The Founder
VOL. XII, ISSUE VI | FEBRUARY 2021 |
@RHULFOUNDER
It Took the Country Shutting Down to Make Us Realise Our Educational Inequalities that it creates a country more convincingly capitalist, allowing people to succeed on a more meritocratic basis rather than simply relying on a series of doors opened by their parents’ money.
AUGUSTUS BAMBRIDGE-SUTTON
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friend of mine was once told, upon getting a job as a teacher, that statefunded education is ‘for communists’. This is not, thankfully, the view of most people, who at least believe that education is a basic right. And yet the country seems to react to the idea of any sort of educational levelling in the same way that conservative Americans react to the idea of getting healthcare for free. When Labour dared to suggest integrating private schools into the state during the 2019 general election, it was such an unpopular policy that the otherwise Corbynite Rebecca Long-Bailey was forced to distance herself from it during her (failed) leadership campaign.
Index
Source: Relocate Magazine Despite its socialist trappings, I don’t think there’s anything inherently radical or ultra-left about this proposal. Private schools produce a far greater number of successful students, proportionally, than state schools. According to the BBC, 7% of children are privately educated, yet in
News....................................................................................2 Opinion And Debate............................................................7 Features..............................................................................10 Lifestyle.............................................................................13 Arts: Arts and Culture........................................................14 Arts: Literary Reviews.......................................................16 Arts: Film...........................................................................20 Arts: Music.........................................................................22 Sports..................................................................................24
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many of the country’s top universities, the proportion of those who attended private school exceeds 25%. Don’t be fooled: this isn’t some ploy by a cabal of elites who only give places to their useless nephews: it is, quite simply, the result of a private school system that has better resources at its
disposal, one of the many boons of privatisation. Attempting to prevent children becoming more successful as adults simply because they had parents who could afford better education would be far from socialist: indeed, by levelling the playing field in this way, one could argue
COVID-19 p.3
Carbon Neutral by 2050 p.10
And yet it is perhaps naive to think that the problem stops at the divide between state and private schools. The less economically advantaged, wherever they’re educated, often have less space, fewer resources, and a more unstable environment to work in. Of course, this problem is inherent and can’t be completely done away with, but our education system’s emphasis on homeworking, especially in the later years, can be a deeply detrimental thing to those who don’t have the space or environment to meet their potential properly.
Continued on p. 11 Being a morning person p.13
2 NEWS
THE FOUNDER February 2021
WhatsApp Postpones New Privacy Policy Amidst User Backlash
The Founder Board 2020 - 2021 Editor in Chief Izzi Vaughan editor@thefounder.co.uk
Managing Editor Alex Whiteman managingeditor@thefounder.co.uk
Publishing & Creative Designer Laura Nietfeld designer@thefounder.co.uk
Source: Dimitri Karastelev on Unsplash
HARRY MEAR
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he social media platform WhatsApp has been forced to delay its privacy policy following a mass exodus of users after concerns and confusion over data sharing with Facebook. The platform was due to implement the compulsory policy for users on the 8th February. It would have allowed users to interact with businesses through the messenger app and other updates. However, concerned users have stopped using the service in their droves over confusion regarding the use of data and concerns over sharing with Facebook, WhatsApp’s parent company. WhatsApp has addressed the concerns and consumer suspicions over data sharing in a post on their website stating: ‘The policy update does not affect the privacy of
your messages with friends or family in any way’. According to Niamh Sweeney, director of public policy for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, it would: ‘provide greater transparency’ concerning current policy. In response to the claims of data sharing, the Sweeney clarified: ‘There are no changes to our data sharing with Facebook anywhere in the world’. The suspicions are linked to Facebook directly. In 2020, they announced businesses using WhatsApp could manage their conversations and contact customers using their infrastructure. However, the public perception of social media giants (i.e. Facebook, Snapchat) has been tarnished since the Cambridge Analytica data scandal of 2018. The scandal revealed that the personal data of millions of Facebook users was harvested and used without their consent.
Facebook formally apologised for its role in the data harvesting. Consequently, CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified in front of Congress and received a record fine of $5 billion by the US Federal Trade Commission. Alongside the largest penalty ever levied on a company for violating privacy rights, Facebook also received a £500,000 fine to the UK Information Commissioner's Office in 2019 for exposing the data of its British users. WhatsApp has begun a campaign to improve its public image and address data exchanging accusations. The new policy, which does not apply in the European Union as it violates the GDPR rules (General Data Protection Regulation), has been delayed until the 15th of May.
News Editor Carlota Santos Movilla
Illustrator Rebecca Weigler
news@thefounder.co.uk
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Features Editor Sela Musa
Arts Editor Tessa Pinto
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Opinon and Debate Editor Abra Heritage
Literary Review Editor
Mercedes-George Mayes
opinion@thefounder.co.uk
literaryreview@thefounder.co.uk
Lifestyle Editor Katie Upton
Music Editor Amelia Morris
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Sports Editor Eliot K. Raman Jones
Film Editor Lewis White
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The Founder is the independent student newspaper of Royal Holloway, University of London. This means we are not affiliated to the student union or the college. We pride ourselves on our investigative journalism and aim to keep our readers up to date with news on and off campus. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Editor, particularly of opinion and debate pieces. Every effort has been made to contact the holders of copyright for any material used in this issue, and to ensure the accuracy of its stories. To book ad space in The Founder, contact our managing editor at managingeditor@thefounder.co.uk. THE FOUNDER is printed in Cambridge by Iliffe Print
NEWS 3
THE FOUNDER February 2021
COVID- 19 Cases Drop in Surrey as a Result of the National Lockdown ELLIE MATTHEWS
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s of the 8th February Surrey recorded 2,216 new cases in the previous week- an average of 185.2 per day. The UK recorded 128,504 new cases and 6,307 deaths within 28 days of a positive test. New cases and deaths have dropped over the past weeks. The data suggests the current national lockdown is having the desired positive effect. Recent tests have revealed multitudes of cases of the South African variant in Surrey with no international travel ties. There is no evidence to suggest that this strain is more dangerous.
Yet it is causing concern when it comes to the efficacy of the vaccines. D o o r - t o - d o o r asymptomatic testing is to roll out over large parts of Surrey and West London. This testing should reach Egham from 6th February onwards in the form of a posted PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test. Locally, Surrey has one of the UK’s mass vaccination centres, located at Epsom Racecourse. Hythe Centre in Stains-upon-Thames has also been used to roll out the vaccines to the most
vulnerable. With over 12 million people now vaccinated, everyone’s position in the long line is slowly but surely moving forward. According to government expectation, most people should receive their first vaccine before the end of summer.
Royal Holloway University of London hosts lateral flow testing for asymptomatic individuals who are regularly visiting campus, moving back into accommodation or, naturally, want to be extra safe. The nearest PCR testing centres to Egham include Heathrow Airport and Twickenham Stadium.
Source: Getsurrery.co.uk If you develop any COVID symptoms outlined in NHS guidance, please isolate immediately and let those
in your bubble know. You can book a test at one of the previously detailed testing centres or request to receive a home kit.
COVID- 19 Vaccination Across EU Members Described as Hostile Italy with the previously agreed number of vaccines. The vaccination programme in Italy will have to be adapted if problems with supply continue.
Source: Guillaume Périgois on unsplash.com PAULINA MOTYL OVID-19 vaccines are now the most requested worldwide. Therefore, EU countries try to control the supply of vaccines agreed by pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer.
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The Italian Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte, is enraged at suppliers of the vaccines and demands the supply is maintained. Conte has stated pharmaceutical companies are breaching their contractual duties through not providing
As Brexit regulations are officially in place from 2021 onwards, the EU is imposing stricter restrictions at border controls between EU countries and the United Kingdom. Recently, the EU has reversed the decision for an emergency provision in the Brexit deal; to control vaccine exports from the EU. On the 29th of January 2021, the EU announced it would instigate controls on vaccines entering Northern Ireland, to prevent facilitating the
transportation of vaccines to the United Kingdom. The goal was to anticipate the undersupply of vaccinations in EU countries. This was viewed as an act of hostility by the First Minister, Arlene Foster. Both the European Commission President, Ursula Von der Leyen, and Boris Johnson had agreed it is not right to impose restrictions on the export of vaccines by companies behaving responsibly. The idea that the EU’s plan of rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine is not at all efficient has become prominent. Through trying to impose restrictions on the export of vaccines, EU representatives were not following the norms surrounding negotiation.
The administration of vaccines is complicated, however. The surge of vaccines from PfizerBioNTech, Moderna, and Oxford-AstraZeneca means the hope for healthier, safer days exists. In countries like France, there is hesitation and mistrust- nearly fifty per cent of French citizens are not prepared to be vaccinated. In areas of the world where vaccines transportation is not as accessible (i.e. Africa), around eighty per cent of the population feels ready to be vaccinated. There is hope that by summer, a large proportion of the UK population will be vaccinated.
4 NEWS Amateur Take on HARRY MEAR
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t the beginning of January 2021, GameStop (GME) shares were valued at 17 USD, by Tuesday 26th they jumped to 147 USD and at their peak only a day later a single share was valued to the tune of 347 USD. So how did amateur traders become embroiled in one of the most compelling financial skirmishes of recent times? The surge in stock value was due to a ring of independent traders based on Reddit. They recognised the actions of Wall Street hedge funds betting GameStop's share price would fall. This practice is known as shorting. The Reddit traders bought up the stock causing its price to significantly rise, thus pressuring hedge funds to cover their losses by purchasing more: a shortsqueeze.
THE FOUNDER February 2021
Traders on Reddit Wall Street and Win
This GameStop goldrush led to amateur investors driving up the share price by more than 700% in a single week. Research from the Reddit trading group even suggests stock owned by short-sellers before the rush accounted for more than 100% of existing GameStop shares. The buying frenzy has reportedly led to losses for major hedge fund investors. However, firms like Fidelity and BlackRock, who own over 10% of GameStop shares, have simultaneously had an increase in the value of their holdings. Consequently, it began to draw regulatory attention and retail investors was abruptly shut out by trading platforms, unable to invest or trade in GameStop and certain other companies. Investment regulators set their sights on a trading
Source: Tech Daily on Unsplash
app called Robinhood which has boomed during the pandemic. It enables inexperienced investors to invest and trade in the stock market. However, the Silicon Valley company faced backlash when it limited stock purchases; putting the rest of the economy at risk. Eventually, Robinhood lifted the restrictions and trading continued with Reddit traders hoarding GME stock and inflicting further damage.
Over the pandemic, GameStop saw sales fall 30% from January to September of 2020, its lowest drop since its founding in 1996, with the share price standing at a mere 4 USD during August. Despite investments last year to keep the retailer afloat, GameStop continued to struggle against online shopping- the resurgence in market value and consumer interest may herald its rejuvenation.
A class battle between a community of aspiring everyday traders against the wealthy investors of Wall Street’s hedge fund firms, this trade war has created a ripple effect throughout finance sectors globally. Hopeful for a victory for hedge funds long since dashed, Citadel and Point72 have reportedly injected almost $3 billion into their fund to support finances. Melvin Capital Management alone lost over 50% of its asset value in January, now valued at around $8 billion including emergency funds, a decrease from roughly $12.5 billion at the beginning of the year. Some amateur investors have made a profit. Their main objective was to turn the extremely risky bet investors had made on its head: done. The question remains: where will it pop up next? What might the repercussions be?
Captain Sir Tom Moore Dies Aged 100 as a Result of COVID-19 CARLOTA SANTOS MOVILLA | NEWS EDITOR
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Source: Wikipedia
aptain Sir Tom Moore passed away on the 2nd February 2021. An emblematic figure of solidarity and compassion, he has left many admiring his triumphs and inspiration, including The Queen. He was awarded a knighthood in the summer of 2020.His death has taken a toll on the country: the flag at
10 Downing Street has been NHS Charities Together. He managed to raise almost 33 at half-mast in his tribute. million pounds and remains an He had tested positive for example of humility, bravery coronavirus a week before and kindness. In the past, he his death and was already suffered a broken hip and skin struggling to overcome cancer and stated the services pneumonia. Captain Sir Tom he received to recover were Moore is mostly known for ‘outstanding’ thus the NHS his walk around his garden staff motivated his cause. during the coronavirus crisis He joined the Army which he committed to taking 100 laps around. His goal in 1940 and became an was to raise money for the honorary colonel of the
Army Foundation College (Harrogate) on the day he turned one hundred. His recognition was rightly building up while becoming an example of heroic and selfless determination. A personality who touched everyone’s hearts, Captain Sir Tom Moore’s memory is very much alive.
NEWS 5
THE FOUNDER February 2021
New Mutations of COVID-19 Raise Concerns Across Europe The new COVID-19 variant is present in at least new coronavirus variant 60 countries according to named B.1.1.7 was Medical News Today. Since firstly documented in the December, it spread across UK in September 2020. In Europe in only a few weeks. December 2020, B.1.1.7 For example, the B.1.1.7 raised public health concerns variant was detected in most in the UK; it contributed to of Germany’s federal states. the rapid increase of SARSIt accounts for around 6% of Cov-2 infections, especially all infections. Italy has also in the South of England. A registered many cases of the recent report from Imperial more easily transmissible College London indicates the British variant of COVID-19. new variant is approximately As a result, they have heavily 50 to 75 per cent more restricted air travel between transmissible than previous Italy and the UK. In some variants of the virus. ANNA-MARIA LEST
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Spanish regions, the B.1.1.7 variant already accounts for 50% of the detected cases. Additionally, coronavirus deaths have spiked in recent months. There is no consensus, at the moment, whether the new COVID-19 variant is more deadly or more infectious. The ongoing uncertainty and the rising case numbers have led many European countries to toughen their COVID-19 measures and extend national lock-downs.
Unfortunately, the B.1.1.7 variant is not the only cause of concern in Europe’s ongoing fight with coronavirus. The UK recently discovered another mutation affecting some strands of the virus; previously spotted in South Africa, Brazil and Japan. The news of the E484K variant’s arrival in Europe has caused unease in the scientific community. There is a possibility the variant could render existing COVID-19 vaccines less effective. The new test results from the
Novavax vaccine show that while it has an 85.6% efficacy against the UK variant, it drops to 60% in the case of E484K. All these worrying developments have caused many European countries to accelerate their vaccination programmes. This way, Europe hopes to defeat this pandemic before the mutations get out of hand.
6 NEWS
THE FOUNDER February 2021
A Month After the Break-In Into The Capitol: What We Know
JESSICA JOHNSTON he insurrection that took place last month at the Capitol has further encouraged President Biden to fulfil his priorities. Within hours of his Inauguration, his commitment to taking action to reform immigration and tackle COVID-19, the economic crisis, climate crisis and racial equity issues was proven. Biden officially took office on Wednesday the 20th of January and signed 17 executive orders to reverse some of the former President Donald Trump’s environmental and travel policies.
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The 46th president took action to re-join the Paris Climate Agreement after the previous administration formally withdrew the US from last year. He reversed Trump’s environmental agenda, halted his withdrawal from the World Health Organisation, repealed the transgender military ban, overturned his antiimmigration policies and the Mexico-US border wall construction. President Biden said: ‘I thought with the state of the nation, today is no time to waste’.
The Biden administration promises to increase the number of testing sites, vaccinate 100 million Americans, and safely reopen the majority of schools. All this by his 100th day in office on the 30th of April. He has made the fight against climate change one of his top agenda calling for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Biden is likely to undo most if not all of Trump’s environmental rollbacks. The President has already paused new oil and gas leases on
Source: The Guardian
governmental lands, revoked the Keystone xl pipeline permit, directed the US to protect 30% of its land and sea and to double offshore wind energy by 2030. However, the reversal of his predecessor climate policies will only bring the United States back to where it was four years ago.
At that time, United States greenhouse gas emissions did not meet its climate change goals under the Paris Climate Agreement. Therefore, the task ahead is enormous: the need to advance the shift to clean energy and carbonneutral is urgent. President Biden is heading towards being the climate leader that is needed and that science demands.
Myanmar Records Largest Protest Since 2007 After a Military Coup
CARLOTA SANTOS MOVILLA | NEWS EDITOR housands of people march to protest against the military coup which happened last week in Myanmar. The military staged what has been described as an unfair coup in a unilateral manner. Currently, Min Aung Hlaing is the commander-inchief in power. Generals are in control now instead of ministers of health, foreign affairs etc. The United Nations has estimated 60,000 protesters have gathered to express their dissatisfaction.
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The unrest began at the beginning of February when the military took control.
They behaved this way after a general election which declared the NLD (National League for Democracy) party the winner. They asked for a revaluation of the votes because they were suspicious of fraudulent behaviour. The request was denied. As a consequence, the military staged the coup. Demonstrators took over the streets and remain Source: Wikimedia Commons keen to prove they will not be scared into a military were no casualties. This is a dictatorship. Across the country troubled by its anger country, peace remains towards military behaviour. although there were gunshots In Nay Pyi Taw, in a South-Eastern town of Myanmar against a group of Myanmar’s capital, internet protesters. Fortunately, there access was blocked for
several days. Social media access is completely obsolete; making it difficult to know where the truth of the events lies and where information is simply speculation. The general attitude is one of adrenaline to revolutionise. People are hopeful; an exponential number of citizens are joining to help keep the protesters fed and hydrated. Recently, the police have used water cannons to disperse the crowds. Aung San Suu Kyi is standing up for the people of Myanmar and against the military coup. She has been the elected leader but is now detained by the military.
This detention has taken place under the grounds of fraudulence. However, there was no evidence to support this claim. People are passionately demanding for her release as they go on strike to protest for their democratic rights. Even though she remains popular in Myanmar, she has proven to have an unreliable relationship with the country’s military after the mass murder of Rohingya people a few years ago. As a result, she has lost popularity in recent years but remains the main political focus to save citizens from this military dictatorship.
THE FOUNDER February 2021
OPINION AND DEBATE 7
The Handforth Parish Council Meeting Has Highlighted the Need for Local Government Reform
ABRA HERITAGE | OPINION AND DEBATE EDITOR f you’ve spent any time on social media in the past week, you’ll have become quickly familiar with a Handforth Parish Council icon: Jackie Weaver. You may have even googled what standing orders are. If you have a life that doesn’t revolve around Twitter memes – let me get you up to date. On the 4th February, a clip from a Handforth Parish Council Meeting, dated December 2020, was shared on Twitter with the caption, ‘I’ve never missed in person meetings more than I did watching this parish council meeting descend into chaos’ (@aninemas0n). The video
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showed members of the Parish Council getting into heated debate over who held ‘authority’ in the meeting. The full compilation video of Handforth Parish Council ‘best bits’ has racked up an incredible 3 million+ views on YouTube, and has brought abundant support for Jackie Weaver, the meeting clerk who kept her cool throughout the drama. While this viral video has provided light relief and memes galore, it has also highlighted the deeply flawed nature of our local government systems. Simply watching the first minute of the video, something becomes all too obvious: a complete lack of diversity in council members.
COVID-19 and Lockdown: What Will This Mean for the World’s According to a think tank Poverty Rates? analysis conducted at the
PHOEBE HUNT t has been certainly one long year since COVID-19 and subsequent lockdowns began to loom over us and our everyday lives. However, what is not often considered in its magnitude and full scale is how COVID-19 and lockdowns have pushed an unimaginable proportion of global societies into poverty. Whilst the focus is placed on the health implications of COVID-19, we cannot ignore the socio-economic impacts of the lockdowns any longer. This throws up the key question of, how much longer should nations decide to lockdown?
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end of last year, in the UK alone almost 70,000 people found themselves in a state of poverty, including over 120,000 children. These figures alone demonstrate the scale of problem caused by the COVID-19 crises and the real need for the government to impose an anti-poverty policy. With lockdowns leaving places of work closed for unprecedented time periods, leading to redundancies and job losses, how much longer can this truly go on for? The UK going into a further lockdown at the beginning of this year may well have disastrous long-term socioeconomic implications.
All members are of a similar age, and all members are white. The chair, and majority of members, are male. These members were all able to dedicate unpaid time to the Parish Council because of their pre-existing privileges, namely free time and sufficient economic resources to offer their labour without renumeration. This alienates young voices and the voices of those who simply work full time jobs and have other demands on their time. Those in lower socio-economic groups are the people left without a voice in Parish Councils, as they unable to give the unpaid time and work to such organisations. The irony here is that these groups are the ones that
Before the COVID-19 crises global poverty has always been a major issue. However, in the last year COVID-19 and the accompanying lockdowns have only magnified the issue. In January this year it was estimated that in 2020 alone, the new poor increased from 119 to 124 million people. This is the most significant increase in the last twenty years. You may ask, but how did COVID-19 lead to such a major increase in global poverty inducing rates? The answer to that would be the economic impact of COVID-19 and its lockdowns. The pandemic has led to many incomes and businesses being lost due to closures brought about by lockdowns. What must be taken into account from this is the social impact
benefit from local government management. These are the people that most benefit from the youth centres, public parks, and transport services. The answer? Make Parish Council positions real jobs.
With real jobs comes real training. The name-calling and swearing of the meeting made for a funny viral video, but these behaviours would be regarded as entirely inappropriate in a real work environment. The issue is that when a position is voluntary, so is the code of conduct. In unpaid, and largely unmonitored roles, those on a Parish Council are not trained in appropriate conduct, nor are they threatened with any ‘real’ discipline apart from
removal. Jackie’s constant side-lining in the meeting was a result of unfair, and arguably misogynistic, power dynamics in a work environment that is unregulated.
I hate to dampen the laughs of the Handforth Parish Council Meeting, but we must start treating local government with the severity it deserves. The solution is to treat Parish Council roles as real jobs, to increase diversity in these environments, and to let women talk and own their authority! In the meantime, let’s respect Weaver’s wishes and start referring to her as Britney Spears.
Source: Pixabay of rising poverty rates, that is too often overlooked. With poverty rates clearly rising continuously as a result of the pandemic, it is right that we should be worried about the socio-economic futures of societies around the world. There are already significant disparities in social security measures from developed to developing nations, and this will only be amplified once the pandemic ends and the
full scale of socio-economic implications will be clear. Ultimately, despite the usual emphasis placed on health and healthcare factors of the pandemic, more needs to be done to consider and take action regarding the socio-economic implications. If those implications are not even taken in account, the future for many will look increasingly bleak.
8 OPINION AND DEBATE
THE FOUNDER February 2021
Freedom of Speech at University Can Strive Toward the Wellbeing of All JACK MACKAY
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he pursuit of restrictions upon speech and associated arguments are largely well intended. However, in much the same way that speech should not be compelled by law the implementation of measures designed to restrict speech is something which, if it is justified at all, must be done with enormous care. When discussing restrictions on speech, freedom of speech is necassary to establish proportionate boundaries. To propose the restriction of speech on university campuses is heavily disadvantageous because it is, by its nature, a place in which ideas are to be challenged and developed. The thoughts of those who attend, too, must be challenged else the process of education is no longer being carried out. That is not to say that minds must necessarily be changed, there is no singular belief one must hold upon graduation to signify the end of the learning process. Rather, challenging ideas allows those which are strong to be bolstered through further argument, with new avenues of thought to be explored and for harmful ideas to fall away. An undoubtably sincere concern regarding safety has begun to dominate the thoughts of some on this issue. Though the intent is to promote the wellbeing of students I contend that there are problems with the present measures of this on
Source: policyed.org
campus which is doing more harm than is recognised, particularly over the long term. This can be encapsulated by differentiating compassion from empathy. The latter entails emotional reasoning which could be argued to have its place, but it is the former which will facilitate workable resolution.
longer perceives the overt pain of others then the situation feels resolved, irrespective of whether this solution has actually eradicated the source. This can dissuade guilt or perceived ill feelings yet is only a solution for oneself as this method cannot help but to direct attention only to that which is felt.
This is because the empathetic response in this context provides only the information, for example, that one wishes to end the pain of another. However, the solutions one comes to from this starting point include things such as speech bans because if the individual no
Compassion, on the other hand, necessitates both a recognition of the feeling of another, but also that some greater prior condition exists. Thus, through compassion the subjective experience of others is acknowledged to be that, for each person will inevitably react differently
to common stimuli, whilst not ignoring that there is a relevant stimulus to be understood. Where this can be done workable solutions, which transcend the individual case, can be sought and explored without conflation of the consequence of something with a problem in and of itself. This will result, if pursued in good faith, in the improvement of people’s wellbeing and the alleviation of those feelings which activate the desire for empathic response by resolving the larger causal issues. However, this endeavour is more difficult than
perpetual empathy. Firstly, this is because it requires each person to disregard their own immediate comfort so that, together, something greater can be achieved. Secondly, it is difficult because it necessitates free discourse and the ability to explore ideas without inhibition lest a situation better than that in which we presently reside be sacrificed because the ideas requisite for the journey there were suppressed. Free speech is a tool possessing no inherent moral value, yet it is imperative to the aim of maximising human wellbeing as well as reducing the suffering experienced by people.
THE FOUNDER February 2021
Continued from the front page: And then came the lockdown: now it wasn’t just homework but all work that children relied on their own resources for (to their credit, the government did at least offer poor children
OPINION AND DEBATE 9
laptops). The problem with this, despite state attempts to assuage it, was that without the levelling influence of an institution such as a school, everyone was a bit stuck in their own circumstance. Sure, schools aren’t perfect, but at least they get everyone on a
(somewhat) level playingfield for a few hours. Homeworking means a substantially different thing to someone in a council flat with five brothers than it does to someone who has their ownworking space and relative peace and quiet.
I’m all for personal responsibility upon reaching adulthood, but children don’t have theability to choose where they’re born, the level of education they receive and the environment they have to work in. I’m not suggesting a revolution,
but simply for ministers to be more sensitive to these innate inequalities when talking about the ideals of meritocracy, and more importantly, when making policy. This, more than anything, would be a good start.
The Future of North Korea EMILY HOWE s the economy falls, nuclear missiles rise. Kim Jong-un, the leader of The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) between the 5-9th of January 2021 delivered several speeches at the Eighth Congress of the Worker’s Party of Korea (WPK). A crucial, but rare, event which allows for a glimpse into the political realities of North Korea and its future direction. One thing became clear however, that great economic decline has done little to stop the militaristic direction of the state.
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Kim, in a highly unusual move, opened the conference by declaring that his five- year economic plan, announced in 2016, had irrefutably failed to achieve what it set out to do in almost all sectors. This forced him to admit that mistakes had been made. This announcement arises as North Korea remains hard hit by the effects of Coronavirus; trade with China dropped by as much as 86% and travel between both nations came to a halt. Also, especially damaging typhoons and floods in the summer of 2020 have caused devastating damage to houses and agriculture. Coupled with
the continuation of stringent international sanctions following nuclear weapon testing, North Korea has faced significant difficulties in the last few years. However, instead of shifting course to alleviate economic sanctions, we saw Kim double down. Echoing his previous New Year’s Speech in 2020, Kim reiterated that North Korea was to continue to withstand all sanctions and become a completely self-reliant economy. Moreover, Kim shifted significant blame onto the US. Whose sanctions and blockade on the nation were deemed the primary reasoning behind a lack of economic progress. Despite avowing in 2011, when Kim claimed power, that his people would “never have to tighten their belt again.” That may be exactly what his people must do if he is to continue down this path. Despite the significant economic struggle, North Korea continues to move towards greater militarisation. Kim reported great success in the nation’s consolidation of nuclear weaponry in recent years, which he deemed wholly necessary to ensure the states ascension to global power
Source: Wikimedia Commons
and survival. Moreover, these advancements, marking out the state’s superiority and defence capabilities, have placed North Korea down an irreversible path which it will continue to follow. Such comments are not to be taken lightly, especially by those still seeking non-proliferation and the denuclearisation of North Korea. Yet such statements have already been proven true. On January 15th 2021, just days before President Biden’s inauguration, North Korea, in a midnight parade,
unveiled a new submarinelaunched ballistic missile. Whilst it has yet be tested, it is a powerful message to both the Biden administration and the world. North Korea, despite a still downward spiralling economy, will continue to invest in military advancements. However, this does not mean that war is incoming, in his speech Kim did say that he would not rule out diplomacy. Instead, he suggested that his growing
arsenal was to be used as leverage against Washington. Whilst the United States remained North Korea’s “archenemy,” Kim would respond with goodwill to the US if it did the same. Negotiations remain open. It is then clear that economic decline will not stop Kim from continuing to develop his nation’s nuclear capabilities. However, not all lost, and diplomacy is still possible, we must simply wait and see what the future holds.
10 FEATURES
THE FOUNDER February 2021
Carbon Neutral by 2050: The New Climate Denial Crisis. According to Portfolio Earth, 50 investment banks backed economic sectors driving biodiversity loss by more than $2.6 trillion in 2019, the consequences of which are lethal. 3.3 million kilometres squared of terrestrial wilderness have been lost over the last 20 years (Global Biodiversity Outlook), natural eco systems have declined by 47%, and 300-400 million tons of industrial waste are dumped into the world’s waters annually (IPBES).
Source: Ecologise.in
reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of he UK’s government’s society’ (IPCC). target of Net Zero Net-zero means that any by 2050, though one of the most ambitious in the carbon emissions produced world, effectively serves are matched with schemes to the same purpose as climate remove an equal amount of denial. According to the carbon from the atmosphere, Intergovernmental Panel on such as planting trees or Climate Change (IPCC), carbon capture technology. if global temperatures rise But the net-zero target above 2 degrees, predicted by by 2050 not only pales in 2030, there will be irreversible comparison to the size and and catastrophic damage done urgency of the task ahead to the climate. If we are to of us, it also ignores the have any hope of beating the underlying problem driving Climate Crisis, we must limit the Climate Crisis: profit. global warming to 1.5 degrees In their 2019 manifesto, the before 2030 by cutting global emissions in half by 2030, Labour party pledged itself to which will ‘require rapid, far- cutting carbon emissions by a substantial majority of the IZZI VAUGHAN | EDITOR IN CHIEF
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current rate by 2030, above the IPCC’s requirements, with a nationalised net zero carbon energy system achieved before 2030. The manifesto also pledged the nationalisation of public transport, and empowering Trade Unions for a workerled fight against the Climate Crisis. These are just some of the requirements which we have to meet if we are to have any hope of beating Climate Change. If we are to tackle Climate Change effectively, we must do more than make pledges of net-zero carbon emissions within the next 30 years. We must focus the fight on the profiteers of the Climate
Market based approaches to tackling Climate Change have dominated climate discourse for decades. The idea being that the problems of Climate Change can be fixed by the free market, that consumers will become more environmentally conscious and show more interest in environmentally friendly products, leading corporations to deliver on such products. But such an approach to the Climate Crisis is severely lacking. Most consumers, particularly the working-class and those in the Global South, lack the time, information and resources to be able to analyse the lifecycle of each and every product they buy. This is particularly difficult for necessary daily essentials for which there is little choice, such as heating and electricity, where unsustainable corporations hold a monopoly
on the market. In reality, the consumer has very little choice when it comes to conscious purchasing. Such an approach also fails to recognise the ability of corporations to ‘greenwash’ their products, advertising products as environmentally friendly on the surface, when their production is still involved in an incredibly unsustainable lifecycle. The Free Market cannot save us from this. In an article for Tribune Magazine, Rebecca LongBailey commented, ‘the greatest threat amid all this comes not even from climate denial, but from the prospect of the far-right capitalising on Climate Change’. Climate Change is not the problem, but a symptom of a much more poisonous capitalist structure which has perpetually prioritised the interest of capital above all else, even the sustainability of its own systems. We must look to new structures, new ways of ordering our societies to rid ourselves of the shackles of capitalism and its consequences. The fight against the Climate Crisis must not just be a green revolution, but a red one. Because the choice now is clearer than ever: socialism or barbarism.
FEATURES 11
THE FOUNDER February 2021
President Biden - The Inauguration
Source: Deadline.com
LIAM ELVISH
n Wednesday 20th January Joseph R. Biden was officially affirmed the 46th President of the United States. It was a ceremony met with warmth and praise the world over, despite the inevitable restrictions put in place due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
heal the divisions which have plagued America for half a decade. Joe Biden, after fifty years of public service, was graciously sworn in, adorned by his family, and several predecessors. The bright January sunlight conveyed the hope and optimism of the moment, following a lengthy period of despair, the likes of which America has not experienced since the days of the Civil Rights Movement.
The political establishment descended on Washington DC to witness their new President recite the Oath of Office, just two weeks after the Capitol had been rioted by thugs; all things considered, it proved a calm, successful transition of power. For, if the new incumbent embodies anything, it is a calmness of spirit; something which reassured millions of viewers as he spoke of wishing to
It was also especially poignant for Mr. Biden himself. His two previous Presidential attempts for the Democratic ticket were met with lacklustre response; he infamously plagiarised a speech by British Labour party leader Neil Kinnock in 1988, whilst his 2008 bid was side-lined by the friendly in-fighting between the two major candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
“And so today, in this time, in this place, let’s start afresh …”
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Yet now is Mr. Biden’s moment. The Democrats recognised that there was no other figure in the party who could have conceivably defeated Donald Trump in 2020; no other figure who could boast qualified experience, respected not only by the Washington elite but also by a core base of older, working-class voters. It was an electoral tactic which ultimately paid off, not merely as a personal victory for Mr. Biden, who, at 78, becomes the oldest ever occupier of the White House, but also for the wider social and cultural implications of his chosen running-mate. For January 2021 will go down as “historic” by an even greater significance – Kamala Harris became the first woman to hold one of the highest two offices of state in the country’s 250year heritage, making her, de facto, the most powerful
woman on the planet. The new Vice-President is also the first person of black and Asian origin to occupy the position, a feat welcomed across the globe. Conspicuous by his absence was President Trump who, in typical sulking fashion, opted not to attend the ceremony, instead investing in an ostentatious military-style parade to mark his four years in power (modesty was never one of the stronger points of his administration).
will, in some part, dilute his contribution to the Trump Presidency, although history does possess a tendency being unfavourable to the silent bystander with all the personality of a door handle. It is said that actions speak louder than words, a proverb attributable to Mr. Trump as it is to Mr. Biden, though for vastly different reasons. Even the most casual observer of American politics would not fail to contrast the airs of an obnoxious narcissist whose sole aim in life has been to serve himself, with the principled humility of a man whose aim in life has been to serve his country - and the track record resounds. The fact that the US has adjusted its tenants of power in reflection of that contrast will be to its credit.
His deputy, Mike Pence, who had sought to distance himself from Mr. Trump in light of the rioting, chose to remain true to his traditional Republican values in overseeing the important handing-over of the keys to his successor, Ms. Harris. May the rest of the The fact that Mr. Pence deduced some element of watching world be better off grace at the very last minute for it.
12 FEATURES
THE FOUNDER February 2021
Guilty Thoughts in Lockdown
SELA MUSA | FEATURES EDITOR lockdown and have all the time to work but I am not working all the time. These are the long lockdown days, looming on in what seems to be an endless fashion, that we are all struggling to fill and I could be using them to formulate neat notes and new knowledge but that is not happening. I know that it is probably the only time I will ever have to go back and revise old things and I know that I would love myself later in the year if I were to do that, but that is not happening.
I
When I am not working, I feel guilty that I am not doing something productive. I feel guilty that I cannot read a book in a few days anymore even though I think about them a lot of the time. When I
do read the book, I feel guilty that I could be reading course material instead. I feel guilty that I do not go on walks every day even though I am so fed up with being in my room, and I feel guilty for being fed up with my room because I am lucky to have one. I feel guilty about my low step count.
I feel guilty that I do not read the news anymore and I feel guilty for waking up too late and missing the morning sun. I feel guilty for not ringing my mum enough and
I feel guilty that I just want to watch shows in bed all day with mint chocolate chip ice cream, but I would feel guilty for eating unhealthily. I feel guilty that most days I stop working at around five o’clock when there are still another five hours that I could be using to get ahead. I feel guilty for how many times I check my phone for no reason when I am working, and I feel guilty whenever my reading somehow turns into staring at Source: Sela Musa the walls for a while.
We Will Meet Again
ALI KRAUSOVA
and we still keep counting. hen I was saying We are both stuck somewhere goodbye to my mum in else and each time a new flight August, I did not think much ticket occurs, it gets cancelled of it. We said goodbye with just as fast. Nothing to rely on plans already made, to see because once a deadline to the each other again in a month. A shambles gets set, someone month turned into six of them always comes to it and kicks
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Source: Twitter
for not enjoying my work even though I love what I study, and I feel guilty for how much time I waste thinking about someone that is probably not thinking of me back.
it further from our reach. We know that we will meet again. But when?
Ok, so I miss my mummy. We are all so cosmopolitan and what a blessing in disguise, even though having families all over the country and the world is what harms us now. And we all get just as sentimental and understanding for each other because everyone goes through the same thing. No matter which friend brings it up, there is always the rest of the party to confirm that they are dealing with it too. They cannot see their grandma because she lives somewhere else. And let us not forget that grandma is old too, so what if they will not ever get to see her again?
Most of all, I feel guilty for getting so used to wishing the time away just because this time is so bad. I still do not want to want to wish the time away because I know I will feel guilty when I am older. I feel guilty for not seeing my housemates enough and not messaging my home friends more. I feel guilty because I know that all of these worries are privileged worries, and so many others have lost their time completely. I know that I am so lucky to have a house that I feel sick of, and to have an education that I so often complain about. I am lucky to have food and friends and time and so many big and small things that other people do not get to have these days, and I feel guilty about that too. - Just in case anyone resonates these days.
...
We know that we will meet again. But when?
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The crisis is slowly turning into an ethical dilemma; are we destroying lives by trying to save them at all costs? I have noticed that people keep forgetting that no matter how you die, you always die alone anyway. The problem is in living and when will that right of ours resume. The problem is not solely in losing lives but what those lives are lost to, from new drinking habits to dragging loneliness, not just COVID-19. As I am constantly
gaining a new understanding of the situation, I guess now at the last final strikes of it, I am hopeful once again. We do not know when we will meet again exactly but we already know how it will go. We will reunite over a pint, come up with mad good conspiracy theories, and celebrate birthdays both current and past. Perhaps life will be better because we will be more aware of being alive. It is not something that occurs to me often but sometimes I wonder how mum is doing, what sort of person is she growing into, and I cannot wait to meet her and find out. The day we do could be near and it could be not. All I know is that it is there somewhere, waiting and being so good.
LIFESTYLE 13
THE FOUNDER February 2021
Being a Morning Person: The Ups, The Downs, and Everything in Between ELLIE MATTHEWS
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niversity, I have realised that I am very much not a morning person. YouTube into the early hours whilst simultaneously playing some pointless puzzle game on my phone is much more my speed. However, with the nightmare that was 2020 now behind us, I decided that this year was going to be my year. The year when I finally focused on skincare, haircare, routine, and allround wellbeing. The typical things you promise yourself every other week. So, if you have had a New Year’s
resolution that has slipped in the last few weeks or want to try to become a ‘morning person’, I would advise you to heed the warnings of someone who was in your shoes exactly 2 weeks ago. January was far busier than expected, so I wrote that one off. February arrived, and with the longer days, (slightly) warmer temperatures, and being eased back into term, I felt far more optimistic about my new plan. My aim was to get up early every morning, do some exercise in the
Source: Rebecca Weigler, Illustrator
morning, do my skincare twice a day and treat my hair twice a week. Optimistic, I know, but I was desperate to get fitter and feel more confident in myself.
Source: Pixabay
That first 6am wake-up was a killer, I am not going to lie, but by the end of the week I found it difficult not to naturally wake up at that time. Perhaps the lack of SU trips that turn into messy afters helped, but I started feeling tired at 10pm. Getting a full 8 hours of sleep was revolutionary for my mood as well. I went from Norman Bates to Strawberry Shortcake within the week, and my family could not be happier.
Regularly maintaining a good skin routine was far more challenging. As a skint student, spending hundreds on Elemis or Clinique was not an option so I decided to stick with E.L.F moisturizer and eye cream, and a cheap Nivea exfoliating scrub. My poor skin is typically oily, so I was worried that moisturizing might make it worse, but it actually had the opposite effect. My skin is so much clearer now, and I feel all the more confident because of it. Once I saw the effect the skincare had, my motivation to keep up with my haircare was renewed.
To summarise, getting into a good routine does genuinely make life feel a little easier. It is not the easiest to begin with, but, with time, it becomes second nature. Do I feel happier and more motivated in the day? Yes. Do my skin and hair both look and feel better? Definitely. Am I going to stick to this? Most likely not. So, if you are thinking about becoming a ‘morning person’ then here are my key tips. Set yourself an achievable goal. Always focus on where you want to end up, it will make the journey worth it. And finally, remember that falling off the bandwagon doesn’t mean failure.
14 ARTS & CULTURE
THE FOUNDER February 2021
From Nazi Headquarters to Artists Retreat?
Bogensee for contemporary neo-Nazi groups is not a unique concern, and the question of what to do with ‘bad’ buildings and difficult heritage is one which has vexed authorities for decades. What is the appropriate way to treat a site which is fundamentally linked with Nazism? Many have argued that demolition is the only suitable solution - that living, working and recreating on a site where atrocities were engineered is deeply immoral, and that leaving such sites standing invites celebration of a horrific past. Others believe that demolition is akin to erasure of a history that we need to confront, not forget; that bad history, interpreted properly, can be put to good use.
Source: Olaf Tausch, Wikipedia TESSA PINTO | ARTS EDITOR
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he summer home of the prominent Nazi Josef Goebbels could be transformed into an artist’s retreat and ‘museum of tolerance’, in new plans put forward by a nonprofit group called LKC Bogensee. Due to its controversial history, the forty two acre site, located just fifteen miles north of Berlin on Bogensee Lake, has been empty for the last twenty years. Goebbels was one of Hitler’s closest confidantes, and was responsible for running the Ministry of
Propaganda after 1933. He was a virulent anti-Semite, and publicly supported the holocaust. Following Hitler’s suicide, Goebbels served for one day as the Chancellor for Germany, until he and his wife poisoned their 6 children and committed suicide.
actresses he was auditioning for roles while his family were staying nearby. Many of the original features still remain – including the original bookcases in Goebbels’s study and the bath that he would have washed in.
The site at Bogensee was built in 1939, and part financed by the German film company UFA, a key organisation in the dissemination of Nazi propaganda during the Third Reich. The enormous size of the complex, which includes a 70-room cottage-style retreat, out-buildings and a huge barracks, allowed Goebbels to allegedly pursue affairs with
Perhaps unsurprisingly, with the exception of a period where the site was used by the socialist Free German Youth movement of the German Democratic Republic, the site has lain empty. Currently owned by BIM Real Estate Management, the company that maintains property for the Berlin city government, the property has been on the
market for 20 years with an This concern is not annual upkeep cost of around exclusive to Germany. €230,000. Although it is often less visually explicit in our Now, the co-operative heritage, the legacy of non-profit group LKC slavery, imperialism and Bogensee is proposing a colonialism are indelibly radical re-working of the wrought into Britain’s built empty buildings, including landscape – something permanent workshops which organisations like The and studios for artists and National Trust are only just sculptors, a communal living beginning to acknowledge. complex for around 250 people with priority given to Taking each site on its immigrants and the disabled, own terms seems to be the and a museum with a focus best solution – but whether on the history of totalitarian Bogensee is demolished, political systems. The groups converted, or continues to aim is to ‘prevent a historical decay, the result will tell us revisionist pilgrimage a lot about contemporary site’ from developing. The attitudes towards national potential significance of histories.
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ARTS & CULTURE 15
The Real Disney Villains
THOMAS BARRETT
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alt Disney Studios has a fantastic repertoire of heroes and villains, from the comedic villains like Captain Hook (Peter Pan, 1953) and Hades (Hercules, 1997) to the outright sinister Frollo (The Hunchback of Notre Dame, 1996) and Maleficent (Sleeping Beauty, 1959). But what is it all these villains have in common? They are single and can be convincingly read as queer. Besides the Queen of Hearts (Alice in Wonderland, 1951) and Queen Ingrid (Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, 2019), all Disney villains are either unmarried or widowed – and of the two exceptions mentioned, one tries to murder her husband during the course of the film. At first this might seem a coincidence, but Cruella (101 Dalmatians, 1961) and Hades suggest otherwise. Their source texts have both of them married; Disney intentionally chose to keep them as single because the predominate focus is a positive enforcement of heterosexual, procreative marriage. If heroes teach us what we ought to be, villains are designed to teach us how not to be – explaining why almost all Disney characters who smoke or drink are villains. Yet this demonisation of the single man or woman goes much deeper, for in being single Disney villains can be understood as implicitly queer. The gay uncle stereotype, for example, is alive and well in characters such as Scar
Source: Wikimedia Commons (The Lion King, 1994) and Hades. After all, Hades gives Meg boy advice just like a gay best friend and is the polar opposite of muscular and masculine Hercules. Male characters such as Governor Ratcliffe (Pocahontas, 1995), who has the doting and camp male attendant Wiggins, is also clearly coded as queer – after all, Ratcliffe has a pet pug and is obsessed with
the glitter of gold. Then of course there is Ursula (The Little Mermaid, 1990), quite clearly based on a drag queen and also the demonised sibling of the protagonist’s father. The pattern is clear: if a Disney character breaks from traditional gender roles, they will almost certainly be a villain. Moana (2016) nearly broke the mould with its lack of romantic plot and strong female lead who is not
demonised for subverting the traditional gender roles, but the camp, narcissistic, singing crustacean Tamatoa obsessed with shiny objects is also clearly queer. There have been decades of subtle anti-LGBTQ+ and pro-heterosexual marriage rhetoric ingrained into Disney; so much so that when Disney allowed Elsa (Frozen, 2013) to
remain unmarried, many fans assumed, or called for, a queer Elsa. This shows that audiences are aware that, for Disney, to be single is to be queer. And Disney responded by giving Frozen a sequel, in which Elsa remained single. Perhaps Disney are getting better at scaling back their implicit homophobia, but it appears we are still a long way from seeing a queer Disney prince or princess.
16 LITERARY REVIEW
THE FOUNDER February 2021
Tyll: Where History Meets Horror MERCEDES-GEORGIA MAYES | LITERARY REVIEW EDITOR
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ritten in 2017 by Daniel Kehlmann in the original German and translated by Ross Benjamin into English in 2020, Tyll is accessible but pleasantly unfamiliar in its assessment of the world. Before being shortlisted for the International booker Prize 2020, it received high praise from critics in Germany, and this praise is well deserved.
Upon first glance one wouldn’t be too far amiss to assume Tyll to be a somewhat ominous dive into magic and mystery, only reinforced by the whimsical prologue. Tyll is introduced to us as part of a famed group of travelling entertainers, a figure of great and unusual skill, walking high above the townspeople on his tightrope with all the
ease and self-satisfaction of the devil. Immediately after this bold and enchanting introduction however, we a launched into Tyll’s childhood. Ordinary in almost every sense, save the magical (or scientific) practices of his father, a miller, and the rumours surrounding creatures in the forest. It is a world still enraptured by the unknown and for those first few chapters it almost feels as safe as the pages of a fairytale. This all changes when representatives of the church arrive in town and historical realities start to peel back the gauze of fantasy. At times amusing and at others unsettling, Tyll captures perfectly the sentiment of an unstable country at a very unstable time in their history. Tyll Ulenspiegel’s life takes the
reader through the religious and political tensions at play during the Thirty Years’ War, as well as his own peculiar antics. We bear witness to trials of witchcraft, political manoeuvrings of royalty, and the struggles of the poor as Tyll passes through devastated towns and empty courtrooms to mock and amaze his audiences. Kehlmann himself walks a tightrope in his construction of the novel, delicately treading the line between history and fiction, past and the present, and the perspectives of other characters in the novel. No one aspect of Tyll feels like a constant besides the interminable feeling of dread and the transient appearances of the jester himself. A great uncertainty looms over each section of the text and the reader perpetually has to
reorient themselves to keep up. It is a masterpiece of uneasiness, leaving so many questions unanswered, so many loose ends frayed.
CHLOE BOULTON was over one hundred and fifty years late to the Little Women party, and when I arrived, I was almost completely certain that it would disappoint me. Far too often books make their way onto ‘must-read’ lists for reasons far removed from the actual quality of the novel. I was sure that this would be the case for Little Women, too. Reading this was entirely my own choice, but as with many nineteenth century American novels, I had my suspicions of it being problematic or even plain unreadable.
At the time, I did not realise that what I was reading was actually only half of the novel, and that Little Women is a story of two parts; the first set in childhood, and the second when the March sisters are slightly older. This second half, so I have read, is what makes the statement ‘Little Women is not a feminist novel’ true. Critics are keen to write about the emphasis placed on wifely duty and giving up one’s own ambitions to become a mother, as is expected in a patriarchal society. Upon learning this I elected not to buy or read
So, although it is a German narrative based in a German historical world and sprinkled with German folklore, the novel is strikingly relevant to the modern global context. I could not help but think, as I read, and as I scrambled to adjust every time the
perspective shifted, how similar it felt to my experience of the world in the past year. Everything seemed, and to some extent still seems, so uncertain. We are not in a time of war, but we are in a time of great difficulty, with two opposing forces in the world becoming ever more polarised. Perhaps I am reading too much into it, but perhaps, like Tyll, I should start practising my tightrope walking.
Little Women
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Source: Unsplash.com, Aaron Burden
Source: Unsplash.com, Simon Berger
the missing half of this novel, as I suspect that in doing so, my initial expectation of disappointment would be proven correct. Undeniably, Little Women is a hard sell to contemporary audiences. It is full of unfamiliar and formal-sounding language (Jo uses the word ‘fiddlesticks’ instead of cursing Amy at one point, a word potentially unrecognisable to children reading Little Women); and God is a constant throughout, something which can turn a lot of modern, secular audiences
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away from older novels with over-bearing themes of religion. But Little Women is a classic for a reason, an opinion I did not expect myself to share, or even hold, before reading. There is far too much good in Little Women to allow it to be forgotten in favour of contemporary novels. Jo, the heroine, is meant to reflect Alcott herself, a young woman who wishes not to marry but instead to write and make a living from writing. As well as this, there is Jo’s friendship with Laurie, and though it is not without its complications, it is a platonic love story unlike the others seen in the novel. For the time it was written in, these two factors alone make Little Women a bold and standout novel. The bond between the four March sisters cannot be ignored either – though they argue and disagree sometimes, it is refreshing to read of four young women with what is ultimately a very pure relationship, where there is no underlying spite or wish to bring each other down. The power of sisterhood and friendship prevails throughout the hardships the sisters endure. Little Women is not a book I expected to enjoy, but I am so glad I did, and if you have not read this classic yet then I can do nothing but encourage you to change that.
LITERARY REVIEW 17
Sunjeev Year of GRACE FROST unjeev Sahota’s second novel, The Year of the Runaways, published in 2015, is a tragic narrative detailing the lives of three young Indian immigrants, Tochi, Avtar and Randeep as they come to find their hopes for prosperity in Britain do not match with their experience. The novel is divided into four parts, Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn, guiding the reader through seasons as well as changes in the characters, their situations and hopes over the year.
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Sahota’s The the Runaways
student, aiming to get a degree and build a career, and Tochi comes as a way of escaping his dangerous past. For all, a tragic reality awaits them on the falsely advertised goldenpaved streets of England, bringing to the fore the harsh reality of so many immigrants whose desires, while similar to ours, remain just out of reach.
Each character has their own narrative that ultimately overlaps and highlights the many ways immigrants are oppressed and treated as lessthan. Their dreams shatter The narrative spends time and their view of the ‘perfect’ in India and explores the caste English life quickly shifts system primarily through when they grow aware of the the narrative of Tochi, a mistreatment they receive and chamaar ‘untouchable’ their poor living conditions. which noticeably contrasts All four characters display the narratives of the Indian strength, perseverance and middle class Avtar and great sacrifice in order to Randeep. Sahota depicts build a new life. the lower classes of India Experiences of language through Tochi and his family, presenting to his reader barriers and culture-shock, injustices in India on a large too, are expertly imbedded in the narrative. Again and small scale. Randeep and Narinder’s Tochi, Avtar and Randeep relationship encapsulates each have their own reason these divides as Narinder for leaving their home and omits the respectful title ‘ji’ travelling around 5000 miles following Randeep’s name to reach England. In the to which Randeep remarks novel, Randeep explains ‘We ‘but this was England’ in a come here for the same reason comical however saddening our people do anything. conclusion, highlighting for Duty. We’re doing our duty’. the reader the isolation and Randeep comes because pain in the characters who are of his relationship with trying to cling onto as much Narinder, an Indian-British of their cultural identity as woman who believes one of possible. Despite many of the her ‘duties’ is in acting as his jokes, culture and attitudes ‘visa-wife’. Avtar enters as a being best understood by
Source: Unsplash.com, Karthick Chandran
Indian or South-Asian readers, Sahota’s inclusion of these aspects and untranslated words aids the authenticity of his narrative, making a western reader work even harder in order to understand the characters on multiple levels and causing the reader, at times, to feel like the outsider. This novel is a must read for those interested in
understanding the privilege with which they have grown up. Narinder encapsulates the simple desire of the characters in Sahota’s novel as she tells her ‘husband’, ‘happiness is a pretty precarious state, Randeep. I’m content. That’s more than enough. That’s more than most.’
18 LITERARY REVIEW
Tropic of Cancer
ALI KRAUSOVA
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enry Miller’s Tropic of Cancer, published in 1934 but banned in many countries until the mid-60’s, is one of my favourite reads. It is one of those novels which exposes the reader and their response to the text, and mostly does so in an uncomfortable way due to the controversial nature of the material. Its banned status certainly does not surprise me as whenever I re-read it, all I can think is: how is it not banned today? To start with, the story is full of sex, mirroring an excessive lust for life in the character of Miller himself. Miller lives off of almost nothing, feeding instead on his experiences, a painful practice when
considering how Miller can hardly afford to eat yet he pays for women daily and then steals from them too. The whole narrative makes you feel like Miller lives in some sort of ultimate state of freedom when in reality he ran away to Paris to escape his problems elsewhere. It makes for an interesting contrast; not knowing how to face a difficult situation but having enough confidence to come to a new city of which you know nothing. Overall, Miller is full of contradictions. He seems to be happy with having so little because it is what enriches his life, but he also finds himself reminiscing on the past and America all the time. Cities are like women in his perspective; they trap you and will not let you go.
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Nevertheless, the story is oddly relatable, although one hardly lives in ‘Miller’s way’. It exposes certain cravings for freedom but also promotes being comfortable with the life we already have. Tropic of Cancer is
Back when first published, the main issue of Miller’s narrative was his open talks about sex. It is not the sex anymore, which makes it problematic, it is the opposite sex nowwomen. They are often ridiculed and almost turned into Freudian examples of hysteria by Miller. Perhaps it is because he does not understand women’s desires for true love, yet he writes love-letters to almost every woman he meets. Miller has an unusual way of loving, which is animalistic and raw, though thinking about how uncomfortable women get today being called ‘females’ in that clinical detached way men sometimes do, many may not survive Miller’s Source: U.S National Archives narrative, which only ever Caption: Entrances of All ECA Buildings in Paris calls them ‘c*nts’. 1948-1957
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, By Gail Honeyman LIAM ELVISH
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leanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine – a deliberately contradictory title describing the protagonist’s life: a life filled with unexpected twists and turns. The novel centres around Eleanor Oliphant, a particularly intriguing character who adheres to a strict, weekly schedule, one
that conveniently results in minimal human interaction. Each week consists of monotonous hours in the office, a weekly call with ‘Mummy’, and a generous two litres of vodka to get through the weekend. With little self-belief and confidence, Eleanor has never felt the need to draw attention to herself. In fact,
not a read for everyone, but I think it is fascinating because of this. For this novel to continue to be controversial in a world which has seen almost everything is perhaps a more heartening thought than we might give credit to.
the mysterious and shocking scars across her face drive her to conceal and isolate even more. Until one unexpected evening turns Eleanor’s strict and monotonous life on its head, when she stumbles across an attractive musician at a concert whom she immediately deems ‘the one’. What follows is a series of carefully planned strategies in order for Eleanor to get closer
Source: Unsplash.com, Anne Nygård
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to this man, but she never seems to come close enough. Along the way she encounters a colleague called Raymond with whom she ends up saving the life of an elderly man who falls down in the street. Despite her countless mental notes of the qualities that she dislikes in Raymond, the two grow closer, and this newly formed bond brings Eleanor a new perspective on life. She even finds herself throwing back her head and laughing alongside Raymond.
LITERARY REVIEW 19
As the story develops, the narrator reveals more behind the source of the scars on her face, linking them back to a particularly traumatic event in her childhood. The matchsticks on the cover of the book create subtle hints towards a foreshadowing of the past, and why Eleanor might not, in fact, be ‘fine’.
calls with Eleanor’s mother – a woman who was responsible for torment and trauma throughout Eleanor’s entire childhood – had in fact never really happened. Eleanor had been inventing the torturous and abusive conversations with her mother, who had actually passed away in a fire that she herself had set when Eleanor was little, resulting in The largest twist to the the death of both herself and storyline appears at the very Eleanor’s sister. end of the novel, when it is revealed that the weekly phone The horrific truth is
unveiled to the reader piece by piece, as Eleanor gradually gathers the courage to speak more about this traumatic experience. She continuously blames herself for the death of her sister, believing it was her sole responsibility to protect and rescue her from the flames. Failing this resulted in Eleanor’s creation of her mother’s torments in her mind, which mocked and criticised each and every aspect of Eleanor’s character and lifestyle. She carried
these torments with her well into adulthood and was never able to cast this away until she began therapy.
towards portraying seemingly impactful situations as ridiculous. For example, early in the novel Consul Buddenbrook and a number of Lübeck nobles and highranking businessmen face an angry mob demanding universal suffrage, who are so lacking in conviction that they are easily persuaded to go home by the smug superiority of the upper classes.
that Mann had grown up with are drawn in the most resonant tones: Antonie Buddenbrook is asked to return to an abusive husband for the sake of propriety; Thomas has an almost fanatical hatred towards his more bohemian brother because of what he represents, despite the latter’s lifelong affability; in one of the book’s best scenes, Thomas reads Schopenhauer and has a deeply spiritual epiphany, realising a quasiBuddhist harmony with his surroundings, yet the next day returns to middle class propriety, embarrassed by his previous heights of emotion.
Once Eleanor is able to admit that nothing was her fault, she is finally able to begin healing the scars that had sealed her heart, both by finding and releasing her own strength, and with the support and love of those around her.
Thomas Mann Buddenbrooks review
AUGUSTUS-BAMBRIDGE SUTTON n many ways, Buddenbrooks, Thomas Mann’s phenomenally successful debut, is the final great novel of the nineteenth century. While it may have been technically published in 1900, it was written in the closing years of the preceding century, and many of its concerns, ideas and themes are tied to the realist fiction of the eighteen-hundreds, before the First World War and the advent of modernism swept all this away in favour of a more chilly, anxious artistic freedom.
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The novel centres on the Buddenbrooks, a wealthy German merchant family whose bourgeois solidity is slowly worn away over a century by misfortune and decadence. Beginning with the kindly and paternal yet conservative Consul Buddenbrook, Mann traces the family’s downfall through his children (the childlike Antonie, the bohemian, narcissistic Christian and the haughty, bitter Thomas) and
Source: Unsplash.com, Nico Meier
ends the book with Thomas’s son Hanno, whose frail fear of life is the final nail in the family’s coffin. One thing I was surprised by when reading this is how different it was to the inventive yet somewhat cold intellectualism of Mann’s later novels The Magic Mountain and Doctor Faustus, or even his menacing, sexually
charged novella Death in Venice. This is quite possibly the most genuinely emotional novel Mann ever wrote: despite its many motifs, historical and philosophical references, and treacle-thick irony, this is at its heart a story driven by character. The book is well known for its use of irony, and Mann is rarely sparing
It is of course clear from this that Mann set out to write a conservative book. Yet the most impactful moments here come when Mann’s more humanistic views bleed through his rather halfhearted attempt to convince the old world that he is ‘one of them.’ A bisexual writer born into a conservative Lübeck merchant family, Mann’s work is often full of his inner conflict between his background and his vocation. On the one hand, Buddenbrooks is clearly an attempt to show up artistic decadence and champion conservative frugality. Yet elsewhere in the book the moral corruption of the values
Despite its conservative trappings and surface-level defence of nineteenth-century values, Buddenbrooks is at its heart a vicious assault on the dehumanising social mores of the Lübeck bourgeois class, and by extension, the nineteenth century itself. Stylistically and thematically, it is a book rooted in the century that proceeds it. Philosophically, however, it is the first great novel of the twentieth century.
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THE FOUNDER February 2021
It’s Good! But it can be Better: A Wonder Woman 1984 Review LEWIS. J. WHITE | FILM EDITOR
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onder Woman 1984 intended to hit theatre screens in the June of 2020 but due to the COVID-19 pandemic it was delayed, then delayed again until finally Warner Bros. made the decision that may shake the film industry to it’s core. With co-operation in streaming service: HBO-MAX, Warner Bros. have slated many of their delayed or upcoming film releases to be released on the streaming site the same day it is released in cinemas. Amongst the titles announced was Dune, Matrix 4, Godzilla v Kong and many more, but the first to receive the controversial release was the sequel to Patty Jenkins
smash hit superhero movie the 1980s working at the based on the DC heroine. Smithsonian. It is here where she meets ‘loveable’ goofball 2017’s Wonder Woman Barbara, she strikes a bond was the first superhero movie with Barbara over their led by a woman, obviously it fascination with an ancient had to be the feminist icon and relic claimed to grant the original female hero: Wonder wishes of whomever holds to Woman. In the first film Diana relic. Upon their discovery of (Wonder Woman) had to the relic they also meet Donald leave her Amazonian paradise Trump surrogate: Maxwell to help world war one soldier Lord – our antagonist for this Steve Trevor stop a plan to tale who’s big evil scheme poison the whole world. The is…wanting to be rich. Things first film was entirely about look dire for Diana until her help, its consequences meant dead boyfriend Steve comes something and our hero back from the dead in the body felt like a timeless hero to of another man. Together they inspire. Wonder Woman 1984 must stop Maxwell Lord from destroyed all of that. controlling everyone on Earth by granting their wishes as The ‘plot’ of Wonder well as putting down Barbara, Woman 1984 features our now in the form of evil CGI heroine, now living as monstrosity Cheetah. an American civilian in
Source: screenrant.com If that felt like the plot was a little stuffed you wouldn’t be wrong. The film’s hefty runtime of almost three hours doesn’t help the feeling of tiredness when you finally get to the third act. Not much happens in the film whilst trying to convince us that so much happens. What should have been an intimate story of wishes and hope turned into a misogynistic, xenophobic, cliché mess. This doesn’t even take into consideration
that she has sex with Steve in the body of a man who could not have consented to his body being violated like this, wherein if the roles were reversed one would question everything of the film. Wonder Woman 1984 is an offensive disappointment that bores the viewer and questions the legitimacy of the film industries survival during the pandemic. Don’t see this film.
F*ck Anyone Who’s Not a Sea Blob: Euphoria’s Intimate Portrayal of Selfhood TILLY BENNETT
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uphoria which aired in June 2019 captivated audiences with its explosive plots, kaleidoscope costume and award-winning makeup looks. The series centres around a group of teenagers struggling with life’s variety of challenges including substance abuse, toxic relationships and identity. Due to the pandemic, director Sam Levinson and his team had to halt season two sparking great disappointment among fans. Therefore, the two protagonists Rue Bennett (Zendaya) and love interest Jules Vaughn (Hunter Schafer) joined forces to bring two special bridge
episodes. Which are set after the events that concluded the first season; at the train station wondering what is next for Jules and Rue.
Jules’s episode brilliantly titled ‘F*ck Anyone Who’s Not a Sea Blob’ is co-written by Hunter Schafer alongside creator Levinson. Schafer admitted whilst being on Jimmy Kimmel that writing acted as cathartic experience during a difficult period of her life. Additionally, Sam Levinson was shocked to see fans reacting to Jules as an antagonist in season one due to her treatment of Rue. Therefore, this episode acts as well-deserved platform for Jules to share her account
of their relationship and the complexities of addiction on those experiencing it second hand.
The episode starts in a therapist’s office - in a similar vein to Rue’s episode. Viewers are not only treated to an intimate portrayal of the inner workings of the character’s mind but also two free therapy sessions for themselves. One of the opening sequences also consists of a close up shot of Jules’s pupil as she reminisces over the deception, she became involved in with Nate and her loving yet punishing relationship with Rue. The scene is incredibly beautiful and intricate from the lighting down to the impactful emotion
Source: IMBD
Schafer manages to portray through only her eye. As a viewer, you are right there with her experiencing the pain as if it were your own. The acting is impactful and engrossing from the beginning. We are given an
insight into Jules’s family life which for viewers only previously consisted of her kind and understanding father. However, in this episode we are introduced to Jules’s mother who like Rue struggles with substance abuse. There is a parallel
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between both episodes but there is a stark contrast between Rue’s dreamlike idea of living in New York with Jules and Jules’s upsetting and nightmare inducing idea of New York. The contrast poignantly highlights that Jules had been serving as an emotional crutch for Rue allowing her to experience happiness in their relationship. The deeply sad element of this episode is the idea that Jules
had been victim to frightening thoughts of losing her mother for the majority of her life and she is now experiencing the same with Rue. Femininity and comprehending one’s own gender were slightly explored in the first season. However, one of the most emotional and important scenes of this episode is when Jules considers her hormones
and the impact she may feel when she comes off them. She compares her beauty to the ocean. Describing desire to feel as monumental as the natural force ‘The ocean’s strong as fuck, it’s feminine as fuck ...’ It is a joy to experience the world through Jules’s eyes and ponder the same complexities alongside her. The distinction made between herself and the ocean is provocative and evocative
of the power she desires to feel.
sufficiently provided fans with a Euphoria fix before the much-anticipated season two but also allowed for Levinson and Schafer to give Jules the right to define her role in her relationship, in her life and express her fears for the future.
Jules’s episode is a period of self-reflection for her character. A chance for viewers to experience the beloved series through her eyes and reassess each experience Jules has endured. ‘F*ck Anyone Who’s Not It is utterly touching and thought-provoking, Schafer is a Sea Blob’ is available to absolutely sensational. These stream on HBOmax and bridge episodes have not only NOWTV
Golden Globes 2021 Nominations: Three Female Directors Make History and Netflix Dominates the Competition ARIANNA PALADIN
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istory was made on the 3rd of February, when the Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced the nominations of the 78th edition of the Golden Globes which will be held on the 28th of February with a virtual celebration hosted bicoastally by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. The starstudded annual appointment that officially kicks off the awards season will be very different this year, in the aftermath of the Coronavirus outbreak. What does not change, however, is the relevant power of this event to function as a forerunner of the Oscars nominations and to give international visibility to actors, directors, and producers. Although they also address TV productions, the Golden Globes have always had the role of indicating the titles between which the competition for the most important film awards of the year will take place.
Source: The Guardian Many were the highlights of this announcement: for the first time in history three women have been nominated in the best director category and, after being historically and repetitively snubbed, they finally have the majority in the race. Thus, alongside David Fincher with Mank and Aaron Sorkin with The Trial of the Chicago 7, we find Emerald Fennel (Promising Young Woman), Regina king (One Night in Miami) and Chloé Zhao. The latter has already won the ‘Golden Lion’, the highest prize given to a film at the 77th Edition
of the Venice Film Festival, with her critically acclaimed Nomadland, a touching and poetic road movie. This is certainly an exceptional event that, however, only underlines the deep gender gap in the entertainment industry, suggesting the need for a general rethinking of a category of awards that has frequently snubbed female filmmakers. Netflix dominated the competition with 42 nominations between series and movies, aided by distribution methods in
these uncertain times, with several titles postponed due to the closure of cinemas. Among its most nominated titles, we find the fourth season of The Crown, the acclaimed historical drama series about the British Royal family which in 2020 told the entry into society of Diana Spencer and the political era of Margaret Thatcher. The quality of The Crown's portraits is also reflected in the numerous nominations of its actors: Olivia Colman, Emma Corrin, Gillian Anderson, Helena Bonham Carter and Josh O'Connor. The Queen’s Gambit, Netflix's mostwatched scripted limited series to date, also received several nominations including best actress to Anya-Taylor Joy. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, the cinematographic transposition of the homonymous play signed by August Wilson, was also distributed by Netflix. Thanks to his interpretation in this film, Chadwick Boseman gets a posthumous nomination for best actor in a drama. Adored by Marvel fans for his role
as the superhero ‘Black Panther’, the actor sadly passed away at the early age of 43 last August. Despite the general positive record, many other things do not work, at least according to critics from overseas. Titles like Spike Lee's Da 5 Bloods or Christopher Nolan's Tenet were blatantly snubbed by the Golden Globes, but striking exclusions were also recorded on the serial front: the highly acclaimed I May Destroy You by and with Michaela Coel went completely unnoticed in favor of shows like Emily in Paris which was widely derided by critics and scored bad reviews, but got two nominations. By the end of this month we will know who the winners of this year peculiar edition of the Golden Globes are, so, for now, what are your predictions?
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Curating Your Home Study Playlist The Highlights:
AMELIA MORRIS | MUSIC EDITOR
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s the end of year deadline season looms, bringing with it stress about deadlines, dissertations, and exams, it is looking as though most of us will face this time working at home. We all know about the study essentials of constant water, hot drinks and snacks but what is often overlooked is the ever-crucial study playlist. Whether you are as yet lacking one or if your leftover playlist from A Levels is beginning to show its age, here are some tips for optimising your productive potential and allowing yourself feel like the main character of exam season.
Instrumental Pop Hits: We all know that lyrics can be distracting when you’re trying to concentrate on writing and I’m sure all of us are guilty of absentmindedly letting a word or two from the song you’re listening to sneak into your essay. Here is the solution: your favourite songs but made instrumental and performed to perfection by talented pianists, cellists and violinists. One or two of these recommendations might be familiar to viewers of hit Netflix show Bridgerton which cleverly utilised instrumental twists on modern songs during dance (and other) sequences.
Brooklyn Duo – Piano Man, Creep, Hallelujah, Zombie, Someone You Loved. Vitamin String Quartet – thank u next, Everybody Talks, I Don’t Want To Miss a Thing, Welcome to the Black Parade, Watermelon Sugar. Film Soundtracks: Here is another genre which can be both familiar and absorbing. Choose from a multitude of premade playlists or create your own selection of favourite film soundtracks. One of the advantages of this type of playlist over the others outlined here is that the tracks you choose can be
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energetic without leaning into distraction. Hype yourself up to defeat the villains of exam season. Something to get you started: Paddington, The Lord of the Rings films, Stardust, Ratatouille, Pirates of the Caribbean, or anything by John Williams. For Those Brave Souls Among Us: There will always be those who insist that they won’t be distracted by the music as they press shuffle
on their usual playlist or put on the radio. If this is you, the only person you’re fooling is yourself. There are however, albums and tracks which can create an atmosphere in which productive studying is possible. You’re looking for songs which can blend into the background, without a catchy hook, loud instrumentation or distracting production. My suggestions: Folklore and Evermore by Taylor Swift, Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers, Everywhere by Fleetwood Mac, Mine by The 1975, In a New Bed by Matt Maltese
Album Review: Good Woman by The Staves JENNIFER ROSE
the trio faced the loss of their grandma, followed by their eleased on the 5th mother a few weeks later, February 2021, The the break-up of a five-year Staves’ highly anticipated relationship and the birth of a fourth studio album, Good child. Woman, breaks away from reserved stylistics of previous Extensive use of field works. Their latest release, recordings, with a particular produced by John Congleton focus on sonic space, has (Angel Olsen, Sharon Van influenced their boldest sound Etten, St Vincent), reveals to date. Layering is used on a previously unexplored the title track Good Woman, intimacy through themes of with use of recorded speech womanhood, motherhood and from their late grandma and sisterhood. In the three years mother. Recording took place since writing began in 2017, in an empty barn, with each
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sibling shouting the lyrics to create the deep, echoey sound heard on the final recording. The distortion filter highlights the emotionally loaded importance of the phrase ‘I’m a Good Woman’, whilst defiance, introduced through the reassurance of the shouted phrase, is explored further in the third track, Careful, Kid. Concerned with resurrection of one’s identity, or ‘coming back round from a five-year rebound’, the song shatters the trance of being in a relationship with someone
Source: Spotify
who upholds unrealistic expectations of women. Nothing’s Gonna Happen is a nod to previous albums, with a traditionally, stripped back ‘Staves’ sound. The reminder of their vocalcentred roots is fittingly followed by the only song on the album dedicated to their mother, Sparks. The song, a cathartic eruption of
emotion, was one of the last songs written for the album. This moment of admiration, reflection and loss is solidified in the third song of the grouping: Paralysed. This time, the focus is drawn inwards, with the repetitive ‘I used to be’ propelling the track forward into calm chaos. It is ambiguous whether the reflection is for the loss of oneself in a
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challenging relationship, or the loss of oneself in the experience of losing a loved one. The following track, Devotion nods to the former (‘your affliction is mine to hold’) and not always being capable of controlling your own destiny - ‘how sweet, life in the backseat’. Failure shines a dreamclad, sarcastic light on past criticism and controlling behaviours, disguised through double tracked vocals and 80s- inspired drum tones: ‘sorry if we all really killed your vibe’. The final lyrics ‘I don’t owe you anything’ leads
into Satisfied, a discussion of ‘wasted’ time, filled with soft synthesiser melodies continuing the dreamy quality of the previous track. Trying breaks this mould. Removing itself from the previous experiments into new territory, it is reminiscent of If I Was. The gentle organ accompaniment throws focus on to the vocals once again, though soft accents of digitized sound litter the first refrain, reinforcing the message ‘I’ll be here, trying’. The wishful ‘cut me loose, I can do as I please’ is more poignant on reflection of the relationship explored in
ARTS: MUSIC 23 previous tracks. The speaker is breaking away: ‘I’m sorry, you should be sorry too’. Once again, we hear the distant speech signalling that there is a shift coming. Waiting On Me To Change is this shift. It is not the mic-drop ending we would perhaps expect having heard the rest of the album, but it is the moment in which we understand that change is important for self-growth. It is also when we realise that change has to come from within ‘I’ll change when I want to’. Source: Pitchfork.com
Pre-Release Discussion: Death By Rock and Roll
Source: Sam Palmer SAM PALMER
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he Pretty Reckless have been hailed by many as the face of modern rock and roll. Classic rock enthusiasts and modern rock fans alike can come together to support this band. They add a modern twist to the classic formula, and it is thoroughly enjoyable listening. Their newest album, Death By Rock and Roll, has already broken one record, and will hopefully
break more. At the point of writing, the album’s release is only a few days away, so this is not a review as such a discussion of what the band have already given us. The first track to release in May of 2020 was the title track from the album. Taylor Momsen – lead vocalist and writer for The Pretty Reckless – has said that Death by Rock and Roll can be considered as an homage to the band’s late producer Kato Khandwala.
He tragically passed away following a motorcycle accident in 2018, and Taylor has said that this track – dedicated to the lifestyle of rock and roll – will be a way to remember him, as he lived and breathed this lifestyle just as the band did. His passing has definitely had an impact on the band, with Kato having been a founding member of the band and thus worked with the band on all their previous albums. On top of this uncertainty has been, of course, COVID-19, leading to heavy delays and complete rethinking of the release schedule of the album. However, more positively, Taylor has said that in spite of all the tumultuousness surrounding the album’s conception and release it promises to be their best album yet and she is excited for the world to hear it.
The four tracks that we have already received have all been very different, and Taylor has said that her writing style has changed for the better for the writing of this album. This is in no small part demonstrated by 25, an autobiographical song describing each year of Taylor’s life. It offers an interesting, somewhat sad insight into how Taylor sees her own life, however she has said it is a hopeful song, and that rings true toward the end. Many fans, myself included, noticed the familiar sound of a James Bond theme, and with the upcoming release of the 25th James Bond film, it has been speculated that this song is intended for the soundtrack for this film, or was a contender for the opening theme. Rather more tragically is the theory that is in tribute to the late Chris Cornell, as Taylor and Chris
were known to be close and Taylor was one of the last people to see him before his death. While either could well be true, neither detract from how different this song is for the band, and what that suggests about the nature of the upcoming album.
Regardless of speculation surrounding motivations behind the tracks and circumstances around the writing or release of the album, Death by Rock and Roll feels as though it will be a brilliant album. With the title track reaching number 1 on the Billboard rock chart, it makes The Pretty Reckless record holders of the most number ones on said chart of any female-led group. For fans of the band, classic or modern rock, this album will be worth a listen. This band has always delivered consistently high quality, and this record will be no different.
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Manchester City: Best Team in England PETER GEDDES
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ast month I wrote that it was too early to say if Manchester United were in a title race. Lo and behold United have stumbled with a surprise loss to Sheffield United and draws against Arsenal and Everton. As of game week 23 Manchester City have overcome their intercity rivals’ narrow lead to pull ahead by five points with a game in hand. Meanwhile, Liverpool have seen their home form dismantled by Burnley, Brighton and then emphatically by the league leaders. Leicester, though still capable, have not managed to capitalise on United’s dip in form. Which leaves the blue side of Manchester seemingly unopposed at the top. In truth it is a position they have earned but is the title tied up? are there still some weaknesses that their rivals can exploit? Throughout most of last season and the first two months of this one Guardiola’s team looked a shadow of the team that won the league backto-back. Their control over possession rather than looking imperious and purposeful was slow and wasteful. Before the summer Laporte was a crutch for a defence that was prone to horrendous lapses and the partnership between him and new signing Ruben Dias didn’t get off the ground as many had hoped. John Stones, who was tipped to leave City before this season,
has reasserted himself as England’s best centre back alongside Dias who is among the best signings of the summer. Much has also been made of Ilkay Gundogan and Phil Foden who have both picked up the slack left in Aguero’s absence, since Kevin De Bruyne’s injury Gundogan has looked like prime David Silva, despite the odd missed penalty he’s been City’s best player. Foden has pushed on and is now knocking on Gareth Southgate’s door, England’s midfield is looking even more competitive than last year, a conundrum which will have to be looked at another time. A somewhat unsung hero in City’s resurgence is Joao Cancelo, he’s decidedly overtaken Kyle Walker in the right back berth and has shown his versatility in some of Pep’s more unconventional systems. At times it’s hard to tell what his position is, he’ll often spend a lot of time in midfield as a sort of inverted right back/ extra playmaker. His attacking contribution has been exceptional and his defensive work while maybe not as good overall as Walker doesn’t have the same tendency to make critical errors. He’s another example of a player who has taken a season to bed in and Manchester City are reaping the rewards. This season has underlined the depth that City have available, in every position apart from centre forward and left back they
have two to three top quality options. Furthermore, they’ve managed to play systems that don’t require specialists in either. With Gundogan currently a nailed-on starter, in front of him any four of Sterling, Torres, Jesus, Foden, Mahrez and Bernardo Silva can start with Aguero and De Bruyne currently unavailable. What’s terrifying about this for the rest of the Premier League is that at most two or three are performing to their potential. At this point the prospect of City going unbeaten for the rest of the reason doesn’t seem so unlikely, their solidity in and out of possession is unmatched and their rivals have obvious flaws. Despite this there are areas of weakness which have been exploited in the past and could yet trip them up either in the league or in the Champions League which will have restarted by the time this is published. The most obvious of these is at centre forward, there are benefits to not having a designated striker, but I don’t
think anybody would want to argue that this team would be worse with a fully fit Sergio Aguero up front. The problem for City currently is that they are relying on players who are not proven goal scorers, Gundogan and Foden have only started consistently scoring this season and if they go off the boil the hole left by Aguero will look all the bigger. The second area of possible fragility is more intangible and that’s mentality. This may seem a bizarre thing to mention in an article about a team currently on a 13+ winning streak in all competitions, but this team still has a tendency to miss massive opportunities in big games. Most recently Gundogan missed a penalty against Liverpool, it didn’t end up mattering because they scored another three goals but things like that have happened before and against a team that doesn’t have a goalkeeper willing to pass you the ball City may falter. This has more relevance for the Champions League but it could still bite them in the league. Ultimately it is Manchester City’s title to lose but it is a strange year and I have a feeling the Manchester Derby on March 6th will be crucial.
Source: Laurence Griffiths, Getty Images
Why We Will See a FirstTime MVP in the NBA This Season (Part 2) BEN ROWE ast month, I highlighted why none of the active past-MVPs have what it takes to be re-crowned this season. This month, I will suggest some candidates who could well be crowned the Most Valuable Player for their first time in the 2020/21 season. 21-year-old Luka Doncic was tipped by many at the beginning of the season. He was named in the All-NBA first team last season despite it only being his second in the league. At 6 foot 7, Doncic has exceptional size and strength, but also great handles and a soft touch. He is versatile on offense and an intelligent playmaker too, and is currently averaging just shy of a tripledouble: 27.9PPG, 8.7RPG and 9.5APG (the second highest in the league). However, it has been a stagnant first third of the season for Dallas. For Doncic to stake a serious claim in the MPV debate, he must guide the Mavericks to the playoffs in Spring.
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Wizards guard Bradley Beal is averaging 33.2PPG – the highest in the league by quite some way. He is a sensational scoring talent and, despite the arrival of Russell Westbrook in Washington, has remained a franchise figurehead. Unfortunately, the Wizards have been incredibly underwhelming so far this
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season – at the time of writing they have won just 25% of their games. To truly be considered, Beal would need to guide his team to the playoffs. A good player plays well – a great player makes those around him play better. It seems that Beal is the former. Although he failed to back up his 2018/19 numbers last season, 76ers big Joel Embiid has found his game again. His 29.3PPG and 10.7RPG have propelled Philadelphia to the top of the Eastern Conference – a place they have not been for so long. They are already emerging as a real postseason threat, bolstered by the seemingly unguardable Embiid in the frontcourt. He is a man in possession of the raw physical minerals enabling him to purely dominate games. He is MVP material. It is astonishing that a man of Damian Lillard’s calibre has never been crowned MVP. The 2013 Rookie of the Year and 5-time All-Star is a scoring machine – heavily cited as the shooter with the best range in the league. His clutch performance at Chicago on January 31 evidenced the pedigree of Dame. Averaging 29.1PPG and 7.3APG, if (at 30) Lillard can continue to develop individually whilst leading the Trailblazers to a 0.500+ record and a playoff finish, he cannot be discounted from the race.
Thomas Tuchel Replaces Frank Lampard at Chelsea: What Went Wrong? DANIEL HORNER
A Caption: Joel Embiid celebrates a win after putting up 33 points against the Nets on February 6. Source: NBA.com
eccentric play style and a joy to watch off it due to his fantastic personality. The Joker is averaging incredible numbers this season: 27.2PPG, 11.5RPG and 8.6APG – assist numbers which are off the charts for a 7-footer. In his sixth season in the league, Jokic is having a career year and it is likely that he will keep improving. He is the focal point of a strong Nuggets franchise and has a great chance at becoming the first centre to win MVP since Shaquille O’Neal in 2000.
Since last month, both Kevin Durant and LeBron James seem to have been out to prove me wrong. Their minutes have not been as restricted as much as initially assumed, and they are both playing insanely well. However, the argument still remains: in a condensed season like this, all that matters is making the playoffs. Durant and LeBron will either voluntarily or be forced to take their feet off the gas. MVP will likely be awarded to an everpresent high-performer, who will be needed for the season’s duration to ensure postseason basketball. It is very difficult A final candidate is Denver to look beyond either Jokic or centre Nikola Jokic. He is Embiid at this point, but there a joy to watch on the court is still plenty of basketball to owing to his efficient and be played.
s a lifelong, die-hard Chelsea fan, Frank Lampard’s departure probably hurt the most out of any previous sacking of a Chelsea head coach. Yet, it was not surprising in the slightest to find out on 24th January that his eighteenmonth tenure had come to a premature end, despite beating Luton 3-1 in the FA Cup the previous afternoon. At the end of the day, personal sentiment aside, the sacking was understandable. Results were poor and the performances even worse, with weak away defeats away to Arsenal and Leicester notably standing out. The general feeling was that with an expensively assembled squad that possessed an abundance of talent and depth, the team should have been playing to a higher standard. Personally, I always had my doubts about Lampard, fearing that the job was too big and too soon. I could not blame him in the slightest for accepting the job though; it was a no brainer and a choice that he certainly does not regret. Still, from his only year of management at Derby County, where he lost 2-1 to Aston Villa in the Championship Play-Off Final, it was evident that his style of football had resulted in plenty of goals at both ends of the pitch. Defensively, there was and still is a lot left to be desired, with last season seeing too many cheap goals conceded, while even though we have one of the better defensive
records, it feels too reliant on 36-year-old Thiago Silva to keep things together.
The 2019-2020 season was enjoyable as I got to witness a club legend successfully lead Chelsea to a top four finish and an FA Cup final appearance, all while integrating the youth players and his methods amidst a transfer ban and the loss of Eden Hazard to Real Madrid. Lampard can definitely hold his head up high as whatever success the club will hopefully have in the future, he helped build the foundations of it. Academy graduates Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham, Reece James and Callum Hudson-Odoi featured prominently and will certainly be integral to any future success. Lampard managed to attract big name signings last summer: Thiago Silva, Kai Havertz, Timo Werner, Ben Chilwell, Hakim Ziyech and Édouard Mendy all add much needed quality to a developing squad. The 2020-2021 campaign started strongly, a seventeengame unbeaten run seeing us briefly top the league while winning our Champions League group undefeated. However, my gut instinct was that we could not get caught up in this excellent form, as I wanted to see how we could deal with adversity. Talk of us winning the league were quite over the top although I knew that this season, we should at least be getting top four and competing with the other title contenders. The defeats soon came and with it, two wins in eight league games that ultimately cost Lampard
his job. Too often, we looked unmotivated and short of ideas PETER GEDDES in attack. The lack of fight, aggression, desire and cutting edge in build-up play stuck out like a sore thumb. There was too much possession resulting in too few chances, a lack of attacking balance through the middle of the pitch and naïve defensive errors creeping back in. Team selections were too chop and change, with players out of position and in form players not starting. Not knowing your best line-up will no doubt come back to bite you. Media outcry at Lampard’s sacking has some credit; he should have ideally been backed and the players do tend to get away with unacceptable performances. I believe he will be back at some point though as a better manager. Blame must overall fall on the structure of the club. Why hire an inexperienced coach and not give him the time he needs? We pride ourselves on winning no matter what, but we are not the right place for long-term projects, regardless of who is in charge. That is something that is simply not in the DNA of the club. As of writing, Thomas Tuchel has guided Chelsea up to fifth, one point off Liverpool, after taking ten points from four games. He has reverted to a back three and utilising wing-backs, bringing outcasts Antonio Rudiger and Marcos Alonso back into the fold. There is still hope that the season can be salvaged, and Tuchel may just be the man to do that.
26 SPORTS
THE FOUNDER February 2021
Coronavirus: Levelling the Playing Field Across Europe? BEN ROWE
T
he Premier League this season has been wild. We are just over halfway through and seem to suggest a new favourite for the title every other week. The effects of the coronavirus pandemic have led to an unpredictable and exciting Premier League season. As we enter February, if we look further afield across the continent, the picture is very similar in the elite leagues of Europe. Seven of the past eight Ligue 1 titles have been won by Paris Saint-Germain. In 2016 the French giants won the title by a whopping 31 points. Currently, they are level on points with Lille after 21 matches. Lyon, Monaco and Stade Rennes aren’t too far behind either. And yet, PSG are still 1/8 to win the title, with Monaco and Lyon tied as the next favourites at 10/1. If the pandemic has taught us anything, isn’t it to challenge what we think we know? Backing PSG at this stage seems incredibly premature – especially considering they failed to beat Lille, Lyon and Monaco the first time they played them in the league this season. This is exciting for the neutral. When was the last time Ligue 1 has been competitive? Ignoring Monaco’s memorable 2016/17 campaign, you’d have to go back to 2011/12 when Montpellier pipped PSG to the post by three points.
The last eight Bundesliga titles have been won by Bayern Munich. Eight in a row. Last season they won the title by a comfortable 13 points, but it hasn’t been plain sailing this season. They have already dropped 12 points but find themselves seven points clear at the top owing to the recent poor form of RB Leipzig. But when the two sides met in December, an enthralling 3-3 draw was the result, suggesting the evenness of the two. The form of Borussia Dortmund this season has been disappointing, as they find themselves down in seventh, but with just eight points separating second and ninth, it is all to play for regarding the European spots in Germany this season. Maybe, with a bit of luck, we will see Bayern pushed a little further this season also, especially considering the improvements many German teams have made over the past five years. Since 2005, only once has a team other than Barcelona or Real Madrid won the La Liga title. This was Atletico in 2014, and Simeone’s men are looking to upset the giants again this season. A resurgent Luis Suarez has fired Atletico seven points clear at the top with a game in hand. The form of Barcelona and Real Madrid has surprised many. Real and Barca simply don’t play badly, the league should be a two-horse race (especially considering their
Source: Daily Mail
budgets compared to the other 18 teams in the league); but Atletico are rewriting the rulebook and this season have shown that organisation and team spirit are two factors which continue to trump all others. Having lost only one game so far this season, the bookmakers are recognising their prowess and have them as odds on favourites to win the title. In recent history, Juventus have had just as dominant a relationship with the Scudetto as Bayern have with the Bundesliga – the last nine titles have gone to The Old Lady, but their dominance this season under Andrea Pirlo seems to have waned. They currently find themselves in
fourth, below both the Milan clubs and Roma, and only just above Atalanta, Napoli and Lazio. Serie A is undoubtedly Europe’s most exciting league this season. Calling who will be crowned champions is an impossible task, but the bookmakers still have Juventus as second favourites despite their turbulent season so far. The romanticists are holding out for Zlatan’s AC Milan (two points clear at the top as we enter February) to win their first title since 2011 and achieve their first top four finish since 2013. Owing to the past 12 months, it seems odd to be thanking Coronavirus for anything,
but the abnormalities in the standings of Europe’s top leagues can be considered a result of it. The Premier League too has seen nine different teams top the table this season. Maybe we have seen a levelling of the playing field for the foreseeable future, or maybe this season is just going to be another asterisked blip. Nonetheless, the level of competition and excitement across the continent will be something to cherish for the rest of the season.
SPORTS 27
THE FOUNDER February 2021
Lions Tour to South Africa in Doubt PETER GEDDES he British and Irish Lions are a unique property in world sport, four nations come together every four years to take on the world’s best rugby teams on their own soil. They are also one of the clearest demonstrations of the importance of fans, mass travelling support has been a staple of the tours for decades. These two facts make the decisions facing the organisers of the 2021 Tour to South Africa agonisingly difficult. A year ago, the idea of the Tour being pushed back, cancelled, or moved to a different location would have been hard to fathom, even six months ago when the reality of the pandemic had been impressed upon everyone the 2021 sporting calendar still seemed fairly secure. At this point everything is up in the air with the likelihood of the Test Series being played out in South Africa with fans in the stadium decreasing by the day. Alternatives are being thrown around by pundits, fans, and various governing bodies alike. In this climate of uncertainty, I will attempt to evaluate the options open to the Lions and what I expect to happen.
T
First let’s look at the best case scenario; the tour is played in South Africa and fans can attend. The numbers of new cases of COVID-19 in South Africa have been declining throughout January with some lockdown restrictions now being lifted. However, the prospect of international travel being opened up will be dependent on roll out of vaccine. The country
received its first million doses at the beginning of February far behind the UK which now has ten million administered with the first dose as of the 3rd. Fifty million more doses are currently being negotiated for, but can South Africa vaccinate enough people before July? According to World Rugby vice-chairman Bernard Laporte the deadline for the decision is the end of March. If the early signs are good on the vaccine roll
four-year cycle, the traveling fans, the intensity and stakes. Not having fans would make the Tour a write off in a way that the entire concept can illafford.
the Lions would also disrupt Scotland and Wales’ summer plans as well as harming preparation for the World Cup the following year. The Lions is a long and demanding tour and the effects of it on injuries Assuming South Africa and player fatigue are well can’t host the Tour this recorded, holding it twelve year there are a number of months before the World Cup alternatives which have risks damaging the some of been suggested. The most the best players in the world. favourable from the South This raises the possibility of African point of view is shortening the tour, something postponement. Hold the tour which I fear would dilute the
Source: Sky Sports
out, then the Tour may well commit to South Africa. Though, even if things go as well as possible South Africa will, at most, have ten million people on their first dose with the tour three months away. My view is that if playing in South Africa means no fans then other options should be explored. Having yearly tournaments with no fans is one thing, the Six Nations, though deeply harmed by the lack of atmosphere will return at the start of next year or the year after that with the same intensity and carnival spirit. The Lions though, is something different. The
next summer. This may well be the best solution from a financial point of view; will allow for more travelling fans and it could essentially go ahead as intended just a year late. The issues with this suggestion are twofold 1. the effect on the already planned international calendar for 2022 2. the effect on player welfare heading into World Cup 2023. Ireland and New Zealand have dates set out for a Test Series in July while England and Australia also have one pencilled in. The sacrifice of these fixtures either in their entirety or in competitiveness would be a great loss, moving
product further. The Lions is an odd thing and its place in the rugby calendar has always been contested, less and less time is being allocated to each tour. Something has to give but I think having the Lions play less than 8 games would be a grave mistake. Beyond postponement the games could be played in a neutral venue like Australia or New Zealand, or, what I alluded to earlier, in the British Isles. Realistically, I don’t see Australia and New Zealand as viable options. The two-week quarantine makes it prohibitive because
of the domestic calendar in Europe and a predominantly neutral crowd wouldn’t be ideal. Which brings me to my preferred hypothetical solution which will probably not be used. A British and Irish Lions Test Series in Britain and Ireland. If the vaccine roll out continues as it has we could have perhaps as many as twenty five million people on their first jab by the end of March and hopefully over half the population heading into the summer. Combine that with the decrease in cases which will come with warmer weather the risk of having people in stadiums will be significantly reduced. If you can’t get the South African franchise teams for the warm up games host matches with local teams, you could even add a few in for the Springboks who haven’t played a match of rugby since they won the World Cup in 2019. Have games against Leinster, Exeter, Edinburgh, Scarlets, bring the party to Britain and Ireland and celebrate this magnificent institution like it has never been celebrated before. It doesn’t have to become a regular thing but I think it would be a fitting way of overcoming the difficult circumstances and enhancing the Lions. At the moment I expect the Tour to be postponed because of the commercial imperative of having fans. The stake South African rugby have in the tour makes a rejigged European tour seem unlikely and I can’t see the South African government vaccinating enough of its population before July, I hope I’m wrong.
28 SPORTS
THE FOUNDER February 2021
Sport-Light: Basketball Women’s Captain Charlotte Besaucele
got into it. They were looking for a lot of girls so they could create a girls team so I gave it a shot. I became a fan of all the teams at a later point. What led you to apply to become Captain this year?
Source: Charlotte Besaucele
ELIOT K. RAMAN JONES | SPORTS EDITOR s we enter 2021, the coronavirus pandemic has ravaged individual countries and personal lives across the globe. Elite sports institutions such as the NBA, the NFL and the Premier League have all been able to adapt to playing, but lowerlevel sport and university sports have been forced to stop matches and training. Lots of well-funded university sports teams such as Football and American Football have been able to steer their way through the pandemic relatively safely, but for many more niche sports teams the situation is dire and possibly dangerous. I interviewed the Women’s Captain of one such club this month, Charlotte Besaucele.
A
How did you first get into basketball? Charlotte Besaucele: I’ve actually been playing basketball for almost 13 years now ao it’s been a while! I played a lot in France until university when I moved to England, so I have a lot of experience in the sport. I’ve played for different teams and in a lot of different places. I started in my small town with my friends when I was 8. My brother was playing basketball at the same time so I just decided to get into it too and never stopped loving it. Did you follow the sport as a fan first or as a player? CB: First as a player, I actually didn’t really know a lot about the sport before I
CB: I think a lot of it is to do with my passion for basketball. I was Captain last year as well, I cocaptained with a teammate. My experience brings a lot to the team as well because I do know what I’m talking about – how to organise a game, how to adapt the training to all the different girls. Because we’re at a university, each girl does not have the same level of basketball experience and are looking for different things from the sport. Some are just looking to have a fun time and make friends while others are more invested in the serious play-to-win side of the sport. I think as a captain this adaptability is very important. I think I was able to make it fun and competitive at the club with my experience last year, so I hoped I could do the same this year. When I reached out to Basketball to interview the President, your name was put forward as a representative instead. Why do you think you have become the de facto voice of the club? CB: I think I’ve put in a lot of commitment being a part
of the club, even during my first year when I wasn’t on committee. I’ve shown a lot of dedication too, coming to training, to games, attending the Men’s Basketball games as well. It’s quite a big commitment too in normal times, we have three training sessions a week and two games a week. I think I’ve also helped the younger players improve, shared my knowledge and experience with the girls who haven’t had access to that knowledge and experience and gave them tips and advice on how to improve their weak points. Everyone knows I live for this and can feel my faith in the sport. The coronavirus has hit a lot of university-level sports hard. I’ve recently interviewed some very niche sports recently, but basketball, while not on the same level as football or hockey, have quite a big reputation at Royal Holloway. How are the club coping during the pandemic?
CB: It’s been complicated because we’re a deceptively small club – we have one Women’s team and one Men’s team which is about 20-25 members total and obviously it’s also both a contact sport and an indoor sport, neither of which are helpful for managing coronavirus guidelines. Our activities have totally stopped. It’s pretty hard, getting funding
has been tricky too but we obviously have a lot fewer expenses. It’s not the easiest time for a little club like us. We’re trying to keep everyone active with Zoom workouts in the past few weeks, and a lot of people have been showing up. We’ve been keeping up our competitive mindset with challenges like taking 10,000 steps a day etc. We couldn’t do any new tryouts this year, which is a shame for both membership numbers and also the freshers who were going to be part of the team. What makes Basketball at Royal Holloway special? CB: I think it’s a very cosy atmosphere. Since we’re a small club everyone really gets to know each other, everyone gets along and supports one another. Even when there are big games and people cheer us on, the atmosphere in that court is so motivating and great to play in those circumstances. Your team members are your family in that moment. How would you describe Royal Holloway Basketball in one sentence? CB: That’s a tough question. I’d say that the moment we step on the basketball court, you forget about your problems, you have your coaches and your teammates all together and you can just work together and play some basketball
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