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Oxford study finds that ChatGPT reproduces global inequalities

New research from the Oxford Internet Institute (OII), together with the University of Kentucky, reveals that global biases are reproduced and amplified by LLMs (Large Language Models).

Comment

Features

‘Making Politics Political Again’: Student left turns away from Labour

In the miserable rain of last November, I found myself queuing at the Cowley Workers Social Club for a Your Party meeting at which Jeremy Corbyn was set to speak.

Between halls and helplines: Oxford’s eating disorder culture

In a university where excellence is expected and discipline is praised, disordered eating can hide in plain sight. As concerns grow, how effectively is Oxford confronting the culture and systems that allow it to persist?

15-minutes of fame: the legacy of Oxford’s traffic policy protests

Oxford City Council approved their Local Plan to make Oxford a 15-minute city on 14th September 2022. In response, conspiracy theorists organised a mass protest. With some of the new traffic regulations now in place, it’s time for a deep dive into the conspiracist movement and its sunset legacy in Oxford. 

Intoxtigation 2025: The good, the bad, and the Balliol bar  

Pour out a glass for the second annual Intoxtigation. 562 respondents told Cherwell all about where, when, why, and how much Oxford students are drinking. Now it’s time to reveal the results. The best bar, the best drink, the most alcoholic course, college, and year, and some of the...

An offer is only half the story: The challenges facing college outreach

Microsoft Forms and student satisfaction polls mark our email inboxes each year as the University-wide drive for tour guides, alumni testimonials, and the best college-branded pens and tote bags begins. From TikTok trends to residential programmes, all these bureaucratic efforts play a part in the race to lure in...

Across the Atlantic: American academics are finding a new home at Oxford

As political and financial pressures mount across American higher education , a quiet migration is underway. A growing number of US academics are relocating elsewhere, and Oxford, with its collegiate community, institutional stability, and research reputation, stands to benefit considerably. Is it doing enough to draw in this new...

Profiles

Anneliese Dodds on higher education, local politics, and damehood

Dodds spoke to Cherwell a few days after appearing in the New Year’s Honours list.

Sam Tanenhaus: “You can’t judge by the standards of this moment. No one will ever pass the test”

Sam Tanenhaus is best known as the incisive interpreter of William F. Buckley Jr., the most influential conservative intellectual of the twentieth century.  

Joshua Robey: Taking Company to the Oxford Playhouse

Joshua Robey is a name gaining traction within the Oxford University Drama Society (OUDS), the heart of Oxford’s theatre scene. From sold-out runs to glowing reviews from Peter Kessler, his ascent has been swift. A DPhil student specialising in contemporary theatre, Robey has staged productions across the Pilch, O’Reilly and Burton Taylor Studio.

Conor Niland on the space between Centre Court and obscurity

Conor Niland is a former tennis player and author of the book 'The Racket: On Tour with Tennis’ Golden Generation and the other 99%', which tells the story of his professional tennis career.

Culture

Nostalgic and sincere: ‘The Glass Menagerie’ in review

Crazy Child Productions staged a genuine and thoughtful adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ classic.

Irreverent, laugh-out-loud funny: ‘My Dead Mum’s AI Boyfriend’

Aled is a chatbot, but also, more concerningly, Carrie’s mum’s AI boyfriend.

A twisted tour-de-force: ‘Bugonia’ in review

Bugonia is a triumph for director Yorgos Lanthimos and his collaborators. He has produced a cynical but rewarding reflection on the human condition.

‘Heated Rivalry’ vs ‘Stranger Things’: Case studies in creative control 

Stranger Things, like Heated Rivalry, has dominated the cultural zeitgeist at various points across its ten-year airing schedule.

Life

Kilts, Ceilidhs and Calling: Inside the World of Oxford Reeling

It's Thursday night in New College's Long Room, and several dozen students are desperately trying to master The Plough Speed, which, for the uninitiated, is a mind boggling routine of side-steps, spins and shuffles.

Moving cities, keeping home

l've moved cities enough times to know that leaving is never just about packing boxes. After spending eighteen years in London, I found myself applying to a number of different cities, including Oxford, for university.

The dating bio’s obsession with Oxford

As Michaelmas drew to a close, a dramatic conversation about Zohran Mamdani, the new mayor of New York City, finding his partner on a dating app prompted my friend and I to try a dating app for the first time in the UK.

A love letter to authenticity

Mirrors often occupy an uneasy place within the collective consciousness. A reflected replica of this world, not quite false, but not entirely real either.