The Badger 7th Edition (3rd February 2020)

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3rd February 2020

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

Sussex partners with The Great Escape

Sussex embarks on an exciting new partnership with The Great Escape Festival, offering students access to exclusive live events and work opportunities Becca Bashford News Editor The University of Sussex is embarking on an exciting new partnership with The Great Escape Festival, The Badger can exclusively reveal.

The Great Escape Festival has run since 2006, and takes place over three days (1316 May). Hosting over five hundred emerging artists across thirty different venues across the city, including a pop-up on Brighton Beach, the Great Escape Festival offers a unique opportunity to see some of the newest and most exciting artists from across the globe in the most intimate venues Brighton has to offer.

The partnership, University of Sussex x The Great Escape 2020, will coincide with the 15th edition of the festival.

The Badger can exclusively reveal that a special event to celebrate the partnership will take place on campus on the 14 February, at the Attenborough

Centre for the Creative Arts.

In the afternoon, there will be a panel discussion with The Great Escape Team, who will discuss anything and everything that goes into planning such a unique festival. They will be accompanied by industry professionals, who will give talks about the best ways to get into the music industry.

In the evening of the 14th, there will be a live event featuring performances from artists from the The Great Escape 2020 lineup, and will be headlined by Dream Wife!

Dream Wife will also take part in the afternoon panel discussion, discussing gender balance in the music industry and safety at gigs, with a special focus on the local music scene in Brighton.

The partnership between the University of Sussex and The Great Escape Festival is expected to benefit students in many ways. First and foremost, there will be a

News

US & Iran Tensions & Bushfires

Comment

3

Impeachment & Meghan and Harry 8

Features

Holocaust Memorial & BAFTAs Row 12

Arts

series of work placement opportunities within The Great Escape main festival in May. The placements and opportunities vary from from technical roles to venue rep assistants - and 40 work placements are reserved exclusively for University of

Sussex students. Details of how to apply will be available at the event. There are also 10 media passes granting special access for University of Sussex student media (print, radio, TV and social media).

Continuted on Page 3...

Academy Awards Nominations & 2020 in Books18

Travel & Culture Veganuary & Refreshers 25

Science & Tech A R S T FO FO U ATR T ITSSITT CC U SS ISS T S O F OBFR IBGRHI G H TO H ET H AE R TAI R TO N N

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Check out our brand new updated website: www.thebadgeronline.com

Herbal Remedies & Synthetic Meat

Sports

29

Liverpool FC’s new era & Kobe Bryant 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 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 thebadger.sport@gmail.com The Science & Technology Team Ayaah Eldakal Sereena Kang thebadger.science@gmail.com Events and Publicity Elisei Sergevnin Proof Readers Elizabeth Strange Elizabeth Richardson Georgina Phelps

Editorial

Chris Ahjem Editor-in-Chief

Billie-Jean Johnson Print Production Editor

New year, new Badger! That’s the mindset that I’m taking as we move into the new semester. I want to lead this wonderful student newspaper to higher heights including many innovative interviews, interesting investigations and much more. I’ll also be leading my team to new destinations with a bunch of us hoping to head to the Student Publication Association National Conference in April hosted by Sheffield, they won’t be ready for our domination!

In this first edition of term/ year/decade (also our seventh of this academic year), you can witness some of this initial new heights I speak of.

Our Arts Online Editor, Jude, spoke in depth with band Sophie and the Giants, selfproclaimed ‘practitioners of forward-looking, left-leaning emotional pop’. Check out that article on Page 20.

Jude has also managed to interview Sarah Keyworth on her comedy and how she creates her routines.

Whilst I was lucky enough to have a phone interview with RuPaul’s Drag Race legend Jinkx Monsoon about their upcoming show in Brighton called Together Again, Again.

We chatted about everything from their queer and non binary identity, their creative process and even whether they would return to Drag Race! Find it on Pages 16 and 17.

Our front page article this week is the exciting news that Sussex has teamed up with The Great Escape festival offering students to exclusive live events and work experience.

It’s all going on this edition!

Welcome back to the new term and our first edition of the new year. You may be working on your resolutions, trying desperately to get to the gym and stay sober, but we’re here to give you plenty of excuses to be a little lazy now we’ve left January behind.

If you’re looking to catch up with the nominations you’ve missed at the beginning of Awards season, then head over to Film and Television (Page 18), to hear our takes on the Oscars’ best picture nomination. On the other hand, if you’re sick of under-representation in the industry, then read about the problematic lack of diversity in the BAFTA’s nominations in our Features section (page 14).

We’ve also got you covered for some healthier habits. If you are trying to maintain Veganuary into the year, then look no further than Travel & Culture (Page 28) for their delicious advice.

Not to mention, Science & Technology have the low-down on the new developments in synthetic meat and food production.

You can check out the Books section to inspire your reading goals for the year, and boost your page counts. If you are getting bored of your new gym routine, then we would always advocate joining a society. The sports team have some key tips to get you inspired to sign up and find a new hobby to get you through the dreary winter months, and into spring.

Our most exciting development is our new Badger website. It can be found under the same name, but has a brand new look, so don’t forget to check it out!

Follow The Badger online @thebadgersussex @thebadgernews @thebadgerarts @thebadgerpaper www.thebadgeronline.com The Badger @ Media Ball 2019

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On December 11 2019, Sussex’s student media groups (The Badger, URF, UniTV, Fabrik & The Channel) came together for a night of food, drinks and dancing at Funky Fish! Above are some highlights of our fantastic Badger team enjoying the brilliant night.

The Badger 3rd February 2020

News

3 Golf courses “re-wilded” Fake Extinction Rebellion Posters found in Brighton Katie Drake Staff Writer

In November, the debate began as to whether Hollingbury golf course and Waterhall golf course in Brighton should be “re-wilded” following the end of their lease in March 2020.

Rewilding refers to the process of protecting the environment and returning it to its natural state, the aim being to bring back wild animals and ecosystems that used to inhabit the area.

The debate is mostly between environmentalists wanting to make use of a ‘once-in a lifetime opportunity’ and golfers; some of whom’s livelihoods rest on the club.

The clubs are very well established, Hollingbury has a plethora of social events and societies using the grounds which means they are both assets to their community.

Environmentalists including Extinction Rebellion emphasise the importance of rewilding the areas and have staged protests to bring awareness to the debate. They set up a petition urging the TECC - The Tourism, Equalities and Culture Committee - to consider ‘restoring internationally endangered wildlife’ to ‘Maximise carbon

drawdown’: the idea being that restoring ecosystems will help to draw excess carbon in the atmosphere down and convert it into oxygen, helping to reach carbon neutrality as well as avoiding further temperature rises from the 1.5 OC predicted by 2030. They ask for the ‘right to roam’ the land, meaning locals and visitors can freely walk through the donated national park land so that people can become more connected to nature and thus more connected to the issues surrounding environmental causes.

There have also been campaigns to keep the golf courses as they are.

Hollingbury created a petition to keep the land devoted to golf since it provides ‘affordable and accessible golf to local residents’, there is also potential for the course to be improved further so that golf can attract new players ‘helping to bring a new generation of local residents in to the game’.

There is little information online regarding the outcomes for Hollingbury and Waterhall at present. But it does continue an important debate regarding what is currently needed for businesses to thrive and how we need to adapt our lifestyles to accommodate for our climate’s future.

Sussex partners with The Great Escape Becca Bashford News Editor

Continued from Front Page...

Laura McDermott, Creative Director at Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts, who played a significant role in establishing the partnership, said: “We’re so happy to bring some of the energy of The Great Escape to campus this month.

It’s a brilliant festival that fills the city with buzz every May, and we are particularly excited that University of Sussex students will have a chance to get amongst it and find out about the festival from the inside - thanks to the exclusive work placement opportunities available. Many people dream of working in the music industry but the ways into it aren’t always clear - we hope this event will help demystify things and give University of Sussex students a springboard

to their future creative careers.”

Tickets to the event on Friday 14 February are free of charge but will only be available to University of Sussex students and staff.

Full details will be announced at www.attenboroughcentre. com and on the University of Sussex social media channels.

The Great Escape also run a conference alongside the main festival, boasting panels, debates, keynote speeches and networking events for anyone interested in getting involved in the music industry. This is an iconic weekend for the Brighton music scene, and definitely shouldn’t be missed!

The full lineup for TGE2020 is being confirmed but the first 150 acts have already been announced. Rapper Aitch will grace the Spotlight Show stage at the Brighton Dome, and other acts include Aaron Smith, Samuel Seo, Mabes, Kid Kapichi, and Ghostpoet.

Joshua McLaughlin Staff Writer Multiple posters have been spotted in Brighton containing sensationalist and racially motivated headlines, formatted onto posters that replicate the distinctive branding of the global environmental activist organisation,Extinction Rebellion (XR).

The posters, which were discovered on Portland Road on January 2, have been reported to the police and Brighton and Hove City Council. They contained extremist commentary on race and immigration, which have been condemned by Extinction Rebellion Brighton as ‘false’ and ‘intolerant’.

The posters read: “Stop white genocide”, “Sink the boats, save the world”, “Save the environment, end mass immigration”, and “Populations in Europe are going down.

Populations in Africa are exploding. We don’t need mass immigration, we need population control in the third world.”

In retaliation to being affiliated with these posters, Extinction Rebellion Brighton remarked that these “are not endorsed by

Extinction Rebellion in any way, our movement is based on love and inclusion.”

Stating that the posters “do not adhere to our principles,’’ Extinction Rebellion Brighton are urging members of the public to join their general meetings to learn more about the organisation’s ‘values’, ‘principles’ and ‘demands’, further detailing their inclusive policies as a ‘non-violent’, ‘decentralised’ and ‘culturally regenerative’ environmental activist group.

The Badger approached XR University of Sussex for comment. They said: “Two white supremacist posters have recently been put up in Brighton purporting to be from Extinction Rebellion.

It should be very clear to anyone who has interacted with Extinction Rebellion (XR) that these are in complete contradiction with our values.

XR Sussex Society, along with XR Brighton, wholeheartedly reject any racist, divisive or exclusionary narratives. We have already begun a process of working towards closer links with people of colour selforganising groups and Global South solidarity movements, as

well as forming a diversity and inclusivity working group within XR Brighton.

Our house is on fire. Now more than ever we need to join together and act together.

Attempts to co-opt our branding and discredit our movement only show the desperation of those in our society motivated by hate. We cannot be deterred from our goal of a movement for all, inclusive of everyone - especially the marginalised communities worst affected by climate breakdown and least responsible for causing it.

XR Sussex Society commit to ensuring our programme and practices have anti-racism as a core value, one which informs all aspects of our campaigns against the devastating reality of climate breakdown. We ask that anybody who sees these posters please remove them.

Anybody who hears others speak doubtfully of Extinction Rebellion’s compassionate ethos please stand with us.

Do not allow our message and movement to be tarnished by these hateful actions.”

XR: Sussex meet on campus every Wednesday, visit their Facebook page for more information.

Former Nissan boss flees Japan Venice Hancock News Sub-Editor The former Nissan boss embarked on a dramatic escape from Japan last month.

Carlos Ghosn, the multimillionaire former CEO of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance was out on bail but under strict security measures

by Japanese authorities in Tokyo under charges of financial misconduct. That was, until the night of December 29 and 30, when he managed to flee the country in an escape that seems to belong to the plot of a Hollywood action movie.

That evening, he somehow reappeared in Lebanon, where he holds citizenship, leaving Japanese authorities and people around the world completely baffled. On December 31st, Mr Ghosn issued a statement confirming he was in Lebanon, declaring that he had fled Japan, escaping “injustice and political persecution”. His own legal team in Japan that had been preparing him for his upcoming trial was

entirely unaware of what he was planning on doing and his lawyer, Junichiro Hironaka told reporters that he was “dumbfounded”. Carlos Ghosn made his first public appearance since the events on January 8th, holding a press conference in Beirut but refused to give any details as to his mysterious evasion from Japan.

The mystery surrounding his escape has led to wide-spread speculation within the media but what is certain is that the evasion was very carefully planned and would have taken months of quiet preparation.

According to the Financial Times, the multimillionaire managed to assemble teams working in various countries devoted to planning the entire operation.

There has also been much attention placed on Mr Ghosn’s wife Carole and her apparent role in the escape. According to multiple sources, she could have been a central figure in organising her husband’s escape to Lebanon. And while she described her husband’s return

to Beirut as "the best gift of my life” to the Wall Street Journal, Carole Ghosn had denied having any knowledge of her husband’s escape. Mr Ghosn himself has denied any accusations of his wife’s involvement in the operation, insisting he planned it all “alone”. While this dramatic saga continues to fascinate the media, the way this story is going to unfold is likely to continue to surprise and shock. In the meantime, Interpol have asked Lebanon to detain Mr Ghosn in the hopes of extraditing him back to Japan where he will undergo his trial.

Nissan Motor Co.

The Badger 3rd February 2020

News

Australian bushfires sound alarm for Climate Crisis

Eric Barrell Staff Writer An area of Australia almost the size of England has been set ablaze with devastating bushfires for the past four months.

Thousands of citizens have fled their homes, 28 people have died and the country’s unique ecology has been in a state of emergency as millions of hectares of bushland have been scorched. To many onlookers, these events are an example of the crisis of climate change that will continue to cause extreme weather and natural disasters worldwide.

Yet from both climate activists and climate change deniers, a number of distorted statistics and fake news facts have been spread around that have distorted many people’s perceptions of the crisis.

One thing that is indisputable is the emergency itself. From both an ecological and human perspective, Australia has been devastated by these fires.

Firefighters are outnumbered by thousands of volunteer civilians helping to put out the fires. Despite recent cooler

Ben Jones Staff Writer

conditions and rainfall, more than 100 fires are still burning in the states of New South Wales and Victoria. On Kangaroo Island near Adelaide in South Australia, a famous nature reserve, two people and around 25,000 koalas have been killed by the flames.

Although it is clear that the cost to animal life has been far greater than the number of humans injured or killed, some of the information spread on social media has been exaggerated. A widely-reported estimate that nearly half a billion animals have been killed by the bushfires has been scrutinised by BBC Reality Check. This statistic comes from Professor Chris Dickman, a biologist at the University of Sydney. He elaborated that he was actually referring to the number of animals affected by the fires in one part of New South Wales rather than the overall number of animals dying as a direct result of the fire.

The fact that this was only in one small portion of Australia does show the vast extent of this disaster’s effect on the country’s wildlife, but it is false to report it as nearly a billion animal deaths so far. Although slow-moving animals that have

difficulty fleeing from fires such as koalas have been badly affected, faster moving animals such as kangaroos and flying birds have fared better. Reptiles can also survive well in fires due to burrowing in soil, which is a very good thermal insulator.

What is more concerning to scientists is the aftermath. Many of these animals’ habitats have been destroyed. This, coupled with human development in various areas of the bushland that make it difficult for habitats such as eucalyptus forests to grow back, threaten the longterm survival of Australia’s wildlife. Small reptiles and amphibians emerging from burrows after the fires to feed are more susceptible to introduced predators such as foxes and cats, as reduced vegetation means there is less shelter.

On the other side of the debate that has arisen around the relationship of climate change to the bushfires, climate change denialist groups have been spreading misinformation about the causes of the fires. Although there is not yet an overall number from Australian authorities as to the causes of the fires, there is no evidence that 75% of them

4

Terri Sharp were started by arsonists, as has been reported by some sources.

In Queensland, 114 fires out of 1,048 (around 10%) have been lit deliberately or recklessly through human involvement, which may be due to lack of campfire safety or improper disposal of cigarettes - not deliberate arson. The primary cause of the bushfires has been an increase in extreme weather brought on by the average temperature of Australia rising by just over 1 degree celsius since 1910. This, combined with global extreme weather effects, has given rise to Australia’s hottest summer on record.

Just a few lightning strikes in this hot, dry environment

spark fires that spread quickly across the arid land.

When dealing with a crisis of this magnitude, it is important that the facts are clear. The politicisation of the climate debate has increased the propensity for fake news to spread. The reality is that Australia is facing one of the biggest ecological disasters of our time, and future predictions from climate scientists paint a bleak picture of what’s to come.

It’s important to do everything we can as individuals to lessen our environmental impact and assist causes that are trying to mitigate crises such as this. A key way you can help is by donating to the Australia Appeal at WWF.

‘Ethical Veganism’ ruled a philosophical belief

In Norwich, “ethical veganist” Jordi Casamitjana brought a case before an employment tribunal which ruled ethical veganism to be a “philosophical belief”, and thus obtains the same safety from discrimination held by religious beliefs under the Equality Act 2010.

Ethical veganism, as opposed to dietary veganism, is the belief in abstaining from consuming any products that has resulted in the exploitation of animals, for moral and ethical reasons. With the growing exposure of cruelty and abuse toward animals in the production of many

products, veganism has began to rise as a strongly held belief in Britain and across the world.

According to The Vegan Society, ‘There are more than Three and a half times as many vegans as there were in 2006, making it the fastest growing lifestyle movement’.

This judgment is a significant step in the growing popularity of veganism, particularly in its status not just as a lifestyle but as a way of thought and a belief system. As well as reflecting the growing status of veganism in society, the result of this tribunal also holds significance for the criticism and debate surrounding discrimination

Miika Laaksonen

in

the work-place.

Mr Casamitjana, was reportedly dismissed from the League Against Cruel Sports, a charity which aims to prevent the suffering or abuse of animals in sporting events. According to the charity, he was dismissed for gross misconduct, but Mr Casamitjana states that he was dismissed after disclosing the companies investment in in companies that conduct animal testing. The League Against Cruel Sports did not contest ethical veganism as a philosophical belief, but held the position that Mr Casamitjana was not dismissed for his veganism, but due to “gross misconduct”.

To be considered a philosophical belief, ethical veganism has to be regarded as worthy of respect in a democratic society. There are nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act - religion and belief, age, disability, gender re-assignment, marriage and civil-partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, sex, and sexual orientation.

While tribunal has ruled that veganism is to be considered a philosophical belief, and thus ethical vegans obtain protection from discrimination in the work

place, it is yet to be decided as to whether Mr Casamitjana was in fact dismissed because of his veganism.

This will be determined in an upcoming tribunal.

The result of this decision has brought reactions that both suggest a groundbreaking move forward for societies respect for veganism, as well as criticism and concern as to tribunal’s ability to determine which beliefs are democratically acceptable and which aren’t, and how these decisions will implicate future tribunals and the relationship between employer and employee.

Cultural Critic Theodore Dalrymple said that ‘The very idea that a tribunal should feel competent to divide beliefs into those both truly philosophical and not inimical to a democratic society - the criteria laid down by the law that entitles them to special protection - and those that don’t meet these specifications is worrying’.

This tribunal has thus raised questions as to the conflicts between employer and employee when it comes to discrimination and what is and what isn’t considered to be an accepted belief.

While some reflect on the equality act as a vital way of ensuring a preventation against discrimination in the workplace, some evidently consider the result of this tribunal evidence of the growing power of the employee over the employer due to the protection one gains from belonging to a supposedly democratically and socially acceptable belief system.

According to recent research, ethical vegans have experienced extensive discrimination in the work-place. In a research study

by Crossland, it is reported that 45 percent of 1,000 vegans have felt unfairly discriminated against in the workplace, while nearly a third have felt harassed at work. Furthermore, almost half of a 1,000 employers reported that they did not do anything to accommodate vegans.

Discrimination is clearly a concern for the vegan community, and ethical veganism as a strongly held system of thought clearly places it within the grounds of a philosophic belief.

While criticism will be drawn toward this court hearing, it is clearly a moment of marked progress for the rising vegan movement in Britain.

The Badger 3rd February 2020

News

5

Politics Recap: here’s what you missed over the festive period Will Day Staff Writer It’s been a busy few weeks in British politics, so here’s what you might have missed over the festive period.

The Government has come under criticism for scrapping a pledge protecting the rights of child refugees in Europe seeking to be united with family in the UK. The previous iteration of the Withdrawal Bill stated that “an unaccompanied child who has made a claim for international protection in a member state can come to the UK to join a relative”.

Refugee charities and members of the Labour party who campaigned for the obligation, have been swift in their condemnation.

Concerns have been raised by Beth Gardiner-Smith, chief executive of charity Safe Passage, citing the “potentially tragic consequences” of child refugees trying to reunite with their families by

travelling to Britain illegally.

Plans to abolish the fourhour A&E target have been met with furious opposition from medical professionals. Under current targets, 95% patients are meant to be treated and either discharged, admitted or transferred within four hours.

Figures dropped to a record low over December with only 68.6% of patients being treated in the required time frame.

Removing these targets without implementing an alternative has led to many questioning the motive for its removal.

Rachael Power, chief executive of the Patients Association, has claimed it may be happening to “disguise a collapse in NHS performance due to unnecessary long-term underfunding, avoidable workforce shortages and predictable growth in patient need”.

Tensions between America and Iran have escalated following the assassination of Iran’s top military official, General Qasem Soleimani,

leading to the USA withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal.

Whilst Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, claimed the USA had the “right’ to carry out the assassination, Boris Johnson has taken a more bi-partisan approach calling for tensions in the region to “calm down”, emphasizing that he does not “want a military conflict”.

He has however firmly sided with Trump’s administration over their withdrawal from Iran’s nuclear deal, giving his approval for the deal to be completely withdrawn and replacing it with the “Trump deal”. Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani, has vehemently opposed Johnson’s comments on a Trump deal.

Mr Rouhani issued warnings towards the UK that taking the wrong step would come at “your detriment”, this was coupled with grave warnings to both American and European governments, he stated, “Today, the American soldier is in danger, tomorrow the European soldier could be in danger”.

Marco Verch The race to decide the next leader of the Labour party has begun. Five candidates remain after securing the twenty-two necessary nominations to make the ballot.

Sir Keir Starmer led the nominations with eightyeight, followed by Rebecca Long-Bailey with thirty-three, Lisa Nandy with thirty-one whilst Jess Philips and Emily Thornberry secured twentythree. Candidates must now secure the support of 5% of local parties or at least three affiliates, two of which must be unions, by the 14 February to make the final ballot. Starmer already has the backing of Unison, one of the UK’s largest unions, and SERA, an environmental campaign

group and affiliate to the party.

Nandy has the backing of The National Union of Mineworkers.

For those who make the final ballot, voting begins on the 21 February with a winner announced on 4 April.

Finally, the UK is due to leave the European Union on the 31 January. This follows the passing of the Withdrawal Agreement Bill through parliament. After the 31, the UK will enter an eleven-month transition period allowing further negotiations with the EU to determine how the relationship will look going forward. During this period there will be no change to trade arrangements, the UK will still have to follow EU rulings as well as contributing to the EU budget.

Tensions grow between the U.S and Iran Venice Hancock News Sub-Editor The beginning of 2020 saw the world hold its breath as it watched tensions suddenly rise between the United States and Iran when General Qasem Soleimani was killed in Iraq by an American air raid on January 3.

General Soleimani was one of the most important and respected figures in Iranian military.

The General was responsible for hundreds of American deaths and the White House has asserted that he was planning an attack against the United States, using this as a justification for

the operation. However, many politicians in both parties have questioned this decision, calling it risky and potentially harmful to America’s overall interests, exposing the United States’ lack of a consistent approach to foreign policy.

In Iran, the killing of General Soleimani instigated widespread protests throughout Teheran just three days after the events. Some Iranians were calling for revenge against the United States, others for a general de-escalation of tensions in hopes to avoid what would be a devastating war. The popular gathering for General Soleimani’s funeral

Fars News Agency

in the streets of Teheran was so massive, 50 people were trampled by the crowd and eventually lost their lives.

Iran promised a “military response” and “hard vengeance” to the actions of the Americans.

Donald Trump in turn promised another “major response” and also threatened 52 of Iran’s important cultural sites. 52, referencing the number of Americans held hostages for a year in Teheran in 1979.

On January 8, Iran bombed two American military bases in Iraq as reprisal for the airstrikes that killed General Soleimani. Iran had warned Iraq that it would be carrying out this attack. There were no casualties and this was confirmed by President Trump however, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo contented that the attack had intended to kill.

Iraq has addressed the United Nations about the events, asking that the Security Council condemn the American airstrikes, declaring that the operation represented “a dangerous breach of Iraqi sovereignty and of the terms of US presence in Iraq.” While Iraq is not a member of the Security Council, it could potentially call for the fifteen countries on the Council to unite and discuss the issue.

NATO has also called for

restraint from both countries and immediate de-escalation of tensions, contending that further military actions or even another war would be extremely detrimental to the region.

Democrats in the House of Representatives voted to pass a motion that would limit Donald Trump’s military powers to launch operations in Iran on January 1O. However, it is unlikely to pass in the Senate, where Republicans hold the majority.

The story continued to unfold when a Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737 was shot down after it took off it Teheran, killing all 176 passengers and crew members on board. The catastrophe took place on January 8 and sparked a wave of popular discontent. Iranians accused the government of taking too long to admit the truth about what had really happened to the plane. Days after the disaster, Iranian authorities confirmed that the plane had been shot down

by Iranian missiles, due to “human error”. Authorities also blamed the heightened state of security due to tensions with Washington as a cause for this mistake. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani expressed his condolences by stating that “The Islamic Republic of Iran deeply regrets this disastrous mistake.

My thoughts and prayers go to all the mourning families. I offer my sincerest condolences”.

The tragedy has attracted worldwide attention as the plane’s passengers were primarily Iranian and Canadian.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as well as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have both called for justice for the families and a more thorough investigation. In a statement Prime Minister Trudeau asserted that “What Iran has admitted to is very serious. Shooting down a civilian aircraft is horrific.

The question of responsibility I think takes us a step forward to having a credible investigation.”

Overall, this tragic and disastrous event has seemingly shifted attention away from tensions with the United States. Popular support in Iran appears to have wained, after a widespread feeling of anger against Iranian authorities as a result of this fatal error. Over in the United States, anti-war and anti-government movements seem to remain strong ever since Donald Trump’s very first day in office but do not appear to have much effect on the President’s decision making.

The future of U.S-Iraqi relations remains uncertain as both countries maintain a state of high alert.

The Badger 3rd February 2020

News

Interview with Professor Kelly Coate: Sussex’s 2025 Vision

6

The Badger caught up with Professor Kelly Coate, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Education and Students, to discuss the “Learn to Transform” strategy and 2025 vision for Sussex. It includes radical transformations to teaching, learning, accessibility, wellbeing, and more, and places student voices at the forefront of these changes.

Becca Bashford News Editor Can you sum up what the Learn to Transform strategy is?

The Learn to Transform Strategy is my portfolio, in a way. It’s the education pillar of the overall vision for 2025, and I think it speaks really well to the values and ambitions of Sussex. One of its key aims is to make students partners in the decision making that we do as a university – it’s one of the things that I think could be really transformative in terms of the student experience.

We’re looking at a whole range of ways of working with students, and bringing students into the conversation in really meaningful ways to help us shape their education.

It has many other aims, such as inclusivity, connecting students extra curricular activities with their formal work, and pushing us to think in new ways about what we’re doing in the classroom. We also have an aim around kindness, we want our academic staff to think about kindness in the classroom and with regards to their students, so really it's about human relationships and connections, and building relationships across the university community.

These goals all fall under Sussex’s 2025 strategic framework, which aims to “reimagine the pioneering spirit of the original purpose of our university, but for a new time and a new generation.” So, what does the future of Sussex look like to you?

I want to remember the original spirit of Sussex, when we were challenging the status quo and people were coming here because of that. Students were critically engaged with the world and saw Sussex as a place where they could make that a crucial part of their university experience. So for me, I want to reimagine what that looks like for the contemporary students.

We want to understand what our students see that are critical, what they want to connect with, what they want to challenge, and try to find ways to bring that into the curriculum. This is already in place, but we want to celebrate it even more and ask: where else can we make this happen?

We want to reignite academics passion in that, too. I think for a while, the pressures of ranking

and funding made it easy to slip into the old “well, we’ll just do what’s safe” mindset. So when I go out and talk to people about this strategy, they get really excited.

The Learn to Transform plan states: "Students will routinely participate as partners in the development of their learning, in the discovery of new knowledge, and in the big decisions that shape the University” – what will this involve?

From September 2020, we will have a programme in place where we will employ students to work with us in two different roles. The first is Curriculum Consultants, which is hugely important. If a school wants to take up a curriculum review, we will bring in and pay students to take part in these reviews, and sit alongside the staff so the students are constantly feeding in their perspective.

They’ll be working as colleagues to academic staff, which I think is hugely important for student engagement.

We will also have “Change Agent” student roles, who will work more with professional staff and service teams who implement things like Welcome Week. We also want to find ways to get students more involved with research, so ensuring students work alongside academics in a research sphere is on my agenda. We have a really rich research culture here with leading academics, so we want students to feel the full benefit of that incredibly diverse research culture, whether that be through the modules they’re taking, or through schemes such as Junior Research Associateship, which I would like to strengthen and relaunch so students can take part in real research projects over the summer.

There seems to be a focus on digitally enhanced education.

What does this mean?

We rolled out Panopto last year, which allows us to record what’s going on in the classroom. We had a lecture capture system which was a bit outdated, and not all of the classrooms were enabled, but Panopto is enabled in every single computer and classroom.

Every room is enabled for the audio and lecture slides to be recorded, and we’re working on ensuring video recording is implemented in every class

too and uploaded onto canvas within 48 hours. Within the first few weeks of implementing the system there were thousands of downloads, students instantly starting accessing the materials.

Students have said it’s a lifesaver.

The main drive was accessibility, we want every student to feel like there as few barriers to their learning as possible.

We’re also piloting new technologies such as instantaneous feedback on draft work and e-assessment methods. We want our education to feel like its enhanced with the best technology, not because we like shiny things but because it makes the student experience enhanced.

Can you tell me more about the new Student Centre, opening in 2021?

The new student centre will be a central hub. If you’re wondering how to access course materials, how to get a new student card, how to access counselling and so-on, that will be the place to go. It will be a flexible space for one-on-one help, places to sit and study, and it will be surrounded by retail and food outlets. We hope it will pull the centre of the campus towards that area, and I think it will really change the overall feel of the campus.

And what about the Sussex Award scheme?

This will have to be a bit of a teaser I’m afraid, because it’s launching in September. We’ve called it the “Spirit of Sussex” award, and it will be an app where students can log their paid work, volunteer work, society work, and track their levels of engagement. Students will accrue points towards a bronze, silver, or gold award, and those points can be cashed in for an award which will be presented at graduation and will also be present on their transcripts. It’s a great thing to show to employers, as you can download your log after graduation. There’s also another exciting element to this which hasn’t been revealed yet: we advertised jobs to students to help create build the app, and we got over 90 applications!

We want the award to be really student led, we’re really excited about it.

There is also a focus on wellbeing and mental health, which is crucially needed at Sussex. Are there plans in

place to improve the current approach to mental health?

It will potentially be a transformational approach.

We’re viewing it like a triangle, where at the very top you have some students who are in crisis and need specialist help, then lower down you have a lot of students who want to be proactive about their wellbeing and ensure they don’t reach that crisis point. To ensure this we want to start a conversation about wellbeing with the whole university community, and we want to run workshops alongside the Student Union which keep students at the forefront. We want to be more proactive and preventative, while also keeping in place the really crucial services we already have.

The strategy also aims to create a fully accessible campus. Do you think this is a pressing issue Sussex needs to improve on?

This is going to be a big focus for the next few years. We want Sussex to be as accessible as it can be, and I think students are probably aware that with a lot of the listed buildings its really difficult to change the access, but we’re aware that if you can’t access it then it’s just not satisfactory. It's a priority to make Sussex as accessible as possible which is a challenge, but we have a new director of estates who is really keen to make it happen and invest in it.

With regards to the new student

hub and the new student accommodation, we’re making them fully accessible from the get-go. For example with the new East Slope, there’s a lift in Bramber House that takes you to the top floor and then a link to the East Slope building next door. It’s not ideal because of the constraints of the building and the landscape, but we’re trying to come up with innovative solutions.

What do you personally wish to achieve with the Learn to Transform strategy?

One of the things that really excites me about this role is the vision behind it. Being disruptive, being innovative, being kind, I love all of it. I love the fact that we’re proud of the history and legacy of Sussex and I think if we can make all of this a reality, it would be the best thing ever. It’s an immense privilege to help make it happen, and it’s a hugely unique opportunity.

A lot of universities struggle to identify what’s unique about them, but we work and study in a university that has a massive personality. I just love that about us and I’m excited to make the vision a reality.

Professor Coate also exlcusively revealed that the University of Sussex is embarking on an exciting new partnership with The Great Escape Festival! Keep your eyes peeled for exlusive details about the launch event on campus, taking place on the 14 February.

The Badger 3rd February 2020

News

The News Where You Aren’t

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The News Team review some of the big stories from across the country this week Birmingham - Little litter pickers

Newcastle - A tight squeeze

Three children from Birmingham have won the title of ‘Junior Litter Champion’ as kids as young as 5 helped clean the streets and spread an anti-littering campaign. Betsy,14, Umar, 9 and Joseph,5, were chosen from hundreds of entries by an expert panel headed by TV presenter and ecocampaigner Julia Bradbury. All three kids won £1,000 and a holiday for their whole family. Umar said that “I hate litter because it causes pollution and it makes everything dirty. It makes me realise that it’s bad to drop litter. We have fun — oh, and we get sweets as a reward at the end, too”.

A body builder who goes by the nickname ‘the Greek stallion’, enraged TV viewers after stating that due to his enormous muscles, he has to park in the parent and child bays in ASDA. Geordie Chris Goodwin argued that its wasn’t selfish and that the bays were his ‘only option’.

His widespread criticism comes after being featured on the show ‘Britain’s Parking Hell 2020’ to talk about his parking woes.

He said that “I don’t care what people think of me, I’ll do what I want I can’t fit out of my-I’m too big. I don’t think that’s selfish, I really don’t.” Chris has said that a constant barrage of angry parents hasn’t stopped him yet and won’t be stopping him any time soon.

Hertfordshire - Plastic gets canned

Tesco is set to ditch 67 million pieces of plastic per year by removing the wrapping from all multipacks of tinned food. The landmark move, which applies to cans of baked beans, tuna, soup and other products, will eliminate 350 tons of plastic from the environment. Chief executive Dave Lewis said: ‘We want to remove every single bit of plastic that is unnecessary from our stores.’ Tesco will be the first UK supermarket to remove the plastic from multipack food tins from all of its stores, and competitor Waitrose has conducted a trial in 17 shops. Abolishing plastic wraps on tinned foods was tried out at a Tesco Extra convenience store in Bar Hill, Cambridgeshire. The shop is used as a testing ground for environmental initiatives. Mr Lewis said that initially, getting rid of the multipacks at the store caused a slight drop in sales.

South Wales - Street to beat

A high street in Treorchy in South Wales has been named the best in the UK as it beat off stiff competition from Swansea and Pembrokeshire. The high street has about 100 shops - with the vast majority being independents and 60% run by women. The occupancy rate is currently at 96% with two empty shops being refurbished. The town of Treorchy’s bustling centre has been praised for its thriving community and UK High streets Minister, Jake Berry said the award reflected ‘the grit and determination of local people who are dedicated to supporting their communities”.

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London - Smile, you’re on camera

The Metropolitan Police has announced it will use live facial recognition cameras operationally for the first time on London streets. Police say the cameras identified 70% of suspects but an independent review found much lower accuracy and privacy campaigners said it was a “serious threat to civil liberties”.

Following earlier pilots in London and deployments by South Wales Police, the cameras are due to be put into action within a month as Police say they will warn local communities and consult with them in advance. Assistant Commissioner Nick Ephgrave Hertfordshire said the Met has “a duty” to use new technologies to keep people safe, adding that research showed the public supported the move.

“We all want to live and work London in a city which is safe: the public rightly expect us to use widely available technology to stop criminals,” he said.

Want to find your inner journalist? Come to one of our Writers’ Meetings!

Fridays 12 pm, Falmer House Common Room.

Comment

The Badger 3rd February 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 Meghan and Harry are entitled to step down.

Yes

Issy Anthony Comment Sub-Editor

I

’ll start off by saying that I fundamentally don’t agree with the existence of a monarchy. I feel this may leak into my argument, although this may be a good thing. One of the reasons I have always found the existence of a monarchy weird is that as a child, I never dreamed of being a princess. It seemed tiring, and it saddened me that they weren’t free to be themselves, but instead had to follow some ridiculous standard of rules.

I think we often look at the royal family and their privileges, and wonder ‘why them and not me?’. But with Harry stepping away from royal duties, it has slowly become more clear to the public he is not doing this just because of Megan, but also for himself. Perhaps he grew up wondering, why me and not someone else?

Of course he should be able to leave if he wants to. He owes us nothing.

To me, that is obvious, and I struggle to understand how people could feel differently. Our country is riddled with a classist system, and we seem to want to keep someone at the top of it. Why we idolise the Royal Family defeats me, and it seems to defeat Harry and Meghan too.

Even if, by some birthright, Harry did ‘owe’ it to the British public to stay as a royal, we have essentially pushed him out. The constant racist abuse aimed at Meghan in the media has been a disgusting display of the worst this country has to offer.

I recently saw a post on Instagram that has turned Meghan Markle into a verb‘to Meghan Markle: to value yourself and mental health enough to up and leave a room/situation/environment in which your authentic self is not welcomed or wanted’. While meant as an empowering joke, they’re not wrong.

Why should Meghan stand by and allow this abuse to happen, when it was clearly so detrimental to her mental health?

In a statement released on the Sussex Official website from Harry, he states that Meghan had become ‘the latest victim of a British tabloid that wages campaigns against individuals with no thought to the consequences’ and that he ‘cannot begin to describe how painful it has been’. How can we not sympathise with them? Truly, it’s a miracle they lasted this long.

Meghan gave up her life as an actress, moved to a different country and became part of a family with incredibly strict rules, all to suffer at the hands of the press because she was deemed ‘not good enough’.

If anything, this proves she truly married Harry for love, and not for the

royal title, something that should be congratulated, not condoned. Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, died when he was only 12 years old.

He states that his ‘deepest fear is history repeating itself. I’ve seen what happened when someone I love is commoditised to the point that they are no longer treated or seen as a real person. I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces’.

The crazed paparazzi following the car are largely blamed for the crash that caused Diana’s death, and this clearly still haunts Harry to this day. He has to put the needs of his wife and child first, before the British public, and the lack of sympathy for this is astounding.

So not only was Harry’s mother harassed constantly by the media, his wife now is too, and to make matters worse, it is clearly coming from a racist place.

Let’s look back on the photo tweeted

by Danny Baker of a man and woman walking, holding a monkey dressed in clothes, suggesting this was what the royal baby would look like.

A monkey is an infamous racist caricature, and he lost his job over the tweet, but unfortunately this was just the beginning of an onslaught of racist jokes made about Meghan over social media,

No

Cloe Grampa

I

t is easy to understand why stepping down from royal duties seems tempting for Meghan and Harry, but in practice the complications may not outweigh the benefits. Not to mention the detrimental effect it may have on the monarchy. With their existence tied to royalty, is it fair to abandon the faith of many British people?

According to The Washington Post, Harry’s net worth is estimated to be around £39 million; mostly coming from inheritance. Meghan’s net worth is around £5 million, coming from her acting career. Ample to live a privileged lifestyle but still they will seek other occupations. Backlash is inevitable during their journey toward financial independence. A probable way they will earn money is through ‘selling access’ like many other celebrities. However, this raises concerns of hypocrisy. Though they have renounced their titles, they will still be profiting from them.

Disassociating themselves from the monarchy is more than difficult than it may seem. They said they value “professional income” but selling access to themselves can’t exactly be described

Are Meghan and Harry entitled to step down from royal responsibilities? and the tabloids’ attempts to find every detail of any ‘mistake’ she made, that when compared to Kate, she was often praised for.

It’s hard not to see this clearly has something to do with Meghan being mixed race, and truly shows the bigoted side of our country that has been growing recently.

“

Not only should we respect their wishes, we should be impressed by this courageous move

Even if Meghan had not suffered from the media, she and Harry should be free to leave the royal family, especially as they intend to be financially independent. Yet the disgusting behaviour of the public and the media means that it should come as no surprise that they want out.

Not only should we respect their wishes, we should be impressed by this courageous move, and hopefully it will lead to far less idolisation of the Royal Family, and a step away from this outdated tradition.

as truly professional. Also, they will not switch to ‘normal’ citizen status in a heartbeat. For example, they will still have security provided for them, covered by a mandate from the British Home Office. Can they really split far enough from the royal institution to direct a real challenge to it?

Media mistreatment of the couple, particularly towards Meghan, has played a key role for their dismissal of the British monarchy. More than often the criticism has been very unfair and in bad taste. As stressful as it has been, I believe showing resilience is more powerful, it feels now as if the critics won in driving out their influence. The tension between the Sussex royals and British tabloid media has been one of the salient issues of 2019.

The couple even sued The Mail on Sunday after leaking private documents sent

by Meghan to her father.

Harry remarked more than once how he felt Meghan was becoming a victim of the media, as his mother did before her.

Noble as this intention is to put his new family first, perhaps this decision could be counterproductive, especially in the

short run. The backlash from the media and many fellow Britons has put them right in the spotlight they were attempting to avoid. In an already polarised nation, it seems insensitive to fan the fires of further division.

In dividing the nation and the Royal Family, the anti-monarch narrative has been growing. This rhetoric may not necessarily progress Britain. As one of the few European countries to still have a working monarchy, they can benefit from tourism and foreign interest in the Royal Family.

Millions in America currently watch The Crown on Netflix, an example of the significance of their image. In 2011, it was calculated that the overall profit the UK receives through the Royal Family generates around £160 million. The biggest spenders on royal tourism are the Americans, who travel across the ocean to visit castles that aren’t plastic - a major attraction being real monarchs still using them. They certainly play a role in stimulating the economy.

The British Crown has remained resilient for years, Harry jeopardising it may endanger its credibility. According to Robert Jobson, Royal Editor for The Evening Standard, not being a direct heir may reduce impact on the family. Nonetheless, his likeability in the public eye make him an important asset to making this money.

Harry and Meghan’s decision has sparked a debate on what role the monarchy has in Britain, and if after all they are still needed. The younger generation is ever-more sceptical of the role of royalty in 21 st century Britain. According to a Statista survey published in 2018, 25% of Britons aged between 18-25 oppose the monarchy.

Many firmly believe in the moral progress an anti-aristocratic rhetoric could bring to our world. However, there is a feeling that this spirit can be misplaced.

The monarchy does not govern our laws and with a volatile political climate experiencing generational polarisation, is it wise to open these floodgates for speculation now?

For some across Britain, it’s almost an insult. In 2019, £2.4 million in taxpayer money was used to renovate their home.

Although tourism generates more money, there is an intrinsic link between the Royal Family and its subjects within the taxation system. Benefitting from them before abandoning their post was sure to raise eyebrows. The people need to be considered; it is not a case for dismissing their needs - the comfort of privacy.

To marry into the British Crown, one must be wary of the level of increased responsibility and accountability. You would have thought Harry would have briefed her over the stresses of royal life before marriage. Economically and politically they are integral for stability.

Comment Joseph Pearce Comment Sub-Editor The new decade certainly has come with its surprises, with one bad thing seeming to follow another relentlessly. In the space of a month, this year is already testing the faith of humanity to its limits. The most distressing news for many so far is the Australian bushfires and the scale of their devastation.

Australia experience bushfires annually over their summer period, but this one is nothing short of a catastrophe. Over ten million hectares of land have been affected and with it, the demise of over 25 people and a billion defenceless animals. England has around 13 million hectares of land to put the overwhelming size of the fires into perspective.

Among the dead are many koalas and kangaroos who were directly incinerated by flames. A third of all koalas in North South Wales have died, along with a third of their habitat too. Not to mention many birds dying from exhaustion when escaping the fumes.

The scenes are something of a post-apocalyptic nightmare. An eerie orange glow filled the sky, rich from the destruction of land and living, alike. Fireman Samuel

Max Morris-Edwards Staff Writer Capitalism is the general economic and political system that is used worldwide. Between countries, the level of “freemarket” varies; it is becoming much less common for a nation to have a centrally planned economy. Most economists will shun communism, although capitalism is certainly not flawless either.

Capitalism is seen as survival of the fittest and therefore it is natural to leave people behind.

Without government intervention wealth would be hoarded among a select few. Fortunately, governments put in redistributive measures to reduce inequality and create a fairer society. These measures include progressive taxation and government provision of healthcare and education.

The level of redistribution varies between different countries and the correct level of redistribution is subjective. My personal view is that distribution is uneven since capital accumulation is easier when you already possess capital. A report from Oxfam International found that

The Badger 3rd February 2020

Bushfires: Beneath the blaze

9

McPaul was killed in a fire tornado in New South Wales, also, four thousand people had to be rescued from a beach encircled by nearing flames. The situation is desperate and terrifying.

Though the bushfires were unintentional, it prompts arguments regarding climate change and control, globally. Many are disgusted at the lack of respect shown for climate action among government and private enterprise. It was not long ago that the Amazon Rainforest was burning to the profit of cattle farms; the Australian fires have a similar sinister feeling to them.

Media outlets have contested the source of the fires and their extreme desolation, some even suggested arson was to blame. A study in 2008 in Australia showed that 85% of fires are triggered by human activity.

However, this tends to be accidental and cannot be likened to arson; the rhetoric itself is extremely damaging and undermines climatic influences.

Data shows that Australia has warmed overall by more than one degree since 1910, mostly heating since 1950. A drier climate contributes to fires becoming more frequent and intense. It is justified to link capitalist enterprise to a

warmer and drier climate escalating these fires. Therefore, the scientific preconditions for this tragedy cannot be ignored.

What else is being ignored, is the concerns and wisdoms of indigenous Australians who have experience with bushfire and adaptation to climate. Aboriginal cultural lives and livelihoods are tied to the land, though their norms and fire management methods have been removed from them. Fires of this size create a sort of colonist hangover for aboriginal Australians.

Murrandoo Yanner is an outstanding example of indigenous culture and its importance. Yanner has led the aboriginal people in the Gulf of Carpentaria toward sustainable economic development since the 1990s.

He guided the Waanyi nation through Aboriginal rights campaigns including opposition to metal mining production that started in 1999.

Today, he leads the Jigija Indigenous Fire Training Programme, which educates pastoralists, volunteer firefighters and indigenous rangers on how to fight fire as their kin had before them. He implores people to “imagine our place through the laws and stories on how to live, adapt and survive in Aus-

tralia, just as our ancestors did”.

His teachings could have been vital for fire control in the present.

One technique the programme teaches is mosaic cool fire burning. This means lighting small patches of low intensity fires during the cool season to burn off bush undergrowth – reducing the amount of flammable materials in hot seasons.

He also teaches students to create wildfire corridors, another mechanism for preventing catastrophic level fires.

The Aboriginals have learnt these techniques during their survival in Australia’s volatile lands for years, yet their guidance is largely ignored for western forms of fire management.

Yanner’s methods restrict fires to smaller areas and reduce fuel loads, these techniques should have more backing to fit Australia’s fire-prone circumstance.

Sadly, this is not the case.

Not only are indigenous teachings vital for understanding the land, but Aboriginal plight should be considered for moral support, too. People on the ground are affected by such crises before those above, to leave them out of the process for control is largely unfair.

Fragile forest ecosystems have

been decimated because of an ignorance tied to global warming, with little being done to stop the ignorance.

in 2017, 82% of all wealth created globally went to the top 1%.

These figures highlight the growing disparity and the issue of people being ‘left behind’. This is my biggest issue with capitalism and it should be solved entirely or at least improved.

Materialism and commodity satisfactions have contributed to this. People hugely over-value material items, rather than real experiences and relationships in life.

In an article for The Guardian, George Monbiot hits the nail on the head when he says, “if you have four Rolexes while another has five, you are a Rolex short of contentment”. This perfectly illustrates our need for more, even if we already have enough.

Realistically, no one needs to spend thousands on a watch.

happy than people who are not.

It was also found that individuals who became more materialistic over time become less happy over time. Tying happiness to ‘things’ serves short-term satisfaction, not long-term joy.

Here in the UK, nearly everyone you meet will have an iPhone. 20 years ago it would have been very rare to own a mobile phone, but now it is commonplace to fork out hundreds each year to keep up-to-date. The cost to society is rarely considered during the transaction.

Like most multinational companies that sell consumer products, they charge a high price for low-priced labor. They force inhumane work on people for profit maximization. It may be worth thinking about the people who risk their lives and sanity in the name of materialism next time you take a selfie on your iPhone.

Foxconn, the third biggest employer in the world, manufacture parts for iPhones. Due to abhorrent working conditions, several Foxconn employees have attempted suicide at work. In 2010, there were 18 reported suicide attempts and

14 confirmed deaths. Capitalism has quite literally killed people in pursuit of profit.

The excessive consumerism born from such capitalist satisfactions also has extreme adverse effects on the environment. The levels of carbon emissions, deforestation and ocean pollution are destroying our planet and we continue to add to this. Private enterprise avoids regulation and therefore they aren’t accountable for environmental damage. All the while, people continue to drive gasguzzling vehicles that increase C02 emissions. Is it worth it?

Even those who are environmentally conscious are shown to have a larger carbon footprint. This is because it is generally the case that those who are environmentally conscious are wealthier. Your carbon footprint is linked to income, but that shouldn’t undermine environmentally conscious mindsets. I believe living as environmentally aware as possible will always do some help.

The real problem is big companies. A study by Oxfam shows that the richest 1% in the world produce around 175 times more

carbon emissions than the bottom 10%. This is another feature of capitalist greed perpetuated by materialist need. We need to change our spending habits in order to direct a challenge to the private companies plunging our environment into the depths of despair.

Changing consumer habits seems too arduous a task to defeat the forces of capitalism.

Many are set in their ways and there is no foreseeable alternative. Veganism is an example of changing habit, yet even this is flawed due to world trade networks and distribution ports.

Power and energy are used to process all these transactions.

What is needed is the reformation of society into a postcapitalist society. This way, commodity-based satisfactions can be environmentally aware, putting ecological concerns at the center of production. If accumulation does not meet environmental standards, it should be taken apart completely.

What would you give up for the good of the environment? After all, material obsessions do not equate to happiness, we can all find environmental alternatives.

The real cost of materialism

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The cost to society is rarely considered during the transaction

Monbiot goes on to reference studies published on ‘Motivation’ and ‘Emotion’. The studies found that people who are more materialistic are usually less

There is a huge contrast of care between those at the top and the bottom of this crisis.

The Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison, received condemnation for taking a Hawaiin holiday while his country burned. The world needs governments who are not afraid to defend our planet from further destruction.

United by a love for animals and a scepticism for government, many are raising the conversation for conservation and control. Since 1960, 60% of all species have died and more will continue to if our governments do not prioritise life. Please, do the animals of the world justice and join the challenge to make environmental reform central to all world politics.

Comment Will Day Staff Writer Our holy saviour, how benevolent your gifts. Does your virtue know no end? Praise be! Praise be! Is this how Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, thinks the world will greet him after he donates the slightest fraction of his wealth?

For too long we have pandered to the messiah complexes of the billionaire class, allowing them to hide behind the thin veil of philanthropy whilst failing to hold them to account for mass exploitation of workers and avoiding tax on a colossal scale.

It’s time that changed.

Last year Jeff Bezos donated $100 million spread across twenty-four charities fighting family homelessness in America.

Objectively, this is a good thing.

The money will undoubtedly help many vulnerable families across America. Plenty of good acts however, have been done for bad reasons. $100 million is an inconceivable amount of money for almost every person on earth. For Bezos it is almost insignificant. It’s such a small amount of his fortune he probably wouldn’t even notice it gone; even if he did it

The Badger 3rd February 2020

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Jeff Bezos is not the Messiah would only take him twenty-two hours to re-earn it.

If Bezos genuinely cared about homelessness in America, he could literally end it. Studies estimate the cost of ending homelessness in America would be around $20bn: Mr Bezos’s net wealth is $115.6bn. He could end homelessness in the United States and still nearly be the richest man in the world (he would fall behind Bill Gates by $0.9bn). His donation to fight the Australian bushfires was borderline offensive, a shameless attempt to keep up the façade that he cares for the planet or its inhabitants. His donation, $690 000, accompanied with the message “Our hearts go out to all Australians as they cope with these devastating bushfires”.

How his heart must have wrenched, so much so that he was willing to part ways with an amount of money he earns EVERY FIVE MINUTES. In 2017, he invested $42 million to help build a clock that will tick for tenthousand years. Clearly a man who’s got his priorities right. Jeff Bezos has notoriously failed at philanthropy compared to many of his peers. Notably, he has not

signed The Giving Pledge. Created by both Bill and Melinda Gates alongside Warren Buffet, the pledge urges the wealthiest to commit to donating half their wealth towards philanthropy.

As of 2017, it was reported, Jeff Bezos had only given 1% to such causes. In 2019 he did top the Philanthropy 50 List, this however was largely due to donations by his (now ex) wife. Since leaving him, Mackenzie Bezos has signed The Giving Pledge.

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Whilst climate changes engulfs us all, Bezos will have spent his fortune on the quest for eternal life

It’s time we started calling out these donations for what they really are, a misdirection. They create the illusion of generosity, when in reality, Bezos (other billionaires are also available) seems to have has hoarded his wealth, constantly looking for ways to avoid paying tax.

Despite profits growing to $11.2bn in America in 2018, Amazon paid $0 in federal income tax for the second consecutive

year. Fair Tax Mark reported that over the previous decade Amazon paid $3.4bn in tax in the US on profits of $26.8bn. Meaning, they have effectively been paying at a rate of 12.7%, drastically lower than the headline tax rate of 35% implemented for most of the period. In Britain, Amazon UK yielded profits of £72m yet only paid £1.7m in tax.

This is far from the full story however, Amazon UK only contributes to a fraction of the total business conducted by Amazon in Britain. In fact, total Amazon sales in the UK rose to more than £11bn in 2017. This business however is conducted by the UK branch of Amazon EU Sarl, a Luxembourg based company.

The company takes advantage of lower tax breaks in Luxembourg and has no obligation to publish tax records paid on UK sales. As a growing socialist movement spreads over the western world, increasing scrutiny has been levied at corporate giants who are not paying their fair share of tax. Perhaps it’s just a coincidence that Mr Bezos’s rebrand as a philanthropist coincided with this. I highly doubt it. Amazon’s infamy for brutal working conditions is well documented.

Workers are subject to long and intense shifts with targets so high that employees are forced to urinate in bottles as taking toilet breaks would see them fall behind. Between 2013 and 2018, emergency services were reportedly called to Amazon warehouses 189 times for suicide attempts and other serious mental health crises.

As increasing numbers of injured workers are reported as homeless after being cast aside

by Amazon, an important question needs to be raised. If Jeff Bezos genuinely cares about homelessness, why doesn’t he start with preventing it in his own company? Although none of this really matters. Soon sea levels will rise, and we’ll all drown. The only remnants of humanity left on Earth will be a giant clock, ticking to no one for ten-thousand years.

Jeff won’t be dead though.

Whilst climate changes engulfs us all, Bezos will have spent his fortune on the quest for eternal life before he and Elon Musk venture out into the cosmos attempting to privatise every corner of the universe. I suppose spending eternity with Elon Musk will be a just punishment.

Uncertain future cripples mental health

Eric Barrell Something often left out of the discussion of mental health is the way that our society creates conditions that catalyse mental distress. Rising house prices, career uncertainty and the climate crisis have left much of Britain’s youth disenchanted with society and pessimistic about the future.

Mental health practices such as mindfulness and cognitive behavioural therapy encourage people to change their thinking to feel calmer and more optimistic about life’s challenges.

These methods are often very effective in improving wellbeing, but can function as a mask to cover up the more systemic sources of people’s suffering.

Many young people feel disillusioned by a political system that doesn’t represent their views. Younger voters are part of the Millennial and Gen Z generations who came of age in the 2000s and 2010s and have dealt with the biggest impacts of the housing crisis to date.

Neoliberal business practices have crippled the future security and prosperity of the young.

The prospect of ever being able to afford a house, easily paying

off student debt, or being able to guarantee a future for one’s children with the threat of climate emergency - have radically shifted the priorities and political leanings of Britain’s youth.

The 2008 financial crash perpetuated a world of rising inequality and austerity that further disadvantages society’s most vulnerable. Individuals across the UK on both the left and the right, and from all age groups are fed up with political centrism, they seek more radical, populist candidates and solutions to these issues.

The voting record and results from the recent general election suggest that young people are set to feel even more disconnected from the government, and thus from society, than before.

The climate crisis and austerity aren’t given anywhere near as much attention in conversation regarding mental distress of young people as social media is.

I find myself being somewhat sceptical of the older generation who repeatedly reinforce narratives of social media being evil. They seem to use this as a platform to blame young people for being addicted to their

smartphones and only caring about their image and superficial matters. It’s true that many of us need to change the way we interact with social media.

However, I find the suggestion that young people only care about Instagram likes and not ‘bigger issues’ patronising. To generation Z, who have grown up on the internet, issues like feminism, environmentalism and capitalist exploitation have been made more accessible and less confined to dusty academic tomes.

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A lot of the problems facing today’s youth feel like impossible tasks to overcome For those of us growing up in the British state sector, dealing with cuts to our education system and difficulty finding work after University, political engagement has become a necessity.

More awareness of the multiplicity of hardships faced by young people is crucial to helping combat some of the exploitative systems that adversely affect us. Not being heard by the

older generation and politicians who are supposed to represent us is disheartening and hugely affects our wellbeing.

I feel there needs to be a shift in how we look at mental health and its relation to our world in 2020. The reason why social media is addictive is because it is a world we can escape to that seems nicer than reality. It is designed that way by tech companies who want us to remain transfixed and engaged with their apps.

Instead of putting so much of the blame for young people’s mental distress on our lifestyles, more needs to be done to address the wider systemic issues that feed into these other problems.

A lot of the problems facing today’s youth feel like impossible tasks to overcome. The climate crisis is the biggest example of this. Most people are now aware of the statistics from the Carbon Majors Report in 2017: 71% of carbon emissions are caused by just 100 companies.

As much as we can try to make a difference by recycling or going vegan, I can see why many people feel nihilistic about the future. Not only are the younger

generation being disadvantaged by increasing inequality exacerbating difficulties with housing and career success, but we also face an increasing fear of how the human population will survive as ecosystems become increasingly damaged by carbon emissions. Movements such as Extinction Rebellion seem to be a better bet for those wanting to make tangible change.

Putting pressure on governments and businesses to be aware of the crisis and urge them to stop damaging the planet in pursuit of excessive wealth could be a more viable solution.

The limited response from many world leaders to the growing demands for the fossil fuel industry to be held accountable, suggests that protests are falling on deaf ears. But progress is being made slowly but surely.

Whether directly or indirectly, the mental health crisis across all age groups has its roots in the global systems that alienate us and make us disillusioned with the status quo.

Only once we address the bigger issues of modern society can we understand how it affects our minds.

The Badger 3rd February 2020

Comment 11 Impeachment: The presidential panto persists

Louis Johnson Comment Sub-Editor

The president of the United States – Donald Trump, alleged grabber of pussy, the Notorious L.I.E. (having exceeded a whopping 16,000 false claims), and purported international war criminal – is now facing trial at the US Senate, following his impeachment.

By the time this article comes to print, the Senate will have voted on whether to hear new witnesses and evidence in the trial. It is unlikely this will happen though, as the Republicans control the Senate, none of whom voted for President Trump’s impeachment in the House of Representatives on either charges (Abuse of Power & Obstruction of Congress). In this case, there will be a vote on whether to remove him from office, or to acquit him of the charges.

This vote is likely to follow the same trend of party interest.

President Trump stands accused of both abusing his presidential powers and obstructing Congress. Much like accusations of his committal of a war crime against Iran, he stands accused of pressuring Ukraine’s President into launching investigations into Democratic presidential candidate, Joe Biden, and his

Jessica Hake Theatre Editor Curled up in bed with a hot chocolate and half-eaten packet of digestives, I breathe a sigh of relief as I pen the goodbye on a letter addressed to ‘my future self’.

This is a concept my parents had the bright idea of this year: making both my sister and I write letters to read at the start of the next decade to reflect on our prior development. Although my note was littered with witty comments and half-baked jokes, it caused me to ponder where I realistically would be in ten

son, to boost his chances of reelection later this year (Abuse of Power). He later ordered the executive branches of the government not to comply with the House’s subpoenas which sought to acquire documents and testimonies for the case (Obstruction of Congress).

President Trump is not the first president to be impeached by the House of Representatives, he joins two others: Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson – neither were removed from the White House. Clinton was impeached after his denial of having sexual relations with White House intern, Monica Lewinsky, on the basis that he had breached his oath to “tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth”. This seems rather petty considering President Trump’s inability to speak without a seeming barrage of falsehoods flying ferociously out of his little orange mouth.

Similar to President Trump, is fellow Republican Richard Nixon. Although he was never formally impeached, he was subject to the impeachment process following the Watergate Scandal.

The Watergate Scandal saw the Democratic Party’s National Committee headquarters broken into and it was later found that the five men who broke in were linked to Richard Nixon’s re-election

campaign.

Sound familiar?

Richard Nixon resigned after it was found out he attempted to cover-up the break in. His successor was Gerald Ford, who assumed the role of President after his Vice-Presidency during Richard Nixon’s administration.

The Republicans suffered losses in both the Senate and the House. Later, a Democrat, Jimmy Carter, was elected president.

Unsurprisingly, Gerald Ford was not re-elected after choosing to pardon Richard Nixon of his crimes against the United States.

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The impeachment process plays perfectly into his populistic political pantomime.

So, why is this relevant?

Well, by looking back at the Watergate Scandal, and Richard Nixon’s subsequent resignation, we can learn a lot about Prersident Trump’s case and the state of US politics today.

In the case of Richard Nixon’s resignation, the reputation of the Republican Party was left considerably tarnished. This is very unlikely for President Trump; the impeachment process plays perfectly into his populistic political pantomime.

His team of lawyers have insisted that he has done

nothing wrong, repeatedly accusing the Democrats of ‘repeating themselves’.

President Trump’s approval ratings took a slight knock after his impeachment. Nothing a cheeky war crime won’t fix though! His approval fell by around 2% after impeachment, but since carrying out the order to assassinate Iran’s military General, Qasem Soleimani, his ratings soon bounced back to within 0.6%. At an approval rating of 43.1%, President Trump is within 3% of his peak popularity, when he was sworn into office in January 2017.

Despite this, Republicans had not initially disapproved of Richard Nixon during his would-be impeachment. It was not until the Supreme Court ruled that he had to release the tapes, which went on to prove that he had attempted to cover-

A1cafel

Statistical me

years time.

In 2010 I was under the illusion that by 2020 I would be a fullyfledged adult. I was confident by now, that I would have my life together, know what I wanted to do as a career for the rest of my life, have a partner I actually liked and be able to cook a tagine. Oh how optimistically foolish young Jess was!

Yet, the unknowingness of the next ten years filled me with a feeling of uneasiness. In the guise of curing my dread, I procrastinated my several upcoming assignments by researching what statistically

MoteOo

will have happened to me in a decade.

By 18, apparently I am meant to have ‘fallen in love’ and also have had my ‘heart broken’ for the very first time. With just under 5 months to my nineteenth birthday, I am not looking forward to this very concentrated period of emotional trauma.

By the time I am 20, I will go on my first holiday without my parents.

I’m happy to say I’m finally above average here, making up for the aforementioned lack of progress.

21 is the average age for passing driving tests and going on a road trip with friends, the two naturally going hand in hand. 22 has no major milestones attached to it but a busy, jampacked 23 makes up for it.

At 23 I will have learnt how to correctly iron clothes. I stand by the fact that I can already do this, though there are a few choice individuals who would argue otherwise… By this ripe old age I will also have mastered

up the Watergate scandal, that his approval plummeted. It appears that party loyalty is not a modern phenomenon.

People are always inclined to defend the leaders of their party of choice, and as such it is unlikely that President Trump will experience much of a hit to the loyalty of his fanbase. Mainly because his entire strategy is centred around criticising and blaming the Democrats.

At a time of such heightened polarity, this impeachment appears largely pointless for the Democrats. I am doubtful that the President will be removed from office and, as long as the Republicans maintain their unwavering whataboutery, their voter base will likely remain loyal. The States remain unUnited, and in my opinion, Donald Trump is still a lying misogynistic war criminal.

the art of cooking, gained my first promotion, owned my first car and finally leave Sussex after finishing full-time education.

In contrast to such a joyous 23, 24 is the average age of getting fired. Possibly as a result, it is also when most of us will get a credit card. Yet, not all is lost, when you finally reach 24 you will learn how to garden and probably enjoy frequenting garden centres, looking at seasonal flowers and drinking loose leaf tea.

25 and 26 mimic being 22 in the regard that nothing really happens. However, when you get more than half way through the decade at 27 you will get engaged (for the first time), buy your first house with your partner and finally host a dinner party after being inspired by watching ‘Come Dine with Me’ night after night as you avoid actually talking to your fiancé.

At 29, your first child will be born. Now, by this time 2030 will have reached me; for the older readers among you I’ll fill you in on what is next to come.

At 32 you will finally tie the knot with your beloved and given that divorce rates are at an all-time low in the UK, there’s a good chance you will actually stay together until your inevitable death.

33 is when the majority of people get their first major promotion or head hunted for their ‘dream job’. So, all in all, it looks like quite a lot is to come in the next decade.

But, the big milestone we all want to know seems to occur quite a bit later when we reach 46, finally gaining a membership to the National Trust. By then we can enjoy walks in numerous protected sites of English heritage, look around secondhand bookshops, enjoy bonding in nature and drinking overpriced cappuccinos.

My mind’s wonderings have now been put to rest and having nothing left to distract myself with, I can hear my assignments calling me. I wonder if by 2030 I will have eventually mastered the art of time management, I surely hope so.

The Badger 3rd February 2020

Features

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Life after graduation: it might not look like you imagine

Shane Caulfield interviews graduates, new and old, to find out what supposed adult life has to offer, and if where they are now is what they expected after graduation

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t’s clear that there is a marked shift happening in society right now around the subject of age and adulthood - or rather, the notion of a suspended or arrested adulthood, a discussion that is showing no signs of going away any time soon as more people than ever before graduate university.

From the coinage and proliferation of boomer as a particular stereotype of older people, to research finding that traditional tenets of adulthood marriage, buying the first house, having kids - is happening later and later in millennials’ and Gen Z’s lives, and even the concept of millennials and Gen Z, which exploded into mainstream consciousness within the last few years, has the boomers in charge of writing feature articles for certain national magazines quick to label the whole situation a ‘crisis’.

But what if it isn’t? What if it’s something to be celebrated instead?

I don’t consider myself an adult - at least, not yet, not in the real sense - so to explore this concept, I interviewed some postgrads who struck me as further along in adulthood than I am, to learn their secrets.

It is true that marriage is at a record low, a fact that ‘hookup culture’ often gets blamed for. But not for everybody.

Dana, 22, has been married for a year and a half after meeting their spouse at a Garfield-themed charity lasagna bake in first year. “We hit it off immediately,” Dana said. “If we knew what we wanted, why wait?” Several people, including Dana’s own mother, criticised their decision to settle down so quickly, and warned them that they’d regret it - or likely be divorced by the time they’re thirty. “It wasn’t a great wedding reception,” Dana said. “But in hindsight I think it’s crazy that they were questioning me and my spouse’s decision. My grandmother got married at twenty-one in the fifties, and my dad at twenty-five. I guess now that it’s the twenty-first century, we’re the weird ones now.”

Now graduated from their degree in International Finance, Dana works two jobs part-time as a children’s entertainer and occasional TV corpse.

Still, just because they’re, as their friends put it, ‘out of the dating game’, does not mean that the transition from student to bill-paying adult was an easy one. “Just because I’m married doesn’t mean I have it sorted by any stretch of the imagination. I feel like I’m just messing about, most days,” they say. “I don’t feel like I’ve got a real job at all. I don’t even know what that would look like.”

Feeling like a fake adult in a clown

paseidon costume is an emotion that’s not unique to Dana, though that may be their lived reality. Jordan, 24, graduated with a first in Physics, but after a series of internships in his desired field has had to settle for a management position at a lingerie store while he saves up money and decides what to do next.

He is also a father of a four-year-old girl, and makes rap music in his spare time. “It’s really hard to become an aerospace simulation engineer,” he says. “Everyone says, go follow your dreams after graduation, but like, that’s not the reality for most of us. I can’t afford to do unpaid internship after unpaid internship, so I took [his present day job]. I don’t hate it, but it’s not what I wanted to be when I grew up. Perhaps I’ll become a famous Soundcloud rapper instead!” His daughter’s mother was not a fan of his music, and they now co parent their daughter.

Jordan’s life is complicated -- does he ever fear that his dream of becoming a simulation engineer will never happen?

“Of course,” he says. “But you have to be philosophical, and accept that your goals change. I went through two years where I was just so frustrated with the whole situation, you know, and how hard it was to get into the niche I’d spent years working towards. After my Master’s [in graphic design] I discovered a love of music, totally randomly, and my goals for what I wanted my life to be shifted. At first it felt like I was giving up, but I’m not - I’m just readjusting my compass.”

He plays me some of his mixtape.

“Fire, right?” Blanket, perhaps, but I wouldn’t say it.

Having had a child, with all the enormous responsibility that that entails, does he feel like an adult or at least, more of an adult than his childless peers? “Oh, sure, Tayla’s a lot of responsibility,” he said, “and I did have to give up dropping mandy on a

Saturday night to look after her in the beginning. That was hard. But...feeling like an adult? I don’t know. I feel like a big kid myself, to be honest. No, I don’t feel more grown up at all. Maybe when I’m twenty-eight or thirty or something. But not now. I still rent, I still don’t have a career.”

I wish him well with his rap...hobby (he seriously needs it) and go in search of a thirty-year-old. Being twentytwo myself it is easier to look at older people and assume that they have it all together. But what makes a person an adult? Legally, an eighteen-year-old is an adult, an age often considered arbitrary for a number of reasons, not least because science has now discovered that the human brain only reaches maturation in the midtwenties.

With the old rites of passage either decreasing in popularity and relevance to the modern day, such as the model nuclear family, or evermore out of reach for an increasing majority of under-30s, such as home ownership, what now makes a person an adult, instead of the balding middle-aged journalist’s perma-child? Most of us expect that with the advent of whatever we envisage an adult life to look like will involve, after all, a lot of responsibility.

Nicole’s application for the award of Greatest Post-Graduation Success is impressive: graduating law school at a cool 2.1, she worked several parttime jobs to save for a postgraduate qualification, including a stint at a Mods-and-Rockers trapeze troupe called the Good Old Days Gang. “I can’t listen to Showaddywaddy any more.

It gives me flashbacks”, she has to say about her time in the circus act. After the death of her mother, she moved to the States and lived off the meagre earnings of her job as a cake decorator for Walmart. At twenty-five she was married in a shotgun ceremony after

a whirlwind 4-day romance, but sadly her husband promptly defrauded her of the insurance payout from her mother’s death shortly before their separation and divorce. Disillusioned with the American Dream, penniless and pregnant, Nicole returned to the UK to work as a waterslide tester for a well-known theme park while she applied for a loan for her studies. “If you ever wondered if it was possible to be clinically depressed sliding down a log flume,” she said, “It isn’t. Benzos and psychotherapy helped, but I credit a large part of my recovery from that dark time in my life to Captain Splash’s Wet N Wild Jungle River Adventure. It will always have a special place in my heart.”

Nicole’s daughter is now five, and Nicole herself is now a qualified space lawyer with the UK Space Agency.

Currently she is working on a case relating to the ownership of a double quasar which she is not at liberty to discuss.

It is obvious that Nicole has had to overcome hardship and be responsible for herself, as well as suffer/enjoy the consequences of her own decisions, not all of which have been logical. Does she feel like an adult? “Do I sound like I’ve ever had a clue?” she said. “I am literally making it up as I go along. I have no idea what I’m doing. Ever.”

With that comforting answer, I will have to take refuge in knowing Toffy, or Oliver Tofton, is in in the final year of his PPE degree at a red brick university.

Toffy is a jovial red-trousered twentyeight-year-old who enjoys shooting geese on his father’s country house.

Needless to say, he has never had to work a day in his life. “Oh, I’m totally an adult,” he says when I interview him at said country house, dressed in a Pikachu onesie and banana slippers.

“I’ve had a very hard life. Once I lost twenty thousand pounds on a horse at the Derby.” I decide not to mention that equates to my annual salary, and leave hastily.

Having met Dana, Jordan, Nicole and the myriad of other people throughout my time at university and abroad, I have decided that we’re all as clueless as each other. There is no set of milestones that everyone has to complete by certain ages in order to qualify for Real Adult Status - but far and away the most valuable lesson I’ve learned is that your life can look like anything you want it to, and that it is unpredictable.

This, for me, is a lot less pressure: I’m single, childless, and in the final semester of university. I can’t help but feel inspired instead of worried about what postgraduate life may bring.

Features I

The Badger 3rd February 2020

Rehumanising The Holocaust

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Features Sub-Editor Olly Williams reflecting on her visit to Auschwitz and how we address Nazi legacy

t’s said that no birds fly over Auschwitz, that isn’t true. A group of starlings gathered on the wire fence, a deer sprinted as we approached the ruins of the gas chambers, and a tabby cat slinked along the camp perimeter 20 yards from a housing estate.

The idea of Auschwitz as some otherworldly phenomena of incalculable human tragedy is exactly the rhetoric that the Holocaust Educational Trust with whom I visited - looks to oppose.

Across the world the most public form of Holocaust education is the annual commemoration of Holocaust Memorial Day. The day is marked on 27th January each year – the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz – and was first held in 2001.

Britain was one of the first countries in the world to hold such an event.

Britain has shown commitment to honouring the legacy of the Holocaust.

In January 2015, David Cameron announced on behalf of the Holocaust Memorial Foundation that there was to be a new UK Holocaust Memorial and associated Learning Centre built in Victoria Tower Gardens across from Parliment. This proposal has been met with fierce criticism from Holocaustdeniers to Green Space advocates.

carlosftw Lack of awareness feeds a troubling trend of denialism, which is something not restricted to the backpages of the internet, but a prevelant rhetoric that requires active challenging.

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David Adjaye A 2017 survey of 2000 people by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust found that 5% of British people do not believe the Holocaust happened. A 2014 survey suggests lack of awareness about the holocaust is much more prevalent in the Middle East and North Africa (63%), Sub-Saharan Africa (44%) and Asia (41%), while in Western Europe the figure is 11%.

Further statistics provided by The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust state that up to 45% of British people do not know how many people were killed in the Holocaust.

This was not the work of monsters, but the work of humans just as real as their victims

Indeed, walking around the two sites that make up Auschwitz, it felt very much like I was on the set of a film. The lines of huts -some standing and some torn down by the liberation forces to use as firewood- were an eerie encapsulation of the methodology of Nazi brutality.

Even in modern times, Auschwitz’s camp systems echo many poignant reminders of the tangible humanity of both the victims and perpetrators.

In first and lesser known camp of Auschwitz our guide gestured to a house that had belonged to the family of a senior SS (the Nazi special military) officer at the former Polish Military barracks turned death-camp.

We glanced around uncomfortably as we were asked to imagine the Officer as a father and husband, who moved his young family just outside the camp to be close to him, as a loving family man would.

Inside the two-story red brick buildings memorials of the victims have beenconstructed.

One such room contained a glass tank-like structure filled with the hair cut from women and girls as the entered the camp, most of it still in platts, one still with a faded pink ribbon.

I thought about the hands of a mother tying the ribbon into her daughter’s hair. Was her hair in this pile as well? Did she know what would become of her and her child? Did her voice cry out for her in this place?

Amongst these matted testimonies I found my own femininity, the role hair has socio-historically played in female identity, and how this act of shaving women’s heads was part of the great eradication of identity attempted here by the Nazi regime.

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We were invited to enter the former gas chambers, however our guide stood outside, he told us he had chosen to never enter

Perhaps the sickest revelation of my visit was not the incomparable suffering of the victims of the Holocaust, but the re-humanisation of the perpetrators and all those complicit in the Nazi regime.

Creative Commons Zero - CC0

It was explained to us outside the last standing extermination ‘gas chamber’ that this was not the work of monsters, but the work of humans just as real as their victims.

We were invited to enter the former gas chambers, however our guide stood outside, he told us he had chosen to never enter the gas chambers.

This symbolic resistance and defiance of the Nazi plans for eradication of the Jewishm identity permeated throughout the camp.

Upon our arrival to the second and infamous train track entrance we observed a group of Jewish people unfurl an Israeli flag and march defiantly into the camp.

This refusal to be silenced in honour and pride is nothing new to the camp.

Within one of the many lines of cattle style huts that were used to house the prisoners, we were told stories of how Rabbis continued to hold secret religious observations on pain of torture and death.

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It is easy and perhaps most comfortable to call the Nazis monsters, to declare that their actions a phenomenon

Such brutality against humanity conjures words like monstrous.

However, “brutal”, “evil” and “monsters” were not words heard once from the Trust Ambassadors on our visit. It was put to us to consider the implications of using the the word ‘monsters’.

Monsters are fantasy threats, evil by design, an anomaly.

It is easy and perhaps most comfortable to call the Nazis monsters, to declare that their actions a phenomenon. To call the Nazis monsters is to dehumanise all the events that lead to the Holocaust, to ignore how small initial sanctions placed upon the Jewish people were the start of the attempted total extermination.

Early sanctions on travel similar to those in Trump’s modern America are hate and prejudice that this part of history has warned us about. The events that lead to the Nazi regime are well documented, they are political and social acts not un-repeatable and not monstrous.

1.1 million is just a number. The individual human suffering of 1.1 million that were killed at Auschwitz is something irrepresentable. As the sunset we were given a candle to light and place on the tracks, each candle tin had upon it a name of a known victim of Auschwitz.

As we lit our candles, we payed testimony to the victim and bore witness to the Holocaust.

In continuing to pay testimony we can slowly begin to honour the 1.1 million lives, personality and humanity of the victims of the Holocaust.

The Badger 3rd February 2020

Features

14

Diversity row at the BAFTAs: do we need to cancel award shows for good?

Features Editor Arianna Lee discusses the BAFTA’s inability to nominate diverse people for awards, and whether this is an industry-wide issue

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f you haven’t already heard, there’s another row over the lack of diversity in film and TV awards. While this surprises no one, it is still disappointing.

The BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) is hosting the 73rd annual British Academy Film Awards.

They will be held on the 2nd of February at the Royal Albert Hall in London, and plan to celebrate the best in film and television. However, like the Oscars, they have missed the mark with their nominees.

Despite there being a plethora of talented female directors, not one of them made the nominee list for Best Director, and across all four of the BAFTAs acting categories (best actor, best actress, best supporting actor, and best supporting actress), all 18 nominees are white. In fact, the BAFTA committee felt so strongly about nominating only white talent, that they nominated two white women twice.

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It isn’t just the fault of the nominating committee, although one can almost assume the committee itself is not particularly diverse, but also the fault of wider institutionalised racism and sexism.

The stubbornness of the film industry to be diverse has slowly been worn away, and acting talents such as Lupita Nyong’o and Cynthia Erivo have finally been able to have their time in the spotlight, and it is about time that award shows recognise talent that is not predominantly white and male.

After riveting films such as director Lorene Scafaria’s Hustlers, and director Greta Gerwig’s Little Women, it has come as a surprise to many that the

committee has passed up the chance to nominate such talented female directors, especially as the anger towards non diverse awards shows has gained significant momentum in the last few years.

This is not to say those nominated did not deserve their accolades as many have given impressive performances, but it is to say that among the best performances in film this year, there was a vast diversity in talent, and this should be recognised.

Just last year, the BAFTAs began to include new diversity requirements for nominated films, as they adopted BFI diversity standards, which are necessary for each nominated film to adhere to. To achieve these standards, films must show inclusion and diversity in at least two of these areas: on-screen representation, themes and narratives; creative leadership & project team; industry access & opportunities; and audience development.

What does this mean exactly?

For the BFI criteria to be met, films must demonstrate an inclusion of underrepresented groups in every part of the production. This includes film crew, lead actors, interns, marketing, disabled access to the set, et cetera.

If films do not demonstrate this, they cannot be nominated for a BAFTA. So if every nominated film has to adhere to a diversity standard, why were only white actors and male directors nominated? Unfortunately, it isn’t just the fault of the nominating committee, although one can almost assume the committee itself is not particularly diverse, but also the fault of wider institutionalised racism and sexism.

Films such as Parasite and Dolemite Is My Name weren’t given a tenth

of the marketing that films such as Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker and Netflix’s The Irishman had the luxury of. Many black films are not given the same voice in the industry and therefore fail to attract a substantial enough audience to be heralded as a great performance, even if they absolutely were. Due to the lack of investment in diverse talent, a sad circle is formed; less marketing leads to less interest, which leads to less money at the box office, which leads to heads of movie production firms assuming diverse films are not interesting to audiences, which means they can justify going back to their default white male cast and crew.

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Supreme Court of the United States

This is not to say those nominated did not deserve their accolades as many have given impressive performances, but it is to say that among the best performances in film this year, there was a vast diversity in talent, and this should be recognised.

Why is this such an issue? The snub of black and female talent at the BAFTAs might seem like something insignificant to complain about to such a level, but if you understand the impact of the exclusion of diverse talent, you will begin to understand why it is so upsetting to many. The truth is that big production movies are made to make money. If bosses think that diversity doesn’t sell, they will continue to force mediocre white acting down our throats. This means that people of colour will continue to not see themselves represented on screen, which will further feed the

myth that the norm is white and male, and anyone else is inferior.

This leads to an exclusion of people of colour from the film industry, and the white superiority mindset also leads to much worse problems, like racial hate crimes, which affect people every day.

Just two days ago I was visiting Croatia with a group of students from Sussex, some of whom were of colour, who told us that they had been racially targeted twice in the week that we were there.

So, when people are so quick to decry positive discrimination, they forget that white males have been negatively discriminating since the dawn of time, and it is about time that we right that wrong. If every actor nominated for next years BAFTAs was of colour, this would still not come close to making up for all the years where they haven’t been included; a 2018 study showed that 94% of BAFTA nominees were white.

A good friend of mine (who is of colour) said that she felt that it is disgraceful that in an industry which has the ability to award talent, they choose to vastly underrepresent minorities. She added that the nominees are not reflective of the multicultural society we live in, and that she is angry as it is damaging to future generations to not see people of colour being awarded. Roles should be written specifically for all ethnicities so people of colour can tell their stories and not for them to “fit in” to roles written for white people.

As we enter a new decade, I was hoping that society would continue progressing towards a stage where everyone has equal rights and opportunities, and although the BAFTA nominations are a huge blow to this dream, I can only hope that other awards shows do not follow their example.

The Badger 3rd Febraury 2020

Features

An insight into the real Africa

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Features sub-editor Sonaili Vasta takes us on a journey to the African continent debunking the myths associated with its countries.

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hen the western world talks about Africa, they reflect the Africa they have seen or heard about from the media that they consume.

These reflections are deeply rooted within the stereotypes associated with the continent. Despite the impact that the media has on people, it is really important that they do not believe everything that is produced, especially when it comes to how the media portrays this continent. Believing these stereotypes has often led to awkward situations arising when people from the western world interact with people from any country in Africa and to prevent such situations arising, I will be debunking some of the common stereotypes that often make people hailing from any African country cringe.

Firstly, it is important to note that Africa is not a country, and a grasp of basic geography will show you that it is in fact the second largest continent taking up, 30,370,000 Square Km. It also consists of 54 recognised countries, each having their own culture, languages, heritage, climate and history. So next time you make a general statement when referring to Africa please do reconsider and specify what country in Africa.

Poverty, violence and disease Stricken Africa This is the image that comes to many people’s mind when they see or hear the word Africa (apart from the song

by Toto). This stigma that surrounds the continent is etched in people’s brains, due to the constant humanitarian ads that are displayed on our television screens together with the pictures the media displays on different platforms and mediums. However, this is not all there is to the continent, with some countries being more developed than others it may come as a surprise to many that countries are more modernised that what is usually shown.

This portrayal by the media often frustrates people from African countries, because the media hardly reflects the less fortunate side of western countries but are quick to reinforce this stereotype by displaying this side of African countries.

The media does not inform us on facts such as according to the World Bank’s 2016 list of nominal GDPs, South Africa ranked 33rd out of 194 countries and was even placed above countries like New Zealand and Singapore. Through the same list it was also revealed that, Nigeria has a higher GDP than either Norway or the United Arab Emirates. It is also basic common historical knowledge that one of the reasons that that the west sought to eagerly quarrel over which African country to colonise them is because of how rich it was in terms of minerals. This is something that has not changed, in fact the

continent exported 6.5 percent of the world’s total mineral exports in 2011.

Examples of these minerals include oil, diamonds, gold, Bauxite, cobalt, phosphate rock amongst many others being exported from the likes of Egypt, Libya, Tanzania, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa; just to name a few.

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‘Do you guys live in huts?’

In accordance to this is another myth which people seem to believe is that everyone in Africa has no access to technology and the modern globalised world whatsoever. This has been seen on so many occasions such as when snapchat city live was a thing and Nairobi (the capital city of Kenya went live) and suddenly there was a shock and an uproar of people in the west threatening to stop donating to ‘Africa’ because people in African countries ‘lie’ that they don’t have phones. In reality no one, apart from the western media, conjured such a lie which people choose to believe without carrying out further research. In fact, African countries have made technological developments which have shocked the western world, an example of this is the money sending method known as M-pesa which has impressed the likes of Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg and involves sending money through mobile phone without the formalities of having a bank account or bank account number (basically a much simpler version of PayPal or Venmo). Recently a

Kenyan also invented equipment which produces tonnes of drinking water from ocean water, but you don’t see this being highlighted by the western media, do you?

A hilariously interesting question that people from African countries get asked is - ‘Do you guys live in huts?’ and the person being asked this is bound to answer with a very sarcastic yes, with an even exaggerated description of their ‘hut home’. This person is basically having an internal laugh at your ignorance, but don’t blame them as they are probably frustrated by the amount of times, they have been asked

this question that somehow makes people look down on them and their home.

In accordance to this most people would also like the western world to note that there is hardly anything unsafe about the country, unless you obviously go out of your way to look for trouble. There have often been travel bans to some very safe and normal African countries implemented by the governments of western world countries, including the UK, which frequently

question and she replied by describing how she has a pet lion that lives in her garden. The tale of this situation has gone on to become one of mockery amongst her group of friends now, who can relate to this situation. Therefore, to save anyone else from potential embarrassment I can very much confirm that it is very rare if not impossible to find any wild animals roaming free on the streets of any African country. Yes, most countries on this continent are known for their wildlife and nature but

help reiterate the stigma related to the continent. These travel bans are often declared after incidents such as one of acts of violence or terrorism, an issue that countries in the western world deal with too but there are no such things as travel bans to such countries during such events. I have often been asked what it is like growing up in an African country and all I can reply with to this strange question is – “normal”.

We go to school just like you, hang out with friends over the weekend, go on holidays and we do all these things without a worry of our safety. In fact, some people would even say that life is much better in some African countries due to how easy going and relaxed it can be, instead of the hustle and bustle that developed countries may have to offer. So much so that people from all over the world have migrated to the countries in the continent, which contradicts the popular belief that everyone in Africa is black. In fact, majority of countries consisting of the most diversity are African countries with the likes of Uganda, Cameroon and Madagascar making the list.

it is important for the world to recognise that though the animals roam free they do so in National Parks and in their natural habitat which is conserved and kept safe by relevant professionals.

It is also in relation to this that when you tell people that you’re going to Africa for a safari, you specify what country you are going to because not every country in Africa has the climate for sustaining such grassland, nature and wildlife. In fact, the largest desert in the world (the Sahara) spans across most North African countries making it impossible for countries located in this area to have anything remotely close to a tropical savanna climate, which is required for this kind of wildlife to survive.

The countries with such climate are usually located in Eastern or Southern Africa with parts of central Africa even having tropical rainforest’s climate.

This clearly debunks another myth related to the continent that states that ‘Africa is always hot’. In fact, in regions with very high altitude there is also a hint of snowfall.

So, here’s to hoping that this has been a crash course in the guise of an article that has assisted you, with being more informed on what Africa is really like. I would also highly recommend carrying out your own research too, so that you can have an even more in-depth perspective next time you interact with someone hailing from an African country that does not degrade their home.

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Do you have animals roaming around free?

Another quite common question that is often met with a sarcastic answer is – “Do you have animals roaming around free?” and this too is bound to be met with a sarcastic answer. I know of an instance where a friend was asked this

The Badger 3rd February 2020

Features

16

It’s monsoon season in the UK as Jinkx tours Together Again, Again

Chris Ahjem, The Badger ’s Editor-in-Chief, had a phone conversation with RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Jinkx Monsoon to discuss their upcoming tour, queer literature, their advice for LGBTQ+ and non-binary students and whether they would return for Drag Race All Stars

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inkx Monsoon is known primarily for their stint on RuPaul’s Drag Race season 5 and more recently for their voice acting in Steven Universe and later appearances on Drag Race. They are also notorious for the quality of their music albums - The Immaculate Concept and The Ginger Snapped, both co-written with creative partner Major Scales - alongside their constant global tours including shows based on their albums. So, when I found out I’d be able to bag a phone interview with such a legend I legitimately squealed like a child at Christmas.

So when the chance finally comes, I’m settled down in the URF studio with URF exec Ed Aplvor as we prepare to recieve the exciting phone call. My mobile rings, excitedly startling us both, and within seconds I hear the familiar tones of Jinkx Monsoon’s voice over the phone. We immediately get into spilling the tea on their show, on their creative process, on LGBTQ+ life as students and on whether they’d return to TV anytime soon.

This year in April through to June you’ll be touring with your Together Again, Again tour which sees older versions of yourselves reuniting on stage after 45 years. Tell me about your show, what can the audience expect from these aged alter egos?

Yeah, I describe the show as a retrospective of things that haven’t happened yet. [Laughs]. So, even if you’ve never seen a Jinkx Monsoon and Major Scales show you don’t have to worry because you’re not missing anything and it’ll all be explained.

But, yes, it’s set in the future. It’s Jinkx Monsoon and Major Scales in their eighties. They haven’t spoken to each other in years and they’ve come together to have one last moment on stage before they inevitably die.

The whole show is kind of reminiscent and looking back on our lives but its all things that have happened after 2020.

So, it’s all hypothetical. You don’t have to come in with any pre-knowledge of us.

That sounds brilliant, I suppose an older version of yourselves having faded into obscurity perhaps feels narratively fitting following on from The Ginger Snapped in which Major acts as a therapist for a Jinkx who is worried that her best years were behind her. Was this intended?

When I hear you think about them back to back like that, I guess it

reflects how I’ve been feeling that it keeps coming up in my writing like that. It’s funny that my last two shows have been about my fears of obscurity and of the direction my career might go in but actually these shows have been some of my most successful and I’ve been very very happy with my career over the last few years. So, I think what it is that even though the material is about my career fading but the honesty may be that she only sees the audience. And that audiences with which I’m communicating with they add something to that.

Well your career is legendary, for starters, so there’s no risk of fading. But maybe audiences can expect a further age advancement in subsequent tours?

Will your next tour feature you both in a nursing home or even in a coffin?

Well, I think the next show, from what Major and I have talked about, is going to be almost in another universe.

Because when we talked about all the shows we wanted to write and all the things we wanted to discuss on stage - well, we’ve done a lot of it. And now we’ve got this idea. I don’t want to give anything away because we haven’t set anything in stone yet. But basically, what we’re going to do now is start playing with the power dynamics in our relationship. In every show its always that Major is just trying to keep Jinkx happy. And this next show is what would it be like if it was the other way around and what would it look like if Jinkx was kidnapped by Major Scales and had developed Stockholm Syndrome. So, that’s the first glimpse of what our next show will be but we’ve got plenty to do with Together Again, Again.

The Ginger Snapped also was paired with a new album which paired with it.

Can we expect another music release for this tour or in the future generally?

I can tell you that there are a few songs in Together Again, Again that we wrote specifically for the show. There is also a handful of covers. Typically, every other show we write is based on an album. Our first show was The Vaudevillians and our next show was called The Inevitable Concept which was based on our first album. Then we did a couple of shows with one show about Trump running for President and I was running against him vis a vis obviously Trump and Hillary. We had a show that was about my sex life and then we wrote The Ginger Snapped which had an album.

Now we’re doing Together Again, Again. Whilst, this summer we are once again working on a new album which we are creating it knowing we are going to build a show based on the album or a show that uses the music of the album. So, we’re going into this next album knowing we’re going to write a show about it and into the next show knowing we have an album throughout it.

experimentation and they miss out on a lot of discovering themselves. And then they have to do it in their early twenties, the way that other people got to do it in their teenage years.

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Here at Sussex University we’ve got a very active and large LGBTQ+ community of students including the UK’s first-ever Drag Society. Would you have any advice for these students, many of whom are only being just living freely as themselves?

Oooh let’s see. I’m trying to think of advice that is good and won’t get me into trouble. [Joyously laughs].

I do believe that being young and being openly queer is a privilege that we have these days. If you look back just a few years, people didn’t get to come out as they do now. I came out at 14 years old and I think we need to look at it as both a privilege and also as a right and a necessity. Because we’re human beings.

We go through pubity and if you’re queer and going to school around a bunch of cis, heteronormative kids you often hide it even if you come out of the closet. I came out of the closet at 14 but I was still hiding a lot of myself. I had created a version of myself that made me feel like I could be safe walking down a street or walking down the hall of my high school.

I believe that many queer people, in many ways and in many circumstances and situations, miss out on going through their adolescence freely and openly. They miss out on a lot of

I came out of the closet at 14 but I was still hiding a lot of myself. I had created a version of myself that made me feel like I could be safe walking down a street or walking down the hall of my high school.

So, what I would give as far as advice is: go out there, experiment with everything, learn about yourself, give yourself the freedom and permission to be a kid still, go through the motions of everything. And by doing that, learn about the type of adult you want to be because it can’t last forever.

I think a lot of queer people get to experience their adolescence late.

They get to go through their teenage experimental times in their twenties but what’s different is they are adults now so have access to a lot of things they didn’t have as teenagers. As a teenager dealing with stuff, your scope is limited.

When you’re an adult going through your teenage adolescence really you can do anything you want and that’s when I see a lot of queer people struggle with substance abuse and people who can’t snap out of that party time, you know.

And I think that it is very important to experiment and try everything and go crazy but you’ve got to have the knowledge and responsibility to pull yourself out of it when you’re ready and become the person you want to be for the rest of your life with everything you’ve learned.

The Badger 3rd February 2020

Features

17

So, we as queer people walk a tight rope in our twenties. That’s my advice: try it all but then figure out who you want to be and don’t get stuck in that pattern.

I absolutely agree. You mentioned that as a teenager you might not be exposed to certain things and that coming into young adulthood queer people should take advantage of that. Similar has happened with myself in education.

As a teen I didn’t hear anything about queer subjects but then after coming to Sussex I’ve been able to study a Queer Literatures module so I did want to ask, do you have any recommendations for queer literature and art that we might not have heard of due to a lack of exposure?

First and foremost, there is an author named Kate Bornstein. She is a trans advocate and a radical queer advocate and activist. She wrote a book called Gender Outlaw[: On Men, Women, And The Rest Of Us] which basically, years and years ago, kind of explained how to get towards the attitudes towards gender that we’re starting to have now as a society; that we’re just barely starting to get to.

So, Kate Bornstein has been writing about gender liberation and gender freedoms for way longer than we’ve been talking about it as a society.

So, she’s my number one reading recommendation as far as gender studies and queer gender liberation.

And I think that’s extremely important because queer people are often more clued in in terms of whats going on with sexuality and having an open mind, a foreward thinking mind and a progressive mind in terms of sexuality.

But basically the whole world, queer people included, has a lot they still need to learn about gender freedom and gender liberation. So, queer people tend to be at the forefront of understanding gender and sexuality and we need to continue that tradition by knowing as much as we possibly can about the progressive gender liberation we are experiencing.

desperate to see you back on TV in terms of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars. You’ve spoken a bit about maybe doing a UK vs US season or an All Winners series.

So, myself and the internet wanted to know, have you ever been approached to return like Bebe Zahara Benet was? And if you haven’t been approached, would you do it like genuinely?

José Alberto Guzmán Colón commonly known. We had words for it but they were just more obscure. I knew of people who identified as genderless but I don’t remember hearing the words ‘non binary’ a lot.

It’s funny because I always knew about myself that I was non binary and that I was born with male genitalia yet that’s where my male identity stopped. So, even though my pronouns are They/ Them and I identify as non binary, if you want to fully know its that I’m also trans-femme and am basically femme presenting. I’m not female identified but femme identified full time in my life. So, in a way, I’ve known this about myself my whole life.

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I couldn’t agree more. That’s something that Sussex generally does really well with many tutors asking for each others pronouns as standard within seminars or the Students’ Union providing badges with your preferred pronouns on. And I know that you use They/Them pronouns, so, what would you say to people who are trying to understand their gender more around other people who aren’t as receptive to it?

So, I basically came out at 14 and I knew other trans people from the moment I came out so as a teenager I knew other trans teenagers. Back when I came out and was learning about trans identity, different pronouns and different gender identities, we weren’t even They/Them in the way that we are using them now. The terms ‘gender binary’ and ‘gender fluid’ were not as

Queer people tend to be at the forefront of understanding gender and sexuality and we need to continue that tradition by knowing as much as we possibly can about the progressive gender liberation we are experiencing.

Being someone who has experienced body and gender dysmorphia - but not in the sense that I wanted to become the opposite sex just I knew that I didn’t identify with the sex I was born into-, it took until recently to realise that there are thousands of other people that feel that way and that there are words that we can use to better communicate and express that in ourselves.

I’ve known this about myself since I was around 14 but it took until I was around 24 to come out because I just didn’t know how.

The way that I normalized [their identity] for other people and helped people understand in a nonconfrontational way was just to talk about it like its very ordinary. That also means I have to have a lot of patience and compassion with people who don’t understand it yet.

Though I know that sometimes it’s very infuriating and people are actively closing their minds but you can’t take those experiences into every experience that you have. So, if you interact with someone who is very close-minded and ignorant and maybe acting like a jerk about your gender

identity, you can’t take that anger and rage that you might feel into the next interaction you have with a person.

If you start the next interaction with someone with yourself ready to explode then that person might pick up on that hostility and then shun away from learning more about it. You have to enter each new experience with people with a new found compassion. You have to reset your empathy and your patience for each new person. I know that there’s lots of radical people that say “No, you’ve been compassionate and patient for long enough. Why can’t they just be learning?”

Well, the fact is that we’re still undoing centuries of conditioning that have prevented people from being open-minded. We have to allow the people who want to learn and be better to catch up to us because they are probably dealing with a whole lifetime’s worth of conditioning that has held them back. But, I have to say, I’m seeing positive changes every single day.

I went to the fabric store two weeks ago here in San Francisco and there was a woman in her sixties who didn’t ask me my pronouns but only referred to me as They/Them. A complete stranger at the fabric store knew well enough from the way I was presenting that I probably didn’t adhere to traditional pronouns and thus decided to use genderless pronouns rather than assuming my gender in that moment.

This was someone who, because of their age, you’d think hasn’t taken the time to learn this lingo which then put me in my place to realise that people of all ages and backgrounds have the capacity to be very open-minded and respective in their spots. We have to give them the chance.

Is that a good, meandering answer to your question?

Ummm I haven’t been approached but the conversation and the topic has been broached but nothing so finite as “Will you do it?” with the people who could actually make it happen.

My thought is that it really depends on when they ask me and how I’m feeling at the time. There are times where I just don’t want to stop what I’m doing because I’m having so much fun like when Major and I are writing a new show and about to tour something like Together Again, Again. I would hate to pull the plug on something like that to go and film TV even though I love being on TV. I also love the work that I create.

It’d have to really be about what’s going on in my life at the time that I get asked and then it’d just be gut instinct from there. So, I’ve decided that I don’t know if I’d do an All Winners one because it actually has been giving me nightmares [Laughs nervously].

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Yes, it’s so interesting to hear you talking so openly about issues such as this. You inspire so many people especially your younger fans that you’ve amassed since winning Season 5 of RuPaul’s Drag Race so honestly I commend you massively.

Oh, thank you!

It’s these fans, me included, who are

If there was a UK vs America Drag Race, I would do it in a heartbeat.

I loved my time on Drag Race and I’m a very competitive person but there is a part of me that would love to never have to compete in that arena again.

Not so much because of the competing against other drag queens but because of the aftermath that comes with it.

[Laughs nervously again].

But if there was a UK vs America Drag Race I would do it in a heartbeat.

That’s really good to know. Plenty of the internet believe you’d win from all the winners which I stand by as you’re by far one of the most well-rounded of all of them. So, condragulations on that!

Well, thank you so much. Here’s the thing, I won’t know what I’ll say until the question gets asked. But I can tell you I’m 100% 50/50 that I would do it.

[Laughs] Well I respect that. I hope to see it someday.

Thank you so much for your time.

Thank you! I hope you have a lovely day.

You can see Together Again, Again starring Jinkx Monsoon and Major Scales in Brighton April 30th at the Theatre Royal.

To buy tickets for this Brighton show, go to: www.atgtickets.com/venues/theatreroyal-brighton

The Badger 3rd February 2020

Arts • Books

A Preview: The Hottest Books of 2020

Jasmine Smith Books Editor With a new year comes a plethora of new and exciting book releases. From authors well versed in the world of fiction to those that are just getting started, here are five buzzed about book releases coming in 2020.

The Mirror & the Light The Wolf Hall Trilogy, Hilary Mantel The Mirror & the Light will draw Hilary Mantel’s immensely popular Wolf Hall trilogy to a

close. Mantel’s booker-prize winning works of historical fiction document the life of Oliver Cromwell under the reign of Henry The Eighth and his Tudor Court.

Picking up from where the second book, Bring Up the Bodies, left off The Mirror & Light is expected to complete the fictionalised documentation of Cromwell’s life, from 1536 up until his execution in 1540.

Ghosts, Dolly Alderton By this point, Dolly Alderton is pretty much a household name.

The London based journalist, author and director released her bestselling memoir, Everything I Know about Love, in 2018.

Alderton’s fictional debut is set to arrive in bookstores later this year.

The story will draw on Alderton’s own experience with the online dating scene, telling the story of 32-year-old Nina Dean who experiences the modern-day phenomenon of ‘ghosting’ whilst using an online dating app.

Exploring the complexities of the modern world and societies aversion to ageing, Ghosts is set to be equally hilarious and heartbreaking as Alderton’s words take on a new medium.

Summer, Ali Smith The highly anticipated final instalment to Ali Smith’s generation-defining Seasonal Quartet. Autumn, Winter, Spring, and now Summer are all standalone novels spread across different times and locations yet are interconnected in various ways. Much of the buzz surrounding the concluding novel is regarding what Summer will actually be about, given the series’ focus on current politics. Fans of the books have had to look to Smith’s previous publications to gauge an idea of what Summer has in store.

American Dirt, Jeanine Cummins American Dirt is the controversial new release

by American Author Jeanine Cummins. The stand out novel documents the modern-day danger of illegally crossing the US-Mexico border. Telling the story of Lydia Quixano Pérez, a young mum who finds the life she once knew destroyed by drug crime. Perez is determined to do all she can to protect her son and will stop at no length to provide him with a life better than the one she’s fleeing.

Since publication in late January Cummins’ work has faced mountainous backlash.

Members of the Hispanic community have commented on the authors own nationality, a white American woman with Irish and Puerto Rican heritage, stating that her work is a naive and inaccurate representation of the Latin-American experience.

Many critics claim that her work is appropriating a story that does not belong to her.

Transcendent Kingdom, Gyasi Following on from extreme success of her debut novel, Homegoing, Gyasi is set to release

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second work of fiction later this year. Transcendent Kingdom is the heartbreakingly hopeful story of a family of Ghanaian immigrants living in Alabama.

Tortured by their shared grief the family struggles through life in America battling with addiction and depression.

Conflicted by her faith and surrounded by sadness, PhD student Gifty is determined to find a cure for the suffering that plagues her family.

With these and many more exciting releases set for this year, 2020 is sure to be a great year for literature.

Yaa the 2016 Yaa her

My Sister, The Serial Killer: A Review Jasmine Review Books Editor My Sister, the Serial Killer is Oyinkan Braithwaite’s hilariously disturbing debut novel.

Braithwaite spent her childhood split between the UK and Nigeria before studying law and creative writing at both Surrey and Kingston Universities. The Sunday Times Bestseller was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction and longlisted for the 2019 Booker Prize. Prior to its publication and instantaneous praise, Braithwaite worked as an assistant editor and has been commended for her short story and slam poetry work.

“That’s how it has always been.

Ayoola would break a glass, and I would receive the blame for giving her the drink. Ayoola would fail a class, and I would be blamed for not coaching her.

Ayoola would take an apple and leave the store without paying for it, and I would be blamed for letting her get hungry.”

The novel tells the story of sisters Ayoola and Korede whose dysfunctional relationship functions to protect Ayoola from her unfavourable habit of killing

her romantic partners, which she insists is nothing more than a mode of “self-defence”. Korede is left bitter and hostile as she’s required to pick up the pieces (tasked with hiding away bodies and compulsively cleaning blood-stained carpets) left from her sisters recurrent crimes.

Korede has always lived in the shadow of her sister. Her beauty and mannerisms are unparalleled, allowing for “a pass at life” as she describes it. Constantly feeling second best to Ayoola, even in the eyes of their mother, Korede’s internal narration exhibits and emphasises the feeling of resentment that can be felt between siblings. Despite this, Korede finds herself indulging in an attitude of passivity towards Ayoola’s amoral actions, ferociously protecting her sister no matter the cost. This is until Ayoola takes a fancy to Doctor Tade, Korede’s colleague and the object of her utmost desire.

Set in modern-day Lagos, Nigeria the novel opens on Korede cleaning up the mess from Ayoola’s latest mishap, the murder of her most recent lover, Femi. Femi, although a

small piece of the story and a minor casualty within Ayoola’s murderous maze, becomes influential in the narrative that follows. As questions arise of Femi’s whereabouts and his family begin to ask questions surrounding the mysterious disappearance of their beloved, Korede begins to question her own moral compass and what the correct course of action is regarding her sister’s criminality. Haunted by Femi and his extinguished life and

caught up in her sister’s crimes Korede continues her narration, following her and her sister through their contrasting everyday lives. Intermittent pauses from her stream of consciousness style narrative allow for flashbacks to the girl’s turbulent childhoods.

The looming presence of their deceased father and his authoritative and aggressive nature is suggestive of where the girls contrasting personalities stem from.

A peripheral narrative concerning Muhtar, Korede’s patient at the hospital further enriches the story. Muhtar, who for the majority of the novel remains Korede’s unconscious confidant and whom she vocalises her internal conflicts to.

The dysfunctionality between Muhtar and his own family which filters through the dominant plotline allows for a layered narrative, further contributing to themes of strenuous and complex family relations. As Ayoola appetite for murder develops and Korede finds herself further implicated in her sister’s on-going offences

we begin to see just how deep sisterly loyalties lie.

My Sister The Serial Killer is an outstanding first publication.

Braithwaite’s ability to combine horrific thriller-esque plot lines with a humorously care-free atmosphere is refreshingly unique. Her characters selfobsessed narcissism means all kinds of absurdities pass us by, without any real concern for reality and real life protocol.

The chaos that underlies the two sisters lives allows for a level of eccentricity in the mundane and the everyday which makes the story so enticing and intoxicating to read. Braithwaite’s fast-paced and eloquent first-person narration through protagonist Korede means we are drawn into the sister’s peculiar lifestyles before being quickly spat out again with an abrupt and perfectly fitting ending.

A book that toys with serious and sorrowful topics but doesn’t fully indulge in them. My Sister, the Serial Killer is an unorthodox mix between crime-thriller and satirical humour, never fully dedicating itself to one genre entirely.

The Badger 3rd February 2020

Arts • Film & Television 19 The Badger’s breakdown of 2020’s Best Pictures Michael Humphreys Film & TV Print Editor Parasite (aka Gisaengchung) – dir. Bong Joon-Ho On the face of it, Parasite initially comes off as a heist film of sorts. A working-class family (the Kims) slowly integrate themselves as various staff members for the wealthy Parks family, all with the aim to fund their son’s university expenses.

However, that is only a thin slice of this rich, complex and gripping tale of two families.

Bong Joon-Ho describes his film as “the stairs” which is a perfect encapsulation of the ideology, imagery and cinematography that make it my personal choice for best picture.

The Irishman – dir. Martin Scorsese Three and a half hours is a long time. However, there are few directors who could use every single minute to create a true piece of cinema. That statement alone shows why Martin Scorsese is as acclaimed as he is. Paired with the tour de force that is Robert de Niro and Al Pacino, The Irishman stands as an event for film fans that submerges the audience in its gloriously brutal history. As such, The Irishman triumphs as a testament to subtle direction which all culminates in one of the most heart-breaking final scenes of 2019.

Little Women – dir. Greta Gerwig Based on Louisa May Alcott’s novel of the same name, Greta Gerwig’s latest film exemplifies that the common struggles of coming of age, familial pressures and forging your own life is just as relevant now as it was in the 1800s. The film’s ability to delicately weave between four central characters and two different time periods whilst not losing the audience is testament to Gerwig’s talent behind the camera, further making her absence from the directors’ category all the more shocking.

1917 – dir. Sam Mendes Two soldiers are tasked to deliver a message in WW1.

With Sam Mendes and Roger Deakins behind the camera, such a simple story is given a harrowing lease of life.

With the strategy of presenting the narrative as one continuous take, the film succeeds at planting you in the reality of war. It isn’t all guns and fighting. There is walking, quiet and peace. But the underlying knowledge that chaos could strike at any time truly cranks up the tension. However, to be blunt, whilst the long takes are impressive, 2006’s Children of Men did it better.

Jojo Rabbit – dir. Taika Waititi From serious war drama to comedic war satire. Jojo Rabbit follows a boy whose imaginary best friend… is Hitler.

That sentence alone was enough to get me excited.

Paired with Taika Waititi (who plays the dictator), this war satire easily becomes one of the funniest pictures of the year.

Is it a controversial subject?

Definitely. But the sight of Hitler jovialy prancing through a forest while giving the world’s worst advice on grenades to children is enough to make anyone laugh at this little gem of a film.

Joker – dir. Todd Phillips As a self-confessed comic book fan and especially ones involving the crown prince of crime, I was enthralled with Joker. Its crowning achievement is, of course, Joaquin Phoenix as the title character. His portrayal is electrifying, terrifying and disturbing in all the right ways and as such adds to the story to create scenes that are tense, depressing and uplifting but will ultimately become iconic.

Anyone want to dance down some stairs?

Ford vs Ferrari (aka Le Mans ’66) – dir. James Mangold With nominations primarily in production areas, Ford vs Ferrari seems to be a strange choice for best picture.

However, whilst the story is not particularly ground-breaking, the sights that result from it are stunning to behold. Despite not being a huge car fan myself, even I had to admit that, when all the talent in front and behind the camera unite for

The underlying problem with nostalgia

Jack William Parker Film & TV Online Editor Christmas came right on time this year with the release of the final instalment of Star Wars’ Skywalker saga, and the much anticipated follow up to the beloved Series Gavin and Stacey. But did they live up to their own expectations?

The ninth and final feature length film of the main Star Wars universe has received mixed reviews by critics, but with polarised by fan reception.

Creating a sense of closure was an almost impossible task following the mixed response of Rian Johnson’s “The Last Jedi”.

J. J. Abrams returns to right the ship, and that’s exactly what he does. With the opening scenes he recounts the previous film, to fit the narrative of two films into one, it may feel rushed in places, but it still leaves you no time to breathe either.

Abrams Star Wars captures the unique feeling of the Star Wars franchise, relying on heavy doses of nostalgia and almost flawless cinematic spectacles.

It’s fair to say that in the decade since Gavin and Stacey last aired the show has only grown in popularity. There have been attempted remakes across the pond, in addition to Netflix

the racing sequences, what is delivered becomes something truly special.

Marriage Story – dir. Noah Baumbach Whilst I don’t believe Scarlett Johansson deserves her nomination for Jojo Rabbit, both she and Adam Driver deliver their best performances in this tragically realistic depiction of the divorce process.

By never truly taking a side in the proceedings, the film places the audience, like a child, hopelessly in the middle of the hostilities and forced niceties. Whilst not necessarily the best picture, Netflix have definitely laid claim to the acting categories.

Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood – dir. Quentin Tarantino This film is not for me. Being a 21-year old student, I am not the target audience for this film. The true target audience is those who remember (or who have knowledge of) 1960s Hollywood.

Despite being beautifully crafted by Tarantino, a day in the life of Leonardo DiCaprio’s ‘Rick Dalton’, whilst amusing, is a slow burn with seemingly little motivating plot pushing it forward. Although those last 20 minutes are brilliant.

Whats On

The Lighthouse dir. Robert Eggers

Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson star in this psychological, hallucinogenic and insane nightmare of a film. providing a platform to the masses for the sitcom’s unique brand of realistic wit and charm.

Corden and Jones had a mighty task ahead of them after such a break. 10 years since the last outing in Barry island, and in the lead up to Christmas it was much anticipated. Corden and Jones however did not disappoint, with a happy melding of the old and the new Nessa and Smithy, steal the show as if the series had never ended. Once again showing that Gavin and Stacey is a timeless sitcom that feels ever so familiar.

With both of these reboots finding their feet, it was an excellent Christmas for the silver screen and the small screen alike, however, they both lie upon the issue of relying on nostalgia. Both the Rise of Skywalker and Gavin and Stacey rely heavily on the sense of nostalgia that the viewer

has for their favourite shows and movies. This initially seems fine, but with more and more remakes being made, (Disney I’m looking at you) it raises the question, do we just rely on the sense of nostalgia to create entertainment?

Whether it is Pam’s wrong but endearing quips and the referral to a now grown up Neil as “Neil the baby” or returning characters such as Lando or Palpatine (spoilers!) the reliance on previously loved material or characters is one of the many things that makes these two great. But can this endure without diluting itself and becoming a shadow of what used to make it great? I am not suggesting that this is imminent, simply that it is a point of worry.

We should appreciate previous materials, but not simply emulate them for sake of easy enjoyment.

Queen & Slim

dir. Melina Matsoukas

A young black couple’s first date takes a turn when they are pulled over by a cop and events unfold in unexpected ways.

Uncut Gems

dir. Safdie Brothers

Adam Sandler displays true acting skill when he discovers a precious jewel and uses it to pay his debts, loan sharks and dangerous clients.

Bojack Horseman Season 6 (part 2)

The final part of the final season of the emotional, heartbreaking, inspiring, disturbing yet comedic saga on life and our impact on it.

Doctor Who Season 12

Jodie Whittaker returns as the 13th Doctor in a much improved and vastly superior series compared to her last.

The Badger 3rd February 2020

Arts • Music

Sophie and the Giants: An Interview

Jude Whiley-Morton Arts Online Editor Sophie and the Giants came to Brighton in October of last year.

I caught them on the night of their headline set at the Green Door Store. They were energetic, and more keen to talk than any band I’ve hitherto interviewed. I found them jumping around behind the metal gates of the smoking area at Green Door, poking my head around, I said, “I’m

Kajal Dave Music Co-Editor Ongoing globalisation has meant that the Bollywood entertainment industry has become a hybrid of Indian and western culture.

Westernisation has arguably had a detrimental impact on the core of Indian music as it has been transformed into something that sells as opposed to musical art representing the different traditions, languages, instruments and dress that comprise some of India’s culture.

Due to this homogenisation, Bollywood music has become saturated with western pop influences, for example the inclusion of English lyrics and repetitive, short chorus’. Not only does this indicate a step away from Indian regional dialects and music styles, but also reveals the music industry’s priority of securing a place in the Bollywood top 50 charts, which is very much a western influence. While fans of the genre may argue that Bollywood’s anxious acceptance of western globalisation has ultimately resulted in the erasure of traditional Indian

the journalist” and as quickly as they’d come over to greet me, we were sat on a bench chatting in the dark.

Sitting down, I explained my situation. “I write for The Badger etcetera etcetera, we’re a student paper etcetera etcetera,” then I asked about their student experience. Expecting tall tales of student living, freshers weeks, and third year breakdowns, I was instead met by Chris’, the drummer’s, admission.

“I quit.” He said, before So-

phie intervened.

“He got kicked out.” She said.

Chris corrected himself.

“I got kicked out and then quit.”

“You can’t quit after you get kicked out!” Antonia said.

“We have a lot of different experiences.” Sophie said.

These different experiences transpire through the course of the interview. Each band member will make a statement, and another is quick to contradict, josh, or build upon it.

The four have been close since university; the band all studied at ACM Guildford, where, as has been suggested, some passed and some failed. Chris explained that his situation was complicated. Illnesses, exams, the cost of education, he wasn’t going to stick around for studies if he had a good thing with this band. The other three, I’m told, completed their studies.

“Me and Sophie and Chris didn’t really know each other that well at Uni.” Antonia told

me, they’ve come together since studying and that is where the band has come from. Initially, the group lived together, but that quickly fell apart.

I mentioned that many university students will spend this year in houses with new flatmates, and some tend to struggle, I asked what they thought the cause of that particular break-up was.

Chris, slowly, raised his hand.

“Let’s just… I’m gonna say this. Who was the main problem? Me.” “You and me were exact opposites.” Sophie said.

“I’ve never heard about a band arguing over differences in hygiene.” I said.

“Well it interferes in the creative process.” Said Toby.

“The two lives merge into one. You go to rehearsal and you say to someone, ‘I hate you cause you didn’t hoover the room.’”

Still, I pointed out, it’s amicable that they have survived.

“Well,” Chris says. “We do ac-

The Westernisation of Bollywood music styles such as the inclusion of galloping beats, twangy sitar and carnivalesque spiral crescendo’s, it must be noted that ‘Old Bollywood’ had a function of accompanying films.

Bollywood stars like Hema Malini, Rekha and Kajol all featured in classic Bollywood films music videos where the music production was consistently romantic, matching the accompanying visuals. This has morphed into a similar romantic style, underpinned by western drum and bass, heavy electronic editing and a profound and widespread use of autotune. The various dance scenes and melancholy monologues in the rain had to have an equally dramatic musical accompaniment which Bollywood music, in all its flair and passion, achieved.

However, while this musical diaspora can be negatively criticised, the evolution of Bollywood music into a hybrid of East-meets-West, shows its adaptability as a genre, and removes a stereotype that Bollywood music is somehow inferior to its western counterparts.

Furthermore, contemporary Bollywood soundtracks reveal a character’s

ability to be cosmopolitan as opposed to simply belonging to the third world in which they are stereotypically ‘worlded’ into.

Therefore, despite Bollywood’s western influences, this should be seen as a step into making Bollywood music more accessible to the rest of the world, as opposed to antiIndian, just as K-pop has done in the last decade.

Classics such as 1995’s Dilwale, 1998’s Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, 1955’s Devdas adhere to the criteria of ‘Old Bollywood’ music with their meaningful lyrics, soothing melodies and most importantly, an obvious relationship to the scene or film they supplement. The historically iconic Dilwale soundtrack for example won hearts as it featured the unperishable and timeless vocals of Asha Bosle and soupy beats which is why some Bollywood fans are upset at the loss of this legacy in today’s Bollywood cinema and music. Perhaps this is a positive change for Bollywood, however.

Globalisation’s impact was inevitable, and in recognition of that, Bollywood music producers today have re-created and re-defined the genre via the formation of a western-

Bollywood hybrid. The duality of this new genre therefore allows for a new generation of Indian creativity to be expressed. Some of my personal favourites of this nuevo-Bollywood genre are PK (2014) and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011), both of which encompass traditional lyrical poetry in their music but this is perfectly contrasted with the cosmopolitan scripts.

20

tually really love each other.”

From there, the band moved into separate houses, and they have been creative ever since.

The current band formed in the last three months of university and when their time in Guildford finished, moved to a “random” place, Sophie said.

They’ve been playing, writing, and touring since. A headline tour taking place the last summer was “wicked”, Toby said. They’ve started receiving presents from their fans, “Lindt” from the European fans, Chris was happy to accept. Their next live dates will be in the summer.

If you’re in Liverpool or Warrington in May, they are playing gigs. If you find yourself in the Czech Republic, too, they’re playing the same bill as Weezer, Green Day, and Lenny.

I can see Sophie in the Giants on a big stage soon.

They’re the headliners of the future. This decade will be theirs.

The Badger 3rd February 2020

Arts • Theatre Jude Whiley-Morton Arts Online Editor

I interview Sarah Keyworth on the morning of Blue Monday, January 20th.

We’ve organised a phone interview and she’s scheduled to call at eleven, so I spend my breakfast preparing. I mull about the kitchen, make a coffee and butter some toast. In the background, playing from an open tab on my computer, is Sarah’s routine from the Mel bourne Comedy Festival. I butter my toast at the part where she talks about throwing dildos as grenades. When I sit down and lift the coffee to my lips she talks about shotting menses. Sniggering into my mug, Nescafe drips down my laptop screen. I take to the sofa for Sarah to call, and the phone buzzes promptly at eleven.

Softer than her stage

Sarah Keyworth on Comedy

persona, the voice I speak with is not a tough period drinker, but that of one approaching its decade’s f irst tour. Sarah started at Soho Theatre on the 27th January, and I can tell from her tone there’s a lot on her mind. The tour is written, she tells me, blocked, rehearsed. But in addition to the approaching dates, she’s planning radio shows, books, and is spending her time currently writing her next show.

Seeming that she writes so often, I ask her how she works out her routines.

“I tend to... have thoughts and make notes, I’ll talk it through with my director and we try work out what will hit, and then I take it to the stage...” which she says, “is sink or swim”.

Sarah, like most emerging comedians, began performing at university. I assume she must have been

a notable presence within these groups, which she says is “absolutely not” the case.

“I was not the best, I was not the most natural, there were some amazing natural comedians that I gigged with at university. But I was the one who refused to get a job.”

Is comedy, then, a case of hard work or natural talent?

“The thing is, you need both. If you don’t have that wit, it’s very hard to learn that, but if you... don’t keep your head down... what some people struggle with, when they’re very naturally funny... it’s a shock when they realise how much dedication and work there is.”

This is strange, I think, the notion of comedy as a thankless job. To watch a successful comedian on stage, one who has the audience in the palm

of their hand, is a riot. A comedian at their best is like a rockstar, and applause, cheers, even heckles, seem demonstrative of a work with a pay-off, but Sarah reveals that this is just a fraction of the life of a comedian.

“I’m very motivated by terror...” she says, “going back to real life, embarrassing myself, being very poor again — ” — is embarrassment not a tool for the comedian? I suggest.

“Self-deprecating comedy... you’re very much in control. I’ve had a few gigs where I’ve gotten up on stage and I’ve not been funny... You have the crowd looking at you like ‘why are you saying this?’”

And how would she have coped with this?

“Millican’s Law,” she says, obviously acquainted with it. “ You have until eleven

o’clock the next morning to talk about that gig and then you get on with it.”

It’s this determination, I would say, that def ine’s Sarah’s approach to work.

She knows that bad gigs are a part of the comedian’s life.

“Anyone who says they have never bombed is lying, or they have no selfawareness.” She says.

All this advice should lift the spirits of aspiring comedians, especially as Sarah seems on the crest of a wave. She’ll be playing multiple London dates until the 13th of this month, and will visit us in Brighton on 17th February.

If your night is free, I encourage you to go.

Otherwise, Sarah can be seen regularly at Ruby Blue, in London, a popular venue that showcases some of the capital’s most seasoned performers. Catch her if you can.

It will start when Lenin found out about the Tsar’s abdication to the storming of the Winter Palace.

The first big musical number will finish as Lenin exits the train in Petrograd after travelling from Sweden with Germany’s help. The next song would naturally be called ‘April Theses’ and try to establish Lenin as a populist to the average Russian person. ‘Peace, land and bread’ would definitely be a contributing line of the chorus, or possibly chanted satanically.

The July Days would get a mention and would probably happen at the end of act one to instill some dread in the viewer. It would be cliff hanger so I reckon the audience wouldn’t leave during the intermission.

The execution of Sasha Ilyanov, Lenin’s brother, would probably also get a mention so the audience understood some of Lenin’s motivation. This could be done in a ref lective solo by Lenin, maybe right before he storms the Winter Palace or is just having a bit of a breakdown.

Much like Shakespeare’s use of the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet, Kerensky would be

a comedic figure where the audience could jovially watch as he struggled to control Russia and the Provisional Government, turn to substance abuse and end up f leeing the Winter Palace as it was stormed, dressed in a nurses costume.

How this hasn’t already occured I don’t know but after the worldwide success of Les Miserables, I think revolution musicals are on the rise.

So, history A-level teachers and laymans alike, be prepared to sing along about communism, the manipulation of Marxist principles, poster man Trotsky and backroom boy Stalin.

I would have called the musical 1917 (2019) but there’s now a film called that, so to avoid confusion, if it was me writing this musical I will be sure to check back in a decade to see my predictions were remotely correct. Given I’m psychic (and think my ex-history teacher is already working a russian revolution musical), I’ve probably got some bits right.

Writing this, it was nice to see my history A-level was not a total waste of time.

Jessica Hake Theatre Editor

plays you can audition for 2. The table opens up! Now, you can go and write your name down for however many plays you want. You’ll also pick up a copy of the relevant script (a piece of paper of what you have to say on it) 3. You wait. I won’t lie, this can take a long time. You do not have to be word perfect!

They just want you to be familiar with the content, you will have your script with you when you audition 4. A member of SUDS will call out 3 - 4 people to go upstairs to audition for a specific play.

5. Audition time! Before you get stressed,worried and nervous, just take a breath and calm yourself. It is going to be fine. When called into the room, either by the casting director or previous actor, you will (ideally) walk right in. You will then write down your contact details. There will usually be 2 casting directors to watch and after you’ve written down your contact details they’ll introduce themselves, tell you a bit about the play and then you’re on your own!

6. Now unless you have more auditions, you’re all done!

Follow SUDS on @sudsoffical for the latest information on what’s going on!

What’s next for theatre?

Jekyll, Lenin, and Hyde

Jessica Hake Theatre Editor In the midst of my procrastination for exam revision, I found myself wondering what the next decade would bring for art. I decided to write an article on my theatrical predictions for 2030, delaying my revision even more but at least being a tad productive.

In the past decade I would argue that physical theatre has really come to fruition and in the next ten years theatre will continue the emphasis on movement.

It is only recently we have seen simple plots really rise through the ranks, such as the premise of Marriage Story (2019). I’m not sure if this will continue but what I do envisage is a rise in psychopathic Killing-Eveesque dramatisations. Maybe a modernisation of Jekyll and Hyde which will address a modern audience just as prominently as the book did when first released in 1886.

Most of my predictions are erratic stabs in the dark; however, there is one that I am certain of.

I am convinced someone is going to create a musical about the russian revolution.

21

Badgers Centre Stage: Auditions

The seventh issue of The Badger this academic year marks the start of a whole new year that brings with it hope, travesty and refreshers fair! Much like the start of the year, refreshers fair will be a chance for you all to meet and get involved with new societies - something everyone tells you to do at uni but sometimes you forget.

So, as the Theatre Editor, I thought how better to spend my time than go to the Sussex University Drama Society auditions, and see what actually happens.

1. A member of SUDS will give a little announcement to let you know all the different

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.

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How important is colour to your work?

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What attracts you tomy illustration other forms of art?

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I try to violent, find waysexpressive of expressing my strokes own experiences of gender, mental health, and environmental issues.

Where do you find inspiration for your illustrations?

You’ve worked in mono print before. Are there any other forms of medium which you would be interested in working in?

A lot of my work reflects personal feelings of dysphoria, and the feeling of being trapped by the confinements of the binary society which we live in. Yet sometimes this is more

I love painting, but every time I get out my hands, I always wonder why I don’t use them more! I have tried a wide range of medium, such as clay and lithography.

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

Photo Credits: Skye Kember

FULL-TIME OFFICER ROLES OPEN FOR Elections NOMINATION These Officers represent and support students at the University WELLBEING OFFICER Leads on the student support, health and wellbeing agenda within the Students’ Union and University, ensuring the student voice is heard.

SPORTS, SOCIETIES AND EVENTS OFFICER Leads on matters relating to active involvement within the Students’ Union, such as sports, societies, events, volunteering and other student-led activities.

STUDENT LIVING AND SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER Works towards improving the dayto- day issues students face such as housing, transport, community, campus facilities and affordability.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS OFFICER Works on issues relevant to all international students (including EU, non-EU and exchange students), such as helping them settle in, academic issues, housing, cultural events and many more.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYABILITY OFFICER Ensures that student views on employability and education matters are heard by the University.

Assists students with learning, teaching and employability initiatives.

DIVERSITY, ACCESS AND PARTICIPATION OFFICER Works towards removing barriers to participation and success for students from marginalised groups and backgrounds and promotes a more diverse and inclusive experience at University.

Leads the work on ethical and environmental issues.

SUSSEX STUDENT ELECTION 2020 Nominations are now open - all students are eligible to run and vote! sussexstudent.com/elections

The Badger 3rd February 2020

Travel & Culture 25 Chinese News Year Celebrations Forget the Corona Virus- heres a lo-down on Chinese tradition and why the new year is celebrated

Vanessa Hung T&C Online Editor Gong hei fat choi! In January millions of people celebrated Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year. It is the most important festival to gather around with family and friends in the Chineses festive calander.

Chinese New Year marks the end of winter. It also means people are ready to embrace a fresh start for spring, a season for planting and harvesting. If yo’re attentive you will notice that the date of Chinese New Year varies every year. this is is because the Chinese New Year follows the lunar calendar which marks the start of a new moon. Since it depends on the moon, every year is different.

This year it started on 25 January, in the year of the Rat. In Chinese tradition, each year is named after one of 12

henry… animals, which are in the following order of the Chinese zodiac: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. So the animals will have a year dedicated to them once every 12 years, in a cycle.

Here is the race myth story for the Zodiac rankings. A long long time ago, the Jade Emperor

wanted to select 12 animals as his guards. He then sent an immortal being to the world and spread the message that the earlier an animal went through the Heavenly Gate, the higher the rank it would have. The next day, animals set off towards the Heavenly Gate. Rat got up very early. The Rat tricked the Ox into giving him a ride to cross

the river. After crossing the river, the Rat jumped out of Ox’s ear and dashed to the feet of the Emperor. Rat ended up coming first. Therefore, Rat is always known as keen-witted and a sign of wealth in Chinese culture.

So how do Chinese people celebrate this important festival? There are some taboos during Chinese New Year. It starts even before the festival begins. People start to clean their homes to get rid of ‘dirt’ and ‘unluckiness’ and prepare for the celebration. When New Year’s Day comes, it is a tradition not to pick up a broom and shower, in case you sweep and wash your luck away at the beginning of the year! Right before the night before New Year, people wash their bodies in pomelo leaves to wash away the bad luck and things that happened in the last year.

One of the most important

parts of Chinese New Year is the food. A reunion dinner is held on New Year’s Eve which brings all the family members together. It is traditional and served with sumptuous ingredients like meat and seafood. In a lot of dishes, fish is served but it cannot be eaten completely, as in Chinese there is a saying :‘may there be surplus every year’ which rhymes with ‘let there be fish every year’. On the day, people eat rice cakes and sweet dumplings as its pronunciation is known as ‘a more prosperous year’ and ‘gathering’. It is very common for children to receive lucky money from the red envelopes known as red packets from the grandparents and older relatives.

Every street, building, and house where Spring Festival is celebrated is decorated with red. Red is the main color for the festival, as red is believed to be an auspicious color.

Ummph! The brew-TEA-ful BOH Plantations Staff writer Charlotte Brill provides some insight into a historically rich cuppa from Malaysia

Charlotte Brill Staff Writer Tea is one of the most universally enjoyed beverages, bringing friends, family and cultures together across the globe.

There’s little better than a cup of brew to make your day a little better, at least that’s my opinion! BOH Tea Plantations Sdn. Bhd. in The Cameron Highlands, Malaysia has been producing an eclectic range of tasty tea for over 90 years and continues to uphold its prestigious legacy.

Covering the rolling highlands as far as the eye can see, over 1,200 hectares of land, the estate is not only especially characteristic but is also a site to behold. In fact, the iconic 20-foot overarching balcony facing the Sungei Palas Tea Garden, offering stunning panoramic views, is an absolute must for tourists and locals alike.

The plantation was founded in 1929 by Scotsman John Archibald ‘’Archie’’ Russell, son of a British government official, during the Great Depression.

Archie invested in tea because he noticed it was one of the few commodities which had not lost its trade-value when the global stock markets crashed.

Together with Ceylon planter, A.B. Milne, Archie transformed an area of virgin rainforest into the first Malaysian highlands

Charlotte Brill tea garden. Now producing 70% of all tea in Malaysia, BOH tea has come a long way since it was founded.

BOH Tea has a colourful history and its success was not without challenges.

From the onset, building and developing a plantation in the middle of an underdeveloped Malaysian district was never going to be easy. In the 1920s, the Cameron highlands looked very different than it does today, with no roads and few residents the initial set-up was an extremely hard labourintensive endeavour; Archie dedicated his life to BOH until he sadly died of tuberculosis at the young age of fifty.

During World War 2 the estate was also briefly occupied by Japanese troops and following independence in 1957 most of the British planters abandoned the plantation.

The founding family, however, remained and Archie’s son Tristan became Chairperson of the company in 1966.

Tristan’s role in revitalising and developing the tea estate was pivotal giving BOH Tea its unique character that still pervades today. Significantly, Tristan introduced the quality ‘Ummph’ to describe the good quality and unique flavour of the tea. This notion of ‘Ummph’ was a national hit in Malaysia and became a key tagline for the ‘BOH’ brand; it is still often used today when marketing BOH tea products. Colloquially meaning ‘power’ or ‘welly’ in British vernacular, the introduction of this ‘Ummph’ into routine Malaysian life denotes the fascinating hybridisation which characterises Malaysian culture.

BOH is not just known for

its characteristic tea or its interesting and turbulent history, but the family-run company is also renowned for its involvement with the community and as conservationists. As a low export producer, they are clearly invested in Malaysian culture and environmental sustainability. Partnered with Kakiseni, a Malaysian arts and culture non-profit platform, BOH Plantations launched the BOH Cameronian Arts Awards in 2002 to recognise and celebrate outstanding performative arts. Speaking in an interview with Awani Review, now-CEO Caroline Russell explains that this is ‘’perhaps a personal passion of the people in the company’’ with the hope to ‘’raise public awareness on the diversity and richness of performing arts in Malaysia.’’

BOH Plantations is also partnered with the Tropical Rainforest Conservation and Research Centre (TRCRC) to protect and preserve Malaysia’s rare, indigenous plants and forestry. Caroline reasons their commitment to conservation and sustainability as: ‘’We are close to the land, we are close to the environment. We have a sense of that.’’ In touch with the pressing environmental revolution, BOH also manufactures biodegradable pyramid teabags for a ‘’better,

cleaner environment.’’

Though staying close to the traditional roots and legacy, BOH adapts their product availability according to cultural and consumer changes in Malaysia. Caroline notes that with people becoming more health conscious BOH diverted from being a solely black-tea producer by looking into the green tea industry. She also illuminates how convenience has grown in importance in the region, perhaps due to the influence of globalisation and modernisation, instigating a shift from primarily drinking tea leaves to preferring using teabags. This, too, is something Caroline and the rest of the BOH family has incorporated in the directional development of BOH Plantations. The future of BOH Plantations is undoubtedly bright with the company continuing to uphold standards and looking into new innovative technologies.

I would highly recommend visiting the Sungei Palas Tea Garden, where I drank, quite possibly, the most atmospherically pleasing cup of Ummph!

You can reach the garden, by car, with a tour, or by taking a tranquil walking route from nearest town, Tanah Rata.

Once there, simply sit back, relax and enjoy the view with a tasty brew in hand; I promise it will not disappoint.

The Badger 3rd February 2020

Travel & Culture 26 The Fight Against Full Time Work The need for money is real but, as students, full time work can be a very taxing solution.

Cloe Grampa Before coming to university, I thought my life was going to be incredibly fun- filled with events, parties, gatherings, days and nights spent at the library, coffee and take away. I quickly realised that to go out and party and enjoy my time in Brighton I needed money.

Money that I couldn’t get anywhere else but a job. I started working at a fast-food restaurant and in my first year I was able to work part-time, but that suddenly changed when I moved out of student accommodations and started renting privately. My second and third year I was working 40 hours a week.

I am not the only one who has to juggle a job while being at university. The problem, I found, is that maintenance loans don’t cover living expenses for Brighton students, even with the highest loan a

student will still struggle living in this city.

According to the University of Sussex, once a student starts renting privately their cost will range from £707 – in the luckiest scenario – to £1,123 per month, this excluding transport costs. High living costs are impacting student’s experience at university.

According to the national student accommodation survey carried out in 2018 by Save the Student, 31% of students feel that high living costs impact their studies and 45% feel that living costs impact their mental health. Overall 44% of students struggle to keep up with their expenses. This is a staggering figure and students who can’t rely on the financial help of their families – or simply don’t want to ask them for money – will have to look for a part-time job just to get by.

But what is the reality of working and studying? How are students copying?

Elisha is a second-year Criminology student she said that working and studying can be ‘overwhelming’. She explained to me that her student loan doesn’t cover her expenses throughout the year and that her part-time job turned into a full-time one.

Most students will find jobs in retail or hospitality because of their flexible nature, however, both sectors usually provide minimum wages. Being on minimum wage means that working part-time might not provide enough money to make it to the end of the month, which is why students are usually forced to work more hours than what they are advised to.

The University of Sussex advise undergraduate students to no work more than 15 hours per week during term time, and postgraduate students shouldn’t work more than 20.

Elisha works 45 hours per week, which is three times the

amount recommended. Being a student and working fulltime became such a challenge that she decided to defer her second year.

Although Elisha’s case is an extreme scenario, many other students are feeling the weight of working part-time.

Stephen is doing a masters in astrophysics and he works 25-30 hours a week. He mentioned how he thinks it’s unfair that students are pushed into employment because living is too expensive, and that working makes it more difficult to concentrate on university work. Lack of time becomes the principle obstacle.

So, what can you do to help yourself if you are both a student and a worker? Talking to different working-students and taking from my own experience, there are three things that you should keep in mind when you start working. Number one is picking a job that allows flexible hours

to schedule around university commitments. The job should also provide a certain flexibility in booking time off, which can be helpful during assignments period.

Number two, is budgeting.

Budgeting is vital if you don’t want to run out of money and get by eating canned beans and porridge. The Student Life Centre on campus offers valuable advice on how to budget.

Number three, is planning.

Make sure to plan your week ahead, knowing exactly when to study, when to work and when to have free time. In most cases, time management is helpful to reduce stress.

Students shouldn’t be forced into employment but considering that this is happening more and more often, it’s important to know that the university offers help to those who are finding it difficult to balance their university life and their work life.

Venice’s Fight For Survival

Climate change has its grip on this tourist hub: how long has it got left and how can it be saved?

Amy Holden The issues surrounding the future longevity of Venice have been known to the world for many years, however, given the increased awareness given to climate change in the last 2 years, the issue has only been heightened. Given the positioning of Venice, and the desire by so many to holiday there, just how much longer can it survive, and is there really any plausible solution that will save it?

Reinforcing its label as a high-profile victim to sea level rise, in November 2019 Venice made the headlines again as it experienced the highest water levels in 50 years, causing more than 2/3 of the city to be flooded.

Yet this January has seen the canals nearly dry, given the low-tides- highlighting how complex the effects on Venice will be, and how big of a grasp climate change truly has on the city.

The unique landscape of Venice- composed of 118 islands inside a lagoon, allowing the Adriatic Sea to enter at 3 points- makes it already vulnerable to climate change.

However, it is impacted not

Roberto Trombetta only by sea level rise, but also the increase in wind, waves and storms that climate change entails.

Despite this, some, including Venetians, believe that it was direct human actions that further harmed the city.

Many believe that the creation of deep-canals in the 1960s damaged the ecosystem, while dredging also occurs to keep ship routes open, as such the geography of the area is not solely to blame for the increased impact climate change has on the area.

As said above, the need for intervention in Venice has been recognised, with many plans to help reduce the im-

pacts, to keep Venice a practical destination for decades to come. One of the largest, and most controversial of these is the MOSE project. Originally supposed to cost €1.6 billion, and be completed by 2014, the 78 movable floodgates now have a completion date of 2022 and a price of over €5 billion.

While its name implies a division of the sea, it is highly controversial for a number of reasons, one of the largest being when it will become redundant by the agent it sought to stop. Calculations show that just a 30cm increase in sea level will force the gates to be closed for 70 hours

a month; a 50cm increase would increase this to 166 hours, causing large obstructions to cruise and shipping boats. Furthermore, given the level of high-tides seen, it is suggested that MOSE will be ineffective by 2040, making many question the worth of it (given the construction time and cost), as well as it inhibiting the cleaning of the lagoon that occurs naturally by said tides.

Other plans again show the issues in keeping Venice afloat both literally (given that it is expected to be underwater by 2100) and as a tourist destination that brings around 30 million tourists a year. One of the more obvious suggestions would be a new port, outside of the lagoon however, this would further pollute the environment.

Given the infrastructure surrounding Venice, journeys often begin or end there, meaning that simply moving the port would require transport to and from the city, creating more pollution and delays, rather than helping to solve the original issues.

Thus, the government has been looking for less-concrete methods at managing the issues, such as a 2017

decision to limit the size of cruise-liners. A decision that will take effect this summer is a tax for tourists between €3-€10 to help offset high costs Venetians face for mundane services, and by 2022 there are plans for booking to be necessary to visit. It is examples such as these that highlight the fragile balance needed between the tourist sector and the environmental impacts in Venice, as the city too many remains a popular destination to travel.

Whilst climate change has grown more prominent in recent years, for some, seeing St Mark’s Basilica standing in a flooded square adds novelty to their trip, rather than being a worry. The struggle between tourism and climate change is something that has more to show, with Venice being only one example, given its unique circumstances.

Hard engineering methods such as MOSE provide controversy and may not be enough with the future of the environment being so unprecedented and it is the resident venetians who are aware more than anyone that, despite solutions being up in the air, the need for one is painfully clear.

The Badger 3rd February 2020

Travel & Culture 27 Budget Holiday How-To Gabrielle Gillow

As a student you’re probably as flexible as you’ll ever be, so why not take a spontaneous trip away?

Presumably, if you’re like me; an average student lacking adventure - someone who finds themselves scrolling socials disheartened at the look of eager travellers sharing their trips you are in need of an opportunity to grasp travel and adventure.

Travelling cheap does not have to be a distant dream.

Essentially, we are broke students. Our loan is spent on rent and actually being able to keep ourselves alive. However, save a few pennies each week; maybe don’t buy that extra pint, and you could find yourself on a spontaneous expedition for the same price as a Pryzm night on a Saturday.

Why? Travel is incredibly im-

Joshua Talbot T&C Editor

Gabrielle Gillow portant for us, Experiences and trips provide an opportunity to discover independence and create the best memories. Opening paths cultural diversity and appreciation of our world. It is what I and eight of my block mates decided to do, the best way to bond with new friends at

uni? Hop on a plane to Barcelona and spend two nights, three days in a party hostel. Definitely one of the best spontaneous ideas I have agreed to.

Travelling on a budget (particularly a student budget) you have to take full advantage of effective websites which will save you money. There are many ways to go about it, but essentially you want to locate flights using Skyscanner; a site which accesses and compares the cheapest flights offered by all airlines is predominantly the best starting point to find cheap flights.

For us at Sussex, or even within the Brighton area, our close proximity to Gatwick is ideal. The Gatwick express can take you to the airport in about 30 minutes, for as low as £10.

Similarly, if you are travelling with a group, a good idea is to get a minibus which you can hire; from personal experience, it set us back about £8 each.

Accommodation wise, hostelworld is the way to go. It is reliable, affordable and will provide a range of hostel accommodation, for Europe you are generally looking at about £9-£13 per night.

You can download an app, and save accommodations which you are interested in. Hostel accommodation is particularly good for students, as they predominately specialise in catering for youths, facilitating local tours, bar crawls and overall enable you to grasp every gem of a new city. Travelling with a group means you can book dorm rooms to accommodate

you all, room size can range from between 4-12 people.

Plus, hostels will usually offer free meals, almost always a free breakfast, some will even give a free dinner. By sacrificing a few luxuries travelling on a low budget is greatly possible.

Reduce your costs to zero by thinking wisely about activities and transportation, most cities have a multitude of sights which can be accessed on foot, explore the simple way-roam about and I assure you, you will discover more than you would expect.

Barcelona was worth every penny being about £70. When putting that into perspective, what is the price of a weekly shop and a few heavy nights out? Most likely the same, give or take a few pounds.

Time to Refresh After Refreshers Societies

Was one of your new year’s resolutions to change up your uni experience? Maybe you are tired of sitting in your room struggling to find the motivation to get out and socialise? Perhaps you’ve done a little too much socialising and your studies are calling for some attention? Whatever your situation, as we arrive at the start of second term, there is plenty of stuff that you can do to iron out your first term bugbears.

If you didn’t go to refreshers fayre and haven’t been involved in societies before, you might think that you have missed the boat yet again this term. No need to fret- whether you want to get sportier or unleash your artistic flair, there’s a society waiting to help you make the most of your uni experience.

Simply head over to http s : // w w w. s u s s e x s t u d e n t . com/sport-societies-media/ discover/ to browse from all of the options available to you.

Spice up your life with the International Cuisine Society, tap into the local live music scene with the Live Music Society or get political with the Liberate the Debate society.

There’s so much choice that it’s unlikely that you won’t be able to find something that interests you but if you do have a niche that you don’t think is being explored and that you want to share with likeminded people, start your own group!

Find out more about how to get started on forming a society of your own on the Students’ Union website.

Studies

If you’re starting this new year and new term under the impression that you didn’t get into the groove of your course last time round, this term might be the time to adjust your approach to uni life.

It’s definitely not about all work and no play, but finding a balance can be crucial to staying on track with your studies.

By now you probably know what works well for you- maybe you’re a late night crammer or a coffee shop queen- but if

you’re in a situation where you have no idea where to start on work and the thought of going to classes feeling out of your depth makes your stomach turn, a trip to the Study Skills Hub in the library to talk to a university professional might be just what you need to get you on the right track.

With time racing by sometimes it’s hard to keep up and easy to let things get on top of you; with a little bit of planning and an open minded attitude 2020 could be your year.

Mental Health at Sussex

Dont feel down about being down: you are not alone and, studying at Sussex, there is help available Cloe Grampa

With the booming of the wellness culture, mental health is becoming a very important issue that is starting to make its way in the public agenda.

Mental illness and disorders associated with mental health carry around stigmas that make it difficult to understand the severity of these issues and how they affect people.

Mass media talks about the importance of optimizing mental wellbeing but the reality of living with mental illness is something that is not frequently talked about by mainstream media.

If it wasn’t for those people who are using social media platforms to raise awareness on mental illness, the subject would still be highly stigmatised.

As a student living in Brighton, I was curious to see how many people in this city were affected by mental illness, and I was shocked by the results. According to Brighton and Hove JSNA, GP surveys in Brighton and Hove report a total of 15.5% of patients 18 and over having depression or anxiety- that’s compared to the national average of 12.4%.

Again, patients reporting a long-term mental health problem amounts to 8.3% in Brighton and Hove compared

to 5.1% in the rest of England.

With so many suffering from poor mental health what is the community doing about it?

I had the pleasure to meet Helen James and Laura Waskinen the minds behind Uncovered Productions who will premier their first short movie “Mental Health and Body Image” February 5 at the Latest Music Bar in Brighton.

Helen and Laura are some of the few creators based in Brighton that decided to give a voice to those who live with mental illness and body image issues.

During my interview with the pair, they both stressed how much of a delicate process it is to get people

telling their experience of mental illness, and how they created a comfortable and safe environment.

Helen said: “Individually when people were coming into the studio, I was saying look, please only say what you feel comfortable saying, do not push yourself. In the end people were amazing.

“Everything was so overwhelming I had to take a couple of days off to process it all”.

I found Uncovered Productions to be an amazing project, a way to bring people together in order to show that mental illness, as well as, problems related to body image can be managed.

What I find outstanding is how the project sought to give actual accounts of various disorders; often when people are suffering from depression and other mental health related issues, they might feel lost, misunderstood and alone. Showing on screen, that there are other people who are feeling the same way can be incredibly helpful in feeling less lonely and taking the first steps towards helping yourself.

If you are not coping and you want to take care of your mental health but don’t know how, the Student Life Centre at the university offers advice on what option is best for you and your situation.

The Badger 3rd February 2020

Travel & Culture 28 Veganuary is over, so now what?

Cultural Bite

Rosie Joyce Staff Writer

Don’t succumb to takeaway temptation - even when the going gets tough and Deliveroo is calling, this simple bechamel sauce is versatile enough to get you through.

In 2019, over 250,000 people participated in Veganuary, ditching the animal products for a whole month and almost half pledged to stay vegan after January had drawn to a close.

Only time will tell what 2020 holds, but here are my hot tips for keeping the rest of the year meat free, or at least trying to…

Vegan food at Brighton restaurants:

With almost all of the major fast food outlets now offering vegan alternatives, people have really been spoilt for choice. But with Brighton often being known as Britain’s vegan capital, why not support local and sample the city’s own vegan and vegetarian restaurants?

Afterall, every craving can be satisfied within our exciting and varied food scene.

Plant based roast: The Roundhill Pub

The award winning Roundhill pub is famously known as the best spot to grab yourself a plant based roast dinner in Brighton. From cauliflower cheese to Yorkshire puddings, and minted lamb to mustard, maple and treacle gammon, no animals were harmed in the creation of these roasts.

Junk food: Hope & Ruin The self-proclaimed home of “vegan doners, hot dogs and loaded fries” … need I say more?

Oh yeah, their fried pickles and chicken poppers also slap. All within a funky bar with great live music and vibes. Who said vegans only eat lettuce?

Brunch: Cafe

The

Longhouse

Brunch is a meal I take very seriously, and it would seem The Longhouse Café do too.

Their plant powered menu is diverse and delicious, and also very photogenic. Their flavoursome scrambled tofu and glazed tempeh maple bacon really hit the spot and can cure any hangover.

Supermarket tives:

alterna-

Whilst vegan meals are healthiest and cheapest when packed full of whole foods such as vegetables and pulses, there’s going to be times when you fancy your meat-packed favourites and the supermarket chains are monopolising on this now more than ever.

Bacon:

‘THIS is not bacon’ Inarguably the best alternative to the nation’s favourite

@porkbellyandtofu breakfast food. Smoky and crispy, chewy and salty, it hits all the right spots – smack it in baguette with a generous squirt of ketchup or HP (whichever your poison may be) and job’s a good un. You can find it in Holland and Barrett and Waitrose.

Sausages:

Sainsbury’s shroomdogs - The sausages that have converted many a carnivorous family member. Made from mushrooms, they replicate the real thing very well but without the pig part. Pop them in that baguette with the bacon, turn them into a casserole, toad in the hole, or the classic sausage chips and beans dinner.

Cheese:

Now, this is a contentious subject in the vegan world.

No one can agree which alternative is best and not being able to find the right one has led many to turn back to the dark side. However, I would suggest trying a variety and seeing what works for you. All of the supermarket chains offer a range of vegan cheeses.

There are also plenty of independent businesses trying their hand at cashew and coconut based cheezes, so pop into Hisbe or Infinity Foods to browse their offering.

Veggie cookbooks:

Now, whilst I’m sure we’d all love to be cooked for every day and live off posh artisan cheese, we students have to shop and cook frugally most of the time. However, owning a good cookbook makes this much more rewarding, exciting and delicious.

The highest-selling vegan cookery book ever - BOSH!: Simple recipes. Unbelievable results. All plants. (£8 on Amazon) And for when the student

loan can’t drop soon enough Vegan One Pound Meals (down to £10 on Amazon)

Get involved: VegSoc

Sussex

If you find yourself feeling isolated by your new lifestyle, the university’s very own vegetarian and vegan society can help you out. I spoke to Phee Watson, a member of Sussex VegSoc, to find out what they offer for veggie newbies.

“Everyone is super friendly and it’s a really helpful resource.

Anybody, vegan or not, is welcome to join the society and our group chat too. We welcome everybody interested in veganism as long as they’re polite, but we really encourage questions as that’s how progress is made!”

Phee went on to point out the value of having a community around you, “It’s wonderful.

Whether you have questions or need recommendations, or need help dealing with rude friends or family or are upset over cruelty cases. It’s great to have a group of people with the same understanding!”

So, if you’re interested in their potlucks, documentary viewings, picnics, restaurant outings, activism workshops and more, be sure to get in contact with the society. You can find them and their upcoming events on Facebook @sussexvegsoc!

Following these hot tips will make sure you stay on track with your vegan journey, but even incorporating a few of them into your daily omnivorous life will make for a healthier and more ethical lifestyle! You may slip up and stray but be kind to yourself! Even participating in Meat Free Monday could make a huge difference to our planet – after all, if 10 million people took up the challenge, then it would save CO2 emissions, equivalent to more than 2,438 cars taking a road trip around the world.

Mark Norman Francis To be served with pasta - as part of a Bolognese, lasagne, bake or just knocked up with spaghetti, this sauce is a student staple and, with vegan alternative ingredients available and equally as easy to use, it’s a far more sustainable option than take away both for your bank account and the environment.

Ingredients:

Flour Milk (oat milk as alternative) Fat (butter or olive oil) Cheese (Nutritional yeast as alternative) Bacon (Facon as alternative)

Step by step:

To begin making your sauce, vegan and dairy diets alike, you need to make a roux. Start by adding fat to a saucepan melting butter or using a few lashings of olive oil will do the trick.

A roux is effectively a thickening agent made out of flour and fat and so, if you haven’t guessed the next stage already chuck in a bit of flour. These measurements are approximate (obviously) but as a student, you are probably looking to play it by ear anyway so, a bit of advice would be to try to get an equal flour to fat ratio for your mix. Cook together for a couple of minutes until the ingredients have started to form a solid clump.

The next step will see you adding milk and stirring; oat milk can be used as an alternative for this step. As a tip, it can be useful to take the pan off of the heat here and add an initial splash and whisk until you can see that the clumps of roux have been absorbed in the sauce. From there you can add the rest of your milk, whilst continuing to whisk, turn the heat back on and bring the mixture to a boil.

Once you have some heat, you can switch out the whisk for a wooden spoon. Be sure to pick up speed with your mixing when it comes to a boil.

When you are satisfied that you have a sauce that is the right consistency, you can take it off the heat and marvel at the wonderful bit of cooking that you have just done. You are good, aren’t you? Well done you!

But wait! Whilst what you have made is technically a bechamel sauce, if you want something that tastes any good, be sure to add your cheese, or alternative.

Whilst the mix is still hot, add grated cheddar, to your liking and stir in. If you are looking for a dairy-free alternative for this step, nutritional yeast is your best friend.

If you’re looking for a different meaty texture add some bacon (or facon). One top tip if you’re serving the sauce with pasta would be to cook it up and add it in at this stage so that it can be fully stired into the mixture before serving.

When you feel that you’ve got it just right- get stuck in!

Joshua Talbot T&C Editor

The Badger 3rd February 2020

Science & Technology Bethan Grimshaw

The dark secrets of herbal remedies

Whether it’s turmeric tablets or rescue remedy, chances are you have used a so-called “herbal” or “alternative” remedy at some point. Chances are that you fall into one of two categories of thought: 1. I don’t think this will do anything, but it’s worth a try.

2. This definitely works and it must be safer than “proper” medicine.

Seeing old women in Holland and Barrett spending their pensions on Chlorella (a unicellular microalgae) tablets at £11 (minimum) a jar in the hope it will “enhance vitality and energy” is enough to make my blood boil.

My anger is not with the consumers themselves, but at the misconceptions propagated by the media. Firstly, not only are headlines relating to herbal remedies often simply untrue (biology is not so simple that tumeric will solve all your problems), but they can be downright dangerous.

The history The alternative medicine industry has roots in Victorian Britain. Herbal remedies go back centuries, being passed down generations of families. But it was in the Victorian era that selling remedies became commercially viable. People who could not afford doctors relied on the elixirs and mixtures of “pharmacists” (quotations are used as anyone could set up a

pharmacy, without any training being required). Lists of dosages and ingredients were frequently not listed. For example, “Infants Preservative”, a common over-the-counter remedy used by mothers to help their babies sleep so they could go out to work, contained such high levels of narcotics that it is repeatedly cited in post-mortem reports as the cause of children deaths. It was not until 1908 that the Pharmacy Act enforced effective control.

The dangers Though of course there has been much advancement in health and safety since such times, regulation is still lacking.

As herbal remedies are not subject to the same vigorous regulation and quality control as pharmaceutical drugs, fake, unlicensed or contaminated medicines are obtainable online. Such products can contain banned ingredients and even toxic substances. One Australian study into Chinese medicine products found 61% of samples tested contained levels of lead, cadmium and arsenic that were sufficient to cause acute poisoning. There have also been reports of herbs contaminated with pesticides, salmonella bacterium, and aflatoxin (a mould found in yeast that is metabolised by the liver to 2,3-epoxide, which causes DNA mutations and is strongly linked to liver cancer).

Isaac Hallé For millennia humans have sought to understand the meaning of the visual auditory experiences which occur during sleep - otherwise known as dreams. The Ancient Egyptians considered them messages from the Gods. During the scientific revolution and beginnings of psychology, Freud in his seminal work, On the Interpretation of Dreams referred to dreams as “A Royal Road to the unconscious”. In the wake of modern scientific techniques and better understanding of the brain during sleep, we will explore what exactly are dreams? And do they really mean anything?

Dreams occur during the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) stage of sleep. Several stages of REM cycle during sleep accounting for around 25% of sleep in adults.

Babies experience up to 80% of REM stage sleep which decreases over time with age. But, if dream sleep is so prevalent, why do we remember so few, if any?

Reduction in the chemical norepinephrine during sleep makes

it more difficult to form memories during sleep. Serotonin levels also fall, leaving the effect upon waking that the dream experienced was profound and meaningful, perhaps explaining why so many have sought answers to dreams from Gods, Sages... and the internet.

During Rapid Eye Movement sleep the Amygdala - the hippocampus and amygdala - the emotional centers of the brain, are activated whilst the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for executive function and rationality, is inactive.

Analysis of the electrical signals produced through neuronal activation (better known as brain waves) shows that unlike the slow brain wave activity of deep Non-REM sleep, during Rapid Eye Movement Sleep the brain is equally as lively as during waking activity, all that prevents the body from moving is part of the brain stem, known as the PONS. The PONS of those suffering REM disorder, however, fails to prevent movement and thus dreams are acted out

Then there is the danger of what effect the active ingredient will actually have. A common misconception is that because the active ingredient is derived from a plant, it is safe. This is not the case. Anything that has an effect on your body is deemed a “drug” and therefore has the potential for harmful effects. Herbal remedies are metabolised by the body in the same way as prescribed medicines. Phase 1 of metabolism involves functionalisation of the drug via oxidation, reduction or hydrolysis reactions, for example by the cytochrome p450 system (a family of enzymes) in the liver. Phase 11 metabolism involves conjugation reactions with endogenous (produced within the body) substances e.g. glucuronic acid. The rate of drug metabolism depends on many factors and varies between individuals, meaning the same concentration of drug can have deferring levels of effects.

Arguably the most dangerous thing about herbal remedies is not even what effect the drug has on the body in isolation, but the effect it has on other drugs the person may be taking, by blocking their action or increasing their potency. Such affects are called “drug-drug interactions”. A group of SouthAfrican researchers conducted a review of 49 reports of potential adverse interactions and found 59% were likely

caused by interaction between prescription drugs and herbal remedies.

Well documented drugdrug interactions include Herbal remedies interfering with anaesthesia and other drugs given before/during/ after medical procedures, and interference with blood clotting, increasing the risk of excessive bleeding during surgery, sage, flaxseed, St John’s Wort, cranberry, goji juice, green tea and chamomile have all be found to interfere with warfarin and statins (bloodthinning drugs used to treat cardiovascular disease) As well as that, St John’s wort is a potent inducer of the cytochrome p450 system, meaning other drugs will be metabolised faster and therefore have reduced effect.

For example, St John’s Wort has been found to have clinically significant interactions with the contraceptive pill, cyclosporine (an immunosuppressant drug), SSRIs (anti-depressants), and benzodiazepines (commonly used to treat anxiety).

The advice NHS England advise the following people should not take herbal remedies: Those who are taking other medications,those with serious health conditions, e.g. liver or kidney disease, those who are awaiting surgery and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

They further advise that,

The science of dreams by such individuals with sometimes dangerous effect.

Exactly why humans and mammals in general dream, is not yet well understood. Various theories have attempted to solve this mystery. The modern popular scientific view regards dreams as not inherently meaningful, a mere by–product of dream sleep function. The most notable of these functions is memory. The neuronal activation during REM sleep is said to be a method of the brain consolidating already formed memories and filtering out those which are less useful. This supports and links to the Continuity Hypothesis of Dreaming which explains the commonality of imagery and content from the dreamer’s waking life. Whilst the continuity Hypothesis is broadly accepted there is some dispute on the meaning of dreams.

Dreams undoubtedly inform us in a clinical perspective. Recurring dreams are a recognized symptom of PostTraumatic Stress Disorder and whilst this phenomenon is yet

to be explained there is an exciting explanation posited by dream expert Professor Mathew Walker. Participants in a study were shown to less emotionally reactive to upsetting imagery following REM sleep compared to a control group who did not have dream sleep. Walker believes that dreams may serve as an “overnight therapy” for emotional experiences. This would thus enable us to move forward from tragedy, sadness and trauma. We don’t cry over the same memories that once brought tears. Dream sleep may be why.

This argument carries more weight still when the recurring dreams associated with PTSD are mentioned. Perhaps somefailure in this emotional consolidation results in repeated attempts by the brain in sleep to resolve such trauma, resulting in repeated content and recurring nightmares.

More research is necessary to understand such a mechanism; however, various studies do support linksbetween psychological emotional states

29 if you do decide to take herbal remedies, you check if the packing states it is THR (Traditional Herbal Regulation) approved, as this ensures the productcomplies with quality standards relating to safety and manufacturing, and that it provides proper information about when and how to use the product.

However, using THR approved products does not guarantee it is safe for everyone to use (it may still be harmful if used to treat more serious conditions), and claims made by such products are merely based on traditional usage rather than evidence of the product’s effectiveness.

When consulting health professionals, you should always let them know what herbal remedies you are taking, and report any suspected sideeffects via the Yellow Card scheme, run by the MHPRA (Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency).

The end To conclude, please think carefully the next time you are contemplating trying a new herbal remedy. Do your own personal research, rather than relying on word-of-mouth or media headlines, and consult a health professional, especially if you currently take other medications. And look out for friends and family who may be vulnerable to the dark secrets of herbal remedies.

in waking life and dream content. Patients undergoing psychotherapy have been found to change alongside their dream content. Dream Therapy such as Image Rehearsal Therapy or IRT, involves retelling the dream narrative and reimagining it in a new light and has been shown to effectively treat PTSD and mental health problems. Some small studies have even found that dream content has positive effects on people. Dreams of exhusbands reduced depression in female divorcees in 6-month follow ups. Similar correlations have been found with those giving up smoking dreaming of cigarettes.

Whilst the weight of such research is largely controversial and must be taken with a pinch of salt, the suggested links between dream content and emotional consolidation are exciting and could prove invaluable to the science of psychology and treatment of PTSD. All we can say for sure is the science of dreams is not something to sleep on.

The Badger 3rd February 2020

Science & Technology

30

Changes in Food Manufacturing & Synthetic Meat

Mara Daian While animal derived products are an ever-present source of vital nutrients and biological raw materials, increasing public awareness of factory farming conditions and outcomes, especially the ecological footprint of the meat industry, has generated the need for plant-based alternatives.

Key examples may include novel alternatives to commonly used products, such as cultured meat, milk, egg powder, leather, and even more uncommon alternatives like synthetic materials which mimic horns or tusks.

Scientifically driven technological advancements in the field of food production and management have been organically integrated over decades as revolutionary changes resulting from new arising needs which have been primarily consumer directed.

However, progress is considerably slower in the field of food production and processing as it represents a highly consumer sensitive domain. Generally speaking, few people are open or willing to change habits as the vast majority are sceptical of health implications. It is possible that some are scared of the ambiguity of the methods employed in experimental food research.

With more media attention toward the implications of food manufacturing on our health, synthetic meat has been one of the materials most commonly critiqued.

Rumors regarding possible carcinogenic substances have been noted to have been found, as well as an abundance of trans-fats.

These products largely accomodate for the growing plant-based population, which seems to require the ‘fake meat’ phenomenon.

This is generally speaking, of course, as while a lot of that same population do demand some sort of derivative in their diet, others are not aroused.

However, arguably the most important aspect of this is our education of what we eat and how it is manufactured.

After all, if you are deciding to embrace a plant-based diet for health reasons, you would want to make an effort to decide on consciously healthy alternatives.

The scarcity of readily available and consumer accessible evidence on the effectiveness reducing meat consumption for health improvement is also a key factor which actively contributes to this state of inaction.

“

Synthetic meat gives a great amount of hope for the state of public health as it is proposed to yield several outcomes in the interest of consumers.

Increased red and processed meat consumption is associated with an increased risk of developing some types of cancer, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

Thus, reducing or advocating alternatives may promote general public health and additionally eliminate the contributing effect the livestock production sector has for anthropogenic global warming.

As information campaigns which advise and propose a lower meat intake remain largely ineffective, a huge boom for the extremely young industry of synthetic food is emerging in many developed countries.

Customer concerns for the morality and ethics of animal use in the current industry continue to be on the rise. Nevertheless, the

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actual consumption of meat alternatives remains low around the globe, which might partly be due to a lack of familiarity with these foods.

This is also likely to result of the higher costs on the potentially willing consumer.

The availability of more and more alternatives, such as textured vegetable derived proteins and mycoproteinbased alternatives slowly but surely accommodate the unwilling market. In turn, prices are becoming more accommodating and tailored to the market’s needs, becoming cheaper as streamline methods of production are being developed.

Thus, cultured meat, even if in its infancy, is a promising technology. However, it faces key technical challenges including maintaining culture media, mimicking the in-vivo myogenesis environment, animal-derived and synthetic materials, and processing for worldwide commercial-scale production.

Besides price aspect discussed, one of the concerns that puts many dietitians on the fence is that synthetic meats (such as the Beyond Burgers) aren’t necessarily less densely packed with unsaturated fats. They are not even less calorically significant than real-meat counterparts.

Similarly, the ready labgrown meat of today is not spared of the now commonly use dose of antibiotics or artificial growth promoting hormones, with only few companies claiming that their sterile lab protocol does not require either of them.

As there is no scientific consensus on which particular elements found in meat corelated with higher cancer incidence, the synthetic meats of today are coming at a fraction of the ethical and environmental burden.

Some evidence even points towards heme iron and the supplementation of growth hormones.

“

Increased red and processed meat consumption is associated with an increased risk of developing some types of cancer, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes ... alternatives may promote general public health and additionally eliminate the contributing effect the livestock production sector has for anthropogenic global warming.

Synthetic meat gives a great amount of hope for the state of public health as it is proposed to yield several outcomes in the interest of consumers.

It should provide all essential nutrients, high quality protein, highly bioavailable iron and zinc, omega - 3 fatty acids, vitamin B12 and and majority if the B vitamins. If

supplemented, it could end common deficiencies in other readily available minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and calcium.

The idealistic goal of the new synthetic food industry in the field of meat alternatives involves more advanced techniques that are not currently or easily available.

This is in which the meat grown in a culture in the lab is then favourably manipulated in composition selectively.

Overall, it is important to note that there have been significant changes in food manufacturing, as is always expected in agriculture. But to what extent are we going to remain blind to the food industry?

One can say that this is the same energy that began veganism; a desire to understand the journey of our food. Should we want to find out more about where our food comes from? Or should we just allow large corporations to con us into eating whatever they deem financially profitable?

US FDA

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Fridays 12 pm, Falmer House Common Room.

The Badger 3rd February 2020

Sport 31

All the Action from Tennis’ First ATP Cup Max Kilham In July 2018, former Association of Tennis Professionals executive chairman Chris Kermode announced plans to introduce the ‘ATP Cup.’ This year, the first ever champions were Serbia, defeating Spain 2-1 in the final across two singles matches and one doubles match, in a tournament that was held in Brisbane, Perth and Sydney.

It all ended when Spain’s Carreño-Busta put a forehand return into the net, allowing for Novak Djokovic and Viktor Troicki to react with glee as they could celebrate Serbia’s inaugural crowning as ATP Cup champions.

There were a number of concerns surrounding the introduction of this tournament, one being its extreme similarity to the Davis Cup, as it was originally pledged to rival its fellow competition. However, we must firstly consider how the tournament played out.

How did we get here? Well, the first match of the tournament ended with Belgium’s Steve Darcis defeating Alexander Cozbinov of Moldova 6-4 6-7 (4) 7-5, as the Belgians kicked off their campaign with a hardfought win against the impressive Cozbinov.

The tournaments rankings

were based off of each countries’ highest ranked player, with each team needing two players with an ATP singles ranking and at least three ATP ranked players overall. The 24 teams competing, which contained heavyweights like Serbia, Spain and Russia, were split into six groups of four teams each.

After the group phase, Serbia, Argentina, Russia, Great Britain, Australia and Spain all topped their groups, landing them a spot in the knockout stages. Canada and Belgium also qualified as lucky losers. Despite some shocks, including David Goffin’s victory against Rafael Nadal, and Hurbert Hurkacz’s victory over Dominic Thiem, the expected countries ended up in the quarter-finals.

In the last 8, two teams that reached the knockout stages of the Davis Cup faced off, with Serbia and Canada going to battle. In the end, Serbia swept aside the Canadians in three close encounters. Russia similarly swatted aside the Argentinians 3-0, setting up an interesting encounter between two heavyweight nations.

On the other side of the draw, Australia edged Great Britain 2-1 in an extremely close encounter which saw Alex de Minaur and Nick Kyrgios defeat Jamie Murray and Joe Salisbury 18-16 in a final set tiebreak in the deciding doubles. Spain also came through a tight encounter with Belgium, winning 10-7 in a final set tiebreak in the deciding doubles.

andrewrendell Eric the Fish

Kobe Bryant: a Genius; a Lingering Legacy Jonny Garwood Sports Editor A man of legend; a legacy left behind. In the basketball world, there are few greater and few with the recognition and statistical records of a man named Kobe Bryant, who passed away last Sunday, alongside eight others; daughter Gianna, 13, Payton Chester, also 13, Alyssa Altobelli, 14, Keri Altobelli, 46, Christina Mauser, 46, John Altobelli, 56, Sarah Chester, 45 and the plane’s pilot, Ara Zobayan, 50.

Glancing upon the star’s Twitter feed, his final few tweets were messages of encouragement for current and former basketball players on their achievements, and of acclaim towards the career of former LA Sparks player Alana Beard, who passed away last week. This was a man who was cherished both afar and in his presence.

Investigators are still attempting to work out the cause of the helicopter crash which killed the retired basketball star.

Often known to fans simply as

“Kobe”, or by his chosen alterego of “Black Mamba”, the explayer was considered to be one of the greatest players in basketball history, having won five NBA championships during a storied career.

Gianna Bryant, the NBA star’s daughter, was a celebrated prospect, having followed her father’s footsteps into the game, and was just thirteen when she died in the crash on the morning of the 26 January.

It was suggested by sources nearby to the scene, and to CNN, that in the early hours of Saturday morning flight visibility had been severely restricted. Visibility was so low that Los Angeles police had made the decision to ground all of their helicopters, according to a local spokesperson.

The official cause of the crash has not been determined, however, it was suggested that the pilot had been informed that the helicopter’s altitude was below the recommended guidelines, and contact was lost shortly afterwards. Sources suggest that the flight had been

given permission to operate under “special visual flight rules” (SVFR), allowing the pilot to fly in conditions which are less suitable than standard guidelines.

Local witnesses within the California region where the crash took place suggested that the S-76B model plummeted quickly before making contact with rough terrain, in a hilly region. It marks an unfortunate annual period in which a number of celebrated sporting figures have lost their lives to aviation accidents, with the Argentine football striker Emiliano Sala having died in similar unfortunate circumstances just over a year ago, as well as the former Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha roughly sixteen months ago.

With an array of achievements including being named Olympic champion twice, MVP (Most Valuable Player) in 2008, as well as MVP in two NBA finals, the former NBA star will be cherished and immortalised forever.

Kobe was not just a celebrated basketball player, he was also

This set up what seemed to be two nail-biters between four of the strongest nations currently in world tennis. However, the results were more the opposite. World no. 1 Rafael Nadal led Spain to a comprehensive win over Australia whilst fierce rival and World no.2 Novak Djokovic led the Serbians past Russia, which included an impressive win for Djokovic in three sets against Russian hotshot Daniil Medvedev.

This set up a mouth-watering clash between Serbia and Spain, teams that included the two highest ranked singles players in the world. Spain were looking to add to last year’s Davis Cup crown, whilst Serbia were aiming to spoil that party and prove themselves as the best country in world tennis.

A convincing 7-5 6-1 victory for Roberto Bautista-Agut over Dusan Lajovic began the proceedings, as Spain took an early 1-0 lead in the tie.

Then came the clash of the titans. Rafael Nadal vs Novak Djokovic. Before this match, Djokovic led the head to head between the two 28 tp 26, and it was to be Djokovic who would extend this lead, with a 6-2 7-6 (4) win over the Spaniard.

At 1-1 in the tie, it came down to the final rubber: the doubles.

Often an overlooked medium of the sport, the importance of doubles continues to show as it often is the deciding factor in

these team competitions.

In the end, Novak Djokovic and Viktor Troicki banished their heatbreaking exit from the Davis Cup by beating Felciano Lopez and Pablo Carreño-Busta 6-3 6-4, to eliminate Spain and bring Serbia the ultimate prize of the ATP Cup. Whilst we must celebrate the brilliance of the Serbians, we must also consider the success of the tournament as a whole.

This tournament was supposed to rival the Davis Cup, as it provided a very similar format to the traditional global team competition.

One positive was that the Cup managed to draw a large number of the biggest names in world tennis, including Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Dominic Thiem.

Furthermore, the fact the event sold out its final, according to the ATP tour website, of 10,223 seats, highlighted an impressive point of the inaugural tournament.

However, the ATP Cup still has a long way to go before it can dislodge the Davis Cup, as any attempts to overtake or remove the Davis Cup will be met with fierce backlash from this generations’ fans, as well as more traditional fans of the sport.

There can be no doubt that this first run was an impressive and promising first step for the ATP Cup, but there is still plenty of work to be done.

an entrepreneur, investor and a coach to athletes and business men across the world.

He was not just recognised as a basketball superstar, but he was also revered in a number of international sports. This week, the rugby and football world laid testament to the superstar through memorials, as well as social media content, whilst a number of actors, athletes and politicians alike showed their support for the athlete both online and via various other forms of commemoration of Kobe’s life and achievements.

Within his business ventures, he laid a foot into the world of investment before calling time on his career, co-founding a venture capital organisation

as well as instigating various brands and sponsorships for energy drink companies.

Releasing a short film in 2018, he drew acclaim and won an academy award, whilst his partnerships with Nike were well-publicised. Kobe continued to build his “Black Mamba” brand both during and following his career, most notably whilst seeking to bring basketball to those who sought to follow in his footsteps, no matter their ability, background, or show of support.

Kobe Bryant will not just be immortalised in the business or basketball world, but among the hearts of those who lay witness to his achievements, and those who are yet to come.

WolfWolfWolf

The Badger 3rd February 2020

Sport 32 New Year, New Societies. Get Involved Charlie Batten You may be thinking you’ve missed your chance to get involved in societies and now you’re in your room bored all the time. Well fear not, as the new term presents many opportunities to get involved with societies and activities taking place across campus.

As many of you know, last week was Refreshers week which gave everyone a chance to look at what different societies had to offer. There were a variety of events going on such as a leave no trace disco night, a late-night café, a pub quiz at Northfield bar, a farmer’s market and of course the Refreshers fair.

The fair was a great chance to look at all the different societies we have at here at Sussex, as well as speak to those in them.

Speaking to the people in a society is vital as it means you’ll be able to learn more about it and find out if it’s the right one for

you. A great part of being in a society is that it means you get to meet a lot of great people and it means that you have something to do.

A big problem for a lot of first years and even some older students is that they can sometimes feel like they have nothing to do in their down time because they don’t know many people.

Joining a society gives you the ideal opportunity to get out and do something. I’ve made great friends from being in the dodgeball society and I look forward to every Saturday at 1 where I get to throw balls at other people.

For many of you, your new year’s resolutions might be to lead healthier lifestyles, feel better or exercise more. If this is you, look no further than Active US. They’re having a week of free sports and all you have to do is turn up. Whether you want to try out football, basketball, archery, cricket or my personal favourite, dodgeball, you can have a go for free.

These sessions invite anyone to join in, so it doesn’t matter if you’ve played football for Fulham’s under 14’s or just kicked a ball around with your mates at break time, you can come along and play.

It also gives you a chance to take up something new that you wouldn’t normally do. For example, you could join the ballroom and Latin dancing society or the guitar society.

Your time at university doesn’t have to just be about attending lectures and meeting deadlines, but it can be about learning new skills and finding things that you were never got to enjoy or discover back home.

A lot of you may want to take part in societies but feel nervous about joining a group of strangers. As someone who’s been in that exact position, I can tell you that there is nothing to fear.

I knew only two people when I first came to Sussex and they lived on opposite ends of campus. I was incredibly nervous

Are Liverpool set for a new era?

Robert Barrie When Jurgen Klopp’s private plane touched down on the tarmac at Liverpool’s John Lennon Airport in 2016, no one could have believed the turnaround that would shortly follow. Four years later and the rejuvenated giant have a sixth Champions League in the cabinet, a UEFA Super Cup and a FIFA Club World Cup trophy. This success, in addition to their scarcely believable, enormous lead in the Premier League, has seen the Merseyside club re-enter the world’s footballing elite and with that, the outgrowth of their, then, kit partnership with American based company; New Balance.

Football kits for a long time have always been more than just a colour to differentiate two opposing teams. Since the 1970’s the fabric has provided a space in which sponsors could display their name to the spectators, something that became even more important when matches started to become regularly televised. In more recent times however, with the emergence of major global sporting brands, the choice of manufacturer for the home, away, third and training kit has become a major component in the workings of a football club. The need for a distinctive, attractive and sleek jersey (although still important to fans) has become a secondary consideration when alongside

factors such as sales, distribution, global image and exposure.

Apart from the revenue from television rights, kit deals are the biggest source of annual income for clubs. And they will do whatever it takes to possess the best deal. This has been no better represented than at Liverpool Football Club. Since 2015, New Balance had supplied The Reds who, still nowhere near the fruitful heights they achieved in the 70’s and 80’s, possessed a kit deal that mirrored their current situation. The contract was approximately £40 million per year; less than Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City. Strikingly, Manchester United’s contract with Adidas sat on nearly double that amount. Moreover, relative newcomers New Balance only had one big club on their books; namely Liverpool, while Adidas, Puma and Nike had, and still do, multiple top tier clubs as customers allowing them to dominate the football supplier landscape. These suppliers direct plentiful resources to these clubs, and when these teams encounter success, this gives greater exposure to the brand allowing the companies to grow even more. These dynamic relationships are in stark contrast to the stagnant and stalling one that Liverpool had. New Balance were, effectively, holding them back. For the first time in the Premier League era, it is suggested that Liverpool could overtake rivals Manchester

United in marketing revenue.

It was clear then, when Liverpool encountered huge success in Madrid last year to add a sixth Champions League to their collection, that they had outgrown the limitations of a more limited kit supplier. Liverpool’s club value has doubled since New Balance took over in 2015, with £1.77bn being the most recent valuation. Almost immediately the European champions’ eyes were drawn to another American company, Nike. The sports manufacturing powerhouse was first choice for Liverpool’s directors, who presented unrivalled opportunities for a club that had finally regained its rightful place amongst the elite. Indeed, Nike seemed equally keen and were extremely eager to add such a high profile club to their ranks.

Complications arose when New Balance took Liverpool F.C. to the High Court, stating that they had prematurely, and unlawfully, ended their contract.

Surely desperate to keep the newly crowned champions on their books, New Balance pointed to a “matching clause” in the contract and stated they could rival Nike’s resources.

Such resources were a key pulling factor for Liverpool to begin with. Being the biggest sportswear brand in the world, Nike have unparalleled distribution, advertising and assets.

Vowing to sell the kit in 6000 stores showed their strength, whereas New Balance could

about joining a society and not fitting in. In the end there was no need for me to worry because everyone as so accommodating and welcoming that I now feel as though I’m part of a big family, even though I’ve only been here for four months.

There are also a wide range of cultural societies, which may be a way to experience new food and celebrations. Many international students may also enjoy these societies, which can be a great way to combat homesickness when studying abroad.

Truth be told, I am writing this article about new societies and Refreshers week to hopefully motivate me to get out there and be involved in some new activities. It is so easy to just stay in your little group, do the same few things and not change everything because you are comfortable with your routine.

When there’s so much on offer here, you’ll be missing out by not getting involved. I look forward to meeting a few of you at dodgeball and hopefully my new passion, Latin ballroom dancing.

Simon Carey only realistically achieve half that amount. Furthermore, Nike could enlist the help of their celebrity ambassadors, such as LeBron James and Serena Williams, to increase exposure. As such, it was ruled that New Balance could not offer resources that were as favourable as that of Nike. Liverpool won the case, paving the way for their new marriage to the sportswear colossus.

Thus, it was announced that Nike would be the official kit supplier to Liverpool F.C. starting from 1st June 2020. The deal, worth £30m per year, is £15m less than offered by New Balance, but superior global reach and exposure, in addition to 20% royalties on merchandise sales, equates to a hugely more lucrative deal for the club. Conservative estimates point towards £80m a year, with some experts swaying towards the value of an enormous £100m per year, a figure which would cata-

pult Liverpool to joint second with F.C. Barcelona in the biggest kit deals in world football.

Only time will tell to see if Minamino’s impact on Merseyside is big enough for the harnessing of the growing international market. What impact is for certain, however, is that which Nike will have on Liverpool Football Club. Increased distribution, marketing, and utilisation of ambassadors will propel the Reds into the high financial realms of clubs like Barcelona and Real Madrid.

It seemed fitting that just 48 hours after lifting the Champions League in Madrid, a huge advert of Virgil Van Dijk, produced by Nike, was installed across from Liverpool’s main station, welcoming fans and tourists arriving in the city. The tagline? “Boss”. I think that describes every Liverpool fan’s thoughts on the current direction that this great, now revived, football club is embarking upon.

dieterth