Opinion

Jo Cox’s murder in Leeds in June 2016 shocked the nation.  For the first time in since the 1990, when Ian Gow was killed by the IRA, a sitting British MP was brutally murdered for doing their job.  There were 26 years between those two tragic incidents, and now British politics is left facing a second deadly attack in five years.  But what steps can we possibly take to ensure that this violence ends?

Imagine working reduced hours over a four-day week and having a three day weekend, every week.   It seems like a radical idea, one that is...

My views here may be shaded by the fact that sailing events are generally mixed-gender, and women regularly out-compete men, especially at the university level. The SCEG suggests that trans women should be excluded from any sport they legally can be, by assuming that they hold some unfair physical advantage. The policy is overbroad and lacks nuance. The guidance does make one point I do agree with, that a "one-size-fits-all" approach is folly, and the only people that can really make this judgment are specific sporting bodies themselves. It would be a mistake, in my view, to rob trans women of the incredible adventure of competitive sport because of an assumption of advantage. Women's sports are not overrun with trans women; in fact, trans athletes are underrepresented in sport at all levels.

"The solution cannot be simply equality. It must be the dissolution of gender as we know it."

"Germans can expect that with Olaf Scholz ahead and a Green Party that despite its setbacks has never been so strong, they will have a government and a parliament that is more than ever preoccupied with climate change, and which will undoubtedly trigger important changes in German industry."

"Covid is ripping apart public confidence in institutions globally: at least in Canada, we tell ourselves, we still get to speak our conscience. But what if my conscience tells me that these institutions need to be rebuilt from the ground up?"

From Albert Einstein to Anthony Hopkins, autistic people have doubtless achieved many amazing things. But we should not oppose those who seek to eradicate or cure autism because of the successes of notable autistic individuals, but because autistic people are people too. Our lives are important and worthwhile no matter what we may or may not achieve. Support for autistic people should not be predicated on exceptionalism, but on humanity.

These realities are of course hidden by DSEI, who present a highly refined image of respectability – showing off and promoting their killing machines in pretty packages and their exhibitors clothed in Savile Row suits and loathsome smiles. This is taken to extremes in the form of the 2019 DSEI highlights video, which rolls slickly on like some sick, grotesque Hollywood movie or video game trailer, eroticising and glorifying the violent implements of war and torture, and entirely camouflaging their lethal reality.

The dire mismanagement of the crisis by populist-led governments has temporarily exposed the delusion of the populist promise, driving the people towards more conventional politics. However, populists in opposition are and can expect to continue seeing a surge of support, with the pandemic providing the ideal environment for them to exploit.

"If we conceive of the self as digitally contingent and cybernetically oriented, virtual hazards become existential ones."

The national team celebrated diversity, embraced difference, and spoke up for those facing oppression. But this fails to map onto society at large. They showed what Englishness and our idea of the nation could be, but not what it is. The ideal of England offered throughout this tournament was just that: an ideal, far removed from reality.

"What is certain is that, as we emerge into a changed world, with different perspectives, motives and desires, we must remember that lockdowns and pandemic restrictions have this other, less visible, less reported-on cost."

“The only solution to assuage the refugee crisis and bestow hope and justice to Syrians is a long-term political peace settlement in Syria, where people are once more able to regain the ability to live.”

"The dichotomy encapsulated by the situation in Qatar is embedded in football around the world: the flashy wealth and fame of football are built on abuse and suffering. Profit is increased at the cost of human lives." Ciara Garcha analyses football's issues with dirty money.

"a more open system, where funding options are clear, where rejection is forthcoming, would lead to fewer students congregating in the virtual halls of The Student Room, wondering what is going on amongst the (currently virtual) decision-making panels." Matthew Prudham reflects on the trials of Master's and Doctoral degree funding.

CW: Sexual Assault, violence, rape. "If I didn’t tell this man to stop, how could he have known how uncomfortable he was making me?" Anonymous reflects on their experience of surprise and unconsented choking, and the line between kink and assault.

The past weeks marked both the 51st Earth Day and the 35th anniversary of the disaster at Chernobyl. There is perhaps no better time to consider the use of nuclear power and the collective, shared responsibility of humans towards the earth. If lessons can be taken from the past, authorities that are willing to put political and economic benefits above environmental impact and human lives must be questioned and held to account. It is important to realise that nuclear power only provides a short-term solution despite its economic attractiveness.

CW: Contains descriptions of addiction.  "It’s like jenga. I build a tower, I gradually remove blocks, and then BAM! I collapse." IK reflects on their experiences as an Oxford student with ADHD.

CW: Detailed descriptions of eating disorders. "At Oxford we socialise through college formals, balls, crew dates, welfare teas and so much more. For those of us who have a history of disordered eating, this can prove pretty anxiety-inducing. Not to mention, with the highly anticipated June 21st rapidly approaching and the social eating that will come with this, the pressure to get the perfect body is more extreme than ever." Jaya Rana discusses the inefficiency of Oxford's support system for students with eating disorders

Fear is not nearly so disarming as helplessness. And this pandemic has introduced new ways to understand fear. Last March, there was a fear...