Wednesday 6th August 2025
Blog Page 414

Cherwell Recommends: Memoir

Cherwell Books
-
0
Cherwell Recommends: Memoir

Memoir is a genre traditionally dismissed as low-brow; unworthy of the literary critic’s scrutiny or book-lover’s devotion. I, too, approached memoir with trepidation, wary of anyone narcissistic enough to subject the reader to a dreary monologue of their own life events. Oh, how wrong I was. 

As distinct from autobiography which spans an individual’s entire life, memoirs tend to home in on specific events in ordinary lives; offering meditations on human experiences in an almost fictitious way. What makes memoir so special is the very real insights it gives us into universal truths; as the author tries to make sense of the events of their life, we too discover things about ourselves. Each of this week’s recommendations provide a glimpse into different human experiences and show the powerful role that memoir can play as catharsis, from making peace with childhood demons to confronting prejudice. Memoir is an exploration of the complex layers of human memory: fallible, emotional and moulded by subsequent reflection. Like life itself, memoir is messy – but all the more enjoyable for it. 

The Hare with Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal

Cora, books editor

The Hare with Amber Eyes is a memoir unlike any other that I’ve read before. It is a memoir revealed through objects – 264 of them to be precise. When Edmund de Waal inherited his uncle’s collection of netsuke (pocket-sized wood and ivory carvings from Japan), he became determined to figure out how they had fallen into his hands. In the process, he unlocked the history of his prominent Jewish family all the way from 1871 to 2009.

The netsuke are the vehicle through which de Waal reveals both his gripping tale and his poetic meditations on relationships, storytelling and art. It is a book as intricately crafted as the netsuke themselves: as de Waal reminds us, “stories are a kind of thing too”. But the reader is always aware that each netsuke is one of many, and de Waal accordingly forges a narrative that feels at once personal and profoundly collective. Antisemitism is a constant presence in the text and we are often reminded of a broader history – of the experiences of Jews throughout Europe and the many stories running parallel to that of de Waal’s family. This historical and historic memoir is not one to miss. Make sure to read the illustrated edition for an even more powerful experience.

Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt

Eve, books editor

“When I look back on my childhood I wonder how I survived at all. It was, of course, a miserable childhood: the happy childhood is hardly worth your while. Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood, and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood.” Frank McCourt – ‘father of the misery memoir, child of the slums’[1] – recounts his upbringing in Limerick in this Pulitzer Prize winning memoir. McCourt’s account of his struggle to survive severe poverty is most certainly miserable: he navigates the deaths of three siblings; an alcoholic father that “drinks the dole”; and bouts of serious illness. But young McCourt’s childish observations of the world around him are also incredibly funny and moving, showing the extent to which our earliest interactions shape the person we are to become. This is particularly apparent in his conflicted attitude towards an “ever-present Catholic church”, and his increasingly mature understanding of the complexity of the adult figures in his life; no one more so than his own deeply flawed father, “like the Holy Trinity with three people in him”. Angela’s Ashes is a celebration of the tenacity of a young boy’s spirit and a powerful act of forgiveness, as McCourt makes peace with his childhood. 

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

Cora, books editor

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you”: this line from I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (the first volume in Angelou’s memoirs), gets to the crux of the what makes this genre so unique – the urgency and passion with which only the most personal of stories can be told.

In this instalment, we follow the author through her journey as a black child in the segregated America of the early twentieth century. It is a story that examines racism, misogyny and profound trauma from a personal and yet profoundly universal perspective. At the same time, it is a book filled with hope, liberation, and, above all, a sense of the power of language. Though the memoir is a work of prose, Angelou’s poetic voice shines through in this volume, as does the love of literature that sustained her as a child. Angelou’s future publisher, Robert Loomis, challenged her to “write an autobiography as literature”: this is a work that reads with all the hallmarks of the greatest works of fiction, yet with the added poignance that a true story inevitably evokes.

The Cut-Out Girl by Bart Van Es

Eve, books editor

Oxford English professor Bart Van Es shares the story of Lien, a young Jewish girl growing up in Holland during WWII, who was both hidden and subsequently adopted by the author’s own family. Van Es portrays the racial persecution Lien faced, the tragic fate of her family and the abuse she suffered with sensitivity; paying tribute to Lien and the countless individuals that risked their lives to shelter her. Van Es expertly weaves together Lien’s story, his family history, as well as his own journey retracing Lien’s steps through modern-day Holland. The result is a compelling reminder that the persecution of minority groups is not confined to a particular point in history. 

The Cut-Out Girl provides simple yet illuminating observations about what it means to be a family and the way in which simple misunderstandings can create a vast space between us. The failure of the Van Es family to truly understand the extent of Lien’s suffering and her difficulty in comprehending not only her place in the family but her own survival, “I ought not to be here”, led ultimately to their falling out of contact. Van Es’ memoir is a powerful story of family reconciliation. 

Priestdaddy by Patricia Lockwood

Cora, books editor

If you’re looking for laughs, I haven’t encountered a memoir – or many works of fiction, for that matter – funnier than Priestdaddy. It tells the hilarious tale of Lockwood’s life as one of the five children of a midwestern Catholic priest (don’t worry, he had the kids before he converted).

The book’s primary focus is on the wonderful idiosyncrasies of Lockwood’s family life, yet, unavoidably, it also addresses wider issues about faith and the culture of the Catholicism in particular, touching on topics like abortion and abuse within the Church. Most of the book is light-hearted – with her larger-than-life father Greg, funny and complex mother Karen, and each of her unique siblings painted to perfection through seemingly endless strings of observation and anecdotes – but Lockwood’s gift is in her ability to switch effortlessly from the jovial to the serious. Above all, as she recounts her life, she is asking the central question for “someone who was raised in a closed circle and then leaves it”: “what is the us, and what is the them, and how do you ever move from one to the other?”

Illustration by Anja Segmüller

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jul/20/frank-mccourt-died

Opinion – Corbyn’s suspension shows a new future for Labour

Ed Ford
-
0
Opinion – Corbyn’s suspension shows a new future for Labour

TW: antisemitism

Shame. That is the only worthy reaction of every Labour member and supporter to the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s recent findings. The report into antisemitism in the party published last week makes for dismal reading, yet depressingly it does not tell us anything we didn’t already know about the party’s treatment of Jewish members and activists. Oxford knows all too well how insidious left-wing antisemitism is. Just four years ago, allegations of antisemitism within Oxford University Labour Club resulted in the Royall Report finding that OULC members engaged in antisemitism and that Jewish members did not feel comfortable attending meetings. OULC has done much to repair damaged relationships, but many sections of the wider party remain unreformed. Even so, the judgement by a body set up by the last Labour government that the party acted unlawfully underlines how bad things have become.

The shock and sadness with which this report has been met by many party members makes the reaction of Jeremy Corbyn all the more baffling. He could have simply accepted the report and expressed regret over what happened on his watch. If he had done so he might still be a Labour MP. Instead, while acknowledging the existence of antisemitism, Corbyn claimed that “the scale of the problem was dramatically overstated for political reasons by our opponents”. Crucially, he failed to accept the report in full.

With this obfuscation we cannot help but be reminded of the long pattern of denial on the part of many on the left. We only need to remember Corbyn’s comments that objection to left-wing antisemitism is a “pattern of demonising those who dare to stand up and speak out against Zionism”. Or of the opinion from Corbyn’s favourite newspaper(the former Communist Party organ) the Morning Star, that the expulsion of Jackie Walker (a woman who blamed Jewish people for the slave trade and attacked security provision at Jewish schools) was a cynical right wing effort to undermine the leadership.

Corbyn’s suspension from the party is therefore welcome proof that Keir Starmer’s much trumpeted zero-tolerance approach is more than just words. For too long Labour MPs and senior activists have got away with blaming the Tories, Israel or Blairites for something that was entirely our problem. Yet to suspend a former leader is no small feat. The last time the party expelled a former leader was in 1931 when Ramsey MacDonald formed the National Government against many’s wishes. Corbyn has not done anything quite as dramatic, and we shall have to wait and see whether the investigation that follows results in his permanent expulsion from the party.

There’s no doubt that Starmer is taking a risk in consenting to the suspension of a man with whom he sat in the shadow cabinet just seven months ago. Despite his downfall, the Islington Commissar still has powerful friends and committed supporters. Len McClusky, Corbyn’s close ally, still leads Unite, Labour’s biggest financial backer. Momentum, the offshoot of Corbyn’s 2016 leadership campaign, still organises nationally despite a damaging split. Most importantly, Corbyn remains popular with many rank and file party members.

Yet Starmer seems to have pulled it off. The moment of maximum risk to party unity has passed with barely a hiccup. This is not surprising given that the leadership has the support of the PLP, the National Executive, the General Secretary, and the membership. Given how powerful and vocal supporters of Corbyn were very recently, this underlines the success of the current leadership in rebalancing internal power structures. 

The most prominent  leaders of the former Corbynite camp have emphasised peace and unity. Both Momentum and another group of trade unions have expressed their regret and opposition to the decision in letters to the leadership. But the most widely reported statement from Len McClusky has been his appeal that supporters of Corbyn remain in the party. Many trade unions and former cheerleaders for the old regime have not even gone as far as to write to Starmer. Nadia Whittome, the new left wing MP for Nottingham East who recently resigned as a PPS, expressed solidarity with her departed comrade but said that he was wrong not to accept the EHRC report. The only group willing to do any more than this is the extreme fringe organisation calling itself ‘Labour Against the Witchhunt’, led by former members expelled for antisemitism during the Corbyn years. That their supporters are leaving is nothing but good news for the party and the leadership.

Part of the reason for this relative silence is, no doubt, that there are far more important things to be working on. Left wing backbenchers, many more of whom were elected at the 2019 general election,  are quite rightly devoting their time to holding this shambolic government to account. When millions are out of work with little or no support from central government and the pandemic is spiralling out of control, there are more important concerns than Labour infighting.

However, the suspension highlights that Corbyn was never the only hope for socialist politics. In truth, the previous leadership failed  to turn the energy of its campaign (which destroyed many right wing myths about the unpopularity of radical socialist politics) into any meaningful change. This failure put left wing politics back a step and helped enable this damaging Tory administration. Whether or not Jeremy Corbyn is himself an anti-Semite (and I tend to think he is not), his atrocious failure of leadership and judgement on this issue, as well as his friendly comments about foreign dictators and terrorists, lost the leaders of Corbyn’s movement what little political capital they had. If radical wealth redistribution and democratisation of the economy is to have any chance of becoming government policy, these commitments need to come without the deadweight of the previous regime. For the left to come to power, it needs to purge itself of those who accept or excuse left wing antisemitism.

This suspension, then, has proven to have few downsides and many advantages for the leader’s office. It is a signal to voters that Starmer is not beholden to the deeply unpopular former leadership, and is willing to be ruthless towards those in his own party who fail to live up to the values of Labour. If this is successful, the radical policies that polls suggest are popular, together with the personal popularity of the leader, could make Labour an electoral force not seen since the 2000s.

The Labour Party has always been riven with bitter infighting. It was only under Blair that the leadership managed to turn this to their advantage by using internal disputes to signal to the voters the leader’s commitments, however much we may disagree with the commitments. Corbyn’s suspension is evidence that in Starmer we have a leader who can pull off something similar and lead from the front to make the party electable and win a general election. The role of those on the left of Labour now is to rid any trace of antisemitism from their ranks, regain the trust of the Jewish community, and push the party to the left on the economy. This will liberate us to campaign with single-minded determination for a Labour government in 2024.

5G mast to be built in Oxford

Sonya Ribner
-
0
5G mast to be built in Oxford

This past week, the Oxford City Council approved Cornerstone’s plan to build a 5G mast on the corner of Old Road and Windmill Road, near the Nuffield Orthopedic Centre in Headington.

Other 5G masts have been built, mostly across east Oxford, in recent months. The planning development reflects the drive among telecommunication companies such as O2, EE, and Cornerstone to establish a presence in the county as providers of the next generation of mobile internet connection.

According to data from EE, the main usage of its 5G network has been video streaming and social networking. EE’s increasing expansion of its 5G coverage comes in anticipation of Apple’s rollout of the iPhone 12 with 5G compatibility.

5G networks are capable of transferring data at speeds approximately ten to twenty times faster than the fastest current offered by 4G mobile networks. This would allow someone with a 5G compatible device to download a high definition film in about a minute. The large amounts of data transfer that 5G enables could one day help to power technologies such as fully autonomous cars or remote surgery via robots.

More data is consumed every year and so the spectrum bands currently in place are becoming congested, which leads to breakdowns in service.

Brendan O’Reilly, O2’s chief technology officer, told the BBC: “It’s vital we continue to invest in new innovations and technologies to keep Britain mobile and connected.”

Oxford is one of 12 towns and cities where EE have recently rolled out 5G, alongside Blackpool and Aberdeen.

“Delivering the best movable experience for our customers has never been more important,” said Marc Allera, chief executive of BT’s consumer business which owns EE. “Our 5G rollout continues apace, with our engineers building and upgrading new sites every day to bring the latest mobile technology to even more people in the places they need it.

“We have 5G coverage in more places than anyone in the UK, and we remain focused on connecting many more areas this year and beyond.”

Image credit to Diermaier / 61 bilder / Pixabay

Oxford vaccine induces immune response in elderly people

Charlie Hancock
-
0
Oxford vaccine induces immune response in elderly people

Analysis of the results from Phase II trials of the Oxford University COVID-19 vaccine has shown that it induces an immune response in older adults as well as younger volunteers, AstraZeneca has confirmed.

The development raises hope that elderly people, who are one of the groups at the highest risk of developing serious complication from COVID-19, could be able to return to a degree of pre-pandemic normality after receiving the vaccine.

The data, which is currently being peer-reviewed and will hopefully be published in a clinical journal, shows that volunteers over the age of 55 produced the same immune response to the vaccine as younger volunteers. The vaccine also caused a similar immune response in some participants over the age of 70.

The capacity of a vaccine to induce an immune response in a patient is known as its immunogenicity. As the body’s natural immune system gets weaker as a person gets older, some vaccines are less immunogenic in elderly patients and will not provide the same protection against a disease as it will for younger adults. The evidence that the Oxford vaccine is immunogenic in elderly volunteers is encouraging, because it indicates that one of the demographics who are most vulnerable to COVID-19 may be able to develop some protection.

The same data also showed that the vaccine had low reactogenicity in older adults, meaning that they developed few side-effects.

A spokesperson from AstraZeneca, the pharmaceutical company working with the Oxford Vaccine Group, told the Guardian: “It is encouraging to see immunogenicity responses were similar between older and younger adults and that reactogenicity was lower in older adults, where the COVID-19 disease severity is higher. The results further build for body of evidence for the safety and immunogenicity of AZD1222 [the vaccine].”

The global effort to develop an effective vaccine against COVID-19 currently includes 49 vaccines undergoing clinical trials on humans. The Oxford vaccine has been undergoing combined phase II/III trials involving 50,000 participants in Brazil, South Africa, India, the United Kingdom and the United States. AstraZeneca announced on November 1 that the vaccine would be undergoing “rolling review” in the United Kingdom, meaning that the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency would analyse data from the clinical trials in real time in order to speed up the approval process.

While AstraZeneca and Oxford University have been optimistic that the vaccine will be available for limited use within the coming months, some experts have cautioned that it may take longer and that people at lower immediate risk from COVID-19 may have to wait. Soumya Swaminathan, who has served as Chief Scientist at the World Health Organisation since 2016, has said that any vaccines which are available by 2021 would have “limited quantities” and that “most people agree, it’s [vaccination] starting with healthcare workers, and frontline workers…and then the elderly…a healthy young person might have to wait until 2022.”

The process of developing a vaccine can also be interrupted if any volunteers develop unwanted adverse reactions to the vaccine. Global trials of the Oxford vaccine were “voluntarily paused” on 6 September after a British volunteer developed transverse myelitis. Although the trials restarted in most countries soon afterwards, it took until the end of October for trials to resume in the United States. There were concerns that the vaccine may be delayed further after a Brazilian volunteer died in on 19 October, but an investigation found the volunteer had only received a placebo, and the death was unconnected to the vaccine.

Although the Oxford vaccine is expected to be one of the first to receive approval, Stephen Evans, professor of pharmacoepidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine warned that “it is wise not to be too optimistic until those [later phase] trials have completed.”

Blenheim Palace to receive £600,000 restoration

Daniel Morgan
-
0
Blenheim Palace to receive £600,000 restoration

Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire’s only UNESCO World Heritage site, is due to undergo a £600,000 restoration to its chapel.

The chapel, constructed in the early 18th century and designed by the architect Sir John Vanbrugh, has experienced water damage, a series of leaks harming the paint and plasterwork. The focal point of this chapel, which underwent further modifications in the Victorian era, is a monument designed by Sarah Churchill, 1st Duchess of Marlborough, depicting her late husband, famed military commander and statesman John Churchill. The monument portrays John as a Roman general along with his two sons, this tribute to the first family to reside in the Palace a striking example of English Baroque design.

Blenheim Palace’s website refers to “significant issues” with the chapel stemming from environmental causes. Speaking to the BBC, conservation manager Richard Bowden saw that the chapel’s ‘internal conditions’ were causing structural damage.

Concerns have been raised about the state of Britain’s historic buildings in recent weeks after the manor house which served as the set of BBC’s Poldark was found to be in disrepair. Coronavirus restrictions have placed an added burden on such sites, limiting their income from tourist visits.

Image credit: BjoernEisbaer / Wikimedia Commons

BREAKING: Alan Rusbridger steps down as LMH Principal

David Tritsch
-
0
BREAKING: Alan Rusbridger steps down as LMH Principal

Alan Rusbridger, Principal of Lady Margaret Hall (LMH) and former editor-in-chief of The Guardian, has confirmed that he will be leaving the college at the end of academic year. In an email to LMH students, he cited his involvement in “a variety of projects seeking to address the acute crisis of information and democracy which is afflicting so many societies” as the reason for his decision.

The Principal stated in his email that Lady Margaret Hall’s Governing Body had asked him to stay on for a full second term of five years. Rusbridger has declined the offer, committing instead to “devoting more of my time to the question of trust in media and society”.

Alan Rusbridger was elected Principal of Lady Margaret Hall in December 2014, one week after stepping down as editor-in-chief of The Guardian. During his time at LMH, he implemented the Foundation Year scheme, a one year, fully funded course that takes academically able students from underrepresented groups and through a combination of academic and personal support enables them to fulfill their academic potential. The vast majority of Foundation Year students have been successful in earning a place at Oxford or other Russell Group universities after completing the scheme. Since the first cohort of Foundation Year students joined LMH in 2016, both Oxford and Cambridge have committed to implementing the scheme on a university-wide basis.

Rusbridger highlighted his work to improve access to LMH and the wider University in his email: “Our work on inclusion inspired the largest promised donation to the College in living memory. Applications to the College have soared as the profile of LMH has risen. We have opened the community up to numerous conversations with leading public figures. There’s so much to look back on with great satisfaction.”

In addition to his duties as Principal, Alan Rusbridger has published several books on the media, democracy and wider issues in society. His most recent publication, “News and How to Use It: What to Believe in a Fake News World” (2020), will be released on November 26th. As Principal of LMH, he held a number of “In Conversation” events with prominent figures who gave talks and answered questions of LMH students. Some of them included Lady Hale, Sir Jeremy Farrar and Edward Snowden.

Alan Rusbridger was appointed chair of the University’s Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism in 2016. In 2020, Rusbridger was announced as one of the first members of the Oversight Board created by Facebook. Regarding his work in the future, he said: “I have found myself recently in some demand to become involved in a variety of projects seeking to address the acute crisis of information and democracy which is afflicting so many societies. I am keen to do what I can to help address this crucial issue.”

Regarding the search for a successor, Rusbridger stated in his email: “The College has embarked on the search for my successor and I will, of course, do my very best to support them and ensure the smoothest of transitions.”

The college said that Rusbridger has “helped transform LMH into an outward-facing College widely known for its inclusivity, diversity and accessibility”.

Alan Rusbridger said in a statement: “I have informed the Governing Body that I will be stepping down as Principal of LMH at the end of the academic year.  By then I will have had six extremely satisfying and productive years in Oxford and, while I was very pleased to be offered a second term of five years, I feel the time will be right to move on.

“I am very proud of the work we have done on inclusion – especially, but not only, the launching of our pioneering Foundation Year for students from under-represented backgrounds.  It is heartening to see this scheme now being rolled out across both Oxford and Cambridge Universities. Hundreds, if not thousands, of young people will have their lives changed over time.

“I have recently been asked to get involved in a variety of projects seeking to address the crisis of information and democracy which is afflicting so many societies.  I am keen to do what I can to help address this crucial issue. While I will regret leaving the very many friends we have made in Oxford I look forward to devoting more of my time to the question of trust in media and society.”

Christine Gerrard, LMH Vice Principal, said: “Alan Rusbridger has announced his intention to stand down as Principal of LMH at the end of September 2021. We owe him an enormous debt of gratitude. Alan’s visionary leadership has transformed LMH. He has launched numerous initiatives which have required both courage and energy, from the ground-breaking LMH Foundation Year scheme (now taken up by both Oxford and Cambridge universities), to the regular inclusion in college life of high-profile figures in the media, politics and arts as both Visiting Fellows and guest speakers. His work has captured the imagination of the wider world and put the college on the map. The phrase he adopted early on – ‘LMH: Changing Lives since 1879’ – captures Alan’s ability to harness LMH’s pioneering spirit to wider 21st century access and equality initiatives. Alan’s shaping presence will remain strong in years to come.”

Image credit: Internaz/ Flickr. License CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

This article was updated at 16:35 on 6.11.20 to include comment from Alan Rusbridger and Christine Gerrard.

Long COVID: What can we do?

Yihang Fang
-
0
Long COVID: What can we do?

“Ease the restrictions, let the majority get back to their normal lives, but continue to shield the vulnerable.” It is common to hear such arguments hinting at the possibility of achieving herd immunity, and they usually invite heated debate. But what if we cannot determine exactly who the ‘healthy’ and ‘vulnerable’ people are?

According to data collected by the COVID Symptom Study since the start of the pandemic, 5% of people who contract COVID-19 are likely to suffer from the symptoms for more than 8 weeks. These persistent symptoms include fatigue, breathlessness, headache, insomnia, chest pains, and intermittent fevers. While ‘long COVID’ is more likely to affect older than younger people, 10% of 18- to 49-year-olds who contract the virus suffer from long-term complications.

What does all this mean for our approaches to managing the virus? Certainly, the government should pay greater attention to long COVID. In a crisis full of unknown variables, it pays to stay alert for new curveballs to avoid being caught off guard in the future. Since long COVID has, over the recent months, significantly impacted those who are of working age, the government needs to actively enforce measures meant to keep workplaces COVID-secure. Managing long COVID successfully can help to alleviate potential economic impacts too: by maintaining the health and productivity of workers, future economic recovery can proceed more smoothly.

But at this point, resources are already stretched thin – the beleaguered test-and-trace system, meant to be ‘world beating’, has struggled to keep up with the rate of spread. The government also needs to prevent hospital beds and ventilators from running out over the winter. Indeed, the second nationwide lockdown across England, which began on 5 November, is likely in response to new estimates that the death toll in winter could exceed the earlier predicted ‘worst-case scenario’ of 85,000. The focus of the government now is to protect the NHS, while also buying time to scale up the test-and-trace system to meet demand. With these pressing matters occupying much of the government’s attention, the issue of long COVID is unlikely to be high up in their list of priorities – despite calls from organizations like Long Covid SOS and the Long Covid Support Group to pay greater heed to the issue.

What can we do then, at the individual level? Certainly, the public should be cognizant of the effects of long COVID. There might initially have been low public awareness of long-term implications because it took time for such cases to be documented; however, there is now sufficient evidence of long COVID that it can no longer be ignored. Ideally, awareness of long-term complications that occur even in younger people should remind those who perceive themselves as invulnerable that the virus can be far more severe than the common cold.

However, such depressing stories in the media will also add to public distress, at a time when mental health is already taking a hit in response to the second lockdown. It may be more demoralizing than beneficial for long COVID to settle into the public consciousness. Nonetheless, in such a crisis, awareness should always be prioritized: it is far better that people recognize the severity of a crisis and take individual precautions, rather than ignore the full extent of risks and pay dearly down the road. Information shared should therefore always be factual, well-researched, and should not be spread with the intention of fearmongering. While there have been instances of individuals coming forward to share their experiences of long COVID on social media, official communication by the government and mainstream media should always be based on the research findings of credible scientific institutions, rather than sensational, unverified anecdotes.

Still, the greatest hurdle is perhaps the growing fatigue towards pandemic restrictions that will prevent scientific advice from being taken seriously. Behavioural economists have documented how hyperbolic discounting creates preferences for smaller rewards in the present, as opposed to larger rewards that can only be reaped in the future. Having been deprived of many opportunities for socialisation and recreation over the past few months, it will be difficult to convince individuals – particularly the young – to continue prioritising their health risks over their personal liberties.

It is clear that the COVID-19 pandemic will not ‘end’ in a straightforward manner anytime in the near future. Even when an effective vaccine has been found, it takes time for it to be produced and distributed at a sufficiently large scale. What we can expect instead is for restrictions to be periodically loosened and tightened in the coming year, in response to changing levels of spread. It will be a long winter, a long 2021, and a long nightmare for patients whose symptoms just won’t go away.

Original image: https://pixabay.com/fr/illustrations/maux-de-t%C3%AAte-migraine-m%C3%A9decine-3660963/

Covered Market to stay open during lockdown

Amelia Wood
-
0
Covered Market to stay open during lockdown

Oxford Covered Market has announced that it will remain open during lockdown. In line with government guidance, food traders within the market will be allowed to operate as before. Restaurants and cafes can offer takeaways but no table service. Other businesses within the market will sell goods online, which customers can pick up at the premises.

The full list of traders who will open as normal is: Bonners Fruit & Vegetables, Cardews of Oxford, David John Pies, Go Gym Stuff, iScream, M Feller & Daughter Butchers, Nash’s Bakery, Oxford Cheese Co, Pershore Seafood, Teardrop Bar, The Market Cellar Door, and Wicked Chocolate.

The following businesses are open for takeaways: A Taste of China, Alpha Bar, Ben’s Cookies, Brothers Cafe, Browns Cafe, Colombia Coffee Roasters, Donburi Inn, Moo-Moo’s, Sasi’s Thai, Sofi de France Cafe, Taylors, and The Oxford Sandwich Company.

Finally, these businesses will operate online for the duration of the lockdown: Blue Blood Sports, Fresh Clothing, Jemini Flowers, John Gowing Jewellers, Next to Nothing, Nothing, Oxford Skate Co., Oxford Soap Company, PinGui, The Cake Shop, The Collectors Company, The Garden of Oxford. A list of the Covered Market traders’ websites can be found here.

A comprehensive list of Oxford businesses that are operating online during the lockdown can also be found here.

Boris Johnson announced last Saturday that the whole of England would be placed under Tier 4 Restrictions from Thursday 5th November for four weeks until Wednesday 2nd December. Although schools and universities will remain open, all non-essential businesses have been ordered to close, although food takeaway and deliveries can continue.

Different households are not permitted to mix inside or in private gardens unless they are in your support bubble. You can meet one person outside your household for outdoor exercise, but people are encouraged to stay home except for essential activities. 

The rules for this lockdown are slightly different from the rules during the previous one. While businesses cannot serve customers, they can keep their premises open as a base for deliveries and click and collect.

The Covered Market is a frequent hotspot for tourists, who are attracted by its wide range of independent businesses located right in the city centre. It is now managed by Oxford City Council. The market was forced to close for the duration of the summer lockdown.  

Councillor Mary Clarkson, Cabinet Member for City Centre, Covered Market and Culture, said: “The months leading up to Christmas are vital for a lot of Covered Market traders, so the lockdown has come at a really bad time.

“But the traders are – as ever – simply amazing, and I think they’re all determined to make this work. To help them achieve that, we’ve decided to keep the Covered Market open. So if you’re looking to buy fresh food during lockdown or if you’re already starting to think about your Christmas presents, please support your market.”

Image credit: Jorge Royan / Wikimedia Commons

Oxford City Council launches anti-racist charter

Roheena Buckland
-
0
Oxford City Council launches anti-racist charter

The Oxford City Council has launched an Anti-Racism Charter to contend with the “systemic racism” within the city.

The Charter defines Anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and Anti-black racism, while making a commitment to work towards making Oxford an Anti-Racist city. 

Three commitments are given as initial actions to be taken: an annual review of the Charter, showcasing the talent and achievements of ethnic minorities and people of colour, and launching an Anti-Racist City Quality Mark that groups can adopt after signing and committing to the principles within the Charter.

Preceding the Charter, the Oxford City Council has been working to tackle racism more actively for over a year, having pledged to make Oxford an Anti-Racist city in August 2019. This has been further supported by the Council adopting definitions of both Islamophobia and Anti-Semitism and deciding to become a City of Sanctuary by making a commitment to supporting asylum seekers, refugees and migrants.

The Charter begins with the Council’s aim: “Our vision is: Collectively committed to being proactive, in making Oxford an anti-racist city.”

This is followed by statements promising to “have difficult and sometimes uncomfortable conversations about what it means in practice to be anti-racist”, to recognise institutional racism, and to understand that racism includes “unconscious, unintentional and indirect actions”.

The Council adds: “Without understanding the root causes of racism and how it affects people we cannot dismantle the institutional structures which give rise to it.”

The Council involved individuals from different groups and people of colour who have lived experience of racism. Seven focus groups have also been held, where issues like suitable terminology were discussed.

Launched digitally, the celebration included presentations from Councillors, an Oxford youth music performance, and recognition of those who have signed the Charter. In a press release, the Council stated that “representatives from schools, universities, businesses and communities will formally sign up to the charter at the event”.

A coalition of societies to fight racism has criticised the City Council for not dealing with racism in the city.

It said: “Currently as a result of pressure from below all our major institutions are announcing anti-racist charters and race equality action plans. The obvious danger here is that without sustained pressure from the grass-roots demanding greater accountability to local communities what we get left with is rhetorical ethics, tokenism and symbolic representation.”

Councillor Susan Brown, leader of the City Council, said: “Oxford’s Anti-Racism Charter is a step forward to tackle issues associated with structural and institutional racism. By understanding these issues, why they exist, we have the opportunity to ensure we are a city that works for everyone. It’s a challenge for us all to do things better, to be just and fairer, and a commitment from some of our biggest institutions to go further to tackle racism.”

Image credit: SJPrice/ Pixabay

Oxford faces calls to move all teaching online

Mark Robins
-
0
Oxford faces calls to move all teaching online

The University of Oxford will stay open despite the introduction of a national lockdown from Thursday.

As an educational institution, Oxford will continue to offer some in-person teaching. Planned in-person exams will go ahead in a COVID-secure setting and libraries will remain open.

The Oxford branch of the University and College Union (UCU) has written an open letter to the Vice-Chancellor demanding that all non-essential teaching moves online.

It calls on Oxford to follow SAGE advice which recommended universities transfer all teaching online unless face-to-face teaching is “absolutely essential”. Only teaching which involves practical or lab work should continue in person, Oxford UCU says.

It also calls for asymptomatic testing and for publicly available statistics on case numbers as they occur.

The letter, which has over 100 signatures, says: “Community members, the City Council, and businesses have worked hard to keep Oxford safe over the summer. It is now time for the University of Oxford to step up and play its part.

“We, as local residents, are concerned that the University’s activities will see a further escalation of cases, worsening the public health emergency and increasing the potential for local lockdowns.

“Oxford is one of the most unequal cities in the UK. The University has a responsibility to protect the community that lives alongside it. If the University is unable to demonstrate that it can ensure the safety of its staff, students, and the wider community, then it should cease all face-to-face activities.”

In an email to students, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Martin Williams confirmed that Oxford will not change its teaching policy in light of new restrictions. Final Honours Chemistry exams will still take place in the Examination Schools. However, Oxford University museums will close and restrictions on sport are expected.

Unlike the last lockdown, educational institutions can stay open and are exempt from some restrictions. The lockdown will last until 2nd December, three days before the official end of Michaelmas Term.

Some universities, such as King’s College London and Sheffield Hallam, have moved non-essential teaching online. The national UCU body has written to all Vice-Chancellors in England to request they adopt this measure.

The University reported 212 cases among students and staff for the week 24th-30th October. Across the city, Oxford has 135 cases per 100,000 people. This is below the average area in England, which has 153 cases, according to the BBC.

Aris Katzourakis, co-Vice-President of Oxford UCU, told Cherwell: “Oxford UCU has been pushing for the safest possible working conditions for its staff, the students, and the wider community. Over the summer, we have been trying to ensure these conditions, both for those that have been onsite throughout, but also for the beginning of term.

“As term approached, seeing the clear epidemiological situation, we have been arguing that as much teaching as possible should be done online, and that it was unnecessary to force students to return whether it was essential for them to do so or not.

“We are deeply disappointed by Monday’s announcement by the Vice-Chancellor that in person teaching is to continue despite the lockdown. We have written an open letter and urge all those who are concerned with the levels of in person teaching to sign it.”

A University statement said: “The University will continue to offer a mix of in-person and online teaching, in line with Government guidance for the new lockdown.  Planned in-person examinations will also continue to be administered in a COVID-secure setting, and libraries will remain open, as will our parks and gardens.  We will have to close our museums to the public, and there will likely be additional restrictions to sport – details of which will follow in the near future.

Oxford UCU has reaffirmed that the University should make COVID-19 related risk assessments available to staff unions. In August, the University said it is not “practical or useful to share all risk assessments with the Oxford UCU” and that it had met with unions frequently to discuss health and safety.

Image Credit to Theonlysilentbob/ Wikimedia Commons

1...413414415...2,517Page 414 of 2,517

Support Student Journalism

Cherwell is Oxford’s oldest independent newspaper, established in 1920. We are entirely student-run. By supporting us, you will contribute to keeping our paper in print and online. Every donation makes a difference.

Donate

Explore

Follow us

More

Oxford Student Publications Limited © 2025 - All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy

Website by James Ashley