Opinion

In defence of consent training

CW: sexual violence It is often well-intentioned, stereotypically ‘progressive’ people who argue against the need for Freshers’ Week consent training, or at least find it obsolete. This includes even those...

The Vinted paradox: Consuming our way out of overconsumption

There are few pleasures quite like finding a jumper that sells for £70 new...

Can students still afford to choose?

There’s much about the experience of studying at Oxford that makes it truly unique...

I no longer want to be an astronaut

Just last week, OpenAI dropped 372 papers covering various well-known unsolved problems in mathematics and computer science. As someone in the unfortunate position of soon applying for a PhD in maths, it seems to be harder than ever to get one’s foot in the door. How can I, a bright-eyed but inexperienced undergraduate, compete with thousands of machines trawling through the sum of all human knowledge in parallel?

Suella Braverman – the trap for women (of colour) in politics

"After being unceremoniously sacked from her position, her divisive reign as one of the highest-ranking ministers in this country has come to an end."

Why We Might Not Beat Climate Change

"The only rational response to this two-headed paradox may be doomerism"

Just Stop Oil: help or hindrance?

"...one must consider the cause of these protests and the extent of the climate breakdown that we may soon be facing."

A laugh, stifled

"Comedy can help people make sense of everyday developments, and it can help in releasing tensions during tough times and suffering."

Decline and fall: How They Broke Britain by James O’Brien – review

"Today, in the wake of Brexit, Britain is once again broken – so argues commentator James O’Brien in his new book, How They Broke Britain."

The French left: its own worst enemy?

"To say that the French left has a political unity problem would be an understatement."

Oxford’s term structure needs to change – here’s why it won’t

"Three eight-week terms used to be the norm in Britain – but over the course of the last century, university after university has abandoned them."

“Frustrating and Disappointing”: Why the Oxford Union’s decision to host the caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan was a mistake

"As a student of Pakistani origin, it was frustrating and disappointing to see Kakar deciding to visit the United Kingdom and the Union choosing to host him"

A bubble within a bubble?

"There must be more to this trend than the general tide of anti-Tory feeling which has been swelling up everywhere since at least the start of Partygate."

Devolution and Unionism: Labour’s Achilles Heel?

"Labour risks peddling a unitary unionism that bursts at the border."

As Poland steps back from the precipice, others are ready to take the leap

"The EU lives to see another day and Orbán has lost a key ally in his fight against EU cooperation"

The Apocalypse is coming: what shall we drink to?

"our very own Oxford researchers found that warm temperatures and higher rainfall are the secret to producing good wines"

Populism over policy: a tool for public division

"The rise of populism has caused a shift towards dog whistle slogans, inflammatory rhetoric and the idea of a secret elite"

The rituals of our farcical politics

...we wonder, why is there no decency left in politics anymore?

The rise of the old money aesthetic

The trend for looking quietly (but obviously) expensive has found a new muse for the internet age.

The fire that still burns: the political relevance of ‘We Didn’t Start the Fire’ and its message of human continuity

"Humans have been fighting metaphorical, and sometimes literal, fires for decades"

Veering east? What Slovakia’s election means for Europe and the world

The recent Slovak election has sent European leaders scrambling to shore up support for Ukraine after a pro-Russia party emerged victorious on Saturday 30th...

Waking up to Russell Brand’s ‘razzle-dazzle’ misogyny 

"it’s all delivered with a cheeky smile and a knowing wink, to the tune of laughter and whoops from his audience"

Long-term decisions for a brighter future?  Must’ve missed that…

"...students beginning their studies in September won’t know how their university has chosen to allocate its funding until August at the very earliest."

Doppelgangers, thrifting, and cereal

"Somewhere along the way though, our identities got mixed in with the breakfast cereal."

Follow us