Monday 27th April 2026

Features

‘The only woman in Hall’: Gender and college governance

When Baroness Alexandra Freeman became Principal of Hertford College last month, she did not initially realise she was the first woman to hold the role.

The independent cinema battling Oriel College to stay open

With the threat of an unrenewed lease from Oriel College, the Ultimate Picture Palace is appealing to the community at large for support.

War within earshot: A year abroad in Jordan

A large part of my decision to study Arabic is owed to my father’s passing. Having now experienced life in the Middle East, including its wars, I now understand him far more than I ever could have anticipated.

The essay and its long history in Oxford

In 1811, a student at University College published a pamphlet including an essay titled ‘The Necessity of Atheism’ that he later distributed to the Heads of Oxford Colleges. The student, after disputes with the Master of University College at the time, was “sent down” on the grounds of “contumacy” (disobeying authority). This student was Percy Shelley. 

Bottom of the pile: freedom of speech at Oxford

“Free speech is the lifeblood of a university.” So begins Oxford’s policy on freedom of speech. Followed by the tasteful poetry of triplets and...

Reflections of an Oxford Union reporter

For better or worse, I’m known around town as a journalist who reports on the Oxford Union - something I’ve done for both Cherwell...

Some habits die hard: the truth about Oxford’s Coffee Culture

The baristas in Cornmarket Pret know my coffee order on sight. My friends rarely see me without a strong black Americano in hand. You...

Open Minds, Open Conversations: An Interview with the LOAF Podcast

I knew vaguely of the podcast run by four of my fellow Christ Church students before interviewing them for Cherwell. It takes hard work...

Food Fight! Oxford and Cambridge compete to tackle food poverty

This summer, the long-anticipated ‘Great Oxbridge BOGOF’ will be returning for its 3rd run. The food drive competition is run by the charity ‘Because...

Just as nice for thrice the price?: The international experience at Oxford

I would be lying if I said I hadn’t looked into getting adopted by my British relatives. Why? Well, as an Australian citizen, I...

How do we keep Campsfield closed?

In the first week of Hilary Term, The Student Union became an officially named member of the Keep Campsfield Closed Coalition. The coalition has...

Unlocking the Power of EdTech: Revolutionising Education for a Brighter Future

EdTech: Pioneering the Future of Education In today's modern era, technology's imprint is increasingly prominent, reshaping all aspects of our lives, and carving a new...

“The world around us is evolving at a much faster pace than the reading lists”: Are women underrepresented in the curriculum? 

The fact that women seemed sidelined by the curriculum in school always seemed an accepted fact. In GCSE English, we encountered depictions of Curley’s...

Charles III: King or Emperor?

When stripped down to its most skeletal form, the Coronation of King Charles III entailed a simple ferrying of objects from altar to throne....

Giving up the ghost – is Classics really dead?

There is no denying it. I do spend a lot of my degree learning a language that is literally dead. Time and time again,...

In search of lost lives – The phenomenon of ‘Dark Tourism’  

'Upon entering the House of Terror, I was immediately struck by a great sense of unease. The idea of ‘Dark Tourism’ was not something that had occurred to me until over a year ago, on that overcast day in Budapest.'

What happens at Port and Policy?

A crowd of eager onlookers encircle a suited man like they are watching a schoolyard fight. He is giving a port-fuelled passionate advocation for...

Netflix and Scroll: Sound Familiar?

All findings are taken from the 31 responses to a survey that was released early Hilary Vac 2023. Before I begin on my journey, exploring...

The Perfect Tory? Rishi Sunak’s tutors reveal his student persona

Breaking news: Sunak hasn’t changed much. It’s the late nineties, Lincoln College is awaiting the arrival of an earnest, economically and socially conservative PPEist....

The future of History documentaries and what does their decline mean for us? 

Television has become an endless stream of reality TV, drama and sport. These categories make up the top ten television programmes viewed in 2019,...

St Stephen’s House – an almost love letter to the PGCE “Party college”

At the age of about 12, I saw a priest smoking a cigarette around the back of a church and knew from the look...

Marginalia: an insight into the psychology of the Oxford Student

You’re sat in the Rad Cam. It’s week five of Michaelmas. You’re hunched over, squinting through the dim yellow light to make out the...

Oxford, a University of Activists? Myths and Realities

Activism is rife in Oxford, especially student activism. Everywhere you look, you can see signs of it. Picture this: it’s the weekend and Cornmarket Street...

The Hackathon to Cabinet: How the Oxford Union shapes Britain’s political culture

CW: sexual assault It's no secret to anyone who reads the news that British politics begins in the cloisters of Oxford (and, to a lesser...

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