OxStu Week 8 mt14

Volume 71 Issue 8

Thursday 27th November 7th Week

oxfordstudent.com

University ‘mistreated’ ice hockey team Oxford Blues call Oxford University’s actions “hostile, intimidating and unwarranted” ADAM DAYAN NEWS EDITOR

PHOTO/ David Hawgood

PHOTO/Roger Askew

Union President threatens resignation over rules Committee and ROs at war over whether to enact results of electoral poll

NICK MUTCH NEWS EDITOR

The President of the Oxford Union, Mayank Banerjee, stated this week that he had planned to resign on Friday if his disputed rules changes were not enforced in Friday’s elections for the society’s committee.

They were overwhelmingly endorsed by the Union’s membership in a poll conducted on 13th November when 92 per cent of those who voted indicated they were in favour of the relaxing of the Unions laws on electoral malpractice.

However Thomas G Reynolds, the

society’s Returning Officer, said in an email to candidates on 23rd November that “this afternoon I issued four interpretations and a ruling about the rule changes, with direct effect pertaining to this week’s elections... In summary, the alleged poll of Thursday 13 November has had no effect whatsoever on the Society’s Rules. In other words, the elections will be run under the rules as published in the nomination packs and indeed as they have been done for many terms now.”

A copy of his interpretation says that: “I cannot allow the integrity of the Society’s elections to be called

Features, p.20 Danny Cohen, Director of BBC Television, talks about the thorny issues of popularity and neutrality

into question when I am able to ensure an increased degree of legitimacy by issuing a superior interpretation. As such, it falls to me to do whatever I can to preserve and maintain the integrity of the electoral process… as a servant of the Membership – not of the President, nor of Standing Committee – I am morally bound to intervene, since I am convinced that I am able to do so and that it will correct the situation. It is with a heavy heart that I note that these rule changes have been brought in such a way as to provoke considerable criticism and contention.”

His interpretation states that under rule 46 of the Union’s constitution, the calling of the poll did not follow the proper procedure, which requires a vote in front of the chamber, and for notice to be posted in the national press. It is understood that previous rules changes involved having a one line advertisement on page 78 of The Times.

The OxStu understands that there was a dispute between senior Union figures, including Banerjee on whether the Returning Officer has the power to issue this interpretaContinued on page 6 »

Oxford Blues, an ice hockey team of Oxford University students, have raised serious allegations of mistreatment by Oxford University staff. The allegations include evidence that university staff bugged a conversation and that they contemplated using academic threats against students.

The Oxford Blues were formerly Oxford University’s 1st male ice hockey team but disaffiliated from the University after a dispute over merchandising. During the course of this dispute, the Blues sent a representative to meet with Oxford University’s Director of Sport, Jon Roycroft. At the meeting, Roycroft assured the student that he was not recording the meeting but after he received a text it became clear that his phone was in fact covertly recording.

Roycroft admits this in an email to then Senior Proctor Jonathan Mallinson which was uncovered by an FoI request: “the meeting…. was marred by my poor judgement to record the conversation covertly with my phone. He [the student team representative] did ask at the start of the meeting whether I was recording and unfortunately I did not tell him at that point. At the end of the meeting he discovered what had happened and was understandably upset.”

The Senior Proctor responds to this admission of deceitfully recording conversations with: “Many thanks for your mail. Let’s keep our Continued on page 5 »

Comment, p.11

Fashion, OXII p.4

Profile, p.8

Are economic inequalities in the collegiate system hindering access efforts?

Adi Anwardi and Khaleifa Suleim photograph an Americana-themed shoot in Cowley diner Route 66

Jack Dorsey, founder of Twitter, discusses his newest venture: the payment system Square

2 Editorial

27th November 2014

Editorial The end is nigh

W

ith Michaelmas drawing to a close, this is our last issue as Editors of The Oxford Student.

Being the editor of a student newspaper is an odd series of contrasts; the vague feeling of self-importance is constantly battered down by the hours spent in an office that smells too much like Noodle Nation and despair.

Unlike being a real journalist – with a keyboard that has a working shift key – a student reporter has no level of removal from their stories. The people you ask for comment are your friends, the person on your front page probably shops in the same Tesco; there is little distance between reporter and reported.

It makes sense, then, that one often becomes the other. As it should be, writers News Comment Features Music Screen Stage Arts Fashion Sport

are in no way immune to being written about, but student publications – ourselves included – are all guilty of some navelgrazing. The OxStu, Cherwell and the Tab engage in a relationship of (hopefully) amicable animosity about journalistic standards, sub-editing oversights and even looks – only by winning ‘Fit Editor’ will we be fully redeemed.

This world of catty comments and sly asides can seem unfriendly to anyone wanting to get involved in student journalism at Oxford. Hack disputes can quickly escalate, and the attractive permanence of print is also what makes it dangerous.

However, being part of the team of a student newspaper is very much what you make of it. The vast majority of people who work on this newspaper do so because they love writing. Whether you want to direct fashion shoots or

work with us

interview Union speakers, there are so many amazing opportunities at the OxStu. We would encourage anyone reading this to think about applying for the newspaper next term; regardless of journalistic gibes, the OxStu provides the opportunity to meet talented and enthusiastic people. If that doesn’t tempt you enough, as former Features Editors and amateur food critics, between us we have had free meals at Bill’s, Quod and Jamie’s Italian.

On that note, we want to thank everyone who has made this term so great for us.

Firstly, we are indebted to our Deputy Editors who have made the time in the office glorious with monstrous Photoshop creations and a constant supply of snacks. The News Editors have worked ridiculously hard, collectively worn far too much youth camp stash, and brought us brilliant stories along with a steady supply of organic fruit and vegetables. OXII,

Features, Sport and Comment have been of a higher standard than ever before, and the illustration skills of Natalie Harney, Tom Barnett and Charles Clegg have made the paper beautiful.

Thanks also to Lauren Soules and the sub-editing team – whose work is so meticulous that you will not have even noticed it (notably,they were not responsible for the ‘JThe’ incident).

We are deeply envious of those of you for whom your OxStu career is only just starting.

Writing and working for a student newspaper is one of the most engaging ways to get involved in Oxford life.

Happy Oxmas!

Are you a photographer, cartoonist, film-maker or just a plain old journo?

With the largest readership and the most national stories of any student publication in Oxford, The OxStu is the ideal training ground for budding student jounalists. In fact, in last year’s Guardian Media Awards we were not only shortlisted for Student Publication of the Year, but, of the five people on the shortlist for Student Reporter of the Year, three wrote for us.

To get involved email

editor@oxfordstudent.com

Get involved with student social action www.oxfordhub.org

News 3

27th November 2014

Drinkin' Lincoln's "excessive" boozing causes "serious disruption" Christmas carousal cancellation considered after critical cocktail consumption concerns

PHOTO/archeon ELLIOT THORNLEY DEPUTY NEWS EDITOR

Lincoln College has threatened to cancel its end-of-term bop due to the excessive drinking and misbehaviour of students.

In an email sent out to all members of the JCR, Lincoln’s Senior Dean, Maria Stamatopoulou, stated that the College had held a meeting on the subject of student drinking and con-

cluded that “the levels this year have been unacceptable and have caused serious disruption in the smooth running of the college”. Dr Stamatopoulou acknowledged that “drinking is a part of student life”, but nevertheless maintained that this term’s levels have been “excessive”, noting that “the porters, bar staff, deans, chaplain, emergency services and housekeeping staff have experienced a considerable burden due to drink-related serious misbehaviour”.

The remainder of the message stated: “This trend cannot continue as it is unsociable and inconsiderate of others and disrupts the collegiate atmosphere that we are used to. Everyone needs to take collective responsibility about this issue. If there are further cases of serious drinking by junior members, we are afraid that we will have no choice but to cancel the end-of-term Bop as a first step towards addressing this problem.”

Stamatopoulou also stressed that disciplinary action would not be limited to cancellation of the bop if the excessive levels of drinking continued, writing: “We would also like to remind everyone that the college reserves the right to use disciplinary procedures against those members of our community who repeatedly behave in a manner that constitutes misbehaviour according to the college by-laws, as detailed in the student handbook. A result of such

disciplinary procedure can include exclusion from college services, including accommodation.”

In response to the threatened bop cancellation, the Lincoln JCR President Mark Williams stated: “There have been many concerns by college staff and fellows this term about excessive drinking by a small minority of students. Naturally, this is an emotive topic that people have strong feelings about and I am working with college and the JCR to find a mutually satisfactory solution.”

Williams sent round an email calling an emergency JCR meeting: “As you saw in the email from the Senior Dean yesterday, college is very concerned about alcohol. Their response to this has implications for every member of the JCR. I think it would be useful for all of us to meet so I can explain what conversations I have had with college and what is likely to happen. I would also like to answer any questions people have. With this in mind, I would like to call an emergency meeting of the JCR this Sunday at 8.30 pm.”

Concerning the Senior Dean’s statement, one Lincoln second year commented: “Aside from a few conspicuous incidents, I haven’t noticed a huge increase in drinking compared to this time last year. That being said, though, I can understand the concern, especially if, as Dr Stamatopoulou said, the emergency services have had to be involved. I’d be very surprised if they actually cancelled the bop though. I expect everyone will just tone it down for a little while until then.”

Queerfest ticketing under fire

Trinity JCR axe "heteronormative" marriages

MATTHEW DAVIES NEWS EDITOR

OXSTU NEWS TEAM

Calls to "murder all the cishets" for their tickets

Students have expressed frustration after tickets for Wadham’s annual Queerfest event sold out after just three days, leaving hundreds unable to attend.

The event, marking the end of Wadham’s Queer Week, has grown hugely in popularity in recent years. All 800 tickets were sold by Wednesday evening, in what it is believed to be the fastest the event has ever sold out.

Many disappointed students resorted to the event’s Facebook page to find last minute tickets, promising to “pay in dollar” for an unwanted ticket, and begging ticket holders to “show some kindness this Queerfest”.

One of those unable to attend was Harris Manchester student Emily Atkinson, who invited a friend from Sweden for the occasion. She commented: “It’s a shame I didn’t get to celebrate Queerfest with my friend … we were shocked they sold out so quickly and I’m sorry to have missed out, but I guess there’s always next year.”

Many disappointed customers argued that LGBTQ students should be prioritised in ticket allocation.

A Pembroke fresher commented: “Queerfest is the only event of this size for non-straight people at Oxford, and I think it’s disappointing that so many didn’t get the chance to go.” The student went on to criticise the system used by Wadham’s Entz Committee:

“I don’t think they quite understood how popular it was going to be, and they really should have considered this based on how much it took off on social media”. Another disappointed student said: “It was really annoying knowing that so many tickets went to straight students, when I’d missed out.”

One student posted on Facebook: “Watching bare cishets scrabble on the page for tickets and even offering above asking price is starting to really grate”. He added that a friend had said: “Murder all the cishets and steal their tickets”. A Wadham student expressed frustration that the event “ended up being majority non-Wadham”.

Co-organiser Rose Stevens blamed the ticket shortage on the huge and unexpected popularity of the event, stating that the Wadham Entz Committee are currently considering ways to change the ticket allocation system for next year.

The event, held on Saturday evening in Wadham College, was highly successful and well-received, featuring musical acts Garfunkel, Rock Q, and Out of the Blue. Wadham Entz Officer Iona Teague described organising Queerfest as “the best experience of my life. I loved almost every minute”. Co-organiser Rose Stevens held a similar view: “It was definitely worth [the effort] to see everyone enjoy it so much and to appreciate how much glitter there can actually be in one marquee!”

New gender-blind ballot system put in place after OxStu exclusive

Trinity College JCR has voted to change their system for selecting College marriages after pressure from students and campaigners who labelled the existing system “heteronormative”. While College marriages will still be allocated by ballot, the new system will not privilege heterosexual marriages. Instead, the ballot will allocate students into pairs with no reference to gender. Trinity had previously voted not to change the random ballot, but allow an option to opt out from the system.

According to the minutes of the JCR Meeting, Celia Stevenson, who proposed the motion, “ said while a positive change for many reasons: it might combat apathy, it’s not coercive, but that despite this, we've still had lots of criticism. She said there was a clear attachment to the ballot system, as it provides a guaranteed two parents. However, the system does include people who identify with nonbinary gender. This, she said was a problem, as it made those people feel unwanted.”

She told the OxStu:“I proposed the motion as it seemed a good compromise between maintaining the ballot system, which the JCR appeared to be attached to in the previous meeting, and making our marriage system as inclusive as possible.”

Trinity chemist Tom Treherne criticised the lack of any first-years present, arguing they should get more of a say as they were being the only year-group in College

who are affected by the changes. Another student asked whether it was fair to force people into same-sex marriage if they did not want them.

Trinity College welfare rep Iman Ahmedani commented: “What people sometimes forget about this issue is that the whole point is to have a system that supports the freshers. It’s not supposed to be about the second-years socialising but about providing a cohesive structure for incoming students.

Ahmedani continued: “The randomly

balloted system is good for meeting new people and having different groups in College interact, but if a system where you could choose who you married had the potential of creating a stronger structure for freshers, that could be better.

Getting rid of the heteronormative gender restrictions to the ballot is a step forward, because the one we had seemed old fashioned. I think the original OxStu article made a difference, because it’s possible we wouldn’t have had this debate at all without it.”

THE RAG NAKED CALENDAR 2015 FT. THE OXFORD BLUES This years best Christmas present is

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photography: liberty king

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News 5

27th November 2014

Oxford law professor slams “bullying tactics” of universities

Intimidation of striking university staff may constitute a violation of human rights, says Hertford Fellow MATTHEW COULTER

An article by an Oxford law professor has called threats of litigation against University staff who participate in industrial action over pensions a violation of human rights.

The article, co-written by Professors Alan Bogg of Hertford, and K D Ewing of King’s College London, refers to the dispute between Universities UK (UUK) and members of the University and College Union (UCU) over attempts

by UUK to amend the pensions schemes for academic staff.

The authors condemn the threats by “senior management teams of at least three universities” to sue individuals who take part in strike action for repudiatory breach of contract. Such threats are dubbed “petty, short-sighted, and inflammatory”, and “a matter of surprise and horror”. The report claims that, even if these are empty threats, the intimidation they create may be construed as a breach of strikers’ human rights.

This comes in the wake of a decision by the European Court of Human Rights, upholding the right to strike as “clearly protected” by the European Convention on Human Rights. This means

that “penalising strikers in lawful disputes through threats to sue appears to be incompatible with the growing case law under Article 11”.

“The university employers have provided an open goal for the Strasbourg court,” the authors explain, “by ruthlessly exploiting one of the last unprotected frontiers of British labour law”. In the UK, workers cannot be dismissed for striking, but are not protected against repercussions short of dismissal.

The authors continue: “Some of these universities portray themselves as defenders of human rights, with fancy human rights programmes.

“It would be remarkably ironic if these human rights defenders were to become human rights defendants.”

Oxford University itself has not made these threats. Speaking to the OxStu, Professor Bogg emphasized that “thus far, Oxford has behaved well and it has treated striking academics fairly - which allowed us a more candid voice to speak freely.

“We wrote the article […] because academics employed in those other universities […] felt intimidated by the University communications.

“In our view, such threats constitute a breach of the human right protected under Article 11 of the European Convention, which is shameful for the universities involved.”

An end to the dispute may be in sight, however, following news on 20th November of an agreement between the UCU and UUK to suspend industrial action until 15th January, when a “joint negotiating committee” will meet.

In the meantime, there will be a series of negotiating meetings in order to try to reach an agreement.

In a joint press statement, the UCU and UUK stated: “It is hoped that this period can be used to close the differences between the negotiating positions, with a view to reaching agreement on reforms to the USS scheme.

“Both parties are committed to seeking a joint proposal for reform that offers an affordable, sustainable and attractive pension scheme, for both current and future members.

“Both parties are pleased that the agreement to suspend industrial action at this early stage will mean that students will not have been adversely affected and members of staff will not have had pay deducted.”

Ice hockey team allege mistreatment by University "Hostile" and "intimidating" staff bugged meetings and made academic threats

ADAM DAYAN NEWS EDITOR

» Continued from front page fingers crossed that we can still move forward. If there is anything I can usefully do, let me know”. Roycroft replies “Many thanks for this support.”

In a later email exchange, Roycroft emails the Senior Proctor again and suggests using academic ramifications to persuade the student members of the Oxford Blues to reaffiliate with the University. Roycroft suggests the University “make them [the team members] consider their own academic position.”

The Oxford Blues have released all this information on their website in an attempt to have their issues with the Oxford University Sports Federation and the actions of other University staff addressed. Among other allegations on this website, the Oxford Blues further claim that Roycroft attempted to deceive their ice rink over whether the Blues had public liability insurance.

The ice rink emailed the Blues stating: “I’ve had a call from John Roycroft from OU stating that you have left the University Sports Federation…As you are no longer covered under the Uni insurance, I will need to have this in place before you can return to the ice”.

However, Roycroft had emailed all Sports Federation teams 2 years earlier stating that the Federation doesn’t provide insurance and that the teams are responsible for their own insurance. The Oxford Blues had this insur-

ance through their ice hockey league.

A spokesperson for the Oxford Blues team told the OxStu: “The unwarranted conduct of a group of powerful University staff has caused our players an enormous amount of fear and emotional distress. Our players care deeply about their sport, their team and its traditions. Bearing the burden of protecting this from the hostile, intimidating and unwarranted actions of these staff members has taken up countless hours of our players' study time. The stress has led to fallout amongst team members and breakdown in personal relationships; it has left some players unable to sleep; they have suffered headaches, chest pains, bouts of depression and inability to concentrate on academic work, let alone on sport.”

The spokesperson went on: “The actions of these staff members have had a severe negative impact on our team's ability to perform on the ice and our players' ability to perform academically. This is not what they had hoped for from the sporting experience at Oxford University.”

A University spokesperson did not address the claims of mistreatment but commented: “The Oxford Ice Hockey Trust’s Oxford Blues team was formed by the resignation of players from the Oxford University Ice Hockey Club (OUIHC); the OUIHC still exists and predates the formation of the Oxford Blues. The Oxford Blues therefore do not have the status of an official university club, and while they are fully entitled to compete against other members of the British Univer-

sities Ice Hockey Association, are not entitled to award Blues status or field a team against Cambridge in the Varsity hockey match.

The University will continue to work to reintegrate the Oxford Blues to the OUIHC. We would welcome the further involvement of Oxford Blues team members in resolving some of the issues that led to their resignation.”

Despite the University’s claim that the Oxford Blues are not entitled to play Varsity matches, the Cambridge Ice Hockey Club awarded its players blues for playing against the Blues in 2014.

Director of Sports Jon Roycroft declined to comment.

PHOTO/GEOGRAPH

PHOTO/Heather

Oxide returns after radio silence

Funding issues remain, despite budget increase of £6 CONOR HAMILTON

Student radio station Oxide is resuming broadcasting again after OUSU has lent a pre-owned computer to replace the station’s faulty Mac. After the harddrive of the Mac Oxide broadcast from failed, the station spent the last two weeks transferring the radio software over to the OUSU-provided, new one.

In a statement, Oxide said “we are most grateful for the support of OUSU” and “are delighted to be able to continue broadcasting”. They added that they would “like to thank everybody involved with Oxide for their patience” and “lots of exciting things” were being planned for this year.

However, one senior “inside source” in Oxide said they thought the recent computer failure was symptomatic of “a mixture of the poor structure of the station, and chronic underfunding from OUSU”.

They continued: “Oxide is nowhere near professional enough to measure up against the other student-led radio stations around the country.”

Our source suggested that the Station Manager and Programme Controller “require far too much time commitment from the students that carry out these roles” and should be made full-time roles rather than student roles. They

also revealed that a lack of investment meant the software used was “more primitive than Spotify”.

OUSU President, Louis Trup, commented: “Discussions are still to be had with the Oxide team about what they want and need for the studio, which will then be taken from their budget.”

For the 2014/2015 year, Oxide’s budget stands at £306, an increase of £6 from the 2013/2014 budget.

Nancy Hatcher, Station Manager for Oxide, denied that the software was more basic than Spotify, but stated “as with most student-run societies, funding is an issue,” and highlighted “the neglect with which the station has been treated over the past few years”.

However, she stressed that work is “now being put in to improve it” and “it is a process that does not happen overnight”.

Hatcher also added that the “structural system of Oxide is currently under review” and that “student radio should be fun”, giving “the opportunity to every member of the student body to be involved with broadcast journalism”.

One presenter feels similarly, saying: “Oxide is an excellent way for students to get creative and can only get better with more investment and more people tuning in.”

PHOTO/Charles Fettinger

6 News

27th November 2014

Clash between the RO and the President causes Union dispute

Disagreement over interpretation of rules delays the introduction of "long-overdue" electoral reform NICK MUTCH NEWS EDITOR

» Continued from front page -tion over rules 32-38, those affecting elections.

President Banerjee has interpretative seniority over all other rules, including rules 47 and 67, which relate to the holding of a poll and changing of the Unions rules, and could issue his own interpretation which would challenge and potentially overrule Reynolds interpretation at any point, but wishes to seek advice from the Unions senior officers and a member of the Oxford literary and Debating Union Trust, a charity comprised of the Unions trustees who own the Union’s buildings. Reynold’s contention is that as these rules changes directly affect his ability to conduct the elections under rule 32e (i) he has interpretative seniority, despite rules 47 and 67 technically falling under Banerjees remit.

It is understood that, Reynolds intends to run the upcoming election under the old rules regardless of Banerjees actions, and is supported by the majority

of the deputy returning officers and former returning officers.

One Ex-Returning Officer earlier gave his reasons for opposing the changes, stating "I believe that the changes should be used as a unique opportunity to crack down on – not to legitimate – the formation of the insidious electoral pacts known as 'slates'. In my opinion, slates are a major contributor towards negative aspects of Union culture.

As non-ideological bodies, they are united mainly by a mutual desire for personal electoral success.

The goal is to persuade potential candidates and voters that one side is good/competent, the other is evil/incompetent. This creates institutional incentives towards dishonesty, both within the slate, and between slate-members and their friends.”

One Union insider with knowledge of the situation alleged to the OxStu that "this is a power grab by the RO's. Our proposed changes diminish their role in the election into little more than counting votes."

Several candidates for senior positions have written a statement

seen by the OxStu which endorses the rules changes stating; "we are the people who seemingly benefit the most from the Returning Officer’s blocking of electoral reform – it means that we do not have to face ‘Re-Open Nominations’ (‘RON’) and are automatically elected without having to receive a single vote.

"However, even though electoral reform removes our guaranteed positions, we are still arguing that change is the right thing. Not only do the reforms make the elections much more open and transparent, it is ridiculous that the decision of 92% of those who voted has been undemocratically overturned by one person.

"The reason you have never seen a statement like this, written by candidates for an election, is that the old rules forbid it. The committee has worked extremely hard to introduce long-overdue reform to these outdated rules.

We nominated for election in the belief that we had finally succeeded in achieving this, but the recent undemocratic ruling makes it clear this is not the case. Nonetheless, we are committed to these reforms

to make sure that this election, and all elections in future, are run the right way. We urge the Returning Officer to reconsider.”

The election is likely to be followed by a Senior Disciplinary Committee hearing, composed of former Presidents and Returning Officers, who will decide whether the disputed poll, and the rules changes they passed were in fact valid.”

----- BREAKING ---On Wednesday evening, Mayank Banerjee released a statement with regards to his meetings with an advisory board and the Returning Officers: "On Monday, I considered resigning if the new electoral rules were not in place by Friday’s elections. This was because I believed they were being blocked undemocratically.

"Yesterday, an advisory board asserted that the new electoral rules were in place, and as such, Friday’s elections would be run as per the wishes of 92 per cent of the members who voted in the poll. I am glad that all of the candidates in

this election have expressly recognised that the new set of rules is now in place, and indeed that they will campaign accordingly.

"I would like to thank the Returning Officer for all his hard work so far, and look forward to his administration of the new set of rules on Friday. I will do everything I can to help him to that end."

Banerjee's statement has been forwarded to the Returning Officers, however at the time of going to print, the Returing Officers are yet to respond. If they remain dissatisfied with the elections running according to the new rules, they still have the power to call a tribunal.

According to Banerjee, the candidates in this term's elections will campaign according to the new set of rules, and will be making a statement in support of the advisory board's decision. Follwing his consultation with the advisory board and their support, Banerjee stated that he is no longer considering resignation.

Krispy Kreme comes to Oxford Overnight queues for Oxford housing

Famous doughnut chain to arrive in December Students go to desperate lengths to secure best accommodation BERTIE BEOR-ROBERTS

Doughnut chain Krispy Kreme has announced it will be opening a store in the Clarendon Centre this December.

The chain previously ran a store from the Oxford Castle, but this operation closed in late 2012. At the time, the company stated that it was looking for a new location.

Krispy Kreme’s website has announced details of the opening.

Doughnuts and other refreshments will be available from 10am on 10th December, in an attempt to target students and interview candidates.

The company attempted to increase its public presence in Oxford in anticipation of the launch by hosting events in the Clarendon Centre and elsewhere, providing free selections of doughnuts. In an attempt to target the student population, free doughnuts were delivered to several colleges, including Exeter and Brasenose.

One fresher at Exeter expressed his "delight" that Krispy Kreme "will revitalise what was looked to be an increasingly tiring year". He added: "Thank God for Krispy Kreme [...] now I will always be on the look out for free doughnuts for fear of missing out."

When asked about the threat of competition, an employee of Cornish Kitchen which occupies the neighbouring unit in the Clarendon Centre, commented: "Even when Millie’s was next door, we weren’t really in competition with them. We sell savoury and they sell sweet, so actually we tried to help each other and work together."

A waiter at G&D’s Café on St Aldates told the OxStu that “as a man with a very sweet tooth, you can never have too much sugar in Oxford".

Other students were less pleased with the announcement.

A fresher at Merton, Nan Hart, declared: "They are unnaturally round – the perfection of the circle is misleading, and makes it seem as though they are perfect food when they clearly aren’t."

A fourth-year student at Christ Church criticised the move on health grounds, stating "the culture of junk food consumption among students is a coming public health disaster". The student added: "Students should attempt to snack only on lean chicken when they are having an essay crisis."

LAURA WETHERLY

Tens of Oxford students queued outside North Oxford Property Services overnight in order to secure accommodation for next academic year.

North Oxford Property Services released their list of student houses last Thursday morning, and by 9am there were already 60 people waiting in line, having begun to queue late the night before for houses in popular student areas Jericho, Cowley and Iffley.

James Povey described how “doors opened at 9am, but in order to ensure they were able to let their property of choice customers were left to queue up when they saw fit. This of course lead to some confusion as to what time it was best to queue with prospective letters arriving anywhere between the close of Park End and throughout the following day.”

NOPS states on its website that they “encourage you to view the properties you find appealing as soon as you can”, and the earliest students arrived on Wednesday morning, camping despite freezing temperatures.

There were some upsides for students. Povey also said: “Anybody waiting in line was given a free token for a bacon butty and coffee. Since I had only made it to NOPS this provided all the incentive I needed to stop moaning about the time I had awoke. However, the feeling may not have been mutual for the remaining flatmates who made it there for 7am. Despite the rush, similar to that of a concert ticket release, we got our house of choice and finally left the scene at about 10 a.m. rather happy with ourselves.”

Luke Miller, St Peters’ JCR President, commented that “the fact that

students feel forced to queue up in November to get houses for effectively next October is a sign of how ridiculous the housing system is in Oxford, which is much worse than other university areas. The hype built up by letting agencies benefits none of us and we need to be better at resisting the pressure that they apply.”

One student described the experience of trying to find a house for the next academic year as “very, very stressful”, and stated that “it makes me want to drive a stake through each eyeball”.

Oxford City Council have claimed

that the city is in the middle of a “housing crisis”, with a “lack of housing availability, choice and affordability”, estimating that between 24,000 and 32,000 new homes needing to be built before 2031 in order to meet the city’s need.

Although some disapprove of the letting agency’s methods, other students are pragmatic. Having secured next year’s accommodation, one anonymous student commented: “The thing about NOPS is that they probably are quite exploitative, but I don’t mind being exploited because ultimately I got the house that I wanted.”

PHOTO/Dominic Applewhite

News 7

27th November 2014

Diwali Ball evacuated following fire alarm

Dramatic scenes as fire engine arrives at town hall amidst ballers

PHOTO/Romain Reglade LAURA KENNEDY DEPUTY EDITOR

Six hundred guests were evacuated and a fire engine called as a fire alarm disrupted the Diwali Ball last Friday.

Students attending the HUMSoc Diwali Ball, which was held at Oxford Town Hall, were forced to temporarily vacate the event for approximately 20 minutes when the alarm sounded late in the evening. The cause of the false alarm is yet to be established.

The Ball Committee issued a statement detailing their efforts to “minimise the impact” of the alarm, which included allowing early access to the official Varsity Club after-party, and giving the 450 guests who attended the after-party drinks tokens to use at the club.

Despite the incident, the black tie ball – for which tickets cost £40 for HUMSoc members and £45 for non-members – managed

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to raise money for Pratham UK and Food for Life Vrindavan. Prior to the disruption, guests had been entertained by Punjabi MC, Out Of The Blue, roaming magicians and henna artists.

A maths student who attended the event complained: “It was freezing, it put a dampener on my evening. Within 15 minutes of being let back in, we were ushered back out and told to head to the Varsity Club. All in all a fun club night, but a sadly disappointing ball.”

However, not all guests shared this sentiment. Sam Gebreselassie, a third-year PPE student at St Peter's College, remarked: "The Committee seemed pretty efficient and organised in dealing with the fire alarm: we were quickly herded out onto St. Aldate's, much to the surprise of baffled pedestrians and motorists who suddenly faced a wall of saris and sherwanis.

"A fire engine arrived surpris-

Jessica Sinyor and Jack Myers Laura Kennedy, James Waddell, Alys Key, Raphael Hogarth and Sachin Croker George Gillett Natalie Harney Charles Clegg Adam Dayan, Matthew Davies and Nick Mutch Nasim Asl Sid Venkataramakrishna and Matthew Moriarty Elizabeth Freeman and Rheanna-Marie Hall Lisa Cave and Jennie Graham Thomas Barnett and Jack Solloway

ingly quickly but we were soon ushered back in."

Another ball attendee, who wished to remain anonymous, appeared equally nonplussed by the disturbance, stating: “It was a bit of a bummer to have to leave slightly early, but I wouldn't say it ruined my experience of what was a really fun night.”

Although the Committee was “broadly happy with the event”, the President of the Diwali Ball Committee, Keble student Vaibhav Agarwall, commented: “There were a few things that we would prefer to have played out differently. However, I am extremely proud of my Committee and our work because at the end of the day we have generated a significant amount of money that will benefit some fantastic charities.”

HUMSoc, the Oxford University Hindu Society, was set up in 2001, and the Diwali Ball has been an annual event in Oxford for the last 12 years.

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Exeter announce Cohen Quadrangle Follows largest ever donation in College's history

MARY GEORGE

In recognition of a £9 million donation by alumnus Sir Ronald Cohen, Exeter College will name their new building Cohen Quadrangle.

In total, College alumni have now donated £16.5m to the project, which coincides with the 700th anniversary of the founding of Exeter College.

Sir Ronald Cohen, a businessman, political figure and former Oxford Union President who received a scholarship to study PPE at Exeter College in 1964, has now provided the largest gift in the history of the College.

The planned “residential and teaching space” is part of a programme designed to facilitate the provision of up to three years’ College accommodation for all students who wish to live in, and will provide accommodation on Walton Street for third year students from Michaelmas 2016. In addition, the building will contain modern teaching and study facilities for all College members.

Demolition work for the project began in April, with the new campus being designed by Alison Brooks Architects, winners of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) award.

Expressing the reason behind his donation, Sir Ronald Cohen commented: “It is at Exeter College that I really learned to think. Education is the one possession that can-

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not be taken away and I am lucky that I can help future generations of Exeter College students to live in a collegiate environment where their minds are best nurtured and inspired. The stunning design by Alison Brooks will greatly enhance our College’s life.”

The College Rector, Sir Rick Trainor, remarked: “This is the largest gift in Exeter College’s 700-year history. It secures our major new building and it propels us with confidence toward the 21st century ‘collegiate ideal,’ where, for the duration of their degree, students live and study alongside peers and leading academics in top facilities. Funding is always important, but the vision behind this gift is what makes it so transformative.”

Describing the effect this donation and the project will have on College members, the President of the JCR at Exeter, Richard Collett-White, stated: “Most of the JCR look forward to [the project’s] completion, since it will provide a social base and rooms for an entire year group, far nearer Turl Street than ever before.”

He added that this project “is in no way linked to recent anger over an apparently steep reduction in undergrad rooms, which largely turned out to be an administrative error”.

Oscar North, a first year student at Exeter, whose year group will be the first to live on the new site, commented: “We feel excited to have the option of such a modern building for all the benefits that would bring.”

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8 Profile

27th November 2014

Profile

Laura Kennedy New College

J

ack Dorsey doesn’t speak unless he has something important to say. This advice rings loudly in my ears as I apprehensively climb the Union staircase to meet the technology entrepreneur dubbed the “two-hit wonder”. For a man who turned 38 this week, Jack Dorsey already boasts – although I get the feeling boasting is not something that interests him – a breathtakingly impressive resume. Best known for co-founding Twitter and winning the Wall Street Journal’s prestigious Innovator of the Year award for technology, last night at the ‘Financial Times The 125’ flagship event he announced plans to take his second company, Square, global.

Dressed in head-to-toe black – a sartorial manifestation of his

preoccupation with streamlining and simplifying – with impeccably styled hair and a tattoo of an elongated ‘S’ peeking out from beneath his shirt cuff, the recent recruit to the tech billionaires club appears collected and unimposing.

“Fundamentally, I believe a free flow of information is a positive for the world”

Speaking with a soft American accent, in hushed tones that lack the usual rises and falls of more eccentric characters, the Missouriborn entrepreneur offered an unexpectedly relaxed handshake.

As someone who once displayed a nose piercing, experimented with bright blue dreadlocks and attended punk concerts, his youthful edge has

matured into an aura of unassuming coolness.

Surprisingly, his composition and demeanour are unchanged from his earlier address of the Union, where members were made to check-in bags and laptops before entering. There is no façade: the Jack Dorsey one meets in private is the same Jack Dorsey one encounters in the public forum. It is undeniable that, for one of Forbes’ youngest billionaires, the certified masseur – who once studied botanical illustration and fashion design – is down-to-earth. He speaks of a modest, Catholic upbringing, the “Catholic guilt” he feels at dropping out of NYU a semester before graduating (he wanted to “build more” rather than “learn more”) despite being the first in his family to attempt to go to college, and his mother’s tendency to remind him every week that he could still go back to school.

Notably, he is motivated by a desire

PHOTO/Brian Solis

Jack Dorsey to influence the worlds of others, drawing analogies between his current work in computer science and the work of those in public office. Having once declared his ambition to run for Mayor of New York City, he has now reconsidered his stance. “Rules and laws in computer programs show results in seconds; in public office, the results of rules and laws take years.”

“I think everyone deserves to have a voice, and Twitter is just an amplification and an extension of that voice”

Throughout our encounter, he refers repeatedly to an innate desire to “level the playing field”. With Square, the focus is commerce; with Twitter it was communication.

Earlier, he informed those present at the Union Chamber that his mother originally thought Twitter was a private mode of contacting him, not realising her messages were public. Inspired by a lifelong interest in whether it was possible for an individual to report what they’re doing and where they’re going, Twitter was designed for SMS so that anyone, anywhere in possession of a cell phone could “have a conversation with the entire world”.

Glimmers of dry humour pierce through his distinctly composed temperament when I ask which project he is proudest of: Twitter or Square? A low laugh escapes, and he compares my question to asking a parent “which one of your twin girls are you proudest of?”

“They’re both doing really, really fundamental things, and I’m extremely proud of both,” he begins diplomatically, referring to his belief

9 Profile

27th November 2014 that commerce and communication are two of the most basic building blocks of civilisation. Modestly, he refuses to take absolute credit: “I’m just proud of the group of people we’ve been able to collect to do this.”

As the author of the world’s first tweet (“just setting up my twttr”) and the man who, by his own admission, created “the closest thing we have to a global consciousness”, I’m keen to ask him whether he wishes he could be selective about who uses Twitter.

Does he ever feel that Twitter has gifted people with a platform to express their views, but perhaps not everyone – and Twitter trolls or figures who incite racial hatred spring to mind – deserves such a platform?

“We think there’s a huge opportunity to add value to every single transaction and every single moment of commerce ” He pauses for a second, maintaining unwavering eye contact with watery blue eyes. “No. I think everyone deserves to have a voice, and Twitter is just an amplification and an extension of that voice,” he comments carefully, leading me to suspect this response is pre-rehearsed. “Certainly there are certain behaviours I’d love to see diminished, but those are behaviours that are not unique to Twitter. They’re everywhere in the world … Twitter has an ability to make that felt faster and have more people see it, but it doesn’t mean that if Twitter wasn’t there it wouldn’t happen.” One wonders, however, whether Twitter provides a new forum, and a new opportunity, for malice where there was none before.

The parallels with Christ Church’s decision to cancel the Oxford Students For Life debate on whether ‘abortion culture’ harms Britain are clear to see. Although Dorsey was previously unaware of the incident, I probe whether he feels that free speech has been compromised, or whether this is merely an instance of a failure to provide a platform.

“You can build tools that democratise or level the playing field, and still build a very, very interesting and healthy business” “Fundamentally I believe that a free flow of information is a positive for the world. The more we can see the conversations, and the more we can see participation, the more we have the potential to learn from it, and the world is better for it. I would rather not shut down conversations – I’d let them flourish, because they’ll end in the state that they need to.”

Although optimistic, there may be some truth to his claim. However, I cannot help but feel it ignores the possibility that these conversations may be harmful in and of themselves.

Our meeting occurs at a pivotal time. His latest venture, Square, a mobile payments company which he co-founded in 2009 following a conversation with an acquaintance who had lost a sale worth $2,500 due to his inability to accept the buyer’s credit card, has just gone global, and is capable of supporting over 130 currencies. I ask him about his decision to take the start-up company international – why the expansion, and why now?

“We’re finally in a position where the software is equally as powerful

as what we did with the hardware, in the sense that it provides a lot of insight and understanding back to the merchant … We’ve decided that we’re going to make this available to everyone, and we’re going to learn even faster.”

In keeping with Dorsey’s attempt to “democratise” commercial transactions by ensuring small businesses do not lose out on large sales, Square is giving the software away for free, earning revenue instead from a 2.75% transaction fee. I am struck by the altruistic

aspect to the project: in Dorsey’s words, he is seeking to “level the playing field”. Alongside providing the gratuitous service, the company launched Square Capital – which has provided over $75 million in advance capital to sellers since its launch 6 months ago – and has plans to focus heavily on merchant education.

“I think we have the potential to really be there for every type of seller all over the world, and we want to build a tool that can impact the lives of everyone on the planet,” he states, speaking with inimitable sincerity.

Previously, Dorsey has admitted his need to believe whole-heartedly in the social value of a product, and its ability to streamline daily life, in order to devote his time and energy into building it.

“We think there’s a huge opportunity to add value to every single transaction and every single moment of commerce. But right now we’re focused on the product as a tool to build and grow your business and get our sellers new sales, and also it’s just a very easy and fluid way to exchange money between two people.”

“The world needs to see more diversity in its leadership, not just companies ”

PHOTO/Maryland GovPics

The story is reminiscent of the development of Twitter: progression comes first, profit second. In the tradition of Amazon and Google, Square is currently foregoing profit in order to invest its revenue in the growth of the company. They are, Dorsey agrees, playing the long game.

I ask how, ultimately, he plans to reconcile his altruistic aim of “democratising” commercial transactions with the aim of any successful businessman: profitability.

PHOTO/Chris Harrison

“I don’t think those two things are necessarily at odds. I think you can build tools that democratise or level the playing field and still build a very, very interesting and healthy business. We’re not leading the company purely by the business. The business supports the idea, supports the tools, supports the movement we’re building, and that money provides the option to continue growing and to continue to pay ourselves so we can continue to work on this product and service that we love.”

“Rules and laws in computer programs show results in seconds; in public offices, the results of rules and laws take years”

Discussing his business model for Square, Dorsey stresses the importance of ensuring the company is as diverse as its customers to guarantee they are building the right product for them. Over 60% of Square’s sellers are womanowned and led businesses - a figure which correlates with the high proportion of senior female figures within the company. (The CFO, the head of business, and the head of engineering are all posts held by women.) We discuss the gender imbalance in STEM industries – females make up just 13% of the STEM workforce – and I question whether he feels other companies have a responsibility to make urgent changes in order to ensure women are adequately represented.

“I believe the world needs to see more diversity in its leadership, not just companies. So I think the more we can show that and the more we can encourage it by actually doing it, hopefully inspires others to do the same.”

Comment 10 Comment

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PHOTO/ Sergey Vladimirov

27th November 2014

The world is changing; our outlook should too Samuel Rakestrow Wadham College

S

ubmarine hunts in the Baltic.

Cross-border raids into NATO territory. Captured spies being paraded on national television.

It might sound like the opening of a new Tom Clancy novel, but in fact, all of these events have happened in one small area of Europe the last three months. And every time, Russia has been involved.

These aren’t just anomalous incidents either - a recently released report from the European Leadership Network has documented at least 40 separate incidents between Russian and NATO military forces since March alone.

It sounds like the start of a Tom Clancy novel, but this is Europe

Thankfully, none have so far seen any fatalities, but several stand out as running a very high risk of catastrophic loss of life. Perhaps the worst, but by no means the only potentially fatal in-

cident, was a near-miss over the Baltic Sea in March between a Russian fighter jet and a fully-laden passenger plane headed for Rome, where a collision was only avoided by swift action on the part of the civilian pilots.

Russia is actively responsible for the growing atmosphere of hostility today

The rising brinkmanship on the part of Russia that these sorts of incidents reveal is staggering, and is part of a trend, growing in the last decade, that has seen ‘reconnaissance’ flights into British airspace, covert backing of violence in Ukraine and Georgia, and even the deployment of an entire flotilla off the coast of Australia. Admittedly, some of this is a reaction to the actions of the US and its allies - bombing campaigns in Syria and Iraq, and the expansion of the NATO alliance to within less than 500 of Moscow, would unnerve even the most conciliatory Russian leader.

But at the same time, Russia is actively responsible for the growing atmosphere of hostility in the world today – and for the worrying way in which history

might seem to be coming full circle.

Of course, it’s a fallacy to say history will inevitably repeat itself, but the parallels are still there, and increasingly evident. Russian plans to build bases in Central America to allow refuelling of long-range bombers are worryingly reminiscent of Soviet – and American – ‘power projection’ policy from the Cold War. Sending warships to the coastlines of other states, or conducting ‘war games’ of unprecedented scale off hostile coastlines, is akin to the ‘gunboat diplomacy’ of the nineteenth century imperialists. And, perhaps most poignantly given the recent passing of the hundredth anniversary of the First World War, the growing polarisation of the world into an ‘us’ and a ‘them’, the ‘good’ and the ‘bad’, bears all the hallmarks of the years preceding many of the brutal conflicts of the twentieth century, and the rise of a dogmatic – and ultimately destructive – attitude to foreign relations.

And as a country, we must see the warning signs of a return to the world of the past- the growing belligerence, the economically-induced xenophobia and isolationism, the flaring-up of long-dormant disputes over territory, resources and people. And we must learn from these premonitions, at least

to a degree. The past can serve as a guide in what not to do. We shouldn’t retreat from the problems of the world, as America did after 1918. We should turn inwards upon ourselves when times get tough, as happened in Europe in the 1930s. We shouldn’t act like an imperial power when we lack the clout to back it up, as happened in the Suez Crisis.

But we should also realise that the past was then, and this is now, and that our greatest asset as a country in a multipolar world is adaptability. We shouldn’t just hark back to old alliances like everything is the same as before – we should seek new connections to bolster our position.

Conducting 'war games' is akin to 19th century 'gunboat diplomacy'

We shouldn’t commit ourselves to a future ultimatum – we should look for constructive ways to avoid resorting to them in the first place. And we shouldn’t act as if our problems can be solved by bravado and threats – we should realise that the reason so many international organisations get passed

off as ‘talking shops’ is because countries time and time again choose direct action over dialogue.

We cannot be left vulnerable as a country because we have not learnt from history

These might sound like admissions of defeat in the face of foreign aggression, but they aren’t mutually exclusive with values like strength and resilience.

To face down the future threats of the world, Britain cannot close off its options with ill-informed machismo, meaningless rhetoric and a false sense of pride– we must be flexible, pragmatic, and international.

We must find our new place in the world by being prepared for whatever may come our way. Russian aggression, lone-wolf terrorism, and domestic extremism all have their historical parallels, but they are also modern, potent and innovative threats.We cannot be left vulnerable as a country because we have both singularly failed to learn from history, and yet at the same time are still thinking – and acting – like we are still living in the past.

Comment 11

27th November 2014

Oxford needs a serious discussion about colleges Max Leak

Wadham College

P

icking over the smoking remnants of what one Cherwell commentator called “the most interestingly boring OUSU elections in years,” one is struck by a novel development: the foregrounding, for the first time in years, of actual policies. So dull, so very dull, were this year’s candidates that student outlets were forced either to stay away altogether (as did the Tab) or to resort, reluctantly, to covering the candidates’ actual proposals.

Becky Howe will, presumably, be an excellent President - but she’ll be all the better if she picks up the best of her former rivals’ proposals. And, in this regard, I can only hope that she starts with For Oxford’s brave words on addressing inter-college inequities.

People love their colleges but they are a stumbling block for accessibility It’s understandable that people love their colleges. I certainly love mine.

But the brutal truth is that, when it comes to making Oxford more accessible, the collegiate system is, in many respects, a stumbling block.

Applying to Oxford or Cambridge can be confusing for many applicants, and to applicants from poorer backgrounds the proliferation of sub-institutions can be particularly imposing. Information in the public domain can be difficult to decipher: the fact that a college is wealthy,

for example, might seem to imply a more privileged demographic of applicants, but such colleges often turn out to offer more generous financial assistance once students arrive. The sheer amount of energy which access volunteers must expend on explaining the system is, at times, a problem in itself.

We need to close the gap between living expenses at different colleges across Oxford All of which leads to the second respect in which colleges can prove a problem: they make open, constructive criticism infinitely harder. It is easy for a large, homogenous organisation to take collective responsibility for a collective failure, but much harder to publicly single out particular pockets of deficiency without causing offence. It is difficult to publicly air the fact, for example, that Pembroke receives an average 49 per cent of applications from state schools, of which only 47 per cent are accepted, while the equivalent figures at Mansfield are 81 per cent and 78 per cent respectively. It’s not dismissive of Pembroke’s access efforts (I’ve been a part of those efforts myself, having done access work in London on behalf of the College) to say that something can clearly be improved.

It should also noted, of course, that the difference in intakes between colleges is somewhat related to their different portfolios of subjects – some subjects are still much more private school-dominated than others, which is whole different kettle of fish.

Perhaps the most indefensible consequence of the college system is the tangible economic inequalities inflicted upon current students due to disparities between colleges’ living costs. Investigations in 2010 showed that the gap in costs between the most and least expensive colleges amounted to around £1000 a year, and many students at more expensive colleges continue to see their expenses outstrip their maintenance loans. The difference is plainly unjustifiable, especially as many students do not choose their eventual college - but the impulse to avoid making waves is seemingly stronger than the drive towards fairness.

Year in, year out, the university puts out the message that “it doesn’t matter which college you go to” – but this claim is much truer for wealthier students than for others.

Anything which makes Oxford a less fair and more expensive place is ultimately damaging, as the message spreads out that the University’s elitism remains unchanged.

It’s probably fair to say that the college system is going nowhere.

It’s a system with many delightful features, and is, in any case, too deeply embedded an academic structure to ever be abolished in any meaningful way. But that doesn’t mean we should simply accept the

problems and inequities that come with that structure. In the first place, applicants deserve real transparency as to how the system works, and to how it could affect their lives at Oxford. We also need to close the gap between different colleges’ living expenses, so that nobody ends up hundreds of pounds out of pocket due to sheer bad luck. And finally, we should look to strengthen OUSU, and central structures generally, so that every student has a strong second set of authorities to look out for them throughout their time here. We owe to students, both current and future, to make the system work for everyone.

PHOTO/Dave_S. PHOTO/CHRIS WALTON

Russia’s economy should be the worry, not its military

Rupert Tottman Balliol College

T

he ongoing crisis in the Ukraine has slipped down the press’s list of priorities in recent weeks. After the excitement of the Russian annexation of Crimea and the shooting down of the passenger plane MH17 the bloody and desperate war of attrition between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian separatists that has entrenched itself around

PHOTO/WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

the city of Donetsk is decidedly boring by comparison. What has not slipped however is the fixation on the actions of Russia and in particular the Russian president, Vladimir Putin. Following a procession of western leaders scrambling to be seen by the media, and by Putin himself, to be supporting harsh economic sanctions and condemning Russia’s continuing interference in Eastern Ukraine Putin left the G20 summit early in disgust. With Russia seemingly determined to continue its aggressive behaviour despite Western sanctions a resumption of the distrust and hostility between East

and West that defined the latter half of the 20th century seems to be on the cards.

However the truth is no one needs to be worried by the prospect of a new Cold War. Whilst Russia’s recent aggression is certainly cause for concern this is not a resurgent nation attempting to step up and reclaim lost territory and influence. It is a nation in decline, on the brink of economic crisis. Whilst Western sanctions have hit hard the underlying weaknesses of aneconomy far too dependent on natural resources is long standing. Half of Russia’s budget is reliant on plummeting oil and natural gas revenues. Whilst Russia has large amounts of foreign currency reserves and has increased its gold reserves, Western sanctions restricting Russian banks from gaining foreign credit have forced Russian companies hit by concurrent trade restrictions to turn to the government for credit. Putin is under economic and political pressure to keep Russian firms from going under to protect jobs, the wider economy and to present a strong face to the world and while he is able to do so for the time being, every struggling state firm is a drain on valuable reserves.

In addition to this, much of Russia’s wealth and largest companies have been

divided amongst Putin’s friends. Whilst the oligarchs running some of the multi billion dollar energy companies were able to sit back and count their money during the days of high oil prices, the current sanctions and plummeting margins on natural resources have given them real problems to deal with and many have simply not been up to the task.

The uncertainty around the Russian economy has not failed to alarm the Russian people. The Russian central bank has forecast zero growth for the next financial year and Russians have seen Western goods largely disappear from Russian shelves.

Putin does however have a broad base of popular support; in a country that has never seen true democracy, Putin’s image as a strong leader in line with traditional Russian political culture is important, and it is this that has influenced much of his response. As Western responses to Russian aggression grow sterner Putin’s legitimacy is only likely to grow, creating a spiral of increased animosity between Russia and the West. The massive increase in Russian military trespasses into NATO territory, such as the interception of two Russian bombers in British airspace by RAF jets earlier this month,

is a symptom of this perceived need to show a strong face both internally and to the world at large Russia is a wounded bear, economically suffering and scrambling to contain the contraction of their geopolitical sphere of influence. But what, if anything, does it give us to be concerned about in the near future? The greatest threat is perhaps the prospect of Russian economic collapse and the politically unpredictable situation that would leave. Eastern Europe is still reliant on trade with Russia, as are, as Putin warned Angela Merkel at the G20 conference, 300,000 Germany jobs. This is the main reason why Western leaders have been talking tough but largely failing to act tough in recent weeks. Russia is a nation in decline, lashing out on the world stage to distract internal and external attention from its tanking economy and attempting to restore pride to a nation increasingly doubtful and insecure about its place in the world. Rhetoric stirring up fears of a new Cold War from both Western leaders and Putin is as selfserving as it is premature but a wounded animal is a dangerous animal and Russia will continue to show a belligerent face on the world stage for as long as its collapsing economy will allow it to.

12 Comment

27th November 2014

Band Aid’s attitude to Africa tarnishes its good work Luke Walpole St Hugh’s College

L

et’s run some stats. The original Band Aid single sold just fewer than 5 million copies in the UK by 1989, with a worldwide total of around 11.8 million copies. Band Aid 20, in 2004, sold 1.17 million copies in the UK. Band Aid 30, in less than a week, has sold 206,000. Let’s just take the UK sales and apply the standard, simplistic price of 99p per single and you get around £6,134,040 raised by three songs. Now, that’s the least that the songs have raised and all of this money goes to charity, to helping those struggling in Africa.

People tend to see the single as a vanity measure by Geldof

So, imagine my incredulity when I read the views of some people who have the panache and sheer cheek to have a pop at Bob Geldof et al. However, when you look at what is being said, there’s a lot of sense being purported, although I have still bought the single and implore you to do the same.

Adele, the musical juggernaut who took the world by storm with 21, refused to take part in the song. She, like Fuse ODG, didn’t agree with the lyrics of the song, as they felt it once again belittled poor Africa and once again relegated the whole continent to being disease-ridden and unable to help itself. Band Aid 30 is helping to combat Ebola, the disease which is indeed attacking western Africa with venom, yet you cannot tarnish the whole of Africa with the same brush. True, there is a frightening quality of life and pay differential in parts, but it is also a continent bristling with potential.

Fuse ODG said that the lyrics didn’t comply with T.I.N.A, the ‘This is New Africa’ movement that seeks to alleviate parts of the continent from anguish and breathe renewed life and optimism into it. Now, the altered lyrics to Band Aid 30 are not overtly offensive, indeed in the main they are compassionate. However, there is an element of Western smugness at times; with an undercurrent suggesting that only us privileged Westerners can help backwards Africa.

There is an arrogance there, and although I do not in any way diminish what Bob Geldof and his team have done over the years, the furore over lyrics tarnishes a lot of the good that the record will inevitably do.

People tend to lose sight of the altruistic nature of the single, instead seeing it as a vanity measure by Geldof. This

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is a completely unfair assertion, but there are times when Geldof’s blinkered view over his work undermines his efforts. In a recent interview with Sky News, a couple of very fair, yet piercing questions were asked, however they were both met with the same one word response; “Bollocks”. Not since

the days of Malcolm Tucker will a PR team have held their incredulous faces in their hands with such disbelief.

But even if Geldof is arrogant and even if the lyrics are condescending, I still think that the single is overall a good thing. It will help those in need without doubt, and I also doubt that

those in such dire need will particularly care how the money and aid arrived, just that it arrived in the first place. So yes, question the politics, question the lyrics and see Africa in a more positive light, but buy the single; it is indeed the least we can do to tackle a disease which has the ability to become a pandemic.

Christmas adverts bring out the worst in our society William Shaw

Corpus Christi College

A

h, here we go again. I know I’m starting to get old because it really does feel like it’s been about fifteen minutes since people were getting teary about Lily Allen songs and cartoon bears, yet apparently it’s been

almost a year and people are now talking about variations on the same vapid theme. In fact, I only know that any time has passed at all because I am now old enough to be in a position to write one of the inevitable columns moaning about Christmas adverts. Time marches on, but ultimately it only loops back on itself, exhausting those it drags along for the ride. Everything here has happened before and will happen again. So it goes.

With that in mind, I offer a few re-

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actions to the proliferation of glitter and guff that will be polluting all of our screens for the next few weeks, as well as an examination of a few of the more controversial ones. Because, as I said, that’s kind of what you do at this time of year.

Adverts cannot emotionally engage, as any emotion vanishs at the sight of a price tag So let’s start with the king of Christmas ads; Coca-Cola. Their video this year involves Santa Claus swigging from a bottle of brown, sugary acid and using a magic book to spy on various proles getting totally wowed-out by some faces drawn in the snow, or gawping at a fleet of Coca-Cola delivery lorries, wrapped in a starry-eyed delight at the operations of the glorious capitalist machine.

Morrisons turn in their usual awful cover of a perfectly decent song, and Ant and Dec are there because aren’t they always.

Marks and Spencer’s advert concerns a pair of fairies spying on people’s gifts and interfering in their personal lives, and comes with its own hashtag, #followthefairies, though frankly, after covering #GamerGate last week, I never want to see another hashtag as long as I live, and it ruined an already pretty creepy video.

The most tolerable advert of the crop I forced myself through for the purpose

of researching this article was easily the one for Aldi, as it was a) mercifully short at a mere sixty seconds, and b) was focused on Christmastime as something to be enjoyed with other people through the purchase of goods and services, rather than attempting to sell things will disingenuously yanking at your heart strings.

Because this is the thing; adverts cannot emotionally engage. Ever. Whatever the content of an ad, the viewer’s emotional investment evaporates as soon as the price tag is shown and they brought crashing back down to economic reality. Furthermore, we know that the faceless corporations which produce them have no soul, and seeing them attempt to recreate human emotion is like watching a Cyberman trying to tap-dance. It’s laughable at best, and downright offensive at worst.

Which brings us to the most controversial of this year’s Christmas adverts; the one for Sainsbury’s. In case you’ve somehow managed to miss it so far, here’s the lowdown: the advert depicts the famous 1914 Christmas day truce between allied and German soldiers, and shows a number of soldiers getting up out of the trenches and gleefully frolicking in the pristine snow of no-man’sland before exchanging Sainsbury’s own brand chocolate and going home for a kip. It’s mawkish, disingenuous, and utterly misses the point of the historical event it aims to depict. The 1914 Christmas day truce is not a demonstration of the Christmas spirit triumphing despite insurmountable odds or any of that jazz. It is a demonstration of the pointlessness and horror of the first

world war, that these two groups of people had absolutely no quarrel, and yet were forced to fight at the behest of outdated and incompetent superiors.

It’s something we would all do well to remember on the centenary of the war’s outbreak, and for Sainsbury’s to appropriate this event for commercial ends is utterly sickening.

But what did we expect? They’re a company, and expecting emotional intelligence or basic common decency from corporate entities is like expecting reindeer to be able to fly around the entire world in twenty-four hours.

You can’t see how it would even begin to be possible.

Christmas is about sharing a laugh with friends and family - not crass commercialism That’s why I applaud the rise of remixers and the like on Youtube- people have re-cut the various Christmas ads for their own amusement, and often provided immeasurably entertaining content; particular favourites include a version of Sainsbury’s advert set to a reworked version of ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’ and a version of the John Lewis ad edited to fit audio from the horror film Babadook. Because that is what Christmas is really about; not the crass commercialism, but sharing a laugh with your friends and family. Preferably at the expense of crass commercialism.

Have a lovely holiday.

Fashion 2 Fashion

Christ Church

W

hile selflessness is generally encouraged year-round, when winter comes along it pretty much becomes an internationally mandated activity.

Threatened by the spectres of men in red coats, you are frightened into buying bags of odd-smelling bath salts and hideous novelty socks for people you barely know. And you can’t turn on the radio without imagining Bob Geldof’s face looming before you like the Ghost of Christmas Past. This is definitely the time of year to get giving.

This is definitely the time of year to get giving Most importantly, it is the time to remember those who have been

rain or shine? That person who never interrupts you and always agrees with everything you say? That person who totally gets it on those days when all you want to do is don a onesie and curl up in bed with the latest episode of Girls?

I am, of course, talking about yourself. With the world in a giving frenzy, I say there is no better time to spare a thought for numero uno. After all, you’ve (presumably) worked hard this year. You’re (also presumably) going to spend a fair bit of money on other people in the next month or so. So why not kick the season off by giving your heart to something shiny and new? After all, anyone else is only going to give it away the very next day.

First on the list is a great-smelling candle. For a truly indulgent treat, try Cire Trudon, but if you prefer wax that is not worth its weight in gold, Diptyque or Jo Malone offer some equally luxurious alternatives, while Wax Lyrical has some good ones at less extortionate prices.

While basking in the aromas of

Dakota Johnson, Amber Heard and Elisabeth Moss. Or pick up (if you can, it’s huge!) Dior: The Perfumes, a book by former scent critic for the New York Times, Chandler Burr, charting 65 years of perfumes at the legendary fashion house.

So why not kick the season off by giving your heart to something new and shiny?

And from the sublime to the ridiculous: days-of-the-week underpants. Yes, you heard me. If you haven’t already bankrupted yourself buying candles and coffee table books, give Stella McCartney’s embroidered silk briefs a try. Otherwise, ASOS does a great set. Just try not to leave Friday somewhere - it’ll mess you up for the next week in more ways than one.

And no gift list would be complete without something to satisfy the sweet-toothed among us. Everybody

PHOTO/Huda Heidi Kattan

Jennie Graham

27th November 2014

Take five: ways to treat yourself this Christmas particularly good to you over the past 12 months - your parents, your friends, and that barista who didn’t charge you for that cappuccino that one time. But what of the one person who has always been there, through

Laura Kennedy New College

I

t was 2012. Spurred on by peer pressure and a love of harem pants, I found myself attending Sunrise festival. I had distanced myself from the art world following a traumatic failure to draw a fish in high school, but a kaleidoscopic mural displayed at the arts festival nevertheless burnt into my retinas.

“People are taking the piss out of you every day,” the collage read. “They are ‘The Advertisers’ and they are laughing at you.” This is the problem with

your scented candle splurge, why not take the time to flick through a glossy fashion tome? Check out Young Hollywood, a book of portraits

by Claiborne Swanson Frank, featuring young starlets such as

knows a fashion girl or guy loves a novelty food trend, so if you’re someone who knows your cronuts from your duffins, it’s time you treated yourself to an order from Cake in a Jar, a company that delivers

homemade cupcakes served in, you guessed it, jars. Grab a spoon and let the Instagramming begin.

Finally, in case you needed any temptation to stay in bed this Christmas season, try out a silk eye

mask by Olivia Von Halle. You’ll never sleep better. Plus, it’s great if you’re looking to recreate that whole Breakfast at Tiffany’s thing on a budget. We don’t all have a Givenchy wardrobe on tap, after all.

‘fashion journalism’. And this goes some way towards explaining why, as Fred Shan claimed in an article for Versa, “student fashion journalism is shit”.

Could it be that fashion journalism has become ‘journalism’ in name only?

Perhaps. The whirlpool of vested interests and hidden – or not so hidden – agendas frothing amongst writers and publicists has resulted in a tidal wave of advertisements masquerading as ‘journalism’.

Unlike its counterparts, studies show that the content of glossy magazines and the fashion pages of newspapers is largely dictated by PR firms. Too often are press releases merely recycled, uncritically and unquestioningly, by low-paid writers desperate to get their manicured hands on tickets to the ‘frow’. Too many PR stunts undertaken primarily to gain column inches, for example Karl L a g e r f e l d ’s r e c e n t

appropriation of the feminist cause for commercial gain at Chanel or Reebok’s brainwave to send running couriers to deliver shoes to online shoppers, succeed, with coverage only occasionally containing comment or critique. The journalists are the puppets and the publicists the puppeteers. But everyone’s laughing – all the way to the bank.

The prevalence of PR-based fashion journalism is most visible in the context of business-to-consumer publications.

Take the monthly ASOS magazine, which launched in 2007, is within the top 20 most-read magazines in the UK and has a readership of nearly 500,000. Take Porter, Net-a-Porter’s recent contribution to the publication industry, which distributes over 400,000 copies every two months.

Take just about any style section or ‘blog’ on any clothing website, where promotion and a high search engine ranking come first and literary quality second. With their cutting-edge photoshoots, high profile interviews and world-renowned cover stars – anyone

from Rita Ora to Lady Gaga – ASOS and Porter symbolise the birth of a new breed of fashion journalism. It’s nothing more, nor nothing less, than PR. The Advertisers have done well; the Advertisers are doing everything.

Worrying, too, is the growing trend of established, reputable editors deflecting from independent magazines – the best of which still retain a degree of impartiality – to join the ranks of PR-based publications. The Editorin-Chief of Porter, Lucy Yeomens, previously held the same post at Harper’s Bazaar. Similarly, Melissa Dick, ASOS’s editorial director, enjoyed success as Web Editor at ELLE prior to her current appointment. Addressing the Oxford Media Society last year, Helen Placito, Glamour’s Managing Director noted this pattern: talented editors and writers from the print publications struggling to breathe in the current climate are hanging up their ‘editorial independence’ hats to join businessto-consumer publications, purchasing career and financial security at the

expense of creativity and objectivity. In a single move, the new species of fashion journalism is strengthened, and the traditional model weakened further still.

Given that the fashion journalism industry is saturated with advertisements, it is unsurprising that the nucleus of “student fashion journalism is shit”. Rather than independent and original thinkers, student fashion journalists are little more than a new army of unsuspecting PR mouthpieces. Moreover, they lack the resources and network of alliances to write promotional material as effectively as the publications from which they take their lead.

But all is not lost. Whilst fashion journalism may be descriptively hollow, there is normative hope. Publicists, with their vulnerability and dependency, do not have to be the puppeteers. It is the journalists who have the power to critique, comment and select who receives coverage. The Advertisers don’t have to laugh at us, because ultimately the journalists have the last word.

The secret face of fashion

Fashion 3

27th November 2014

Jingle belles, jingle belles...

Lisa Cave

The Queen’s College

W

inter is, without a second thought, my favourite season. No doubt about it. Why? Christmas?

Mulled wine? The crunch of snow beneath my feet? All wrong. It’s all down to knitwear, knitwear, knitwear. (Ok, and mulled wine).

Winter is, without a second thought, my favourite season

Whilst donning denim shorts, chiffon tops and ‘60s-style sunnies is an incredibly liberating feeling come June, there really is nothing better than sourcing the perfect cosy knit and waiting impatiently until it’s cold enough to wear it without getting heatstroke (freezing temperatures, where are you when I need you?!).

Topshop’s Winter collection this year is, in my humble opinion, its best yet. The wool is high quality and non-itchy, the colours range from deep purples to creamy whites and the detailing is original and comfortable to wear. One of these knitted gems thrown together with a pair of plain skinnies and last year’s ankle boots is a safe, cool and sufficiently warm winter look that never fails.

It’s all down to knitwear, knitwear, knitwear

Another excellent Winter collection gracing our high street this year is River Island’s.

From chunky, red-wine coloured knitted ponchos to light, cashmere waterfall cardigans with leather sleeves, their Autumn/Winter range is making my purse shake in anticipation. And fear… The good news however? Both high street collections’ pieces won’t break the bank, with prices starting from £15.

A further winter fashion staple that I am particularly fond of is ski wear. Even if the allure of clamping two strips of plastic to your feet and skidding down icy hills at an alarming speed leaves you as cold as Rudolph’s poor little nose on Christmas Eve (just me?!), you can still channel alpine chic with all the confidence of a seasoned skier.

Fat Face has a winter accessories collection that puts Selfridges to shame. With gloves, scarves, mittens and hats that boast every style from trusted beanies to cable trappers, you will be fashionable and cosy in equal measure. Freezing ears and frosty fingers begone!

For more ski-inspired winter wear, Zara has an extremely tempting range of duffle coats with fur wrist cuffs and fur hoods. And while I’m on the subject, let’s talk fur (faux, naturally).

A snood, stole, collar or Russian hat in delightfully soft faux fur can take a winter outfit from dreary to cheery (sorry) in a matter of seconds.

Even if you aren’t planning on hitting the slopes this year, these chic and still affordable accessories will make for a very appropriate outfit for an après ski mug of mulled wine (and we all know that’s the best bit anyway…).

And one more thing…

PHOTO/imgkid.com C h r i s t m a s

jumpers. Apparently there is some debate over their acceptability.

Somebody had the audacity to label them “hardly fashionable” in my presence recently. Now, now. ’Tis the season to be jolly, not the season to be snobby.

In my eyes, the more outrageous, the better. Fluffy Santa beards and real-life baubles on your jumper are all excellent. Extra brownie points

Fluffy santa beards and real-life baubles on your Christmas jumper are all excellent

if yours has built-in fairy lights.

As comic genius Kristen Wiig (of Bridesmaids and Saturday Night Live fame) very aptly put it, “There is something about a Christmas jumper that will always make me laugh.” (Note: wearing one’s Christmas jumper postBoxing Day is when things start to veer into unacceptable winter wear etiquette.) And on that merry note, happy Christmas y’all.

Handmade heroes: jewellery at Modern Art Oxford

W

hen it reaches that time of year when we all inexplicably go colourblind and feel as though we will need to be surgically removed from our double-faced cashmere come spring, it can be good to remind ourselves that winter dressing needn’t be a cable knit cop-out.

Enter these unique creations by Chalk, Ginger Pickle, Just Trade and Vamoose.

Incorporating wood, recycled natural stones and hand cut brass, these pieces are all crafted here in the UK or produced ethically overseas, so you’re sure to feel all warm and fuzzy inside, too.

With thanks to photograher Matt Diffey, model Annie M and Modern Art Oxford.

4 Fashion

27th November 2014

Supersize It Photographers; Adi Anwardi and Khalifa Suleim; Models; Ella Harding and Ioana Jecan; Concept and Styling: Demie Kim and Jennie Graham; With thanks to Route 66.

27th November 2014

Fashion 5

1st Greek Dancing Workshop - Saturday 29th November 1-4pm St. Peter’s College Dorfman Room New Inn Hall Street Oxford OX1 2DL

Following the popularity of our weekly Greek traditional dance classes, the Oxford University

Greek Society, supported by the Oxford University Students Union, is organising a workshop on Greek dancing!

On Saturday 29 of November, a professional dance teacher of the London branch of the

'Lykion of Ellinidon' ('Lyceum of Greek Women', the Foundation that has for over a century taught and promoted Greek folk dancing) will come to Oxford to introduce us to a variety of

traditional dances from across Greece, in a two-hour workshop!

Open to all - FREE! Lunch will also be provided at the end.

Everyone is welcome and no prior knowledge of Greek dancing is needed. Please wear comfortable shoes and clothes.

Please email us at: greek.society@studentclubs.ox.ac.uk to reserve a place.

Come for a wonderful afternoon of a full initiation to the most picturesque and exciting of Europe's dance cultures!

Music

Music 7

27th November 2014

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OxStu Music picks its albums of the year

s the end of the year moves ever closer towards us, it’s time for an annual round-up of some of our favourite albums from the year. So read on to see whether your favourite album got included.

1

1989 - Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift’s fifth album is nothing short of incredible. Categorically, that’s a fact – its first week’s sales were greater than any album since 2002, and the singles released have shot to number one, with Taylor becoming the first female artist to replace herself at number one on the Billboard 100. Musically, the album is definitely a foray from the path of country-sprinkled Swift, embracing the pop world with tracks like ‘Style’ and ‘Welcome to New York’. Like any artist, Taylor’s songs often feature the tales of romance she has become well known for, but 1989 embarks upon a new lyrical journey as Taylor confronts tabloid media and parodies the version of herself so often presented. 1989, generally, is a musical revolution for Taylor. Here her love for her medium is obvious, and obvious great attention has been paid to the vision of the songs and their ‘80s/‘90s influences.

The album marks a massive change for Taylor, who has seemingly blossomed into her own independent style, rather than various regurgitations of Fearless and Sparks Fly.

2

3

the emotions of a song can change even if the lyrics are the same. It was a bold move by the band, yet Manchester Orchestra’s unique twist on the album and exploration of the the way that songs come together and gain meaning is incredibly successful.

5 5.

Cavalier Youth - You Me At Six

This list needs a band well within the current UK Rock super scene to be part of it. Although Lower Than Atlantis, Mallory Knox and Twin Atlantic are three others within the same genre to have released albums this year, You Me At Six debuted Cavalier Youth at the UK top spot.

crossover audience, it was clear that their followup record had a lot of people very excited. Well Run The Jewels 2 blows all of those expectations away. The rapping is ferocious (Killer Mike here hitting even newer heights than his acclaimed R.A.P. Music two years ago), while the production is absolutely phenomenal. The Doctor Who sampling ‘Blockbuster Night Part 1’ is the hardest, heaviest rap single all year, while the chorus of ‘Lie, Cheat, Steal’ is so heavy you’ll be inspired to follow its message. It’s an album that goes beyond their debut’s celebration of a great partnership to a direct challenge to any other rap duos to take them on. With the strength of this record, it’s a challenge few would

Complete Surrender - Slow Club

Complete Surrender is a beautiful album, packed with emotion delivered in gen-

listener in a stupor and, indeed, forgetting where they were.

8

8.

Caustic Love - Paolo Nutini

A list of 2014’s top albums would be incomplete without the Scottish singer’s third studio album. It’s been five years since Paulo Nutini released his last album, so expectations were high for Caustic Love. Its debut at number one was well deserved. Paulo Nutini produced a record popular amongst people from all walks of life, and critics also flocked to praise Nutini’s blend of soulful R&B. His album is unlike any others that were released this year, and this is what makes Caustic Love such a success.

9

9.

El Pintor - Interpol

After 2010’s disappointing self-titled release it seemed that the once era-defining post-punk band were through.

Their iconic bassist Carlos D departed the band, leaving singer Paul Banks to play for him. Somehow, though, Interpol have come through this to produce an album that does everything right. The energy and relentless drive of sophomore album Antics is rekindled as Interpol sound like a band refreshed and reinvigorated. ‘All The Rage Back Home’ sets the tone right form the start, the new basslines may not be as intricately absorbing as before, but the power is there. There’s much for existing fans to relish from the ‘Not Even Jail’ aping ‘Everything Is Wrong’ to the majestic 5/4 march of closer ‘Twice As Hard’, while newcomers can embrace the dark energy of songs like ‘Anywhere’ or ‘Ancient Days’. Few would have expected Interpol to be the band to put out the most surprising release of 2014, but El Pintor snatches glory from the jaws of disaster.

Trouble in Paradise - La Roux

Trouble in Paradise is hardly full of the chart-topping clubbing songs that her first album was best known for, but it is far more expansive than that. It is easy to listen to, so much more natural and unforced, as if I have been listening to this music for years. It is the sound of the ‘80s, a retro reminder of making music when everything wasn’t buttons on a screen, but it is also new and contemporary. ‘Cruel Sexuality’ is a particular highlight, as Jackson’s vocals croon over synth instrumentals. The repeated lyric “you make me happy in my everyday life / why must you keep me in a prison at night”, is drowned in the layers of piano and backing vocals that surround it. It is an album that boasts variety, a veritable paradise of sorts in which you can lie back and be flooded with sound, soft but upbeat, and vocally flawless.

3.

tle unison. Taylor and Wilson’s vocals are a match made in heaven, almost an echo of each other, and it is these vocals that are kept at the forefront, floating above gently-plucked guitars and lightlytouched piano keys. ‘Everything is New’ and ‘Number 1’ are highlights as particularly moving moments. There is an immediate connection with the listener made in every song, helped by the prominence of the lyrics. It feels raw, human, a move away from their folk routes towards a more Soul-based emotive platform, not forgetting the ones that any listener would be hard-pressed not to dance to, as brass bands chime in from behind. Yet most effective are the ones which are most sim-

ple, the least produced, the ones which feel like talking to a friend on a winter’s evening.

4

4.

Cope & Hope - Manchester Orchestra

It’s rare for a band to have two albums out within a year, but this is a feat that Manchester Orchestra achieved. It’s an original concept – Cope is bold and proud, not afraid of its presence. Hope features the exact same songs, in the exact same order, but serves as the ultimate antithesis to Cope, as it’s stripped down, acoustic and raw. The surprise drop of Hope demonstrates the power that the music itself has, and really shows the ways in which

The album draws upon classic emo-rock vocals typical of bands such as Mayday Parade and Fall Out Boy, yet manages to retain the British rock feel the band helped cultivate. The album contains a perfect mixture of inspiring bildungsroman anthems and slower, softer and emotional songs, serving as an incredible showcase of the band’s talent.

6

6.

Run The Jewels 2 - Run The Jewels

The dream-team of southern stalwart Killer Mike and underground pioneer El-P caused a huge stir last year when they formed their group Run The Jewels. Having found a perfectly-positioned

dare answer.

7

7.

I Forget Where We Are - Ben Howard

Ben Howard’s indie-folk took a turn into the dark and deeper parts of human experience with I Forget Where We Were.

His lyrics remain as poetic and relatable as they ever were, yet often they address more serious topics and allow him to explore areas of humanity he hasn’t previously. He still writes about love, arguably the most explored of all areas, yet his tune has changed and the relationship metaphors start to tie into wider themes. Howard’s stamp is also audible in the slightly hazy tone his voice summons, leaving the

10 10.

Lost In The Dream - The War On Drugs

Mix together Bob Dylan, Bruce Sprinsteen, Kraftwerk, and Arcade Fire and you get The War On Drugs, a band which used to feature equally woozy americana man Kurt Vile. Lost In The Dream is the culmination of a career spent refining a style, and a much deserved popular breakthrough. The album ebbs and flows between pumping krautrock anthems with elegant guitars weaving around them, to steady ambient atmospheres. This is all done without ever breaking a wonderful hazy atmosphere that permeates every minute. This provides the perfect blend of the emotional, the exciting and the cerebral. In other words, it’s a Dire Straits album for people who hate Dire Straits.

8 Music

27th November 2014

Idina Menzel is here to wish you all a very merry Christmas Christmas Wishes is an album set to bring the holiday closer and remind us of Menzel’s career before Frozen

Josh Brown

Ruskin College

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erhaps more famous now amongst the general populace for her role as Queen Elsa in Frozen, Idina Menzel reminds us all why we shouldn’t forget her extensive pre-Disney career with her latest album, Christmas Wishes.

The 12 tracks maintain a somewhat conservative choice of Christmas songs, straying away from most traditional carols found in formal settings at this time of year, and focusing instead on the newer Christmas classics – ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’, ‘White Christmas’ and ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ being three such tracks.

The album opens with ‘Do You Hear What I Hear’, a calm song about the birth of Christ. Menzel successfully tones down her powerful vocals without losing any of the strength that makes her so unique in what is a good start to the album. The song teases you into listening to the rest of Christmas Wishes and pushes you towards the mistletoe and tinsel despite it being November. Listeners are then bombarded with the traditional Christmas bells making their first

appearance in a non-tacky way.

Merrily roasting chestnuts allow Menzel’s voice to carry the track at first, before a wave of light piano and strings moves into its own.

The emergence of a choir for the last couple of choruses give a feel of communal merriment with Menzel at its head.

In what may be one of the grandest Christmas unions of our time, Menzel joins forces with Christmas King Michael Buble and a music power couple is born. Their take on ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’ feels a lot like many of its other covers, with Buble’s musical drawl and croon feeling mimicking. Menzel brings her voice to the table but it doesn’t quite manage to save the song – it’s not a disaster, by any means, but from two such big names you expect more individuality. The duet is not particularly cosy either, so it doesn’t seem cold outside, but rather between them.

‘Have Yourself a Very Merry Christmas’ is potentially one of the strongest songs on the album, as emotions seemingly lacking from the previous song find their way into Menzel’s vocals. The backseat of the music and its soft piano really allow her to shine, intensifying the emotional veracity of her voice. A good big Broadway note

demonstrates her talent, but with the introduction of another group chorus, this one softer and more whispery than the last, the song retains its sentiment and is not overpowered or seemingly tacky, as so many Christmas covers become.

‘What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?’ and ‘December Prayer’ are both incredibly emotional tracks when sung by Menzel and producers have again allowed her voice to shoulder the musical burden, a feat not many artists could achieve. The Broadway feel to the latter allows listeners to be overwhelmed by the music. However, they can’t quite shake off the feeling that this song would be well suited to a more animated environment, and the Elsa vocals shine through on this track.

Disney does arrive in style just afterwards, with a cover of ‘When You Wish Upon a Star’. I’m not quite sure how this fits into the Yuletide chronology – maybe Menzel should put together an album of Disney covers. I’d definitely buy it.

‘All I Want for Christmas’ takes on more of a Love Actually approach than it does Mariah and would definitely be suitable for a stage production; it seems somewhat out of place on this album. It was most likely included to increase the pace and give a greater variety

of rhythm, but the music seems constantly at war with Menzel and it thus becomes a difficult sing-along. The opposite is true of ‘Silent Night’, but here Menzel’s voice is a tsunami. She performs it well, but perhaps unrealistically – I don’t feel the average carol service singer this year will be quite so flawless.

It’s nice to hear the sleigh bells return for the last couple of songs on the album, and as the pace and

emotions pick back up, listeners will be roused from their egg-nog stupors in order to bop along and have a ‘Holly Jolly Christmas’ before the album rounds off with the classic ‘White Christmas’, in which Menzel shares the spotlight with an impressive saxophone. It’s a great cover of the song, and Menzel attains a spectacular fusion of power notes, emotions and instrumental arrangement.

Calvin Goldspink’s EP is a long way from his S Club Junior days We interviewed the former tween star about his mature debut EP The Lemon Tree and his music career Nasim Asl

Somerville College

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alvin Goldspink’s debut EP, The Lemon Tree, dropped a few weeks ago.

The five tracks each offer listeners a glimpse into different abilities of Goldspink and create the musical variety and mixture needed from a debut EP. The originality of his sound is obvious with ‘Intro’, a very short instrumental piece that encompasses strings and a solid beat in a haunting fashion.

It’s both unique and unusual, and sets up ‘Lemon Tree’ well, with its layered vocals and hypnotic chorus.

‘Superman’ is likely to become the smash of the EP, and with a music video on the way, it definitely looks to be so.

The new sound of Calvin Goldspink is a long way from his earliest ventures into the music scene – selected by the newly-reformed S Club 7, Calvin was one of the S Club Juniors, who evolved into

S Club 8 and I Dream. “I’m very proud of the Juniors stuff,” Calvin explained when I spoke to him.

“It’s something I did when I was a young lad and to have people to have still kept track of what I’m doing is really nice. Through hard times it’s kept me going, to have the support behind it. It’s great to have old fans there, and I’m excited to get other people behind me and to move forward and find a new group of people too.”

The Lemon Tree may just be Calvin’s way of doing that. He’s come into his own, writing the tracks, performing them, and working with producer Rob Torres to create the EP. “I wrote all of the tracks myself. I got to a point where I felt that I actually had something to offer musically, and I took a swing at it. It’s been the best reception to music I’ve had so far and it’s from doing things myself rather than other people’s things.”

Performing music written and created by other people since he was 11 years old, Calvin finally appears to have come into his own.

“I’ve come from a background of not writing my material, so I’ve seen the other side of it and been the other side of it. As you grow up you find the blockades in your art, and I’ve felt like I’ve been running into a wall trying to find my style instead of other people giving it to me.

“This is from being young in the industry, I started when I was 11, so it was getting the confidence and as soon as I had that and the life experience and felt I had something to write about it opened up a whole new door for me.” His involvement in the entire creative process of The Lemon Tree is something that he is also proud of, and feels is necessary: “I think it’s imperative in this day and age to be an artist and a writer and a singer. I couldn’t go back from that. From a performing standpoint it’s a much greater sense of achievement when you’re on stage it’s you that you’re performing. I think is imperative to connect with your music when you’re performing it.”

With LA currently being a hub-

bub of creative types and activities, Calvin has found his time living there crucial to his musical development. “LA is like a melting pot. California definitely has its own sound compared to the East Coast. Every person is creative you’ll struggle to find anyone that isn’t in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles - and people come from far and wide to be there. It gives you that sense of competition to push yourself harder, and there are so many people to collaborate with.”

‘Superman’, with its emphasis on Calvin’s voice and featuring a very catchy chorus with emotional integrity and musical maturity, has already received a remarkably positive reception from fans who regularly tweet Calvin to compliment him on the song. It’s popularity lies in its ability to seemingly appeal to a great mix of people – it’s upbeat without being false, and contains obvious lyrics shadowed by brooding emotions. It’s a rare sort of song that manages to dance with its listener, and haunt

them after it has finished. A music video for the track is one the way.

“Doing my own video for my own music was a sense of achievement,” Calvin proudly said, “There’s just something about having your own product. It’s nice to be proud of something that you’ve made, and it’s come out of yourself. To do a music video for my own song too was a landmark for me.” The video has been put together by a “buddy” of Calvin’s and contains “quite an artsy look, but very movie like”. “I think the imagery of music is so important”, Calvin continued, “I thought it was important to do a story video that didn’t have a runof-the-mill ‘band playing a song’. I think it’s a bit done.”

Fans will be awaiting that with bated breath, but in the meantime, Calvin can be found playing The Bedford in London on December 10th. His EP is available through iTunes, but “As far as music’s concerned, this is the EP to test the water.” It certainly is, as Calvin said, “a really good taste of what’s to come”.

Music 9

27th November 2014

“It’s Christmas!”: We pick the best Christmas songs OxStu staff dissect the season’s greatest hits, from Slade to Slow Club, to work out just why we love them Jessy PH

Peter Locke

Fairytale of New York

Merry Christmas Everybody

The Pogues

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ithout a doubt, ‘Fairytale of New York’ encapsulates Christmas better than any other song could or will. It’s the perfect mix between miserable and upbeat, summing up the hype but ultimate disappointment of Christmas every year. Shane MacGowan makes for an iconic image as he sits at the piano, in a cloud of smoke, looking too pissed to even stand up, let alone sing. And then there is Kirsty MacColl, the spitting image of an angel at Christmas.

Following her tragic death in 2000, it’s hard not to evangelise her when listening to ‘Fairytale of New York’, as she is preserved perfectly in the song.

The song spins the listener through wintery New York streets. The back and forth argumentative nature of the duet between MacGowan and MacColl takes your hand and pulls you into a story. An imperfect Christmas story.

Nasim Asl

Slade

N

o other Yuletide tune captures the emotions of Christmas as well as ‘Merry Christmas Everybody’.

The bubbly music perfectly summarises the excitement of the holiday season, and the song overtakes Christmas carols by being easy to sing along to, not just in a formal setting, but also drunk at a party. Is there any sound so heartwarming as a band of intoxicated colleagues awkwardly socialising and shrieking ‘It’s Christmaaaasss’ to each other? I don’t think so.

It’s a tale of life and ageing – from the initial child-like excitement of sledging and stockings, the rock and rolling Granny shows the way in which Christmas touches us, and creates a communal tale of fun and holiday past times that is all too missing from songs about relationships and religion, more often than not.

Amelia Brown

Slow Club

Billy Elliot

Christmas TV

PHOTO/Flicer_PaulHUdson

PHOTO/Wikipedia

PHOTO/Wikipedia

T

his song should definitely become a cult Christmas classic within the next few years. Taking a step away from conventional Christmas numbers, Slow Club tell the tale of two lovers falling apart and separating.

They appeal to each other for peace and unity, and dream of falling asleep with one another on Christmas Eve so that they can watch Christmas TV together the following day.

The song works as it marks a transition of Christmas songs away from the religious iconography that dominated earlier tracks without losing sight of the Christmas messages of acceptance and family. Aurally, the soft blend of male and female vocals over the acoustic and twangy folk guitars really emphasises the emotions behind the words and hits a spot right in the heart of any Christmas Scrooge.

I

Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher

n the hype of the newest pop Christmas releases, it is important not to forget the offerings of musical theatre. ‘Billy Elliot’ provides one of my favourite Christmas songs though it may seem like an unorthodox choice – “Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher”. After months of striking, the miners are still up for celebrating.

The jollity of the song masks the severity of the political situation, millions made unemployed by the closure of mines across the country. It is a song about hope, even in the face of all of this, of finding humour out of the worst of situations. And they certainly manage, cheering along as they sing together: “Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher, we all celebrate the day, because it’s one day closer to your death.” With scathing political satire, and a good tune to dance to, what more could you want from a Christmas song?

La Roux proves that she is bulletproof everytime she sings

Elly Jackson’s ‘tropical pop’ and deep performance impresses Kate Bickerton at Oxford’s O2 Academy Kate Bickerton

Regent’s Park College

“I

haven’t been here since 2009!”

Elly Jackson exclaims to a packed out crowd at the Oxford O2 Academy.

Elly Jackson – better known by her band name La Roux – is indeed an enigma of pop culture.

Seemingly disappearing from view as quickly as she appeared, Elly left an indelible mark on British pop music, with hits like ‘Bulletproof’ and ‘In For The Kill’ leaving you unsure on how you knew all the words. It’s just something you know. Her new album, Trouble In Paradise, is a smooth departure from the brash eponymous album of five years ago.

The crowd at the O2 Academy can only be described as eclectic.

A large cross section of society is represented, from wavey garm hipsters of Cowley in their Hawaiian shirts to husband and wife duos in matching turtlenecks from Summertown. Boys, girls and everything in between. Any

notion of pretension is completely shattered by the end of the night.

Elly has this mercurial ability to completely command the crowd to do her bidding. They jump when she jumps; clap when she claps. No matter that the O2 can go from being a wind tunnel to a sauna, she keeps going.

Elly has this mercurial ability to completely command the crowd to do her will The slimline singer looks like she’s stepped off a space age safari.

Through the smoke and strobes, her signature quiff is less red than when we saw her last, now a striking auburn colour, maybe a reflection on how she’s mellowed over the past five years. Lots of things can change in five years.

Elly was catapulted from a girl from South London to Grammy Award winner in the space of two years.

Her career seemingly took off and

flew into the distance until she was no longer visible. Now, she is back with vengeance. She is no longer a fidgety, flighty adolescent. She comes across on stage as a selfpossessed, poised young woman.

Her sound in 2014 can only be described as tropical pop. Fruity and breezy, like something you’d hear blaring from tin can speakers, lounging around a swimming pool in a damp heat. You can taste the synthetic saccharine of the sound in your mouth as you sing along.

The lyrics, however, leave a bitter taste. This time around, Elly is dealing with the issues of casual sex, abusive relationships and confusing sexuality. The set list is comprised of new music mixed in with the old. There is a tangible dissonance, as if she’s singing covers of someone else’s music. It works though.

Behind the calypso is something much darker lurking in paradise. It seems to me that there is a discord between her effortless sway on stage and the bruising words she’s singing. Perhaps that is why she’s so popular tonight. Elly has this ability to mask the hurt that floats underneath the surface of her

poppy synth beats like discarded plastic bags under the surf. She successfully does what we all long to do – pretend we’re okay when we’re really not. And for an hour whilst she’s on the stage, she convinces the crowd that it’s okay to not be okay.

Behind the calypso is something much darker lurking in paradise The finale comes crashing down with a raging crowd pleaser ‘Bulletproof’. It’s the song I’ve been singing melodies of all week to explain who La Roux is. People remember the one line chorus, but not the artist. Funny how fame works. On the way home I’m giddy; drunk on a cocktail of vodka, smoke, syrupy synth and the end of 5th week. Mist has settled over the picture postcard dreaming spires of Oxford and I feel like I was transported to another world tonight.

PHOTO/Wikipedia

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12 Arts & Lit

Arts & Lit

27th November 2014

Malcolm Graham explores wartime Oxford in new book

PHOTO/OXFORD UNIVERSITY IMAGES

James Riding

Magdalen College

M

alcolm Graham has been writing about Oxford for over forty years, and is an ex-head of the Centre for Oxfordshire Studies. In his new book Oxford in the Great War (Pen and Sword Books), he turns his attention to the twentieth century. “To my knowledge, this is the first book of its kind”, he tells me as we sit down to discuss his work. Naturally I am somewhat taken aback. Why

have Oxford’s historians taken such little interest in this pivotal chapter of the city’s recent history?

Apparently, the state of twentiethcentury history in general is one of incompleteness, despite so much interesting material and so many historians, as there is simply so much work still to be done. During his research, Malcolm was able to access the archives of many of the Oxford colleges, and was particularly impressed with the quantity of archived correspondence between the college presidents and their students. I am entertained to learn of details such as the fact that undergraduates heading off to fight

were forced to request a leave of absence - the prospect of German dominance on the continent was of secondary importance to their educations, of course!

The First World War precipitated a gallimaufry of effects which were felt all across Oxford. We are sitting just across the road from the Exam Schools which, alongside Merton and University Colleges, were converted into enormous hospitals during the conflict. According to Malcolm, an astonishing 105,000 wounded soldiers were brought to Oxford for treatment.

In the scientific sector, the Dyson Perrins Laboratory opened in

Words by Natalie Harney

PHOTO/OXFORD UNIVERSITY IMAGES

Orhan Pamuk wrote “Real museums are places where Time is transformed into Space”, if that’s true then each of Boston-based artist and educator Kevin Townsend’s works are veritable Louvres. His most recent works explore and exploit a range of drawing ontologies (passive and circadian line drawings) in order to capture time and memory.

By setting the temporal rather than the physical bounds for his pieces, Townsend simultaneously engages drawing as ritual and vessel. The result of these time bound drawings are images that capture the texture of a moment - markers of the precious time that one person can only ever offer another.

1916 and, after the war, Oxford’s first maternity hospital would be opened. “The shocking waste of life made society realise we shouldn’t waste life back home”, Malcolm explains. Almost every college has its own memorials; some built libraries, and Christ Church even has a memorial garden. On a slightly more positive note, links between Oxford and industry were fostered, and the city’s international standing increased with new French and Italian connections, as well those associated with the Cadet Battalions comprised of Australians and Canadians.

Malcolm also noted that the effects on women was enormous women began to be accepted for degrees in 1920 as tribute to the fact that they “kept the university going” during the war years. Interestingly, Oxford was also one of the first cities to try to rebuild bridges with Germany after the war: by the end of the 1920s, German Rhodes scholars would be returning to Oxford, suggesting a ‘multiculturalism’ that was unique to the city.

Malcolm reckons that this was also what made Oxford such an important place for hundreds of Belgian and Serbian refugees during the war years.

I am particularly interested to find out how the war was received

by Oxonians in comparison to the rest of the country. “The university was incredibly enthusiastic”, Malcolm explains. Many undergraduates had already trained with the Officer Training Corps and were eager to join the action before it was all over; a terrible case of misplaced optimism in the duration of the fighting. Taking a leaf out of the Royal Family’s book, the Vice Principal of Brasenose even

changed his German surname during the wartime hysteria to make it more English. Once conscription was introduced, compulsory service was taken very seriously in Oxford; tribunals were set up to decide whether people’s current employment was directly benefiting the war effort. The university’s sacrifice rate was around 18%, with some colleges as much as 25% - far higher than the national average.

“There is lots more work to be done” in the realm of First World War scholarship, Malcolm asserts, but the Europeana website is a step in the right direction. By allowing members from all the European nations of the war to share their memories and history, it does a great job of capturing the “shared horror” of the war. Malcolm, meanwhile, will have his hands full for the foreseeable future revising and updating his heritage walking guides for a modern audience and working on a ‘Historic Tours Atlas’ for Oxford.

Before we leave I can’t help asking Malcolm whether he prefers the Oxford of the early seventies that he first arrived in, or the Oxford of today. In some ways it is better now, he replies; the “relentless destruction” of the sixties and seventies has halted, St. Mary’s Church and the city centre have been cleaned up, and areas dear to him have now become special conservation sites. But “Oxford is filling up a bit too much” in his opinion, and the green spaces which make the city special are under threat by “substantial building”.At least the monstrosity that was the Krebs tower is gone for good now, he laughs.

Perhaps that’s something that truly long-term Oxonians can appreciate the most.

Arts & Lit 13

27th November 2014

Lyricism at Cellar – we hear it Sainsbury’s and Xmas straight From the Horse’s Mouth Alice Jaffe

Worcester College

L

ast Wednesday, the spoken word- stroke- jazz evening, From the Horse’s Mouth, returned to the depths of the infamous Cellar club. As the atmosphere settled into the performance, the audience swiftly became mesmerized by the amalgamation of rhymes and rhythms, caught somewhere between a four-part band beat, dim lighting and a room full of almost-tipsy students. From the opening act to the final sways of headliner Toby Thompson, the room was undoubtedly trapped in a (beat) generation of movement and music.

Doug Taylor’s opening spoken word act was a witty and intuitive glimpse into Oxford student life. His impeccably polished delivery referred to our glorious city as a ‘sandstone lover’, exemplifying #studentlife through enticing and intuitive imagery such as that of a girl who ‘held her cigarette like a vaccine’. Swiftly after, Doug stepped aside to introduce the lyrical hip-hop of Jaylee Ali, whose life-long love of music, experiences of Oxford University, and indeed the ‘need to get on stage and chat

some sh*t’ was explored in amusing and rhythmical ways. His relaxed stage presence and real feel for the sound and shape of language had the room moving along to the leanings of language, a role quickly continued by Morrisey lookalike Jack Welch. Welch sported a steady, passionate series of spoken words, which, as he said, like ‘one unblank slate quick slipped beneath the door, will fill the room’, he did so marvelously.

It’s ‘less like writing a poem, more like finding a moment and slicing it open’ Moving on from first section of metrically managed sound, the other side of the interval boasted a reappearance from Doug himself in a frenzy of Serbian heritage as he whimsically and wittily recounted the dynamics a relationship with his grandfather. Following this, singer/ songwriter, Lata Nobes proved her powerful voice through a compelling repertoire, that moved from a song about god (equipped with the warning “If you’re actually religious then close your ears”), to ‘My Girlfriend’s Dead’ (featuring a series of lies being told to avoid having to

relay a fictional break - up), and finally ‘I am here’, a love, or perhaps infatuation-song, dedicated (in rich detail) to a current love interest. In sharp contrast to this melodious satire, the next act, Alex Newton, revealed wit almost as well cut as his jaw, moving from a deeply emotional ditty about a one night stand (‘Sticking it in ice would be less bold than sticking it in you…I can only imagine it would feel less cold too’), to an audience volunteer-based performance about a guitar player who ‘had his fuck-eyes on tonight’.

Yet the headline act, Toby Thompson, was undoubtedly the star of the evening. Described by renowned performance poet Kate Tempest as ‘the future’, the 18 year old poet took to the stage for twenty minutes of semantic, syntactic and linguistic stimulation. Opening with a piece entitled ‘Searching’, his poetry, like his gentle yet assertive voice, was entirely enticing, bringing a new presence to the room, conducted entirely through a sway in his step and a throwaway use of his right hand. Indeed in a brief interlude between his musically accompanied works, Thompson threw away a line that seemed to not only inscape his own performance, but the atmosphere of the entire evening; claiming that it’s ‘less like rhyming and writing a poem, more like finding a moment and slicing it open’.

Having to come to terms with the past Alexander Hartley Queen’s College

A

nselm Kiefer was born into a Catholic family in the Black Forest in the last days of the Second World War. The early part of his work—which occupies the first few of the chronologically-curated exhibition currently showing at the Royal Academy—is a sustained reaction to these circumstances of his birth, a conscious act of coming-to-terms with his origins.

In his series of Heroische Sinnbilder (Heroic Symbols) , he depicts himself, dressed in his father’s Nazi uniform, saluting beneath enormous, contorted figures and images drawn from Nazi symbolism. The images naturally provoked outcry when they were released in the late 1960s: it was (and is) against the law in Germany even to perform a Nazi salute. Far from reflecting support for the fascist regime, however, Kiefer was trying to confront his public with the facts of their shared past. His point was that Germany’s Nazi history could not simply be swept under the carpet— as it was, for example, in the schools where he was educated. To do so would be dishonest in an artist and dangerous in a society. And this is a danger that

constantly threatened Germany in particular, then as now.

Kiefer’s struggle with his religion, with the end of the War, with Nazism, with history, with Germanness, is not the story of an artist’s solitary struggle. It is one relevant to all of European society. There is a phrase in German: die unbewältigte Vergangenheit, the past you just can’t come to terms with.

The stark, unimaginable horror of the Hitler years is depicted vividly in works like Aschenblume (Ash Flower), in which a warped, sadistically damaged and upside-down flower hangs down over a painting of the monstrous ruin of a fascist building, complete with clumps of dust and mud stuck to the canvas. In the face of such total evil, it is so tempting to hive off the past, to seal it hermetically, to suppose that what happened once can never happen again.

It has taken decades of division and trauma for Germans to begin facing their history in the way that Kiefer suggested. Only in the last few years has

any kind of public discussion of the ‘Nazizeit’ become possible except for the droning cries of the Neonazis on one side and the liberals’ whimpers of shame on the other. Finally, some are attempting to answer questions such as: Why did nearly half of the population in a sophisticated modern country vote for the Nazis? Why did the citizens of occupied Germany seem to turn against Nazism so quickly after the war? And: why did other nations stand by and allow it all to happen?

The central paradox of modern German society is that it is on the one hand incredibly liberal, tolerant, and morally relativist; and on the other hand it paints the whole Nazi period in uncomprehending black. Kiefer has tried to colour in this void, to make the incomprehensible past comprehensible to us in the present: to let us understand, not to run away. And this is not a task for the German people to face alone.

Here, in a Europe less stable than for twenty years, with nationalism and expansionism rampant, it is our duty too.

PHOTO/farlukar

PHOTO/Alice Theobald

Alice Theobald Magdalen College

Not so long ago, I saw this slogan plastered across a brick wall and it hasn’t escaped my mind since. Its stark words so plainly state a truth that is too often disregarded in the pursuit of ideological aims. But, beyond this, it reminded me of Martha Nussbaum’s lectures here in Oxford earlier this year that argued for a reconsideration of personal and judicial peace. While the concept of peace is easily obscured (often involving acts at odds with the notion itself), Nussbaum’s evaluation returns to a decidedly human level. Promoting forward-looking, nonviolent action, Nussbaum seeks to quell the vindictive antipathy that too often develops into outright brutality. Bringing this sentiment to a popular level, the new Sainsbury’s Christmas advert commemorating the First World War similarly questions the rectitude of vengeful acts and sympathetically highlights their essential redundancy.

Eminent political theorist Hannah Arendt stated that revolutions had ‘outlived all their ideological justifications’ (On Revolution) and, likewise, Martha Nussbaum’s seminal ‘capabilities approach’ affirms the inalienable right of individuals to autonomy and security free from the shackles of war and turmoil. In her John Locke lectures, Nussbaum endorsed a doctrine of ‘non-anger’ denouncing the use of violence or punitive force in quests for justice. Applying this to both a personal and social context, Nussbaum asserted that the only means of responding to violence is by pursuing its opposite.Bombing for peace thus constitutes not only an oxymoronic act but in fact one detrimental to its own cause, particularly in any longterm or visionary condition. Although Nussbaum’s arguments at times seem idealistic, the values they advocate are celebrated in the Sainsbury’s advert staging the soldiers’ touching football match.

As in this night of suspended national antipathies, Nussbaum foregrounds the centrality of interpersonal standards of trust, transparency and honesty. For Nussbaum, the idea of bombing for peace represents treachery not only in its violent implications but in its inherent dishonesty and inhumane hypocrisy.

While ‘fucking’ and ‘virginity’ stand as polar opposites, the boundary between peace and war is much more precarious and demands an analysis of ethical needs, motivations and consequences. Hostile conditions breed and often demand

equivalent levels of antagonism infringing upon the basic ‘capabilities’ cherished by Nussbaum. However, Nussbaum moderates her view of retribution by specifying its relationship with anger.

With this in mind, it is primarily anger that proves so detrimental and dangerous a force rather than any violence in and of itself. The potential origins of violence in love, care and compassion complicates the seeming paradox of bombing for peace and can only be resolved by recourse to a personal level.

The Sainsbury’s Christmas advert poignantly brings this dilemma to the fore. Did love – for country, for those in peril and for personal and political freedom – justify the actions ratified on a national level? The urgent context left violence as the only feasible option yet the touching advert reminds us of the intimate, human level on which such action is inevitably carried out. Bombing for peace is not only destructive but indeed ultimately self-destructive and the finality it represents renders it the ultimate negation of peace. For both Arendt and Nussbaum, violence and true power are incompatible.

Arendt’s death will be commemorated on the 4th December and it seems only right that we pay particular tribute to her political thinking that was both retrospective and yet so relevant to today’s state of affairs. Responding to the Sainsbury’s advert, advertiser Steve Henry identifies a contrast between the personal and national, and benevolent over malign tendencies: “I think the sentiment is fantastic – and taps into something very contemporary. A feeling that if you get down to the level of real, ‘ordinary’ people, you tend to find decency and generosity of spirit. For me, it’s definitely a piece of work to be applauded.”

Whether or not the advert is a cause for outcry or commendation it manifestly brings into sharp relief the conflict between personal and collective pursuits of supposed peace and compassion. If we can take one message from the plethora of historical and contemporary cases it would be that ‘bombing’ – regardless of its seeming efficacy – is by no means the rightful course of action and (unless I’ve been lured by the sentimentalized pathos of the Sainsbury’s advert) unambiguously goes against the leanings of the very agents enacting its brutality. This Christmas, Sainsbury’s isn’t just providing the frills and fancies for our festive roast. Collectively, we are urged to reconsider and promote acts of individual peace and good-will. Who knows, maybe they’ll have replaced those dreaded cracker jokes with moralizing messages too.

18 Arts & Lit

27th November 2014

You Sound Like a Broken Record [excerpt]

Wish You Were Here

Like a waxwork spun on a hotplate deck, see the grooves of my face droop to my neck, expect more from me, more from this vile tongue, I’ve become a warped vinyl hung from these viral lungs - become a warped vinyl hung become a warped vinyl hung - warped vinyl hungering for memory’s melodies telling me we knew the score; we played our parts; we sat and sung a counterpoint art, counterintuitive, though no less in tune, to a musical initiative: it was unstaved, unvoiced, note for note, liplock lyrical; no bars, bass clef, or band; treble the chestbeat: I melt in your hand.

In the white holiday house by the sea fingers that were mine and not mine crept into crevices that were mine and not mine and there I found your sandy hair his swimmers’ shoulders the salty taste of another’s skin.

By Jack Solloway

How to Do A Gap Year Wrong

By Lucy Diver

Eat pomegranate seeds in blue hostel sheets Drink hot chocolate until the spoon appears Watch the plastic bag in the hot hand-dryer wind Crust your shoes with pastry Do not go to the doctor Sleep with too many people Fall in love with few And not the ones you sleep with Read Tolstoy in the shower standing naked waiting for the air to evaporate off your skin.

We Sit at a Table Anonymous

We sit at a table, Our friend leaves for drinks; You touch my broken skin With tell-me-all fingers and closed lips.

I open my eyes let you in.

Stipertones

By John Stephens Stiperstones is like a graze.

This steep-sided flat-topped hill, Red heather covered, Ridged with paths, like subcutaneous pulp exposed and mashed by the tarmac.

We sit in this angry red elbow, On a gravelly tor, like bacteria on the grit dug into this fresh cut.

We drink tomato soup and kiss.

The wind dries the bloody gorse around us.

This hill is ancient but the cut is new and it stinks.

AN ODE i n verse To Mario’s Italian Trattoria A moste fine establishment On the Cowley Road

By Lucy Diver

When that wave was done I looked out the window and wondered if any hands that were yours and not yours found anything of me, washed up on the shore.

Spirits

By Lucy Diver

By Jack Ashton

I ate my words and mixed my drinks

Oh hallow’d halls of meatèd pizza doughs, That call my belly’s eye with siren’d sauce; Oh gnocchi dipp’d in fats, oh cure my woes!

Oh spicey oyle which through my veines doth course!

When hunger’d in despaire I wander nigh, And smell the genteel waft of gorgonzole, When lo! the twangling Roman f ires fain sigh, My rumbling mid-riff ’s chasm now is whole!

Oh Caesar sit me quick at chequer’d cloth!

Oh Brutus drowne mine lips in unknown wine!

Oh Jove beguile mine heart as penne doth!

Oh Dante let that doggie-bag be mine!

While fettucini sits upon my tongue, God’s praise of Mario’s pizza crust be sung.

and coughed them all up while you held my hair.

I drank the wine and the white spirits and the winding road I ate the air and the angels and the arguments and all my old ghosts finally caught up with me coughed up with me and we lay in bed you, me and my ghosts.

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16 Screen

27th November 2014

Screen

Film Wars: Will the Star Wars reboot make an impact?

PHOTO/kPluto

Luke Walpole

St. Hugh’s College

A

nticipation has the power to kill movies. Overly hyping that blockbuster that won’t hit our screens for months and months creates such a bubble of excitement that even the smallest of flaws in the film itself bursts it. Case in point, Star Wars I, II & III. The original trilogy left such a cultural imprint that it became, and continues to be, the blueprint for action sci-fi. The flip side to this coin was that it strangely became a poison chalice for the makers of the noughties trilogy, as, let’s be honest, it was going to be incredibly difficult to emulate, let alone top, what went before. So, the next trilogy is surely in a better position? Arguably less hype, bigger budget and better technology? All of this is true, yet what is also clear is that the newest batch of Star Wars films are going to released in a much more crowded cinematic universe.

Despite all the positives this is by no means a risk free enterprise for Disney.

So, let’s form a defence in aid of this new Star Wars reboot. What does it have in its favour? Well the obvious draw is that the big three are back; Harrison Ford returns as Han Solo, Carrie Fisher is back as Leia and Mark Hammil (who?) is back as Luke

Skywalker. This is JJ Abrams getting the band back together for one last sell out tour, with C3PO on bass and R2D2 on the drums. Abrams himself is a massive draw as well. He’s already mastered one reboot – the Star Trek franchise – and that was excellent.

If you haven’t seen them already, or feel like watching anything Star Trek obliges you to be socially awkward and go to sci-fi conventions dressed as a Space Lobster, then just leave those prejudices at the door and do so.

The first of the reboots in particular is genius and actually carries the same cavalier spirit of the original Star Wars films. The rest of the cast is largely unknown in Hollywood circles but has an excellent back catalogue. In particular look out for John Boyega, a young English actor who starred in the brilliant Attack the Block and is touted for a key role in the film. So; cast good, director excellent, nothing can go wrong.

Wrong. Despite all the positives this is by no means a risk free franchise for Disney. So many big questions still persist; what will the tone be like, will the big bad carry the same gravitas as Darth Vader, why haven’t they confirmed the absence of Jar Jar Binks (seriously, three films for that cretin?)? The tone is a huge issue, as the original trilogy had the gunslinging feel of a western in space, with Vader acting as the unrelenting Sheriff; even if he does look like a big black dildo (credit goes to Frankie Boyle for that joke). However the noughties trilogy was much more serious in general.

Revenge of the Sith as a standalone film is pretty epic, it’s got emotional

PHOTO/Tom Simpson

range, superbly imagined and shot set pieces as well as the gut-wrenching final scenes between Obi Wan and Anakin. However, the problem was that for many people it didn’t feel like Star Wars. Indeed, a lot of people think that the recent Guardians of the Galaxy acted as more of a spiritual extension of the Star Wars Universe.

Star Wars has also now entered a cinematic world where sci-fi is the norm. Unlike the late 70s and 80s, where it was real ground-breaking stuff, now it is playing catch up.

Superhero movies are the norm and the frontiers of space seem much closer than they once did. Moreover television and film has expanded its emotional boundaries. I see the awkwardness of Leia kissing her own brother by mistake but I raise you Cersei Lannister consistently sleeping with hers in Game of Thrones.

We’ve all seen spaceships fall out of the sky on our screens, seen huge flowing set pieces set amidst the destruction of some planet that is impossible to pronounce unless you’ve had a few jager bombs. The point is that Star Wars will have to go a long way to re-capture its place as a pioneering franchise which pushes cinematic boundaries.

Can it still do that? Yes, I think it can, but it’s going to be an uphill struggle. Reboots in the past have failed because they either stray too far from the original tonally or they try too hard to emulate it. In many ways it’s the hardest thing to do in film, as audiences create such a link with the original characters in the first place.

A good example is the reboot of The

Italian Job with Mark Wahlberg, or indeed any movie that remakes a Michael Caine film, there’s always a nagging feeling that it isn’t quite the same. Moreover, Disney has taken three of the most recognisable and iconic characters in film ever and hopes to re-kindle the formula that made it such a seminal trilogy in the first place. When reboots work it can be brilliant, look at the recent reemergence of the Planet of the Apes as a franchise. Here’s a reboot that emulates the original and washes away the bad reputation that later Apes films gathered, including the 2001 reboot with Mark Wahlberg – I promise this isn’t a hatchet job, I actually think he’s a good actor, if

a terrible rapper. However the Apes franchise is a rare example of a film that manoeuvres this tight rope effectively. Whether Star Wars can do this as well remains to be seen.

Put simply, cinema needs a good Star Wars trilogy.

Put simply cinema needs a good Star Wars trilogy. At its best it can be a touchstone for sci-fi; at its worst it can be incredibly disappointing.

Indeed, there’s a poetic irony to the title of the new film; The Force Awakens, as this could very well be the re-awakening of a cinematic giant.

PHOTO/Tom Simpson

27th November 2014

Screen 17

Interview: Deborah Nadoolman Landis

Emma Turnbull talks to the talented Hollywood costume designer

Review: Mockingjay Part I PHOTO/NICHXAV

Thomas Bannatyne St Hilda’s College

T

he division of the final novel into two films is a decision that is always criticised for greediness, and normally because it weakens the first entry. The Hunger Games is no exception. Mockingjay Part 1 has its moments, but it ultimately feels like two hours of set up, all beginning and middle with no end. Not only that, what happens is repetitive and superficial, without the same energy that the first and especially the second film provided.

On the back of her rescue from the arena in the previous film, Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) is taken to the secretive District 13, from which President Alma Coin (an icily authoritative Julianne Moore) controls the rebellion against the Capitol. Once there she is used as a propaganda tool, joined by her old allies, while fellow tribute Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) is her counterpart in the Capitol. What ensues is repetitive and predictable: Katniss witnesses a serious of atrocities as she films her propaganda pieces, while tensions build within the rebellion’s ranks. She must deal with the stresses of her political importance, her relationships both with Peeta and old friend Gale (Liam Hemsworth) and the particular hostility directed at her by the ridiculously evil President Snow (Donald Sutherland). Yet there is no pay-off to these difficulties, only a looming sense of things to come, and the audience has been led in plodding circles to lay the groundwork for an explosive final chapter.

PHOTO/Irene Prieto

It is on Jennifer Lawrence that everything hinges. For our interest to be sustained not just for this film, but also the following one, we need to have a strong, empathetic heroine. But where in the first two films she was tough but vulnerable, here she is too obvious and too irritating. As she copes with the harrowing experiences, she goes more the way of the hammy Sutherland than the more slippery Philip Seymour Hoffman, and she has none of the depth of which we know she is capable.

Nonetheless, the ensemble is strong, with Moore and Hoffman lending their usual class, while the returning Woody Harrelson and Elizabeth Banks lend a much-needed humour.

Hemsworth, previously wearisome eye-candy, is solid in his larger role.

Josh Hutcherson spends a long time floating around the peripheries, but when introduced more fully into the action he has glimpses of quality.

But perhaps the greatest problem with the film is that it lacks the fun of the previous instalment.

But perhaps the greatest problem with the film is that it lacks the fun of the previous instalment. Grisly imagery of skulls, executions and wounded refugees are imposed on the audience with little relief, and one of the standouts from Catching Fire, Jena Malone, is almost completely absent. The action is generic and the quieter moments are not blessed with much innovation either. For a politically charged subject, there is very little time for reflection.

That said, there are some moments of excitement, and the film rarely drags on. The first parts of final chapters are often inconsistent where pacing is concerned, but there is an urgency that carries the audience along. It is only upon later reflection that we might feel shortchanged; we were never bored, but we don’t feel satisfied either. As much as the direction and weird shakycam moments try to turn the audience away, the story is compelling enough to keep us going. The Hunger Games might not have us as invested as something like Harry Potter, but it has done enough to convince us to keep watching. And if we are willing to buy tickets for Part 1 and Part 2, we only have ourselves to blame for the opportunist greed of the studios.

PHOTO/davidd

T

he ‘Hollywood Costume’ exhibition, commissioned for the V&A in 2007 and now at the Academy of Motion Pictures Museum in Los Angeles, was the most successful exhibition in the V&A’s history. 268,000 people saw the show in fourteen weeks in the winter of 2012-13. The show began a new chapter for its creator, Deborah Nadoolman Landis. I spoke to Deborah about her career in costume design and her inspiration for the exhibition.

“I think I have to start with my life. I was a practitioner, a working costume designer in Hollywood and in the theatre until I was in my early 40s – working consistently designing movies. We are taught as designers to live backstage in the dark, that’s the culture. I was naturally very reticent and shy. I had never had my picture taken on any film that I worked on.

If you’re looking for me on the set of Michael Jackson’s Thriller, I’m not there. And by my choice. I never walked in the background as an extra, I was never a part of the crew. Costume designers are like this, this is the professional culture of our world”. But as Deborah stepped away from Hollywood and enrolled at the Royal School of Art with Sir Christopher Frayling, she began to reflect on the industry to which she had devoted her life, and what it was missing. “I realised I had a place, I had a voice, I had a role”, and, most importantly, “I had another story to tell”. So when the V&A embraced the concept, Deborah saw it as a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity. ‘I knew that the exhibition had to be the expression of everything that I knew and had learnt from my colleagues’.

“If you’re looking for me on the set of Michael Jackson’s Thriller, I’m not there. And by my choice.”

‘Hollywood Costume’ is the culmination of Deborah’s life’s work, her practice and scholarship. To my

surprise, Deborah could not find a West Coast venue for an exhibition on Hollywood costume. “Why be surprised”, she assured me, “costume designers have no value here; it’s an industry town, there’s nothing special about costume design here in Los Angeles”. Indeed, Deborah was urged not to do the exhibition by friend and fellow costume designer Jim Acheson, who dismissed the idea as ‘dead frocks on dummies’.

So Deborah realised she needed not only to celebrate costume designers and their work, but win her industry over. And she did so by creating a dynamic and emotional spectacle.

The perspective of ‘Hollywood Costume’ is not Hollywood as a vehicle for depicting unobtainable beauty, but costume design as an integral vehicle of storytelling.

It combines original film clips and interviews with a speciallycommissioned musical score, leading you on a journey through some of the most iconic moments in movie history. “It’s sight and sound and your remembrances, your souvenirs of that moment in time when you were first introduced to these unforgettable people”. Deborah recasts the costumes as the stars of the show.

From Marilyn Monroe’s billowing white dress from The Seven Year Itch to the blue and white-checked dress worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz, each piece reveals the integral role of the designer as storyteller. “I would not allow those clothes, shabby and beautiful and everything in between, to be ripped from the artistic and creative context from which they were designed”.

The exhibition thus reveals Deborah’s powerful intuition when it comes to telling stories. ‘I am embarrassed to use the word truth but when a film is working the audience has to be a believer. If we are not believing that the people in the movie had a life before the movie, then what’s the point’. I asked whether she considered bad design to be responsible for bad movies. “Everyone’s had that experience of watching a woman run through the jungle with perfect hair, perfect lipstick, and wearing

high heels. You are looking at your girlfriend and saying, really?” What good designers do is enable audiences to suspend disbelief. “When Dorothy, the Scarecrow, and the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz are dancing on the yellow brick road, they are close to hitting the wall at the back of the stage where Oz is painted, but you don’t think about it because you believe in it and you are there – you’re buying it, you’re loving it, and you’re in the movie. We, the costume designers, are giving them that”.

“What good designers do is enable audiences to suspend disbelief. ”

Cinema audiences are savvy, more so today than ever before, so directors have just a few frames to help us make that imaginative leap and absorb us into their stories. The costume designer is integral this process, working with the director to design every frame. For Deborah, the creation of real people in the centre of the frame, at the crosshairs of the frame, is key. “It’s not the special effects, we’re madly in love with special effects but that’s not what’s going to make us believe. It’s going be the people every time. And the design – the hair and make-up, the costume, and everything else in the frame – is going to support the narrative and help us believe”. As the season of Christmas blockbusters approaches, it is worth reflecting on the enduring appeal of honest and creative storytelling. The costume designer is a serious creative force, the figure who actualises and brings to life the people we fall in and out of love with on the big screen.

Deborah Nadoolman Landis, Academy Award®–nominated costume designer and founding director of UCLA’s David C. Copley Center for the Study of Costume Design, whose credits include National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Coming to America (1988) and the music video for Michael Jackson’s Thriller (1983).

18 Stage

27th November 2014

Stage

Lessons in gender from “intellectually ambitious” Orlando OxStu Stage reviews two performances of Orlando as Dom Applewhite and Gráinne O’Mahony take turns in the title role

James Waddell Pembroke College

L

ast week, Tim Stanley proudly flaunted his ignorance in The Telegraph over what exactly gender is, snorting: “Apparently a “cis” is someone who identifies with the same gender that they were born with. So that’s a thing now”.

Yes, Tim, it is a thing now – and, as Niall Docherty and Livi Dunlop’s difficult but well-executed production of Virginia Woolf’s quasi-autobiographical gender-bending novel proves, it’s been a thing for at least a few centuries. Or millennia. It’s difficult to tell; time in this play is malleable, contorting and folding over itself, jumping hundreds of years, in a lifetime, in an hour and forty minute run-time.

The staging is sparse enough to bear the sometimes relentlessly mercurial plot, with Keble’s O’Reilly Theatre draped all in white, and with the chorus that physically illustrates Woolf’s beautifully lyrical descriptions in androgynous

white singlets.

The chorus were initially over-stylized, a little too smug in their slickly rehearsed stichomythia delivery of Woolf’s text.

Making a stab at DV8-style physicality was always going to be a push for a troupe of actors rather than dancers.

But their energy and obvious relish went on to make for some of the most striking images of the night, as they conjured up everything from Elizabethan feasts and carnivals to the busy streets of 20th century London.

Dominic Applewhite and Gráinne O’Mahony alternate in the titular role and that of Elizabeth I, in accordance with the original’s fluid conception of gender. I saw Applewhite first – having missed him in The Pillowman, in a performance that stirred up what The Tab so eloquently described as a “massive circle-jerk within the student body”, I was expecting fireworks.

He was phenomenal, but not in the way that I’d expected. Apart from climactic moments (screaming his lover’s name in the midst of a storm whilst the clock strikes midnight), his Orlando was spritely and vital, but with a sort of Holden Caulfield-cumHamlet contradictoriness, a difficulty in expression that was obviously very

complex, but neither the audience nor Orlando ever really had time to get to the bottom of it.

We feel, as Woolf puts it, “as if he had been hooked by a great fish through the nose and rushed through the waters unwillingly, yet with his own consent”.

As for the gender-swap halfway, it was remarkable in that it just seemed so, normal. Which is what it is, of course – Woolf descends from lofty poeticism to matter-of-fact statement as it happens: “Let psychologists and biologists determine. But there’s no denying it –

PHOTO/ George Mather

she was a woman”.

Gráinne O’Mahony put in an excellent turn as Elizabeth I, with a perfect balance of sensuality, pathos, and extreme power, mixed just evenly enough that we can’t quite tell them apart.

In round two, the roles were switched – although it was worth seeing twice just to rewatch Femi Nylander’s comic turn as Romanian Duchess/Duke (it becomes clear – sort of).

O’Mahony struggled for Applewhite’s multivalence and profundity as Orlando, but went some way to making up for it in her fire and zest. Applewhite was also strong as Elizabeth I, but the parallelism between the two characters was unclear, muddying the device – it seems it would have been better to have one Elizabeth, and two alternating Orlandos.

Nevertheless, despite its occasional thorniness, this was certainly one of the most intellectually ambitious productions I’ve seen in Oxford, and although it might not have achieved all of its aims, it certainly made one important one –showing up people like Tim Stanley for the crass, uninformed, brutish bigots they are. All we need to do now is to use Orlando’s profits to send him a copy of Gender Trouble.

Not just child’s play: kids are given a voice in Monkey Bars Siddharth Venkataramakrishnan

Pembroke College

I

got my first taste of Monkey Bars last Saturday, at a rehearsal in St. John’s. Director Siwan Clark discussed her own motivation for putting on a production of the awardwinning show from her mother’s work with vulnerable children, as the cast

PHOTO/ Zoe Dickey

acted out a selection of scenes. Seeing the whole production in the intimate setting of the Burton Taylor Studio, I’m pleased to see, shows the same verve and energy from the preview.

Based on interviews conducted by Counsellor Karl James, Monkey Bars takes the words of 7 to 14-year old children and gives them to adults in adult environments. The result is an oddly disconcerting work, which can move from a perfectly mature discussion to a childish squabble within sentences.

The setting certainly plays to the production’s advantage. Bar a microphone, the stage is made up of black blocks, on which the actors draw out the props with chalk.

Chairs become tables; tables become podiums. Between the scenes, the actors stalk about, their business drab as expressionless as their faces while an oppressive beat plays in the background.

It feels unfair to single out any one actor because of the great standard, but also due to the strong connection between them. Rosalind Brody’s air of sugared haughtiness, all head rolls and high laughs, plays off against

the intensity of Charlotte Fraser as she discusses politics, patriotism, and supporting the Queen.

Freddie Popplewell and Ben Goldstein play perfect ‘old-beforetheir-time’ students, griping about the behaviour of girls in their generation, worrying about the Scylla and Charybdis of venturing outside and being mugged, or staying indoors and suffering from rickets.

Calam Lynch takes on the role of attention-seeker and show-off in a scene at a dinner table, blurting out about a bike accident in a vain attempt to gain street cred.

Connie Treves offers a particularly notable performance as Grace, the girl who gives the name to the play from when she fell off the monkey bars and broke her arm. Her monologues are direct and blunt, and the message which comes out is a feeling of never being heard.

Perhaps most strikingly different from the preview is the audience’s opinion, and the variety therein.

Though a number of lines draw in guffaws from the whole theatre, there are just as many moments where many audience members

see the children’s words as rather more serious. It certainly feels as if we are participating in the play, and discerning just what the words mean to us. Topics ranging from religion to domestic violence appear between the more comic sequences, the children’s curiosity seemingly oblivious to taboos.

These moments are the tenderest and perhaps the strongest parts of the play, their brilliance foregrounded by the humour which pervades much of the rest of the production. The speed of the scenes – and the fluidity of character, with the role of Karl James shared between the actors – keeps away the danger of it all becoming saccharine.

The only part of the production which feels out of place is the end, which (though I won’t spoil it) doesn’t seem to fit in as well with the clever and well-executed premise.

Nevertheless, Monkey Bars is a fascinating, funny, provoking work, and one well worth watching.

Following scandal after scandal involving mistreatment of children, it is satisfying to see that they are given a voice.

Stage 19

27th November 2014

“It can prove more difficult to get into the Imps than Oxford uni”

Selected from over 100 applicants, nine ecstatic new Oxford Imps talk to the OxStu about their up-and-coming debut Phillip Babcock

St Stephen’s House

T

he outrageously funny new generation of Oxford Imps will make their grand debut live on stage at the Wheatsheaf pub, 129 High St. on 1st December at 7:20pm.

The evening promises to be one of the highlights of the Michaelmas term for the comedic troupe, which has become renowned for delighting crowds with its crazy antics, spontaneous unpredictability, and rapid-fire jokes.

There are nine “nubes”, seven of whom are stage performers and two who are new pianists. The stage performers, according to co-producer Francesca Evans, were selected from over 100 auditioners for the prized opportunity to join the group. “It actually can prove more difficult getting into the Imps than to Oxford Uni itself,” Evans said.

This year’s new additions to The Oxford Imps are Adam Mastroianni, Harry Houseman, Francesca Forristal, Josh James, Sam Davies Una, Kevin Pinkoski, Dawn Parsonage-Kent, Lydia Allegranza France, and Oliver Mills.

Having spent eight weeks building up to this performance, Evans remarked that 1st December is going to be “a big deal” for the “nubes.” “It’s so special,” she continued, “it’s their chance, if they’re a stage Imp or on piano if they’re a Pianimp, to improvise in front of a paying audience, so their hard work and dedication over the past term really

pays off.”

When asked what it felt like to be selected as an Imp, Mastroianni, Ph.D. social psychology, said it was absolutely “IMPcredible” while Forristal quipped, “it’s so much fun being part of an amazing, weirdly dysfunctional family where everyone is mental in a brilliant way.” “It’s like being part of a clandestine secret society…but a very nice one,” said Pinkoski.

The best part of being an Imp, according to Mills, a law student, is that improvisers tend to be “cool, crazy people.” Allegranza France, Ph.D. biology, agreed: “I love doing scenes with the Imps and coming up with crazy stories that would never happen, even in film.”

“It’s like being part of a clandestine secret society... but a very nice one”

Nube pianist Josh, quipped: “For me, the Imps’ yacht was the biggest attraction.” Parsonage-Kent, who used to write comedy for the BBC, described the experience “like being in a band with its mix of personalities” whereas Houseman, an archaeology and anthropology student, loved the fact that the Imps “push the boundaries” and produce absolutely “ridiculous characters.”

The most difficult aspect of being an Imp, according to Mastroianni, is “not thinking” but “switching off your mind” so that it is open and receptive

to rapidly evolving situations live on stage. “Leaving any form of pride or insecurity at the door” is key, according to Forrestal.

Several Imps agreed that singing on stage was the biggest challenge, particularly since songs had to be simultaneously in tune, witty, and on track story-wise. While Mills has absolutely no regrets, he admits that being an Imp is a “huge time commitment that dominates your life.

You also have to keep your energy up for all the performances and this requires a lot of commitment and focus”.

All of the new Imps expressed their excitement and enthusiasm for their upcoming debut on 1st December at the Wheatsheaf. “I’m gagging for it,” Forrestal proclaimed. “I want to be there, to stand before an audience and humiliate myself and be laughed at. I need applause to live.”

The event is sure to be a sell-out.

Doors will open at 7:20pm for an 8pm start. Given the level of talent, the evening promises to be full of laughter as well as a rollicking good time. It is a must-see for anyone looking for side-splitting humour.

The Oxford Imps perform every Monday at 8pm at The Wheatsheaf

PHOTO/ Phillip Babcock

Olivia Sung St Catherine’s College

N

ext up, Assassins, the O’Reilly’s penultimate Michaelmas show and it’s Sondheim, so you know it’s going to be a banger. So far the process has been as far a cry from Jerusalem as you could imagine: (a) All my limbs are, at the moment, fully-functioning (touch wood); (b) I actually know what the costumes are going to look like, which is always useful when you’re the costume designer, you know, and I might as well admit now – since it’s all in the hazy past (aka 4th week) – that I can’t exactly say the same about the last weekend of the previous production ... but thankfully, we did have a visionary director with a wardrobe more magical than Narnia to help us out, so there you go; (c) The only thing to have gone wrong, so far, is ASOS bailing at the last on a pair of rather fine brown mid-century trousers, and I guess I’ll figure out in the morning whether or not that’s a problem (nothing wrong about a pantsless Lee Harvey Oswald, right?); (d) No tattoos; (e) It’s a musical!

In the meantime, however, I’ve been musing lately on the wider implications of the costumier’s eye, and naturally I’ve been observing a lot of thesps and drama types in their natural habitat. And here’s the thing: everyone’s dressing the part.

It’s a bit twee to say that most people choose their everyday clothes based, at some subliminal level, on the desire to perpetuate a personal performance... but yeah, doesn’t make it any less true.

And with the drama set, it’s like doing just that – but, you know, amped up on some kind of sparkly Shakespearian legal amphetamine.

With that in mind, I’ve taken note of a few of my favourite get-ups spotted traipsing the wings so far. It’s by no means a comprehensive list, and I’m not saying any of these are representative of anybody actually doing theatre in Oxford at the moment … But, you know. Use your imagination.

Mortuary Chic. The go-to uniform of the hardworking tech individual, it’s black-on-black-on-black. No variation.

Not even grey. Not even patterned socks peeking out, rebelliously, in that gap between your jeans and shoes. You might scrape a bit of navy, but you’ll definitely be uber-conscious of the disapproving looks you’re getting from the stage manager, so best not to risk it. Also, black skinny jeans are a tenuous point, only observed by the true rookie, or the seasoned pro.

The pro wears the pair with just enough nylon stretch in the cotton mix for them to be comfortable, yet un-prohibitive. The rookie wears that tight, low-slung, stiff new pair from Topshop… and promptly

tears them right up the backside seam while bending over a lighting rig. Think of your future career respectability, and don’t be the latter.

Sophistatech. Bit of an upgrade, but only because sophistatechs tend not to be doing quite as much hard graft. I like to think of myself as a bastion for sophistatech style, although anyone who saw how frizzy my hair got in a backstage dressing room (admittedly filled with ten sweaty men, which was definitely not as appealing as it sounds) will probably disagree with you there, and have some grounds for it. But anyway. The sophistatech wears appropriately dark and subdued but ever-classy clothes, usually a uniform of cigarette pants and dolman knits. My staple is platform booties. Always good.

Until you try to flirt with actors and put makeup on them at the same time. And forget the floor. And stumble. And fall into five bins.

Emily, the producer for Assassins, also has sophistatech style down. She, however (to my knowledge at least) has never fallen into a backstage bin, flirtatiously or otherwise.

Producercheck. Red check shirts over white t-shirts, scruffed-at-the-knees jeans, functional shoes and a demonstrably level-headed smile. This is the uniform, I’ve noticed, of the top designers and producers. They get bright colours, because once the show gets underway, they get to be front of house and don’t need to crawl around in mud and tulle and LEDs backstage, generally. And also because bright colours = cheer, and they’re vital morale boosting champions, as well as everything else.

The Demigod Shirt. I’m not calling anyone out on this specifically, but as a rule: the more important s/he (thinks) s/he is, the less likely s/he is to iron a shirt. There is a specific kind of shirt belonging to the truly accomplished theatre persona: it’s a little bit silky, a little bit billowy, a little bit oversized, it’s open at the neck to reveal a poetic triangle of bare flesh, it’s a romantic nod to the Renaissance stage/the Herculean demigods of Aristotlean theatre (by way of the Burton summer sale)... and it’s easily divested.

Which is good, because I’ve been here over a year now, and I’ve seen an awfully high proportion of general shirtlessness on the Oxford stage, everywhere from the BT to the O’Reilly to… well. Other places too. I think there’s something intelligent and constructive and metatheatrical or whatever behind the logic of this. I also think people must be getting really cold by now.

Focused Leadership Training for Women Students

OUSU WOMEN’S

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Programme Aims To develop leaders who are confident in their ability to lead in a variety of contexts, can fully engage with their communities, can speak into and change systems and organisations, and understand the unique difficulties and opportunities that come with leading as a woman.

Applying

PROGRAMME

Structure

The programme has two streams:

The programme accepts current students who wholly or partially identify as women and/or transfeminine from any background.

Community Groups - large group training sessions for all participants on topics such as assertiveness, public speaking and negotiation.

Applications will be available from OUSU’s Vice-President (Women) at women@ousu.ox.ac.uk, from Monday of 6th week to Friday of 8th week of Michaelmas Term.

Family Groups - facilitated small group discussions in which participants explore, exchange and unpack ideas and skills from the Community Group sessions.

sponsored by

OxStuff 17

One to watch

When Phillip Babcock first approached our stall at Freshers' Fair, camera in hand, proudly donning his Oxford University T-Shirt and leather jacket, little did we know of the beautiful love affair that was to develop between this auspicious publication and one member of St Stephen's House.

Contributing more content to this term's paper than any other staff writer, Phillip started off in News, breaking the story of an incipient partnership between the University Computer Science department and tech wonks at Google.

Diversifying into the kooky,

clourful bounds of the backpages, PB followed up with a feature on social entrepreneurship in 4th week, only to add yet another string to his bow in 6th, taking the faithful readers of the OxStu behind the scenes of Oxford Fashion Week.

Phillip tops off his Michaelmas portfolio this week with an interview of the Oxford Imps in Stage (see OXII p.23). What will his next appearance be? Who can say – Phillip is mystery as much as he is man. What better reason than this keenly to await the 0th-week Hilary issue?

PHOTO/Alexander Darby

20th November 2014

Phillip Babcock, St Stephen's House

OxStuff

Cliterary Theory

never had a bucket list. While some try Ithe’vedesperately to garner coital encounters in library, on the quad, or bent over high

table, I have only one aspirational location.

And now, in the early hours of the morning, I’m finally going to fulfil my dream. I’m going to have sex in the President’s Office at the Oxford Union.

For those of you who have never been to this illustrious place, there is a certain shabby chic to it, in the battered leather of the sofas and the weathered windowsills, dusted with tobacco and other substances.

Once we enter the room, my paramour and I are presented with a plethora of available surfaces for our love-making. There are the low sofas and the various chairs, then there’s the vast governmental table, shimmering with the sweat of a thousand rutting hacks who have consummated their love in the same place. For the more daring, there is even the possibility of climbing through the window of the librarian’s office and engaging in amorous acts on the roof on top of the President’s office. But we pass over all of these enticing options for the prize position: the President’s desk.

On this holiest of furnishings, where a long line of budding Prime Ministers have wept and drunk champagne and undoubtedly spilled other fluids, we are caught in an

embrace. The moment is made no less passionate by the presence of a photo on one wall, from which five hundred Edwardian Union members stare dully out at us.

But it seems my conquest is no small member himself, and as we participate in our own union, I note that he would certainly get my vote. When the president enters the chamber at the beginning of the debate, it is customary to give a round of applause; I would certainly afford my date the same courtesy if my hands were not wrapped around his back, for his chamberentering skills are certainly on par. He is, of course, already giving me a standing ovation (despite sitting down).

Whilst in the throes of bliss, the only strange moment is when I look over his shoulder and accidentally make eye contact with Hans, the

John’s was in turmoil last weekend, when the Entz officers were forced by junior deans to change the name of the traditional ‘XXXmas Bop’ to something a bit tamer and less sexxxualising. Hardcore boppers rose up in defiance of the intervention, rallying on FB to post as many skimpy snaps as possible. Carnage ensued, with a prominent minority arriving to bop as unwrapped gifts. John’s JCR ended up spending an hour discussing the future of bop themes, and the exxxcessive photos of scantilyclad members. BOP veterans reminded newbies that the XXXmas Bop was effectively a John’s institution, the theme churned out every Oxmas for the past eight years. Exxxtremely unnerved members of the JCR pointed out that ‘XXX’ had a strong association with pornography. And here I was thinking it was just a few kisses xxx

John's 'XXXmas' Bop

+30

HackDaq -15k

Jessica Sinyor and Jack Myers It's time to crack out the "So You Thought You Were

giant teddy bear who inhabits the office. His glassy eyes stare at me in an exceedingly judgmental fash- ion, but I soon lose interest as my lover reaches the end of his campaign.

And then, like an election it’s all over at once. The excitement of the whole thing soon wears off, and in the manner of losing candidates, we share a cigarette to ease the disappointment. Sadly, our encounter has had the same result as the Digital Stalking panel from last term: only one person came.

Relevant" leaflets again. After eight weeks pretending to report on/give a shit about/have some knowledge pertaining to the notable goings-on of Oxford life, it's time for this Peter's Engling and John's Historian to crawl back under the rocks of obscurity whence they crawled to throw themselves, bright-eyed and bushytailed, at student 'journalism' all those issues ago. It's hard to know why, but Sinyor seems unpeturbed by her impending anonymity. "I'm a social dynamo," she questionably declares, confident in her abilities to find some friends after losing the warm illusion of human companionship that the senior editorial team offers.

Myers has been coping less well, with reports reaching the news team of his sitting outside Park End sobbing quietly to himself whilst biting past issues of the paper. Some commentators surmise from the below photo that Myers and Sinyor are launching a bid for the editoriship of the Tab.

Tabitha Hackworthy PHOTO/REDTUBE.COM

13 OxStuff

OxDigs

29th November Oxford Vintage Oxford Town Hall

Parties

28th November Another Gaze: Sebastiane Somerville College

Fashion

27th November NUS Disabled History Month Conference, Wadham College

Film

Activism

OxStuff Pick of the Week

20th November 2014

30thNovember Skin Deep Launch Party Oxford Hub

PHOTOS/Jessica Sinyor

Presidential Address

Becky Howe OUSU President-elect PHOTO/Tom Barnett

OxStu Towers Once upon a time, in the highest room of the tallest OUSU building, there was a group of little elves who worked away day and night. Their endeavours were all in pursuit of one aim: to be one step ahead since 1991.

Yes, this is the den of the hacks and the newshounds, the hipsters and the Photoshop-wizards who put together this very publication.

The atmosphere is amplified by the constant and varying music. From

S Club 7 to disco hits, to alt-J to Rachmaninov, they’re not too picky.

In fact, the whole office has an eclectic feel to it. There is an ongoing wall of fortunes, garnered from latenight Noodle Nation trips. There is a hall of fame in the form of front pages going back to January 2013.

And, most importantly, there is a series of disturbing family portraits, created with the help of Photoshop.

There really is no place like the office.

Hi Becky! What’s the best thing about OUSU? It supports common rooms and allows them to do their jobs better. Also, it sounds like “OW!” and “ZOO” and I love zoos and I love pain – oh my god, please don’t use that. I’m joking about pain.

Not about zoos, I love zoos.

How would you compare zoos and OUSU? They’re two very different entities with surprising crossovers. Firstly, zoos are primarily there for the good of humans. So is OUSU. Secondly, zoos are controversial. Some people just don’t like them.

Just like OUSU. Thirdly, if you wanted a really good day out, let’s face it – you wouldn’t go to the zoo. You’d go to Thorpe Park and ride on the Nemesis Inferno. Similarly, if you wanted a really good day out, you probably would go to Thorpe Park over the OUSU offices. Nevertheless, zoos and OUSU perform important functions.They both look after beings. Side note: did you ever play Zoo Tycoon as a child? It was marvellous.

Do you consider your presidency a game of OUSU tycoon?

Do you know what, I just might do I hadn’t considered it that way, but now you ask – it could be fitting.

If OUSU were a band or musical artist, who would they be?

I would compare OUSU to Sia. She’s good at what she does, and she also likes collaborating with people. A lot of her work isn’t widely known, and only her biggest hits are in the public eye. She’s also written a lot of songs for other artists. Either that or Blazin’ Squad, because the OUSU executive team is somewhat like a big crew, and we will offer help at the crossroads of your life, if you so desire.

Thanks Becky!

Please edit this so I sound fit to take on a position of responsibility.

3rd December OUWO Michaelmas Concert St Peter’s College

Societies

2nd November Burning Down the House Cellar

Music

Clubbing

Christmas

1st December Meeting of Minds Christmas Party Merton College

3rd December The Violoro Quartet New College Chapel

See our What’s On Calendar on oxfordstudent. com for event listings

OxStuff 14

20th November 2014

Rosie's Recipes

PHOTO/Rosie Shennan

What you were reading on oxfordstudent.com

Ultimate foodie Rosie Shennan shares some of her student-oriented recipes this term to help you battle freshers’ flu, 5th week blues and get in the Oxmas spirit. Follow her on Instagram @a_scone_atatime or her blog asconeatatime.wordpress.com

Ingredients

The perfect Christmas treat to get you out of 8th week and into the holiday spirit! Makes about 60 small biscuits.

1.

Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment and heat the oven to 160C/gas 4.

2.

In a bowl, mix the flour, spices, sugar and baking powder. Then add the orange zest and eggs, stirring well.

3.

Using your hands, work the dough. When all the dry mixture is incorporated, add the cranberries and almonds.

4.

Divide the dough into 3, and roll each portion into a sausage shape – about the length of the baking sheet. Place with space between, and bake for about 30 mins.

5.

Before it goes golden, bring out from the oven and slice on the diagonal to form biscuit shapes of about 1cm thick. Replace these onto the baking sheet (you might need to do this in two batches) 6.

Turn the oven down to 120C/gas 1 and on each side for 15 mins, turning in between.

2. Abortion culture debate provokes student outrage Adam Dayan 3. Becky Howe wins OUSU presidency Tom Roles 4. How do we slash our sugar intake?

Joseph Mansour 5. Roberto Weeden-Sanz unopposed for President Nick Mutch

Puzzles

350 g plain flour 250 g caster sugar 2 tsp baking powder ½ tsp cinnamon ½ tsp ground cloves ½ tsp allspice ½ tsp ground ginger ½ tsp ground nutmeg zest of two oranges 3 large eggs 150g dried cranberries 150g whole blanched almonds

Cranberry Almond Biscotti

1. Christ Church cancels abortion debate Matthew Davies

Easy

Difficult

I feel really homesick; what can I do?

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ADVICE SERVICE

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Features 27th November 2014

Christopher Fountain

Features 17

PHOTO/KathrynYengel

St Edmund Hall

T

here is one Oxford college that won’t have turned up on your UCAS form and wouldn’t have been able to accommodate you during you DPhil programme. There is one admissions process that makes the undergraduate rigmarole look like a local library application. There is one Oxford college that looms over the Radcliffe Camera but is blissfully ignored by trigger-happy tourists. It is the final destination for the smartest, most determined and most promising students in the British education system: All Souls.

The college typically accepts two postgraduate students per year.

Sometimes they don’t deem anyone up to their standard. Before candidates can apply they must meet stringent academic standards: Oxford or equivalent degree with first class honours. Eligible candidates are then welcome to take the college’s notoriously difficult and

Inside All Souls: Oxford’s most exclusive college open-ended entrance exam. Every September around fifty students sit the four exams: two compulsory general papers and two on specialist subjects. Hopefuls can pick from law, literature, classics, and economics among others.

The College typically accepts two postgraduate students per year.

Sometimes they don’t deem anyone up to their standard Amia Srinivasan, who was admitted to the college in 2011, thinks that more students should challenge themselves and take the exams. “Difficulty or ease doesn’t really come into it”, she says, “there are lots of questions, many quite open-ended, and there is no risk of failing the exam. The task is to find something to say, preferably non-boring, on the spot, and get it down quickly – a task which is surprisingly enjoyable”.

If that thought fills you with dread then All Souls probably isn’t the institution for you. Liz Chatterjee, who has been at the college since

2008, also thinks more students should push themselves and take a shot at an Examination Fellowship.

“Psychologically”, she says, “the exams are much easier than Finals, because there’s nothing resting on them. Some of the questions are almost fun, or at least provide a good anecdote: one of those I answered was the celebrated ‘Does the moral character of an orgy change when the participants wear Nazi uniforms?’”

Kiwi Max Harris is one of two students who were admitted to the college earlier this month and he praised the opportunity to explore esoteric topics in the exam. “The exam was long”, Max says, “it’s twelve hours of writing but it’s very memorable too. The Law questions allowed me to explore issues that I’d thought a bit about but on which for the most part - I hadn’t done any academic writing. The General questions involved topics that I’d had conversations with other people about in pubs or flats - for example, on cooperatives, or why the gay rights movement has been successful in the West - but that, again, I hadn’t investigated in any depth.”

The exams are not the end of the ordeal and selected candidates don’t get the comfort of a cosy interview in a fellow’s office. During a viva around 55 fellows question candi-

dates on their exam answers during a 25-minute encounter.

“The viva was a bewildering thing”, Amia says, “it was a sea of fellows in gowns. I was questioned on my philosophy papers by Derek Parfit and Myles Burnyeat, two giants of the discipline. But everyone was very nice, and the whole thing ends quite quickly, and apparently I managed not to make too much of a fool of myself”

Around 55 fellows question candidates during a 25-minute encounter

Max agrees that the viva process is an academic honour. “It is a bit of a privilege having your ideas analysed by so many amazing people in one room”, Max says. “I was asked about contradictions across my answers, implications of my arguments, alternative ways of approaching the questions, and more. I didn’t think it had gone very well but I did enjoy the experience.”

Henry VI and the then Archbishop of Canterbury Henry Chichele founded All Souls in 1468. Although the college did at one time accept undergraduate students, Chichele’s

founding charter enshrined the college’s unique position in Oxford. It was hoped that the college’s ‘clerical milita’ would serve both church and state and would train for the priesthood whilst also pursuing further study. Thanks to Chichele’s huge initial investment, Oxford’s ninth oldest college still boats one of the university’s largest endowments.

The college’s vast wealth enables them to offer hopeful applicants an inimitable package: automatic fellowship, a seat on the college’s governing board, total academic freedom, housing, and generous sponsorship. There isn’t even an obligation to remain a full-time academic during that time.

“It’s a place of remarkable freedom, particularly in the UK academic context” Amia says. “I had the leisure to do my DPhil at my own pace, taking four years to write my dissertation. Along the way I got to teach seminars, run conferences, and do some non-academic writing. The squeeze on graduate funding makes this an increasingly rare thing.”

Members also boast that the gothic college itself is a fantastic place to live and study. “All Souls only has around 75 Fellows”, Liz says, “so it’s much smaller than other colleges and you very quickly get to know everyone. That means it’s surprisingly friendly, non-cliquey, and

sociable—there are film clubs, wine tastings, etc. Of course, there are no Bad Taste bops or crew dates—but we cope.”

“There are no Bad Taste bops or crew dates but we cope” The college’s idiosyncracy is also a major draw. “In some ways it’s just as you would expect: scholarly, eccentric, dusty”, Amia says, “but in other ways it is a surprising place, with ever increasing diversity, and a real sense of community. We know how to throw a good party.”

Tempted? Liz and Amia recommend familiarising yourself with some past papers, reading widely and debating obtuse topics before having a go at supposedly the hardest exam in the world. A love of learning, a sense of fun, and intellectual curiosity are also imperative.

“It’s first date rules”, Amia says. “Be yourself, have fun, and see where it goes.”

“The college takes specialist knowledge seriously”, Liz says.

“Know and enjoy the subject you’ve chosen to sit in. Don’t be afraid to be a bit more ambitious. After all, what have you got to lose?”

18 Features

27th November 2014

A year in the life of the Living Wage Campaign Anastasia Solopova

Lincoln College

“A

t the present time, my wages just about pay household bills with a little left over for food. Maybe with a living wage, I wouldn’t have to worry as much during the cold winter months about the heating on at home,” said a cleaner at Oxford University in response to a recent survey by the Living Wage Campaign.

This highlights the importance of the Living Wage - a rate of £7.85 per hour, independently calculated to reflect the basic cost of living in the UK. And, with the cost of living rising fast, it shows just how urgently low paid workers need a wage capable of meeting their basic daily needs.

A recent study found Oxford to be the least affordable city to live in in the UK; in the last five years, utilities bills have risen a shocking 88%.

The Living Wage Campaign, which works to raise awareness about the importance of the Living Wage, has had a fantastic year. In an exciting development, this summer the University’s Planning, Resources and Allocation Committee recommended that the University seek to become an accredited Living Wage Employer

by May 2015.

Becoming an accredited Living Wage employer involves a commitment by the employer to updating their base rate of pay to reflect the

ever rising cost of living. This would be a huge step forward for the lowest paid workers in the University, easing the worry that, with the rising cost of living and falling real wages, they might not be able to meet basic needs - such as paying the rent - in a few years’ time. Speaking about what accreditation would achieve, one cleaner said “maybe it wouldn’t be such a worry every year when all of the household bills increase”.

This year, students in the campaign have turned up to give out cookies and information about the Living Wage to decision makers in the University, attend trainings, and listen to speakers - showing the strength of feeling in favour of the Living Wage among students at Oxford. Being in the campaign can be quite a lot of work. We’ve organised large events, written press releases, conducted surveys of staff, sent Freedom of Information requests to the colleges, and painted an enormous banner.

It’s a great campaign to be part of, as the Living Wage would make a huge positive difference to low-paid workers in our community.

The campaign has hosted some excellent speakers this year. One great speaker was Marlene Jimenez, a hotel worker and trade unionist. Marlene said that she has seen a deterioration of workers’ rights in the UK over the last ten years. She spoke about how restaurant workers and cleaners get ill due to stress, depression and overwork - a horrifying, yet often overlooked consequence of being on

PHOTO/LivingWageOxford

low pay. Danny Dorling, Professor of Geography at St. Peter’s College, was another great speaker - saying that, shockingly, some of the lowest wages in Oxford are now paid by the University and its constituent colleges.

The Living Wage doesn’t just benefit workers - it makes sense for employers to implement it. An independent study found that more than 80 per cent of employers believe that

the Living Wage had enhanced the quality of the work of their staff; after the implementation of the Living Wage, absenteeism fell by approximately 25 per cent. According to KPMG’s Head of Facilities Guy Stallard, “the actual cost of KPMG’s Facilities operation reduced” in the six years since the Living Wage was implemented. Employers are increasingly becoming aware of the benefits: in

the last year, the number of accredited Living Wage employers nationwide has doubled.

With the surge in employers accrediting and huge popular support, David Cameron is right to call the Living Wage “an idea whose time has come”. For its own benefit, as well as that of its lowest-paid staff, the University urgently needs to become an accredited Living Wage employer.

Breaking down binaries in the cosmetics industry and neutrally fragranced, and actually work. Sam wanted to challenge the misinformation about certain products that are aimed at teenagers, but actually aren’t very effective at all, only deepening the self-esteem problems they claim to magically fix.

Children are being subjected to incredibly damaging forms of marketing that are simply inappropriate

PHOTO/SamFarmer

Kathryn Walsh Oriel College

S

peaking to Sam Farmer, it is clear that he is a man on a mission. A former stay-at-home dad, Sam took his children to the supermarket to buy deodorant for the first time and was appalled by what he found: “rows and rows of pink sparkly cans with sinister editions of names like minx and tease,” and in an entirely different section to the male deodorants that “used language such as macho, power,

control and adrenaline”. At such a young and vulnerable age, children are being subjected to incredibly damaging forms of marketing that are simply inappropriate.

Thankfully for most of us, the days we spent suffocating in the Abercrombie & Fitch and lurid body spray-saturated air of a classroom are a distant memory. Yet not only did these products smell bad, they sent out a horrendous message: personal products aren’t very personal at all. They’re about making a statement that is so often caught up in hideous binary gender stereotypes. Sam’s children, just like all children, simply

shouldn’t have to put up with this. For Sam, it’s 2014 and “I’m still confronted with the idea that my daughter has to be sexually submissive and my son aggressive”.

A series of strongly worded letters simply wasn’t going to cut it. “I wanted my children to learn that in order to make change, sometimes you have to create it yourself.”

And that is exactly what Sam did.

He enrolled in further education, took a diploma in cosmetic science and created his own range of products, called SamFarmer, specifically for young people. The products are unisex, gently

“There’s so much money to be made from gender-splitting cosmetic products, but the science just doesn’t show a need for this.” From a cosmetic perspective, skin and hair simply do not differ between the sexes – a shampoo or moisturiser doesn’t ‘know’ whose hair or skin it’s working on. Yet by splitting the market in the name of profit, dangerous gender statements are being reinforced at such a young and vulnerable age, an age when young people should be supported as they discover and form their identities.

Transparency is a key issue for Sam; his name is on the products, he knows and understands the science behind them, and his personal mobile number is on the website. Sam is also clear that he selected the very best ingredients for the range, regardless of whether they were natural or synthetic. An emphasis

on gentle nourishing treatments does mean that most of the ingredients are natural, but that wasn’t the point of their selection. Sam wanted the products to work, and that they seem to do.

Sam’s message is loud and clear: young people should not have to put up with controversial marketing, cosmetics with questionable ingredients and very impersonal personal products. He also emphasises the idea of education through his products, “teaching my son, and all boys his age, not to tolerate the idea that he has to be macho and aggressive and that he shouldn’t allow girls to be presented as submissive objects”.

Described by Caitlin Moran as “a bad-ass idea,” it’s hard not to think of Sam as a bad-ass man himself. As a parent, you play such an important role in setting an example to your children.

Challenging so much that for so long remained unchallenged, Sam is setting the very best, most bad-ass example.

As Oxmas and (less importantly) Christmas are right around the corner, SamFarmer should be your go-to for gifts. While the products are aimed at teenagers, as a student in my twenties I can testify that they are not exclusively effective for people in that age category alone. The face wash, shampoo, conditioner, moisturiser, body wash and deodorant are all reasonably priced, and come in travel sizes too. Available both on his (cheap gimmick free) website and in Space NK stores, it’s time for a bit of “bodywashing not brainwashing” this Christmas.

Features 19

27h November 2014

Confessions of a hospital radio DJ: vinyl and fox costumes

PHOTO/ Radio West Fife

William Shaw Christ Church

O

ne of the biggest transitions I made in coming down to university was quitting my show on Hospital Broadcasting Sheffield. Every Friday night for the last two years I would journey to the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, climb the stairs to the very top floor, and enter the cramped, old-fashioned, slowly-crumbling-but-in-a-cosy-

kind-of-way studio. There I would meet up with my friends Jon, Neil and Rob, and present three hours of patient requests, other music, quizzes and chat. It was terrific fun.

In the grand scheme of charitable work, I know this is hardly the most noble or laborious endeavour, and I’m certain most students will have done much more productive or challenging things in the build up to university. One of the most important things to realise about doing hospital radio is that there is absolutely no guarantee that

anyone is listening, and so I can’t claim to have brought joy to millions or to have changed the world in some significant or tangible way.

But frankly, if I improved just one person’s experience of being in hospital, then I consider it two years very well spent.

One of my duties at HBS was to go and collect patient requests, and every Friday night I would visit wards downstairs from our studio, or ones at the Weston Park cancer Hospital, a five-minute walk away. I would approach people in their beds, apologetically wielding a clipboard and cheap biro, and go into my usual spiel: “Good evening, sorry to disturb you, I’m from hospital radio, would you like a request to be played tonight...?”

Getting to play these songs for people was a genuine pleasure

Most people were, completely understandably, apathetic about the whole thing – I know if I was in severe pain, the last thing I’d want to see is some spotty kid asking me if I want the Spice Girls or S Club 7. Characteristically Northern, some would respond with a sardonic request – the station’s two most requested songs were ‘I Want to Break Free,’ and ‘Please Release Me’.

Every week, however, a few people would respond positively, requesting a wide range of songs from Hayden to the Wombles. I would note them all down and then dutifully return to the studio to seek them out from our enormous vinyl collection; as I mentioned, we were an old-fashioned outfit. Getting to play these songs for people was a genuine pleasure.

I talk about my experiences “on the wards”, but I was really an interloper, appearing one moment and vanishing fifteen minutes later in a puff of hand sanitiser, and I really can’t write about my experiences without taking a moment to commend the superb work of every medical professional I met. More often than not I was a minor irritant to the staff; I had to check in with them at each ward before I could collect any requests, and more than once I was interrupted in trying to remember who sung “Everything is Awesome” because the patient who requested it had to have their blood pressure checked.

(Tegan and Sara, incidentally, which our fantastically stroppy music database only admitted after thorough cross-examination). The nurses, doctors, cleaners and other hospital staff were always extremely polite and professional when dealing with me, the interfering amateur, and I am very grateful to them for that, and have added it to my long list of “Reasons I am proud of the NHS”.

Another of the charity’s activities

was doing fundraising events- we would go to some local event or to a supermarket, and stand around with collection buckets, usually with a DJ there to lay down a few tracks, and collect donations from the public. One such event took place in February last year, and I was required to dress in a giant cartoon fox costume and shake a collecting tin for three hours.

I was required to dress in a giant cartoon fox costume

I got quite a few donations from passers-by, but I was a little more preoccupied with the fact that I couldn’t see much past the bridge of my nose, and I emerged from the costume severely dehydrated.

Fortunately, no photos seem to exist of this event.

Looking back on my time at hospital radio, fox costume and all, I would say that it was an incredibly rewarding experience. I met some amazing people and had a number of interesting experiences. And this Christmas, I will be returning for a few guest appearances. I’m looking forward to seeing my old mates again.

I just hope they haven’t got that new reindeer costume in yet.

Volunteering for outreach at Oxford Christopher Fountain St Edmund’s Hall

A

n Oxford education is undoubtedly one of the greatest privileges the British education system has to offer. The chance to pursue esoteric academic disciplines, chat about life with internationally renowned thinkers, and prance around sixteenthcentury castles dressed in black tie is an experience that most people will never be able to access.

It can feel like an unattainable alien world to many prospective students But it can feel like an unattainable alien world to many prospective students. Oxford’s various widening participation programmes aim to change that. Schemes run by the admissions office and OUSU debunk myths about higher education and encourage students to raise their aspirations. The schemes aren’t necessarily aimed at future Oxford undergraduates; the university hopes, however, that the students targeted will move on to some form of higher education in the future.

“Widening participation work

is about changing attitudes and perceptions first and foremost”, Oxford’s Media Relations manager Julia Paolitto says. “We are getting pupils to engage with higher education generally, or perhaps thinking about continuing education in some form even if it’s not a university.”

Compass is one of the university’s most innovative schemes. It is aimed at secondary school students who have caring responsibilities at home and hopes to smooth their transition into higher education. The young carers are given workshops in essential skills and can even receive study tips and revision tutorials from current Oxford students. The scheme, which was set up in 2010, is currently celebrating its first successful Oxford undergraduate admission.

Volunteering as a student guide is one way that current Oxford students can contribute to the widening participation programme.

Students can also get involved in OUSU’s Target Schools initiative.

The scheme offers students the opportunity to be shadowed by a sixth former who is interested in applying to the university. The half-day observation gives the hopeful a chance to gain first-hand experience of Oxford’s idiosyncratic structure.

Volunteering opportunities also exist within the university’s widening participation team. It is possible to take part in one-day programmes

that target either secondary or primary students. Subject taster days give students the chance to delve deeper into a subject they are considering studying at university.

Schemes aimed at primary aged students aim to teach the children about the language of university and the opportunities available there.

“A very positive effect on student ambitions, attainment and attitudes” There is also the chance to take part in longer residential programmes. The popular “murder in the cloisters” weekend is targeted at Year 9s. Pupils spend a weekend in college and try to find clues and solve the case using interviews and forensic techniques taught by members of the university. The scheme helps to introduce secondary pupils to the vast array of subjects on offer at university.

The disparate nature of the schemes on offer makes it difficult to quantify the impact they have had on countless young people. “Because most of the students taking part in the programmes will be several years off thinking about university”, Julia says, “it’s hard to say for certain whether the decisions these students make several years down the line, or the results they attain several

PHOTO/Scott Ingram

years later, are the result solely of our intervention. But we do survey alumni of our programmes and track their higher education outcomes, and generally the indications point towards our programmes having a very positive effect on student ambitions, attainment and attitudes towards higher education.”

Interested? If you are passionate

about boosting the life chances of disadvantaged children, want someone to take your notes for half a day, or are simply interested in playing murder mystery then consider getting involved in one of OUSU’s schemes. Your Saturday afternoon could give someone else the chance to study in the city of dreaming spires.

20 Features

27th November 2014

Danny Cohen, Director of BBC Television, on neutrality and popularity Jessica Sinyor St Peter’s College

D

anny Cohen knows he’s in the right job. “I’ve always loved telly,” he confesses, before reeling off a list of the comedies, dramas and documentaries he has the opportunity to watch before they air.

Despite his meteoric assent through the television industry, Cohen still has a lot of time to spend in front of the small screen. Eighteen months in the job as the Director of BBC Television has not dented Cohen’s enthusiasm: “Yeah, I watch a lot of TV.” An English graduate from LMH, Cohen is back in Oxford to talk at the Union. Wrapped in his coat in the freezing Gladstone Room, he gives an amiable but somewhat rushed impression – his car has been stuck in traffic on the Banbury Road and he is keen to get back to London.

In his thick-framed glasses and with a layer of designer stubble, Cohen is doing little to counter the reputation for trendy, liberal management which has made him a favourite Daily Mail whipping boy. Even the BBC is prepared to acknowledge this persona – his alter ego in W1A, the Broadcasting House-based sitcom, has the dubious title of Head of Values. His genuine passion for TV is palpable, however, although he admits that he can no longer switch off by switching on: “I watch a lot of sport to relax – I

like watching football and cricket.

I don’t know how to make sports programmes, so I can watch them without thinking about how they’re made.”

His hipster image aside, what is most striking about Cohen is his youth. Appointed as Controller of BBC One aged 36, he was the youngest person ever to take on the role, and his appointment has helped to revitalise the institution.

His leadership style is all about bridging the gap between senior management and those who work on the floor; under Cohen, the BBC’s senior staff have worked on shows as runners, assistants and caterers – Cohen himself spent an afternoon in the costume department of Strictly Come Dancing.

“Are we a perfect institution that gets everything right? No broadcaster in the world is”

I sense the initiative has something to do with Cohen missing the creative satisfaction of directly commissioning programmes. He has an impressive track record for putting highly successful television programmes on air. During his time at Channel 4 and E4, he was responsible for some of the channels’ most popular output, from Fonejacker to The Inbetweeners and Skins.

Leaving E4 in 2007, Cohen’s three years at BBC Three saw the channel increase its share of young viewers by more than half. His strategy fostered home-grown talent such as Being Human alongside the acquisition of programmes from Australia and America; it is Cohen we can thank for BBC Three’s airing of Summer Heights High and Family Guy. For Cohen, there’s never been a more exciting time to work in the television industry. His own commissions as the former Controller of BBC One attest to the success of the series format in providing more opportunities for complex narratives developed over the course of weeks rather than two hours. From Call the Midwife to The Village, the shows for which Cohen has been responsible have attracted major British writing and acting talent, demonstrating the competition films now face from TV. Cohen believes the shift reflects “the quality of the work and the complexity of the work they can do [on television], the richness and range of the storytelling they can take on is actually more exciting, interesting and compelling in television than in movies.”

While the small screen threatens to rival the silver screen, Cohen is no longer at the vanguard of new TV. His new role is “slightly less interesting. It’s more about the reputation of the BBC, the strategic future, rather than ‘let’s do this drama, let’s choose this comedy, let’s work with this talent.’ I now manage the people who make those

decisions. You’re one step further away which has its benefits – but I do miss some of that creative input too.”

Cohen’s “strategic future” for the BBC has come under criticism; he is determined for instance to have more women on primetime television, starting with comedy panel-shows, often seen as the preserve of male comedians. In February he promised viewers that shows such as Mock the Week and QI would work harder to ensure that they included at least one female panellist.

“If you spend public money, you want as many people as possible to enjoy the progammes”

Despite accusations of encouraging tokenism from BBC-regulars such as Dara O’Briain, Cohen is determined to push ahead; “It wasn’t happening fast enough, and we still had too many shows which didn’t have any women on them. I would never say that it needs to be 50-50, or that it’s got to be exactly this every week, but it’s not right that we have these all male shows. I do think it’s possible to find lots of funny women to appear on them.

“Over time you will see a lot more women in these shows, and we’ll then have a better gender balance.

I think that’s what we need.”

Cohen’s acute awareness of the BBC’s sometimes sub-par record

on representation reflects the responsibility he feels as the head of a taxpayer-funded broadcaster. While he disputes the claim that the BBC is ratings-obsessed, Cohen is candid about the difficulty of producing programmes that are both critically successful and popular: “I always believe that if you spend public money, you want as many people as possible to enjoy the programmes. You want as many people as possible to take entertainment or education – what’s even more important is that they’re really high quality.” The BBC’s mission statement under Cohen clearly remains to “inform, educate and entertain”.

With such ambitious values at its core, how can the BBC ensure that it offers neutral reportage and analysis for its viewers? “Our impartiality is really, really, really important to us, and you see us come under pressure from both sides.” Cohen cites the Scottish devolution debate as an occasion when the BBC had to “work incredibly hard to maintain that impartiality”.

Cohen is realistic about the possibility of ever providing truly impartial news coverage. “Are we a perfect institution that gets everything right? No broadcaster in the world is.” He is, however, confident about the BBC’s commitment to neutrality: “Do we work harder than any broadcaster in the world at our impartiality? I believe so, yes.”

PHOTO/Roger Askew

Sign up for MOVEMBER Oxford RAG is running the annual intercollegiate Movember fundraising competition and we need you! Just go to movember.com to register and search for your college team

←

 Here’s a Mo for those Mo Bros and Sistas who can’t grow their own!

22 Sport

27th November 2014

Can Oxford break the record and win a fifth consecutive Varsity?

Alex Tyndall

St Peter’s College

T

wickenham, here we come. It’s less than a month before the 133rd Varsity match kicks off at Twickenham on the 11th December. In rivalry terms, this game can only really be matched by the Boat Race (apologies to the Oxford Ultimate Frisbee team who come in a close third), so preparation is all-important.

So, how has this been going for each team? Who are the men to watch, and who is going to come out on top in the Battle of the Blues?

Cambridge The Light Blues have had a mixed time of it in their run-up so far. Their last five matches have gone LWLWL, most recently a 20-36 loss at home to Durham University. Their heaviest defeat was a 47-0 home drubbing to the invitational team Crawshay’s Welsh XV. Cambridge struggled in defence against Durham and committed some sloppy play which handed free points to their opponents – certainly this isn’t something they’ll want to be doing when Oxford come calling. The long-term form book reads that Cambridge have 61 wins to 57 for Oxford – but the last four years on the bounce have all come to the Dark Blues.

Cambridge will be determined to avoid making it five in a row, but they might have to do something about their wob-

bly form to go into the big one full of confidence.

Danger Man: If picked, fly-half Fraser Gillies might cause a few problems. His good play and distribution in the closefought win against Bristol could punish a disorganised Oxford defence. Richard Bartholomew is looking for Blue number four in the back row so could be a big presence in the Cambridge pack.

Oxford It’s not been the rosiest of build-ups to Varsity for Oxford – a 10-74 pounding at the hands of Northampton Saints (who had been held to a comparatively light 19-10 by Cambridge earlier in the season) is the result to ignore if you’re hoping to find good things in Oxford’s recent form. The last two matches have

been tight – a low-scoring loss against Worcester Warriors could have turned in Oxford’s favour, and it was a lastminute missed kick against Major Stanley’s XV that saw them having to be satisfied with a draw. Still, they lost 31-34 to Bristol – a team Cambridge beat in the equivalent fixture. Sloppy breakdown play has been problematic for the Dark Blues – with a few matches seeing Oxford forwards spending time out for infractions in the ruck. Indiscipline definitely isn’t the order of the day. However, how important could that four-in-a-row winning record be in December? However bad the build-up turns out to be, Oxford certainly have their opponents running scared.

Danger Man: Sam Egerton. There was a sense of real worry when Egerton

limped off just before the end of the defeat to Worcester. He runs like a caffeinated impala and can fit in the scrum-half’s position, on the wing or at full-back. Two successive man-of-thematch awards make him one to watch out for.

Predictions?

I dare to think that making five Varsity wins on the trot is going to be a tough ask for Oxford. The build-up hasn’t been as smooth as they’d like and Cambridge can take heart in that, in spite of stuttering form, they have been putting points on the board. But then, everything goes out of the window on the 11th of December, and a good pre-Varsity run won’t mean anything if one team doesn’t produce the goods on the day.

PHOTO/OURFC

Italian ultra culture: the death of football in a divided nation?

Rupert Tottman Balliol College

I

taly is a nation of divides, contradictions and hypocrisies, fractured by cultural and social divisions, and despite the fact that it been a united country for almost 150 years, the idea of a nation of Italy remains an oxymoron. Italians from Turin and Naples are as different to each other as Germans and Greeks. Few passions unite both with the same fervour; one of these is football. Clubs across Italy rely on ‘Ultra’ groups as the vanguard of their supports. They are often mistakenly described in the English press as analogous with the hooligan firms that blighted the English game in the ‘70s and ‘80s but the truth is far more complex. Ultras groups are more of a combination of cheerleaders and political parties, relentlessly leading support within the stadium and organising support outside of it, often controlling ticket sales, club board elections and in some cases their club’s recruitment policy. All of this is too often shot through with corruption and increasingly, violence.

Last season I got tickets to watch Arsenal vs. Napoli in a Champions League group stage clash, taking my seat directly above the 3000 or so Napoli fans in the south eastern corner of the ground. Whilst the Gunners put in an uncharacteristically controlled performance to dispatch the Italians 2-0 my focus at the game was by the end fixated on the

fans below me. Whilst away fans are always far more passionate and vocal than their home counterparts the away end is normally a chaotic, bubbling cacophony of noise, what was going on below me was an exercise in military precision. In front of the five or so columns of the Napoli fans stood a leader, directing the chants from their section and with a simple hand gesture, like a conductor, instantly silencing the fans in their section before setting them off, as one, in a new chant. In front of these leaders stood a man I later managed to identify as leader of the Napoli Ultra group ‘Il Tifo’ Gennaro Di Tommaso. A bear of a man standing shirt off, covered in tattoos fixated for the 90 minutes not on the game, but on his troops.

Like a choir leader from hell he exuded authority, aggression and fear.

The discipline in the Napoli ranks only broke in the 85th minute, when it became clear that defeat was inevitable. Some of the fans, ignoring the still relentless commands of their leaders turned around to face us and began throwing gestures and expletives our way to which the Arsenal fans responded with patronising waves and by blowing kisses. This sent our section steward into meltdown. He sprinted down the stairs to the front; “no, no, no! You’ve got to stop this, you don’t know what these people are capable of!” - his words proved prescient.

When we exited the news spread that before the game Napoli fans had firebombed the restaurant ‘Piebury Corner’, a favourite of the Arsenal faithful, leaving two people hospital-

ised. When I got home I managed to identify the leader of Napoli Ultras via a Google image search. Gennaro Di Tommaso is the son of one of the bosses of the Camorra, the infamous Naples mafia, and runs Il Tifo on their behalf. Il Tifo has been used in the past as an auxiliary mob by the Camorra and are allegedly responsible a dozen murders in Naples over the past two years. However the most shocking display of the sway the Napoli ultras hold was seen at the Coppa Italia final in Rome in May this year. Following pre match reports that three Napoli fans had been shot before the game, allegedly by members of the Fiorentina ultra group ‘Ultras Viola’, Di Tommaso, from the stands, refused to let the game go ahead promising a wave of retributory violence. In the presence of the President of Italy the start of the game was delayed by over 40 minutes before Napoli captain Marek Hamsik, doing what the police would not, went over to negotiate with Di Tommaso, who eventually allowed the game to go ahead. In response to this he was given a five-year stadium ban by the Italian footballing authorities. It has not yet been enforced.

The incident has proved to be the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Long seen as the backbone of football support in Italy an editorial after the game in Gazetta Della Sport called for Ultra groups to be banned.

Violence is still at record levels, with weekly football arrests in the hundreds although conviction rates remain embarrassingly low. In addition there are mounting fears over the state of Stadiums in the Italian game. Out-

side the top few clubs there is huge concern over the state of stadiums, most of which are municipal owned and falling into disrepair. Standing is also legal and this combined with mounting violence is fuelling fears that Italy may not be far away from its Hillsborough moment.

But a Thatcher style crackdown remains unlikely, and even if it occurred the Italian Ultra problem will almost certainly prove to be more enduring and insidious than English hooliganism. Long standing ties with Italian organised crime, especially in the south, have hamstrung attempts by the Italian authorities to crack down on ringleaders and where this is not

a problem ties with far right groups, such as links between Juventus Ultras and the northern supremacist Lega Nord party, a fixture in coalition governments, have proved a similar stumbling block. Italian violent ultra culture is a manifestation of the endemic divides within Italian society and a concrete example of how local loyalties overcome any identification with the Italian state. Ultras have become a central part of the identity of Italian football, and as such groups are propped up by powerful vested interests and Italian governments continue to operate with their typical inertia, it is not a problem that will go away any time soon.

PHOTO/Wikicommons

Sport 23

27th November 2014

Men’s Canoe Polo struggle at tournament in Cheltenham

Sophie Louth St John’s College

O

n Saturday 15th November, Oxford’s Men’s Canoe Polo A Team played the first tournament of the National Division 4 league at Cheltenham. This is part of the national framework organised by British Canoeing attended by almost all clubs

in the country (most of whom aren’t university teams), with Oxford being the only university team in Division 4 South West. Due to a smaller than usual number of teams in the league, it is to be played out over three Saturdays rather than four resulting in five matches a tournament rather than the usual three or four. With Oxford having brought no subs it was going to be a gruelling evening.

After a slightly manic warm up,

where all six teams tried to use a 33m pool at once, Oxford was in the first match against Dragon B from South West Wales, a team which included two players from the GB under 21 women’s squad. A 2-0 loss was all that could be managed but given the 8-0 thrashings Dragon inflicted on a number of the other teams, this was a good start.

One game off and back on again, this time against the Celtic Warriors who

were strong contenders to lead the tournament overall. At half time, Oxford were 1-0 down before a goal from Matthew Coulson brought the scores level. Play for the next five minutes was pretty even with both sides having a number of attempts on goal. However a last minute ruckus in Oxford’s zone went against them and they were given a free shot right under our goal leading to a final score of 2-1.

The next game was against Avon E from Bristol in which the first half started well for Oxford with some good attacks on their zone and a number of shots on goal, some of which went high but the majority of which were saved. However, Avon also had a number of attacks on Oxford’s goal and although they had some issues with the rule which prevents attackers from touching the keeper one of their three goals stood, so 1-0 down but fighting.

Oxford’s lack of keeping strength...left us with a final score of 5-1

PHOTO/Sophie Louth

Sadly at half time Avon established Oxford’s greatest weakness. The team has lost the goalkeeper from last year and haven’t yet trained a new one, so Jack Laverick stepped in, but without any training due to Oxford’s lack of a permanent goal to practice with, Laverick had his work cut out. Oxford played well at the start of the second half setting up an attack and getting Booth in position for a beautiful shot off the keeper’s paddles and into the

top of the goal. This seemed to spur Avon on and they mercilessly abused Oxford’s lack of keeping strength, taking a higher number and riskier shots than they had done previously (or would be wise against a strong keeper) and left us with a final score of 5-1.

Two more games off and then a game against Bridgend C; one of the only teams to bring subs (or children or supporters). This was a very wet game for Oxford and Bridgend due to binning; the legal practice of capsizing a player who has the ball.

Thomas Leissing started the game with a strong sprint winning the ball (as he did in most of the other games) and with Booth, who had supported, was able to press into the Bridgend zone rapidly and put their defence under strong pressure, with Louth coming in to take a shot which was saved but the resulting corner was converted into a goal by Booth. Booth and Louth worked together as chasers routinely taking the ball of the Bridgend players, resulting in Leissing and Coulson repeatedly sprinting from defence to attack as their superior masses are best utilised in the zones, it is just a shame they are at opposite ends of the pitch.

In the second half Booth attempted to grab a loose ball to his side by diving on it but although the self binning tactic didn’t quite work Laverick picked up the ball and passed it back to Booth who had promptly righted himself to score for the second goal of the match.

The last game was against Bristol Pittbulls, a significantly more experienced team than Oxford,who used superior strength, speed and tactics to win 3-0.

Roos miss out to Jays in first Oxbridge netball clash of the season Emma Williams Oriel College

W

hen any Cambridge team comes to town, there is always an extra sense of importance surrounding the match.

A great rivalry established over generations makes the desire for victory even greater. This particular match saw the Oxford Netball second team (Roos) take on the Cambridge Netball second team (Jays); these two teams will face each other in a varsity fixture. Even though this wasn’t a varsity match, it was still an Oxbridge showdown and a competitive BUCS league fixture which both teams wanted to win. It would also give an indication of how the varsity fixture might play out in March.

The quarter finished 6-15 and it looked a long way back for Oxford Both teams had fast paced, impressive warmups before the match and looked up for the occasion. Oxford won the toss and chose to have the first centre pass. Right from that very first pass a trend was set; the drive was mistimed and the ball went out for a Cambridge throw. A simple mistake allowed an immediate turnover and, although Oxford

pulled that one back to go one up, Cambridge took full advantage on Oxford’s next centre by breaking and taking the lead. They then stepped up their game and dominated most of the quarter. Simple unforced errors from the Roos did not help along with the great pressure from the Jays across the court. Oxford’s mistakes were punished mercilessly with some brilliant shooting from the Cambridge pair, who barely missed a shot. The quarter finished 6-15 and it looked a long way back for Oxford.

nately, it wasn’t quite enough to get an edge and get a roll going, and the Jays continued to get the slight tips to force more turnovers and were the better side. By the end of this quarter, with half an hour of the 40 minutes gone, Cambridge had established a 41-22 lead.

The final quarter saw much of the

same, with Oxford’s game seeing an improvement at the start, but fatigue set in for both sides and the standard dropped towards the end.

It had been a pretty good match, with the standard as high as ever, but the Jays were the better team on the night. Their shooting was outstanding, movement slick, and defence

tight. They were an extremely impressive team, but by no means unbeatable. The Roos have some hard work to do before March, but they came out victors in last years match and there’s absolutely no reason why they won’t again. The final score in this tie ended up with Cambridge winning 58-26.

Cambridge extended their lead and looked home and dry by half time The Roos started the second quarter well with a fast goal, but the Jays’ domination was quickly restored and this quarter was much the same as the first. Oxford particularly struggled at the attacking end with more mistakes and a relatively low shot conversion rate. Cambridge really started to exploit their slight height advantage here with interceptions and turnovers across the court.

Although there was some good movement and play from Oxford, Cambridge extended their lead and looked home and dry by half time.

The start of the third quarter saw a definite improvement from the dark blues with far fewer errors and a stronger, tighter defence. Unfortu-

PHOTO/Eulanda Shead

Sport Oxford students head back to Tignes Emma Williams Oriel College

E

very year, at the end of Michaelmas Term, thousands of Oxbridge students board a coach (or a plane if they’re lucky) and head off with their friends to enjoy a great week of skiing/snowboarding and partying. It is a unique trip where students from not one, but two universities get to go to the same place at the same time and have a joint experience. It’s not only for Oxbridge students, but also helped run by Oxbridge students to make it the best it can possibly be for the students going on it.

The event has become the largest student run snowsports event in the world, taking over 3000 students to the Alps each year. Skiers and snowboarders of all levels attend the trip with up to a third of participants being complete beginners. In recent years the destinations of the trip have included Val Thorens, Tignes and Val d’Isère. Varsity Trip gives the opportunity to attend an incredible week of snowsports, competitions and events, all at student prices.

It has become more than just your average university ski trip.

It was originally founded in 1922 to facilitate the blues ski races between Oxford and Cambridge

University allowing these two great rivals to fight it out on the slopes.

Oxford sends out its potential racers two days early to allow them to start practicing on the slopes and to allow race training and coaching to begin before trials and the actual races themselves begin.

The trip is not just for racers and experienced skiers, but is great for all abilities This year Oxford is sending around forty-five students out on the racers package to compete to earn the great privilege of representing Oxford against their greatest rivals. They will train for three days before trials begin on the Monday at the start of the week. The four best skiers will then be chosen to race for Oxford on the Tuesday/Wednesday and will earn themselves a blue. Oxford were victorious last year, so they will be hoping for another great set of skiers this year to pick from, who will go out and win again.

There is also a second team, with the next four best skiers getting their half blue in this competition.

The competition is always fierce and will no doubt be as heated and well-fought this year. The slopes in Tignes have recently been host

to the World Championships and the racers get the opportunity to race on these world class slopes. It really is a fantastic event.

The standard of the skiers trialling can vary from experienced racers who are likely to make the team, to those who might have not raced before, but are good skiers who want to learn how to race. Those who just miss out on the Oxford team will then have the rest of the week to relax and enjoy skiing with their friends.

They often also compete for their college in the cuppers tournament on the Wednesday. Again, Oxford and Cambridge colleges chose four racers to compete for them and they race throughout the day.

Oxford colleges will race each other in an attempt to make the final to decide the best Oxford college, and Cambridge will do the same. This in itself is a great achievement and attracts a lot of spectators from students from the colleges involved.

The best Oxford college will then race the best Cambridge college to decide the ultimate winner.

Last year the grand final saw Oriel College, Oxford take on the mighty force that is St John’s, Cambridge. It was an extremely exciting final, full of drama and slips, which saw Oriel and Oxford come out victors. The atmosphere was fantastic under the flood lights with a vocal supports of both teams cheering their skiers on. It

was a popular win with even some Cambridge students (not from St John’s) pleased with the result, exclaiming: “We’d rather Oxford than St John’s.” Lets hope an Oxford college can take this crown, as well as the main event, again.

It really is a great event worth going on whilst you’re at Oxford

However, the trip is not just for racers and experienced skiers, but is great for all abilities to improve their skiing alongside their friends.

One of the members of the winning cuppers team last year, Jenny Ross (Oriel College), says that: “The slopes in Tignes are great. There’s a lot for everyone in terms of ability, and even if there’s not a lot of fresh snow, there’s a glacier which is skiable all year round.”

Having gone last year as a less experienced skier, I am often singing Tignes’ praises as a great host for all abilities of skier.

Another one of this year’s students trialling for the Oxford team, Liam Biser (Oriel College), advises that “practice is probably the only way to get better at skiing. Oh and a decent set of skis can also help.”

By the end of the week, friends of all abilities can ski together down some brilliant blue and red runs which are not too challenging, but

PHOTO/Vasco2008

27th November 2014

interesting enough for the more experienced skiers. That’s what the trip is all about; friends having a great time together, all improving their skiing together, and relaxing and partying in the Alps together.

The trip is not just about the skiing though, it is also known for its festival style parties and on the mountain apres-ski. The VarCity ski village, set up especially for the week, is a great way to relax after a long day of skiing, or just to grab a bite to eat in a rest hour at lunchtime. The bars and restaurants also put on events, and will screen the Varsity Rugby Match half way through the week. Tignes also literally has a mountain side bar, in the form of La Folie Douce. It is only accessible to those who ski there, and hosts afternoon parties and events. It’s a must see place!

There are also large events every night of the trip for students to attend. The opening and closing parties, open to all, are particularly big. The Varsity Trip has held host to a number of internationally renowned acts including Basement Jaxx, DJ Fresh, and Calvin Harris.

So there you have it, from racing for Oxford, to spending afternoons partying at La Folie Douce, it really is a great event worth going on at some point whilst you’re at Oxford.

To quote Jenny again, “it’s a week of being able to hang out with your friends and do the most fun activity on the planet together.”