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Southampton University’s Student Magazine
ISSUE 6 MAR 2013 www.wessexscene.co.uk
1 / WS / Editors ///
EDITORS
E D I TOR’ S LE TTE R ///
Hi,
/ Editor / Ellie Sellwood / Deputy Editor / Jo Fisher / Graphic Designer / Bronwen Rees / Online Manager / Sam Whitehall / Imagery / Sasha Spaid, / Bryony Wellburn / Features / Andy Haywood / Amy Sandys / Science / Claire Critchley / Politics / Charlotte Harwood / Alexander Green / Winchester / Amy Harwood / Opinions / Samuel Gilonis / David Mendoza-Wolfson / Travel / Chris Clarke / Lifestyle / Emma Hobbs / Emma Chappell / International / Jack Kanani / Sport / Jack Winter / Richard Windsor / News / Tom Durham / Sera Berksoy / Pause / Sam Everard / Publicity / Luke Goodger / Front Cover by Ankit Singh /
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This is our penultimate issue of 2012/13, sadly. Kudos to the team for getting this issue ready during the elections period. I hope you all enjoyed watching the elections unfold and that you voted wisely and were rewarded. Now that elections season is over, it’s not long until we hand over our positions to next year’s committees at the AGMs (Annual General Meeting). It was International Women’s Day this week (March, 4) so in this Issue we reflect on the plight of women through time and across the world today. Samuel Gilonis looks at the women affected by the current war in Afghanistan whilst Jonathan Nice details the history of female emancipation and how Southampton is celebrating this important event. It was fantastic to see so many women nominating themselves for Sabbatical and Student Leader positions last week, showing us all that regardless of gender we have the same opportunities within SUSU and we should embrace them. I have learned so much about myself and about good leadership this year. I have been supported by my wonderful Deputy Editor Jo Fisher and Head of Design Bronwen Rees and I hope we have shown you all just how strong female leadership can be. Aside from a celebration and advocation of female emancipation, this issue we offer you a reflection on 10 years at war in Iraq, an investigation into lads/girls holidays and an invite to WSA’s series of exhibitions. Get stuck in and WOman up. Ellie
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SOCIETIES COLUMN / Jade Head /
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t’s been a rather busy month for societies with some really exciting events going on. Southampton Hub recently put on the ‘Future Festival’ which was a day of talks and workshops about environmental changes and how we can help to make a better future. Some really great things came out of the event so well done Hubs! The debating society proved that it’s not only AU teams who can compete Varsities by holding their first South Coast inter Varsity, in which they competed against debating teams from Bournemouth and Portsmouth universities- and they won! Sinfonietta recently had their Spring Concert, an afternoon of great music and Comedy Society made us all laugh with their ‘Cluster F*ck’. Polish society held a movie night and raised money for RAG. Performing Arts Dance societies wowed us all in their annual Pure Dance, with nearly 300 dancers performing they made it a night to remember! Explore the UK were joined by many other societies to hold a night of music, entertainment
and activities in the Bridge called International Love. I personally really enjoyed the cakes and the henna! Lawyers Without Boarders were one of the many societies to hold a bake sale! Whilst Organ Donation Awareness Society held a stall on the concourse to encourage people to join the organ donation register. It’s now AGM (Annual General Meeting) season for societies. At AGMs the outgoing committee tells the society all the amazing things their society has achieved in the past year and the new committee is elected. This means that you all have the opportunity to lead and run your favourite society now is the time to find out more by checking society Facebook pages or getting in touch. On a final note, I’ll take the opportunity to thank all the outgoing committees for their amazing work over the past year and wish all new committees the best of luck. As always feel free to get in touch and enjoy your societies they really are fantastic.
Here is a taster of what is coming up in the next few weeks: Monday 4th March- Southampton green action and SUCV are hosting a joint movie night showing ‘Blood of the Amazon’ Saturday 9th March- Concert Band Easter concert Saturday 16th March- Explore the UK trip to Cambridge
/ Get in touch... / www.wessexscene.co.uk /
3 / WS / Features ///
HIGH SPIRITS OF DEADLY COCKTAIL: THE LADS / GIRLS HOLIDAY
/ Kerry Sclater / ///
It seems at the moment young British holidaymakers are everywhere in the media; you can’t blink without seeing some of our home grown young ‘adults’ binge drinking, having sex (a lot), and partaking in many other hedonistic behaviours
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lthough this supposedly recently developed holiday scene has merited a lot of media coverage, the judgement on these holidays remains a hot topic for debate. Are these young Brits creating a reputation of shameless debauchery and recklessness, or should we grant them this opportunity to let loose and have fun? With the recent landslide of documentaries such as BBC Three’s ‘Sun, Sex and Suspicious Parents’ and Channel 4’s ‘What Happens in Kavos’, you may be fooled in to thinking that the ‘mates holiday’ is something of a newcomer to our collective consciousnesses. Yet realistically as a nation, we have been embarking on these types of wild holidays for generations. In fact, it’s more than likely that once upon a time (heaven forbid) your own parents partook in the supposedly new rituals of binge drinking, drugs and one night stands. So why the sudden flurry of outraged parents, feathers ruffled, crying out for an end? Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that, over decades of naive Brits flocking to choice resorts in places like Kavos, Ayia Napa, Magaluf and Zante, small business owners (normally seen sporting red horns) have honed in on methods of shameless
profit making- regardless of any cost to the young tourists. BBC’s ‘Stacey Dooley Investigates: The Truth About Magaluf ’ provides a thought provoking investigation of Magaluf - as seen without the beer goggles. Watching the program clarifies the shocking lengths club owners will go to reap in the vulnerable Brits’ money: free bars; laughing gas; fish bowls- all making a cocktail for recklessness. Of course, that is not to suggest that the tourists must are blameless for their own drinking habits- but when 5 Euros gets you ‘1 shot, 2 drinks and a jug’, it’s hard not to point at least some fingers at the ravenous tourist industry. On the one hand, maybe it is better for us to accept that what we don’t know won’t hurt us, and foster the attitude of ‘what happens on holiday stays on holiday’. But with the rise in outrageous behaviours now encouraged in certain destinations, sometimes it is unavoidable that youngsters are haunted for the rest of their lives by certain holiday antics. For example, last summer alone in Magaluf, 1520 girls made distressed calls concerning rape and 12 people died from the new ‘balconying’ craze. In fact, most shockingly, the stats show that last summer there were 200 unnatural tourist deaths in Magaluf - a chill-
ing wake- up call. These young people did not need to die. At the moment these tragic statistics are thankfully rare but ever on the increase. The most distressing thing for some though is the attitude the young people hold about their selfdestructive behaviours – especially the fact that many of their disgraceful behaviours are pre-empted. Just watch ‘What Happens In Kavos’ or ‘Sun, Sex and Suspicious Parents’ and you will see the majority of ‘lads’ arriving with the aim of bedding as many girls as possible, with some even playing games such as ‘pull the pig’ . And the girls are no better, going out in as little clothing as possible and taking every opportunity to flash some flesh. As one young man on Channel 4’s ‘What happens in Kavos’ aptly summarises: ‘Everybody’s f**cking anything that moves’- and who said romance was dead? Despite the reputation and sometimes chilling consequences of these first-time holidays, thousands of young Brits continue to be drawn to these popular holiday destinations for a week or two of relentless partying, with 20,000 tourists in Magaluf on an average weekend. Maybe we should relax a bit and accept that a bit of fun
never hurt anyone. For many young people, these holidays are their first taste of independence before going on to forge their path in life, so perhaps we should turn a blind eye to the odd week of depravity. As ever, it’s also important to remember that the image we have of excessive alcohol consumption, sleeping around, and generally dangerous behaviour may have been created by the minority being sensationalised by the media – surely not every young Brit comes back with an STI. Nevertheless, if this minority is ruining the reputation for everyone else, it also follows that this minority is also creating dangers and risks for other tourists. Having weighed up the numerous risks that can come with what is normally a harmless
holiday, what is it that tempts young Brits to go back again and again? In the often awkward transition from teenager to adult, many claim that these holidays are their final release of uninhibited freedom before they are tied down to responsibilities such as jobs or university. With most holidaymakers embarking on trips after exams, it’s not like they don’t have cause to let their hair down. After all, these holidays give young people the chance to leave worries at home. Many teens simply want to have fun with their mates and relax and in the sun- and who are we to deny them that? These holidays, which have happened –and will continue to happen – for generations are an unavoidable rite of passage for some young Brits, and it seems
only fair that they be allowed this glorious stint in the sunshine before settling down to more respectable lives. Whilst these ‘lads’ and ‘gals’ holidays have been horrifically slandered in the media, we should strive to be open to the nicer side of these holidays, which aren’t sensationalised and exaggerated as much as the more lurid aspects seem to be. Nevertheless, statistics do show rising dangers which the vulnerable young Brit may come across. So whilst a bit of harmless fun is never bad, it is important to make sure it is just that –harmless. That week should one of the best in your life, not the last. / Image by Rebecca Hopkinson / Email contact: features@wessexscene.co.uk
OUR WASTEFUL WORLD:The global problem of food waste
/ Alexander Green /
/ Image by Rachel Wooton / ///
Forget horse meat; this is the real food scandal of the 21st century. report, published this year, revealed that as much as half of all the food produced in the world ends up as waste every year. This figure is staggering with 2 billion metric tonnes of sustenance ending up as landfill rather than on a plate.
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few weeks ago, I got into a bit of debate with one of my housemates; long story short, I wasn’t happy they were throwing away some unopened food based purely on the best before date. Personally, I find such dates are often nonsense food, after all, doesn’t just suddenly turn bad when the clock strikes 12:00 on the day of that computer-generated date on the packet. Unfortunately, my lax attitude was promptly shot down in flames, ridiculed and finished with the remark “you eat mouldy bread” Yet, such a casual disregard for food is unsurprising. A new
Much of the blame has been put at the door of supermarkets. With continuous ‘buy-one-getone-free’ deals, ‘bumper packs’ and cheaper net prices with bigger quantities, it is unsurprising consumers end up buying too much. At the end of the day, the supermarkets don’t care what you do with the food; they just want it out of their shops with your money in their tills. Indeed, they do little to educate their customers on good food practice either. ‘Best before, ‘sellby-date’, ‘use by’, ‘display until’ the world of food packaging is a minefield of contradictions, confusion and scaremongering. Yet, it is consumers - and Western consumer culture - that must be hold responsible too. Obsessed with looks, we demand perfectly-curved bananas and rosy-plump tomatoes, rejecting food that isn’t cosmetically pleasing. Indeed, the report indicated up to 30% of the UK’s vegetables are rejected due to shape, size or appearance. Of course, the developing world
also contributes to this dissipation, but to no fault of their own - lack of technology, poor storage and inadequate transport some of the causes. Food wastage is undoubtedly a complex and multi-layered problem, and is it one that cannot be fixed by individual consumers. Nonetheless, we have a moral responsibility to appreciate food as more than just a basic commodity. In a world where many are living without the basic necessities of life, those with plenty recklessly take food for granted. There is no ambiguity; food wastage is obscene. Not only that, but the water, land and energy used to produce the food also gets squandered. The problem looks set to only get worse. With UN predictions that the world’s population is set to peak at 9.5 billion within our lifetime - meaning an extra three billion mouths to feed the Earth’s resources will find itself coming under increasing pressure and demands. It is a social, economic and environmental challenge of the highest proportion. If only we cared more about food waste than horse burgers... Email contact: features@wessexscene.co.uk
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FROM PILGRIMS TO PIETY: CHRISTIANITY IN AMERIC A
/ Amy Sandys /
Amy Sandys investigates the unique relationship between religion and politics in the US
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t is generally well-known that the USA is still a religious country; Christianity of all divisions is the main belief of around 71% of the population. 4.7% of the country is also affiliated with another religious sect yet Christianity is the main proponent within American politics. In particular the Republican Party has always pandered to scriptures of the Bible to highlight policies. Certain communities across the USA even today use religion as the main factor in defining everyday life; where the general worldwide trend is that Christianity is declining globally, the opposite seems to be occurring in the States. The notion of ‘God Bless America’ is echoed consistently throughout the country. But where did it all start? Why and how did this relatively new and ultimately diverse country come to have such a close relationship with religion? The origins are in the Founding Fathers, and it seems they have stayed this way ever since... Ironically, American political thought has its manifestations in European Protestantism. The 1517 Reformation in Europe – a process which saw the continent gradually move from predominantly Catholic to all manner of Christian denominations - is seen as kick-starting European Protestant thought in a move to decentralise and depoliticise
the Roman Catholic Church. Yet, the Reformation was never intended as a political move. It was a move from centralised power to emphasise the individual’s relationship with God. It was the development of Anglicanism (the English form of Protestantism) and those which separated from it, which became relevant to the American political thought known today. The Separatists, as they came to be known, were a group of reformists who placed an emphasis on congregationalism (self-run and elected churches). However, this lack of church hierarchy came as a problem to some of the other emergent Christian sects and in 1620, fearing persecution, the Separatists made a quick dash for the ‘New World’ (North America), with the intention of settling in Virginia. In fact, they actually landed in Massachusetts and quickly drawing up Puritan doctrines (the Mayflower Agreement), established a new community based on religion. Thus, the American ideal of a community based on a group of believers was formed. Anglicanism had not so much been transferred over from Europe, as scrapped completely and resurrected according to what the Founding Fathers believed was right (namely an autonomous society). This emphasis on community religion led to the locally self-governing structure
of the 1600s, still seen today in the political system of the Constitutions. The Federal government hold much less influence in terms of the ability to create laws and pass legislation than the State governments. Thus the dissolving of individualism, born out of a desire for a lack of Anglican monarchy or aristocratic structure, led in the 17th Century to the idea of community based on ‘collective belonging’ and the implications for the development of American society, particularly in terms of how religion is perceived, is still obvious today. A gradual progression from the self-governing state of Massachusetts, to the 13 autonomous states, to the 51 states as they are known today, has always been fragmented due to juxtaposing ideas, yet the original Puritan doctrines are something which remain unchanged.
Email contact: politics@wessexscene.co.uk
7 / WS / Politics ///
IRAQ A DECADE OF WAR
/ Alexander Green /
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On 20th March 2003, the United States, UK and other coalition forces marched into Iraq. 10 years later, Alexander Green asks was it worth it?
Email contact: politics@wessexscene.co.uk
easy answer to the above T hequestion is of course no. With a decade of hindsight, it is difficult to justify the war that was based on half-truths and lies and which ultimately failed in its goals: no weapons of mass destruction found; no links between Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden ever proven and the threat of terrorism still present, perhaps even more so than before.
Indeed, you’ll be hard-pushed to find many who still believe the invasion of 2003 was either a) a success b) not a mistake. Yet, back in 2003 in the midst of the post-9/11 ‘war on terror’, the arguments for the Iraqi invasion were so readily accepted that it gained majority support from the opposition parties, both in the UK and US with the Conservatives and Democrats respectively.
“Iraq stands ten years later not as beacon of hope and democracy in the region, but as a country destroyed by a decade of war” Such a fact is easy to forget; the pretexts behind the war now so officially discredited they paint a murky shadow of denial, desperate defence and selective amnesia for all those involved. After all, Saddam was no mere
dictator; he was a megalomanic in the heart of the Middle East. His infamous tenure as Iraq’s leader included waging an eight-year war against Iran from 1980-88, an attempted annexation of Kuwait in 1990 and a genocidal campaign against his country’s Kurdish population, amongst others, in the 1980s. The fear then that such a man might possess Weapons of Mass Destruction was therefore somewhat alarming, posing both a regional and global threat to peace; one magnified by the then hyper-sensitive state of the US. In the event, Iraq never possessed any form of WMDs. British & US intelligence services had believed they existed - yet reports later found both M16 and the CIA to have committed grave errors, pairing second-hand sources and weak information to “assumptions
behind Saddam’s intentions”. Such a result was a slap in the face to the population of the coalition countries. Pre-war rhetoric gave cast-iron guarantees of “no doubt” and “the clearest possible evidence” of Iraqi WMDs with the invading troops ready to be “greeted as liberators” who would then seek to create a “free Iraq at the heart of the Middle East”. (If only). It was unsurprising then that the citizens of the west later felt betrayed, with suspicions that the intelligence had been manipulated to serve as a Casus belli with the real goal of Bush and Blair seen as an attempted access to oil and desire for US hegemony. This cynicism may have some basis in reality - undoubtedly, intelligence was interpreted in a favourable way to launch the invasion - but remains some
what harsh. For Blair, there was a moral case to answer, seeing Saddam as a major threat both internally and externally. Lest we forget that it was the West who had armed the Ba’athist President in the first place. Whatever the case, Iraq stands ten years later not as beacon of hope and democracy in the region, but as a country destroyed by a decade of war, with a shoddy democracy and as the eight most corrupt country in the world. The invasion and war failed to deliver on any of its three aims; the million plus who marched against the proposed invasion (to no avail) - the largest protest in the nation’ history - proven right. The claim that the invasion would save lives proved foolhardy. It is, of course, impossible to guess the actions of Saddam - and their was a strong moral case to remove him - but there was little sign of any imminent danger to Iraqis in 2003. Moreover, a study of post-invasion
mortality in the country estimated 655,000 more Iraqis died than would have been expected without the invasion, with 186,000 of those cause directly by the action of coalition forces. Even now, thousands continued to die now the coalition forces have left with over 4,500 civilian deaths in 2012. The threat of terrorism has not been diminished either; only increased. Iraq itself now stands as the fifth most at risk of terrorist attacks; the Mesopotamian nation had few suicide bombings in its pre-2003 history, but 1,100 bombers blew themselves up during the war. The invasion has also served as fodder for radicalising thousands of Muslims around the world; as soon as the images of torture and abuse at Abi Ghraib were leaked, the coalition had lost the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people. On a global scale, in an ironic twist of fate, the post-Iraq poli-
cy of other ‘rogue states’ became to seek nuclear weapons as a tool to stop such US invasions. North Korea and Iran, the other two nations of the so-called “axis of evil”, now both insured through the principle of MAD. Democracy is hardly prospering either. The reconstruction of Iraqi democracy was flawed from the beginning, with the Sunnis boycotting the parliament due to its structure and leading the country into a sectarian civil war. Now, the government of Nouri al-Maliki is seen as increasingly autocratic, with his Shia-dominated Dawa Party finding loopholes in the constitution to enhance his personal power. 10 years later then, Iraq’s legacy is nothing more than failure. Saddam is gone, but the cost was too high. It has become a byword for botched Western intervention; in Britain, it became the 21st century’s Suez. More than that though, history has shown invading Iraq was plain wrong.
AN INTERVIEW WITH... UKYCC / Claire Critchley /
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In this the edition of the Wessex Scene, Science and Environment Editor Claire Critchley interviews Shareen Elnagy , the leader of Southampton’s Catalyst Leader of the UK Youth Climate Coalition, to get the lowdown on what they do and how it impacts you. What does UKYCC do? We are a team of massively motivated young volunteers, working with partners across the UK and the world to unite and empower the youth movement into taking action which will influence important decisions - in particular, policies on climate change mitigation and adaptation. What have your greatest achievements been? UKYCC is a facilitator for the UK youth climate movement. Much of our work is quiet, behind the scenes work to link up organisations and build capacity of young people to act. However there are some key achievements:
We have sent youth delegations to the UN climate talks every year since 2008, and have had a huge impact which can be read directly in UN policy. 2009 Powershift, a climate conference and training summit for 350 young people, empowered a lot of people to get involved in the UK youth climate movement. In 2011 we toured Europe, training teams of young people in many countries in how to run Powershift conferences, leading to Powershift events taking place across Europe. The Youth for Green Jobs campaign has begun to define the green jobs agenda and giving evidence to parliament’s energy and climate change committee.
I also hope that some of the events coming up will soon be added to that list! What do you do in Southampton? The local catalyst group brings the larger national UKYCC to a smaller branch in Southampton and the surrounding regions, including Romsey and Eastleigh, encouraging different groups in society to work together. Currently the focus is on engaging with students at secondary schools and sixth forms to allow them to understand key environmental issues and the different aspects of climate change. Why is the group specifically targeted at young people? The impact of climate change, and the responsibility for mitigating climate change, will fall largely on young people, as well as decisions made by those today. Therefore young people deserve to have their say right now in the climate change agenda, and should feel empowered to do so. Policy makers certainly need to look at the bigger picture and consider what the world could be like in the next 20-50 years if we carry on consuming resources at this current rate. It’s only fair that we get the same resources and oppor
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tunities as older generations, and for future generations too. Why do we need to do more for the environment? Whilst Southampton may seem very environmentally-friendly with the numerous cyclists and green parks, there are some key areas still to improve, for example the council could do household glass recycling collections. I feel there is also a lack of environmental awareness outside of educational institutes. Despite the majority of the population no longer being in education, this can make habits more difficult to change and people don’t see the point in changing. The majority of information aimed at these individuals is through the papers which often promote a gloomy outlook, focusing on the few ways you can make a difference. On a UK basis, there are significant regional discrepancies between boroughs, and in the context of the world the UK is well behind France, Sweden and Germany. I don’t think people are aware of the difference simple actions can make to the environment; for example, driving your car instead of taking the bus of walking, or leaving your laptop charger in all day. The quicker
resources are depleted, the higher the cost of living, which can already be seen in commodities such as food and petrol. Climate change will also have a major impact on the availability of resources which will only accelerate the damage being done. You don’t have to be an environmentalist to be affected by changes in the environment. We only have one planet we all have to be responsible for our actions and be prepared to face the consequences.
but there are lots of other aspects such as sustainability and developing tools for education and skills for employment within this sector.
What’s next? April- Blackout event for businesses in Southampton June- Eco Eastleigh.
How can I get involved? Contact by email – shareen.elnagy@gmail.com Via the UKYCC website and How can I make a difference? By being environmentally aware twitter and tuned in to your surround- Via facebook group – UKYCC ings. Pick local products which Soton Catalyst Group haven’t travelled far to get here. Or just turn up to one of our Buy things with less packaging. events! Reuse everyday items as best you can and recycle what you can’t. Think about consumption of resources without over doing it! Join groups which support your environmental ambitions, be it the UKYCC or another group at the university, or even on an international level. Do you have to be politically motivated to join? No, the political side is just one part of the UKYCC aims. By targeting politics we hope to change policies and decisions,
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from UKYCC.org /
Email contact: science@wessexscene.co.uk
YOU CAN’T WIN A WAR IN AFGHANISTAN
/ David Mendoza-Wolfson /
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I’d like to begin by saying that I sometimes agree with foreign intervention. Controversially, I support the war in Iraq because I believe that we have helped the Iraqi people become more free by liberating them from the genocidal Saddam Hussein. I believe that if and when we do intervene abroad it does have to be for these reasons.
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know the arguments in favour of the war in Afghanistan. The Taliban are evil. We’re saving people from terror. The list goes on. However I can’t support the war, not only because it’s just not possible win a war in Afghanistan (ask the Soviets, our armed forces many times in the past and the Romans), although that does ensure that the conflict is a waste of money, resources and most importantly – lives. I can’t support the conflict because it seems to me that the people with whom we hope to replace the Taliban with are only marginally better, but have the same anti-liberal, chauvinistic attitudes as the infamous organisation. Let me take you back to 2009. In that year Karzai (the president) signed a law that made it permissible for a man to rape his wife if she refused to have sex with him. On top of that, women were prevented from leaving the house without permission from their husband and women could only get a job or a doctor’s appointment with permission from their spouse. Why did Karzai support this? It seems to me that there are two possible reasons for it: a)
because he believes it, in which case we should not be risking the lives of our soldiers in order to help prop up a man who will oppress women; or b) for electioneering purposes, in which case we should not be risking the lives of our soldiers in order to help prop up a man willing to give away the rights of women in order to win some votes. On top of this disgusting legislation, which was later repealed at the insistence of the US, there is further proof of sexism in Afghanistan’s government – as in 2011, a woman was pardoned from jail for adultery after having been RAPED only after she agreed to marry her rapist! There have been allegations, and very convincing allegations at that, that Karzai took part in
electoral fraud and in extreme corruption, and if you want to find out more about that it’s only a google (or bing if you swing that way) search away. Ultimately Hamid Karzai and his government are not much better than the Taliban were. Not only is it impossible to win a war in Afghanistan, but the war we are fighting is resulting in our troops dying in the defence of a sexist and corrupt regime. That is not right. You can’t win a war in Afghanistan, and after this very expensive intervention that will be ending shortly, the only people who can be perceived as winners are the misogynists in charge of the regime. Email contact: comment@wessexscene.co.uk
THE WOMANS WAR / Samuel Gilonis /
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The changing of objectives during a war is something that we’ve had a little experience of over the last decade, from No-Fly zones to targeting ground units in Libya, from WMD to democracy in Iraq. Why we are or should be in Afghanistan is obviously central to a conversation about the war.
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ur forces went in to ‘drain the swamp’ of al-Qaeda safe havens which is an objective in which we have evidently been successful under the most provincial definition of success possible. The nature of the enemy in al-Qaeda makes remaining in Afghanistan with the intention of fighting them completely absurd; they are an international parasitic organisation that survives on the coattails of civil wars and other Islamist groups. Even if there were a point in dedicating serious resources to a wretched and defeated group with their founder dead along with almost all of their leadership besides Ayman al-Zawahiri, and even if we were able to point to a set of borders within which we could fight them - it most certainly wouldn’t be Afghanistan. Al-Qaeda are active in Yemen and Syria but their capital is Somalia, the south of which is controlled by alShabaab which in 2012, after several years of western journalists anxiously avoiding conflating them with al-Qaeda, merged with al-Qaeda under the command of Zawahiri. So al-Qaeda are no longer just a flag without a land, they are a people with a state – just not Afghanistan. Mutating mission statements should always be the object of
Email contact: opinion@wessexscene.co.uk
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deep suspicion but in Afghanistan they have morphed into what they should always have been about, creating a stable society. The crimes of the Taliban are well documented but an abridged list could bear repetition for effect: the genocide of the Hazara population, the murder of children, the use of
suicide bombers (the last two could be combined into one as the Taliban occasionally use children as suicide bombs), sex trafficking, rape, drug trafficking, acid-attacks on female students, the murder of aid workers offering polio vaccines, the destruction of a UNESCO World heritage site, the destruction of Afghanistan’s ecology as well as its economy, the enslavement of every woman in Afghanistan, animal cruelty… The list can’t even be started without it being ad nauseum. In case there are those that think that the Taliban has changed and now consists of those who just wish to fight the occupation, just consider the Taliban’s threat during the last election, delivered by letter at night to Afghanistan’s sleeping rural population, to cut off any finger they find marked with the indelible ink used to prevent election fraud and realise that this is a relatively gentle example that I picked only for its stark symbolism, if I wanted to extend the thesaurus of atrocities committed by the Taliban above, it wouldn’t have been hard. Of all of the people (as well as animals – Kabul Zoo was ruthlessly depopulated by the Taliban but now contains 280 animals including Khanzir, Afghanistan’s only pig) whose existence depends on the continued isolation of the Taliban, the most pertinent are women. There is no record of any society in history in which women have been treated so badly as in pre-2001 Afghanistan and there is no frontier in the battle for women’s rights as important as Afghanistan. There are now around 3 million females in
education in Afghanistan while the Taliban continue to assault schools that offer girls’ schooling including by the use of chemical weapons. Women are also active in Afghan politics and make up a bulk of their National Assembly. The condition continues to improve while certainly not being perfect, the despicable Hamid Karzai’s endorsement of a code of conduct requiring that “women should not travel without a male guardian and should not mingle with strange men in places such as schools, markets and offices” only confirms what we know about this cretinous individual (if ever there was a case of Backpfeifengesicht – look it up and thank me later). There doesn’t appear to be a concerted feminist defence of fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan but there ought to be. Polling across the country continues to show, in both foul and fair weather, support for the ISAF coalition and even for Karzai’s government, an unwavering abhorrence of the Taliban and a reluctance even to negotiate with them. While there is room for optimism with Pakistan turning against its Golem - the Pakistani Taliban, Karzai’s pledge to stand down in 2014 and sustained support for a democratic Afghanistan amongst its people, the planning of withdrawal for 2014 which will entail a recrudescence of Taliban rule in the rural areas of the country should be unacceptable whether or not it is politically popular in the US or the UK. This objection should be a feminist one: promises have been made to the women of Afghanistan of the kind that invading their country gives us an obligation to keep.
St. Patrick’s Day - Good times, Guinness and going green.
/ Alex Delaney /
St. Patrick’s Day, to the average Brit, is little more than a good excuse for a great night out and a bit of a binge. It’s not really a celebration of St. Patrick or of the introduction of Christianity to Ireland anymore; more like just a celebration of all things Irish. Alex Delaney reveals all about the magic of March 17… hol, when the sun goes down, it all ends with a big knees-up over there too. But it’s not just the Irish and the Brits - all over the world, different countries have their own unique ways of celebrating St. Patrick’s Day and Irish culture. The Americans, for example, love it. In Chicago, they actually dye the river green for the day! There is a great love for Ireland in the USA, and a lot of Americans claim to have Irish roots.
“The ladies love an Irishman…”
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t’s March 17, and anyone with a faint bit of Irish in their bloodline is suddenly overcome with patriotism, and starts necking pint after pint of the black stuff. There’s a general sense of joy and goodwill that is seldom felt any other night of the year. In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is treated a little more seriously like the religious holiday it is, with parades and church services; though as you’d expect from a day that is also the end of Lenten restrictions on alco-
There are Irish pubs seemingly everywhere you go in New York and Boston (whose basketball team is known as the Boston Celtics, and has a leprechaun as their logo), and St. Patrick’s has been celebrated in the USA since before the American Revolution. Celebrations are held in Canada too, as well as Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Japan and even South Korea. Each has its own way of celebrating, but one aspect is nearly always present – there’s usually a LOT of drinking involved But personally, I believe there’s a lot more to it than that. Surely no one would deny that the atmosphere on St. Patrick’s Day is unlike any other night of the
year? I think a lot of it is down to the way that the Irish are romanticised by people across the globe. The ladies love an Irishman (trust me), and Ireland is justifiably still seen as an oldfashioned, idyllic country, full of beauty and rich heritage.
“It all ends with a big knees-up” The Irish are often the butt of jokes (‘an Englishman, a Scotsman and an Irishman walk into a bar...’), but they’re also seen as extremely jolly, quick witted and good humoured. There are dozens of popular Irish comedians, actors, musicians, writers; and of course, this same nation gave the world Guinness, whiskey, and a sense of how drinking SHOULD be done. Not bad for a tiny island, where the majority of the population live in one city. I’ll drink to that!
/ Images by Diogo Lopes /
Email contact: lifestyle@wessexscene.co.uk
Spring/Summer 2013: Your Essential Guide to the New Season ///
With spring just around the corner, In The Scene brings you a look at the what you’ll be wearing next season, from the catwalks that inspired the looks to the high street that provides the essentials. Here are the trends of Spring/Summer 2013...
T
he catwalks for the Spring/ Summer 2013 season were unanimous; the pieces were sharp, cool and feminine with a fresh, clean and incredibly chic look. The trends ranged from sports luxe, feminine cool and fuss-free minimalism, and, although each look was varied, they all retained a sense of restraint. The tailoring was impeccable but more relaxed than in previous seasons. The colour palette was muted and fresh – white, the cleanest of shades, is clearly the colour hero of the season. The key to staying cool this summer is to not overdo it. Keep your silhouette clean and your hair and makeup pared down. Here’s a summary of all the key trends to work next season, the designers that inspired them, and the must-have high street pieces! Sportswear is a huge trend this season. However, this is not a time to be borrowing your boyfriend’s gross tracksuit. Although the silhouette says sport, the fabric and cut says luxe – you wouldn’t want to go to the gym in this! Keep it soft and feminine but feel free to experiment with colour. Fluorescent feels so right with this trend!
There was no denying the colour of the season White was everywhere! A surprising lead in this area was Victoria Beckham’s highly desirable label. If you still consider her only to be a Spice Girl and one half of the world’s most famous couple, you have some catching up to do - her label has become a by-word for sumptuous, luxurious dressing. To get the look on the high street, look for sharp pieces like this dress from Topshop. White heels are also huge this season but wear with caution. Not only do they get dirty easily (making them a complete Jester’s no-no), but they also risk looking a bit “Essex” tacky. Choose a classic stiletto or a 1990s minimalist style to stay on-trend. So floral patterns for spring are not exactly original or surprising, but this season there’s a difference as designers embellished pieces with three-dimensional appliqué flowers. To prevent yourself from looking like you’re going to a six years old birthday party, choose a piece with sharp, clean tailoring or pair it with tough pieces with accents such as leather, metal or plastic.
/// Lifestyle / WS / 18
White heels are also huge this season but wear with caution. Not only do they get dirty easily (making them a complete Jester’s no-no), but they also risk looking a bit “Essex” tacky. Choose a classic stiletto or a 1990s minimalist style to stay on-trend. Call it the Angelina Jolie effect But side splits are everywhere! They’re perfect for flashing a bit of flesh whilst being on the right side of risqué. Styles and looks are wide-ranging; skirts can be a maxi, midi or mini, and the style can be long and flowing or short and sharp. This trend works easily on the beach, at a picnic or at a club. Splits can be long or nearly-revealing-the-knickers short but, remember, one gust of wind and the people at the bus stop may see more than you wanted to reveal. This can be a hard trend to work. Not only do you risk looking like an amateur astronaut dressed in tin foil, but the silvery hues can wash out anyone with fair skin. If you’re one of these people, keep metallic colours away from your face. Shoes are an easy way to (literally) dip your toes into this trend, and can really add a lift to any outfit. Almost any style goes so why not try something unusual like this wedge? If you do try metallic clothing, keep the silhouette minimal; it’s the colour that packs the punch.
The Chequered look Yes, really. This season, the hottest print of the season is the chequered look. Louis Vuitton led the way with this trend working a bold, fresh and elegant appearance. This look also had a bit of a 1960s feel about it. Work a liquid eyeliner feline flick and a messy beehive to really channel this trend. If chequered clothes are a little bit “chess board” for you, why not try stripes? Vertical stripes are more flattering than their horizontal sibling as they elongate and slim the body - stick to this stripe if you’re curvier than a catwalk model. Stripes do, however, have to be bold. Double kudos for those who work double stripes à la Michael Kors. For those of a more feminine disposition, the catwalk was abundant with frills and ruffles. Everything from hems, cuffs, necklines and shoulders were decorated with elegant frills. Bold ruffles often require rich, expensive fabric to keep it looking smart so, to work this look on a smaller budget, choose understated, relaxed embellishments. Have fun experimenting with the new looks this season. Decide which trend works for you and your wardrobe before investing in some key pieces. Remember, keep it fresh, cool and clean. Now if we could only have the weather to match our wardrobes... / Images by Zahra Warsame / Email contact: lifestyle@wessexscene.co.uk
2 SISTERS 1 MOTORBIKE IN BALI / Margaux Lesaffre /
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Margaux Lesaffre tells of her exploration of the beautiful world of Bali with nothing but a motorbike, a small guidebook, and her sister for company.
W
e left the country with an eager feeling, curious of what was yet to come. The trip seemed endless, and after 27 hours we finally reached Indonesia. We first went on a diving cruise, around the Komodo islands. The underwater flora and fauna was unbelievably luxuriant, from tiny pigmy sea horses to the imposing black tip sharks. It was such an explosion of colours that I did not know which rock to lay my eyes on. I would really recommend this diving spot to any diving amateurs. We then flew to Bali and it all began at the airport. My sister and I arrived at destination without any plans in mind and nowhere to stay. We decided to discover Bali by ourselves and we were looking for an adventure. We left our suitcases at the airport, took our rucksacks and
“Between overhanging opulent trees, there are hundreds of approachable and playful monkeys” decided to pack only the bare essentials. Quite anxious, but thrilled of what was waiting for
us, we headed for Kuta. The city of Kuta was not what I imagined of Bali; big, busy, modern, and not very exotic. However, we soon got to the beach where this immense, although touristic, white sand image dominated the landscape. Kuta beach is perfect for those willing to learn how to surf; you can rent a board from £2 to £5 for a whole afternoon. The water is pleasantly warm and the locals very nice and helpful. After two hours surfing with the locals, I got back to my sister to see her with a huge black motorbike. In Kuta you can easily rent scooters or motorbikes for about £45 a week, sometimes, without any license needed. Anxious, I sat behind her and we started our road trip. We looked in our guide and found a wooden lodge called “Flower buds” in the city of Uluwatu, not far from Kuta. Here, we fell asleep to the sound of hundreds of exotic animals. Early in the morning, we decided to go to Ubud, the ‘city of arts’. Surrounded by rice paddies, Ubud is an important cultural region of Bali, quite touristy but worth visiting. Wandering in the streets, we came across bizarre sculptures, dazzling and
psychedelic paintings, finding ourselves in a temple, filling our noses with luscious smells and our ears with enchanting music. For animal lovers, Monkey Forest, situated beside the heart
“Kuta beach is perfect for those willing to learn how to surf ” of the city, is a venue not to be missed in Ubud. Between overhanging opulent trees, there are hundreds of approachable and playful monkeys. After two days in Ubud, we drove to Lake Batur, further north. We got lost on our way and had to ask locals for directions, most of them did not speak English, especially in little remote villages, and believe me, despite being very friendly, Indonesians have no sense of direction! After an hour, and thanks to my sister’s amazing driving skills, we arrived at Lake Batur. Numerous very modest villages encompass the lake, behind which stands a gigantic volcano. For the most courageous, Mount Batur can be climbed at dawn, it is strenuous but the view is priceless. Near the villages, you can always find locals willing to
/// Travel / WS / 20
accompany you in exchange for a few rupees. Some bungalows are available to crash, usually from £6 to £20, or if you are looking to immerse yourself completely in the culture, sometimes villagers are more than happy to welcome you to their home. Beware, the climate is usually hot and humid but nights can be very cold and windy at Lake Batur. As diving addicts, my sister and I wanted to finish our trip with a last dive. We put our rucksacks back on and drove a long way to reach Amed, situ-
ated along the east coast of Bali. Amed has gorgeous black sand beaches, residues from Mount Agung, another volcano which can be seen while lying on the beach. You can also enjoy a fresh fruit juice or a local beer in the bars and lodges around the main beach. We dove to ‘le petit wreck’ diving site, which is an immense wreck disposed vertically on the ground, home of dozens of kaleidoscopic corals. During days of worship, I would strongly recommend you to stop for a little detour in one of the temples along the coast, where you can see little Balinese
girls dancing to celebrate their gods, and if you are lucky, you will have the privilege of being invited to pray with them. After a week full of emotions, we drove back to the airport, with a bitter feeling but amazing memories to share. I would recommend Bali to anyone who is looking for adventure or just want to relax and enjoy breathtaking sceneries. / Image by Hannah Reed / Email contact: travel@wessexscene.co.uk
21 / WS / International ///
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY / Jonathon Nice /
In a world of gender equality and equal rights, an issue that has (over the last 100 years) been highlighted and contended as a pertinent issue, International Women’s day is a celebration of the progress that has taken place and the change that has revolutionised gender roles in modern civilised society.
O
n the 13th of March 2013, it is International Women’s Day, which harks back to the beginnings of a social revolution in the early 1900s, where women started to debate the issues of oppression and inequality that they faced. These initial debates sparked the start of change. Possibly most famously, Emmeline Parkhurst formed the ‘Women’s Social and Political Union’, which became known as the ‘Suffragettes’ and is infamous for leading the protests against gender inequality. Notably, in 1905 two members of the union shouted out in governmental meeting where newly elected Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon was speaking. After requesting if the Liberal Government would grant women the vote, the two women were forcibly removed from the building and were arrested and charged with assault after a small scuffle, which lead to them spending 10 days in prison. This shocked the British public so much so, that the violent tactics of the WSPU were given a lot of attention in the media and grasped the hearts and minds of the British public. Throughout the 20th Century, this initial movement caused a stirring in socio-political ideology across the world; in 1907 the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies (NUWSS)
organised what has come to be known as the ‘Mud March’. The event attracted over 3,000 women who marched the streets of London, from Hyde Park to Exeter Hall, to advocate women’s suffrage. This caused global movements, including in 1908 when 15,000 women marched through the streets of New York City, de-
“Sometimes it’s too easy to forget what women have achieved and the challenges they have faced. This event is an opportunity to put this at the forefront of our minds.” – Chloe Green, manding a change towards equality issues including shorter working hours, better pay and most importantly; the women’s right to vote - an idea taken for granted in our understanding of civilised society. This lead to the Representation of the People Act in 1918, which granted 8.4 million women across the UK the right to vote, on the condition that they were over the age of 30 (this was reformed in 1928 and reduced to 21) and reached the required minimum property qualifications. This lead onto the 1918
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Eligibility of Women Act, allowing women to be elected into Parliament, which didn’t materialise itself until 1979 when Margret Thatcher was elected Prime Minister of the United Kingdom - the only women to have ever held this post since the reformation. Currently across the world there are 17 countries with Female world leaders in power, including Germany (Angela Merkel), Australia ( Julia Gillard) and most recently South Korea (Park Geun-hye). Considering that there are 206 recognised sovereign states (depending on the defining authority), this is still disproportionately low at only 8.25%! There are also 6 Reigning Queens or Vice-Regal females in power; including the UK (Queen Elizabeth II Feb. 6th, 1952-Present), Netherlands (Queen Beatrix, Apr. 30th, 1980-Present) and most recently Australia (GovernorGeneral Quentin Bryce – Sep. 5th, 2008-Present), making up only 2.91% of recognised sovereign states, and 31.48% of all currently legitimately enthroned monarchs. In 1953-1954, Sükhbaataryn Yanjmaa of Mongolia became the world first female (acting) president, followed shortly by Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka in 1960-1966 who be
came the first female prime minister. So, how does this affect me, a student at Southampton? Last year there was a week long campaign dedicated to the celebration of International Women’s Day, this included guest speaker Professor Debra Humphris and Jeremy Howells, a ‘Jazzmanix’ performance and an art exhibition at Winchester – ensuring the engagement of sites in
the event. This year there are planned events, including a lecture about ‘Females in Industry’ (Mon 4th), a Zumba Session (Wednesday 6th) and a Diversity Network Event (Thursdasy 7th) with guest speaker Tessa Harrison, events are not listed on the SUSU calendar, and thus may go missed by students, which would be a shame considering the undoubted effort that has gone into planning the events.
Overall, International Women’s Day is a day to be celebrated and promoted within our university, not only to celebrate the achievements of women around the world who have emancipated women, but also to encourage everyone (both in and out of the university), to go on to change the world in the future for the better. / Image
by Anna-Maria Glover /
Email contact: international@wessexscene.co.uk
/// KEY EXHIBITIO
Winchester School of Art is going to be host to a wide range all years being featured. From ‘IN SITU’ and ‘Edition 2012’ to th busy, few month /// Edition 2012
/// IN SITU
‘Edition 2012’ will also be opening on the 7th of March, coinciding with the World Book Day celebrations. The exhibition, over in the Eastside building at WSA, will feature A5 portrait prints from students across all three years of Winchester School of Art, and include pieces from all different pathways and specialisms. The prints are later going to be turned into a book documenting the work from students of 2012.
‘IN SITU’ is an exhibition featuring work from second year graphic arts students’ three-week project, which was inspired by a location they had each selected. The exhibition will be held in the west side gallery of Winchester School of Art, and will start on the 7th of March with a private view, remaining open for a fortnight.
When asked about ‘Edition 2012’ and why it is such a great exhibition, Sarah Benson, one of the organisers of the event, stated: “Edition 2012 is an opportunity for those at WSA in 2012 to make their mark through the medium of print, offering a snapshot into the work they’ve been doing. It’s a celebration of both print and of the student collective of this momentous year.” Due to the wide and relatively unrestricted entry requirements, ‘Edition 2012’ will be a greatly diverse exhibition, with something there for everyone to enjoy and be inspired by. For up-todate news on the event, search for ‘Edition 2012’ on Facebook, where any new information is published.
This is a wonderful opportunity for second year graphic arts students, enabling them to display their work to a wider audience, as well as giving them practice for third year and the future. ‘IN SITU’ will feature a variety of different pieces as each student starts to develop their definitive style, creating a fluid and visually exciting display of work.
/// Degree shows The degree shows at Winchester School of Art are always a highlight of the year, with our three years studying here culminating in one spectacular exhibition. As a third year myself, I know how important this exhibition is to everyone, and with work to complete and display, exhibition spaces to clear, people to invite, business cards to make and fashion shows to organise, it is no wonder the planning has already begun despite the exhibition being over 3 months away! The main event held at WSA is
the static degree show where all third year students get to exhibit their final major projects, which has taken the whole semester to complete. The show displays pieces from Fashion and Textiles, Fashion Marketing, Graphic Arts and Fine Art, with each student carefully selecting and arranging their own work. Each specialism gets their own area within Winchester School of Art, giving everyone space to display their own unique style
ONS AT WSA ///
e of exhibitions over the next 4 to 5 months, with work from he third year degree shows, it’s going to be a very exciting, yet hs for everyone.
and enabling visitors to walk around comfortably. This colourful and diverse exhibition is open for private view on the 17th June at 18.30, starting with a drinks reception. The exhibition is then open to all those who wish to attend for a further week. Students will be in the studios and exhibition areas to speak about their work and answer any questions you may have.
In the static degree show fashion and knit will be exhibiting their garments however, there is also a fashion show in the 1st year fashion and textile studio on the 23rd of May, times to be confirmed. This brings the clothes to life and gives you the opportunity to see their clothes how they wanted you to see them. All of these exhibitions result in Winchester School of Art be-
/// Winchester / WS / 24
/ Sarah Boxall /
/ Image by Laura Wakeford / Email contact: winchester@wessexscene.co.uk
ing an exciting and vibrant place to be over the next few months. With a range of events to suit every taste and interest, there is something here that will appeal to everyone, making it a key place to be. If you are in the area, planning a visit to Winchester or like the sound of these exhibitions, then you will be more than welcome at Winchester School of Art.
/// Sport / WS / 26
Football, Rugby and Our Obsession with Manliness / Jack Winter /
‘M
y sport is better than your sport’ is the gist of the argument between Football and Rugby players that seems to rear its pointless head whenever the two sports are compared. Googling ‘Football vs Rugby’ throws up a wealth of articles, websites and forums filled with people hurling the same old points at each other in order to somehow prove that their chosen sport is superior. These arguments and counter-arguments would fill an essay that could stretch on forever, but one of the themes that runs through both sides of the argument that I can’t understand is the fixation of both parties on who is more manly. Our ideas of manliness have their roots in Ancient Greece and it was the Victorian love of classicism that revived this and combined it with their values of imperialism and faith, the result was the ‘recreation of the
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Why is manliness seen as the best scale on which to compare the UK’s two most beloved sports? soul’ through the manly physical pursuit of competitive sport. Back then what is now ‘Association Football’ and ‘Rugby Football’ were simply ‘Football’ and the game was considered a proof of your manliness. It was only when it came to developing rules that Football began to split. The Victorian public schools were responsible for shaping the sports, in schools in the cities like Westminster it became fashionable to kick the ball across the cobbles whilst on the grassy fields of Rugby school, players would carry the ball forward. Some football matches would even be played with Association rules one half and Rugby rules the other, after all the tactics were more or less identical at this point.
to achieve and confirm one’s manliness. But if manliness is the measure of a sport and it’s all about strength and physicality then why don’t we all just watch traditional wrestling? Football and Rugby win out because of the level and range of skill involved in both sports, they make the sports dynamic, entertaining and therefore two of the most watched and played sports on the planet. The main difference between the sports is that Rugby needs greater levels of understanding between the players on the same team, whilst football encourages more individual creativity. It’s these differences that have varied the physical aspect that we all love about these sports and therefore defines them for so many.
Footie and Rugger are therefore essentially different branches of the same tree, they have grown apart over the past century, but they were both born of a desire
I’m not arguing that one of these brilliant sports is better, I’m just wondering why we have to mercilessly define Rugby and Football by how hard one man crashes into the other when there is so much more to both than that. Why do we still judge sports played by both genders on the outdated and idealistic perceptions of one? Sport is sponsored by
/ Image by Noramy Kipoto /
Email contact: sport@wessexscene.co.uk
27 / WS / Sport ///
SPORTING UNDERWORLD: The side we don’t see / Richard Windsor /
As we leave 2012 successes behind, 2013 fails to get off on the right foot as revelations continue to surface about sport’s now inherent dark side.
2
012 was a great year for sport. It’s 2013 and that’s still mentioned most days, inbetween excessive amounts of slow motion shots of people fist punching to Elbow songs. And it was, but though we in the UK experienced unprecedented highs through Olympic fever, as the New Year came and 2013 now grows ever older, more and more stories of cheating, doping and inherent corruption in the world of sport continue to surface. Enter January, and the formerly great (but we always had our suspicions) cyclist Lance Armstrong finally admits to doping throughout all seven of his Tour de France wins, rendering hundreds of hours of pedalling simply pointless. Not just that, but the cult of personality figure Armstrong became through his ‘heroic’ efforts left many admiring fans deflated and with a sense of betrayal after so many years of openly loving him and furiously defending him.
/ Image by Katie Chisnall /
The Lance saga has brought more than just a conclusion to a tale of a drugged-up road cyclist though, having opened the flood gates as it were, as February brought us new stories every day of how sport is seemingly
up to its eye balls in bad people with bad intentions. First to come were Europol’s revelations that it had identified more than 380 football matches across Europe in which the results were fixed for the benefit of some Far Eastern and Russian gangster types. Only then to find out a mere three days later that one of the world’s top elite sport countries, Australia, had its crime commission reveal that many of its athletes, coaches and sports scientists were not only par taking in doping measures, but were also involved with crime groups who facilitated illegal provisions. Just to top it off - as though we could take anymore -Moses Kiptanui, probably the world’s greatest ever steeple chaser, then came out to claim that the use of performance enhancing drugs is rife amongst athletes in his home nation, Kenya. What does it all mean though? Well the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) - which seemingly only came into most people’s consciousness some time last year -has suggested through its Director General, David Howman, that Australia’s issues are much farther reaching and that the problem “is too big for sport to handle” and that there should be some sort of “sport integrity unit” (which doesn’t sound bureaucratic at all), as well as other such big and important sounding words that makes it seem like they’re doing something. In all seriousness, Howman’s suggestion that organised crime is now so inherent in sport because of its financial strength, and that many sports will ex-
perience those problems the pro cycling have in the recent past, is distinctly worrying for all. Though the suggestion of watching a doped-up athlete run the 100 metres in six seconds sounds comical, what is sport if it isn’t watching people turn clean dedication and hardwork into pushing the limits of human capabilities? Worse though, if athletes, coaches and scientists are becoming so susceptible to corruption, why would anyone believe what they are seeing or furthermore, want to pay for it? The same applies for match fixing. As much as many choose not to believe it, football, even in the UK, can’t consider itself immune from match rigging or drug corruption. In fact, football along with tennis is one of the most leniently tested sports that exist. But the discovery that a Champions League match between Liverpool and Debrecen in 2009 was somehow fixed, truly brings a realisation that these activities exist much more prevalently then we would like to perceive. In this sense, so does the consideration that practice of drug abuse spreads much further than just professional sport. The culture of substance abuse in amateur and recreational sport is still widespread, despite the greater awareness of inherent health risks, social and performance pressures still exist enough to convince people to do it, as Howman suggests. “Steroids and EPO and growth hormone, all these things, this is not just elite athletes. This is society in general,” he said.
“There’s more money to be made in supplying high school kids than there is supplying elite athletes even. At local gyms there are people pushing steroids. It’s a huge industry”. So if the dopers are starting this early, what chance does that give the future integrity of the sport, or what trust can a spectator have in what they are seeing on the field? There’s a real issue that this ceases to be a problem but an overwhelming culture. Like the Armstrong era of cycling, the ‘omertà’ of silence takes precedent over telling the truth, and young athletes either find themselves bullied out of the sport, or pressured into cheating to win. The money and fame that can be gained through sport undoubtedly is the reason why the criminal underworld are so attracted to sport, and creating this culture only serves their interests. Thus, as 2013 marches on and the successes of 2012 become a slightly less vivid memory, the after-Armstrong events will certainly leave many of us asking one question when we watch superhuman sporting feats; what are we not seeing? Sport is sponsored by
Email contact: sport@wessexscene.co.uk / Thank you to Sam Bailey for doing such an excellent job with the Design in Sport. /
C
E N I L D A E H N O I T I T E P OM
Write your own headline for this image from SUSUtv’s Lipdub. What do you think is going on in this picture? The best entry will win a cash prize! With thanks to SUSUtv for letting us use the image. Send all entries to editor@soton.ac.uk with your name, degree subject and contact details. Deadline Monday, March 11 at midnight. We’ll be announcing the result later that week.
/// Pause / WS / 30
Nine Practical Uses for Your Degree
/ Sam Everard /
It’s March already, and for a lot of students that means that their undergraduate degree is coming to an end. But what to do with that degree once you’ve earned it? Everybody knows a degree counts for virtually nothing in this economic climate, so here are nine uses for that incredibly expensive bit of paper:
1.
A classy napkin.
2.
Somewhere to write a screenplay on the back of. You know, that one you had planned about zombies at a ski resort. Gotta put that Film and English degree to some use.
3.
Toilet paper. You can pretend it’s a metaphor for your job prospects if you like.
4.
Credentials to show strangers before you psychoanalyse them in Starbucks for spare change.
5.
A makeshift paper aeroplane to throw in every passing office window.
6.
A template for ransom notes. Kidnapping is a noble profession with flexible job hours.
/ Scene stealer by Amy Harwood /
7.
Kitchen roll. Studies show there is no difference in absorption between a 2:2 and a 2:1.
8.
Combine with a hundred or so other graduates and use your degrees to create a papier-mâché fort of broken dreams.
9.
Use the other side of the page to forge an MA in Delaying Reality.