Opinion

"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...

"This is creating a self-perpetuating cycle of eco-friendly products being targeted more towards women, thus eco-friendly branding becoming more feminised. The backlash of this is that more environmentally damaging branding is targeted at men". Annie Liddell writes about the gender disparity when it comes to fighting against environmental decline.

"In less than 10 years, the climate crisis will cause an additional 250 000 deaths per year, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Over a third of these will be due to childhood undernutrition. If the university wishes to remain at all consistent, it must stop accepting funding from fossil fuel companies." In the wake of the OCJC Report, Matilda Gettins argues against the monetary relationship between Oxford University and fossil fuel companies.

CW: Contains mentions of ableist, racist and sexist language as well as descriptions of eating disorders. "It is not known the proportion of the UK’s diagnosed autistic population of 700,000 and the UK’s innumerable undiagnosed autistic population who identify as women and/or People of Colour. But we have a duty to represent those people and the diversity of challenges and experiences in our conversations about autism." Ciara Garcha argues that we need greater intersectional conversations and representations of autism in the media.

"I decided to grant Brasenose and Hugh’s joint-eighth and Christ Church tenth just because the latter didn’t have a former PM. Sorry, I don’t make the rules…wait, yes, I do!" Matthew Prudham takes a satirical glance at Oxford's Cabinet and Shadow Cabinet representation since 2010.

On the morning of the 14th of April in Moscow, the doors of four student journalists' homes were unceremoniously kicked in and the students...

"Following 10 tumultuous years, it is hard to see any hope for these war-scarred countries." Zoe Lambert looks back at the Arab Spring, questioning the successes and failures, and reflects on being in Morocco as it began in 2010.

CW: Mentions of Racism. "As a Chinese student in the West, I have found myself constantly caught in between the entanglement of racialized identities and international political battles." Flair Donglai SHI reflects on prejudice in its different forms.

"Then there were more obscure terms: "see you in Cowley". I must admit that given the notoriously well-articulated British pronunciation I honestly believed they were referring to a certain Cow Lake, which I then presumed to be located in Christchurch Meadow, given the cows. It appears that it is the name of the vibrant area south of Oxford." Nicola Carotenuto provides a satirical glance at Oxford student life and lingo.

"Facebook, Twitter, Twitch and YouTube are great sources of information and will become the main ones for many of us. This in itself is not a negative; technology adapts, and the way people live their lives adapts with technology - but so must regulations and laws" W A Whitten discusses how alternative forms of media are shaping news reporting.

"I personally am not too fussed about personal liberties. Let’s face it, I didn’t do much with my liberties when I had them. But after a year inside I have started to care more about them. I do not think that it is too much to ask to have a meal in a restaurant without having to present credentials." Charlie Aslet investigates the efficiency of coronavirus vaccine passports.

"Infographics also generate slacktivism, which gives you the warm fuzzy feeling of doing something and creating change, whilst in reality not much is being done." Anvee Bhutani investigates the problems inherent in social media infographics.

" China, one amongst a host of global superpowers, exists in a ‘buffer zone’ from humanitarian intervention. To take action against the Chinese government is simply undesirable to the global community, over fears that it may lead to adverse economic consequences for major powers also." After President Biden dismissed the mass internment of Uyghur muslims in China as something that could be attributed to 'different cultural norms', Molly Simpson considers the reasons for the lack of international response.

"Consultancy gives you power to influence decisions at the highest levels of management within governments and organisations. A consultant can make sure that positive social impact is an important factor at the forefront of the decision making table." Scott Hextall and Henry Grandage write about how consulting can be more than just being a “corporate sellout”; it can make a difference.

TW: Mentions of sexual violence "Rather than teaching men that to assault is wrong, society teaches women to do all they can to avoid it." Flora Dyson unpacks the phenomenon of internalised misogyny and questions how we can tackle it.