Saturday, February 22, 2025

Opinion

In defence of Oxford’s ugliest architecture

We should consider what brutalism represents

Abolishing tuition fees would be a middle class cash grab

Such a move would imperil the quality of British universities, do little to make university more affordable, and be socially unjust.

‘Expolwed!’: The Oxford Union’s lazy use of AI

A betrayal of the Union’s supposed commitment to free speech, a failure of both imagination and principle.

Representation requires participation: A call to action from the SU

Engage with us, hold us accountable, and see what student representation at its best can achieve.

The French left: its own worst enemy?

"To say that the French left has a political unity problem would be an understatement."

Oxford’s term structure needs to change – here’s why it won’t

"Three eight-week terms used to be the norm in Britain – but over the course of the last century, university after university has abandoned them."

“Frustrating and Disappointing”: Why the Oxford Union’s decision to host the caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan was a mistake

"As a student of Pakistani origin, it was frustrating and disappointing to see Kakar deciding to visit the United Kingdom and the Union choosing to host him"

A bubble within a bubble?

"There must be more to this trend than the general tide of anti-Tory feeling which has been swelling up everywhere since at least the start of Partygate."

Devolution and Unionism: Labour’s Achilles Heel?

"Labour risks peddling a unitary unionism that bursts at the border."

As Poland steps back from the precipice, others are ready to take the leap

"The EU lives to see another day and Orbán has lost a key ally in his fight against EU cooperation"

The Apocalypse is coming: what shall we drink to?

"our very own Oxford researchers found that warm temperatures and higher rainfall are the secret to producing good wines"

Populism over policy: a tool for public division

"The rise of populism has caused a shift towards dog whistle slogans, inflammatory rhetoric and the idea of a secret elite"

The rituals of our farcical politics

...we wonder, why is there no decency left in politics anymore?

The rise of the old money aesthetic

The trend for looking quietly (but obviously) expensive has found a new muse for the internet age.

The fire that still burns: the political relevance of ‘We Didn’t Start the Fire’ and its message of human continuity

"Humans have been fighting metaphorical, and sometimes literal, fires for decades"

Veering east? What Slovakia’s election means for Europe and the world

The recent Slovak election has sent European leaders scrambling to shore up support for Ukraine after a pro-Russia party emerged victorious on Saturday 30th...

Waking up to Russell Brand’s ‘razzle-dazzle’ misogyny 

"it’s all delivered with a cheeky smile and a knowing wink, to the tune of laughter and whoops from his audience"

Long-term decisions for a brighter future?  Must’ve missed that…

"...students beginning their studies in September won’t know how their university has chosen to allocate its funding until August at the very earliest."

Doppelgangers, thrifting, and cereal

"Somewhere along the way though, our identities got mixed in with the breakfast cereal."

The Conservative path to victory in 2024

"How do the Conservatives intend to fight a campaign that current polling and smart money say they’re almost guaranteed to lose?"

Trump, the American left, and political ‘Voldemorts’

"talking about Trump only added to his power and creating endless discourse about him gifted him a status and political validity he did not deserve"

£27,000 for a library card?

'I love Oxford, but I love it predominantly for reasons other than the education'

Sunak’s rollback on climate and the economy

The unanimous agreement of industry is striking: while they might normally be reluctant to directly criticise government policy, the automotive industry has been almost unified in its dismay.

What the RAAC crisis tells us about the state of British education

When the Department for Education declared its concern over buildings constructed with unsafe concrete on 1st September, more than 150 schools were forced to...

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