The Columnist 26/02/15

Issue 2 2 Editorial 3 Draw power!

CURRENT AFFAIRS 5 Pieces of a tsar 7 One Guantanamo to go, please 8 Politics: 57 varieties 10 Muslims don’t kill people, terrorists do

SOCIAL COMMENTARY 12 Bringing out the drugs 13 Hoping for the homeless 15 From protest to proposals 17 Student capital in the twenty-first century

CULTURE 19 ‘Unherd’ art 21 There are more pages than Page 3 22 Oppression by the enlightened

DRAW POWER! • Pieces of a tsar • Student capital in the twentyfirst century • ‘Unherd’ art

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Editorial Thank you.

The reception of our inaugural issue was greater

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Since November, each of the editors has been

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Thanks to our fantastic contributors, none of these concerns proved founded. We have reached a few milestones with this issue as well, including the addition of a graphic designer to our staff team, who pointed out the fact that the Columnist had no columns. Inside you will find pieces covering everything from Putin to Page 3, and once again we have struggled to fit all of the excellent article submissions we received into the magazine.

What we hope is clear is that this magazine really is shaped by you. Engage with it. Let it make you think. Have a reaction? Write it down, and send it to us.

It has been a pleasure working on your magazine, The Editors.

COVER STORY

The Columnist Issue 2

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Draw power!

By Ross Devlin Google search suggestions, a simple way to gauge

the massacre on January 7. A French poll released

the public’s impression on a subject, answered

after the attack revealed 42% believed Charlie

my phrase ‘is free speech’ with, ‘a right that

Hebdo should not publish images of Muhammad,

should be absolute.’ The concept of absolute

but a larger margin of 57% believed opposition

freedom to express any opinion, no matter

to these cartoons was insufficient to stop their

how taboo, has never had her feet so close to

publication.

the coals. Publications from the Atlantic to the Economist have weighed in on the issue, and the

One person who stands in solidarity

debate intensified considerably in the aftermath of

with Charlie, despite finding their editorial slant “hurtful and racist,” is Sudanese artist Khalid Albaih. His cartoons have become well-known for their stark use of colour and meshing of pen and computer graphics. With his series “Kartoons,” Albaih has become symbolic of uprising, and he strives to maintain this image positively, by looking at what causes individual humans to resort to violence, in a way that does not condemn a race of people. To the west, free speech grows increasingly burdensome. But there are still parts of the world where political unrest and militant emotions are a continual source of frustration, and the freedom to express one’s opinion is still a ‘liberty’ very worth the fight.

Political cartoons will always be an expression of personal opinion. The artist does not represent a nation, but they try to be a source of inspiration and hope to the voiceless many that share their views. Middle Eastern cartoonists in particular have become internationally renowned for their commitment to the genre. They are also, of course, a hook in the shoulder of the bullish regimes under which they are governed. Why? Because, like dictators, they are powerful.

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COVER STORY

On August 25th, 2011, Ali Farzat was followed

Tyranny relies on fear and misinformation to

after leaving his office, (he claims to work like a

maintain order, within atrocious conditions and

bat, or like the stars to the sky: late into the night,

abuses to human rights. With the introduction of

sleeping in the morning). His car was rammed

social media to countries under autocratic rule

from the road, and his assailants placed a bag over

though, maintaining an alternative voice became

his head and dragged him through the twilight dust

easier. Omar Abdallat won the Cartoon Spring

to their own car, where they beat his hands until

award in 2012 for an illustration depicting a small

they broke. They absconded him, and tossed him

blue bird breaking free from a cage in the shape of

back out of the moving vehicle onto the sidewalk.

a dictator. Abdallat chose the colour blue because

“Maybe they thought I was dead,” he said.

it “is the colour of the internet sites that played an important role in the erosion and detection of lies

Later, the resilient Farzat said “I use satire to

of the tyrant system.” While Twitter is normally

draw dictators […] I try to marginalise them […]

panned as a platform for narcissistic idiots in the

This gives people hope that these dictators are

west, it was a godsend for the Arab Spring, and is

empty, and gives people the courage to continue

widely reported to have been a catalyst in many of

to demonstrate and be critical.” A cartoonist is

the protests during the uprisings.

merely a critic. But the balance with which they articulate complex, or rather crass, metaphors is

I believe Abdallat’s cartoon captures the struggle

the difference between mocking insolence and

that he and his peers face on a daily basis, a

mature introspection.

struggle that should earn them more than just awards and international recognition. They

Some African and Middle Eastern cartoonists

struggle to be heard, so that others will know it

come across as fearless, but often one can notice

is possible to be heard. They speak freely, an act

the long, dirty rope that is wrapped around their

more than necessary, so that others will know

ankle and trails out of the door and down the

they can speak freely too. They struggle not for

street. When you live in a country where the

the truth, for it can be subjective, but the freedom

government controls every medium to suppress

to know the truth, with no fear of repercussion.

independent thought, each citizen is born with one

Most importantly, they are activists who translate

of these ropes tied to them, and all it takes is a little

the unspeakable violence and injustice that is felt

tug for them to disappear. In some cases, a tug can

underneath corrupt autocrats into a language that

come from across continents, straits, and oceans,

is universally understood.

and still reach its target. In 1987, on the street outside his office in London, Palestinian Naji Al-

There is a “miscommunication gap between east

Ali was assassinated after a long career of analysing

and west,” claims Sudanese artist Khalid Albaih,

Palestine and Israel’s deep-rooted feud through a

“images and cartoons are a patch.”

barefoot boy named Handala. He was one of the most respected cartoonists of the 20th century for his depictions of Middle Eastern politics.

CURRENT AFFAIRS

The Columnist Issue 2

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Pieces of a tsar

By Chris Belous To call Vladimir Putin a tsar outright would be

the population identify as Russian Orthodox

a misunderstanding of the nature of the Russian

Christians, religion is nominally secondary

Empire’s tsarist autocracy up until 1917, but it

to politics. So, while the tsar could claim his

is still worth looking at the parallels between

legitimacy from God, today’s Russian leaders

Russia then and now to figure out what kind of

must claim their legitimacy from the people,

leader Putin is. Moreover, to understand Russia

which Putin does well. Despite his party’s lack

today, one cannot overlook Russian history.

of popularity, his personal approval ratings have remained consistently high; the independent, non-governmental Russian polling organisation Levada-Center found them to be as high as 87% last August. Putin has been able to keep his population happy in spite of recent economic problems and oppressive legislation, especially since his first presidency saw high economic growth and an increase in real incomes by a factor of 2.5, according to the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Many Russians seem to support his style of rule and look up to

What makes a tsar a tsar? Historically speaking,

him personally as a great leader, much like the

the tsar was the leader of the Russian Empire,

attitude often was to the tsars. Perhaps it may

ordained by God, and the father of his peoples.

even be that a lot of Russians favour Putin’s

tsars often headed economically backward and

‘hard’ ruling style for being so tsar-like, with

politically isolated, yet expansionist countries.

some finding security in his firm, no-nonsense

They would preside over actions which harmed

approach to diplomacy. For instance, after Hilary

minorities; they led proudly lavish lives; freedom

Clinton’s comment that Putin had “no soul,” his

of expression and assembly would often be

response was, “at least the state figure should

supressed. Putin may not call himself the father

have a head.” The Russian leader has a clear

of his peoples, and he certainly does not call

belief in practical over emotional politics, which

himself ordained by God, but there can be no

is something his public favour.

doubt that his actions in recent years have their similarities with tsarism.

Of course, there are many dissenters in Russia, and they are invariably punished for daring to

Technically speaking, Russia today is a secular

speak out against an oppressive regime, with

state. Despite the fact that the majority of

journalists shot and protesters imprisoned

CURRENT AFFAIRS

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regularly. Indeed, freedom of speech is a touchy

the territorial policy, spoken or unspoken, which

subject today, a key example of this being the

Russia has always had regarding the peninsula.

legislation against ‘gay propaganda’, passed in 2013 which in effect bans the distribution of

It is also important to consider Russia’s global

content related to LGBT+ culture. Under the

position. Despite Putin’s desire for the country

tsars, censorship was also enacted frequently,

to be as strong and as independent as possible,

as in the case of the suppression of Ukrainian-

a belief shared with the tsars, Russia has

language materials in the 1880s. Moreover,

nonetheless been embroiled in international

freedom of assembly has been restricted under

politics throughout its history, whether as

both Putin and the tsars. In 2013, Moscow courts

invader or ally. The Crimean War was waged

enacted a ban against gay pride marches for

against Russia; both World Wars were waged

100 years, and throughout the early nineteenth

with Russia as an Allied Power; the Cold War

century, formations of any private associations

saw the USSR grow into the USA’s enemy

were forbidden unless personally authorised by

superpower. Russia has also been consistently

the tsar. The similarities are there, even if the

part of talks ranging from the G8 (although their

focus of Putin and the tsars diverges.

membership is currently suspended due to the Ukraine crisis) to the 1814-5 Congress of Vienna.

Putin understands Russia’s international status and his foreign policy reflects this, although he is also not afraid to make his own covert gains, as in the case of Ukraine, where his government has denied Russian military involvement despite this clearly being the case.

Putin, then, is both a modern and traditional ruler, picking and choosing western and

Then there are the comparisons that can be

Russian methods as he sees fit, participating

made between Putin’s presidential retreat (the

in international diplomacy but with an

extravagant dacha he occupies outside Moscow)

unapologetic eye on Russia’s agenda at all times.

and the Winter Palace, Saint Petersburg, in

His approach and image is tsar-esque, but he

which the tsar would reside. There is also the

adapts his approach to fit the demands of the

economic isolation and the fall of the value of the

political moment, both inside and outside Russia.

rouble following western sanctions in the wake

Arguably then, Putin is a tsar for the twenty-first

of the ongoing Ukraine conflict, which has some

century.

parallels with the Russian Empire’s reputation for economic backwardness. Finally, there is Russia’s ‘annexation’ of Crimea in March 2014, which is jarringly expansionist for the twentyfirst century and is really just a continuation of

CURRENT AFFAIRS

The Columnist Issue 2

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One Guantanamo to go, please

By Josh Stein In very basic terms, Guantanamo Bay has

An account by Mohamedou Ould Slahi, an

fulfilled the aims set out by the United States

inmate at the camp, recounts the details of

government at its foundation in 2002: to detain

torture strategies utilised by the guards in the

and interrogate “extremely dangerous” criminals.

camp. He highlights the ‘perfected’ methods of the guards such as sleep deprivation and being

However, to acknowledge Guantanamo as ‘a

forced to drink salt water. These unspeakable

success’ would be to applaud the lack of human

techniques are mentioned in Mr Slahi’s accounts,

rights that prisoners have had. When it was set

published in The Guardian and in his book

up, even the Bush administration stated that

“Guantanamo Diary”.

prisoners would not be subject to the Geneva Conventions, which establish basic human rights

It can be argued that Mr Slahi agreed to the

for all prisoners across the globe.

charges put against him purely in the hope that the torturous conditions would stop.

The outright denial of these rights to prisoners

When asked if he was telling the truth, after he

of Guantanamo speaks volumes about the

admitted to planning the destruction of the CN

intense fear surrounding ‘terrorism’ in the US. It

tower in Toronto, he answered, “I don’t care as

also reveals the ambivalence of the modern day

long as you are pleased. So if you want to buy, I

US politicians to adhere to the basic freedoms

am selling.”

and rights their predecessors were fighting for just under 250 years ago.

What is equally shocking is the fact that Mr Slahi was due for release in 2012, and that he

Furthermore, the inhuman conditions of the

is still retained there. He has a wife and four

prison have festered ideological hatred for the

children in the UK, who has always claimed that

America and the west.

he left the extremist group with which he had once associated. This situation is though not out of the ordinary. Around half of the current detainees should long have been let out of Guantanamo, but are still there.

Traditionally, the key to a jail sentence is to find a balance between punishment and rehabilitation, something that Guantanamo certainly failed to do. A prison sentence in Guantanamo achieves the opposite of rehabilitation, fabricating and hardening any

Protester outside the US Supreme Court, 2007.

CURRENT AFFAIRS

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Guantanamo is an exhibition of anti-terrorist

state. An article published last month revealed

feeling among the American political classes. Its

that 30 per cent of all detainees returned to the

existence also emphasises the ‘exception from

“fight” against the US following their release.

the rule’ that accused terrorists get in prison

This use of loaded language broadly exhibits

treatment. The aim of Guantanamo Bay has been

the intense American paranoia that all attacks

to extinguish the human rights of its detainees,

are committed against them. The hypocrisy of

and in doing so, to weaken the ‘terrorist’ attacks

Guantanamo, however, is its institutionalisation

against the US. In reality the prison shows a

of retribution as a means of combating this

certain naïvity within the US government,

perceived threat. Considering this, it is

through its continued belief that aggression

inconceivable that any supporter of ‘freedom’

in the face of aggression will be enough to

can justify the continued function of the camp.

discourage future terrorist attacks.

Politics: 57 varieties

By Gavin Dewar British politics is lighting up. A spectrum of

A scare, however, is exactly what these

ideologies is blazing into life; and the establishment

traditionalists need. It is the dismally immovable

is running scared.

grey world of Westminster that has fed widespread disillusionment and political apathy in the UK.

To the far left are the Greens, riding on a wave of new membership. On the far right, UKIP

Democratic drama will energise the UK. Many

sprays alarmist rhetoric across the airwaves.

young people will feel empowered to engage in

Meanwhile, calls from the Scottish National Party

politics for the first time. Others will be galvanised

here in Scotland, Plaid Cymru in Wales, and

once again by all the bright new shades and hues

the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin in

of representation and opportunity being offered.

Northern Ireland are increasing in volume with

Elections will be a catalyst for real debate, from the

every passing day.

bottom up, not just the top down.

Towards the political centre, Labour, the Liberal

In Scotland, we had an historic glimpse into true

Democrats, and the Conservatives find themselves

democracy last September. Mid-2014 will be

caught in the crossfire. For traditionalists, British

remembered as a time when almost every single

politics is becoming a dangerous place.

person became passionately political, and the effects will ripple far into the nation’s future.

The independence referendum has empowered millions of people.

CURRENT AFFAIRS

The Columnist Issue 2

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Five-party politics as a concept is more democratic,

The question is whether or not the UKIP bubble

representative and effective at bringing important

will burst before the May 2015 general election. If

debates to the fore. It is though a new, untried

it does, supporters are likely to leave the fizzled-

situation for the UK, and 2015 brings with it a lot

out party behind to return to their previous Tory

of risk as well as a lot of opportunity.

and Labour stances. The more likely option, however, is that UKIP will indeed maintain enough

The stakes are high. Weighty matters like the

momentum to crash a fair number of MPs into

continuation of austerity, the future of devolution

Westminster.

and the constitution, the direction of immigration policy, and the future of the UK’s European Union

Butwhat will be the state of British five-party

membership will be decided in a year that may

politics be if UKIP does burn away after the next

prove to be erratic and unpredictable politically.

parliament? While it is not difficult to find UKIP’s policies and personalities extremely distasteful,

May 2015 also risks being dangerously unbalanced.

they do provide equilibrium to the political

The ideal vision of British five-party politics would

spectrum.

be to see fair representation and debate, rather than the current media onslaught on UKIP, and the

If the Greens, UKIP, national parties, and other

reactionary support they have gathered since their

burgeoning parties want to bring about a colourful

relative success in last year’s European elections.

broadening of British politics, they need to make the most of 2015. First-past-the-post, our current

The nature of UKIP’s current popularity, too,

voting system, is out-of-date, and designed

casts uncertainty over election results, and their

to secure majority governments. We need to

aftermath. It is likely that UKIP will burn out,

accept that the UK, its politics and people, are

and its euphoric rise will come to a deflating end.

changing. Perhaps the only way to represent these

Indeed, The Independent has reported that Nigel

developments is to do what the Lib Dems failed to

Farage’s popularity figures are already dropping,

do in 2011 – change the voting system.

while support for the EU is hesitantly lifting again.

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CURRENT AFFAIRS

Muslims don’t kill people, terrorists do

By Paola Tenconi Recent terror attacks in the west have

Claims that the disproportionate attention

highlighted some disturbing but all-too-

awarded to Charlie Hebdo is justified as an

common trends in the mainstream media.

exceptional shock, being an ‘attack on freedom

The coverage of the Charlie Hebdo shooting

of speech’, are made somewhat less convincing

in January is emblematic of a Eurocentric

in light of the significant absence of coverage

tendency to devalue non-western lives and

on the public flogging of Saudi Arabian blogger

prioritise some news stories over others, often

Raif Badawi, a human rights abuse being widely

at the cost of journalistic integrity. The double

ignored in the tide of post-Charlie discourse.

standards of the Charlie Hebdo coverage, both

Restrictions on the freedom of speech of

in the mainstream press and social media, are

non-western cartoonists similarly have been

striking and unfortunately feed into an ongoing

overlooked in the debates surrounding political

normalised discourse on terror – one in which

cartoons and the ‘right’ to offend.

Muslims too often feature as AK-47 wielding villains, forfeiting human decency in the name

It is appreciated that media outlets should

of religion.

cater to public interests, and while the Paris disturbances do ‘hit closer to home’, the

In the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo attacks,

aggressive news coverage revealed a worrying

most news was put on hold in the flurry of

double standard. One Al-Jazeera correspondent

headlines and channels closely following

aptly remarked that Muslims are only in the

the Kouachi brothers and the #JeSuisCharlie

headlines when they’re behind the gun. The

solidarity movement dominating social media.

persistent portrayal of Muslims as assailants

On-going troubles and human rights abuses in

instead of victims is highly problematic:

all other parts of the world were forgotten in

relatively little attention was awarded to Ahmed

order to accommodate the attack on freedom

Merabet, a Muslim policeman killed alongside

of speech in the home of ‘liberty, equality and

the cartoonists. Similarly overshadowed was

fraternity’. The cover of the Economist that

Lassana Bathily, another Muslim who aided the

week bore a bleeding pen commemorating

hostages of the Paris Kosher attack in the wake

the deceased cartoonists, not a headline of the

of the Charlie Hebdo shooting.

heinous Boko Haram attack in Nigeria, or of Syrian children freezing to death in refugee

Too often, western media sources have us

camps – and they were not alone.

forgetting that Muslims too suffer from terrorism. In fact, victims of terrorism are much more likely to be non-western and Muslim: the 2014 Global Terrorism index, ranking nations by

CURRENT AFFAIRS

The Columnist Issue 2

terrorist activity and casualties, shows the top 10

Many right-wing leaders capitalized on the

countries affected by terrorism are non-western,

Islamophobic backlash of the attacks: the

highlighting this disparity in the western media

German group, PEGIDA drew 25,000 people

discourse on terrorism.

to their anti-Islam rally shortly after. The

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Islamophobic backlash, however, was not limited As much as these scattered incidents of terror

to political opportunism. A series of revenge

must be condemned, the media and the public

attacks took place all over France, one of which

alike have a social responsibility to uphold and

included a mosque in Corsica being desecrated

should not cede to Islamophobic discourse. The

with pig entrails and graffitied death threats.

common response in the Muslim community,

Ultimately, terrorist attacks and the subsequent

often supported by the non-Muslim public, is

Islamophobic backlash further marginalise

to apologise. Calling on Muslims to collectively

minority Muslim communities, creating a

apologise for terrorism is deeply Eurocentric

dangerous and primitive cycle of violence – the

and compounds the tendency to pigeonhole

very marginalisation that often triggers acts of

all Muslims as terrorists, which has become

terror in the first place.

especially dangerous in the current political climate in western Europe. The turnout of

Sensationalism in the media seriously detracts

political leaders in Paris for the march in

from the ongoing and ever-important human

solidarity of ‘freedom of speech’ was especially

rights abuses going on elsewhere. The press has

shocking, with appearances from scores of

a social responsibility to urge reconciliation,

leaders with a questionable human rights

and not feed into existing tensions. Western

reputation.

media outlets should refocus and redirect public attention towards a more constructive narrative on terrorism.

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SOCIAL COMMENTARY

Bringing out the drugs

By Hannah Bettsworth Throughout history, people have used particular

However, some states are beginning to look at

substances for recreational purposes. That is a fact.

alternative policies. Portugal decriminalised

Opium, alcohol, caffeine, cannabis, cocaine – take

drug possession in 2000, and drug users are

your pick. These are all drugs, as are paracetamol

sent into the healthcare system instead of the

and the bottle of cough syrup my mum sent to me

justice one. After the fall of dictatorship in 1968,

that time I got awful ‘freshers’ flu’ in my second

drugs came flooding into the state, leading to a

year. But, anyway, the word ‘drugs’ has become

sharp rise in addiction and HIV infection rates.

synonymous with ‘illegal drugs.’

Nowadays, there are fewer overdoses and new HIV infections, and an increase in the number of

The phrase ‘the war on drugs’ therefore sounds

people seeking treatment for drug use.

somewhat reasonable to a lot of people. There are these dangerous substances out there, so

Uruguay took a similar course of action in 1974,

why not try everything to stop their production?

and their subsequent policies could serve as a

There are, admittedly, several good reasons

model for the rest of the world. In November

why, not least of which is the fact that dealers

2013, they legalised the production, consumption

have been known to mix the drug in question

and sale of marijuana. Personally, I have no time

with other things to bulk it out – if you’re really

for the ‘420 blaze it’ type of keyboard warriors,

unlucky, rat poison.

but this is an important step forward. Taking production out of the hands of criminals can only be a good thing – although not a panacea for all of Latin America, as the cartels would find other forms of business. Uruguay also regulates its sale and use – we are thankfully not talking about a free-for-all weed fest here.

SOCIAL COMMENTARY In Britain, however, the Conservative side of the government seems to be pushing against the tide of change. They have had a propensity towards banning every new legal high out of some kind of futile hope that they will stop being developed and produced, and had to be dragged

The Columnist Issue 2

13

Hoping for the homeless

By Maddy Churchhouse

into publishing a report on international drugs policies by the Liberal Democrats. The Lib Dem

Sat outside our door, there is somebody

Minister of State Norman Baker MP became so

different every day. It is a pretty good spot after

frustrated by this behaviour, he resigned from

all – a broad step sheltered by an alcove, next

the Home Office. This allowed him to reveal that

to a shop exit where people have spare change

the report had recommended promoting the use

to hand. But the guys (and occasional girls) do

of cannabis-based medicines and piloting the

not always make the £4 needed to stay in a night

Portuguese system.

shelter. One man asks for strong coffee. “I don’t want to fall sleep tonight” he explains, eyes dull

This has left the Lib Dems free to create an

with apprehension and worse, resignation, at

evidence-based drugs policy, as opposed to

spending the next twelve hours isolated and

a dogma-based one. At Liberal Democrat

vulnerable on the freezing Edinburgh streets.

conference a motion was passed to advocate the giving of drug classifications powers to an expert

Listening to the stories of local rough sleepers

body, to call for the implementation of the

makes you realise that for those without strong

Portuguese model, and to review the possibility

networks of family and friends, the border

of following the path of Uruguay. Of course, the

between security and homelessness is one all

Labour and Conservative parties will still ignore

too easily tipped over. Yet to us, the homeless

this evidence in favour of a traditional, hardline

themselves can seem to exist on a different plane.

approach. However, this is the most radical policy on drugs in the UK from a governing

Marginalisation is most obvious when it happens

party, and has opened up the possibility of

directly, such as when private builders install

finally having a real discussion based on facts

homeless spikes, and councils shunt rough

and not fear.

sleepers out of city centres. However, it also occurs indirectly, as welfare cuts threaten the future of shelters and force growing numbers of families to drift between bed and breakfasts with no chance of securing permanent accommodation. But there is another, more pervasive obstacle that consistently marginalises the homeless, one that is both unthinking and largely unchallenged: that of our own perception.

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SOCIAL COMMENTARY

It is a natural reaction to try to avoid or ignore situations that make us feel guilty, and it is difficult to escape the twinge of discomfort felt when walking past someone begging. However, avoidance certainly does not make the problem go away; rather, it makes it worse.

Every time we ignore someone our brains begin to rationalise their inconsequence, and so, by purposefully placing homeless men, women and children beyond the boundaries of what we perceive, we reduce them to invisibility.

The homeless are conspicuous in their absence

have acknowledged that they are a human being

from our own engagement with the world

who is worthy of consideration, and you are

surrounding us, even as we walk inches past

creating one small thread in what could become

them. This robs them not only of dignity but,

a network, and potentially provide somebody

most crucially, agency. Denied the ability

with lifeline.

to participate in or benefit from the social network which the majority of us rely on for our

This is not the blanket assumption that ‘spread

wellbeing, the isolation of the homeless becomes

a little kindness’ here, and the fleeting comfort

mental and emotional, as well as practical and

of a coffee there, will spontaneously provide

physical.

the triggers for rehabilitation. But it is a change in our behaviour towards the homeless

As students with potentially very little cash to

which is needed to reduce the stigmas and

hand, it is easy to think that there is nothing we

misconceptions surrounding the issue, and it

can do, and it is arguably less embarrassing to

is this change which will gear society towards

pretend you have not noticed someone than to

being more inclusive, and more effectively able

refuse them help. However, making the effort

to tackle the problem.

to say good morning, to offer a hot drink, or to learn someone’s name, is very much within the

Kindness alone is not going to get people off

capabilities of all of us. There is more than a

the streets. But since the consideration of

little truth in the saying ‘fake it till you make it’;

others provides the basis for all constructive

it is why making yourself smile even on a bad

humanitarian action, it is a pretty fundamental

day really does increase happiness.

place to start.

Even if your interaction is just to shake your head and say no, sorry, not today, by responding to someone’s existence, you give them back the power to affect others through their actions. You

SOCIAL COMMENTARY

The Columnist Issue 2

15

From protest to proposals

By Jonny Ross-Tatam It is November 10th, 2010 and I am among the

including myself, brought the movement to

50,000 or so students, led by the National Union

Scotland when founding the Buchanan Institute.

of Students (NUS), who are marching in central

There are now eleven in the UK and they are

London in opposition of the Government’s plan

growing rapidly in size, with the movement also

to increase university tuition fees from £1800

stretching across to Europe, the United States

(for RUK students studying in Scotland) to

and recently to Asia, with two new arrivals

£9,000 per year. This was after Deputy Prime

in Hong Kong and Delhi. The real task of any

Minister Nick Clegg’s post-coalition backtrack

student-led think tank is to turn students’ ideas

on his pre-election promise to “oppose any rise

into concrete policy proposals that can then be

in fees.” It was little wonder that so many of us

lobbied to key decision-makers in parliaments,

were disappointed and angry. But the student

political parties, NGOs or any other institutions.

protests, the largest since the 1960s, ultimately

As Ben Counsell, founder of the KCL think tank,

failed. We had complained again and few

asserted, “our aim is to influence change before it

listened. The Government introduced the £9000

happens, rather than just react to it once it has.”

fees and rather than win the public’s respect, we appeared to have damaged it. The last throw

Student-led think tanks are not a fad. Politicians

of the dice for traditional activist politics had

rarely come up with their own ideas, almost

yielded little results. But what if we could find a

always relying on inspiration from outside. Big

way that harnessed our brainpower, rather than

ideas that have transformed our society, like the

relying on our feet?

Welfare State or Margaret Thatcher’s free market economics, have come from outside thinkers

This was the challenge set by a group of students

and often from think tanks. It is also likely, with

at Kings College London (KCL) in the aftermath

the ascendance of the pro-independence parties

of the 2010 student protests, when they founded

in Scotland, that the pro-independence Common

one of the first ever student-led think tanks.

Weal think tank will have a significant influence

Rather than merely protesting against what

on Scotland’s future. Student think tanks are

students do not like, the KCL students sought

not guaranteed success in influencing change.

to create a platform where they could provide

That depends on the strength of the ideas. But as

their own alternatives for what they do like in an

history tells us, this is by the far the best way of

empirical, creative way.

turning ideas into action.

Five years on, the student think tank movement

Student think tanks also fit into a wider

has boomed, sprouting up across the country.

generational trend, where the student activist

Last year a group of Edinburgh students,

of the 60s is being replaced by the ‘active

16

student.’ Across universities, there is now a plethora of student-led organisations, from social enterprises to charities to a range of start-ups. It appears that students are no longer waiting for graduation to make their mark on the world. They are doing it themselves, whilst at university. Student-led think tanks are but one vehicle. It has enlivened many disillusioned with the stale arguments of left versus right in national politics and in our student unions, whilst empowering many to believe, some perhaps for the first time, that their ideas really can shape the future. As to the extent of their success, only time will tell: but it seems that the student think tank movement has become a part of the political furniture, perhaps for generations to come.

SOCIAL COMMENTARY

SOCIAL COMMENTARY

The Columnist Issue 2

17

Student capital in the twentyfirst century

By Olivia Evershed For many teenagers, the transition from school

the joy of every new student. Such students are

to university signals the start of a new and

not in a small minority, and they know very well

independent existence, in which adult concerns

the material value of money.

beckon and the world of home is viewed wistfully through the lens of hindsight. Financial

Even those from relatively well-off backgrounds,

management is uppermost among the new

having two parents who both bring in a

responsibilities faced by university students.

reasonable income, feel the pinch. This

Whilst this is more of an issue for some than it

perceived financial safety net, in the eyes of

is for others, being forced to confront the cost

the funding agency, warrants the provision

of education, possibly for the first time, forces

of minimal financial support. However, this

students to question the value of money anew.

judgement is presumptuously made on the basis that the family have no other major demands on

Upon arrival at university in September,

income, such as the support of other siblings,

students are well acquainted with Student

debt, or expensive medical concerns, which for

Finance. The most common grievance directed

many of these families is the case. Students from

at that tyrannous power is the limited amount

such backgrounds, receiving little help from

of support it offers. The vast discrepancies

home and ineligible for adequate government

between funding received by individuals on

funding, are victims of the system.

the basis of personal circumstance and locality leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of many; by

Conversely, students such as myself, who are

now, Scottish students will be well familiar

affected by personal circumstances including,

with the accusatory whines of injustice from

but not limited to, the divorce or separation

English and international friends when they are

of parents, suddenly find that where initially

reluctantly forced to answer in response to the

they had not thought themselves badly off, they

matter of tuition fees that no, they do not have

suddenly have more money than they know

to pay.

what to do with. This is especially the case where one parent has a significantly low income.

In the scramble to scrape together enough

It can be daunting to find yourself the master of

money to fund the costs associated with higher

a small fortune, which you know in your heart

education, many students have no alternative but

has not been earned, but has been bequeathed

to seek part-time employment, compromising

misguidedly in pity or out of a false impression

their academic work; or to appeal to family for

of need.

financial support, somewhat diminishing the newfound independence which is the right and

18 The gross injustice of the two extremes – those who are inadequately provided for and those who receive too much – is likely to be sorely felt when the price of a social life is realised. Never mind electricity and groceries; club nights and drinks alone can cost double digits and at a time when the opportunities for and importance attached to socialising have never been higher, those who have been left high and dry are likely to feel the effects of an empty pocket.

Aside from this, student discounts, not solely relating to social events but also to high street merchandise, food and ticket prices for gigs, are laughably small and, like the cost of produce from ‘student orientated’ cafés and shops, still exclude those on a tight budget.

So, is distribution of government finance fair?

No. Do some people do better out of it than others? Certainly. But I would argue that even those who benefit most from government funding have entered into a Faustian pact from which it is difficult to escape unscathed.

SOCIAL COMMENTARY

CULTURE

The Columnist Issue 2

19

‘Unherd’ art

By Riley Kaminer £15 million for a Lichtenstein, £50 million for

It is commonly argued that, in today’s world, the

a Warhol, £70 million for a Giacometti, £200

artist/collector relationship has been corroded

million for a Gauguin.

through the inflated price tags of art, making the works easily viewed as a financial investment

Reading news about the world of visual art today

above all. Yet the billionaire art buyers of our

seems more akin to researching stock markets

generation are good at sharing, especially

than enjoying the beauty, history and excitement

compared to patrons of a pre-bourgeois society,

that has traditionally attracted art spectators and

characterised by the European upper class that

speculators.

had a tendency to keep collections isolated from public view. Today, those who hoard art often

This connection between infusion of money

open their doors to the public or lend pieces to

and artistic achievement is still present today;

museums where thousands of people may see

however, is the act of purchasing art on the

them every day. Furthermore, important pieces

highest scale the only way of moving the study

can be appreciated online freely and easily like

further? While this is certainly a tried and tested

never before.

method, is there a way to make art something in which everyone can and will want to participate?

CULTURE

20 While it is certainly a step forward that viewing

knowing that I had played an important role in

art is at a peak of accessibility, this sterile

our collective artistic process.

appreciation is not enough to push the artistic movement forward. Ours is a movement

Surely the hedge funders, industrialists and

comprised of individuals working towards the

businessmen du jour will always dominate the

collective goal of an improved understanding

highest levels of art, pushing its boundaries

of the human condition: one that cannot be

in a way. However, the rest of us can create a

achieved by an occasional visit to a museum.

dialogue with artists who do not get the same

We as a society need to encourage and laud the

recognition as the big names Sotheby’s and

ownership of art at all levels, and make it an

Christie’s attract. We need to adopt an ‘unherd’

obligatory aspect of cultural awareness in the

mentality when it comes to art; promoting a

21st century.

culture in which the £10 paining done by a friend’s uncle is given the same importance as a

Ownership could possibly be the most

Koons. Whether we complete this goal through

important aspect of the artistic process, as it has

global collaborative consumption services like

a multitude of benefits for all parties involved.

Kickstarter or by simply exploring our own

Firstly, the ownership of art in any medium

communities is irrelevant. What is important

gives the owner a sense of pride and happiness.

is that a connection between two people was

Having an artwork of our own gives us a window

made, and the owner has a world of pleasure to

into better understanding our daily lives without

gain from their purchase: we all deserve to own

having to be an artist ourselves. Additionally, the

our own inspiration.

act of exchanging one good for another instantly connects the seller with the buyer – in this case, the artist with the patron. This new relationship demonstrates a level of mutual respect between two previously unconnected entities through mutual appreciation of the good.

I was lucky to experience these advantages first hand through the art community at my school.

Because we made up a relatively low percentage of the student population, we tended to stick together, becoming patrons of each other.

Some of my best experiences from these years surround my artistic endeavours as photographer: collaborating on projects with my musical friends, buying their albums and selling my own prints. I would not only gain inspiration from appreciating my fellow students’ work, but also through the ability of owning a piece: waking up everyday and

CULTURE

The Columnist Issue 2

21

There are more pages than Page 3

By Laura Brook Rumours of Page 3’s recent demise turned out

It is important to note that the Sun’s poor

to be just that: rumours. To some, the idea that

treatment of women is not just restricted to

Page 3 had been discreetly dropped was no

Page 3. In its news stories, the newspaper has

real news in particular – the idea that a self-

frequently come under fire for its treatment

proclaimed family newspaper still showed such

of rape and sexual abuse victims, particularly

images was seen as laughable. To others, the

where the perpetrator is a celebrity, focusing

decline and fall of such a quintessential British

on the ‘scandal’ rather than respect for the

institution was nothing short of a shameful

victims’ privacy. Furthermore, barely an edition

concession to prudish feminists. That said,

goes by without a celebrity candid, which

Page 3 is but one example in a sea of misogyny

incidentally are almost always women, where

in print media which needs to be tackled, and

paparazzi shamelessly scour red carpet events or

targeting one page out of context runs the very

follow celebrities’ daily lives for any ‘wardrobe

real risk of being detrimental instead of helpful.

malfunctions’. This is harmful as it presents these women as nothing more than objects, any

Upon hearing of the end of Page 3, many

crimes committed against them as tantalising

women who had modelled for the Sun past and

gossip and states that privacy can be ignored

present were up in arms at the idea, claiming

when the subjects are in the public eye.

that semi-nude modelling for the publication was empowering and helped liberate women.

To evaluate this claim, it is important to look at the origins of Page 3. It emerged clinging onto the coattails of the women’s liberation movement in 1970 where the Sun claimed to be one of the few platforms where women could embrace their sexuality fully by modelling semi-nude. However, this argument now appears disingenuous, particularly since pornography is ubiquitous and more easily accessible than ever. This could not have been made clearer than upon the return of Page 3: the Sun treated it as nothing more than a childish taunt to the campaigners and other publications which had lauded its demise.

CULTURE

22 However, the aims of the anti-Page 3 internet campaigns should also be scrutinised. The main problem for the campaigns is that they focus too much on the idea that naked female bodies are the most shameful aspect of the newspaper. Too many of their key aims appear to be shaming the female body, while simultaneously claiming to preach body positivity. If anything, the apparent

Oppression by the enlightened

By Nishith Hegde

terms of the Sun’s ceasing of Page 3 should have been seen as an insult, not a success for them.

A person who identifies openly as a racist

It is difficult to justify a victory against sexism

or a misogynist or a homophobe is morally

based on the Sun’s offering of not showing

abhorrent. But the oppression they impose upon

nudity, but presenting scantily-clad hyper-

others is, in some ways, easier to deal with. In

sexualised women in their place.

order to openly self-identify as homophobic, they must, at the very least, have acknowledged

Altogether, it is apparent that the tabloids suffer

that they hold these prejudices and ignorances.

from far deeper issues regarding women than

The perverse result is that it is actually easier

just nudity on one page. Their treatment of

to achieve change on this front. The oppressor

women should not be held as a type of women’s

must, in this instance, be convinced only that

liberation and should instead be seen as

the basis of his action is wrong, and he will cease

symptomatic of an entire institution which has

to commit them.

both failed to move with the times and actively seeks to keep women in a position of sexual

That is not to pretend blithely that this task is

subservience. The only approach that should be

easy – as any member of a disadvantaged group

acceptable regarding the tabloids is a complete

can tell you, open racism is biting and cutting,

overhaul of their attitudes and that will take a

dehumanising and demoralising. It is why I

lot more time and effort than just attacking one

continued to fear to walk the streets at night

page.

after once being attacked for being Indian, even though the police caught the perpetrators almost immediately. Open racism drove my best friend, a black student studying at Oxford University, to tears after something so simple as a bus ride home.

However, as such attitudes become rightly denounced, by far the harder oppression to root out is that perpetuated by people who do not perceive that they themselves are racist.

CULTURE

The Columnist Issue 2

23

This means that activists, such as singer Adam Lambert, can help to break down barriers in one area, for example gay rights, and then build new ones elsewhere. Lambert turned ‘alien’ Arab culture into a costume at the high profile Life Ball, the biggest HIV/AIDS charity event in Europe. In another case, American comedian Stephen Colbert regularly brings down farright attitudes through satire in his routines, while also repeatedly making trivialising and transphobic remarks.

People accept and internalise these kinds of attitudes because it is easier to be less critical of someone you like, especially if you already think they are liberally minded. The perception that only explicit racists perpetuate racial norms and oppressions is a harmful one.

These behaviours, though almost always unintentional and often so subtle that they are not usually noticed, are pevasive even in their One example of this can be observed in the

apparent invisibility. Moreover, the fact that

response to the constant backlash against Zwarte

they are often harder to challenge than most,

Piet (Black Peter) in the Netherlands, where

that people who see themselves as liberal often

many rally around the character as a part of a

struggle to actually perceive that they might

traditional cultural heritage that must be upheld.

even exist, is what makes them particularly

Many, though admittedly not all, ignore the fact

important to focus on. People are often

it is a colonial hangover, based on stereotypes

receptive to the idea that their behaviour may

that cement a power relation where the darker-

be problematic, but it takes more time and far

skinned are subservient.

greater nuance to explain how this is the case – and to stop it feeling like an attack on one’s

Because people think they are liberal, and

character or personhood.

therefore aware of social issues, it is often harder for them to intuitively see their own

The last discrimination to die will be the disgust

problematic behaviours. This is particularly

that hides in the heart of the liberal – but it is, in

dangerous in today’s media driven society, when

many ways, the most widespread and important

and where the behaviour of celebrities to whom

kind of oppression of all.

people relate, and emulate, can be seen as being oppressive.

Staff: Editor-in-Chief

Felix Carpenter

Deputy Editor

Riley Kaminer

Contributing Editor

Pablo PĂŠrez Ruiz

Contributing Editor

Nishith Hegde

Contributing Editor

Shona Warwick

Illustration

Maddy Churchhouse

Graphic Design

Kael Oakley

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