Issue 779

Palatinate Thursday 3rd December 2015| palatinate.org.uk | No. 779

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200 years of Austen’s Emma

Books celebrate

by looking at her darkest moments and our fetishes for her men

57% of students have felt uncomfortable on a night out, survey finds Daniel Fox News Editor A recent survey carried out

by Palatinate asked students whether they had ever felt uncomfortable on a night out in Durham.

126 (57%) respondents out of 220 (43%) answered that they had felt uncomfortable.

The survey then asked

“

The unwanted sexual advances and the peer pressure that often accompanies going out... makes nights out quite uncomfortable

“

questions on five areas: drinking, attire, unwanted contact and venue employees.

One student, explaining why they had often felt uncomfortable, said: “I only go out to seem sociable, in truth I hate it, it’s awful in every conceivable way.”

“I wish there were other ways of making friends who wouldn’t automatically as-

sume that you are a loser for not enjoying nights out,” they continued.

Another said: “The unwanted sexual advances and the peer pressure that often accompanies going out - when you feel forced to drink, dress or act a certain way - makes nights out quite uncomfortable.

“I’ve often backed out of plans or left a night out early because of how uncomfortable I have felt, but then that means I often have to walk home alone, so you can never really win.”

An overwhelming majority of students said that they had felt pressured to drink whilst at Durham, with 83% (183 out of 221) of respondents saying that they had at least occasionally felt pressured to drink.

38% of respondents said that they always or often felt pressured to drink.

One respondent said that “the general consensus is that it is impossible to have fun on a night out without getting drunk.”

Another said: “It’s pressure from friends, that I can’t have a good time without alcohol.

“They’ve never given me the change to even give it a go.”

Recently, there has been an increasing focus on LAD culture, particularly in University sports teams, with one team being banned from a local restaurant last week and another being banned from College bars.

Many respondents pointed the finger at welcome drinks as making them particularly uncomfortable, saying that they had felt pressured to drink far more than they wanted to.

“Since joining a DU sports team this year, I have felt the pressure to drink, especially when we attend away matches as we are expected to bring alcohol with us,” said one student.Another respondent, who identified herself as female, said that she didn’t feel there was any “harsh” pressure on her but that the experience of men was “different...because of the motivation to feel masculine and so, conform to LAD culture.

Continued on page 6

Market Square looking particulary festive as Christmas fast approaches

Photograph: Verity Rimmer

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Editorial For a more transparent University So, here we are again.

Just over a year after the University announced an 8.5% rise in accommodation fees, the dreaded email arrived again last week.

In case you skimmed over it, and happened to miss the ensuing fury from the student body, accommodation fees will rise again for the 2016/17 academic year.

The 3.5% increase will take the cost of a catered standard-let college room above £7,000 for the first time. Although the Durham Grant has provided, and continues to provide, support for many students, it has dropped from £2,500 per year in 2014/15 to £2,000 in 2015/16.

Furthermore, the University’s failure to calm students’ fears over further price rises is cause for concern. It is therefore only natural that many perspective students - with the sufficient talent and ability to thrive in Durham – could be put off coming here by the uncertainty over just how much their degree will cost.

Of course, we have all - myself included - experienced the huge range of benefits that living in college brings. But one of the University’s main purposes – as the Vice Chancellor himself admitted - is to provide accessible education to the most talented. My

fear is that, if the cost of living in college continues to rise and outstrip people’s ability to pay, Durham will struggle to achieve this.

However, living in college isn’t the only thing that’s becoming more expensive.

International tuition fees for the 2016/17 year are to rise to £16,500 for non-lab based subjects, and £20,900 for lab-based subjects.

It’s amazing to think that, in 2012, the cost of studying a lab-based subject has risen 30% in just 4 years.

It’s even more amazing to think that many international students don’t even have access to scholarships or student loans, making these huge price increases even more of a burden.

But what many will find even more irksome is the University’s lack of transparency on this issue. In June 2015 it was reported, in this very newspaper, that the University had agreed to fix international tuition fees for the 2016/17 academic year onwards.

The details and justification of these new price increases and the freezing are, as yet, unclear, and therefore have to be taken with caution.

But the news still paints a very bleak picture indeed. The cost of studying here is spiralling upwards, and most of us aren’t

completely sure why it’s happening and whether they will continue to rise.

There can be no doubt that many students feel as though they have been left in the dark by the University, and that further consultation is necessary to make these students feel as though their opinions are being heard.

But most of all, students need concrete reassurance that these substantial price increases will not be an annual occurrence in future.

Further details, reaction, and opinion on these issues can be found on our website, www.palatinate.org.uk.

Which, incidentally, brings me on to slightly happier news. Our website has undergone a substantial revamp, making it more attractive and user friendly than ever before.

We hope that you enjoy it, and that you continue to read and contribute to it with your articles. Perhaps, for instance, you have a different opinion on the issue of accommodation and international tuition fees? The floor is yours.

Henry Clare

Thursday 3rd December 2015 | PALATINATE

Inside 779

Editorial Board

News pages 3-9

Editors-in-Chief Henry Clare and Josh Smith editor@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Editor Sandy Thin deputy.editor@palatinate.org.uk News Editors Daniel Fox and Ryan Gould news@palatinate.org.uk News Features Editor Siena Morrell news.features@palatinate.org.uk Deputy News Editors Mirriam Brittenden, Jasper Cox and Charlie Taylor-Kroll deputy.news@palatinate.org.uk Politics Editors Sofya Grebenkina and Rob Littleton politics@palatinate.org.uk Profile Editors Will Fremont-Barnes and Oliver Mawhinney profile@palatinate.org.uk Science and Technology Editor Bruno Martin scitech@palatinate.org.uk Comment Editor Alex Cupples comment@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Comment Editors Ellie Mullan and Oscar Rocklin deputy.comment@palatinate.org.uk Sport Editor Kieran Moriarty sport@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Sport Editors Charles Richardson, Matt Roberts and Kishan Vaghela deputy.sport@palatinate.org.uk Indigo Editors Patrick Brennan and Sraddha Venkataraman indigo@palatinate.org.uk Features Editor Ellen Finch feature@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Features Editor Cristina Cusenza deputy.features@palatinate.org.uk Food and Drink Editors Adrian Chew and Charlotte Payne food@palatinate.org.uk Travel Editors Megan Thorpe and Laura Glenister travel@palatinate.org.uk Fashion Editor Sally Hargave fashion@palatinate.org.uk Film and Television Editor Rory McInnes-Gibbons film@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Film and Television Editor Hugo Camps-Harris deputy.film@palatinate.org.uk Stage Editor Isabelle Culkin stage@palatinate.org.uk Music Editors Jacqueline Duan and Will Throp music@palatinate.org.uk Creative Writing Editor Celeste Yeo creative.writing@palatinate.org.uk Books Editors Hannah Griffiths and Ellie Scorah books@palatinate.org.uk Visual Arts Editor Jane Simpkiss visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk Chief Sub-Editor Marianna Mukhametzyanova sub-editing@palatinate.org.uk Sub-Editors Sarah Boreham, Ollie Mair, Ciara Murphy, Maddy Winnard and Becky Wilson Online Editor Jessie Honnor online.editor@palatinate.org.uk Web Editor John Morris web.editor@palatinate.org.uk Photography Editor Venus Loi photography@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Photography Editors Verity Rimmer and Grace Tseng photography@palatinate.org.uk Illustrations Editor Kenzo Ishida illustration@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Illustrations Editors Faye Chua and Olivia Howcroft Events and Publicity Officer Morgan Hayden-Kent publicity@palatinate.org.uk Advertising Officer Jess Sham advertising@palatinate.org.uk

Comment pages 10-12 SciTech page 13

Politics pages 14-15 Profile page 16 Sport pages 18-20

indigo

Editorial page 2 Fashion page 3 Books pages 4-5 Features page 6 Film & TV page 7 Food & Drink pages 8-9

Creative Writing page 10

Travel page 11

Music pages 12-13 Visual Arts page 14 Stage page 15

Vacancy Editor-in-Chief If you are considering a career in journalism, management, editing or publishing, then this is the position for you.

No Palatinate experience necessary.

To apply, or to get more information, email: editor@palatinate.org.uk Deadline: 9/12/15

Please check our Facebook page for more vacancies over the holidays.

The best of Palatinate Online www.palatinate.org.uk

Comment: Accomodation fees The joke is over

Features: Why society is embracing vegetarianism

Politics: Is British intervention in Syria necessary?

Harry Cross, Chair of Durham Students for University Reform, discusses the recent price rises.

Veronika Nagy looks at the reasons behind recent society’s drive towards veganism.

Adam Smith claims that Britain’s military involvement in Syria will only breed negative consequences.

Visual Arts: Oriental Inspirations at the Oriental Museum Florianne Humphrey is capitvated by the Oriental Museum’s new exhibition, which draws on Asia’s rich artistic heritage.

Palatinate is published by Durham Students’ Union on a fortnightly basis during term and is editorially independent. All contributors and editors are full-time students at Durham University. Send letters to: Editor, Palatinate, Durham Students’ Union, Dunelm House, New Elvet, Durham, DH1 3AN. Alternatively, send an e-mail to editor@palatinate.org.uk

PALATINATE | Thursday 3rd December 2015

Union President’s Column

News

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News

@PalatinateNews

I’m sure it won’t have escaped your notice that this week the college Accommodation Fees were announced, with a rise of 3.5% on last year’s prices. This has quite rightly sparked outrage amongst many students, not least within the Students’ Union. An education at Durham University should be accessible to students from all backgrounds, and I’m concerned that these proposed fees will have a detrimental impact to the future students of Durham.

This impact will be mostly targeted at those students from the local area, BME students and students from lower income backgrounds. The combination of increased fees and the reduction of funding available to individual students through the Durham Grant is extremely worrying.

We as your student officer team have campaigned hard to highlight student concerns about the inaccessibility of college accommodation fees for some students. Through campaigning we have managed to keep the increase to 3.5%, which is much lower than the initial proposal. However, we will continue to fight until we get a result with fees that work for all of our students.

Join us in having your voice heard, and let’s tackle this together: we want to hear from you. We are holding a Zone meeting on Monday 7 December at 18:00 – 19:00 in ER141 to listen to you. We want to hear what impact the accommodation fees have had on you.

If you miss the meeting, it’s not too late to let us know your thoughts and experiences - you can email our Community Officer, Esther Green, at any time on dsu.community@durham. ac.uk.

So what else have we been up to? We held a Zone meeting on sexual harassment and consent, and there’s a meeting taking place on 3rd December about Mental Health. You can also come along to the sessions at Queen’s Campus on Tuesday 8th December, where will also discuss how Queen’s campus might look in 2018. The final Zone meeting will take place on Monday 14th and will ask the burning question - “does the Union work?”. Visit our website to find out more - www.durhamsu.com.

Millie Tanner, Durham Students’ Union President

Climate change demonstrators gather in Market Square as part of a demonstration organised by Durham Churches Together Photograph: Isabel Pallier

Durham SU criticised for handling of SSCCs

Resit change proposed for international students

Cuts to DSA prompts change to University policy

Photograph: Durham Students’ Union

Photograph: David Hawgood

Photograph: Durham University

Turn to page 4 to read more

Turn to page 5 to read more

Turn to page 5 to read more

News in brief DURHAM BREAKS IN TO THE WORLD TOP 50 FOR SOCIAL SCIENCES

STUDENTS COMMEMORATE TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

UNIVERSITY GIVEN PRESTIGIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL STABILITY AWARD

Durham University is now in the top 50 in the world for the Social Sciences, according to the latest Times Higher Education (THE) World Rankings subject league tables. It has climbed 20 places to 36th in the rankings, showing its strength in both research and teaching. The success builds on Durham’s overall position as 71th in the THE World University Rankings.

Durham Constabulary’s Police and Crime commissioner released a letter congratulating the LGBT+ community on a successful Transgender Day of Remembrance, whilst emphasising the importance of both the police and wider community in supporting the LGBT community. The Transgender Day of Remembrance was held on 20th November.

Durham University’s environment team, “Greenspace,” have been awarded The Green Gown Award for “Continuous Improvement: Institutional Change” by the Environmental Association of Universities and Colleges (EAUC). The award celebrates the exceptional sustainability initiative undertaken by universities and colleges across the UK.

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Thursday 3rd December 2015 | PALATINATE

Durham SU criticised for handling of Student Staff Consultative Committees Ryan Gould News Editor Durham Students’ Union (Durham SU) has been criticised for its handling of Student Staff Consultative Committees (SSCC). This has prompted wider questioning of the SSCC election process, concerns about ineffective communication, and, most recently, the issuing of an ultimatum by the University Education Committee.

SSCCs, whose purpose is “to facilitate an effective dialogue between the student body and their respective departments, regarding the educational experience provided by Durham University,” consist of two Course Reps per undergraduate subject and level (Levels 1, 2, 3, 4), chosen by peers in elections organised by Durham SU. In previous years, individual departments were responsible for the appointment of students to SSCCs, before responsibility was shifted to Durham SU in 2013 . This was in order to make the process more democratic and inclusive. As part of the application, students wishing to run for election are required to write a manifesto that explains why they should be elected.

As a result of a number of Course Rep positions not being filled in elections at the end of the last academic year and the beginning of this academic year, Palatinate has learned that the University Education Committee issued an ultimatum to Durham SU. This would give departments the ability to elect representatives themselves, unless positions were filled by the Durha m SU by Wednesday 4th November 2015.

The University Education Committee discussed the ultimatum in a meeting held on 28th October 2015, where the meeting’s minutes note that “the Students’ Union welcomed the opportunity to continue electing student representatives in lectures to fill the remaining positions.

“The committee noted that it would

Durham Students’ Union has come under fire from various departments

Photograph: Durham SU

be appropriate to review the position after the conclusion of the elections, noting that should any unfilled positions remain, the student co-chair and academic co-chair would be required to recruit students to these positions.”

The University confirmed this in a statement to Palatinate: “The Students’ Union provided an update to the Education Committee on the number of Student Staff Consultative Committee (SSCC) representative positions which had not been filled by November 2015.

“Having discussed the issue with the Students’ Union, the Education Committee agreed that, if positions remained unfilled following the conclusion of the Union’s election cycle, the student co-chair and academic cochairs of individual SSCCs should be empowered to elect students to those positions themselves.”

Stuart Goldie, a fourth-year Chemistry student and co-chair of the Chemistry department’s SSCC, spoke to Palatinate about the Durham SU’s election process, stating: “With regards to moving into next year, the Durham SU either needs to come up with a bloody good, clear plan for how they are going to effectively fill all (>98%) positions in a timely manner without causing inconvenience to either staff or current standing reps before the staff review next term, or else accept that departments can run elections more effectively than they can.

“Frankly they’re not going to achieve that so, realistically, it would be better for all concerned if the departments did run the elections (after all, they know how many reps for each course works best), and the Durham SU works hard on fixing its horrendous record at com-

munication and organisation so it can work with the departments and elected department reps to build a strong faculty wide network for student voice that wouldn’t interfere with the existing SSCCs,” Goldie stated.

“In that way, there would be a mechanism in place to support students and apply pressure to departments that are not sourcing suitable candidates, but simply the quietest students.”

Palatinate obtained a copy of unconfirmed meeting minutes from an SSCC where concerns were raised surrounding the Durham SU’s election process and communication with standing candidates. In one instance, it was reported that a candidate had not put forward an application for election, but was later informed that they had been elected.

The same document also notes that the majority of students tend not to

all the nations of the world.

The groups at the demonstration included Transition Durham, the Green Party, Green Peace, Avaaz, along with Durham University, the Durham Young Greens, and Just Love, Durham.

Secretary for Durham Churches Together, Kirsty Thomas, told Palatinate that her hope for the event was to “put a marker down that Durham cares about the planet.

“This is not about individual groups - we all share this planet.

The whole world must stand together.

“I have been delighted by the sense of unity and solidarity at today’s demonstration. There are secular and religious groups, students and residents, all thoughtful people who care about future generations.”

Jonathon Elmer called for a massive “momentum change” in the current government action on climate change, calling the green movement a “struggle with the most powerful in society.”

He spoke on divestment, noting that Durham City Council has £127 million of its total pension investments in fossil fuels—6% of

the total.

Alex Hill, a student from Van Mildert College, said that she was attending the event because “climate change is one of the most important issues facing us today.

“I want to be optimistic about the Paris conference, but I think I will be disappointed. However I think that we can take some steps in the right direction.”

Nina Campbell, a postgraduate student at St. Cuthbert’s Society, told Palatinate: “I think it’s really important to attend because one thing we can do as the general public is to make our presence

interact with the Durham SU, instead preferring to talk directly to their departments.

It has also been claimed by an anonymous member of University teaching staff that the Durham SU saw the role of a Course Rep as being much wider than an SSCC representative, with claims that SSCC participation was initially not included in the Course Rep job description.

In a statement to Palatinate, Ben Frost, Academic Affairs Office for Durham SU, said: “We are working closely with the University to create an effective academic representation system. Of the utmost importance is creating a representative system where all students have the opportunity to give feedback on their academic experience.

“Integral to this are democratic elections, where students vote on who represents them, as opposed to a selective system where departments select representatives. This ensures representatives are independent of the University and are held accountable.

“Where departments have worked closely with us we have successfully elected representatives to posts. We are now working closely to elect representatives into the few remaining vacancies.

“We have improved the training this year following feedback from last year’s participants. We are holding additional training sessions to ensure all students are able to participate,” Frost concluded.

An anonymous student who sits on a SSCC in the Faculty of Science told Palatinate: “Communication from Ben Frost on SSCC reps has been poor all term. I know the problems aren’t all caused by him, but when it came to letting us know whether or not we’re reps and when the training is, he has been consistently bad. His job is to keep us in the loop and he is not fulfilling that role.”

The University confirmed to Palatinate that “Education Committee and the Students’ Union will undertake a joint review of the operation of the SSCC election process by January 2016.”

Climate change demonstration held in Market Square Miriam Brittenden Deputy News Editor

A climate change demonstration organised by Durham Churches Together was held on Saturday to demand “tougher action” on climate change. This came in anticipation of the UN Climate Conference in Paris.

The 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (or COP21), being held from 30th November to 11th December, will seek to achieve a legally binding and universal agreement on how to deal with climate change, from

felt and our voices heard through demonstrations like this.”

However, she said she had been “disappointed” with the lack of wider student engagement in the issue.

“We’re studying a course that’s about energy and society and there was no talk of it in lectures.

Half of the class didn’t know that this was happening.”

When trying to put up posters around the University, Campbell reported the “negative” response she had received from University staff—being discouraged from doing so.

PALATINATE | Thursday 3rd December 2015

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University proposes international students return to Durham for resits Jasper Cox Deputy News Editor All international students taking resit examinations would have to return to Durham under new proposals undergoing consultation.

Currently, international students can request to take resits in their home country.

The Examinations and Assessment Report (EAR) for the 2014/15 examinations cycle mentions various practical problems encountered when students have taken resits overseas.

Among other issues, in Korea and Morocco, the British Council stated they were unable to host exams at the last minute—despite having agreed to do so and having accepted fees from students— who then had to make last-minute plans to return to Durham.

Meanwhile, customs officials in some regions of China impounded packages sent by courier over concerns about the content of the materials. The papers were released just a few hours before the exams started.

According to the EAR, which is available on the University website, requiring all students to take resits in Durham would “would be clear and ensure that all students are treated consistently.”

However, the recommendations

do state that students unable to return could apply to their department for a concession. Only two departments disagreed with the idea, though there were concerns about the timing of resits and the availability of college accommodation.

The document proposes that, should resit exams continue to be allowed to be taken overseas, all the resits taken at Durham University should be held at the main campus.

Only small numbers currently take resits at Queen’s Campus, which the document claims is an inefficient use of rooms and invigilators and “leads to a poor experience.”

The proposal has been put forward for consultation to Faculty Education Committees. Feedback from each of the Faculty Education Committees will feed into a final report to be presented at the December meeting of Education Committee, who will decide whether or not to approve the recommendations.

Some international students Palatinate spoke to saw some benefits in the proposal.

Zoe Destang, a third-year French student, told Palatinate that while this would pose problems for international students, it might represent more of an incentive not to fail exams in the first

place.

Bence Baljer, a Hungarian student who studies at Queen’s Campus, said he didn’t think it was “unreasonable” to ask students to come back if they have done badly on an exam, although he didn’t see how it would be that difficult for the University to send exams papers abroad.

However, other students were angrier about the proposal. Sabrina Chong, a third-year Malaysian student, told Palatinate the financial burden that would be imposed “cannot be justified,” pointing out that international students already pay higher fees than home students.

Were the proposal to be implemented, it would show “the complete disregard” of the University towards international students’ circumstances, and “heighten the disparity between the treatment of and opportunities for home and international students.”

Chong also suggested a potential flaw with the idea, as with the proposed concession system international students could presumably apply to take an exam in their home country on the basis of financial reasons.

She questioned how then the University would then decide who to give concessions for and how it could force students to return to Durham who complained of finan-

cial difficulties.

The President of the Malaysian Society, Wai-Fung Teh, told Palatinate that, besides the financial implications, there would also be practical difficulties for students in having to adjust to changes in time zone, climate, and dealing with long-distance travel.

It “would be an unwelcome and unnecessary distraction and hassle” for students who “are expected to be focused on exam preparation.”

Wai-Fung Teh said: “Given the not insignificant tuition fees

which international students pay, I feel the University ought to be capable of overcoming the logistical difficulties of administering overseas resits.”

He said “the University is simply passing on the problem to students.”

He commented on the examples given where there have been difficulties, saying the rationale of the proposal seems to be that “if some students are unable to benefit from overseas resits, then no students at all should be allowed to benefit.”

approach to ensure an inclusive study environment for all.”

The stated purpose of the document is “to update the Faculty Education Committees (FECs) on changes to the Disabled Students Allowance and the anticipated impact of this on learning and teaching and inclusive curriculum design.”

The document was circulated to all academic departments, ready for feedback at the January 2016 meeting of FECs. Durham Students with Disabilities Association (SwDA) told Palatinate that they “regret the continuing direction that DSA is taking, especially as it stands to affect a great number of Durham students.”

However, they were supportive of the direction that the University was taking.

“We warmly welcome the re-

cent communication […] and support much of the standard practise it represents being implemented universally.”

The group promised to continue to engage with the University on the issue.

“As a student representative body, SwDA is committed to engaging fully with the University regarding issues that affect all Durham University students, both undergraduate and postgraduate.

“Through this contact, we are participating in the wider University review of Equality and Diversity which is currently taking place, and calling for an ongoing independent strategy.

“This strategy would not simply be a reaction to [the] changes in DSA, but a strategy of ongoing and improving inclusion of disabled students into the ‘Durham Experience’ as a whole.”

Palatinate spoke to Millie Hawes, the Students with Disabilities Representative at Josephine Butler College, about her concerns: “In general, the objectives behind the proposals are good but they’re not completely inclusive.

“I think it’s great to encourage alternative formats for books and journals in the library but this could be problematic for those who, due to their disability, prefer to read from physical books.

“Equally, with the cuts to nonmedical helpers this will heavily impact those with physical disabilities as, although using accessible lecture venues is essential, provisions ought to still be in place in order to provide support for getting to and from lectures as assistance may be required in terms of opening doors, holding bags, getting laptops and books out etc.

“Having note takers is also very important and replacing this idea with recording lectures may not meet students’ needs.

She agreed that the ideas were “a good start” but called for them to be “more in depth and inclusive of all potential requirements.”

In response to Palatinate’s request for comment, the University said: “The University is working towards adopting a more inclusive approach to teaching to reduce the need for multiple individual adjustments for students with disabilities.”

SwDA closed their statement by encouraging “all students across the University to be [a] part of this conversation, by engaging with our existing framework including their college disability reps, as well as SwDA open forums and events.”

Photograph: David Hawgood / Creative Commons

Cuts to Disabled Students Allowance prompts change to University policy Jasper Cox and Daniel Fox News Team

The University is preparing for changes in the light of proposed governmental cuts to the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA).

The DSA currently helps students with the costs associated with four key areas. These are: Non-medical helpers, specialist equipment, travel, and other study-related costs.

However, from 2016-17, the government is considering proposals which will mean the University will be required to provide lower-level non-medical help (NMH), which was previously funded through the DSA scheme.

In response to these proposed cuts, the University has written a document entitled: “Changes to Disabled Students Allowance and the need for an anticipatory

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Continued from front page

However, she did make clear that she had “never experienced issues with bouncers in any other venue in Durham.”

Another respondent said that after informing three security guards of a man who had been sexually harassing her and her friends, their reaction had been poor.

“I do not feel like the guards took

“

I consider Durham a very safe city in which to live.

“

“As men we need to look hard at ourselves and think about how our behaviour might be impacting upon other people, in ways that mean they do not feel welcome, comfortable, safe, or equal.

“We have to have the courage to stand up and say that we are going to refuse to take part in a culture which excuses sexual violence and enables it to take place, and that we refuse to stay silent when those around us are behaving in ways that contribute to that culture.”

Palatinate also asked whether students felt wary about walking home alone after a night out in Durham.

66% (146 out of 222) of respondents said that they had at least occasionally felt nervous walking home alone.

This figure was again higher for non male-identifying students, with 74% saying that they had felt wary.

The written responses were mixed with some students commenting that they felt Durham was relatively safe compared to their hometowns.

One student said: “I consider Durham a very safe city in which to live and have never actually

witnessed anything undesirable whilst walking home late at night.”

However, other responses were more concerning: “It is very rare that I feel completely safe walking home alone after a night out. When it is busy in town it feels safe, but as you get closer to less packed areas like the Viaduct it can start to feel rather unsettling.

“If an area of town feels particularly deserted and I don’t feel safe I will often call a friend so that I feel less worried about walking home alone.”

Two respondents again pointed out that the issue had almost become normal, for many of their gender.

“As a girl, it is just something I have been aware of as long as I can remember,” said one student.

Another agreed, saying: “I think as a girl you’re taught to al-

“

There have been times when the actions of other males in clubs towards my female friends has made me feel uncomfortable, if not disgusted.

“

Being slapped on the bum or groped in a club seems to be part of being a girl.

Photograph: Pexels - Creative Commons

ways be on your guard.”

A male-identifying student was in agreement.

“As a male, it is rare for me to be the subject of inappropriate or unwanted attention, but there have been many times when the actions of other males in clubs towards my female friends has made me feel very uncomfortable, if not disgusted.

“In most cases the men do stop if asked, but the point is that they should not have to be asked to stop.

“They should never engage in such behaviour at all without being clearly invited to do so.”

On a more encouraging note, 81% (177 out of 219) of respondents said that they had never been made to feel uncomfortable by venue employees.

The written responses were mostly positive.

One student said that they found that “most of the bouncers are lovely” and that “they don’t deserve the abuse they get off certain individuals [as] they are just doing their job.”

However, one student, who identified as female, had concerns with the bouncers of one particular venue, explaining how she had been made to feel uncomfortable on two separate occasions.

The respondent said that she was dressed up in fancy dress in a way which could have been viewed as provocative and that “the bouncers thought it was okay to joke to each other about what I was wearing, occasionally asking me questions that I had made clear I wasn’t comfortable with.”

On another occasion, at the same venue, she said: “The bouncers watched me feel uncomfortable in the face of these creepy older guys [as they made unwanted advances] and did nothing to offer their assistance.”

this seriously... [They] seemed to treat the experience light-heartedly, further upsetting myself and the other young girls who had been affected by this.”

However, a significant number of respondents praised the response that they had received from venue employees, particularly bouncers, after they had reported incidents of sexual harassment.

In a comment issued to Palatinate, the University said: “We take matters of student safety very seriously as attested to in our partnership work with the Students’ Union, Durham County Council and the police.

“The University uses Induction Week as an opportunity to give advice to new students about staying safe.

“Ultimately we are each respon-

“

“

“

“I only go out to seem sociable”

“

Suicide remains the UK’s single biggest cause of death among men under the age of 45, with last year having the second highest recorded number of male suicides in fifteen years (according to CALM).

Some have looked to a culture that encourages men to compete with each other in terms of bravado and dissuades them from being open about their feelings, to explain this increase.

Some responses, however, were more positive.

“There is social pressure but I do not mind as I enjoy drinking on nights out. I also know that if I chose not to drink my friends would not be judgemental,” said one student.

“It is usually meant in a friendly way and, generally, refusing is an option that is accepted by most of my friends,” agreed another.

The survey also revealed that 71% (157 out of 222) of respondents had experienced unwanted contact on a night out in Durham.

This figure rose to 84% for non male-identifying respondents, with 12% saying that they always experienced unwanted contact.

The written responses were equally damning.

One student said: “Being slapped on the bum or groped in a club seems to be part of being a girl.”

Another agreed, saying: “I don’t think I’ve had a single night out in Durham where I haven’t had my bottom or breasts groped.”

Two students commented that the regularity of the contact had made it appear like a normal occurrence.

“The first few times it shocked me and I would turn around in absolute disgust...but now it’s almost become normalised or a standard - yet annoying - occurrence.”

“Every girl I know accepts it as normal because that’s just the way boys are apparently. If I say anything, I’m made to feel like I’m making a fuss.”

It wasn’t just unwanted contact that made students feel uncomfortable; one student said that she often felt uncomfortable on a night out, as “guys [often] take no as a challenge and assume your cleavage is an invite to be hit on repeatedly.”

Many respondents voiced similar experiences.

Palatinate reported last month that students planned to hold the University to account on their policy on sexual violence.

Stephen Burrell, a PhD student in the Durham Centre for Research into Violence and Abuse, in conversation with Palatinate, called on all students to recognise the issue and act to change it.

“I believe that men in the Durham community have to recognise that this is something which is going on around us, and that we each have a part to play in stopping it.

Thursday 3rd December 2015 | PALATINATE

If she is drunk leave her alone.

sible for our own personal safety.”

Along with Stephen Burrell’s call for students to take a stand against a culture that leaves many feeling uncomfortable and worse, two respondents issued their own demands.

One called on the Student’s Union and colleges to tackle a harmful culture of drinking.

“The fact that you need to drink to have a good time was sort of drilled into me in first year - this needs to change, with more proactive campaigns by the Students’ Union and by colleges,” they said.

Another had this to say: “If she is drunk - leave her alone.”

PALATINATE | Thursday 3rdDecember 2015

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Thursday 3rd December 2015| PALATINATE

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PALATINATE | Thursday 3rd December 2015

News

www.palatinate.org.uk

Mr, Ms, Mx? Non-binary policies at universities gain traction

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Understanding gender as a spectrum, rather than an either/ or issue, requires distinguishing between sex and gender.

interaction and societal standards.

For cisgender people – those whose self-identified gender agrees with the sex they were assigned at birth – the difficulties and inequalities faced by nonbinary people are unimaginable.

President of Durham University LGBT+A, Joanna Gower, shed light on the dayto-day difficulties of being a nonbinary individual at university: “For a trans individual, going out for coffee, or even something as simple as going down to a college bar for a pint can become incredibly stressful and intimidating if there aren’t gender-neutral toilet facilities available for them to use.

“There are students at Durham who don’t drink anything when they’ re out of their house for fear of having to use a toilet and having no gender-neutral ones available to them.”

The academic year 2014/15 saw the Students’ Union in Dunelm House reintroduce gender-neutral bathrooms, and further facilities designated as gender-neutral were introduced in both the Geography Department and Trevelyan College.

Commenting to Palatinate earlier this year, Phil Mullen, a Durham Pride trustee and Geography PhD student, said: “Separate spaces for men and women reinforce a gender binary in which not everyone feels comfortable.

Gender-neutral toilets can create a more inclusive and safer atmosphere for non-binary staff and students.”

Joanna Gower agreed, and emphasised the little effort required.

“Changing a toilet to genderneutral is as simple as sticking a sign on the door, and is a cheaper option for new fa-

“

Durham has yet to introduce gender-neutral titles for non-binary students, but the introduction of gender-neutral loos suggests an increased acceptance for non-binary practices.

Illustration: Lara Salam cilities being built as well. the National Union of Students of “Even one gender-neutral toiover 4000 respondents reported let per building would be a good that just two in ten trans students start - an outward display of unity felt safe on campus, and one in and solidarity with trans students, three trans students had experiwho can so often feel erased at enced some form of bullying or Durham, as well as offering a pracharassment whilst at university. tical solution to a serious issue.

Such statistics are staggering, “For those who aren’t aware and highlight the importance of of or affected by trans issues, the Transgender Day of Remembrance. change will be almost impercepti“Just because you haven’t ble. For those who are, it can give met anyone who has told you the reassurance to join in with they’re trans, it doesn’t mean their friends without having to trans students don’t exist, and worry as much, to go to lectures their needs deserve to be fuland colleges without having to filled just as much as anyone pre-plan exit strategies, and can else’s,” Joanna Gower concluded. show that Durham truly is a place Though one anonymous student scoffed at the idea of having explicthat is inclusive of everybody.” it university-wide gender-neutral Beyond gender-neutral toipolicies, calling it “political correctlets, university policies at Durness gone mad,” Durham Univerham and further afield are evolvsity commented to Palatinate that ing to indicate acceptance of they are “committed to creating new ideas about gender identity. and maintaining an environment Notably, at the Universities of that is inclusive and accessible.”

Exeter and Oxford, the title ‘Mx’ With the increased repre(pronounced ‘mux’, ‘mix’ or ‘mixter’) has been introduced, and On DUO, Durham University’s sentation of trans and genderthe University and Colleges Ad- online student portal, students queer people in mainstream missions Service (UCAS) 2016 are able to write their own ti- popular culture, there has applications feature ‘Mx’ among tle in the ‘Personal Informa- been a parallel improvement of the long list of titles available. tion’ section, but the options for trans consciousness in Britain.

As the average Brit is becoming In a statement to Palati- gender are restricted to ‘Male’, nate, Durham University said: ‘Female’ or ‘Not Disclosed’. more and more informed about the “We welcome the discussion This disenfranchisement of issues facing queer and trans peoand debate about gender-neu- students who identify as non- ple, we make progress ever closer tral toilets and we will be dis- binary can contribute to the mis- to resolving social justice issues.

Perhaps, then, November cussing the issue as well as the conceptions and discriminations use of ‘Mx’ for transgender stu- that genderqueer and trans- 20 will be marked as a sigdents at the Diversity and Equal- gender men and women suffer. nificant date on more Durham ity Advisory Group (DEAG).”

A 2014 survey undertaken by students’ calendars next year.

Just two in ten trans students felt safe on campus, and one in three trans students had experienced some form of harrassment at university.

“

November 20, 2015 was probably unremarkable for the majority of Durham University students.

Perhaps summative stress was getting you down; perhaps you spent the day recovering from a Thursday night out; perhaps, like most Fridays, it merely melted into the weekend, unobserved.

But for some Durham students, November 20, 2015 was a significant date: Transgender Day of Remembrance, an international annual event launched in 1999 to commemorate victims of transphobic violence across the globe.

This year alone, transgender and gender-variant issues have achieved an unprecedented visibility thanks to historic LGBT+ legislation in the United Kingdom and the United States; and have been pushed further into the spotlight by pop culture icons such as Laverne Cox, star of Orange is the New Black, and love-her-or-hate-her Vanity Fair cover-star Caitlyn Jenner.

This year, too, the Women and Equalities Committee of the House of Commons announced a nationwide inquiry into outstanding issues for the trans community and will be considering how they can most effectively be addressed.

In recent years significant steps have been taken to ensure equality for trans people. The Gender Recognition Act of 2004 for the first time allowed trans people to be legally recognised in their new gender. And the Equality Act of 2010 made it illegal to discriminate against trans people.

Despite the significance of the Gender Recognition Act for affording trans individuals full recognition of their gender in law for all purposes, the only options for gender are ‘male’ and ‘female’.

So, what happens when individuals define themselves beyond the gender binary?

Understanding gender as a spectrum, rather than an either/ or issue, requires distinguishing between sex and gender, as advocated most famously by Judith Butler, an American philosopher and gender theorist.

In her work, ‘Undoing Gender,’ Butler argues that gender is “doing, incessantly performed:” while a person’s sex is biological, determined by chromosomes and anatomy, gender is a performative construct determined by human

“

Siena Morrell News Features Editor

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Comment Experience

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Thursday 3rd December 2015| PALATINATE

Experience: Being Muslim in Durham Si Penyaputerbang recalls her encounters with intolerance while at University

Si Penyaputerbang My heart shattered when I heard about people dying in such ways in Paris. Just like how my heart is crushed everyday, looking at pictures of babies and kids being murdered in Palestine in ridiculous ways as well as innocent people in Syria being tortured and horribly killed.

I am overwhelmed with grief as I realised a beautiful city like Paris was being attacked, just as sorrow cascaded down my heart, watching people aggressively destroying our Holy Al-Aqsa mosque in Palestine.

People with humanity can never stand watching others being murdered. The lives of human beings have the same value regardless of their religion, race, nationality or sex they have. I do believe that no religion promotes killing innocent people and neither does Islam. Allah said in the Quran, “Whosoever kills

an innocent human beings, it shall be as if he has killed all mankind and whosoever saves the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved life of all mankind,” 5:32.

It is unfortunate, however, that teachings of Islam are often misunderstood. This then makes it harder, I have to say, to practice Islam here in Europe, especially nowadays as compared to where I came from. I feel that hatred towards Muslim had somehow increased due to incidents that occurred lately, the latest is the attack on Paris and we are currently being labeled as terrorists.

As a Muslim student here at Durham University, I am not excluded from the traces of this hatred, as I had some uncomfortable experiences as well. Since before the Paris attack, I had been facing some verbal harassment especially during late night and when I walk alone here in Durham.

On one such incident, a gang of teenagers shouted at me “Hey Muslim! Where is your bomb? Did you keep it in your bag? A few of them were chanting “Allahuakbar” which means Allah is the great-

est just to mock me. Others were making sound of bombs exploding. I was just walking pass them indifferently without reacting, even when I actually could, because I remember the sayings of Prophet Muhammad, “Do not cause harm or return harm with harm”.

I thought I should not walk alone again next time but it happened again at the same place this week when I walked with my other two Muslim friends. A group of teenagers yelled towards us “ Hey! This is England, you do not belong here!” and again others were shouting “Allahuakbar” and again we just ignored them.

Deep down in my heart, I fear they might go beyond verbal abuse. The same tragedy happened again to my other friend, she was waiting for a bus besides Bill Bryson Library and a car passed by and threw an empty glass bottle towards her, specifically targeting her.

I thought these kinds of harassments would only occur during the night, but not anymore, till my friends from Warwick came and visited me in Durham earlier this year.

There is still the light of day when we were happily walking then suddenly a guy came and gave her head a push and said, “ Move away, Taliban!”.

I fear after the Paris attack, we could face something worse here as it has already occurred, in London mostly.

Most Muslim women in Durham now refrain themselves from returning home late at night for the sake of their own safety. I am absolutely saddened, frustrated and hurt, to know that some Muslims in few European countries had started to take their hijab off to protect themselves and the only thing that motivates me to keep wearing the hijab is, as Allah commanded in the Quran, “Therefore, you shall devote your worship absolutely to GOD ALONE, even if the disbelievers dislike it,” 40:14.

Nevertheless, I believe those kinds of people are really a minority in Durham as this tragedies are few and far between. Besides, this is also proven by the reaction I received after posting a status on Facebook highlighting how I was harassed just because I am a hijabi.

Many of my non-Muslim friends offered me company if I walk alone in the night because they are aware that I always stay in the library until midnight. It caused me to be teary-eyed, when I realised that others really do have concerns about me, regardless of what religions they follow. For me, religions should not be a segregation factor because we as Muslims are taught in the Quran that “For you is your religion, and for me is my religion” 109:6.

My prayers and thoughts will always be with the victims and everyone else that was affected by any attack in any country, involving innocent souls. I am extremely against any form of injustice, terrorism, and anything that disrupts peace in Paris, Palestine, Syria, Beirut and other parts of the world for that matter.

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PALATINATE | Thursday 3rd December 2015

Durham Comment

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Durham University conceals its guilt behind a veil of silence Matthew Lavender argues for a rethink on accomodation fee policy from the University Matthew Lavender

Durham University has sparked justifiable derision with its announcement that college accommodation will cost each student in excess of £7,000 for the next academic year.

This represents the fifth consecutive year in which prices have risen; since 2012, they have gone up from £149-perweek to £186.

For myriad of reasons, this should – and has – been widely condemned, most notably because of how it makes it simply unfeasible for students from less advantaged backgrounds to come to Durham.

A rise in college accommodation fees will inevitably lead to a hike in rents demanded by local landlords and letting agents, so Durham students will be forced by this decision to pay higher rents for the entire duration of their de-

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Accomodation will cost each student in excess of £7,000 next academic year

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gree programme.

Anybody who claims that such action will not deter less privileged sixth formers from applying to Durham is either deluded or lying, and I am ashamed to be associated with an institution which has made a conscious decision to pursue a policy which will promote nothing but elitism.

In light of such a reprehensible decision, the university should be given one final chance to explain itself, to justify why such a policy is necessary. If it cannot do this, it deserves every sliver of

abuse, ridicule, accusation and verbal attack it attracts.

In the document emailed to all students on Friday 27 November, the University explains that “the inflation in the costs associated with delivering College Accommodation is different from the generally quoted ‘inflation rate’”, which has not risen above 2% since 2012, while college fees have never risen in this time at an annual rate lower than 3.1%.

If the University do not use the “generally quoted ‘inflation rate’”, then what inflation rate do they use? Students’ anger does not directly concern their use of a different rate, but it shall not subside until they come forward and explain what this measure is, how it is calculated and, in addition, who calculates it.

As an economics student who has been taught in my time here by lecturers unable to factorise a quadratic equation, who don’t know the name of the Chancellor of the Exchequer and who, as recently as last week, do not turn up to teach t h e i r lectures with no prior warning, I am understandably in-

trigued by this last question more than any other.

It is not appropriate to disparage the University for their decisions if they are justified, but we are yet to see such justification for this choice.

Despite a public outcry against this latest move, they have still not come forth to explain themselves, and seem determined to resist at all costs.

One hopes a Freedom of Information Act request will force them into an explanation, but it is somewhat shameful that such a course of action is even necessary. The University should step up and explain their actions willingly; after all, if they can be justified, what have they to fear?

Why is a different measure of inflation used to calculate

“

We are yet to see justification for this choice, despite a public outcry against this move

”

college accommodation costs?

What lies behind that inflation rate of 3.5%? Why is 33% of the cost of accommodation services spent on ‘Capital’ and ‘Borrowing’? What does ‘Capital’ and ‘Borrowing’ actually entail?

The University should openly answer these questions and more related ones also.

Durham students are reasonable; if they are presented with compelling evidence that such extortionate fees are indeed necessary, I am sure they will come to accept it with minimal fuss.

Until this time, however, it is perfectly reasonable to view their silence as an admission of guilt, and they should be harangued accordingly.

Durham University believes that “living in College, with no

“

further bills to pay...supported

by College staff...and with nu-

The university is now a business and it provides for consumers

”

merous social facilities on site, continues to represent value for money”, but surely such a subjective judgement about such a matter must also take account of the views of the consumers, in this case the students paying those fees.

The University simply cannot continually defend themselves by saying that their fees represent “value for money”, when those paying the fees don’t believe they are receiving this.

This is an even more pressing issue in the debate about tuition fees, which should also be considered in a wider debate about students getting “value for money”.

Durham University needs to open its eyes and open its ears.

It does not possess unparalleled wisdom and judgement, and would do well to listen to others outside of its Executive Committee.

It is now a business – one cannot deny – and it provides for consumers. These consumers no longer believe the products they are receiving justify their extortionate price, and they have every right to feel this way.

If they truly have nothing to hide, they should explain their decisions, provide adequate justification and participate in the debate.

But until they do this, those consumers that rely on them have every right to accuse them of foul play, to be angry, to berate them, and to demand better.

Illustration: Mariam Hayat

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National Comment

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Thursday 3rdDecember 2015| PALATINATE

It’s the end of the ‘Lads’ mag’ but don’t celebrate just yet Holly Bancroft examines whether the demise of the much maligned ‘Lads’ mag’ constitues progress Holly Bancroft

A few weeks ago, Bauer Media announced that it is to suspend publication of lads’ magazines FHM and Zoo. With the last lads’ mags closing down it seems as if the industry is well and truly at its end. For many, this step towards getting rid of the circulation of sexually-objectifying images should be a joyous moment.

Unfortunately, what this really highlights is the movement of these images to the online sphere. Don’t get me wrong, lobbying succeeded in putting pressure on big organisations to condemn these magazines, but nothing can beat the growth of the Internet when it comes to killing print publications. This truth is something people should be a lot more worried about. Lads’ mags

were easily-identifiable targets, but the world of online pornography, which could be replacing them, is far harder to regulate, far easier to access and a lot more hard-core.

This shift is something Bauer Media completely understands. In their statement addressing the difficulty of running the lads’ mags, they said “men’s media habits have continually moved towards mobile and social.” Campaigns such as ‘Lose the

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It was never 100% certain whether they took themselves seriously or not

Lads Mags’ helped achieve the decisions of big supermarkets, in 2013, to take a stand against these magazines. The Cooperative group demanded that lads’ magazines mask the explicit pictures on their front covers and Tesco said they would only sell the publications to over-18s.

However when campaigns such as ‘Lose the Lads Mags’ became prominent, circulation figures of such magazines had already dropped by a tenth of their 2004 peaks. Many of the decisions of these big supermarket chains simply confirmed a trend that was already arising due to growth of the Internet.

One of the qualities of the Lads’ mag, and why it hung on for so long, was that it could carefully toe the line between being a provider of all things lad-culture - of ‘harmless fun’ - and a provider of semi-explicit misogynistic content. Often playing the line of irony or purposely affected ignorance, it was never 100% certain whether they took them-

selves seriously or not. Loaded’s strap line was ‘For men who should know better’. Titles such as FHM and Zoo were known for their brash tone and nudity but never really went beyond this. It is true their writing was derogatory, with women often being seen as a commodity, however they never offered graphic content to the extent it can be found on the internet. Their tone was centred more on ‘laddish’ banter combined with the girls to sell it. In one controversial issue of Maxim, the headline “Fresh off the boat” gave readers the chance to date an immigrant, or the latest “hot foreign girl looking for love as a way to avoid deportation”. Another feature encouraged readers to compete for a date with a picture of naked model who had her head covered, being warned that she has a problem with her face.

From this I think we can all agree that it is good that Lads’ Mags have died, hopefully never to come back.

However this depends on what the

gap they have left is filled by. Lads’ Mags could be being replaced by sites such as theLADbible or theSPORTbible which already claim 127 million readers, simply acting as a ‘laddy’ version of BuzzFeed. Although these sites propagate unhelpful views of ‘lad culture’ , they are perhaps better than the other alternative: porn.

For young men with access to a limitless array of free pornography, the allure of a ‘tastefully nude’ glamour model is no longer such a draw.

Lads’ magazines may have had pictures of scantily-clad girls but those girls were sometimes given a voice , and they were at least accompanied with feature articles on men’s health or entertainment. This cannot really be said of any porn film. Whatever they are being replaced by, we have to recognise that the issues these magazines presented have not gone away, they’ve just transitioned into a different medium.

The work to eradicate them is not yet done.

” Christmas belongs in December, please keep it there

James Colville admits to being a ‘scrooge’... but why does Christmas have to go on for so long!?

James Colville

I really do despise Christmas.

There, I said it. Any criticisms of what is to come, that take on a selfcongratulatory tone exposing me as a “scrooge” or “party-pooper”, are thus neutralised. I already know, and it’s not a secret. When people ask me where my Christmas spirit is I generally tell them it’s safely hidden in a cupboard at home waiting for a time when I can sit and enjoy it in a decidedly un-festive manner.

Like most people who have given it some thought, I am not religious and I tend to disagree with those who are. My celebrating the birth of The Baby Jesus would be like the Rothschild’s celebrating the birth of Karl Marx. I don’t have children, nor do I particularly like them and so the fact that it’s a magical time of year for the under

12’s is also a notion that goes so far over my head. I can’t abide fairy lights, candles, baubles or party hats and I’m particularly irritated that I can’t switch on the radio because it’s riddled with horrendously naff Christmas songs, written by greedy hypocrites who are not just after a quick buck, but one that will generate years of royalties to rival a bankers pension. A light hearted debate of the kind that asserts “Slade wrote the best ever Christmas Song” is a bit like hailing Xerox for writing the best ever photocopier user’s manual.

In short, I endure the festive season as a miserable time of year for which the only saving grace is that, as a coach driver, I can be reasonably confident of receiving of tidy tip from my punters as long as I’m diligent enough to cackhandedly chuck a bit of tinsel round the windscreen.

But do I begrudge you having your own Christmas? No, of course not. I merely ask that you restrict any hint of it to the month of December. I’m not too sure

when it became acceptable but I can’t remember counting the “sleeps before Santa comes” in the early days of November. If you’re college already looks like Roy Wood’s retirement home, someone (probably a member of some terribly important committee) has got way too excited, way too early. Supermarkets department stores can’t get the yule tide stock out fast enough, to the point where it’s hard to tell if that scented pine cone candle ring jostling for shelf space amongst the barbeque fuel and camping chairs is a recent acquisition or has been accidently left over from the previous year.

It’s as almost as if (he cynically ponders) they’re trying to get you to buy all their junk early in the hope that you’ll have some more money later on to splash out on even more! Is that really what

Christmas is about?

As an atheist, the disputed origins of Christmas are lost on me.

And as a scrooge, tight-arse and all round miserable git, the extended period of excessive consumption and consumerism is equally baffling. However, as a human being, the traditional Christmas narrative of peace on e a r t h , goodwill to all men, and the old school bab- b l e they print o n

pound shop Christmas cards, does still ring out qualities I admire. But you shouldn’t restrict that part of the message to December, November or even late October. If it was celebrated in the true sense of generosity, kindness and harmonious living, I really would wish it could be Christmas every day.

Illustration: Jessie Turner

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SciTech

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Permafrost melt causes dramatic greenhouse gas emissions Shubhi Sharma Regions at high latitudes have seen a 0.6°C rise in temperature over the last 30 years: almost twice as fast as the average rate of global warming.

This especially fast rate of warming produces increased ice melt, rising sea level and loss of arctic species.

One particular consequence that has been largely overlooked is the gradual melting of permafrost in the Arctic.

Permafrost is soil that is permanently maintained at 0°C or lower.

Such conditions are possible only in the high latitude environments that cover roughly a quarter of Earth’s surface, including Alaska, Canada and Greenland. Large amounts of organic matter accumulated over thousands of years are stored in permafrost. It is estimated that permafrost soils contain approximately 1,700 gigatonnes of carbon – nearly twice the amount of carbon in atmospheric reserves.

The melting of permafrost, due to rising temperatures, threatens to release this sequestered carbon.

Melting permafrost has many short-term implications such as damaging infrastructure and

threatening ecosystems. Most important, however, is the looming threat of releasing trapped carbon.

When the permafrost is frozen, carbon is shielded from decomposition.

The melting permafrost subjects sequestered organic matter to microbial decomposition, which releases large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere. This emitted carbon will work to enhance the effects of global warming, indirectly leading to additional melting of the permafrost and greater release of carbon. In this way, a vicious cycle can settle in.

There may be a tipping point at which this feedback

loop becomes uncontrollable.

Long-term monitoring of permafrost in high latitude environments indicates a gradual warming trend combined with thinning of the permafrost. Recent research has found that up to 120 gigatonnes of carbon may be released from thawing permafrost – equivalent to one tenth of the total permafrost pool. The released carbon could result in up to 0.5°C of additional warming. To further complicate the matter, carbon released from permafrost can take one of two forms: carbon dioxide (CO­2) or methane (CH4). The form it takes depends o n

Reader’s Scigest A QUICK LOOK AT SCIENCE

MOZZIES & MALARIA

the conditions of decomposition: where abundant oxygen is available for decomposition, carbon dioxide will be released, but where there is little to no oxygen, methane is emitted instead. While methane is currently not as important as carbon dioxide in contributing to the greenhouse effect, it is a dormant danger.

Methane has the ability to trap 25 times more heat than carbon dioxide, depending on the time scale considered. Unlike carbon dioxide, methane is not released through fossil fuel emissions, but there is a large natural source of methane and thawing of permafrost will increase its emissions.

The predicted one tenth of permafrost carbon that may be released is effectively equal to twenty years of present human induced carbon emissions, but thawing of permafrost is not currently considered in emission scenarios produced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This may be a mistake, as it renders the global target of limiting warming to 2°C unrealistic. This body of data strengthens the case for cutting human induced carbon emissions to ensure carbon stored in permafrost soils remains frozen.

The ‘post-antibiotic’ era: are we doomed?

Another case of bacterial resistance has been revealed in the latest of a long list of studies. As reported in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, scientists have discovered a strain of E. coli with a resistance mechanism, emerging from a single gene mutation, that can be transferred between bacteria. These pathogens are immune to colistin, a drug often used as a last resort when combinations of other antibiotics are no longer effective. With antibiotics such as colistin losing their efficacy, and resistance genes spreading like wildfire, we are facing a post-antibiotic era, which some have dubbed the ‘antibiotic apocalypse’. Does this mean currently treatable infectious diseases will become fatal, as they were before antibiotics? Or are there alternative options to fight pathogenic bacteria?

Bacteria develop resistance natu-

rally, as mutations that are advantageous to one bacterium get passed on thanks to its improved chance of survival. However, certain human practices speed up the process; most notably, misuse of antibiotics for treating viral infections and overuse of antibiotics in livestock fodder. Quite simply, the more frequently antibiotics are used, the quicker resistance will emerge.

The largest problem we face as antibiotic resistance spreads is the possibility that some common infections will no longer be treatable.

Illnesses will last longer, complicate simple surgical procedures, render chemotherapy and radiotherapy too dangerous to use, and may even result in death. This process could have already begun, as the World Health Organisation states that there have been cases in ten countries where last resort antibiotic treatments have failed to treat gonorrhoea. Multi-drug resistant bacteria are also becoming an increasing concern. The best known example is

MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), a hospital-acquired infection, which is already a heavy burden to the health care service.

However, there are a few alternatives to antibiotics. The most familiar of these options to the scientific community is the use bacteriophages. These are viruses which target and often kill bacteria. Bacteriophage therapies have been used since the early 20th Century in Russia, and are a very promising alternative. The viruses are very specific to bacterial species, and their high occurrence in nature means plenty are available if resistance develops.

Further options can be derived from nature. For example, anti-microbial peptides (AMPs) are commonly found in plants, fungi and many animals, produced as part of their own immune response. These molecules can be produced and modified to increase their efficacy in treating infections. Several trials involving AMPs are now ongoing and, despite their high cost, they could be

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Last resort antibiotic treatments have failed

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Rosalind Tucker

a reliable alternative to antibiotics.

In addition, many species of bacteria are not harmful to us, and could even be used to fight against those that are. One way to achieve this is through the use of predatory bacteria.

They feed on other species and are highly proliferative, meaning a small number could go a long way.

Scientists are looking into ways predatory bacteria can be used

Scientists from the University of California have bred hundreds of mosquitoes that are incapable of acquiring the malaria infection – and are therefore harmless to humans. Their genomes were edited to incorporate genes encoding antibodies to the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum.

Laboratory tests demonstrated the mosquitoes passed on these resistance genes to 99.5% of their offspring, which has led the researchers to suggest releasing many individuals, in the hope that they will breed with wild populations to produce new generations of malaria-resistant mosquitoes.

This technique, called gene drive, has proven to be very powerful, but many leading scientists warn that it “could have unpredictable ecological consequences.”

CURDLING CURE

Lancehead pit vipers bite with a venom that thickens blood to a jam-like consistency. Dr Jeffrey Hartgerink, chemist at Rice University in Texas, has thought of using the active ingredient in the venom, a powerful clotting agent called batroxobin, to staunch bleeding during human surgeries. The danger with applying clotting agents is inducing systemic responses. Dr Hartgerink has solved this by delivering batroxobin in a hydrogel, a porous substance that traps liquids and can be applied locally. Trials in rats have proven the method is very effective at stopping hemorrhage, even in subjects on anticlotting drug treatments, often prescribed in humans. therapeutically, as a recent study from Rutgers University and the University of Pittsburgh found two species capable of attacking pathogenic bacteria. This suggests that they have strong potential to take over from antibiotics when they lose their efficacy.

So, despite the increasing number of bacterial species becoming resistant to antibiotics, and the looming possibility that infections such as tuberculosis, gonorrhoea and Staphylococcus aureus may be lifethreatening once again, hope is not lost. There are multiple avenues of research ongoing, and we probably understand enough to prevent an antibiotic apocalypse from getting the better of us.

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Thursday 3rd December 2015 | PALATINATE

Interview: DU Conservative Association “The Essence of Our Society”

Robert Littleton Politics Editor

With swathes of the Labour Party still reeling from the bruising election campaign last May, the prevailing mood among Conservatives, understandably, couldn’t be in more contrast. Though surprised as he was jubilant, Rhys Tanner – President of DUCA – hailed the mobilising impact of the victory, with 100 new members joining their ranks at the Freshers’ Fair; boasting some of their best ever membership figures.

In my interview with Durham Labour Club last week, Jade Azim also celebrated the renewed participation en masse within the party, and the Durham branch, since the election. With both parties generating encouraging membership figures, you get the imminent sense that change is afoot in British politics. Certainly George Osbourne and Jeremy Corbyn frequently say so, but the sentiment also appears to have filtered down into the grassroots level too. ‘The General Election has helped both parties to define themselves in terms which more people can identify, agrees Rhys, who quickly denounces the rather unfair label attributed to Durham as being a particularly depoliticised university. With continually strong turnouts at DUCA weekly socials, speaker events, and campaign days, there is very little reason to believe that Durham students are rife with politi-

With weekly social and events, there is plenty of opportunities to get involved with DUCA Photograph: DUCA via Facebook

cal apathy.

Similar to Corbyn’s rhetoric of the necessity to construct a ‘social movement’, Rhys emphasises the quasi-autonomous position of DUCA, and its ever-widening reach now extending far beyond the narrow confines of the Conservative Party itself. “DUCA provides an opportunity for like-

minded people, the small ‘c’ conservatives’, to come together on an engaging networking platform. It is an apt reminder that conservatism is far more than just what the party says it is. With libertarians, traditional Tories, and even market anarchists, DUCA is proof of the importance to shed the reductive view of conservatism as

stuck within the ivory towers of the Kensington elite.”

With Osborne demonstrating his political acumen once again in his Autumn Statement last Wednesday, the conversation inevitably turns towards 2020, and the question of who will lead the party in the post-Cameron era. Though acknowledging the

is still imminent and credible.

This is not the first time Belgium has been implicated in a terrorist attack. Only in January, a major Islamist plot was foiled, apparently at the last minute, resulting in the shootings of two suspected terrorists near the border with Germany.

Authorities claimed the men, who were Belgian nationals, had recently returned from fighting in Syria and were part of a multi-national homegrown cell of jihadists.

If in January only few people probed into the circumstances which make Belgian soil as fertile as it is for ter-

rorists, the recent bombings in Paris, which left 130 people dead, mean they are now on everyone’s radar.

Founded in 1830, breaking away from the Netherlands, Belgium has been labelled the world’s most prosperous failed state. Formed from territory in the Lowlands, Belgium’s patchwork make-up yields three national languages, three parliaments and one predominant problem: a lack of unity.

Sus van Elzen, a Flemish writer, affirms how “it is in our genes to reject all centralising power.” This may work fine on the political spectrum,

but it does not facilitate the tracking of terrorists. Information sharing is not easy in an environment of political parties and territories drawn along linguistic, ideological and opportunist lines.

This discord now has an added security element. Lost in the cloud of interconnecting (or inter-dividing) bodies responsible for combating terrorism were two brothers who would take part in the November 13th attacks. The two men had actually been on a list of suspected militants living in the Molenbeek area, notorious for being a hotbed of jihadist radicalisation in

immensely talented candidates who have already emerged, Rhys makes an interesting prediction of an outsider, not yet known, to stake a strong claim for the leadership; just as Churchill, Thatcher and Cameron himself had done, adding even further talent to the burgeoning pool within the party.

Yet amidst the optimism, he cannot resist a sideswipe at the opposition. “Labour certainly didn’t have that problem; all their talented candidates dropped out.”

Despite the jab, I press Rhys for something he admires about the new Labour leader. To my surprise, he is rather complementary.

“Corbyn is very genuine and principled” and, crucially, not a career politician. With Labour seemingly reinvigorated, I wonder if the Conservatives are set to surpass their sell-by date in 2020. “I don’t think so,” replies Rhys. “2010 was about fixing the economy, 2015 was about us continuing the job we started, and 2020 will be about us sustaining and growing the economy.” I could be forgiven for double-checking it isn’t the Chancellor himself sat in front of me. Yet the message is clear, and Rhys and DUCA remain ever-enthusiastic in their drive to achieve it.

As he heads off to a speaker event with the 2015 Durham Conservative Parliamentary candidate, Rebeca Coulson, Rhys reaffirms his message, pervasive throughout our interview, for students to join the eventful and always welcoming DUCA. “Come along and learn about conservatism,” he concludes, “the essence of our society.”

Uneasy Coalition May Now be Key to Diplomatic Success in Syria

James Lindsay

Today, as Belgium resurfaces from a four-day lockdown, David Cameron outlines a new “comprehensive” plan to tackle the so-called Islamic State.

In Brussels meanwhile, restaurants and schools are reopening, but the usually bustling shopping areas remain quiet; two terrorists are still on the loose.

“We are doing everything we can to return the situation to normal”, Charles Michel, the Belgian Prime Minister said, but the terrorist threat

Belgium, for a month before the bombings.

Delegation of work, confusion surrounding the tracking of terrorists and lack of coordination mean that these men were never picked up and investigated. It probably does not help the cause that Brussels has six local police forces on top of a federal police service.

If Belgium is stricken with paranoia, they are not the only ones. European cities tremble; security forces are on constant alert. Another attack is probable.

So what is to be done in the face of such anxiety? Well

PALATINATE | Thursday 3rd December 2015 the first issue for Belgium, is to increase the transparency and exchange of intelligence on terrorism.

In light of the Molenbeek situation and its jihadist links, it is easy to point the blame at the Belgian security forces, but no western European nation is exempt from pockets of radicalisation.

Belgian security forces must take this opportunity – this lesson – to reassess their approach to fighting terrorism and departments must liaise better with one other.

Perhaps centralisation is necessary.

On a broader scale, European nations should work towards the creation of a multi-national body, using the European Union to mediate, aimed at increasing the exchange of terrorist-related information.

The bombings in Paris, and the consequences in Brussels and further afield, all have a common root, and that is the Syrian Crisis. It is here that the problem must be tackled.

In his address to Parliament, Cameron rallied support for his bill to extend air strikes into Syria. They will “make us safer,” he says. But this debate seems irrelevant and outdated. The Iraq-Syria border is no longer worth talking about and a couple of British jets will have little impact anyway. Instead of making up for the embarrassment of the failure in the 2013 Syria vote, Cameron should increase British military presence in the region in the form of training units. Best of all, this would not require a vote in the Commons.

It is also high time for the US and its partners to swallow its pride and follow Russia’s backing of Assad. Putin has stepped into a breach left bare by Western inaction with concrete policy.

If any positive can be drawn out of the recent Paris attacks and the downing of the Russian aircraft in Egypt, it should be the realisation that IS represents the greatest threat – not Assad, mass-

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Multilateral diplomacy will be critical in addressing the Syrian Crisis Photograph: White House via Wikimedia Commons

murderer of civilians though he is. An all-encompassing coalition, including Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, must be formed to create a credible opponent to IS on the

ground, supported by coordinated air strikes. The West should also push towards the establishment of safe havens, protected by an international peacekeeping force.

Political leaders are rightly calling for solidarity and unity in these times of peril but rhetoric can only go so far. It must be backed up by diplomacy.

forces, the strongest potential replacement of the failed states tends to be a thoroughly pre-modern style of governance, which furthers the conflict and war amongst the states in the region. It is hard to know how to move on from here. Professor Ehteshami, was clear that the forces of globalisation make it certain that we cannot just stand

path would be taken. Taking examples from the history of conflict, and particularly the fallout over 9/11, he was constantly critical over the predominance of emotional responses guiding reactions to both 9/11 and Paris.

While an emotional response is natural and human, it is also something that should not be used to guide or justify policy. Post 9/11 international policy could have been to tackle the vast social and economic problems the Middle East were facing together, as a united force, pursuing social development which would prove the antithesis of Daesh ideas.

As we are all too fully aware, this approach was not taken, and instead a declaration of a War on Terror was the central response, and so continued turning the ‘cycle of pitiless violence’.

Paris has the potential to provide us with hope. Unity and cooperation, social development and support can be used to work wonders in promoting ideas of peace and respect for international law.

As shown in India’s response to Pakistan in 2008, war is not a necessary feature of a response to tragedy.

What needs to be acknowledged is the lack of examples of democracies borne out of war. Even in the West, in our

beacons of hope and democracy, we did not suddenly decide one day we would now be law-abiding, democratic citizens. Nor were we pitilessly bombed to accept our bright future of a democratic society.

Instead we went through years of subtle social shifts, developing through interactions of new ideas and cultures, before our idea of ‘citizenship’ won out. This slow trajectory of change is central to the development of democracy.

Nevertheless our Western governments still rely on military intervention to solve these crises. Military action can only result in reinforcing the cycle of violence which shapes the international scene to this day.

The talk was a thoroughly informative evening, with new perspectives on the roles that different forces play in the formation of Daesh and the lead up to the Paris attacks.

With the future uncertain, and these two academics at odds with one another about what the future should be, about the role of the West within the formation of Daesh, and the difficulties that the Middle East and the wider world faces, we can be certain that there are no easy winners or losers.

Tentative Discussions on Terrorism

The attacks in Paris on the 13th of November by Daesh were attacks that shocked the Western world. They have prompted a declaration of ‘pitiless war’ on the part of the French government, and have reinvigorated debates about whether the UK should take part in air strikes in Syria.

Yet the reaction to such events and the roots of their occurrence are of utmost importance if we wish to end the cycle of violence which has been revolving between western states and Middle Eastern states for decades.

Therefore the discussion on this topic as part of the Castle Lecture series was an incredibly insightful evening.

Professor Anoush Ehteshami focused on the impact on the wider Middle Eastern region, and Professor Held focused on the theoretical challenges that are posed by such attacks.

The regional argument around this issue draws on the ‘flying goose theory’ of development and regional unity.

Professor Ehteshami placed high importance on the need for a leader within a regional system to provide unity and strength between different nations. The Middle East has

three potential leaders for its regional development: Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Iran. The issue is that they have been at war with one another for half a century, and as a result are unlikely to try and foster any meaningful regional unity.

This then brings about the problem of weak, individual states fighting for survival.

As an incredibly penetrated region that is susceptible to many outside influences, who shape the operating of the states beyond their control, these states have, on a large part, been required to be ‘fierce’ authoritarian states, who rely primarily on coercion for stability.

When these authoritarian states fall as a response to the increasing influence of globalisation on the region, with people becoming open to alternative ways of life, which in turn causes crises of legitimacy, there come displays of discontent and uprisings. The newly-forming middle classes who have benefitted from development tend to either take part in these uprisings, or flee in great numbers, leading to unstable and unpredictable state behaviour.

The rise of political Islam in place of these fierce states is something which poses a problem for the region. In a region where the rebellions were inspired by globalising

“

“

Jamie Penston Raja

Paris has the potential to provide us with hope

back and watch, we must instead look to fix this problem which has been exacerbated by our actions in the post 9/11 world.

Professor Held’s argument around the ‘cycle of pitiless violence’ quite successfully attempted to show a way forward, but unfortunately with some scepticism about the possibility that such a

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Thursday 3rd December 2015 | PALATINATE

Peter Tatchell: “Success comes to those with the greatest determination and perseverance.”

Will Fremont-Barnes Profile Editor As an organiser, activist and public speaker, Peter Tatchell has devoted most of his adult life to challenging conventional orthodoxies.

This maverick spirit has brought him to Durham to engage with contemporary attitudes towards pornography, focusing on its ‘good, bad and ugly’ aspects during his lecture in the Great Hall at University College last month.

Using sexually explicit imagery, Tatchell claims, can be “health-promoting”, “physically and emotionally fulfilling”, and sometimes even “life-saving”.

These somewhat surprising arguments in favour of pornography aside, Tatchell acknowledges readily that it often has profoundly damaging consequences for participants and viewers alike.

“A lot of pornography is extremely degrading and humiliating to women”, he admits.

Nevertheless, he expresses the view that “if porn is genuinely consenting, without anyone being coerced or harmed”, it should be permitted.

“There’s nothing bad about the naked human body or sexual acts, so why should depicting them visually be morally wrong?”

Tatchell’s concern about the damage caused by introducing blanket legislation against pornography is reinforced by his long-standing suspicion of authority.

Raised by evangelical Christian parents, Tatchell has campaigned against the established order with a secular missionary spirit, which relies on increasing public awareness of his causes.

“I’m very sceptical of orthodoxy”, he explains. “I want to see evidence and ethics to back up an idea or a policy. Human rights are the cornerstone of my ideas and actions.”

The manner in which Tatchell has gone about advocating human rights has earned him both respect and notoriety.

As a leading figure in OutRage!, a prominent LGBT rights group, Tatchell and his fellow activists embarked on an aggressive campaign of outing public figures whose sexual orientation hitherto had been private.

This, however, has been in conjunction with campaigns that have enjoyed popular support, such as equalising the age of homosexual consent and, unsurprisingly, Tatchell is keen to focus on the “great progress” that has been made as a result of his group’s controversial strategy.

“When I began campaigning for LGBT rights, it seemed like a

hopeless cause. I had the long term vision that eventually, after decades, we would win equality and change hearts and minds.

That optimism has turned out to be correct.”

His determination to secure equality irrespective of sexual orientation can, in part, be attributed to the unpleasant discrimination he faced personally.

Selected as Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Bermondsey in the 1983 by-election, Tatchell underwent a “baptism of hell”, faced with verbal abuse and physical threats as he sought to retain a safe seat for his party.

Labour lost the by-election to the Liberal Party, whose campaign literature’s description of the contest as a ‘straight choice’ was unlikely to have been an innocent mistake.

So how did Tatchell’s experience of the “dirtiest, most violent, most homophobic election in Britain in the 20th century” influence his campaigning in future?

“It brought home to me the scale of homophobia, and the importance to renew my efforts to challenge it.”

LGBT activists were met with increasing opposition as they staged

“

I want to see evidence and ethics to back up an idea or a policy.

Human rights are the cornerstone of my ideas and actions.

”

high-profile disruption campaigns, including one here in Durham.

When Michael Turnbull was enthroned as Bishop of Durham in 1992, Tatchell and fellow OutRage! protestors came in order to draw attention to what they saw as the bigotry and hypocrisy of his antigay stances, particularly in the light of revelations about a previous gay relationship.

“We lay in wait in the Durham Union building until he began his procession across the green to the cathedral doors”, Tatchell remembers.

They then “sprinted across the green with the intention of verbally challenging him, but we were wrestled to the ground by Durham’s

Tatchell: always campaigning

finest and ended up spending the next few hours in Chester-le-Street police station”.

Although the plan to disrupt his ceremony failed, there was one positive aspect to his visit. “It’s the best police station food I’ve ever had, and I’ve had quite a lot having been arrested well over a hundred times.”

Good fortune means that, “despite over 3000 direct action protests”, Tatchell has just one standing conviction; he was charged under the Ecclesiastical Court’s Jurisdiction Act of 1860 for interrupting the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Easter Day sermon in 1998.

“Only a handful of people have ever been convicted under that act”, he points out with a hint of pride, although is mindful that his civil disobedience comes with associated risks.

“When laws are unjust, we all have a duty to disobey them”, he says, once again displaying his antiauthoritarian streak.

“I’ve sought to challenge unjust power, where necessary, by peacefully breaking the law.”

Inspired by Mohandas Ghandi and Martin Luther King, Tatchell has applied their tactics of nonviolent direct action to his own campaigning.

Some of Tatchell’s exploits have given him and, far more importantly,

Photograph: Creative Commons

his causes worldwide attention.

His two attempts to perform a citizen’s arrest on the President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, may have failed, but “the media coverage did highlight the human rights abuses of his regime”.

On the first occasion, in 1999, he and other activists succeeded in placing Mugabe under arrest in London, until the police “refused to prosecute him and sought to prosecute us instead”.

Two years later, when Tatchell ambushed Mugabe in the lobby of a hotel in Brussels, he recalls being “badly beaten” and consequently “knocked unconscious” by the President’s bodyguards.

Even having experienced thoroughly unpleasant ordeals, Tatchell’s conviction that “success comes to those with the greatest determination and perseverance” remains unwavering.

Now that gay marriage has been legalised, it is tempting to think that little remains for which to campaign in the name of LGBT rights.

Tatchell, however, rejects this suggestion.

Indeed, in his opinion, the battle for full LGBT equality has not yet been won decisively.

“The 1949 Marriage Act is for straight couples only.

The 2013 Marriage Act is for gay

couples only. Separate is not equal.”

He cites differences in the case of pension inheritance, which can only be backdated for same-sex couples until as recently as 2005, as further evidence that much remains unaccomplished.

“There are still plenty of injustices to overturn”, he continues.

“A lot of them have changed from when I was younger, but there are still tyrannies that need to be challenged, including the autocracies in Russia, Saudi Arabia and Iran.”

Neither, according to Tatchell, is injustice the preserve of foreign countries. “Even in this country, things have, in some respects, got worse.

The so-called war on terror has led to an increasing diminution of civil liberties in the name of security.

In my view, you don’t defend freedom by undermining it.”

The protection of freedom lies at the heart of Tatchell’s assault on conventional orthodoxies.

His insistence that consenting adults must have the right to “produce and consume sexually explicit images” relates to a principle of freedom which, for decades, Tatchell has sought to protect by championing equality.

He shows no sign of slowing down just yet.

PALATINATE | Thursday 3rd December 2015

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Thursday 3rd December 2015 | PALATINATE

Women’s Hockey hit Loughborough for six

Matt Roberts Deputy Sport Editor Durham Women’s Hockey 1sts thrashed Loughborough 6-1 at the inaugural BUCS Varsity last Wednesday at Maiden Castle.

The margin of victory was the larg-

est against Loughborough in Durham’s hockey history, and it means that the Palatinates have closed the gap on their rivals to just two points in the Premier A North division.

Whereas Loughborough were wasteful in front of goal, squandering several chances, Durham were clinical and took their opportunities with

aplomb.

The home side created the first chance of the match. After coming close to scoring, Durham were awarded a penalty corner but were denied following a goalmouth scramble and some resolute Loughborough defence.

After weathering that early storm, the visitors had the better of the next ten minutes.

From a Durham attack, the East Midlands side broke quickly and forced the impressive Katie Brauer in the Durham goal to throw herself in front of the shot for a fine save.

The opportunities kept coming for Loughborough as, moments later, they rattled the post with a fierce flick from a penalty corner.

The flurry of chances for Loughborough seemed to wake Durham up and it wasn’t long before the Palatinates went ahead.

Ellen Patterson played a superb pass to Laura Bevan who received it confidently before being fouled.

From the resulting short corner, Patterson swept home to make it 1-0.

Urged on by the vocal support of the men’s 1sts, Durham’s women went in search of a second and were soon rewarded for their attacking verve.

Mollie Rawnsley collected the ball just inside the opposition half, ran

with pace and intent and finished superbly to double Durham’s lead.

2-0 up at half time, it had been a perfect opening 35 minutes for Durham.

With the onus now on Loughborough to come from behind, they began the second period commandingly and put Durham under immense pressure with a succession of penalty corners.

However, as in the first period, Loughborough couldn’t convert any of them and Durham maintained their two goal lead.

That period of play proved to be pivotal and Loughborough’s misery at missing those chances was soon compounded when Durham, through Laura Bevan, scored from a short corner of their own.

Durham now had their tails up and they put the result beyond any doubt with a fourth goal from Lorna Bennell.

On 55 minutes, Durham were awarded a penalty flick after a deliberate infringement by Loughborough with the Palatinates certain to score.

Amelia Johnson stroked home emphatically and Durham had five.

In the closing stages the game opened up and everyone found themselves with more time and space which inevitably led to more chances.

Loughborough failed to capitalise on their sixth short corner of the match.

However Durham were having no such problems in front of goal as Laura Bevan got her second, scoring at the second attempt after her initial effort was well-saved.

As the match came to a close Loughborough finally managed to score from a penalty corner, smacking home to reduce the deficit.

However it was nothing more than a consolation goal, with Durham 6-1 winners at full-time.

After the match Jules Inverdale, who marshalled the Durham defence all afternoon, spoke to Palatinate: “It was a fantastic team performance against Loughborough, with every member of the sixteen strong squad playing their part”, she said.

“In particular we took our chances when they came about and we minimised the biggest threats in their team, having undertaken a great deal of video analysis and focused training.”

Jules also commented on the day as a whole: “The atmosphere of the BUCS Varsity day was fantastic and to be competing against our greatest rivals with such a big crowd watching and other teams around us doing the same felt very special.”

unorthodox fashion with her face from a point-blank effort.

Nevertheless, the goals continued to come for Durham and in a matter of minutes, it was 10-2 to the Palatinates.

It was at this point that Loughborough rallied.

As it transpired, this break had the opposite effect as Loughborough came out of the restart a completely

revitalised side.

In two minutes, Loughborough’s number 4 scored two incredible long range effort to make the scores 10-5.

With the visitors smelling blood, they continued to press for a way back into the game.

Durham scored early on to settle the nerves of the home crowd on the side-lines yet Loughborough refused to accept defeat.

Another scoring flourish saw them score another brace of goals, bringing the scores to 11-7.

Thankfully, this team are not champions for nothing. Like true professionals, Durham shut down the game with ruthless efficiency and the final whistle soon followed.

Another great win for this incredible lacrosse team who seem to get better year upon year.

Women’s Lacrosse continue winning streak Kieran Moriarty Sport Editor Durham Women’s Lacrosse 1s demonstrated their imperious form once again to overcome a tenacious Loughborough side in an entertaining match which saw the Palatinates record a tidy 11-7 win.

The Palatinates were confident going into this fixture on the basis of their current unbeaten record this season.

Once again this year, the Durham team has been packed with top class players.

Iona Dryden, Tessa Helf and Amy Graham have all represented Wales, Germany and Scotland respectively at the Euros this year, while Captain Emma Adams has previously captained the u19 England team at the junior World Cup. With such fine pedigree in the squad, it was always going to be daunting contest for the visitors.

Loughborough immediately began on the attack and forced the Durham keeper to make a decent save from a long range effort, tipping the ball over the bar.

The Palatinates responded well to this early scare and soon took the lead.

A fluid cross-field passing move saw the ball clinically finished in the bottom right corner to make it 1-0 to Durham.

The opening goal energised the home players and soon they were the team exerting all of the pressure.

Loughborough’s keeper was forced into making two fine stops to keep her team only one goal behind.

However such sustained pressure from Durham was only ever going to lead to another goal and in a few minutes, the Palatinates had doubled their lead.

Loughborough seemed to be on the ropes but commendably rose to the challenge and fought back.

Following a swift counter-attacking move, the visitors got themselves on the scoresheet to make it 2-1.

Two goals in quick succession gave the home side some welcome breathing space and saw them finish the quarter in a 4-1 lead.

Once again, the Loughborough keeper was called into action to make some important blocks while the team in white were also guilty of some wasteful finishing in front of goal.

Nevertheless Durham began to pull away from the visitors with four goals. Loughborough could only muster one goal in response, ensuring the home side went into the halftime interval with an impressive 8-2 lead.

The third quarter began as a carbon copy repeat of the second.

The Loughborough keeper once again intervened to keep the score credible for her team, saving in an

Photograph: PlayerLayer

PALATINATE | Thursday 3rd December 2015

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DUAFC suffer controversial shock defeat Kishan Vaghela Deputy Sport Editor Loughborough Men’s Football 1st XI ended Durham’s unbeaten start to the season with a 2-1 victory at Maiden Castle.

With such high-profile sides going

head-to-head, the opening exchanges were understandably cagey and extremely physical, with both sides attempting the long-ball game.

Nevertheless, Durham’s Mike King executed a lovely overhead peice of skill before setting up Heald, whose tame shot was saved by Loughborough goalkeeper Ben Lancaster.

Dave Green’s whipped cross-shot narrowly evaded the far corner as Durham slowly eased themselves into the game, with King again the orchestrator of the Palatinates’ attacking play.

However, Loughborough did pose a threat on the counter attack, with only a last-ditch challenge from Gilbey denying left-back Andrew Bridge of a clear sight of goal.

The pressure of the situation was evident throughout the first half an hour, as Gilbey mistimed his header when well-placed following a corner.

However, it was the visitors who took the lead.

A seemingly innocuous long ball was tapped past the advancing Dudzinski by Webb.

The Durham goalkeeper was nonetheless able to prevent a second goal, tipping Ward-Cockren’s rasping effort from inside the area over the bar.

A late surge just before the interval would have seen Durham level, but for the excellence of Lancaster.

After two handball appeals were immediately dismissed by the referee following free kicks from Isola, the Loughborough goalkeeper tipped King’s curling free-kick over the bar, whilst also saving from a stretching Weedon from a few yards out after King’s shot was blocked.

Durham began the second half

as they ended the first, with King’s clipped shot going close to levelling the scores.

Loughborough were simultaneously threatening on the counter, with winger Papa Asamoah heavily involved.

Having prevented a second goal in the first half, Dudzinski almost nullified his efforts by completely mishitting a clearance, but Ward-Cockren’s resulting shot was equally poor.

The Palatinates continued to create chances, but an equaliser remained elusive as substitute striker Fairbrother blazed over after Heald’s cut-back.

The hosts were not to be denied though, as substitute Grant hammered in the leveller after a knockdown from a corner.

Immediately afterwards, King’s marauding run from deep almost inspired the most stunning of comebacks, but his shot smashed against Lancaster’s crossbar.

King’s opposite number Jack Poxon was providing the threat at the other end, first crossing for WardCockren whose header went just wide, before having two efforts of his own, one from a free kick and the second from inside the area, both of which went wide of the near post.

Durham could so easily have snatched the win late on, but Fairbrother’s shot on the turn and

Grant’s long-range effort were both held by Lancaster.

Instead, it was the visitors who would have the last laugh, albeit in controversial circumstances.

Loughborough defender Williams headed in from a corner in the last few minutes of the game.

The home side were furious as they felt that Dudzinski was prevented from stopping the ball by a player in an offside position, particularly as the linesman had raised his flag for that particular reason.

However, after consulting with the linesman, the referee overruled him and the goal, which cuts the Palatinates’ lead at the top to six points, stood.

Durham fans were clearly disgruntled post-match. Purple Radio spoke to DUAFC footballer and supporter Ricky Goulding who was unimpressed with the result.

“I thought we were definitely the best team throughout the match, we controlled the ball and attacked really well.

“In comparison, they offered nothing, and just defended the whole game.

“To be honest, we’re all a bit upset and angry about the linesman reversing his deicison and the boys losing their 100% record.

“However I’m sure it will be fine.

We should still win the league.”

rushing defender and then struck a rasping effort as the ball bounced off the turf. The shot swerved in a glorious outwards arc and crashed into the net off the underside of the crossbar. The keeper could only watch on helpless and admire such a stunning effort.

Durham took their 3-0 lead into break and began the second half as comfortably as they had finished the first.

Within minutes, they nearly made it four. A fluid passing exchange saw the ball fall on the volley to Sarah Wilson from close range.

Her effort seemed destined for the top corner but the goalkeeper pulled off a stupendous save to tip the shot over the bar and keep the scoreline credible for Loughborough.

With the game comfortably under control and Loughborough offering little in terms of resistance, the match effectively ended as a contest.

Durham continued to go through the motions and have the lion’s share of possession.

Yet there was little cutting edge as there was no pressing need to look for another goal.

Late on, the Palatinates had another flourish, spurning a few decent chances to make it 4-0.

This was in part to profligacy in front of goal but also to the stub-

born resilience of the Loughborough keeper, who made another two great saves to spare her team’s blushes.

Despite the goalkeeper’s resistance, Durham did get their fourth goal.

A routine through ball found Camper onside with acres of space

and time to kill. One on one, the midfielder made no mistake and calmly slotted the ball into the bottom right hand corner to seal an impressive victory for the Palatinates.

Greater challenges will face the Women’s team this year. Yet this was a performance worthy of champions.

Camper stunner lights up routine victory Kieran Moriarty Sport Editor Durham Women’s Football 1s firmly asserted their claim to be the best team in purple against Loughborough 1s, storming to an emphatic 4-0 win.

Despite the intense rivalry between the two institutions, this match was primarily concerned with pride with both teams at opposite ends of the table.

While Loughborough languish at second bottom in the league, Durham are flying high in second behind local rivals Northumbria.

In the early stages, it was the visitors who had the majority of the early pressure and began to exert pressure on the Palatinates’ defence.

Nevertheless on this cold winter night, Durham soon warmed into the game and promptly neutralised the growing Loughborough threat.

Durham now were gradually growing into the game and seeing far more of the ball. However there was very little they could do with it as a result of a stout Loughborough defence.

After 20 minutes of stalemate, the game finally burst into life as the Palatinates made the breakthrough Emory Camper carried the ball

out of the midfield scrum and played a neat ball into the Loughborough penalty area.

Amelia Pereira seized upon the loose ball and, while surrounded by several defenders, managed to fire away a low shot into the bottom left hand corner, to put Durham into the lead.

A warning sign that another goal was on the way had been issued to Loughborough following a training ground-esque free kick from Durham, in which Pereira volleyed into the side netting.

Minutes later, Durham did get their goal. Naomi Feltham scampered down the left wing and whipped in a teasing low cross into the visitors’ area.

Nikki Gears ghosted into the box and slipped in front of her marker to produce a deft flicked finish beyond the Loughborough keeper to make it 2-0.

Durham’s display had become progressively classier as they went further ahead. Yet nobody could have predicted the extraordinary fashion in which Durham would make it 3-0.

Emory Camper scored a goal that could surely could be a contender for one of the greatest seen on the rubber crumb at Maiden Castle.

Receiving the ball from about 20 yards out, she sidestepped an on-

Photograph: Team Durham

Sport

Thursday 3rd December 2015 | PALATINATE

Record-breaking win for women’s hockey Durham in fine goal-scoring form with 6-1 victory.

Men’s football lose unbeaten record Controversial decision condemns team to first loss of the season.

Water Polo tidal wave engulfs rivals Charlie Richardson Deputy Sport Editor

The scoresheet makes for pleasant reading for Durham University as they romp to an emphatic victory over their East Midlands rivals.

Photograph: Simon Carey

BUCS Varsity sees Durham dominate Loughborough Kieran Moriarty Sport Editor In the first Varsity event of its kind, Durham emphatically stormed to a 13-2 victory over their fierce BUCS rivals Loughborough last week. The Palatinates produced an incredible performance across nine sports, winning 12 of the 15 fixtures on the day and losing only one.

The day began with a sign of good things to come as the DU Golf Team got the ball rolling with a comfortable 5-1 victory at Brancepeth Golf Course. In the other action elsewhere from Maiden Castle, Women’s Tennis were involved in a titanic contest with their Loughborough counterparts which ended with honours even, with a final score of 6-6, At 13:00, the action kicked off at Maiden Castle with the hugely an-

ticipated match between Durham Men’s Football 1s and Loughborough 1s. The game proved to be a tight affair in which the league leaders Durham were the more dominant team. Unfortunately, the game proved to be Durham’s only real disappointment of the day as they were undone by a highly controversial sucker punch goal.

However, normal service was resumed courtesy of the ladies in purple. Women’s Hockey crushed their Loughborough opposition 6-1 in front of an incredibly vocal crowd on MC Hockey Pitch 2.

Meanwhile out on the grass pitches, Women’s Rugby were carrying out their own demolition job, running riot to thrash their opponents 37-7. Men’s Hockey were unable to repeat the feat of the womens’ team and were held to a hard fought 3-3 draw.

Nevertheless, from this fixture onwards, the victories kept com-

ing for the home team. Durham Women’s Badminton edged to a well-deserved 5-3 victory whilst the ever impressive Women’s Lacrosse team firmly reminded Loughborough of their championship winning pedigree, dispatching their opponents with an authorative 11-7 victory.

Where the Men’s Football Team unfortunately faltered, no such luck was needed for the Women’s Football 1sts to beat their rivals.

The Palatinates cruised to a comfortable 4-0 win to continue their title challenge while pushing their opponents further down into a relegation dogfight.

Men’s Badminton completed the double for the sport with a comfortable 6-2 win inside the MC Sports Hall.

This was then followed by a huge 80-66 win for the Women’s Basketball team at Queen’s Campus, which the Men’s team then

later trumped with their own 9178 victory.

The Varsity ended with winning ways across at Freeman’s Quay as Water Polo completed the double across both the women’s and men’s teams with resounding wins, smashing their Loughborough opponents 16-1 and 21-4 respectively.

A 13-2 overall victory over Loughborough in the Varsity exceeded all expectations that Team Durham had going into this event.

However, the icing on the cake arrived from a fixture outside of the Varsity programme. In arguably the shock of the day, Durham Men’s Rugby 3s stunned MC by recording an unbelievable 34-24 victory over Loughborough 2s.

All in all, the day was a huge success for showcasing the best of Team Durham against the undoubted pioneers of University sport.

I confess to be no expert on the nuances of Water Polo, and luckily you needed to be no expert to gauge Durham’s utter dominance last Wednesday night at Freeman’s Quay.

After Zoe Respondek had spearheaded her side’s triumphant 16-1 win, the men’s team – who are the defending national champions – entered the pool with hopes of making it a perfect night for Durham against their BUCS rivals Loughborough.

The first quarter was a cagey affair with both Durham and Loughborough exchanging quick-fire goals as well as both sides going a man down on numerous occasions, but after initially being held at 1-1 Durham managed to pull away and established a comfortable 7-1 lead at the end of the first quarter.

However the next quarter was where the game was truly wrapped up. Loughborough managed to lose complete composure; their discipline with the officials waned and Durham were ultimately the beneficiaries.

Durham scored 8 goals to Loughborough’s 3 in this second quarter, the pick of the bunch being a sumptuous lob off the keeper from Jack Skerritt after he initially lost possession. The half-time score was 15-3 to Durham and they were all but home and dry.

The order of the day continued into the third and fourth quarter with Man of the Match Matthew Calvert orchestrating proceedings quite superbly, and there was still time for top scorer Jeffrey Sprong to add a few more goals to his considerable personal tally.

The match finished 21-4 and there would have been few smiles for Loughborough on their three hour drive back to Leicestershire.

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