The Oxford Student - Week 7 Michaelmas 2023 by The Oxford Student

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Michaelmas Term, Week 7 | Friday 24 November 2023

OXFORD STUDENT The University of Oxford’s Student Newspaper, Est. 1991

Rose Henderson and Milo Dennison

ollowing an investigation by The Oxford Student, it can be revealed that SU President Danial Hussain is currently suspended from his role as SU President after he shared

porn with SU staff through misuse of a Google Drive. The Oxford Student has been made aware of an incident in which Hussain shared pornographic material to SU staff via

its placement in a Google Drive of SU content. Hussain created the Drive to store videos related to his work as SU President. A video was placed in the Drive of a number of Hussain’s

Vigil held in Oxford for Transgender Day of Remembrance Etienne Baker and Daisy Outram

candlelit vigil was held at the Radcliffe Camera on 20th November to remember the transgender people whose lives have been lost to acts of anti-transgender violence. Transgender Day of Remembrance is an annual observance across the world that started in 1999. Activist Gwendolyn Ann Smith began the tradition as a vigil for transgen-

der woman Rita Hester who had been killed in 1998. Earlier in the day the SU LGBTQ+ campaign posted a quote from Smith on the founding of the day, expressing that it “seeks to highlight the losses we face due to antitransgender bigotry and violence”. She stated that “it is vitally important that those we lose are remembered, and that we continue to fight for justice”. The campaign echoed that Read more on page 5

cess is significantly extended in comparison to previous years. Hussain caused controversy after he attempted to force through a number of changes to Student Council, including reducing the number of meetings and removing the ability to submit extraordinary motions. Most of the changes, bar the reduced number of meetings, were reverted at the first Student Council meeting of the term. Hussain failed to consult widely on the changes before passing them through the SU’s Trustee Board, instead only talking to some JCR Presidents. The changes were passed by the SU’s Trustee Board without even an in person meeting as the decision was voted on over email. The SU told The Oxford Student, “Oxford SU is aware of the allegations that have been made in this article and have launched an investigation. As such it would not be appropriate to comment at this time.” Danial Hussain commented: “The suspension process, as described in the SU Staff Handbook, serves as an Read more on page 4

“

The Covered Market has been at the heart of the city for almost 250 years and I’m so pleased that it continues to inspire and attract new businesses.

“

SU President suspended over porn scandal

friends watching gay pornographic material with laughter heard in the background. The video was then opened by a member of SU staff and also seen by another SU Sabbatical Officer. The Oxford Student understands that two of Hussain’s friends have admitted responsibility for the existence of the video in the Drive and that Hussain was unaware of its presence when it was shared. Hussain was also suspended over the summer due to an investigation into a complaint alleging serious misconduct. This complaint was dismissed. Hussain was again suspended on 31st October after the complaint relating to the porn was submitted. Given the recent rules change to Student Council that Hussain helped push through reducing the number of meetings, it could take a number of months for a No-Confidence motion Read more on page 3 if to be brought against him students chose to do so. Motions must be brought to two consecutive Student Council meetings, as well as a referendum. As there are now only two meetings a term, the pro-

- Oxford City Council leader Susan Brown on new businesses joining the Covered Market

2 | Editorial

Friday 24 November 2023 | The Oxford Student

THE EDITORIAL TEAM

EDITORS IN CHIEF Emily Hudson and Charlie Bowden ASSOCIATE EDITORS Tara Earley and Martin Alfonsin Larsen CREATIVE DIRECTOR Blane Aitchison STRATEGY Rose Henderson (director), Milo Dennison, Ayomilekan Adegunwa

NEWS Daisy Outram, Blane Aitchison, Etienne Baker, Gaspard Rouffin, Tasneem Jodiyawalla, Milo Dennison, Rose Henderson COMMENT Jack Arrowsmith, Haochen Wang, Tasneem Jodiyawalla, Thomas Cowan PROFILE Martin Alfonsin Larsen, Lukas Seifert, Jack Arrowsmith, Holly Errington PINK Etienne Baker, Amelia Gibbins, Charlie Wild, Lauren Gray IDENTITY Sami Jalil, Georgia Ferris, Ivy Wong, Amelia Gibbins FEATURES Haochen Wang, Patrick Groves, Elliot Francolla CULTURE Jennifer Robinson, Johannah Mathew, Liz Lane, Declan Collins FOOD & DRINK Tara Earley, Johannah Mathew GREEN Jasmine Wilkinson, Gaspard Rouffin, Jessica Wang SCITECH Bridget Harrington, Tymoteusz Syrytczyk, Samkeet Shah, Gabriella Kchozyan OXYOU Olly DeHerrera, Florence Purcell SPORT Patrick Groves, Purav Menon, Thomas Thornton, Charlie Wild COLUMNISTS Blane Aitchison, Paul Furey, Matthew Holland, Jonah Poulard, Vuk Winrow, Amanda Li CREATIVE Amy Ellis Winter, Charlotte Kerr, Cameron Samuel Keys PODCAST Tara Earley, Ashley Lee, Niall Hall, Sam Freeman, Holly Gowland, Cindy Yu

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ust like that, most of the term has flown by. It’s been good—but one of the craziest terms of my time in university. It’s my last Michaelmas, and slowly I am adjusting to the idea that my identity as an oxford student (and Editor-inChief of The Oxford Student) will have to shift pretty soon. That said, my loves of physics and journalism have both matured and experiences of both have left their mark. Last weekend - festive as everI spent some time catching up with old friends in the Christmas Market on Broad Street. I also visited the “Big Oxfam” in

hat a profoundly odd feeling to be writing my last editorial of the term already. I know I keep banging on about it but Michaelmas does actually go quite quickly guys. It's also thrilling to already have our next set of Editors-inChief confirmed. Huge congratulations to Daisy and Tara, who I'm sure will lead the paper to new heights in Hilary. I'll be sticking around to keep an eye on things - you can't get rid of me that quickly. There is a laundry list of people to thank, first and foremost of course being Emily, who has

Cowley for the first time, and had one of the best mornings I’ve had all term. The books (my goodness!) and the classic selection of irreverent tableware have made me all the more excited for Christmas, as I now have some gifts I can’t wait to see opened. As winter closes in, it’s nice to enjoy these small pleasures, in what daylight we have. And so onto the last edition of the paper: thank you and goodbye to all of the wonderful editors who have been such a pleasure to work with this term. I’m particularly grateful to Charlie, and to those who joined the paper this term. I hope it is the first of many, and that you enjoy the rest of your time here. Finally, I will say goodbye to my sister, who was taken from us far too soon. Rest in peace, Becki - I hope this little message would make you smile.

@theoxstu

@theofficialoxstu

Editors’ Picks Sport

Rising stars and rising questions: The challenge of NBA stardom

Features

SciTech

Desmystifying Oxford

Will one fungus see the death of all frogs?

Emily Hudson

Oriel College

Green

Charlie Bowden

Jesus College

y third term on the OxStu has undoubtedly been the best term I’ve had at Oxford so far. I could make another joke about how much I despise InDesign (I still do), or the trials of crafting Food and Drink content calls (hence their scarcity), but what I’m taking away from my experience as an associate is a profound sense of gratitude for this paper and the people behind it. Thank you to Emily, Charlie, Martin, Daisy, Haochen, Jack, Johannah, Rose, Milo, Blane, Niall, Ashley, Sam, Cindy, Holly, and many, many others. It has been a privilege to work with you, and I look forward to an incredible Hilary and year ahead.

Oxford's path to a greener future

From the Editors made this term of excitement and stress more exciting and less stressful than it would have been otherwise. I couldn't have picked a better person to run the paper with this term. Rose and Milo have been constant sources of wisdom during more difficult moments. This would've been a far scarier experience without their support. Thanks to our Associate Editors Martin and Tara for doing great jobs on the newsletter and podcast respectively. All of our Deputy Editors are wonderful, but I'd particularly like to spotlight our newcomers who have really pulled through - thank you to Bridget, Etienne, Jack, Jenny, Patrick and Olly. Saul at the SU has also been a massive help to us this term. Last of all, thanks to you for paying attention. Have a great vac and we'll see you in Hilary under new management.

Tara Earley

his third term on the OxStu has been an incredible, if very busy, one in both student journalism and my degree. Interviewing wonderful people and editing such wonderful profiles from this team has been such a privilege. Thank you so much to Emily and Charlie for their fantastic guidance this term. Thanks also to Rose, Daisy, and Milo for being so generous with your time and friendship; getting to know you all better has been one of my favourite parts of this term. There are so many more people on this list that I wish I had the space to thank; I hope you all know who you are.

Hertford College

St Catherine's College

Martin Alfonsin Larsen

The Oxford Student | Friday 24 November 2023

editor@oxfordstudent.com

NEWS

@TheOxStu

Contents News - p. 3

Profile - p. 12 Pink - p. 15

Features - p. 20 Green - p. 26 OxYou - p. 29 Sport - p. 31

News | 3

Comment - p. 8

The Oxford Student

oxfordstudent.com

Oxford professor named chair of STEM research council

Identity - p. 14

Columns - p. 16 Culture - p. 22

SciTech - p. 27

Food & Drink - p. 30

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Illustration: Jonas Muschalski

Image credit: Lhapya Charlie Bowden Editor-in-Chief

rofessor Charlotte Deane has been appointed Executive Chair of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) by Michelle Donelan, the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology. Professor Deane is currently Professor of Structural Bioinformatics in Oxford’s Department of Statistics and a Fellow of St Anne’s College. She leads the Oxford Protein Informatics Group (OPIG) and co-directs the Systems Approaches to Biomedical Research Centre for Doctoral Training, which she founded in 2009. She will remain affiliated with the University through her continued leadership of OPIG after taking up her new role in January 2024. She will replace Professor Miles Padgett who has served as Interim Executive Chair of the council for the past six months. Professor Deane said of her appointment: “I am excited to be chosen as Executive Chair of EPSRC. The opportunities for EPSRC research have never been greater from machine learning methodologies which touch practically every aspect of the economy

and society, to quantum computing and advanced materials to the growing understanding of the importance of engineering and physical sciences techniques for solving challenges from climate change to future pandemics.” During the COVID-19 pandemic Deane served on the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), and received an MBE in 2022 for services to COVID-19 research. Professor Deane previously served as the Deputy Executive Chair of EPSRC, where she acted as the COVID-19 Response Director for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), which oversees the EPSRC and various other research councils. The EPSRC is responsible for leading and funding research into engineering and physical sciences, as well as ensuring the UK’s research and innovation capacity in this area remains sustainable. Many PhDs in STEMrelated fields are funded through the council. Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, Chief Executive of UKRI, commented: “I am delighted to welcome Professor Charlotte Deane as EPSRC’s new Executive Chair. Charlotte is returning to UKRI, having played a key

role during our response to COVID-19 as EPSRC’s Deputy Executive Chair. She brings with her a wealth of experience and an impressive track record as a leader in both academia and business. “She will take on the leadership of EPSRC at a critical and exciting time, with the transformative potential for our economy, public services, and society from new technologies such as AI and quantum. As a core part of UKRI, EPSRC’s strategic investments can shorten the distance between discovery and prosperity, capturing the benefits for today, while catalysing the discoveries of tomorrow.” Michelle Donelan said: “Professor Deane’s return to the Council as its Executive Chair is excellent news for the sector, bringing a strong record in driving pioneering research in business and academia and having spearheaded UKRI’s Covid response at a vital time for the UK. From digital technologies to clean energy, manufacturing to mathematics, advanced materials to chemistry, EPSRC-led discoveries impact on all our lives and I look forward to working with Professor Deane to take forward the innovation that benefits the whole country.”

4 | News

Friday 24 November 2023 | The Oxford Student

SU President suspended over porn scandal Cont. from front page

administrative necessity, not as a form of punishment. It is a procedure designed to ensure that all complaints are investigated thoroughly and impartially. I fully endorse this process as it is fundamental in upholding fairness and maintaining the integrity of our organisational procedures. In a completely unrelated incident: at the start of this term I shared a Google Drive of videos for editing. I was horrified to subsequently learn that the material included a two-second pornographic video that was sand-

wiched alongside various videos for SU use. I have since discovered that the material was recorded by friends who intended it as a prank and I had no knowledge this material was on my phone. The individuals who recorded the pornographic material have signed a statement corroborating the events as described here. The notion of sharing pornography in any way is abhorrent to me. I would never consciously do it. I have, in other words, been the innocent victim of a prank which has gone horribly wrong. I strongly condemn this behavior, regardless of who is

involved. The actions of the individuals in this instance are inexcusable and contrary to the values I uphold. I do not tolerate such conduct. I apologise to the two individuals who viewed this material. They did not deserve this. I look forward to having the opportunity to explain these circumstances in detail, where I am confident that a thorough and fair examination will clear me of any wrongdoing. I firmly believe in the importance of due process and the need to allow this investigation to reach its conclusion in a comprehensive and unbiased manner.”

Rose Henderson and Milo Dennison News Team

Credit: Cameron Samuel Keys for The Oxford Student

Four new businesses set up shop University announces at Covered Market typed exams for various subjects Blane Aitchison News Editor

T Credit: Heather Cowper

Valida Pau News Editor

xford’s historic Covered Market has welcomed four new businesses over the last two months, including a popular bakery and a family-run Italian business. Il Corno, a family-run bar and shop from Naples, opened during last weekend. They offer two key Neapolitan products: panuozzi, a sandwich made with pizza dough with a variety of fillings, and taralli, a salty snack in a toroidal shape. Hamblin Bread, a local bakery on Iffley Road, took on two of the three recently restored units by the Oxford City Council in partnership with Oxford Preservation Trust. They plan to open their kiosk in December, alongside a snack bar in January. The kiosk will offer a range of bread, buns, and pastries,

while the bar will offer a selection of sandwiches. These two new businesses follow Crystal Spirit Emporium and OxUnBoxed, which opened in the last two months. Crystal Spirit is a family-run small business selling crystals, minerals, and fossils, while OxUnBoxed is a refill shop aiming to promote low waste living. Two existing shops, A Woollen Cosy Life and The Woolhound, have moved to larger units within the market. Next year will mark the 250th anniversary of The Covered Market. The city council, which owns and operates the market, had plans throughout the year for this upcoming anniversary. This February, the city council approved almost £7 million of investment to revitalise the historic market and launched a trial of later opening hours. The funding project aimed to refurbish the entrances

in High Street and Market Street, provide larger seating areas inside, and create an outdoor seating space on Market Street. On the new businesses joining the Covered Market, Oxford City Council leader Susan Brown commented that “The Covered Market has been at the heart of the city for almost 250 years and I’m so pleased that it continues to inspire and attract new businesses. “Bringing a bakery back to the market is something both locals and the council have wanted to do for a while now, so I am incredibly pleased that Hamblin Bread will join the market’s wonderful array of businesses. “We work hard to protect the market’s unique charm and history while ensuring it stays relevant and inviting for new generations and I’m excited to see the next chapter in its story.”

he University of Oxford has announced that some Finals and Preliminary Exams will be taken as in-person typed exams in the 2023-2024 academic year. The computer-based exams will be sat by Biochemistry, Classics, English, Theology, and MBA students. A number of subjects will have typed Preliminary exams, alongside “several Social Sciences Division and Humanities MPhils” exams. The University said that the movement of exams from written to typed follows “a successful launch involving more than 6,000 exam sittings in 2022/23”. Their decision aims to “reflect the experience of most students who now type essays and other submissions, and also provide more legible scripts for assessors”. Extending invigilated, typed exams to more subjects follows previous precedent. 1,903 candidates have previously sat online Preliminary Exams across 22 exam boards, including

Credit: skittledog

Geography, Medicine, Philosophy, and Politics. Law Moderations for firstyear students alongside Finals have also been online and open book since 2020. The announcement that 2021 would be held online was met with exams being met with calls for more consistency. The Politics Department confirmed at the same time that students would return to in-person exams at Exam Schools in 2022. English students were informed of the change in October ahead of the exams which will take place in Trinity term of 2024. The discussion surrounding typed exams for English students happened in a JCC meet in May of 2023, which the English Faculty later approved. The University apologised for not releasing details of the shift to typing sooner, as well as emphasising that these will still be invigilated, closed-book exams. It also expressed that there is the opportunity for students to book hour-long practice sessions for typed tests in order to orientate themselves to the change.

The Oxford Student | Friday 24 November 2023

Vigil held in Oxford for Transgender Day of Remembrance Etienne Baker and Daisy Outram News Team

Cont. from front page

“this is a time to mourn and remember” as well as “a time to stand up and stand strong as a community”. A memorial has been set up on the fence around the Radcliffe Camera. One piece features a quote from transgender activist Marsha P Johnson “no pride for some of us without liberation for all of us” and features both the Palestinian and trans pride flag. The memorial joins ribbons tied to the fence to symbolise losses from the Israel Gaza conflict amongst calls for a ceasefire. The co-chair of the SU LGBTQ+ campaign, Joel Aston, began the vigil by speaking about the heaviness that grief can have, and that in coming together, everyone participated in “sharing the heaviness together” and “communal grieving”. They also highlighted the welfare resources available, with a welfare room set up in Brasenose College. The vigil has been held for four years in Oxford, with one speaker highlighting the pain of there being “several hundred more names” each year. One of the speakers spoke of the need to “save all trans people, all queer people and all oppressed people everywhere”. They said they wanted to remember the lives of those “murdered directly or indirectly by the government”. At the Conservative Party Conference earlier this year, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak asserted that “a man is a man, and a woman is a woman”, as well as commenting that British people shouldn’t be “bullied” into believing that “people can be any sex they want to be”. The SU LGBTQ+ campaign released a statement on these comments, calling them “yet another example of the constant erasure and removal of Trans rights to utilise an already marginalised community as a scapegoat for the real issues facing this country”.

Another speaker commented that “being trans shouldn’t come with an expiration date”. Placards saying “mourn the dead, fight like hell for the living” and “trans lecturers stand with trans students” were held up during the event. One speaker, who worked in gender affirming healthcare in the US said that “ageing is a privilege and it’s something that [the transgender community] has to fight for”. They also sang a song for those that died before receiving treatment, with the lyrics “I’ll watch your story grow old”. The conflict in Gaza was also mentioned, as one speaker highlighted the colonial context of oppression, and asked for discourse on both the trans and Palestinian lives lost. Chrissie Chevasutt, who is an outreach worker at a local church, also spoke during the event. They referenced that much of transphobic hate derives from the church, and that some ministers in Oxford should “hang their heads in shame” for how they’ve treated the LGBTQ+ community. The death of Brianna Ghey, a transgender teenager who was killed in February this year, was raised as well as mentioning statistics of recorded murders of trans people “that we know of ”. Chevassut emphasised the importance of spreading love as the way to overcome transphobia, as “if we hate on hate, we’re just their reflection in the mirror.” Aston concluded the vigil by speaking about trans grief, which they said always came with the “taste of anger” from being “exhausted” by being angry at institutions and systems. They expressed their frustration at receiving condolences from institutions whilst failing to see action happen to offer protections. A minute’s silence was then held in remembrance of those lost. Reporting from the Trans Murder Monitoring Project found that 321 trans people were murdered globally in the past year.

Credit: Cameron Samuel Keys for The Oxford Student

Oxford Union committee member resigns over “systemic issues”

News | 5

Milo Dennison and Rose Henderson News Team

imee Adey, a member of the Union’s Secretary’s Committee, has resigned with a fiery email sent to the top echelons of the Union’s leadership referencing “systemic issues”. The email cited the union’s culture, as well as the “behaviour and conduct” of senior committee members, who she claimed had “disproportionately and unfairly targeted other members”. Adey also said that there was “no true sense of democracy” at the Union. Adey was elected to Secretary’s Committee at the end of Trinity 2023, with the fewest votes of any of those elected. She ran as part of President-Elect Hannah Edwards’ Impact slate, which swept the elected officer positions of President, Treasurer, Librarian and Secretary. The Oxford Student understands that Julia Maranhao-Wong, the current Secretary, will be running for the Union Presidency in the Union’s week 7 elections, with Izzy Horrocks-Taylor, Louis Wilson, and Chris Collins on her slate. Adey’s resignation is likely in reference to a series of incidents that have unfolded in recent weeks in relation to Zariel Konadu, a member of Standing Committee. Finley Armstrong, the TreasurerElect, brought a complaint against Konadu over his failure to complete the number of vacation days required of him. Vacation days are days that Union Committee members must work at the Union during the Vacation period, but they are unpaid, a longstanding point of contention. A disciplinary committee called to meet over the complaint found that Konadu had failed to complete his required vacation days. However, rather than removing him from office, as Armstrong requested, they imposed a different, weaker, penalty, removing him from Union privileges, such as their exclusive debate dinners, for two terms. Yet just hours later, Armstrong, along with Librarian Seb Watkins, tried to make a rules change attempting to bar from running in elections anyone who had been subject to a disciplinary committee in the same term. The Oxford Student has learnt that the attempt to change the rules was part of an attempt to prevent Konadu from running.

Credit: Barker Evans

However, the Returning Officer made the decision to suppress the motion. An update to the report from the disciplinary committee described the move to “subvert” the committee’s decision as “shameful” and noted that it was hard not to view the complaint as having “electoral motivations”. They stated that if they had been aware of the plan, they would likely have barred Armstrong from ever running for a Union position again and removed him from committee. In her email, Adey described the “harmful machinations” that take place in the Union. Adey ran for committee alongside Konadu in Trinity as part of Konadu’s so-called “pod family” and The Oxford Student believes the resignation is motivated in part by Konadu’s treatment. This is not the first time concerns regarding the Union have been discussed in recent weeks. At Student Council’s week 3 meeting, ‘Free Speech and the Oxford Union’ brought a discussion of “concerns regarding the Oxford Union inviting individuals deemed morally reprehensible”. Mia Clement, SU VP Activities and Community, said that “what is happening at the Union is abhorrent” in reference to its invitation of controversial speakers Ben Shapiro, Katie Hopkins, and Charlie Kirk to speak this term. The item for discussion warned that discussion of these speakers and what they have said would involve “racism, islamophobia, homophobia, transphobia, antiziganism, fatphobia and antisemitism.” The proposer’s belief that “the principle of freedom of speech doesn’t preclude the SU from condemning the Oxford Union for its choice of speakers” was agreed with by multiple SU sabbatical officers. After the invitation of Kathleen Stock in Trinity 2023, the SU’s LGBTQ+ Campaign was required to remove a state-

ment they had published condemning her invitation as the SU was concerned it violated the government’s freedom of speech laws in relation to higher education. In a statement by Disha Hegde, Union President, read out at the meeting, she highlighted the Union as a place for members to challenge speakers either in the format of a traditional debate or in individual speaker events. She also mentioned her open hours on Fridays, and invited Student Council members to the Union’s access and consultative committees. The Oxford Union said in a comment to The Oxford Student that, “The Oxford Union Society approaches all disciplinary complaints in a serious and appropriate manner. We firmly believe that our track record proves this, as evidenced by our handling of the most recent ODC pertaining to Mr Konadu, Elected Member of the Standing Committee. The report from the panel can be found on our noticeboard. “All members of the Society, including those who find themselves as the complainant or defendant on a disciplinary panel, have access to welfare resources provided by the Society. “We recognise the need for welfare resources, which is why not only does the Society have a senior and a junior welfare officer, but a series of office-holders who have been welfare-trained, such as the Chair of the Consultative Committee, the President, the President-elect, the Chief of Staff, etc. Access to welfare training sessions is open to all members of committee and ordinary members of the Society. “Our ODC panels are crucial to the day-to-day functioning of the Society, as these ensure that all of our elected and appointed officials do their duty and are held accountable.”

6 | News

Friday 24 November 2023 | The Oxford Student

Protestors march again calling for a Oxford Living “ceasefire now” in Gaza Etienne Baker News Editor

he protest, organised by “Help the World Oxford”, Oxford Palestine Society and others, is the latest in a series of demonstrations in Oxford demanding a ceasefire in Gaza. Over 1,000 people joined the march between Cowley and Bonn Square. The rally began in Manzil Way, Cowley, and continued through to Bonn Square. During the protest, similar chants to that of earlier protests were heard, such as “free, free Palestine” and “blood on their hands”. “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” was also featured as a chant. This message has become controversial after its usage at protests has been condemned for being antisemitic. The American Jewish Committee described it as “calling for the elimination of the Jewish community” or “suggesting that the Jews alone do not have the right to selfdetermination” which “is an-

ti-Semitic”. The Labour Party recently suspended Andy McDonald for using the phrase during a pro-Palestine rally, whilst in the US, Representative Rashida Tlaib was censured for her use of the phrase. Tlaib has said that the slogan is “an aspirational call for freedom, human rights and peaceful coexistence, not death, destruction or hate”. Other slogans used included “Gaza, Gaza, don’t you cry, we will never let you die” and “Rishi Sunak’s a wasteman”, which mirrors a protest in London on the same day, where protestors chanted “Keir Starmer is a wasteman” whilst marching through Starmer’s constituency. Jaba Nala-Hartley, a former Labour councillor who resigned her party membership, came to speak at the protest. She said that if reelected, they pledge to build solidarity with Palestinians fighting for liberation. Nala-Hartley also echoed that “[they] stand in solidarity with oppressed people

everywhere”, and as well as asserting that she was “an anti-apartheid activist and will be until [she dies]”. There was a police presence at the event, including some police officers on horseback, but this was largely to keep the protest to one side of the road. As the march reached Bonn Square, it had grown significantly, and many held signs, including one reading “stop killing children, free Palestine”. The names of those who have passed away in Gaza were displayed around the memorial in the Square. One individual held a sign stating “vote Dodds out”. Anneliese Dodds, who has been

WasteLess Wonderland will feature a Christmas market selling sustainable products from independent designers, festive produce and local street food, and workshops upcycling materials from Christmas in previous years. The Charity Super.Mkt brand was created earlier this year by Maria Chenoweth, CEO of the TRAID charity, and Hemingway. The brand has already launched in other UK locations such as Kent, Glasgow and Reading. The Oxford launch will accompany the

other two new locations for the store: Shepherd’s Bush and Greater Manchester. CharitySuper.Mkt brings together various charities in a single shop: TRAID, Havens Hospice, and Sobell Hospice. It aims to help causes for social and environmental good, and to maximise its profit and appeal through carefully curated selections of clothes, where “people can shop the best of charity retail all in one place”. Brendan Hattam, Centre Director at Westgate Oxford, told the Oxford Mail that

the MP for Oxford East since 2017 and is part of the shadow Cabinet, abstained from the vote on the recent SNP motion in Parliament, which called for “all parties to agree to an immediate ceasefire”. The motion did not pass, with 294 MPs, largely Conservative, voting against, whilst 125 voted for, 56 of which were Labour MPs rebelling against the party line. Ten Labour MPs have subsequently left their position on the frontbench. Recently ribbons have also been put up at the Radcliffe Camera, with each one symbolising a life lost in Gaza. Placards at the display also call for a ceasefire.

Credit: Cameron Samuel Keys for The Oxford Student

New charity pop-up store opens in Westgate Tasneem Jodiyawalla News Editor

new multi-charity fashion shop “Charity Super.Mkt” is set to opening today on November 24th in Westgate, running until December 22nd. Described as “the department store for second-hand style”, the shop will be part of the “WasteLess Wonderland” Christmas initiative launched by Wayne Hemingway, founder of “HemingwayDesign” and co-founder of “Red or Dead”.

Credit: wuppertaler

“[this] a huge win-win for Westgate Oxford guests as we welcome a fantastic brand, selling stylish, hand-picked garments whilst benefiting a range of UK charities”. She addressed the fact that the “trend for pre-loved fashion is growing year-on-year”, citing the success of Charity Super.Mkt as a result as “a proven concept which has been exciting shoppers across the UK”. Second-hand shopping, according to the Charity Retail Association, is flourishing this year. Sales have increased by 15% between January 2022 and March 2023. Charity Super.Mkt, in the first eleven months after its launch, sold 151,113 secondhand items. This prevented 43,173 kg of clothing going to landfill, in turn substantially reducing CO2 emissions and water consumption. Using the proceeds, the brand funded approximately 3,000 hours of nursing care, helped people with learning disabilities to gain part-time employment, enabled TRAID to support a new project providing education for the children of waste pickers at the Matuail landfill site in Dhaka, Bangladesh, as well as other achievements.

Wage to increase by 10%

Valida Pau News Editor

xford City Council has announced a new Oxford Living Wage for 2024, going up 10% from £11.35 to £12.49 an hour. The Oxford Living Wage is set at 95% of the London Living Wage. Last month, the real living wage in London increased by 10% to £13.15. The new rate will go into effect starting April 2024. Oxford is regularly named as one of the least affordable places to live in the UK. Numbeo, an online database tracking cost of living, found that Oxford was the second most expensive place to live in the country in 2023 behind London. The cost of living remained expensive despite cooling inflation in recent months. The City Council has pledged to recognise this and “ensure people are paid fairly”. This pay benchmark was launched in 2008. It is an hourly minimum pay that promotes liveable earnings for all workers in the city. The figure is separate from the National Living Wage, a legal requirement that employers have to pay employees over the age of 23. This is £10.42, and has no weighting dependent on different areas of the country. Over 120 Oxford businesses and organisations signed up to a Living Wage Employer, with examples such as Common Ground, Jolly Farmers, and most Oxford colleges. A list can be found on the city council website. Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of Oxford City Council and Cabinet Member for Inclusive Economy and Partnerships, said “I am incredibly proud that over 120 businesses in Oxford are accredited Oxford Living Wage employers.” “Paying the Oxford Living Wage not only benefits the employees who are being paid a truly liveable wage, but it also helps employers attract new talent and keep staff. In addition, also it helps make our city a fairer one for everyone and means that local residents have more money to spend in the local economy.”

The Oxford Student | Friday 24 November 2023

News | 7

Palestine Society representatives meet with Vice-Chancellor Etienne Baker News Editor

he Oxford Palestine Society has posted a statement alleging that the Vice-Chancellor Professor Irene Tracey “failed to answer” the group’s demands following a meeting with representatives to discuss the University’s response to the Israel-Palestine conflict. In the statement, the society, alongside Rhodes Scholars for Palestine, allege Tracey “evaded addressing [their] demands” at the meeting and has now not provided the response promised with a deadline of 3rd November. A spokesperson for the University set out that “[the] petition deadline for response was one given by the students and the VC did not agree to respond by a specific date, as she has to discuss all such issues very broadly, as she explained to the students. She will respond directly to those students presently.” This follows a petition released by the society over two weeks ago “to urge the Vice-Chancellor to speak and act against the ongoing genocide enacted by Israel against the Palestinian people”.

It also highlights that Oxford is in the top 5 universities in the UK to accept arms funding from companies found by Amnesty International to fail “to demonstrate adequate human rights due diligence”. Representatives from Rhodes Scholars for Palestine and Oxford Palestine Society then met with the Vice-Chancellor to put forward their demands. These demands include “releasing a public statement condemning Israel’s war crimes against the Palestinian people”, “severing financial ties to all arms manufacturers and companies complicit in Israel’s occupation and destruction of Gaza”, and to protect “any members of the University facing ethno-religious harassment, intimidation, and threats”. The statement references that the meeting was followed up with “clear, actionable items for the Vice-Chancellor to accept, consider for further discussion or reject”. In the responses during the meeting, the statement claims that the Vice-Chancellor “evaded addressing [their] demands”. They quote the Vice-Chancellor claiming that the University “as a non-political

organisation, is not in the position to make political statements.” In response, the statement references the University’s condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year, including supporting “Ukrainians’ right to freedom and self-determination”. The statement goes on to detail that the Vice-Chancellor viewed the case of Ukraine as “different” due to the UK government sanctions placed on Russia. The reply expresses concern over “mirroring” government policy, noting the University’s status as an “independent, self-governing institution”. They also mention that the Vice-Chancellor said that the language around the situation is “difficult to get right”, with the University working hard to keep updating its messaging. The societies respond that “the language is quite simple”, and that the University should “call for an immediate ceasefire”, “condemn Israel’s indiscriminate bombing of civilians”, and “denounce the inhumane, illegal complete siege of Gaza”. In a comment to The Oxford Student, a spokesperson for the University expressed “[the] Vice-Chancellor has

been meeting with representatives of all the student groups affected by the terrible crisis situation in the Middle East. She will continue to do so going forwards. She is very grateful for the time the students have spent with her. “The University has been clear in all its communications about its recognition of the desperate and tragic humanitarian crisis and loss of life, as well as the need for a peaceful solution for the peoples of Israel and Palestine. “The focus of the collegiate university has been to ensure the community within Oxford remains together, has access to welfare support and other needs during this period, and that there is zero tolerance for any form of Islamophobia or antisemitism within our university. “The VC and student repre-

current Union secretary, delivered the first speech for the opposition. She emphasised the difference between a protest and a revolution, claiming that peaceful protests were largely sufficient in modern democracies. In non-democratic countries, she argued that violent protests were ineffective because they “cannot produce systemic change” and are only “a tool for inflammation”. The second speech for the proposition was made by Thierry-Paul Valette, a French politician and activist. He is one of the founders of the “Yellow Vests Citizens Movement” aiming to structure the Yellow Vest movement in France in 2018-19 and negotiate with the government. Valette recently founded a political party for the European Parliament, whose political orientation he describes as “centrist”. He began by saying that everyone had the “right to live with dignity”, in reference to “women and children dying under the bombs in Gaza”. Valette claimed that vio-

lence during the Yellow Vest movement was a “response against police violence”, and took a yellow vest out of his pocket. He then said that violence is “de facto a political tool of rebellion”, but that it must be used with other “democratic weapons”, such as the right to vote. Sathasivian Cooper, a SouthAfrican psychologist who shared a cell with Nelson Mandela for five years after being arrested for antiapartheid activism, made the second speech for the opposition. He opened by saying that he will be “speaking against protests, not revolutions”, and that many of the cases cited by the proposition’s first speaker are not protests, but cases of “life or death”. Cooper then asserted that he could not condone violence, firstly because he had experienced it himself and “did not wish it on anyone”, and secondly because violence can only “cause more violence” which has “severe consequences on society”. He finished by saying that “vio-

lence is a learned behaviour, not innate to the human condition”. The floor was then open to speeches from the audience. For the proposition, speakers said that “[they] don’t like violence, but prefer it to fascism”, and that there was “historical precedent” of violence being a necessary political tool. For the opposition, one speaker claimed that “violent protests [of the Yellow Vests] had done nothing in France” and that “everyone hates BLM because they are rioters”. A second quoted Ben Shapiro on Israel-Palestine, claiming it was “brilliantly put”, which was met with loud boos from the audience. The final speech for the proposition was made by Charlotte Fallon, who opened by saying that she was not arguing that violent protests were not “more effective or favourable [than non-violent ones]”, but that they were an “essential option”. She then said that non-violent protests were to “raise awareness”, and that violent

sentatives of the petition discussed a range of issues and the explanation on various points mentioned was more detailed than that given here, notably on Ukraine.” Over 1,900 students, staff, faculty, and alumni have currently signed the petition. The statement concludes by stating that “[they] reiterate our demands”, and that “[they] will not be silenced”. The statement concludes that due to the University continuing to “equivocate around the topic of Palestine” it “remains complicit in the ongoing genocide”. This follows multiple protests in the past few weeks in Oxford supporting Palestine, including two protests last week calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, which were attended in large numbers.

Credit: Cameron Samuel Keys for The Oxford Student

“Democratic weapons”: Oxford Union votes that violent protest is a necessary political tool Gaspard Rouffin News Editor

n the 9th of November, the Oxford Union debated the motion “This House Believes Violent Protest is a Necessary Political Tool”. French activist ThierryPaul Valette, a founder of the “Yellow Vests Citizens Movement”, joined the proposition speakers. The session started with a homage to the members of the Union who gave their lives in the Great War in the run up to Remembrance Day. The proposition was opened by Theo Adler-Williams, who argued that violent protests were “sometimes necessary”, particularly in countries that aren’t democracies. He mentioned that the Boston Tea Party, the first Pride Marches, and Spartacus’ uprising, amongst others, had all been violent protests. He stated that the “tragedy of violence” was at times the only option available, especially when there is no chance to protest peacefully. Julia Maranhao-Wong, the

protests brought a sense of “urgency”. She finished by saying that civil protests being effective didn’t mean that violent protests “weren’t more effective”. The final speaker for the opposition was Ashlyn Cheong, who quoted Gandhi to open her argument: “I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent”. She emphasised the side effects of violent protests, especially for businesses and police and soldiers hurt in the confrontation. She claimed that violent protests were an unfair way of getting concessions from the government, that “victory tainted with blood will always taste sour”, and that “if we are fighting for peace, let us fight with peace”. Aislinn Pulley, a founder of BLM Chicago who was initially scheduled to speak for the proposition, cancelled her appearance at the Union. The motion “This House Believes Violent Protest is a Necessary Political Tool” passed with 112 in favour.

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Deputy Editor: Jack Arrowsmith Section Editors: Haochen Wang, Tasneem Jodiyawalla, Thomas Cowan comment@oxfordstudent.com

Friday 24 November 2023 | The Oxford Student

Comment

Should Ukraine join NATO and the EU? Image credit: Office of the President of Ukraine

Joshua McGillivray n 2004, the government-run Central Election Commission in Ukraine announced that the Russia-aligned candidate Viktor Yanukovych had received more votes than the proWestern Viktor Yushchenko in the presidential election. However, widespread allegations of corruption and fraud provoked protests across the country, particularly at the Maidan in Kyiv; exit polls had predicted a victory for Yushchenko, and moreover, claims by the government were treated with extreme scepticism following the 2000 Cassette Scandal, in which the then-President Leonid Kuchma, a supporter of Yanukovych, was found to have

“Putin called NATO expansion broadly a ‘serious provocation’ to Russia.”

ordered the kidnap of Georgiy Gongadze, a dissident journalist found decapitated in a wood earlier that year. The protests caused a re-vote, which Yushchenko won, gaining the support of 52% of those participating against Yanukovych’s 44%. What came to be known as the “Orange Revolution” – named after the colours of the ultimate winner’s cam-

paign – led to Ukraine turning towards the EU and NATO,

“(William Burns’s caution:) Ukrainian entry into NATO is the brightest of all redlines for the Russian elite”

seeking membership of both. At the 2005 NATO summit, Yushchenko thus expressed his clear support for Ukraine participating in a Membership Action Plan (MAP) – a clear precursor to joining the Alliance. Two years later, in a speech to the Munich Security Conference, Putin called NATO expansion broadly a “serious provocation” to Russia, and a year on, in comments that have been increasingly discussed since February 2022, he even stated that Russia would preemptively attack if Ukraine received NATO missiles. Tensions accelerated still further later that year after NATO’s April 2008 Bucharest Summit, when Ukraine and Georgia were both promised eventual MAPs. In August, war broke out between Russia and Georgia; whilst the exact causes remain disputed – though many sources blame Russia, the EU’s report found that Georgia initiated hostilities – a causal link between the statements made at the Summit and the conflict

is extremely probable. The famous 1997 open letter by 50 foreign policy experts, including the former US. Secretary of State Robert McNamara, warning that NATO enlargement would “unsettle European stability” appeared prophetic; however, over the coming years, the US Ambassador to Russia William Burns’s caution in his letter to Condoleezza Rice from months before the 2008 war that, “Ukrainian entry into NATO is the brightest of all redlines for the Russian elite”, would prove even more prescient. Yanukovych replaced Yushchenko as President in 2010

“(Russia has expressed) staunch opposition to Ukraine joining both NATO and the EU, viewing such moves as aggressive Western expansion.”

and whilst he didn’t pursue Ukraine’s NATO aspirations any further, he continued to promote close ties with the EU and in particular to aim for an Association Agreement with them. However, at the Vilnius EU Summit in 2013, his government issued a de-

cree to suspend preparations for such an arrangement; given that later that year Pu-

“Given the trend of greater economic unity, EU membership would be a logical step towards increased cooperation”

tin agreed to the lowering of Russian natural gas prices for Ukraine and to the purchase of $15 billion of Ukrainian Eurobonds, the cause of Yanukovych’s about-turn is easy to guess. But his retreat under pressure provoked protests at the Maidan in 2014, which grew when the activists were attacked by the police and grew further when the Ukrainian parliament passed legal restrictions on protest. The crisis culminated on the 18th February, when new levels of violence – from the protestors setting fire to the headquarters of the president’s party to the police shooting and using stun grenades on the government’s opponents – broke out. The events culminated with the Parliament voting to remove Yanukovych and pledging to sign an EU Association Agreement. Less than two weeks after the Revolution

of Dignity, on the 27th February, Russian troops invaded Crimea and started the RussoUkrainian War. The recent history clearly demonstrates the Russian government’s staunch opposition to Ukraine joining both NATO and the EU, viewing such moves as aggressive western expan-

“It is doubtful that (Putin) would be open to a peace agreement without the guarantee that the status quo regarding at least NATO would remain.”

sion. Nonetheless, calls have increased since 2014, and especially since 2022, for Ukraine to join both – and indeed, the case for each is strong. The Ukrainian public largely supports their country’s entry into the groups - a 2022 survey found that 86% of Ukrainians support joining the EU, and 76% support joining NATO – and in 2019 the country’s constitution was amended to require each successive government to pursue both these ends. In 2013, Russia accounted for 24% of Ukraine’s exports and 30% of its imports, with natural gas comprising over

The Oxford Student | Friday 24 November 2023

half of the latter and metals and agricultural goods prominent amongst the former. Since 2014 however, the two countries’ economic cooperation has declined – in 2018, only 8% of Ukrainian exports went to Russia, and

“(NATO’s) enlargement may in fact have caused a security dilemma, in which these state’s actions... have been perceived as offensive by Russia.” only 14% of their imports came from them; by contrast, the percentages of both with EU countries such as Poland, Italy and Germany has risen. Given the trend of greater economic unity, EU membership would be a logical step towards increased cooperation; indeed, this could benefit EU countries as Ukraine is one of the world’s biggest agricultural exporters, with over half of their territory comprising arable land. And whilst a country at war joining NATO would be unprecedented, Article 10 of the North Atlantic Treaty which specifies the conditions under which nations can join does not exclude this from occurring – the only requirement is that all the existing members agree to the accession. Moreover, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was caused by a variety of factors unrelated to NATO and the EU – prominent among them Russian irredentism, as shown by Putin’s essay from 2021,

“Ukraine’s membership in NATO must hinge upon what the west chooses to prioritise.”

widely criticised by experts, “On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians”. However, given that the major conflicts between Russia and both Georgia and Ukraine in recent years followed moves towards greater integration into the two unions, it seems beyond doubt that Putin views the advancement of both into the two countries as non-negotiable – indeed, it is doubtful that he would be open to a peace agreement without the guarantee that the status quo regarding at least NATO would remain. In 1999 Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic all joined the union, followed by the Baltic States, Bulgaria, Ro-

mania, Slovakia, and Slovenia in 2004; whilst some would argue that NATO expansion is necessary precisely because Russia poses a threat to its immediate neighbours, the union’s enlargement may in fact have caused a security dilemma, in which these states’ actions, intended to increase their own security, have been perceived as offensive by Russia, which in turn has acted to increase its own security; thus tensions have been escalated until outright war erupted. To give a specific example, in 2020, NATO conducted livefire rocket drills in Estonia, a state that had joined the organisation under 20 years before, around 70 miles away from Russia’s border. Whilst the purpose of this exercise was to increase the country’s security, given that the weapons being tested have ranges that would allow them to attack their neighbours, the Russian Foreign Ministry described the operation as “provocative” and “extremely dangerous for regional stability”, perceiving it as an offensive act. They even asked, “how would the Americans react if such shooting were carried out by our military near the US borders?” Given the US’ support for the Monroe Doctrine over the past 200 years, it is likely that their response would be intervention or even invasion.

“there is no certainty that Ukraine’s membership is imminent, or even that it will occur.”

Thus, ultimately support for Ukraine’s membership in NATO must hinge upon what the west chooses to prioritise: peace, even if it means appeasing Russia’s demands, or self-determination for Ukraine, even if it means causing further conflict and bloodshed. The possibility of Ukraine becoming part of the EU soon – it, like Moldova, has candidate status and formal negotiations planned – similarly poses a risk to the prospects of resolving the conflict. But Putin has not been as vocally opposed to such plans as he has been to those involving NATO, meaning that peace negotiations would likely still be possible were Ukraine to join. Moreover, the economic benefits to Ukraine and the EU could plausibly outweigh the risks that joining poses. However, given that negotiations for Turkey to join the EU began in 2005 and are frozen 18 years later, there is no certainty that Ukraine’s membership is imminent, or even that it will occur.

Comment | 9

Any time sacking Braverman was too late

Image credit: House of Lords

Modupe Omitola

n an ominous warning after she left Downing Street on Monday, Suella Braverman announced that she would have “more to say” about her exit in due course. And, like the Terminator, she was back. Her letter in response to Rishi Sunak giving her the sack was published on Twitter the next day. I’ve followed the drama in anticipation, never knowing what will happen next. I’m usually against politics being a source of entertainment but this irredeemable mess is hard not to watch. Sunak’s speech at the Tory conference alluded to the same thing. He attempted to distance himself from the previous 13 years of Tory rule. The speech portrayed him as the candidate who would provide a fresh start.

“Braverman was a voice of the far-right with a scary amount of legitimacy”

And we saw that fresh start in the ousting of Braverman and the return of… David Cameron? Good riddance to her. Braverman was a voice of the far-right with a scary amount of legitimacy. Only a week after

Sunak became Prime Minister, she referred to the migrant crisis as an “invasion”. Her use of inflammatory language whilst in office made her the far-right politician. Every policy she proposed, tweet she tweeted (or X she X’d?), and statement she made in the Commons painted that image. After Sunak decided to keep her on from Liz Truss’ cabinet, it was going to cause trouble if he ever wanted to give her the sack. And since she’s not one to resign, she wasn’t going to go without a fight. Her criticising the police in her article two weeks ago was an example of her arrogance. Sunak had already addressed similar criticisms in his meeting with the Commissioner earlier on that day. Braverman aimed to do two things by going on to brand the Met Police as biased: try to make them U-turn; and increase tension between the police and the public. Braverman’s unsuccessful attempt to force a U-turn only bolstered her aim to increase tension. It turned her article into a target on the backs of the police. She wanted them to ban the pro-Palestinian march on Armistice Day, despite there being no legislative power to do so. Her article made it seem like the police did have this power but they were neglecting to use

it. Such an accusation threatened the rocky peace between the Met and the Government. But Braverman couldn’t read

“Braverman aimed to do two things by going on to brand the Met Police as biased: try to make them U-turn, and increase tension between the police and the public.”

the room. She maintained her attack on the police’s decision to not seek a ban against those she called “hate marchers”. Rishi only had one choice from this moment onwards. If Braverman could ignore direct instructions from Downing Street to edit her article, how could anyone keep her in check? Whenever he was going to sack her, it was still going to be too late. He would have to face the trouble that would raise with the right. She would become their martyr: she spoke for many of the Tory MPs and for right-wing nationalists outside the party, like Tommy Robinson, former leader of the

Friday 24 November 2023 | The Oxford Student

10 | Comment

English Defense League (EDL). Reflecting on the previous weekend’s events reminds me that a broken clock is right twice a day. She claimed that aggression would break out on Armistice Day. And what did we see? At least 126 arrests were made, nine police officers injured, and the pub-

“Her exit was a disappointment for many people and will only serve to stir up more trouble for the PM.”

lic were attacked with racist and Islamophobic comments. Around 150 pro-Palestinian demonstraters were also detained in the evening, long after the earlier violence by the Cenotaph. The events that occurred on Saturday could not justify keeping her as Home Secretary for much longer. In a more significant way, Suella was right about what would happen on the weekend. The majority of arrests were of far-right protesters who aimed their violence towards the police and the public. Her claim that the police are usually more firm with right-wing protesters was true. A loud walking protest pales in comparison to the assault committed by nationalists and EDL-sympathisers. To not use force against people enacting violence would be ignoring their duty to protect the public. She’s just an MP now but I doubt Suella Braverman will

“Sunak finds himself stuck between primarylevel literacy and virulent bigotry..”

be quiet on the backbench. She managed to make a formidable name for herself in the past year. Her exit was a disappointment for many people and will only serve to stir up more trouble for the PM. We’re already seeing letters of no confidence, including the “barely literate” letter written by Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns. And I’m not too hopeful about the calibre of the rest of the Conservatives at the moment. Sunak finds himself stuck between primary-level literacy and virulent bigotry.

Cameron’s Comeback: Looks are Deceiving Image credit: UK Government

Johannes Riese

ike it or not, domestic politics often come down to shrewdly controlling the narrative. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak achieved this by appointing David Cameron as Foreign Secretary just as he fired Home Secretary Suella Braverman last Monday. Consequently, the former PM’s return to office dominated the headlines instead of articles concerning the civil war between the centrist and right-wing of the Conservative party. Foreign affairs require a similar yet different type of shrewd communication. This begs the question, what does Cameron bring to the table?

“His worldview as prime minister was largely shaped by the success of the liberal world order during the 1980s and 1990s.”

Cameron is a talented orator and looks like he belongs on the world stage. The speech that he delivered without notes at the 2005 party conference made him win the Tory leadership contest. We have been reminded of his sleek appearance and smooth and confident delivery in the last few days. In a political climate where populism far too often triumphs, Cameron’s cool and collected demeanour offers a refreshing contrast. His experience and contacts will be invaluable. With the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine raging on and hostility with China ramping up, knowing who your friends are matters. Europe should

welcome Cameron back. In spite of Brexit, he always believed in remaining in the EU and lacks the anti-European demagoguery of the rightwing of his party. Zelenskyy welcoming Cameron with open arms within three days of his appointment indicates the continent’s warm sentiment. His lack of future political ambitions, having already been prime minister, is also reassuring. Sunak has enough vultures circling above his head. The unconventional arrangement of selecting a lord instead of an MP to the cabinet will further free up Cameron’s time to purely focus on foreign affairs. Unfortunately, being a lord allows Cameron to avoid regular questioning by MPs, amplifying criticism that he is an unelected minister appointed by an unelected prime minister. Although enviable in many regards, Cameron’s personal qualities bear responsibility for Brexit – the greatest British foreign policy blunder post-WW2. His overconfidence in his ability to convince voters, electoral ambitions and wish to settle the question of Europe once and for all within the Conservative party made him call the referendum. That disastrous decision remains the root cause of the fractious political climate we live in today. What about Cameron’s foreign policy ideology and legacy? His worldview as prime minister was largely shaped by the success of the liberal world order during the 1980s and 1990s. In this era, the world was becoming more prosperous and democratic. The underpinning logic was simple: if the West kept trading, engaging and – when needed – intervening in the rest of the world, the end

of history was in sight. The consensus read that countries like China and Russia would succumb to the forces of globalisation and become more liberal and democratic. Concerning Cameron’s actual foreign policy legacy, it is nothing to brag about. He was a leading voice in support of Nato’s intervention in Libya that aided the overthrow of Gaddafi, which left the country in ruin. He spoke vocally about giving Ukraine security guarantees after the annexation of Crimea but let

“Concerning Cameron’s actual foreign policy legacy, it is nothing to brag about.”

France and Germany lead the diplomatic effort to resolve the conflict. He advocated launching airstrikes against the Assad regime after it used chemical weapons, but he lost the vote in the House of Commons. He pursued some successful policies. For instance, he increased spending on foreign aid to 0.7% of GDP to meet the UN targets and pioneered training Ukrainian soldiers on British soil. But failures still outweigh the successes as evident by Sunak struggling to name any when questioned during PMQs. Perhaps most pressing is Cameron’s naive view of China. During his premiership, he bragged about a “golden-era” of Chinese-British relations which saw trade and investment soar. He and Xi Jinping even shared a beer during a state visit. Yet trading and investing in China have not stopped the regime from becoming more confrontational and repressive. To be fair to

Cameron, most mainstream leaders from Obama to Merkel largely shared his view at the time. Hindsight is 20/20 and we are too often guilty of historical revisionism to fit today’s political reality. However, either out of personal greed or continued naivety, his views on China seem to remain the same post-premiership. He briefly chaired and failed to set up a one-billion-pound China-UK Investment Fund. As recently as September, he flew to the Middle East to drum up support for a Chinese-backed infrastructure project in Sri Lanka. These ill-advised business dealings are part of a more problematic trend. Cameron lobbied the government on behalf of Greensill Capital, a defunct financial services firm, to change the rules to obtain loans during the pandemic. Although a parliamentary inquiry found that no rules had been broken, such behaviour is unbefitting for a former prime minister. Ultimately, at first glance Cameron’s appointment might be heralded as a return to sensibility and competence. Do not fall for the government’s PR stunt. If you scratch beneath the surface,

“his seemingly attractive qualities and his record have done far more harm than good.”

you are reminded that his seemingly attractive qualities and his record have done far more harm than good. The only conclusion should be that the Conservative Party is in great need of renewal.

The Oxford Student | Friday 24 November 2023

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Ana Diamond’s fight for freedom

Ana at graduation. All images credited to Ana Diamond

Jack Arrowsmith

n 2014, 19-year-old Ana Diamond was travelling to Iran to visit her grandparents. Upon arriving in the country, she was detained at the airport and had her passport confiscated. She would spend the next 18 months living in Iran under a travel ban, subject to constant interrogations in government safe houses. This takes us to 2016, when she was stopped in the street by a van containing plainclothes members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), blindfolded, seated with her head between her knees, and taken to Iran’s notorious Evin prison, where she would spend over 200 days. This month, she graduated from Balliol with an MPhil in Modern Middle Eastern Studies. Diamond was born in Iran and carried a dual citizenship, but parted ways with the country when she was a toddler. In

1999, she fled with her father, who had been a writer for the reformist newspaper ‘Salam’. After publishing a report from the Iranian ministry detailing plans to censor the country’s pro-reform press, the newspaper was shut down. This prompted protests which became violent after plainclothes police officers raided a dormitory in Tehran University, killing at least one person. Demonstrations and riots took place across the country, with many casualties.

“It (also) revealed to me that your place of birth is largely arbitrary, and does not automatically define your identity or where you get to call ‘home’.”

This turn of events meant Diamond spent most of her forma-

Friday 24 November 2023 | The Oxford Student Deputy Editor: Martin Alfonsin Larsen Section Editors: Jack Arrowsmith, Lukas Seifert, Holly Errington profile@oxfordstudent.com

of the week

tive years in Turkey, Finland, France, and the UK, with both Finnish and British citizenship. She draws an unlikely comparison between her own upbringing as a refugee, and the upbringings of the children of diplomats. Both, she says, have a “kaleidoscope of social identities,” and an exposure to such a range of cultures and experiences that they develop a great talent for empathy. When she returned to Iran later on in her life, Diamond would again find herself victim to the regime’s authoritarianism. She can count herself as part of a number of Western citizens who have been held in Iran as political prisoners. A 2022 report from the House of Commons concluded that at least 66 foreign and dual nationals have been detained by Iran since 2010 alone. The government has used these political prisoners as bargaining chips with the West, to help pursue its geopolitical objectives. Diamond describes it as a “lucrative business model” for the IRGC, pressuring governments into paying ransom money as a form of hostage diplomacy, or extorting the victims themselves. One such geopolitical objective has been seeking payment from the British government of a debt of £393.8 million which the UK had owed Iran since the 1970s. Prior to the Islamic Revolution, the country had been ruled by the pro-Western Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, whose government ordered 1,500 Chieftain Tanks and 250 Armoured Recovery vehicles from the UK. After the Shah was deposed Britain cancelled the order, with the Iranian money having been paid but only 185 of the tanks delivered. Since then Iran has taken numerous approaches to settle the debt, with many believing that its imprisonment of dual nationals is a ransom to secure repayment. This was the case with British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was charged with plotting to topple the Iranian government and sentenced to five years in prison. She was finally released in 2022 after Foreign Secretary Liz Truss agreed that the UK would repay the debt to Iran, provided the money was

ring-fenced for humanitarian purposes. At the time of Diamond’s travel ban the Washington Post’s Tehran Bureau editor Jason Rezaian was imprisoned in Iran under false espionage charges. Diamond described her astonishment that she, as a university undergraduate, was being treated the same as a high profile journalist. It’s clear she felt that, unlike a Western journalist in Tehran, she was far removed from geopolitical events. The only commonality between them was both being dual nationals of a Western country judged to be an enemy of the regime.

“We had to become our own voice, both in government and in media, because our individual inquiries and concerns did not get very far.”

Like Rezaian and Zaghari-Ratcliffe, Diamond had her personal life upended and left to the fate of wranglings between national governments, each with their own self interests. In 2014 she had been under the impression that her travel ban would be resolved within a couple of days, only for it to be stretched to over 500. She was referred to in Iran as “dokhtar khareeji,” which translates to ‘the foreign girl’. Whilst the phrase was often used affectionately, Diamond felt somewhat estranged by it. “It (also) revealed to me that your place of birth is largely arbitrary, and does not automatically define your identity or where you get to call ‘home’.” As Diamond found her life in the grips of uncertainty, no-one was there to help. The Iranian Foreign Ministry informed her that they had no idea about the whereabouts of her passport, or why she had encountered such hostility from the IRGC. Not once did the UK government reach out to Diamond and her family to provide consular assistance during the travel ban. This was despite the family’s best efforts to communicate with them, alongside Diamond’s position as both a British citizen and student at

King’s College London. As a spokesperson for the Young Conservatives during her university days, Diamond stated that she was “absolutely devastated” by the government’s failure to acknowledge her case in good time, either publicly or privately. 18 months after her arrival, things became far more serious. She was taken to court by the IRGC, where prosecutors accused her of being a western spy. They levied 52 charges, with 3 of them (espionage, blasphemy and spreading corruption on earth) being punishable by death. Among the evidence cited were photos of her as a teenager at Young Conservatives events with David Cameron and Theresa May, alongside her time on the University of California Education Abroad Programme, and a film project she had undertaken in Jerusalem. Diamond spent her first three and a half months of custody in solitary confinement, before being taken to a public ward for about 30 days and then returning to a solitary cell. After around eight months she was finally released from prison, and then acquitted in January 2018 following a visit to the country by then-foreign secretary Boris Johnson. With an emergency passport, she was finally free. Diamond experienced levels of suffering and psychological torture in prison which I cannot even begin to fully comprehend. She was subject to interrogations lasting as long as 12 hours during which she would hear the screams of a woman being tortured, being told they were from her mother. She also faced virginity tests, and is one of the only dual nationals to experience a mock execution. At that stage of her imprisonment, unsatisfied with Diamond’s lack of cooperation, the guards took her to a smaller cell where she was left for three days. She recalled from stories told to her by family members that this was part of the protocol for an execution, whilst the guards informed her that they would carry out her sentence, which was for crimes punishable by death. She was then transported to a remote location, where she believed she

The Oxford Student | Friday 24 November 2023

would be killed. The operation was ultimately a torture device, to convince her that she was about to die. Her time on the public ward would provide the opportunity to meet female intellectuals who were also experiencing political persecution. Among them was the Iranian human rights activist Narges Mohammadi, who would go on to win the Nobel Peace Prize this year. Mohammadi has faced endless prosecution and imprisonment by Iran throughout her career of activism. When Diamond met her, she had been detained since 2015. Despite being released in October 2020, she was again sentenced to further prison time in May 2021 for charges including “spreading propaganda against the system.” Mohammadhi has released numerous reports criticising the conditions faced by women in Iranian prisons, describing solitary confinement of the kind Diamond endured as “white torture,” designed to deprive victims of sensory stimuli and force them into complete isolation. Diamond referred to her as a “proxy mother” during her time in prison. Narges would cook Ana food, help her write letters to her judges in Persian, and read her Persian literature. Along with some of the other female inmates, Mohammadhi would also run weekly seminars on various topics, be they philosophy,

Diamond at Balliol College on graduation day

literature, or women’s rights. Diamond was explicitly told by the prison guards that they believed she would be radicalised by the time she spent with the long-term inmates. This in itself shocked her: “they realised my innocence so early on, and yet sentenced me to death five months into my captivity. It was clearly all a politically motivated persecution.”

“Oxford helped me realise that even if you cannot achieve full justice, you can try to prevent injustice - with your work, words, advocacy, and presence.”

To this day, Mohammadhi remains in prison. She has just begun a hunger strike, in protest at her denial of vital medical care, which she needs in order to treat heart and lung conditions. When Diamond was finally released from prison and returned to the UK, she was treated in hospital for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and heart conditions. She would then go on to be a founding member of the Families Alliance Against State Hostage Taking, which was launched in 2019 at the United Nations General Assembly. It seeks to advocate for arbitrarily detained hostages like Diamond. The need for such a

Profile | 13

group in part stems from the frustrations of Ana and others regarding the limited response from Western governments to hostage crises: “we had to become our own voice, both in government and in media, because our individual inquiries and concerns did not get very far.” The group has contributed to the passage of Magnitsky legislation in the UK, designed to provide sanctions against individuals who have committed human rights violations. The laws are named in honour of Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian tax advisor whose exposure of corruption and misconduct in Russia led to his arrest and death in police custody. Diamond values the opportunity to help others face situations similar to her own, or ideally prevent them happening in the first place. Whilst this will never give her a complete sense of justice, she values the purpose that comes from helping others. Diamond credits much of her success post-prison to the mentorship of Sir Terry Waite, a British humanitarian. Waite has previously worked as a hostage negotiator, and was himself taken captive by the Islamic Jihad Organisation in Lebanon, being held for over four years. He was knighted by the king this month, for his decades of services to charity. Whilst the support from the British government was insufficient during Diamond’s time in prison, the support since leaving has also been insufficient. She has advocated for a compensation scheme for victims, inclusive of both emotional and financial support, to help aid their recovery: “for torture survivors, the world is a very different place, and it takes time to learn how to trust your environment and live pain-free.” Since leaving prison, Diamond has also been able to find comfort through study at Oxford. She has spent the last two years as a Clarendon Scholar, reading for an MPhil in Modern Middle Eastern Studies, with language choices of Persian and Arabic. There’s little I can do to encapsulate her Oxford experience that would be better than referring to her own words: “Oxford, and particularly Balliol College, gave my ideas and ambitions residency, and where my solitude found company. I built memories made

Diamond pictured with her mentor Sir Terry Waite

of solidarity and sleepovers, home-cooked dinners with strangers who became friends, late-night (and last minute) speed writing and translations, and so much more. Oxford was a transformative experience for me, far more than simply a place where I received my degree from. I became closer to nature, and friends with bright and brilliant minds, inspiring activists, great story-tellers, and potentially world-changing scientists. I shared snacks with Malala, spotted Hillary Clinton from across the street, organised neurodiversity workshops, and gave a talk to over 100 people at Christ Church College in honour of Women, Life, Freedom. Perhaps most importantly, Oxford helped me realise that even if you cannot achieve full justice, you can try to prevent injustice - with your work, words, advocacy, and presence. We must make our existence in this world worthwhile, and what better place to start that journey than at university.” Diamond’s story is one of immense bravery; my main reaction upon initially hearing it was wondering how she was able to find the mental strength to deal with everything she has been through. To this, she partly attributes her religious faith. An upbringing in the Abraham-

ic religions left both Christian and Islamic influences on her, which she describes as having offered her a guiding light and moral compass throughout her life. She was keen to refer to two religious verses, both of which she has engraved on a necklace. She quoted Psalms 46:5: “God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day,” and Surah AlBaqarah 2:152-3: “Remember Me; I will remember you. And thank Me, and never be ungrateful. Believers! Seek help in patience and in Prayer.” Ana is well aware of the insurmountable odds she has overcome in surviving her imprisonment: “Had you told me a month before my arrest that I would be enduring over 200 days of solitary confinement, as well as physical and psychological torture… I would have absolutely given up on the spot.” She seems to have surprised herself in her capacity to deal with this level of hardship: “taking everything one hour at a time, mindfully, you realise just how much your body adapts and adjusts to accommodate you to your new environment. Even when I was facing the worst kind of fear and pain in my life - the kind that paralysed me - I woke up the next day preparing myself for another day.”Credit: Tony Hisgett

14 | Identity

Friday 24 November 2023 | The Oxford Student

Deputy Editor: Sami Jalil Section Editors: Georgia Ferris, Ivy Wong, Amelia Gibbins identity@oxfordstudent.com

Disney Channel, Nickelodeon and Al Jazeera Zaid Magdub rowing up Arab is growing up politically. As is the experience for many who live in diaspora – as minorities in a country so far from their homelands - the space of ‘Political’ and ‘Personal’ either heavily intersect or are one in the same. Your upbring is political. I still (un-)fondly recall childhood memories of Al Jazeera, where the issues that my classmates would only become slightly conscious of years later were often a substitute for children’s media. It is profoundly alienating in many ways – how many can say they watched the Jasmine Revolution instead of Horrid Henry? The answer is very few. One hopes it would be very few. Political activism in the West is something that we are meant (or assumed) to acquiesce to in later adolescence. It is something that comes with maturity, you develop an understanding of politics the same way you develop an understanding of your sexuality, aesthetic and patterns of behaviors that mark that you are no longer a child. Politics may perhaps be a phase, you may join the masses of part-time Marxists for a brief while, flirt with radical politics, buy her a drink and then mellow back into the comforts of the two parties – or perhaps you will discover it is not your interest at all and become principledly apolitical. Regardless, two things are assumed to be true: 1. Politics comes with puberty; 2. You are afforded a choice. Neither are the case when your existence within a nation is political. Both post and preWar-on-Terror, British minorities have been Otherized. You may be part of the community, but you must simultaneously be apart from the community. One will always be an immigrant or the child of another immigrant; your presence will always be implicated whether you live in Kensington or Bradford, a quaint village in Somerset or the urban sprawl of Liverpool. Some attempt to completely

distance themselves from such, while others readily and fully embrace it. Both, however, are engaging in the politicization of their identity. Running away, or running towards, are the same action directed to the same subject – just in different directions. Couple that with the seemingly never-ending flood of developments from ‘back home,’ one straddles along a path where from childhood, you are subjected constantly to the ebbs and flows of ideologies, governments, armed groups, etc. There is no escapism to be found on the Internet, the sortof mystical world that exists on a screen and hardly transcends the material and tangibly existent world – it merely reproduces it on epic proportions. In that hyperpolitical space, many encounter figures and commentators who have the task of molding worldviews, particularly the immature and flaccid perspectives of the youth, without ever having to do the labor of personal interaction and discussion once

“...you are subjected constantly to the ebbs and flows of ideologies... There is no escapism to be found on the Internet, screen...”

required. Arguably, this was far more pronounced growing up as an Arab and as a man, the former for the reasons elaborated beforehand. At a time when male alienation has reached dangerously violent peaks, few are immune to getting lost in the schizo-mania of gender debates online. Especially when one is raised in a socially conservative community, there is nothing more enticing than finding your premature reactionary ideas reinforced – or completely deconstructed. It is in that sea of pseudo-phi-

Identity

losophy and compilation upon compilation that is such fertile soil for commentators seeking to uphold or ‘restore’ traditional masculinity. For those afforded the luxury of developing politically, instead of being forced into such by virtue of their being, that is often their first venture into the political abyss. But for those whose literal identity must in some way revolve around politics, like the Arab I grew up as, such is less a venture but more being directly sucked in. That is where I encounter, and where many encounter, their anti-heroes. Ben Shapiro was one of these anti-heroes. Indignant and with a hubris of self-righteousness. A self-appointed crusader and self-anointed saint against the buzzword of the day, whether that be ‘politically-correct’ or ‘woke.’ His style of confrontation was equally enrapturing as it was frustrating – time and time over he seemed to refute whatever unfortunate college student/feminist/ lib(eral/tard) that dared ask his-holiness a question. These interactions were recorded in videos with questionable (almost pornographic?) titles. The violent nature of said titles where Ben Shapiro DESTROYS or EVISCERATES his opposition stimulated that part of the developing brain that is absolute and totalistic, devoid of nuance and any care for intellectual theory. There is no point in pretending that he was not appealing. Notwithstanding the gaping seething holes in his arguments, or the vitriol he cultivated against the marginalized in society, or the quite embarrassing lengths he would go to on mute issues (like his very poor understanding of what a yeast infection actually entails), the man had a strange charisma in how those who challenged him could often not keep up to the pace with his arguments, or the gall by which he outlined his cases, or his selfdeclared prioritization of facts over feelings. In addition to such, he reinforced the biases

that so many in society fear are being lost as corporations and public figures embrace at the least the aesthetics of progressivism, rooting their fears as simply ‘common sense’ rather than decades of conditioning. As a consequence, he curated and still curates an audience of young and old that find satisfaction in his role as a brigadier in the culture wars. No insignificant number of his younger audience would spring further right. I was not one of them. Having such a politicized childhood may have brought me closer to the center of the spaces where he thrived, but it also meant that despite his appeal, my beliefs had matured already to a point where I had a firm base to reject the dogma he spouted. This is certainly not the case for all those with similar upbringings, as some found intense comfort in his protection of the socially conservative and ‘traditional’ norms that they had grown up immersed in. Perhaps I was an exception. Either way, he quickly emerged as the antithesis of every belief I held. He became some form of self-torture, watching him for the deliberate reason of frustration. Ironically, he became more appealing in that regard. As my beliefs further matured, and as online political spaces became far less male and far less right-wing (thus opinion of him became more polarized), this sense of frustration became more and more potent. At the height of teenage arrogance, whenever he was brought up, there was little that sounded more fulfilling than imagining confronting him. Being able to silence him instead of fumbling like the umpteenth number of college student/feminist/liber-

als before me. That sentiment never really faded. It has only become more furious. In the midst of the current Israeli onslaught in Gaza, Ben Shapiro has once again appointed himself in engaging in some of the most violent and dehumanizing rhetoric against the Palestinians of any public figure since the Intifadas. The manner in which he has demonized and barbarized, the bloodlust and misinformation he has presented to the world every single day is nothing short of despicable. His history of anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian racism has been ceaselessly documented, and it seems now to have reached its epitome. And so, he instills a morbid sense of sickness. To grow up Arab is to grow up politically, to hear and see the stories of those he proclaims savages. To hear the stories of family friends that live with the trauma of what his rhetoric espouses; to have family in the lands he demands no ceasefire for; to know personally those who have been brutalized under the yolk of who he defends so vigorously, to watch those who look like you suffer and ail on television; those who have the same name as you be levelled under artillery fire. There was nothing more I wished to do but to silence him. And that opportunity was presented to me at the Oxford Union. There, I among astounded friends, I met my anti-hero. At first, it was surreal to witness him in person. The man who had stoked so much personal emotion had also always been deeply impersonal. Read more online at oxfordstudent.com

The Oxford Student | Friday 24 November 2023

Pink | 15

Pink Why do we need a Transgender Day Deputy Editor: Etienne Baker Section Editors: Amelia Gibbins, Charlie Wild, Lauren Gray pink@oxfordstudent.com

of Remembrance? Etienne Baker

TW: Homophobia, Violence, Suicide ast week was Transgender Awareness Week in the UK, spanning from Monday 13th November to the 19th. The week builds up to an international day of remembrance on the 20th, which aims to recognise the violence suffered from transphobia, and remember those who have died. The Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) was founded in 1999 by a transgender advocate, Gwendolyn Ann Smith, as a vigil to honour Rita Hester. Hester was a transgender woman who was killed in

“hate crimes against trans people have increased by 11% in a year”

1998, and the vigil commemorated the one-year anniversary of her death, as well as all the transgender people who lost their lives to violence in that year. This event began the international day, and vigils are organised on November 20th each year, typically by advocates or LGBTQ+ groups. In Oxford, the week was signalled with many colleges flying transgender pride flags, and the SU LGBTQ+ campaign, Oxford University LGBTQ+ Society, and Oxford Pride organising a TDOR vigil, held in the Radcliffe Square on Monday evening. However, Transgender Awareness Week remains just as pertinent as when it was first established. Transphobic hate is on the rise, with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) data revealing that hate crimes against trans people have increased by 11% in a year, and by 186% in the last five years. Only last month, the Prime Minister announced that it was “common sense” that “a man is a man, and a woman is a woman”, something which was condemned by many LGBTQ+ rights organisations.

Data also consistently shows that transgender people face a much higher risk of suicide than any other group. The New York Times reported earlier this year that four decades of health data from nearly seven million people in Denmark showed significantly higher risk of suicide for transgender people, who had 7.7 times the rate of suicide attempts and 3.5 times the rate of suicide deaths compared with the rest of the population. Furthermore, hate crime statistics are only part of a bigger picture. The government’s own statistics suggest that fewer than one in ten LGBTQ+ people report hate crimes, and so the actual numbers are likely far higher. For many, Trans Awareness Week and TDOR have become not only a chance to remember, but also to stand for better protection and rights for those under the transgender umbrella. Dispelling common misconceptions and a lack of understanding is a large part of this and forms why the week is so important. For instance, it is commonly said that the expression of a gender identity is a new phenomenon, spurred on by the growth of social media, and so lacks validity. Kathleen Stock, a gender critical feminist who was invited to speak at the Oxford Union last year, said in her book that gender identity was a “new orthodoxy, one in which sex gives way to feeling, and feelings trumps facts.” The ideas of gender and sex have always been historically rather unstable, though. It was not until the mid-twentieth century that the term ‘gender’ started to refer to men and women more exclusively, instead just meaning ‘kind’ or ‘sort’; it was this meaning that Shakespeare used in Othello, referring to ‘one gender of herbs.’ These kinds of invalidating narratives around gender nonconforming identities remain harmful and have increasingly penetrated the political sphere. Lee Anderson, the deputy chair of the Conservative Party said in February of this year that post-

Brexit the Conservatives needed to find new topics to galvanise the electorate, namely the “trans debate” and “culture wars.” In light of increasing political debate that is incredibly harmful to the transgender community, Trans Awareness Week and

one.” The collegiate system can cause problems of uneven provision of services, and a lack of consensus, as colleges have their own relative autonomy, so can provide services differently if they choose to. This seems to be

Society’s ‘Trans and Non-Binary Tea’. Most JCRs also have an LGBTQ+ rep, and some colleges have a specific trans rep. The Campaign told us that “there is a lot of work colleges and the university need to do to provide basic safeguarding for

Credit: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

TDOR served as both a reminder of, and a respite from, the hatred the community has endured. In the context of students, TDOR and Trans Awareness Week also hold significance. Figures from Times Higher Education in 2022 show that the number of UK students who define themselves as neither male nor female has more than doubled in the past two years, at 0.2% of the student body. Roughly 0.17% of academic staff in the UK identify as neither male nor female. In Oxford, though, there are still various areas of support that can be improved. In a comment to The Oxford Student, the SU LGBTQ+ campaign said that only one college has adopted a working transphobia definition, and that most colleges have refused to work with the campaign on this, “with the exception being Regents Park.” They also noted that “there is no consensus for what a ‘trans lead’ is across colleges’’’ and nor is “there any training required to become

the case with transgender protection and welfare provision. The gender expression fund is one type of support that JCRs can offer. This typically takes the form of reimbursement for various gender-affirming products, such as a binder, which can cost up to £50 for one, or packers. However, these vary by college, and the funds available equally vary, with a proportion of colleges still not providing one.

“ only one college has adopted a working transphobia definition”

There are some events run in term-time to provide safe spaces for trans people, such as the SU LGBTQ+ campaign’s termly open mic night, in which they have chosen the theme ‘trans joy’ for this term, or OULGBTQ+

trans students at this university, and the Campaign is ready to work with anyone who wishes to engage.” Transgender Awareness Week and TDOR have maintained their importance as a signifier against transphobic hate; instead becoming a way to come together as a community and spread love and understanding for trans individuals. Against a backdrop of “culture wars” and harmful political rhetoric, events like this serve as a reminder of the individuals at the heart of the conversations, and the harm that the community still continues to endure. For more information about Transgender terms, and for tips on how to show allyship, GLAAD has several reference guides that can be found at https://glaad. org/transgender/allies For crisis support, Samaritans are found at 116 123, or, for Galop’s helpline supporting LGBTQ+ individuals facing abuse of any sort, call 0800 999 5428.

16 | Columns

Friday 24 November 2023 | The Oxford Student

snmuloC

Paul Furey Visited Media Society, Lunchbox Magazine, and an IsisxCherwell Crew Date

So You Don’t Have To... Paul Furey eedless to say, there’s a theme this week. I had only heard rumours that student journalism existed outside The Oxford Student, perhaps even outside Oxford itself, but that’s something to be looked into at another time. As for now, I was only concerned with publications within The City of Dreaming Spires. The Oxford Media Society hosted its Spotlight Social to highlight the work of student journalists from the previous year. An exhibit at the centre of St. John’s Garden Quad Reception Room proudly displayed the finest articles and art pieces from Comments to Creative Designers. Wine flowed from the free bar and music was provided by a keyboard player. Lining the perimeter were

stalls from every student publication worth reading. Each trying to lure in some curious freshers who haven’t yet realised that they too should be sacrificing their degree to

“It looked quite as if Fleet Street was having a ‘Bring Your Kids to Work Day’”

make it onto an editorial team. It looked quite as if Fleet Street was having a ‘Bring Your Kids to Work Day’. Lunchbox Magazine was only founded in Trinity Term 2023. Despite their infancy, they’ve managed to hold a few socials since then, one being a house party in Cowley. A student creative magazine that throws house parties? How could I not check it out?

Quite frankly, it was an impressive set up. The downstairs of the house decorated to match the mis-matched, mildly dark aesthetic of the magazine. A large white sheet covered with bloody handprints and “LUNCHBOX” sprawled across it in bold waited to greet guests arriving at the front door. There was even a makeshift DJ booth in the living room. It is clear at this point that Lunchbox doesn’t quite operate under the same model as most student publications. Firstly, because the concept of the OxStu holding a blowout party at the editor’s offsite accom is ludicrous on its own, but also as while most publications limit merchandise to the odd poster, Lunchbox found a revenue stream in selling branded lighters. Truly

exploiting an untapped market in the stereotypical English student’s nicotine addiction. Two absolute staples of any crew date are sconcing and pennying. Sconcing can easily be equivocated with a game of ‘Never Have I Ever’ with a penalty of revealing one’s identity and taking a swig of their drink if they have committed whichever infraction has been announced. Pennying is even more basic, with the simple rule that whenever a penny has been dropped into your cup, you must finish your drink. Personally, with only the experience of editorial teams hounding me to meet deadlines and churn out pitches for articles on repeat, I was mildly sceptical of how lively this event could possibly turn out to be. However,

I turned out to be pleasantly surprised. The willingness of some, until now, permanently serious editors to spill their secrets and down wine from their shoes. The Isis and Cherwell of course maintain a friendly rivalry, sharing an office under OSPL. This was inevitably going to result in a series of oneupping sconces - the only true way to prove superiority at a crew date. Despite this, behaviour did not reach the extremes to land in the headlines or front cover of any publication, even with this Oxford tradition’s notorious reputation. In the end, I have discovered that there are other bodies of student journalism outside of the OxStu. And some of them even have fun.

2. (the above being said) Make sure the man is Balkan Establishing a shared culture is probably the best way to have one’s dating life face less scrutiny. Although there is a fine line to be straddled when pursuing a Balkan man, at the very least, he will be familiar with the dating situation you have been put in and will likely know how to respond to such judgements and questions. 3. Make the excuse you are too busy focusing on school Although this is probably best for those who are inclined more towards the same-sex, this seems to be a tried and trusted method for quelling suspicions or fears about dating. Balkan people value education to a fault and the idea that you are sacrificing your own happiness for education is something that will automatically strike up the hearts of any Balkan woman.

4. Say you want to become Marina Abramović Perhaps a more absurd excuse, but devoting yourself and your body to a lifelong craft of restraint and artistic manipulation leaves very little room for dating. This one is probably best left as a last resort but the shock that you would neglect your love life altogether for artistic pursuits will automatically take away any unwanted comments or questions about the failures (or successes) of your love life. The world of dating can be hard to navigate at the best of times, let alone when the paradox of satisfaction of the Balkan mother constantly lingers over one’s conscience. It is therefore my conclusion that it is best to avoid the subject altogether, and although this is not always entirely in one’s hands, simply providing a short answer that this topic is off limits may actually do the trick.

YOUR STUDENT NEWSPAPER NEEDS YOU Interested in becoming a columnist next term? We require: - An interesting premise - Submissions every two weeks

Lessons from the Balkan Women in my Life Scenes from a (Balkan) Marriage

Vuk Winrow

o corner of one’s life is really ever spared from the Balkan mother’s questioning, least of all is the realm of dating. Tinged with equal parts suspicion and love, such questions tend to arise at the most inconvenient moments; awkward silences, that liminal gap right before one is about to leave the house. The world of dating provides such a convenient avenue for the Balkan mother (and perhaps Balkan women in general), because it enables them to exercise their greatest power – judgement. Such forms of piercing judgement, normally reserved for their own children, can now be disseminated beyond just their immediate kin. With nowhere to hide from the Balkan woman’s judgement, it is best to face it head on or not to make any dating mistakes in the first place. To avoid such mistakes, I have compiled a list of excuses and practical advice to keep in mind when embarking on this.

1. All men are the same – this is something that has been repeated to me frequently, but it is perhaps sage advice to remember that almost never, will the Balkan mother be truly satisfied with a choice of partner. There are

“The world of dating can be hard to navigate at the best of times, let alone when the paradox of satisfaction of the Balkan mother constantly linger’s over one’s conscience”

of course exceptions, but if I have learned anything, it is that it is best to not place too much faith in automatic positive reception.

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The Oxford Student | Friday 24 November 2023

Columns | 17

Columns Yesterday in Yerevan Just a Guy in Gyumri

Jonah Poulard

elcome back. In this edition, I go to Gyumri, Armenia’s second largest city. It also has a mediocre beer named after it. Kilikia all the way. And so, one early Saturday morning, I made for Yerevan train station. Before long, I reached the station, a colossal Stalin-era building, with a towering grand spire that’s flanked on either side by an impressive colonnade. As is often the case with grand Soviet train stations, the striking profile of the building is strengthened by its slightly underwhelming surroundings, making it seem even more imperial, even mightier, a phoenix out of the ashes, almost. The inside was nice too, high ceilings, a couple of cool murals in the waiting hall, the rays of the morning sun streaming in through the windows.

I boarded the express train, which only takes a whopping two hours to get to Gyumri as opposed to the three and a half on the ‘Soviet’ train. It was a cramped affair, the lay out of the car intended for maximum efficiency, but I made do. As we pulled out of the station heading south-west, the grand outline of Mt Ararat stared down at us through the side windows. It looked awesome. It’s dead flat for dozens of kilometres until Ararat’s volcanic ridge, nothing but a thin haze above the farmland, before boom, there she is. Since the sun was shining directly over our heads towards Ararat, all the nuances and textures of the mountain’s face were stunningly defined, the coating of snow on the upper slopes glinting like the tip of a spear.

I don’t think I was alone in my astonishment at the view, the Armenians on the train also seemed pretty impressed, even after seeing the same mountain thousands of times all their life. After all, it is the symbol of not just the nation, but the people, so on the off occasion that you get to see it shining with full force, I guess it does mean something. It’s not just beauty incarnadine on mornings like this one, there’s also a mournful quality about it. For the best part of two millennia Ararat was the geographical centre of the Armenian heartlands, it was the principal symbol of Armenian culture, and indeed still is. It had religious significance for Armenians even before they were the first nation to accept Christianity, in which Ararat was the landing place of Noah’s Ark. Now it’s not even within Armenia’s borders, it’s in Turkey, the country that has taken so much from the Armenian people, and still refuses to admit it. At least it’s still visible from Yerevan, although all you can do is look. After a couple of hours of trundling through the Armenian countryside past crumbling Soviet infrastructure and halfpopulated villages, we pulled into Gyumri. Here, the obliga-

a grand Stalinist station, with a lovely dome that mirrors one of the churches in town and a very pleasant relief on the front. I progressed quickly along a fairly unremarkable street to my hostel. Loft is a very nicely done-up place, although the fact that it shares a wall with one of Gyumri’s only nightclubs casts a shadow over the topnotch interior design. It was also strange that there was a classroom full of children next door to the men’s dorm, but hey ho. I set about exploring the city, first up was Vartanants Square (the main one). The usual suspects – a pair of churches, a big vague governmental block and a row of shops – surround a concrete rectangle on which children drive miniature, yet still motorised tanks and jeeps around a large statue. Indeed, the minicar phenomenon is popular in Yerevan too: an evening walk around Opera feels like standing in the middle of a motorway at rush-hour, as a steady stream of Armenian kids constantly nip at your heels in undersized Lamborghini Aventadors. Start them young, I suppose. Both churches on the square are lovely, the first, the Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God, is constructed out of weathered

tory mountain overlooking the city is Mt Aragats rather than Ararat. It’s the tallest mountain in Armenia and, as far as I can tell, plays host to an old radio-wave detection centre that used to look for signs of alien life in Soviet times – the information on it is somewhat unclear. Gyumri too possesses

black tuff stone in classic Armenian Apostolic style, it looks great. The second, All Saviors, is also built in black tuff, although with the addition of terracotta accents that really make it pop in the sunlight. Their interiors are fairly new, given that both sustained significant damage in the 1988 earthquake, with

whitewashed walls and crisp, colourful murals in and around the cupola. Naturally, it being a Saturday in Armenia, there was a wedding in both at the time, but that was never going to stop a man like me. After the churches, I set off towards Gyumri’s Mother of Armenia statue, which is pretty similar to Yerevan’s, although the pedestal is a bit smaller and the Mother herself is doing a slightly different pose. The view over the city is nothing special, as there’s not much that stands out in the city from above, although the spikey summit of Mt Aragats is lush. In the vicinity of the statue is an algaecovered pond of sorts and a long series of marble plaques, headstones almost, commemorating the various ‘Hero Cities’ of the USSR (Gyumri isn’t one). On a neighbouring hilltop lies Gyumri Fortress, a black tuff circular building that appears to have been converted into a sort of faux-medieval events space. There was a wedding there too. Moving on from that fairly peculiar complex, I strolled around the centre of town. None of the buildings are more than a couple of stories, and they’re arranged in a pristine grid with wide roads which gives the place a really pleasant, open vibe. You can look down each street for what feels like miles until you hit a distant ridge, which lies in stark contrast to the loud, claustrophobic streets of Yerevan that I’m used to, although those too are by no means devoid of a certain charm. The centre of Gyumri, known as Kumayri, wasn’t rebuilt in Soviet times,

so many late eighteenth- century townhouses still stand, often in black tuff and really quite ornate, whereas Yerevan was completely redone under Soviet rule according to the designs of Alexander Tamanyan. A couple of old-style townhouses still remain on Abovyan St, but the vast majority were knocked down in favour of more spaceefficient blocks. All in all, Gyumri is a great city. It’s much calmer and quieter than the capital, and there’s a lot more pre-Soviet culture to

explore. The Aslamazyan Sisters Gallery contains some terrific art, and the essential Gyumri experience is gluing your name in Armenian letters to the wall outside the Yarem Marem Art Studio, opposite the balcony from Tango of Our Childhood, an Armenian classic film. There must be well over a thousand names on the ten-metre stretch of wall, all in Mesrop Mashtots’ iconic alphabet. The next day, I headed to the station to hop on the ‘Soviet’ train back to Yerevan, but before I could buy a ticket, I was hustled into a kind man’s car for the same price and half the journey time. Respect the hustle. We stopped for another passenger, several boxes of fruit and to do something to the suspension at the world’s bleakest petrol station, and then, at last, merrily sped off to the EVN. What a life.

18 | Columns

Friday 24 November 2023 | The Oxford Student

s n m u l o C History Beyond the Reading List Popular History Matt Holland

hile much historical media can fall into problematic territory at least for academics, informing a particular idea or conception of historical events which may be far from the truth, there is definitely still a lot of value for popular media that either uses historical setting or is explicitly about history. Recently, in my thesis study I have come across many revisionist historians of the First World War who argue of the damage done to Great War studies by popular media, from poetry to television. Reading these articles, you’d think that Blackadder Goes Forth had been more damaging than the historical events themselves, particularly at informing popular views about my particular area of study; cross-class en-

counters and interactions. In spite of this, it cannot possibly be a negative thing to have more people engage with history in this way, es-

“Here we come across a central dilemma between the popular and the academic”

pecially if the popular media they engage with is later supplemented by reading the kinds of books which might be found on a history reading list. Nonetheless, I am personally of the opinion that any engagement is good for many different reasons. Not least, by educating ourselves about history, we can better challenge the ways in which it

gets manipulated by tyrants and populists aiming to feed into whatever limited understanding of history which people might have. Take a look, for instance, at how Boris Johnson used to try and invoke Churchill, especially during the Pandemic when he saw himself as leading Britain through a second “darkest hour”. To this end, I have always been an incredibly strong advocate for greater engagement with holocaust history and attempting to come to terms with and learn from the grave mistakes carried out by the Nazi Regime. I read the Diary of Anne Frank when I was 12 years old and

Blane’s Style Files

am incredibly glad I had this kind of engagement at a formative time, something I definitely credit for my decision to study history at Oxford. Here we come across a central dilemma between the popular and the academic. At a formal recently I had a conversation on this exact point, in which we came to the conclusion that history doesn’t need to have an explicit academic purpose and that academic frameworks narrow the richness which history could otherwise have. We thought that history mattered if nothing else to be a cultural form in the same way that art or literature is; history is a luxury which only us few lucky individuals can afford,

and one that can bring colour into a dark world. My own personal conclusion is that the idea of history having a purpose doesn’t have to restrict it to academic circles and can certainly apply to popular historical forms as well. Horrible Histories, for example, has helped to introduce history to thousands of young people of my generation, giving a snapshot of the interesting stories which history contained. Its purpose, therefore, was not to influence historiographical debates, but simply to make me and other history students find our first introduction to our subject.

of “I’m over Charles, and I’m ready to have fun!” The importance of Diana’s attitude in the outfit is obvious when compared to the pictures of Camilla wearing a poor imitation of the revenge outfit to The Ritz in London in 1995. In comparison, Camilla comes across as completely out of her depth, and the outfit is not only wearing her, but is making her look like a fool. Finally, Diana managed to send her message without speaking a single word to the press. Even though her appearance at the event was broadcast just hours after her husband admitted to having an affair in the ITV documentary ‘Charles: The Private Man, the Public Role’ (which she declined to appear in or comment on), Diana managed to usurp him from the front page of many newspapers, with the press choosing the narrative that Charles was thoughtless for cheating on Diana, and that

the outfit was proof that she was always the betterlooking one in the marriage, with the ever-astute The Sun titling their article “The Thrilla He Left to Woo Camilla.” The papers called the dress itself all sorts of names, including the “I’ll Show You dress”, the “Serpentine Cocktail”, the “Vengeance Dress” and, most famously, the “Revenge Dress”, while fashion editors and reporters supposedly dubbed the dress the “Fuck You Dress”. Overall, it seems that the success of the Revenge Dress can be attributed not only to Diana’s confidence, but also her ability to wear something that truly embodied the best version of herself. By combining her royal jewellery and a dress that wholly tore up the royal protocol, she showed the world that she was ready to be herself again, and not be defined by or constrained to her husband or the rest of the Royal Family.

Why it Worked – Princess Diana’s Revenge Dress Blane Aitchison

ver since she entered the public consciousness, Lady Diana Spencer has been a paragon of grace, style, and beauty. Even years after her death, the public continues to be enamoured with Lady Diana Spencer – perhaps even to the point of her mythologisation. Even 25 years after her death, one of the most enduring images of Lady Diana is the dress she wore to the Serpentine Gallery’s annual summer dinner party in 1994. Although simple on paper, the black cocktail dress and statement necklace combination is perhaps the first example of ’revenge dressing’ and has inspired numerous headlines, countless fast-fashion copies, has been referenced in film and television on a myriad of occasions, and even has its own Wikipedia page, but what makes Diana’s socalled ‘Revenge Dress’ such a powerful image, and why

did it work so well? Firstly, the dress itself was designed by Christina Stambolian, and it was in Princess Diana’s wardrobe for 3 years before the perfect opportunity to wear it revealed itself. The designer herself described the dress as being reminiscent of the Black Swan Odile from Tchaikovsky’s ballet Swan Lake, and no longer willing to be like the innocent White Swan Odette, she was putting her full anger on display. Then, the necklace, which was comprised of seven rows of pearls, and a fastener which was hidden behind a central sapphire and diamond cluster. This cluster of jewels had itself been a brooch originally, and it was given to Diana as a wedding present from the Queen Mother. This impressive statement choker had been worn by Diana several times before her outing to the Serpentine Gallery, most notably to the White House in 1985, where

she danced with John Travolta. With this in mind, perhaps Diana was trying to re-capture the more playful and less serious aspects of herself following the stress of her husband’s ongoing infidelity, while also reminding the public of the marriage itself and how much its breakdown at her husband’s hands had affected her. It could be said that one of most important parts of the ensemble wasn’t the outfit itself, but rather Diana’s confidence. Although the footage of her grand entrance lasts only a minute or so, Diana seems to know exactly what she’s doing as she walks with purpose over to the host of the party, greets him and then continues into the venue. Any lack of confidence, or sheepish shuffling here would’ve destroyed the impact of the outfit, but instead, her assertive strides only magnify her message

The Oxford Student | Friday 24 November 2023

Columns Mental Health Walk Michaelmas

Columns | 19

Historic Lows Amanda Li

“Make sure you actually get some hours of sleep and that you eat something whenever you’re hungry” - My mom after I called home for the first time in a week.”

ear readers, it comes time to say goodbye to the column for the term and the solid excuse to prioritize mental health. As we’ve gotten through the term, I’ve felt worse and worse, and this week was no exception: seasonal sadness, homesickness, regular sickness, internship rejections, election fails, essays hanging over, packed schedules through week 9, and an impending sense of doom for the many things piling on the to-do list. But my friend came from home, and all that had to be pushed off a day for us to take a little mental health tourist walk. We first hit Magdalen Deer Park, which we can go into with a guest as long as you show your bodcard. The

leaves were crisp, gorgeously shaded with flecks of yellow and green dotting the paths. As always, we crossed the drawbridge and banked left to get a better view of the deer, their tails flicking around. My friend noted the large number of white deer as well as normal deer, and the stags just standing like NPCs next to the fawns. The deer park is giant; even after going through trees, we still hadn’t made it halfway around by the time we arrived at a viewing spot where the trees cleared with a little archway and footpath. It was extremely muddy from the rain the day before, with my boots slowly sinking with every step I took, so we turned off to the Fellow’s Garden. There, the leaves covered the path fully, where I picked up one perfect yellow maple leaf and turned it over to find a brown ladybug! After going around the loop and across the bridge back to the normal trek, we continued around, where branches whacked my tall friend in the head and I slowly wondered why I didn’t take any water. At this rate, I was a bit bored of wallowing in my sadness, having realized that the Deer Park was much bigger than you’d think it was. Spotting the clock tower gave an initial sight of hope until we real-

ized that there was one more roundabout way to walk there. Readers, you already know that the path took us on that roundabout way. Twenty minutes– the time it takes me to get to Hughs- later, we had finally wandered past the Cherwell and got back to our starting point, where we found a lone group of punting tourists braving the river underneath the bridge. It was cold and wet and I had no idea how they could punt in this weather. We then agreed that it was time to warm up and walked past the Broad Street Christmas market. The food looked good though a bit on the pricey side, and we stopped in Cafe Creme to get our coffees and a picture in the mirror next to the steps before our real destination– the Ashmolean. I always loved museums; growing up in NYC meant that our field trips were all museum trips and learning about history and art was something I loved most about the trips. So Oxford’s own museum has been a typical scene of my mental health walks. This time, though, we were learning and not just walking; we started at the beautiful Greek classical statues and made our way through Egypt and Sudan into Cyprus. It’s no British Museum, but for being the size

Image Credit: Morel

it is, the Ashmolean really does pack a lot of stuff into these halls. We stayed for the three hours until it closed and barely covered everywhere. And by everywhere, I mean we went everywhere— Korean history, Indian art, Japanese comics, impressionistic landscapes, pretty plates, the list goes on…

“At this rate, I was a bit bored of wallowing in my sadness, having realized that the Deer Park was much bigger than you’d think it was”

My favorite part of the Ashmolean is the art bits on the third floor, with paintings of ducks and Pennsylvanian rivers galore. My favorite, though? A painting of High Street from the 1600s, looking almost identical to the view there today. It cheers me up to know that students have been doing the same thing as me for a thousand years– suffering from the blues, trying to catch up on their essays- with the same view outside. Perhaps two more weeks couldn’t be that much worse. So press on, everyone, and take as many mental health walks as needed this term and every term. Just make sure that if you do go to Deer Park after it’s rained, wear your rainboots.

Image Credit: Blane Aitchison

The Final Ratings: Deer Park: Cryability: 9 Seclusion: 8 Fun: 5 Helpfulness: 6 Quickness: 1 Cafe Creme: Cryability: 1 Seclusion: 1 Fun: 2 Helpfulness: 1 Quickness: 4 Cafe Creme: Cryability: 1 Seclusion: 1 Fun: 9 Helpfulness: 7 Quickness: 9

Ashmolean: Cryability: 8-6 Seclusion: 3-9 Fun: 9 Helpfulness: 3 Quickness: 9

20 | Features

Deputy Editor: Haochen Wang Section Editors: Patrick Groves, Elliot Francolla features@oxfordstudent.com

Friday 24 November 2023 | The Oxford Student

Features

The chaos of Cornmarket Street Elliot Francolla here are only three things guaranteed in this life: death, taxes, and – if you live in Oxford – the confounding experience of Cornmarket Street. It is a rare thing for a street to inspire such emotion, and yet the mere mention of Cornmarket provokes more reaction than my accommodation’s kitchen fire alarm. Love it or hate it, though, there’s no getting around it. With central Oxford’s highly convenient McDonalds, Boots, and Pret, Cornmarket is an attraction in and of itself, but it’s also an unavoidable thoroughfare. Somehow, no matter one’s college or faculty, they must, nevertheless, brave that passage. In a way, amidst the intense social fragmentation (a product of the collegiate system), Cornmarket is something of a unifying experience. Every Oxford student, regardless of degree, seems to have some improbable story to tell of that infamous street. If nothing else, Cornmarket Street helps to make Oxford

feel like a city and not a town. Although Oxford is by no means provincial, it does not compare to the hectic rush of a proper big city; but Cornmarket is the exception to this rule. The sheer confluence of people and personalities evokes New York City and, if nothing else, the street is an antidote to boredom. The most curious sight on a bustling street in a global capital is the distinct scenes that occur all at once. Cornmarket, in tiny little Oxford, somehow possesses this same universality. It can even be beautiful. There is certainly talent in the musicians who play on the sidewalks, and as of late, the Christmas lights add a sparkling charm. On a

“Beyond the imminent threats to life and limb, Cornmarket supplies a great many ideas about death, religion, and salvation.”

Image credit: Elliot Francolla

Image credit: Elliot Francolla good day, delightful aromas of coffee waft out of Pret, the throngs of pedestrians aren’t quite crushing, and the path to one’s destination is smooth. A good day, however, might not be the representative experience of Cornmarket. As far as reputation goes, it’s “the one where they keep telling me to follow Jesus!” or a place only acceptable when one is “either desperate for skincare or coming back from a night out in need of McDonald’s.” Though it might be navigable on the way to a weekday lecture, getting stuck on Cornmarket on a busy Saturday is the surest way to add ten minutes to a commute, and lose ten years off your life. In perspective, it’s certainly not the worst busy street in the world, but in the land of Oxford? It is a shock to the system. In the same way that conversing with local cab drivers is often useful for understanding the politics or opinions of a place, walking down Cornmarket is another way to place

one’s fingertips on the pulse of Oxford. One is invariably met by many a group handing out leaflets or papers, asking passers-by for a donation or a listening ear. Often, these are environmental, political, or religious groups; they preach about the Labour party, about oil drilling, or about God. Alternatively, people will walk up to pedestrians sans signs and brochures to lasso them into a conversation; the agenda is unclear until five minutes in. Cornmarket can force a person, on a random Tuesday morning, or maybe walking to college from a lecture, to confront the idea of death. There are the cyclists, to start, it’s difficult not to fear for one’s life. The poor visibility, especially on a particularly crowded or rainy day, forces one to place faith in whatever higher power they choose – there are no shortage of options on Cornmarket – and blindly cross the street with fingers crossed that they’ll make it to the other side.

Beyond the imminent threats to life and limb, Cornmarket supplies a great many ideas about death, religion, and salvation. Representatives of many faiths, while handing out free copies of their holy texts, challenge people, through loudspeakers: ‘Don’t you want eternal life in paradise, and to live forever in grace and mercy?’ And of course, this is a rhetorical question. Who wouldn’t want such a thing? But sometimes it is thought-provoking; what if the answer is no, if life on earth is enough? Here, Cornmarket forces one to confront the spiritual. However, while existential contemplation can be a rote aspect of the Oxford experience, sometimes that just doesn’t accord with the mood of the day. As it was so aptly put, ‘I don’t want Jesus, I just want to go to the pharmacy!’ Yet, sometimes the path to Boots, or wherever else, does not allow for a simple dismissal of the eternal.

The Oxford Student | Friday 24 November 2023

Demystifying Oxford Amy Ellis Winter

hrouded in mystery, prestige and academic rigour, Oxford has long been an institution that many people have dreamt of studying at – me being one of them. But with the last single-sex college not admitting women until 1985, it’s easy to forget that not all too long ago, 50.89% of us (according to a 2022 statistic on the number of female students at Oxford) would not be welcome. Given Oxford’s history, a prospective applicant – and even a current student – can find themselves struggling to navigate the intimidating aura that Oxford’s reputation exudes. Coming from a single-parent, low-income family and attending a comprehensive stateschool in an economically poor area in North Wales, the most frightening part of the application process to Oxford was not the personal statement, entrance exams or interviews… It was having to summon the courage to believe that I was good enough to apply. That was quite possibly the biggest culture shock I experienced coming to Oxford – not the collegiate system, nor the tutorials or the crewdates, but the fact that almost every student from a private or selective school that I met, arrived with some level of self-confidence. In 2022, 198 students from Westminster applied to Oxford,

with a 40% success rate. In 2020, my English teacher told me to “reschedule my Oxford interview” as my “chances were low” and I could not miss an hour of her class to attend it. It is this disparity in encouragement that can affect a student’s entire belief system from a young age and my story is not unique – the 93% club is proof of that. Thus, the need for student-founded ‘Access Oxford’ platforms grew. The summer before my arrival in Oxford, an ad popped up on Instagram for an organisation called ‘That Oxford Girl.’ A free Oxford access platform consisting of a community of female students from all different backgrounds (both undergraduates and postgraduates) offered the supportive framework myself and many others had never had. Founded by Oxford graduate Tilly Rose who was “seriously ill when applying to Oxford…and told not to bother taking her GCSES or applying to University,” Rose established ‘That Oxford Girl’ with the aim to “set up a fun, free resource to support young people through the application process.” The networking opportunities in exchange for one self-written article per term, to be published on their blog, seemed almost too good to be true, but I had made it this far so why not apply. Following my acceptance as an ambassador into ‘That Oxford Girl’, I was given opportunities that I never would have

Image credit: Amy Ellis Winter

Features | 21

Image credit: Haochen Wang

“That was tor in Chief of ‘That Oxford Girl’ to be especially popular with quite possibly to allow her time to recover. international students in allowI gained a new perspective of ing them to find their footing the biggest Oxford Girl.’ It was never upon arrival. Not only do access culture shock ‘That a surprise to me how benefi- organisations offer an insight I experienced cial ‘That Oxford Girl’ was, I had into Oxford, but for some they coming to certainly benefited as an am- can ease the nerves of coming Oxford – not bassador, but now I got to hear to live in the United Kingdom the collegiate it directly from our audience. for the first time. system, nor the By looking at website data and The inspiration that these ormessages sent in by ganisations give their ambassatutorials or the reading prospective applicants, a blog dors is, at times, as impactful as crewdates, but post as simple as ‘An Oxford the organisation itself. Wanting the fact that Language Dictionary’ did won- to give back to the community almost every ders when it came to demystify- and improve outreach prostudent from ing Oxford and breaking down grammes, I joined Zero Gravthe jargon which is equally en- ity – a social mobility company a private or to a current student, founded by Oxford graduate Joe selective school tertaining as it can be isolating to a pro- Seddon. Over the course of 2 that I met, spective student. years, I mentored 7 students, arrived with Eager to find out the reality of 5 of whom received offers to some level of self- living at Oxford, students were Oxford and Cambridge and one confidence.” drawn to our ‘day in the life’ sto- of whom ended up becoming

experienced elsewhere. All of a sudden, my engagement in the community led to invites to attend press nights at the theatre, seated alongside well known Oxonians such as Ruby Granger. ‘That Oxford Girl’ provided a whirlwind of networking benefits that greatly helped in bridging the gap between state school and an elite institution like Oxford. Sadly, Rose’s condition worsened and at the start of my second year I stepped up as Edi-

ries where we debunked common myths and gave a genuine insight into the highs and lows of Oxford – including how to cope with the toll on your mental health that being at Oxford can have on you. The aim is never to glorify Oxford, after all university is not best suited for everyone, but to provide people with enough information to make a well-educated decision – reducing the chance of the next great mind missing out due to fear. Our posts seemed

an ambassador for That Oxford Girl upon her arrival this year. Student-founded, studentled organisations have such a prominent ripple effect that is capable of, in Rose’s words, “inspiring future generations” and encouraging many to build self-confidence. These organisations are crucial in demystifying Oxford, reducing imposter syndrome, and breaking down perpetuated stereotypes and barriers ingrained in the University’s history.

Friday 24 November 2023 | The Oxford Student

22 | Culture

Culture

Deputy Editor: Jennifer Robinson Section Editors: Johannah Mathew, Liz Lane culture@oxfordstudent.com

Hell or High Water: a West- Sir Philip Pullman Awarded ern for Modern America Oliver Skeet

hen you think of a Western, what springs to mind? Is it something that you watch for five minutes on Channel 5 on Sunday afternoon – the only thing that actually stops you from procrastinating your work? If so, then fair enough. To me, Westerns can inevitably charge towards a simple conclusion where the white lead kills the Native Americans - and there’s very little morally redeeming about it, or particularly surprising. So how do you navigate a Western in a modern world, where the peril comes from bankers in cushy offices, not from cowboys, and the Western setting now claims to be a tolerant society? Navigating these complexities in a new context is certainly a unique and interesting prospect. To be able to craft a film that appeals to our contemporary economic frustrations whilst retaining the action and rugged individualism of the West was always going to be a challenge, but getting it right would mean we could better connect with the challenges of that Western period, and truly understand what core values drive us through different generations and situations. Hell or High Water does this very successfully. Firstly, the lead is no longer a callous prospector looking for gold, but two brothers (one of whom is Chris Pine, a man built to play the reluctant, modern cowboy), trying to pay off a bank loan to protect their family ranch after the 2008 financial crisis. The film starts with a frantic scene in which these two masked men are portrayed as quintessential, if scrappy and unsure, criminals. It is only as the film proceeds that we see the complexity of the world they live in, and the awkward morality that arises when we have competing goals of family, ‘fairness’ and self-protection. Having Chris Pine’s brother, a more assured and experienced criminal, as a vision of what Pine may become if he continues down this path, gives us a better idea of how this cow-

boy mentality has increasingly become the exception in the modern world, rather than the norm. Like any good Western, there are two sides of the law involved, and both are played to perfection in this thriller. Jeff Bridges (who you may recognise from The Big Lebowski) plays the sheriff assigned to track down these two brothers; he is brilliant as the gruff ranger with retirement looming, but he is nothing without his half Mexican, half Native American partner (Gil Birmingham). The addition of the Mexican heritage imbues modern day Texas into this Western, and the reluctant but somewhat brotherly relationship between the two reflects the complexity of modern-day race relations in Texas. The film symbolises the desire for many Texans to retain the raw values of a cowboy, but a difficulty at knowing where to redirect these emotions. Finding similarities in the way banks were ‘robbing’ people of their land with the property wars that epitomised the early American West allows the lead characters to redirect the desire to be a cowboy at a modern adversary. The irony of this, and something to take away from the film, is that stealing from the bank is usually to pay back money you owe to the bank. This inevitable, faceless entity is perhaps the true enemy of the film, as Hell or High Water’s true murderers are anti-heroes, individuals who even the supposed ‘good guys’ seem reluctant to admonish. Often Westerns fail from being too morally definite; especially as a lot of their moral reasoning can be highly awry. The ability of this Western to paint both sides as victims of their situation rather than intrinsically good or evil vividly propels Hell or High Water into its modern context and makes us root for all involved. This is what I think makes this film so good - it provides the distance of a Western whilst making us feel like we can truly understand the motives of the characters and how they are still relevant in our modern world.

the Bodley Medal Jennifer Robinson

n 9th November 2023, Sir Philip Pullman was awarded the Bodley Medal in recognition for his contributions to literature through his vast body of works, most notably the His Dark Materials (1995-2000) series, which is beloved the world over and has been adapted for TV, graphic novels, stage and film. The selfdescribed ‘equel’ (rather than prequel or sequel) trilogy, The Book of Dust, is still awaiting its final instalment, which Pullman assured eager audience members he was ‘about 40 pages away’ from completing. This will be the final time we see any more of Lyra’s Oxford (and the multiverse beyond it), as Pullman confirms that he is happy leaving Lyra with this last book, dedicating much of his life to her stories. Having studied at Exeter College, Oxford, where he read English Language and Literature, Pullman confesses he spent more time in the public library reading books he’d rather have studied than sticking to the curriculum. In a previous interview with The Oxford Student, he explains that “I thought I was doing quite well until I came out with my third class degree and then I realised that I wasn’t — it was the year they stopped giving fourth class degrees otherwise I’d have got one of those.” Just goes to show that the degree you come out with at the end of your time here isn’t everything as it hasn’t stopped Pullman, who has won many distinguished awards, and in 2019 received a knighthood for his literary accomplishments. Regardless of his views on the educational merits, Oxford definitely made its mark on Pullman as he pulls from his times here for the setting of the His Dark Materials series, where a similarly rebellious Lyra Belacqua plays amongst the dreaming spires. It is this creative flouting of convention that leads to most of Pullman’s achievements, and indeed much of his con-

troversies, with The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ (2010), a fictional biography of Jesus, cementing his reputation as defiantly anti-Christian and anti-establishment. The Bodley Medal is described as “the highest award bestowed by the Bodleian Libraries, presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the worlds of books and literature, libraries, media and communications, science and philanthropy.” With only

wouldn’t discover it if I already knew what was there. In the UK, religion is bound to our state, but we feel more secular than the US, which has religious freedom written into its constitution. Do you think nations like ours can entirely disentangle the working of the state from religious tradition? I think it should be disestablished. We should disentangle the parliament, house of lords, which contain a number of officials of reli-

Image credit: Cyrus Mower 100 made from the old roof of the Duke Humphrey’s, it has been awarded to a variety of significant figures, ranging from Stephen Hawking to Zadie Smith. Pullman recognised that it was undoubtedly an honour, and he acknowledges that his closeness to Oxford, and the Bodleian libraries in particular, made the award especially significant for him. I was able to have a brief interview with Sir Philip Pullman in the green room before the award ceremony: In your short story Clockwork, we see first-hand the dangers of starting a tale without knowing how it will end. Do you take this risk when beginning a book, or do you plan thoroughly? I sort of know, but I don’t want to know everything. With the first novel I wrote, I planned meticulously – it took months of planning – and then by the end of it, I couldn’t be bothered to write it. And then I started writing a book with no idea where it was going, and, well, I’ve done that ever since. I like discovering things – I

gion – why bishops? Why not rabbis, why not, you know, shamans? But I don’t think it helps us as a society. After the interview, we moved into the Sheldonian theatre, whose elaborate ceiling mural, ‘The Triumph of Truth and Learning over Envy, Rapine and Ignorance’, with its various personifications of the figures of the arts and sciences, felt especially apt for its celebration of an author who has so successfully been able to weave scientific theoretical concepts into his fiction. After a panel, where Erica Wagner compelled Dr Margaret Kean, Cressida Cowell, Dr Philip Goff and Dr Rowan Williams to reminisce on their first moments encountering Pullman’s work. Sir Philip Pullman was then awarded the Bodley Medal by Richard Ovenden, the Bodley’s Librarian to thunderous applause from Pullman’s fans, friends, and family. It was a rare occasion to witness first-hand such an important literary figure awarded such a prestigious medal.

The Oxford Student | Friday 24 November 2023

Culture | 23

Creative Writing Competition Results

Winner: Words that fall from bedroom ceilings Sophie Harrison hafts of grey afternoon light poke stubbornly through the gap in the curtains, illuminat- IS/ A/ HEAVY/ BE/ HOW/ SO/ THAT/ IT/ CAN/ HEART/ ing dust specks in a way that makes me acutely aware of the taste of my own tongue. Be The sentence unravels like a loom spilling its guts, aligns itself, that as it may, I can’t bring myself to get up and close them. spells out: It’s a grim day that I’d rather not stare in the face, so I plan to spend a few hours catching How is it that a heart can be so heavy? up on sleep. But the light is preventing me from drifting off. The distance from the bed to the And I feel my own heart sinking with understanding, as I get bored window wouldn’t be an issue, except it is. I breathe a sigh into the silence. of this game, my very own version of counting sheep. The light crawls around the room, the dust pirouetting lazily. My watch, pressed against My heartbeat slows, my eyes droop shut, and I drift off at last. my cheek where my arm is pinned beneath me, ticks persistently, even gratingly. It seems The ceiling hovers over me, blank. designed to remind me of the time I’m wasting, time I imagine filtering through a sand timer, scratching over smeared glass, slowing, falling. The sand is black, volcanic. As I shift from my side onto my back, my cheek smarts where it loses contact with the clock face. Touching my fingers to it, I feel the shallow ridge left indented on my skin. Strange how Amy Ellis Winter it’s only once I’ve moved that I realise how uncomfortable it was. It was silver glory, Unclasping the watch, I feel its weight in my palm, place it on the bedside table. Yet I can still And it was elm tree ash. hear it ticking steadily, uncaringly on. So, swiping it up again, I slip it under my pillow and 16th of May, your judgement day, I turned an apostate of adoration. lean back to muffle the sound. Shift a little, eyes meeting the ceiling. It’s cream and watermarked and there’s a dark patch in the top left corner which looks slightly suspect, but I’m “Is there another word for ‘divine’?” trying not to think too hard about it. Seeping between the lines. I distract myself by tracing the lines where the ceiling meets the walls, picturing myself Bound in pure lyric, covering the space with something, blue paint, black ribbon. But my gaze snags on that corStained gold oak. ner again, on the dark substance which can only be mould. I prop myself up on my elbows to peer at it more closely. For a moment, nothing happens. Then it starts to move. Angels embraced me, I think: it’s a trick of the light. Singing their praise. I think: it’s my tired eyes deceiving me. A poet was born in St John’s gaze, I think: there’s something up there. And Mary drowned. Picking purposefully, at a loose thread on the duvet, I tell myself this isn’t real. Though my From Sestina’s cup I drank wine and myrrh. eyes are saying something different as they flick back up to the ceiling, where the shadowWill you lay white roses at my feet? stain is beginning, as I observe with horror, to spread. Until I’m hung again for poetic lyricism. Now that I think about it, I can’t remember how long it’s been there, if it’s new or if I’m only Will you gift me alms of unbelieved truth? just noticing it. The possibility of something growing in my room all this time produces an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach, like I’ve swallowed a stone that is settling heavily. A murmur blatant before my eye, Orpheus resounded. There must be an explanation. Charred plaster, soot, paint, something. Studying the places My lover I was suffocated in my affection, devotion, glorification. where the darkness is moving, I think I can make out a pattern – a whirlpool. Suddenly, I Playing on your merry-go-round, have the absurd feeling that the ceiling is transforming into a wave of black water that’s Pheme took me to the ninth cloud and giggled until I tripped. about to come crashing over my head. With a start – a juddering, tumbling-down-an-elevator kind of start – I cower away from the ceiling, arms up defensively. It takes me a moment to 16th of May, our judgement day. recognise that the noise drumming through my ears, the sound of water slapping against a A poet was born, and a heart was broken. Darling Belshazzar cease your chanting, shore, is really my own heartbeat. Coward. For you have been weighed, measured, and found wanting. Taking my hands away from my face, deliberately, I look back at the ceiling. There’s no wave, of course. Fool. In fact, the marks I can make out are less whorls than inelegant, sprawling shapes, curling in on themselves like knuckles flexing. There’s something repulsive about this sight that makes my skin crawl instinctively. As I try to place it, it dawns on me that it’s Kengyu Lai the same sensation as going to wash your hands only to find a spider in your sink. Oh, I think, I know exactly what you are. Spiders. Dangling from my bedroom ceiling in a you’d always come over for breakfast. web-spinning tangle. And the movement I’ve been witnessing is the crawling of their legs. tribute of toast and tea (always with milk) Now, one spider I can deal with. But there are far too many, latching onto the ceiling like so to the most important many leeches, their legs darkening veins. It can’t be natural. Curiosity stirring – and probmeal of the day (i’d rather sleep that extra ably not for the better – I perch on the edge of the bed and crane my neck to determine what 30 minutes, but you disagree). they’re finding so interesting. Under my gaze, the shapes start to look less and less familiar, like a child’s drawing of a sometimes we’d feel a little fancy — spider, a scribble that doesn’t quite fit the original. No, this can’t be right either. With a sound usher in the day with cookies snagged like a tide going out, I let out a sigh of relief I didn’t know I was holding, as, looking one final from the covered market before closing time, I realise what is on my ceiling. Not mould, not a whirlpool, not spiders. Ink. Ink which sticks to the ceiling like black water and shines like slick tarmac. Ink which (they know our names now) and leftover spreads and pools and begins to drop. Ink which forms individual letters that curl and spider conversations from our chance encounters into words. (our habits converge). And as I watch, one of them starts to fall. FEAR/ the table is lined again with intentions, The chute of this first word is like a waterway opening. Before I know it, the words alarm granted presence. HATRED/ TIRED/ SICK/ GREY/ GROUND/ SWALLOW/ WAIT/ TEARDROP/ WRINKLE/ today: updates, the play we saw on wednesday, HURT/ EYE/ MESS/ ACHE/ DEEP/ SHADOW/ CRACK/ WALL/ CEILING/ DOOR/ FRAME/ accompanied by toast, tea, and taylor swift CARPET/ YELLOW/ BROKEN/ CROCKERY/ PATIENCE/ FATIGUE/ RUNNING/ BREATHE/ and a side of which claw machines actually work. FALL/ SLIP/ YELL/ SCREAM/ DANCE/ SILENCE/ ECHO/ MEMORY/ DOLLHOUSE/ SWING/ MOTION/ SICKNESS/ FIRE/ BELLY/ CANDLE/ BURNING/ SLEEP/ CURTAIN/ SHOOTING/ how apt that we who are so fixated on endings: STAR/ EARTH/ CRASHING/ DUST/ ASHES/ ASTEROID/ FLYING/ BURSTING/ NOTHING/ nights, deadlines, mortality, Are falling from the ceiling. Like Alice tumbling down a rabbit hole, they spin and hurtle on their way down, until the are held tightly by beginnings — ceiling’s a blur, a writhing, alphabetic mass above my head. The words weigh me down in dipped ever so gently their weightless way, slowly spelling out a message. I catch glimpses, like shredded pages. into the rest of the day.

Runner Up: Tekel

Runner Up: love language

24 | Advert

Friday 24 November 2023 | The Oxford Student

The Oxford Student | Friday 24 November 2023

Advert | 25

26 | Green

Deputy Editor: Jasmine Wilkinson Section Editor: Gaspard Rouffin green@oxfordstudent.com

Friday 24 November 2023 | The Oxford Student

Green

Oxford’s path to a greener future Jasmine Wilkinson xford is taking the lead in the battle against climate change, having won many awards for its efforts in building a greener, more sustainable future, including the ENDs Report, which named Oxford England’s Greenest City. Moreover, it was recognised by the National MJ Awards, the biggest awards ceremony in the country for teams and individuals in local government, winning the ‘Leadership in Responding to the Climate Emergency’ award.Furthermore, the City Council won the ‘Climate Response’ category at the annual LGC awards for the Energy Superhub Oxford, a green initiative that has led to a massive increase in the uptake of Electric Vehicles in Oxford. In the Climate Emergency UK’s assessment of all UK councils on their actions towards net zero between 2019 and 2013, Oxford City Council scored 55% compared with an industry average of 29% for district councils. All the evidence suggests that Oxford has been going above and beyond in their climate change mitigation policies. In early 2019, Oxford Council declared a climate emergence, and in the same year, Oxford held a Citizens Assembly on Cli-

mate Change, which outlined how Oxford City Council would work towards reaching net zero sooner than 2050, the UKwide goal. This was the first initiative of its kind in the UK. Since then, Oxford City Council has undertaken a variety of net zero carbon schemes and initiatives, including launching the Zero Carbon Oxford Partnership, a collaboration of larger employers and organisations across Oxford working together towards the joint ambition of achieving net zero carbon emissions as a city by 2040. To achieve this, Oxford has embarked on a series of initiatives designed to cut down on its carbon emissions. Some of Oxford’s best initiatives have been in the realm of transportation. The Oxford City Council has stated that its plan is ‘to reduce the need to travel, discourage individual private vehicle journeys, and make walking, cycling, public, and shared transport the natural first choice’. Initiatives include the Zero Emissions Zone Pilot, Energy Superhub Oxford, and future plans for electric buses, with Oxford considered by many to be a pioneer in this area. Energy Superhub Oxford- Europe’s most powerful charging hub: Energy Superhub Oxford (ESO) is recognised as Europe’s most powerful electric charging hub. It provides Oxford with electric vehicle charging facilities and ‘the

UK’s first transmissionconected battery’. Its an initiative designed to meet the rising demand for power without overburdening the local electricity distribution network. According to Oxford Council, its already achieved significant results, facilitating the charging of 32,000 vehicles over the course of the year, and contributing to reducing Oxford’s CO2 emissions by around 730 tonnes. Furthermore, it has encouraged the uptake of Electric Vehicles in the region. According to the DVLA, 50.8% of newly registered vehicles in Oxfordshire were electric in June 2023, the highest uptake figure in the whole of the UK. This suggests that with ESO providing consumers with the option of clean energy infrastructure, residents are able to make greener choices. Therefore, ESO is playing an essential role in Oxford’s path to net zero. The Zero Emissions Zone (ZEZ) Pilot: The Zero Emissions Zone (ZEZ) trialled in Oxford in 2022. The ZEZ is an area where zero-emission vehicles (such as fully electric motorcycles, cars, and vans) can be used without incurring a charge, but where other vehicles are charged if they are driven in the zone between 7am and 7pm, unless they have a 100% discount or exemption. The charge varies, depending on the quantity of emissions released by the vehicle in question. The ZEZ was agreed on by residents and the local council to encourage motorists to adopt low- and zero-emission vehicles, reduce traffic and transport pollution, and improve health in the city centre. The zone currently extends across several streets in the centre of the city, including New Road, Cornmarket Street, and Shoe Lane, although a wider zone is expected to be announced soon, based on the findings of the pilot scheme. Oxford has won awards for this initiatives, for example, at the 20th UK National Transport Awards show on the 5th of October this year, Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council won the ‘Exemplary Contribution to

Net Zero’ award for their collaboration on the Oxford ZEZ, and last year, the two councils won the clean air award for their work. New Traffic Filters: In November 2022, Oxford Council’s Cabinet approved six trial traffic filters on main traffic routes in Oxford to reduce traffic levels in the city. During the times of operation, private cars without a permit are prohibited from driving through the traffic filters. All other vehicles are always allowed. According to the Council, ‘the traffic filters make walking and cycling safer and more attractive, make bus journeys quicker and more reliable, enable new and improved bus routes, support investment in modern buses, help tackle climate change, reduce local air pollution, and improve the health and wellbeing of our communities’. Encouraging Cycling: Oxford is well-known for being a cycling city, and this is something the Council has tried to further promote, providing 133 new cycle racks in June this year, delivering 266 additional parking spaces for cyclists across the city. The cycle racks have been installed in a wide variety of locations across the city, including Beaumont Street, Divinity Road, and Queen Street. Oxford has the second highest prevalence for cycling at least once a week in the country (39% of residents) and the second highest rate of residents cycling to work (25% of residents). Oxford City Council states that it wants to encourage more cycling and walking, or ‘active travel’ journeys across the city to help people get the recommended level of daily exercise, reduce congestion on the roads, and cut pollution in the centre of the city. Tangible Results: Levels of air pollution across Oxford reduced during 2022, with air pollution (NO2) levels across Oxford falling by 8.3%, according to official data from Oxford City Council, with a 24% drop when compared to prepandemic levels. Oxford City’s Council’s greenhouse gas emissions reduced by 15% compared to pre-pan-

demic levels, with a reduction from 7,425 tonnes between 2019 and 2020, to 6,314 tonnes between 2021 and 2022. This marks a decrease of 26.3% in emissions since 2017, and an overall reduction of 54% since 2014. Whilst they still have a lot further to go, this suggests the measures that they have undertaken are working. To achieve Oxford City Council’s target of becoming net zero by 2030, the Council needs to achieve more than an average 10% annual reduction in emissions every year until 2030. Is Oxford University Holding Oxford Back? According to a new study by Utility Bidder based on data from 2021 to 2022, Oxford is the third highest CO2 emitter of all the UK Universities. Their calculations reveal that Oxford University emits an estimated 1.7 million tonnes of carbon for every 1,000 students, the third highest of any institution. It is outranked only by Imperial College London and Cranfield University. However, the University has shown a desire to change its ways. Under the Environmental Sustainability Strategy, launched in 2021, Oxford University has pledged to be carbon neutral by 2035. To achieve these goals, the University has established the Oxford Sustainability Fund, with an income of over £5m a year, and a revolving capital investment fund of £50m. The University’s carbon emissions have been on a downwards trend since 2010, partly driven by the installation of over 2,000 solar panels, combined heat and power (CHP), and ground source heat pumps. Future Plans Extending the ZEZ: Proposals are being developed to extend the ZEZ to a wider area in the city centre. New Electric Vehicle Charging Points: Work has started to install electric vehicle charging points at Seacourt Park & Ride. Oxford City Council has launched a new resource as part of a campaign to encourage residents to find out more about retrofitting their homes. Read more on our website www.oxfordstudent.com

The Oxford Student | Friday 24 November 2023

Deputy Editor: Bridget Harrington Section Editors: Tymoteusz Syrytczyk, Samkeet Shah, Gabriella Kchozyan scitech@oxfordstudent.com

SciTech | 27

SciTech

Earth’s past collision with Theia Samkeet Shah

he Earth’s shape has evolved quite dramatically ever since it was formed. Initially, the Earth was a tiny protoplanet without a moon around 4.5 billion years ago. That proto-Earth (called Gaia) clashed severely with another early planet, Theia, while tracing its orbit around the sun. Due to Gaia’s large size, it dominated the collision and began to form the shape of Earth as we know it today. Meanwhile, much of the debris from the collision consolidated and produced the Moon. Though this has been the dominant idea for the Moon’s formation, no evidence of Theia has ever been discovered in surrounding asteroids or meteorites, leading astronomers to suspect the planet’s leftover components may have been incorporated into early Earth. A

multinational team of scientists claims to have discovered evidence that substantial portions of Theia were left behind, forming a part of the Earth’s core and makeup. The team’s results were published in Naturel on the 1st of November, 2023. The prevalent explanation for how and why the Moon originated early in our planet’s history is a huge collision with a Mars-sized planetary body, but tangible evidence for that impact elsewhere in the Solar System has proven difficult to uncover. However, there were traces left behind on Earth. Seismic measurements reveal two massive clusters known as large low-velocity provinces (LLVPs) deep beneath the Earth’s crust; one beneath the African continent and one beneath the Pacific Ocean. These LLVPs differ in chemical composition from the mantle around it; it has a higher

iron content. The Moon also has a higher iron concentration of iron. Because of the similarities in patterns seen between these massive subsurface chunks of material and the Moon, experts hypothesised that both may have resulted from the same giant collision with Theia. The study team ran simulations of what we know about the collision to see if both the LLVPs and the Moon might have come from the Theia impact. The simulations discovered that it is plausible and that it implies that the Earth’s core was significantly hotter at that time in its history than previously estimated. Otherwise, the shards of Theia would have likely blended more evenly into the mantle. The possibility that Theia had such a big impact on the formation of the Earth inspires new research into the Earth’s early

history. “A logical consequence of the idea that the LLVPs are remnants of Theia is that they are very ancient,” said Paul Asimow, a Caltech researcher and author of the study, in a release. “It makes sense, therefore, to investigate next what conse-

and spot this elusive creature, which they managed only on their final day. “I’m not joking when I say it came down to the very last SD card that we looked at, from the very last camera that we collected, on the very last day of our expedition”, said James Kempton. Attenborough’s echidna, along with the platypus and three other echidna species, is one of five remaining monotremes. These are rare, egg-laying mammals which

diverged from the rest of the mammalian group around 200 million years ago. Many unique aspects of their biology have intrigued scientists for years, including their ability to ‘sweat’ milk out through their skin to feed their young, and the electrosensory system in their snout that they use to detect electrical currents in prey. The solitary, nocturnal lifestyle of the echidna no doubt played a role in making this elusive species so hard to find. However, working closely with the local community of Yongsu Sapari, the team were able to capitalise on expert knowledge of the forest. This proved most useful when deciding where to fix their cameras, and helping to navigate the unforgiving terrain. The team were careful to respect the local beliefs, who deem the Cyclop mountains sacred, so mindfully avoided the restricted areas, or adhered to

silent hiking when necessary. Not only are the mountains sacred, but the echidna itself also represents a symbol of peace to the local community. It is said that when two people enter into a conflict, one is instructed to find an echidna, and the other a marlin fish, in the hope that two such arduous tasks will endure until the conflict is forgotten. And arduous did this task proved to be. After one broken arm, one hospital trip to surgically remove a leech from an eye, and two earthquakes, the team were much deserving of their long-awaited success. “You’re slipping all over the place. You’re being scratched and cut. There are venomous animals around you, deadly snakes like the death adder”, said James Kempton. But it seems the team were rewarded with more than they bargained for. This discovery was accompanied by several dozen new insects previously

quences they had for Earth’s earliest evolution, such as the onset of subduction before conditions were suitable for modern-style plate tectonics, the formation of the first continents, and the origin of the very oldest surviving terrestrial minerals.”

Image credit: Dana Berry

Attenborough’s echidna rediscovered after presumed extinct for 60 years

Bridget Harrington

fter a presumed extinction of Attenborough’s echidna since the last sighting in 1961, a team of scientists from the University of Oxford endured a treacherous four week expedition through the Cyclops Mountains of Indonesia, and were rewarded with the highest prize. The team, led by James Kempton, trekked over 11,000 metres and set up over 80 camera traps to try

Image credit: Rod Waddington

unknown to science, as well as the rediscovery of Mayr’s honeyeater, and a completely new species of tree-dwelling shrimp, that the team admitted they were rather surprised to find so far from the coast. One clumsy stumble through a mossy bank even led to the finding of an entire new underground cave system! It is hoped that from this expedition will come a new wave of appreciation for the Cyclops Mountains as a true biodiversity hotspot. Despite being considered ‘critically endangered’ on the IUCN red list, the echidna is still not a protected species in Indonesia. Furthermore, the mountains are surrounded by an abundance of human threats, including logging, agriculture, and mining. It is clear that this forest holds great biological potential, and this wave of discoveries might be just what it needs to receive the conservation efforts it warrants.

28 | Advert

Friday 24 November 2023 | The Oxford Student

The Oxford Student | Friday 24 November 2023

OXYOU

OxYou | 29

Deputy Editor: Olly DeHerrera Section Editor: Florence Purcell oxyou@oxfordstudent.com

Best of the Roast: Michaelmas Madness Rordon Gamsay

he MichaelBublémas Term draws to a close, Rordon’s here bringing you gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Stash (which is far more stylish and hipp-er than whatever Myrrh is). The ghost of OxMass past returns to warn us of the dangers of not clearing your browser history. “Be not afraid!”, Biblically accurate Emma Watson descended from the sky to walk among the heathens of Oxford. We’re embracing the OxMass festivities with a six course Roast for your enjoyment, looking back on the tender, lumpy and questionable offerings of this term. The lamb was so uncooked that it’s still out in the field with the Shepards. Univ Porters weren’t on the menu, but Shapiro Spouts were unfortunately plentiful. So, pour on the gravy with all the abundance of SU Sabs at the SU Sabs event. Gorge yourselves silly. Merry Christmas you dirty, filthy, pathetic animals.

OUT OF THE BLUE With a 100% higher success at being retweeted by Shakira than the OxStu, Rordon was inspired to try out for Oxford’s very own Acapella society. It certainly is as feast for the senses: the stunning staccatos and plucky polyphonies of the all-male acapella group, grinning in their V formation like a hive of M&S bagging assistants. Don’t let all that testosterone fool you, the boys aren’t afraid of a bit of Girls Aloud, (catchy, but Rordon doesn’t want to taste their kisses in the night, if it can be avoided). Up on the stage, Rodon was hoping to channel Bublé and Jackson, but came out a little more Gove. He can’t sing, he can’t dance, and he sure isn’t ‘levelling up’ either. Maybe next year. LOCAL WARNING: DEODORANT SHORTAGE IN OXFORD Be it the hip hop floor at Bridge or a bop at Balliol, it

seems that the common consensus has been to forswear any form of anti-perspirant. Letting the molecules of pungent teenage spirit flow free, it has become so bad that I, Rordon, protector of our university’s fair nostrils, have taken up God’s own proverbial roll-on to bathe every armpit in swich licour (lynx). However, as I made my way to raid the shelves at Boots (Mitchum deodorant is on three-for-two!), I realised they have been utterly ransacked (the shelves housing the natural deodorants were noticeably untouched- even

this fiend must know they don’t actually count)! Immediately I sensed that something can’t be right. With my own singed nostril-hairs as proof, I know for sure that you lot aren’t buying it all. So where has it gone? Something here smells fishy… (or onion-y, to be more precise). It seems that the perilous particles of pongy pits will continue to penetrate our city’s sweet air, posing a threat to unsuspecting innocents like me. Take heed, dear Oxonians, and hope the deodorant bandit doesn’t find the under-the-table Rexona dealer. (Warning-this doesn’t mean that I don’t think YOU shouldn’t! The air at Atik is already thick enough…)

RORDON REQUESTS: GET RID OF MUD On a chilly Saturday night, Rordon and his mates sit staring at each other, with nothing left to talk about, nothing left to do. Bored and listless, they begin to scroll through the trenches (aka Facebook). Suddenly, Rordon’s demeanour undergoes a dramatic change. ‘Lets go to Cowley!’ he beams. So, with little time to spare, his friends make their way to start the festive season off with a bang. Fireworks! After an arduous trek, the glamorous group reaches the en-

trance. Faces rosy and jolly, they join the queue. Only one more minute, and they will be inside! Rordon’s nostrils are set a-quiver as tendrils of smoke drift up his nose. Fried food! One more second, nearly there- aaaaaand- wait, what!!!! MUD??? Surely not! Rordon howls as his foot drowns in the sordid brown sludge. What foul, what vile tricks the world plays on him. The night is ruined. To end this traumatic anecdote, Rordon would like to ask: Why does the world hate him? Why does everyone want him to suffer? And WHY has this disgusting green mass not yet been covered in concrete????

GOLFING It was time for a termly dose of organised fun at the OxStu staff golf trip. Surly all the greatest displays of athleticism require you dress like a substitute teacher. Golf is an acquired taste for those who can spend hundreds of pounds on equipment and then hundreds more pounds on a club membership to roleplay as plantation owners, all before you can debut your dad bod on the course. The flamboyancy of it all is surly a conspiracy by BigGolf to turn more of the British landscape into

soulless background shots for life insurance and Viagra adverts. Alas, the OxStu summit was not on the glorious lawns of East Scotland but instead in dirty neon painted basement that undoubtedly looks like a torture McDonald’s with the lights on. Rordan’s skills were on full display as he flawlessly executed a remarkable sliceshank-bump-gambit to land a bogie-poopy-albatross, but no one could see in the 2% mood lighting, even if they were real words. The night was breaking down like a golf cart at hole 5. Rordon decided the honourable thing to do was just lie about his scores on the tally sheets.

POPPY WATCH It’s the time of year Rordon gets to see which dull pricks aren’t wearing their poppy to lectures: pure disrespect for the core British value of buying a 50p poppy from a pensioner outside of M&S whilst that one Cornmarket Karaoke guy belts out “Summertime Sadness” at a reduced BMP of 96 out of respect. Poppy politics had Rordon spoilt for choice with more colours on offer than Fast and Furious movies. The stylish yet respectful war mourners can opt for a Strictly Come Dancing style bedazzled poppy, or a crochet poppy made by an Etsy mum who missed the whole charity part of the spectacle. There’s the white poppy, if you’re edgy, the blue poppy, if you voted Brexit, or the Union Jack print for the families of war heroes with multimillion-pound garden spas.

NAUGHTY NAUGHTY Rordon’s finding out the hard way that generally accepted practices aren’t as generally accepted as they generally seem after all. Like a frog in the frying pan, he’s found himself facing disciplinary action after highly dubious photos were found on his work issued laptop. What is the nature of these images? Pictures of the inside of the All Souls library of course. If only he’d not forgotten to remove the access privileges of his terminally do-gooder colleagues who ratted him out to the higher-ups. “You will not share pictures of the Codrington library via Google Drive”, said the big man on the screen. Pure fascism! Rordon pleads the 5th and throws himself on the floor. Fret not though! The ‘it’s just a prank bro’ defence is sure to exonerate all involved.

30 | Food & Drink

Friday 24 November 2023 | The Oxford Student

Food & Drink Everybody’s so creative: Deputy Editor: Tara Earley Section Editor: Johannah Mathew food@oxfordstudent.com

The magic and mayhem of FoodTok Charlie Bowden

ikTok has had pioneering success in the field of short-form video since its worldwide debut in 2018. Given the app’s popularity, it’s not surprising that cooking and baking content has found incredible staying power. Trends might come and go, but people will always appreciate good food, and TikTok provides an ideal platform for creators to showcase or critique the best - and worst - culinary creations they can come up with.

“You can mock poor choices, make unpredictable choices, or teach viewers how to make good choices.”

One of the keys to achieving consistent virality on TikTok is a unique and marketable video format, something that is both whimsical and easy to get on board with.

Many of the most popular creators on FoodTok, as it’s affectionately known, have constructed successful segments like these to bring viewers back again and again. Leading the charge of these creators is Philadelphia native Tanara Mallory, known on TikTok as @tanaradoublechocolate. If I quote her opening line, “Everybody’s so creative!”, you probably know who I’m talking about. Mallory has found fame in sarcastic critiques of other creators’ horrible cooking, but rather than going all Rordon- ahem, Gordon Ramsay on these poor unfortunates, she narrates their choices more like a nursery teacher speaking to toddlers. Her enthusiastic pseudo-support for their culinary antics makes her videos entertaining from beginning to end, but it’s that tagline that has cemented her as a mainstay of FoodTok. Mallory has said it was her husband who told her to keep using that introduction, and it has brought her immense notoriety. Now everyone lives in fear of their cooking vid-

eo being duetted and hearing that sarcastic exclama-

in his sandwich, Pauwels cuts back on time wasted deciding what to eat while also making his taste buds suffer for his audience’s pleasure. The series, called ‘Roll for Sandwich’, also takes on a somewhat educational form as Pauwels talks through the ingredients of his sandwich, discussing where each originates and what they might

Image credit: Adela Cristea. tion in the opening seconds. Rather than take the role of armchair food critic, some creators choose to quite literally roll the dice with their taste buds. Jake Pauwels, known as @adventuresinaardia on TikTok, is a Dungeons & Dragons content creator who combines the dice-based system of the tabletop RPG with food to solve indecision about what to have for lunch. By rolling dice to determine the bread, main, cheese, roughage, sauce, and ‘wild magic’ elements that should feature

bring to the completed meal. Each video wouldn’t be complete without a taste test of course, which can range from pleasant surprise that seemingly random flavours can work well together to immediate regret. Pickles and chocolate syrup, anyone? For a slightly less stressful educational experience, you might turn to content by Mattia Moleri (@mattiastable). His meatless cooking is presented in a more conventional style but it’s no less entertaining or insightful. His two

standout creations are ‘Culture Clash’, where two similar foods from different cultures are compared, and ‘Sauces from the World’, where he creates signature sauces from different countries from scratch to test, using the neutral vessel of a plain cracker. His content has a more global outlook than other FoodTok creators, allowing viewers to find out about dishes and culinary traditions they might have never seen before. Though he’s not a professional chef, Moleri’s written recipes have attracted a lot of positive reception on Samsung Food, showing how social media influencers can pivot their work to fit other formats. Whether you consider yourself a foodie or you’re a newbie to the culinary world, FoodTok has a lot to offer. Even from these creators alone, it’s clear that there’s a lot of diversity in content and approach when exploring food on social media. You can mock poor choices, make unpredictable choices, or teach viewers how to make good choices. If you’re on TikTok already you’ve likely stumbled across a few culinary videos anyway, but it’s always worth it to dive a little deeper.

This article has been shortened for clarity - the full version can be found on the OxStu website.

Biscardo Neropasso Rosso, Veneto 2020 Johannah Mathew provides another Oxford Wine Company wine review for the OxStu

ounded in 1878, the Biscardo family were one of the first families in Veneto, a northern Italian region, to start making wine. The area is best known for wines such as Soave, Bardolino and Amarone, the latter being known for its laborious process of partially drying grapes on mats before entering the aging phase, making it some of the best wine, but also quite expensive. Biscardo Neropasso, affectionately nicknamed the ‘Poor-

man’s Amarone’ (as quoted by an Oxford Wine Company’s team member) combines these techniques in a more accessible and price-conscious way. Before being soft pressed for aging, the grapes are partially wilted by sun-drying on a mat, creating a full-bodied wine and further concentrating flavours. In Veneto, this method is called ‘ripasso’ or ‘appassimento’. Being in the north of Italy, Veneto is not a particularly hot region, so by sun-drying the grapes, a more

concentrated flavour is created by decreasing the water levels to around 40% whilst also avoiding overly thick grape skins, therefore circumventing more bitter tannin flavours. Like many Amarone blends, Biscardo Neropasso uses a mix of Corvina and Valpolicella grapes, whilst also using Cabernet Sauvignon, grapes which are historically associated more with Tuscany than the Veneto region. The wine is a vibrant rich ruby red, whilst not being too

opaque and pouring smoothly. Scent-wise, Biscardo Nerpasso has heavy hints of darker fruits, most noticeably cherry and plums, whilst also having hints of cardamom. These scents are further highlighted taste-wise, with the cherry flavours becoming more prominent. Unlike many common red wines, this bottle was not overly drying and had a feeling of coolness while settling down the throat, two feelings I had not experienced before from red wines. This made the

wine easily drinkable and a great starter for anyone who does not typically enjoy red wines. This bottle would go great with any tomato based foods, such as pasta or pizza, it could also partner well with a spicy meal or less heavy meats. Biscardo Nerpasso’s 2020 bottle of red wine is only £14 at retail price, with an extra 10% taken off with the student discount at any Oxford Wine Company branch - visit them on Turl Street, Little Clarendon Street, or Botley Road.

Sport | 31

The Oxford Student | Friday 24 November 2023

Sport

Rising stars and rising questions: the challenge of NBA stardom Sam Bankole

/10/38. No, that is not the GTA 6 release date, but rather, the stat line of the highly anticipated rookie, Victor Wembanyama (aka Wemby) in only his fourth NBA game (AST/ REB/PTS). Anyone who lives above ground with access to the internet has likely heard about Wemby, either known for his once-in-a-lifetime basketball talent, or his unfortunate incident with Britney Spears’ security. The Frenchman is an unreal 7 foot 5 inches tall, with an 8 foot wingspan but possesses the inhuman ability to glide across the court with ease, and, even more inhumanly, make LeBron James look like Kevin Hart. Labelled a “generational talent” with “one of the highest-ceiling prospects most scouts have ever seen” , Wemby has enjoyed comparisons to LeBron, that “anything less than the Hall of Fame is a bust.” Often nicknamed a 7”5 Kevin Durant (as if a 6”11 KD wasn’t scary enough!), all comparisons fall short of truly conveying his talent and mastery of the game at his size with his coordination, balance, and prowess

“Wemby is not alone in this category of exceptional “rookies.”

Image Credit: Thomas S.

at all areas of the floor.

He is accompanied by his fellow rookie, the similarly built 7”2 Chet Holmgren who, after a year out to injury, is back, bearded, and better. Indeed, there is an argument that if not for the otherworldly talent of the Frenchman, Chet (who is averaging 3/7/17, on better shooting percentages AND 6 less field goal attempts per game) would be enjoying the spotlight, the comparison to generational talents, and the undisputed license to dress as Slenderman for Halloween. One would wonder whether they are in the same league when compared with their fellow rookies in the 2023 Draft Class. With Brandon Miller and Ausar Thompson the only other rookies averaging double figures, and only 10 of the other 35 rookies above 5 points per game, a draft class that is already sub-par in comparison with recent years is now paling in dreadful mediocrity. The highly-rated third pick Scoot Henderson has had a disappointing start to the season, causing many to question whether it was sensible for the Front Office to draft a Point Guard, ousting their generational talent in future HoFer Damian Lilliard from the Trailblazers after the 11 years

Image Credit: Gobierno CDMX

he spent not “running from the grind” (better known as losing). Shooting a scarily low 9.5% from 3 point range, to complement an underwhelming overall field goal percent-

“Yet, points are not the only problem.”

age of 34%, Scoot Henderson’s time on the floor has led to a net 46 point deficit for the Trailblaizers through 6 games – the definition of dragging the

team down. Similarly, the fifth overall pick Ausar Thompson has had his own woes: hitting only 3 of his 19 attempted 3 pointers, and carrying his own net 49 point deficit through 6 games for the Detroit Pistons. This is the narrative that the NBA media channels have been running with. Harsh? Certainly. Whilst underperforming, it is important to note that this is to be expected by rookies. These are young men, the same age (or, unbelievably younger) than many of us, who have been thrust onto the main stage, given millions of dollars to play a game they love with the constant impending knowledge that all watching (over 1 billion in its peak ) are judging – indeed, I am guilty of the same. It is only expected that they will take time to settle into a league where they are playing alongside the same athletes they have grown up modelling their game around, watching them intently, and in the case of Jabari Smith Jr, watching them beat his dad! That experience is of course the purpose of the Summer League, and thus, it is understandable that, with a year to prepare in the highest French league, and with time passing since his drafting in 2022, Wemby and Chet respec-

tively are performing at a much higher level than the rest of the draft class. Their careers are far from over. With advancements in medical treatment, the unbearable trend of load management, and changes in the game towards a less physical playstyle, these players are likely not even 10% of the way through

“For these rookies, their time has only just begun.”

their career and will continue to improve year upon year. It is not uncommon to see such improvement, and it can definitely be expected, especially with the recent blossoming of Tyrese Maxey, Alperen Şengün, Desmond Bane and even Austin Reaves from just average rookies to the next generation of stars in the league. Even the greatest shooter of all time Steph Curry went from 17 points-per-game at age 20, to averaging 32 at age 32, earning the scoring title for the 2020-21 season. Exceptional careers for Scoot, Thomson and the rest of their class are certainly attainable, though only time can tell.

32 | Sport

Friday 24 November 2023 | The Oxford Student

Sport

Deputy Editor: Patrick Groves Section Editors: Purav Menon, Thomas Thornton, Charlie Wild sport@oxfordstudent.com

Smash-hit or screw-up in Sin City? Las Vegas 2023 Thomas Thornton

here to begin with the Las Vegas GP? From the excessive build up, to driver criticism and an eventually thrilling race, this weekend had it all. Since Liberty Media bought Formula One in 2016, they have transformed the franchise into an increasingly global phenomenon and Las Vegas may be the jewel in the crown. Does Vegas signal the future of the series or is it a comically exaggerated gimmick?

The start of the race week did not look promising. The wacky F1-golf crossover, called the Netflix Cup, was a disappointment - even with suitably low expectations for such an event. Professional golfers and Formula One drivers are not a natural crossover, and this event showed why. It featured golf with surprise challenges along the way, and the most notable moment was when Carlos Sainz dropped the trophy, which shattered into pieces on the floor. It was an appropriate end to a truly confusing event. Things did not improve for Vegas as the race approached, with concerns around the circuit dominating the buildup. Fans online spotted the first potential issue, with the exit to the pitlane coming out on the apex of the first corner. Combined with cold tyres after a pit stop, this presented serious concerns. Free practice one did not get off to a good

start either, with the session cancelled within 10 minutes after an exposed manhole cover ripped through the underside of Sainz’s car. This caused the second session to be delayed by two and a half hours; it was consequently completed in front of empty grandstands. Disapproval became ridicule when Sainz was given a 10-place grid penalty for the repairs required after this incident, meaning he started in 12th for the race, despite being pipped by Leclerc for pole during qualifying. Given that Formula One spent an estimated $500 million on the event, including $241 million on land next to the Strip to build the paddock, it looked to be an expensive flop. This was added to by the criticism that came from the drivers, with Verstappen referring to the event as ‘99% show, 1% sporting event’. The entertainment of the world haerdly lived up to its name. Vegas was, however, vindicated by what can only be described as a thrilling race – one of the best of a largely uncompetitive season. Verstappen fought back from a five second penalty incurred when he ran Charles Leclerc off the road at turn one. A collision with George Russell caused front wing damage and he stopped for another pit stop midway through the race. While the pace of Verstappen was overwhelming, the racing was constant, culminating with a last lap overtake by Leclerc on

Image Credit: King of Hearts

Perez to clinch second place. Even Verstappen, the circuit’s most overt critic, had to admit it was ‘a lot of fun’, and Hamilton was correct to claim ‘Vegas proved them wrong’. While Vegas this year was saved by a standout race to balance out the abysmal build up, it is also an interesting snapshot into the future of F1. There is history to the relationship between F1 and Las Vegas, a sport defined by its glamour has perhaps a natural connection with Sin City. 2023 is not the first time that F1 has been to Vegas, with races hosted in Vegas in 1981 and 1982. Although this short-lived endeavour ended in failure – it is an interesting comparison to modern F1. This was admittedly a bizarre episode in Image Credit: United Autosports

Formula One history, with the races hosted in the car park of Caesars Palace. The small space meant the circuit was boring and repetitive, noet to mention

“Vegas is the closest F1 has to another Monaco.”

the sweltering 37 degree heat on race day in 1982. While this was an event never destined to last, signs suggest the current version could have a longer shelf life. Simply put, Monaco has the sheer sex appeal that other races lack. There are several historic races, Spa, Monza and Silverstone come to mind, but Monaco has always been in a league of its own – until now. I’ll admit for the F1 purists out there, Monaco still is the greatest race to win, but I think Vegas can present a serious challenge. While Sin City doesn’t have the class of Monaco it is much more glamorous than any other F1 race. F1 tried something similar in Abu Dhabi, but the cultural power of Vegas means it immediately has more star power than other races. Combined with the issues that Monaco faces as a race venue, the principality faces a threat from Las Vegas as the spiritual

home of F1. Monaco is not only the slowest race of the calendar, but also often the most boring too. There was only 1 overtake in the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix. F1 cars, always a tight fit on the narrowest street circuit, are now simply too big for the track to handle. In 1992, Nigel Mansell tried to squeeze past Ayrton Senna in the final laps of the race, but back then the chance of an overtake was at least plausible. The Monaco GP is most often won on Saturday in qualifying, or due to some pit lane malfunction (who can forget Riccardo in 2016). If Vegas can sustain genuinely entertaining races in a world class setting, maybe Formula One’s investment will prove a wise one. I have to say I will always love Monaco; the history is unmatched as well as the fact that almost all great drivers have won there. But new generations of F1 fans who have come to the series through Drive to Survive may not have the same attachment to a track that is undeniably anachronistic. If F1 learns to remove the aspects of the weekend that were cringeinducing, while preserving the celebrity appeal and exciting racing, I can see the Las Vegas Grand Prix becoming a staple of the calendar. More importantly it will begin to win a place in-