Review: Uncomfortable Oxford Tour

The tour began at the Carfax tower with tales of the town-gown divide in the early days of Oxford University. A third year undergraduate led the group of students and tourists around the town centre. The programme was refreshing in emphasising that the uncomfortable history of Oxford isn’t all history; standing on the busy Saturday High Street looking up at Cecil Rhodes, with church bells blasting in the pouring rain, I felt the juxtaposition of past and present immediately. At times the tour’s nuance gave way to the pursuit of righteousness. The group was asked to voice opinions, and I couldn’t help but notice a mood of willing outrage. The tourists’ lack of familiarity with the uni allowed for wild interpretations of some of the points made; the Oxford Union was dubbed ‘basically a private member’s club’, the admissions system suspected of ‘testing for more than academic potential’. Discussion of accountability of colleges for links to slavery prompted criticisms which illuminated why, once at fault, ‘doing the right thing’ for reparation or repentance is impossible. Among the points made by the group was how ceasing to commemorate a ‘problematic’ figure is historical sterilisation, while continuing to celebrate such figures is blatant injustice. It’s a catch-22. Uncomfortable Oxford brings together more than enough polemics and controversy, tingeing familiar places with disheartening stories. A healthy level of scepticism to the tales as presented, and to the judgments of the crowd, is required.