GUM
The Glasgow Edition Glasgow University Magazine
December 2015
Issue 1
December 2015 Price: Free
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Glasgow University Magazine
Issue 1
Silvia Sani, runner-up in photo competition
Contents 4
Features
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Orange (Bang Out Of) Order Can Corbyn Revive the Labour Party in Scotland? Being Trans* Should Not Require This Much Bureaucracy.
Glasgow Girl Abandoned Glasgow Necropolis
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Culture
Politics
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Buskers in Glasgow Our Literary Guide to Glasgow Women and the Glasgow Music Scene Hidden Art Galleries of Glasgow
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Philanthrobeats
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Fashion
Business The Glasgow Effect.
Science Changing the City’s DNA: Cycling in Glasgow Are We Living in a Holographic Universe?
Competition
Fashion editorial: A Wave to the Seventies and a Wink to the Future ‘1970s: The Decade Fashion Forgot?
Any views or opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of Glasgow University or the SRC. A special thank you to Glasgow Guardian, GU Photo society, GU Creative Writing Society, Philanthrobeats and our photo and creative writing contestants.
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Glasgow University Magazine, John McIntyre Building, University Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8QQ http://www.glasgowuniversitymagazine.co.uk editors@glasgowuniversitymagazine.co.uk
December 2015
Editor’s note Be careful as you walk the streets of Glasgow, because you might fall down a rabbit hole. The city is full of them. You might fall and fall and fall, until you don’t recognise yourself or the place you are in anymore. Please consider this issue of GUM your own personal rabbit hole to fall through and discover, rediscover and explore the city that is yours, the city that we adore, the city that is Glasgow. Down the rabbit hole, you will see Glasgow through a looking glass. It was our intent with this magazine to convey the welcoming, pungent smell of vinegar in the air; to show the sprawling old bridges and tunnels overgrown by jungle vines; to embrace the fairy tale towers and columns of a medieval university that presents itself as a castle; and, to celebrate the rampant, incomprehensible patter that is Glaswegian. We wanted to uncover the hidden cafés and put street musicians centre stage; to remind the readers that it was here the quirky vintage, second-hand hipster fashion started. Similar to how Alice started to question her whole existence in Wonderland, we at GUM want our readers to be critically engaged with this issue. We invite you to protest the Orange walks and to demonstrate for transgender issues. We questions if the whole universe is a hologram, if cycling paths in Glasgow have been forgotten and if the economy in Glasgow has really improved as much as some say. In short, this issue is an ode to the quirkiness of Glasgow: its beauty, its youth and its creativity. This year we are a new team of editors and we launched a new website. However, this magazine is still made by students, for students and it has its finger on the Glaswegian pulse. You might be new to the city or you might have lived here for years, but if you turn the pages you will find something original. You will recognise that Glasgow has that unmistakeable ability to surprise you and it is our hope that you will come back for more.
Team of editors Editor in Chief: Sofia Lindén Deputy Editor: Hanna Markkanen Online Editors: Robbie Orr & Louis Brown Events Manager: Saara Antikainen Features Editor: Annie Devlin Culture Editor: Alice Lannon Fashion Editor: Jeanne Marie Hamilton Politics Editor: Rhys Harper Business Editor: Joanna Velikov Science Editor: Daniel Kelsey Photo Editor: Alexandra Burns & Kati Brunk Graphic Design: Neil Gilchrist Writers Linn Mattisson Morgan Laing Clare Patterson Lara Sindelar Emmi Joensuu Niamh Carey Mina Green Roisin McCarthy Georgia Elkin Isla Cunningham Henriette Eagle-Wilsher Maria Mattsson Lewis Murray Skye Brettell Lu Allan Rosa de Jong Prarthana Desai Illustrators / Photographers Hannah Read Kristyna Steflova Emmi Joensuu Kelsie Finlay Sam Elder Gates Silvia Sani Skye Brettell Imogen Whitely Gabriele Bilin Competition Winners Dovydas Kuliešas Rebecca Pericleous
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Glasgow University Magazine
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Glasgow Girl The issue of women’s rights captures the zeitgeist of today. People want equality. Mina Green asks, is Glasgow a feminist city?
When I look to the city of Glasgow, it seems to act as the multi-cultural, liberal and sensitive older sister to a plethora of small-minded sibling towns. Despite encountering distasteful ideas of feminism, I have found Glasgow to be glorious in its progressivism and its willingness to push I am perplexed. In 2015, feminism is still given boundaries of thought, politically and socially. a bad name. The mere existence of the word conjures up images of sweaty, hairy women If we look to the demonstrations at George burning bras and suffocating men with tampons. Square against David Cameron’s election and If someone asks why we need feminism, they the positive protest against domestic violence need it more than anyone. As Caitlin Moran and sexual harassment with These Streets Were said ‘I want a Zero Tolerance policy on All The Made for Walking, it becomes apparent that Patriarchal Bullshit’. It’s vital that both men and there is a reassuringly reasonable chunk of the women recognise the importance of feminism city that cares about women’s rights. Despite and its potential impact on our world. Fighting to the fact that these protests are more often bring women’s rights on par with those of their than not reactionary, it’s reassuring to see that male counterparts is the essence of feminism people care. and only by ensuring that women have access to equal rights and opportunities as men will we In Glasgow, we aim to provide help, information and feminist ethos to enlighten and empower emancipate women from oppression. women to make change. We encourage men to We need feminism to relieve all women from support women’s rights and speak out against oppression in the Western hemisphere where misogyny. As well as the incredible work that we are faced with sexual harassment, unfair These Streets Were Made for Walking do by representation in politics, discrimination in the reclaiming the streets of Glasgow for women and workplace if we choose to have children, and running anti-rape demonstrations and protests, condescension for merely existing as anything Glasgow is home to many other feminist groups other than the white male. Despite the hardship and thinkers. that we endure as Western women, it’s vital that we use our position of privilege to speak out against sexism in developing countries, to support the women who do not have a voice and whose freedoms are far more limited than ours. ‘Why do we need feminism?’ This question reverberates through the smoke filled haze of my local watering hole, bombarding my ear drums with a ferocity equivalent to the five point palm exploding heart technique in Kill Bill: Vol 2.
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ignorance. It’s easy to ignore issues that don’t directly affect you; it’s easy to acquiesce to the patriarchy when you reap the benefits of its inherently prejudiced system.
Having said that, my regular jaunts to local pubs do not always culminate in feminist chatter. When they do, it’s often the case that I find myself surrounded by people who are whole-heartedly supportive of gender equality. When I do encounter disheartening ideas of feminism, usually the root cause is 4
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The Glasgow Feminist Collective, inspired by anti-rape campaigners in India, seek to demolish misogyny in Glasgow and challenge ideas of gender roles. Many members are part of trade unions, charities or other activist groups. They address discrimination within feminism particularly towards trans women and place an emphasis on welcoming any self-identified woman. Glasgow Women’s Aid focuses on support for women enduring domestic abuse. Funded through Glasgow City Council, this collective works with women as well as children and young people, providing emotional support and therapy for those seeking refuge. This organization recognizes how the imbalance of power between the sexes is damaging, and only by addressing this imbalance can we progress forward as a society who respects its women.
“In 2015, feminism is still given a bad name. The mere existence of the word conjures up images of sweaty, hairy women burning bras and suffocating men with tampons.”
If you’re thinking, but where can I go to gaze at paintings of deers by Frida Khalo? Where can I go to seek refuge from the old man ogling Page 3 at my local Spar? Then you should take a trip to Glasgow Women’s Library, a vivacious sector of the city dedicated to literature on women’s lives, history and achievements. Placing emphasis on women authors and scholars, it provides information on gender equality issues and aims to inform and educate on women’s social, political and cultural rights. There are a number of other collectives that share the same principles, including feminist zine, blog and podcast TYCI, who aim to promote all things femme.
This means having an open dialogue about sexism, sexual harassment and discrimination. Feminists need to recognize the importance of intersectional feminism, the different levels of oppression and that people of all genders, ‘races’, abilities and backgrounds should be included in the movement. 5
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So next time you’re confronted with the question ‘why do we need feminism?’, look to the issue of gang rape in India, child marriage, girls being denied education and the treatment of women around you socially, politically and culturally. I want women and men to use their voices in Glasgow to take a stand against the patriarchy. However, as much as there is evidence to suggest I’m proud to say that I am Glasgow girl, and you that Glasgow is home to feminist thinkers, we must acknowledge that we still have work to should be too. do as a society, particularly with regards to misogyny on campus and in the workplace. It’s imperative that we continue to do everything we can to challenge bigotry and sexism in everyday life.
Glasgow University Magazine
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Abandoned Glasgow Roisin McCarthy and Georgia Elkin present the subculture of urban exploring: the process of discovering the abandoned landscapes of urban settings. The pair reveal the hidden side to Glasgow. The Milk Crate Gang formed in the ‘1990s with the intention of exploring and documenting Glasgow’s abandoned railway tunnels and buildings. They were pioneers in creating a subculture of ‘urban explorers’: ‘the exploration of man-made structures, usually abandoned ruins’. Whilst figures such as Julia Solis gained acclaim in documenting urban remains, the Milk Crate Gang’s notoriety became their downfall after a newspaper article in 1997 that suggested their actions put lives at risk by encouraging children to trespass onto train lines – an accusation they have strongly denied.
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These days, urban explorers pave their way online; forums such as Urbex list industrial sights, underground zones and abandoned asylums like-minded discoverers. It’s a sport easily misinterpreted as vandalism. Those involved would fervently disagree and argue that it is a form of preservation and appreciation of a city’s archaic structures. They believe that hidden underneath layers of modern architecture lies a window into a city’s past lives. Glasgow’s soaring industrialization is reflected in its progressive architecture, spearheaded by Alexander Thompson and Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Industry brought wealth to what had become the “Second City of the Empire”. What followed was a precarious path of economic decline, war and an overpopulated city. Prosperity jarred against poverty and one of the outcomes was a spike in mental illness in the poorest areas of the city.
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“Glasgow District Lunacy Board” responded with the establishment of Gartloch Asylum in 1896. Designed by Thompson, the building looms over Gartcosh Village and its crumbling towers are the first things we see as our train pulls into the local station. It closed in 1996 and now stands in stark contrast against the few luxury apartments that developers have attempted to launch before running out of funds. While we walk towards these huge structures, it’s easy to imagine the intimidation patients may have felt as they arrived. Tilda McDonald spent 1981 in the hospital and remembers it as a place of fear and ambiguity: ‘It was a beautiful place, but I never saw it for that. If you entered through those doors, you became a wolf in the eyes of everyone else.’
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‘It was a beautiful place, but I never saw it for that. If you entered through those doors, you became a wolf in the eyes of everyone else.’
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We meet a group of kidults. This is their territory, but they reluctantly agree to show us around after making sure we aren’t going to arrest them. The interior is a tangle of hanging metal, strips of wire and dozens of angry pigeons. We walk through piles of rotting wood and then up some decaying ladders to find ourselves in what used to be the dining and recreation hall. The ceiling remains an electric blue colour and the skeletons of chandeliers hang precariously.
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Another off-path venture lead us to the Botanic railway station in the depths of the Botanic Gardens. Our route in is through a tunnel in the abandoned Kirklee Station. The tunnels are kept up to scratch by the council, but huge slates of metal cover the entrances to prevent people from entering. The tunnel seems vast and blanketed in darkness. It is not a far walk until we can turn off our torches at our first stop. Opened in 1896, the Botanic station was rapidly followed by a string of closures until its final demise in 1939. In the ‘1970s it was resurrected as a string of shops including a club, ‘Sgt.Peppers’ and a popular café, ‘The Silver Supper.’
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Towards the Kelvinside way, there is a viewpoint, which looks into the station through its old ventilation shafts. The top is shrouded by dense patches of green, which make it impossible to imagine the station beneath. The station is much intact: the stone foundations and the beautiful arched roof are kept from falling into disrepair. A child’s rusted bike adds to the derelict atmosphere whilst an empty suitcase lies open. Despite its desolation, these tunnels feel alive and breathing. This is even more apparent by
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the two men we pass, one of which used these eerie spaces as a playground in the ‘70s. Whatever attitude they impose; towering, intimidating, ideological or practical, buildings have much to say. Cityscapes are the background to most of our lives, the backdrops to which we act and play our part. In Glasgow, it may be the ubiquitous presence of red and blonde sandstone, art nouveau or the infinite tenements. Yet below this city lies the forgotten space that reveals the submerged half of Glasgow’s identity. It is a city that sprawls its tentacles, a heaving mesh of impressive structures, cultures and 2.3 million people. The cycle of construction and deconstruction throughout the eras has resulted in a beast that has almost succeeded in swallowing itself up, and yet, its foundations remain in the tunnels and the carcasses of derelict buildings; the silent chronicling of a city’s history.
December 2015
The Necropolis
A landmark of Glasgow’s dark past, The Necropolis is an iconic marker of the city. Henriette Eagle-Wilsher and Maria Mattsson offer their ode to the cemetery.
get a sense of what he means as your surroundings change dramatically upon arrival at the cemetery area. This well-trodden path has kept its diversity over time. There’s only one way across the busy road between the cemetery and the cathedral, the nicknamed Bridge of Sighs, a walled pathway used originally by funeral processions transporting the wealthy Victorian merchants of old Glasgow to their final resting place.
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Spectacular yet hidden, the Necropolis embodies the city’s grand and dark identity. The cemetery is set on a hill and has a view that encompasses all of Glasgow’s glory. As George Blair wrote in 1857: “A City of the Dead is silently growing up in the midst of her, even while she still lives, extends, prospers and multiplies. The dead are accumulating amid the living, and their monuments are rising like a tall and beautiful pyramid that over tops the city.”
Necropolis means city of the dead, and Glasgow’s was modelled on the Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris. To get there, walk east from Buchanan Street and George Square’s meeting point. Despite the cemetery’s vantage point, it won’t be visible until you’re nearly there; having walked uphill past Strathclyde university, a couple of Greggs, lots of new age shops and off licences, and down the cobbled path running parallel to the blackened 13th century cathedral. Glasgow native Billy Connolly has said of the city: “…it doesn’t care much for the living, but it really looks after the dead”. While I can’t agree completely with the first half of his statement, you do
Glasgow University Magazine
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Why do we like to visit cemeteries? To feel alive? To take in the scope of a place’s history behind us?
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And not just merchants; from John Knox to Charles Rennie Mackintosh to William Miller, the author of Wee Willie Winkie, many rest here, around 50,000 altogether. It can’t be said that all lie equal, with the range of elaborate and ornate memorials, competing for space with smaller gravestones, but it is a non-denominational graveyard. There were Jewish people buried on the site of the Necropolis even before it was formally opened for interment in March 1833. The land filled up very quickly, and while it couldn’t keep taking the city’s residents, it captured their imagination; it plays an integral part in the finale of Alisdair Gray’s Lanark. It’s always been a popular destination, listed as early as the 1870s in St Enoch Railway Hotel’s tourist guide of the top five cemeteries to visit.
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December 2015
Are buskers the future of Glasgow’s music scene?
Morgan Laing explores the Glasgow singing songs both jaunty and mournful. There’s busking scene and finds both challenges room for every genre in this thriving metropolis. and opportunities in this eclectic music Despite his dedication to the trade, Gregor is world.
“I’m out here busking every day,” he confirms as he glances around the bustling street. Arduous as this might seem – braving the biting Glasgow wind to bring covers of popular songs to the masses – Gregor is by no means alone in this game. Glasgow is Scotland’s busking capital. If it’s not a slice of pristine indie pop greeting your ears as you ascend the steps of the Subway station, it’s a tuneful accordion or triumphant saxophone. Voices drift along every street,
“Busking’s the only time you get paid what’s 100% yours,” he tells us earnestly. His statement rings with truth – playing on Buchanan Street doesn’t incur any agent’s fees. Busking has also awarded him plenty of valuable opportunities. After a woman heard him play in the city centre, she requested that he perform at her wedding in the Lake District. When asked what he’d like to do in future, Gregor smiles coyly: “I just want to busk and see what happens.” 11
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“Can I just have a quick smoke first?” Gregor Hunter Coleman grins when we approach him during a break in his busking set. Gregor is somewhat a local celebrity in Glasgow nowadays: an almost permanent fixture in the city centre.
quick to inform us that performing on the street isn’t without problems. He tells us that busking at night carries an element of risk. When darkness descends, people might steal the day’s earnings from your case. Nonetheless, Glasgow’s busking scene suits him.
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It’s a similar story for Jackson Harvey. The twenty-one-year-old used to busk every day, but he is now channelling most of his energy into his band The Modests. When he comes into the city centre armed with his guitar, it’s for his enjoyment only. He’s graduated to venues now, having played “everywhere in Glasgow… except The Hydro”. Jackson’s foray into the music world began upon the realisation that he’s too uncoordinated to be a footballer. “I’m not ambidextrous,” he laughs. “I can’t play with either foot.”
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Halfway down Buchanan Street, a crowd has gathered around Glasgow-based duo Wandering Sons. The song they’re playing is a real footstomper: the first track on their new album, which can be downloaded from their Facebook page for free. The original music is delightfully interspersed with an energetic rendition of Florence and the Machine’s “You’ve Got the Love”.
The next busker we meet is Anna Shields – one of the only female buskers we’ve seen all day. Like the others, Anna is picking up gigs in a number of Glasgow’s venues. She’s played the legendary King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut on two Wandering Sons are unorthodox - their guitar occasions already. case is adorned with rubber ducks; the “The first time I went busking my mum wouldn’t drummer, David, has forgone a proper drum let me go by myself,” Anna says. That day her kit in favour of plastic buckets. The band’s brother stood and watched her from the side. “I history is as interesting as their aesthetic. Lead made £12… I was so excited!” singer Barney (20), originally from Belgium, met Though Anna busked “for the fun of it” back David through church. Despite their musical then, she’s got bigger things on her mind now. talent, Wandering Sons embody Glasgow’s She formed a band at the start of the year with self-deprecating humour. When they started her boyfriend – who plays guitar – and their out, they considered themselves “the worst bassist friend. musicians out of [their] whole friend group.” When asked if Anna suffers at all in such a They admit that busking on Glasgow’s streets is male-dominated industry – and, indeed, within challenging. Barney has had to wear fingerless a male-dominated band – she doesn’t give the gloves while playing guitar in the cold. They’ve answer we’re expecting. taken big risks like quitting their day jobs and higher education courses. However, their “It’s actually quite good for me,” she says. At this successes include a European tour and co- point, she begins to talk about the male buskers headlining shows with an Australian artist. “We who garner attention on the basis of how they just do this and play gigs,” the boys say. “We love look. “When people see us, they’re coming to it at the moment… We’re making what we need see the music. People are there because they want to listen to us,” she explains. to live.” Finally, we meet a guitarist who goes by the name of Mike. Mike’s still “finding his feet” on the busking scene, but his story is fascinating. “God made me want to start busking. I used to run a lap dance club, but I had a dream one night… And now I sing to God. The songs and the words are for God.” 12
December 2015
Our literary guide to Glasgow Clare Patterson writes a love letter to five prominent names from the Glasgow literary scene.
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ALASDAIR GRAY Graduate of the Glasgow School of Art and a grandfather to our city, Gray is an artist, illustrator and author whose works explore Glasgow’s history, identity and mythology in the visionary style of a 21st century William Blake. His novels Lanark and Poor Things feature a strong Glasgow setting. The former is a fascinating vision of an alternative, fantastical city and a biting satire. The latter is a Victorian-Gothic collection of fictional histories that draw closely on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and it examines the conventions of genre, gender and the novel itself. For his illustrative takes on Glasgow’s history, check out his murals in Hillhead subway station and Oran Mor. LIZ LOCHHEAD Another GSA graduate and Scots Makar (national poet of Scotland), Lochhead’s poetry and plays examine history, politics and gender through the female gaze, channelled through the great female figures of history, as well as astute, pin-sharp observations of Scottish and female identity in the modern world. Mary Queen of Scots got her Head Chopped Off is a stark, complex and uncompromising play that focuses on the relationship between Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I - and by extension: men and women, England and Scotland, and, power and prejudice. Lochhead’s work often features humour of a very sharply astute variety: “Oh saying it was one thing But when it came to writing it In black and white The way it had to be said Was as if you were posh, male, grown-up, English and dead” –“Kidspoem/Bairnsang”
JANICE GALLOWAY Graduate of the University of Glasgow, Galloway worked as a teacher for a number of years and has extraordinary insight into the voice and experience of childhood. Her first novel The Trick is To Keep Breathing is an intense and immersive portrayal of female struggle with grief and mental illness, the likes of which has not been seen since Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar. Her short story collections are like packages of gems - beautiful, fascinating celebrations of the detail of ordinary life. EDWIN MORGAN Glasgow is permanently at the heart of Morgan’s work. He became Glasgow’s first Poet Laureate in 1999, and the first Scots Makar in 2004. His work is dominated by the voice of this city. Snatches of his poems are inscribed on pavements around Glasgow, and with titles like ‘Glasgow Sonnets’ and ‘Glasgow Green’, the city’s role as his muse is clear. Born in 1920 and openly gay, much of his poetry deals with homosexuality throughout the twentieth century, with love poems often using genderneutral pronouns or avoiding them altogether. His work often does much to deconstruct the form of poetry and the nature of words, relying on their arrangement on the page for effect. “Ghostly workers sleep below They hear no rain or heel and toe Think of them where the forges glow In the Glasgow of long ago” – inscribed on the pavement in Candleriggs, Glasgow JACKIE KAY Born to a Scottish mother and a Nigerian father, Kay was adopted at birth by a white Glaswegian couple, and much of her work deals with adoption, racial identity and ‘blackness’ in modern Britain. Her first collection of poetry ‘The Adoption Papers’ writes from the perspectives of an adopted child, birth mother and adoptive mother, examining the complexities of their relationships and societal attitudes towards adoption and race. Kay identifies as a lesbian, and much of her work also explores sexuality, attraction and gender identity.
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Glasgow University Magazine
Issue 1
Women and the Glasgow Music Scene
Lara Sindelar dives into the experiences of women on the Glasgow music scene to explore the causes of their low representation at events.
way that she is approached. She does however mention certain situations when people are prejudiced: “When we go to a venue, and this might be a sweeping generalization, but usually the promoters will go to Chris or Michael, the guys, as their point of contact when they open up and organize things”. I ask her how Glasgow compares to other cities that she has toured in with Life Model: “I do think that it is really male dominated and there’s a weird attitude towards women playing in bands. I’m sure this is relevant in other places too, but here the venues are so monopolized by men and that needs to be changed somehow.”
engineers, promoters, people who usually run bigger music venues in Glasgow are predominantly male.” Generally she notices no difference in the 14
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In the line-up of T-Break at T in the Park, a stage dedicated to the rising talents of Scotland from the passing year, less than a fifth of the performers were female. Glasgow is known for its welcoming and vibrant music scene, so why aren’t more women playing at events like this? Looking at the music industry on a larger scale, in 2015 86% of advertised performers at UK music festivals were male (Guardian, 23/06/2015). We contacted two musicians of the emerging Glasgow bands Life Model and The Van T’s to McCafferty is however positive towards the discuss their experiences. overall experience of being a musician: “I find Joanne McCafferty is the bassist of band Life it quite an empowering thing being a woman Model, and in her experience there are not many in a band, it is something that I absolutely love women present in the music scene: “Sound and would never want to give up.”
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The twins Hannah and Chloe Thompson started surf rock band The Van T’s in 2013, now a 4-piece with Joanne Forbes on bass and Shaun Hood on drums. Hannah Thompson says: “There is a preconception within the music scene that it is accepting of women, the harsh reality is that it isn’t all that.” However, she does not see this flaw as an intrinsic part of the Glasgow music scene in particular: “I feel as though attitudes towards female musicians are changing, more positively. Put aside these attitudes though, regardless of gender, Glasgow has such a diverse music scene, there is a sense of community and growing equality among musicians and music lovers.” Hanna Thompson is optimistic of the current situation and the way it is progressing: “Generally, in Glasgow, there are all different types of people involved in music. Interestingly I know an equal number of male and female people who are studying music performance so it does suggest that attitudes are changing for the better.” Feminist collective TYCI was cofounded by Lauren Mayberry of Chvrches, with the aim to promote females within music and arts through their events, blog, zine, and radio station. Anna Hodgart of TYCI recognizes a need for organisations like theirs: “Whilst this is by no means specific to Glasgow, I think it’s fair to say that club and gig environments can often be alienating to women and unfortunately
occasionally even unsafe and dangerous. We wanted to create an environment that female music fans felt was theirs - whilst also ofcourse welcoming audiences of all kind regardless of gender identity.“ In Glasgow, young girls and teenagers are encouraged to get into music in the ‘Rock’n’roll Summer School for Girls’ which started in the summer of 2015. The aim of the volunteer lead project is to build up self-esteem and provide positive role models for girls. Joanne McCafferty explains: “it was just so awesome to see the transformation of the girls over the week”. In order to change the structures and attitudes that shape the music scene, McCafferty believes that these initiatives need to be charity-led and accompanied by an interaction with the actual people who book bands: “The main aspect that needs to be addressed is not in the music side of things, because people who like to play music will play music even if they are noticed or not”. In her opinion the change needs to happen in the organisation and business surrounding music, by introducing more females within main venues in Glasgow. Hopefully within a few years music events will not be overshadowed by news of underrepresentation of any kind, in Glasgow or anywhere else. The music scene should be for everyone, and the future is bright since we are becoming increasingly aware of the preconceived attitudes that surround it. Glasgow is unique and diverse musically, so once we get past negative attitudes there is nothing stopping us.
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Glasgow University Magazine
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Hidden art galleries of Glasgow
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Glasgow offers a lot to an art lover — whether your preferences lean to contemporary or classical, world-famous or avant-garde, the galleries of Glasgow cater to all tastes. Emmi Joensuu reveals some of Glasgow’s most hidden and unknown art galleries.
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THE HIDDEN LANE GALLERY, 1081 ARGYLE STREET Situated in an old garage that was once used for funeral hearses and limousines, The Hidden Lane Gallery exhibits art in many forms. It has expanded into a greater complex since its opening in 2009, and today it provides workspace for artists, designers, jewellery makers and musicians. Past exhibitions include renowned photographers and interesting painters; one of the recent exhibitions, for example, consisted of unseen photographs of 1930s Glasgow. Entry is free. THE GLUE FACTORY, 22 FARNELL STREET Located in an old industrial building, The Glue Factory offers a space for different artists and exhibitions with its maze of various rooms. The history of the site and its rough outlook create a special atmosphere for the events and exhibitions held there — the rusty pipes sticking out of the ceilings and vast empty glue vats are still in place, making it a spot with a unique outlook. In addition to art exhibitions, The Glue factory hosts a wide variety of events — even club nights and parties — and there are workshops and studios situated at the venue. THISTLE GALLERY, 56 PARK ROAD Thistle Gallery describes itself as a “neighbourhood gallery” which opened in West End as recently as 2014. The small gallery exhibits contemporary art, but it goes beyond the usual mediums of painting and photography as textiles, sculptures, ceramics and jewellery are included in its exhibitions. The focus is on Scottish artists, with a long list of regulars who have their work shown in the venue, but international contributors are featured as well. The gallery is open for visitors every day of the week.
December 2015
Guest Writer from Philanthrobeats - James McAleer
Once upon a time when I was young and nimble, my sister and I snuck into a dilapidated factory somewhere across the snakey river. Branded with the creations (and occasional dick sketches) of innumerable graffers, pockmarked and scarred with broken glass and fag ends, the grand old building was in a sorry state.
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GUEST WRITER
The sorry case of The Arches sits high on the Councils list of misdeeds. Since 1991, the cultural hub below Glasgow Central had operated on a near-unique system where big name club nights funded creative and artistic projects. Everyone from Daft Punk to Erol Alkan stepped into the tunnel, which benefitted major theatre events such as Behaviour as well as thousands of local You wouldn’t know it from the motorway, of creative people. course. For anyone driving past, a hulking mass of fleshy pink obscured the unsightly innards, In April this year, The Arches suddenly had bellowing out it’s typescript to the newcomers their 3am license revoked, which sliced the and returning citizens en route from the airport: main funding stream in a single swoop and “People Make Glasgow”. And you couldn’t help sent shockwaves across the world; a petition but wonder if that included the graffers. Maybe to revoke the decision reached over 25000 they need a revision – “Abandon Hope?” signatories. The Licensing Board – formed by current members of the GCC – justified their Obviously, that’s an exaggeration. Anyone who decision based on a tragic death at the venue, has lived in Glasgow for an extended period and latterly the quantities of drugs seized by of time will testify that it deserves high praise staff. Did closing the venue prevent people from in many areas. It has a thriving creative and taking drugs? Of course not. It simply forced music scene, populated with genuinely forward them to find other, less safe spaces to do so in. thinking talent. Glasgow has a growing and well- Indeed, the amounts of substances seized by earned reputation as a tolerant, progressive city door staff give testament to their dedication in the wake of the referendum, wrestled from and thoroughness. The situation, as The National the associations with sectarianism and bigotry outlined, was in fact a lot more complex – with that plagued the city for years. Also, despite not Police Scotland operating a system very akin to a having the castles and cobbles of Edinburgh, mafia racket that left The Arches with nowhere to Glasgow has its own beauty spots from East to turn. In June 2015, they announced permanent West. I find no cause for complaint here. closure. Step forward, Glasgow City Council. Despite It’s not all doom and gloom, and there’s draping the city with “People Make Glasgow”- resourcefulness about Glasgow that will continue banners (an indoctrination attempt near to thrive despite incompetent leadership. Yet Orwellian standards), our local rulers seem you can’t but feel that the gargantuan sign by the hell-bent on making it as miserable as possible. motorway, the first glimpse of Glasgow for many They’ve approved an Orange Order all-day new faces, doesn’t tell the full story. For a few rally in George Square, allowing the city weeks this summer a familiarly fleshy-coloured centre landmark to become a rallying point sticker in the city centre posited a more realistic for a notoriously bigoted group; planned the slogan: ‘people make Glasgow...the council take demolition of the Red Road flats as part of the it away’. Commonwealth Ceremony, an incredibly out of touch suggestion only shelved after howls of protest. The flats were eventually demolished – but even that was botched. It’s no wonder that GCC and former leader Gordon Matheson have become a byword for incompetence amongst
Glasgow University Magazine
Issue 1
A Wave to the Seventies and a Wink to the Future Jeanne Marie Hamilton
Modern day Glasgow still emulates the desire for creativity and freedom that the seventies created, which is exactly why we wanted the editorial shoot to be focused on bringing the two eras together in harmony. We wanted to celebrate the fact that flares aren’t dead and bask in the glory that there are still bands out there that have written their own songs. The hidden gem Circa Vintage Store, which is located on Ruthven Lane, helped us accomplish this photoshoot. Sheila Murdoch, the owner of the store, has been reviving the past with her beautiful finds. If you pop into the store, you will find yourself in the best of hands, with regards to what to wear and where to wear it. When you come out of the store, you will find that you have only spent a small fraction of your student loan installment.
FASHION
Whilst promoting the clothing, we wanted to capture our favourite areas of Glasgow. The Clockwork Orange took us around the city in record time so we were able to use locations such as the Museum of Modern Art, The Glasgow Film Theatre and the underground itself for the photo shoot. From the images you can see that Glasgow truly is an artist’s playground, from the stunning architecture to the creative residents of the city. The day of the fitting, the original idea we had in mind was the early 60s - swinging around Glasgow in shift dresses Jean Shrimpton style. However, when Marieke came out of the dressing room wearing a dress that channeled Jefferson Airplane we had to change the whole brief, now we will let you see why… Photographed by Rachel Byrne Circa Vintage is located just off of Byres Road, if Modelled by Marieke McKenna you follow the lane down from the Hanoi Bike Shop and turn left before the Ruthven Mews Arcade you Styled by Jeanne Marie Hamilton and Niamh Carey Clothing provided by Circa Vintage Glasgow will find yourself in vintage paradise!
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December 2015
FASHION 19
FASHION
Glasgow University Magazine
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December 2015
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FASHION
Glasgow University Magazine
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Issue 1
December 2015
The Decade that Fashion Forgot? Glasgow is a city defined by its many vintage stores and second hand shops. Niamh Carey glances back at the ‘1970s and explores why its fashion still matters.
Subcultures in the ‘70s were definitively rulebreaking. The movement of Northern Soul involved young people listening to ‘outdated’ Motown records and ignoring popular culture. Donning the widest flares they could find, teens hurled their limbs across the dance floor to the sound of soul, using their baggy clothing 23
FASHION
to further propel performances of some very singular dance moves. The Northern Soul scene offered an escape from bleak working class life in industrial northern England, and helped young people forge an identity that The ‘70s is hailed as the decade that ‘style wasn’t determined by which factory they skipped out on’. It is often compared to the ‘60s, worked in. its glowing predecessor, and therefore, the ‘70s dominant fashion trends and cultural inclinations Disco, despite eventually being adopted into have been dismissed as inconsequential. mainstream culture, began by breaking fashion However, the spirit of the ‘70s is one that I think rules: sequins, loose trousers and big hair we have forgotten and perhaps need to be inaugurated a look that was both playful and representative of the music it was partnered reminded of. with. The Disco scene was also linked to The ‘70s seemed to encapsulate the essence of the continuing struggle of the Civil Rights the previous decade whilst also continuing its movement in America, and could arguably be social progression. Culturally speaking, the ‘60s seen as forming a new mode of expression for was a hard act to follow: designers such as Mary black people who found themselves excluded Quaint had broken almost every rule of fashion, from the ‘white’ dominant culture. and new subcultures – the Mods and Rockers for example – had given birth to a new kind of Discussing black civil rights in one breath expressive freedom for young people. The ‘70s, and sequins in the next may seem contrived, then, was born on the crest of a catalytic wave but this is why fashion matters: it can aid in of social and political freedoms; and with it new forming identities for groups of people who are excluded from society. Black people, the gay ways of cultural expression emerged. community, women and the working class have The decade benefitted hugely from the ‘60s rule all historically been removed from dominant breakers: young people had more freedom to culture. Creative expression – particularly experiment with fashion, and in doing so found a fashion – can become catalytic for social way to form identities. The ‘70s was, after all, the change. Of course, fashion is not in itself the decade in which punk was born: punk fashion destruction of all inequalities. But freedom of was a way of resisting the ‘mainstream’ culture expression is an element to forming identities and having fun with clothes. Men painted their in a world of social turbulence and insecurity. nails and wore their granny’s knitted jumpers; women shaved their heads and donned Doc So let’s bring back the spirit of the ‘70s Martens; trousers were constructed with safety subculture. Fashion is a fun way of figuring out pins instead of seams. But the fashion was not who you are; it shouldn’t be about wearing just a trend that young people used to look what you’re told to wear. Let’s rekindle the ‘cool’: it represented something genuine that weird, the wonderful, the unique, and never forget fashion’s power to change. resisted an otherwise mundane culture.
Glasgow University Magazine
Orange (Bang Out Of) Order Lewis Murray criticizes the Orange Walks in Glasgow and discusses the underlying rightwing, nationalist and racist sentiments in these demonstrations.
POLITICS
It’s the evening of the nineteenth of September 2014 in George Square, central Glasgow. It is one day on from Scotland’s most majestic political moment; an independence referendum that brought about arguably the greatest moment of political engagement in the history of Scottish politics with 84% of Scotland’s electorate voting. Scotland had been gripped by an atmosphere of excitement concluding two years of lively political debate, riding on the wave of Glasgow’s Commonwealth Games the preceding summer.
Issue 1
through predominantly Catholic areas is a mystery. Just like the post referendum riots, the aim is to intimidate and aggravate those who are not Protestant and who do not subscribe to a British nationalist viewpoint. This is an organisation that forbids its members from marrying non-Protestants, an organisation founded to protect British and Protestant supremacy in Ireland. Members of the Order were convicted in 1979 for bombing two pubs frequented by Catholic Glaswegians, and many Scottish members travelled to Northern Ireland to join the Ulster Volunteer Force, a unionist paramilitary organisation. “Peaceful” is not a word you can easily associate with the Orange Order.
The Orange Order is just the most striking symptom of an issue that continues to stalk Glasgow, and the riots in George Square were only a recent major incident. There is still a culture of right wing, unionist, racist, anti-Catholic and anti-Muslim sentiment in Scotland, and in Glasgow especially, that persists everywhere from council estates to But before long, Scotland – and Glasgow in particular football grounds to city halls. – was dragged back into the cesspit of religious, racial and political hatred near synonymous with However, the idea that Glasgow is a city divided, with Scotland’s largest city. Gathered in George Square, Protestants on one side and Catholics on the other, a mob of union loyalists antagonised Yes-voters is becoming increasingly out-dated and untrue. that had been holding peaceful demonstrations Glasgow is a famously friendly city, where acts of there throughout the previous days, the former communal kindness are commonplace. Glasgow is hurling racist and sectarian abuse at the latter. Nazi a united city, though accompanied by a perpetual salutes; clashes with police and civilians; vandalism hostility and childish tribalism that has weaved itself at the headquarters of the pro-Yes Sunday Herald. into the city’s fabric. A total lockdown of the city centre ensued, a horrid reminder to the people of Glasgow that, no matter This makes Glasgow a place where tens of how far Scotland has come, there is still political thousands of people can chant about wading through “fenian blood” with little or no backlash. unrest. The city’s administration will allow Orange Walks on It’s a Sunday and you’re heading into town to get the basis of “free speech”, even though the walks some shopping done. You turn on to Buchanan have the intentions of aggravating Glasgow’s large Street, but your progress is halted halfway down Irish Catholic community, as well as communities the street by a parade of grown men sporting of other minority religions and peoples in the city. sashes and playing flutes. It’s an Orange Walk day in All the while, the administration recoils at the St. Glasgow, as the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland Patrick’s Day parade as it could stir up sectarian is setting out to commemorate a cornerstone of animosity. In fact, this year, Glasgow City Council Orange Order tradition, William of Orange’s victory allowed a loyalist march to pass through the city on St. Patrick’s Day, which passed near the Gallowgate in the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. on the same day as the Scottish League Cup final Why is this event significant over 300 years later? between Celtic and Dundee United - two teams Well, it isn’t. with Irish heritage. Orange Walks are domineering and intimidating displays of institutional and social power. Members of the Order will robotically repeat tried and tested excuses: that their parades are simply peaceful celebrations of the Protestant tradition. Why this peaceful celebration feels compelled to march 24
Glasgow is a city with a jarring case of cognitive dissonance, and until that becomes a thing of the past, Glasgow risks being seen by outsiders as a place of the past.
December 2015
Can Corbyn Revive the Labour Party in Scotland?
Skye Brettell questions if Labour’s movement towards the right of the political spectrum over the last decades will be reversed with Corbyn in power.
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POLITICS
Close your eyes, and imagine you are at an annual Scottish Highland Games event. Kilts are swishing; trees are casually being tossed around; and everyone you know is queuing up for a ninety-nine pence ice-cream. You’ve sat though the show trials, and most of the excitement is over, apart from one – the tug o war, where large and probably drunk men pull at either side of a rope, all hoping they can pull harder than those on the other end. Face it; it’s the only one we actually all enjoy. Except this year, the competitors are all seemingly so drunk that they somehow force the rope in the same direction: beer is spilt, pride is hurt, and nobody wins.
Glasgow University Magazine
POLITICS
For some, this is what British politics has been like for the last two decades. Since New Labour’s Blairites came to power in 1997 – adopting an outlook so centrist and ideologically ersatz it was dubbed “Blatcherism” – there has been little visible difference, for many, between the two main political parties in Westminster. This has meant no viable opposition has appeared present in the Commons to drive political debate forward, and a lack of ideological choice which has consequently led to disengagement from the (predominantly poorer) electorate and an increasingly lower voter turnout. Our democratic system has become a farcical act devoid of alternative ideas, just like the pointless scene of tug o war described earlier - and don’t even get me started on how inflation is effecting the cost of our ice creams. Ninety-nine indeed. Though we’ve had a lack of opposition in Westminster, this has not translated into party political calm or stagnation. Indeed the opposite is true: the Conservatives move further to the right every day (take Home Secretary Theresa May’s speech at the most recent party conference, so right wing Nigel Farage accused her of plagiarism), and “opposition” parties seem to tag along sooner or later. A prime example of this was seen during the Scottish independence referendum campaign, where Labour – who actually supported home rule for Scotland under their first MP, Keir Hardie – appeared to ‘team up’ with the Tories in forming the Better Together campaign. Regardless of which side of the highly divisive campaign you subscribe to, it is obvious the alliance with the Conservative 26
Issue 1
party was highly damaging for Labour in Scotland, where they lost all but one of their Westminster seats in the 2015 general election. This is considered to be largely a result of their behaviour during the referendum campaign and the hollowing out of the Scottish party over several decades. Still, their plummet may also be attributed to the lack of “anti-austerity” noises the party was making, seen by those hit hardest as a desertion of fundamental leftist Labour values.
“Our democratic system has become a farcical act devoid of alternative ideas, just like the pointless scene of tug o war” Enter Jeremy Corbyn. The new Labour leader, if nothing else, has caused a stir in what we now weirdly refer to as “the establishment”, and provided a vision of politics which looks poised to combat, in ideas at least, the austere policies of Osbourne (I’m sure that man gets paler every day). In a recent visit to Scotland, Corbyn condemned the UK government’s cuts to working tax credits, and criticised Theresa May’s stance on immigration in front of an enthralled Glasgow audience of 1,500. A personal policy of his, which is relevant to our wonderful city is his support
of unilateral nuclear disarmament, an issue very close to the hearts and homes of the people of Glasgow. This will at least give the SNP and Labour something to agree on for once, and perhaps help instigate a more interesting scrap for votes: according to the YouGov poll in January, 48% of Scots want our national nuclear deterrent scrapped. While Corbyn is seen by many as a breath of fresh air compared to the halfhearted opposition we’ve been used to, many see him as notional but impractical, too extreme to be allowed near number ten by centrist swing voters. Will he be Labour’s saving grace, or the final nail in the coffin the party have been getting comfortable in for some time now? Whether Corbyn is simply an extreme leftist fad for the few and not the many, or a viable future Prime Minister, only time (and the 2020 general election) will tell, but nobody can deny he has changed the flavour of Westminster politics. That, and potentially lit up a real fire under the SNP before May’s Holyrood elections. Hopefully this marks an end of petty opposition in the Commons, and a restoration of balance to the democratic system –after all, if everybody stands on one side of the boat, it capsizes.
December 2015
Being trans* should not require all this bureaucracy Lu Allan criticizes the hoops trans* people need to jump through to have their gender identity legitimated by the state and argues that trans* people should be able to self-define their gender. I wasn’t exactly expecting great things. Not everyone reads extensively about trans-related current affairs or possesses a vast knowledge of the biology-versus-gender-identification thing. Not everyone has a Tumblr account through which they are constantly reminded that gender itself is a mere social construct. Nor do most necessarily know a trans person. However, from the government who had apparently been so committed to the legalisation of same-sex marriage and the subsequent creation of a more LGBT-inclusive society, I’d have at least expected more than what we got. Allowing trans people to self-define their legal gender would be, to put it simply, pretty great. It could help make being transgender less of a “big deal” and normalise the idea that it’s perfectly acceptable to identify as a gender which you were not assigned at birth, as well as making the administrative transitioning process significantly easier. It would also allow legal recognition for non-binary people, i.e. people who don’t align with either “male” or “female” and are constantly forced to choose between the two when filling out official documents or application forms (or even just when they wish to use a public toilet or sign into ScotRail’s wifi). The government, however, didn’t think this basic courtesy was such a wonderful idea. The state has a legitimate interest in ensuring that people who take on a new legal status can establish that they meet certain criteria.
Non-binary gender is not recognised in UK law. Under the law of the United Kingdom, individuals are considered by the state to be of the gender that is registered on their birth certificate, either male or female. The message seemed loud and clear to me: “You play pretend in your spare time, but when it comes down to it, you’re really either male or female”. We are not aware that [identifying as non-binary] results in any specific detriment. Other than not having your gender identity legally acknowledged? The problem with the government’s response to this petition is quite a general one: legislation is passed by people who are probably never going to be affected by it. This happens all the time – the people who set the minimum wage are unlikely to ever have to survive on it; there are overwhelming amounts of people without uteruses in the U.S. debating about whether or not abortion should even be legal; etc. In order for trans issues to be addressed in a way that actively benefits trans people, we need better representation and visibility of the trans community in authoritative, decision-making positions. In order for our society to truly promote equality and fairness for everyone, we need better representation and visibility of marginalised groups in general, in government and elsewhere.
Plenty of transgender people experience little or no dysmorphia and feel no desire to transition or change any of their physical characteristics. 27
POLITICS
Letting out a prolonged, theatrical sigh, I had a quick look at what “criteria” trans people are supposed to meet in order to have their identity legitimised by the state. Requirements included having experienced dysmorphia, having begun physically transitioning and “[intending] to continue to live in the acquired gender until death”.
Does this make their trans identity less valid, less real? No, absolutely not. There is no logical reason why a person who was “designated male at birth” should not live happily as a woman without surgically altering their body in any way, other than the out-dated, restrictive ideas about gender that humans have cultivated. And to “live in the acquired gender until death”? Is it wrong to encourage people to explore, to try out as many identities as they feel comfortable with before finding one, which suit them? Or accept that, for many, gender identity can be fluid and unfixed?
Glasgow University Magazine
Issue 1
The Glasgow Effect today: A social and economic cost
BUSINESS
What has become out of this over-used In academic circles, the Glasgow Effect expression and is the Glasgow Effect still refers to the unexplained poor health and life expectancy in Glasgow as compared to other thriving? Linn Mattisson thinks not. Twenty years ago, Trainspotting was filmed in Glasgow because of the city’s buffet selection of “Ned-burbias”, even though the plot of the film takes place in the lower-income areas of Edinburgh. It was also in 1980 that Glasgow was in the midst of the Ice Cream Wars, which may sound fun, but definitely was not. Glasgow is yet to rid itself of the image of a tracksuit-clad middle-aged man – one standard deviation away from the average life expectancy – queuing for Greggs while pondering the next heroine shot.
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similar areas in the UK. Even though Manchester and Liverpool have equally deprived areas, life expectancy there is still above Glasgow. In general, life expectancy in the UK has vast regional differences. Explaining the variation in mortality is like trying to explain to your flatmate what that sour smell in the fridge is coming from – it’s evasive, awkward and simply depressing to look into.
December 2015
The newest statistics show that whilst Scotland now has the lowest murder rate since 1976, Glasgow is still overrepresented and first in the UK. Glasgow was also the most dishonest city in Scotland ten years ago with the highest number of crimes involving theft and break-ins. Statistics from 2014 put Edinburgh as number one (461 per 10,000 inhabitants) and Glasgow second (425 per 10,000 inhabitants), proving that tartan souvenirs are indeed worthy of theft. Crime and death may be linked to illustrate the Glasgow effect. In 2008 Michael Marmot, from the World Health Organisation, brought Glasgow into the limelight when he demonstrated that a boy in Carlton had a life expectancy of 54 years while a boy in Lenzie, only 12 km away, could live to up until 82. Many people in Glasgow are poor and have been adversely affected by the recent financial crisis and the following welfare cuts. Sticking to our story of the Lenzie and the Carlton boy; in some areas, 55% of the households consist of children in deprivation, compared to less than 10% in richer areas. While no one can explain why the Lenzie boy did not go to juvie but instead formed a successful indie band called Tartan Temptation and is currently touring the world (fact), the difference in their life expectancy can be partially attributed to inequality and economic deprivation. A regional doctor attributed Carlton’s low life expectancy to drug and alcohol abuse coupled with gang culture. It is of course difficult to pinpoint direct causes keeping in mind how diverse individual experiences are, but one doesn’t have to be a genius to understand that the low life expectancy in Carlton is due to causes of premature death, rather than poisonous vapour rising from the Clyde, as an early theory suggested.
I have found that not many are looking deep enough into the Glasgow Effect, with even less people knowing how to define it. No one knows what causes it. The UK and Scottish government have been far from successful in dealing with poverty, partly due to ideological differences, and partly because it has been overshadowed by global, economic and security issues. Returning to the stinking fridge metaphor, it is a bit like when you and your flatmate get distracted from the smell by bitching about your neighbour’s late loud karaoke nights – it’s an immediate concern and you can blame them and not each other. Policy- and decision-makers need to man up and realise that they not only can but also have a responsibility to create conditions in which Glasgow’s economy can flourish. The number of Carlton boys far outnumbers the Lenzie boys. No one can deny that the Glasgow Effect is still permeating the city and its people. Glasgow was once deemed the “sickest city of Europe”, but it is not rotten to the core, and it is not dying. Glasgow’s size and people have potential for economic and social development. The Carlton boy could stay at home with his needle or he could be inspired by the city’s economic optimism and go out with his mates to see Tartan Temptation. Giving attention to and reducing inequality will not only improve the opportunities for many individuals, but will also provide a foundation for Glasgow to become the true economic hub of Scotland. I, for one, hope that in twenty years the Glasgow Effect will be defined as the surge of development that caused Glasgow to rise from one of the most deprived areas in Scotland, to a wealthy, healthy, glorious city with annually sponsored (actual) ice cream wars.
BUSINESS
Deprivation is a social, political and an economic issue, not only because people become robbed of opportunities. Inequality is empirically shown to hinder economic activity, amongst other things by reducing social trust and creating a shadow economy. The lack of economic agency creates lack of political trust, so that change is given less support due to political apathy.
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Glasgow University Magazine
Issue 1
Changing the city’s DNA: cycling as a new mode of transportation in Glasgow
SCIENCE
Rosa de Jong investigates why there are so few bike paths in Glasgow and how it affects the city’s population, health and environment.
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I am born and bred in Amsterdam, which can be considered one of the capitals of cycling, and therefore, I pay special attention to cycling in other cities. When walking, driving or indeed biking through Glasgow, concerns on cycling grab my attention. To mention a few observations: the activity is mainly undertaken by men (still only a handful); usually by using a race- or mountain bike; and cycle paths have been scattered around the city without any obvious connection. This may result in a cyclist forced to enter a busy ring road. It is time to investigate what is done to encourage Glaswegians to bike and if these plans can succeed in creating a sustainable cycle city.
December 2015
Cycling as part of a strategy
Cycling around the world
Major sporting events are a great opportunity to start visionary projects for the cities in which they are held. The Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014 were no exception to this rule. The improvement of infrastructure for cyclists is part of the so-called ‘Legacy 2014’ initiative. The City Council has created the Glasgow Strategic Plan for Cycling that spans from 2015 to 2025. The key outcomes that the City Council has foreseen are: an integrated network of routes; a healthier city; more people cycling; and a safer cycling city. Currently, only six percent of Glaswegians cycle regularly. In Amsterdam, this number is tenfold.
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SCIENCE
What are the prospects? Glasgow is certainly not the first city that has tried to increase the amount of cyclists. Traditional cycle countries like Denmark and the Netherlands have done it before. The Strategic Plan assumes that everyone will be happy to bike, but is that indeed the case? Not everyone welcomes cycling. One example is London, where the campaign Mini Holland was met with a lot of opposition from local entrepreneurs. Shop-owners argued that new bike lanes inhibited car users from enterring their shops. Various studies have nevertheless pointed out that car use is heavily overestimated and other studies have shown that cyclists may spend more time in shopping areas and thus What is done to achieve these outcomes? The spend more money if there are bike lanes to go first step in the Strategic Plan is the creation there. of opportunity. In other words, Glasgow’s infrastructure is will be improved to cater to The European mainland brings more promising more cyclists. New developments are built with examples, such as Barcelona, where the ‘Bicing’ cyclists in mind, and the City Council promises project has been a great success. Users pay a that they will continue to make more cycle paths fee and get a personal card with which they in the city. can access a bike. The fact that Barcelona is relatively flat and that they have invested in More infrastructure for cyclists is great, but segregated cycle paths are two key factors in attitudes also need to change. Part of the City their success. Barcelona’s project has known Council’s vision is to motivate more people to many predecessors, such as the ‘white bike’ get cycling. Marketing and communication are scheme in Amsterdam in 1968 – which resulted two ways in which the municipality is trying in a failure because many bikes were stolen – to achieve this goal. This includes the use of and more successful ones such as in Paris, and social media, the organisation of events and Lyon. Glasgow has recently also invested in such the provision of proper cycling training. Another a program with ‘Nextbike’, which started in the part of the plan is targeted at children, which summer of 2014. includes cycling lessons at schools, safer roads and more cycle racks where children can park Although it might not be in Glasgow’s DNA, there their bicycles after a – hopefully – easy ride to are many reasons to pursue a city that cycles. school. Firstly, the environmental one: alternative modes of transport over cars reduce carbon emissions and reduce the dependency on fossil fuels. Riding a bike also has a positive impact on one’s physical and mental health. Moreover, in heavy traffic a bike is faster than any other vehicle. But most importantly, riding a bicycle gives you a sense of freedom to do whatever you want.
Glasgow University Magazine
Issue 1
Are we living in a holographic universe?
SCIENCE
Prarthana Desai investigates the latest research into Gravitational Wave Detection from the University of Glasgow’s Prof. Jim Hough and asks if black holes hold the key to the mystery of the Universe.
The Holographic Principle states that this information extends into the flat space-time in form of ‘pixels’, which are the size of Planck’s constant. In other words, everything we have ever perceived is a manifestation of two-dimensional information from a nearby black hole. This bizarre theory has not yet been proven and is a topic of much debate. Many experiments have been commissioned to prove that our Universe is holographic.
Imagine that you lived in a holographic world. Sound ridiculous? Well, this theory is gaining more credibility in the scientific world. We perceive the world around us as a threedimensional place. However, the ‘information paradox’ leads to the conclusion that our world So far, theoretical physicist Juan Maldacena has is in fact holographic. proved the Holographic Theory for ‘anti-de sitter The paradox centres on the ‘energy conservation space’ – curved saddle-like space. However, the principle’: energy cannot be created or challenge lies in that our universe is postulated destroyed. Black holes are objects of enormous to be ‘flat’ space. The Quantum Entanglement mass, often tending to infinite magnitude Experiment aims to map the gravitational field, compared to our planet. Their mass creates a which utilizes the three spatial dimensions onto gravitational field so powerful that not even the two-dimensional quantum field. Dr. David light can escape. However, if this is true, then Grumiller and his team have been trying to map energy is being lost in black holes, violating the the process of quantum entanglement with energy conservation principle. This conundrum that of the gravitational field of our Universe. has got many scientists scratching their heads. It has been experimentally confirmed that This year Stephen Hawking proposed that the both the values match, thus strengthening the information is not lost entirely in the black hole, belief that our universe is indeed holographic. However, since this model only considers the but is retained on the event horizon. Universe’s space, not time, the theory needs to be modelled with generalization and proven on a wider scale. 32
December 2015
Beyond these theoretical calculations, there is an entirely different matter of experimentally observing the holographic nature of reality. The physicists at Fermi Lab’s Holometer are trying to do just that. Craig Hogan, Director of the Fermilab Center for Particle Astrophysics, recently explained that the world we perceive is like a ‘fourdimensional video display’ created from pixel-like bits of subatomic information 10 trillion trillion times smaller than atoms. Everything appears three-dimensional. But just as moving your face toward the TV screen will cause pixels to come into focus, if we stare deeply enough into matter on a subatomic level, the bitmap of our holographic universe might reveal itself. If this depiction of space is correct, then like any computer, there is an inherent limit to the universe’s data storage and processing capacity. That limit should bear tell-tale clues—so-called ‘holographic noise’— that we can measure. As Hogan explained to Motherboard’s Jason Koebler, if we are indeed living in a hologram, ‘the basic effect is that reality has a limited amount of information, like a Netflix movie when Comcast is not giving you enough bandwidth. So things are a little blurry and jittery. Nothing ever just stands still, but is always moving a tiny bit.’ The experiment is focused on measuring the holographic noise and, if successful, will prove that our Universe is indeed holographic. If this theory is true, it will shine light on the true nature of perceived ‘reality’. It could also unify Einstein’s theories of relativity and quantum mechanics. As crazy as it sounds, it may only be a matter of time until we face the fact that we are two-dimensional beings living in a virtual three-dimensional world…
SCIENCE 33
Glasgow University Magazine
Issue 1
Stories of Glasgow
COMPETITION
For this issue, we wanted to showcase the creative talent of Glasgow University students and held a competition with the GU Photo Society and the Creative Writing Society to find out how you see, feel and write about this city. What we got was a wide spectrum of entries—poems, flash fiction, black-and-white images and colourful photography. They all tell stories of Glasgow and paint a picture of a city that is both melancholic and majestic, gritty and breathtakingly pretty. Go to glasgowuniversitymagazine.co.uk if you want to see more of these stories. Some of the photos from the competition were used elsewhere in the magazine. GUM, GU Photo Society and Creative Writing Society would like to thank all participants.
Rebecca Pericleous
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December 2015
The Tower Crown by Dovydas Kuliešas Upon your forehead they placed a crown: a crown of towers, built of heavy stone. And on your hand, they carved a word in Coinneach’s ancient tongue. In eldest wood on highest hill druids spoke, drums played, and yet a silence reigned across the land throughout the forests, birds sang, and eagles cried, and freckled children danced like mad and yet uproar was wanting. The Swordsman stood there with his men, and swore an oath. To guard. To fight. To die. Though buried under distant hills, their spirits seem to haunt this city; they walk these streets and whisper. Just listen. In the flagstones. And the flags. In neon lights at night, when all’s asleep just listen and you’ll hear them speak. In palaces of dust and smoke a million simple people made their homes; this tower crown, in blazing furnace, they sought to cast anew; with stolen diamond, white as snow, encased in steel – their offering to you.
COMPETITION
In song, all days long past no longer seem so distant and Rhydderch‘s horses tramp the grass on Kelvin‘s greenest grove Áedán’s mighty ships sail up the Clyde; the long night breaks, and dawn approaches to paint these walls in perfect agony.
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Glasgow University Magazine
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Issue 1