Opinion

A year abroad for all

There is something liberating about being somewhere where nobody knows your name, your college, or your subject. While abroad, I am no longer simply an Oxford student navigating the same routines of term-time life; I am an outsider, and, most importantly, a beginner again. The world suddenly feels much bigger than the few square miles I had grown accustomed to calling home.

The quiet guilt of upward social mobility at Oxford

Freshers’ formal. The first black-tie event I attended at Oxford. The golden glow of...

Unsilenced: I reported Damian Howard, too

When looking back on abuse cases that have plagued the church, some of the...

We should hate more

Oxford students hate C*mbridge. Or at least, we’re supposed to. We call them Tabs, occasionally ‘shoe’ them, and inherit a rivalry as soon as we matriculate. There’s only one problem: most of the time, nobody seems particularly bothered.

ADHD among the dreaming spires

CW: Contains descriptions of addiction.  "It’s like jenga. I build a tower, I gradually remove blocks, and then BAM! I collapse." IK reflects on their experiences as an Oxford student with ADHD.

Oxford’s Failure with Eating Disorders

CW: Detailed descriptions of eating disorders. "At Oxford we socialise through college formals, balls, crew dates, welfare teas and so much more. For those of us who have a history of disordered eating, this can prove pretty anxiety-inducing. Not to mention, with the highly anticipated June 21st rapidly approaching and the social eating that will come with this, the pressure to get the perfect body is more extreme than ever." Jaya Rana discusses the inefficiency of Oxford's support system for students with eating disorders

When breath becomes scarce: why Oxford must engage with India’s COVID crisis now

Fear is not nearly so disarming as helplessness. And this pandemic has introduced new ways to understand fear. Last March, there was a fear...

The Eco-Gender Gap

"This is creating a self-perpetuating cycle of eco-friendly products being targeted more towards women, thus eco-friendly branding becoming more feminised. The backlash of this is that more environmentally damaging branding is targeted at men". Annie Liddell writes about the gender disparity when it comes to fighting against environmental decline.

Oxford: a fossil fool?

"In less than 10 years, the climate crisis will cause an additional 250 000 deaths per year, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Over a third of these will be due to childhood undernutrition. If the university wishes to remain at all consistent, it must stop accepting funding from fossil fuel companies." In the wake of the OCJC Report, Matilda Gettins argues against the monetary relationship between Oxford University and fossil fuel companies.

Beyond the White Male Pale: Why our conversations around Autism and disability need to be intersectional

CW: Contains mentions of ableist, racist and sexist language as well as descriptions of eating disorders. "It is not known the proportion of the UK’s diagnosed autistic population of 700,000 and the UK’s innumerable undiagnosed autistic population who identify as women and/or People of Colour. But we have a duty to represent those people and the diversity of challenges and experiences in our conversations about autism." Ciara Garcha argues that we need greater intersectional conversations and representations of autism in the media.

A League of their Own? Oxford Colleges and Cabinet Representation

"I decided to grant Brasenose and Hugh’s joint-eighth and Christ Church tenth just because the latter didn’t have a former PM. Sorry, I don’t make the rules…wait, yes, I do!" Matthew Prudham takes a satirical glance at Oxford's Cabinet and Shadow Cabinet representation since 2010.

“The state has declared a war on youth”: Student journalism is under attack in Russia

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

The Arab Spring: ten years on

"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.

Precarity and prejudice: reflections from a Chinese student in Oxford

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.

The topography of Oxford

"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.

Alternative media: how are we getting our information?

"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.

Let Normal Programming Resume: Coronavirus Passports Won’t Solve Anything

"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.

Everything wrong with social media infographics: an informative thread

"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.

The Uyghur genocide and global inaction: Responsibility to Protect

" 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.

Society Spotlight: Oxford Social Impact

"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.

The misogynist within: calling ourselves out

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.

The continued failure to tackle rape culture within schools

"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."

A View Into Both Worlds: Being Mixed-Race in Oxford

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." 

The Conservatives’ attack on the ECHR: A Long Time Coming

"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.

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