Saturday, April 26, 2025
Blog Page 327

Oxford Green Party launch manifesto for local elections

Jill Cushen and Charlie Hancock
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Oxford Green Party launch manifesto for local elections

The Oxfordshire Green Party launched their manifesto for the upcoming local elections in a virtual event on April 12th. Local elections for the city and district councils will take place on May 6th.

In the online event, candidates Chris Jarvis and Dr Dianne Regisford outlined their plans for the role Green councillors will play in the Conservative-led County Council, and Labour-led City Council. Mr Jarvis criticised the city’s Labour councillors for “acting like Tories”, and said the Greens would hold both parties to account.

The party’s 2021 manifesto, ‘A Real Green New Deal for Oxford’, consists of six main target areas. The party aims to provide affordable quality homes, introduce sustainable solutions for transport, rebuild the economy after the pandemic, and tackle the root causes of health inequalities in order to ‘level-up’ health across the city. They are also committed to protecting and supporting nature, and ensuring that the council follows through on their policy to go ‘net-zero’ by 2030. 

Jonathan Bartley, co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, praised the Oxford Green party for “offering a whole package to local government”. He expressed hopes for the Greens to be running the council in Oxford in the future but said the party has to “work ten times harder” as a result of the base vote barrier and people not believing Green Party members can get elected. Mr Bartley emphasised the importance of Green party members “making a difference to peoples lives on an individual basis” and “transforming lives on the ground”. 

Mr Jarvis, candidate for Iffley Fields and St Mary’s, said the three main issues the party aims to tackle are housing, the climate crisis and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. He spoke of plans for a council-backed letting agency, the party’s aim to invest in renewable energy by amending the local plan and his desire to increase public ownership of public resources. He said the party would ensure that “people and the planet are put first” and that they are “constantly representing the city in its full diversity”. 

Dianne Regisford, a recent PhD graduate at Oxford Brookes University and candidate running for University Parks and Holywell Ward, spoke about her campaign’s grassroots focus and her slogan “Connecting Caring Communities”. Speaking of Oxford’s large student population, she emphasised her desire to “cultivate a culture of inquiry” into why students drop out of education and remove the “divide between the town and the gown”. 

Ms Regisford addressed concerns about student feelings of isolation, the vaccine rollout, housing, low traffic neighbourhoods and green spaces. She also spoke of her hopes to explore “how to create an equitably resourced post for diversity officer” and “reimagine the relationship between the people and those in authority”. 

The event was hosted by Green Group Council Leader, Cllr Craig Simmons, who concluded: “Green politics means doing things differently.”

Two student candidates are also running for local election. Kelsey Trevett, is a St Clements candidate and a first year PPE student at the University of Oxford, and Rosie Rawle, a PhD student at Queen Mary University of London and Co-Chair of the Young Green Party, is standing in Donnington city ward and St Clements County Division. 

Oxford JCRs launch campaign for the return of students

Charlie Hancock
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Oxford JCRs launch campaign for the return of students

As uncertainty surrounding when students will be able to return to university continues, Oxford University students have started to campaign for increased clarity from the government. Our Turn to Return, a campaign launched by college JCRs, is campaigning for all students to return to university from the beginning of next term.

The government had promised to update universities and the public by the end of the Easter holidays about when students on non-practical courses would be able to return. While Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed that restrictions would begin to ease from April 12th with the opening of non-essential retail, theme parks and zoos, no information about universities was given. The University of Oxford announced on its website that guidance for non-practical courses may be delayed until after the vacation.

Nadia Hassan, President of the Trinity College JCR, started a petition to the government in order to bring attention to the frustrations felt by many students. She told Cherwell: “Considering the anger and upset that many students are feeling across I thought it would be the best way of uniting students under one cause and getting the national student voice heard”.

Ms Hassan continued: “Alike to the reopening of schools, universities should be prioritised because our education is essential. Why can our younger peers unite with their friends and resume their studies in-person while students in higher education are forced to remain and continue their studies online at home? Countless studies have shown how remote learning has had a negative impact on students’ mental health and wellbeing so it’s not illogical to conclude that students are better off studying at university alike to their younger peers in school.”

Since opening on April 12th, the petition has gained over 4000 signatures and has become one of the highest trending petitions on the website. The government responds to petitions which gain over 10,000 signatures, and those which amass over 100,000 will be considered for a debate in Parliament.

The petition calls for “all students to return at the start of the Summer term”. Before COVID restrictions meant that most students would be unable to return to university, there had been plans to stagger when students would be allowed to return to campus. Students on practical courses were allowed to return a week earlier than those who were not. Currently, undergraduate students on practical courses are able to return to Oxford from April 17th. Though those on non-practical courses are still waiting to hear when they can return.

Ms Hassan told Cherwell that staggering return dates for the Summer term would be unnecessary. “Most students [returned] during the last lockdown and a lot have returned for this term in different universities who interpret the guidance leniently. It is thus logical to state that this would not be a mass migration movement. We also have testing in place alike to schools, so we can minimalize infections in that way.”

Isobel Cook, President of the New College JCR, told Cherwell on behalf of Our Turn to Return: “At an earlier date, a staggered return may have been possible. However, the government has left the decision so incredibly late that, given the recent easing of restrictions in all other areas of society, the only fair thing to do is let students return for the beginning of their term. At the moment, these students, who have been made to wait for so long, are being made to feel like nothing more than pawns in a political game.”

“If students continue to study remotely at home, many will effectively have lost 1/3 of their degree to the pandemic. Whilst we recognise the sacrifices that have had to be made at all levels of society due to Covid-19, if the government is truly committed to prioritising education then it would not neglect University students in this way. The government has made the decision to re-open non-essential retail, as well as theme parks zoos and salons – is the education we are going into so much debt for really less important than all of these?” she continued.

Ms Cook also told Cherwell how students can help campaign to be allowed to return: “Sign the petition, share the link, follow the Facebook page, and spread the word in any way you can! You could share the petition with friends from other Universities, student leaders or societies, family members, or school group chats. You can also support the cause by writing to your MPs to encourage them to put pressure on Minister Donelan, and by contacting the media to increase the visibility of the campaign. Any efforts will be appreciated!”

A spokesperson from the Department for Education told Cherwell: “This has been an incredibly difficult time for students, and Government is committed to getting all students back into university as soon as the public health situation allows. Students on practical and creative courses started returning from the 8th of March, and we will be reviewing options for the timing of the return of all remaining students by the end of the Easter holidays. Decisions will take into account the need to protect progress across the wider roadmap out of the pandemic, including the spread of the virus in communities and pressures on the NHS.”

Image: SJPrice via pixabay.com

The Role of a Lifetime? It’s Never Too Late

Anna Stephen
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The Role of a Lifetime? It’s Never Too Late

While actors profit from an ability to be malleable, it is often the case that they are stuck playing the roles they are ‘right for’. Or so it seemed. Sir Ian McKellen being cast as Hamlet at 81 proves that fitting the actor to the part is a process easily reversed.

McKellen, one of the veteran theatre greats, said in a 2017 interview that he’d ‘probably’ never act in Shakespeare again. King Lear had been his crowning achievement: a world tour of recurring violent deaths and anguished howling, to bid adieu to a decades-long partnership with the Bard. A member of the RSC since 1974 (and making his Shakespeare debut nearly a decade previously), McKellen has given us Romeo, Richard III, and a chillingly vulnerable Macbeth. He has also played Hamlet before, at the tender age of 31.

Now, with theatres throwing open their doors, the rejuvenated not-so-juvenile Hamlet will hit the Theatre Royal Windsor this summer, directed by Sean Mathias. But how will this age-blind production work? Will McKellen attune himself to the mannerisms of a younger man? Or will Hamlet be absorbed into the likeness of a legendary actor? How will the Prince’s turbulent relationships with his elders play out? Do any of these questions matter? Hamlet’s age is often debated: some are firmly on team ‘angsty university student’, but the majority go by the evidence of the gravedigger scene and will calmly tell you that he is 30. It’s worth remembering that Shakespeare wrote for the talents of his acting troupe and Hamlet was a role for Richard Burbage, aged 32 when the play premiered.

In many ways, Hamlet’s youth is vital, dividing him from the older figures in his life and rendering his ontological meditations all the more disquieting. McKellen himself described him as ‘a boy who knows exactly what has to be done but lacks the manly resources to do it.’ However, he added, ‘Shakespeare’s heroes all go on such painful journeys to maturity.’ This is exactly it. Maturity is not necessarily determined by age. The role of Hamlet has been hailed as the most challenging: an actor’s greatest test, less a part, and more a life experience. It has been tackled by stalwart thespians and fresh faces of television alike. Let’s not forget that Hamlet himself is an actor. Playing a man obsessed with acting obscures the identity of the ‘real character’, and complicates the very concept of theatre. This is the beauty of the play. It’s five acts about acting – and if anyone has experience in this field, it’s McKellen.

But does age-blind casting actually make a difference to the story?  Age profoundly shapes what we can say about our experiences, capabilities and relationships. An older Hamlet is in danger of becoming dissociated from his textual origins. Watching an octogenarian interact with the ghost of his father, we might be more prone to see a conversation between equals. The voice of an older man delivering each soliloquy intrinsically possesses a kind of wisdom. As we imagine a more senior actor clutching a skull and raving about death, the scene becomes significantly more morbid. But haven’t adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays long thrown off the shackles of age, race, and gender?

In Olivier’s film version, he cast an actress half his age to play his mother. A 2010 production at the Bristol Old Vic had Romeo and Juliet as two geriatrics in their retirement home. A Midsummer Night’s Dream’s Puck could just as easily be played by a 90-year-old woman as by the typically bare-chested, glassy-eyed young man. Shakespeare is diverse and adaptable. It’s how you can flick from a Victorian Measure for Measure to a camp 80s Much Ado to the latest RSC Hamlet, with Paapa Essiedu the first black actor to play the role at the company. It’s how the play has made the screen, the opera, been endlessly parodied, turned into video games and memorialised in Disney canon as The Lion King. Hamlet was first played by a woman in 1796. 1921 saw silent film actress Asta Nielsen star as a cross-dressing female Prince of Denmark. The play’s the thing: a springboard from which to launch in all directions.

However, blind casting is a different kind of adaptation. Not addressing McKellen’s age means a whole dimension falls away from the story. Surely nothing can ever be completely ‘blind’? Every time Sherlock Holmes and James Bond are recast, new debates spring up. Discrimination in the acting community is sadly ever-present. Actresses turning 40 should not have to fear being told to get Botox, or receive three scripts in one year inviting them to play a witch (the latter happened to Meryl Streep). Blind casting ultimately depends on the role. Of course, the stage is a place for representation and diversity. But how is this possible if remaining fixedly ‘blind’ means a refusal to acknowledge age, race, and gender? Such important elements of identity should not be swept under the carpet.

Perhaps we shouldn’t consider what will be lost or gained, but what will be different. I won’t pretend I’m not wary. But Hamlet’s function in his play is entirely different to King Lear’s function in his. Lear’s collapse into grief is public and exposed. Hamlet isolates himself; he creeps on the fringes; he is not anchored to events but withdraws from them. I would hope to see McKellen capture the character’s dancing quality: mercurial, impulsive, yet bizarrely stagnant. Hamlet is a mess of paradoxes, like all of us. Anyone could take his place (as critic William Hazlitt said two hundred years ago, ‘It is we who are Hamlet’). He is a character that transcends dimensions. The more diversity in the actors who play him, the more ways we can watch our experience as humans play out on stage. Shakespeare’s characters are what can be made of them. I’m excited to see what happens.

Image credit: StarGlade via Pixabay.

Everything wrong with social media infographics: an informative thread

Anvee Bhutani
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Everything wrong with social media infographics: an informative thread

In the past year, we’ve all seen it too often: terrible tragedy in the news, followed by a host of social media PowerPoint presentations about the social issues surrounding the event and why people should care. Tragedy, Social Media Outrage, Repeat. Like clockwork, the process repeats itself, following the steady hum of the news cycle.  In the past year, these infographics have given rise to several social media accounts such as @shityoushouldcareabout and @feminist which have grown to millions of followers. They provide bitesize information cards to news and social issues, both local and global. But amidst the COVID-19 crisis, we’ve got another crisis: an information overload.

This issue isn’t binary. These infographics can partially be worthwhile as well. For international issues, Instagram infographics give a platform to topics that aren’t receiving Western media coverage. In 2020, this was particularly instrumental for movements such as ‘End SARS’ in Nigeria which calls for the disbanding of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, a notorious unit of the Nigerian police with a long record of abuses, as well as the Farmers Protest in India – an ongoing mobilisation against three controversial farm bills which were passed by the Indian Parliament in September 2020. In these cases, infographics help break down what exactly the issue is and how people can directly contribute to the movements. 

Especially for people not familiar with the local geopolitics of a region, the graphics have merit. They give you a simple ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘when’, ‘where’, ‘why’ breakdown followed by a ‘how you can help’. And, on a local scale, it empowers individuals to advocate for issues they find important. Anyone with enough followers is able to spotlight issues that matter to them or share fundraising links and open letter drafts. One might say social media even makes activism accessible.

So what, then, is the issue with infographics? I would argue the problem is three-fold: oversimplification of complex issues, a rise in ‘slacktivism’, and activism fatigue that results from information overload.

Last summer, for instance, Eve Ewing, a writer and sociologist who has researched racism and social inequality, encouraged users to be conscious of information consumed on Instagram. “Graphics like this can be a helpful teaching tool, but some of the ‘racial justice explainer’ posts that go viral grossly oversimplify complex ideas in harmful or misleading ways or flat-out misstate facts,” she wrote. “[They] are not attributed to any transparent person, people, or organization who can be held accountable for errors and draw on the work of scholars and activists who go uncredited.” This is because ‘explainer’ posts particularly rely on the simplification of complex histories and ideas and usually derive from dense academia. The information, therefore, goes through a process of generalisation to fit the facts into the 10-slide Instagram carousel. This alongside the use of eye-catching fonts, backgrounds and visuals sometimes have the potential to trivialise serious topics such as racism or sexism.

Even with the ‘StopAsianHate’ posts, Taylor Noelle, a Filipina woman, for instance, shared a post explaining, “You can’t ‘shop Asian owned businesses’ out of Xenophobia and ‘follow Asian creators’ and ‘celebrate Asian joy’ when these things, while being side effects of racism, are not the cause.” These infographics, because they lack depth, are usually unable to effectively address a majority of these issues. Furthermore, because of the viral nature of these posts, it means that this oversimplification can misinform millions of people who may consume the content. 

But 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. In fact, Urban Dictionary defines slacktivism as “the self-deluded idea that by liking, sharing, or retweeting something you are helping out”. 

Therefore slacktivism has begun to create certain contentment around activism whereby people are unable to take the next step to translate their social media into action. Instead of having difficult conversations with friends and family about race, for instance, people have become complacent with simply sharing a black square captioned ‘#BlackOutTuesday’. 

It has led to the rise of performative activism, a social phenomenon whereby people feel compelled to reshare social justice content in order to maintain optics of their supposed allyship with certain marginalised communities. In reality, the purpose for resharing is self-serving. 

A side effect of slacktivism is that it has also somewhat glamourised what protesting at the grassroots level looks like. In reality, organising is a tedious and emotionally exhausting process that requires fighting for basic human rights in a political system that is reluctant to change. In fact, activist Nupol Kiazolu, president of Black Lives Matter New York, called #BlackOutTuesday “frustrating” and “counterproductive”. She is one of many activists who believes that it is important for real and tangible civic engagement to be built beyond just the popular, easier “alternative”. 

And all of this culminates in activism fatigue or social justice burnout: a feeling of exhaustion that comes with having to emotionally invest yourself in a variety of causes. When the rate of activism feels like it’s not bringing with it a steady stream of progress or when people are constantly being exposed to new harsh depressing content, there is a lack of motivation and passion to actually fight for social justice issues. Online platforms only heighten this by clouding your mental sphere with massive amounts of info.

Ultimately, advocacy is designed to address systemic issues. While infographics are surely a means to inform and spread awareness, they do not translate to tangible impact. In conjunction with activities such as protests, letter writing, advocacy, and more, they serve a purpose. But alone? They don’t get a double-tap from me.

Image Credit: Creative Commons – “BBC: Social Media Infographic 2” by Jamie Sneddon is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

The Uyghur genocide and global inaction: Responsibility to Protect

Molly Simpson
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The Uyghur genocide and global inaction: Responsibility to Protect

The Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine is a global political commitment embraced by the UN General Assembly. It serves as a basis for collective action against genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity. Crucially, the R2P dictates that a state’s primary obligation is to protect its citizens. In cases where a state fails to uphold this obligation, it loses the right of sovereignty. The international community must then fulfil their secondary responsibility and intervene.* 

With this in this mind, one only needs a brief contextualisation of what is occurring in Xinjiang to recognise that the situation is a textbook R2P case. Comprising just 1% of China’s population, the Muslim, Turkic-speaking ethnic minority of the Uyghurs have long been subjected to a series of highly repressive policies, all operating under the guise of counterterrorism. What began as mass surveillance, prohibition from teaching the Uyghur language, and the expunction of ancient mosques, soon escalated into the active detainment of the Uyghur population in internment camps, euphemistically titled ‘re-education facilities’. Chinese authorities are not only failing to protect their population from genocidal impulses, they are actively enforcing policies that nurture such atrocities. 

I am not writing this piece with the intent of proving that the Xinjiang region is in urgent need of intervention from the global community. I believe that the case for this is most evident. Rather, I seek to answer the question of why nothing has happened thus far. The problem is not that government officials are unaware of the severity of the situation at hand: back in 2019, UN ambassadors of 23 European countries released a letter to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) condemning China over the detention of Muslims in Xinjiang. And so, when this population is so desperately in need, why is nothing happening? 

The crux of the matter is simple: the R2P doctrine crumbles when held against powerful countries. 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. Even the US, who under the Trump administration had made clear their autarky from the country by fuelling the recent Sino-US trade war, depend heavily on China for low-cost consumer goods. The decision to intervene is clearly grounded in mutual self-interest, exposing how the R2P warps humanitarian intervention into something distinctly political. When communities are being exposed to such terror by their own state, we have an obligation to move beyond the politics. 

On top of this, hegemonic powers such as China will never face a truly universal international response, for their economic clout grants them significant impunity. Indeed, just four days after the UNHRC council received a letter of Chinese condemnation from European countries, 37 other countries signed a letter countering the censure. By and large, these countries are not supporting China for moralistic purposes. Rather, their support of such abhorrent policies is largely an attempt at self-preservation. Under the guise of ‘aid and assistance’, China has built up countless alliances with smaller countries – creating a dependency complex. In doing so, they have configured an entire band of countries who are forced into loyalty. Take Pakistan, for example, whose economic future is largely conditioned by the Chinese-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a collection of under-construction infrastructure valued at $10 billion. Do we truly expect Pakistan, along with a host of other countries whose stability hinges upon Chinese economic aid and assistance, to stand against the state? A unified global response is but a mere dream. 

Chinese authorities can thus continue with their systematic abuse of the Uyghur community without fear of any substantial condemnation – their sovereignty is unfettered. The doctrine will never be a global norm. Instead, it will only ever be enforced upon smaller, weaker states where intervention is a hassle-free process. In this way, the R2P actively works to reinforce structural inequalities of global hegemonic power: granting global ‘superpowers’ effective impunity against intervention, while leaving behind vulnerable and poorer states where claims to sovereignty are significantly overridden. This result is not necessarily a calculated or premeditated outcome of the R2P doctrine. However, it is certainly an inevitable by-product of a global political commitment which fails to recognise that inequality is embedded into the very framework of the international community.  

We must continue to negotiate and work towards a redefined sense of humanitarian intervention, one that breaks away from hegemonic structures of power rather than reinforcing them. The internal community must also face up to the reality that the hierarchical global system that currently exists means that a universal applicability of intervention will never be truly universal. The R2P doctrine has failed to protect the Uyghur population in Xinjiang and, if serious reforms are not made, future vulnerable populations may face a similar fate. 

*Here, intervention is not interchangeable with military involvement. Rather, the process of preventing mass atrocities extends to a whole continuum of obligations, insisting that a host of less intrusive measures (for example, trade sanctions) need be considered before the more coercive and intrusive ones are applied.

Image credit: Malcolm Brown via Wikimedia & Creative Commons 

Oxford SU responds to the uncertainty over Trinity returns

Sasha Mills
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Oxford SU responds to the uncertainty over Trinity returns

The sabbatical officers at Oxford SU have released an official response to the uncertainty over Trinity returns for students. This comes after a range of efforts from the student body, including petitions and letters to MPs, to reach greater clarity on the situation for students next term. 

In their statement, the sabbatical officers condemned the government’s handling of the situation: “This government has continued to ignore students and have failed to include Universities in the government roadmap. This is unacceptable. The government has broken their promises to provide more guidance on student return and has instead cancelled announcements leading to incredible amounts of stress and uncertainty for students that could have been avoided had university students not been repeatedly ignored.”

They went on to highlight the guidance around current exemptions, and suggested that students should be the ones to make decisions on whether the exemptions apply to them. “We believe that students alone should be able to make their own decision about whether or not an exemption applies to them.”

“We urge colleges to look favourably on requests to return made by students as we believe all students should be permitted to return to their accommodation if they feel they fall under the existing exemptions.” The SU also highlighted the “uneven implementation” of government policy across colleges.

The SU has joined with the UUK, Student Minds, and NUS’ open letter, alongside contacting Michelle Donelan, the Minister for Universities. St Edmund’s Hall student, Sophie Richardson, has created a document collating the existing petitions, featuring templates for letters that can be sent to MPs, Michelle Donelan, and Kate Green, the Shadow Education Secretary.

Image Credit: David Nicholls / CC BY-NC 2.0

Oxford students respond to uncertainty over university return

Cherwell News and Investigations Section Editors
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Oxford students respond to uncertainty over university return

Students at the University of Oxford have responded to the lack of certainty about the return of those on on-practical courses. This followed updated guidance from the university, which suggested that a decision will not be made until after the Easter holidays. In a press conference on 5th April, Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed the reopening of a wide number of sectors, including non-essential retail, outdoor hospitality, and gyms. The reopening of universities was not mentioned.

Students have also expressed their discontent with the lack of government guidance by creating an official petition which calls on the UK government to set a date for when non-practical students can return to university campuses across the country. The details of the petition state: “For a government that wants to prioritise education in the roadmap this ruling is contradictory.” The petition currently has over 1,600 signatures.  

Universities UK (UUK), a collective of 140 UK-based universities including Oxford University, responded by sending an open letter to the Prime minister. It argues that it “seems illogical that students are not allowed to return … and resume their studies in Covid-safe university facilities, particularly at this crucial time of the academic year.”

Prescom, the committee of JCR Presidents at Oxford, has sent a letter to Minister Donelan urging her to provide a roadmap for a safe return for all students. The letter was also sent to officials and argues that: “Strong and clear messaging from the Government is needed because the current arrangements are unfair, with inconsistent interpretations of abstract thresholds leading to deep frustration and despair among students.”

It also states: “The Government’s relative neglect of students must be rectified. We demand that all students be allowed to return to their term-time accommodation at the beginning of next term. This decision would be clearly in line with the other easing measures outlined in the Government roadmap out of lockdown. It is also vital that there is the appropriate financial support, advance planning and regulatory framework put in place by the Government to support this. Anything less would be failing students.” 

In a Facebook post, Prescom stated: “We are currently waiting for our nationwide petition to be approved, which will be launched alongside a social media drive, campaigning for all students to be allowed to return to university by the beginning of next term. We hope this will be an opportunity for all students across the country to get involved and feel that their voices are heard. We have heard that the letter has been received by a couple of the addressed parties and we have been told that we can expect a response soon – we will of course keep you updated of progress when we can.” 

Letter templates to be sent to members of the UK government have also been drafted and circulated among students. The template drafted for Members of Parliament describes the “continued negligence and cruelty in both refusing to permit the returns of university students to campuses for in-person teaching, and for a horrifically mismanaged communications effort”. It also states: “students in particular, have consistently been ignored, discarded, and mistreated throughout this pandemic by the government, conceived of only as lucrative cash cows for student loan companies, rather than as the members of British society, who, as we now begin unlocking, deserve the return to a semblance of normal life that, from Monday, the vast majority of Brits will enjoy.” 

Similar templates have been written to be sent to the Minister of State for Universities, Michelle Donelan, and Kate Green, Shadow Secretary of State for Education. These letters call for a release of the government plan for a return to university and ask for students “to be treated the same as the rest of the UK and British society.” 

Kian Everson, creator of the petition and a student at Worcester University told Cherwell: “Last time I checked it only had around 15 signatures and all were from family and friends I had sent links to, and then I completely forgot about it! I can’t believe how much attention it’s received. I created the petition after Gavin Williamson’s announcement that there would be a review into non-practical students going back ‘by the end of the Easter holidays’. This message lacked huge clarity and as a student on a non-practical course, this added onto further letdowns from the government.”

“Personally, all three of my A-levels were initially downgraded by the algorithm in August and I only had 3 months’ worth of face-to-face teaching in the first term of university, half of which was already online, and yet I’m still paying full tuition. The government needs to realise that students are going to carry the burden of the pandemic for years to come. We’ll be graduating to an economy and job field that was smaller than when we started our course. I can’t understand how, as of today, I can meet with friends in a beer garden and get my hair cut, yet I’m still expected to carry out my lectures online.”

A document listing the petitions, letter templates and articles on the issue was created by Sophie Richardson, a student at St Edmund Hall. She told Cherwell: “I urge everyone to continue writing to MPs and, crucially, the department of education and the universities minister. The uncertainty is frustrating and damaging to students’ mental health. New government guidelines are needed to ensure students have equal opportunity to return to campuses in a safe way, irrespective of whether they have in-person teaching or not.” 

Will Whitten, a student at St Hilda’s College who created the templates to write to MPs and the University Minister, told Cherwell: “The fact we have not yet heard anything is a large failure of the government this past week, and I really hope that we hear something soon, clarity would be great, and a sensible return to university would be better!” 

A spokesperson from the Department for Education told Cherwell: “This has been an incredibly difficult time for students, and Government is committed to getting all students back into university as soon as the public health situation allows. Students on practical and creative courses started returning from the 8th of March, and we will be reviewing options for the timing of the return of all remaining students by the end of the Easter holidays. Decisions will take into account the need to protect progress across the wider roadmap out of the pandemic, including the spread of the virus in communities and pressures on the NHS.”

Oxford SU have been contacted for comment.

12/4/21, 12:24 – this article was updated to include comment from Kian Everson.

Journals or diaries? The value of inward reflection

Ellie-Jai Williams
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Journals or diaries? The value of inward reflection

The boundaries between diary and journal are blurry, with the terms frequently being used interchangeably. Little attention is paid to the differences between the two – even the OED conflates them, defining a diary as a journal. However, nowadays a diary is considered to be a simple recording of factual daily events, whereas a journal is something more elaborate – a recording of how events have affected the writer personally. In short, journals have achieved a special status because of the emphasis placed on their emotional content.

There are plenty of examples of famous diaries that serve as historical objects, such as Samuel Pepys’ diary that records the Great Fire of London. Many diaries of this nature serve as invaluable eyewitness accounts of living through extremely turbulent times. But what has given these diaries their lasting mark on culture is the fact that they make use of the blurred boundaries between diary and journal, mixing detailed recordings of daily events with the authors’ emotional responses to what is happening around them – people care about, and are impressed by, the emotional content. As history repeats itself and we find ourselves once again living through a time of turbulence and isolation, people are drawn again to the emotional value of journaling. Spending more time alone and indoors, we naturally turn inward – books on self -care are trending more than ever, ads imploring us to learn mindfulness are all around us, manifesting and spirituality are trending topics on TikTok. Now more than ever, we are called to recognise the value introspection and mindful reflection has in bringing clarity to a confusing reality.

But an all-too-familiar problem with journaling is the need to actually make a sustained effort in order for it to be fruitful. (I recall now all the times I’ve proudly stated I would keep a diary this year – only to abandon the notebook on January 23rd, and find it abandoned and dust-covered a few years later). Bombarded with examples of hugely profound and intimidatingly famous journals, we expect our own attempts to achieve the same thing with ease. We are disappointed to find our recording of what we had for breakfast and what we watched on telly with mum does not initially lead us to some profound emotional insight.

Persistence is therefore the key to keeping a journal – but in order to keep us motivated to write, we need a reason why we should persist. I was reading Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe last week, which I believe can help shed some light on this. The novel is another account of living through turbulence and isolation, though this time fictional. Crusoe’s fictional journal takes up a fair amount of pages; initially, it is tedious to read – simple recordings of measures Crusoe takes to survive after finding himself shipwrecked on an uninhabited island. His journal entry for 26th to the 30th of October is simply ‘I work’d very hard in carrying all my Goods to my new Habitation’, whilst December 25th which states nothing but ‘Rain all Day’. However, compare this with after he has spent half a year journaling: the content has shifted to a focus on Crusoe’s inner reality and his thoughts about the world around him. He begins to ask: ‘What am I, and all the other Creatures, wild and tame, humane and brutal, whence are we?’ and ‘Sure we are all made by some secret Power, who form’d the Earth and Sea, and Air and Sky; and who is that?’. A journal that initially was born out of the need for a coping mechanism eventually becomes an account of spiritual reflections that will subsequently shape the rest of Crusoe’s life.

Although fictional, Robinson Crusoe reflects how a key feature of journals is that they often move, organically, from what is happening around us to how we think about it. In this way, a diary can metamorphasize into a journal the longer we stick with it. Psychoanalyst Marion Milner provides a stunning portrayal of this. Her book A Life of One’s Own takes the reader through her journals on a co-journey to discover what it is that makes Milner happy. However, much like Crusoe, Milner writes that the longer she sticks with journaling, the more her interests shift from ‘what to do with [her] life’ to ‘how to look at it’. In other words, her work moves from a diary to a journal. Upon reading her journals in retrospect, Milner reveals how she now sees what she couldn’t at the time – that ‘the effort of recording [her] experiences was having an influence on their nature’. She shifts from only writing when she believed she had something interesting to say, to recording everyday interactions without any expectation of their insight. And when she releases these expectations, possibilities open up. Milner comes to realise from seemingly unassuming events profound truths about herself, such as her tendency to self-sabotage. She is brutally honest in her writing; she does not write every day – in fact, some entries simply state that she is too tired to do anything at all. Nonetheless, she stuck with journaling, and it eventually transformed into a deeply moving published book. This is because the nature of continuously recording her experience allowed Milner to access deeper layers of significance behind them. Like many examples of journals, Milner’s moves from the mundane to the unimaginable and profound.

Therefore, I believe we can learn a lot from Crusoe and Milner’s approach to journaling: stick with it, record even things that seem mundane, then watch as an unassuming diary grows into a profound journal. And when you ask yourself why you’re sticking with it, think of the possibilities it could open. To bring the conclusion back to the world of Marion Milner and psychoanalysis: if the purpose of psychoanalysis is to introduce you to the person you’ll spend the rest of your life with, yourself, then I’m a strong advocate that sticking with journaling can do something similar.

Oxford businesses ready to reopen today: Westgate, Gloucester Green Market and more

Matilda Gettins
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Oxford businesses ready to reopen today: Westgate, Gloucester Green Market and more

Non-essential retail, personal care, leisure centres and outdoor hospitality venues are allowed to reopen on Monday 12th April, according to government guidance. Westgate Shopping centre announced that its non-essential retail is ready to reopen on Monday. Safety measures in place will include queueing systems upon entry, limited capacity and hand sanitizer points located throughout the centre.

Brendan Hattam, Centre Director, Westgate Oxford said: “We’d like to remind everyone that it’s a legal requirement for all guests coming into the centre to wear a face covering. And one-way systems, signs and floor stickers are there to keep everyone safe.“ To avoid having to queue outside, Westgate recommends visiting the centre’s website and social media channels before arrival.

Gloucester Green Market is set to reopen on Wednesday April 14th, and will return to operating four days a week Wednesday to Saturday. The international street-food stalls are also set to reopen. To enable social distancing, there will be bigger gaps between stalls as well as a manager to monitor social distancing. All traders will wear masks and have been encouraged to install screens. Hand sanitising stations will be available around the market. 

Outdoor hospitality venues are also getting ready to reopen. Cherwell has put together a list of some cafes and pubs set to reopen. The Oxford Mail also lists some pubs which are hiring. It writes that the Bear Inn and the Slug and Lettuce are both looking for bar staff with “no experience needed” and suggest it might be a good opportunity for “an energetic student”. Some venues are also advertising their reopenings via social media, such as cafe and study room Common Ground, who posted “we are back ☺” on Facebook.

Image credit: Cymetrobus85, distributed under a CC-SA 4.0 License, via Wikimedia Commons

A-Z of Oxford’s outdoor eats from 12th April

Shreya Banerjee
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A-Z of Oxford’s outdoor eats from 12th April

The moment that so many of us have been waiting for since December has almost arrived. Picture this – the sun is shining, you’re soaking it up riverside, and a waiter is approaching, balancing plates and trays that are fated to bring bliss to your taste buds. Though Deliveroo and recipe boxes have had their time in the limelight, there’s no doubt that the return of outdoor eating is about to inject the spirit of summer into 2021. If you’re in Oxford, there’s a lot to look forward to, especially since the city council recently announced funding available to support restaurants, pubs and cafés as they upgrade to an al fresco experience. If you’re looking to find out which newly pedestrianised streets will be all the rage to make for a tasty Trinity term, look no further!

Streets for eats: Cornmarket Street, St Michael’s Street, Broad Street, Dawson Street, Observatory Street, North Parade Avenue, and more.

The Anchor – North Oxford

With charcoal-cooking, Japanese pop-up food trucks (Mondays from Apr 19) and even a paella night (Apr 20), this pub near Port Meadow with a huge tent has got a lot of reasons why you should visit – don’t miss out on an excuse for a delicious burger paired with a pint!

Arbequina – Cowley Road

Opening on the 16th April, this tapas bar will be spilling out onto outdoor seating and also offering takeaway, all while serving delicious food and drink.

Cherwell Boathouse – North but nearly Central Oxford

The perfect riverside venue, whether you choose to punt or dine outside, serving contemporary English food. Their al fresco experience includes tables overlooking the river – what more could you need?

River in summer with punts parked outside traditional looking pub
The Cherwell Boathouse. Photo: Experience Oxfordshire

Gee’s – North Oxford

Although Gee’s is known for their stylish conservatory, they’ll be opening up their terrace dining to serve Mediterranean grills and refined dishes, with a lunch and all-day menu.

Handlebar Café and Kitchen – Central

The beloved brunch spot will be upgrading their takeaway service to an outdoor dining experience – along with other restaurants on St Michael’s Street such as Bill’s, Chutney’s, and Mission Burrito. Alongside breakfast and lunch, Handlebar will also be serving dinners outdoors. 

The Head of the River – Central

Situated next to Christchurch Meadows and overlooking the Thames, this pub kitchen is taking bookings to take your summer pub trips to the next level. With a contemporary menu filled with popular dishes and a beautiful setting, this is not to be missed!

The Jericho Café – Jericho (unsurprisingly)

This café, situated on Walton Street, is perfect for quick bites, brunches, sweet treats and more. With their signature blackboard menu, this Jericho favourite will soon be open to outdoor diners looking for a variety of café dishes.

Kazbar (Coco’s by day) – Cowley Road

With their immediately recognisable and iconic yellow wall on Cowley Road, Kazbar will definitely be on the sunny side of your summer as they reopen for North African and Spanish style tapas, delicious cocktails, and their unbeatable atmosphere.

Groups of people sat working and chatting at tables outside the Handlebar Café
Photo: Handlebar Café and Kitchen

The Magdalen Arms – Iffley Road

You don’t have to have a Home Secretary’s budget to visit and enjoy the food and drink at this pub on Iffley Road offering outdoor dining and plenty of variety on their Lunch, Dinner and Sunday menus.

Mamma Mia Pizzeria – Summertown

This iconic Italian spot, said by some to be the best pizza and pasta to be found in Oxford for over 30 years, will be reopening its kitchen to serve its classic dishes and desserts on their outdoor terrace. By May 17th, both the Jericho and Summertown branches hope to reopen for indoor dining alongside many of the other restaurants in the city.

The Perch – Binsey, just west of Port Meadow

This 17th century tavern is reopening to serve its classic British menu outdoors, and it’s an absolutely stunning place to lunch if you’re enjoying a pre-term trip to Port Meadow.

Empty chairs and tables in the early evening in the courtyard of Quod
Photo: Quod Oxford

The Plough at 38 – Central

The Plough has been open at several points during the pandemic, and they’ll be reopening as part of Oxford’s new and brilliant Al Fresco District spanning Cornmarket and St Michael’s Street, alongside the Three Goats Head pub and the newly refurbished (and eagerly awaited) Thai Street Kitchen. Let the Plough pull you in with the promise of pints and delicious food – this part of central Oxford is looking to be buzzing with great grub this Trinity.

Quod – Central

If you need an excuse to feel a bit fancy as restrictions ease and you finally emerge from your accommodation, Quod’s gorgeous Italian style garden terrace with views of Magdalen tower will make you feel as though you’re vacationing in the Med from the comfort of central Oxford. With stunning food and drinks menus, this is somewhere to go to treat yourself.

The Varsity Club – Central

Serving up delicious cocktails and rooftop views at the same time, TVC is definitely one to book to safely reinject the fun and excitement of pre-pandemic life as restrictions ease. Nestled on Oxford’s High Street, you can enjoy a panoramic skyline alongside drinks and bar snacks here.

Overhead view of the Varsity Club in the evening, lots of tables filled with people drinking and a view of Oxford
Photo: The Varsity Club, Oxford

Westgate rooftop restaurants – Central

Restaurants reopening in Westgate shopping centre for outdoor dining include The Breakfast Club, Victors, Pho and Pizza Pilgrims – with great panoramic views of Oxford and plenty of terrace dining, there’s no better way to celebrate the reopening of non-essential stores and brighter days ahead as restrictions ease.

The White Rabbit – Central

Another favourite in Oxford, this pub that’s tucked away between Gloucester Green and the St John Street area will be reopening to serve pizzas and pints in their pub garden. If you’ve been craving a pizza fix, this might be the spot for you!

Header image credit by Barbare Kacharava on unsplash.com

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