Tuesday, May 6, 2025
Blog Page 1677

Oxford’s International Affairs

Claire Rodwell And Kyle Thetford
-
0
Oxford’s International Affairs

Oxford is set to experience a dramatic influx of foreign students, with an increase of 30,000 to the UK as a whole expected within the next decade.

The number of non-EU students studying in the UK has already increased considerably in recent years. A 2010 report by the Sutton Trust shows that universities have doubled the number of non-EU students over the past 10 years, with 12% of undergraduates and 54% of postgraduates coming from overseas. and the majority of this growth coming from China and India.

The British Council predicts a further 10% increase in the number of overseas students studying in the UK by 2020. It also states that the worldwide number of students studying overseas had risen to over 3.5 million at the end of the last decade, and that these numbers are predicted to continue rising.

According to UNESCO, (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) over 60% of these international students opted to study in one of the US, the UK, Australia, France, Germany, Russia, Japan or Canada. Britain is predicted to experience the fastest increase in the flow of foreign students from one country to another, with an expected increase of 20,000 students coming from India to the UK.

With unrestricted fees on international students, top universities can afford to charge international students far more for the same university experience as UK students. This is reflected in Oxford’s 2012/2013 tuition fees for international students. According to the Oxford ‘Fees, funding and scholarship search’, Oxford plans to charge as much as £18,550 a year for an non-EU student prospective undergraduate wishing to study in 2012/13.

There is also a ‘college fee’, only paid by non-EU students, which amounts to around £6,157 (significantly more expensive than Cambridge’s £4500-£5500 college fee). According to the University website, this “covers academic facilities and other services that are provided by your college”. Factoring in £10,700 worth of living expenses, one international student could be expecting to pay as much as £35,407 in their first year at Oxford – £15,707 more than a UK student would expect to pay over the same period.

[mm-hide-text]%%IMG_ORIGINAL%%5299%%[/mm-hide-text]

The Sutton Trust, which aims to promote social mobility through education, suggests in a 2010 report that universities may seek to capitalise on lucrative foreign students, saying that it is one of the “most likely options that universities in England have of generating more income from student financial contributions in the future.”

Concern has been expressed at the expense of studying in the UK by international students. The 2011 International Student Barometer report shows that overseas students feel that there is not enough opportunity to earn money whilst studying, with a 3% decrease in satisfaction over the past year. Meanwhile, 43% of international students expressed dissatisfaction with the high costs associated with university accommodation.

Many international students at Oxford said they felt that they are being taken advantage of. Bobo Zhang, a first year Economics and Management student originally from Singapore, commented, “Honestly, whilst everyone is facing a fee hike, I think that what international students have to pay is ridiculously large, considering how many students in Oxford come from private schools with insanely high tuition fees.” Zhang added, “Most US universities still offer financial aid to international students, I feel that it is one of the biggest drawbacks studying at Oxford.”

Erina Kato, a visiting student from Tokyo studying PPE agreed, stating, “It is unfair that foreign students have to pay higher tuition – it makes foreign students hesitate about making the choice to study at Oxford. On the other hand, it is inevitable that foreign students pay more, because I assume that it costs more for the university to accept them in terms of visas etc.”

Yet for some, the attraction of an Oxford education appears to override the thought of paying up to £55,650 for tuition in Britain. Kato said, “Just the thought of being able to study at one of the famous universities in the world made me want to come, but I also found the tutorial system very appealing. In Japan, you just attend lectures with about 200 people and take exams at the end of the term, and so there aren’t many opportunities to discuss and exchange ideas on what you learn with professors and other students.”

Madeline Foote, a first year historian originally from the US, agreed that the Oxford system is worth the extra expense, saying, “The tutorial style and the independence were attractive and offered a different kind of education from the US schools I was considering. I was looking for an education that would really push me out of my comfort zone.”

With regard to tuition fees, Foote added, “I think everyone should be paying for what their degree is worth. Our education is so valuable, that even paying international fees I know that I’m not truly having to bear the full cost.”

The average cost of educating an Oxford student is £16,000 a year (although lab-based subjects cost considerably more). The University told Cherwell, “The amount of money the University receives for teaching a Home/EU student through fees and grant falls well short of the University’s costs and is made up from other sources including endowment.”

In light of this, students fear that faced with two candidates of a similar calibre, Oxford will offer places to students to whom they can charge an amount that the University describes as “more closely reflects the actual cost of teaching in colleges”.

Emma Finlayson, first year musician at St Peter’s asked, “If Oxford says it offers places only on a meritocratic basis and many more overseas students are applying, surely this would mean that British students are crowded out as places become limited?”

A spokesperson for Oxford University denied that admissions tutors ever favour overseas applicants over home students, insisting that decisions are made purely on the basis of academic factors rather than any financial or social considerations.

Preview: Two Gentlemen of Verona

Pollyanna Marsden
-
0
Preview: Two Gentlemen of Verona

 

B
arbarian Productions’ Two Gentlemen of Verona had me rather 
embarrassingly bellowing 
w ith  laughter.    Set  against  the  backdrop of 1940’s America, the accompanying band is charming with a live 
‘New York, New York’ as the overture 
to Shakespeare’s first play. 
Two Gentlemen is very much in 
the vein of his later plays, and I was 
struck by Valentine’s (Tim Gibson) 
resemblance to Hamlet. 
The humour of the show is led by 
Valentine’s servant, Speed (Barney 
Iley-Williamson), his natural charm 
and comic timing earning his place 
as shepherd of the comedy, despite 
phrases like ‘lost mutton’. Alongside, 
symmetrical double act Julia (Alice 
Fraser) and Lucetta (Florence Robson) present ‘woman’s reason’ beautifully. At once, they demonstrate unbending female logic – ‘I think him so 
because I think him so’ – and connect 
brilliantly, with a natural performance from Fraser.
Iley-Williamson and Gibson use 
both the Y and X axes of space, extending and contracting their 
shapes like contortionists, and  
bringing circus-like dynamism into 
their performances. Proteus  (Ed 
Seabright) is a shapeshifter too, metamorphosing seamlessly from enfeebled lover, clutching helplessly at a 
grubby ring, to backstabbing Brutus. 
The duchess was cast to perfection – 
Ebney-Landy’s husky, sexy voice was 
precisely what the gender-subverted 
Duke required. Best cameo goes to 
Nick Lyons whose role as an outlaw 
is integral to the entire production. 
The play is a delicious cocktail of 
timeless slapstick, set in the verdant 
gardens of Christ Church. The main 
themes – love and honour – are wellpresented in what promises to be a 
hugely enjoyable production.
Proteus highlights the major issue 
at the heart of the play – ‘love making 
us neglect our studies.’ Whether for 
love of comedy or love of theatre, neglect your studies for an evening and 
don’t miss Two Gentlemen of Verona. 

Barbarian Productions’ Two Gentlemen of Verona had me rather embarrassingly bellowing with laughter. Set  against  the  backdrop of 1940’s America, the accompanying band is charming with a live ‘New York, New York’ as the overture to Shakespeare’s first play. 

Two Gentlemen is very much in the vein of his later plays, and I was struck by Valentine’s (Tim Gibson) resemblance to Hamlet. The humour of the show is led by Valentine’s servant, Speed (Barney Iley-Williamson), his natural charm and comic timing earning his place as shepherd of the comedy, despite phrases like ‘lost mutton’. Alongside, symmetrical double act Julia (Alice Fraser) and Lucetta (Florence Robson) present ‘woman’s reason’ beautifully. At once, they demonstrate unbending female logic – ‘I think him so because I think him so’ – and connect brilliantly, with a natural performance from Fraser.

Iley-Williamson and Gibson use both the Y and X axes of space, extending and contracting their shapes like contortionists, and  bringing circus-like dynamism into their performances. Proteus (Ed Seabright) is a shapeshifter too, metamorphosing seamlessly from enfeebled lover, clutching helplessly at a grubby ring, to backstabbing Brutus. The duchess was cast to perfection – Ebney-Landy’s husky, sexy voice was precisely what the gender-subverted Duke required. Best cameo goes to Nick Lyons whose role as an outlaw is integral to the entire production. The play is a delicious cocktail of timeless slapstick, set in the verdant gardens of Christ Church.

The main themes – love and honour – are well presented in what promises to be a hugely enjoyable production. Proteus highlights the major issue at the heart of the play – ‘love making us neglect our studies.’ Whether for love of comedy or love of theatre, neglect your studies for an evening and don’t miss Two Gentlemen of Verona. 

FIVE STARS

No joy for Oxford in hockey Varsity

Martin Pickup
-
0
No joy for Oxford in hockey Varsity

Oxford’s Men’s hockey Blues lost the Varsity Trophy to Cambridge in March in a close match that promised a great deal but ultimately ended in frustration. It caps a mixed season for the side after some excellent league performances but disappointing displays in one-off fixtures.

Oxford arrived on the day confident of building on a hat-trick of wins in previous years. The men’s and women’s second and third teams were unbeaten in their matches at a packed Fortress Iffley Road a few weeks earlier and all signs indicated that the Blues were peaking at the right time. In the first of the Varsity matches, a disappointing 0-0 draw for a very strong Oxford Blues Women’s team was an omen of things to come.

In the Men’s game Oxford started brightly and had the better of the opening exchanges. Captain Adam Jordan scored two fantastic flicks in the first half from two short corners. Scrappy defensive work allowed Cambridge to score from a penalty stroke, but at half time it was 2-1 and, with a 100% short corner record, Oxford went into the break full of confidence.

Their confidence was misplaced. Cambridge came out strongly and soon made the scores level. Their experienced midfield started to run the game, driven by desire to grab a win in their last Varsity match. Oxford, previously composed, started to look ragged. Despite a wealth of experience, Oxford weren’t able to dictate the game. Cambridge scored again, while out of nowhere Jordan capitalised on a defensive error with a precise reverse stick.

The scores were level at 3-3 and spectators treated to an open and attacking game. Cambridge put a fourth goal in midway through the second half to make it 4-3 and Oxford lost their structure. Coach John Shaw urged them to enjoy possession, but Oxford looked panicked. As they threw the proverbial kitchen sink at the game they left themselves open to a counterattack and Cambridge sealed the win with a neat goal to leave the final score at 5-3. The Man of the Match award went to Jordan for his three goals. Oxford hadn’t performed at their best, but Cambridge had played an extremely good game and, ultimately, the team that won was the team that wanted it more.

It was an extremely disheartening end to the season for Oxford, who have shown they are at least as good as previous Blues vintages when playing their best hockey. After finishing in the top four of the country league they had high hopes. However, the Achilles heel of the team has been their inability to bring their best to the pitch when it really matters. A poor run in the cup, a notable loss to Bath and the frustrating Varsity game tell their own story.

At the end of the season, the feeling was one familiar to many university sports people: keeping the side together for another year would undoubtedly bring an unprecedented level of success. With so many veteran players leaving, the next year’s season remains up in the air.

Legal eagles spread their rugby wings

Hugo Batten
-
0
Legal eagles spread their rugby wings

Last Saturday the inaugural Freshfields Rugby Sevens took place. Keble, Univ, St Peter’s, Christ Church and a Freshfields Invitational were invited to compete in a roundrobin tournament played out over the course of an afternoon at the hallowed Iffley turf. Freshfields, in their munificence, provided free beer, a rather delicious hog on a spit and, less importantly, some referees. Forming a sort of warm up round before Sevens Cuppers in the weekend of 2nd week, the day was competitive but bloody good fun throughout, with standards surprisingly high after a vac (and after Exeter Ball, which claimed a few participants).

Univ were desperately unlucky to lose their captain early to a dislocated shoulder, and were even more unlucky to lose Blues prop Lewis Anderson, who had been rather damaging to that stage, to a knee injury. As such, after a spirited opening few games, they fell away slightly as injuries took their toll.

Christ Church, too, were disadvantaged in that they only had seven players turn up. Despite this setback, they performed courageously and their fly-half was a deserved player of the tournament; there was also a notably lofty kick-off specialist.

St Peter’s were also excellent, with stand out player Louis Pirkis regularly troubling every defence, and were unlucky to lose a couple of narrow games.

Freshfields, whilst being excellent and generous hosts, demonstrated slightly less acumen on the rugby field. The years of billing in six-minute intervals and corporate lunches perhaps, alas, left the team somewhat short of peak physical condition and unable to match the youthful vim of the various college teams.

Keble, ultimately, were deserving winners of a tight tournament. Oakley Cox, the Keble centre, was magnificent and repeatedly scythed through the opposition’s back-line. Cox scored over ten tries across the four games, and was narrowly pipped to the post for the day’s most valuable player. Keble might also have boasted the try of the day when a length of the field series of passes was converted into the most elegant of tries. After some messy but watchable play, Keble fly-half, Hugo Batten, weighted a delicate kick across the field and over the opposition line to land neatly for Keble’s indefatigable centre, Talfan Evans, to collect and score.

The spirit throughout was cheerful, and though the weather turned several times over the course of the day, the players were kept very happy by the cold beers and delicious hogroast. Indeed, one commented that it was one of the best days out he’d had all year in Oxford.

After a tense finish, and once the opaque and mysterious points system was calculated and totted up, Keble emerged as winners (with two bottles of Moët for their troubles), Univ a close second.

Ultimately though, the real winners on the day were Freshfields who must go down as the first company in history to create an on-campus meet-and-greet that wasn’t full of MBAs discussing Chad or European trade imbalances; incorporated both a hog-on-a-spit and exercise; and left the participants warmly disposed to the host company

Interview: Mo Farah

Becky Wyatt
-
0
Interview: Mo Farah

 

tion of the capital’s transport 
network for the benefit of major sponsors zinging through reserved lanes like Chernenko-era 
functionaries might frustrate, and of course 
there is that constant, back-of-the-mind worry 
that something, somewhere will go wrong in 
a major way. But then you think of the sport, 
and everything just seems destined to go swimmingly (not least at the Aquatic Centre).
One of the strongest reasons for hope, from 
a parochial perspective, is that Britain looks to 
do pretty damn well. Led by the frankly terrifying Dutch martinet Charles van Commenee, 
who brooks no nonsense from any quarter, UK 
Athletics is full of exciting prospects for this 
summer. Perhaps chief among these is longdistance runner Mo Farah, whom I was fortunate enough to talk to last week. 
 Farah came to the sport through the now 
traditional means of being found at an early 
age by a thoughtful P.E. teacher, telling me 
that, ‘Alan Watkinson… spotted my talent and 
encouraged me to run.’ His teacher also made 
use of some effective persuasive tactics: ‘he 
told me that if I went to the athletics track to 
train I could play football for 30 minutes before’.  This turned out to be quite the deal (and 
football has remained an interest, with Farah a 
keen Arsenal fan).
It was success that motivated Farah to stick 
with the running after Watkinson’s initial encouragement and his interest grew as he won 
more races, something he describes as ‘a natural progression.’
 For a man who spends large proportions 
of his day-to-day life running, Farah is pretty 
laid-back when it comes to the superstitions 
and lucky charms that can characterise sportsmen. Running tights – ‘I just like to keep my 
legs feeling warm and supple’ – and a freshly 
shaved head can surely be more accurately 
filed under performance-maximizers than 
odd talismans.  He’s also relaxed about his 
racing in other ways, diplomatically refusing 
to choose a favourite event and simply saying 
enthusiastically that, ‘My favourite event is the 
next one, because I know I have put in the effort 
to perform well’.
Obviously running many thousands of metres on a regular basis isn’t always the most 
pleasant of tasks. Though many of us would 
cop to the description of ‘runner’, a lazy jog 
around the University Parks twice a week (if 
we wake up in time of course) is many orders 
of magnitude less gruelling than the training 
through which Farah puts himself. 
The word that emerges most when talking 
to him about his training is ‘tough’. Getting 
out of the house to run in all weathers is a particular complaint. His other major bugbear is 
actually nothing to do with the running itself, 
but rather what the running precludes. Twice 
a day outings mean that, ‘there is not a lot of 
socialising with friends as I need to rest and recover’. His logistical challenges can be frustrating too. Since he moved to Portland, Oregon, 
he’s had to get used to racking up the air miles, 
flying between the States, the UK and Kenya 
on a regular basis. As he says, ‘These are long 
journeys and your body has to adapt to the new 
time zones’; not necessarily something a runner would have realised would take up large 
chunks of their life. 
 Though not the archetypal spectator sport, 
middle and long distance running has generated British sporting heroes before this. Paula 
Radcliffe most recently, and for our parents 
the duelling pair of Coe and Ovett, have all 
captured the imagination. Farah’s propulsion 
to this level of acclaim probably came last summer at the World Athletics Championship in 
Daegu. After coming tantalisingly close to gold 
in the 10,000m, being pipped at the last by Ibrahim Jelian, Farah came roaring back with a win 
in the 5,000m race. This he calls his ‘proudest 
achievement’, and adds that ‘having narrowly 
missed out in the 10,000m I was so determined 
not to let that happen again in the 5,000m.’
Any other feats he’s particularly pleased 
with? ‘Winning the double (5,000m and 
10,000m) in Barcelona was great’. Indeed, the 
two races came within five days of each other 
at the European Championships in 2010, and 
Runner’s World has termed this his career-defining moment – though he’ll be looking to add 
some new ones in Stratford this July.
Farah is tipped to do very well this summer. 
After disappointment in Beijing, where he 
didn’t make the 5,000m final, he has kicked on 
hugely, describing the last two years as full of 
‘golden moments’, and the London Games have 
come at the perfect time in his career. After his 
exploits in Korea gold might well beckon. 
 And after that? He’s happy to reconfirm that 
he intends to move into the marathon. He returns to the idea of natural change, suggesting that the change-up is just ‘the progression 
of a distance runner’. He adds that, ‘A lot of 
the training I do indicates I could run a good 
marathon and after winning the New York half 
marathon last year I am keen to give it a go.’ Farah is also understandably keen to spend more 
time with his family, and indulge his PlayStation habit.
Whether this does turn out to be a truly golden year for Mo Farah or not, he has already had 
a career he can justly be proud of: World championships, British records, and a European 
Athlete of the Year award for 2011 (he was also 
a candidate for Sports Personality of the Year). 
His positivity seems ever-present: his tweets 
usually end with an exhortation of ‘Shabba!’ 
There’s no doubt he will do his utmost this 
summer, but he does know that life, and racing, go on after the Olympics.

If you’re anything like the team at Cherwell Sport, excitement levels about the summer’s coming Olympics have been spiking for some time. Sure, the relentless cynicism in the press might get you down at times, the humiliating prostration of the capital’s transport network for the benefit of major sponsors zinging through reserved lanes like Chernenko-era functionaries might frustrate, and of course there is that constant, back-of-the-mind worry that something, somewhere will go wrong in a major way. But then you think of the sport, and everything just seems destined to go swimmingly (not least at the Aquatic Centre).

One of the strongest reasons for hope, from a parochial perspective, is that Britain looks to do pretty damn well. Led by the frankly terrifying Dutch martinet Charles van Commenee, who brooks no nonsense from any quarter, UK Athletics is full of exciting prospects for this summer. Perhaps chief among these is longdistance runner Mo Farah, whom I was fortunate enough to talk to last week.  

Farah came to the sport through the now traditional means of being found at an early age by a thoughtful P.E. teacher, telling me that, ‘Alan Watkinson… spotted my talent and encouraged me to run.’ His teacher also made use of some effective persuasive tactics: ‘he told me that if I went to the athletics track to train I could play football for 30 minutes before’.  This turned out to be quite the deal (and football has remained an interest, with Farah a keen Arsenal fan).

It was success that motivated Farah to stick with the running after Watkinson’s initial encouragement and his interest grew as he won more races, something he describes as ‘a natural progression.’ 

For a man who spends large proportions of his day-to-day life running, Farah is pretty laid-back when it comes to the superstitions and lucky charms that can characterise sportsmen. Running tights – ‘I just like to keep my legs feeling warm and supple’ – and a freshly shaved head can surely be more accurately filed under performance-maximizers than odd talismans.  He’s also relaxed about his racing in other ways, diplomatically refusing to choose a favourite event and simply saying enthusiastically that, ‘My favourite event is the next one, because I know I have put in the effort to perform well’.

Obviously running many thousands of metres on a regular basis isn’t always the most pleasant of tasks. Though many of us would cop to the description of ‘runner’, a lazy jog around the University Parks twice a week (if we wake up in time of course) is many orders of magnitude less gruelling than the training through which Farah puts himself. 

The word that emerges most when talking to him about his training is ‘tough’. Getting out of the house to run in all weathers is a particular complaint. His other major bugbear is actually nothing to do with the running itself, but rather what the running precludes. Twice a day outings mean that, ‘there is not a lot of socialising with friends as I need to rest and recover’. His logistical challenges can be frustrating too. Since he moved to Portland, Oregon, he’s had to get used to racking up the air miles, flying between the States, the UK and Kenya on a regular basis. As he says, ‘These are long journeys and your body has to adapt to the new time zones’; not necessarily something a runner would have realised would take up large chunks of their life.  

Though not the archetypal spectator sport, middle and long distance running has generated British sporting heroes before this. Paula Radcliffe most recently, and for our parents the duelling pair of Coe and Ovett, have all captured the imagination. Farah’s propulsion to this level of acclaim probably came last summer at the World Athletics Championship in Daegu. After coming tantalisingly close to gold in the 10,000m, being pipped at the last by Ibrahim Jelian, Farah came roaring back with a win in the 5,000m race. This he calls his ‘proudest achievement’, and adds that ‘having narrowly missed out in the 10,000m I was so determined not to let that happen again in the 5,000m.’

Any other feats he’s particularly pleased with? ‘Winning the double (5,000m and 10,000m) in Barcelona was great’. Indeed, the two races came within five days of each other at the European Championships in 2010, and Runner’s World has termed this his career-defining moment – though he’ll be looking to add some new ones in Stratford this July.

Farah is tipped to do very well this summer. After disappointment in Beijing, where he didn’t make the 5,000m final, he has kicked on hugely, describing the last two years as full of ‘golden moments’, and the London Games have come at the perfect time in his career. After his exploits in Korea gold might well beckon.  

And after that? He’s happy to reconfirm that he intends to move into the marathon. He returns to the idea of natural change, suggesting that the change-up is just ‘the progression of a distance runner’. He adds that, ‘A lot of the training I do indicates I could run a good marathon and after winning the New York half marathon last year I am keen to give it a go.’ Farah is also understandably keen to spend more time with his family, and indulge his PlayStation habit.

Whether this does turn out to be a truly golden year for Mo Farah or not, he has already had a career he can justly be proud of: World championships, British records, and a European Athlete of the Year award for 2011 (he was also a candidate for Sports Personality of the Year). His positivity seems ever-present: his tweets usually end with an exhortation of ‘Shabba!’ There’s no doubt he will do his utmost this summer, but he does know that life, and racing, go on after the Olympics.

 

Preview: Dangerous Liaisons

Archive
-
0
Preview: Dangerous Liaisons

I am intrigued to see how the cast will handle the second half of this play. The preview only included five of the scenes in Christina Drollas’ adaptation of Dangerous Liaisons, yet the essential vitality and characterisation of the play was captured effortlessly from the first moment. The play follows the convoluted relationships of high society in eighteenth century France, unveiling corrupted morals and shallow living. The drama is shaped by the treacherous Marquise de Merteuil and Vicomte de Valmont, who flirt with each other using competitive ploys to degrade members of their society through sex and lies.

Christina Drollas has deftly handled the epistolary form of the original novel, channelling de Laclos’ text into comic, light-hearted dialogue that reflects the libertine, scheming characters of La Marquise and Le Vicomte, played by Alice Porter and Ziad Samaha respectively. Indeed, I was impressed by the way she has further added humour to the play through witty direction, lightening the sometimes repetitive and drawn out nature of the epistolary novel.

The second half takes on an ever darker tone as we lose the novelty of the characters’ entertaining melodrama. Christina Drollas assured me that the tone of the production reflects this turn of events, and that she has aimed to bring out the overall ‘tragedy’ of the novel, as well as to underline the thematic importance of religion. Of the two key characters, La Marquise and Le Vicomte, she described the former as the hardest to perfect. It was, she said, the obscured ‘humanity’ of La Marquise which proved the most challenging trait to reveal, and the poignant truth that, despite her callous façade, she is in love with Le Vicomte all along.

Drollas has two valuable tools at her disposal: an extensive budget and a large and talented cast with many familiar faces. Designer Emma Glaser informed us that the play will adhere to its contemporary setting, with costume and set design reflecting the life and manners of eighteenth century bourgeoisie. Interestingly, music will play a key part in the performance, to enhance the alternations in mood between scenes. Dangerous Liaisons will undoubtedly deliver an absorbing performance when it hits the stage next week.

FOUR STARS

No Minister – How deep the rot?

Jack Harris
-
0
No Minister – How deep the rot?

What everyone had assumed to be on some level true and yet tried to avoid thinking particularly hard about may be have some light shed on its ugly features – Jack Straw has been personally sued for complicity in the rendition of Abdel Hakim Belhadj. Belhadj’s account of what happened to him has neither been confirmed or denied by the UK, but one way or another he disappeared in Bangkok back in 2004 and wound up in a Libyan jail soon after.

The choice of suing Jack Straw as an individual is an interesting one; it will be harder to simply hold inquiries until the public loses interest, as shown by the fact that police have already questioned Straw. Straw himself has at times denied all knowledge of torture, claimed that he could not possibly have known about everything British intelligence was up to and grumbled about troublesome freedom of information laws.

Taken together, Straw’s responses have an awkward feel for the single reason that at no point has he denied that rendition and torture took place. His claim that ‘no foreign secretary can know all the details of what its intelligence agencies are doing at any one time’ is bizarre; Belhadj’s abduction involved the participation of at least four governments (Britain, America, Thailand and Libya), and risked a lot of political capital. The idea that MI6 could have carried out such an operation without the government even knowing about it is absurd. 

The reality is almost certainly that the UK is simply desperate to avoid a confrontation with America. Any serious investigation into what went on during the height of the ‘war on terror’ would inevitably expose some degree of American involvement, something that MI6 effectively admitted when it protested that public legal action against Straw could ‘damage international relations’.

The fact is that the UK is still America’s poodle when it comes to torture, rendition and other nastiness perpetrated by intelligence services. Even if the UK’s agents were never physically involved, which is unlikely, the government was and in all likelihood still is complicit through inaction. The UK simply does not have the clout to stand up to America, even if the government wanted to. 

Barack Obama’s election has allowed people to forget the extent of British and American cooperation, and its horrible excesses. The question is whether the police investigation that began after Belhadj’s made his allegations about Straw will be obliged to abide by the same code of silence. British judiciary has ignored American interests and diplomatic concerns once before, in the case of another Libyan, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, whose (very questionable) release by the Scottish government in 2009 from a life sentence for the Lockerbie bombing infuriated the US. 

Could something similar happen in Belhadj’s case? If so, it would be the first investigation into rendition by a group that is not directly implicated in it, and has the potential to force some uncomfortable questions to be asked in US and elsewhere. It will also probably deal great damage to the reputation of the British security services, which is a price worth paying to save the credibility of the British government as a whole. A refusal to seriously investigate allegations of torture against a British politician would add to the (considerable) international cynicism about the UK’s stances on a range of issues from human rights to corruption. Telling the truth, however ugly, is always the better option in the long run. 

New College anger at JCR student lockout

Isabelle Gerretsen
-
0
New College anger at JCR student lockout

Students at New College expressed their “disbelief” and “anger” after being banned from their JCR during the Easter vacation while the college rented it out for conference use.

College officials changed the door-code to ensure students could not gain access to the room while it was in use by attendees of the conference. Many finalists, who were spending their holiday in college revising, were prevented from using the room, which includes a large number of goods paid for exclusively by the JCR.

The Conference, Events and Tourism Manager at New College, Stephen McGlynn, sent an email to all students before the vacation, stating, “As you may be aware, the JCR and all lecture rooms are used for conferences during the student vacations. Unfortunately, this means that the JCR isn’t open for student use outside of term-time.”

Ms Caroline Thomas, the Home Bursar, added, “Conferences generate income for the College and this income subsidises your room rents. We would be grateful if you could respect both this longstanding arrangement and the staff who have to clear up the mess left behind by thoughtless users.” Students were surprised that this was referenced as a reason for closure. One commented, “Mess has never been a problem before and nothing has happened to trigger a sudden change.”

A number of students complained upon realising that they could not gain access to their JCR. One finalist sent an email to JCR President Oscar Lee explaining that she had been reduced to eating lunch in the laundry room because all other spaces, including the JCR, were given over to conference use.

The JCR members’ primary objection against the ban was the fact that they had paid for a large number of the facilities in it, including the PS3. India Lenon, a finalist in Classics at New, said, “We strongly feel that the conference delegates are paying for the privilege of using our facilities – not the other way around.”

JCR President Oscar Lee told Cherwell that the closure of the JCR remains a source of anger among the members, particularly at a time when students are preparing for finals and have nowhere to socialise. He commented, “I hope the College will now take the opportunity to scrutinise the way in which it treats its finalists and do more to support them at this important time in their degree.”

In addition, an administrative error last week once again caused friction between JCR members and college officials. Students were informed on Wednesday 18th April that the JCR would be out of bounds until 5pm on Thursday, despite having been told before the vacation that the JCR would reopen in 0th week.

Patrick Edmond, a 2nd year student, told Cherwell, “During the Champions League semi-final, an essential piece of communal viewing, porters arrived with express orders to cast the rapt crowd into the rain. Forbidden from watching the full post-match analysis or even flicking over to Dave, complaints were rapidly filed, and Oscar Lee made a stellar case to the college.”

Curtis Price, the New College Warden, subsequently sent a formal apology to the JCR stating, “Caroline Thomas and I sincerely apologise for the closure of the JCR and fully understand why the students were angry. The closure to JCR members was entirely unacceptable, being most unfortunate at a time when everyone is under pressure of exams. It was the result of a misunderstanding and lack of clear communication between the lodge porters, the Bursary and the conference office.”

Students expressed relief that the matter has now been resolved. Lenon commented, “It was a shame that this situation arose at all, as there isn’t often friction between college authorities and students at New. I’m glad it has been resolved, since the ban caused a lot of anger and frustration amongst already tetchy finalists.”

Gold-standard Bronzes

Viccy Ibbett
-
0
Gold-standard Bronzes

If you venture down to the lower ground floor of the Ashmolean this summer, you will come across a series of bronze sculptures of abstract wrestling forms, straining static figures, and delicately poised models. The Olympic Games, the impetus behind so many cultural commissions and projects this year, has inspired this latest temporary exhibition at the Ashmolean.

30 artists have created a series of bronze sculptures which depict Olympic and Paralympic sports, ranging from the self evident wrestling, to the more unusual Paralympic sprinting for the partially sighted.

The artistic responses to this theme are various and individual. Most experiment with exciting ways of depicting movement, and the interest is located in the comparison of techniques. Whilst ‘Kayaking’ is depicted by a roughly modelled kayak powering down a crescentic, plunging wave, ‘Hockey’ is an exciting quasi-cubist depiction. The latter sculpture is an amorphous depiction of a figure going through the motions of hitting a hockey ball with a stick which is depicted as a textured, curved sweep of movement. It is reminiscent of Picasso’s ‘Nude descending a Staircase’ and the photographic explorations of Edward Muybridge all at once.

One of the most prominently displayed sculptures is by our favourite Oxford artist, John Buckley, whose bronze sculpture of a paralympic runner is simple, elegant,and beautiful.

In fact, this was the most prominently displayed piece in the exhibition because the others were practically lost amid the permanent exhibits in the Ashmolean’s Human Image gallery. It was odd, to say the least, to walk into a gallery space so oddly presented. The ancient death masks, fragments, and sculptures certainly dominated the space and besides them the Sport as Art exhibits were practically lost. Whilst the art was definitely admirable, the curation was disappointing.

Each of the sculptures has been cast in bronze at Pangolian Editions, the leading European foundry, in editions of 25 and on display they are technically brilliant.

The quality of patination is astounding, especially in its diversity. The composition is daring, the heavy bronze figures sometimes hanging precariously over empty space, yet the quality of the construction is such that the sculptures appear effortlessly supported.

This impression is emphasized by the juxtaposition of the exhibition pieces with the static, vertical classical sculptures that surround it. The dynamism of the contemporary equivalents set off against these ancient greats.

Visit the exhibition. It’s a small display but a satisfying one, and well worth a look.

Review: ‘My Dearest Jonah’

William Humphries
-
0
Review: ‘My Dearest Jonah’

Matthew Crow’s second novel, My Dearest Jonah, is placed firmly within the tradition of epistolary writing. The reader is presented with an exchange of letters between Jonah, a reformed murderer, and Verity, a stripper. Both characters survive along the periphery of society, with meaningless jobs providing the only impetus to continue living.

Introduced via a pen-pal scheme, the two protagonists have never met and yet appear to share a platonic love that transcends the relationships that they develop in their own separate worlds. Indeed, as Crow tells me during our interview, ‘The two characters live essentially for and because of one another’.

By placing the action of the novel in America – unlike Crow’s first novel, Ashes, which is set in northeast England – Crow allows his characters to feel the force of separation, adrift within the wilderness of such a vast country: ‘I chose America because of the space it afforded. The idea was that both characters were lost in just about every way imaginable, and in all honesty I just couldn’t imagine two characters being that separated in England, as it seems you can get anywhere in under three hours’.

As Jonah and Verity begin to ingratiate themselves into the societies that they have adopted, their interactions with reality – as opposed to the pen and paper fiction they have created for themselves – begin to destabilise their lives. Verity’s friendship with Eve, the most sympathetic character in the novel and the most finely wrought, descends into a fight for survival when the mysterious J collides with their happy, albeit chaotic, existence. Equally, the return of Jonah’s past and his inability to shake off the sinister machinations of Michael, turn his own life on its head.

Bubbling beneath the surface are questions of religion, which Crow readily acknowledges: ‘I was thinking a lot about religion when I wrote the novel, particularly the Bible, in that like Verity and Jonah’s setup, millions of people’s lives are still being run on a piece of text’. The unquestioned reality of the protagonists’ letters is exposed as problematic in the final dénouement of the novel.

There are flashes of brilliance in My Dearest Jonah when Crow loses himself and allows the true voice of his characters to speak through. Though these moments are few – a concern for a novel attempting to capture the voice of such idiosyncratic characters – there is a sense of maturation in Crow’s style that is laudable.

When we hear the voice of Verity – an appropriately chosen name for a character who treads the threshold between truth and deception so freely – and not the author, the novel find its way into the imagination. It is no doubt difficult for a writer as eloquent as Crow to pare down his language to suit his characters; however, such an exercise would have allowed us to hear beyond Crow’s own distinctly English voice. A sensitively used American idiom, devoid of cliché, and an effort to differentiate the narrative voices of his two protagonists would have elevated the work and vindicated his choice of setting.

1...1,6761,6771,678...2,491Page 1,677 of 2,491

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