Opinion

On the morning of the 14th of April in Moscow, the doors of four student journalists' homes were unceremoniously kicked in and the students...

"Following 10 tumultuous years, it is hard to see any hope for these war-scarred countries." Zoe Lambert looks back at the Arab Spring, questioning the successes and failures, and reflects on being in Morocco as it began in 2010.

CW: Mentions of Racism. "As a Chinese student in the West, I have found myself constantly caught in between the entanglement of racialized identities and international political battles." Flair Donglai SHI reflects on prejudice in its different forms.

"Then there were more obscure terms: "see you in Cowley". I must admit that given the notoriously well-articulated British pronunciation I honestly believed they were referring to a certain Cow Lake, which I then presumed to be located in Christchurch Meadow, given the cows. It appears that it is the name of the vibrant area south of Oxford." Nicola Carotenuto provides a satirical glance at Oxford student life and lingo.

"Facebook, Twitter, Twitch and YouTube are great sources of information and will become the main ones for many of us. This in itself is not a negative; technology adapts, and the way people live their lives adapts with technology - but so must regulations and laws" W A Whitten discusses how alternative forms of media are shaping news reporting.

"I personally am not too fussed about personal liberties. Let’s face it, I didn’t do much with my liberties when I had them. But after a year inside I have started to care more about them. I do not think that it is too much to ask to have a meal in a restaurant without having to present credentials." Charlie Aslet investigates the efficiency of coronavirus vaccine passports.

"Infographics also generate slacktivism, which gives you the warm fuzzy feeling of doing something and creating change, whilst in reality not much is being done." Anvee Bhutani investigates the problems inherent in social media infographics.

" China, one amongst a host of global superpowers, exists in a ‘buffer zone’ from humanitarian intervention. To take action against the Chinese government is simply undesirable to the global community, over fears that it may lead to adverse economic consequences for major powers also." After President Biden dismissed the mass internment of Uyghur muslims in China as something that could be attributed to 'different cultural norms', Molly Simpson considers the reasons for the lack of international response.

"Consultancy gives you power to influence decisions at the highest levels of management within governments and organisations. A consultant can make sure that positive social impact is an important factor at the forefront of the decision making table." Scott Hextall and Henry Grandage write about how consulting can be more than just being a “corporate sellout”; it can make a difference.

TW: Mentions of sexual violence "Rather than teaching men that to assault is wrong, society teaches women to do all they can to avoid it." Flora Dyson unpacks the phenomenon of internalised misogyny and questions how we can tackle it.

"It is overlooked that everyday experiences of sexism are the norm for female students. This normalisation enables sexual assault to be depicted as exceptional - this must be challenged."

CW: Racism, mentions of violence "Throughout my time in Oxford, people have blindly made jokes about the food I eat, my various foreign mannerisms, and other misplaced snubs at the expense of the Asian community. Maybe they thought I’d find them 50% funny. Maybe they didn’t care to realise they were not." 

"Scrapping the ECHR and starting afresh with a ‘British Bill of Rights’ would embolden the government with both symbolic and literal power." Ciara Garcha investigates the history of the 'British Bill of Rights' and considers how it would impact the UK's relationship with the European Union.

"It is now time for private school students, committed to building a better future for all young people, to use their privilege and voice to pressure these institutions." Fionn McFadden investigates potential solutions to Oxford's state-private school disparity.

CW: Violence “Crouching in a corner and holding your breath as you hear voices and sirens outside is the norm for me.” Three years on from the Parkland shooting in Florida, Anvee Bhutani uses anecdotal experience to argue why gun reform is necessary.

"While civil liberties have no doubt been altered during the pandemic, the current situation is temporary. This legislation will not be." Natasha Voase examines the 2021 Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill and its sinister implications

"In European countries, the rising popularity of apps such as Uber, Uber-eats and Deliveroo has put a strain on welfare states; in recent years, there has been an expanding number of workers who are dependents of a company, without receiving the social security that comes with such dependence." Johannes Moehrle argues for the improvement of workers' rights in the gig economy.

"Even though the stringent regulation of broadcasting in the UK means that these networks will not be overtly one-sided or spread ‘fake news', they are worrisome. A new fixation on ‘opinionated’ and ‘politicised’ news commentary will feed into ‘bubble culture that isolates viewers in echo chambers." Biba Jones discusses the entrance of GB News and News UK TV into the British media landscape.

CW: racism. Stories about Oxford and the various policy decisions its constituent colleges make periodically find their way into the national press.  I did not,...

"You don’t need to “be an activist” to take action." Matilda Gettins explores why, today more than ever, it is important to reflect on social protest movements.