Issue 703/ 14 Oct 2019 by Exeposé

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ISSUE 703 14 OCT 2019 exepose.com @Exepose

THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1987

Guild closes St. Luke’s Guild Shop without consulting students

Decision was made by Guild Trustees before start of the new academic year Sabbatical Officers “were not told in time” about closure Over 4,000 students left without access to stash and stationery on campus

Image: Scarlett Parr-Reid

Aaron Loose Editor

HE Students’ Guild has accepted their decision to close the St. Luke’s Guild Shop was poorly communicated to the 4,037 students who use the campus’s services. No emails or official notices were distributed to students to declare the closure. The Guild’s Board of Trustees decided to close G47 in preparation for the 2019/20 academic year, before the current student leadership team were in office. Image: Aaron Loose

However, the closure was not discussed by the St. Luke’s Executive Council, who are responsible for St. Luke’s representation, until 2 October, over three weeks into the new term. Action logs taken from the St. Luke’s Executive meeting record Sunday Blake, VP Postgraduate, admitting the Sabbatical Officers were “not told in time” about the decision. Katie Heard, VP Welfare & Diversity, added the Sabbs did “understand that if it was Streatham, there would be much more notice.” St. Luke’s students were disappoint-

ed by the lack of consultation. Many students did not learn about the closure until they saw the closed shop. Iain Logan, a second year Medicine undergraduate, told Exeposé: “I found out by walking up to the door to get a drink and realising there was nothing inside, with no notices explaining what was going on.” Logan added “I’m very disappointed. It was a great place to get a snack without having to join the increasingly long queues in the more expensive Cross-Keys. They also had a larger selection of snacks and useful stationery.

INTERVIEW

tain anywhere else on campus. “As a member of the Medical Sciences SSLC, I feel students would have benefited from a discussion about how best to use the space, considering our limited options on the seemingly forgotten campus.” A Students’ Guild spokesperson said: “The difficult decision to close the shop was taken to readdress the balance between the retail and membership services available to our membership...

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

ARTS & LIT An interview with screenwriter Hugh Stoddart

University opens up about the real cost of Enlitened app

PAGe 5

Surely a few more study spaces could have been found elsewhere without losing such a key utility in a small space.” Elinor Jones, a third year Medical Science undergraduate and a member of the Medical Sciences SSLC, further explained “as a student of St Luke’s Campus, I am disappointed at the lack of communication and consultation between the Guild, staff and students. Until its closure in the last few weeks the space was popular, a hub for activity and the opportunity to buy essentials from stash to stationery, items you cannot ob-

Image: Dennis Jarvis

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EXEPOSÉ

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Editors Print: Isabelle Gray & Aaron Loose Online: Harry Caton & Ellie Cook Deputy: Anne Chafer & Neha Shaji editors@exepose.com News Editors Print: Louis Donohoe & Henry Jones Online: Emma Hussain & Pete Syme news@exepose.com Comment Editors Print: Kamila Bell & George Clark Online: Olly Haynes & Gaia Newman comment@exepose.com Features Editors Print: Jaysim Hanspal & William Harrop Online: Bryan Knight & Kate Norman Foreign Correspondents Co-ordinator: Maddie Baker features@exepose.com Lifestyle Editors Print: Izzy Cole & Anna Romanovska Online: Amy Butterworth & Emily Pirie lifestyle@exepose.com Arts + Lit Editors Print: Cherry-Anastasia Boroceanu & Zach Mayford Online: Ariane Joudrey & Greta Sanna artsandlit@exepose.com Music Editors Print: Richard Ainslie & Bryony Gooch Online: Megan Frost & Stephen Ong music@exepose.com Screen Editors Print: Jonathan Chern & Samuel Thomson Online: Jacob Heayes & Abi Taphouse screen@exepose.com Science Editors Print: Elinor Jones & Scarlett Parr Reid Online: Sira Charbel & Tom Dormer sciandtech@exepose.com Sport Editors Print: Josh Brown & Nick Powell Online: Ben Bampton sport@exepose.com Chief Photographer Rory Selvey photography@exepose.com Copy Editors Charlotte Forrester & Catherine Lloyd Proofers Aakruth, Charlotte, Jordan, Zach, Kamila, Jess, Emma, Emily, Peter, Megan, Gemma, Josh, Bryony, Bryan, Richard, Sam, Owain, The Wizard of Fozz, Boozy Bahar, Ben 'Can't Read' Lang

@ exepose facebook.com/exepose issuu.com/exepose Advertising Kate Watkins kate.watkins@exeterguild.com (01392) 722607 The opinions expressed in Exeposé are not necessarily those of the Exeposé Editors nor the University of Exeter Students’ Guild. While every care is taken to ensure that the information in this publication is correct and accurate, the Publisher can accept no liability for any consequential loss or damage, however caused, arising as a result of using the information printed. The Publisher cannot accept liability for any loss or damage to artwork or material submitted. The contents of this, unless stated otherwise, are copyright of the Publisher. Reproduction in any form requires the prior consent of the Publisher.

Editorial

NOTHER issue, another week of uni complete. It is frankly disturbing that it is week four already, with deadlines and an absence of sunlight by 4pm closer than ever. The arguments of whether it's cold enough to justify putting the heating or putting on a fourth jumper will begin. It is still significantly more blissful than deadline season itself, so enjoy it whilst you can! It was #worldmentalhealthday last Thursday, and although it is important to dedicate a day to recognising mental health and promoting awareness, selfcare should be a part of everyday life! University can be extremely daunting and overwhelming at times, and it is very easy to get swept up into it and forget to really take care of yourself. Self-care comes in many forms, from changing your bed sheets to giving yourself the day off work. It's all about regular check ups with yourself and what you need! After the fun of Freshers' Week it's natural to feel a bit of an anticlimax. So look after yourself! This month it is also Black History Month. Our last issue's front page covered Exeter's ranking as the fourth least inclusive university in the country. We feel the need for a presence of UK Black History Month is more necessary than ever. Despite some willfully ignorant opinions on Exehonestly (what else is new), Black History Month is essential to trying to give better space, voice and presence to those historically and systematically ignored every other day of the year. On the right we have a list of some of the Black History Month events put on by the University

and the Guild, collated by Neha, one of our new Deputy Editors! On to the issue itself, we have lots of content covering Black History Month and beyond. In Comment, four writers explore four important black figures who helped shape history, pg 9. Science similiary explore important black figures in the scientific world, pg 35. Lifestyle writer and BAME officer for Femsoc Eden KankamNantwi gives us the run down on the importance of the month itself on pg 17. Features (pg 13) highlight the important conjunction of race and the environment, exploring environmental racism in Haiti. The environment and sustainability is also covered in our lovely trivia corner in Study Break in page 32. Lifestyle also give their best tips on how to live your best sustainable life on pg 16. Meanwhile in Screen, the new Joker film is given a review, pg 30, as well as the beauty of good video game writing, pg 29. Over in Arts & Lit (pg 22), our section editors talk to Hugh Stoddart on the art of screenwriting and adaptation. Music reviews the best new singles in the charts (pg 24) and a discussion of their favourite music documentaries. Finally, in Sport, Lacrosse captains Emily Elmitt and Kirsty Coates talk aims to better diversity (pg 40). That's it from us this issue. From us at Exeposé we wish you a restful week. Make sure to try check out one of the Black History Month events. Godspeed, Iszy and Aaron

Worldwide university news Students left in temporary accomodation

NIVERSITIES minister Chris Skidmore tweeted that ‘We cannot allow this inadequacy to continue’ following a BBC News report which stated that 22 private student housing projects under construction have not been completed for the new autumn term. At the University of Portsmouth, around 250 students have had to be placed in alternative accommodation, with many being placed in hotels away from fellow students and with no cooking facilities. Universities UK stated that it’s code of conduct only applied to university owned housing, meaning any private student developments aren’t covered.

Royal Holloway cancel Katie Hopkins

OYAL Holloway University has cancelled a Debating Society Event where Katie Hopkins was scheduled to appear. The event’s announcement earlier this week led to backlash from students, with students’ groups including Feminism Society and the Women of Colour Collective launching an open letter on 10 October calling for the event to be cancelled. A former Royal Holloway ACS committee member tweeted: “This is absolutely disgusting and even more insulting that this has occurred during Black History Month.” The event’s cancellation follows Exeter Debating Society inviting Katie Hopkins to a debate last year. The decision to allow her to appear led to criticism of the society and Guild for prioritising free speech over student welfare.

Harvard cleared of racial bias

FEDERAL court ruled that Harvard University’s admission office does not discriminate against Asian-American applicants. The District Judge Allison D. Burroughs maintained the court would not destroy the “very fine” admissions program at Harvard. Brought forward by Students For Fair Admissions, the lawsuit claimed the admissions process resulted in Asian-Americans having to attain higher grades in order to be accepted into the elite institution. The SFFA was created by Edward Blum in order to oppose ‘affirmative action’, and argues Harvard limits the number of Asian stuedents in order to accept certain levels of other racial groups. The ruling came almost a year after the trial, and the SFFA may appeal the outcome.

New legislation combats bribery scandal

OLLOWING the college admissions scandal in March, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed legislation requiring colleges to disclose whether they give preferential treatment to applicants based on their relations with donors or alumni. ‘Operation Varsity Blues’ saw parents bribing elite colleges to guarantee their child’s place. Assembly member Phil Ting authored the bill and tweeted, “Every applicant should have a level playing field.” Two more bills have also been signed: anyone guilty in the scandal cannot take tax deductions for donations to the charities involved, and three administrators must approve applicants with an exception. Ting’s bill takes effect in January 2020.

Images: ken lund, flickr

Stories by Georgia Shepherd, Charlotte Brown, Natalie Tongue and Emma Hussain

News

NEWS EDITORS: Louis Donohoe Henry Jones

Hong Kong Students stage second protest in town centre

Emma Hussain Online News Editor

SMALL group of Hong Kong students held a second protest against mainland Chinese treatment of Hong Kongers in Bedford Square on Sunday 6 October. Sunday’s event followed a protest at the Forum on 2 October. At both demonstrations, the students’ primary aim was to raise awareness of how the Chinese regime is affecting demonstrators in Hong Kong, where police brutality is becoming an increasingly prevalent issue. The students were again masked, and members of the public were seen speaking with the students about their campaign. Sunday’s protest followed a failed attempt to stage a flash mob protest in the Forum on Friday 4 October. This

planned action was prevented by Estate Patrol, with community police officers also seen talking to two Hong Kong students. Exeposé understands that the Hong Kong advocacy group had not followed the University’s correct channels for organising political protest.

Students may demonstrate peacefully on our campuses and we support freedom of speech. A University spokesperson

A Students’ Guild spokesperson confirmed they were “aware of the planned protest. Following conversations between the organisers of the protest and the University, the students made the decision to move the location of the protest to the city centre. The Guild is committed to working with the

student leaders of all student communities to enable them to peacefully protest and share their experiences of the issues they are dealing with.” A University spokesperson said: “Students may demonstrate peacefully on our campuses and we support freedom of speech and the right to protest within the law. Our top priority will always be the safety of our students and staff which is why we expect protestors to contact us in advance and work with our excellent Estate Patrol team to ensure different voices can be heard in a safe environment.” The Hong Kong advocacy group continues to build their social media presence, sharing anecdotes in the Overheard at Exeter Facebook group about how members became involved in the movement.

The Guild shop sees a sustainable future Louis Donohoe & Aaron Loose News Editor & Editor

HE Guild shop has reduced the meal deals from three to two items and introduced food dispensers in an effort to be more sustainable. Pavlina Wright, Retail Manager, explained their decision, “Over the last twelve months we had people picking a drink [with the meal deal] even though they didn’t really want it.” The Guild shop also hopes the decision will reduce the amount of plastic waste, this is in line with the Guild’s aim to “move away from as much single use plastic as [they] possibly can”, according to Nicola Cart-

er, Director of Commercial Services. Wright accepted that there may be some people who were not happy with the change in meal deals. However, she said that with any change there is always going to be some who are not happy and hopes that they will come around. The Guild shop has also introduced dispensers that include products such as rice, pasta and nuts in an effort to reduce the use of plastic packaging. Along with these they now stock metal straws and bamboo toothbrushes, an idea that came from a student in Brighton. Wright stressed her drive to work with students and to do something different from the Marketplace. Carter described how the Guild is

striving to move away from plastic in all their outlets by doing things such as removing plastic sachets from The Ram, using less plastic bags and using recycled paper in the print room. Both Carter and Wright were keen on pursuing more sustainable moves in the future. Carter commented on the idea of the Guild going fully plastic free saying “it’s certainly an option for us but it will have to be customer led”. She also expressed an ideal of removing plastic bottle in the near future. Wright commented on the possibility of expanding the array of sustainable options saying, “the demand is there at the moment so if it carries on then definitely.”

Image: Aaron Loose

Transparency top priority for DVP Democracy and Governance Anne Chafer & Emma Hussain Deputy Editor & Online News Ed

HE new DVP Democracy and Governance made transparency her main priority in the Council’s first meeting of the year. Daisy Newbold-Harrop met with several Democracy and Governance councillors as well as VP Activities Liv Harvey and VP Welfare and Diversity Katie Heard on Wednesday 9th October. The meeting was open to all Guild members, although no one outside of the Council’s membership was in attendance. Newbold-Harrop outlined her goals for the year, which all seek to make Guild decision processes as transparent as possible. She described an ongoing effort to make these accessible to “students that aren’t necessarily politicallyversed”. Her flagship project, working title Let Democracy Flower, will aim to

outline to students the exact role of a students’ union and the tangible impact the Guild has on student experience. She is also in the process of implementing SMART targets for the student leadership team to ensure they are realising the manifesto promises upon which they were elected. The goal of implementing an alternative to the Student Ideas feedback system was discussed. This was dropped for the 2019/20 academic year due to financial constraints with the VPs present drawing attention to the Enlitened app whose feedback channels have caused the Guild and University to clash in recent weeks. Other topics on the agenda included a debate on society endorsement of candidates in student elections, and an attempt to simplify the terms of reference which outline the roles of the various Guild bodies.

Poetry evening at the Phoenix

Neha Shaji Deputy Editor

E Image: Louis Donohoe

XETER University’s English and Film Department and the Wellcome Centre for Cultures and Environments of Health collaborated on a poetry evening for Black History Month. Louisa Adjoa Parker and Tjawangwa Dema read pieces on nature, grief, Blackness, and gender at Exeter Phoenix. The session, which was moderated by Dr. Chris Campbell, began with the poets reading excerpts from their work

followed by a Q&A session. Questions were asked by the audience on writing processes and landscape. Dr. Lara Choksey and Dr. Kate Wallis organized the session, with Dr. Choksey commenting on the location of the event – “we wanted students and staff, but we also wanted people local to Exeter to attend as well”. TJ Dema spoke to Exeposé on the importance of writing in the South West and connecting to the landscape. This event is one of several organized by the Department as part of Exeter University’s series of Black History Month events.

NEWS

14 OCT 2019 | EXEPOSÉ

“A seemingly forgotten campus”

CONTINUED FROM FRONT ...at St. Luke’s. “The closure of the shop will mean that the future of the space can be student-led, turning into a bookable space for societies, groups and events. We are consulting students, and will continue to, on what they would like to see in the Guild space. “The Student Leadership Team and our membership departments Ac-

tivities, Advice and Voice will all be spending time on St. Luke’s each week to ensure students are able to make the most of opportunities and services. “We accept students’ frustrations about the lack of clarity and communication on the closure of the shop, and we will do our best to learn from this for the future decisions affecting our direct student services, and that consultation will be at the heart of these decision.”

ELE crash apology Louis Donohoe News Editor

HE University has apologised for recent issues with the ELE platform. Students have experienced downtimes and outages. Speaking to Exeposé on the problems, a University spokesperson said, “We apologise to anyone who has experienced difficulties with the ELE (Exeter Learning Environment) system in recent weeks. “There are particular problems at peak morning lecture times or with big files and there are a number of universities currently experiencing problems with the system. The Hub/Infopoint will contact specific students if any major downtime has occurred. We are working closely with the supplier to urgently resolve the issues”. Penny Dinh, VP Education, ac-

knowledged the issues with ELE saying: “Issues with ELE, particularly with downtime, is an issue that is very much on my radar. I’ve recently been collecting feedback from students, and I have set up a meeting with an EdTech representative to raise issues and provide the feedback I’ve received. “I will continue to work closely with the University on this to ensure that if frequent issues occur with ELE, appropriate mitigation is given to students, such as extensions. It is important to me that the policy that gives students a 24-hour extension if ELE is down for 60 minutes the day before a deadline is implemented properly, and that we also work to ensure students’ needs are being met.” The University has stated that a team of expert consultants, from host CoSector University of London, are being brought in to address the issues.

First round of Guild elections ‘good spirited’ Neha Shaji Deputy Editor

TUDENT leaders have been elected in the first round of Exeter Guild elections this year, including the National Union of Students (NUS) Delegates, Shadow Councillors, and Academic Representative officers. Nine posts, some with multiple places, have been filled. The NUS delegates represent Exeter on a national scale at the NUS Conference in 2020, with Patrick Hoyle, Guild President, as the delegation leader. Sunday Blake, VP Postgraduate, who has been elected as NUS Delegate, NUS Womens’ Liberation Delegate and NUS Disabled Students’ Delegate, expressed the unusual nature of postgrads being elected due to voting base being largely made up by undergraduates. She expressed that, accounting for those statistics, “to be elected for all three positions I ran for is really encouraging. I’m grate-

Patrick Hoyle, Guild President, has been vocal about the Student’s Guild and the University’s failures to represent St. Luke’s students. On 27 September, Hoyle tweeted from his Guild President account: “Me, knowing St. Luke’s has been historically ignored by the Guild & University: :( . Me, knowing that I’m now in a position of power and influence to change that: :)” Hoyle said “The Guild Shop on

We accept students’ frustrations about the lack of clarity and communications on the closure Guild spokesperson

St. Luke’s has regrettably been closed, with the decision being taken before the summer but after the previous academic year for financial reasons. This decision, although disappointing to many students, presents an oppor-

tunity for the space to be developed into something student-led through consultation. “I am keen to hear from students about what they want the space to be developed in to, and to come and see myself, the other Student Leaders and the Guild’s membership departments on St. Luke’s each week.”

Students unhappy with Victoria’s Secret coming to campus Pete Syme & Anna Romanovska Online News Ed and Lifestyle Ed

EPRESENTATIVES from Victoria’s Secret were offering ..free bra fittings to students last Monday, with a double-decker bus advertising the company parked outside the Great Hall. However, the Guild’s association with a company accused of promoting body dysmorphia and transphobia has led to criticism from Feminist Society and LGBTQ+ Society. Former Chief Marketing Officer Ed Razek insisted that the company would not cast transgender or plus-size models “because the show is a fantasy.” The Feminist Society also condemned the event, saying “it is utterly disrespectful for the Guild to give a platform to Victoria’s Secret in one of the most public, unavoidable spaces on campus.” They also singled out the company’s ‘Perfect Body’ advertising campaign, noting that it “perpetuates the damage caused by our society’s pressure, on

women specifically, to look a certain way – and, by excluding other body types, it suggests that anyone with bodies unlike Victoria’s Secret models (aka most people) don’t deserve to possess the sexuality that these models display.”

It is extremely hypocritical of the Guild alongside their supposed values

Feminist Society

“It is extremely hypocritical of the Guild to support the company alongside its supposed values of diversity, inclusivity, welfare and sustainability.” Adam Deliot, Trans Rep. for LGBTQ+ Society, said in a statement “any suggestion that transgender models should not exist in a ‘fantasy’ of female beauty is both bigoted and simply wrong.” Victoria’s Secret launched a lingerie collection this month that included several transgender models such as May Simón Lifschitz. A Guild spokesperson defended the

decision to host Victoria’s Secret, noting how bra fittings are “an important health service which many students are not able to access easily or cheaply.” “Whilst we understand that some students were unhappy with Victoria’s Secret coming to campus, we ensured that the service was open to all students, regardless of gender, and was well received by the many students who made use of the service.” “The Students’ Guild did receive financial payment from the agency that organised the visit.” Patrick Hoyle, Guild President, also made a statement on the event, saying “I believe the focus of the visit to have been wholesome in nature and born out of concern for an often-taboo area of health which affects those of any gender, and encouraged students of all genders and gender expressions to access the service. “I am fully aware of and have condemned Victoria’s Secret’s past-record of transphobia and fat-shaming, however I respect that they are making efforts to improve this.” Edited by Aaron Loose

ful to the undergraduates, whose vote I absolutely needed to be elected, for their solidarity. Postgraduate representation within the Guild is quickly and drastically improving and I am very excited to represent not only postgraduate interests (as they pertain to each issue), but the interests of all students, at national level.” Harry Burton, newly elected Democracy and Governance Councillor and NUS Delegate, told Exeposé that the election, “whilst low in turnout, represents a significant improvement on voter numbers last October, despite the materially shorter campaign window. Lack of engagement in Guild elections remains a significant issue, but this result represents a small positive movement in the right direction. I believe the election was encouragingly good spirited, and am hopeful that a similar friendliness between candidates will carry over to the Spring elections.”

Image: Aaron Loose

INTERVIEW

EXEPOSÉ | 14 OCT 2019

£60K spent on Enlitened so far

Exeposé speaks to Ian Blenkharn, Director of Student Experience, about Enlitened and the future of Digital Check-In Neha Shaji & Aaron Loose Deputy Editor & Editor

HE University has paid £60,000 for the annual Enlitened app licensing fee, which will be followed by £70,000 annually for the next two years if the University continue the three-year partnership deal. In an interview with Exeposé, Ian Blenkharn, Director of Education and Student Experience, said the fee was “effectively sorted as spending towards Widening Participation students.” The University, which conducted a small pilot in two cohorts last February, also have employed Student Ambassadors to promote the app, who have thus far been paid a total of £564.48. Exeposé pressed on the licensing deal and the costs, with Blenkharn saying that he “understands that it is a lot of money. £60,000 we spent on this is £60,000 we can’t spend on something else.” He referred to the initial year as a pilot, later clarifying it as an “extended pilot” with a break clause. The Enlitened website refers to the app being “rolled out at scale” in all three institutions it partnered with (Exeter, University of East Anglia, and Sussex University), referring to the earlier period as a pilot. Blenkharn clarified further about the extended pilot, stating that the University "have decided that our extended pilot for this year will focus mainly on first year undergraduate students. I think it’s either UEA or Sussex who have gone out to the whole undergraduate body".. He justified the benefits of a multiyear deal “we get a significant discount compared to what would be offered to other institutions and make sure we have

Image: Edd Church

a direct voice into how the app develops, which we think is going to be very valuable.” If the University decide to continue with Enlitened, the licensing fee would be £70,000 for each of the next two years. The University’s Widening Participation five-year Access and Participation Plan includes narrowing the BAME attainment gap, disabled students’ attainment gap and increasing the percentage of state school entrants.

Digital Check-In is pre-empting where we think the legislation is going to go

Ian Blenkharn, Director of Student Experience

Blenkharn said the Office for Students (OfS) would “accept that it was a valid spend in support of Widening Participation. It’s not new money, it’s money we can say is part of our commitment in supporting Widening Participation students, but it needs to prove it can do that”. He continued that OfS were keen that universities have a better understanding of the experiences of Widening Participation students, and that students in the access to participation unit have let the University know they “welcome the development of this app and we can account for the spend against our access to participation financial commitments.”. He further justified the app being able to assist minority students, stating how the University was “keen to ensure that no good ideas that relate to minority groups, whether that relates to a small discipline or an idea that relates to mature students. is forgotten.”. He explained that

it would mean that Ideas weren’t drowned out due to a lack of votes. He stated that he “hopes (the ideas) become topics of conversation for SSLCs, through the academic representation scheme, there might be something for our professional services team to consider, and we’ll see how it goes, and we really want to iterate how the app works, particularly from that ideas perspective.” It is unclear as to whether Academic Representatives have been informed of this possible integration on a campus wide level at all; Enlitened was not mentioned during Academic Representative training at the beginning of the academic year. He told us that there hasn’t been much consultation beyond the February pilot, but stressed that “there was absolutely no compulsion for students to do it,'' citing student engagement and demographic engagement with the app as one of the success measures the University will look at by the end of the year. Blenkharn referred to drawing up a board to look at the end of the year, of what success for Enlitened may look like. Staff consultation was primarily held with executive bodies such as the Director of Education Forum and Educational Strategy groups. When asked whether more consultation should have been done before spending £60,000 on the license, he expressed “we have a responsibility to try new things as an institution,'' continuing that the University does not take the expenditure lightly and if the University decides to honor the full contract and potentially beyond, there will be a value analysis. Blenkharn suggested that the small scale pilot followed by an extended service was the appropriate way to manage it. Exeposé has previously reported on issues during the February pilot, including Enlitened representatives using lecture time to advertise the app without prior permission, and promotional material not explicitly stating the third-party nature of the venture. Another technological rollout that created a controversy last year was the integration of Digital Check-In. We asked Blenkharn about developments regarding Digital Check-in, inquiring whether international students have received updates on this, with emphasis that lecture attendance would be monitored even in subjects where lecture attendance was not traditionally recorded. Blenkharn claims that the University is “pre-empting where we think the legislation and statutory regulations are going to go”, predicting that the Home Office may replace the current ten consecutive attendance point system to a new mode of attendance capturing. The Home Of-

Image: Aaron Loose

fice presently requires Tier 4 Sponsor institutions to “monitor attendance effectively” but does not specify the manner in which this attendance is monitored. Exeposé followed up with an inquiry into the total cost of Digital Check-In, and were told the University has spent £130,000 on the integration of this system. This however, is said by the University to be outweighed by the benefit of removing “manual transcription from paper registers and the improved efficiency of legally required visa checks.”

What we aim to understand is where things are falling down, so we can make them better

Ian Blenkharn, Director of Student Experience

Exeposé asked about the differences in consequences for International and Home Students. International Students, in the case of non-attendance, will receive a standardised email from the ‘Immigration Compliance Unit’ stating “if you fail to (maintain regular attendance), the University is required to withdraw Tier 4 sponsorship. This will lead to the cancellation of your visa.” Exeposé expressed concern about the impact these may have on mental health in cases where the Check-In system malfunctioned. Blenkharn replied that there’s

always “been differences in the impact of attendance (for Home and International students)… It’s the impact of attendance, not the system that measures it.” On mental health, Blenkharn encouraged International students to talk to the university about their experience, and that if the system is creating anxiety, “we need to correct that, and fast.” He continued that there had been significant gains this year with a majority of students checking in, and that the University were looking at running focus groups with international students. When Exeposé raised whether it was fair for the University to say International students should reach out rather than preemptive engagement, Blenkharn clarified “I didn’t mean we weren’t doing that – what we mean is that with functional issues… students are encouraged to go to the Info Point and log into the session.” He suggested the feedback will come through SSLCs and focus groups. The focal points of this interview were the two recent technological rollouts that Exeposé had previously covered. Exeposé aimed to receive an insight into the University’s motivation for these systems, the costs and any future actions regarding students’ experience. Blenkharn concluded by saying his team “care deeply about students, and want to positively support their experiences… What we aim to understand is where things are falling down, so we can make them better.”

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Comment

COMMENT EDITORS: Kamila Bell George Clark

Why I don’t drink Content Warning: Alcohol Abuse

Kamila Bell Comment Editor

NXIETY exists within my family throughout all of our generations, in varying degrees and with extremely differing triggers and fixations. Anxiety is a blanket term and along with all other mental health illness, one word is not able to sum up the experiences of so many. Being the youngest member of my family growing up, I had learnt what a panic attack was and how to help my mum and my sister get through one comfortably, before I had really known that Santa did not exist. It wasn’t something that had overwhelmed me, although not being in full understanding of what they were experiencing I was fully aware how I could help. This meant that when I experienced my first one when I came to uni, I was fully aware as to what I was experiencing. However, my mum, my sister and I often helped each other get through them and what with being at uni I was alone in my room and not sure what to do. As I called my mum and talked about how I felt through struggled breathing my

Image: frankjuarez (flicker)

panic attack began to subside, but soon after I said goodbye because she had to return to work, I realised I was alone again to which my panic resurged.

I was thankful for her kindness in letting me sit hunched on her floor In the brief time I had been at university I had become close friends with one of my flat mates so after a few minutes of weighing it back and forth, creating further uncertainty, I decided to knock on her room. I was thankful for her kindness in letting me sit hunched on her floor at 8am talking about anything to distract me which allowed me to ride out what was left of my panic attack. In my post-panic attack haze, I wanted to figure out what had triggered it in order to hopefully prevent future ones and although my friend had helped

me get through it, I still held a toxic mindset at the time of being embarrassed to ask for help, seeing my experience as a weakness to be solved. After some thought and research, I had learnt that what I had experienced was something called “hangxiety” and it was not uncommon to experience after a night of heavy drinking. An article by The Guardian interviewed a professor of neuropsychopharmacology to explain the science behind the come down from alcohol. The basic gist of the science behind hangover anxiety comes as a result of our bodies desire to have homeostasis, also known as the desire to resolve imbalances. Alcohol blocks a neurotransmitter in our brain called glutamate around the time we neck our fourth drink, less glutamate also results in a reduced anxiety

level, inducing the state of relaxation most of us feel when we go from tipsy to drunk. However, once you stop drinking your body registers the new imbalance and attempts to correct it by turning the glutamate back up, as your body overcompensates for what once was lacking, increased glutamate results in increased anxiety. Having figured out that the best way to prevent a future panic attack, the best option would have been for me to stick to only a couple of drinks on a night out. But what with being in a new environment, desperately wanting to impress people, I had pressured myself into drinking to the level of keeping up with everyone else.

Alcohol is considered a main part of our society’s social functions Before coming to university, I had little to no experience of going out to clubs, drinking underage or general heavy social drinking with friends. This was not a result of strict parenting, for I have been blessed with fairly liberal ones; it was largely the product of living in a small town in which places to have a drink did not expand beyond a dingy local’s pub that would shut at 11pm. All of this meant that my first night out was my first night at university. I must say, during the first few weeks of uni my drinking capabilities were godly. I had convinced myself that my tolerance levels were a gift and that at the ripe age of 19 hangovers were only ever minimal, not stretching beyond a strong headache that could be cured with a hot shower, water and paracetamol. However,the experience of my first panic attack whilst being hungover put a veil over the appeal of drinking for me from that point on. A few times after I would still

convince myself into drinking more than I should knowing full well that it would be followed by a day of scattered panic attacks. My final time of excessively drinking to the point of blacking out happened in term two of my first year. But from this point on, having pushed myself into having frequent scattered panic attacks, the thought of having a couple of drinks can occasionally lead me to have an anticipatory panic attack without any alcohol in my system. Being a generally anxious person, especially in my appearance to others, I had convinced myself that if I were to not drink, that meant I couldn’t really go out. Alcohol is considered a main part of our society’s social functions, especially at university, so when someone notices that I have chosen to only have a couple, or not drink at all on a night out they can be confused and I am yet to feel comfortable telling people the reasons behind this when they ask ‘why?’. Part of me also does not feel the need to not have to explain myself to people, I feel the stigma around not

wanting to drink needs to be removed. I still enjoy all the aspects of a night out, the music, the dancing, the curly fries on the walk home. What I do not enjoy is the way alcohol makes me feel and the way it makes me feel the day after.

Part of me does not feel the need to explain myself to people Not all of my anxiety and panic attacks have been induced by alcohol since being at uni, but it has for me, certainly been a stimulus. I wish at the time when I was first experiencing “hangxiety” I was good to myself from that point on, that I hadn’t put myself through unnecessary stress to conform to a false reality I had created of trying to fit in.

É If these issues affect you, you can get in touch with: Drink Aware: drinkaware.co.uk/alcoholsupport-services Wellbeing Services: exeter.ac.uk/wellbeing Exeter Nightline: 01392724000 Student Health Centre: 01392 676606

14 OCT 2019| EXEPOSÉ

COMMENT

On fancy dress parties Elinor Jones Science Editor

HILST I write this, as focused as I am, my mind is wandering, thinking ahead to my next fancy dress social: will I go all-out with the costume? Is a butterfly an acceptable animal for a Noah’s Ark theme? A staple of a TP Wednesday, and a central part of many societies’ gatherings, fancy dress is often used to bring people together at socials, a socalled ice breaker.

Fancy dress is often used to bring people together Whether they are sports societies, course socials or something in-between, dressing up is a fun way for a social to transform from meeting in an overpriced pub in Exeter to a throwback party, in which you remember your inner child, dressing in anything from a

tiger onesie to bubble-wrap. Personally, I’m never been more excited than when I see a social event pop up on Facebook which suggests that turning up in ‘jeans and a nice top’ is unacceptable and where I am asked to be as creative as I can. Such memorable occasions have included a time that I made a robot costume out of pizza boxes, tin foil and lanyards, a social after which I went to TP in socks and sliders, and one where I wore a whole outfit bought at a charity shop for under £10. One We d n e s d a y stands strong in my mind as a firm front

runner, during which I wore a makeshift Beckham England kit – my flatmate had hand-drawn everything with felt tip pens onto a white t-shirt when she was meant to be studying. Whilst it might all seem fun and games, however, and as much

as I enjoy the frivolity, fancy dress socials are a controversial topic for many reasons, and perhaps sports clubs and societies should be encouraged to be more creative with their content rather than clothing One highly noticeable flaw with weekly socials requiring fancy dress is cost. If I think back to my first year, all I wanted to do was fit in, meaning I spent more mid-week afternoons in the centre of town shopping for costumes than I did in the library. Not only would I lose precious time to work, I spent a high (too high) proportion of my student loan on fancy dress, no matter h o w

creative I could be with the theme.. There is the possibility that this pushes out students from lower income backgrounds, meaning they are less enticed to go to gatherings held by socials, from bowling to pub quizzes.

This pushes out students from lower income backgrounds

In the last few years I have also noticed some clubs pushing themselves quite far to make students feel stupid, particularly first years: whilst dressing them in nappies may seem like a laugh, I’m sure they don’t need to wear them all night. As keen as I am for a good old dress up, it is perhaps time for societies to branch out, be creative and not expect extravagance. But whilst they do that, I’ll be over here accepting suggestions for my next costume. Image: Credit: Adam W (Flickr)

Root Vegetable Corner T

Parsnips

Carrots

Sweet Potatoes

Harry Caton Online Editor

Emma Hussain Online News Editor

George Clark Comment Editor

HE parsnip has a rough time of it. Repeatedly compared to the carrot – its brighter, more outgoing sibling – it struggles with self-definition. A pallid alternative to that crunchier relative, its feeble, dwindling shape seems to mark a saddening offshoot. On the face of it, how it compares to its brethren seems a non-starter. It’s quite a boring vegetable. But being boring isn’t such a bad thing. What stands out here is how it quietly goes about fulfilling a simple mealtime purpose. Which brings us to the most potent part of the parsnip’s arsenal. Slap it in an oven, and that root bakes. Not in the piddling sense of the carrot either, crisping up into a curl of nothing. The rich hues of flavour locked in the vegetable’s blank stare burst free in its cooking. Of course, how you prepare it is the clincher here. The carrot’s character stems from its loudness; that cold, crisp taste is hard to cloak. Meanwhile, the parsnip’s relative subtlety means that it slots neatly alongside more eccentric flavours: vinegar, mustard, honey – all work in earnest harmony. Moreover, the parsnip is a thick one. This thing doesn’t shrivel, but wrinkles, as its sweet flavours combine and combust. Simplicity can be a speciality, and the parsnip becomes its besttasting self with the least of effort. That the parsnip is a little dull is a given. But it serves its purpose, in its own little corner. That’s all we can ask in these winter months.

Image: Tiia Monto(Wikimedia)

EAVES are falling, the nights are coming in early, and the Halloween craze has begun – autumn has arrived. As we begin to search for hearty fare to get us through these long, cold English months, look no further than the humble carrot. The mark of a truly stand-out vegetable is, to me, versatility. Carrots will feel perfectly at home in a cosy roasted veg medley, simply boiled and seasoned on a Sunday dinner, or popped into a stir fry. They also work raw as a crudité to be enjoyed with your dip of choice. This level of range can be yours for under a pound at all good supermarkets; carrots are on the cheaper end of the root vegetable spectrum, coming in at significantly cheaper than their near-neighbours such as the sweet potato. As well as being tasty, carrots are of course a healthy staple. The myth that carrots will help you see in the dark, often told to children, is in fact grounded in truth: carrots are rich in vitamin A which promotes healthy eyesight. Studies have shown that people whose diets contain less vitamin A are more likely to experience night blindness. This particular vitamin also gives your immune system a boost, which is never a bad thing as the combination of lack of sleep and prolonged drinking comes to a head mid-term. Carrots may not have the farmers’ market charm of parsnips or the flashy, millennial energy of beets, but they are the unpretentious underdog of the root vegetable world. Don’t let them pass you by this autumn.

Image: Schwarzenarzisse(Pixabay)

WEET potatoes to potatoes are what (stereotypically) Canadians are to Americans: a little friendlier, easier on the eyes and best enjoyed deep-fat fried buried under swathes and streaks of ketchup on a plate reminiscent of the village of Pompeii during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, except this time the well-seasoned villagers are much sweeter to the taste. That’s not weird, just the truth. And my God are they versatile! These unique salty-sweet treats melt in the mouth without any need for butter: these are potatoes on horse tranquiliser, they’re super-tatoes! You can stick them in soups, salads, curries, fajitas; fry them, boil them, mash them or even make love to them. Jamie Oliver has a whole section on his website dedicated to them – you can’t argue with the big JO. The recipe possibilities are endless. And for roughly the same price as a normal potato, you don’t even have to splash out for them! You can fry and fritter your short, ultimately meaningless life away day after day in sweet salty ecstasy for only £1 per kilogram in Tesco. Available all year-round, there are no disadvantages to engaging in the cult-like culture of the sweet potato, to be quite honest I’m surprised that we have a Taylor Swift Appreciation Society and yet these delicious, unique veggies don’t get any love from the wider student community.

Image: Jérôme Sautret (Wikimedia)

EXEPOSÉ | 14 OCT 2019

COMMENT

UK Black History Month: Heroes & Heroines Andrea Levy Neha Shaji Deputy Editor

Benjamin Zephaniah George Clark Comment Editor

NDREA Levy explored the T is incredibly hard to quantify the historically and imperially extent of Benjamin Zephaniah’s intertwined and intersecting achievements, or, indeed, to put cultures of Jamaica and Britain in her him into any one category. Adult and 2004 novel Small Island. This novel, children’s author, playwright, animal which charted the lives of a set of Ja- rights activist, musician and extensively maican immigrants to the UK and published performance poet, Zephatheir interactions with a white couple, niah has had a huge impact on British quickly became a hallmark of Black culture over the last forty years. British writing, being taught in schools. Born in the Handsworth district of For several British teenagers, Small Birmingham to Caribbean immigrant Island was the first introduction to the parents in 1958, it would be an underHMS Empire Windrush and the treat- statement to say that Zephaniah’s upment of the immigrants who arrived bringing was underprivileged. He left on it: a bigoted period often glossed school at thirteen without being able to over by historical texts in schools or read or write (Zephaniah is dyslexic), confined to a few sentences. The novel though had been performing poetry received the Orange Prize, the Whit- in front of his mother’s church group bread Prize and the Commonwealth since the age of eleven. In 1980, he Literature Prize; it has also been adapt- decided to move to London and that ed into a film and a National Theatre year, had his first book of poetry – Pen stage performance. Rhythm – published. Levy, in addition to Small Island, has The success of that collection was also published the 1994 semi-autobio- bolstered by a string of appearances on graphical novel Every Light in the House TV and at political gatherings through Burnin’, which traces the struggle of a the 80s and 90s. His poetry is written Jamaican family in the 1960s, a time in an informal style which encompasswhen anti-racist resistance was taking es Zephaniah’s particular accent and place in Britain - in textbooks, this too dialect; I would recommend looking at overshadowed the more distant spec- “Dis Poetry” for a classic example of tre of the civil rights movement in the his work. He is often credited with the USA. modern rebirth of performance poetry, Levy described the act of writing, which in the last couple of years has for her, as being in order to open the seen a huge uptake across the UK. minds of those who read her work: Though Zephaniah is perhaps best to “make the invisible visible”. Levy’s known for his thirteen collections of novels have encouraged wider conver- poetry, he has also won numerous sation in both literary circles and awards for his plays and novels educational institutions and is a prominent animal around the immedirights activist, havate aftermath of ing been a vegan not just Empire since he was thirWindrush but teen! Zephaalso Empire niah famously itself. In 2018, turned down the Windrush an OBE with scandal broke, the phrase: revealing the “OBE me? detainment and Up yours”, was deportations of the first person to the generation arperform with The Image: Edwardx (wikimedia) riving on HMS EmWailers after Bob Marpire Windrush. Levy’s novley’s death and hosted Nelels, to me, seemed to take an urgent son Mandela’s Two Nations Concert contemporary relevance in depicting in the Royal Albert Hall, at President how there are events that cannot be Mandela’s personal request. confined to a distant past untouched by There is so much that we have to the current politics or populace. Levy be thankful for when it comes to Bentragically passed away of breast cancer jamin Zephaniah across the UK, on in 2019, and is survived by her husband which he shines such a keen, incisive and two stepdaughters. light throughout all of his work.

Olive Moris Florence Marks Contributor

The SabbS Speak Up Afua Hirsch

Aliyah Ismail Contributor

LIVE Morris, Jamaica born, HERE are you really from? grew up in the Brixton comYou speak English, you munity as a child. In the drink tea and you go for 1970s she was a renowned political ac- brunch. Hell, you may even partake in tivist and organiser, yet, until recently accompanying friends to watch a foother commitment to society was becom- ball game at the local pub so why do ing forgotten. people keep asking you where you are In 2009 she literally became the from, clearly you are British. So why face of Brixton’s Transition Town do you often feel, as a person of mixed movement where she gained right- heritage, like you are Brit-ish? ful recognition, becoming the figure Brit(ish), written by the Norway on the brand-new Brixton-one-pound born, South London-raised Afua note. Morris was a disruptor and it Hirsch, explores this search seems appropriate that she feafor identity and is tures on the money rather about the everyday than the traditional racism which white colonialist plagues Britimagery so often ish Society. found on British Emboldnotes. ened by As a young her Britperson, Morris ish father dropped out of and Akan school to focus mot her on campaigning for from Ghana, a more equal society. Hirsch belongs Image: Policy exchange Her stand was not limited to a family rich in (wikimedia) to race, but also emphasised political activity and equality of the sexes. She was funculture, with her maternal damentally against any form of racial grandmother being instrumental in esinjustice, and in 1969 she physically tablishing the post-independence eduput herself between police, support- cation system in Ghana. ing a Nigerian diplomat who had been As well as pursuing her personal wrongly accused of stealing his own and provocative investigation into our car. Opposing police brutality and rac- identity crisis in 2018’s Brit(ish),where ism wasn’t out of character for Morris, she explores themes of denial that are and just the year before she’d joined prevalent in Britain’s history, she has the British Black Panther Movement also lived in Senegal and Ghana workwhich aimed to combat racial discrimi- ing as a columnist for The Guardian, nation in work and the mis-education been a presenter at LBC and an editor of youths. at Sky News; Hirsch has worked in a Furthermore, she campaigned for multitude of fields. squatters rights. To cement her point, My introduction to Afua Hirsch in 1974 she co-founded Brixton’s Black stemmed from listening to fellow ExWomen’s Group and set up their origi- eterian Dolly Alderton’s podcast Love nal base in the 121 Railton Road squat; Stories, where she presented herself as also she co-founded OWAAD. These an engaging, informed and interesting organisations created a national link individual. for women of colour and took strides She spoke about identity and the towards creating a more kind and just unique difficulties encountered by inworld. dividuals of a myriad of cultures, backHer political presence was also felt grounds and nationalities, as well as the in Manchester whilst obtaining her So- trouble of reconciling this difficulty cial Science degree. If Morris had lived when thinking about the answer to the past her tragically short life of 27, she question “where are you from?” would have led the black feminist disBrit(ish) allows for a unique, comcourse. She deserves to be remembered pelling and absorbing narrative capable and celebrated with awe and respect for of engaging a plethora of minds and her commitment to community activ- it is for this reason that Afua Hirsch’s ism and equality. achievements deserve a celebration.

Image: Students Guild

Katie Heard VP Welfare & Diversity

LACK History Month is an annual event that celebrates the cultures, influences, and achievements of Black communities. It is a chance to reflect on how far we have come and to acknowledge that there is more still to be done to achieve equality and ensure that hardwon victories are not overturned or over-looked. Black History Month aims to promote knowledge of Black History, Culture, and Heritage, disseminate information on positive Black contributions to British Society and heighten the confidence and awareness of Black people to their cultural heritage. As a Student Leadership Team, we felt it was fundamentally important to acknowledge Black History Month as one of our important campaigns of the year. This in addition to celebrating and promoting other EDI events such as ACS’s Culture Shock, a Guild International Festival as well as Respect Festival. We have pulled together different societies, networks, and groups of students to create a calendar of events. Through these events we want to give a platform to Black voices, achievements, and experiences; and educate others across the Exeter community on this rich cultural history, empowering everyone to take action on racism wherever it appears.

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14 OCT 2019 | EXEPOSÉ

FEATURES EDITORS: Jaysim Hanspal William Harrop

Climate Watch

Exeposé Features Writers highlight countries to watch about their fight against climate change With the recent climate change protests and the Extinction Rebellion movement growing, it is definitely nice to see changes being made in our homes, our supermarkets, and even our governments. But it’s evident that this is not enough, and we all need to do our bit to help. Every fortnight we are dedicating a section to different countries around the world and what they are doing to aid or hinder the growing concern for climate change. As environmental icon and general asskicker Greta Thunberg says; “Since our leaders are behaving like children, we will have to take the responsibility they should have taken long ago”.

Emma Hussain, News Editor, on the impact of rising sea levels in Fiji

N Western Europe, climate change is affecting us mostly through a few more weeks of barbecue weather each summer, but Pacific Island nations have been feeling its first-hand effects for years. As sea levels rise, entire nations are beginning to sink. Fiji, an archipelago in the southwest Pacific, was devastated by Hurricane Winston in 2016 – 44 people were killed and the cost of the damage was worth a third of the country’s GDP. In 2014, the whole village of Vunidogoloa was abandoned and rebuilt further inland. Fiji has plans to move 40 more villages threatened by rising sea levels, as the UN predicts oceans could rise by another three feet before the end of this century.

As sea levels rise, entire nations are beginning to sink Despite emitting fewer greenhouse gasses when compared with larger nations, Fiji has a comprehensive green policy; a Climate Change Act passed unanimously through the Fijian parliament earlier this year. Fiji was also the first country to combine its economy and climate change ministries, recognising that real action requires an overhaul of economic priorities. In 2017, Fiji won a bid to lead that year’s UN climate talks, a significant representative gain for island nations who have been working together

for years to shape the dialogue on multilateral climate change action. Notably, the country implemented the Talanoa Dialogue, named for a traditional Fijian and Pacific process of fostering non-judgement in collective problem-solving. Rather than criticising countries who have failed to realise their climate promises, the Talanoa tradition uses storytelling to help other states empathise with island nations’ situations and then develop solutions. Announcing the new climate change act in August, the Fijian minister for economy and climate change told parliament that global warming presents “a fight for our lives and our livelihoods”. As governments of the biggest emitters continue to make only gestures on climate change, Fiji’s is a message that should wake up world leaders to its concrete impacts on human society.

country’s power generation – but is this enough? China consumes more coal than the rest of the world combined. Coal-fired power plants are vital to the country’s industries and make up almost three-quarters of China’s total CO2 emissions.

China now possesses a third of the world’s wind turbines To reduce this dependence, the Chinese government has invested heavily in renewables – the International Energy Agency reports that China now possesses a third of the world’s wind turbines and a quarter of its solar panels. This has cut smog and reduced the intense concentrations of hazardous air particulates in cities, but the government’s preference for economic growth means coal power plants are still being built. Additionally, overseas investment by Chinese state banks under the Belt and Road Initiative is funding a quarter of all new coal plants globally.

Iceland is losing around eleven billion tonnes of ice per year Jordan Andrews on China’s unpublicised efforts to help clean up

HE rapid economic growth that has propelled China to the status of economic superpower and the world’s leading manufacturer has come at a heavy environmental price: reliance on belching coal-fired power plants, widespread pollution and urban smogs. As the world’s biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, China is central to the international efforts to curb global warming. Its government has embarked on a massive campaign to clean up the

China is making important steps in other areas, though. Subsidies and tax exemptions have led to a rapid growth in electric cars (over one million vehicles were sold last year). The China VI standards, due to be implemented in 2020, will make China a world leader in car emission limits. Unfortunately, under China’s current policies, its greenhouse gas emissions look set to increase until at least 2030, which is not nearly enough needed to limit global warming to two degrees celsius. Difficult compromises are needed between power consumption, economic growth and protecting the environment if China is to catch up when it comes to tackling global warming.

Emily Sumner mourns the loss of the Okjokull glacier in Iceland

UR current climate crisis is concerning for us all, threatening everything we know and love, and some countries are showing us that we must act soon, or face dire consequences. Iceland is leading the charge, having held a funeral in August for the first glacier that was lost to climate change. A bronze plaque was erected on a stone once covered by the now infamous Okojokull glacier The tragedy of the glacier in western Iceland highlights the threat of rising temperatures, and with around 11 per cent of Iceland is covered by

vast sheets of ice, the way they handle global warming will be significant in not only the future of their country but of the world. Mourning the loss of a natural cornerstone for climate change highlights the significant damage being done to the planet, as Iceland attempts to draw attention to it by being the first country to ever hold an event of its type. Iceland’s Prime Minister, Katrin Jackobsdóttir, was among those who walked up to the ceremony, stating that ‘what we are seeing here is just one face of the climate crisis’. With support from its leaders, Iceland is setting an example to other world leaders. Currently, Iceland is losing around eleven billion tonnes of ice per year, with this likely to increase. There is a great fear that ‘In the next 200 years all our glaciers are expected to follow the same path’. This news, whilst shocking, only emphasises the need for more countries to act like Iceland and represent a willingness to change. Leaving a plaque entitled ‘A letter to the future’, Iceland is giving a grave message to our planet that ‘this monument is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it’. Images L-R: European Space Agency, Pixabay, Manne1409 (Pixabay), Flickr

EXEPOSÉ | 14 OCT 2019

FEATURES

Environmental racism in Haiti

Daisy Leason brings to light the historical and environmental roots of instability in Haiti

OR many freshers the 2010 Haitian earthquake was the first memorable example of a natural disaster. At only eight or nine years old, this was the first time many of us had heard of this tiny country, thousands of miles away from us. Now, almost a decade later, it seems that we are still blindingly unaware of the true reasons behind the crises in Haiti, both natural and political. There is a media narrative we see time and time again when a natural disaster hits a developing country. We mourn the tragedy of the lives lost. We send aid and we raise funds. Yet, it is significantly more tragic because we have to do these things as the people of the country just cannot help themselves. So often there is an underlying thread that whilst the disaster itself was unavoidable, if only the country was run better then they would be able to recover. If there wasn’t a dictator or a military government then all would be well. There is a Western colonialist mindset that if only the rest of the world were like us then recovery from these tragedies would be quicker and easier.

We are unaware of the true reasons behind Haiti’s natural and political crises

This is partly true in that the more money you have, the easier life is. When hurricanes hit parts of the USA the country has the power to step in and give aid directly to its own people. Although there is debate over whether richer, whiter areas are given precedence. What we are failing to realise is that part of the reason Haiti is in its current situation is because of colonisers, including the USA. Under French rule from the early 17th century to the early 19th century, Haiti had its land desecrated. They destroyed large amounts of forest, leaving the landscapes unable to produce crops. Even after freeing themselves from French colonial rule in 1804, Haiti became increasingly influenced by the USA. The Americans occupied the country for two decades. They continue to involve themselves in Haiti’s affairs. This involves backing the deeply unpopular President Jovenal Moise. Haiti became, and continues to be, the country it is today through the influence of other countries. Part of the reason it is in its precarious position of civil

unrest, economic crisis, and worsening climate disasters is not of its own doing. So what can be done?

climate change and the natural disasters that hit it.

After breaking free from French colonial rule, Haiti fell under US influence

Rebellion protestors are criticised for having too much money and too much time, enabling them to sit around and cause disruption.

Haiti has little resilience against climate change and natural disasters

From 2006 until 2018 Haiti was part of a programme with Venezuela which supplied it with oil. However, with the crash of the Venezuelan economy, this arrangement crumbled. Oil shipments stopped, and the government removed energy subsidies. Fuel prices increased by more than 50 per cent. This plunged the country into a fuel crisis.

Image: Zakazi, Pixabay

The removal of subsidies happened under duress. Firstly, the International Monetary Fund, promised Haiti a $96 million loan. It also helped show that the country was committing to the terms of the Paris Agreement. This includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 31 per cent by 2030. Using less oil should be a good thing for a country that is in the top three most vulnerable to climate change. Despite this, the fuel shortage has caused an economic crisis and increasing protests against the government. Still struggling from the 2010 earthquake, fuel subsidies were a way for the government to support its poorest citizens, the more than six million Haitians living on just $2.41 a day. As a result of almost yearly natural disasters, many communities are left off grid, relying on fuel powered generators. When you are struggling to survive it is difficult to think far enough ahead to contemplate how your actions will affect the environment. Even the government is unfocused in climate action. It is struggling to access the Green Climate Fund, a global operation offering finance to assist efforts to counter climate change. Criteria and bureaucracy make it consistently difficult to acquire these resources. With a lack of long-term solutions Haiti has little resilience against

corrupt government, climate justice is likely to be at the back of their minds. Nonetheless, it should be considered no less important. Without a world to live on, nothing else will matter. The USA has influence over Haiti and it can use this for good. But it must remember to influence rather than control.

Therefore, it is constantly relying on short term aid from developed countries. What really needs to happen across the world is to intersect political protest with climate protest. In the West, the public face of climate protest is white and middle class. Extinction

On the other hand, those who are facing daily problems do not have the ability to protest, let alone protest on the full range of issues global activists seek to raise awareness of. When citizens are facing grievous poverty, institutionalised racism, sexism or homophobia, or a

In this vein, a government that cares for its citizens is integral. Protest in Haiti is constantly intensifying but it must be intersectional. Not only must people everywhere strive for a cleaner, greener world, but they must realise that it must be accessible to all. This greener world is no use if those who are to be hit the hardest by climate change cannot reach it. We are not there yet, but each day we seem to be edging closer. More countries are declaring green policies. We have the Extinction Rebellion and the global school strikes headed by Greta Thunberg. Clearly it is hard for a student in Exeter to know how they can help students in Haiti. Education is key. From there the best thing you can do is remember that every person and every country has their own way of living and their own challenges. Start with yourself, but remember those marginalised countries on the other side of the world. Image: Jean Nehemy Pierre

FEATURES

14 OCT 2019 | EXEPOSÉ

Fighting the Greta-good Abi Taphouse, Online Screen Editor, discusses why Greta Thunberg receives so much criticism

NYONE in the public sphere, whether it is right or wrong, opens themselves up to scrutiny from the world. But this is not what 15-year-old, Greta Thunberg, expected when she sat herself down outside the Swedish Parliament just fifteen months ago. Greta had always been a climate activist and as she got older, she began to realise the severity of the crisis faced by the world. Following Sweden’s hottest summer in over 250 years, she felt there was no more time for talking. She had briefly been involved with a climate change group called Fossil Free Dalsland (which has now expanded to a global initiative), after winning a climate change essay writing competition, but after no one was willing to join her in striking, she went to it alone.

Greta is criticised predominantly for what she represents On Friday 20 August 2018, Greta Thunberg stood for the planet and since then, over seven million people have stood behind her. With such a simple, yet crucial message, she has become a global spokesperson for everyone who shares her immediate concern for the environment. So why, is she subject to such brutal and pointed criticism? After all, the cause she fights for is one that will impact everyone. Yet, Greta and her opposers represent two polar sides to the argument: those who demand immediate and significant climate action now, and those who see no need for action at all. Those who have publicly criticised Thunberg often use the same ammunition, her youth, her gender and her Asperger’s. It may not come as a shock to learn that the majority of people who publicly mock Greta are right-wing conservatives. But why must she receive such a relentless level of scrutiny? The answer lies in a social structure almost as old as time – the patriarchy. It seems likely that the white, middle-class pillars of the patriarchy would never have predicted Thunberg would be this successful and now, they don’t know what to do. She is, after all, still a teenage girl. The right-wing’s violent responses to Thunberg's movement, like Aaron Banks’ tweet this summer joking that he wished she’d die in a yachting accident, are indicative of one feeling in particular – fear. Fear Image: Chatham House

of disruption to the social structure that has held these conservatives in comfortable, privileged positions for hundreds of years. But the persistent and somewhat degrading public critique Thunberg has faced from these conservatives suggests that there may be something deeper going on. Not only does she pose a threat to their privileged position, but she poses a threat to something much bigger than herself.

Greta poses a threat to corporations that exploit the environment Thunberg has shown the world what it means to build a revolution. Not a revolution in the traditional sense of the word, but a cultural revolution. In just over a year, this girl who has so many social and cultural barriers to break down has physically rallied a group of people the same size as the population of London. She has made international news, spoken at numerous UN Summits and been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. If she was to win this award, Thunberg would be joining only 17 women who have won the prize (compared to 89 men), among which sit women

Image: Anders Hellberg

like Malala Yousafzai and Mother Teresa. Thunberg has instigated change among people, she has instilled fear, but at the same time hope.

Why is she subject to such pointed criticism? More fundamentally, Thunberg poses threat to big businesses responsible for capitalising on practices that damage the environment. Companies responsible for

harvesting oil, increasing air pollution levels and making fast money from fast fashion are usually headed by rightwing conservatives. Whether they truly believe it, or they feign ignorance, many of these big business owners are also climate change deniers. It is in their immediate interests to mock Thunberg and deny climate change is happening because admitting it is real, could mean admitting they are knowingly passive to the situation. Not only would this be damaging for their businesses, but it would also be financially damaging.

Greta has instilled both fear and hope with her message If these groups act like they do not “believe” in climate change, it makes it easier for them to continue harvesting resources and producing products in the irresponsible way that has been done for years. Among those criticising Thunberg are politicians, most notably, President Trump. It is in keeping with his character to chastise her over social media for three reasons. The first being that, he is openly a climate change denier. Like himself, Thunberg is now on the world stage and Trump could not ignore

such a prominent figure. Greta targets politicians and names them responsible for the climate emergency faced, something Trump does not agree with. In November 2018, Trump confirmed to the US press that he didn’t believe in climate change, and since his election he has actively worked against implementing environmental measures in his policies. Most iconically, he pulled out of the Paris Agreement in June 2017, clearly signifying that he has no interest in trying to reduce carbon emissions. The second reason Trump would attack Thunberg is because, as the Pacific Standard reported in 2018, oil and gas ties run deep in Trump’s administration. As such, it is not in his interests to acknowledge Greta, or climate change because, as the President of the third most highly populated country in the world, he would have to make significant legal and economic restructuring.

Trump is known for his misogynistic comments about women Moreover, making business regulations more environmentally friendly would likely cause a lot of expense for not only the companies backing Trump in 2020, but those that support his political stance. Even if he seemed prepared to help the environment, he is unlikely to do anything that would hinder his chances in the 2020 election. The final reason, is that Trump is notorious for his misogynistic views. Having repeatedly degraded women, evident in his ties to Jeffery Epstein and with Playboy, in the public eye, it seems unlikely that Trump would show Thunberg much respect anyway, even if he agreed with her. This attitude is a prime example of the kind of person who will fight Greta at every turn. Despite the tirade of torment Greta Thunberg faces, she remains true to her cause. Leading a movement so large that there is a real chance for change. The conservatives who see her as such a threat are likely to continue chastising her and they may never be ready for the change that she instigates. But Thunberg and her supporters don’t need them to be ready because, bit by bit, a revolution is coming and the earth is ready.

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LIFESTYLE EDITORS Izzy Cole Anna Romanovska

ARTS + LIT EDITORS Cherry-Anastasia Boroceanu Zach Mayford

MUSIC EDITORS Richard Ainslie Bryony Gooch

SCREEN EDITORS Jonathan Chern Samuel Thomson

STUDY BREAK Puzzles by Matthew & Anne 14 OCT 2019 | EXEPOSÉ

lifestyle

Sustainable in Exeter

Anna Romanovska, Lifestyle Editor, guides you through some local eco-friendly options

E are in the middle of a climate emergency. Although it is mostly caused by corporations exploiting the earth, irresponsibly creating waste and failing to cut down emissions, there are still some minor changes that can be made to your lifestyle that can help to not only cut down on waste, but will also save you some money.

Quick switches

... to a reusable coffee cup Apart from Camper Coffee, most coffee outlets on campus use cups and lids that will only end up as waste. Switch out disposable cups for a reusable one and save money on your much-needed caffeine kick. Dump the plastic bottle for a reusable one The cost of bottled water accumulates, as does the waste caused by buying one every time the thirst takes over. Go for a snazzy water flask across campus.

DIVERTING FROM CHAIN SUPERMARKETS IS DIFFICULT Prep your food Yes, this does take time and organisational skills no student has, but you will be saving money on the extortionately priced toasties at Pret. My trick is cooking a bit too much during dinner and packing away my leftovers for a hefty on-campus lunch. Stick to local food stores This one is difficult. Back in my home country, buying local was always incredibly easy. You could just go down to the local farmers’ market and stock up on all the fresh food you needed. However, in Exeter, I have found it difficult to divert away from the supermarket chains, such as Tesco’s or Sainsbury’s.

Images L to R: Vanessa Ramirez, Emre Kuzu pexels, Anna Romanovska

Opt for packaging-free fruit and vegetables. It’s no secret that some fruit and veg has unnecessary packaging. If you only buy your fruit and veg from Co-op, then I hate to break it to you, but you are doing something very wrong. Co-op is terrible at avoiding unnecessary packaging. Every time I have gone in there, a part of me cries at all the plastic used. Don’t be afraid to trek to the bigger Sainsbury’s or Tesco’s in town. Although they’re not perfect, there is still some variety of choice amongst packaging-free Opt for a safety razor I’m not going to lie, safety razors are terrifying.They’re incredibly sharp and rather heavy, so you can’t really afford it falling on your foot in the shower (I may or may not have cried). However, they’re a great substitute for disposable razors. The handle itself cost me about £18 and with a pack of 100 blades at £5, you will be getting your money’s worth in no time. Do be careful when shaving though, one small shake can easily lead to a stinging cut.

Where shop

newest style and buying the ‘it’ items of the season. Wouldn’t it be better for you to follow your own style agenda, rather than following everyone else's? Zero Zero is the hero you never thought you needed. Located on Fore Street, they offer packaging-free dry foods that you can weigh out into your container. Pasta, pickle mix and vegan chocolate buttons are just some examples of the yummy foods you can get there. The Guild Shop The Guild Shop installed new dispensers full of rice, pasta and snacks for this year. Keep a small container on hand just in case you get a snack craving during your long study session. Second-hand clothes shops and thrift stores Though Sancho’s is a great alternative to fast fashion stores the likes of Primark and H&M, it may be finan-

Sancho’s Sancho’s offer a great quality collection that can outlast any fashion trend. With brands ranging from Armed Angels to People Tree, there is honestly no other place to go when looking for your next wardrobe staple. Personally, I am a big fan of the jewellery. Not only is it ethical and looks amazing, but it also doesn’t make my skin flare up. Fur thermore, Sancho’s has just released its new Foundation Collection, providing a basic wardrobe for those who want to look chic without feeding into the fast-fashion idea of needing to subscribe to the

cially unsustainable for the student budget. Here is where charity shops and other thrift stores come in. I have found some of my favourite items during my charity shop hunts. The colours and prints are unique.

Fashion

To be honest, I only have one rule: reduce your shopping at fast-fashion brands. I understand that Zara and Primark offer some truly wavy garms for a good price yet buying a new skirt every season is not sustainable for your wallet or the earth. Support your local independent businesses or help a good cause by popping into a charity shop.

PLASTIC TAMPON APPLICATORS ONLY END UP IN LANDFILL

Period products

Menstrual cup Okay, I’ll admit that I myself have not taken the plunge yet. However, don’t let that scare you away. So many of my friends have raved about the cup, specifically that it is a lot more comfortable than the basic tampon. Hopefully, one day, I’ll finally unbox the Lunette I have stashed away in my room. Reusable pads Yes, the thought of washing your pad sounds super weird. Yet, it has saved me so much money. Though I wear tampons throughout the day, my fear of Toxic Shock Syndrome makes me opt for the more comfortable sanitary product during the night. Stay away from tampon applicators The classic ones from Tampax are all plastic and only end up in a landfill. I don’t blame anyone who would rather use the plastic applicators rather than the flimsy cardboard ones. Unfortunately, they’re incredibly bad for the planet. Ditch applicator tampons altogether or purchase a reusable applicator such as DAME (easily found in your local Boots). The major lifestyle switches missing from this list are cutting down on meat and dairy. Eating meat every day is rather unhealthy anyway, and it is a lot cheaper to favour veggie-based foods over flooding your body with steaks and pints of milk. I hope this guide helped you understand the many changes you can make to your day-to-day life that could relieve the environmentally unfriendly strain on the planet.

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EDITORS: Izzy Cole and Anna Romanovska

lifestyle

14 OCT 2019 |

What Black History Month means to me Eden Kankam-Nantwi writes about the significance of Black History Month

E have been celebrating Black History Month in the UK for over 30 years now. It started in the US and was created by Carter Godwin Woodson as Negro History Week in the second week of February 1926 to coincide with the birthday of abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass and 16th US President Lincoln, who worked with Harriet Tubman to abolish slavery. It then spun into a month-long celebration of black people and our history. Ghanaian-born Akyaaba Addai-Sebo organised its first event in 1987, and we’ve been celebrating it ever since. Black History Month, for those who are unsure, is not for the “socially black”. During this month, we commemorate influential black people who have made an impact on our lives. To name a few, there is the late Toni Morrison, a writer and activist who spoke to so many of us, both through her writing and her powerful speeches; Jerry Lawson, who contributed so much to the nerd community for creating of the modern video game cartridge; Cree Summers, who voiced almost all of the black girl cartoon characters I loved watching, including Susie Carmichael in Rugrats and Numbuh 5 in Codename: Kids Next Door. Missy Elliot, one of the first rappers I ever started listening to has been setting the bar higher and higher ever since 'Get Ur Freak On'. It’s been amazing to see more people in the music industry recently such as Lizzo, Normani

and Megan Thee Stallion. It was just as thrillthan white people. When it comes to cocaine ing to see Lil Nas X, a black gay man breaking possession in London, 78 per cent of black an all-time world record with his Old Town people are charged, compared with 44 per Road remaining number one on Billcent of white people. Pamela Turner was a board’s Hot 100 for 17 weeks straight. black woman shot dead five times in BayIt’s been comforting to see black womtown, Texas earlier this year in May. The poen in roles in the media that aren’t just lice officer that killed her claimed that she slave number three or sassy black reached for the taser, which warranted him friend, so thanks for being the shooting her so many first black woman to star in a times, but anynon-servant role in a TV seone could ries, Diahann Carroll. Thanks tell that for your roles in How to Get this reAway with Murder Viola Daaction v i s w a s a n d vio A j a lently Naomi racist. K i n g . M i Thanks to chael the entire Pose Gilchrist is cast and thank you a black man Sonequa Martin-Green with autism that Image: Pixabay for your role as Michael Burnhad the police called ham in Star Trek: Discovery. I really do on him by a neighbour in 2014. love to see it. The police claimed that Michael was “aggresWhat I don’t love seeing or hearing about sive” and that is why they tasered him eight is the police brutality that black people are times and left him catatonic and virtually often subject to. According to a study done mute. Of course, Michael’s “aggressiveness” is by The Guardian, black people are twice as not the reason for him being treated so terlikely to be charged for drugs, and if drugs ribly, but racism and the lack of understandare found, we are twice as likely to be charged ing of people with autism. It is easy to think

that police brutality is a problem that only African-Americans deal with, but this particular occurrence happened in Wythenshawe, Manchester. Horrible events like this is what led to the Black Lives Matter movement of 2013. #BlackLivesMatter was sparked by the murder of Trayvon Martin and the acquittal of his murderer, George Zimmerman. It is a movement that challenges the system that targets black people and is one that has spread across the globe in an effort to organise against the systematic oppression that black people face.

PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD IMPACTS ON MY LIFE ARE PRESENT IN MY MIND EVERY MONTH Sometimes it feels like Black History Month is the only month when I’m given permission to appreciate my blackness, because everyone else is appreciating it too. But I’m black every month of the year and black people that have had impacts on my life and in the world are present in my mind every month too. Of course, black people need to be supported and appreciated regardless of whether its October or not, but this month is definitely a start.

You made me feel short

Yudu Wu reflects on how being tall can affect your dating life

Y high school crush was intelligent and funny, the president of the debating club in my high school, and he also has a cute face. He sounds like one of those guys in the film that Noah Centineo would play. He was not, since his height was only 163 cm – while back in high school, mine was 167 cm. The end of this story was, he was surprised (and confused) to find out that I liked him when I asked him out, he couldn’t understand why a girl who was taller than him would like him. And he said no.

WE WERE TAUGHT APPEARANCE MEANS NOTHING, BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE I was frustrated, and even wished that I could be shorter for him. But then I started to realize that if I were shorter, I probably wouldn’t like him, as I prefer short guys – not necessarily guys who are shorter than me, but those who are below 175 cm. But the problem I have with dating is, guys who are below 175 cm usually wouldn’t date me. My height

is now 170 cm, and I have an unhealthy addiction with platform shoes, so if I’m standing beside a guy who’s 175 cm, I look just as tall as him, not to mention if he’s below 175 cm. Tall men might be writing their height all over their Tinder bio, but in a heteronormative world, women are not the only ones who get to choose between short and tall, and men are not just being judged by women. I keep on telling myself that height is only a preference, whenever I get rejected by short guys because I made them “feel short”. However, I can’t convince myself that it’s only a preference – I would say I have the same frustration with short men. I can’t help but feel that I’m being discriminated against because of my height. That statement might sound insane, and I know that’s

entirely not true; but imagine just being yourself in a way you can’t change, making you not available to date people you want to. Surely your height can't decide anything about you, just like we were all taught that appearance doesn’t mean a thing – but in reality, it indeed does. I couldn’t figure out why a lot of women would prefer taller guys or why guys would prefer shorter girls, but they are all just like the societal standards of beauty: there’s no reason or even definition behind it; however, it’s ridiculously affecting our dating life. Remember that tweet went viral when Ariana Grande broke up with Pete Davidson? “Ariana had to learn the hard way what all women find out eventually: that sometimes you think a guy

Image: Jennifer Burk (Unsplash)

is amazing and funny and loving and sexy, but it turns out he’s just tall.” Even though the halo of being tall will eventually fade out, it’s always more comfortable for people to choose their partner based on specific standards, and possibly hurt others.

I WISHED THAT I COULD BE SHORTER FOR HIM I’m not suggesting you ditch your preference to make others feel better about themselves; at the end of the day, it’s always your dating life and your choice. But modern dating is like online shopping. We’re too good at using the “sort by” feature, ignoring those “products” that might be just for us but in other categories. It takes a lot of time to look for the one in the sea of products, and it would be your choice to not “waste your time". For those who do crave true love, you would never want to miss out on the one that you genuinely like because of some stupid standards. Hopefully, that person is waiting for you as well, without categories applied.

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EDITORS: Izzy Cole and Anna Romanovska

14 OCT 2019 |

WEEKLY HOROSCOPES ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

Be careful Aries, your tendency to overwork yourself will be tested this October. Your constant need to say yes to everything is admirable, but will get the best of you. Take time out for some much needed self care. However, your hard work will be rewarded, and you will finally get the recognition you deserve. Your passion is your best quality, though it is also your Achilles' heel. Crying from time to time is completely acceptable, just don’t flood your friends with unnecessary tears.

This time of the year is perfect for getting ahead on your studies. After a while of uncertainty and procrastination, finally you'll be feeling more motivated and focused. Make sure to keep on top of your stubborn streak, and try and be more open minded in your career choices. Speaking of being open minded, a person from your past may be making a comeback, treat this with caution. As the season is changing, and the end of the year feels imminent, a focus on the future is key.

This month will be a tense one for you. You may find solace in the arts, creative expression can often be a useful tool to work through problems. Take a careful look at the messages given off by strangers, they may be difficult to decode. When you decode them, the people closest to you will be your best resource. Try not to get too caught up in the small details, they are often more stressful than they are worth. Finally, remember: just because you can't prove something, doesn't mean it's not true.

Anna Romanovska, Lifestyle Editor

Isabelle Gray, Editor

Sam Thomson, Screen Editor

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

The cold weather is perfect for the hermits amongst us as it beckons you to spend time cocooned in blankets and re-watching Friends. Use this time to recharge and rehabilitate, especially if there has been any overwhelming changes recently. Don’t feel guilty for having time to yourself, allow time to process and relax. You’ll find yourself much more energised, and ready to return to the busy social scene! This month is the perfect time to reminisce and catch up with friends that you’ve missed.

This month, Leos will seek a harmony; we will be our own grand jury sought after a calm equilibrium. Whether it is wrestling with a congested timetable or taking time for self-care, balance is paramount. With Libras being a notoriously rational sign, Libra season will allow Leos to rationally contemplate decisions rather than hastily. Parties, coffee dates and friendly rendezvous: you are a social butterfly, but be wary not to put your eggs in too many baskets otherwise the scales will tip and remain askew.

You often feel the need to take on more than you can handle in the name of being a people pleaser. However, this month is one where you will be able to focus on getting things done and getting them done well. You may experience moments of adversity with juggling the various aspects of your life but remember to take time out to reflect, rest and recharge in order to maintain a positive mindset in the coming month. Overall, you are looking at a month of productivity and self-care.

Izzy Jayham

Catherine Lloyd, Copy Editor

Kamila Bell, Comment Editor

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

Libra season is upon us so happy birthdays allround! As this new chapter begins, many new opportunities may present themselves to you. Be sure to seize all the good that will come your way, and never take it for granted. Excitement, hard work, and previously unknown possibilities are in store. However, be mindful of taking on too much and letting relationships fall aside. Give love to your work, love to your friends, and love to yourself. Open up to what is to come and you can’t go too wrong.

Scorpio, this is your month to get yourself together. Is there anything you have been putting off recently? Catching up on lecture notes? Internship applications? General tidying? Get yourself together and eat that frog; you will reap the rewards later. You will also have to evaluate a relationship in your life, be it old or new, friendship or romance. Does this relationship spark joy, or is it time to KonMari them out of your life? Don’t be afraid to ask yourself these questions and do what is best for you.

Will October be the month for Sagittarius? We straddle the line between autumn and winter and so must wait patiently until November for our celestial chakras to be fully aligned. This month will find you in a mode of preparing – sowing seeds to reap good things in the future, ready for the colder months (and deadlines) ahead. You will feel a sense that long-held wishes will be granted and satisfyingly so. They will have been worth the wait, bringing sparks of warmth as the light fades quicker each day.

Katie Jones

Sophie Stoakes

Rishil Patel

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

After an emotionally challenging few months, October is going to be your breakthrough. Open yourself up to new relationships and exploring new possibilities whenever they arise. This will be an incredibly rewarding experience and will be the start of this new era that you’ve been preparing for. Busy times are ahead, so ensure to have that precious time on your own - self love is the best kind of love. But at the end of the month be aware your past will come and surprise you when you least expect it.

This month sees the creative juices of Aquarius come to life. Whether it be trying a new style or spicing up lecture notes, Aquarius puts it's talents to the works. This change provokes not only a sense of motivation, but also an insight into the future. Come the weekend you start to ponder the 'bigger picture' of your life which steers your attention towards internships and grad schemes to get the ball rolling. This is natural for Aquarius but don't forget to think about the smaller steps in order to succeed.

For Pisces, deep reflection and cosmic contemplation will NOT occur on the increasingly cramped and sweaty fresher filled floors of Fever Monday; neither will it occur in the front row of an 8.30am law lecture. Instead, your deepest reflection will transpire in bed at 2pm on Thursday 17 October, at which point you will truly contemplate whether the deep seated nausea and heart racing anxiety were worth the two-minute thrill of seeing all your friends dressed up as adult babies at the netball social last night. Blame it on Neptune.

Georgia Shepherd

Izzy Cole, Lifestyle Editor

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arts + lit Sci-fi and Sci-fact

Elinor Jones, Science Editor, puts sci-fact and sci-fiction under the microscope

S a genre, sci-fi summons robots, spaceships and mutant animals into our heads, blurring the line between so-called fiction and reality. It’s often labelled as technology-focused, and rife with futuristic forecasting of rocket designs, time-travel and communications devices. Ever since I read the cautionary tale of cloning, Unique, early in secondary school, I’ve seen kooky concepts come to life off the pages, for better or worse. For the human race, the possibilities are endless: with advances in science and everchanging political and environmental landscapes, we boldly go to uncharted realms. Scientists and artists shift the impossible to the

Image: Bromley86 Mrazvan22

everyday, testing the theories and musings of sci-fi writers from times gone by. From 1984 to The Time Machine, science and social issues are always hot topics in the literary world, with novels acting as prophetic markers for the future state of society. H. G. Wells wrote a century ago about a network that resembled the World Wide Web and anticipated an international conflict similar to World War Two; Aldous Huxley’s dystopian satire, Brave New World, predicted that society would be shaped by genetic engineering and behavioural conditioning, familiar concepts to us in the 21st century.

I’VE SEEN CONCEPTS COME TO LIFE OFF THE PAGES FOR BETTER OR WORSE Interestingly, this genre has been used to discuss a very real modern crisis: mental health. Books such as Annihilation, which was adapted for screen in 2018, centres around a mentally ill protagonist, without dramatizing or glamorising mental health conditions. This sparks conversations about such a difficult experience

faced by many, with events such as New York Comic Con holding debates on how mental health is depicted in sci-fi, horror and fantasy. Another crisis scarily predicted by science fiction is the new-wave of anti-abortion laws in America, a fate graphically depicted in Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. Sci-fi has long predicted and explored inventions like Elon Musk’s new starship, which looks like it has leapt off the pages of From the Earth to the Moon or off the screen in Star Trek. However, there are key societal changes snuck past these novels. Climate change and global warming have been seemingly ignored in the genre, with very few examples of literature which focuses on one of the biggest challenges facing the planet, although there are some notable pieces

This is your life?

Image: J4p4n

such as The Purchase of the North Pole by Jules Verne and The Burning World by J. G. Ballard. Despite this, the trajectory of climate activism could be such that we will see a boom in so-called Cli-fi, an emerging genre aiming to raise awareness of the burgeoning issue. Whilst sci-fi can’t predict all eventualities, the genre of fiction can create a culture for discussing difficult topics in a creative and exciting way, attracting a huge fan base and hopefully engaging wider audiences with potential crises and ways of working through them.

Neha Shaji, Deputy Editor, takes a look at tell-alls

UTOBIOGRAPHICAL pieces can tend to be people’s first foray into historiography, often exposing untruths in historical narratives pushed by ideologies or countries. The autobiographical form in itself is not necessarily political – everyone from an ex-President to say, someone who dropped out of Bake Off in the first round have pieces on the autobiography shelf in Waterstones.

EXISTENCE ITSELF CAN BE POLITICAL; EVEN EVERY DAY CAN BE AN ACT OF RESISTANCE Yet existence itself can be political, and even the most seemingly mundane works of autobiographical writing can be an act or explanation of resistance, depending on the writer. For instance, drag icon RuPaul’s autobiography Letting it all Hang Out is inundated with beauty tips, fashion advice and what is essentially a drag tutorial. However, even with his somewhat stifled portrayal of his home life and strict father followed by his expressive depic-

tion of his life in the art and drama world and the cone, RuPaul articulates resistance minus necessarily academic meditating on the politics of defiance. Autobiography provides a discursive identifier without necessitating an in depth or inaccessible sermon on historiographical context. Autobiography can certainly be political activism: this can come from several facets including the politics of existence, to the fictionalising of the self to create an idealised protagonist in a selfdriven narrative. Autobiographies can also be a collective retrospective study of resistance. For instance, some take the narratives of dissenters in the Indian subcontinent. These autobiographical pieces span introspections as to the nature of a devotional truth, to a study of Indian landscape and history, hard-left Marxist discourse, as well as gritty recounting of reality by those consid-

ered by several of the aforementioned parties to be not worthy of mention. Thus, a colourful political fabric can be redrawn, depicting the differing kinds of resistance within this period of time, from politically far left to a religiously driven right. This form of writing can definitely, to some, read as if it were a blog in hardback costing double of what you think something of that quality should, as it can be written in rather basic prose and seem monotonous. However, it is important to understand that those whose stories are worth telling cannot be decided by a certain class of readers. Indeed, those who have the most pressing of life experiences, or those who have struggled or resisted politically may not have the capability to write in high-brow prose or in old-fashioned diction, considering their situations. Hence, the writing of an autobiography itself is an act of resistance,

and even this serves as a comparative tool: two figures may have a similar life story, but one is in an introspective, reflective style whilst the other may be in contemporary slang diction or translated.

A COLOURFUL POLITICAL FABRIC CAN BE REDRAWN, DEPICTING DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES People compare autobiographies to vlogs, or blog pieces. However, bite-sized posts and videos get consumed religiously, with British vloggers holding a huge sway over the market. If, therefore, the issue is with paying for autobiographical pieces rather than your personal taste, the question is why would you not pay for a life story if you would pay for a piece of fiction? By what means is creative writing or shorter form entertainment worth more than fact? Honestly, you could probably pick up some barely fictional texts and just pretend they are novels. Image: Geralt

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EDITORS: Cherry-Anastasia Boroceanu and Zach Mayford

14 OCT 2019 |

The Handmaids Tale - Book vs Film Arts & Lit Writers debate the age-old question - which is better?

Book

HE Handmaid’s Tale TV show is an example of excellent world building, the benefits a relatable contemporary setting, and gives much needed depths to the characters of Atwood’s Gilead. But this does not necessarily mean the show is superior. The success of Atwood’s book is down to its intimacy. It is concentrated, ambiguous, intense and therefore arguably impossible to fully adapt. Whilst the TV show jumps from location to location, flashback to flashback, Atwood’s setting is a claustrophobic suburbia, with a thin veneer of the ordinary serving to accent the dystopia. Yes, there are suggestions of darker things - an aspect left out of the TV show are the disturbingly relevant mentions of, ‘national homelands’ and ‘resettlements’ - but there is also saccharine domesticity in the shopping, knitting and girls in white dresses. The Gilead mechanism of the novel is, therefore, more effective and chilling in that it is almost presented as working.

Our protagonist is a cog in this wheel, flawed, and genuinely impressive in her persistent resilience, but she is not the physical hero of the TV show. There is no awesome musical accompaniment to the actions of the novel’s protagonist, and if there was, it would accompany Moira. Our protagonist, our handmaid, perhaps does not help bring down regimes to Nina Simone’s ‘Feeling Good’, but she, an integral part of the system, undermines it in her own way, through her persistent, internal refusal to play the part she has been scripted. To not let the bastards get her down.

Show

ORMALLY, I follow the crowd and say that the book was better. The book is, after all, the original, and who would not prefer the original? In this case however, I cannot help but pause. Long before The Handmaid’s Tale into a television series announcement or release, I read Atwood’s original novel. I liked it, but I was not profoundly affected or deeply moved. It was interesting; It was an immersive experience (as all books should be). Despite Atwood’s powers of description, I had trouble picturing this strange world. ‘Picturing’ and visualisation, absent for me in the book, is exactly what the television series thrives. The show translated this story into something urgent and

political: something living. It is the series, and not the book, that has people talking - and not just talking, but taking to the streets in protest. These days, it’s television that reaches the masses, and not print. The depth of this new discourse about The Handmaid’s Tale even prompted Atwood to write, 30 years on, a sequel, the recently-released The Testaments. When asked whether The Testaments was an attempt to ‘reclaim her narrative’ Atwood answered no. But who really believes the show did not, in some way, stir Atwood to return to a book she had already written? It is one thing to adapt a novel, making use of a fictive world and readymade characters. It is another to play the two off against one another, in some kind of extraordinary literary-visual dialogue; the sort of compelling exchange which revives forgotten classics, and goes as far as to sway the author herself to re-engage with her own text.

Screen a Turner

Evie Hughes investigates cinema’s infiltration of art’s upper echelons,

HIS

December marks the finish line of the biggest, priciest and most prestigious award in the British art world – the Turner prize. One British artist will achieve the highest honour for outstanding contribution to visual art over the past year. The Award, named after English painter J. M. W. Turner, is one of the most respected within art culture. Helen Cammock holds a short-list spot with her 2018 short film The Long Note. Each year the prize and the announcement of the shortlisted artists gathers much attention, inciting speculation around the essence of art; Cammock’s nomination for her short film The Long Note is no exception. Film as a component within the competition draws attention to a much bigger question:

is cinema, specifically short film, able to compete against the more traditional mediums of art, like painting, print, sculpture, installation, pottery and photography?

IS CINEMA ABLE TO COMPETE AGAINST TRADITIONAL ART? Ever since film culture began, the unspoken separation between cinema and other world artistic forms has been undeniable. In the early 20th century, cinema chiefly served as

a c c e s s i b l e mass entertainment. Slapstick came to characterise silent era comedy more than any other motif. Although writers like Charlie Chaplin were zeitgeist figures with unprecedented fame, cinema fell far from receiving the level of respect and recognition of other, more traditional art forms. It wasn’t until the 1950s when innovative theorists started a campaign to shift perspectives. Francois Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard, film critics of Cahiers du Cinema began arguing filmmakers such as Alfred Hitchcock were more than just directors – they were auteurs.

INNOVATIVE THEORISTS CAMPAIGNED TO SHIFT PERSPESCTIVES It was this revelation of directors as authors with distinctive and individual thematic and visual styles that helped distinguish film as a legitimate art medium. Whilst the 21st century sees more than its fair share of mainstream blockbuster releases, the accumulation of independent cinema grew into a strong factor in cementing film’s ranking amongst fine art. Helen Cammock’s nomination for the Turner Prize, amongst nominations from sculpture, performance, video installation and drawing, is a sure sign of artistic integration. The

Long Note explores women’s role within the 1960s Northern Ireland conflict – specifically the 1968 civil rights movement in Derry Londonderry. The film mixes archival and newly produced footage as well as interviews with female survivors of the turmoil. Much like her other work, Helen Cammock investigates marginalised voices of those affected by historical movements. The short film medium makes Hammock’s research and central focus (the voice) much more prevalent and powerful. The Long Note’s nomination can only make film a more viable art medium, capable of contending with artistic tradition. Fine art cannot and should not be limited to the very first mediums of expression. Images: Open Clip Art; Creative Commons

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arts + lit

EDITORS: Cherry-Anastasia Boroceanu and Zach Mayford

14 OCT 2019 |

ARTS to SCREEN An audience with Hugh Stoddart H

Zach Mayford, Arts + Lit Editor, speaks to the screenwriter of To the Lighthouse about adaptations

UGH Stoddart is a successful and prolific screenwriter who adapted lorded texts like Mill on the Floss and To the Lighthouse, the latter of which is studied at Exeter. Q: What initially draws you to a transcription project? A: With To The Lighthouse it was entirely down to me – I loved the novel. At the time I was living in the West country and so was Colin Gregg, the director. With that particular one, when we proposed it to the BBC we said ‘oh no you can’t there’s no dialogue in it’, which is a fairly simplistic view of what is involved. An artist who I was working with at the time immediately said ‘it’s a terribly visual novel’. In that case, it was a sort of love affair with the novel – I just really wanted to make it into film. It’s usually quite a personal response. I was actually given a choice by a producer to adapt a Jane Austen novel, or The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot. I didn’t feel drawn to Jane Austen, even though she was immensely successful and everybody loves her. For me, her work doesn’t have much of a political dimension, which is what I like, whereas George Eliot was quite a political writer. Her characters are caught up in great economical forces, like wealth, poverty and change. I was drawn to that rather than the Austen I could’ve done – no doubt a terrible move career-wise. Usually it’s a personal response while also looking at the technical implications. Q: You have often preferred the term ‘translations’ instead of ‘adaptations’. Could you unpack that for us? A: The term ‘adaptation’ implies that you can take a novel and turn it into a film. People tend to read scenes in the novel and think ‘well, why aren’t they in the film?’ I think the reason I prefer ‘translation’ is that you have to make it work in a completely new medium. A medium that works in a different way. For example, there may be something in the novel which is half a page long which for you is a major scene; there may be something which is a great length in the novel which you don’t need, or you can convey in a single shot. That’s why I tend to resist the term ‘adaptation’ in a way. With To the Lighthouse and with Mill on the Floss I said ‘screenplay by me, based on the novel by’ rather than ‘adapted from’. You have to make something new. I’ve got a quote somewhere by Steven Durrige or Chris Hampton or someone who use this term. ‘Translation’ is the term be-

cause you have to use a different language. Film is a different language to prose. Q: Do you think screenwriting is a unique medium in some ways? A: The main difference is that it isn’t a complete thing in and of itself. You deliver your script and then something else happens, which is the shooting of that script. I mostly work quite closely with directors- I don’t sell scripts, I sort of become involved with the project. Things will change in the process of filming. People tend to talk about a three-stage process: script, shooting, editing. Things change each time. The unique thing about screenwriting is you have to try to be comfortable with that, and to try to reduce the process.

THEY WANT CREATIVE CONTROL OVER THE FILM-MAKING PROCESS Q: With a lot of modern adaptation, the novel writers often on set or in close collaboration with producers and directors. What do you think of the collaborative effort? A: In most cases, if a producer buys the rights to a novel, they will want creative control over the process of making a film. Often the rights to a

novel will not be sold because a novelist insists on having an artistic input, the producer will feel concerned that they don’t have proper ‘title’ as we say in the trade: they don’t have proper control over the project. There are exceptions. Margaret Atwood is an exception and she wanted to be closely involved right from the beginning and has made a huge success of it. There are no rules, all I’m saying is that the general tendency is not to get too involved. It’s unusual, but it does happen. Patterns are changing, and the relationship between television and cinema is also changing. Going back to the 80s when I was doing a lot of films, when we had Alan Bates going into a TV film that was seen as a risky thing. There was a time when there was a lot of snobbery around TV as opposed to film, people would prefer to work in advertising than TV drama. Q: In terms of TTL, could you talk through some of the challenges that come with adapting Woolf for the screen? A: As far as I can remember, the first decision we made was that we wanted to locate it in Cornwall, and not in the Hebrides where the novel is set, because we knew it was based on Woolf’s own childhood in Cornwall during the summers, as her

family have a house there. Also, as Colin Gregg and myself were based in the West country we knew where we could find locations, so that was the first change. I was helped in that by reading some of Virginia Woolf’s letters where she said she thought the location wasn’t very convincing, and she only set it there so people wouldn’t look to the autobiographical element. I felt at this distance in time it was better to acknowledge that. The second decision was to reduce the number of characters. In the novel, there are a lot of children which are barely described, and it becomes impossible on film to have all these teeming children. So I reduced the children to six, and combined two visitors.

Image: Dennis Jarvis

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music

Ollie Leader de Saxe gives his personal appraisal of BBC Music Day

O be honest, BBC Music Day was disappointing. Mildly disappointing sure, but disappointing nonetheless. This was hyped up “one of the biggest events in the musical calendar”. The reality was very different: four local artists of varying degrees of quality performing short, snappy sets. And although I wouldn’t dare call the evening awful, I wouldn’t call it fantastic either. The opener Emily Howard was the highlight of the evening, playing her brand of scathing jazz-infused protest songs with overpowering enthusiasm. Even when she veered into hippie

Image: Leo Webb

dross, it was endlessly endearing. The sheer passion she has for her craft was infectious; she evidently believed everything she sang, and it was difficult not to be drawn in by that. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the second act, who sounded like an even more generic, gentrified and inauthentic version of Mumford and Sons. The Club Brothers have managed to take the most bland and inoffensive music of the 21st century, and somehow make it even more unlistenable: it’s folk-pop, now featuring more stomach-churning boyband harmonies! Their series of vacuous covers and empty soul songs made me desperately wish to be somewhere else doing something more exciting, like filing my tax returns or banging my head against a wall. Luckily, Joanna Cooke managed to bring some much-needed life back into the room. She produces the kind of pianobased dance music that I deeply enjoy, with a powerful voice to match her

catchy songs. It’s a shame that the audience was starting to filter out at this point, because she was excellent even without the backing of her absent guitarist. Rapper Ciaran Austin was the last act of the night, and was perhaps the blandest. Despite some consistent flows and decent beats, his sound was so run-of-the-mill, so ordinary, that I came away thinking I’d heard the hip-hop equivalent of elevator music; perfectly listenable, but would I actively go in search of it? Probably not.

THE MAJOR ISSUE CAME DOWN TO A LACK OF DIVERSITY

I think the major issue with the evening as a whole came down to diversity, or the lack thereof. Considering I spend most of my weekends sobbing quietly in Cavern contemplating my crippling student debt, I can tell you the South West has some pretty exciting rock bands on

Image: Leo Webb

the scene. And while I’m not demanding BBC Music Day should have been reimagined as a black metal festival, it would have been nice to acknowledge a wider range of genres and tempos on display outside of gentle, slow pop music. If variety is the spice of life, BBC Music Day was a lukewarm korma. Though there were some delicious highlights, for the most part the whole meal was just pretty plain and unsatisfying. Hopefully next year BBC Music Day will live up to its promising premise as a platform for great artistic talent in the South West: I’m just not sure it’s currently at that point yet.

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Singles and ready to mingle Exeposé Music Writers review the best new singles on the charts

10/10 - Rex orange county

WAS introduced to Rex Orange County through his single ‘Loving is Easy’, released not so long ago back in 2017. I enjoyed its simple earworm melody and honest lyrics, meaning I added it to not just one, but three playlists. It has since become a stalwart at all pres, when everyone is drunk enough to have a singalong and try to remember the words beyond the simple yet effective chorus. His latest single, ‘10/10’, takes a more poppy, synthetic turn. Indeed, the song sees Rex Orange County take control of his life following hard times; with its synthy keys and buoyant drums, the track is upbeat and earnest. The track has the similar catchy, repetitive style that his fans have come to expect and is hopefully a sign of a great new album coming soon.

Image: AWAL

Into the surf - foals

O you’re looking for yet more rattling rock riffs in anticipation of Foals’ second album this year? Perhaps give this track a miss and redirect your attention towards the two preceding singles ‘Black Bull’ and ‘The Runner’. However, if you are in search for something slower and much more existential, you should look no further than Foals’ third single ‘Into the Surf’. The track showcases Radiohead-style melancholia previously teased on the double album’s first part earlier this year with the interluding ‘Surf pt.1’. With this release, Foals tease depth and range alongside a track-list proven to provide blistering mosh-pit riffs. ‘Into the Surf’ shows that part 2 has the potential to be Foals’ very best work to date despite the strength of their back catalogue and the critically acclaimed, Mercury nominated Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost pt. 1.

Image: Warner Records

Images: top to bottom: Simoncromptonreid, Alain Bachellier

COUNT MY blessings - anna wise

NNA Wise first grabbed my attention with her song 'BitchSlut', along with the album 'the Feminine: Act I'. You can see how she’s putting her worldview into her songs, being a feminist while delivering mellow tunes. Her songs have always sounded like she wrote them when she just woke up after a lucid dream. She is quite experimental – however, her recent collab with Little Simz and Denzel Curry is definitely suggesting that she’s trying to take her work to a broader audience. Luckily, she didn’t lose her flavour because of this – sure there’s some blues scale that appeals to the public’s ear, but the way she constructed the whole song is still the classic Anna Wise: she put a lot of work in production. With the other three songs that are also focusing on details and production, 'As If It Were Forever' will be another great one. Yudy Wu

Image: Anna Wise

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music

14 OCT 2019 | 25

EDITORS: Richard Ainslie and Bryony Gooch

A sheet of metal

Reflecting on this year's Download Festival, Leon Stein looks at the current state of metal

T'S 14 June 2019. An excited energy fills the air as mud fills my boots during my trek to the campsite for Download Festival. Two thirds of the headliners will be topping the Billboard 100 charts with their latest albums in August but the festival receives very little media attention because its genre sits outside the mainstream. Metal has changed drastically since its last time in the media spotlight. Whilst the studded jackets and long hair remain, long gone are the 80s rock stars with their coked-up carnage and inordinate number of groupies. With metal firmly out of the mainstream, it has forced bands to focus on their sound rather than using bad publicity or gimmicky frontmen to sell records. This means that bands who are well over 20 years old are releasing some of their most sonically creative works yet, as shown by the headliners at Download this year.

Image: Morten Jensen

and a big movement of preventing and calling out groping and other horrible behaviour at shows. Whilst drug and alcohol abuse will always be a part of the history of rock stars, these days most bands stay away from that image, as it is seen as dated. They prefer to go for a more socially aware platform, with bands organising things such as the self-help fest by A Day To Remember, or deathcore legends playing charity shows between tours to help give back to the communities that support them.

METAL'S COMMUNITY ETHOS HAS CHANGED SINCE THE CULTURE WAS LAST IN THE SPOTLIGHT Ultimately I’m glad to see where the scene is going, despite its lack of major support. The music and the community have undergone important changes and I’m excited to see what the future holds for one of the most musically diverse places right now. We are seeing the rise of the aforementioned bands but also the growing trap metal scene headlined by artists such as Zillakami and Scarlxrd.

LONG GONE ARE THE 80S ROCKSTARS OF COKEDUP CARNAGE AND GROUPIES Slipknot’s new album feels like their most creative work since 2001’s IOWA, blending their usual aggressive sonic wall but mixing in more experimental noise with varied song writing and structures. The whole record plays as a graduation from their more basic sound of the last two records into a long awaited musical maturity. Tool’s new album, Fear Inoculum, is also a vast and impressive work spanning over 86 minutes of purely progressive music that is too diverse to confine to the genre of metal. The shift towards musical innovation is also notable in their interviews as both bands received multiple page features in Metal Hammer UK, where they focused on their creative process and what they want to achieve with their music, unlike their more colourful and personality driven previous interviews. In my opinion, that is why these bands have been able to stay in the spotlight unlike the rest of their peers. This constant innovation that has kept those bands alive is also now appearing at the grassroots level as newer bands have started seriously implementing other aspects into their music to add some complexity to a genre filled to the brim with small bands sporting

two guitarists, a bassist and a drummer as a standard. This is in my opinion best exemplified by the band Alien Weaponry. A threeman Maori outfit from New Zealand, none of whom are over 20 yet, are already playing the mainstages of large European festivals, incorporating their indigenous language and instruments into grinding thrash metal. This results in tracks such as ‘Rū Ana Te Whenua’ which starts with a war chant about fighting off colonisers before launching into a musical battery that causes the crowd to explode into a frenzied wall of death with a following mosh that leaves you bruised and elated. Importantly, Alien Weaponry follow the thrash tradition of hating authority and the songs make sure we never forget the atrocities their people have faced. A less political but somehow more controversial band that has also brought an innovative touch to their two records out now is Батюшка, pronounced Ba-to-sh-ka. Combining the traditional chanting from their Eastern Orthodox church and the musical fury of black

metal makes for truly unique records that are currently being ripped off by half of the online black metal scene. Perhaps to an outsider this may not seem that different, but black metal is a genre with rich history of church burnings, murder, and suicide in satanic rituals. To have a combination that doesn’t come across forced whilst musically keeping in the genre is a breath of fresh air that was desperately needed in a genre so filled with rip offs and poorly executed gimmicks that come at the price of the music. At a fan level metal has changed too; whilst bullet belts, battle jackets and long hair are still the look, the community ethos has changed since the culture was last spotlighted. Online we see less of the “elitism” that has pervaded the scene since the dividing of the bands into subgenres, as people realise that the childish act of saying which band is more “trve kvlt” has been mocked to death, and those who use it with it. The fans at shows are still the crazed moshers but now there’s a general consensus against "crowdkilling"

Images(L(LtotoR): R):Warp, A BoyMercury is a Gun,Sound Columbia; 300; covermeImage songs Jenny McCambridge Studio,

Editors' Picks uknowhatimsayin¿ (2019) by Danny Brown

Gospel Train (1956) by Sister Rosetta Tharpe

Best in Show: Kate Tempest, 20 October @ O2, Bristol

REMEMBER THIS? BILLY JOEL The Stranger September 1977

ONG? Yep. Lost? Certainly not for me at least. From the plethora of Billy Joel to choose from (and believe me Image: A&R Recordings my dad played me every record) The Stranger has remained my favourite album… really of all time. No matter the mood, time or place, the album runs seamlessly. But vivid images of nattering at an Italian restaurant dwindling into the night, and human masks stay etched in your mind. And I think that is what’s so enchanting about his work; they’re these musical stories peppered with odes of love, lost and yearning. Billy Joel doesn’t strike us as the most relatable character I’m sure, but there’s something so quintessentially juvenile about this album. It’s the growing pains of youth, moving out and – something particularly close to my heart – coming to terms with not being able to have everything you want now, but accepting that it’s not failure. It’s an album I hope is never forgotten, as it’s one that seems to be more fitting than ever as life progresses. Ria Kalsi

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EDITORS: Richard Ainslie and Bryony Gooch

music

Sound on film

14 OCT 2019

Exeposé Music Writers share their favourite music documentaries THE DEVIL AND DANIEL JOHNSTON

HE unexpected passing of Daniel Johnston this year hit me as hard as when David Bowie passed in 2016. Although Daniel is no longer with us, his music will always be there to ask you how you are when nobody else will. His unique blend of childlike playfulness with lyrics that personally recount Johnston’s personal encounters with loneliness and manic depression is harrowing stuff and is something I strongly recommend listening to if you haven’t already.

THIS MASTERPIECE CHRONICLES AN ORDINARY OLD HYPERACTIVE KID The Devil and Daniel Johnston was directed by underrated documentarian Jeff Feuerzeig, and whether or not you’re an avid fan of Johnston’s music or curious and want to start somewhere: I would have absolutely no issue with recommending this documentary to anybody. What makes this documentary such an essential viewing is the amount of filmed

content it manages to procure of Johnston, pretty much impossible to find elsewhere, making this very much an introspective piece of art. This masterpiece chronicles an ordinary, old hyperactive kid in the suburbs of Texas, as he blossoms into one of the most enigmatic musicians of the century. The first act starts off innocently enough, and you think it’s just going to be a warming rags to riches story, but as the film goes on the tone changes. You realise that there is something very wrong with Daniel Johnston. The less said, the better, but you should be prepared for the wave of conflicting emotions this near-two-hour film makes you feel. You'll be missed, Daniel. Taylor-William Hill

GEORGE MICHAEl : FREEDOM

S the last thing George Michael worked on before his death in 2016, George Michael: Freedom (2017) is an emotional watch. The highs and lows of his life and career as one of the biggest selling artists of the 80s and 90s is told with home videos, old interview clips and performances. It also features interviews with an incredible collection of colleagues, from Kate Moss and Linda Evangelista to Liam Gallagher and Elton John, and narration from the man himself. We learn of how he crafted an image for himself from the very beginning which perfectly demonstrates his intelligence. The intimate look into his psyche, showing the hunger for fame in the start

Image: Dryden Art

Katie Jones

AMY

MY Winehouse is captured in Asif Kapadia’s 2015 biopic Amy with a subltey and sensitivity few documentary film makers achieve. Winehouse’s story is often devalued; the tabloid plaything and the punchline of late noughties Frankie Boyle jokes. But Kapadia succeeds in creating a documentary that does nothing to box Amy in. The host of awards the documentary took home including the Oscar, Bafta and Grammy, attests to his success. Amy is concerned with the artist’s originality and attitude; Winehouse, of course, was unafraid to judge herself only by her own criteria. Kapadia avoids interjections from critics and the unfamiliar explanatory voiceover of those who never knew her. What’s left is nothing but raw and personal accounts of those who witnessed the fiery chaos of Amy’s life without a lens. We move from small London venues, featuring particularly captive audiences who can’t resist the softly lit jet of black hair and painted eyelids exposing her soul in front of them, to the opening drums of ‘Back to Black’. Kapadia sensitively tackles his subject’s vulnerabilities and her prowess, helping to ensure that Amy Winehouse will never be abandoned, or seen as uninteresting in the popular imagination of London or British culture. Amy was an artist trying to figure herself out

and then desire for privacy once he’d made it, provides new insight into his lyrics. It went from being all about success from music to expression through music. He describes his loneliness whilst promoting and touring Faith, the extremes of joy and grief brought into his life by Anselmo Feleppa, and his tensions with Sony Music leading to the court case he now deeply regrets. “He had soul,” remarked Mary J. Blige. And in this documentary, we get to see it. He was reflective, self-aware and able to laugh at his pitfalls along the way. Freedom could not be a more apt title as it is shown to be a driving force in Michael's decision making. Be it freedom from an ordinary life, genre divisions, the “prostitution” he saw in promoting, his contract, or the heteronormative society he lived in. He had always wanted to break away and live without restriction. It is what made his music feel emotionally relatable, and here we see clearly the link between life and music. By showing us his soul, we can understand how he was able to reach ours.

through her medium, brutally and distinctly personal, mischievousness and captivating, ready to make whomever feel whatever she chose. She was a woman hell-bent on glorious sabotage of what she believed to be her stagnant industry, in every way a lioness. The film opens to a young Amy lying nonchalantly on a set of stairs in Southgate in 1998, as the girls around her break into a rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ that falls silent as Amy takes the lead. We are left simply listening and looking as Amy breaks into her familiar wide smile. Even from when she was sitting at the bottom of the stairs, a tiny reflection of future greatness, we can see Amy's gleam of stardom. Amy helps to ensure that Winehouse will never be far from there. Emma Vernon

BREADCRUMB TRAIL

The film shows what’s possible when weird kids are given freedom to create. The same parent’s basement used for their preteen punk bands was used to refine Spiderland. Home movie footage offers a window into rehearsals that would last hours on end all through summer. As bassist Todd Brashear says, “for all the mystique, people would be surprised how much fun we had… how much time goofing off.” In particular, stories of the misadventures of the enigmatic drummer Britt Walford both during and post Slint provide great entertainment.

HEN Slint’s post-rock pioneering album Spiderland was released in 1991 the initial response was quiet. Having broken up immediately following recording, there was no tour and no real promotion. However, year by year the sales would keep ticking over. Thousands sold, all spread from word of mouth. The record’s Upon seeing behind the curtain, none of the reputation has steadily grown since and now is magic is lost. On the contrary, the allure of Spidconsidered one of the 90s finest (and influential erland comes from the idea that boredom and in a way that transcends genre). daydreaming can lead to such expansive breakIn decoding this mysterious album, Bread- throughs. The human brain is such a miraculous crumb Trail leads us to Louisville, Kentucky, and organ that these kids shutting themselves in a four seemingly ordinary and quite relatable men. basement for months on end led to a work of They aren’t rock stars, and they speak in their grandiosity and importance. In the absence of interviews with no egos whatsoever. Despite tangible, real life wonderment the mind creates appearances, we see how they created such a its own. haunting masterwork. Bob Waters Images (L to R): Dryden Art; andycepi; Douglas Cason's Art

THEY AREN'T ROCK STARS, AND THEY SPEAK WITH NO EGOS

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screen

Virtual curation

Elinor Jones, Science Editor, considers the future of exhibition technology

USEUMS have long held a fascination in our society, a must have for people of all ages and backgrounds, from small children to their grandparents. In the UK we are blessed with some of the most prestigious, famous and beautiful museums, covering everything from fashion and art to technology, transport and science. For years, museums and galleries have captured the imagination of many, sparking conversations about aspects of our society that often are not at the forefront of everyday life, perhaps planting the seed for further study or a lifelong pursuit of information.

WHAT IF THE DAYS OF HOURS OF WANDERING THROUGH EXHIBITIONS ARE BEHIND US? A study published in 2013 showed that there are many population-wide health benefits from art galleries and museums, from calming effects to increased sense of

identity whilst others have shown that such places act as vehicles for emotional responses. A collection of projects that studied how older people responded to seeing new and unexpected artefacts from museums showed that positive emotions were in general higher, such as excitedness and happiness, especially significant for a group who are highly at risk of being isolated and lonely. But what if the days of wending away the hours wandering through exhibitions are behind us? What if we no longer need to step out of the house to experience the joys of art, sculpture or science? With advances in technology speeding along at a mesmerising rate, virtual reality (VR) could soon be giving us the opportunity to witness the V&A, Tate or National Gallery from the comfort of our own home, without the queues and endless photograph taking. Whilst on the surface this may appear

to contrast with a core value of galleries and museums, VR may help access the hardest-to-reach groups, including those socially isolated due to disabilities, language barriers or location. For example, VR could bring museum exhibitions to life for children living in care or for school children living in rural areas who may not have the finances to travel to bigger city galleries. During an internship I had the opportunity to see the development of an intervention for carers of elderly relatives, which looked at using museum artefacts both in person and through virtual technology to combat difficult aspects of caring, such as loneliness. For example, the app Google Art & Culture allows remote access to VR tours, showcasing a wide variety of museums and historical sites. VR technology can also allow exhibits to be more

interactive, such as images or sculptures appearing in 3D with labels or the use of augmented reality, in which scanning a text or image could open up a quiz or video, aiding the experience and learning gained.

VR COULD BRING MUSEUMS TO CHILDREN LIVING IN CARE OR IN RURAL AREAS Conversely, there is an argument that VR could restrict people’s willingness to get out and about and explore museums and galleries, potentially isolating people further. However, it is likely that VR will bring exhibitions to the masses, to those who may not otherwise access artefacts and be a highly effective educational tool used in universities. In an age where we are used to spending more and more of our lives looking at screens, immersed in stimuli, it is probable that we will see more technology being incorporated to attract people from all walks of life.

Watching the Watchmen

Image: Joerg Bittner

Exeposé Screen Writers discuss the adaptations of a world-renowned comic book

NE of DC’s most renowned comics, Watchmen follows the lives of several retired superheroes after they find out that one of their colleagues has mysteriously died. The comic explores their intertwined relationships and complex identities, providing a deep insight into human nature. This, along with the heavy political backdrop of the late 80’s, has led many to believe that the comic is “unadaptable”. Watchmen’s own creator Alan Moore famously distanced himself from any on-screen projects.

WATCHMEN ISN’T A STORY THAT CAN SIMPLY BE COPY-PASTED ONTO THE SCREEN There is no point in denying that the story is packed with social criticism and complex sub-plots as well as a lot of super cool superhero stuff. However, I do not believe that is reason enough to deem it unadaptable. If anything, it is the reason why it should be adapted from paper to screen.

I will agree that Zack Snyder’s attempt, although honourable, wasn’t as good as it could’ve been. Watchmen isn’t a story that can simply be copy-pasted onto the screen. It requires a lot of thought and consideration in order to pull off a proper adaptation. The upcoming HBO series, developed by Damon Lindelof, holds some promise even though it is not a direct adaptation of the comic. It has the advantage that it comes in a series format, thus allowing more time to explore the intricacies of the story. The TV show will take place in the same universe as The Watchmen, but in a time after the events of the original story. Hopefully, Lindelof will be able to maintain the essence of the comic and provide the same atmosphere that made so many people fall in love with it in the first place.

ACTUALLY like Zack Snyder’s Watchmen. Really, I do. The soundtrack is great, the visuals are impressive, I think the casting is fantastic. The sequences of Dr Manhattan on Mars have such an incredible sense of scale to them, and I would say that this grandeur is captured even better than in the comic. When I watched it for the first time (sadly before reading the source material, something I always try to avoid), I fell in love with it. After that, I raced to get my hands on a copy of the graphic novel, desperate to experience this amazing story in another medium. As I’m sure any fan of Watchmen will

also attest, I was blown away by the depth and wittiness of the social commentary found within. A subsequent rewatch of the film left me slightly disheartened, and I simply concluded that I would stick to re-reading the comic to get my Watchmen fix. I think Snyder probably did about the best he could, but the story really is impossible to adapt properly. It is evident when watching it that the movie was directed by someone with a lot of love for the source material. Zack Snyder even went so far as to painstakingly recreate panels from the comics exactly. The number of references in it is astounding. In general however, I think normally a writer will have considered their story carefully, and chosen the best medium for it. Just as Alan Moore worked tirelessly with illustrator Dave Gibbon to perfect Watchmen’s cast of characters, he also fitted his story to the parameters and capabilities of the graphic novel medium. Snyder’s legendary ‘Ultimate Cut’ is supposedly the most faithful adaptation of the comic, but at a monumental 215 minutes, it simply isn’t a practical method of storytelling. Samuel Thomson, Screen Editor

Olivia Gomez, Social Secretary Image: Warner Bros

ARTS to SCREEN Page to stage to screen

Jim Norman considers the journey from three to two dimensional stories

IT musicals, drama and classical works of Shakespeare have consistently worked their way into cinemas almost since the dawn of film. It is the use of cinema’s intimate techniques that have attracted budding filmmakers time and again to the task of bringing the theatre to the big screen. Whilst the fact remains that the experience of watching a stage play and watching a film is almost incomparable, I argue that an adaptation is wholly justifiable if it can develop its source material. Whether it be the big budget display of galloping horses in Steven Spielberg’s War Horse, or Michael Fassbender’s intimate personalitydefining soliloquies in Macbeth, cinematic adaptations have time and again proven that the intimate camera is capable of bringing them into a world in which they were previously only an observer. By ‘observer’ however, I do not doubt theatre’s ability to provide a deeply engaging experience. Indeed, the downfall of so many cinematic adaptations is precisely the

fact that they are unable to strike this personal chord with audiences. Seeing a company perform in the flesh has the undeniable effect of creating a unique experience that is as far away from cinema as it is from literature. This is not to say that it is impossible for an adaptation to be as powerful as its source. The distinction ultimately comes down to if cinema can provide a service that was previously unachievable on the stage. Take for example Tom Hooper’s 2012 adaptation of the West End classic, Les Misérables. The size of the theatrical p ro d u c t i o n m e a n s that, whilst spectacular, the plot can often be confusing and difficult to follow. What Hooper’s adaptation provides is a

Image: StudioCanal

narrative-focussed version of the play, which utilises its star-studded cast to ensure that the audience is able to follow each twist and turn in the story without becoming lost in the performance.

THE FACT REMAINS THAT WATCHING A STAGE PLAY AND A FILM IS ALMOST INCOMPARABLE It is with this in mind that I am increasingly cautious of the rapidly approaching adaptation of Cats. Judging from the trailer, it appears that the film will struggle to bring anything new to spectacle-driven show other than an instantly recognisable cast, resulting in a product that defeats the point of adaptation. In instances like this, it is important to not look simply at a comparison to the source text, but instead to question if the cinematic form has provided an experience that was previously unachievable on the stage – bringing something fresh to an already loved art form.

Stories to be told

Image: Brinkoff/ Mögenburg

Neha Shaji, Deputy Editor, appreciates the value of good video game writing

HILST Telltale Games do have their fair share of minor flops (see: Game of Thrones), the company have released some startlingly successful gems, such as The Wolf Among Us, or their telling of The Walking Dead. These games are almost entirely story driven; The Wolf Among Us uses interestingly stylized comic book graphics but the majority of the game is pre-rendered according to your choices in the story, with limited movement and some Quick Time Events. Thus, the appeal of the game isn’t the fantastic fighting style of the protagonist (think more mauling than talented spellcasting), or the stunning rendering of the open world (which it isn’t). Rather, the tangential endings of the player-driven story, and the writing of the narrative in itself gives the game its consequent replayability.

THE TANGENTIAL ENDINGS OF THE STORY GIVE THE GAME ITS CONSEQUENT REPLAYABILITY Of course, the quality of the graphics, or fighting style certainly adds attractiveness to

any game. For instance, the quick rendering of every single brick on a distant wall in Grand Theft Auto, or the way Geralt of Rivia’s sword elegantly slices through a griffin’s neck in Witcher III does spark an element of primal joy within me. However, whilst game developers should be and are focusing on graphics, these are only one aspect of the gaming experience rather than the be-all-end-all of a game. This can be seen in how much buggy games are loved and revitalized; whilst Bethesda will probably never stop rereleasing Skyrim, the game and its quirky yet banal storyline is almost universally cherished, down to the hideously misrendered half-horse poking out of the ground neighing for an apple just when you want to eviscerate a vampire.

Non-linear narratives offer an infinite (or finite, depending on how many endings, really) opportunity to replay games as well. One game I would specifically mention here would be Detroit: Become Human, which was graphically a solid ‘good’ whilst story-wise kept me on my toes even after watching about sixteen hundred android resistance films. The characters can be replayed with several personalities; you could make Connor, one of the androids you control a cold piece of state apparatus, or a lovable bumbling idiot starring in his first buddy-cop film. Horror games utilise narrative driven games to drive the point home as well, as too graphically-intense games of this nature could turn away some players whilst a gripping mystery tied to the jump scares Image: Telltale would keep

people hooked. Games such as Until Dawn, or the new Dark Pictures Anthology utilize the narrative driven aspect; and the interactive horror experience almost makes up for the out of sync voice acting.

A GRIPPING MYSTERY TIED TO THE JUMP SCARES WOULD KEEP PEOPLE HOOKED Jonathan Gottschall, in a study of humans as storytellers, explores how humanity have been involved in crafting and listening to stories for thousands of years. Narrative driven games offer players an opportunity to combine the two elements, of both participating in and receiving a pre-written story. I wouldn’t say a perfect chronicle is necessary in every game, but rather that it remains a pivotal part in a delicate balance of factors. It’s also imperative to remember that sometimes these narratives are often based on pre-written novels, graphic novels, or even cultural myths rather than written entirely by developers – and credit should be given where credit is due.

exhibit

EDITORS: Jonathan Chern and Samuel Thomson

screen

14 OCT 2019

Going on in e x et e r

Image (clockwise): Closer Productions, Columbia Pictures, New Line Cinema, Schramm Film

CAMPUS CINEMA PRESENTS

Animals

In Once upon a time in Hollywood

DATE - Tues 15 Oct

TIME - 18:30 & 21:00

CAMPUS CINEMA PRESENTS

Transit DATE - Tues 22 Oct

TIME - 18:30 & 21:00

For budding filmmakers! XETER Phoenix challenges you to make a film in just 48 hours. The Two Short Nights Film Festival returns to Exeter Phoenix this winter, bringing with it the famous 48 Hour Film Challenge. From firsttime filmmakers to seasoned professionals, this inspiring (and free!) challenge sees teams from across the region compete to be crowned the Best 48 Hour Film at the annual short film festival. No previous filmmaking experience is needed – just a good imagination and competitive spirit! Teams will be given a theme, a prop and a line of dialogue before setting off on their mission to test their creativity. Registration for the

DATE - Sun 20 Oct

TIME - 18:00 & 21:00

CAMPUS CINEMA PRESENTS In

IT: Chapter two DATE - Sun 27 Oct

TIME - 18:00 & 21:00

Review: Joker

challenge closes 30 October 2019, and the challenge itself will take place over the weekend 1 – 3 November 2019. Successfully submitted films will be screened at Two Short Nights Film Festival, Exeter Phoenix’s annual celebration of all things short film, which takes place 27 – 29 November 2019. Completed films will be in with a chance of winning a festival award. If you think you and your team could plan, shoot and edit a film in just 48 hours, you can sign up for free. Teams can be any size but must include someone who is over 18. Sign up for the 48 Hour Film Challenge here until Wednesday 30 October: www.exeterphoenix.org.uk/events/48-hourImage: Exeter Phoenix film-2019

Jonathan Chern, Screen Editor, claims Todd Phillips’ character study adds few new aspects to the iconic villain JOKER Director: Todd Phillips Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro 2019, 122 mins

HE new Joker is a film that has already elicited a Marmite response from critics before its release. The film has been lauded as a masterpiece by some, and as an irresponsible take on lonerism by others. Whilst Joker isn’t a film that is inciting violence, it is irritatingly surface-level, heavy-handed, and highly derivative of other films. Half character study, half underdeveloped analysis of society, Joker aims its sights high, clearly paying homage to Scorsese’s Taxi Driver and King of Comedy, whilst also drawing largely from Alan Moore’s seminal Joker origin story The Killing Joke. The film looks at Arthur Fleck, a man suffering from mental illness which, w h e n combined w i t h s o c i e t y ’s callousness and mockery, inevitably prompts his transformation into the Joker. Joker is relevant to modern studies of ‘lone wolf’ violence, but gives a superficial analysis of it. It presents someone who feels alone in society, whose identity

has been taken from them, and whose attempts to find something in place of that are mocked by the bourgeoisie. Its standoffish approach when presenting an anti-capitalist struggle in Gotham makes you wonder what this film is about, and what it is trying to say about society. The sights are clearly aimed high, and despite (or indeed through) the film’s lack of grounding in the modern era, it feels like it wants to be a state-of-the-nation highbrow critique of society’s social divisions. It is not as deep as it thinks it is; nothing it says is new or nuanced.

EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS FILM IS PUNGENT TO THE POINT IT’S TIRESOME The overt lack of subtlety would be fine if the film wasn’t as pretentious as it is. When a film takes itself as seriously as Joker does, but ends up coming off as banal, it leaves a cold response. What the film does well is the showcasing of the mental health of its central character, brought to life by Joaquin Phoenix. It makes the everimportant point that mental health conditions are largely misunderstood and mocked by most, which in turn exacerbates these issues. The depiction of Arthur Fleck is clearly laboured and thoughtout, but the grandstanding performance doesn’t illicit the pathos it should. The sequence of the film simply

does not allow for quiet or subtle moments with the character. Everything about this film is pungent to the point of weariness. The ominous soundtrack in the film is mixed with Dean Martin to create a tense feeling and encapsulate the Joker’s central mantra: that there is no difference between tragedy and comedy. For DC fans, at least Joker blends into the Batman mythos well, not feeling heavy with easter eggs and offering a view of the universe which is conjunctive with how Gotham has been presented before. The presentation of Thomas Wayne as an arrogant Trumpian businessman and the class war shown in the film reminds viewers that Batman is essentially

Sophie hyde

just a rich man beating up poor people. For a character who has been reinterpreted more times than most others, new viewings of Batman and his universe are always fun to watch. But little it says about the caped crusader and his rogues gallery is new in the DC canon. Indeed, nothing Joker says - be it about Batman and Gotham, society or capitalism has not already been said in a DC comic or film in a more interesting, nuanced or subtle way. Put frankly, Joker pales in comparison to the films it directly copies. With thanks to Exeter Picturehouse for the screening. Images (L to R): Warner Bros, Neilson Barnard

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director, producer and writer of film, Sophie Hyde is a triple threat within the modern industry of screenplay. Her success stems from the originality of her directorial perspective - engaging with realism within a fictional format, supported by her background in documentary production. Hyde voices the complexity that is married with social progress through witty, engaging, and socially conscious storylines, as is showcased in her breakout film 52 Tuesdays. Realistic portrayal of women is at the core of Hyde’s work, diverging from the typical female narratives of idealised perfection and divulging the flaws of women which do not detract from their on-screen appeal. Her socially conscious approach has earnt her numerous accolades such as a Directing Award from Sundance Film Festival and Best Experimental Short Film from MIFF. These achievements will be the platform for many more, with the release of Animals in August, Hyde will likely be alongside Ava DuVernay and Rachel Lears as a festival regular. When talking specifically about challenges she has faced as a ‘Girl in Film’ and production, Hyde acknowledges the divide in support offered by other production teams, “it’s still a real challenge to finance films about and by women’” While Hyde is by no means pioneering this movement towards more diverse filmmakers, her inclusion and honest approach to modern representations of women and her work in female independent producing is pertinent to the diversification of commercial film. Charlotte Black

exhibit

study break

| 14 OCT 2019

STUDY BREAK CROSSWORD

SUDOKU

Down

Across

1 4 8 9 10 11 13 14 17 19 22 23 24 25

Initial (5) Abdomen (7) Not conscious (of) (7) Storey (5) Lean - skinny (4) (Drama) synopsis - I coarsen (anagram) (8) University award (6) Set of persons (6) Loan on a house (8) Ship’s men (4) Indian yoghurt dish - tiara (anagram) (5) Alfresco - in the open air (7) Playhouse (7) Beg (5)

1 Defect (5) 2 Browsing - scanning - studying (7) 3 Squad (4) 4 Rough drawing (6) 5 Wrongdoer - criminal (8) 6 Affair - OU ram? (anagram) (5) 7 Moorhen (anagram) - internal secretion - insulin, for example (7) 12 Police officer (8) 13 Mark given for an offence - tired me (anagram) (7) 15 Intent (7) 16 Take no notice of (6) 18 Lift up (5) 20 Planet - way of life (5) 21 Stair (4)

ANSWERS

climate change what do you know about the reality of climate change? 1. What is earth’s warmest year on record? 2. How much are scientists predicting the seas will rise by the end of this century? 3. WHich mammal beginning with ‘o’ is critically endangered? 4. How many vegans are there in the uk? 5. WHat did the 2015 paris agreement aim to achieve? 6. which country emits the most co2

hope of limiting it to 1.5 degrees Celsius. 6. China increase in global temperatures below 2 degrees Celsius, with the 1.2016 2. 2 to 6 feet 3. Orangutan 4. 700,000 5. keep the overall Raise, 20 World, 21 Step. 7 Hormone, 12 Sergeant, 13 Demerit, 15 Purpose, 16 Ignore, 18 Down: 1 Fault, 2 Reading, 3 Team, 4 Sketch, 5 Offender, 6 Amour, 23 Outdoor, 24 Theatre, 25 Plead. Scenario, 13 Degree, 14 People, 17 Mortgage, 19 Crew, 22 Raita, Across: 1 First, 4 Stomach, 8 Unaware, 9 Floor, 10 Thin, 11

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XTV éé éééé ééééééé Té é ééééé ééé ééé éééééééé éééé ééééééé ééé ééé éé ééé é étfééé; éééé ééééé ﬁ éé éé éé é ééé éééééééééééééé XTV éééé éé é ! é ééé’éé éééééééééé éé ééé é é éé ééééé é é ééé é é éé é é éééééé é é éé éééééééé é ﬁéé éé éé ééé Géé é Wéééééé éé jééé ééé!

Science

14 OCT 2019 | EXEPOSÉ

SCIENCE EDITORS:

Galapagos at a gaze

Scarlett Parr-Reid Elinor Jones

Rebekah White discusses the impacts of the invasive Philornis fly on the Galapagos Islands

N invasive parasitic fly accidentally brought to the Galápagos Islands by humans is now resulting in huge population declines of Darwin’s Finches. These birds are endemic to the islands, meaning they cannot be found anywhere else in the world. This archipelago, best known for its link with Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution, hosts precious and delicate ecosystems involving many endemic species. It is therefore an important focus of conservation efforts. Humans bringing new species to the islands is a particularly large problem. Some pets, insects, and plants have been introduced intentionally, while others have been brought over unwittingly - either way, this causes disruption to the natural order of native species. In the 1960s, a fly known as Philornis downsi was brought to the islands from mainland Ecuador. No one is sure of the exact year these flies arrived, but the larvae are parasitic, and soon came to favour nests of Darwin’s Finches. They feast on blood from the naris (nostril) tissue of the new

Image: Rebekah White

chicks, resulting in significant scarring or death. The larvae then develop into flies, and quickly spread to another nest to produce more larvae. Today, they are found on 14 islands in the archipelago. In one particularly worrying observation, a nest of the Cactus Finch (Geospiza scandens) containing just four chicks had 170 larvae present. None of these chicks survived.

The misshapen appearance of the birds’ bills was striking My fieldwork on Santa Cruz island as part of my master’s with the University of Southampton involved the capture and hand-measuring of finches, followed by release. Initially, I was not planning on looking for signs of previous parasitism, but the misshapen appearance of some of the bird’s bills was striking. Needless to say, we were shocked. We spoke to an expert about perhaps recording instances of scarring alongside our planned data collection, but the re-

sponse was scary: there was no point, as they already know that almost all of them will have endured Philornis. It does not end here. Earlier this year, researchers found that the surviving finches still face issues as adults. The naris enlargement seen in the survivors changes their birdsong enough to become confusing to other birds, both within and outside of their species. This results in ‘blurred species mating signals’ and could lead to hybrid production or low birth rates. The species of Darwin’s Finch that has been impacted the most by the Philornis fly is the critically endangered Mangrove Finch. These birds are now only found on Isabela island, and conservationists and volunteers are carefully monitoring the population, which may have dipped below 100 birds already. Fundamentally, this is yet another example of the impact humans can have on such a beautiful, near-untouched environment. It is no secret that human activity has detrimental effects on natural ecosystems. Some ecologists say there is no longer such thing as a pristine environment, with even the most natural-seeming places showing symptoms of human interference. Clearly, the Galápagos Islands are no exception to this – on the surface, you find scenes of unbelievable endemic wildlife, such as sharks, iguanas, booby birds, whales, turtles, penguins, sea lions and tortoise. However, upon closer inspection, you will notice the arrival of humans have caused devastating changes to the lives of some of these animals.

Image: Rebekah White

Is there any hope? Some argue there should be harsher restrictions on tourists visiting the islands to reduce risk of further damage.

Birdsong changed enough to confuse other birds From a positive angle, the Galápagos Conservation Trust has been set up to help restore, conserve, and protect the islands. The current director of the Galápagos National Park, Dr. Jorge Carrion, has a PhD in Conservation Biology and is working hard to strengthen environmental protection, both on land and in the surrounding marine reserve. He shared some of his ideas at Galapagos Day 2018 in London, which was incredibly inspir-

Battling the bugs

ing to see. In terms of Darwin’s Finches, essential studies using different approaches are currently happening in locations around the world, including here at the University of Exeter. Hopefully, the continued efforts of these researchers, along with the promising work from the charities and higher management in the Galápagos, will mitigate the impact of the Philornis fly. These birds were essential to our current knowledge of evolution by natural selection, which in turn has allowed us to understand diseases and infection, optimise food production and more. Furthermore, they reside in one of the most beautiful places in the world. It would be more than a shame if human activities resulted in the demise of these birds.

Scarlett Parr-Reid, Science Editor, on a new grant to combat anti-microbial resistance at Exeter

ICROBES can make or break us. They live in our gut, on our skin and in our mouth. They get a good deal from us really: a warm home and plenty to eat. And we get immune protection, key enzymes for digesting food and when we are vaccinated with small parts of them, like in a tetanus shot, we can be free from their nasty side, aka infectious disease. If only the world was so simple and every pesky pathogen waas eradicated with a quick vaccination.

Microbes can adapt to resist antibiotics or evade vaccination by changing strains every so often, like Influenza a (the flu). Another example is the renowned methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) - that you might have heard about in hospitals - which causes redness and swelling of the skin. MRSA, as it says on the tin, resists most common antibiotics and is known as a superbug. Why does all this matter? Because resistance to antibi-

otics and other microbials means humans are left increasingly defenseless to diseases. In fact, according to the World Health Organisation, we’ve only eradicated one disease to this day: smallpox. Meanwhile, Malaria from mosquito bites still presents a huge health burden, especially in areas of Africa and Asia. Thankfully, a recent research grant of £1.2 million has been received by the University of Exeter to develop understanding of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The grant, funded by

both the Department of Health and Social Care and UK Aid will focus on livestock. In collaboration with the University of Edinburgh and Rothamsted North Wyke, the research team hopes to aply findings on anti-microbial resistance in livestock to humans.

Resistant infections will be the leading cause of death by 2050

Will Gaze, Professor of Microbiology and the leader of this research says that “resistant infections will be the leading cause of death globally by 2050”. Principally, conducting research of this kind aims to decrease the financial burden of reistant infections and, above all, save lives. Following a reception at the British Embassy in Argentina, which led to various other universities, including Bristol, Nottingham and Liverpool, agreeing to workclosely with Argentina to combat AMR.

EXEPOSÉ | 14 OCT 2019

The facts we can't con-seal

SCIENCE

Rebekah White unveils the story of the seals recently found swimming in the Thames river

HE unforgiving London pollution in the 1950s resulted in the Thames Estuary becoming an inhospitable environment for wildlife. In fact, the estuary was so adulterated that it was officially deemed ‘biologically dead’ by the Natural History Museum. Despite this dark diagnosis from over 60 years ago, London Zoological Society (ZSL) have recently discovered 138 seal pups residing along the riverside. Prior to this, the understanding was high levels of dangerous pollutants and low levels of oxygen in the water, caused by industry and sewage, meant nothing much would be able to survive there. However, not only have they returned, but there are clear signs that harbour seals are able to breed here, too. This means these marine mammals could be a permanent fixture, and their local numbers may be on the rise. With 1,104 harbour seals and 2,406 grey seals in the Thames as of 2017, it is not fully clear if the in-

creasing numbers is directly due to breeding success, or if they are starting to migrate from other areas to join the Thames population. Either way, it indicates the striking improvement in the cleanliness of the environment. Seals are only drawn to areas with enough food for them, meaning the ecosystem must already contain enough fish to sustain them all. Of all marine mammals, why are harbour seals breeding here? These pups can swim within hours of birth, meaning they are well suited to surviving in tidal estuaries.

The were 2,406 grey seals in the Thames in 2017 This adaptation means they will be able to control their movement within the dynamic water, while other species would not be able to resist the forces of the tide. Thanks to stricter environmental guidelines, better waste management systems and habitat improvement

projects, many other animals call the Thames home now. Species spotted include short-snouted seahorses, porpoises, and the critically endangered European eel. If you are lucky, you may see a visiting dolphin or whale. ZSL have produced a fascinating interactive map where you can see all sightings of mammal life in the Thames.

ZSL's interactive map lets you see mammal life sightings in the Thames However, another headline hit the news earlier this year: The river Thames was found to contain one of the highest levels of microplastics of all UK waterways. It is not clear exactly how this modern contaminant will affect the newly-emerging ecosystem, but these tiny particles have caused disruption in environments all around the world. Due to their size, microplastics are currently proving difficult to re-

move from natural water systems. While this is the focus of much research, reducing plastic use in the first place remains essential. Protecting urban water sources can offer benefits such as capturing CO2, increasing local biodiversity, and reducing some of the impacts of climate change, like floods, fire and erosion. Further research into the Thames environment and the newly reforming ecosystems will offer new insight into what other exciting changes we can expect to see here. This, in time, will be able to answer one fundamental question: Is the Thames is coming back to life?

Image: Suju, Pixabay

Protecting urban water sources can offer benefits such as capturing CO2 If you are lucky enough to spot a harbour seal, please help ZSL by reporting it through the map. Image: Manfredrichter, Pixabay

An October to remember

Elinor Jones, Science Editor, celebrates key figures in science during Black History Month

Mary Seacole, 1805-1881

HETHER or not you’ve been involved in science and healthcare, you’ve likely heard of Florence Nightingale, a woman hailed as the mother of modern nursing and midwifery. However, Jamaican counterpart, Mary Seacole is rarely a household name, and despite being credited during the 19th century, it has taken over one hundred years for her to gain attention similar to that of her contemporary. Born the daughter of a Scottish soldier, her mother taught her traditional Jamaican medicine, helping her to gain key skills she put into practice nursing in Panama, battling the deadly Cholera epidemic. Seacole applied to Nightingale’s nursing team but upon rejection she travelled to Crimea herself, setting up the British Hotel in 1855 to supply food and medicines to

the front lines, heading to the battle fields on several occasions to care for wounded soldiers.

Seacole overcaim prejudice and was a born healer Whilst her health declined over the last twenty years of her life, Seacole was rewarded with a charity gala attended by 80,000 people. Overcoming prejudice and indifference, Seacole was a

Image: Albert Charles Challen, The National Portrait Gallery

born healer.

Hennrietta Lacks, 1920-1951

NSUSPECTINGLY, in 1951 a young woman visited Johns Hopkins Hospital with abnormal vaginal bleeding. One of the only doctors to treat AfricanAmericans in the 1950s, Dr Howard Jones, found a large malignant cervical tumour developing and Henrietta Lacks started on a course of radium treatment, a regular prescription for cancers at the time. During the investigations a sample of Lack’s cervical cells were swabbed and sent to a tissue lab. Without her permission, Hennrietta’s cells became world famous, known as ‘HeLa cells’, and have contributed to a large proportion of cell biology research, teaching us about different processes and proteins that function normally or cause disease, although Lacks died before she could see her

cells’ impact.

HeLa cells have developed ethical codes However, whilst Hennrietta’s cells have advanced cellular science in ways we thought were unimaginable, science has learnt from her case, developing ethical codes that aim to prevent other innocent people being violated like this young mother was.

Katherine Johnson, 1918-

NOWN as one of NASA’s human computers, Katherine Johnson was one of the key players in the space-age, highly influential in achieving human space flight. Whilst Johnson has been working in aeronautics since the age of 18, her accomplishments have rarely been celebrated until recently, featuring as a central charImage: NASA

acter in the 2017 film Hidden Figures, which showcased her (and her team’s) computer science talents, where she excelled at calculations and showed an unrivalled curiosity for geometry and physics, landing her with the task of designing the path for the first American to travel into space and into orbit. She continued to develop the Space Shuttle Programme and Earth Resources Satellite, gaining many accolades along the way.

14 OCT 2019 | EXEPOSÉ

Blame it on the juice

Zach Mayford, Arts & Lit Editor, sieves through the literature behind juicing

UICE cleansing is not, as you might think, abstaining from the sweet sounds of Lizzo’s eighties .inspired pop-rap: it’s a controversial fluid-only diet. The juice detox plan involves taking the contents of a fruit bowl and condensing it into a liquid lunch. And a liquid breakfast. And a liquid dinner. These diets can last for three to ten days or longer, and although they burn through the pounds, their effect on the human body is relatively unexamined. Not to scare-monger, but ‘unexamined’ is often science-speak for ‘probably bad’, as was the case with the recent research on the perils of vaping. To be fair, more and more studies are emerging on juice-only diets, revealing a frothy blend of pros and cons. A study published in Scientific Reports found that 20 participants lost an average of 1.7kg from three days just on juice. A separate 2011 study in The Nutrition Journal reported that juice detox-ers significantly increased the antioxidant capacity in their blood. For many, myself included, this last fact raises more questions than answers, namely ‘what

exactly are antioxidants, and how good are they?’ It turns out that ‘an antioxidant’ isn’t any one specific thing, but a range of chemicals that neutralise free radicals (coolest sounding chemical phenomenon). Further down the jargon rabbit hole, we find that free radicals are highly reactive molecules that can mess cells up and damage proteins, which can lead to loads of diseases and illnesses. So, antioxidants are generally a good thing, but not exactly specific or urgent. I’ll tell you what else an entirely juice diet delivers a lot of: sugar. Pure fruit juice, a veteran of the slim venndiagram slot between healthy and tasty, is thrust aside by fresh data. It has almost as much sugar as most fizzy drinks, to the point that the recommended daily allowance is only about 150ml, or a small glass. I knew OJ wasn’t to be trusted. Worse still, fruit sugar, or fructose, is associated with the build up of a fat chemical called triglyceride in the liver. In excess, triglyceride can impede liver function and act as plaque on artery walls, an obscene fact that provokes

the contemplation of all the weird stuff going inside human bodies.

It has almost as much sugar as fizzy drinks Clearly, a juice-only diet is not a balanced one. It’s so off-balance that is has next to no protein, which result in protein deficiency over time. So far, I’ve only mentioned the dangers of blending from the aforementioned home fruit bowl. Increasingly, companies flog dubious health blends and dieting drinks of various shades, viscosity and dangerousness. The United States FDA has shut down and sued several of such companies for false advertising, selling controlled ingredients, or exhibiting dangerous levels of bacteria. Regulatory agencies like the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency also recommend that juice-cleansers monitor their intake of another chemical. This chemical lurks within the leafy fronds of that paragon of healthy living: Spinach. Foods (or unprocessed drinks, as juice

cleanse companies might call them) like spinach and beetroot contain the chemical oxalate. When blended in high concentrations over long periods of time, oxalate can interfere with kidney function, and even lead to kidney stones. Clearly, living off juice may be full of fruit but it’s rarely fruitful. Detoxers often report headaches, sugar crashes, hunger, fatigue and even fainting. There’s something pretty insidious about the dieting industry at large, especially when ‘influencers’ hawk flat tummy teas then use the money for cosmetic surgery. Dieting is an industry reliant on the failure of its products; it’s morbid, dystopian, and a profiteer off human sad- n e s s . But as they say, everything in moderation. Fibrous, low-sugar

smoothies are an efficient way to slurp up vitamins and minerals on the go, especially for vegans and veggies. Medical News Today recommends blends like apple, cucumber, lettuce, lemon, spinach and kale, which sounds reasonable (if a little leafy).

Living off juice is rarely fruitful Anyway, as you’d expect, the boring answer is that scientists recommend a balanced diet. That balance generally includes some form of protein or carbohydrate - things that can’t flow through the neck of a bottle. Be kind to yourself, and juice responsibly.

Image: Rob Bertholf

Storytelling in science

Tom Dormer, Online Science Editor, talks to Louise Vennells, the Senior Press Officer for the College of Medicine and Health

OUISE Vennells, Senior Press Officer for the College of Medicine and Health Q: Why is science writing needed and what is it useful for? A: Science clearly influences so much about how we live our lives and everything from the healthcare that we receive, to the food that we eat. However, science can be perceived as ‘behind closed doors’, particularly when you think about the journal publication system which is so inaccessible to so many people. Science writing and science communication seeks to bridge that gap by translating scientific issues into things that everyday people can understand and access. Q: Why do you think people are apprehensive to write about science? A: It’s a pretty intimidating prospect and perhaps the assumption is that you are putting yourself across as an expert if you are writing about science. That’s not the case. It’s more like ghost writing – it’s a very collaborative

process with the expert. Some really amazing people in their field are not that brilliant at communicating, and they recognise they need help with it - or at least many of them do!

Science can be perceived as ‘behind closed doors’ There are also amazing scientists who are amazing at communicating, but even they are probably incredibly busy and may not have time to shout about their work in the best possible way. Q: How can people get involved in science communication and what can people do to build confidence? A: When people come to me with that question, we direct them towards Exeposé as I think it’s a great place to get some science writing experience. My top tip is to read science writing – BBC science or health pages, IFL Science, Vice

– there’s loads of science content out there. Look at what they write, the language they use and how it’s structured. We also have opportunities for people to work with us. In fact we’re about to launch a network of students with an interest in science communication and some of our scientific programs also now offer some science writing experience. Q: How did you become Senior Press and Media Manager? What is it like being a non-scientist in the field? A: I didn’t have a science background but if you are writing, then at some point you will write about science. Even if it’s just talking about the weather!. When I was a journalist, I wrote about fishing and bovine T.B, for example, so I had enough to draw on for an interview. For the first few months of this role it was a steep learning curve and I felt a bit of a charlatan. But I soon learned that what’s really

important is to understand some of the principles about what makes good science, to recognise the right questions to ask and to be able explain technicalities. In some ways, being a non-scientist is actually beneficial to that last aspect as it’s easy to forget what is jargon when you’re entrenched in it! Helpful networks are STEMPRA and PSCI-COM.

It’s important to understand what makes good science Q: What makes good storytelling in science and how can you tell a story about something non-fiction? A: Science has some of the coolest stories! In health, a lot of the time we are talking about how it impacts people. A really good example of that is when Andrew Hattersley discovered that for half of children with Neonatal Diabetes, it is better treated by a tablet than it is by multiple insulin injections. There was a nurse, Emma, and her five-

year-old son Jack had Neonatal Diabetes meaning Emma and her husband were always on high alert. He switched to this tablet treatment and in six weeks he ran out of school and said the first words that he’d ever said in his life. You can’t beat that strength of storytelling. Q: Do you have any advice for people of any background when they’re writing about science? A: Focus on impact. Who should care and why? What is new about it and lead in on that. But be careful not to overclaim, I can’t overstate that. Really think about how to explain complexities – it’s not a case of dumbing down. Explain or find alternatives for jargon. Think about metaphors that can help paint a picture. Finally, I would treat it as a collaborative process, so seek sign off from the academic particularly around the facts. If you want to find out more about joining a science writing network, email Ciaran Jones at c.jones14@exeter.ac.uk.

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Rugby World Cup: group stage review Cameron Osborn looks back on a thrilling group stage of the Rugby World Cup and previews the upcoming quarter-finals

HILE the on-the-field action has not quite matched the drama of the 2015 Rugby World Cup, there has been no shortage of brilliant games, and plenty of controversy in the hectic pool stage of this year’s International Rugby showpiece event. Perhaps the most controversial of all has been Typhoon Hagibis and the fallout surrounding the enforced cancellations of two crucial games. England vs France and Italy vs New Zealand were cancelled and were unable to be rearranged. The current holders will again top Pool B after a strong opening performance against a resilient South Africa, followed by demolitions of Canada and Namibia. But their 31-game winning run in pool matches, stretching back to the very first tournament, came to an end officially, following a default 0-0 draw with Italy due to the dramatic cancellation. It was even worse for Italy however, whose World Cup dream was ended by the news of the cancellation, previously with an outside chance of qualification had they beaten New Zealand. Instead South Africa, who beat Italy, as well as the aforementioned teams in their pool,

and will finish just below the All Blacks. Hagibis also resulted in the cancellation of England’s Pool C decider with France. Although both teams head through, England will top the pool by default, leading France at the time of the cancellation which awarded both teams two points for their “draw”.

England progressed to the quarter-finals having conceded 20 points England side got their campaign off to a shaky start against unfancied but stubborn Tonga, and while England looked defensively sound, they often struggled to penetrate a resilient Tongan defence, and benefitted tremendously from Manu Tuilagi’s attacking prowess and power. Strong showings against the USA and Argentina will have been encouraging though, as have performances from several young members of the squad such as Joe Cokanasiga. Owen Farrell emerging from two separate red card tackles while playing the USA and Argentina unscathed is also a big relief for Eddie Jones’ side. It was victory over Argentina (who

were knocked out in the group stages for the first time since 2003) that saw England through to the quarter-finals, having conceded just 20 points across all their games. Following a difficult tournament build-up involving three warm-up defeats, two injuries and the departure of backs coach Rob Howley over a betting scandal, Wales began their World Cup with a strong showing against Georgia, running in four tries in the first half before surviving a Georgian resurgence in the second. This was followed up by a dramatic win over pool rivals Australia, in a result that set Wales to finish top of Pool D. Warren Gatland’s men then did well to see off a tough Fijian side coming back from 10-0 down after 20 minutes, largely thanks to a hat-trick from Josh Adams. Wales completed their perfect pool stage with victory over minnows Uruguay, who stunned Fiji earlier in the competition, in their final group game to seal a quarter-final showdown with France, with Australia playing Pool C winners England in two exciting quarter-finals. Who the Springboks and the All Blacks play in their quarter finals depends on the outcome of a turbulent Pool A, with Ireland, Scotland and hosts

Japan all in contention. Following their remarkable win over South Africa in 2015, Japan’s 19-12 upset over Ireland is the tournament’s biggest giant killing so far. After impressive wins over Russia and Samoa, and with winger Kotaro Matsushima currently the joint-highest try scorer of the tournament, the Brave Blossoms are in with a strong chance to progress to their first ever World Cup quarter finals. After Scotland’s dismal performance against Ireland, scoring just three points, they got their World Cup back on track with a shut-out against

Samoa and Russia, scoring 34 and 61 points respectively themselves. Nonetheless, Gregor Townsend’s men will need to take home the points against Japan in what will be the decisive game of the pool if they are to progress. At the time of writing the outcome (and whether the match even goes ahead) of that game is unknown, meaning that we are unable to give you a full list of this weekend’s quarter-finals. Indeed, it will be Scotland vs Japan that will answer so many of the questions that remain in this intriguing tournament ahead of the knockout stages.

Image: David Roberts

Race for the top

Max Shepherd analyses the contenders for the title and Champions League places in the Premier League

O the surprise of absolutely nobody, Liverpool and Manchester City have carried on from where they left off last season. They dominate the league with the best players and best managers in the division. It looks like this season will yet again be decided by a small number of crucial moments, and whichever way it goes, Man City will inevitably feel hard done by when Liverpool win the league. Leicester are the clear surprise package so far, however for those concentrating last season the Foxes early success will not come as a huge shock. Their shrewd recruitment, both on and off the pitch,

Image: Chelsea Debs

has landed them a top-class manager in Brendan Rodgers and exciting talent in James Maddison, Ricardo Pereira and Youri Tielemans. Add to that a rejuvenated Jamie Vardy and a more than solid defence and you have a team very capable of challenging for a Champions League spot.

Brendan Rodgers has some of the most exciting talent in the league at his disposal Just below them sit Arsenal. Since the departure of Arsène Wenger the Gunners have certainly changed, but whether they’ve improved is debatable. They seem to have negated their incredible attack with a defence so bad that it has been suggested by some that new signing David Luiz might be a Chelsea double agent. The manner in which they lost Aaron Ramsay on a free transfer in order to pay

out-of-favour Özil's astronomical wages will forever be a mystery to the footballing world. Despite the contract chaos and defensive mishaps, however, Arsenal may nick a Europa league spot with Aubameyang and Lacazette upfront. Further north, Manchester United appear to have done the exact opposite of Leicester. Spending hugely inflated sums on players – £80m on Maguire from Leicester- and bringing in an unproven manager. They have looked toothless since their 4-0 victory against Chelsea on the opening day, a situation exacerbated by injuries to Rashford, Martial and Pogba. In light of these issues, the sale of Lukaku and loaning of Sanchez now seem unwise.

United appear to have done the exact opposite of Leicester in the transfer market A single shining light for United has been young Daniel James who looks to be carrying on the proud tradition of great Welsh wingers at the club. Apart from James however, the situation at

United is dire and I’d be surprised if they even make the top six this season. Tottenham Hotspur lie in a similarly stagnant position. They still have a great manager in Pochettino and world class players, but clearly lack the belief that they can challenge for anything and it shows in their performances. Furthermore, many of these individuals no longer want to be at the club, out-ofform Serge Aurier being a prime example. Spurs’ capitulation against Bayern Munich in Europe and their comprehensive loss to Brighton have highlighted huge issues at the club. Chelsea are an interesting case. Their two-window transfer ban has effectively given them a free hit this season. Lampard can try out new tactics and test youth players under relatively little pressure as any finish in the top six will be a success. It is refreshing to watch young English players consistently play for a top Premier League side, and on many occasions play well. Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount look bright; Fikayo Tomori has already solidified himself in long range goal compilations for years to come with his screamer against Wolves. Where they will finish is unclear, but

even if they don’t get top four Chelsea fans will look upon this season somewhat fondly as the year Lampard came home and they gave youth a chance. In the rest of the league, Watford have been surprisingly abysmal, Newcastle have been unsurprisingly abysmal – apart from two huge upsets. West Ham look solid, with Sebastien Haller and Pablo Fornals looking deft additions to an already strong squad, as Felipe Anderson will look to build on last season with more consistent displays. Sheffield United appear to be in safe hands with Chris Wilder at the helm, though it seems like the exciting signings Everton made in summer sadly haven’t paid off - at least not yet. The likes of Moise Kean and Alex Iwobi adds a hitherto unprecedented quality to the Toffees' side, recruitedfrom Juventus and Arsenal respectively, but a level of patience must be shown before the attacking duo are able to propel Everton forwards. For now, though, they - and the rest of the league - remain firmly in the shadow of Liverpool, who must surely now be favourites to achieve a first league title this millennium after Manchester City's woeful start.

SPORT

14 OCT 2019 | EXEPOSÉ

We’re managing just fine

James Bagby assesses the current British managerial talent across the EFL

RADITIONAL British managers have fallen away from the Premier League with stalwarts Sam Allardyce, Mark Hughes, David Moyes and Neil Warnock all disappearing from the top flight. It is the first time since 2001 that not a single one of them is managing a team in England’s top division. A naïve conclusion to draw would be that the globalisation of the sport has neglected English managers, leading to increased foreign influence. However, a closer look would point to the fact that a new innovative manager is required to succeed and with that, the traditional blueprint of a British manager has changed. You only have to look at Chris Wilder and Graham Potter, who have succeeded through a modern brand of football that has been developed in the lower leagues. The Cowley brothers and Nathan Jones have achieved big jobs due to the performance in the lower echelons of English football and there is still more talent to be found here. Gareth Ainsworth is no stranger to the lower leagues as the second-longest serving manager with Wycombe. While

operating on a shoe-string budget, he has guided the team to promotion. He has since kept them afloat and is now pushing Wycombe to the top of League One. The overachievement is something he relishes.

Several British managers have proven their worth in the lower leagues In his office, he has a poster of FourFourTwo’s League One table predictions which has his team down in 23rd, a far cry from the 2nd spot, where they are currently positioned. Despite his long-standing tenure with Wycombe, there have been signs that Ainsworth is ready to move on. When linked with the job at Lincoln, he responded by saying he was “open to everything” and he wants a club with ambitions to manage in the Championship. In the current climate of recently retired footballers jumping in to managerial roles, with the likes of Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and John Ter-

ry, one name may have slipped through the cracks. Lee Bowyer was known for his passionate style of play leading to discipline issues on the pitch. However, his transition into management has left this image as a distant memory. In his first full season at Charlton, he brought them up to the Championship where he is currently excelling, sitting four points off 1st. He has been praised for his tactical fluency, allowing him to change the course of games through his ability to switch formation effectively. Despite this, following a summer of turmoil, a move away from Charlton is a realistic prospect. Bowyer seemed set to leave the club after a disagreement with the owners and it was only at the 11th hour that a one-year extension was agreed. The relationship has remained strained and a repeat of these events could well be on the cards next summer, when his contract will be up for renewal again. A name that many Exeter City fans would not want to see on this list is the one of their own manager, Matt Taylor. However, the manager’s success can-

not be denied as the Grecians sit 2nd in the table after 12 games. Filling the gap in the dugout left by Paul Tisdale’s 12-year tenure was never going to be an easy feat, but the former captain has pushed the club into its next chapter which has left the city dreaming of promotion, all over again. Despite rejecting an approach from an unnamed club, allegedly Lincoln, further interest still looms leaving Exeter to enjoy the good times for as long as they can last.

Images (T-B): 1966666 (Pixabay), Chelsea Debs, Wil Jones

Dazzling Dina leads charge in Doha After a brilliant World Athletics Championships, Joe Alvis reflects on the highlights

HE 2019 World Athletics Championships came to a close on Sunday evening with the track and field circus leaving Doha after ten days of captivating action. Although the Biennial competition has been marred by low attendances, this has merely been a backdrop to the athletic excellence that has taken centre stage, with new stars being born and familiar faces flourishing in the sweltering Qatar heat. But with every champion there are inevitable losers, so from euphoria to heartbreak here is a rundown of the highs and lows from the last fortnight. With her first major title coming in Beijing 2008, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce continues to set the standard for women’s sprinting with yet another gold in the 100 metres the Jamaican Queen streaking ahead of the darling of British AthletImage: Filip Bossuyt

ics, Dina Asher-Smith, who won Great Britain and Northern Ireland’s first sprint medal at a World Championships since Kathy Cook in Helsinki 1983. A few days later and she went one better, storming to a dominant gold in the 200 metres, cementing her position as the British record holder across both sprint disciplines and underlining herself as a serious contender for the Tokyo Olympics that loom on the horizon.

Doping controversies still haunt the sprinters On the men’s side it was US domination as Christian Coleman claimed his maiden World Title by defeating compatriot Justin Gatlin with a blistering time of 9.76secs in the 100 metres, confirming Coleman as the sixth fastest man in history. However the doping controversies that surround men’s sprinting overshadow such achievements, with Coleman missing three drug tests in succession, while Gatlin has previously been banned twice for doping - the controversies will inevitably rumble on. The chasm that has been left by the retirement of Usain Bolt as the face of men’s sprinting is a difficult position to

fill, but where his compatriots’ reputations are tainted, the charismatic Noah Lyles may be heir to the king, and he produced a worthy performance in the 200 metres final to claim a deserved gold. Exultation for Lyles though was met with equal anguish for Britain’s Adam Gemili who after so many injury setbacks looked poised for a fairytale medal as he entered the home stretch, but he faded towards the line to finish an agonising 4th. There were scenes of jubilation elsewhere with Britain’s Katarina JohnsonThompson claiming a maiden World Championship Heptathlon gold in a sensational performance to edge out reigning Olympic champion Nafissatou Thiam, while the 3000 metres steeplechase produced an extraordinary finish with Kenya’s Conseslus Kipruto pipping the heartbroken Lamecha Girma of Ethiopia by millimetres in a titanic battle between the two great East African rivals of the track. There was even more excitement in the climax to the high jump final with home favourite Mutaz Essa Barshim, who had been out injured for 11 months prior to the competition, clinching an incredible gold medal to spark (relative) pandemonium inside the Khalifa Inter-

national Stadium.

Britain's Johnson Thompson claimed a maiden gold medal in the Heptathlon Back on the track and there was more success for the USA courtesy of a lung-busting run from Dalilah Muhammad who took gold in the 400m hurdles - breaking her own world record in the process, while compatriot Allyson Felix also became a record breaker by winning her 12th and 13th World Championship gold medals in the mixed and women’s 4x400 metre relays respectively. From delirium to despair these championships have served up ten days of exhilarating action, showcasing the very pinnacle of physical human excellence. With the doping scandal of Alberto Salazar on the eve of the competition and criticisms over a lack of atmosphere in the stadium, the sensational performances from the athletes have been a welcome tonic from the off-track distractions and demonstrates that whatever the fortunes of the individual athletes, Athletics has ultimately been the winner.

The only way is Essex Nick Powell Sport Editor

OR obvious reasons, English County Cricket has taken a back seat this summer with a home World Cup and Ashes series the main focus for the English Cricket Board (ECB) and cricket fans across the country. But it has been a fantastic season, with young talent emerging, legends proving their value and Essex ending their wait for a T20 Blast win, and securing a second County Championship title in three seasons.

Alastair Cook led Essex to the Division 1 title for the second time in three years From losing their opening game by an innings, Alastair Cook (pictured) led Essex to an unbeaten remainder of the season before securing the title on the final day, as they blocked out for a draw at Somerset. Somerset themselves will rue their defeat in the penultimate game against Hampshire, bowler Kyle Abbott taking 17 out of the 20 wickets that led to their defeat, which denied England’s Ashes star Jack Leach a perfect return and alltime county great Marcus Trescothick a fairytale retirement. Though they did have the more than satisfying consolation of winning the One Day Cup for the first time since 2001 back in May. If Essex’s final day title win seemed dramatic, it came nowhere near their T20 Blast win. Another county legend, Ravi Bopara, was the hero, his rapid 36 not out helping his side complete their chase in the last ball of the Final at Edgbaston.

Images (T-B): Greentubing, Kroome111

In a season where the players the county game has produced has come sharply into focus following England’s frustratingly inconsistent batting, it was refreshing to see talent emerging in the form of Dominic Sibley (young Warwickshire opener who scored over 1300 runs with an average of 69.68), Lewis Gregory (in line for T20I debut after averaging 30 with the bat and 15 with the ball) as well as Surrey batsman Ollie Pope and Lancashire leg-spinner Matthew Parkinson solidifying their brilliant starts to their careers

Sport

14 OCT 2019 | EXEPOSÉ

SPORT EDITORS: Josh Brown Nick Powell

Fingers lacrossed

1st and 2nd team captains from Women’s Lacrosse talk to Exeposé Sport

Image: Rory Selvey

Nick Powell Sport Editor

ROM being a club with three BUCS teams six years ago, Exeter University Lacrosse Club (EULC) now has six BUCS women’s teams and three men’s sides, and in that time has won their maiden Premier South titles in both the women’s and men’s game. “It’s a lot more accessible [now],” says Elmitt, first-team captain.“For girls, it used to be invitation only and now it’s just reached out beyond that. I think at trials this year there were 170 girls, when there’s usually about 40.”

The largest mixed Lacrosse club across the UK appears incredibly accommodating. “Word is going out that you don’t have to [have] played lacrosse to join the club,” second team co-captain Coates points out, “There’s mixed lacrosse where everyone can get involved…it feels like one club. “It’s a super-friendly club, I think we’re so lucky. We could have been in some horrible club where you’re forced to [do things],” adds Elmitt “you turn up at social, everyone grabs a drink, everyone has a dance. That transfers to the pitch, we’re all friends with each other which makes a massive difference.”

And though Exeter is a great, friendly club to be involved in, the standards have never been higher. When asked what the ambitions for this season were, Elmitt doesn’t hesitate before saying “BUCS gold, surely?” as if I shouldn’t have asked the question, confirmed by Coates nodding in agreement. Coates herself has high hopes too, with the 2s in a higher league than they’ve ever been. “It’ll be nice to have more competitive matches before we get into the trophy rounds”, thanks to the 4s success, now each of the teams at the club are in the highest leagues they’ve ever been in (or could possibly be in).

The 5s are in a league which, excluding them, is made up entirely of first and second teams. So how can numbers be transferred into BUCS dominance? “From the women’s side there is such a high standard across the board, so that should boost the club as a whole,” Coates responds. Elmitt quickly adds “In my first year there were only two freshers that went to pre-season…this year there were 18.” The impact of the numbers, and the fact that there are “definitely” girls coming to Exeter to play lacrosse now has allowed great competition for places flow up and down the teams. “We’re all

quite even, there are 5s girls going up to the threes. There are [already] three 2s players that have moved up to the 1s.” Elmitt mentions. Next week, the 1s and 2s play their first home game and first game proper of the season respectively. Will they win? “Absolutely.” With a strong, young team at the top of the club, as well as quality throughout, this sure to be an exciting season for EULC. A 25-3 away hammering of Cardiff in round one couldn’t have been a better way to start as they look to secure a first ever BUCS Gold Title.

For live scores and in-depth reports, follow us on Twitter @exeposesport CONTINUED ON PAGE 31