frequented by an estimated 450 to 550 Chinese prostitutes. Though they provide medical services, they cannot help these women move out of their predicaments. “Do you want to go meet them?” Donatien asked me suddenly. I responded tentatively, “Is it safe? What about the pimps?” Donatien laughs at my confusion and says , “As if they have pimps, they only make 20-30 euros! No pimps would be interested—they wouldn’t make any money!” “How do they protect themselves?” I asked. “They share an apartment amongst other women, which helps them protect themselves if a client doesn’t want to pay I guess...but sadly they don’t really have any protection.” We walked out of Aux Follies and down to the Belleville metro station, where many prostitutes stood soaked and cold in the rain. The first women we interviewed was a 45 year-old prostitute named Meigui, who came to Paris two years ago. Meigui arrived in Paris with no family, no visa and no French. She found people unkind and was surprised that no southern Chinese people would help her find work. “They care about their fami-
lies and their friends, not about strangers like me” she said. The only people who took her in were prostitutes. “At first I didn’t want to” Meigui said, “but I need to eat, I need to live. So I did as the other women do, but I would rather not speak much about that. It’s already difficult. Even amongst us Jinu [the Mandarin word for prostitutes] we do not speak about it unless there is a problem. I regret having come to France. Before I came I didn’t know—no one had told me—that life would be as difficult as it is here. In China, it was hard, but at least I had my family, my son, and my friends. Here I have nothing.”
while describing the prostitution in his building. “I laugh about it” he adds “but fuck, I have no idea how I am ever going to sell this building anymore.” The devaluation of neighborhood buildings further aggravates the animosity towards these women. “My wife is Chinese,” Donatien mentions, “and when she will be grocery shopping or is walking around on the street, people sometimes confuse her for a prostitute.” As the rift grows and tensions rise between Chinese prostitutes and the Chinese community, the likelihood of improved living conditions for these women—the
As the rift grows and tensions rise between Chinese prostitutes and the Chinese community, the likelihood of improved living conditions for these women continues to diminish. While standing there in her short skirt and puffy yellow jacket, trying to stay warm on a rainy November day, a short stubby man with a bald head and torn up clothing walked up, made a gesture with his head to Meigui, and before I got a chance to ask my final questions, she was walking away to the closest street toilet. The street toilets that are scattered around Paris are home to most of Chinese prostitution in Paris. Prostitution also takes place in the hallways of apartment buildings in Belleville. “I call it the perpetual orgasm” a local Italian shop keeper jokes
possibility of employment and acceptance into the community— continues to diminish. While Donatien and I were making our way back to the Belleville metro stop, we witnessed a young boy, no older than twelve, spit on three prostitutes and run away. Donatien angrily started yelling after the boy “N’as-tu pas honte?” which translates to “do you have no shame?” After checking to make sure the women were okay (and it’s worth mentioning he was the only one who did), Donatien turned to me and said “they’re just standing there, what are they doing wrong? Nothing.”
Features 14
The Oxford Student | Friday 10th November 2017
The most common hairdressing myths: busted Amy Smith Staff Writer
Hair has a lot of myths about it. There aren’t many actually scientific papers on the topic — it’s clearly not something that researchers, except those who seek to promote certain products, focus on — but I spoke to Kelly Munt, assistant manager at the award winning Anne Veck Salon (which does a 20 percent student discount every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday) whilst I got my hair cut to find out whether any of the most common hair myths might have some truth to them.
Anne Veck Salons
Does cutting your hair make it grow faster? Sort of, yes. Cutting your hair every eight weeks — or six if you’re trying to grow it — stops the split ends that accumulate from travel-
ling up the hair. Your hair won’t technically grow faster from the root, but it will look healthier and you’ll be able to keep it longer. If you let your hair grow for a long time without getting it cut, the split ends start breaking and this gives the illusion that the hair has stopped growing altogether.
The copper, because of the chlorine, makes blonde hair go that khaki green colour Can you make your hair grow faster by eating certain foods? There is an idea that certain vitamins are good for hair and nail growth — I can’t guarantee that this works but I think it can make some improvement. Why does blonde hair go green in swimming pools? It’s the chlorine — it oxidises the copper in the water, then binds to the hair strands (which are made of protein). The copper, because of the chlorine, makes blonde hair go that khaki green colour. Does worrying make your hair go grey? There is an element of that — I’ve heard accounts of those who’ve had traumatic experiences, for example in hospital, who have found that onwards from that experience they’ve had a big increase in their grey hair
growth. We know that stress has a significant influence over your physical health, so it makes sense that it would influence your hair as well as the rest of your body. Does using the same shampoo often lessen its effect? No. Some people like to mix their shampoos up every now and then - you can get used to a product so it feels like it’s not doing as much but it’s still doing the same thing for your hair. Is colouring your hair bound to make it dry? It depends what colour — bleaching will definitely dry your hair out especially without the proper care, however coloured dye, because it’s lifting the hair as much as bleach, shouldn’t dry the hair out. It’s often not the immediate effect of bleach that dries out your hair, and it doesn’t happen on the day you get it done. It’s the way you treat your hair afterwards, such as by exposing it to the sun or pool water, washing it, or using heat appliances that dry the hair out. Is some hair really more static than other hair? It depends on the texture — people with very fine hair often find it gets quite static. Thicker hair doesn’t tend to have such a flyaway texture because each strand is thicker and heavier. Washing your hair every day makes it get more greasy. Yes — the reason why you shouldn’t wash your hair eve-
ry day is because you’re not just washing away natural hair oils but you’re, in simple terms, telling your scalp that you need to produce even more oil. This can become a habit because once you start washing your hair every day you have to continue or it’ll look greasy, but I usually recommend using dry shampoo to get out of that habit.
Usually, you will lose between 50-100 strands of hair a day Pulling out grey hairs makes more grow back. No, that’s just painful. Dandruff means you are unhealthy. In most cases, dandruff is just caused by a dry scalp. Occasionally there is an underlying medical issue, but 9 times out of 10 it’s because of a dehydrated scalp, and there’s nothing to worry about medically. Brushing your hair when wet is bad for it. It depends what brush you use — if you were to use a wide-tooth comb or a Tangle-Teaser (which is recommended), you won’t damage your hair. However if you use a finetooth comb it pulls at the knots rather than detangling them, which can cause damage If you leave your hair for long enough, it will self-
wash. To my knowledge, this doesn’t happen. And I can’t say much more I’m afraid — until I see it I won’t believe it. Shampoo is bad for your hair, and you should just use conditioner. We use shampoo to cleanse the scalp and hair. The first shampoo is to loosen any dirt or debris on the scalp and hair, and the second removes this. The conditioner is designed to hydrate the hair and to start closing the cuticle once it has been cleansed — so just washing your hair with just conditioner won’t cleanse it properly. Hair extensions make your hair fall out afterwards. No. This isn’t true, but there is a reason that people think it is. Usually, you will lose between 50-100 strands of hair a day. This seems like quite a lot but in comparison to the rest of your hair it’s not very much. When you have extensions, the hairs that are meant to have fallen out are trapped within the hair extensions themselves. This means that when you get your extensions removed or refitted, it looks like you’re losing a lot of hair in the process because the trapped hair is only now falling out. Curly hair is drier than straight hair. This is true. Curly hair is drier and needs more added moisture than straight hair. Thanks go to Kelly Munt and the Anne Veck Salon.
Why we all need to talk to strangers Tales from the Bakery: flying solo Sasheenie Moodley Staff Writer
Today, we communicate without actually talking or displaying facial expressions. The fact that our iMessages, tweets and instas don’t require us to move our vocal chords is convenient, yes, but also worrying. As the Freshers dust settles around Oxford, we should take care to connect with strangers all around us, because we never know who we might find.
Most strangers aren’t dangerous: we’re uneasy around them because we have no context
I’m not saying go out and befriend every stranger on Broad St., that may prove quite tricky and potentially problematic. Instead, we should learn when to be
Luke Hayter
friendly — and how. Learning how to interact with strangers may prove valuable as we navigate new colleges, new courses and new friends. In her TED talk, “Why You Should Talk to Strangers,” Kio Stark urges that we need to actively connect with strangers. Stark reminds: “In many parts of the world, we’re raised to believe that strangers are dangerous by default. But most strangers aren’t dangerous: we’re uneasy around them because we have no context,
we don’t know what their intentions are.” We are beginning to rely solely on generalizations of the strangers around us — striving to put them in a box — instead of interacting with strangers to find out who they really are. Stark says we should exercise our perception and make informed choices, instead of only relying on categories like ‘stranger.’ When we connect with a stranger, we are saying, ‘I see you.’ We acknowledge a person as a real, individual human being. We use our humanity to recognise another’s humanity. Recognition, we may find, is therefore liberating not only to ourselves but also to the person with whom we connect. The more we practice being friendly, the more we may find that our friendliness liberates us. Try engaging with the Tesco cashier or talking to that kid who sits at the back of your lecture. What have you got to lose? Let’s follow Stark’s advice: make one stranger realize you see them as a real, individual person — if you can do this, it’ll help other people see you this way too.
Andrew Wood Staff Writer
Things were not looking good for BakeSoc this week. With just one remaining, a quite frankly disorganised president and multiple essay crises simultaneously occurring all over college, a BakeSoc disaster was looming, with low turnout and chaos predicted. However a single temptation remained: Slutty Brownie. Now before I get accused of confectionary-based shaming there are a few things which need to be cleared up. The promiscuity of said cake is not in question, and secondly that its original name, The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie ‘n’ Oreo Fudge Brownie Bar, is a bit of a mouthful, hence the change. The few bakers who managed to drag themselves away from essays, naps and reading split into teams to make the different sections: one team on cookie dough, the other on brownie mixture. Plenty of butter, sugar, a couple of eggs and some flour later, the layers were ready. The cookie dough was used to make the base, with a layer of Oreos forming a second layer on
top. Over this layer is poured the beautiful brownie mixture, then into the oven it goes. Here was when the first issue occurred. The lack of cocoa powder meant that hot chocolate was used instead. Consequently, instead of cooking into a gooey-but-stillsolid cake it turned into a fondant of hot chocolatey-cakey-goodness. Upon cutting, a cascade of molten chocolate flowed like lava.This, however, didn’t seem to put off the punters, with a good contingent of freshers arriving with their spoons, drawn by the scent of baking brownie like moths to a flame. With thousands of calories consumed, I think we can safely say it was a success.
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ART & LIT
Art & Lit 16
The Oxford Student | Friday 10th November 2017
Star Light, Star Bright - a celebration of community Isabella Cullen Deputy Art & Lit Editor
An exciting new project created by Guerilla Dance Project and commissioned by Playable City will see an impressive installation light up the night’s sky in Oxford this winter. Winning piece Star Light, Star Bright will be on display across the city from January 2018. The Smart Oxford Playable City Commission comes from cultural venue and producer Watershed, whose network of Playable City creations began in Bristol in 2012.
Their wide-ranging projects in urban areas across the globe use sensory installations to connect playfully with local infrastructure and citizens. Previous works awarded and supported by Playable City include the release of urbanimals in less-explored parts of Bristol, produced by Polish studio LAX. These strange creatures included a dolphin, beetle, rabbit and kangaroo, created using projectors which were stimulated by human movement and programmed to encourage people to stop and interact with them. Playable City was also
Watershed & Playable City Press Release
responsible for lamp posts and post boxes installed in Tokyo, Bristol and Austin which communicated via text, asking people questions such as what they would do if they were mayor and what their earliest memories were. This summer, Watershed and Smart Oxford collaborated for this exciting venture to bring something new to Oxford. A shortlist of works was released, chosen from 82 applications made by creators from 28 countries in response to the theme ‘Shared City’. The final six included Knock, Knock, which aimed to link separate parts of the city via pairs of front doors - people could knock on one door and be heard and seen, through video peepholes, by people near the other door, who could respond by knocking back. Another shortlisted idea, Do Not Press, planned to engage with natural human curiosity, enticing people with labelled buttons that would involve them in experimental games or secret missions. The winning work, Star Light, Star Bright will be created by Guerilla Dance Project, founded by architectural choreographer Laura
Kriefman. It consists of touch-activated lights casting bright beams on to the beautiful architecture and streets of the city, and projecting constellations of stars from the winter night sky. By pressing a ‘Star Bright Beacon’, passers-by can light up one part of a constellation, which can be combined with other beacons to make up an entire constellation, whose name will be marked on the button. The aim of Star Light, Star Bright seems to be one centred around collaboration and community – each time someone lights up another beam of a constellation, all the activated beacons will glow with more intensity as people work together to complete a whole constellation. Rather than focusing merely on central Oxford and tracing the tourist routes, the 29 constellations, eight featured stars, and two planets will be scattered across the whole city to engage with all visitors and residents of Oxford. As the website outlines, the work “creates an opportunity for serendipity, collaboration and spontaneity: each constellation needs more than one person to activate it to create the ultimate beam of
light”. Francesca Perry, editor of website ‘Thinking City’ and member of the judging panel for the entrants, praised the way that Star Light, Star Bright’s “participatory element really reflects the ‘shared city’ theme, as friends and strangers alike will make the constellations glow bright”, noting that “for me, its inclusivity was key: all ages, all abilities, all communities can engage and play with it”. The panel considered Star Light, Star Bright an apt piece for the city given its reputation for space exploration “from the Radcliffe Observatory to the European Space Agency at Harwell”, while the impressive architecture of the city will likely work well with a work of such cosmic proportions. As Kriefman explained, “having been actively involved in the Playable City movement for years, it is great to be able to create a city-wide piece in the UK. Guerilla Dance Project can’t wait to make the stars shine bright, for all the citizens of the beautiful city of Oxford”. It will be exciting to see how this project is implemented and witness visitors working together to light up the sky over Oxford.
Édouard Boubat: the 20th century’s secret pioneer of photography Pratibha Rai Staff Writer
Do you remember the first time you saw the sea? Listened to the sound of its roaring depths? And admired the foam as it rushed to your feet? French photographer, Édouard Boubat (1923-1999), captured these hyperreal textures of memory to create some of the most visually rich images in the post-war period. In his photograph ‘Nazaré, Portugal, 1956’, a father carries his sleeping child beside the sea, his lips parted as though whispering soothing words to his child. It is unclear what has lulled the child to a serene, defenceless sleep; the consoling sound of waves or the gentle pitch and tone of his father’s voice. The immutability of the sea converges with the immutable tenderness of human affection. The photograph, captured with Boubat’s little Leica camera, holds an array of references beyond itself and exemplifies his calibre as an artist, as he eternalises the beauty of the mundane moment in scientific clarity and through uniquely emotive eyes. In an age where images are taken instantly and sometimes whimsically, Boubat’s work packs its power through its scarceness; his ability of knowing which moments are worth capturing, and preserving them in an alchemic elixir of light, shade, angle, and expression. Édouard Boubat began his pho-
tographic career after the Second World War, offering a tenacious effervescence and beauty to a Paris broken by the horrors of occupation. His photographs pierce through the gloom of decay as he celebrates the reinvigorated luxuries of every day existence: children at play, people watching the water, resting on a clean bed, chattering with friends, etc. In a politically unstable society, his art gave a fair hearing to the goodness that still adamantly chose to survive in the world. In 1949, the Salon de la Bibliothèque Nationale de France awarded Boubat a prize for his photography, along with famous street photographer, Robert Doisneau. Boubat’s talent caught the eye of a prestigious magazine called Réalités where he became a photo-journalist in 1951, through which he documented the poetic elegance of human life. Much of Boubat’s photography evidences an almost ethereal understanding of light and shade, which he blends sumptuously to create a surface that appears silky and light, as though you could skim your fingers along its watery surface. Yet his impressionistic photographs did not reach the public acclaim of his contemporaries such as Henri-Cartier Bresson, Brassaï and Doisenau. However, I believe that his repertoire deserves to be aligned among the constellation of great photographers of his time, because like any
individual who has left a meaningful mark on society, Boubat helped to adjust our sense of sight.
Do you remember the first time you saw the sea? Listened to the sound of its roaring depths? In several of his works, subjects are photographed from behind as though we are stood behind them, observing a human being engaged in their own world. Through the act of seeing this moment of total absorption- the moment before their fantasy evaporates into thin air- we learn to appreciate the individual’s humanity, and therefore to learn to look mercifully. Boubat’s chosen medium in black and white never creates the air of bleak melancholy but rather, the texture of a deep memory crackling with clarity and packed with ripe feelings from experiences. In his photograph of Anne-Marie Edvina, a mother and her baby lay beside each other in the warm shaft of daylight pouring in through the curtains. The baby explores the world by playing with Anne-Marie’s hair, while her smile glows with the sunlight, as she gazes almost tearfully into her baby’s
eyes. This moment perhaps appealed to Boubat’s artistic sensibility as his photography was propelled by philosophical questions, such as the following, which he wrote in his notebooks in 1969: “What is it, the thing that never wears out? Is it joy? Would we recognize it if we saw it?” In effect, his photographs are also a deeply conscious search for the substance of life, the everlasting in the everyday. In another photo, ‘Les Mains de Lella’ (1948), he captures his wife Lella’s bare extended arms illuminated by the back-lighting, which creates an alluring contrast. She holds a sprig of flowers that she twirls in her delicate pinch, and the motion of the flower is captured as a static shadow on her hand. The photo has an optical playfulness as the shadow on her hand appears uncannily like her veins, therefore suggesting that Lella is like the lovely flower, whose shadow is imprinted on her arm. In much of his photography, there seems to be a significant connection posited between touch and memory. The importance of the tactile and of touch, is both key to human relationships and to accessing the flood-gates of memory – a fact tangibly felt during the forced separations of the Second World War. Boubat’s photographs such as ‘Les Mains de Lella’ often unravel narratives. They reach out and invite us to share in a potent
but transient memory with him; to enjoy the uncomplicated nature of watching Lella’s hand twirling the flower like a child playing with a sparkler. The image creates a community between Boubat, Lella and the viewer by enclosing us in a fixed moment of time that we can revisit over and over again. What did Édouard Boubat seek to give his audience through his photography? I think it was reassurance and a sense of life’s coherent unity; his works are valuable because they are encrypted not only with what he wanted us to see, but also with what he wished for us to know.
Hasselblad Foundation Press Release
Art & Lit 17
The Oxford Student | Friday 10th November 2017
things I told the internet, but didn’t tell my mum Madeleine Davies-Brown Staff Writer
Social media has irreversibly shifted our perception of privacy. Whether it’s 140 characters putting forth your heartbreak, or a ten second Snapchat story telling the whole world of your “worst mood ever”, the internet provides the perfect platform for all of our deep and dark expressions, minus the red cheeks, awkward silences and clumsy choruses of “I’m sorry to hear that”. These are generic and unhelpful words that are perhaps ultimately less validating than a quick like, retweet or reblog: the modern-day displays of moral support. The tidal wave of submissions to Oxfess, Oxfeud and Oxlove, now totalling over 19,000 followers between them, are a testimony to our inherent resistance to feeling alone in our suffering. Oxfess in particular has seen a soaring number of anonymous submitters pouring out their hearts to unknown scrollers on topics such as mental health, loneliness, imposter syndrome or crippling academic pressure. The online audience is almost as anonymous to the poster as they are to us, and yet somehow, sharing our problems with someone, somewhere, makes us feel better. What this leads to is millions of people using social networks, blogs and anonymous submission forms to confess to parts of themselves that they wouldn’t dream of admitting in a personal one-to-one environment; things that are, outside of the virtual bubble, strictly private.
The internet provides the perfect platform for our deep and dark expressions, minus the awkward silences and the clumsy “I’m sorry to hear that” Anna Ladd’s short series of photographs titled things i told the internet, but didn’t tell my mom captures this modern phenomenon vividly. It was six years of daily blogging that prompted Ladd to create the series in 2013, which uses playful and colourful bunting letters to completely contrast with the content that they spell out to us. While the shots initially appear celebratory, their messages are bluntly, unambiguously and startlingly deep; Ladd makes it clear here that embedding a message deeply into the artwork itself is not always effective, and in this series, the short reality of the cut-out letters hits with full force. There is a sense that the declarative banners, reminiscent of celebration and pride, mimic the
way in which we parade our woes in plain sight on the internet, but this is not a condemnation from the older generation who shame young people’s use of social media, nor is it critical of this practice; it is an innovative observation of how the depersonalisation of the internet has filled the role of mothers, of best friends and of therapists, and that perhaps it is not a response we crave, but simply a means of expression. “Even if no one responded, the internet was a place to vent to that wouldn’t walk away”, Ladd comments, thinking back to her early high school experiences with loneliness. “My original aim [...] was just to reach into the void and find people who understood.”
Our attraction to relatable art is consuming, and the classic ‘that is so me’ penetrates to much deeper and darker parts of our minds And so it is flawlessly ironic that such a private series, posted on a platform with just 100 followers, went viral; thus both in artistic content and as an entity in itself, it carries with it our changing perception of privacy. If you imagine it gathering speed on the internet like a snowball rolling down a mountain, it’s easy to envisage how one may take comfort from the sheer widespread enormity of the issues they face, from knowing that there are likeminded people viewing the same art with the same pain. Sounds almost selfish, doesn’t it? But our attraction towards relatable art is consuming, and the classic ‘that is so me’ penetrates to much deeper and darker parts of our minds. Indeed, it is the vagueness of each of Ladd’s phrases and the generic outdoor settings on which they hang that allows us to project ourselves onto what we see - noticeably, the photographs are taken not within the privacy of the home but displayed in a garden like a prized flowerbed, out of context, and out of place. Each of the six phrases photographed in the series are real, raw quotes from Ladd’s own blog. The first image, ‘This week I am struggling with self-doubt and the transition from iced coffee to hot coffee’, contains in one sentence the contrast that is so pivotal to the series’ effectiveness: the grave and the trivial. This striking pairing of personal experiences, along with the vagueness of possibly my favourite image, ‘It’s getting bad again’, keep our emotions at arms length in the exact same way that the computer screen does. But what hits the hardest is this: “I need other people to validate
Anna Ladd
that I am important because I can’t do it for myself.” Isn’t this the very ethos that has allowed Oxfess to spiral into the dense feed of despair and self-doubt that it has become? With this there is a fine line between toxicity and helpfulness. While we see our newsfeed littered with ‘trigger warnings’ nowadays, Ladd points out that putting your feelings out there into the virtual world, be it via a Tweet or through artwork, can be a “stepping stone towards addressing it in real life”, as opposed to a permanent replacement for human interaction. This is something that she says has given her “the confidence to share [her] life with other people” - though in recent years she uses the internet to connect with existing friends rather than to reach out to strangers!
“This week I am struggling with self-doubt and the transition from icedcoffee to hot coffee” Since 2013, Ladd has developed a number of other visual series on annaladdphoto.com, and is currently releasing a SoundCloud and iTunes podcast series called ok but who cares, which expands on why and for what purpose we use the internet - an audience which she always kept in mind. While her career moves forwards, this striking series, which still circulates tumblr, has left its mark: “I have always felt that making and sharing things without apology encourages other people to make things, and that storytelling through visual media is a very effective way to build communities and start conversations”, she tells me. “So seeing how this piece resonated with people...influenced the work that I made in the future.”
Anna Ladd
POETRY CORNER Bluecurrent by Shona Galt Sleep Flowing, charging out towards blue Sargasso sea The current, unhalted, determined to drown me Cycles of circulation yet continuous heaps Below inviting warm current those sacrosanct sharks sleep Perhaps if I’d known what intense flow could mean I’d not have floated down what seemed a gentle stream
STAGE
Stage 18
The Oxford Student | Friday 10th November 2017
Lady In The Sheets: A ‘sex-drenched’ production at The Michael Pilch Jessica Duffy Staff Writer
Lady In The Sheets is a deeply probing study of the joys and plights of female sexuality. It tears off the veils of social propriety and sanitised euphemisms to reveal in all its uncomfortable truth, the harsh reality of femininity within an inherently androcentric society. The play is quite literally sex-drenched from beginning to end-pornographic posters adorn the walls, phallic embroidery is woven into the costumes and ‘dick pics’ feature throughout the performance as a sort of imposing penis powerpoint. All of these phallus fuelled symbols serve to highlight the encroaching threat of masculinity to females and their inner sexualities, a sensation which has already been made unstable due to wider social propriety and its apparent incongruity with feminine lust.
almost expects the characters to mirror the apparent sexual confidence demonstrated by the 28DD-breasted covergirl pasted on the wall just above them. However, we soon see that the media’s depiction of sexuality, and the personal desires of women in reality, are in total juxtaposition with one another. Whilst the covergirl teasingly fondles her areola, the characters struggle to even say the word ‘orgasm’ and when they finally do, it is coated with smirks and giggles. The disparity between the setting and the characters demonstrates a very important social issue, female lust is only accepted in the eyes of men if it is on a computer screen situated under the web address www. pornhub.com. Women’s desires simply have no place in society, lust is only viable if it is aiding and enhancing the male orgasm, female sexuality only exists in a virtual realm.
“The set itself confronts the audience with the media’s portrayal of hyper-female sexuality.” The set itself confronts the audience with the media’s portrayal of hyper-female sexuality, the exaggerated and superficial lust you would expect to find on a porn website. One
This idea is placed into a more harrowing context later on in the play when a character’s brother walks in on her watching pornography. He looks at her, looks at the video, looks at her,
looks at the video, and then proceeds to call her all the names he has in his sexist arsenal-‘slag’, ‘slut’, ‘whore’ and many others. The brother is faced with the virtual hyper-reality of female sexuality in the form of staged and superficial porn, and a girl who is curious about her desires, wanting to explore her sensuality in one of the only places she knows, a place which masculine society deems acceptable-porn websites. By calling the girl a ‘slut’/‘slag’/‘whore’ rather than the women on the screen, it again demonstrates that female sexuality is either acceptable or unacceptable depending on whether it adheres to masculine want.One of the play’s strong suits was its ability to use set and costume for symbolic purposes. The very opening of The Lady In The Sheets utilised windows to preface the theme of the lockedin- women. The characters began their performance by gazing out of their respective windows, an expression of longing on their faces. It reminds us that whilst the character’s husbands and male acquaintances are out in the world of work, the women are left inside, isolated from the realms of business and politics. Instead, they are occupied by the domestic half of their roles such as the incessant ironing, dusting and childcare undertook by the characters. The other half of their role is embroidered onto
their dresses in the form of a penis, reminding us of the sexual function of women, but also that masculinity is intertwined with female identity. Even the theatre seating, which takes the form of pillows and blankets, resembling a frameless double bed, takes on a symbolic role by literally placing the audience in the centre of a sexual hub. The viewers hence take on the role of voyeurs by observing the outpour of female desire and identity which reveals itself before us. I will end my review by commenting on the end of The Lady In The Sheets-a collective chorus of orgasm. By giving a theatrical voice to female climax, and sculpting the very crux of
feminine sexuality into a primal cry of injustice, the audience are left with a lingering final image of pleasure intertwined with pain. The play almost becomes a performance within a performance in this moment, of course the actors are performing to us throughout the whole show, but we are reminded that the characters also have to undertake a theatrical role when interacting with their male acquaintances, be it faking an orgasm, or their own happiness. This poignant closing scene encapsulates the raw emotion and social injustice explored in Lady In The Sheets, an image which does not leave your mind as you leave the theatre.
Pilch Studio
Hannah Rose Kessler on her involvement in the Oxford drama Can you briefly introduce yourself? I’m a third year at St Hugh’s studying Archaeology and Anthropology. I have always loved the performing arts, music, acting, writing.
What kind of involvement have you had with theatre in Oxford? I’ve been involved in around 10 plays in oxford. This involvement has ranged from set design, to acting, to directing, to costume. I started out acting, but I feel directing suits me more as I love to have creative control over the whole process and it’s a special kind of stress that actually keeps me alive and motivated. I love having responsibilities which rest wholly on me. How did you get involved? I was highly involved at my school’s dramatic society and so leapt into drama as soon as freshers’ fair came around, accidentally joining the cast of an opera!
Do you have any upcoming productions? What will your role be? I just finished co directing and acting in 4.48 Psychosis at the pilch with my best friend Sophie, which was incredibly well reviewed by Oxstu (thank you!) and Versa. I have just sent in my bid for my original play Carters Cabaret, which is 3 vignettes within a play where Angela Carter acts as a kind of Master of Ceremonies. We will hopefully get a slot at the O’Reilly, but if not I will find a way! The audience for that can look forward to a play which will be funny, dark, visually exciting and oddly sexually thrilling.
Luke, the movement director and his commitment to it.
What can we expect/ look forward to from Oxford theatre in Michaelmas Term? I am really excited about a couple of things this term. There is Lady in the Sheets, at the Pilch which looks to be fantastic and beautiful. I am also really excited to see LoveSong at the Pilch, I have a lot of faith in
What will you take away from your experiences with Oxford theatre? Networking is so important. Just putting yourself out for as many things as possible, being a pair of helping hands as much as you canand people will remember that. Also, everyone is human and you
Do you plan to continue with theatre/ stage after university? My dream job would be to work as a creative director of a small theatre, with a nice home-cooked restaurant attached. I’d choose experimental scripts with a strong feminist leaning and also direct one play per term myself. I can dream!
have to respect that they may have things going on. This is why my directing approach is highly relaxed and I make it clear to my cast members that they are to prioritise their own mental health and enjoy the play, not see it as a chore.
Anything to add? I am costume designing for Yellow (at the pilch, do I ever leave) in 7th week, and the script is looking amazing. Conky Kampfner is a gem, and it will be really special, not something to miss!
Why should others get involved? Because it is fun, and gives you something to live for!
Hannah Rose Kessler
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The Oxford Student | Friday 10th November 2017
A truly professional performance: Candide at the Oxford Playhouse Jacob Greenhouse Staff Writer
Leonard Bernstein’s Candide, first performed in 1956, is a story about a group of friends who are thrown all around the world in a book of Job style satirical adventure. With a wave of sexual jokes throughout as well as a highly pessimistic outlook on the modern world, it is no surprise that this musical became an international hit when it was first performed. With a ticket price that is relatively high for Oxford standards (£10-20), the student production did not fail to impress. Perhaps the most difficult part of the entire play is the musical overture at the beginning. As a Classic FM favourite, I imagine a large proportion of the audience would have heard this piece of music a number of times making it particularly hard for the orchestra to get away with mistakes. Lucky for them, master conductor Joe Davies navigated through the syncopated overture with ease; not to mention the rest of the musical which truly sounded like a
professional group of musicians. Moreover, every singer in the cast was clear, on key and on time. I would like to stress just how rare it is for a student production to be so musically complete. I put this half down to the strong roster of coral singers within the cast and half down to the excellent musical direction the cast were given-it was clear that practise did indeed make perfect.
humour and luck: not to mention a fantastic voice that powered through the various solos. His counterpart, Laura Coppinger also managed to steal the show with her absolutely outstanding soprano voice- commanding the entire chorus while hitting all the right notes. I can safely say that I have never seen such a good lead duo in any student performance.
“While the performance itself was incredibly funny, the script itself carries seriously dark themes.” What made Candide stand out from other musicals I have seen in Oxford is the ability of the lead character. Played by Josh Blunsden, Candide is a character that reminds me of Lenny from ‘Of Mice and Men’ with a bit more common sense. Blunsden played the roll fantastically, balancing his roll of ignorance with that of witty
They worked off each other, using Bernstein’s difficult music to their advantage. A special mention must also go to David Garrick who plays the role of a philosopher that is always the optimist. His ability to lighten up the mood on stage with a bright joke continually kept the audience longing for his appearance. While the performance was in-
Barricade Arts
credibly funny, the script itself carries seriously dark themes of rape, male power and a sense of despair for all individuals. Personally, I think it is more difficult to play a drab, depressed character as the script does not easy allow the audience to fall in love as it does with other characters. However, John Lee’s depiction of Martin, the pessimistic and somewhat sad floor cleaner shed a raw opening into the lives of those who do not have all the money in the world. His elegant bass voice was always heard under the chorus and his intellectual vibe fit Martin perfectly. What is also commendable is
the plethora of actors who have performed in other major performances this term. I would’ve thought that one production is more than enough yet certain members cannot get enough. Alex Buchanan’s part, whilst small, was very impressive in that I have never seen so much energy put into the character of a sheep. Numerous rounds of applause and laughs suggested that if ever a director needed a sheep, he would be the man to come to. In addition to this, his ability as well as the rest of the Chorus’ to act, sing and move props around the stage is worth serious commendation and they really made the play a streamline success.
A conversation with Candide director: Jonny Danciger Anya Gill Stage Editor
What has your role involved? Because of the scale of an Oxford Playhouse show, Candide has been in works for over a year, and the cast is only brought in halfway through that process. The show is therefore unique in forming itself before you have the cast onboard. For me, though, the best part of the role has been working with everyone and the coming together of all the separate aspects that make up the show. What makes Candide such a professional student production?
If you want to justice to the Oxford Playhouse, you have to act as a professional company, and we have an incredibly talented and experienced team. In terms of professionality, I would encourage those in student productions to get involved with technical theatre, as generally speaking, there aren’t many designers who have a lot of experience on set.
What are your plans for future productions? I’m directing a production of Animal Farm in January at the British Council School, which is taking place in Madrid. I’m also going to be involved with drama at the Fringe Festival with my brother. I am aware,
The Oxford Playhouse
What: As You Like It When: Tuesday - Saturday (14th 18th) Where: Oxford Playhouse, Main Stage Tickets: £10-£30
though, that Candide is likely the biggest show I’ll direct! A professional opportunity like this doesn’t come by very often, and it has been amazing every step of the way.
Anything else to add? I think the cast make all the difference in Candide. The people are from all different backgrounds, with varying theatrical experience. For example, for Josh Blundsen, the actor playing Candide, this is his fourth time on the Oxford Playhouse stage, while others don’t have any previous acting experience. Nevertheless, the cast is completely professional and disciplined, and has been the biggest factor in getting the play to where it is.
Pilch Studio
What: A Girl in a Car With a Man When: Wednesday - Saturday (15th-18th) Where: Michael Pilch Studio Tickets £10/ £7 conc.
Barricade Arts
The Old Fire Station
What: People of the Eye When: One night only Friday (24th) Where: The Old Fire Station Tickets: £12/ £8conc.
The Old Fire Station
What: Bah! Humbug! An Evening of Comedy When: One night only Tuesday (21st) Where: The Old Fire Station Tickets: £15
SCREEN
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The Oxford Student | Friday 10th November 2017
Order in chaos: game theory in The Dark Knight Nancy Epton
Staff Writer
Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight is not just a thrilling superhero masterpiece, it’s also his nuanced take on psychological decision-making, showcasing some cutting-edge theories in the field. The Pirate Game: The bank robbery scene Five masked men undertake a meticulously-planned heist, but only one leaves with his life. In one of the greatest bank robbery scenes in movie history, the men discuss their mysterious employer, then proceed to kill each other to gain a greater sum of the spoils. Game theory underpins this scene and also The Joker’s twisted yet formulaic psyche. The theory, at its most basic level, is an analysis of human behaviour and the techniques involved in predicting outcomes. The robbers’ discussion immediately centres around the distribution of the stolen money, and the men appear disgruntled about the division into six shares, particularly The Joker’s portion, who apparently isn’t taking part in the robbery. The strategies play out in terms of a game theory experiment known as the Pirate Game, which aligns with The Joker’s belief in humanity’s self-interest. There are five pirates that want to split 100 coins. Pirate A holds the most power, followed, in declining order, by pirates B, C, D and E. Pirate A makes the first offer, and if the majority say “yes”, the deal goes ahead. If not, then pirate A walks the plank and negotiations move to the next strongest pirate until a decision is made. If the vote is tied, then the strongest pirate gets the casting vote. In order to keep the majority of the coins, pirate A therefore has to appeal to the pirates’ desire to stay alive and gain the greatest share of the coins possible. If only D and E are left, the former would take all the coins and win by casting vote. If C, D and E are left, C would keep
99 coins and offer E 1 coin to secure the vote, knowing that D will offer E nothing in the next round. If B, C, D and E are left, B can bribe D with 1 coin, as D knows he will receive nothing if C is in charge in the next round. Under Pirate B’s leadership, pirate C and E will receive nothing. Knowing this key fact, pirate A can bribe C and E with 1 coin each and walk away with 98 coins.
Despite his apparent desire for chaos and misrule, The Joker’s scheme nonetheless emphasises a distinct strategic setup that highlights the darker nature of game theory and self-interest In the opening scene of The Dark Knight, The Joker (Pirate A) admittedly manages to twist the game so that he gets all the money while his associates lie dead on the floor. Nonetheless, the clown prince of crime still proves that greed prevails: the alarm guy is shot by the safe-opener, who is then killed by the presiding goon, each promised a bigger share by The Joker for killing off their comrade. The Joker then kills the bus driver and leaves with the loot. Despite his apparent desire for chaos and misrule, The Joker’s scheme nonetheless emphasises a distinct strategic setup that highlights the darker nature of game theory and self-interest. The Melting Pie Game: The Mob Meeting Scene Upon entering the mob’s base, The Joker immediately gains his audience’s interest, first with a sardonic laugh and then by inflicting the gruesome, blackly comic pencil trick on one of the mob’s foot soldiers. Now he has their attention. What follows is another strategic gameplay of manipulation and power. Of course, The Joker’s interruption is not met with enthusiasm by the whole group. However, Maroni and the Chechen are sufficiently intrigued to listen to his proposal to kill Batman in
November Film Releases Richard Tudor
Screen Editor
exchange for half their money. The element of negotiation is now brought into play as we witness a version of the Melting Pie game. We see the two sides in The Joker and the Mob, with the latter at a significant disadvantage because they cannot trust The Joker and know that time is consuming their list of viable options. The negotiation starts with apprehension and disagreement.
But like the melting pie, every minute spent debating only heightens the risk of cops ending their operation and melting their profits into nothing. In the simple pie example, we can see this ticking clock in the form of Person A and Person B. A proposes one offer to B to split the pie in two. If B agrees, then the distribution goes ahead. If B refuses, however, the pie melts and both sides leave with nothing. A is in a vastly superior position; they could offer a menial amount, and B would have to accept in order to gain anything. The melting pie game can get far more complex when considering the idea of B making counter offers. Yet, the fact remains that, with each stage of such imagined negotiations, the pie would inevitably get smaller and thereby less valuable. Likewise in The Dark Knight, every day the mob might spend deliberating with The Joker would only lead to greater risk of losing all their money and status on the streets of Gotham. Again, as in the Pirate Game, The Joker twists this negotiating theory. Once he gets his hands on the money, he uses gunpowder and gasoline to burn his half in front of the dismayed Chechen. The mob are doomed despite their negotiation. The triumphant Joker stands in front of the flaming mass, and declares
Paddington 2 (November 10) With a selection of British stars featuring in this sequel to the surprise success of Paddington, including Hugh Grant, Peter Capaldi, and Julie Walters, Paddington 2 depicts life after Paddington settles with the Browns in London. The question here is how well it shapes up against its successful predecessor.
ben.hannis
that “Gotham needs a better class of criminal, and I’m gonna give it to ‘em”. With maniacal ethics like that, we don’t doubt it. The Prisoner’s Dilemma: The Boats Scene One of the film’s later scenes involves a concept of self-interest similar to the Pirate Game. In this scene, two boats are escaping from The Joker’s threat to attack Gotham - one holding innocent citizens, the other criminals - only to find that they are the victims of another of his schemes. Once out at sea, each boat discovers a package containing a remote that will blow up the other vessel. As The Joker explains of his ‘social experiment’, no one is allowed to leave their boat and if neither one chooses to destroy the other vessel and thus save their own ship, The Joker will destroy both himself. Thus ensues another psychological game, but one which does not turn out as its orchestrator expected. The prisoner’s dilemma revolves around two convicts, A and B. Neither will admit to the crime, and the police have no evidence, so the accusing police officer has to force a confession. If A accuses B of the crime and B stays silent, then B is convicted, and serves three years while A goes free, and vice versa. If both refuse to answer, their jail sentences will only be a year. Should A and B decide to accuse each other, then each
Justice League (November 17) Another superhero offering from the DC Extended Universe, starring an ensemble cast with Ben Affleck reprising his role as Batman and Henry Cavill as Superman, Justice League will inevitably see huge crowds flock to the cinemas to see the heroics of Batman et al. as they face the threat of Steppenwolf, in his first on-screen depiction.
will be behind bars for two years. Considering the idea of self-interest, betraying the other offers more of a reward than working together in the eyes of the rational individual. While it might make sense to suggest to keep silent and thus get a better reward, the prisoners’ self-centred desire to save themselves leads to the betrayal outcome. So how does this play out with the people on the boats? The Joker manipulates each side’s desperation as he drily asks the passengers whether they will choose to save “Harvey Dent’s mostwanted scumbag collection” (A) or “the sweet and innocent civilians” (B). Yet despite conflict and a democratic vote in favour of pressing the button in the civilian boat, A takes the moral high ground and refuses to press the button, thus mirroring the silent option. On B, a prisoner seizes the remote and throws it out the window.; both sides have chosen the silent decision, and thus reap the greatest reward. They have defied the Joker’s expectations and disproved his theory of selfinterest, and Batman attacks him before he is able to explode both boats with his remote. Despite the Joker’s ardent claim to Batman that the code of the people is simply a “bad joke”, the will of the passengers has destroyed his final calculated masterwork. In this rare instance, the prisoners prevail.
Battle of the Sexes (November 24) Emma Stone and Steve Carell star in this historical depiction of the 1973 tennis exhibition match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. Fresh from her Oscar for La La Land, Stone adopted a method to prepare for this role, meeting with King and gaining over a stone to play the tennis star. Martin Pettitt
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The Oxford Student | Friday 10th November 2017
Call Me By Your Name: an enrapturing Italian love story Nathaniel Rachman Staff Writer
Within the first moments of Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me By Your Name, we learn that its events take place ‘somewhere in northern Italy’. This dislocation from grounded detail suffuses this brilliant tale of homosexual romance, in which Elio, a gifted seventeen year-old, and Oliver, a strapping American classicist invited by Elio’s father for a summer of study, enter a brief and intense relationship. Limited geographic detail is mirrored by a temporal looseness, whereby warm summer months glide effortlessly past while its characters occupy themselves with drink, food, dishevelled paperbacks and eventually each other. Elio’s bizarrely cultured family is impossible to pin down, selfdescribing as variously American, French, Italian and Jewish. We know at least that Oliver is from New England, but not much more. The film, liberated from the ties of the outside world, focuses in solely on Elio and
his relations first with his parents and friends, and then eventually on his intoxicating bond with Oliver himself. Guadagnino’s previous film, A Bigger Splash, also has its characters lounging about Italian pool-sides and becoming romantically and painfully involved with one another: the life and leisure of the super-rich are clearly central interests of his. Unlike A Bigger Splash, however, Call Me By Your Name is far more tender and far less mocking. The former features a wonderfully repugnant Ralph Fiennes and a brattish American played by Dakota Johnson, both of whom, along with their hosts, are derided and poked fun at. Call Me By Your Name forgoes this savagery. In a way, its characters are only slightly less ridiculous than those of Fiennes and Johnson. Oliver, played by Armie Hammer, is at the very least profoundly irresponsible in his actions towards the adolescent Elio. A harsher interpretation might describe the relationship as bordering on the abusive. Elio himself meanwhile, acted by Timothée Chalamet,
Franz Richter
is a pouty and sneering teenager, an unfortunate combination of both naivete and cynicism. It is testament, however, to the excellence of the two performances, that their deficiencies do not sever the emotional connection with the spectator. When Elio’s father, played by Michael Stuhlbarg, poignantly advises his son to hold on to his grief by reflecting that “We rip out so much of ourselves to be cured of things faster than we should that we go bankrupt by the age of 30’” it is hard not to have at least the slightest lump in your throat.
Guadagnino’s film may well be garlanded with countless nominations and awards It is tempting to place Call Me By Your Name alongside films like 2015’s Carol and 2016’s Moonlight as part of an increasing mainstream interest and recognition of queer cinema, and it does indeed seem that Guadagnino’s film may well be garlanded with similarly countless nominations and awards. Yet it also seems to be quite different from these previous offerings. In particular, the oppressive atmosphere of homophobia that surfaces in these other two is largely absent; while Oliver admits that if his father knew of his gay ex-
periences, he’d have been packed off to a “correctional facility”, it’s apparent that the greatest obstacle to their relationship is apprehension on the part of Elio, and initial restraint in the case of Oliver. These are not lovers separated by oppressive norms so much as by their own conflicted emotions. One wonders whether such a relationship could have gone further had it been heterosexual. To me at least, it seems that the differences in age and stage in life are such that regardless of gender, this romance was bound to be ultimately ephemeral. Can I see much wrong with this film? Not to any serious degree. Perhaps it takes a little too long in finishing: many of the scenes tend towards repetitions of ones we’ve seen before. A more concise film, with some of the middle pruned and ending with the father’s monologue, might have achieved a greater impact. Similarly, the imagery can border on the forced. The shot of Elio’s slender hand plucking a fruit from a tree seems a little overt, as is the lengthy ending, once their inevitable parting has occurred, in which we see their house shuttered, surrounded by a snowy landscape of dead trees. These are, however, quibbles. Call Me By Your Name is a touching and erotic examination of a doomed love. Just as how Elio’s endless summer must eventually come to a close, so too must he and Oliver part ways. It is the brilliant illumination of this shared moment that makes Call Me By Your Name so enrapturing.
Top Five: Films set in Italy Richard Tudor
Screen Editor
With the success of Call Me by Your Name this week, we run down the top five films set in Italy. 1. Bicycle Thieves (1947) Set in post-war Rome, this story of an impoverished father and son searching the city for a stolen bike is a neo-realist masterpiece. 2. L’avventura (1960) Antonioni’s first internation success, this forbidden attraction forming in the wake of a missing girl presents a sublime view of the Sicilian coast. 3. The Italian Job (1969) Starring Michael Caine, The Italian Job is the iconic tale of a bank job gone wrong in Turin. “You’re only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!” 4. Don’t Look Now (1973) Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland star as a couple grieving for their lost daughter in a wintry Venice. Don’t Look Now is a classic psychological horror as Sutherland is pursued across the city by a mysterious red-coated figure. 5. The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) Matt Damon’s impoverished Tom Ripley travels to the Italian coast to follow errant heir Dickie Greenleaf. However, once he arrives, the taste of the good life proves to be far too sweet to let go of easily...
Freedom: documenting George Michael in his own words Theo Davies-Lewis Staff Writer
When George Michael was asked how he wanted to be remembered, there were two things at the forefront of his mind: “Great songwriter... and someone who had some kind of integrity.” If you were (and still are) an admirer and a listener of George Michael, as I am, this was something you never would doubt. For our generation, however, you wouldn’t be blamed for not really understanding him. After all, you perhaps see him as that ageing pop star who was sentenced to jail in 2010 for crashing into a shop. Or perhaps as the guy who pops up on MTV every winter with “Last Christmas”. His premature death on Christmas Day last year arguably reminded people of the brilliance of the British superstar; and since the months of anguish and regret of what may have been to come have passed, fans of the Wham! frontman were given a last glimpse into his life. Appropriately named George Michael: Freedom, the docu-
mentary made before his death aired on Channel 4 was narrated and directed by the late star; a tumultuous, 90-minute rollercoaster description of the life and career of one of the most gifted and troubled performers of his generation. Right from learning about his ambition and hunger for fame with Wham! to the depression that followed the death of his boyfriend and mother in the 1990s, the viewer is offered a front row view to the events that shaped him.
who couldn’t believe that Wham! was “fucking everywhere”. Yet, it was eerie for me, as a fan, to hear the likes of Stevie Wonder and Ricky Gervais refer to Michael in the present tense. Michael’s narration of the documentary is poignant and touching. Indulgent, as the Guardian’s Sam Wollaston points out, too – but that was the essence of who he was. He talks about his hunger for fame and his desire to be known, and more than anything, to be loved. He certainly was
Freedom – named after one of his greatest hits – is at times heart-warming, and gut-wrenching, but always intriguing. There are plenty of stars there too – Naomi Campbell, Elton John and even Liam Gallagher pay tribute to the influence of the star. It’s a testament to Michael’s talent and character that so many of his fellow stars paid tribute to him, and so eloquently too. Perhaps the highlight was Gallagher,
loved by his fans, perhaps not by his record label Sony, which ended up in court disputes during the 1990s. Perhaps there’s too much focus on the incident, but that shows what Michael actually cared about: he felt restricted and caged by Sony’s executives – many of whom appear
in the documentary – after they didn’t warm to his new style of song writing after “Faith” in the late 1980s. George Michael was a versatile singer and performer, and this documentary – itself something that can be viewed as a drama, a pop video, and self-biopic all at once – emphasises that. It also Insasse shows what music he liked recording, declaring that his 1996 album “Older” was his “greatest moment”. The performances showed during the biopic – his early days with Andrew Ridgeley in the early 1980s, his tribute performance to Freddie Mercury, and those breath-taking ballads he delivered for the latter part of his career – are a testament to his ability. He wasn’t just a pretty face, but a pop star who had one hell of a voice. As Stevie Wonder puts it:
“You mean George is white, are you serious, oh my God!” “Freedom” – named after one of his greatest hits – is at times heart-warming, and gut-wrenching, but always intriguing. You see the back of Michael as he uses a typewriter in his Highgate mansion throughout the show; you almost want him to turn around and tell him to come back and entertain us again. In any case, this was George Michael in his own words, just like his own music was, and will be for some time to come.
MUSIC
The Oxford Student | Friday 10th November 2017
Music 22
Review: Music For The Age of Miracles, The Clientele Madeleine Taylor Deputy Editor
“Like a silver ring thrown into the flood of my heart / With the moon high above the motorway / I have searched for all your fragrance in the silent dark / Is that okay?” Picturesque and breathlessly romantic, the lyrical climax to The Clientele’s 2000 single ‘We Could Walk Together’ sums up The Clientele’s charm. The surrealism of that Bousquet quote; Alasdair MacLean’s lo-fi vocal, simultaneously intimate and faraway in the manner of a British Sufjan Stevens; the downpour of jangly guitars that descend moodily in the background.
Most of all, it encapsulates The Clientele’s inimitable grasp of the aesthetic. The Clientele’s gently psychedelic touch has long created idylls out of city streets, composed ballet out of falling raindrops (Alasdair MacLean’s pluviophilia defines much of the band’s previous output) and painted Caravaggio out of the transition from day to night. Early recordings made The Clientele into cult heroes for lonely twentysomethings, however never matching the success (or neuroticism for that matter) of their melancholic litterateur peers Radiohead, Galaxie 500, or The Smiths before them. By the time they released their autumnal 2010 album ‘Bonfires on The Heath’, it seemed that the spark was fading
Merge Records
and the trio were about ready to pack it in. The soothing reflections on nature had become cloyingly familiar, and the band’s characteristic apathy had ultimately given rise to an album limited in scope and ambition. Thus, The Clientele’s first record in seven years was cause for nervous excitement. “Evening’s hymn / Conjures the park / And, now out of the dark / In a dream I followed you home”: the new album, Music For The Age of Miracles opens with such a quintessentially The Clientele first line that it could almost be parody, accompanied by their typically brooding guitar strums. All isn’t as it first appears, though. As the song (‘The Neighbour’) develops, we see that there’s a comfort and grace that is retained even as the band explore new territory. Incorporating choral and orchestral elements, it’s an effervescent foray into chamber-pop – and as MacLean muses “How will you ever know the dancer from the dance?”, we as listeners feel ourselves being kindly encouraged to reconsider The Clientele as they enter a new creative era. It’s a welcome breath of fresh air, and seems to have been spurred along by both the changes in MacLean’s life as a new father, and the addition of a new member (Anthony Harmer) to the band, playing the Persian dulcimer (featured prominently on ‘Falling Asleep’). The new album is restless and selfconscious, as The Clientele toy with their own clichés using new mediums. ‘Everything You See Tonight Is Different From Itself’ is the sparkling jewel of The Clientele’s experimental spirit. It’s as far from the set menu as The Clientele have strayed, beginning with the juddering of a techno drum machine, spliced with a luscious harp
line: “Nothing here is quite the same / Songbirds singing new refrains / Palpitations on the train and / Static in the grass” once again feels like a bit of a self-referential nudge-and-a-wink, as the song goes into the anxious refrain: “You’re an empty face / In an empty house”. Identity-loss and reinvention are the name of the game, and that tension is exploited to craft songs that are rejuvenating and breathtaking.
elusive musician ‘The Phantom’ with an Orphic quality, that winds up with the horrified realisation of the layers of illusion of MacLean’s own making: “Dazzled by the sudden bright light in the room, my certainty drifted away; had the sounds I’d heard been exactly what I’d thought they were? I was in a difficult, neurotic state and perhaps there were memories welling up that I couldn’t control. I felt suddenly
Identity-loss and reinvention are the name of the game, and that tension is exploited to craft songs that are rejuvenating and breathtaking Music For The Age of Miracles is strikingly programmatic as album titles go, and confirms the sense that a new wind is rising for The Clientele. MacLean commented in a recent interview with The 405: ‘It’s a reference to the outbreak of magical thinking that we’ve had in both America and Britai n, where people are starting to believe in miracles again. It’s not necessarily critical of that, it’s more a celebration of the irrationality of it.’ That might sound like all too blunt an analysis of our times, but Music For The Age of Miracles is filled with subtle reflections on the reliability of memory, reality, and dreams – and how that might play out in the political sphere is implied, but not forced upon us. ‘The Museum of Fog’, a four-minute spoken word song, originally an extract from MacLean’s attempted novel, showcases that indirect mode of enquiry brilliantly. It describes a trippy dreamworld of MacLean’s youth, revisiting his local pub as a teenager and watching an
depressed and tired, disgusted with my own numbness”. ‘The Museum of Fog’ gives voice to that anxious search for identity as the world shifts around us, when even those things that seem most secure and permanent (like the memories of a happy childhood) can’t really be trusted. All in all, Music For The Age of Miracles is a pleasing take on changing times, both for The Clientele as a band, and for the Western world. It’s startling to see that, for an album with so much to say about getting lost and the instability of memory, Music For The Age of Miracles retains the characteristic style, sophistication, and clarity that first created their prophetic legend. The Clientele aren’t rejecting their prior identity in favour of something new. Rather, they’re reframing their old tropes and giving them new life. In MacLean’s words: “The festival is over / And the sea is in your eyes / On the promenade / The old Gods are returning”.
What’s on this week?
Max Pixel
reebok2008
What: Toseland When: 12th November 7.30pm Where: The Bullingdon Hard rock revival fivepiece fronted by former World Superbike Champion, James Toseland, already with two albums and tours supporting Aerosmith and Status Quo under their belt. Their latest, ‘Cradle The Rage’, has been called ‘a real party rock album’ and has been praised for its riotously catchy hooks – they’re boys that traded in motorbikes for guitars and drums. £11
What: Nelly When: 14th November 7pm Where: O2 Academy If you happen to be seized by a desire to revisit the dubious magic of the mid-2000s, American RnB star Nelly’s UK Tour should be on your radar. The 4th best-selling rap artist in American history, and the hit making machine responsible for ‘Hot in Herre’ (sic), ‘Work It’, ‘Pimp Juice’, and Apple Bottom Jeans, his performance promises nostalgia in all its cringe-inducing glory, if nothing else. £31.45
Paul Hudson
What: Marika Hackman When: 14th November 7.30pm Where: The Bullingdon London-based folk musician Marika Hackman avoided the sophomore slump with her recent release ‘I’m Not Your Man’, described in politely ambiguous terms by The Guardian as ‘pop with a sultry swagger’ and by Hackman herself as ‘overtly sexual’. Witty, moody, and decidedly grungy, Hackman’s performance at The Bullingdon should be bursting with energy and vocal prowess. £12
David Nicholls
What: I Fagiolini: Monteverdi Vespers of 1640 When: 17th November 7.30pm Where: The Sheldonian Theatre Marking the 450th anniversary of Monteverdi’s birth, the acclaimed Oxfordborn I Fagiolini vocal ensemble celebrate their own 30th anniversary with a performance of Monteverdi’s 1640 Vespers for male saints, accompanied by the English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble. Witness the music of the Renaissance brought back to life. £5-28
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The Oxford Student | Friday 10th November 2017
They quit their day job: why musicians are no longer buying turntables when they sell their guitars Seb Braddock
Music Editor
Almost exactly two years ago to the day, on the 11th of November 2015, Art Brut frontman Eddie Argos released a superhero comic penned in collaboration with illustrator Steven Horry. It stars an archetypal author avatar in the role of a pudgy schoolboy whose excess body fat gives him abnormal physical strength, with an accompanying soundtrack album release later in the year. Considering his discography, the venture is hardly surprising: Art Brut’s lyrical content always veered towards the cartoonish (cf. “Formed a band, we formed a band / Look at us, we formed a band!” ad. infinitum), and it certainly fits nicely with his Spoiler Alert! side project album devoted to DC comics esoterica such as the Blue Beetle and Booster Gold; yet when put into an industrywide perspective, it seems symptomatic of a rising tendency amongst musicians who’ve achieved success of one sort or another to buy a chef’s knife instead of turntables when they sell their guitars. The spectacle of emerging artists moonlighting as bouncers or barmen has little in the way of novelty about it; that of established icons trying their hand at alternative ventures somewhat more so. Over the last decade, musicians have begun to explore interests beyond their principal medium with varying results: for every Kanye West fashion la-
bel, you have a Liam Gallagher catwalk bust-up. The suspicion at work here is that these ventures all form an extension of the merchandising of decades past, Elvis’ cringeworthy films adapted for the 21st century. Yet these interests are increasingly independent of their musical ones: musicians are becoming less like musicians and more like entrepreneurs who happen to be musical.
For every Kanye West fashion label, you have a Liam Gallagher catwalk bust-up It’s tempting to ascribe this tendency to the decline in commercial revenues from recorded music, forcing artists to diversify into other areas either for revenue or for exposure. Whilst definitely a factor, this narrative somewhat oversimplifies the phenomenon: those with the most diversified profiles tend to be big name rappers, and 50 (now 0) Cent’s bankruptcy notwithstanding, it’s hard to believe that Dr. Dre, Shawn Carter and Kanye truly need the revenue from Beats, Tidal et. al to uphold their lifestyles. One suspects that the imperative here is less profit for profit’s sake and more the extension of their domination of pop culture to other industries: in other words, the imposition of their personal “brand” beyond the
narrow confines of the music industry. The cult of celebrity remains far from the only contributing factor, however. Quite the opposite, as outside of the world of hip hop’s self-styled filthy lucre, many of these ventures than a whiff of the hipster about them. Pitchfork’s feature on LCD Soundsystem alumnus James Murphy’s newly opened wine bar in Williamsburg could easily be mistaken for an Onion article: having a critic’s darling design a wine bar dedicated to so-called organic or “orange” wine with specially “tuned” acoustics analogous to that of a recording studio is enough of a beard oil aficionado’s wet dream without the correspondent noting that the record being played over the acoustics was Captain Beefheart’s Safe as Milk. In a similar vein, Arcade Fire’s Win Butler and Régine Chassagne operate a Haitian restaurant in Montreal which in Butler’s words is “more of an art project… it’s a cultural space.” Blur’s Alex James collaborates with Jamie Oliver on a music/food festival hybrid punningly named “The Big Feastival”, and also doubles as an “artisan cheesemaker.” These projects may well be sincere in their conception, and considering Murphy’s battle with gout and well-documented oenophilia there’s little reason to doubt it; but there’s equally little reason to doubt that these ventures would not have arisen without the prior rise in the fetishisation of the alternative, the vintage and the self-made
which forms hipsterdom’s hallmark. The underlying malaise, therefore, is possibly less economic than cultural, a sign that in the era of bit-torrent, irony, and postmodern posturing, pop music in both the narrowest and broadest sense of the term no longer offers the fulfilment artists seek. This holds whether the fulfilment sought is a commercial, a fame-related or an artistic one. Take the halcyon days of pop: in the 60’s, projects outside the band would invariably be related to music. The artist-entrepreneurs of the time would open a recording studio, or, were he or she rich enough, follow the example of the Beatles in starting their own record label. Today, they would roast their own brand coffee, market their now ubiquitous audiophile headphones, create their signature tacos (Spoon and ?uestlove), design an electric guitar specifically adapted for the female figure (St. Vincent), or start an anti-religious feminist magazine (CocoRosie’s Bianca Casady). Those who want to be rock stars for the sake of being rock stars are increasingly viewed with suspicion, whilst being in a band is increasingly seen as a dilettantish pastime. Sure, there are those who cash in on their profile to promote these ventures, but when your profile is as niche as Art Brut’s, the payout probably fails to pay the bills. Their band could well be your life. But it looks more and more like it can’t be theirs for much longer.
Album Review: Scream Above the Sounds, Stereophonics “Get it at your local supermarket” exhorts regular contributor Connor Thirwell Connor Thirlwell Staff Writer
“So at 1am I left the club, ‘cause I was gettin’ bored, and went to this friend’s house party. I’m in there by 2am sinking cans of Fosters’ to stave off the bitter inevitability of tomorrow, when I go into the kitchen and there’s this pregnant woman having contractions next to the fridge-freezer ‘screaming above the sounds.’ It turns out that no one knows who she is and by 3am it’s just her and me in some dude’s Fiat; I’m binned, and driving like a jack-ass to the tune of angry car-horns and throbbing street lights. Around 4, I swerve to avoid some sugar-eyed doggie and crash into a lamp post. The car radiator is hissing, police sirens are keening, and, next thing I know, I’m being placed under arrest. Fortunately though, the soft-hearted coppers catch an eyeful of this woman giving birth in the front seat so by 5, reprieved, I’m necking coffee in the hospital ward and listening to a tear-jerker about how the ‘daddy’ took off and left her with a baby and financial insecurities to boot. Then we got married. And
this happened ALL IN ONE NIGHT.” Part boast, part confession, the lyrical content to “All in One Night” captures the bizarrely intense world sculpted in the Stereophonics’ latest release, Scream Above the Sounds – their 10th, coming 20 years after their debut Word Gets Around. By “All in One Night”, the fifth song on the album, the tone of the record has been indisputably laid down: Kelly Jones, mournfully, like a wounded lion, huskily incants his fine croon, feeling constantly beleaguered by a damn world that won’t fail to pitch the odds against him. This is spread over a “Classic” Rock musical vocabulary made up almost entirely of only-two-three-or-four-chords-allowed slow-builders that U2, Coldplay, hell, even Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground have unashamedly exploited for all their instant emotional hit. Avuncular Jones, hard-done-by as he is, will not falter in offering us his support. Indeed, he might be criticised for proclaiming to us just one too many deep ideas. In the opener “Caught by the Wind” alone, we’re told: “from mouth to ear, everything’s possible”; “When do we lose just how free we are?”; “Help
Andrew King
yourself to what you want”; “Believe you can fly”; “celebrate everything”. Uplifting as this all-out philosophical assault can be, sometimes it comes off pig-iron crude: “It’s alright you’re crying in your beer / it’s alright the end is getting near” espouses a flawed Jim Morrison death-logic, for example. And, what does “riding around like Geronimo” actually entail, anyway? With this being said, Scream Above the Sounds can be magnificent. “Before Anyone Knew Our Name” cleverly retains both vastness and intimacy in
its sparse arrangement. On “What is All the Fuss about?”, replete with the skulking saxophone of espionage, the music reaches a grandeur beetling enough for a James Bond flick. The majestic “Would You Believe?” also sees the Stereophonics fulfilling their mission without sounding at all crass. And the “mission”? To discover the quintessence of the Anthem, a plight as treasured as the alchemist’s search to synthesise gold. Part of this, the Stereophonics’ sole quest, is to try, with all their might, to pull their listeners out
OLDIE OF THE WEEK ‘Frontwards’ (1992) Pavement
Leo Reynolds
Masao Nagasaki
It has become something of a truism amongst Pavement fans that many of their best songs never made it onto their albums. It says something about their wilful contrarianism that such prize-winning gems as “Give It a Day”, “I Love Perth” and “Box Elder”, a favourite of the late John Peel, who also included Demolition Plot J-7 in his most played singles collection, should only see the light of day on non-album EPs and compilations. Even amongst all such illustrious off-cuts and outtakes, however, Pavement’s best song looms supreme. As the Watery Domestic EP stands as the greatest of Pavement’s non-album releases, so does “Frontwards” stand as the crown jewel of their already lavish discography: an elemental three chord riff, Stephen Malkmus’s trademark elliptic lyricism, and the fuzzed-out, lo-fi production that was a hall-mark of the seminal Slanted & Enchanted would already make for an instant classic; where “Frontwards” takes a turn for the transcendental, however, is in the allusive yet suggestive chorus, Malkmus at his most singalong and accessible, ingratiating itself into the ear subtly yet forcefully, a rapier of a hook rather than a bludgeon. In this moment of brilliance, packaged in the most esoteric of fashions, that chorus stands as the the closest thing Pavement have for a manifesto, epitomising the band’s amateurish yet brilliant allure: “Well I’ve got style, Miles and miles, So much style That it’s wasted, So much style That it’s wasted So much style That its wasted” of their doldrums, to shake them out of their idle states, relentlessly, song after song; just like the World’s Strongest Man, against all others’ advice, will not crumble in his attempt to pull that articulated lorry that’s harnessed to his back, using his bodily strength and willpower alone. This is the one, unalterable law of the Stereophonics - the one that Newton missed - and the law by which every Stereophonics release, from here to eternity, will abide by. Get it at your local supermarket.
LIVING OUT Checklist Use this checklist when you go to look at a house. It should help you decide which is the right house for you. Why not photocopy this list, complete for each house, and take photos on your phone to remind you? You can photocopy this list for free at Oxford SU.
Address of Property:
Agent:
KITCHEN AND LAUNDRY
HEATING AND PLUMBING LOCAL AREA Noise level Shops Transport EXTERIOR OF THE HOUSE Is the roof sound and in good repair? Are the drains and gutters clear or do they have weeds growing in them? How does the woodwork on windows and doors look? are there signs of rot? Is there a garden? Does it look maintained? - what maintenance will you be expected to do? SECURITY Does the house seem to be secure? Is there a burglar alarm? Are the locks on the external door adequate 5 lever mortice locks? (affects insurance) Are the external door solid and secure? Do all the ground floor windows have security locks? Are the window frames strong and in good repair? Are the windows double glazed? (affects heating costs)
Does the house have central heating? Does the heating system work effectively? Is there a gas meter? Do any of the taps, pipes or toilets leak? Do the toilets flush? Is there a shower and/or a bath?
Washing machine Tumble dryer Dishwasher Oven Fridge Freezer Do these all work?
ELECTRICAL SAFETY Does the electrical fusebox and wiring look modern and well-maintained? Have all the electrical appliances been safety checked? Are there enough power points for each room? Is there an electricity meter?
GAS SAFETY Is there a current gas safety certificate for the house? (Look for the Gas Safe mark). Legal requirement. Is there a carbon monoxide detector fitted? Legal requirement. FIRE SAFETY
FURNITURE Has the house got enough furniture for everyone? Is the kitchen big enough to store and prepare food? Which items of furniture belong to the current tenants?
In the event of a fire could you escape easily? Are there front and rear exits to the property? Are smoke detectors fitted? Legal requirement. Is there a fire extinguisher/blanket? LICENSED HMO (Houses in Multiple Occupation) Basic rule: 3 or more people who are not related. Does the property need a licence? If it does, have you seen it?
MONEY How much is the rent? ........................................................................................................................................................
Are there any other charges? ........................................................................................................................................
What is the total amount you will pay? ...................................................................................................................
How much are the utilities? ............................................................................................................................................
Who pays the water charges? ......................................................................................................................................
Notes:
How much is the deposit? .............................................................................................................................................. Is the deposit placed in a Tenancy Deposit Protection scheme? ............................................................ Is there an agents fee? If so how much? .................................................................................................................
advice@oxfordsu.ox.ac.uk oxfordsu.org/advice
* All information correct at the time of going to press. 09.15.
Get involved in free sporting activities taking place through the week, check out the online calendar. – Week 7 – oxfordsu.org/thisgirlcan #oxbridgegirlscan
OXBRIDGE GIRLS CAN
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The Oxford Student | Friday 10th November 2017
the
Photos by Lucinda Kirk
Through the looking glass.
Fashion 26
FASHION
Fashion 27
The Oxford Student | Friday 10th November
How do women look through the lens of fashion photography? Leonie Hutch Fashion Editor
Whilst absentmindedly flicking through a magazine, reading a newspaper, or simply walking around the shops, I wonder if you have ever stopped, paused and looked, actually looked, at the adverts. And more particularly, the way in which women are imagined and promoted in these advertisements. Because if you have you might have noticed certain reoccurring themes. Women are frequently depicted in an infantilized and sexualized way, they are incredibly thin and vulnerablelooking and sometimes dismembered, and shown only in parts. We process and absorb these images (and the messages they contain) subconsciously- it has all become so innocuous and every day that to really take a step back and think about it is unusual. You might argue that you are unaffected by fashion advertising, but I’m not talking about going and buying the newest, shiniest whateverit-might-be, but the human, social and lived consequences that such imagery might have on how we value ourselves and other people. These images have the power to work deep into our brains, our collective mentalities, and have the ability to manifest themselves socially in the way in which women are seen- and not heard. In her film series Killing Us Softly, Jean Kilbourne examines gender representation in advertising. She highlighted one print advert for Armani Exchange, which subsequently gained some notoriety. It featured an incredibly thin model crouching at the bottom of the page with the tagline: ‘the more you subtract, the more you add’. Whilst on the surface the tagline is meant to refer
to a minimalist aesthetic there is a deeper implication that it is also about reducing women. This can be seen physically in terms of their size and the space they occupy, but also in terms of the power they have and the position that they occupy. It is about socio-political and sexual dominance and subordination. There is rarely a backlash, because these images are so ubiquitous. In 2009 Ralph Lauren ran an advert in Japan for its Blue Label featuring the model Filippa Hamilton. Her body had been so ridiculously Photoshopped she looked like a doll, with a huge head and little twig limbs. It was widely derided by the public, including Hamilton herself, and was described by her lawyer as “a gross distortion of how she really looks”. But it is also a suggestion of the hugely distorted way that the fashion industry looks at women.
the dismissal of womanhood is as detrimental as it is bizarre Women are also frequently infantilized in fashion advertising. Although women within society have begun more than ever to occupy positions of greater authority, images of passive, submissive little girl-women have flourished in fashion advertising. They are depicted in weirdly toddler-ish positions, cross legged on the floor, or posing with teddy bears. Wide eyed and innocent, with strangely enlarged bobble heads. This simultaneous sexualization of girls, fetishizing childhood and reduction and dismissal of womanhood is as detrimental
_molins
as it is bizarre. There is a message that women are only desirable if they are young, thin, with pale skin, every inch of them shaved, plucked and pruned. It has the power to affect not only women’s self-esteem, but also the way that society views, treats and potentially values them. Catherine Hakim has suggested that there is a notion of ‘erotic capital’ in advertising and society. Ultimately this is to do with two ideas: beauty and sexual attractiveness. Whilst beauty ideals, she argues, vary cross culturally, the images of women that are presented as being sexually attractive in advertising are all fairly similar. Why is it that we are being told what is sexy, who is desirable and what attributes define this sexiness? The constraints are so narrow, that they are unachievable. In fact, they are not even real, yet people hold themselves up to this imagined and promoted ideal. Hakim argues that this ‘erotic capital’ plays put into the marriage market, into the labour market, and into our everyday social interactions. These physical attributes are seen as desirable because we are told they are by adverts, but they have real-world consequences. In 2016 Calvin Klein released a series of Polaroid-y Instagram-
y overexposed adverts featuring well known models and artists. They had collaborated with the fashion photographer Tyrone Lebon for the campaign. Across all of the print adverts produced for the campaign there was a consistent difference in the way that the men and women were presented. Women such as FKA Twigs, Adwoa Aboah and Abbey Lee Kershaw were shown in bed, in their underwear, bent over and topless. Moreover, the taglines appearing alongside the women were overwhelmingly provocative: they ‘arouse’, ‘seduce’, ‘hypnotize’ and ‘pose’. Whereas the men next to them, such as Kendrick Lamar and Sung Jin Park ‘think’, ‘focus’ and ‘make money’ whilst being fully clothed. At least Justin Bieber ‘flaunt[ed]’ and ‘glow[ed]’ in his underwear for the campaign- however, this was a) by a classical marble statue so was ~cultural~ and b) the statue was a nude figure of a women.
“men act and women appear” As John Berger noted all the way back in 1972: ‘one might simplify this by saying: men act and women appear’. Although he was referring to the way in which women are
presented and seen in art, I think that the same can be said of advertising, and especially of fashion advertising and editorials. Whilst the men in this campaign were presented as complete cultural beings the women were objectified, sexualized and in the case of model Kendall Jenner visually dismembered and in parts. She was fragmented and depicted as body parts: lips, an eye, belly button, knee with the tagline ‘I want to be with you in #mycalvins’. There is something unsettlingly voyeuristic about these Polaroid photographs of her in what is meant to be her boyfriend’s underwear lounging in bed. Caroline Evans has made the point in Fashion at the Edge that since the 1990s many fashion advertising campaigns and editorials have pornographic and violent connotations. For instance, the (in)famous Dolce & Gabbana one from 2007 which showed a women being forcibly held down by a group of men. In 2006 Jimmy Choo ran an advert which featured an unconscious woman in the boot of a car. In 2010 Calvin Klein had an advert featuring Lara Stone banned for being “suggestive of violence and rape”. In 20011 Lanvin ran a strange high fashion murder scene (who knows?) advert. This is not about wanting to hide women’s bodies and their expressions of sexuality away. It is about why only certain aspects of this are shown again and again in fashion advertising. It is about why only highly abstracted specific aspects of womanhood are thought of as desirable. It is about fetishizing certain attributes whilst devaluing others. And it is part of a wider rhetoric dictating how women should look and think.
Posturing: Photographing the Body in Fashion: An Exhibition Review Posturing: Photographing the Body in Fashion is an exhibition which seeks to explore how the female body is portrayed in fashion photography. It has been co-curated by Shonagh Marshall and Holly Hay as part of The Ground Floor Project alongside THE OUTNET.COM. The exhibition presents images taken from 2010 to 2017 and attempts to investigate new and changing aesthetics in visual rep-
resentation of fashion. It focusses on the ways in which the body interacts and informs our understanding of not only clothes, but also meaning and feeling. Through considering the way in which the body is captured as an image through gesture, posture and pose we are challenged to reconsider the presentation of people, and the clothes that they are wearing, in fashion photography:
the process of creating imagery which subverts and reinterprets traditional understandings of the relationship between the human form, its adornments and surroundings. The way in which the exhibition has been curated is also reflective of this creative process, and how the body interacts with these different aspects and settings. There are five thematic sections: casting,
styling, location, props and art direction which are individually investigated and displayed. The exhibition is a collection of images produced by 23 photographers including work by Marton Perlaki, Johnny Dufort, Tyrone Lebon and Hanna Moon as well as a number of editorial pieces from the archives of magazines such as British Vogue, i-D and The Gentlewoman.
Where? Ground Floor Project 10 Thurloe Place London SW7 2RZ When? 2-12 November Daily: 10am-6pm Friday: 10am-9.30pm How much? Free entry
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The Oxford Student | Friday 10th November 2017
OXSTUFF This week in broadcasting: Come Dine With Me and more Tom Gould Deputy Broadcasting Editor
We are excited to announce this week will see the release of the much anticipated second episode of Oxford Student Come Dine With Me. Amy and Elliot from Christ Church put their mushroom risotto to the test against a plate of spaghetti bolognese prepared by Gemma and Michael from St. Peter’s. Our guest judge is none other than our Deputy Editor Dan
Mahoney (@Mahonicles) who came armed with his acerbic wit, deadpan demeanour and stylish jacket. The Broadcasting team also visited Magdalen to provide you with an exclusive preview of the new college cocktail, the Longwall Iced Tea, as well as Bar Inspector/Broadcasting Editor Henry Grub’s Alan Partridge-esque banter. The Oxford Student Facebook page or Youtube channel is where you’ll find all of our video content.
OVERHEARD IN OXFORD “It’s not cyber bullying if it’s cyber banter” “I only want a partially depressing vibe” “Can we keep ‘your mum’ jokes out of the OxStu please?” “PT is eternal” “PT is eternal”
OxQuiz
“PT is eternal”
Which Oxford club are you? How would your friends describe your fashion sense? A) Cheap and cheerful B) Topshop, but you pretend it’s retero C) Garbage bags D) What friends? E) wavy garms
What is your song of the night? A) ‘All Star’ by Smash Mouth B) ‘Blue Monday’ by New Order C) ‘Teenage Dirtbag’ by Wheatus D) ‘Fever Night’ by The Bee Gees E) you won’t have heard of it
What do you do after your night out? A) Get cheesey chips B) Shower off the sweat C) Feel thankful you’ve escaped D) Take ibuprofen E) ketflix and chill
of
Mostly C’s – PT You are amazed that you can go free to your favourite place on earth any day of the week. As long as you’re smashed, you don’t notice the fact taht the walls are wet. When somewhere else lets you down, PT has your back.
Mostly A’s – Park End You enjoy the simple things – VKs, cheesey chips, cheesier pop. You’re probably a fresher and have no pretentions about being edgy. You’re here to scream your lungs out to some Taylor Swift, and here for a good time, not a long time.
Mostly D’s – Fever Who are you? Does anyone go there?
What’s your drink choice? A) VK (blue) B) Red Stripe C) The Hulk D) Vodka and coke E) MD
Mostly B’s – Cellar You love 80s music, small spaces, and sweat. A big fan of retro jumpers and vintage trainers, you’re the edgiest member of your friendship group. The fact Cellar didn’t close down this year was the best thing that ever happened to you.
playlists are mini-masterworks. Your friends come to you for the latest recommendations, and you always know exactly which bands are about to get big.
“Me looking like a tit in a different way” “I’m going to absolutely smash some paracetemol when I get home”
OxFURd
Mostly E’s – Bullingdon You love music, and your Spotify
Meet Daisy: the much-loved feline of one our fantastic former Art & Lit editors
OxStuff 29
The Oxford Student | Friday 10th November 2017
Braggadocious brats: Our agony aunts share their advice Socrates & Ion Ancient Greek agony aunts
S: If there’s one thing that every person experiences in this life, it’s the frustrations of bragging. Whether our friends can’t stop reciting their achievements, our
siblings are overtaking us at every turn, or we just feel like we’re in a slump that ought to be concealed in polite conversation rather than lauding, bragging is a plague on us all. Plus, it plays perniciously well into the general narrative which many of us carry around on our shoulders: we’re not good enough for this, and our achievements are products of luck rather than hard work. My advice is thus: you’re doing great. If people are bragging around you, it probably says less about their success than their insecurity. Hold strong and - to the extent that any mere mortal can - try to hold your own tongue when the swordmeasuring conversations start this party season. I: Sounds like you’re a firm proponent of the tragic humble brag: the boast that is so thinly veiled behind modesty and humility that you might as well have broadcast it with a loudspeaker, and thrown in a few pro-Brexit jokes as well, just to piss everyone off. Trust me, its much more annoying when people try and conceal their success. Anonymous OxFeuder, count your blessings and
be grateful that you don’t have to spend your time lavishing excessive compliments and affirmations on your irritatingly coy friends. S: On the contrary, I’m no advocate of humble bragging. My point is simply that you don’t need to speak about success at all if you’re talking to the right people - trust me, those who care about you will want to hear about your successes, and won’t just be on the tail end of your thinlyveiled boasts at the Christmas party. If you’re bragging, you’re trying to impress - and, let’s be honest, do you really want anything more from the people you’re boasting to than their admiration? It’s not like you’d tell your real friends all about that promotion or that
cheeky First in your collections. We save our bragging for those we don’t really have anything else to talk about with - it’s hardly worth the breath we waste to fill them in on our pointless existences. I: On the contrary! The Home Brag is the least humble of all. Reporting back to the nest is, for most, nothing more than a list of accomplishments that can be smugly stuffed into the family round-robin, to finally put to bed any concerns your parents had that your cousin was more successful in life than yourself. If you’re hearing about your tute parter’s sickeningly successful essay feedback for the fourth time, its only because they want you to be happy for them. Let the bitterness go, and
spread
the
self-inflated
love.
S: I admire the optimism, but let’s get real: nobody talks about that “really unexpected 72!” unless they want you to feel slightly worse about yourself afterwards. Has anybody ever had a tute partner so generous, so kind as to reveal their marks with no ulterior motive than to inspire you on to greater academic success in the future? Such angelic students do not exist in this cruel world. Accept the fact that talking about yourself in any kind of positive light is bragging, and spend the rest of your life being self-deprecating and awkward and no fun at parties. I’ve taken to it like a duck to water (if, by ‘water’, we mean the salty pool of my own tears).
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The Oxford Student | Friday 10th November 2017
Hamilton seals a historic fourth F1 title Thoughts on the 2017 championship and hamilton’s place in F1 history Continued from page 32 he finished in the points by crossing the line in ninth place after a dramatic duel in the final laps with his former McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso, producing driving worthy of the historic landmark he was about to achieve in an otherwise forgettable race for the British driver. Hamilton put his hands to his helmet as he crossed the line, slowing the car down to a crawl to take in his success; Vettel applauded as the crowd rose to their feet to recognise Hamilton’s remarkable achievement. This was a day where, understandably, the attention was not focused on the podium finishers, but on the two world-class drivers who have fought for the title in one of the most competitive seasons in recent years, more competitive than the points difference would suggest. In contrast with previous seasons, Ferrari proved to have an extremely competitive car this season - arguably better than Hamilton’s Mercedes which has struggled for balance at certain circuits - making the title race between Hamilton and Vettel very tight and allowing both drivers to produce some of their best performances in recent years. In the first half of the season, there was very little to differentiate the two, each producing dominant performances worthy of world titles but also being hampered by reliability issues. By the summer break after Hungary, Hamilton was 14 points behind Vettel and each had won four Grands Prix.Immediately after the summer break, Hamilton produced wins at Spa and Monza and the fight looked to be going to the wire, but Vettel’s title hopes started to disappear with two DNFs in Singapore and Japan Hamilton winning both of these races - and a fourth place finish in Malaysia, where Hamilton finished in second place. After another Hamilton win at the United States Grand Prix meant that he had won five of the last six races, Hamilton was 66 points ahead, this advantage proving to be crucial in dictating the events in Mexico. In the upcoming final two races, Vettel will now be looking to keep hold of second place in the Drivers’ Championship - the result in Mexico meaning that Valtteri Bottas is now only 15 points behind the German whilst hoping that Ferrari are just as competitive next year.
Hamilton, on the other hand, will be looking to continue the momentum of a successful second half of the season (Mexico aside) and conclude the year in style. Hamilton already holds the alltime record for pole positions, broken at this year’s Italian Grand Prix, and will look to add two more - and two more wins could provide a key psychological advantage over next year’s potential title rivals, not to mention bringing Hamilton two wins closer to Michael Schumacher’s record of 91 wins. Currently, he has 62, but only aged 32, Hamilton should have many years left in the sport to come. There is no doubt now that Hamilton is one of the greats
to make that experience count in order to stave off competition from the next generation of young drivers such as Verstappen and Esteban Ocon. Now considered to be one of the elder statesmen of the sport, he has also reached an emotional maturity that has not always been his strong suit in previous years, no longer dogged by reports of fractious relationships with teammates - although Bottas will be looking to put together his own title challenge next year after an impressive first season with Mercedes, which may change the dynamic of the team somewhat. Of course, Sebastian Vettel should not be overlooked either. He has the same number of titles
There is no doubt now that Hamilton is one of the greats of the sport, but there is no reason why he should not continue to ascend the ranks of the sport, but there is no reason why he should not continue to ascend the ranks and break further records. Michael Schumacher was also aged 32 when he won his fourth world title and he then proceeded to win the Drivers’ Championship in the next three seasons, which Hamilton will be keen to replicate. Hamilton is already one of the most experienced drivers in the sport and he will be looking
Andrew Locking
as Hamilton whilst also being two years younger, although he trails Hamilton in both number of pole positions and race wins. Despite conceding that Hamilton was the better and more consistent driver this season, Vettel will not be happy that Hamilton now equals his number of world titles and will be looking to regain his title advantage over Hamilton next season. Most of this depends on the
assumption that Mercedes and Ferrari maintain their position as the two most competitive teams in Formula 1 for the next season at least, yet Red Bull have also had a good year and could find themselves improving on their current form in the coming seasons - keeping hold of Verstappen would be key to this. There is also renewed optimism at McLaren as they appear to be ending their disappointing engine partnership with Honda and beginning one with Renault - a move which should lead to increased reliability and competitiveness, and may lead to Fernando Alonso returning to the title fold. Even if Mercedes do not have the best car in the coming seasons, Hamilton is a talented driver who has already demonstrated that he can win world titles with cars which haven’t always been the most reliable or the quickest, but it would be foolish to underestimate the effect of the constructors and the cars on the Drivers’ Championship something for which Formula 1 receives praise and criticism for in equal measure. Additionally, it is a time of upheaval for Formula 1 in general. New owners and a new chief executive are yet to make their mark on the sport, with news coming out this week of proposals of changes to the engine formula - provisionally set to be implemented in 2021 -
which may fundamentally alter the competitive landscape by standardising parts and reducing costs, although these changes would be brought in late enough that Hamilton might have already equalled Schumacher’s all-time record by this point. The lingering spectre of these changes may have an impact over the next few seasons, however, with three of the four engine suppliers voicing their concerns over the proposals most significantly Ferrari, who have mentioned quitting the sport altogether - which could threaten to overshadow the racing. Whilst the long-term future of Formula 1 may be up in the air, the present situation is that the sport is in ruder health than it has been for some time, with competition between both drivers and constructors making this season one of the more exciting in recent memory. If next season is anything like this one, it should prove to be enthralling viewing - and the prospect of both Hamilton and Vettel vying for their fifth world title is an enticing one. The immediate future looks bright for Hamilton, who will be determined to continue in his pursuit of Schumacher’s records, and whilst he may take a few moments to savour the history he has already made, it’s safe to say that Hamilton won’t be slowing down any time soon.
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The Oxford Student | Friday 10th November 2017
Vegas Golden Knights showing early promise
The NHL’s newest franchise surpasses expactations with winning start Vincent Richardson Sport Editor
It’s not very often that a major professional sports team appears out of nowhere. In most sports leagues around the world, teams are promoted and relegated over the years, making it impossible for any new team to start at a noteworthy level. However, in some sports leagues around the world, most notably in the US, leagues are instead a closed oligarchy of ‘franchises’, and so new teams, when they occur, go straight into the highest level of the sport. While it had been a while since any new teams were created in the four major US sports leagues; the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL, the last being the Charlotte Hornets in 2004; the 2017 NHL season has seen the inclusion of a new team; the Las Vegas Golden Knights. The idea of an ice hockey team playing in the desert might seem a little strange to say the least, but given the absence of any other major sports franchises in the city, the Golden Knights could not have hoped to find a bigger market to have to themselves. While the transient nature of the Las Vegas population will potentially make it difficult to build up an enormous number of resident fans, the huge number of gamblers in the city at any one time and the desire for hotels to attract the guests will likely help get customers into seats early on. While the Golden Knights kickedoff the season with a 2-0 away win, they played their first home game
this season on October 10th, just over a week after the Las Vegas shooting. While no sports team is even vaguely equipped to deal with such an event in anything more than cursory terms; the Golden Knights tribute to the fallen seemed to be one of the better attempts at community rehabilitation through sport in recent years. While it was certainly not something that anybody expected the team to have to start their existence dealing with, it will certainly be seen as a significant part of the teams early existence going forwards. When a new team in created in the US sports leagues, their team is built from free agents, young players turning professional and players selected via the Expansion Draft. This is when the new team is able to select one player from each team they would like to add to their squad. Teams are allowed to set a certain number of players as being off-limits and are able to put their first-round draft selection in place of any player selected. Through this, the Golden Knights’ roster is largely comprised of a mixture of upper-tier journeymen, older veteran players and younger players getting their first real shots at major playing time. This perceived lack of star talent had many expecting the Golden Knights to falter in the early going, but much to their surprise the Golden Knights are currently sitting second in their division; and fourth in the NFL overall, with sixteen points. This has been made possible by a league-leading defensive efficiency rating. While many expected Marc-
Andre Fleury to be one of the team’s highlights at goaltender, the real surprise came when youngster Oscar Dansk was forced to step-in due to injury. In just four games, Dansk is currently leading the NHL in both goals-allowed-per-game and save-percentage. Extrapolating this performance any much-larger sample size is hard, but it is certainly a promising find for the young franchise. Offensively the Golden Knights have been good but not great, wingers James Neal and Reilly Smith have both contributed their
fair share of points, but this is likely where the team will need to get better going forwards. Luckily, the Golden Knights draft picks should help them in this regard after having time to develop in the team’s farm system. The highlight of the bunch is forward Cody Glass, taken sixth overall in the past draft. Glass is currently leading the Golden Knights’ development team (the Portland Winterhawks) with twenty-one points and fifteen assists and could well be part of the Golden Knights’ attack by the end of the
season. But with six total players taken in the first one-hundred picks of the 2017 draft, and twelve overall, the Golden Knights should have hope in a number of young players coming through the ranks in the near future. The Golden Knights have got off to a hot start, but even if it doesn’t last through the season the Golden Knights have made for one of the most interesting and endearing stories in recent NHL history. If they can hit on a couple of their many 2017 draft picks then this story might get even better.
Tomas Del Coro
Anthony Joshua ends a successful 2017 with win Continued from page 32 Takam, who had sustained a cut to the left eye too by this point, connected with a couple of shots in round seven, but did little damage to the champion, as Joshua set about trying to secure his 20th knockout in his 20th fight. The referee checked Takam’s eyes again before round nine, and allowed the fight to continue, but when, in round ten, Joshua hurt Takam with a couple of shots and had him against the ropes, the referee felt that it was time to step in. This was much to the disdain and anger of the Cardiff crowd, who could not see the blood pouring from Takam’s face, and felt the stoppage to be soft. A chorus of boos met the decision. This was perhaps the first time that Joshua has had his hands in the air celebrating victory but has been met with a none-toowelcome response. Takam, on the
other hand, received a massive cheer, and Joshua seemed
Wilder, Joseph Parker, Tyson Fury”. These were the words
“I think the fans wanted to see Takam lying on the floor. We get the win and now we look forward to 2018.” to take all of this personally. He used his post-fight interview to make sure that those boos were for the referee, and not for him. He made it very clear that he is concerned with what goes on inside the ring, and has no say over the decisions of the referee or the doctors outside of it. “Unfortunately, the referee stopped the fight”, he said, “I think the fans wanted to see Takam lying on the floor. We get the win and now we look forward to 2018.” What a 2018 it could be. “We’ll give you the fights that you want. I promise you that. Deontay
of Eddie Hearn, perhaps also trying to rescue his reception in Cardiff (Hearn was also greeted by a chorus of boos), but making a commitment to the big fights that we all want to see happening in 2018. Let us hope that he keeps to his word. Earlier on in the night, Dillian Whyte had emerged victorious after a frankly quite boring encounter with Robert Helenius. Whyte put in some good work, but the Finn seemed disinterested and rarely attacked, making this a dry fight for the fans in the stadium. Kal Yafai defended his WBA Super-Flyweight title against
Sho Ishida, showing a sustained a aggression that his Japanese challenger just could not match. It took until the sixth round for Ishida to land any real punches, and Yafai responded with big punches in the seventh and the eighth. Ishida’s rally in the twelfth came too late, and Yafai came out 118-110, 116-112, 116-112 ahead on the judges scorecards. Frank Buglioni retained his British light-heavyweight title in a great fight with Craig Richard, after Callum Johnson pulled out through injury, and, in contrast to the Helenius fight, both fighters seemed ready and willing to trade shots. Buglioni eventually won out on the judges scorecards. Perhaps the most exciting fight of the night was Katie Taylor’s challenge for the WBA Female Lightweight title against Anahi Esther Sanchez. Taylor floored Sanchez in the second with a powerful shot to the ribs, but Sanchez, who had already
surrendered the title after failing to make weight, showed determination to make it through the whole ten rounds. The judges each scored the fight at 99-90 to Taylor, who then claimed the vacant title. The 2012 Olympic champion’s aggressive and relentless boxing style is thrilling to watch, and she had the full backing of the fans out in Cardiff, in just her seventh fight, as she set about breaking down Sanchez’s defence and resilience. Lawrence Okolie, Joshua Buatsi and Joe Cordina also secured victories on the night. Cordina, born and raised in Cardiff, was given a spot later on in the undercard, fighting just before Joshua in front of a passionate home-crowd of over 70,000 and giving them the victory that they all wanted to see. The Principality Stadium was host to an exciting night of boxing October 28th, and 2018 looks to play host to even more.
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The Oxford Student | Friday 10th November 2017
Vegas Golden Knights are NHL’s new darlings
Reflections on Joshua fight
Hamilton seals historic fourth F1 title Anthony
Joshua fight aftermath Danny Cowan Sport Editor
Morio
Lee Murray Staff Writer
Lewis Hamilton won his fourth Formula 1 World Championship title at the Mexican Grand Prix last weekend, making him only the fifth driver in the sport to reach the milestone, and also the most decorated British Formula 1 driver in history. Hamilton has now cemented his place in the upper echelons of Formula 1 history, surpassing Sir Jackie Stewart’s British record of three world titles, and joining Alain Prost and Sebastian Vettel - his contemporary and title rival this season - on four. Additionally, with both Hamilton and Mercedes looking likely to remain competitive in the near future, one wouldn’t bet against Hamilton equalling Juan Manuel Fangio’s five world titles and challenging Michael
Schumacher’s alltime record of seven. Talk of a Hamilton title win being a formality dominated the pre-race build-up, a Vettel race win requiring Hamilton finishing below fifth in order to keep the title race alive with two Grands Prix of the season remaining. However, Hamilton did not have everything his own way. Qualifying in third place with Vettel in pole position was not an ideal start, but the script threatened to be completely flipped during the race’s opening moments. With the frontrunners Vettel, Max Verstappen and Hamilton heading into Turn One together, a Verstappen move resulted in the Dutch driver taking the lead through Turn Two, slightly clipping Vettel’s front wing in the process and leaving Hamilton having to go round the outside of them both into Turn Three. Subsequently,
Hamilton and Vettel managed to also clip each other - Hamilton taking a puncture to his right rear wheel and Vettel’s Ferrari taking further damage to the front wing. With Verstappen now comfortable in first place, both title rivals had to come into the pits at the end of the lap, and Hamilton emerged in last place, behind Vettel in nineteenth. Vettel began to make rapid progress through the field, regularly gaining positions, but Hamilton - whose car was lacking downforce from a damaged diffuser caused by his puncture found himself stuck behind Carlos Sainz for nearly 30 laps, by which point Vettel was up in eighth place. The race came back alive, however, under the virtual safety car, introduced when Brendon Hartley’s Toro Rosso stopped in flames following an engine failure. This prompted Mercedes to call Hamilton in for a tyre
change, swapping from softs to super softs, and he began to make ground. Vettel made the same move a lap later in order to make one final push to save his title hopes - his best chance of stopping Hamilton from winning the title requiring a second place finish with Hamilton finishing below ninth. He fought hard, but Vettel had too much ground to make up. Making his way into fourth place, he asked how far teammate Kimi Raikkonen was ahead of him but, by his own admission, 26 seconds was a bit too much to claw back, and he finished fourth behind Verstappen, Valtteri Bottas and Raikkonen. Despite having been told by Mercedes that Vettel would be unable to reach the second place finish he needed, Hamilton ensured that
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Last Saturday, Anthony Joshua took on Carlos Takam at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. 75 thousand fans packed out Cardiff’s closed-roof stadium, and the atmosphere was unbelievable. This alone is evidence of Joshua’s stature in British boxing. Few had heard of Takam before he was announced as Kubrat Pulev’s replacement– this crowd was there for Joshua. Last week, we examined the fight and made two main predictions: that it was likely that Takam would end up on the mat, and that this would be an exciting fight. We were almost right. The fight was undoubtedly exciting. Takam, to give him credit, put in an unbelievable performance. While most people watching the fight expected him to go down in the early rounds, having taken a few big punches already, the stubborn Cameroonian refused to buckle. He already had a reputation for having a strong chin, but Takam showed himself to really have the ability to eat a punch. The fight started quietly, but a couple of clashes of heads in round two drew blood from Joshua’s nose, which he later revealed to have been broken, and this sparked a period of heightened aggression from the champion, which was matched by his challenger. A powerful exchange in the fourth round saw Takam come away with a cut above his right eye; he briefly hit the floor, but showed character to spring up quickly and continue the fight. Joshua went to work on his opponent in the fifth round, and referee Phil Edwards had to pause the fight to check on Takam’s bleeding eye. The blood was flowing but Takam kept fighting, showing an iron resilience and determination.
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