Friday, May 16, 2025
Blog Page 540

Debate: This House Believes Oxford is for Students, Not Tourists

Debate
-
0
Debate: This House Believes Oxford is for Students, Not Tourists

Proposition: Tourists portray the wrong side of Oxford

Jamie Slagel

Little figurines of the Rad Cam; vaguely Harry Potter-themed shop-fronts; ridiculous queues to enter Christ Church: these are all the strange consequences of a quite frankly bizarre relationship tourists have with Oxford. The almost reverential treatment tourists give to Oxford may initially be nice—even exciting; but after spending over a year in Oxford, I’ve started to see a darker side to this obsession.

Like most people, when I first arrived I was in awe of Oxford: the spires, the ancient walls, the unique traditions—more than anything, the grandeur everywhere you turn. Tutes in rooms filled with extremely precious paintings; eating on tables worth more than I could imagine. I guess I sort of hero-worshipped it, and there was a constant little voice in my head thinking “Wow, I get to study and live here”. The fact that there were tourists everywhere queuing and paying to see where I lived and worked was a bit of a thrill—nothing gets you through Prelims like skipping the giant queue to the Old Bod as you flash your bod-card around triumphantly.

But quite frankly, if you think about it, it’s actually a bit weird. In fact, it’s more than weird—it’s damaging. And the way in which we cater to it as a town and as a university only makes it worse. No, I’m not going to pompously moan about how annoying all the tourists are—they have as much right to be in a public town as I do, frankly. And since the university lets them see where we eat, sleep and (sometimes) work, they have a right to be there too, I suppose. Nor does it really faze me.

But by catering to tourists, we let Oxford be defined by people who don’t actually live in, study at or go to Oxford. And this is a bad thing for us and for them. It enforces a perverse assumption that somehow we’re different to the tourists and it entrenches a mythical image of Oxford as a town still stuck hundreds of years in the past. This gives rise to a strange sense of superiority and arrogance which shimmers over Oxford—we’re all ‘woke’ enough to know that it’s not acceptable to think we are superior (and most of us probably don’t), but there’s a sense in which, in creating endless gift shops and lining tourists up outside our colleges, we’re being condescending. “Come on now, buy some of our trinkets and line up to pay to see us”.

I don’t deny that there’s great external demand to see Oxford. But the way we cater to the tourists creates a vicious circle. By commercialising Oxford—charging extortionate fees for the distinctly average experience of punting and then thrusting postcards and snow globes down their throats—we normalise this obsession. And in doing this, we harm all those in Oxford and those without. The image of Oxford is perpetrated by the media, by schools and by people who know nothing more of Oxford other than that it’s a stuffy place for the frail pale male. It’s no wonder we have a terrible access problem, because we’ve allowed a mythical image of Oxford to persist—one which is completely false. And the access problem harms us as much as them. We’re not diverse enough, and we all know it. Oxford’s moved on, and it’s a very different place to the place tourists seem to be clamouring to see.

By catering to tourists, we encourage them to consider themselves as different and at the same time to wrongly define Oxford as a microcosm of ye olde world. In doing so, our access problem becomes a self-fulfilling one and we encourage Oxford to be defined as a rich home of the intelligentsia.

And catering to tourists also ruins the whole appeal of Oxford. Not only do we allow them to define us in ways we’re not, but we start to change who we are to fit them. Sure, we don’t need to shun them, or ban them, but we don’t need to cater to them either. In catering to them we lose all the magic and eccentricity that drew both us and them to Oxford in the first place. Oxford’s so fantastic because of the people, the ideas and its achievements—so we shouldn’t let money override this, replacing Oxford as we know it with consumerism and reverential admiration-cum-obsession.

Opposition: Tourists Remind Us Just How Lucky We Are

Amelia Wood

There’s no denying that Oxford is full of tourists, and they can be a real nuisance. We’ve all had to push through throngs of them taking selfies with the Bridge of Sighs or dithering in the middle of a pavement. As a student of Balliol College, which is almost always open to tourists, I’ve heard stories of them wandering into the library and peering into students’ rooms.

So why do I think we should let them in despite all this?

Firstly, it’s a bit hypocritical of us to look down on tourists. I don’t believe for a second that there is a member of this university who hasn’t been as clueless in their own travels, be it getting the same cheesy photo at the leaning tower of Pisa or not knowing where to stand in the London Underground. Part of travelling and experiencing the world is that you won’t always know where to go and what to do, but this never stops us travelling. Just because now we’re the ones who are affected negatively, should we begrudge other tourists for what we are also guilty of?

It can be quite a weird sensation to realise that tourists don’t only come here to see Oxford’s beautiful and historic architecture. As much as any building, they come to see us. We are students of the best university in the world and on some level that makes us oddities. I experience this curiosity first-hand whenever I have to tell someone that I am an Oxford student. I feel a tiny bit of dread when I can see their minds filling with more and more questions as they attempt to put me into a category of what they associate with Oxford: am I some troubled genius or an entitled rich kid or a Boris Johnson in the making?

More than any other place, there is a lot of baggage associated with Oxford. It is often discussed how we can demystify this place and encourage a more diverse range of people to apply. Is there any better way to do that than to let people have a look rather than appearing even more exclusive and unwelcoming? Hopefully, people who look round will conclude that we are more normal than the media can make it seem. And if we are not, maybe we are worth gawking at!

I can honestly say that I quite enjoy tourists. I’m sure this wouldn’t be the case for every college – I can see why tourists are much more of a nuisance at smaller colleges and so shouldn’t be allowed in. But the colleges that are able to accommodate tourists, should. Not only for the welcome additional income stream but because I believe tourism serves a benefit that is more commonly overlooked. Tourists remind us what a true privilege it is to be able to live and study here. People travel halfway across the world to stare at what we barely give a second glance, not to mention the world-class facilities and academics that we get to work with every day. I don’t think the value of a reality check should be ever disregarded.

A Forgotten Lesson – The 30th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall

Pierce Jones
-
0
A Forgotten Lesson – The 30th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall

The legacy of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 has been largely forgotten in the current political and cultural imagination. The rose-tinted glasses of the 21st century hide the frightening reality that a mere 30 years ago, in the lifetime of our parents, Europe was one of the most bitterly divided continents on the planet. Nuclear warheads were pointed at the UK in preparation for the very real possibility of war breaking out, and most UK residents would have been aware of the location of their nearest nuclear bunker. The conflict embodied the ruthless fight between the West and East, capitalism and communism, democracy and dictatorship, that defined the war-torn 20th century. Nowhere was this division more visible than in Berlin. The wall split the city in two, ripped families apart and divided a continent. In 1989, the wall was torn down by the people of Berlin. The West has largely forgotten the significance of this world-changing event.

The battle between East and West, between totalitarianism and freedom, was integral to democracy’s self-identification in the 20th century. At the high point of communist regimes in the 20th century, over two-thirds of the world’s population were ruled by dictatorial governments. Democracy was not regarded as being permanent or inevitable as it is today. Indeed, the existence of the Iron Curtain solidified the democratic powers’ sense of fragility. This extremely novel concept, only escaping the USA, UK and France in the late 19th and early 20th centuries could collapse at any time under pressure from the USSR. Indeed, the existence of a near-state of the crisis was a huge force for unity in the West.

In the 21st Century, the pressing reality of the totalitarian experience for many appears to have lost its meaning in the face of more relevant fights like terrorism and climate change. The unspoken consensus that ‘it can’t happen here’ was defined by Francis Fukuyama’s famous book, The End of History and The Last Man. Fukuyama’s famous work claimed that the Collapse of Communism in 1989 represented the last major ideological development in world history and pronounced the ascendancy of the capitalist-democratic world order. This was a deeply arrogant perspective. The idea that democracy is somehow irreplaceable and unmovable is dangerous. A recent German study found that the number of people living under a dictatorship has risen by 1 billion in the past 15 years, resting at around a third of the global population today. Crisis in nations like Turkey and the power of figures like Putin and Xi Jinping represents the declining standards of democracy across the globe. To ignore this very real threat to democracy is an insult to the lessons of the Berlin Wall.

Perhaps Westerners are far more likely to accept the permanence of democracy because dictatorship no longer sits on our doorstep as it did in 1989. When the EU dramatically expanded at the turn of the century to incorporate the states of Eastern Europe into the ‘Western bloc’, the distance between the UK and dictatorship extended dramatically, making it far easier to blissfully ignore. War-scarred Berlin became a party destination in the imagination of British students, whilst events outside of Europe pointing towards the continuing problem of dictatorship were swept under the rug. The same year the Berlin Wall fell the Chinese government massacred its people in Tiananmen Square and the Iranian government reissued fatwa. Not only did the fall of the Berlin Wall gives the UK rose-tinted glasses when viewing the fate of democracy, but it also encouraged a blindness to crises around the world.

Ultimately, the legacy of the Berlin Wall should be one of hope, a sign that one day the whole world might live under freedom and affluence. But it is also a warning: democracy is easily broken and takes revolutionary efforts to sustain. The democracy our grandparents fought for in World War II and the people of East Berlin fought for in 1989 is still yet to be achieved across the globe. Until we absorb the true meaning of 1989, 3.3 billion people may live in shackles for many years to come.

Dystopia in and amongst trash: Beckett’s Endgame

Imogen Harter-Jones
-
0
Dystopia in and amongst trash: Beckett’s Endgame

“You’re on Earth. There’s no cure for that.”

This bleak quote perfectly sets the tone for Beckett’s Endgame. Beckett’s apocalyptic nightmare world is full of waste, refuse, and is physically damaged and destroyed beyond recognition, the theme of trash is clearly treated in both a physical and more philosophical sense. Throughout the course of the play four characters Hamm and Clov, the blind master and dumb servant, and Hamm’s parents Nagg and Nell attempt to simply exist and cope in the mess that surrounds them, questioning the worth of their existence in such a world. Performed for the first time only two years after Beckett’s most famous play, Waiting for Godot, Endgame paints a yet bleaker vision of life that is ultimately meaningless and absurd.

Beckett proclaimed that the intellectual and artistic quest of his drama was to “to find a form that accommodates the mess” of the modern world. He clearly does not attempt to solve it, eschewing the role as social garbage man, nor does he offer judgement. Whilst doing this he questioned the very notions and conventions of theatre in a self-referential and meta-theatrical way. According to critic Brater, Beckett’s drama makes typical critical vocabulary and categories seem “tangential and inconvenient” due to his destruction of traditional dramatic conventions, an act of throwing out the old order.

One of the most striking and absurd images of the play (though as this is Beckett one must assume a base level of absurdity) is Nagg and Nell living in dustbins. The moment they peek out of their dustbins and see the mess around them, they instantly try to escape, instead, remembering the past as well as eating their existential dread away with biscuits, from the increasingly limited store cupboard of Clov. In this dystopia living in and among trash and waste is a physical reality, however some are literally left to rot in landfill. Nagg and Nell, are discarded as human trash in literal dustbins, feeling trapped in the final stages of their dismal and hopeless existences and the only mode of escapism from their misery is their imagination and reminiscing about the past. 

Seeing this elderly tragi-comical relief duo emerge from the bins is both darkly funny and profoundly disturbing as “(Nagg knocks on the lid of the other bin)” the audience realises they are trapped there, unable to move themselves or escape the bin in which they inhabit. They are also treated like animals as Nagg asks “Has he changed your sawdust?” and their only way to physically remove themselves from situations is for Nagg and Nell to “(disappear into his bin, close the lid behind)”. However, whilst momentary delight is taken by the characters through stories, most notably Nagg and Nell who remember their romantic youth to affirm their love in the present, in his final soliloquy Hamm philosophises that “moments for nothing, now as always, times was never and time is over, the reckoning is closed and story ended”. None of the stories allow any of the characters real relief or reassurance as Nagg laments that his favourite comforts and people “no longer exists, we all know that, there is nothing in the world I love more.” This play is littered with reminders of a past that no longer exists, in a present promising only destruction and meaninglessness.

The only character who fully recognised that the game is over and is willing to just let it end is Nell. In her one scene alive she asserts “One mustn’t laugh at those things, Nagg. Why must you always laugh at them?”, shows her inability to cope through humour that shifts from the gravity of reality. She is the only character who actually physically dies, and whilst the others are dead inside the difference is distinct. Nell is a rare sympathetic character in both nature and audience perception, however, she has lost her ability to laugh, often an indicator of doom in Beckett’s theatrical world; he often links laughter with survival for “Nothing is funnier than unhappiness”.

The aftermath of Nell’s death demonstrates the normalisation of death and the status of corpses as litter in a world where there are “no coffins” and it is not the norm to bury people. Beckett’s stage directions tell of Nell’s death, rather than words: (Clov stoops, takes Nell’s hand, feels her pulse.) … (Clov lets go her hand, pushes her back in the bin, closes the lid.) This pushing her back into the bin is a simple, brutal yet natural reaction when there is nowhere else for her to go. The way in which Nell’s death is talked about is unsurprisingly cold with Hamm asking “Have you bottled her?” and ordering Clov to “Screw down the lids” as it was “Time enough”. Physical matter ceases to be important, without the spark of life. The only human reaction is Nagg, who desperately (knocks on lid of Nell’s bin. Pause.) repeatedly shouting “Nell!” (Pause. He knocks louder. Pause. Louder.) before (Pause. Nagg sinks back into his bin, closes the lid behind him. Pause.). Nagg’s “crying” is Hamm’s primary reminder that he’s “living”.

Suffering is a key theme of Endgame, they all suffer whether it is physically, existentially within their own minds. This examination of suffering and wallowing in the ruins and rubbish of a society, as critic Swanson notes, “initiates a sociological commentary on the social dysfunction of passive compliance”. Suffering is the state of being in Endgame, yet no attempt is made, or presented as possible, to alleviate it.  Beckett exemplifies this in Hamm’s line “I say to myself—sometimes, Clov you must learn to suffer better than that if you want them to weary of punishing you—one day”. The characters of Endgame suffer what Marxist critic Adorno classes as “the domination of nature which destroys itself”.

Beckett hands his characters repetition and memories of better times like a tool to try and fix an element of their broken psyche as it seems to be more of a soothing painkiller and preferable to the present chaos, rubbish and trash which dominates their world and their minds. However, the waste of both their surroundings and their lives is ultimately inescapable, the nihilistic force of Beckett ultimately dominates and suffocates.

Catalan Separatism Cannot Succeed

Cecilia Wilkins Dulanto
-
0
Catalan Separatism Cannot Succeed

It’s hard making head nor tail of what is happening in Catalonia and it is easy to place too much faith in the story our media chooses to tell us. I welcome the discussion but take issue with some of Eli Rubies’ opinions, namely that the justice system in Spain is “clearly flawed” and that the pro-independence leaders were “committed to a peaceful democratic process”.

Spain is a democratic country that follows the rule of law. We hold our governments and public officers to account and citizens’ rights are upheld and protected. It is wrong of the media to misrepresent Spain as a repressive regime. The Catalan independence leaders were not put on trial for expressing their political ideas but rather for their criminal conduct (as set out in the statutes and against the rule of law). Despite repeated warnings and rulings, they persisted in their intent, repealing the Spanish constitution in Catalonia, depriving Catalans of their rights as Spanish citizens and disobeying rulings from the constitutional court.

It is not an extravagance of the Spanish constitution to enshrine the preservation of its national sovereignty and the integrity of its territory.  Most other European constitutions are alike. Not a single government worldwide recognised the 2017 illegitimate referendum nor its purported outcome.

To this day, any organisation or person advocating independence for any Spanish territory is free to speak out and express their ideas through the proper channels of regional and central parliaments, including the European Parliament. The Spanish Supreme Court has every right and obligation to defend the rule of law and democracy in Spain and the Catalan independence leaders failed to respect these legal frameworks which are there for the protection of all citizens.

The pro-independence parties in Catalonia are composed of far left, far-right and straight out anti-establishment parties, who have come together so they can form a majority in Catalonia (by the narrowest of margins and helped by a historical electoral hang-up which gives some Catalans the equivalent of a double vote) to push forward with their common goal of making Catalonia an independent nation, regardless of the economic case against it. They have spent decades trying to subvert the democratic process in Catalonia. In the Catalan Parliament, not long after the illegal referendum on Catalonian independence was held in October 2017, the pro-independence politicians, led by Puigdemont, quashed all parliamentary debate and made a unilateral declaration of independence with no legitimate mandate and in full breach of their own government statutes (not for the first time and with half of the Catalan parliament silenced and forced to leave their seats). They further encouraged civil disobedience by instructing the Catalan police force, the Mossos, to disobey orders from central government; a crossing of the Rubicon.

Catalonia is one of the most prosperous regions in Europe and certainly the most autonomous.  There is absolutely no repression coming from central government.  They have their own parliament their own judiciary, their own police force, their own healthcare, their own media and their own education curriculum in which the Spanish language is taught for only two hours a week, on a par with any other foreign language. For the last twenty-five years they have had every concession imaginable short of fracturing the Spanish union (a major constitutional event which would require following the proper channels and the requisite majority). Puigdemont, now in hiding, and his fellow politicians and activists, shouted very publicly before the world’s media that all they wanted was a dialogue, a platform on which to air their grievances, when in reality they had but one aim in mind and their legitimate grievances were no different to those of any other autonomous governments in Spain suffering under austerity measures or objecting to the corruption scandals that are rife among Catalan pro-independence politicians.

The pro-independence ideology has nothing to do with inequality in society, but supporters exploit these in order to agitate and drum-up resentment and perceived repression where none exists. They are an organisation which promotes, among other things, an idealised Nation of Catalonia stretching to the Balearic Islands and parts of France (without their sanction or support) and the radical and deluded idea that the Catalan DNA is different to the rest of Spain’s (there is variation, but not any more significant than the differences between other populations on the Iberian Peninsula). They do this through the dissemination of leaflets and posters paid for by the taxpayer, distastefully reminiscent of fascist identity-based racism.

They do not represent most Catalans, who claim they have been silenced and disregarded, and who live in fear of reprisals in the streets, their workplaces and schools for daring to disagree with pro-independence thugs.  In October 2017, the ‘silenced majority’ came out in the hundreds of thousands across Catalonia and Spain, with one million people in the streets of Barcelona alone, to protest against the illegal and rigged referendum (lacking all electoral rigour and where children and pensioners were used as human shields) and the unilateral declaration of independence. They described the pro-independence movement as akin to a sect and spoke of decades of propaganda, dissemination of false information, indoctrination in schools, revisionist history, infiltration and purges of any dissenting voice in their media and public institutions. For years, academics and journalists speaking frankly about all these abuses and the deleterious effects of independence reported being threatened, insulted, stoned and spat at in the streets. The protesters lamented the rifts caused within families and friendships and called for unity.

Like Eli Rubies, I stand for democracy and people having an equal voice and vote and I find the use of excessive police force abhorrent. The Catalan government has launched the largest ever investigation into the Catalan police force’s actions during the recent public disturbances.

Eli Rubies is right to point out that these disturbances are caused by a minority of radicalised youths who do not represent the more peaceful pro-independence supporters, and to worry about people turning to violence. Unfortunately, scenes of excessive police force play into the hands of the pro-independence side because they are enough for people to lose their trust in the Spanish government. But we must look behind the veil; one wrong does not negate another. The leaders of the pro-independence movement have no place denouncing the Spanish government’s undemocratic behaviour or judicial system when they themselves have spent so many years agitating, promoting divisive policies and systematically undermining democracy and freedom of speech in Catalonia. The Spanish government has indeed made a serious mistake in dealing with Catalonia’s independence movement, but the mistake was one of permissive negligence and it started decades ago. They should have intervened sooner.

The Hundred

Gabriel Whitwam
-
0
The Hundred

The fact this question hasn’t been answered isn’t for a lack of trying. New formats have been created, such as one-day and Twenty20; matches have been played at more accessible times, like weekday evenings and weekends; England even hosted the World Cup this summer. Interest in cricket suffers from the reverse problem that football has: not that football suffers from a lack of fans, but that appetite for domestic cricket is so much lower than for international cricket. The casual cricket fan, the audience that the ECB needs to capitalise on, grows up supporting England, cheers when they win the world cup, and feels sad when they lose the Ashes. They do not however really mind who wins the county championship. This issue is what the Hundred is hoping to solve.

In order for a sports fan to go from a sofa-sitting, score-checking level of engagement, to actually investing serious time and – importantly for English cricket – money, they need to go to see cricket. It’s all well and good England cricket having a strong following, but they play less often than domestic clubs, and a lot of the time it is overseas. England winning the World Cup at Lords is all well and good, but the growth in people interested in cricket means little unless they are able to follow it up by seeing cricket more regularly. The next world cup is in 4 years after all. Children play football with their friends because they’ve been brought up as a Manchester United Fan, owned the kit since their first birthday, and continue to identify with the club. They see these people on TV that they aspire to be and try to emulate them. The same cannot be said of cricket fans. It’s very rare for someone to be brought up a Glamorgan or an Essex fan; few eight-year-olds could name their favourite Northamptonshire player, let alone the entire team.

The premise of the Hundred is that fewer people identify with their county compared with their nearest city. As Britain industrialised, football clubs realised they needed to be based in cities, while cricket teams remained in small county towns; Somerset for example, one of the biggest cricketing counties, play in Taunton, a place few have heard of and even fewer have been. People from all over the Home Counties support London football clubs, but few don their ‘Denly’ shirt when Kent are playing. By centring teams in cities, the ECB are trying to get more people interested in cricket to go along to see their local teams play.

The 8 new teams, based in Nottingham, South London, Leeds, Cardiff, North London, Manchester, Brighton and Birmingham, look to solve this. With colourful kits, eye-catching logos, and names like ‘Welsh Fire’ and ‘Trent Rockets’, these new franchises are designed to attract the attention of a new audience eager for excitement and adrenaline. The Hundred does pose some risk. It is a bold step, pushing a new system onto a famously conservative current fan-base. Matthew Engel in The Guardian described the move as “completely incoherent, staggeringly expensive and potentially disastrous”. English cricket has invested massively into this new format, spending big on coaches and players from all over the world.

The other issue is that this new format will increase interest, both in terms of fans and upcoming players, only in the shortest form of the game. A new rich elite of 100-ball and Twenty20 specialists could leave behind those playing longer forms of the game, the ones that are needed if England wants to win the World Cup and the Ashes. The danger is the sport that The Hundred is based on might go into decline as the new format succeeds Kerry Packer had to endure significant difficulties to launch limited overs cricket in the 1970s, but the success that has followed on from this, and all the money that the sport has benefited from as a result of his contribution speak volumes about the potential of The Hundred. It may well be difficult, and take time to see the uptake that many hope for, but this time the governing bodies are on the side of the change.

Hertford celebrates diversity in Equalities Week

Catherine Dema
-
0
Hertford celebrates diversity in Equalities Week

During fifth week, Hertford College hosted its annual Hertford Equalities Week.

With an aim to encourage the Oxford community to consider ways in which inequalities and injustice can be combated at Oxford, it is an opportunity to discuss topics including diversity, social equality, justice and activism.

Fenella Sentance, Hertford’s JCR equal opportunities representative, planned the week in collaboration with other Hertford students, resulting in a fully student-organised event.

Sentance said that the goal of Equalities Week is to ensure women*, black and minority ethnic (BME), working class, LGBTQ+ and disabled students at Hertford have an opportunity and space to share and focus on their experiences.

Sentance told Cherwell: “The main goal was to focus on those communities – their experiences and concerns. Everyone in college has been enthusiastic [and] supportive, which has been really nice.”

In discussing the importance of hosting an Equalities Week, Sentance highlighted the necessity of the Oxford community confronting its systematic inequalities.

She said: “It’s really important that Oxford faces head on the systemic issues it has concerning access and inequality, and I hope this is some kind of part of that.I’m hoping the week will encourage people to think about these issues on a day to day basis and do their best to counteract them.”

Oxford has been criticised recently for racial profiling of students by porters and for failing to treat disabled students fairly.

By hosting events such as EqualiTEAs, a women*’s night at the Hertford bar and an Equalities formal, Sentance hopes Equalities Week will foster a greater sense of community across Hertford College and a greater awareness of everyday activism in which one may participate.

Sentance said: “I’d like women*, people of colour, LGBTQ+, working- class and disabled students at Hertford to feel recognised and listened to – and to feel that they have a community of people supporting them.”

On the importance of Equalities Week and her admiration of the work Sentance has done, second-year Hertford student Ashley Singh discussed the way in which people must interact to fight for acceptance, inclusion and equality.

Singh told Cherwell: “We all experience life differently – I don’t simply mean that we have different experiences but also that no person thinks in the same way as another. Due to these differences, it is vital to listen to one another because it is vital to try to understand. It is not enough to believe and say that we care. Be curious, learn more and love people. Champion those people who experience injustices.

“To do so, we must participate, avoid being a bystander, even (or perhaps most importantly) in everyday life. Validate people – your peers, your mentors, the people who serve you, the people who rarely feel valued. Fight ignorance – the rights given to all people (freedom, safety, equality) protected by law are not just given. They are duties for us all.” There was a women*’s meeting and box decorating event on Tuesday in the JCR. On Wednesday, there was an Equalities Week formal hall to celebrate diversity and inclusion at the College. The formal hall hosted speeches about equality and diversity on campus.

Hertford hosted an Equality and the Arts Panel Thursday to discuss activism, diversity and the arts with poets Will Harris, Rachel Long and Jay Hulme.

Hertford Equalities Week will wrap up Sunday, Nov. 17 with a talk from public engagement walking tour company Uncomfortable Oxford at 5:30 p.m in the Hertford Old Library.

Aiming to make Oxford a more progressive and inclusive institution, the group encourages public discussion of Oxford’s “uncomfortable” history, especially regarding its imperialist past.

No support for Oxford-Cambridge expressway

Rachel Cordery
-
0
No support for Oxford-Cambridge expressway

In a letter to the government, the Oxfordshire County Council announced that they would not support the construction of a major road between Oxford and Cambridge.

The motion sent to the government explained that an Expressway would be environmentally harmful.

Labour councillor John Sanders said the planned Expressway “flies in the face of Oxfordshire’s commitment to reduce the use of the car.”

The need to reduce car use to tackle the climate emergency was a key factor in the decision.

The council said it would still sup- port plans to boost jobs, housing and infrastructure in the county, namely through the Oxford to Cambridge Arc and England’s Economic Heart- land.

Bob Johnston, a Lib Dem councillor, said the council should reject the project because of its aim to become carbon neutral. The project would have a “huge carbon footprint” regardless of the chosen route.

This move follows on from the council’s commitment to place the climate crisis at the heart of all their decisions.

The motion explained that the rejection of an Expressway was also on the understanding that work on the East West Rail Link would be sped up.

It said: “The development of the railway line will ensure the delivery of the growth and housing required, without the environmental impact of a road cutting across the centre of rural England.”

A planned route for the expressway was to be published before the end of this year, but the general election has delayed it.

Wellbeing week helps students beat 5th week blues

May Moorwood
-
0
Wellbeing week helps students beat 5th week blues

Oxford University held its annual ‘Wellbeing Week’ from 11 to 15 November, opening up dialogue around wellbeing and welfare to support students’ mental health during 5th week.

Often cited by students as one of the hardest weeks of term, the week induces the phenomenon referred to as “fifth week blues.”

Events included an overview of the university and student union support services, branded ‘Welcome to Worcester Street,’ as well as a presentation on the newStudent Wellbeing and Mental Health Strategy.

There were also more relaxed events such as opportunities to get active with Oxford University Sport, and a wellbeing dog walk.

The events were run by the Oxford Mindfulness Centre (OMC) as part of the project to raise awareness about wellbeing in the university.

In outlining the importance of the events during wellbeing week, Oli Bazin, an associate at the Oxford Mindfulness Centre, stated: “The importance of mental health and well-being is widely acknowledged in the Higher Education setting, where student life can bring a host of personal and emotional challenges alongside academic demands.”

Bazin highlighted mindfulness as a large part of wellbeing, saying, “Mindfulness is a well- researched, non-religious and effective means of alleviating stress, anxiety and depression, and promoting well-being.”

The OMC has been running mindfulness courses for students since 2011.

Students also underlined the importance of the week. Luke Knight, a first-year physics undergraduate at Lady Margaret Hall, said: “Wellbeing week is definitely what I need right now. It’s nice to know that fifth week blues sets in for everyone and that support is on hand. I like how it’s uni-wide, not just in college, too.”

Meanwhile, additional wellbeing events will also take place across Colleges and Departments. Students at St Hilda’s college can take part in several events ranging from welfare teas to mental health workshops, tackling issues such as imposter syndrome and anxiety.

In many colleges, including St Hilda’s, events are student lead by the JCR and its welfare reps. Student welfare rep Amber Korde commented: “Having a welfare structure within colleges is extremely important to student wellbeing as well as their success here.

“Oxford can be a tough environment at times so having a support network in place, from welfare officers to junior deans, is such an important thing. Student welfare is, and always should be, something that we think about throughout the year but events like welfare week give us a chance to really emphasise the importance of looking after ourselves and each other.”

Wellbeing week comes as part of the University and Student Union’s ‘Wellbeing at Oxford Campaign,’ which aims to raise awareness about student wellbeing and take an institution-wide approach to welfare.

In 2018 the campaign launched a “strategic plan” to invest considerable resources into welfare. Wellbeing week forms a part of this increased focus on mental health, with events open to all students running throughout the week.

In the Student Wellbeing and Mental Health Strategy, the university says: “We are adopting an holistic approach to student wellbeing and mental health covering all aspects of the student experience. Providing the right support is a key strand to our work, but so is prevention and building resilience. We will review course design, promote and embed inclusive practice, and help students to develop the life skills which will help them to thrive.”

In the strategy, Education Pro-Vice-Chancellor Martin Williams states: “Oxford’s strategy forms part of a wider focus on mental health and wellbeing across the higher education sector. We are proud to have been involved in sector-wide discussions for several years and will continue to do so in the future.

Highlighting the university’s commitment change, he said: “Everyone at Oxford has a role to play in student mental health and wellbeing, and this strategy signals the start of a longer journey towards achieving our vision for the collegiate University.”

Lacrosse Blues storm to ‘euphoric’ victory in Exeter

Lucy Tansley
-
0
Lacrosse Blues storm to ‘euphoric’ victory in Exeter

In an icy downpour on a cold Wednesday afternoon, Oxford women’s Blues continued their ascent to the top of the Southern Premiership Lacrosse League with a win against Bristol on their home pitch. The teams matched up with similar experiences under their belts, albeit with different results. Oxford marched into the match with significant victories against Bath and Cardiff. On the other hand, Bristol had fought hard in both for a goal difference of only two points. This match was one they both needed to win – Oxford, to maintain a competitive record after a narrow defeat by Exeter, and Bristol, to re-orient their performance upwards. In the end, it would be the Oxford Blues that sent Bristol back home with a score of 13-7. It might have only been the fourth match of the season, but one would not have been able to tell.

With dominant ball control right from the start, Oxford were able to quickly find one another and transition the ball down to their attacking end within seconds. In Women’s Lacrosse, ball possession is half the battle. Though there are ‘fast-breaks’ in which a ball-carrier will be able to rush towards the goal, most scoring opportunities in Women’s Lacrosse come from the patient, highly curated set plays that teams train meticulously until they can be executed flawlessly. In other words, opportunities to get access to the ball are absolutely vital to give attackers the time they need to help the ball find the back of the net.

Oxford’s ability to win the first quarter with two goals over Bristol came from their ability to control the ball, a skill that contributed greatly to their consistency throughout the match. Remarkably, Oxford scored exactly four goals in each quarter. Oxford relied on skilled draw-takers, Bea Webber, Elinor Harris and Alex Drewe, to claim the ball from the start and then moved into a free-flowing play that demonstrated the high confidence of their attackers. Bristol responded with excellent defence that locked down most of Oxford’s dodgers. The unity of Bristol’s defensive unit gave Oxford two options: to have individuals push to goal or to move into more set-plays. In only match 4 of BUCS, teams are typically still working on developing these set plays, as was the case for Oxford.

Although they moved the ball quickly and created shooting opportunities, these did not always convert into the ball finding the back of the net. Bristol’s goalie had fabulous saves and was able to clear the ball far into the field to move Bristol into an offensive position. In their defensive end, Oxford were able to keep Bristol to 7 goals, just as they had Bath the week before. Their defensive accomplishments are made possible with no small contribution from goalkeeper Maddy Sketchley. It was not uncommon to find Sketchley far out of the cage, challenging Bristol’s attackers to pass her and get to the cage. Similarly, Sketchley had no qualms forcing Bristol’s attackers to come chase her as she ran the ball out on clears – one might even say she enjoyed it.

Backed by a phenomenal goalie, Oxford’s defenders were empowered to come out and challenge Bristol’s goal-seekers with high-pressure defence on the 15 as well as behind the goal. In the new 6v6 structure of Women’s Lacrosse, defensive tactics need to adjust to shut down attacking units that have more room than ever before to move, dodge and lose defenders. Oxford’s defence transitioned into a well-oiled machine with each passing quarter. They shut down Bristol’s scoring from 2-1-0 in the first three quarters. The final quarter looked different. Oxford predictably secured 4 goals, but Bristol gained momentum after over an hour in the icy rain and slick mud to hammer in 4 goals of their own.

Despite their effort, that kind of energy had to come earlier in the match to impact the score. This week, Oxford will face off against Cambridge. After a series of games with lopsided results, this will be only their second close match-off of the season. With the age old rivalry between the teams and Oxford having narrowly lost the BUCS semi-final to Cambridge last year, it might just be the most meaningful match of the season.

Meanwhile, the Men’s Blues embarked on their own journey, making the 300-mile round trip to Exeter for the BUCS South Premiership match-up. Having had a rocky start to their BUCS season, with only one win from their first four games, the Dark Blues were in need of a win, and had the long coach journey to reflect on their various tactics for the coming game. However, the hunt for victory would not be helped by the absence of a number of key players leaving co-captain Andrew Bithell just a twelve-man squad to face Exeter’s eighteen.

Unfazed by the long journey, Oxford headed onto the pitch determined to make a strong start, and managed to come out firing and managed to win and maintain a lengthy early possession. Despite this, Exeter struck the first blow, making it immediately clear that this was going to be a tightly matched game. In reply, a couple early goals from Daniel Woodside (who would go on to score five on the day) kept the Blues in touch and pushed them into the lead at the end of the first quarter. Going into the second quarter, the Oxford offence continued to flow nicely, with further goals from Christos Katsifis and Casey Lake, as the Blues made sure to keep the Exeter side on their toes. However, they were caught napping at the defensive end on a few occasions which allowed Exeter, determined not to be bested to edge back into the game and saw the scored tied seven-a-piece at half time.

Exeter maintained their momentum at the start of the second half and took the lead for the first time in the game by two goals, leaving Oxford to chase the game. However, a rally of goals from Woodside, Katsifis and Lake put them back into the lead by two at the end of the third quarter. It was clear going into the final quarter that nerves were beginning to kick in for both sides and the game began to close up. Oxford kept their noses in front with a goal from Patrick Green, but Exeter kept on coming and were just a goal behind with five minutes still to be played.

After some long, settled possessions Oxford were forced to play the final three minutes of the game without the ball, working to keep Exeter away from their end in the final minutes of the match. On this occasion, however, the defence stepped up their work-rate and physicality, keeping out a barrage of shots, dodges and feeds. Not least in this defensive stand was keeper Harry Trevelyan who earned himself man of match after making a series of stunning reaction saves to secure victory with a final score of 13-12. Bithell described the nerve-racking victory as “euphoric”, with Oxford not having won away in Exeter for six years, marking a momentous fixture for the Blues side. Oxford will now look to continue this winning form as they make another lengthy journey away to Swansea next Wednesday.

Oxford Homeless Project celebrates four years

Trudy Ross
-
0
Oxford Homeless Project celebrates four years

The Oxford Homeless Project celebrated its fourth anniversary on Monday (November 11) at the Asian Cultural Centre in Cowley.

The Muslim community project, led by Shabnam Sabir and Tayyaba Hameed, is dedicated to providing fortnightly meals for the homeless, as well as other necessities such as sleeping bags, clothing, tents, and haircuts. Food donated by the community is served every other Monday lunchtime at the Asian Cultural Centre.

Sabir founded the enterprise in 2015 after her experience serving dishes to the homeless during Ramadan. Sabir and and her friends gathered at Gloucester Green in the evening when breaking their daily fast, inviting homeless people from across the city to celebrate Iftar.

Following this, Sabir was inspired to do even more to help those without a roof over their heads, and decided to gather a group of volunteers to create a long-term project. Since its formation, the project has served home-cooked meals to the homeless every two weeks. The project continues to be run by volunteers and has now amassed more than four thousand likes on its Facebook page.

Sabir told Cherwell: “It’s always very humbling to know the city of Oxford has no shortage of care or compassion. Whilst such a service shouldn’t be needed we believe it’s important for our guests to know they’re not alone and the community does care.”

Over a hundred people attended the anniversary lunch, from families and residents to college and university students. Children from St. Francis Primary School helped to decorate tables and creating posters with messages of solidarity for the event, while a group of pupils gave a choir performance. Students from EMBS Community College also got involved, cooking, serving and setting up, with volunteers also sharing pizza round at the event.

The event was also attended by Lord Mayor of Oxford, Craig Simmons, as well as Labour and Cooperative politician Anneliese Dodds, who has served as the MPfor Oxford East since the 2017 election.

Sabir added: “We are here not only to give rough sleepers a hot meal; anyone in need is welcome to a community style lunch. We want to ensure going forward that people always have a place they can eat and feel welcome.”

Discussing the future of homelessness activism in the city in a statement ahead of their anniversary, the project said: “Whilst we still feel worried about our friends we do however feel things will be better for our rough sleepers this year. We do feel Oxford City Council have made some exceptional progress in tackling and addressing homelessness in Oxford.”

1...539540541...2,495Page 540 of 2,495

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