The Badger 10th Edition (16th March 2020)

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16th March 2020

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Official free fortnightly newspaper by and for Sussex students · Printed on recycled paper

“Epidemic” of poor mental health among university staff

A report has cited many of the disputes raised by UCU, such as excessive workloads and precarious contracts, as contributors to the spike in poor mental health Becca Bashford News Editor [Trigger Warning: Suicide] On February 3, UCU (University and College Union) announced that another wave of strike action would hit 74 UK universities, spanning 14 days. Much of the conversation surrounding the announcement has been centred around the impact it will have on students, and with approximately 1.2 million students being affected, it is not hard to understand why.

Some students have responded to the announcement by demanding a partial refund of tuition fees, citing lost teaching-time and being unable to contact lecturers via email during the strike period as a valid reason for financial recompense. A student at Royal Holloway, University of London created a petition which garnered over 2,000 signatures, demanding a refund of £1,000 to every student affected by the strikes.

While a lot of sympathy surrounding the strike action has been directed towards students, this narrative has arguably diverted attention away from the root

causes of the strike action.

UCU have cited an array of ongoing disputes as their reason for resorting to strike action, the most notable being falling pay, the gender and race pay gaps, unsafe workloads, and threats to pensions. Their announcement states: “Since 2009, pay has been effectively cut by nearly 20% in real terms, while staff are being asked to work harder and longer than ever before. The employers’ own analysis highlights that women and black and minority ethnic staff experience significant pay discrimination.

Casual contracts remain entrenched. Yet the university employers are refusing to commit themselves to meaningful action on any of these appalling conditions” With regards to pensions, they have claimed that “the typical USS member will be around £240,000 worse off in retirement compared to 2011 thanks to the changes made to staff’s benefits.” There has also been a significant focus on the issue of casualisation, which refers generally to the increase of zero-hour and fixed-term contracts.

The UCU disputes have

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COVID-19, SU Elections & PReP 3

Comment

Bernie Sanders & Eco-friendly Electronics 10

Features

@sammivegan been largely conflated into an argument over pay and pensions alone, which has caused many to (perhaps inadvertently) turn a blindeye to the devastating consequences of the stressful working conditions which thousands of Higher Education staff suffer on a daily basis.

A Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) report, published in 2019, claims that there is now an “epidemic” of poor mental health among Higher Education staff. The report, authored by nowindependent scholar Liz Morrish, delved into data obtained from 59 higher education institutions from across the UK, and identified a significant escalation of poor

Interview: Fabrik Editors TheBadger Badger 5thFebruary March 2018 The 2018 2018 The 5th Badger 5th February

News

Arianna Lee Features Editor

I

had the luck to be able to interview the lovely founders of Sussex’s first fashion magazine Fabrik. I sat down with Yazz Bhandari, Georgina Martin, and Victoria Gill to get a look into all things Fabrik and all things fashion!

Fabrik’s launch party is on the March 24 at 7pm, hosted

mental health among university staff in the period 2009-2016.

The report found that between 2009 and 2015, counselling referrals rose by an average of 77%, while referrals to occupational health services rose by 64% during the same period. To put this into a more generalised perspective, the report identified an overall increase in demand for counselling services of 293% across the six year period.

Whilst we cannot speculate about individual reasons for accessing counselling services, the report looked at various factors which may have contributed to this sharp spike, many of which have also been raised in the UCU disputes.

Continued on Page 4... at The Grand Hotel in Brighton.

Tickets are £8, and the theme is the new decade of fashion, so get some crazy garms out and get ready to party!

Where did Fabrik come from?

Georgina: It came from [Yazz and I] in America, we went on a year abroad to Tallahassee, Florida. We met some really cool people and one of the girls we met, there was a fashion magazine established at her first year [college] called DWF. Read the full interview on Page 16...

Sustainable Fashion & Oh Europa 14

Arts

Doctor Who S12, & Populism 18

Travel & Culture Menstrual Cups, Stone Temples & Elephants 25

Science & Tech Mumps Repeats & ‘Eye’ Teach

Sports

29

Golden State Warriors & Darts 31

Editor-in-Chief Chris Ahjem badger@sussexstudent.com Print Production Editor Billie-Jean Johnson Online Production Editor Rory Hinshelwood Print Production Sub-Editors Isabelle Marsh Belén Mateos Gutiérrez Marketing Manager Alex Valeri The News Team Becca Bashford Joel Renouf Georgia-May Keetch Venice Hancock badger-news@sussexstudent. com The Comment Team Rebecca Spencer Louis Johnson Issy Anthony Joseph Pearce badger-opinion@sussexstudent. com The Features Team Arianna Lee Sonaili Vasta Olly Williams badgerfeatureseditor@gmail. com The Arts Team Lucy Peters Jude Whiley Morton badger-arts@sussexstudent.com The Books Team Jasmine Smith Eric Barrell thebadger.bookseditor@gmail. com The Music Team Léo de Riedmatten Kajal Dave thebadger.musiceditor@gmail. com The Film & Television Team Michael Humphreys Jack Parker thebadger.film@gmail.com The Theatre Team Jessica Hake thebadger-theatre@gmail.com The Artist Focus Team Grace Sowerby Alexander Evangelou thebadger.street@gmail.com The Travel & Culture Team Joshua Talbot Mehek Shahzad Vanessa Hung badger.travelculture@gmail.com The Sports Team Jonny Garwood Charlie Batten thebadger.sport@gmail.com The Science & Technology Team Ayaah Eldakal Sereena Kang thebadger.science@gmail.com Events and Publicity Elisei Sergevnin Charlotte Brill Proof Readers Elizabeth Strange

Editorial

Chris Ahjem Editor-in-Chief

Billie-Jean Johnson Print Production Editor

The world at the moment is certified insane. We all thought 2019 was exhausting but 2020 has been a non stop rollercoaster of mess.

So, I just wanted to start this editorial on a positive, uplifting note: The Badger’s recent successes.

Our endlessly superb News Editor Becca Bashford has been shortlisted for Best Reporter for the upcoming Student Publication Association Awards 2020.

(SPA Awards) We are so proud of her consistent hard hitting articles and committed work ethic so she definitely deserves this recognition.

Similarly, our newly redesigned website has been shortlisted for Best Website at the SPA Awards so I’d like to give a massive shoutout to our brilliant Online Production Editor Rory Hinshelwood who led the redesign efforts and Sumedh Nimkar who worked endlessly to design, code and streamline the site. So, please do appreciate their efforts and check out our website: www.thebadgeronline.com!

Myself and The Badger team are looking forward to going to the conference in Sheffield this April (COVID-19 allowing) and can’t wait to celebrate our own team and the teams of all the other fantastic student media outlets across the UK. It’ll be a great weekend.

This is also our penultimate edition before the end of term - *pause for dramatic gasp* - but it’s ok! This edition is chock-a-block full of fantastic and informative articles. Our final edition in late April will see even more brilliant pieces plus the return of our Arts pull-out, The Burrow. It’ll also see a big emotional farewell from the team of 2019-2020.

It’s insane that my three year tenure in The Badger will be coming to an end so soon but that’s all for another day!

So for now, enjoy this brand new edition, wash your hands, live your life and be kind!

See ya next edition!

The strikes are over and now coronavirus is a pandemic.

Not exactly the greatest term, but at least you can pick up a lovely, hopefully sanitary copy of The Badger to tide you through.

Though the strikes may be over, its sure to say that the fight is not yet done. We have plenty of coverage on the issue from News to Features.

Our science section has the second edition of ‘Eye’ Teach, this time on the effectiveness of hand-sanitisers. Find out the real deal before you stock up!

If you do have to quarentine, then turn to our Arts sections for the low-down on what films to stick on your netflix queue and what books to add to the pile.

In Sports you can see what events have been put in jeopardy due to the coronavirus, as well as some more lighthearted coverage with darts and the NBA getting a look in.

The Travel and Culture section will help you daydream your future trips, provided your transport plans may be slightly delayed... If that’s too much FOMO for you, then at least take a look at our always delicious Cultural Bite, and some fascinating stories from around the world.

Speaking of worldly stories, our news section is full of information from all around the globe, and our website has recently been updated so we now have an international news section you can peruse to your heart’s delight.

Along with our strike coverage in the Features section, you can find an interview with another wonderful publication at Sussex, Fabrik! They also have an event coming up which looks fantastic, so keep an eye out!

Finally, we can’t forget Comment, with The Big Debate this week on whether smoking should be illegal.

So, keep calm and enjoy!

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Follow The Badger online @thebadgersussex @thebadgernews @thebadgerarts @thebadgerpaper www.thebadgeronline.com The Badger nominations for the SPA Awards 2020

It’s exciting times for The Badger! Congratulations to our nominees and to every other student medias’ nominees.

The SPA Awards will be legendary and we can’t wait to join you all in Sheffield.

Do you want your local business or student relevant venture to reach a campus full of students?

Contact us at badgermarketing. sussex@gmail.com for prices, advert sizes and more info about online and in print adverts

The Badger 16th March 2020

News

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How is the new Coronavirus affecting the global economy?

Venice Hancock News Sub-Editor As the new Coronavirus, now being referred to as Covid-19, starts to impact more and more countries around the globe, some serious questions are being asked about how this epidemic will affect global markets.

Starting in China, the hub of the initial outbreak, the virus has majorly slowed down productivity and economic activity. Cities are being quarantined, multinational corporations such as Apple have closed down their Chinese factories and many workers are unable to get to their workplace because of the crisis. China’s economy has thus experienced an important downturn which also has repercussions on the rest of the world, considering China’s leading position when it comes to imports, but more significantly, exports.

For example, the global manufacturing industry is heavily reliant on China and its workforce.

Another example, and perhaps the most heavily impacted sector by this

epidemic, is travel and tourism.

Most major airlines, including Air France, British Airways and American Airlines have suspended all flights to mainland China until further notice.

Chinese nationals have become the most frequent travelers worldwide and are important participants in international tourism. The outbreak has virtually suspended this essential aspect of tourism and we see businesses like hotels, restaurants or popular tourist visits already suffering from the lack of Chinese visitors. With the virus now expanding more globally, more airlines are also taking steps towards slowing down traffic to majorly affected countries like South Korea and Iran. Travel to these regions is also being discouraged by local governments.The important presence of the virus in Northern Italy has also slowed down economic activity there.

Because of the global presence of the virus and the sentiment of panic and uncertainty that surrounds it, people have started to question the necessity to stock up on food or sanitary products. This of course stems from a fear of the virus escalating

further and that there could be shortages of these necessities.

However, shortages will only be created if this feeling of panic takes over and if people cede to it. Despite this, throughout the world, we are seeing drugstores and pharmacists completely run out of face masks and hand sanitizers.

As for global markets, the paralysis that has stemmed from this crisis is the biggest enemy of economic growth. For the first time since the virus’ first appearance in December 2019, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has had to review and readjust its growth predictions for 2020 to coincide with the epidemic.

On February 24, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and FTSE 100, which are the principle indicators of stock market exchange rates, indicated a drop of a little over 3%. By February 28, stock markets across the globe saw their largest single-week decline since the 2008 global financial crisis.

Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank, has so far indicated that the ECB is monitoring the Coronavirus outbreak “very carefully” but

Creative Commons Zero - CC0 that the epidemic would have to cause a “long-lasting shock” to both supply and demand chains as well as inflation to warrant a monetary policy response. Mark Carney, the Governor if the bank of England has said that the British economy has already faced a set-back as it relies heavily on travel and tourism.

In Germany, the Deutsche Bank has confirmed that the outbreak of the virus could contribute to a potential recession in the country. Hong Kong is already experiencing an economic recession due to the virus.

World economic leaders who met during the G20 summit in Riyadh on February 23rd expressed a desire to make sure there is being cross-border cooperation and transparency to minimise the impact of the new

coronavirus as much as possible.

However, we have seen that this has already proven difficult for countries around the globe.

In general, the economy and global markets don’t like stress and they don’t like uncertainty.

Unfortunately, that’s exactly what this new coronavirus epidemic is. Nobody knows how long it is going to last or how much damage it is going to cause. There isn’t much economic leaders can do except for preparing for the worst case scenario, communicating with each other and trying to reduce the negative impacts this coronavirus crisis could have on national and international economies as much as they can.

You can find information and advice about COVID-19 on the NHS website.

Turkey, Syria, Russia and the Refugee Crisis Tom Chesley Staff Writer A ceasefire was brokered on 6 March between Turkey and Russia over the Syrian rebel’s stronghold of Idlib. It comes after weeks of intense fighting between Turkishbacked rebels and Syrian forces supported by Russia.

On the 27 February, 33 Turkish soldiers were killed in an airstrike orchestrated by Syrian government forces, with more

than 30 others injured. In an attempt to gain control of Idlib.

Turkey had been supporting the anti-government forces as a way of undermining Syria, Russia’s main ally in the middle east.

Turkish officials have blamed the Syrian regime for the attack, but, as reported by the Guardian, several sources in Idlib and unverified footage of the night-time strike suggested it had been carried out by the Russian air force.

It was feared there would

Ggia

be a direct military conflict between Russia and NATO member, Turkey, after NATO expressed full solidarity with Turkey over the Syrian airstrike This fortunately doesn’t seem to be the case just yet.

However, questions remain about the ceasefire. How long will this truce last? Will Syrian government forces or Turkish troops pull back to designated zones? and what will be the fate of the considerable number of refugees that have been displaced by the conflict.

As reported by the BBC, the ceasefire deal consists of these agreements: A ceasefire from 00:01 local time on Friday (22:01 GMT Thursday) on the whole line of contact A security corridor 6km (four miles) north and 6km south of Idlib’s key M4 motorway, which connects the government-held cities of Aleppo and Latakia Joint Russian-Turkish patrols along the M4 from 15 March Key here, is the lack of any timelines on how long the truce will last, if it will at all. If it doesn’t, it will inevitably lead to further displacement of peoples.

What are conspicuously absent are any agreements or

acknowledgement of designated safety zones where displaced Syrian refugees can safely go.

As a result of the Syrian civil war, a substantial amount of refugees have been displaced.

Turkey is already hosting some 3.7 million Syrians, and nearly a million more are on its southern border after fleeing from war-torn Idlib.

Many of them are being ‘moved’ on to the EU, only to be denied by the Greek government. The BBC reports, the Greek government says that since early Saturday its forces have prevented the illegal entry of 34,778 people and arrested 244. With the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, saying that the government had increased “the level of deterrence at our borders to the maximum.” This has involved a plan to stop migrant’s boats with floating barriers. The barrier will possibly be made of netting and equipped with flashing lights, that will cover 1.7 miles and rise above the water near the Greek island of Lesbos. At the land border, Greek guards have been firing tear gas to deter people from entering.

The refugees collecting at the Greek border are a result

of Turkey announcing nearly a week ago that it would no longer enforce the 2016 deal, accusing the EU of inaction over Syrian war refugees. Therefore, 1,000 Turkish police officers have been mobilised to its land border with Greece in an attempt to push back the migrants into Greece. The EU has condemned Turkey’s actions. In a statement, the EU Council - representing the 27 foreign ministers said the council “expresses its solidarity with Greece” and “strongly rejects Turkey’s use of migratory pressure”.

The council demanded that Turkey implement the 2016 EU-Turkey agreement, which obliged Turkey to block illegal migration into Greece. The statement stands by the 2016 agreement as it has produced “tangible results, including by supporting Turkey’s significant efforts in hosting migrants and refugees.” However, the statement does not reveal the details of this support.

What the ceasefire agreement, the pushing of migrants into the EU, the push back by Greece and the alleged inaction of the EU all reveal is the shocking abandonment of people who have lost everything to war.

The Badger 16th March 2020

News

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“Epidemic” of poor mental health among higher education staff A recent report has described universities as “anxiety machines”, and cites factors such as excessive workloads and precarious contracts as significant contributors to the spike in poor mental health Becca Bashford News Editor

triggered by pressures to meet targets for research funding.

Professor Stefan Grimm at Imperial College, London, had been rebuked by his manager over this issue.”

“

... Continued from Front Page

The following factors were identified as significantly contributors to the spike in poor mental health among university staff: 1. Excessive workloads and workload models which frequently under-count time necessary for fulfilling tasks 2. Audit and metrics dominate the working lives of academics 3. Many academics exist on a succession of precarious contracts which do not allow for career planning or advancement.

4. Performance management in universities is linked to short-term outcomes and expectations which are often unattainable for many.

The Badger approached Liz Morrish to discuss her motivation for writing the HEPI report, and her personal experience with the working conditions which have culminated in the nation-wide strike action. She again cited increased workloads, increased performance surveillance, and the decline of full time lectureships as significant factors which “weighed heavily on the mental health of academics” – all of which drove her decision to write the report.

The root cause of her motivation, however, was spurred by the tragic deaths by suicide of two academics: “Cardiff University lecturer, Malcolm Anderson, took his life on campus when, after years of appeals to his manager, his workload had escalated out of control.

Another death by suicide was

I sought help from the NHS because the university does not provide appropriate mental health support for staff. The help I received was a lifeline

Following these deaths, Liz felt a duty to speak to students about the pressures their lecturers were really under. After speaking to the students of a colleague who had fallen ill with workrelated stress, a conversation which was inherently critical of university management, Liz said that it became clear she could not discuss the issue of academics and mental health whilst still remaining employed: “…being critical of management, even though this was a sectorwide problem, was not going to be tolerated by the management of my institution. It was clear that if I wanted to maintain my academic freedom, I was going to have to resign my academic post and continue my work as an independent scholar. And so that’s what I did […] I have the freedom to write without fear of victimisation now.”

The inability to speak out against university management for fear of retaliation is indicative of the toxic environment which has been created within Higher Education. Despite university management being at the heart of the issue, there is a strong feeling among university staff that speaking out against management will lead to some form of retaliation from senior

staff. The Badger approached a large amount of university staff from various institutions from across the UK, and many of them were unable or unwilling to speak to us without the protection of anonymity.

Nonetheless, their testimonies attest to the stressful and anxiety-inducing conditions which were highlighted in Liz’ report.

One lecturer, who asked to remain anonymous, spoke about the physical and emotional consequences of these everincreasing workloads: “I’m on strike because I don’t think I will physically or mentally be able to keep working if workload conditions don’t improve. In between July and November, I lost 15lbs that I didn’t have to lose because I forget to eat when I’m under pressure. Over the summer and autumn, I would get to work, go cry in the bathroom, and then get on with the rest of my day.

At the end of October, I got the first wave of a continuous chest infection that I kept thinking was gone but that came back the day after the autumn teaching term ended, lasted over the entire holiday break, and then came back again on the Monday of the first week of the spring teaching term […] I love my job but I’m quite worried that I just physically won’t be able to keep going.”

“

@sammivegan

The Badger approached a staff from various universities ... their testimonies attest to the stressful and anxietyinducing working conditions

Another lecturer, who also asked to remain anonymous, spoke to us about the severe financial strain of precarious employment: “Funding for my PhD ended in 2005 and I did not obtain a full time permanent contract until 2013. In those eight years, I only earned enough to pay income tax twice and only had one contract, for nine months, that was not hourly paid. Even now, and even though I know I am well paid under my current contract, I struggle to undertake basic financial tasks for fear of looking at my bank balance […]

I have no assets behind me and therefore despite being well paid could not possibly leave the sector despite how horrendous

@sammivegan it has become. ” A third anonymous lecturer told The Badger about their personal experiences with the lack of balance between work and a personal life, which led to a mental health crisis: “One of the things about managing your mental health is realising that you need help.

That moment of realisation came when I looked in the mirror one day and didn’t recognise the woman staring back at me. My workload consists of potentially teaching all year round. This means that staff in my position are given nearly double the teaching load compared to our counterpart in other Schools.

Often I continue teaching when the rest of the university stops.”

They emphasised the unfair situation many university staff find themselves in, with the pressure to meet targets continuing “despite repeated attempts to negotiate better working conditions.”

They said, “Over the years I’ve become less motivated to put more effort into my work because quantity, not quality, is emphasised,” and “this way of working has chipped away at my mental health.”, “I sought help from the NHS because the university does not provide appropriate mental health support for staff. The help I received was a lifeline, but ultimately temporary because the problem of my working conditions has yet to be addressed.”

Sussex, spoke about the poor treatment and exploitation of staff in UK universities. He said: "The neoliberal university is a place where the care for staff and students is secondary to profit and attainment in various spurious metrics. That has led to a situation in which staff are exploited, and where precarity is a central means through which the university governs. … It is now not uncommon for early career staff to be working in multiple institutions on hourly paid contracts, whilst caring for family and trying to publish ‘high ranking articles’, at the same time these same people often experience poor interpersonal treatment by staff senior to them, who indeed also feel bullied by the institutions they work in.”

“

“

The inability to speak out against university management for fear of retaliation is indicative of the toxic environment which has been created within Higher Education

Malcom James, Senior Lecturer in Media and Cultural Studies at the University of

The report identified an overall increase in demand for counselling services of 293% across the six year period.

Umberto Albarella, Professor of Zooarchaeology, University of Sheffield, spoke to The Badger about the tragic death by suicide of Stefan Grimm: “Stefan Grimm committed suicide in 2014. It is not unreasonable to consider him a direct victim of ‘university metrics’. Stefan was put under immense pressure, which affected his mental well-being and led to his tragic gesture. […] Almost all policy discussions in the university are driven by financial profit – students are valued as long as they pay fees, and staff as long as they bring students (with their fees) or research grants.”

He went on to discuss the commodification of higher education, stating: “We are encouraged to consider students as customers and colleagues as competitors.

The Badger 16th March 2020

News This is not just ethically wrong but also leads to extremely inefficient management of the university. Staff are prone to become disillusioned and massively overworked, students are insufficiently cared for and morale is generally low.”

Until last week, there had been a deafening silence from university management across the country regarding the very real consequences of increasing workloads, falling pay, and most pressingly casualisation. However, on 3 March, leaked minutes from a Russell Group meeting revealed that the group had issued a warning over the “reputational damage” which has occurred

because of conversations surrounding the impacts of casualisation. The report said, “University staff and other stakeholders, such as funders and politicians are increasingly expressing concerns around the ‘casualisation’ of teaching and research contracts and a perceived lack of support for careers progression… Russell Group universities need to show leadership in this debate, both as part of their duties as responsible employers and in order to avoid further reputational damage”.

UCU General Secretary Jo Grady responded: “Sadly, it looks like it is fear of reputational damage, rather than concern for staff or students, that has

Pressure Vessells, Liz Morrish

“

prompted universities to act on casualisation.”

Staff are prone to become disillusioned and massively overworked, students are insufficiently cared for and morale is generally low.

The report goes on to state: “The working conditions for staff are the learning conditions for students. staff who have poor mental health, insecure contracts, and heavy workloads can negatively affect student experience and outcomes”. It also goes on to claim that the consequences of casualisation “…can disproportionately affect those from less advantaged backgrounds, as well as immigrants, for instance - those who require a Tier 2 visa to maintain residency.”

What is more, the report explicitly references Liz Morrish’s report and therefore acknowledges that there is an epidemic of poor mental health among higher education staff.

However, the report states: “… there is little public information in the public domain explaining the need for different contract types and where and how often they are used. Within this vacuum, there is a risk that university critics could be left to shape this agenda, as well as the ‘solutions’ to it.” It also revealed that at Russell Group

5

universities there has been a 127% increase in the number of part-time, fixed term teaching only roles since 2012/13.

The Badger approached the University of Sussex about the issues raised in this article. We asked the following questions: 1. Can you explain the sharp increase in referrals to counselling at the University of Sussex from 2015-2016, where there was a 13x increase in referrals?

2. What measures are put in place to protect staff’s wellbeing from the effects of casualisation?

3. Do you acknowledge that the factors laid out in the HEIP 2019 report, such as excessive workloads, audits and metrics, and precarious contracts have contributed to an epidemic of poor mental health among Higher Education staff, and if so, what has the University of Sussex done to prevent this?

The University provided the following comment regarding the issues raised above: “We recognise that, for many reasons, most people need help in managing their mental health at some point in their lives and we welcome the fact that accessing support has become easier and less stigmatised in recent years. We are committed to supporting the wellbeing of our staff both within and outside of the workplace.

Through our partner CareFirst, any member of staff

at Sussex can access free, confidential support, any time of the day and night. Whether it is a family matter, moving house, moving job, a major life event, neighbourhood concerns or consumer rights, CareFirst can provide advice and help, and signpost colleagues to more specialist services. If CareFirst experts believe that face-toface counselling would help, this is made available locally.”

In light of the revelation that Sussex decided to outsource their well-being services in October 2018, The Badger sought more answers from the University regarding their partnership with Carefirst.

However, they failed to provide a response before our deadline.

We hope to write a follow up article about outsourced wellbeing services in the future.

At the time of publication, the strikes are ongoing. Sussex UCU have shared leaflets stating that “Negotiations have been positive. There has been some movement from employers that hasn’t been witnessed before”.

The Badger will update the online version of this article with the results of this wave of strike action.

Comments from Liz Morrish and university staff have been shortened for the purposes of this print edition. You can find their full testimonies alongside the online version of this article.

Vote for your new representatives from 23rd - 27th March In the 2019 Spring referendum, Sussex students voted for the Students’ Union to introduce a full-time International Students’ Officer. Based on this vote, and the fact that we can only have six full-time Officers each year, we undertook a review of what the other Officer roles should be alongside the new International Students’ Officer.

This involved 2 student surveys, 10 focus groups and 61 interviews. Informed by our research with Sussex students, the Students’ Union Executive Team decided on six new full-time Officer roles.

Full-time Officer Roles: International Students’ Officer This Officer represents and supports all international students at the University (this includes EU, non-EU and exchange students).

Education

and Employability Officer This Officer represents and supports the student body in terms of their education, ensuring that student views are heard by those making key decisions that affect the academic learning experience of students at Sussex.

Wellbeing Officer This Officer will be predominantly working on issues regarding student mental health, wellbeing and safety.

Diversity, Access and Participation Officer This Officer will represent and support students from marginalised groups, such as BAME students, students of faith, LGBTQ+ students, women students, trans students, nonbinary students, students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds and students with disabilities.

Societies, Sports and Events Officer This Officer represents and supports students in matters relating to active involvement within the Students’ Union, specifically sports, societies, events, volunteering and other student-led activities.

Student Living and Sustainability Officer This Officer will work towards improving the day to day issues which students face in relation to housing, transport, community, campus facilities, finances and affordability.

To find out more about the roles please visit: w w w.sussexstudent.com/ democracy/full-time-officerelections Candidates and their manifestos will be announced on Tuesday 17th March.

Don’t forget to vote from Monday 23rd March - Friday 27th March.

Results will be announced from 6pm on Friday 27th March in Falmer House Common Room.

The outgoing elected officers from 2019-2020

The Badger 16th March 2020

News

How does the U.S. Democratic primary work?

Venice Hancock News Sub-Editor As we move closer and closer to the Democratic convention in July, we get to see democracy in action during the entire primary leading up to the final convention. But how does it all work? And where are we now?

To start, let’s talk about the candidates. As of now, there are only three candidates that remain in the race to become the 2020 democratic nomination, Joe Biden, Tulsi Gabbard and Bernie Sanders.

Recently some more major candidates, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar and Michael Bloomberg have dropped out of the race and have all publicly

endorsed former vice-president Joe Biden. Elizabeth Warren also dropped out Thursday March 5.

To understand the whole process, we need to go back to the first major event in the Democratic primary, the Iowa caucus. A caucus is basically a big meeting or gathering of all the people involved in the Iowa Democratic Party.

The people gather in support of a certain candidate and then votes are counted based on a head count or a show of hands. Iowa is famously an important moment in any primary, because it’s the first.

However, this year’s caucus was a disaster, no real results were obtained due to a technical problem with an app that was

Jackson Lanier

meant to count votes. This put into question the effectiveness of the Iowa Democratic Party and led people to rethink if the Primary should really put so much importance on the Iowa caucus. There are only three more caucuses in this 2020 primary, in Nevada, North Dakota and Wyoming.

The next big step is the New Hampshire primary.

Much like Iowa, a whole lot of importance is placed on this minuscule north-Eastern state.

In each step in the primary, the candidate’s goal is to amass as many delegates as she or he can.

Despite its perceived political importance, New Hampshire only has 24 delegates up for grabs. The difference between a primary and a caucus is that in a primary, all registered democrats in the state are invited to vote like in any normal election.

Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg did well in this primary, while Elizabeth Warren and Joe Biden seemed to struggle more.

One critique of the importance placed on both Iowa and New Hampshire is that they are not actually representative of the Democratic Party as a

whole. They are both primarily white states, whereas the Democratic Party has always been the more diverse party.

With Nevada and South Carolina having come and gone, it’s now time for the biggest event in the Primary, Super Tuesday. This took place on March 3, Super Tuesday is the day where the most states, territories or groups get to vote in the same day.

A third of the delegates are up for grabs on that day. The two big prizes any candidate will want to win are California, with 415 Democratic delegates and Texas with 228.

They are both very diverse states, that many argue are more representative of the Democratic Party. Joe Biden stunned everybody and did extremely well in this year’s Super Tuesday, winning Texas and many other Southern states, earning a total of 453 delegates, owing his victory in large part to black voters.

Sanders was not far behind, winning California and earning a total of 382 delegates. Tulsi Gabbard only collected one.

Now comes the rest of the primary. The remaining states

6

will vote and the candidates will continue to campaign.

Based on the current polls and primaries that have already taken place, it seems to be down to Joe Biden or Bernie Sanders.

The former being considered as a more moderate, centrist candidate and the latter being painted as the revolutionary, more left-leaning candidate.

Finally, the Democratic convention will take place between July 13 and 16, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This is where the nominee will be chosen. This is where the delegates get to vote for the candidate. If a candidate wins over 50 percent of delegates (that’s 1,990 delegates for a total of 3,979 of them), she or he becomes the nominee.

If no candidate wins at least 50 percent, the party brings in the “superdelegates”. These are 771 senior members of the Democratic Party (such as former President Bill Clinton) who get to vote for whoever they wish.

Once the nominee is chosen, then begins the presidential campaign against the Republican nominee, which is currently expected to be sitting President Donald Trump.

Mass protests held in Delhi over new “anti-Muslim” laws People have gathered in Delhi to protest a new immigration law which critics have labelled as anti-Muslim Joel Renouf-Cooke News Print Sub-Editor The bill, which was passed by the Indian Parliament at the end of last year, allows immigrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh to apply for citizenship providing they are not Muslim.

The Government has claimed that the new bill is to provide refuge for religious minorities escaping persecution in the surrounding countries – all of which have a majority Islam population.

However, critics have denounced the motion claiming that the new law’s main purpose is the “delegitimisation of Muslim’s citizenship”.

They are arguing that if the law’s purpose was to protect religious minorities, then it should also include Muslim minorities who have faced persecution in their own countries, such as the Rohingyas is Myanmar and the Ahmadis in Pakistan.

Writing in the Indian Telegraph, Historian Mukul Kesavan argued that the new immigration law propagates the idea that the “marginalisation

and demonisation of Muslims in public life” is somehow acceptable and normalises the discrimination of people based on religious belief.

There are currently around four million to 10 million illegal immigrants living in the North Eastern region of Assam – which borders Bangladesh – many of which are farmworkers or tribesmen living in rural communities, descendance of those who moved to India during British colonial rule or exrefugees who fled to India during the 1971 war with Pakistan.

The region, in which Muslims are the second largest religious group after Hinduism, will be significantly affected and there are fears that these people – many of whom have lived in India for decades or even their whole lives, but have never applied for citizenship – as well as the 200 million Muslim citizens from the wider country as a whole, will be denied rights of citizenship such as voting rights or owning property, if the move goes ahead.

Those who wish to remain citizens, must provide evidence

that they or their families came to India before 24 March 1971 or risk deportation or imprisonment.

However, this unfairly targets Muslims, many of whom no longer have the documents of their grandparents necessary to prove their “Indianness”.

S.M. Hadi has been sifting through documents to try and prove his family’s Indian heritage, “We have been sorting through all our old junk to find some proof that my father, grandfather, great grandfather all lived here,” said Hadi, a professor emeritus at Aligarh Muslim University. “There’s such panic it’s ridiculous.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has in the past demonstrated a discriminatory attitude against Muslims in the country, referring to the “infiltrators” as “termites in the soil of Bengal”.

This rhetoric is evidence of rising far-right sentiment that has been unravelling the democratic process in India for the last decade. Visiting the country earlier this year, Trump described the Indian leader as “calm person, a great leader and somebody who works

for his people” and the two’s relationship since has been described as a “bromance”.

Increasing Islamophobic rhetoric in India is having sinister consequences, Kasavan described how “The agenda of Modi’s second term is the institutionalization of discrimination[…] reducing minorities to second-class citizens” and is a “flagrant violation of the basic structure of the Constitution”.

Last month, videos and images emerged of a Muslim man in Delhi being beaten unconscious by a crowd of young men armed with sticks and metal rods. It is understood that Mohammed Zubair was on his way home from a local mosque when he was set upon by the mob who were counter-protesting the protests against the growing anti-Islam sentiment in Indian law.

Islamophobic violence is on the rise in India with dozens of similar attacks being reported. Last year, a Muslim man was beaten to death by protesters who claimed the man had beef products in his home – cows being sacred in

Hindu culture – however some have said that the attack was based on the man’s religious beliefs as it was never proved that he possessed any beef.

The Assam government has also revealed plans to build internment camps for those who have their citizenship stripped.

According to local media, India is now building 10 mass detention centres which are predicted to have a predicted capacity for more than 1.8 million people. The facilities are a sinister addition to those in a growing number of countries who have institutionalised vast numbers of people, like the huge “re-education” centres in China for Uighur Muslims and Trump’s detention centres for illegal immigrants in the USA. International outrage is expected, however, in a world where popular politicians are able to act with increasing impunity over populations that are becoming increasingly nationalistic and inwardlooking.

Any response is bound to be limited, with little change to the overall trend of discriminatory laws.

The Badger 16th March 2020

News

Leading HIV charity warns that government is not ready for PrEP release by April

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The Leading HIV and sexual health charity, The Terrence Higgins Trust, has questioned the government’s readiness to keep its promise to deliver PrEP in England by April Jasmine Crowhurst Staff Writer Pre-exposure Prophylaxis or PrEP is a drug that provides the most effective protection against HIV transmission. It is taken daily or on demand before sexual contact and provides a strong degree of security as it effectively eliminates the possibility of contracting HIV. Taking it as a continual medication means that most people can expect a normal life expectancy and cannot pass it on. It is currently available through the NHS in Scotland and Wales, but it is not so easily accessible in England and Northern Ireland, meaning individuals are currently left to self-source the drug online.

PrEP is a means for allowing those who feel at risk of contracting HIV, to protect themselves discreetly, giving a sense of autonomy and power over their own body.

The Terrence Higgins Trust stressed that the rollout of PrEP is ‘vital’ in controlling the spread of the disease and warned that the government is currently unclear on how it will meet this deadline.

They stated “It’s now late February and – despite all of the government’s rhetoric on the importance of prevention – it’s entirely unclear how this timetable is going to be stuck to or how PrEP will be effectively delivered.”

Debbie Laycock, head of policy at the Terrence Higgins Trust, said “The government has confirmed its intention to make PrEP routinely available in England from April, which is absolutely the right decision and vital as we aim to end HIV transmissions over the next decade” A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “We are working with NHS England and [NHS]

Improvement, Public Health England and local authorities to plan for the commissioning of PrEP from April 2020”.

The health and social care secretary Matt Hancock declared in last October, “the rollout from a trial to routine commissioning will happen in April [2020]”, but also suggested that “there are some gaps where local authorities need to do more” PrEP prevents HIV transmission by stopping the virus from replicating in cells.

Currently, Tens of thousands take PrEP in the UK, and whilst it is on trial via NHS distribution, it is still not freely available on the NHS. This is because in 2016, NHS England decided they would not be commissioning PrEP, claiming that prevention was not in their remit.

Some argue that PrEP could forecast the end of the world’s HIV pandemic, and the preliminary signs are

positive. Public Health England announced a 71% drop in new HIV transmissions among gay and bisexual men since 2012.

The dramatic decrease is largely due to PrEP but is also merited by the improved screening and the effect of regular medication stopping transmission of the virus.

Instead of making PrEP available, the NHS and Public Health England announced an ‘Impact Trial’ initially making the drug available to 10,000 people at risk – predominantly gay and bisexual men, but also African women, sex workers and trans people - a number that has since risen to cover 26,000.

However, its effectiveness was unsuccessful in convincing NHS commissioners in making the drug widely available.

In light of this, PrEP users and campaigners are concerned that HIV prevention in recent years isn’t being prioritised by public health systems in

England. The lack of access to PrEP is considered to be an issue of public health by many.

HIV disproportionately affects black African heterosexual men and women, gay and bi men, sex workers, and drug users.

The Terrence Higgins trust notes that these groups are far more likely to be stigmatised: “HIV is a medical condition that carries a lot of stigma, usually because people lack information about it or they make moral judgements about how someone has contracted HIV … Stigma is often borne out of fear and can take many forms, including: hostility, physical or verbal abuse, or someone being avoided or excluded from activities they used to take part in.

“If you experience harassment or abuse of any kind it is important to report this to the police or to contact a domestic violence organisation like Refuge.”

Drag queen faces backlash after visit to Scottish Primary School A Scottish drag queen has left fearful of targeted assault following an appearance at a primary school, after a British tabloid media onslaught and harassment from online trolls Joshua McLaughlin Staff Writer Miss Mullen, a 21-year-old Scottish drag queen and comedian, has faced an outcry of public scrutiny following her recent visit to students at Glencoats Primary School, Paisley.

Mullen, who identities as a transgender woman, was invited to the Scottish primary school alongside fellow LGBT+ member and advocate, SNP MP Mhairi Black, for the school’s LGBT+

History Month celebrations.

After the children were asked what they would like to be featured during their LGBT+ History Month event, they reportedly suggested a ‘drag queen’ guest as their first choice.

The Scottish drag queen, who also performs under the stage name ‘Flowjob’ for adult audiences, first garnered national attention after being decried by a Daily Star article, describing previous explicit jokes and sexually suggestive performances uploaded

Jrdeh

under her Twitter handle.

Being introduced to the children as ‘Flow,’ an entirely separate act than ‘Flowjob,’ she enacted a story time performance of ‘Kenny Lives with Erica and Martina,’ an educational children’s book that aims to explain tolerance, acceptance, diversity and equality to younger children, which was read at the school to pupils aged between five to seven years-old.

Once the story began to spread, Mullen became the victim of online criticism and harassment, which has included being branded as a “paedophile” and “abhorrent,” being denounced for “grooming,” bringing “fetish” into the classroom and “brainwashing young children,” as well as being ‘deadnamed’

by British media tabloids.

Regarding the backlash, Mullen told the Daily Record that “The worst part was being accused of being a paedophile,” further adding that “I’ve got full disclosure, which is checked by the school before I do any work with kids.”

“I’ve never been scared to walk the streets the way I do before. [...] But now, after being brought into the public eye, I don’t want people to recognise me in the streets.”

“Every entertainer has to cater to their crowd,” Mullen states. “I’m not going to go into a school and tell the dirty jokes I tell to adults because that’s inappropriate, but if I go to read a story book to kids, there’s no harm done.”

Mhairi Black subsequently took to Twitter in to defend Mullen in a series of tweets, retorting at discriminatory commentary with, “The Simpsons has been mocking your ‘won’t somebody think of the children!’ faux sincerity since the 90s. I don’t know why you think repackaging it now isn’t completely transparent.”

“If my school had invited a gay MP and drag queen to visit during LGBT+ History Month, or even acknowledge that LGBT+ History Month existed, it would have made an immeasurable difference to the difficult childhoods my LGBT+ classmates and I had.”

After initially thanking Miss Mullen for her appearance, the school’s social media account was locked due to the severity in nature of some of the online comments it received.

It has been reported that staff at the school have also been subject to “truly awful” abuse in the wake of Mullen’s visit.

The Renfrewshire Council has since apologised for the incident, as well as to those affected by it, following the revelation that had the local authority been aware of Mullen’s social media presence, “the visit would not have been arranged.”

On the other hand, LGBT Youth Scotland have expressed their sympathies with all those affected by the online abuse, and continue to advocate equality and inclusivity.

“We’re horrified to see the abusive messages and tweets targeting Glencoats Primary School for their bold and brilliant LGBT inclusive education practices. We are proud to work with their pioneering headteacher, and recognise the school as an example to others across the country.”

The Badger 16th March 2020

News Protests in France after Roman Polanski wins Best Director at César Awards

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Roman Polanski, who has historically admitted to statutory rape, won Best Director at the Césars, sparking audience walk-outs and clashes between protesters and police

Gemma Laws Staff Writer [Trigger Warning: Rape] On 28 February, the César Awards in Paris, described as France’s equivalent to the Oscars, awarded Roman Polanski ‘Best Director’ for his latest film J’Accuse (An Officer and a Spy).

The decision to award the French-Polish director - who has infamously admitted to statutory rape - generated strong responses from the public and the world of French cinema Most significantly, actress Adèle Haenel - nominated for best actress for Portrait of a Lady on Fire - left her seat during the award’s announcement, shouting “shame!”. A video shows her later sarcastically cheering “well done, paedophilia” while leaving the venue followed by a few others. Outside, over

100 protestors, displaying placards with statements such as “victims, we believe you” and “no to impunity”, were met with French police who fired tear gas.

Polanski has long been a controversial figure. In 1977, he admitted to the statutory rape of 13-year-old Samantha Gailey.

While awaiting sentencing he fled from the United States to France, which has since refused to extradite him.

Polanski continues to receive allegations of sexual abuse. Most recently, French photographer and former actress Valentine Monnier accused Polanski of raping her in 1975 when she was 18, halting the publicity campaign for J’Accuse. Basing the film on the case of Jewish officer Alfred Dreyfus, Polanksi has been criticised for drawing similarities between himself and the wrongly-persecuted

Dreyfus. In spite of such controversies, the film led the Cesars nominations and has been a French box office hit.

Haenel, associated with France’s #MeToo movement for accusing director Christophe Ruggia of abusing her as a child, told the New York times before the ceremony that ‘distinguishing Polanski is spitting in the face of all victims’.

“

Protestors displaying placards with statements such as “victims, we believe you” and “no to impunity”, were met by French police who fired tear gas

Furthermore, an open letter signed by 400 filmmakers and actors prompted the committee responsible for the Césars to resign after calling

Manfred Werner (Tsui) it

elitist and dysfunctional.

Polanski and his team did not attend, with the director stating he feared a feminist ‘public lynching’. His win did spark some declarations of support from French public figures. Former actress Brigitte Bardot used twitter to thank Polanski for ‘sav[ing] cinema from mediocrity,’ stating that she only judges ‘his talent and not his private life’.

But internationally, the

response has largely been negative, with celebrities such as Rose McGowan and Jessica Chastain voicing their support of Haenel and the protestors.

What this means for French cinema and France’s #MeToo movement might not be realised until the next awards season.

Yet Polanski’s actions and the wider debate around separating art from artist seem ever harder to ignore.

Brighton and Hove Council to receive £100k to aid

NHS advice for getting support

victims of domestic abuse

for domestic violence:

The donation is part of a nationwide £16.6 million project to support domestic abuse survivors across the UK

• Talk to a doctor, health visitor or midwife

Georgia-May Keetch News Online Sub-Editor The Conservative government, led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, has allocated £100,000 to Brighton and Hove City Council, alongside many other councils, in order to aid and help victims of domestic abuse.

This change comes from the campaign of MP for Hove, Peter Kyle, who has been wanting to see this chance since he was first elected.

The government said: “This funding is part of a £16.6 million package to support 75 projects across England that work with victims of domestic abuse and their children to keep them safe, including those in Brighton and Hove.”

This allocation of money is a delivery on the 2019 Conservative Party manifesto to increase support for refuges and community support for victims of rape and sexual abuse.

The conservative party leader on the council, Councillor Steve Bell, said that “I’m delighted our city will receive nearly £100,000

in new funding for vital refuge services for survivors of domestic abuse.” “…and I’m looking forward to working with the administration in the city to ensure the money gets to where it needs to be- on the front-line helping victims to rebuild their lives”

“

This new funding will help local areas better protect victims and their children and provide essential life-saving services, delivering the urgent support that they need to rebuild their lives.

The government’s Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary, Robert Jenrick, said: “Domestic abuse destroys lives and leaves victims living in fear in their own homes – the place where they should feel most safe and secure.

“No victim of domestic abuse should have to struggle to get the right support or wait months for help that they need.

“This new funding will help local areas better protect victims and their children and provide essential life-saving services, delivering the urgent support that they need to rebuild their lives.”

The council is due to recommission some services this year and wants the perpetrators of abuse to spend more time in one-to-one sessions.

The Greens want the existing budget to continue to be funded – along with an extra £52,000 to be allocated to support services for women and girls to reflect rising demand.

Councillor Steve Bell ended the meeting on the topic by saying “The Conservatives are determined to ensure that victims of domestic abuse are protected and will strengthen their rights further via the Domestic Violence Bill in Parliament – which will have my wholehearted support.”

If you need to access support, visit the student life centre or theportal.org.uk

• Women can call The Freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge on 0808 2000 247 for free at any time, day or night. The staff will offer confidential, nonjudgemental information and support • Men can Men's Life Advice on 0808 8010 327 (Monday and Wednesday, 9am to 8pm, and Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9am to 5pm) for non-judgemental information and support • Men can also call ManKind on 0182 3334 244 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm) • If you identify as LGBT+ you can call Galop on 0800 999 5428 for emotional and practical support • Anyone can call Karma Nirvana on 0800 5999 247 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) for forced marriage and honour crimes.

You can also call 020 7008 0151 to speak to the GOV.UK Forced Marriage Unit • In an emergency, call 999

News

The Badger 16th March 2020

News Where You Aren’t

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Georgia-May Keetch, News Sub-Editor, reviews some of the big stories from across the country Northern Ireland - Do you mind if I sit here?

Northern Ireland’s biggest cinema chain, Omniplex, is introducing a “seat separation” policy in response to coronavirus.That means that every second seat will be left unoccupied in a checkerboard pattern. Omniplex operates from 15 locations across Northern Ireland.It is the latest in a series of measures aimed at combating the spread of Covid-19.Paul John Anderson, director of Omniplex, said the move was in line with World Health Organisation guidance.”This means we’ve reduced our overall capacity by 50% and it will give cinemagoers peace of mind,” he said.Mr Anderson said other measures include selfscanning of tickets, increased cleaning regimes and handsanitising stations in every cinema foyer.

Cambridge - In it to win it!

Birmingham - Victory Cr*p Maisie the wire-haired dachshund was Northern crowned the champion of Crufts 2020, Ireland but she let her champion status slip on her victory lap after the cute pup went to the toilet on the turf green. After scooping the prize for the Best in Show, the two-and-a-half-year-old dog looked proud as punch as she ran around the course with her owner Kim McCalmont.Unfortunately Maisie did what dogs do during her victory lap after seeing off competition from six other finalists to take home the grand prize. Quick off the block, owner Ms McCalmont, from Gloucestershire, cleaned up the mess, took out a blue plastic bag and picked up the mess left by the champion canine.

Pembrokeshire - Unusual Mitigation

Pembrokeshire

One million seeds are planted off the Pembrokeshire coast as a way to try and tackle climate change. Scientists hope the project at Dale Bay will create a huge new meadow and also help boost fish numbers and support marine wildlife.It is part of Britain’s largest project to save the “wonder plant” as Up to 92% of the plant may have disappeared from the UK’s coast over the last century, research has found.”Planting seagrass is an opportunity to reverse that loss and start to kick into action a recovery for our seas around the UK,” says Dr Richard Unsworth, from Swansea University.

THE

BADGER needs you!

19-year-old Sam Lawton from Cambridge has won a whopping £120k on his first ever lottery ticket. The dad-of-one said he went to work afterwards, as he didn’t believe he had won, after purchasing the ticket online for £1.50. The teen will be given £10,000 every month for the next year as part of the Set For life Draw; which he says will go on his one year old son Noah and on various holidays with his 20 year old partner. Whilst his mum is overjoyed, Sam admitted his mum was a bit miffed, as she has played the lottery since it started and never won anything previously.

Southwark - What is that melody?

A woman has undergone brain surgery while playing the violin to ensure surgeons did not damage the part which controls the fine movement Birmingham of her hands. Dagmar Turner, a 53-year-old management consultant and passionate violinist from the Isle Cambridge of Wight, had a tumour removed at King’s College Hospital. She was worried she may lose her music Southwark skills so she suggested she be allowed to play the violin during the operation. Ms Turner thanked the surgeons afterwards for preserving her 40-year love for the instrument.

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Comment

The Badger 16th March 2020

THE BIG DEBATE

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The Big Debate is a regular Badger feature which brings the spirit of competitive debating to the printed page. Two writers tackle a contentious topic, representing polarised views. They might not agree with what they write - on this page, they represent a viewpoint, not an individual. This week, they discuss whether smoking should be illegal.

Yes Alex Valeri Marketing Manager

I

am a smoker. People enjoy smoking and think that it adds something to their personality on the most superficial level—whether we like it or not. Smoking gives you an edge; like you know you’re killing yourself, but you don’t care. For me to argue that smoking should be illegal is highly hypocritical but it comes from an internal debate that all smokers have… Should I quit and why did I start in the first place?

I wish I’d never started; yet here I am, smoking a rollie whilst I write this. The problem lies in the availability of tobacco and the prominence of its use. As well as the fact that tobacco production is rooted in exploitative supply chains that hurt people at all levels.

Tobacco supply chains are some of the most exploitative in the world.

Billions are made in profits for tobacco companies every year. Tobacco lobbying of government is detrimental to the political and social process; fat cats in small rooms smoking cigars readily comes to mind.

Tobacco is one of the most heavily regulated commodities in the world.

Its history in Europe embodies the capitalist system; mass commodification of products like sugar, tobacco, and tea brought capitalism to life.

These were traded to the advantage of the British Empire who profiteered from the labour of the people who worked on the ground. The exploitation of labour in the ‘New World’ was largely within a system of slavery that lasted until the late 19 th century.

Tobacco conglomerates continue to exploit labour all over the world. Recently, a Guardian study into the evils of tobacco farming focused on the exploitation of child labour in Malawi. The study found that the British American Tobacco (BAT) company place high demands on the tenant farmers that grow their tobacco.

This heavy burden often falls on to the families (often children) of the farmers, as they are drawn into a laborious dayto-day struggle of hard labour. BAT reap the profits of “unjust enrichment”, and continue to induce poverty in regions where their tobacco is grown.

That is just the effects of growing tobacco. A poisonous commodity with a dark colonial past, choking farmers that slave over the land to meet unrealistic quotas and high demand.

Tobacco is crippling to agricultural laborers that rely on its production; it is also crippling to the smokers’ health.

Increasing the chance of multiple types of cancer and usually leading to an early

death. These are the basics that we have been told for decades and have ceased to implement significant policy change.

Smoking puts massive strain on the NHS. Of the many reasons why smoking should be illegal, this is perhaps the strongest. Every year the tobacco industry kills 7,000,000 people. In Britain alone, 78,000 people die from smoking related illnesses per year.

The NHS must provide a service to every person that suffers. What is the alternative? You lose your right to healthcare if you smoke/ if you have ever smoked? This is not the path to take. It seems a lot simpler to deny people the option to purchase the good legally.

The sale of tobacco should certainly be illegal, and so should smoking in public. Smoking is a choice, but one that negatively impacts others— through litter, smell, polluted air, and the staggering cost on the NHS of smoking related illnesses. Smoking is a dirty habit and a private privilege. It should not be forced on others in public spaces.

The debate of the legality of smoking is very relevant from a post-Brexit perspective. Recently, changes to EU tobacco laws will make menthol

No Ella Rawson

T

here are two laws regarding smoking. The first one being the legal age for buying cigarettes which is 18, and the second one which is the illegality to smoke in public spaces that are enclosed or substantially enclosed areas. These policies do not inhibit people’s freedom of choice, to smoke or not to smoke.

Smoking cigarettes should be legal, for the simple fact that each individual should be able to make autonomous decisions over how they live their life.

The labels on cigarette packets, such as: ‘smoking clogs your arteries’ and ‘smoking kills quit now’ substantially informs smokers of the risks they are taking.

Smokers are able to make a choice whilst being aware of the consequence.

If the Government wanted to make smoking illegal, they would have by now, so why haven’t they? When smokers buy a pack of cigarettes, at an average of £10 a pack, around 4 to 5 pounds of

Should smoking be illegal? cigarettes, some rolling tobaccos, skinny cigarettes, and other tobacco products illegal as of May 2020 in attempts to stop young people from smoking.

The EU’s Tobacco Products Directive, which was passed in 2014, is an example of an EU law that would be automatically codified into the British Constitution pre-Brexit. This means it would become law without being checked by British government.

“

Smoking puts massive strain on the NHS. Of the many reasons why smoking should be illegal, this is perhaps the strongest.

Until the end of 2020 these EU laws will continue to stay in effect. But, postBrexit Britain may see a rejection of or change to these new tobacco laws. This could see a roll-back of certain positive measures that have been taken to reduce the proliferation of tobacco and its use.

While smoking remains a choice, the NHS is already breathless from blows of austerity. Smoking puts further strain on our national health and the NHS bears the brunt of it from people either seeking advice on how to quit or being treated for smoking-related issues.

Breathing is easy and vital… smoking makes it hard. This alone is enough justification to make it illegal.

that is spent on tax. Meaning that smokers in Britain contribute around 12 billion pounds in tax per year just for smoking.

Arguably, paying for a significant amount of National Health service burden.

Even if smoking did become illegal, it would not stop people from smoking.

Tobacco would be sold on the black market, where purity could not be verified, and tobacco would increase in its likelihood as a gateway drug. Secondly, it may lead people to smoke inside their households, leaving children at higher risk of smoke related health problems.

The major issue with smoking is the addictiveness of nicotine. The better solution would be to offer better services and access to support for people to quit.

One of the other issues with the idea of making smoking illegal is that the question is raised: what else should be banned?

‘In a new analysis, researchers have estimated that 11 million deaths around the world were related to poor diet’ wrote the NHS on a study of the Global Burden of Disease 2017. Should we be banning McDonalds too?

Sugar is still hitting record highs as the driving factor for diseases and deaths.

But products containing sugar don’t state ‘sugar may be addictive, be careful with your consumption’. So really tobacco packaging can be seen as already responsible and preventative. Prevent-

able deaths are caused by sugar, alcohol or even driving, but there aren’t warnings on bottles, sugar or cars. Every society has their vices, if we want to get rid of one, won’t we have to get rid of many others.

Well, the government profits massively on all of those products, so of course making anything unhealthy illegal is pretty much impossible. If tobacco isn’t your vice, it will be something different. Freedom of choice and autonomy is very important, we should be allowed to choose our vices.

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Smoking cigarettes should be legal, for the simple fact that each individual should be able to make autonomous decisions over how they live their life.

The first step is to be aware of the risks one takes by doing so. I believe tobacco companies and the education system responsible address the risks of smoking.

Whereas, many people are still very unaware of the dangers of processed sugar and it is sold everywhere, from hospitals to schools.

Even though I think smoking should not be illegal, I do think that the rules around where you can smoke should be stricter so that passive smoking is reduced. Individuals’ decision to smoke should not impact others and sadly there have been countless cases of people getting cancer from passive smoking.

Criminalising smoking would restrict one’s freedom of choice. A smoker probably knows the consequence of smoking and takes this decision into their own hands. More so, if smoking should become illegal, to lower rates of ‘preventable deaths’ then alcohol and sugar should surely be illegal too.

But the Government would never do that because of the detrimental impact it would have on tax revenues. Even though it should not be illegal, maybe instating stricter rules on smokers may discourage smoking overall.

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The Badger 16th March 2020

Comment

Sussex takes steps for eco-friendly electronics

Ruth Walters Sweatshop Free Sussex, a student led campaign group, is pleased to announce that the University of Sussex is now affiliated with Electronics Watch!

This was one of the campaign’s core goals and was a focus for nearly 2 years.

Electronics Watch is an independent monitoring organisation which uses a worker led monitoring model to increase transparency in the production of electronic goods purchased by public buyers (such as universities).

Electronics Watch brings public buyers together to use their leverage and put pressure on the electronics industry to improve, whilst also encouraging public procurers to be more accountable for their purchasing choices.

By becoming an affiliate, Sussex is joining a network of public buyers who care about the conditions the electronics they buy are made in and acknowledge the stake they have in the industry. Sussex will receive, and have access to, reports from organisations in production regions who carry out ongoing, worker led monitoring in factories which produce brands

bought by Sussex.

If workers’ rights abuses are reported, Sussex can push Electronics Watch to further investigate these and can directly relay their condemnation of any reported abuses to the producers.

They will also have access to platforms and training sessions about socially responsible public procurement and the important role public buyers play in the electronics industry. In order to affiliate, Sussex paid £3,000, agreed to submitting a list of products and suppliers used, agreed to implementing Electronics Watch’s (or a similar) code of conduct and provided a point of contact.

Martha Knott, a member of the campaign, said “I’m so excited that Sussex has affiliated to Electronics Watch. After two years of hard work, organisation, discussions, meetings, and action, it’s so rewarding to see that we can make a difference when we come together as a group. This affiliation means that Sussex are joining other universities in taking a step forward for workers’ rights and taking responsibility for their role in the global electronics supply chains!”

Electronic goods that we rely

on contain raw minerals, some referred to as ‘conflict minerals’ as they originate from conflict zones, and sometimes even perpetuate conflict. This mining is generally unsafe and many reports indicate that child exploitation is rife. Electronics Watch is working on a project with other organisations to try and improve the mining stage of the supply chain.

However, within the manufacturing stage, workers’ rights abuses are also common. Workers are often faced with forced overtime, excessive working hours with no toilet breaks, no access to labour unions and exposure to toxic chemicals.

Migrant workers are particularly vulnerable to exploitation and forced labour. Electronics Watch work with partner organisations in production regions to monitor factories on an ongoing basis.

This contrasts with the common auditing model for factories whereby boxes are ticked and only surface level, visible working conditions are monitored for a short period of time.

Sussex will therefore receive much richer, detailed reports about where their electronics are made.

Driven by a knowledge of the industry and concern of the practices, a group of students started the Sussex Sweatshop Free campaign in 2018 to persuade the University to become a member of Electronics Watch. We recognise that large consumers, such as universities, have a lot of leverage in demanding changes in the industry and that Electronics Watch enables this leverage to be used.

Sweatshop Free is a national campaign run by People and Planet, the largest student campaign network in the UK. With their support and guidance, Sussex Sweatshop Free was formed and grew in numbers and power.

During the campaign, the group have spoken to key people in University management about Electronics Watch and pushed for answers as to why they hadn’t already affiliated.

We attended meetings to discuss the issue and sent many emails.

The other strand of the campaign has been to raise awareness of the electronics industry which we have done by having stands at Library Square as part of People & Planet’s 48 Hours of Action Against Samsung Union-

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Busting. As part of this we were raising awareness of Samsung’s repressive policies, gathering signatures for a petition and spreading the word about the campaign.

Over the last few months you may have also noticed post it notes with a stamped message of ‘Support the workers who made this Tech, Sussex Sweatshop Free’ on computers around campus, and posters with similar messages. We put these up to encourage everyone to think about where and how their technology is made and also to advertise the campaign.

Sussex Sweatshop Free would like to thank the University of Sussex for affiliating to Electronics Watch, and we hope they fully engage with their affiliation and utilise their market leverage by responding to reports. We would also like to thank People & Planet, the SU and all staff and students who have supported the campaign along the way.

We invite everyone to our celebration event on Thursday 19th March in Falmer Bar between 5-7pm. There’ll be free nachos and a relaxed celebration where you can find out more about Electronics Watch and the campaign.

The implicit patriarchy of relationship pressures Issy Anthony Comment Sub-Editor Relationships are a fundamental part of human nature. Romantic relationships, specifically, are shown to us constantly, from films and television, to advertising, to the marriages of members of a certain royal family.

They’re something we grow up believing we need in order to live a fulfilled life. But there is a difference in the way they are portrayed to men and women, leading to a disparity in their pressure to be in one.

Firstly, I must mention that I am writing this from a heterosexual perspective. This is for two reasons. The first is because quite a lot of this article will be based on experience, and this is the only experience I know, and I don’t want to assume anyone else’s. The second reason is that when there is a pressure from society to be in a relationship, it is largely pressure to be in a heterosexual relationship. This is because of society still not being as open as we would like, and their old-school views of a relationship influencing their current ideas.

Ever since around my 15th

birthday, there has been one question that has remained on the lips of family and friends: the dreaded ‘Have you got a boyfriend?’ I remember one summer, on the annual holiday we took with two other families (one with boys similar to my age, one with older girls), I was asked this question again. The two older girls in one family had brought their boyfriends with them, and I wondered if I should feel sad about this. I didn’t.

When I was asked if I had a boyfriend yet, and I replied no, they suggested I get a practice one. I didn’t have to love him, they explained, it would just be so I knew what to do when I did actually have one I liked, and also so I would at least have one.

Unsurprisingly, this was not the reaction my male friend of the same age got. He was viewed as playing the field, not settling for someone he wasn’t truly interested in, and just having fun.

And this was completely accepted.

This is not to blame them, being asked about possible relationships is pretty common place once you’re a teenager, but it just feels like there is more

pressure for girls than boys. We can be made to feel like our lack of a boyfriend reflects our social ability and desirability. And this right here is the problem.

When a boy/man states that he is single, there doesn’t seem to be much backlash. While maybe his mother would like him to be in a relationship, everyone else seems content to allow him to live freely, and choose when he wants to commit.

Whereas with a woman, put simply, it’s seen as a failure.

There must be something wrong with us to explain why we are not in a relationship: either we’re too bossy, or not attractive enough, or aren’t a serious candidate. I have never heard a male friend feel worried about not having a girlfriend. But I have heard many of my female friends worry if there is something wrong with them, or if they will ever find one.

Whatever the reason society has attached, why is it far more for women than men? I have a few ideas. The first is that we have always lived in a patriarchal society, so if there’s an excuse to make a woman feel less valid, you can bet we will.

The second is biology. Women have the ‘biological clock’ that men don’t have, meaning since the beginning of humanity, women have always known that to reproduce, they must settle down and find a partner quickly, whereas men have, essentially, their whole lives to figure it out.

If they wanted to be picky, then they could be picky.

The third reason are the sexist standards of sexuality that we hold women to. Thanks to porn and advertising, the current popular idea of a sexually desirable women is somewhat unrealistic. We are shown images of a big bum, small waist, flat stomach, slender legs, and long, glossy hair. Not to mention, we are expected to be practically hairless from the eyelashes down, and while I know some women who choose to do this, we have to be honest and admit that this is not the way our bodies were naturally made, and this trend has begun from patriarchal ideals.

There are many problems with this, but for the purpose of this article, I will zone in on one.

This all takes effort. Hairlessness, a good physique, flattering

clothes. A woman is expected to uphold these unrealistic beauty standards enforced on us, and only once she is in an established relationship, does she feel she can finally reveal a more realistic self.

This is not to mention one key aspect: sex. Women are slutshamed for sleeping around, whereas men are praised for upping their ‘body count’. If a woman wants to have sex, and preserve her reputation is society’s eyes, she will feel more pressure to do this within a relationship, whereas men will know they have far less to lose from being more sexually active.

And if a woman wants to have actually pleasurable sex, she is far more likley to have this in a relationship. According to a recent study by Harvard University’s Department of Psychology, a woman’s chance of having an orgasm goes from 32% the first time she sleeps with a partner, to 51% once they’ve slept together at least six times.

So, as a new generation, we have the power to, and we must, choose to ignore these sexist ideals, and be in a relationship when, and if, we want to.

The Badger 16th March 2020

Comment

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Blunting Bernie’s momentum Jackson Oka Jeremy Corbyn’s emphatic defeat to Boris Johnson in the December election has meant a variety of things for different interested parties. For young progressive Labour voters, it symbolised a lost opportunity to reclaim the strong lever of government needed to battle economic inequality.

For conservatives, it was reinforcement of an ideology of market-based solutions and fiscal responsibility, as well as a refutation of an antagonistic alternative to the status quo. The rejection of Jeremy Corbyn and further consolidation of rightwing narratives will continue to cause strife in the UK, but how has this reverberated around the world?

What has been relatively unrecognised were the implications for the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in the United States who, along with an army of liberal political pundits and commentators, were watching the election with acute opportunism. For them, Mr. Corbyn’s lacklustre performance provided further ammunition for dismissing the electability of popular candidate Bernie Sanders and his platform of democratic socialism.

Like Mr. Corbyn, Bernie has a long record of commitment to social justice and progressive, revolutionary causes. If Donald Trump’s momentum was a protest against empty platitudes in an era of stale conventional politics, Bernie’s momentum represents a tangible alternative to the real economic concerns of stagnant wages, augmented corporate power, and the widening gap between socio-economic classes.

In the 2016 US election, a simmering distrust of the political class manifested in the rejection of Hillary Clinton. Anointed by Barack Obama, backed by moderate Democrats and supported by corporate power owing to

Rwendland

her neoliberal agenda; Hillary was perfectly placed to fulfil the role of the DNC dynasty’s newest prophet. There was however the slight oversight of how the general population perceived her and what she stood for.

Many voters, including some who supported Bernie Sanders before he was defeated by Ms. Clinton in the primaries, saw her as inauthentic, robotic and self-entitled. Her appeal was similar to Jeremy Corbyn, who was deemed wholly impotent.

Donald Trump, au contraire, broke with convention, spoke his mind with bombastic flair, and communicated in an accessible and entertaining way.

The parallels with Boris Johnson’s rhetoric and political style are not insignificant, as both are ostensibly representatives of ‘the people’ who capture anti-establishment angst reformulated — ironically — as neoliberal policies which have prevailed for decades. In a similarly attractive albeit more sincere manner, Bernie Sanders’ message is unapologetically and explicitly for the working class.

Just as Jeremy Corbyn, Bernie is a strong and threatening critic of capitalism. He identifies those with exorbitant wealth and disproportionate power as emblematic of the foundational inequality within US society, excluding them from his campaign. This message has resonated with voters; just as Jeremy Corbyn’s message of power ‘for the many’ resonated with young British liberals.

Despite competing against the influence of corporate interests as well as the disapproval of many Democrats who view his platform as radical and alienating, Bernie outperformed many of his adversaries; building a wide, diverse base of support in the process. But as the majority of the Democratic party coalesce around former Vice President Joe Biden, the true power of Bernies’ campaign is beginning to be truly tested.

In terms of labour power, Bernie Sanders’ campaign is backed by the endorsement of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and more than twenty labour unions. On the ground, he benefits from the largest number of small donors, an ‘army’ of prominent left-wing voices on Twitter, and immensely successful left-wing podcasts like Chapo Trap House whose audiences are a young and enthusiastic voting group.

This base is similar to that

of Jeremy Corbyn’s, reflected in the 2019 election where he overwhelmingly won the young vote, especially those under 24. Many of these are first time voters who, having been dissuaded and pummelled into passivity by the lack of choice in electoral politics, are now finding themselves for the first time motivated to become actively involved.

There is good reason for the young Left across the Atlantic to be more optimistic than the Corbynites were in December.

Bernie had early successes in the primary caucuses in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina, winning the popular vote in the first three and placing behind Biden in the fourth.

These successes reflect the popularity of the cornerstone of his policy proposals – Medicare for all, elimination of college debt, higher taxes (particularly on the top income bracket) and raising the minimum wage.

Though Bernie Sanders has taken a considerable hit in ‘Super Tuesday’ — where 14 states hold primaries simultaneously — he remains the only potential alternative to Joe Biden, the establishment candidate.

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As Bernie’s momentum built, combative strategies shifted and adapted.

As Bernie’s momentum built, combative strategies shifted and adapted. Initially, liberal media outlets like MSNBC and CNN ignored or dismissed the potential of Bernie winning the nomination, opting instead to focus on the race between tempered progressive Elizabeth Warren and Joe Biden.

But as the unfolding primaries increasingly pointed to the likelihood of Bernie winning the popular vote, attacks pivoted to the ‘divisive rhetoric’ of his supporters, with negative similarities being drawn between Donald Trump’s aggressive election campaign.

The practicality of his strategy is being called into question.

Jeremy Corbyn’s defeat here in the UK has been portrayed as a cautionary tale of the perils of running an uncompromising and ethically driven campaign.

Before withdrawing from the race, the rest of the Democratic candidates averred that their pragmatic and measured approach is one the public are eager for in order to overcome President Trump’s popu-

PxHere list strength. These assurances mirror those of Hillary Clinton in 2016 who beat Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primaries, with some support from the DNC, only to fail to appeal to rust-belt working class and non-college educated white voters in the presidential election.

Bernie, therefore, faces a similar task that Mr. Corbyn did in unifying an uncooperative party to overcome the hostility of rivalling factions. Significantly though, the US presidential system is separate from houses of representatives, meaning that it is only once in office that this obstacle will truly present itself.

Though the path to that office is still a monumental and unlikely task, battle will be at each and every step. Firstly, Bernie must overcome the now consolidated moderate vote, the split progressive vote caused by Elizabeth Warren’s persistence despite consistently poor performances, and the power of big money donors to secure the party’s nomination.

Secondly, he faces Donald Trump and the Republican party directly who will likely attempt to stoke anti-socialist/communist paranoia, dusting off the ‘red scare’ political playbook to avoid engaging in policy debate. Then finally, at the end of this bleak tunnel, there will be a bellicose Congress and Senate waiting for him to roadblock at every reform.

Ironically enough though, given national polling data suggesting that Bernie Sanders’ consistently outperforms Donald Trump in a presidential campaign and his decades long experience negotiating as a minority issue Senator, it is winning the first battle that will prove the most difficult.

If Bernie does eventually win the DNC’s support, it will assuage more moderate and conservative voters, who will predominantly fall into line to

oust Donald Trump and restore some semblance of normality to the now disgraced office.

The struggles described may appear insurmountable, though the path is not as unfamiliar as many presume. Granted, as the global centre of capital the US does lack a history of socialist reforms and protections that many European welfare states and the UK are known for.

It does, however, have the peculiar propensity for electing radical leaders with ambitious objectives on occasion. Franklin D. Roosevelt won in 1933 on a platform of overhauling the national economy to reduce unemployment, poverty, and to undertake large-scale public infrastructure investments.

Similarly, Lyndon B. Johnson won in 1964 on a platform of progressive reforms and furthering civil rights. Bernie Sanders is indeed part of this long lineage of American liberalism, but he would be the first self-declared democratic socialist to achieve office if elected.

Now is the moment to convert the latent yearning for real reform into political reality.

US politics is in a period of flux and volatility which presents its people with a rare opportunity.

Through Bernie, they have the ability to touch the invisible force of capital that dictates their lives. The question now is whether he is doomed to the same fate as Mr. Corbyn; crucified by the alliance of corporate, media, and political power at the expense of those it governs.

If so, these forces will return to the shadows, remaining hidden, distorted and intentionally concealed by the compelling illusion of political deliberation.

A chance to bend these forces towards democratic control is one that ought to be seized; though the painful lessons of history are not comforting for revolutionaries, where power routinely crushes the people.

The Badger 16th March 2020

Comment 13 Wearing Kimono: appropriation or appreciation?

Charlotte Brill Social Media & Events Coordinator Walking through the streets of Kyoto I saw tourists wearing elegant Kimono or Yukata (the more casual summer alternative), taking aesthetically pleasing photos in front of temples, shrines and other tourist hotspots. I was confused, surely this was cultural appropriation?

Accusations of cultural appropriation pervade in global media, so much so that there is often a strong sense of anxiety about the dangers of perpetuating cultural stereotypes and being disrespectful. Yet, the number of tourists sporting this cultural look was so abundant, there must be more to the story.

For years, the Kimono industry has been in decline. Kimonos are incredibly expensive and often require expert help to put on. Instead, most Japanese favour ‘western’ clothing, reserving kimono for special occasions. Frequently, these kimonos have been part of a family’s heritage for generations and do not necessarily help keep this traditional industry alive.

In Kyoto’s most touristy ar-

eas, it is not hard to find kimono rental services offering ‘Geisha and Maiko Makeover Experiences’, complicating my assumption that tourists dressing in Kimono are culturally appropriative. In fact, these experiences are actively advocated on Japanese tourism boards. Japanese local, and student of Nagoya University, Mizuki Mori, referring to a trip to Kyoto, said: ‘’I felt so happy that many tourists are interested in wearing kimono and enjoying Japanese culture.’’

Such a response is not uncommon. Japanese people generally feel happiness or pride to see tourists taking a keen interest in Japanese cultural heritage. By sharing kimono with foreigners the tradition can live on in a new and modern way, where young Japanese women often have little interest continuing the kimono industry. Emma Field, whose mother is from a small Japanese island, explains that at kimono rentals, ‘’they will likely dress you in it and that ensures you’re wearing it properly and respectfully.’’

It is these ideals of appropriateness and respect which distinguish cultural appreciation

from cultural appropriation. In the Japanese case, many locals’ even welcome modification and hybridisation of traditional kimono. For Mizuki, tourists having fun and enjoying Japanese culture is more important than wearing kimono in a traditional way.

With fervent neoliberal globalisation, the world and it’s cultures are constantly changing; we are at the epoch of international cultural transmission, augmented by The Internet and consumption trends. Co-Director of the Sussex Asia Centre, Maurizo Marinelli, describes some cases of reinvented kimono as a ‘’transcultural object which is more than a garment… and really assumes a transcultural dimension.’’ It is imperative to address what this means for the very notion of culture.

In 2013, Katy Perry was accused of ‘’racism’’ when she performed in a modified kimono (amalgamating the Japanese kimono and Chinese cheongsam).

Particularly as its common to monolithically combine East Asian styles. But what do Japanese people in Japan think?

YouTuber, ‘That Japanese man

Yuta’ asked random people on the street, the general consensus was that they felt her love of Japanese culture. Poignantly, one interview participant, when asked about the modification of kimono, said: ‘’if that would create a new culture, it would be a wonderful thing.’’ Others, comparing Katy Perry’s ‘Americanised’ performance to Japan’s own absorption of culture, talked about the fluidity of culture and the importance of this hybridisation for continual adaptation.

Kimono, or items which hardly resemble the traditional dress, have long been central to the fashion industry. It is this form of cultural ‘borrowing’ which is likely to more insidiously commercialise and dishonour cultural traditions. Last year, Kim Kardashian received backlash after naming her shapewear brand Kimono. Taking to Twitter before the projects debut Kim claimed ‘’Kimono is my take on shapewear and solutions for women that actually work.’’

The sentiment, to provide body confidence solutions for women, is not particularly disagreeable. However, not only did

she call her intimate line ‘Kimono’, but also applied for a trademark to share the word with the traditional Japanese garment.

She has since responded and changed the name of her new brand to Skims. Much more fitting- literally and linguistically!

This, however, does not mean that Kimono cannot be celebrated in fashion. This March the Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk exhibition opens at London’s V&A Museum, presenting ‘’the kimono as a dynamic and constantly evolving icon of fashion, revealing the sartorial, aesthetic and social significance of the garment . . . both in Japan and the rest of the world’’, according the museums website.

It is important to understand the history of tradition and of cultural exchange to reveal how culture is shared and the potential for power imbalances. We should be wary of disrespectful cultural appropriation but before we assume that this is the case, we need to consider the wider picture. Understanding that cultural transmission can be a beautiful thing brings cultures together and educates people on cultural appreciation.

The internet that time forgot Arnav Gill Those of us who grew up with even a slice of experience of the world that the internet inhabited in the early 2000’s will no doubt remember that it bears little, if any resemblance to what it is today.

The best description I heard of this time was by Edward Snowden in 2013 who said, “you could have children from one part of the world, having an equal discussion…with experts in the field, from anywhere in the world, on any topic, at any time, all the time”. He went on to argue that the internet of that time was free and unrestricted, in the way that even these children were granted the same respect for their ideas as experts.

As the internet moves into its third decade of existence, it is hard to imagine the colossal transition such a project has made in such a short space of time; especially when comparing it to any other technology that has changed society.

I often find myself explaining the time when the internet was in its infantile stages to people who are just 4 years younger than me. I must sound like I’m recanting stories of a lost world.

Not to get too nostalgic, but this strange pocket of history ought to be explored.

When the internet began in the 1990’s it was super slow.

Using a dial-up connection meant you had to sacrifice the ability to use the phone line.

Even still, dedicated users began to flood early chat rooms with discussions that ranged from conspiracy theories to X-Files fan clubs.

The end of the decade marked the internet as a project for hobbyists, certainly not as something the general public could use, or as a device that could be used by government and news on a large scale.

The early 2000’s appeared to change all that. With the arrival of faster, even wireless connections the possibilities of what could be achieved were endless. Sites like Myspace capitalised for the first time on youth culture, with other sites like Napster piggybacking off the rebellious nature of illegal downloads that began with the advent of Lime Wire. Anyone who doesn’t at least remember one of those three will be lost on me, but trust me the internet was a fun place.

Miniclip provided hours of

mindless entertainment, giving a growing market place for small developers long before the app store. Memes were born during this span of internet history, where the custom of adding silly captions to photos pathed the way for the underbelly of online and offline comedy that is prevalent today. In a world before YouTube, video content was banded around this website for anyone’s amusement. Feeling lost still, don’t worry you’ll recognise the next chapter of internet time.

The internet began to change subtly from 2006 onwards.

Facebook launched worldwide in February of 06’, no longer being the best kept secret of America’s Ivy League. YouTube suddenly filled the video creation market that so many had been desperately craving on the internet. With Twitter following not long after, social media became the internet’s identity.

Alongside the ever-advancing phone market, content creation and the ability to sell and share advertising space became the epicentre of the World Wide Web. The internet began as a fringe project, misfits and weirdos gathering in secret to

discuss their niche interests amongst each other as equals.

What it became was a marketing tool.

As someone who has seen social media platforms be born and evolve, I believe that the romanticized dream of free speech that they initially embodied has ultimately failed.

They arrived with a desire to forge global communities and to share knowledge, but

somewhere along the way the party got high jacked, and knowing we were all there like sitting targets, advertisers flocked.

Perhaps it’s important we look back at that time and see what lessons we can learn from its three decades of existence… and think even more carefully about what the next three decades will look like in our new-age technological existence.

Dave K

The Badger 16th March 2020

Features Oh Europa: Love Songs from Europe

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Travel and Culture Editor Joshua Talbot offers his thoughts on Oh Europa - a collection of love songs to change your outlook on life

After travelling 46,000km around Europe in a van, collecting love songs from different areas, Gemma Paintin and James Stenhouse are now seeking opportunities to share the voices and stories that they stumbled upon.

Showcasing the body of work that they have called Oh Europa, they were on campus on March 12 and 13, at the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts.

Speaking about the piece, co-artistic director, Gemma, said: “The original thought was that we wanted to make a project that was thinking about Europe. It was something that seemed relevant at the time.

“We started thinking about the project at the end of 2015 and then when the referendum happened in 2016, there was a real urgency. If we were going to do it, we knew we should start soon.”

Reinforcing the fact that Brexit was a catalyst rather than a starting point, she added: “It’s not just about the EU, it is about all of the different ways of thinking about Europe. The EU is just one of them.”

The piece toured to Sussex was an installation of the songs and experiences gathered on the roads of Europe. These were presented in a micro-exhibition from inside the van in Postcards from the Edge.

There was also an eight-hour-long

Joshua Talbot radio show cleverly entitled RadiOh Europa, where audience members were invited to listen to the love songs as part of a ‘deep listening party’.

These are two of the ways in which the pair have decided to showcase their gatherings, but they haven’t stopped there.

This multimedia project has an app where you can unlock the voices of a region by travelling to one of the ‘beacons’ that have been placed at junctures and boundaries throughout Europe.

Speaking about the form that the project has taken, Gemma said: “People have described it in lots of different ways. The core is inviting people into

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the van to sing their love songs.

“We’ve worked with sound and audio a lot in the past but the form for us is always led by the project.”

As the company toured Europe in their van on a journey that started in April 2018, Gemma recalls the different levels of enthusiasm that locals had towards getting behind the microphone and singing.

“People didn’t tend to feel uncomfortable because if they did, they wouldn’t sing”, she noted.

There was, however, a need to nurture and make the van a space for whatever the individual wanted: “Some people really wanted to feel that they were wanted in that way.”

In contrast, she describes how “In Hungary being a ‘good singer’ isn’t a thing.

“There were folk songs that everyone sang in a way that was just unjudged, like the act of brushing your teeth.

In other countries, there is a social anxiety.

“You get to be a very good judge of what somebody wants in that moment.”

The company were showcasing the 940 love songs that they have gathered so far, in hope of getting us thinking about Europe and our personal connections with it in a different light.

If you missed the free event when it was on campus you may not have completely missed the boat. The company are touring to numerous locations around the UK- from Gateshead to Bristol and Carlow to Stratford.

If any of these locations are within your reach, the events put on offer some very interesting insight that is otherwise unavailable. It is in times of such political turmoil and international panic, in light of the Corona virus outbreak and the aftermath of Brexit, that we should avoid being introspective and look out at our neighbours in this relatively small plannet of ours. An attempt to understand and bridge gaps often leads to solutions to problems faced universally.

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The Badger 16th March 2020

Is fashion sustainability a fad?

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Arianna Lee, The Badger’s Features Editor, breaks down whether or not fashion sustainability is feasible as a concept in 2020 A recent example of fashion moving towards sustainability is the 2020 Copenhagen Fashion Week. The fashion week has launched a sustainability action plan “designed to reinforce the event’s sustainability profile and, more importantly, to push the industry to accelerate its sustainability efforts”.

Cecilie Thorsmark, CEO of Copenhagen Fashion Week has said, “as a trendsetting fashion week, we need to help make sustainability attractive. We have a voice and an ethical obligation to use it”.

Copenhagen Fashion Week has three main sustainability goals; responsible consumption and production, climate action, and partnership for their goals.

Their responsible consumption goal means that they are championing sustainability in all parts of the value chain, by setting standards for fashion week participation. They have banned single use plastic bottles and cutlery, and aim to source food locally.

Their climate action goals mean that they have assessed the carbon footprint of their fashion week and offset it as well as finding new ways to reduce their climate impact. The partnership goal refers to only using responsible suppliers.

Sustainable fashion is a movement in the fashion industry towards

more ethical and longer lasting clothing. Unfortunately, fashion is never completely sustainable; just washing clothes puts around 600,000 microfibers into the environment, according to The Guardian, and most laundry detergents are not environmentally friendly.

But don’t be deterred! Any move towards fashion sustainability makes a difference, and as a consumer there are so many options, including buying second hand, buying from fair fashion labels (which champion the living wage), or vegan labels (to reduce the impact on wildlife).

Buying locally produced fashion reduces the carbon footprint due to the decrease in transportation pollution, and buying organic cotton is better for the environment as it uses no pesticides in the production process.

But with all these options consumers can be overwhelmed, especially because materials such as organic cotton can have negative environmental impacts as well as positive ones. Organic cotton farms use no pesticides, but it also uses more land to grow the same amount as its non-organic counterpart, and more land means more water wastage. So how do you decide what to buy?

Fashion certifications are here to solve your sustainable dilemmas- they are completely voluntary for brands to chose to participate in, in order to champion their sustainable efforts.

The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is one of the most trustworthy certifications, showing that the textiles holding the certification are at least 70% organic natural fibres. The textiles must also meet environmental and labour standards to be awarded.

Another certification is BlueSign, which is awarded to manufacturers of fashion materials who operate safely for the environment and people. A very recognisable certification is the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) which is awarded to companies that use sustainable timber throughout their supply chain.

Why should you care about sustainable fashion?

Fashion contributes to 8% of all greenhouse gasses according to Quantis, which isn’t the only huge impact it has on the environment. Greenpeace estimates one pair of jeans uses 7000 litres of water to make, and that 20% of clothes purchased aren’t even worn once.

From the USA alone, 10.5 million tonnes of fashion waste go to landfill every year. Burberry burned $37 million dollars of unsold merchandise

in 2018 to protect the exclusivity of their brand.

These are all examples of the real and massive environmental impacts of the fashion industry. Moving towards sustainability would lower these impacts, and make a real difference to climate change and other global issues.

So now you have heard all about sustainability in fashion, but there is one last question. Due to the cyclical nature of all fashion trends, will sustainability inevitably fall out of fashion? And if so, how can we as consumers stop that from happening?

As of yet there are no answers, fashion will continue to evolve in ways we cannot predict, but we can be responsible for making sure we lessen our environmental impact as consumers, and use our buying power to force big businesses to be sustainable.

The Badger 16th March 2020

Features

16

Fabrik: Leading us into the New Decade of Fashion

I

The Badger Features Editor Arianna Lee sits down with Georgina Martin, Yazz Bhandari, and Victoria Gill to discuss Fabrik’s first magazine launch

had the luck to be able to interview the lovely founders of Sussex’s first fashion magazine Fabrik. I sat down with Yazz Bhandari, Georgina Martin, and Victoria Gill to get a look into all things Fabrik and all things fashion!

Fabrik’s launch party is on the March 24 at 7pm, hosted at The Grand Hotel in Brighton. Tickets are £8, and the theme is the new decade of fashion, so get some crazy garms out and get ready to party!

Where did Fabrik come from?

Georgina: It came from [Yazz and I] in America, we went on a year abroad to Tallahassee, Florida. We met some really cool people and one of the girls we met, there was a fashion magazine established at her first year [college] called DWF. We got inspiration from that, we did a little bit with her, she was editor for that, and she was managing it. We were looking at that and

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was like we have these values and now we have to stick with them.

Yazz: The fact that we wanted to focus on fashion, and we wanted to still depict the messages of socio-political issues, but through the lens of fashion.

Did Fabrik stem from a pre-existing passion for fashion in all of you?

G: We were [really into fashion] but then we did this, and now it is just part of it.

Y: I think all of us are really creative people, and, I don’t know about Vic, but G used to get involved with drama at university, but my first three years I didn’t really get involved with anything creative like that, and I kind of wanted to do something with my creativity, and apply that at uni and get some experience. I think it’s the same for [Victoria and Georgina] and that’s why it’s become such a huge creative machine at Sussex really.

What are you hoping Fabrik becomes in the future?

we were thinking Sussex is missing this, and it would be a great thing to bring over. So we kind of decided to do it! Yazz knew [Victoria] from first year, so got in touch with Vic, asked if she wanted to join in, and then, the moment we brought it into Brighton, it suddenly became really political.

I don’t know why, it was just like the environment we were in, and suddenly… We originally started with the concept of having it androgynous, keeping it kind of fluid, because Brighton is that kind of place, but then we just got really into it. We came up with our motto [reclaim, redefine, empower] and everything just got really social and political from then on.

Victoria: I remember, as soon as we started our insta, we chose the theme to be empowering, and since then it

Y: at first, we did want to take it with us, out of Sussex, and make it our ‘side hustle’, but we just realised that’s a commitment, we would have to put in the time and money.

G: Money that we don’t have!

Y: we’re just hoping, all three of us, that it continues, and that people continue to raise socio-political issues that are prevalent in society every day, and then portray them through fashion. We want it to be longstanding. We want it to be The Badger of fashion, because Sussex doesn’t have that, so that’s one of our main goals is to open opportunities for people like us who want to get involved with fashion.

V: I went to a women in industry event, and one of the women there, who was in the BBC, was a part of The Badger at Sussex, so I wanted that to be what Fabrik would be like, to have alumni be able to say “oh I did Fabrik while I was at uni”. We definitely don’t want it to die.

G: we want people to know the name.

Y: it would be devastating if Fabrik went the same way as the other fashion society at Sussex.

Do you find that running Fabrik is a lot of work to do besides your other university commitments?

G: I’m drowning currently, I have two dissertations, we’re making the entire magazine from scratch, we’re organising the launch party, I have a part time job and I have just recently decided to run for Student Living and Sustainability Officer, so it is a lot! I’ve had

about three breakdowns this week.

We originally started with the concept of having it androgynous, keeping it kind of fluid, because Brighton is that kind of place, but then we just got really into it.

We came up with our motto [reclaim, redefine, empower] and everything just got really social and political.

V: I don’t think people realise how much work it is, like when we first started, you’d put your phone down for fifteen minutes, and then looked at it we’d have like a hundred Whatsapp notifications- it was non-stop. On a night, where you’d want to switch off and have fun, your heart goes thinking about the notifications, it is non-stop.

But for us three, it’s been really good in terms of having three people, so we can split the workload.

launch party, there’s going to be dancing and music, maybe a little awards ceremony, LOTS of photo opportunities!

Y: there will be a runway for guests to take pictures on, and booze!

G: the magazine of course, will also be at the event, so it’s going to be a lot of fun. It’s a celebration of our committee and the work they’ve put in, it’s going to give back to the members.

Tell me about the theme, what does ‘the new decade of fashion’ mean to you?

G: it’s your own interpretation of the theme, but I think it’s like, [trends] that are starting to pick up, and that’s what I [would get inspiration from] if I wear something totally current, but at the same time I might go completely vintage!

V: it can be really anything Y: I think, it is trying to combine

Do you three get on really well as a team or has there been some friction?

G: I don’t think we could have asked for it to go better, we’re very like [supportive], say if one of us just needs a day off, the other two recognise that and kind of pick up the slack, by making sure everyone knows what they’re doing.

Are there parts of the magazine that you prefer working on?

G: there are certain things we prefer, [Victoria] is always on the journalist group chat, I tend to push the stylists a lot, Yazz focuses on the social media and events side. But that’s kind of natural, there’s no strict [tasks we have to each do].

What’s the launch party going to be like?

G: it was going to cost a lot to do another runway, so we had to scrap that idea, so it is just going to be a launch party now.

V: we’re still trying to work out exactly what entertainment, but there will be dancing and having a good time! It’s just going to be a place where people can come and see the work that has been put into the magazine, and because we’re a group of around seventy creative people, it will be quite a creative event.

G: we have things being planned, to make it more exciting than just a

previous eras and making a new outfit out of that, but for me it is more like taking what we have from this decade and enhancing it. A lot of this decade has been like latex, neon, leather, so I would say expanding on that, maybe mixing fabrics that haven’t been mixed before. But I’m not sure because Vogue did a cover of Taylor Swift that really threw it back.

G: at the moment it’s really coming back to the 90s, and 00s again.

Do you think that fashion will ever be fully diverse?

G: I think it’s moving in that direction but there’s still such a long way to go.

Y: I don’t think it will ever be as diverse as people want it to be, because

The Badger 16th March 2020

Features

17

creating outfits, and mass production, plays a factor in why [designers] don’t have as many plus size models, and I think because of that there will never be the level of diversity that you want to reach on a runway.

What are we going to see in the magazine?

Y: we’re doing this as a print publication because of the work that students have put in, and we also think this is such a huge opportunity as it can be a portfolio for a lot of students, who don’t have the opportunity. [You’re going to see] what you can see on our social media (@fabriksussex on Instagram) plus more!

G: it’s very conceptual, there’s some stunning photography, a lot of the magazine is [photos] but we have articles slotted in, at the moment we’re still working on the flow so that it reads well and provides some juxtaposition and controversy, but at the same time people understand what we’re saying.

Y: With Fabrik as a whole, you’ll understand some of the messages through the eyes of our artists.

G: It’s very inclusive, very representative, very diverse as a magazine.

Y: As well, what I want people to know, is that you can’t expect us as students at university to be able to have the most diverse models, because we make the casting calls, and when you have only a hundred models apply for the casting and fifty of them are white and skinny, you know, it is hard. But we have done our best. And I want people to know that and not open it and be like oh I thought this was going to be full of diversity, because there might be some bits that aren’t, but we tried our best. Some of [the magazine pages] are intentionally [less diverse], we’ve done a shoot that was intentionally like that, and there’s a piece beside it that juxtaposes that shoot completely.

There’s a lot going on! I hope people will understand and like it.

cus on 1970’s pimps, so it was a lot of fur, chains, and nice tight shirts and very tight male trousers, all of this, and we got permission from The Grand Hotel to shoot in their lobby, so they came out really fancy! We did a few on the pier on the carosel as well, so they look great. Obviously [it’s our favourite due to] bias, because that was our own shoot and we put together all the outfits, and it was completely our own concept. All the other shoots have come out beautiful- there’s some really incredible ones.

Y: My other personal favourite was the ‘all bodies are art’ shoot, which I can’t reveal too much about, but it is really meaningful and really positive to the girls who were in the shoot, they all came out feeling empowered. I could see [at the start of the shoot] they were afraid to strip down and get in front of the camera, but as soon as we got the spirits high, popped on some music, everyone just loved it, especially because they were surrounded by people who made them feel comfortable in their own bodies and it was a really nice thing to see, so that’s one of my favourite shoots.

“

Do you have a favourite shoot?

Y: It has to be the one me and G did.

G: So the inspiration for that one was like the whole pimp culture, with a fo-

You can’t expect us as students at university to be able to have the most diverse models, because we make the casting calls, and when you have only a hundred models apply for the casting and fifty of them are white and skinny, you know, it is hard. But we have done our best.

G: The photos [from the ‘all bodies are art’ shoot] look beautiful, they look like works of art, it’s incredible. We posted one of the photos from it on our insta, if you want to check it out.

V: I don’t know if I have a favourite, but we did one with headscarves, and the three [models] that we did it with were so sassy and strong, so I really liked that shoot. The [models’] personalities came out so much in the photos, which was [similar to] the ‘guys get glam’ shoot, where we finally got our head photographer Pablo Santana in front of the camera.

G: He had makeup all over him and he looked beautiful, didn’t he. We did feature in a couple of our own photos…

Y: We didn’t want to we were asked to!

G: We had a couple of models drop out on the day of our shoot, and we had outfits we wanted to wear so we just filled in!

It was really [comfortable being in front of the camera] because Pablo knows us really well, so when he’s taking photos of us he can just tell us ‘stop, no, change it’ and we’re like ah okay right.

Y: In my first shoot, the ‘guys get glam’ one, I [thought] that I can’t be in front of the camera, something just comes over me and I get so nervous, I had to make everyone leave the room!

fashion opens up to all kinds of creative industries, so I’m not sure if I want to work directly with fashion but it will tie in.

What did you learn from the experience of planning the first runway?

Once everyone leaves I can just start posing, I don’t know what it is, but then the second shoot, I felt a lot more comfortable, so I think it was just that initial [awkwardness] of thinking oh my god I’m going to be in a magazine, but then it wasn’t bad.

What’s next for you and Fabrik after the launch party?

Y: Don’t give yourself three weeks to do it! I’m so glad it was at the start of the year because if that was now, we would honestly have had to cancel it!

I don’t know how we pulled it off that time, but one thing I’ve learnt is give yourself time, I know we wanted to start off with a bang, and I know it went well, but you have to give yourself time, especially with creative stuff. You have to look at everything from every angle.

G: It evolves, it doesn’t just happen.

I’ve also learnt how to manage people better, I think it was just the sheer stress of doing something in three weeks, you get very agitated!

Y: I’ve grown so much this year alone, already as a liberal, I knew so much, but through Fabrik there are things that I’ve seen stuff from such different perspectives, which I didn’t even think of, and that’s where we’ve been trying to hit the mark with everything [Fabrik has] done.

V: I’m so glad that we did this at uni, because uni for me is just like ugh, but then you meet all these people [at Fabrik] and see that everyone is into this, which you don’t really see in seminars.

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G: We have to do a handover on the 1 April, to our next editors, so that’s going to be the next step, and [it’s sad and] like giving your baby up. We have our next editors in chief in mind, and [it’ll be another group of three because] we think we work, and we want to keep it going!

Y: It is really sad that we only got to do [Fabrik] for a year. We were quite set on [keeping Fabrik as a side hustle] we wanted to do it, but none of us know what we want to do after uni, we don’t know where we’re going to be, it’s just one of those things we can’t commit to, so I think it would be beneficial for it to remain at Sussex. [Fabrik] is so unorthodox, like we wouldn’t want to go major as a publication, we just can’t, and the reason other magazines do so well is because of their typical skinny white models…

G: And their legacies!

Y: And we don’t have that.

Will you continue to do fashion related stuff in the future?

G: Yeah! This is the direction I want to go in, and this works as an amazing portfolio, so hopefully this sets me up in the right direction.

Y: I think I do [want to work in a magazine], I was looking at jobs already! I’m not sure if I want to stick to the editorial side, or events/production, as I’ve really immersed myself into all of that this year, and I find myself getting good at all of it, so it’s even harder now to choose where I want to go.

V: I’m still very open, I don’t really know if I want to work in a print magazine or something like that, I do want to do something creative, so I think

My other personal favourite was the ‘all bodies are art’ shoot, which I can’t reveal too much about, but it is really meaningful and really positive to the girls who were in the shoot, they all came out feeling empowered.

Would you do anything different if you could go back and do it again?

Y: Everything has gone so to plan, so much better than what we had anticipated, has reached bigger audiences, everything has gone much further than what we anticipated, so I wouldn’t change it, I wouldn’t change it at all.

G: We have learnt from our mistakes [as we made them].

Y: The mistakes were so minute as well, they had nothing to do with the creative process, or even anything to do with the magazine, just little things like oh we didn’t keep up with admin.

V: There was such a fear of failing, and always trying to perfect stuff, with creative stuff, but it just holds you back, like when we put the [Fabrik member] roles out, we had such a specific description of what they had to be like to join Fabrik, and we had values, and we had to stick by those, they might not be perfect but in the end it’s better than not trying.

Y: As long as you’re doing things for the right reasons, and promoting the right messages, it’s all good.

G: We’ve taken a lot of risks.

The Badger 16th March 2020

Arts • Books

18

Populism: A Beginner’s Guide Review

Eric Barrell Books Co-Editor

With the race for the Democratic Nominee for the upcoming US Presidential Election becoming more hotlycontested by the day, populism is once again part of the public discourse. Whether you believe both Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump to be populists or not, it’s clear that this is a political term prevalent in much of the world.

In the mainstream media, the term populism is primarily associated with Trump’s ostensibly anti-establishment presidential campaign in 2016, as well as the claims of the Brexit campaign to “take back control” of Britain’s borders against EU bureaucracy.

Although we mainly see it as a descriptor of far-right political movements, especially in the case of figures such as Marine Le Pen and Viktor Orbán, its more general use describes any anti-establishment form of politics; including left-wing political movements like the campaigns of Sanders or Jeremy Corbyn.

Bristol University Dean of Social Sciences Simon Tormey explores what we mean by

the term Populism and how it has shaped contemporary politics in his 2019 book Populism: A Beginner’s Guide.

Tormey addresses head-on many questions and fears that are commonly raised about populism. He concludes the book by addressing one of the most important questions surrounding populist politics: is it a threat to democracy?

Populism has no defined Ideology and no key texts or philosophers in the same way that political movements such as socialism does. Tormey identifies a key motivation that unites very different Populist movements as “some sense that the needs or interests of the people are at odds with the needs and interests of those who govern”. In short, the people vs the elites.

A key element of contemporary populism identified by Tormey is crisis. Populism “gains a foothold where ‘normal’ politics fails to provide solutions to the problems that concern or animate citizens.” He describes how this has allowed the farright to make a lot of progress in Europe over the past two decades “by provoking a sense of cultural crisis in relation to

immigration and the influx of refugees”. This is coupled with the way world leaders handled the 2008 global financial crisis which has “brought the competence of the elites into question”.

Economic as opposed to cultural grievances tend to be more of a focus in left-wing movements often identified as populist. Political groups such as the Momentum organisation in the UK, the #15M movement in Spain and Occupy Wall Street all focus on economic grievances with austerity, bank bailouts and tax cuts to the 1% as reasons for a kind of anti-establishment politics

that advocates for a more equal distribution of wealth in society.

This focus on crisis is a key point that informs this book.

In a time when many people have little faith in government, populist rhetoric presents an alternative. In the question of whether populism is a threat to democracy, Tormey argues that “Populism can be a threat to democratic values and processes, but it could equally be a means for the expansion of democracy.”

Populist policies are in some cases authoritarian and nativist, but in others they demand a more open and pluralist form of democracy. Tormey makes clear that it is understandable to see authoritarian populist movements as a threat, but that it is also important to recognise the disillusionment many people feel with the contemporary democratic process. Rightful opposition towards authoritarian and farright populist groups should not mean a rejection of any form of anti-establishment, outsider politics.

Populism: A Beginner’s Guide is an eye-opening and informative book. Tormey concludes by arguing that although populism

What’s Going on in Brighton’s Book Scene?

Jasmine Smith Books Co-Editor With warmer weather and longer days on the horizon, there’s no better time to put yourself out there and try something new.

For those of us who love to read, it can feel like an extremely lonesome hobby. I often find myself seeking out other book lovers in my day to day life, keen to discuss the latest releases or an incredible novella I’ve consumed on my day off. When in actuality, there are several book-loving communities right on our doorstep. Bookish events are going on in Brighton all the time; many of them with exciting guests, and at reasonable prices.

Here’s what’s coming up in Brighton’s book scene over the coming months.

Books about Female ArtistsTalk and Book Signing Brighton’s new feminist bookshop opened in November last year, with the help of the Brighton people through a crowdfunding page. The shop is home to a plethora of must-read feminist, and nonbinary literature, on-brand

merchandise, and a plant-based cafe. Since opening, the shop has hosted several events, with many more set to come. Books about Female Artists will explore the history of female artists, and why they are often overlooked in art book publishing.

The event will host Harriet Olsen, who is the founder of Eiderdown Books: a new publishing house which releases books about female artists and written by leading female professionals. Olsen will be giving a talk on the topic of the evening, and will also be joined by a selection of other authors. A separately ticketed book signing will take place following the event.

Where: The Feminist Bookshop When: Wednesday the 18th of March Tickets: Tickets are available from Eventbrite and ranging from £7.59-£16.76 Ali

Smith

at the Brighton Festival Brighton Festival is the Uk’s largest muti-arts festival.

First taking place in 1967, the renowned festival has been a staple of Brighton’s culture for

fifty-three years. The festival spans over three weeks and is host to numerous events across the arts. Following on from previous years, 2020 will see a selection of diverse literary events taking place across the city. The most influential of these being, critically acclaimed author, Ali Smith’s discussion of her wildly successful seasonal quartet.

Alongside Smith’s talk are a number of other equally exciting and engaging events. For more details, and to discover the whole line up, visit www.brightonfestival.org.

Where: Brighton Girls School When: Saturday 2nd of May Tickets: Tickets for this event are unfortunately sold out, tickets may be available on certain reselling sites nearer the time. There are a number of tickets for other events across the period still available!

Brighton Crime Wave Presents An Evening With Emily Elgar, Stephanie Wrobel and Mat Osman Brighton, as I’m sure you’re aware, is home to a fivefloor Waterstones store.

Whether you’re a fan of the commercialised bookstore or

not, its host to a diverse range of literary events. This month, Waterstones and Brighton Crime Wave are teaming up to bring an evening with Emily Elgar, Stephanie Wrobel and Mat Osman. The trio of authors will be discussing their newest crime novels and taking part in a question and answer session with the audience.

Where: Brighton Waterstones, North Street When: Tuesday 17th of March Tickets: £4 (includes a glass of wine), tickets are available via the Waterstones website.

Monthly Waterstones Brighton Bookgroup For those of you looking for a slightly more traditional book event, this might be the one for you! Waterstones run a monthly Brighton book group. The group meets on the last Wednesday of every month at Waterstone’s third-floor cafe. Each month the group read a different book and meet up to share their thoughts and feelings. This months book is Thomas Hardy’s Far From The Madding Crowd. If you’re a speedy reader, or you’ve read Hardy’s iconic classic before, you’re just in time to go along

has a potential to be a threat to democracy, it is more of a sign of the democratic failures to deal with many of the crises affecting 21st century societies in the contemporary world. A world of neoliberal, austeritydriven and environmentally catastrophic policies that are causing problems for millions of everyday people. Many farright populist groups often use anti-immigrant, racist rhetoric to scapegoat certain groups of people as responsible for many of these issues that are actually the fault of the establishment.

I feel that Tormey could do more to distinguish between these different forms of populism, and point out the many deep-rooted issues with often violently racist populist rhetoric. However, when considering populism in a more general sense, Tormey argues that there is something fundamentally democratic about populist arguments because “we have allowed ourselves to be convinced that a democracy of, by and for the people is a pipe dream rather than a description of democracy’s vocation.” To Tormey, anti-establishment politics may be what is needed to give the kiss of life to halt the “slow downward spiral” of democracy in the fraught and divided social climate of the 21st century. and have a chin-wag with some other like-minded book lovers!

A perfect opportunity for those seeking out a community feel, rather than just a one-off event.

Where: Brighton Waterstones, North Street When: 25th of March (And the last Wednesday of every month following on from this) Tickets: Free, newcomers are always welcome!

Femsoc’s Feminist Book Club If you’re looking for something a little closer to home, Sussex’s Feminist society runs a monthly feminist book club. Feminist students come together to discuss a selection of diverse feminist literature and their thoughts and feelings on these works. Previous novels have included Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys and The Colour Purple

by Alice Walker.

Check @sussex_femsoc for more information.

There’s something going on in our beloved city for every kind of book lover. I recommend grabbing a friend, or heading solo, to one of these incredible events over the coming months.

You’re sure to find a whole host of like-minded individuals, just as enthusiastic about reading and the books you love!

The Badger 16th March 2020

Arts • Film & Television

The verdict of the Weinstein trial...

Ella Rawson Staff Writer On 27 February 2020, the Weinstein Trial came to a verdict at the New York Supreme Court. Whilst he has been accused publicly by approximately a hundred women for sexual harassment and assault, Weinstein has been found guilty for two felonies where he has been convicted of criminal sex act in the first degree and rape of a victim in the third degree. He also stood trial for a the most serious count of predatory sexual assault, of which he was cleared.

To understand better what he has been convicted of of, under New York Penal Law, section 130.50, criminal sexual act in the first degree is when a person is engaging in oral or anal sexual conduct with another person that is physically (helpless) incapable of giving consent or is under a certain age. This is considered as a class B felony which is punished by a maximum sentence of twentyfive years. Under New York

Penal Law 130.25, rape in the third degree is when a person engages in sexual intercourse with another person who is either incapable or at an incapacity to give consent or a certain age that should not be acceptable. This is, in New York State is considered as a class E felony, which is at the ‘bottom’ of the scale of class A to E. This means that, depending on the case, the sentence will only be a mere two to five years in jail.

Whether he goes to jail for five years or twenty-nine years is not the issue that seems most absurd. What is more absurd is the fact that out of the five charges he has only been trialled for two, none of which are a class A felony for whom he had been originally accused of committing.

The hearing on the length of sentence will take place on March 11, however, he still has another trial awaiting him in Los Angeles for assaulting two women in 2013, and there are other cases under review. What is most frustrating is that first of all, he has so far been charged

with only five felonies: 1 for criminal sexual act in the first degree, 1 of rape in the third degree, 1 of rape in the first degree and 2 of predatory sexual assault. Of those five charges he has only been convicted of two so far. Therefore, I believe that whatever ‘punishment’ is dealt, it will not measure up to his actions as I believe he is not properly being held accountable for his actions. More so, it seems like the Weinstein trial is considerably less publicised than when the whole case began which engendered the #MeToo movement. No matter how long he is going to be sentenced for, I feel that it will never take back what he has done.

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What is more absurd is the fact that out of the five charges, he has only been trialled for two

What’s going to happen to Hollywood is still to be revealed, however, when the whole Weinstein case came to light, some changes were made. The union SAF-AFTRA

(Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) have taken measures with new rules for “Standards and Protocols for the Use of Intimacy Coordinators” which their website notes brings professionals in to help in the production of ‘highly sensitive scenes that feature nudity and stimulated sex throughout the entire production process’.

Furthermore, other actors, TV hosts, movie directors were also accused, as the #MeToo movement opened a door for women to speak up and reveal what has been happening behind the scenes. Does this mean that men are now more educated on this? It’s unsure.

On one side, some say that this movement has gone too far and men are feeling afraid, and on another side, some are saying the women are still being discriminated against and that there are still not enough women in positions of power in the film industry. However, few can deny that the Weinstein case is an important step in the right direction.

What is actually going on with Doctor Who Rob Barrie Staff Writer The latest series finale has just flipped the origin of the UK’s favourite two-hearted alien on its head, so what’s next?

Proving the doubters wrong, Whittaker inherited the role of the longest serving character on television effortlessly. She was perfect for the role, even if the writing wasn’t.

But what fissure in the Doctor Who fanbase that was annealed by the end of Series 11 has now reopened in the wake of a dramatic Series 12. While Series 11 felt like more a loosely connected ten part mini-drama, current showrunner, Chris Chibnall, decided to implement a story arc right from the getgo.

Reminiscent of past series, this overarching plot was teased right from the series’ marvellous opening two-parter titled

Spyfall, where we were first introduced to a new iteration of The Master played by Sacha Dhawan. Unlike the intelligence of John Simm or the mystery of Michelle Gomez, Dhawan brings nothing but pure evil to the role that renders the longstanding foe a lunatic hell-bent on destroying anything and anyone. Oddly, this is a welcome new angle to the character, even if it somewhat detracts from the concealed astuteness The Master usually possesses.

Where chemistry between these two forces of good and evil has always been vital to the pair’s relationship, Dhawan and Whittaker make no exception.

The two complement each other beautifully on screen.

Unfortunately, it is an unwelcome truth that Dhawan and Whittaker are the only consistent positives of this series. Painfully limited by Chibnall’s writing, Series 12

thus seemed destined to be another missed opportunity, made especially more irritating considering how brightly the series started.

After taking an, albeit short, trip down nostalgia lane with a cameo from Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman), and being introduced to a mysterious and unknown incarnation of The Doctor (an amazing, jaw-dropping revelation even to the most cynical of fans and played brilliantly by Jo Martin) the series hastily arrived at its twoparter finale. It was here that lay the catalyst for the community turmoil.

The finale effectively re-wrote the The Doctor her/himself, and that’s putting it mildly. We learn that she is indeed the Timeless Child (it’s not like anyone didn’t see that coming) and she has already had multiple regeneration cycles (which explains the mysterious variant of The Doctor met earlier on in the series). Not exactly writing off, but completely changing the show’s 60-year history was a bold move by Chibnall. And as already stated, it didn’t go down particularly well with the fanbase bar a few optimistic hopefuls.

The finale in most parts was enjoyable, the scene where The Doctor explodes the matrix with all her previous (newfound) memories to the

tune of the original theme in particular was a highlight, but it was overshadowed by a messy and bamboozling plot. The ridiculous ending where The Doctor lets an old-man detonate a particle while being shot by Time-Lord Cybermen (yes you read that write) just about sums it up. Indeed, it was a far cry from the sacrifices of previous Doctors.

Although the idea of multiple Doctors before the First, William Hartnell, makes sense it simply feels too forced. Perhaps the story of the “lives before” might have been left better a mystery?

Either way, one can only guess at what Chibnall has lined up for the future of this Doctor but expect it to have even more major ramifications on the show.

Series 12 was, all in all, a huge improvement over its predecessor but one can’t escape the painful truth that the show is losing viewers at an alarming rate and The 13th Doctor is in danger of becoming one of the more boring of recent incarnations (not due to Jodie Whittaker’s acting it should be noted).

As the Sixth Doctor (Colin Baker) once said: “change, my dear. And it seems not a moment too soon.” Change Doctor? No. Change writer? Perhaps. An overhaul? Possibly. Or maybe the weary planet hopping traveller simply needs a break.

It worked the last time, after all.

19

Whats On Misbehaviour

Dir. Phillipa Lowthorpe

An all-star cast including Kiera Knightley and Jessie Buckley work together to disrupt the 1970 Miss World beauty competition.

The Hunt

Dir. Craig Zobel

12 strangers wake up together, they don’t know where they are how they got there and why they have been chosen. Let The Hunt begin.

Radioactive

Dir. Marjane Satrapi

Charting the life of Marie Sklodowska-Curie (Rosamund Pike) from romance with her husband, to to her grondbreaking discoveries that continue to guide science to this day.

Westworld Season 3

Commonly cited as the new Game of Thrones, the third season of HBO’s Westworld promises to be as explosive, mind-bending and philosophically challenging as it’s previous seasons (now with the added joy of Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul)

Whats On Netflix?

Studio Ghibli

From February to April Netflix are streaming a vast collection of Studio Ghibli films ranging from Spirited Away to lesser known gems such as Arietty. If any Ghibli films have been gathering dust on your watchlist, now is the time to catch them!

After Life

Season 2 on March 24

Ricky Gervais is a marmite character, yet few can deny his Netflix dramedy After Life is a hauntingly passionate, yet comedically perfect depiction of life after the death of a loved one. This is definitely one to binge.

The Badger 16th March 2020

Arts • Music

20

A Winged Victory For The Sullen: Live Review Léo de Riedmatten It’s 19:15 on the 5th of March, and I find myself shivering from the cold, starring at the big blue wooden doors of St George’s Church in Kemptown.

The church should’ve opened its doors to greet us 15 minutes ago, but the sound check is running a bit late. Melting Vinyl, the concert organisers, reassure us on the Facebook event: “(…) it will be worth it”.

Cheeky Plug for Brighton Plug Lily Kovacs Ever wonder whether our beloved Brighton has a sound as unique as itself? Do you want to experience a night out like no other but are tired of always going to the same clubs? Well we here at the URF have a treat for you.

As the winter recedes and spring is on the horizon, we are launching our first official music show: The Brighton Plug.

Our mission being to promote and reflect on the local scene in Brighton with an emphasis on upcoming artists, this bi-weekly

A Winged Victory For The Sullen (AWVFTS), a duo compromising of Dustin O’Halloran and Adam Bryanbaum Wiltzie, are pioneers in a genre dubbed ‘ambientneoclassical’. Their 2011 selftitled debut album was an impressive feat, quickly gaining them well-deserved praise.

After several years of releasing miscellaneous works, including a commissioned score for a dance piece (Atomos (2014)), Wiltzie’s score for the documentary Salero (2016), and O’Halloran many movie scores (Breathe In (2013), Lion (2016), The Hate U Give (2018), AWVFTS are back with a new album, titled The Undivided Five (2019).

Having been provided an early access link to listen to the album pre-release, I was eager to discover their live renditions.

The opening act, Daniel Wohl, was a surprisingly positive addition to the bill.

Alone at the grand piano, and accompanied by his backing tracks, he demonstrated his ability to blend genres by mixing acoustic instruments with electronic soundscapes.

My excitement for the main act tends to decrease my patience for the opening acts, but checking my watch after what felt like under 10 minutes since he’d taken the stage, I

show will be your first stop to an expanded palette.

A section appropriately dubbed “Sesh in the City” will focus on club nights, while another will feature interviews from a range of artists perfoming gigs in Brighton, as reviewed by URFers. We will also have local bands come in to perform and discuss their invovlement in the local scene.

With brand new content shaping each show, whatever it is that you are looking to find in Brighton, the plug is here to guide you!

Our Next Social: URF Does St. Patricks Day 17th March 2020

was genuinely shocked to see that he’d been performing for almost half an hour! This may seem like a trivial anecdote to you, but being Swiss, I take my timekeeping very seriously. This lapse of time might be explained

by Wohl’s uninterrupted flow, transitioning through his set as smoothly as his sound.

After a short interval, the lights went out and we cheered as AWVFTS made their way to their instruments. Their live set up consisted of three string players, two horn players, a synthist, as well as O’Halloran alternating between keyboards and the grand piano, and Wiltzie between guitars and keyboards.

Similar to Wohl’s set, AWVFTS transitioned through their repertoire without any breaks, resulting in the audience’s first clapping opportunity just shy of hitting the hour mark.

After catching up on the missed clapping, Wiltzie took hold of a microphone to address the audience. The church, with its narrow design, made this entire experience feel very intimate (sitting at the front row probably accentuated the feeling).

He explained it had been a very long day, last night they were performing in Belfast and that tonight is their penultimate gig of the UK leg of the tour.

New Releases ~how i’m feeling~ Lauv

After this, they’re headed to the US for a string of performances.

He also gave a shout out to Davy Evans, the artist behind the cover of their new album, who is based in Brighton and was present this evening.

After this little aparté, the band went on to play for another half hour or so, once again with no breaks between the songs.

For only the second time of the evening, the audience erupted into applause, and eventually shifted to a standing ovation.

I turned around to see the entire audience, spread out on the ground floor and arched above us on the balcony, with smiles on their faces and I took a moment to appreciate this special moment of harmony.

St George’s walls offered protection as A Winged Victory For The Sullen cradled us, escaping our daily turmoils for the evening.

Meanwhile on URF Matt Pritchard We had an amazing social this month where we went bowling and clubbing. Fair to say that some fared better than others, with a certain former Station Manager lasting until lights up!

Nevertheless, we look forward to more amazing socials from Abe (Head of Socials).

Matt: social.media@urfonline. com Lily: journalism@urfonline.com Sarika: assistant.manager@ urfonline.com

After releasing periodic singles to make up I Met You When I Was 18 (The Playlist) (2018), a compilation album, Lauv has released his highly anticipated debut album, ~how i’m feeling~ (2020). Lauv has, albeit unnoticeably, grown to become one of the biggest pop stars. Having released his music independetly and garnered over 5 billion streams, he collaborates with many artists on this album, including Alessia Cara and none other than K-Pop sensation BTS.

Simulcast Tycho

Scott Hansen, known as Tycho in his musical endeavour, is no stranger to the world of ambient electronic music.

Having recently picked up a Grammy nomination for his previous album Weather (2019) (His second nomination after Epoch (2016), Hansen is back already with a companion album to Weather, named Simulcast (2020). A companion album, because on his previous album, Hansen tried something new by collaborating with a singer.

Until then, all his releases had been fully instrumental. For Weather, Hansen paired up with Hannah Cottrell, also known as Saint Sinner. Although the pair is seperated by a 20 year age gap, their collaboration was better than he could have imagined. For Simulcast, Hansen wanted to “explore the process of taking a set of core concepts and following them down two parallel paths”. As such, this companion album has a familiar feel all the while providing a breath of fresh air.

The Badger 16th March 2020

Arts • Theatre

21

A Poorly-Written Review

Izzy Ellis Staff Writer The poorly written play festival written by Carolyn Gage performed over the last weekend was a true demonstration of comedic genius.

The detailed direction and casting from the directors of Immie Burt, Tom Chester and Cat Kerr, mixed with the comical genius and timing of the actors, created an atmosphere of confusion and joy.

Each element seamlessly fell into place to allow the audience to fall into a wacky story full of creativity and a wonder.

The audience was full of friends and family roaring

with laughter at the delivery of lines, action and many comical asides.

Each actor performed with full commitment and enthusiasm which built a true illusion that we were all watching a real greenroom. This was aided and perfected by the genius of technician Beth Moore who strung the piece together elegantly.

This mixture of perfectly timed lighting and sound, with the full dedication from actors, led to golden moments of pure joy and humour for the audience.

The inspiring jests built through choreography extended the f low of the piece further. Clear inspiration was drawn from

practitioners such as Frantic Assembly. The strength of each actor to not corpse was astonishing and furthered the audiences belief in the story. The ensembles’ inputs and trading of ideas clearly paid off throughout the piece. As every joke fell the audience only seemed to become more immersed into the persona of each character.

I feel one of the best qualities of this beautiful display of talent from both on and offstage students was the effect on the audience.

The way the audience laughed throughout the play gave the people who dedicated their hours a true, well deserved

accomplishment. Whether it was setting up lighting rigs, learning lines or picking the script apart to the last detail, every part of this performance combined to

create an atmosphere to truly appreciate all our least favourite aspects of theatre in a stunning way.

I look forward to more SUDS shows in the future!

Tea, Tits and Talent: The Instagram Artist

Jessica Hake Theatre Editor

On the 10th of December 2019 it was show day. A group of twenty-something girls all naked, covered in acrylic paint in the style of Sophie Tea’s newest art venture - nudes.

There is a thin line between art and theatre, one I enjoy crossing from time to time.

To see the beauty of art come alive with movement is a simple yet beautiful thing to indulge in. This is one of the few reasons why when I found out that London based artist Sophie Tea was putting on a live art show last December and needed live models, I didn’t waste any time in replying.

Sophie Tea (@sophieteaart) is a ground-breaking artist, using Instagram as her gallery representation.

Coupled with this, with a mission statement that mentions how sustainability and accessibility are some of the main goal of the Sophie Tea art business offers payment plans with monthly installments. As

such, making her work less elitist, more accessible and even more beautiful.

After dabbling in the painting of colourful animals, abstract prints, nudes and now ‘GLITTER TITS’, Tea has proven herself to be able to cover a range of genres.

Having had the pleasure of meeting and spending some time with her during the ‘SEND NUDES’ London show, I can honestly say that Tea is one of the few people who remain utterly down to earth, despite insane talent and success. Sophie Tea has studios in London and Sydney, having also

completed a summer art show in Bali to showcase her initial nude study.

The ‘SEND NUDES’ art show was a day enshrined in body positivity, as well as art. As a theatre editor, I was pleased to see how Tea and her incredible team managed to project the art on show onto the bodies of those involved in the show.

I acknowledge that I push the bounds of theatre to the limit linking subjects, such as haunted houses, to my specif ied genre. However, after taking part in the Sophie Tea ‘SEND NUDES’ show, I felt compelled to write about it.

Theatre is not a superf icial art form. It forces people to emote and connect with society around them, which is exactly what Tea and her team managed to do last December. Body positivity is a term that has been thrown about haphazardly in the past few years. However, actions speak louder than words. Tea’s live show and the art that adorned the walls in the Shoreditch venue, managed to highlight body positivity and mental health surrounding body image in a light I had not had the pleasure of experiencing before.

Taking part in the show was an experience in itself!

The acrylic paint was stuck to my body for longer than I would care to admit, but it was worth it. Furthermore, the show itself forced me to accept my own body and take pride in it. Nude modelling is not something I necessarily would have thought I would have taken in part in during my f irst semester at university, but the beauty and openness

that ‘SEND NUDES’ enabled made it inevitable.

As well as my lasting improved relationship with my body, another outcome of the ‘SEND NUDES’ show is Verity Pitts’ new venture.

‘The Body Conf idence Issue’ is a website, with an accompanied instagram page, all created with the aim of promoting body and mental positivity in a world where superf icial criticism is rife. I am very blessed and lucky to call Verity a friend and would recommend everyone follow her instagram ASAP (@ thebodyconf idenceissue).

When it all comes down to it, theatre is just another art form. Given March hosts international women’s day, I thought it only right that in this issue I celebrated an incredible female artist, inspirational women and spread positivity.

ATR T I S T F HE ARTISTS ATR T I S T F HE ARTISTS O

Layla Andrews is an expressionist and abstract portrait artist. Who, I do not create art as a backdrop. For me, a painting is a statement and at the age of 15, painted a large scale expressionist portrait of Nelson thereby bold expressionist techniques, and rich colour is imperative in Mandela, which the South African Embassy acquired. Since then, ensuring my work has some form of loud impact. she has had many exhibitions and continues to produce work and commissions artists, companies charities worldwide. change the feel of Layla Andrewsfor is an expressionist andand abstract portrait artist. Who, I Does do nothumour create art as a backdrop.

Foryour me,pieces? a painting is a statement and Arguably, industries like politics and artrich cancolour be seen as elitist and is imperative in at the age of 15, painted a large scale expressionist portrait of Nelson thereby bold expressionist techniques, and exclusive, something I have always desperately tried to avoid.

Humour Which artists do you draw inspiration from?

Mandela, which the South African Embassy acquired. Since then, ensuring my work has some form of loud impact.

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I have worked with animals for conservation in the Colour and violent, expressive brush strokes are integral to my pieces; combined with very smart political and social critiques is just wicked- provide my work with much inspiration. ing past the independent eyewear shop on Bond Street, one he is a genius. wholly engrained in her exhibition works. As Toth describes, As The What animals are you drawn to and why? would never expect to find such a tropical space beneath its Petals Whisper “isare an super exercise in spontaneity, ” an exhibition which exHow important is colour to your work?

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Exhibition Focus: Let The Petals Whisper

Composed of several photographs surrounded by an impressively floral sculpture, Lili Toth’s exhibition, Let The Petals Whisper, is an oasis rendered vibrant with deep pinks and purples.

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Ollie Quinn’s exhibition space owes a pleasurable setting for Toth’s designs; the concrete ceiling and the blank walls belonging to the basement bear a satisfying contrast to the delicacy of Toth’s petals

Want your work featured?

Want your work featured?

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The Badger 16th March 2020

TheBadger Badger5th 5thFebruary March 2018 The 2018

US for years, so that is an aspect of my life which is always imperative. positive addition to your art. We live in a world whereby, the internet I recently had an exhibition at the WWF headquarters; if there is an has enabled further awareness and accessibility to globalised problems, opportunity for me to combine my artistic passion with my love for which is fantastic yet, it can be frustrating not to feel you have a platform animals, then I am on that. In the past two years I have created a col- to air your views or try to contribute positively. Art has enabled me US for years, so that is an aspect my life which always imperative. positive addition to your art.ItWe in a world lection of abstract Crocodiles, theof‘Havana Club’, iswhich were inspired that platform of expression. haslive allowed me to whereby, combine the my internet love for Ibyrecently had an exhibition at the WWF headquarters; if there is an has enabled further awareness and accessibility to globalised problems, a trip to Cuba. These have been really popular and might be my political study with my love for creating art. opportunity forofme to combine my artistic passion with my love for which is fantastic yet, it can be frustrating not to feel you have a platform favourite body work. animals, then I am on that. In the past two years I have created a col- How to air does youritviews orbe tryselected to contribute positively.

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Is your work ever political?

Being selected as a finalist for Liberty Open Call design talent has by a trip to Cuba.

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Being selected as a finalist for Liberty Open Call design talent 2018 hasaudiences to consider the my pieces are political, the degree helps by fuelling ideas, which in turn them would be dreamy. struments of nature’s brevity invites her A vast majority of my work is political.

I am managing a history degree been so great!

My work selected was a painting of a lobster smoking a make me createthe some interesting I think choosing Dominating central spacepieces. of the exhibition, thea subject triangular form theorisations of ageing, in a new and refreshing light. as well as an art career, which was a difficult decision for me.

I thought ciggie, which I painted years ago; people seem to get it, which is cool. www.laylaandrews.com which enables your work depth and understanding can only be a Words: Emma Phillips to be admired.

Flanked byboth; twigs leavesis a great shop, so having the opportunity to work for/with itcommands would be impractical to try to accomplish but and as so wound many of inLiberty my are political, the degree helpsasbyiffuelling turnthethem andpieces petals, the structure looks it has ideas, beenwhich takenin off set would of be dreamy.

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shop.

Viewers can also take copies of Toth’s photography home too; prints of her work are available on a table in the exhibition, and can

Contact us at: thebadger.street@gmail.com Contact us at: thebadger.street@gmail.com

In the basement of Ollie Quinn Brighton 42 Bond Street, BN1 1RD

Puzzles

The Badger 16th March 2020

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The Badger 16th March 2020

Travel & Culture 25 Carved in a mountain, set in stone From sculptural inscriptions to temple complexes, here are some of the artifacts you can expect to find on a tour of Ancient India

Anvi Sawant In ancient India, forces of nature were feared and revered. A lot of the livelihood and other aspects of civilization were dependent on nature, some of it continues till date.

The special houses which were made for the deities presiding over these forces of nature in the ancient times were the temples and other worship places. The temples were carved from stones while in Buddhism, worship places were carved from mountains in the form of caves. In the state of Maharashtra many ancient caves and temples are present but I will be listing a selection of three, two of which are located in the city of Mumbai and one, an entire complex located in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra

Lonad Buddhist Caves and Shiva temple

Near the bustling city of Mumbai lies the village of Lonad 6.43 km to the north of Kalyan, a place which has its own history. In this village, Buddhist caves dating back to the 6th or 7th century A.D can be found along with sculptures dating back to the 10th century and a temple for Lord Shiva from the 11th century A.D. I had gone on a heritage walk conducted by a historian based in Mumbai and called Dnyanada Kulkarni who explained that Buddhist chapels of that time which were carved out from mountains had some

typical features such as a clean drinking-water tank, a resting area for the monks along with many artistic inscriptions on the pillars present on the outer verandahs.

Some of them are defaced due to time in these caves but many depicting the royalty and other common people remain.

They have intricate carvings

hermits and celestial nymphs.

Every sculpture has a story behind it, some of it was explained

by Dnyanada such as the story of Mahakali , the Goddess who wears a necklace made up of human skulls or that of HariHara, which is the union of two male Gods. Usually the part outside the Sanctum would be used for dance, music and other artistic performances.

Kailasha Temple

of a man walking in front of an elephant with another running behind it, the king meting out justice in his court, giving an umbrella to a hermit and many other things. A very interesting carving lies on the wall right outside the cave which has a scene from a king’s court. In the middle lies a beardless king surrounded by his attendants.

One woman is seen shampooing his hair, another one to the right is holding a musical instrument and behind there are some attendants holding flowers. The left hand of the king looks injured and the right is resting on a waistcloth made up of fine muslin. There is a spittoon in front of the king. One woman is holding a cymbal and some man and woman servants standing behind the king are holding washpots and another woman to the side is holding a purse with a finger on her lip which is a sign of respect. Dnyanada said this was a common theme which is found in another famous historical site of the 6th century which are the Ajanta caves located in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra.

To the north of the village of Lonad is a Shiva temple dating back to the 11th Century A.D built by the Satahavana kings which is in ruins but its glory still remains. It is made up of slabs of Black stone stones not fit together by mortar. There is a lake next to it which is commonly found near the Shiva temples of that time. There was a dome which was a part of the roof and has now collapsed but few remains of it can be seen.

The remains on the base of the walls of the temple have panels full of inscriptions.

There is a carving of a woman squatting with her face covered by a flower. It is of an otherwise ferocious Goddess Lajja Gouri feeling shy, Dnyanada explained that the squatting position was considered to be healthy dur-

ing child-birth. It is one of the very few Lajja Gouri carvings in India. There is another inscription next to it of a person worshipping the Shivaling. Shiva temples were normally places which were used for contemplation, achieving heightened states of trance through meditation and musing about philosophy.

This 8th century A.D temple complex is a part of the Ellora caves located in Aurangabad, which are a group of Buddhist, Jain and Hindu structures.

The specialty of this structure is that it has been vertically carved out of a mountain from the top to bottom, using the cut-out monolithic technique.

The cut-in monolithic technique is more commonly used in the rest of the Ellora caves and throughout the world which involves carving mountains from the front but that is

limitations of human beings can be experienced in this huge temple complex.

My trip to all these places made me understand a completely new dimension of the capability of human beings to create artistic wonders while maintaining the balance with nature.

“

The walls of the temple are full of beautiful sculptural works, with precise depictions of the human body in its various emotional and physical forms

In order to keep people away from disturbing the peace and atmosphere of the place by grabbing the land, you have an inscription on the base of the wall from that time which warns that the progeny of the encroacher would marry an animal.

Ambernath temple

Located on the banks of the Waldhuni river and an autorickshaw ride away from the Ambernath railway station is the 10th century A.D temple built by the Shilahara dynasty.

This temple too is made up of black stones and limes which were available locally and once again were not fitted by mortar but carved from single rocks.

Ambernath means ‘Lord of the sky’ and the main sanctum of the temple does not have a roof but the hall outside it does and that too is full of artistic inscriptions. The walls of the temple are full of beautiful sculptural works, with precise depictions of the human body in its various emotional and physical forms. These are the sculptures of Gods, Goddesses,

not what has been done over here.

A pillar measuring approximately 90-100 feet is right at the middle of the structure.

This pillar was constructed by removing all the portions of the mountain surrounding it. This involved complex mathematical calculations.

There are intricate carvings everywhere in the temple complex. It is one of the architectural marvels of the world. The

The limitations of our present life as humans in front of the minds, skills and talents of the people lost in the pages of history can be experienced here.

What remains is the possibility of a human being to transcend their current potential to think and to create by entering a new plane of existence from the spiritual and artistic architectural essence of these places.

These are the places which take us beyond the theories found in our textbooks towards a different timeline of a world of existence.

The Badger 16th March 2020

Travel & Culture 26 Daytrippers’ Spotlight: London Fancy a fun-filled day out but think you have exhausted all possible options? Think again...

Veronica Wong Nok Kwan Fancying a nice day trip from Brighton? London might be a great choice for you to try some awesome food, enjoy the stunning sunset and explore more hidden gems.

Starting with our journey to London Victoria, I would strongly recommend buying the train tickets in advance online (getting them a few days or a week prior does make a huge price difference). Aligning at the designated train station in the morning, we had the joy of walking to Covent Garden, which took us 25 minutes (indeed a bit time-consuming but you may have the chance to watch the Changing of the Guard at the Buckingham Palace and walk around the St James Park).

The Sunday market at Covent Garden is worth checking out as there is a variety of stores (but not many choices of food there) and we ended up going

Caetano Candal Sato to a famous café – Abuelo, two minutes away from the market.

As a specialty coffeeholic, I like their iced Americano, a perfect balance of nutty and fruity flavours.

Taking bus 11 from Southampton St Covent Garden to Primrose Street and walking for 10 minutes, here comes the star of the show – Brick Lane, my alltime favourite Sunday market loaded with nice graffiti. It is constituted by many markets –

the Vintage Market, Backyards Market, Upmarket, Old Spitalfields Market and their Sunday outdoor booths. The shops at the Vintage Market are a bit up there in terms of price as they mainly contain vintage products of designers’ brands but it’s still a good place to look at. If you like purchasing from affordable vintage shops, you may prefer the outdoor market instead.

Backyards is my go-to-market as there are many lovely col-

lectible maps, crazily inexpensive second-handed books and aesthetically pleasing crystal decanters (if you are a whiskey/ wine fanatic). When we reached the street booths, we had an amazing flat white at the Black Cab Coffee (the barista serving coffee inside a black cab – pretty self-explanatory!) Not being a big fan of flavored coffee, their hazelnut latte becomes my new favourite. After all the unreasonable intake of caffeine, we felt a bit hungry and tried the famous bagel with salted beef at Brick Lane Beigel Bake (there are two stores but I truly recommend it over the other one). It took us a few minutes for queuing but the salted beef was phenomenal. If you crave for some Italian food for a decent lunch instead, you cannot go wrong with the £8 carbonara in Tre rote at the Old Spitalfields market.

Instead of overloading our day trip with coffee and food, we decided to go to St Paul’s Cathedral by taking bus 8 from

the same station to Cannon Street. Other than snapping a ton of tourist pictures outside the historical Grade I listed building, we also took our time to walk around the buildings nearby and savor the romantic moment of the sunset without any puffy clouds.

Of course, you could cross the Millennium Bridge and enjoy the sunset there but many tourist spots nearby are closed on Sunday afternoon (such as Borough Market) so I would not recommend going back and forth across the bridge merely for the scenery. For dinner, we went to the Flat iron at Denmark Street near SoHo by tube.

As it only serves walk-in seats, I would suggest you going there earlier to secure a nice and cozy table.

Followed by a train heading to Brighton, the long-walked and caffeinated trip took us the full day and I would undoubtedly recommend this to all of you.

Zambian orphaned elephant makes history

The effort of conservation organisation Game Rangers International has paid of with this significant event Charlotte Brill Social Media and Events Coordinator

At the end of last year, notso-little Chamilandu became the first Zambian orphaned elephant to deliver a wild born baby. This is a truly remarkable feat in Zambian conservation symbolising strength and hope for the future or Zambia’s orphaned elephants.

In 2007, Chamilandu was rescued by Game Rangers International (GRI) after her mother had tragically been killed by poachers. GRI is a non-profit organisation working in Zambia alongside the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) and the local communities to protect Zambia’s wildlife and wild spaces. The organisation has been active in Zambia since 2008 and prides itself for its holistic approach to conservation through three core thematic areas: Resource Protection, Community Outreach and Wildlife Rescue.

In the years it has been active, GRI has played a pivotal role in empowering rangers and local communities to conserve nature, particularly in Game Management Areas, contiguous to the Kafue National Park. They are very

male elephants, she lacked the support of older, experienced females. As highly social mammals, female elephants become very active in the role of ‘allomother’, providing midwife support and physical protection of the new calf against predators. GRI staff feared that her companion age-mate bulls would be unable to provide adequate protection in the wild.

Game Rangers International

devoted conservationists who put their heart into all the hard work they do to make a sustainable difference and tackle the human-wildlife conflict in Zambia. Chamilandu was cared for at GRI’s Elephant Orphanage and Release facility, where orphans are supported by dedicated keepers and gradually reintegrated into the wild.

As the eldest female in the herd, Chamilandu became the Matriarch of the herd, mothering every orphan who since joined her at the facility. She is obviously a beautifully kind-hearted and maternal elephant. At 13-yearold, this iconic elephant who has roamed free in the Kafue

National Park for the past four years, returned unexpectedly on 9th September 2019 for the first time in 4 months.

She looked tired and uncomfortable, much like pregnant women when they are about to give birth!

GRI had known for some time that she was pregnant after she allowed Maison, her keeper since her arrival at the Elephant Orphanage, to touch her stomach so that he could feel and hear the baby moving inside. The whole camp was excited but also very aware of the threats Chamilandu could face in delivering her baby, especially as a younger elephant. Having grown up surrounded by predominantly

“

His birth represents a significant milestone that is an indicator of success towards successful re-integration with wild elephants, a goal we have worked on for the past 11 years.

Having returned to camp, which was her safe haven for many years, keepers were able to step in to support Chamilandu in removing the birth sac and helping this miracle baby to its feet after she rapidly gave birth.

Welcome to Zambia little Mutaanzi David!

He was given this special name to mark this momentous occasion in GRIs compassionate journey.

Mutaanzi means ‘’first born’’ in the local Ila language and David

tributes GRI’s late founding father, wildlife artist David Shepherd, without whom Chamilandu would never have had her second chance.

GRI’s Wildlife Rescue Director Rachael Murton explains the significance of the young calf’s birth: “The birth of Mutaanzi David was an incredibly emotional and special time for GRI and of course the entire elephant herd. His birth represents a significant milestone that is an indicator of success towards successful re-integration with wild elephants, a goal we have worked on for the past 11 years.

The fact that Chamilandu has reached a physical health condition and demonstrated that she is reproductively fit provides the reassurance that despite these orphans losing the vital nutrition and nurture of their mothers at a young age, our system of care and nutrition has supported getting her to a physical condition that is comparable to her wild counterparts.”

This exciting milestone is the result of an 11-year journey for the DNPW-GRI partnership. If this story has made a special connection with you, follow Chamilandu and Mutaanzi David’s’ story at www. gamerangerinternational.org.

The Badger 16th March 2020

Travel & Culture 27 The smoke settles and the world forgets Travel and Culture writer Amy Holden draws attention to the current lack of coverage of last years Australian bushfire devastation Amy Holden Rewind back to the end of 2019, international media was consumed by the news that Australia was ablaze, and that, whilst not the first bushfires to have occurred in Australia, they were on a much larger scale than before. Having spoken to two people currently in Australia, there is the overwhelming idea that people are still aware of them, yet the media seems to have moved on.

The world recognised the tragedy that was occurring in Australia at the start of 2020, which resulted in an area roughly the size of South Korea (25.5 million acres) being burnt, killing over 30 people and suspected to have killed over 1 billion animals. These news reports touched many, with social media campaigns requesting donations and raising awareness. However, as of now (3/03/2020) all the fires have been extinguished, with torrential rain putting out over 30 in a week, and social media has largely gone quiet on the topic, despite the effects still being counted.

Reports suggest that wild-

Sascha Grant Gage Skidmore life in Australia, a key element of Australian tourism, has been one of the hardest hit by the fires. Birdlife Australia estimates that 77 bird species lost more than 1/3 of their habitat, while 113 species need ‘emergency help’, having lost over 30% of their habitat. Considering that the impact on animals was one of the most prolific stories covered while the fires were ongoing, koalas have since stopped appearing on the feeds of many. The situation regarding wildlife and biodiversity in Australia is not as simple however, as animals no longer being killed. In January 2020, the Australian government pledged

A$50 million (£26 million) to wildlife/habitat recovery (such as pest control, treatment and food drops), yet this is not something that can simply be solved financially. During the blazes, even some of the Australian rainforest was alight, with over 50% of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area (GRAWHA) being impacted- when the canopy burns, major changes occur to the forest, which could take up to a century to stabilise.

Furthermore, charcoal and ash are being washed into the water, and the already-weakened animals are now threatened by feral animals, who recover

faster and will travel further for food. Considering that Australia has one of the worst extinction rates in the world, this situation truly highlights the impacts of the fire, and the complexities of the solutions.

There is no ignoring the human impact of the fires, with a record national average temperature of 41.9C, making the standard of living even harder, with Sydney having air quality in December 11 times the ‘hazardous level’. It was estimated that Tasmania had medical costs of A$25 million, with 2300 insurance claims to compensate for the 3000 houses lost. It is these crude figures that emphasise how, regardless of the frequency with which it features on our news, many people in Australia cannot escape the tragic realities of the fires. When speaking to someone that had lived in Australia 10 years ago, to return this month, she spoke of a clear change within Australians. Previously, bushfires were an inevitable event, but the scale of the devastation from this round has instilled a new fear in the public, reinforcing the importance of prevention. Australia is working on new prevention

Rome road-tripping

methods, given that these were much worse than could have been expected, including a new satellite, using infrared detectors to detect moisture in the dominant vegetation (eucalypt trees and shrubs).

It is not only in Australia that the lack of media coverage of disasters has occurred, with a similar thing also arguably occurring in Brazil where, despite the Amazon fires being widespread news last summer, media coverage is now scarce, despite deforestation rates still increasing. What is clear however through both discussions, is that Australians are working diligently to recover, with fundraisers and donations still a part of everyday life. As one said though, it “seems unreal that the world stopped talking about the fires” before they were completely put out.

While clearly not all events can make front-page news and remain at the top of everyone’s feeds, there should still be acknowledgment to those that cannot escape their new reality, as well as those that never had a voice, given that this is something that could occur again.

Coronavirus aside, heres what you can hope for from a weekend in Rome Shreya Challagalla

to choose from as well.

Day 2

Rome is a historical powerhouse with artfilled streets, marvellous architecture and vibrant street life.

This weekend guide to Italy’s capital should help you keep your mind away from classes while also getting the most of your holiday!

Day 1

Begin your day like the Romans do with a shot of espresso at La Casa Del Caffe Tazza D’oro which should give you a good boost, and then walk to the Pantheon.

Built 2000 years ago this temple-turned-church boasts a spectacular design and is the only Roman building that has remained intact. It is free to enter and well worth the visit. From here, walk to the Roman Forum and take in the spectacular beauty of all the ruins!

For lunch, head to Vulio for cheap open sandwiches or if you are in the mood to splurge, eat pasta and roasted artichoke at Nonna Betta in the Jewish Quarter. Stomach

Sean MacEntee satisfied, begin walking towards the Spanish Steps to join a free afternoon walking tour. There are plenty of tours to choose from, and most tours begin at the Spanish Steps.

I used “Rome Free Walking Tour”, which I was satisfied with. The tours typically cover the Spanish Steps, the Roman Aqueduct, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Venezia, Roman Forum and the Colosseum, and last three hours. Rome is a crowded city filled with tourists and pick-pockets are not uncommon.

It’s always best to stick with your friends and keep a lookout for your belongings!

For drinks and dinner, go to the fun Monti neighbourhood.

It boasts of bars, al fresco dining and attracts many backpackers. Look out for bars that offer happy hours and other deals!

Stay the night at one of the many hostels in Rome such as Generator (bed from £20 a night), or for a more hipster vibe, stay at Trustever (bed from £12 a night). Rome has plenty of Airbnb’s and hotels

After breakfast, walk to Vatican City and spend half the day exploring the museums and the Sistine Chapel.

Students are eligible for discounted tickets (with a valid student ID card) that cost €8 or €12 for a “skip the line” ticket. A full price ticket is €17.

If you happen to visit on the last Sunday of the month, the Vatican museums are free to enter!

For lunch, eat at one of the many restaurants near the Vatican. Admittedly, many of them are overpriced but a few gems do stand out.

Nanu Bagel Bar is popular for quick grab-and-go bagels, while Pizzarium Di Gabriele Bonci is popular for its pizza slices. If you do go here, also try their suppli (rice balls).

If you are still up for some sightseeing you can walk towards St Peter’s Basilica, Italy’s largest and richest basilica from the Vatican.

En route stop by the Bernini fountain that is designed like an Egyptian obelisk.

End the day at Trastevere, a

neighbourhood popular for its nightlife. The neighbourhood is also home to many affordable pizzerias.

There’s no shortage of bars at Trastevere, but Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fa is undoubtedly the most popular for its selection of craft beers.

Most travellers enjoy barhopping here to get a flavour of the various drinks and bars.

It’s a lovely place to end your trip!

Things to keep in mind:

- Rome is crowded and pick-pockets are common, so always keep an eye on your belongings - When heading out for the night it’s best to stay with friends or as a group and keep your phones charged to last the night - As a habit, it’s better to note down the name and address of your accommodation, and always check the FCO website for travel advisories!

Rome is a perfect city break and flights from London can be cheap if booked in advance.

Go here for the history, food and some sun!

The Badger 16th March 2020

Travel & Culture 28 International Womens’ Day on campus

Mehek Shazad T&C Print Editor

International Women’s Day is a national holiday that takes place on the 8th of March annually, dedicated to celebrating the endless achievements and improvements women have made in society, in terms of politics, education, sexuality and their overall status. Essentially, the political roots of the day can be said to entail strikes and protests, in order to continue to raise awareness of remaining gender inequalities existing in society to this day and to advocate for further change.

To commemorate this day in all its glory, the university’s Feminist Society (better known

as FemSoc), hosted an event at the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts (ACCA) on campus from 6pm-9pm with special guests, Eliza Hatch and Fiona Szabo.

Tickets were only £3 per person, with all proceeds going to domestic abuse charity RISE. Special guest, activist Eliza Hatch, is renowned for her feminist photography; in particular, the event included a talk and Q&A on her most recent piece of work titled ‘Cheer Up Luv’. This consists of a photo and interview series that essentially retells a variety of women’s accounts of street harassment. Hatch claimed the main aims of this project was to represent the women

who don’t particularly have their own ‘public voice’, and to therefore ‘create a community of shared experiences whilst raising awareness about everyday harassment’.

As well as this, second guest Fiona Szabo, being a textilebased jewellery designer and craft tutor herself, carried out an enlightening talk on ‘The Subversive Stitch, Textile Stories and Resistance’, empowering women to use their creativity, whether that be stitching, poetry, music etc., to advocate for change and make a statement.

The night also included performances, music, readings and student art and photography exhibitions, along with any moving work by creatives that

Menstrual cups: worth a thought?

Cloe Grampa If you happen to have female genitalia, then you might also happen to have a menstrual cycle or experience bleeding, discomfort or health issues related to it, or perhaps you simply don’t get one.

Whichever your situation might be, for so many of us the menstrual cycle, especially the period and Premenstrual Syndrome, is something annoying that makes our lives incredibly difficult. Moreover, we have been taught since when we were children that in a way or another menstruations are something to hide or be ashamed of.

I am sure we all remember at least one time when we had to hide tampons or pads because too ashamed to show them to the world, so we would sneak to the bathroom with menstrual products hidden up our sleeves, in pockets or pouches.

What always surprises me is how the menstrual blood has been stigmatised and deemed dirty, to the point that we ended up using products to absorb this blood that they were then thrown in the bin, like something disgusting..

I surely felt that sense of disgust towards my menstrual blood. I used to despise my period, I hated it, it made me

Anna Shvets feel dirty and uncomfortable, to not mention in pain.

What made me change my mind on how I see my period and how I interact with this blood was being introduced to the menstrual cup. I started using one because I realised how much pollution sanitary products like tampons and pads were causing, and I really wanted to start living sustainably and the menstrual cup seemed to be a good option.

The menstrual cup definitely became more popular in the last few years, especially with the climate crisis looming upon us.

However, menstrual cups were first patented in 1937

by Leona Chalmers, meaning that they have been around for quite a while. Initially, they were made of rubber, now they are made of silicone

and they come in different shapes and sizes as well as colours. They are a tad bit more expensive than normal sanitary products but they can last up to 10 years.

Menstrual cups collect the menstrual blood rather than absorbing it, meaning that once the blood is collected you can easily empty the cup in the toilet, rinse it off and put it back in again. Zero waste. By the end of the cycle the cup will be put in boiling water to kill bacteria and make it ready to be used for the next period.

It really is that simple.

The cup is not only a greener alternative, but it has also helped me get in touch with my body and celebrate my cycle rather than despising it. Touching my blood when having to take the cup out of my vagina made me realise how much stigma I have been subjected to. I soon started appreciating this blood rather than being disgusted by it.

Overall, the menstrual cup made me reconsider the way I see the menstrual cycle and it also allows me to challenge the stigma around menstruation turning it from something shameful into something beautiful.

I understand that menstrual cups are not for everyone, but they are a valid alternative that is worth exploring in order to live more sustainably.

focused on feminism, activism, international women’s day, or gender equality.

The night was said to be a great success, as all 60 available tickets sold out and attendees seemed very excited and empowered by the work and talks exhibited. One student who attended the event, claimed that “[she] was incredibly moved by the women creatives who gave truly insightful talks which really inspired [her] to utilise [her] own creativity to participate in feminist activism,” whilst another gushed about how she’d never been to a more empowering event which “celebrated feminism and activism for gender equality in an incredibly unique way.”

All in all, the Sussex Feminist

Society did an amazing job in organising such an important event, which celebrated international women’s day in the most special and eccentric manner. The only issue we’d say is perhaps for the organisers to host the event in a bigger venue next time, which would enable a larger audience to attend and experience such an influential night!

Overall, the celebration was victorious in allowing men and women from all walks of life and interests to come together and represent one significant, common cause – that of gender equality and female empowerment, which is what international women’s day is all about.

Cultural Bite This week we turn up the heat with this quick and easy Thai vegi curry.

Curry is everyone’s comfort food. If you want your curry to be more tropical, the Thai coconut vegetable curry is your gem! It is warm and perfect for chilly weather.

What you’ll need ( for 4 servings):

1 red onion 1 green chili 2 cloves garlic 1 red bell pepper 1 aubergine 390g diced tomato 190g chickpeas, drained and rinsed 70g baby spinach 100g Thai jasmine rice, for serving

Seasoning:

1 tbsp coconut oil 2 tbsp green curry paste 1 tbsp brown sugar 200g coconut milk 5g thai spices

Instructions:

Sascha Grant Marco Verch

Firstly, pour the coconut oil in a large, high-sided pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes until they turn slightly golden. Then add the chopped green chilli and minced garlic, and sauté for 1 minute. Add the sliced bell pepper and diced aubergine, and cook for 3 minutes, until the aubergine begins to soften.

After adding all the ingredients, add the curry paste and brown sugar and stir to coat the vegetables. Make sure the curry paste turns into sauce.

Pour in the coconut milk and stir to combine until the milk is stained from the curry paste. Stir the in diced tomatoes and chickpeas, and bring to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes.

Once the curry is simmering, add the spinach, and stir until wilted. When it is nearly ready, add some Thai spices like fresh cilantro and basil to make the curry aromatic.

Meanwhile, prepare for the rice. To cook the rice, pour a large pot of water to boil. After that, add the rinsed rice and continue boiling for 30 minutes, reducing heat as necessary to prevent overflow. Remove from heat, drain the rice and return the rice to pot.

It’s time for serving! It only takes 30 minutes to make and enjoy!

Vanessa Hung T&C Online Editor

The Badger 4th November 2019

Science & Technology

29

Type I diabetes: a losing race

Bethan Grimshaw

Thanks to Charles Darwin weType I diabetes (insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus) is an autoimmune condition defined

by T-cell-mediated destruction of the beta cells of islets of Langerhans in the pancreas by the person’s own immune system, due to loss of T cell education and tolerance in the thymus, or breakdown in peripheral tolerance.

The immune system targets self-cells ultimately causing autoimmunity.

Numerous factors, including genetics, infection and environmental exposure are implicated in this dysregulation between destruction of nonself material and protection of self-material.

In the case of type I diabetes, the destruction of beta cells results in insufficient production of insulin (a hormone which affects gene expression to stimulate biosynthetic enzymes and anabolic pathways, and increases translocation of GLUT 4 glucose-transporter protein to the membrane). Therefore, even after a meal when there is a high concentration of glucose in the blood, the patient maintains a low insulin to glucagon ratio, activating catabolic enzymes. The patient is therefore essentially stuck in a starved

state, where alternative sources of fuel are used for energy production, for example breakdown of protein in the muscle, resulting in muscle wastage, provides carbon skeletons for gluconeogenesis in an attempt to maintain blood glucose.

The good news is that there have been vast improvements in treatment in recent years. Previously, supplying the patient with endogenous insulin via irregular injections was the only option.

With advances in transplant science and genetic therapy, notably transplantation of cells that express the genes against T1DM, stem-cells mediated gene therapy, genetic vaccination, and immunological precursor cellmediated gene therapy. New treatments with longer lasting effects are on the horizon.

For example, one study using mouse models, found that genetic engineering of hematopoietic stem cells of individuals expressing MHC (major histocompatibility complex) alleles associated with susceptibility to autoimmune disease, restored protective MHC class 2 expression and prevented occurrence of type 1 diabetes.

The bad news is that the incidence of type I diabetes still seems to be on the rise. Similar patterns are being seen in many

other autoimmune conditions.

Changes in diet, and therefore our microbiota, and exposure to environmental toxins, acting on top of genetic susceptibility markers, are strongly suspected to be the cause, as improvements in diagnosis and reporting alone is insufficient to account for the alarming increased rate of prevalence of autoimmune conditions.

For example, research by NIEHS (national institute of environmental health services) has implicated that cigarette smoke can amplify the genetic risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.

It is estimated that worldwide rates of autoimmune conditions are increasing by 4-7% per year, with the greatest increases seen in type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, and myasthenia gravis. Roughly 5.4% of NIH (National Institute of Health) budget is dedicated to research into environmental factors.

Without research into links between environmental exposure and autoimmunity, we will not be able to eliminate autoimmunity in the future. There needs to be a re-alignment between research into preventative treatment and disease treatment. Otherwise we are setting ourselves up for a losing battle.

bination of the two.

Fuel, which can also be described as energy for the engines can come in many forms. These can be either renewable or non-renewable.

Within these two categories, the fuels can be further separated into energy types including heat energy and motion energy.

Regardless of the fuel energy type, it must be converted to heat energy for use in the engine.

Mechanical engines are generally classified as either Internal Combustion Engines (ICs) or External Combustion Engines (ECs). They are labelled with combustion because they require burning of oxygen for use.

During so, fuel is burned with air (an essential requirement) in a mixture to release energy. Within ICs, the combustion occurs inside an area known as the combustion chamber whereas ECs involve the power processes occurring outside of a combustion chamber.

After the conversion of the fuel to heat energy via combustion some of the heat energy produced is used to exert forces on the moving parts (the piston and crankshaft) within the cylinder.

Through this, the heat energy is transferred to moving energy.

The process of energy conversion and exertion of forces on an object from a certain distance (that the pistons move) is known as ‘work’.

As a result, the pistons have the energy to reciprocate and the crankshaft to convert the linear motion of the pistons to circular motion via its rotation.

As a piston moves up and down it completes a stroke for the engine’s cycle of movement. ICs can be defined by stroke number. For example, a four-stroke engine requires four strokes to complete a cycle.

The four processes via each stroke are intake where the fuel and air mixture in received to the cylinder via

‘Eye’ Teach “Hand Sanitisers don’t kill viruses” Ayah El-Dakal Science & Tech Editor

Clker-Free-Vector-Images

“How do engines work?”

Olumayokun Aikomo

I’m sure we are all aware of the term engine, but I’m here to explain how it actually works.

For those that don’t know an engine is a machine with moving parts that generates power. These can be used for many applications, including powering a vehicle.

The most basic formation of an engine includes a cylinder containing pistons that move in a straight line, or reciprocate, inlet valves to let in air and fuel and outlet valves that let out exhaust fumes; a crankshaft that converts linear piston motion to circular motion and a connecting rod connecting the piston and crankshaft.

Engines require fuel for use just as living organisms require food or sunlight for sustenance, which can be electrical or mechanical in form. Electrical engines are powered via electrical sources and mechanical engines via mechanical sources.

Hybrid engines use a com-

inlet valves, compression, where the mixture is compressed to aid in power production for easier ignition of the mixture, combustion and power stroke, where the heat conversion via combustion occurs and exhaust where the exhaust valves open and exhaust gases are forces out of the cylinder.

The ignition of the mixture during the combustion and power stroke depends on the engine type. Spark Ignition (SI) engines use a spark to ignite the mixture during the compression and power stroke and Compression Ignition (CI) engines compress air within the cylinder of the engine.

These high pressures lead to high temperatures which in turn are used to ignite the fuel.

As can be seen, there are many different ways that engines can work.

Various methods and technological advances are being practised and created to improve their operation.

With the dramatic increase in the online price of Hand Sanitisers, many people have found themselves stressed and wondering into all Boots stores trying to stock up. Strangely enough, (although a bit extreme) these are the sensible ones..

I saw a rumour passed around on twitter supposedly from a ‘scientist’ saying that Hand Sanitisers do not kill viruses.

So, here is the misconception – A hand sanitiser is not an anti-bacterial though does have, anti-bacterial properties and kills almost all non-spore forming bacteria.

The purpose of this hand gel is supposed to decrease the levels of infectious agents on the surface of our hands. Predominately this is due to the ease of spread of microorganism from our hands to other parts of our body, but also to protect the public from our infections.

Most hand sanitisers contain alcohol (at least 57%) and this is sufficient in denaturing membrane proteins in viral cells and lyse them (‘to death’). Just like bleach and other household detergents you reduce the number of them present on surfaces and so you reduce their capacity to replicate and reproduce.

In fact, hand sanitisers have actually been shown to be effective against the influenza virus, and also includes other enveloped viruses. This just refers to the protein outer layer in viruses.

Alcohol-based products may be preferred in most instances in health care environments over cleaning with soap and water by hand.

This is because they are generally more effective at killing microorganisms and better tolerated in situations where hand sanitation is a requirement for the majority of the day.

You cannot kill a virus, as they were never living to begin with.

You can only ever stop them from replicating. The most effective hand sanitisers contain high amounts of alcohol, but with this comes an increased flammable risk.

Stay safe and stay clean.

Have an idea you want us to explain? Email us at thebadger.science@gmail.com

The Badger 16th March 2020

Science & Technology

30

History on repeat: the return of mumps

Bethan Grimshaw It should be a disease consigned to 1950s children’s books, with poor Timothy watching longingly from his bedroom at his friends playing football outside while he takes some foul-tasting medicine.

Mumps is a disease caused by mumps rubulavirus, a paramyxovirus (characterised by a small, roughly spherical morphology ranging from 120-450nm diameter) consisting of a ribonucleoprotein complex (a single stranded RNA genome enclosed by nucleocapsid proteins and associated with an RNA polymerase complex to aid viral genome replication).

The virus is highly contagious, spreading via respiratory droplets or direct contact, and mainly infects ependymal cells lining the brain and spinal cord in the central nervous system.

“

Medical topics seem to be especially susceptible to fake news, perhaps because we are all a little paranoid about our health

Common symptoms should pass within 1-2 weeks and include: • Joint and muscle pain fever • tenderness and swelling of the parotid glands in the side of the face below the ears • loss of appetite.

Symptoms are generally more severe in adults than children, and there is a risk of highly dangerous complications, including: • pancreatitis (inf lammation of the pancreas) occurs in ~ 1/20 cases • testicular inf lammation in ~1/4 post-pubescent men, which can result in infertility • ovaria inf lammation in ~1/20 post-pubescent women, though this is not linked to increased risk of infertility • temporary hearing loss ~1/20 • Permanent deafness ~1/20,000 • viral meningitis occurs in ~1/7 cases of mumps (unlike bacterial meningitis, this is not lifethreatening) Around 1/1000 of these cases may develop encepha-

litis There is no cure for mumps, with treatment mainly involving rest, painkillers, and sufficient f luids.

Thankfully, in 1971 a man named Maurice Hillemanat from the Merch Institute of Therapeutic Research in Pennsylvania successfully developed the MMR vaccine, comprising of low doses of attenuated measles, mumps and rubella viruses (the live viruses are cultured in conditions that weaken their symptom-causing properties so that the injected person experiences few side-effects).

Upon injection, the body activates an immune response as if the viruses were full-strength, resulting in B cells of the immune system being activated to mature into plasma cells (which secrete antibodies that bind specifically to peptide antigens on the surfaces of the viruses to clear the infection) and memory cells.

“

Rates of mumps is now the highest it has been in a decade.

These memory cells stay in circulation for decades so that, should the person become re-infected with the same virus, the memory cells are quickly reactivated to create plasma cells to produce antibodies.

This is termed the “secondary response” and is far more rapid and effective than the “primary response” that occurs when the body becomes infected with a pathogen it has never encountered before.

This active acquired immunity is the basis of immunisation and is why, although a single dose of MMR vaccine is effective in protecting against infection, a second “booster” dose is given to further increase effectiveness.

“

We are living in an era where sharing the spread of misleading information is all too easy due to social media and poor press reporting.

After the vaccine was introduced in America in 1971, the number of cases of MMR drastically dropped between 22,000-75,000 cases a year.

By mid 1980s, incidence was reported at below 4,000 cas-

es a year. A similar pattern followed when it was introduced to the UK in 1988. A study by CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a US government public health agency) estimated, for children vaccinated 19942013, the MMR vaccine has prevented nearly 150 cases of disease, and over 57,000 deaths.

A resounding success.

Until, in 1998, Andrew Wakefield published a study in The Lancet that appeared to show a correlation between MMR vaccine and autism or bowel disease. The study has since been found to be highly unscientific and the results wholly unreliable.

An inquiry by the British General Medical Council concluded Wakefield had been “dishonest in his research, acted against his patients’ best interests andmistreated developmentally delayed children, and failed his duties as a responsible consultant”.

The Lancet fully retracted his publication and Wakefield was struck off the UK medical registered and banned from practicing medicine in the UK.

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It’s not just unvaccinated people who are suffering ...even children who did receive the vaccine are no longer immunised.

Nonetheless, Wakefield’s paper scared people. Because why listen to eminent scientists and researchers, when you can instead listen to the sensationalist, scaremongering headline of a tabloid newspaper? And because, clearly, having an autistic child is the worst thing in the entire world and far more risky than your child contracting a virus that could leave them with fertility issues (I myself am autistic so find this whole topic a particularly sensitive area…).

Vaccination rates began to decline, compromising the effectiveness of herd immunity. This is the principle whereby if a sufficient proportion of the population are vaccinated, vulnerable individuals who have not developed immunity (e.g. babies or people too ill to receive the vaccination directly) are still protected because it is harder for the virus to be transmittedbetween people sus-

Lance Wheeler ceptible to infection.

Rates of mumps is now the highest it has been in a decade, with 5,042 cases being reported in universities and colleges in 2019, 4 times the number reported in 2018. The children of parents who decided against the MMR vaccine are now at the age of entering university, where spread of the virus is easy due to close proximity for prolonged periods of time in lecture theatres, nightclubs and halls of residence.

But it’s not just the unvaccinated people who are now suffering. Even children who did receive the vaccine are no longer immunised due to the combined effects of decreased herd immunity and the mumps element of the vaccine being least effective (98% of vaccinated people should be protected from measles, compared to 88% being protected from mumps).

Lessons must be learned We are living in an era where sharing the spread of misleading, inaccurate or blatantly wrong information is all too easy due to social media and poor press reporting.

Arguments that have longsince been debunked are still in circulation because the original post was never taken down. People can cluster together on social media to form their own private bubble where every post they see feeds into their own beliefs so that they only see what they want to see.

Medical topics seem to be especially susceptible to fake news, perhaps because we are all a little paranoid about our health. This shows how crucial it is to have good sci-

entific practices in place.

We must learn from what we are currently seeing with increase in mumps outbreaks, to prevent future scenarios plaguing out with even more serious, life-threatening diseases. Trends in increased incidence of cholera and measles are already being seen.

Of course, the big businesses and media companies should be made to feel more responsible for the inf luence they have. But, given money is involved, I’m not going to hold my breath for that being any time soon. So, we must make EACH OTHER accountable. If you see a post that looks slightly dodgy, or maybe too good to be true, do some further research before you share it.

A recent “favourite” of mine was a post my nan shared on facebook about “cough CPR”, whereby simply coughing will apparently dislodge the massive blood clot in your artery and magically cure you of a heart attack (please note the deep sarcasm).

It is true, “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” ~Nelson Mandela.

Equally, mis-education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to destroy the world. Because if the public begin to trust social media more than scientists and professionals, society will surely suffer.

The good news is that it is never too late to catch up on the MMR vaccine. If you suspect you missed your vaccine, contact your GP and get up to date as soon as possible. Anyone of any age who missed out can receive the vaccine free on the NHS. It is given in 2 doses roughly a month apart.

The Badger 16th March 2020

Sport 31 Why You Should Get Involved in Darts Today

Ben Kofi Darts. A game that is almost ubiquitous in this country. In most towns you’re usually never too far from a pub which has a board and some spare darts that people can use and play with. I’ve got one on the street of my university house. Darts is a game known and trialled by many, regularly played by some and mastered by a select few.

Darts has been televised since the 1970’s and has changed substantially since it first hit TV screens and entered households across the UK and the rest of the world.

In the early days most of the players who played in the World Championships had other jobs and although they were all immensely talented there wasn’t anywhere enough money for many of the men on the circuit to be truly professional.

For comparison, Leighton Rees (winner of the first British Darts Organisation (BDO) Men’s World Championships in 1978) won £3,000 for his efforts and last year, when Glen Durrant won the same competition, he won £100,000 for his exploits.

On the other main established circuit, the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), Dennis Priestley won their first world championship in 1994 and won £16,000 for his achievement and this year on New Year’s Day

Charlie Batten

when Peter Wright won the PDC World Championship, he won a mammoth £500,000 for his feat.

It’s not just in the prize money however, where the game that we see on TV has changed, however.

In recent years, the occurrence of fans and spectators appearing in fancy dress has become much more common to the point where at most events it is rare not to be able to see people dressed as characters like The Minions (from Despicable Me), Oompa Loompas (from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), or Teletubbies.

The commercial side has also changed with all the top players having merchandise that fans can purchase and wear to events like shirts, wigs and bald caps.

Recently, the sport has garnered major attention form the worldwide mainstream media when Fallon Sherrock of England became only the second ever female player to beat a male professional darts player on television when she beat Ted Evetts in the first round and Mensur Suljović (world number #11 at the time) before losing

to Chris Dobey in the third round. The first woman to beat a male professional at darts on television was Anastasia Dobromyslova of Russia when she beat Vincent van de Voort in the group stage of the 2009 Grand Slam of Darts.

Furthermore, at the 2005 UK Open, Deta Hedman beat Aaron Turner and Norman Fletcher to reach the last 64.

Her win over Turner was the first time that a female darts player had beaten a male player in a televised major. Following on from Fallon’s history-making achievement, Lisa Ashton (three-time BDO women’s world Champion) managed to win a tour card at PDC Q-School in January making her the first woman ever to hold one which ensures her a regular place on the PDC Circuit for the next two years.

The game of darts has been growing rapidly in the last few years, expanding into new areas such as East Asia and South America and expanding existing circuits in North America, Australia and the Nordic and Baltic regions. This macro-growth has seen a semireflection in the University of Sussex Darts Society as well.

At the start of the year we started with just 4 members but, due to the hard work of our president George McMenemy and I, we have since grown to

having had 42 members come and play during the year and as a club we have sent a team of 7 west to represent Sussex in the 2019 Southern University Darts League Singles competition in Exeter last November where all the boys where competitive and only one of us left the South West winless throughout the day, I myself advanced through the group stage and made the playoffs (top 12 out of the 26 entrants) of the competition and another one of us came agonisingly close to joining me in the playoffs.

We all gave a good account of ourselves in what was everybody’s first ever competitive darts competition and were impressive enough to garner an invite to the National University Darts League Competition next month in York to compete against other students from all over the country.

A big congratulations is

in order to Dan Phillips, Joe Walker, Joe Peters, Ed Heath, Ben Silverthorne, George McMenemy and me for their performances in Exeter.

Earlier this month I also represented Sussex at event 5 of the 2019 Rileys University Cup in London Victoria where I advanced to the quarterfinals after winning my first match of the day in a last-leg decider before I was eliminated from the tournament by an opponent who was significantly more experienced than I am (I started playing darts in May, he had already been playing three years).

We as a club have big plans and welcome any and all who want to give the great game of darts a go.

We meet at the Freehaus Pub in Brighton from 7:30pm on Monday evenings, welcome people of all abilities and provide all the equipment needed to play free of charge.

that same year. With the way the league works, it’s no surprise that a once great team goes through a rough period due to salary caps and the yearly draft, but never has there been a fall from grace quite like this.

The first sign that something was going wrong was with the Durant-Green fights, ever since Durant signed for the Warriors, he has had spats with Green.

Many at the time claimed these were just due to the high-intensity and competitiveness of the Warriors team but early last year the two had a heated exchange of words after losing to the Los Angeles Clippers with Green calling Durant a “bitch” for not being clear on his free agency decision. This was seemingly solved a few days later but Durant would later say it was a factor that led to him leaving the Warriors in the summer.

So, how does a team deal with losing Durant, arguably the best player in the league with only LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo in competition. Well the team managed to keep Klay Thompson for another 5 years

even though he won’t be back on the court till next year with a torn ACL and signed D’Angelo Russell who had a career season at the Brooklyn Nets and looked like the best young point guard in the league.

More bad news struck the Warriors however with the trading of Andre Iguodala for a firstround draft pick. This was more a symbolic loss as Iguodala didn’t have the best stats the last few years, but he had been an important member of the dressing room with his wealth of experience, helping the team in hard times and helping young players adapt to the league. Many Warrior fans like myself felt that he would be with the team forever, so his loss made it clear that the team was changing and going into a new era. He was an icon to them after being finals MVP in their 2015 championship win.

When the season eventually started, most fans thought that although the Warriors were weaker, they still had one of the best rosters in the league. This quickly changed with long term injuries to Draymond Green and

Steph Curry meaning both were out for the rest of 2019 and the beginning of 2020.

Within the space of a few months the Warriors went from a team with 6 all-stars to a young team led by D’Angelo Russell.

They not only lost talent but lost the spirit and energy that Curry, Thompson and Green brought to the team. Curry and Thompson are arguably the best two shooters ever and formed a formidable duo The Splash Bros. To go from that to a team filled with draft picks and G-League players caused almost a complete lack of hope in the team.

Almost instantly after Curry got injured the team seemed to start purposely losing games in hope of getting a high draft pick in next year’s draft. And when they did try, they lost narrowly by failing to keep hold of a big lead or losing it all in overtime.

As a fan of the team it’s been really difficult to watch. The last 5 years have been amazing as we were always the best and we were so enjoyable to watch.

Now it feels like everyday I wake

up and see that we lost by 20 points after leading at half time.

The fight that we always had has gone and we’re not enjoyable to watch anymore.

The D’Angelo Russell situation was also aggravating as when we signed him, we all knew he wouldn’t stay for long as we already had two players better then him in his position who just happened to be injured. It felt like the managers tried to make the fans forget we lost Durant by showing off this new player that we didn’t need. He did ok for the Warriors but eventually left and we got Andrew Wiggins in return which will actually be useful in the long run and I’m excited to see what he does.

There is still hope though for the Warriors as in Curry’s first game back from injury we scored 22 points and if there’s anyone that can lead the Warriors to a last-ditch playoff place it’s him. Even if they don’t make it, Thompson will be back next season and although they might not win the league, they can still show everyone that the Warriors aren’t finished yet.

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In most towns, you’re usually never to far from a pub which has a board and some spare darts that people can use and play with

Proxyclick Visitor

Have Golden State Lost their Warrior Status?

The Golden State Warriors have been a dominant force in the NBA since the 2014-15 season, but now they find themselves with the worst record in the league. What happened?

Since Steph Curry was drafted in 2009, the San Francisco and Oakland based franchise have built themselves into being arguably the best team to ever play basketball. They’ve been in the last 5 finals and won 3 of them and almost became the first team to win three in a row since the 2002 Los Angeles Lakers.

They’ve certainly been graced with some of the best talent in the league with Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green all being drafted into the team as well as the signings of Kevin Durant, DeMarcus Cousins and Andre Iguodala cementing them as one of the best teams to ever play basketball.

However, the team currently lies with a record of 14-49 which is their worst since the 201112 season and risk missing the playoffs for the first time since

The Badger 16th March 2020

Sport 32 Coronavirus: Sports in jeopardy Georgia Keetch News Sub-Editor Dozens of international sport events have been cancelled or postponed around the world amid an outbreak of a new type of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The pathogen’s effect has been felt across a range of sports - from athletics, rugby and golf to football, tennis and motorsports.

The epidemic, which began in China in late December, has plunged the global sporting calendar into disarray and cast a shadow over preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Qualifiers for the Summer Games in Japan are among a growing list of competitions either pushed back or relocated because of the virus. Some governments responded to the outbreak by banning travel to and from China and denying entry to foreign nationals who had visited the country. The Tokyo Marathon, which usually attracts more than 30,000 runners, was a low-key event with few spectators on Sunday after organisers restricted the race to only 200 elite runners.

The 2020 Summer Olympics

in Tokyo is the biggest global sporting event of the year, and organizers have already voiced concerns that the disease could cause problems for the event.

Players were advised to avoid post game handshakes and instead stick with fist or elbow “bumps”.

The status of the games could be up in the air as late as May. By all accounts, it seems like the IOC is going to do all it can to keep the event going, given that a cancellation would result in losses of tens of billions of dollars and severe financial devastation for sports governing bodies that require Olympic income to survive.

Japan’s Olympic minister Seiko Hashimoto later clarified that the contract the IOC has with the country states the organization “has the right to cancel the games only if they are not held during 2020,” with no specific dates mentioned.

Unsurprisingly, the country that first saw coronavirus infect its citizens, China, had an event that was scheduled to be in the city of Nanjing postponed to next year. The World Athletics Indoor Championships were meant to take place from March

13-15 but will now take place in March 2021.

The regular NBA season was on track to finish on April 15, and playoffs were scheduled to go ahead. However as of March 11 after a Utah Jazz player was tested positive for the virus, the NBA announced in a statement online that they are “suspending gameplay following the conclusion of tonight’s schedule of games until further notice. The NBA will use this hiatus to determine next steps for moving forwards in regard to the coronavirus pandemic.” Whilst, prior to this players in the Chinese Basketball Association had been temporarily halted from signing NBA contracts With league spokesman Mike Bass having siad, in a statement to Yahoo Sports, that the health and safety of the employees, team, players and fans is paramount.

“We are coordinating with our teams and consulting with the CDC and infectious disease specialists on the coronavirus, and continue to monitor the situation closely.”

Italy, which has been one of the countries hit hardest by the virus, announced on March 9

From ‘Flow Kingz’, to Superstar?

Jonny Garwood Sports Editor Despite a storied career at Nottingham Forest, Leeds United and Manchester City, and having once been held as an up and coming prospect, in English football, the name ‘Haaland’ is perhaps most synonymous with that horror challenge from Roy Keane 20 years ago, in which the glittering career of Alfe Inge Haaland was prematurely cut short when his knee was severely damaged.

Indeed, this controversy was marked by Keane appearing to endure the Norwegian in a fit of rage as he lay prone at his feet, with the Irishman later describing the scenes as an ‘act of revenge’ in an interview with the Observer in 2002, following an earlier challenge from Haaland during his time at Leeds, due to which Keane snapped a cruciate ligament and was left out injured for the rest of the season.

In some of the most bizarre and controversial proceedings in the sporting world at the time, and despite pleas of innocence at a disciplinary hearing in 2002 - in which Keane remarked his tackle was a ‘genuine effort to play the ball’ - the Irishman received a five-game ban from the

FA and a £150,000 fine. Haaland only played six more times for club and country, and himself refused to make a direct link between the end of his playing days and that challenge by Roy Keane, however, he has always been quick to state that there was some correlation.

Recently on the block, is another young prospect taking on the ‘Haaland’ mantle. Erling Haaland, son of Alfe Inge, is one of a number of footballing prospects with parents prominent or formerly involved in professional sports, with others including teammate Giovanni Reyna and Manchester City’s Leroy Sane.

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In English football, the name ‘Haaland’ is most synonymosus with that horror challenge from Roy Keane 20 years ago

Described as a ‘rare and exceptional talent’ by his father in an interview on Norwegian TV, it was never doubted that Erling would quickly follow in his father’s footsteps - one way or another. Often remarking that much of inspiration for his success was down to Northern European compatriot Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Erling Haaland

has quick to make a name for himself both within and outside of the sporting scene - for a number of reasons. Having initially made strides in the athletics field, last month, in a Champions League fixture versus Paris Saint-Germain, the player scored a brace, much acclaim was given to the player’s work ethic, his remarkable endurance and those distance runs which during portions of the game, eclipsing all attention to the action on the pitch.

Indeed, it was before Dortmund that he caught the eye of a number of worldrenowned European clubs, due to his form at Red Bull Salzburg, and prior to that, Molde FK. Linked to Manchester United and his former manager Ole Gunnar Soljskaer, amongst a host of other top clubs such as Real Madrid and Juventus, it would have been a contrast had he chosen to go to the red side of Manchester, given his father’s distaste for the club and his earlier comments towards the Red Devils following his injury and Erling’s support of Leeds United and Manchester City growing up. Comments from his father this week suggested that he would be seen to be a better fit for Spanish giants

that all sports fixtures would be suspended until at least April 3.

The premier event on the WWE schedule, WrestleMania 36, is scheduled to take place on April 5 in Tampa, Florida. As the biggest show of the year for the biggest promotion in the world, the company is monitoring the spread of the virus. Speaking in her role as the chief brand officer of the WWE, Stephanie McMahon told the Tampa Bay Times what the companies focus is ”The health and safety of not only our fan base, but also our superstars, really does come first,” McMahon said. “We don’t want to put anyone in a bad situation ever, regardless of the circumstance. Those are not risks worth taking.”

In Motorsports, the opening MotoGP race of the season in Qatar was cancelled by organizers because of the Coronavirus-related travel restrictions on those arriving from Italy. Those who have arrived from Italy, or have been to Italy over the last couple weeks, will be quarantined for 14 days. Italian rider Andrea Dovizioso was the winner of last year’s race, and the organization itself stated “Italy clearly plays a vital role in the Championship and in the MotoGP class - both on track and off - and therefore

the decision has been taken to cancel the premier class competition,” per the Associated Press.

Whilst PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan stated on March 12 announced that their tournaments would take place but without fans in attendance.

Globally the world is taking precautions to prevent COVID-19 spreading and this has obviously affected whether or not sports can be staged. It’s remains unknown as to whether the Olympics will suffer the same fate as the NBA or MotoGP but whatever happens will be what’s best.

Real Madrid, where he would follow in the footsteps of Karim Benzema.

Off the pitch, the player, nicknamed ‘manchild’ due to his noticeable size and strength, has become renowned for his rapping exploits, during his early playing days. Taking on the stage name of ‘Lyng’ and performing alongside fellow Norway compatriots Erik Botheim and Erik Tobias Sandberg, Haaland’s YouTube rap to a Kygo inspired track has become viral on social media, with the hit song drawing in over two million views - and so much so, that this has become a prominent theme regarding Haaland amongst members of the Dortmund team in press interviews and post-match clips. It was clear that the young Norwegian, known formally as Erling Braut, would always make

his mark in some form on the sporting scene and, even today, he holds the longest standing long jump for 5 year olds, setting the record at 1.63 metres in 2006 and as consequence, making clear the level of athletic talent at an ingrained level.

Haaland is one of a number of up and coming talents who are likely to be contention for the mantle currently held by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, and held in a similar regard. It could be said that the Norwegian is likely to rival the likes of Kylian Mbappe and other young talents for the Ballon d’Or in the future, as the aforementioned duo reach the pinnacle of their careers, and no doubt this will be a prominent factor by which the tabloid press may like to discuss for many years to come.

@erling.haaland