the
Boomerang A University College Magazine | October 2009
Students take to the streets of Den Haag
For What it’s Worth Veronica Benjamin
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n the 22nd of September in Den Haag, students staged a protest against the most recent round of government cuts on education spending. The protest was organized by the Landelijke Studenten Vakbond (LSVb), a federation of student associations in The Netherlands. Though attendance did not meet earlier forecasts, around 500 students were there, letting their voices be heard. Taking the stage to jeers and some applause, the address of Education Minister Ronald Plasterk served as an apex of the demonstration. Adding to the drama, Plasterk was joined on stage by the LSVb chair and presented with a manifesto of the students’ aspirations for education, composed by various student interest groups. “About only one thing could we speak with one voice,” announced Gerard Oosterwijk, “education and investment in a knowledge economy is the Future of The Netherlands.” Plasterk accepted the manifesto with a smile and handshake as the pair was encapsulated by audio-video equipment. “I find it beautiful to be here” Plasterk said in response to the student turnout. He also noted the heightened media attention. In the end he couldn’t offer the crown much solace, citing the tight nature of the government budget and the many important departments the government must fund. Fueled by such statements, a chorus of “Invest More!”(Dutch: Investeer Meer) emanated from the crowd as Plasterk left the stage. Oosterwijk returned to the podium and, in a temptingly symbolic act, addressed the Minister, “Oh, you forgot our manifesto.” Several students-turned-pallbearers walked through the protest with a casket, marked “Knowledge Economy”. To counter the publicized notion that the protest was solely against the freezing of Studiefinanciering, the students at the event wanted to make it clear that they had far more substantial criticisms of government actions, or lack there of. Actie! (Action) was the word of the day, as students challenged the government to put their money where their mouth is. “Now is the moment for the government to say what it really wants,” said LSVb vice-chair Dennis Wiersma, “Every time they express need for a ‘knowledge economy’ and every time they do nothing.” Thought some cite the crisis as the impetus for budget cuts, others saw the crisis as a reason to invest even more in education. “We need to come out of this crisis better than we went into it” said Mariëtte Hamer of the PvdA, one of the many political speakers at the event. Agnes Kant of the SP crossed party lines to agree with Hamer, “the future needs critical people,” she said.
One speaker in particular challenged students to be a bit more self-critical. Halbe Zeilstra of the VVD emphasized that students need to “invest in yourselves” by assuming greater personal responsibility for their education. Met with mixed reviews from the crowd, such a message could be important in a country with a social system that can be so easily abused. Conversely, if students were insured of a certain level of commitment to, and quality in, their education, they may be more motivated to invest in themselves. Some opted to send a more explicit message to the government. Clad in tight, black leather and ruby red lipstick, a young lady paraded a sign that read: “In order to study, now prostitution” (Dutch: Om te studeren nu prostitueren). Though the normal college tuition is only to go up by around 200 euros, anyone pursuing a second bachelors or masters may be subject to additional fines of up to 10,000 euros under the new educational guidelines released on Prinsjesdag. That’s quite a few hours under the red lights. These sorts of drastic increases in fees make some anxious about the possibility of privatized education in The Netherlands. Among those concerned were René van Dijk and Jos Avezaat of the Utrecht Art Academy (HKU). They noted that many services once taken to be a basic entitlement in The Netherlands, such as health care and public transportation, have been privatized in recent years. Now they fear that education may be next. Tofik Dibi of the GroenLinks party noted that the opportunity for public expression was a major motivation for the protest, “I think you’re here because you’re tired of not being
heard and that needs to change.” This sentiment was echoed by UCU students in front of college hall on that very same Tuesday, as they took to their own protest against a non-communicative administration. In addition to the most recent cuts from education spending, protesters wanted to raise awareness about diverse areas of neglect in the Dutch education system. One protester wielded a sign that depicted a cardboard box labeled “Student Room 2010.” Others wanted to push a more general social agenda, “Millions for the banks, why not for education?” read the posters of an international socialist organization, who had a large presence at the protest. Others still,
were just sick and tired of government inaction, aside from the continuing trend of siphoning funds from education. At the end of the demonstration, Oosterwijk gave the final message to the government on behalf of the student body: “To here and not further!” ... In addition to coverage of the protest, this edition of the Boomerang offers its UC readership several analyses of the current “education crisis” facing The Nehterlands, and UCU as well. Keep reading, the quality of your education may depend on it!
Join us at the Boomerang Launch Party - Friday October Second - Bar Dean Defends 8:45 Classes Dean Rob van der Vaart resptonds to the student protest: “We are still experimenting with the timeslots and we will evaluate every measure.” Page 02
Zimbabwe A two page feature on Zimbabwe: culture, resources and environment, politics, and poetry. Page 07 & 08
Out of Place A book review of Edward Said’s memoir Out of Place: The Paradise of In-betweens, a constant struggle between two different worlds. Page 10
Swine Flu Victor Evink tells us which weapons we have to fight the Swine Flu. Page 11
02 COLLEGE HALL Amsterdam University College Sem Janssen and Sindhoo Rangarajan
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UC is the newborn infant in the happy University College family. They are going to rival UCU, RA and UCM in the areas of ‘excellence and diversity’ – their apparent motto – in the upcoming educational era. So how does this suckling differ from University College Utrecht?
“AUC has an interesting philosophy with regard to the organization of curriculum content into thematic fields,” as well as a wider focus on the natural sciences, said UCU Dean Rob van der Vaart. The campus is in the science park. For the time being, the lecture halls are in the Plantage neighbourhood in Amsterdam, around the corner from Artis: the city zoo. While UCU and RA seem to offer higher flexibility and more student independence, AUC offers programmes that are limited to certain thematic fields. This coupled with the separation of the lecture halls and units (imaginatively christened strings) and a better balanced gender ratio all add up to a noticeable difference and perhaps even an advantage over UC. AUC cannot escape the curse of a miserable dining hall and shares many fundamental principles with UCU: selective admission, intensive and small-scale learning and teaching, international students, Liberal Arts and Science curriculum, high ambitions, a connection to good research universities. But AUC aims to be less isolated and elitist, involving the student body in city projects.
Liberal Arts and Sciences in Palestine
The New Honors College Aboud Hamayel
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erusalem - Al-Quds University in Jerusalem and Bard College in New York have successfully opened a new college in the Palestinian Territories providing Palestinian students with the opportunity to enjoy liberal arts education as offered in UCU. The Al-Quds Bard Honors College for Liberal Arts and Sciences, as it will be known, is a project of a unique and ambitious nature. The College offers its students the ability to explore different disciplines which challenges the rigid disciplinary status-quo of Palestinian and Arab higher education. The college is expected to enroll 400 students in the next four years. Plans for a model high school are also rolling with the opening date being placed in 2010. This partnership is the result of an unexpected friendship between a self-proclaimed Zionist and a Palestinian PLO member. Leon Botstein, President of Bard College, and Sari Nessubieh, President of Al-Quds University. Both worked fervently to conclude the agreement over the joint degree granted to students who successfully conclude there four year studies. Both see this project as a cultural adventure, one which will expand the horizon of both students in the West Bank and those in the U.S. Nessubieh explicated in an interview with the New York Times that “The radius of movement of most of our students does not exceed 40 miles,” adding that “We need to help them see the world through different eyes.” While, Botstein boosted about the fact that this is the first agreement of its nature to
be concluded with a Palestinian university, differentiating his university from other American universities who concluded agreements in the rich Arab oil countries. The initial financing for this project is coming from International liberal financier Geroge Soros, but Botstein is still looking for other resources. The Palestinian education ministry has shown willingness to subsidize the working of the university. This project has gained much controversy from within Palestine and among many American Jewish leaders who look unfavorably on this type of cooperation. Botstein dismissed the critics by saying to the New York Times “it is also clear that being a Zionist and favoring the security and healthy future for the State of Israel is absolutely compatible with creating a Palestinian state. That’s why we’re very proud of what we’re doing.” While Nussbieh rebuked the criticism by saying “…the West Bank economy is 70 to 90 percent dependent on Israel. At least we should profit from their education. It is the one thing in my view we absolutely should not boycott.”
Fact Box of AUC: Year of establishment: 2009 Dean: Prof.dr. Marijk van der Wende Number of Students: 200 approx. Male: Female Ratio: 45:55 Themes offered: • Energy, Climate and Sustainability • Life, Evolution, Universe • Health and Well-being • Information, Communication, Cognition • Social Systems (peace & conflict; equality, inequality & diversity; market & regulation) • Cities and Cultures Affiliated Universities: University of Amsterdam (UvA) and Free University of Amsterdam (VU) Diversity of faculty: Around 50% international teachers
Dean Defends 08.45 Classes Folke Eikmeier
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he loud music and wild dancing on Tuesday afternoon between College Hall and Locke was part of a rally to protest 08.45 classes on Wednesday mornings. Dean Rob van der Vaart said that the classes were introduced to facilitate off-campus activities in courses. “Teachers found it difficult to go on excursions without interference of the timeslots. Now it is possible to leave campus at 11.00 and have a long trip to a museum or a lab session,” Van der Vaart said. ” We knew that the measure would be unpopular. It is an issue that students want to party on Tuesday night but I thought that the complaints of the teachers were of greater interest. When you’re young you can do it.” For the protest rally a DJ-set of booming techno music had been built up and many students were dancing around enthusiastically. Protesters sat in a circle on the grass, enjoying the music and the warm sun. In their hands they held painted boards with mysterious messages. “Stop hatin’ and start communicatin’.” The techno sound was loud enough to be heard all over campus and so a lot of students stopped and either joined in the dancing or stood around and watched. “I can sympathise with their aims,” said student Matthijs Maas. “But I feel it was not very well timed, as everyone was either having class or wasn’t really involved. Some people thought it was part of the unity week.” Protest organizer Omri Preiss said 08.45 classes on Wednesday morning will make it more difficult for students to party on Tuesday night. “The free Wednesdays and the Tuesday night parties are a tradition of UCU. These parties are an important part of the social life of our closed community on campus.
Many Dutch students go home on the weekend and so Tuesday night is the only chance for everyone to party together.” The protest was held on a Tuesday symbolically, Preiss explained. “We wanted College Hall to feel the Tuesday night vibe!” He said campus would be a more boring place without the parties. What annoys him as well is that College Hall didn’t consult ASIC before introducing the new timeslot. “They didn’t even ask us and that’s not fair.” According the Dean the classes were introduced after long discussions with ASIC who didn’t approve. “I told them not to worry too much. We are still experimenting with the timeslots and we will evaluate every measure.” Student life officer Michael Price liked the form of the protest: “It was good to see and I liked the live music. Most students seemed to know what it was about. Personally I think 8.45 classes on Wednesday are not a bad idea. Students who have a problem with that should not stay up till 04.00 in the morning.”
Marnix Warren
Clever Clone or something truly new?
And full take-up in its first year may be due to Amsterdam’s vibrant atmosphere. “At UCU, the students live in little ivory towers which they never leave except for the occasional pizza,” said AUC’s Director of Education, Ramon Puras, a former lecturer at UCU. A brief sit-down with the flamboyant yet metropolitan AUC students Julius and Lauren proved open, warm and frank. They looked as if they truly belonged to the city of Amsterdam. They welcome fraternising with their UCU counterparts. Not to mention combined party nights.
the Boomerang | October 2009
A University College Magazine
ASIC / UCSA 03
GA: Budget Fuss and Much More Aldona Bermúdez
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he past GA concerned the installment of the new board, the old and new boards’ short- and long-term goals, the installment of the Independent Body, the appointment of new members of the Advisory Council, the presentation of the budget 2009-2010 and planned events for this academic year. At 19.35 Ivar van Hasselt asks for the crowd’s attention. He must ask three times, as students were all too rowdy. On stage, is the UCSA board of 2008: Ivar, Fleur, Eric, Stefan, Saskia and Sam. Ivar announces that there will be no provision of the budget evaluation of 2008 until the next planned GA on 1st of October because they were not able to finalize it. After approval of agenda and minutes, the board of 2008 reminded us their long-term 2008-2009 goals: increase of communication (they created a functioning website for committees), long-term commitments for sponsorship (none could be reached yet, except short-term ones such as the ORU or U-funds for the UC Musical and website. Acquisition Co is active
in this field), maintaining UCU’s and UCSA’s external image (among others, through events such as the Multi Association Party), reducing stress (through increasing sport activities, with emphasis of the success of Yoga Co and Capoeira Co), increasing UCSA homogeneity and finally, to make it a Lustrum an unforgettable experience. Then, the 2008-2009 board proceeded to install the new board of 20092010: Oleg, Laura, Heike, Harmke, Fanny and Teoman by respectively handing them over the medals, for which they all got a rope necklace with a red plastic key and a buffet of flowers. Short-term goals of the new board are the creation of a committee room that will be located where ASIC provides students with books at the left of Dining Hall committee cooperation through the introduction of a committee event calendar, the purchase of a UCSA van that will be available to all committees and an increase of pace and accessibility of treasury for committees. Long-term goals are integration with other University Colleges in The Netherlands, to raise board accessibility (it is financially too de-
son to last year. Conflicting questions from the audience mainly concerned Choir Co’s budget cut down due to the policy of not financing professional instructors with UCSA budget, with the argument given by Oleg Buller, chair of UCSA, that “it is not fair for other UCSA members who are less active to pay for other people’s hobbies.” Another issue raised by the audience was the short-notice changes in the UCSA policy manual that were not voted upon by the entire UCU population. Some plan to call for an appeal on the matter. Although they have the right to, the new policy had been handed out previously during the UCSA chair meeting (8th September 2009). The other part of the UCSA’s budget is set aside for other activities such as Unity Week, Beach Party, Graduation, Charity Ball, Scholarship, UNISUN, the Musical, the Yearbook and the Multi Association Party. It remains the mystery why the UCSA’s saving account exceeds € 100, 000.
manding for some students to afford an extra semester), restructuring financial administration by means of checking consistency and updating licenses, the promotion of membership awareness (we are all UCSA members that should be conscious of our rights and duties) and finally, being open and supportive of New Traditions. The Independent Body as mediators at UCU was announced. It consists of Sanne Vogels, Beatrice Bonga, Leyla Swayer and newly appointed Babak Mohammedzadeh, Annie Adigwe, Jesper Hanson, Sam Moore and Stefan Hut. The appointed new members of the Advisory Council are: Claire Stamrood, Ivar van Hasselt, Fleur Brunninkhuis and Saskia Westhof. The 2009-2010 budget, consists of € 80, 809. 15 and is divided among committees, events planned by the UCSA and the Bar Co budget. An average of 30 committees receive a total budget of € 34,000, which is € 2,000 more than last year. The coming of new committees causes some committees to receive less in compari-
Budget Blues Hits Some Committees, Spares Others Jesse Groenewegen
Teoman Çelik, UCSA Treasurer, said the cuts were necessary because of the extra cost of organizing Unity Week and because of the increase in the total number of committees, resulting in less money per committee. Among the hardest hit is ChoirCo, a committee that offers free choir lessons to members and usually performs at several occasions during the academic year, including at the annual graduation ceremony. The new UCSA budget means a two-thirds decrease in funding for ChoirCo.
ChoirCo chair Paula Dubbink said that her committee was no longer able to hire a professional vocal teacher because of a new budget measure that imposes a 500 euro cap on the amount committees can spend on external instructors. “This is injustice,” Anneke Koning, an exASIC board member, said. “This measure has not even been voted on by the General Assem-
Stephanie Sondaal
bly but it will have serious consequences for ChoirCo. A good teacher is absolutely crucial for effective choir practice.” Çelik argued that the new budget measure is consistent with existing UCSA policy. “In committees UCSA members should teach their fellow members. Spending a lot of money on external teachers is contrary to this
principle.” He suggested that ChoirCo raise money by asking its members to contribute. Dubbink said that mandatory contributions would likely result in a decline in membership and argued that a well-funded choir would also be of value to non-members through its performances. She plans to petition UCSA for more money. Several other committees also responded to the news of tighter UCSA finances. “We are happy with the amount of money we received,” said Sijia Jiang, co-founder of the new Silk Route Committee, a committee that plans to organize various cultural events to increase mutual understanding between China and the West. Oleg, UCSA chair, said “Some people think money solves everything. But you have to adjust to the situation and be creative.”
Introducing…
Introducing...
UCTV: Ambitious but Amiguous Anton Kabisch
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CTV was launched over this summer by Sam Moore in cooperation with UCSA in an ambitious effort to create a broadcasting news and entertainment channel for UCU students.
UCTV aims to create an informative and funny biweekly broadcast for students. This means that soon students will be able to watch television programs specifically related to UCU. After a long preparation phase, UCTV is now organized into three sections: news, entertainment and production. The news and the entertainment section have several reporters creating TV shows and news reports, while the technical team does editing and all other post production work. One of the students involved in editing is first year Joris Ter Meulen Swijtink: “I do post production along with the filming and audio in conjunction with the producers. I’m editing a film for UCNN and we are also working on a show called One point
Anton Kabisch five minutes and its one and a half minutes of someone showing their talent on campus.” UCTV aims to air the first broadcast on September 28th. UCTV wants to generate its own content as well as give other committees the opportunity for their events to be covered. UCTV will be able to provide them with the necessary equipment and help. “Ultimately,” says Sam Moore, “the long term goal is to bring UCU’s media committees under one umbrella, centralizing them.” Multiple committees such as the Boomerang, FilmCo and FocusCo could work collaboratively together in delivering news and entertainment on campus under the banner of UCmedia. UCTV also hopes to have its own committee room soon for meetings and editing, which will be next to the Dining Hall Lounge. Contact Sam Moore at S.O.Moore@students. uu.nl for more information on UCTV.
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ewish New Year and the End of Ramadan celebrations on the same weekend: that’s culture club achievement so far.
This committee, newly created by third year Laura Jahnke, hosts traditional religious, ethnic and cultural events from all around the world. By organizing events such as rosh hashana and eid al-fatir, the Culture Club gives international students the chance to celebrate their respective holidays away from home while allowing students unfamiliar with these traditions to learn something new. This is particularly significant at UCU where international students make up 35 percent of the student body. We go to school with many whose traditions and habits might be completely strange to us but can be shared by organizing cultural festivities. As the first event of the year, the Culture Club organized the Jewish New Years celebration Rosh Hashana. Friday saw 40 students celebrate, reading Jewish prayers and participating in a candle ceremony. On Sunday, the Culture Club celebrated the eid alfatir, a Muslim holiday marking the end of the fasting period.
The Culture Club hereby serves as a platform for students who want to organize an event. So if you are not yet involved in the Culture Club but would like to celebrate any given holiday, this committee is your thing. Culture Club is setting up a UC forum in which students can exchange travel information. Are you planning a trip somewhere in October but you still need some advice? In the forum, students who have been in a certain country will help those out who plan to travel there. The next project is a language exchange. A Dutch student could be paired with a Spaniard, or a Tamil and an Arabic speaker, and they could teach each other their languages. A Culture Club online platform will do the matchmaking. To find out more, attend their weekly meetings on Wednesday nights. You can also contact Laura Jahnke: L.Jahnke@students.uu.ucu.nl , 0634793079 or visit the Culture Club’s website under www.wix. com/ucucultureclub/ucu_tcc
Sara Estevez Cores
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he University College Students Association (UCSA) has significantly scaled back funding for several student committees in this year’s budget, eliciting spirited reactions from those affected.
the Boomerang | October 2009
04 UsCene
“Love is like a cigarette.” Sofy
The ashtray is as full as my head has memories of you. They say love is like a cigarette. You light it, it burns... you consume it, you smash it and throw it away. What if my love is like a pack of cigarettes? Each cigarette is a stroke of hope I light up in your face. I blow the smoke in your face to say I love you, but my eyes tell you to leave. You are too confused about the mixed feelings. You hate me but you love me too. There is no hope and still you think there is. Because you want this so badly. It wakes you up in the night, makes you dream in the day. But in the short time I will have finish the pack, I will smash it on the ground, walk over it and get another one. And I will start the game all over again, with someone else. And I will remain for ever this vague memory you can’t forget. An eternal quest for something you will never have. But always wanted to. - Infinity.
Everybody wants Kung Fu Fighting!!! Aleksandar Feodorov
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orget spirituality. Last year I got my ass thoroughly whopped during a kickboxing spar. Martial Arts Co. organizes sessions every Tuesday in the Beach Party Area at 8 in the evening (although a shift to Wednesday is being considered). It starts with a warm-up, goes on through self-defense exercises and ends with some sparring, if you feel up to it. Chair Georgi Milyotev, who founded the committee in fall 2008, says everyone is more
than welcome. He’s experienced in Korean taekwon-do, kick boxing and some Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. There are also people with experience in Japanese judo, Chinese wing chun, Israeli krav maga, etc. in the committee. Martial Arts Co. is a real melting pot, where not only the fighting styles come from different cultures but also the participants. The variety of styles may seem perplexing but Georgi Dyankov, a third year, who teaches mainly selfdefense, said fusing styles is one special outlook of the committee. This can be achieved by
Brittania rules the universities Jaap Tromp
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n the landscape of European higher education, UCU has been a fairly revolutionary college, as we all speak English. This time I would like to focus on the English language aspect.
Using the internationalisation of higher education as an argument, universities across Europe have begun to introduce English as the official language in, initially, only master’s programmes. UCU has been ground-breaking in the sense that it was one of the first undergraduate programmes in continental Europe to have introduced English as the lingua franca. Of course it is great to have a college that educates students that will be ready for the international academic debate; in my view, however, universities in continental Europe should not use English as an official language in all undergraduate programmes. It should remain limited to only several. For everyone, it is important to have a full and thorough grasp on your mother tongue. This will enable you to construct and give order to thoughts
in your mind. It is language in the first place that determines the structure in which you think, and the vocabulary you use in that process. For students that do not speak English as a mother tongue, it is of importance that they enhance the knowledge of their own language before learning English on an academic level. In my view, it is vital for the development of the students’ grasp on language used in academia that they first have a full and thorough understanding of the academic jargon in their own language, before learning that of English. Secondly, privileging English as the language that will open a great deal of opportunities for a university, gives an intellectual advantage to the Anglophone world. First of all, the native speakers of English have an advantage in the academic debate, simply because they have a better grasp on the language that is used. More importantly, and this is something we see at UCU, more articles and books by British and American authors are read than articles from Germany or France. We only take the academic discourse from the Anglo-Saxon world into consideration and we ignore the continental tradition. I am not arguing that we should halt the introduction of English as the official language in universities. I would favour giving more room to the vernacular language in universities by still teaching and writing in, for instance, Dutch or Danish. Also, we should not forget the continental tradition in the scientific debate. Learning French or German at UCU and reading articles from continental European countries would give us a better understanding of the progress of academia around the world.
gathering experienced people willing to teach and learn from one another so as to share both the theoretical and practical knowledge. After a disorganized start, members are now beginning to show more commitment, ambition and even devotion to the arts they practice. People who attend the training sessions are varied in their experience with the martial arts. There are some who have who have trained for years but there are also a lot of tyros. Martial Arts Co. is well- equipped for working with a small group of people and has a first
aid kit since every once in a while someone, inevitably, gets hurt. Contrary to popular belief, a lot of girls turn up to learn basic self-defense strategies. “Plus, training martial arts is one of the best ways to cope with the stress of so much studying,” adds Dyankov. The budget for this year has been approved, and what’s more a big punching bag is on its way.
It’s my face, get used to it
Essentials of (Un)Manageable Business Aldona Bermúdez
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umerous complaints have been made about the instructor C. Kruijsen who teaches the Essentials of Business Management course SSC 263. The Boomerang decided to get on the case. According to students from the class he is rude and puts students on a tight spot as well as locks them out of class if they are a minute late. When I introduced myself in the first class, I was told: “What’s with the sour face when you say this?” He later called a classmate a “capitalist pig” after he commented about today’s world of business. Drowsiness and queasiness in class will elicit the comment “go home and get a life.” To quote an anonymous source: “Intimidation doesn’t fit with the politics of this college.” And it’s these demoralised students who feel they are not getting their money’s worth. The above-mentioned instructor uses “Webcity” instead of Workspace; slides that are supposed to be provided for students for an assignment are not
there, and students are expected to individually contact students who took the course last semester to get them. Many of these students have already graduated and when the students ask the instructor through e-mail they don’t get a reply. Participants of SSC 263 think that the course itself is interesting, but strongly feel the teacher “could be more social and cooperative” not to mention the respect students deserve.
A University College Magazine
PHOTO ESSAY 05
ANNE-SOPHIE LALOUX
People of the World
06 COVER STORY
the Boomerang | October 2009
Vox Populi – UC students on announced budget cuts Rafaela Peteanu
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he Dutch Government is making budget cuts. After last year’s 10% funding reduction, students are now facing a possible decrease of the studiefinanciering, and that definitely concerns them. Despite ASIC announcement that a protest was going to take place in The Hague, to which all students were invited to participate, only few UC students actually attended. The rest either showed some interest or none at all.
ter and who are not concerned about the stufie anymore.
Others, more optimistic, pointed out that “it can’t be that bad”, or that “this is
not decided yet”, with current or former Economics students dwelling into analyses and explaining why such cuts are necessary, in a time of economical turmoil.
Some of them even suggested that these measures were to be expected and that the so-called controversy is “nothing but a storm in a glass of water.” Furthermore, they pointed out that “Dutch students already receive massive support from the state in comparison with students in other countries, who often have to work or to get student loans to pay for their studies”. Finally, the most politically active spoke passionately about the importance of having our voices heard and of the core values of democracy. For them, it is vital that we exercise our right to argue against the cuts, because otherwise, our opinions will amount to nothing more but “the bickering of some old ladies on a bench”.
academic interaction. The key argument in the debate for privatization though would have to concern academic quality. Though in the Netherlands the teacher is seen as a civil servant, there is an international competition between colleges to attract the best and the brightest minds. In the United States education is big business. A striking example of this is the concept of endowment. An endowment is a sum of money offered to an institution so it may develop further. Harvard University currently has 36.5 billion dollars worth of endowment assets, donated by alumni and affluent parents wishing to lubricate the child’s application procedure. This hoard is used to finance state of the art research and to provide scholarships for stu-
dents. A university of this sort however does revolve around a competition so fierce that entrance is reserved solely for the brilliant and those bizarrely rich. It is hard to identify the healthy balance between private and public. Intellectual competition has brought about countless innovations. However what is the worth of knowledge if it is exclusive. In the modern European ideology there is a strong focus on knowledge based economy. If Europe is not to recline to a knowledge based oligarchy, then a compromise has to be made. Individual capacities need to be harnessed with out loosing touch with humanity.
“I don’t care”, “It doesn’t affect me”, or “What are you talking about?” were some of the answers Boomerang got when inquiring fellow UC students on their opinion on the matter. Of course, with so many international students, only a few of whom speak Dutch, the news might have somehow got lost in translation. However, there were also a few locals who expressed their disinterest, mainly students in their final or pre-final semes-
The Knowledge Based Oligarchy Sebastian Hols
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s it time for equal chances in education or does Holland need to step up to the challenge that emerging countries are posing? The financial recession engrains itself further in the Dutch economy the student-lifestyle turns out not to be immune. Lovingly referred to as stufi (a compound of study finance) the educational grant is now being endangered by budget cuts. Many students in the Netherlands see stufi as a cornerstone of the public education system, the recent protests sparked heated debate concerning the privatization of Dutch education. Proponents of the cuts argue that the students have become lazy and need to be given
an incentive to finish their studies faster. This argument neglects the fact that the student finance is a loan that needs to be repaid and that housing in Holland is very costly. There is however a lot to be said for a more competition in the Dutch Universities as graduation rates within the supposed time are relatively low. UCU finds itself in a particularly precarious position as its level of privatization is already unprecedented by Dutch standards. Though the college has to answer to government bureaucracy, students do pay a higher tuition (includes international profile fee) and are subjected to a rigorous selection procedure. In return the students do receive a healthy academic environment with a heightened level of
The Effect of the Financial Crisis on University College Arturo Desimone
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t seems that University College Utrecht will not escape the wrath of the financial crisis that has seemingly exploded in 2008. “There are clear suggestions that there will be massive budget cuts. It is highly improbable that the financial crisis would not affect UC,” says International Relations Professor Gerard van de Ree. Unsurprisingly the students most affected will be those from poorer countries, including the Eastern European students. “The influx of Eastern European students will be coming in from more affluent families. There will be less new students from abroad, from places like Bulgaria, as these countries are seriously affected” We can expect the student body to change—more Dutch students, less foreign students—potentially jeopardizing UC’s carefully constructed public-relations image as an international hub. Van de Ree says we can expect a “Dutchization” of the student body, meaning that the college’s international PR budget will have to increase. Aside from
“Dutchization” there will also be a shift in class backgrounds as foreign students will increasingly come from more affluent families. Many in the Dutch educational world, like PvdA minister Plasterk, have suggested UC students generally originate from rich families. This seems to some extent a fable that many UC students have not tried to challenge, perhaps comfortable with projecting illusions of class prestige. This façade of elitism might slowly become a reality among the foreign segment of the student body due to the meltdown, although college fees will remain affordable to Dutch students. “The crisis’ impact will affect the influx of students from developing countries the most, as these countries are the most severely hit”, according to Van de Ree. The financial ordeal is a pretext for the government to make cuts it had been planning to make for years, some analyst claim. According to Political Science Professor Francesco Maiolo, the crisis “makes it easy for the government to make cuts to education spending.”
Some students at the protest against government cuts, said they had “inside information” that no cuts were really occurring, that it was a bluff or misinformation. “I don’t know why students are saying there will be no cuts. We can be one hundred per cent sure cuts will take place.” On the protests, Maiolo continued “Since the PvdA and Plasterk, the minister of education will not support students who are protesting now, who will? D66, SP, maybe VVD but I’m not sure.” Dr. Maiolo said, and finances director Natalia Grygierczyk has confirmed, that ten to fifteen courses will be cut. Maiolo says education officials reacting to the crisis “will reintroduce some degree of difficulty in order to mark a difference between school and university, like how it was ten years ago.” He adds “changes in education will occur in order to save jobs. Education will indirectly improve due to the crisis, but these new measures will not be sufficient to prevent rising unemployment.” UCU’s finances director says the impact “has already begun.” “We get less government
money, for ages government funding has been in decline, this decline has been taking place for thirty years for education and universities in general. Money we get via UU according to the financing model of the government is in decline.” Grygierczyk was unsure if the government is using the crisis as a pretext, but repeats “the facts are we are in decline.” Government funding for education normally uses certain parameters, such as study points (ACTS.) According to Grygierczyk the economic value of study points is declining. The finances director says the university will have to redesign the curriculum, devising “tricks” to maintain the quality of courses. Such tricks might include fusion of courses, or big lectures in the auditorium, but the finances director adds “we don’t really know” what these devices will encompass. When asked her opinion on the protests in The Hague, she answered “who knows, maybe it helps a little, maybe it will affect public opinion.”
A University College Magazine
SPECIAL FEATURE 07
Profile Feature on Rina Mushonga Arturo Desimone
R
ina Mushonga is a Zimbabwean-Dutch singersongwriter and guitarist who at the moment is living and making music in her hometown Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital, where she grew up. She began performing at age seventeen on Harare stages, and since then has led what she refers to as a nomadic existence, growing up between Zimbabwe, Amsterdam (where she has lived for years) and London, and playing in such countries as Israel, Eritrea, and Guatemala, to name a few. Since February 2009 she has been working on an afro-folk-pop fusion project with a group of local Zimbabwean musicians. Her current venture is different from the English-language songs she normally writes and which her audiences in the Netherlands have seen performed in such places as the Paradiso in Amsterdam. The new music uses lyrics written in a mixture of English and Shona (the most widely spoken indigenous Zimbabwean language) and draws from her homeland’s rich musical history, addressing the social climate in that country, the problems and issues people there have to deal with on a regular basis. “We try to keep it positive though. (…)For example, we have a song that’s doing very well here called ‘Power-cut Blues’” she explains from Harare, “just a humorous, fun song about something we experience here on a regular basis, but that we can all laugh about in a way.” She says her band’s music is largely about “how people can be motivated to make things better for themselves, take ownership of their lives and their destinies.”
“Harare really came to life in a way I’ve never seen it before, all of Zimbabwe’s cultural potential on display. HIFA has always been very bravely politically outspoken against the current situation in Zimbabwe and there was a lot of theatre about the current situation, about the land reform issues etc. “Our music was very well received and it was a great experience for us to perform there. It was one of my first performances back in Zimbabwe and a really special moment for me to be playing to a Zimbabwean/international crowd with music written here about Zimbabwe. It was truly incredible.” Despite that she has enjoyed working and living in Amsterdam for years, the young musician says she is happier in Zimbabwe. Besides performing she runs a cultural education program for local teenagers, giving them training in the performing arts and instructing schoolteachers on creating in-school cultural education programs, which is “a challenge but really rewarding work. I feel like I’m meant to be here now and I want to contribute whatever it is I can offer from my own background and experience to help, even if in some small way, rebuild this country brick by brick. I don’t think the politicians are going to solve this problem, I think it’s up to us to take matters into our own hands and learn how to fix this thing ourselves.” Rina lists among her musical influences: Leonard Cohen, Martha Wainwright, Oliver Mtukudzi, Death Cab for Cutie, Anna Ternheim, Bloc Party and the South African band Freshly Ground. You can hear some of her music on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/rinamushonga
Republic of Zimbabwe Aboud Hamayel Flag
Coat of arms
Motto: “Unity, Freedom, Work” Anthem: Simudzai Mureza wedu WeZimbabwe (Shona) Kalibusiswe Ilizwe leZimbabwe (Sindebele) “Blessed be the land of Zimbabwe” Capital: Harare
Mushonga describes the situation for artists in Zimbabwe right now as “pretty dire” despite Robert Mugabe’s rivals having entered office, saying there is “very little support and a very limited network to help young artists develop and showcase their work. However, there is such a wealth of talent present and there are still places such as The Book Cafe in Harare where I perform regularly that provides young artists with a platform and is very socially engaged, creating events that encourage and support the arts and artists.” Most Zimbabwean musicians like Mushonga live in an extensive diaspora outside the country, touring in neighboring South Africa or in the West, as making a living in the arts is virtually impossible in Zimbabwe. Examples of well known “zim” (Zimbabwean) artists are Chiwoniso Mareira and Thomas Mapfumo, who are “currently living and thriving overseas.” “I’m not sure if it’s less dangerous for artists now than it was before, there are some great spoken word artists and musicians such as Comrade Fatso and Outspoken, both currently performing and based in Zimbabwe who write very socially conscious music, but there’s no one who’s going to get on a stage and directly attack the government. That’d be pretty dangerous (…) so artists get creative and write songs rather about the impact of bad governance on our country. Everyone knows what we’re singing about at the end of the day: the need for things to change.” Her band recently performed at HIFA 2009, one of the biggest arts festivals in the region, where she met African music giants Habib Koite and Sara Tavares, among others.
Official languages: English Recognised regional languages: Shona, Ndebele Demonym Zimbabwean Government: Semi presidential,parliamentary,consociationalist republic - President: Robert Mugabe - Prime Minister: Morgan Tsvangirai - Vice President: Joice Mujuru - Deputy Prime Minister: Thokozani Khuphe, Arthur Mutambara Population - 2009 estimate: 12,523,000 (68th) - Density: 32/km2 (170th), 83/sq mi Source: Taken from CIA world fact book
Zimbabwe: Resources and Environment Veronica Benjamin
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n situations of dire human rights abuses and political unrest, sometimes it is perceived as counter-productive or elitist to harp on environmental issues. Aside from any interest in the intrinsic worth of Zimbabwe’s ecosystems, the country simply depends on the current and future state of its environment for any hope of economic recovery and improvements in quality of life. With Mineral exports, agriculture, and tourism as its main foreign currency generators, Zimbabwe’s economy is heavily dependent on its natural resources and environmental condition. Thus as much international and domestic attention is paid to Zimbabwe’s desperate social and political situation, in the future attending to its environment and resources will be of utmost importance. The currently acknowledged environmental crises in Zim-
babwe include: deforestation, soil erosion, land degradation, air and water pollution, as well as toxicity and heavy metal pollution resulting from its poorly managed mining industry. In addition to these general maladies, Zimbabwe is also home to endangered species, such as the black rhinoceros, which has been heavily impacted by poaching in recent years. Any environmental issues Zimbabwe had before the sociopolitical upheavals of recent years have surely been compounded by them, also to the detriment of the Zimbabwean people. Two such examples are the increases in land mismanagement resulting from land reform and the cholera outbreak of 2008 due to poor (or non-existent) waste-water infrastructure. As Zimbabwe recovers, there are many decisions that need to be made concerning its unused natural resource potential, both in agricultural and mining industries. The usual developmental suggestion is to stimulate foreign investment
and exploit, exploit, exploit! This would be a particularly tragic strategy for Zimbabwe, despite the endemic perversions of its political ideals since independence. Though the direct human rights violations are gruesome and pressing, many environmental transgressions may provide for greater human distress in the future. Find out more about Zimbabwe’s environmental condition: http://ecoworldly.com/2008/07/30/zimbabwe-a-cry-for-theenvironment/ http://www.fao.org/nr/water/aquastat/countries/zimbabwe/ index.stm http://www.miningweekly.com/article/new-mining-ministerimpatient-to-get-zimbabwe-going-again-2009-08-21
08 SPECIAL FEATURE
the Boomerang | October 2009
Political Strife in Zimbabwe Sebastian Hols
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ssuming various political roles the incumbent president Robert Mugabe has dictated the fate of Zimbabwe for the past 29 years. 2008 however saw a dramatic bid at shared leadership from the Movement for Democratic Change - Tsvangirai (MDC-T) spearheaded by Morgan Tsvangirai. Heralded by Africans as the icon of African independence, Mugabe emerged a hero from the Zimbabwe Liberation Struggle in 1979. Freeing the country from colonial oppression Mugabe, to this day demonizes his opposition as British puppets. Between 1980 and 2008 the Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) lead by Mugabe did not concede one election to its political rivals. This streak of victories has been tainted by violence, intimidation and manipulation. In 2007 horrific photographs surfaced of a beaten and tortured Tsvangirai, the leader of the opposition. The pictures had been smuggled out of a hospital by freelance photographer Edward Chikombo. Subsequently Chikombo’s body was found a week later 50 Miles West of the capital, Harare. The following year however Tsvangirai did run for the presidential elections and amassed the majority of votes. The results enraged both sides as neither had the 50.1% of votes needed
to win in the first round. Consequently a presidential run-off (second round of elections) had
Tsvangirai withdrew in protest against the violence. Tsvangirai was however appointed prime
to be arranged between the two winners. Great international outcry erupted as ZANU-PF militias committed atrocious acts of violence towards supporters of the opposition. Mugabe won the presidential run-off with 85.5%, as
minister. The power sharing deal In 2007 Zimbabwe became the first country in the 21st century to hyper-inflate, by November
of 2008 the prices doubled on a daily basis and salaries had to be paid every hour with annual inflation at a staggering 89,700,000,000,000,0 00,000,000%. The Economics turmoil mixed with international and African pressure bearing down on forced Mugabe to make dramatic changes. On 15th of September 2008 a historic deal was mediated by South African President Jacob Zuma between Mugabe and Tsvangirai. President Mugabe instated Tsvangirai as prime minister, a position he had abolished from the constitution in 1987. As Mugabe still presides over the military, that preformed his despicable bidding, the suspicion is aroused that the shared leadership is a democratic front to divert international criticism. Opinions on this topic are fiercely divided. In June of this year Tsvangirai addressed Zimbabwean exiles in London’s Southwark Cathedral. His plea for their return to Zimbabwe, conveying reassuring words that no one had been fooled, was met by jeering and chanting. As of yet the situation in Zimbabwe remains extremely volatile. Though the devastating effect of hyper-inflation has been halted by the switching to dollar currency and the international scorn has alleviated by the democratic gesture, the solutions may prove to be transitory.
A few notes on Chares Mungoshi’s poetry - poetry from Zimbabwe
Like a Bird on the Wire Rafaela Peteanu
the world with respect, while seemingly analyzing it from outside. A silent observer, sitting on the balcony/ fingering a glass of beer, he takes notice of the constant and exact repetitiveness of time (I am afraid the stars say/ your roads leads to another/ balcony, just like this one:/ where you will sit/ fingering a beer[…]), which seems to have adopted a circling-down-the-drain motion – the future is far from promising, with things only moving out of inertia. However, the poet’s attitude does not always lean to the pessimistic side.
W
hen I was in middle school, I used to hate poetry. It seemed to me like the type of literature which was too difficult to read, too metaphoric and most likely intended to make poor students suffer in trying to decrypt inexistent hidden meanings. However, in the following years, I came to learn that poetry can also be simple, sincere and direct, that poets are not some misfits, whose only purpose is to torture literature students, but extremely sensible beings, struggling to bring some beauty into the world. Charles Mungoshi is such a person. Born in Zimbabwe in 1947, he has a wide range of writings including short stories, poetry, novels and children’s book. His works were anti-colonial and provocative and earned both praise and condemnation. His poetry, uncluttered and straight-forward, which sometimes resembles Zen teachings (It takes many years/ to grow a beard// and many years/ to shave it off.// still many more of both/ to just leave it alone.), is simultaneously detached and involved, revealing a person(a) that treats
From the beginning of the creative process, Mungoshi oscillates between past and present (Poised on the thin edge of now/ like a poleaxed tightrope walker), taking upon himself not only a personal, but also a public responsibility, although his political statements are more implicit than explicit (see the poem Neighbours). Thus, even though his work can sometimes express desolation and aimlessness (The world lives on/ has lived on/ and will live on/ without you.), pointing out the insignificance of the human being, it can also praise humanity, this living breath/ not just a figment of someone’s cantankerous imagination. In short, the poet learns about the meaning of life by experiencing it, in an attempt of understanding its significance, both physically and spiritually. For Mungoshi himself, his poetry is play, nothing more than a finger exercise, and this is obvious in the form and cadence of his
lyrics – usually short, well-paced, they impose upon the reader a certain rhythm, which repeats and regenerates itself with every new line, just like the seasons do in nature. Not providing his audience with life-advice or political guidelines, the poet has managed to find his own tempo, which surfaces in the musical quality of his lyrical work and which, upon reading, is installed in the public.
It is a comforting feeling to know there is always the morning paper to mediate between my tongue and the breakfast on the table. (Business as usual)
A University College Magazine
COLOSSEUM 09
Romanian Art to be displayed on Campus
Concert Review
A
hile the name may sound like some sort of heroic children’s novel, Noah and the Whale is actually an indie folk group from London with songs about broken hearts paired with catchy, hopeful melodies. Upon the new release of their second album, The First Days of Spring, Noah and the Whale made a stop on September 15th at Tivoli in Utrecht. An unforgettable, emotional show especially with their closing set, which moved the audience to tears.
rt is a deep-seated part of Dutch society, thanks to the Netherlands’s history of successful artists such as Van Gogh and Rembrandt. But this does not apply to all countries. Romania, for instance, has only in the last twenty years started to explore different possibilities in art. The UCU Team for Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) has made it their mission to help Romanian artists with their careers. Living in a post-communist country, Romanian artists are not familiar with the promotion and sale of their art. SIFE wants to teach them that there is indeed value to their work and a possibility of earning a living with it. Therefore, it intends to give workshops which explain how to promote and sell art.
Plans are furthermore in the making for two exhibitions on the UCU campus, where artists can present their work in the Netherlands for the first time. This exhibition on the theme of “Romania” will display pieces from various photographers. Their different styles will result in a diverse exhibition. The first is likely to be held from October 26th onwards in the SIFE office. The second one will be held in collaboration with Thomas Hart and the scholarship committee, taking place during the scholarship dinner in November. In addition, the photographs will be on display from October 31st until November 31st in atelier U&U in Nederhemert. SIFE ultimately aims to provide the Romanian artists with the skills to develop a career in art, and give the public an opportunity to support this admirable project.
Prostitutes, transsexuals, and alternative sexualities Saskia van Henten
P
edro Almodovar is the most acclaimed of current Spanish filmmakers, praised for his originality and style. Growing up in rural Spain under the education of the Catholic Church under Franco’s rule, Almodovar can be seen as the symbol of the restoration of democracy in Spain. Openly gay himself, and with movies about controversial themes such as transsexuality, rape and murder he is certainly a child of the modern generation.
Trilce Oblitas The key issue in Almodovar’s movies is identity. A central theme in most of his works is the notion that identity is mutable, and in many of his movies the subversion of identity plays a central role. This preoccupation with fluid identities explains Almodovar´s predisposition to transsexuals, since they are neither male nor female, and consciously play with the idea of switching identity. Even the transsexuals in Todo sobre mi madre are not your average ones; both of them still have male genitals, but whilst one of them makes money prostituting herself, the other keeps sleeping with women. In Almodovar’s movies characters almost never seem completely heterosexual or homosexual. Often sexual tension is portrayed in supposedly same sex friendships, women are attracted to men surgically turned into women and straight men sleep with other men in order to build a career. The theme of changing identities is also portrayed by using places of transition. Volver opens with a graveyard scene, and several movies take place partly in dressing rooms or airports. Almodovar’s oeuvre is full of female
strength and solidarity. He is known for his choice of women as his main character. Carmen Maura was his protagonists in six early films, but his current muse is Penelope Cruz, who plays one of three women in Volver trying to cope with life under hard circumstances. This movie is perhaps Almodovar’s most women-centered movie. They seem to get by just fine without men. Almodovar’s universe is mostly matriarchal, unusual in our masculine western society. The scene in Habla con ella where the character Flores is a female torero is Almodovar breaking down masculine society. In Franco’s Spain masculinity was a sign of power and authority, and it is with this issue that Almodovar heavily contrasts with his conservative countrymen. This is also one of the reasons why he is so strongly opposed to the church as an institution, since it is strictly patriarchal. In La mala educación priests are portrayed as pedophiles attracted to young boys, whilst hypocritically holding on to the idea of celibacy and denouncing homosexuality. In this movie he seems to come to terms with his early Christian education taught by priests. Almodovar is also known for his aesthetic style. His movies have brightly colored décors, verging on the kitsch, melodramatic storylines, which manage to skirt sentimentality and complex narratives, and use nonlinear time and stories within stories. All the above mentioned things come together perfectly in the well-acted Todo sobre mi madre, which is a good introduction to Almodovar. This does not mean that by seeing Todo sobre mi madre you’ve seen about all there is to Almodovar. On the contrary. Surprisingly, Almodovar won both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for one of his least typical movies: Habla con ella. This sober but very moving piece is about the friendship between two men who meet at the beds of their comatose female lovers, and their relationships with the unconscious women. Los Abrazos Rotos, Almodovar’s latest movie with Penelope Cruz is currently playing at the Louis Hartlooper Complex.
Angelea Selleck
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The first album, The Peaceful World Lays Me Down, was chock full of hummable ditties and cheery, endearing vocals. However, their follow up, while still containing wistful, plaintive lyrics, has dropped the pep and instead dwells on despair with only brief chinks of optimism. The sound is indeed unlike their predecessor and has changed into something that is much more theatrical or epic sounding. This created a very melancholic yet hopeful performance. The songs performed from their debut were quite natural and acoustic with violins, bells, acoustic finger plucking and cute harmonies. Opening up with, “If You Give a Little Love”, the band immediately captured the attention of the audience. However, I felt that they frequently lost that connection through out the
performance. The energy from the band remained mellow and quite stagnate however during the more ‘rock out’ parts of some songs there were short bursts of great energy. The band themselves were rather introverted. The lead singer, Charlie Fink, did not say much and at times seemed a bit shy. The most enticing member of the group was the fiddle player, Tom Hobden. Needless to say Hobden rocked the fiddle, but his constant smiling and joyous facial expressions made them all the more enjoyable to watch. During the performance all the instruments were electric, so the intricate multi-instrumental plucking in all their songs were replaced by an electric guitar. You can’t make an electric guitar sound like the folk style you get from an acoustic guitar and ukulele. It was rather disappointing and most noticeably absent during “5 Years Time.” However, this was quickly all forgotten when they performed “the First Days of Spring.” I cried. There, I said it. Six glorious minutes of a heartbreakingly beautiful ballad provoked me to cry like a little schoolgirl. An excellent way to end the show, you might say. Fans of Belle and Sebastian, Arcade Fire, Emmy the Great, Mumford and Sons may well enjoy their music. A great one to attend especially those who are heart broken, a bit depressed or dig emotional, musically inclined guys in skinny jeans.
Anna Kruseman
Emma Gans
Noah and the Whale - Tivoli
Divorce, misery and loss Saskia van Henten
F
olk is Irish traditional music, played by old men with scraggly beards. At least that’s what most people think. In London a group of young people is giving a new meaning to the genre. The new folkies couple the purity, intimacy and harmonies of traditional folk with raw energy and witty lyrics. But their indie-folk, sense of community and friendship blends in well with the old folk tradition. In 2008 the so-called London nu-folk artists first gained popularity, with Noah and the Whale’s single ‘Five years time’ getting plenty of airplay. Laura Marling, another member of the scene, took on the backing vocals for the single, whilst Noah and the Whale’s lead singer Charlie Fink co-produced her album. The two quickly became a couple. But things came to an end. Their breakup, a seemingly unavoidable theme in nu-folk, became the main inspiration for Noah and the Whales’ second album (recently out). Laura is now involved with the singer of another leading London band Mumford & Sons. He also plays drums on her album and in several of her live performances. Emmy the great is another member of the scene, also appearing on Noah and the Whale’s record as a backing vocalist. Other artists frequently grouped among the scene are Johnny Flynn and Jay Jay Pistolet. One of the things many share is the sar-
casm and dark humor of their lyrics. Noah and the Whale take it pretty far on their song Jacosta. “When a baby’s born …/let’s leave it to the wolves so their teeth turn it to food…/that helps life survive/the world can be kind in its own way.” Don’t be fooled into thinking these lyrics are matched to a macabre sounding song, it could actually make you dance. Another example of the sharpness of the lyrics is from “The Hypnotist’s Son” by Emmy the great: “Every time I think of you, I have to go to the toilet, can’t tell if this is love or a stomach disorder.” Love is a common theme with all the artists, depicted with a certain nostalgic longing. The organic sound created with acoustic guitar as a basis and traditional instruments like the banjo, double bass and fiddle keeps the music from becoming bland. The best way to experience new music is by seeing them live. And guess what; both Mumford & Sons and Laura Marling will be playing at the crossing border festival in November in The Hague (along with Grizzly bear, Patrick Watson, Yo La Tengo and The Decemberists!). They might just bring some of their London friends and lovers along… if they’re still talking. Want to hear what it’s all about? Here are a few songs to get you started. Mumford & Sons – Roll away your stone Laura Marling- Ghosts Emmy the great – We almost had a baby Noah and the Whale – Give a little love
the Boomerang | October 2009
10 COLOSSEUM Haarlem Muses Deniz Dirim
O
n a vacation you are quick to run to the museums, but at home you are eternally prolonging that trip to the Centraal Museum Utrecht. While some of you may have already memorized the Rijksmuseum inside-out, others are probably yawning widely at the mere mention of a museum. Yet, there is no denying that there is Dutch art catering to every taste. Whether you enjoy looking at Mondriaan’s modern art or old masters such as Rembrandt, one should explore the various styles of Dutch paintings and give it a chance. A wonderful place to start is the Frans Hals Museum in Haarlem. Frans Hals (1580-1666) is one of the main artists responsible for making 17th century Dutch painting so famous. He transformed the art of portrait painting from a sterile procedure to a genuine depiction of human life. Hals is celebrated most for his bold form with free brushstrokes which give his paintings a sense of vitality. The Frans Hals museum houses the largest collection of his works, amidst pieces by other Haarlem masters. It is open every day except on Mondays. It is easily accessible from the station as it is a mere 15-minute walk. If you own a Museumkaart, entrance is free. Otherwise it’s only €3.75: less than a pack of cigarettes! Haarlem also has a long history of beer brewery—they even have their local ‘Jopenbier’—so after the visit you can sit in the same squares that Hals painted and do what he did (second) best… drink!
You know politics, I know party tricks Angelea Selleck
“
Do you wanna party with the Bonaparte?” Sure do.
On the 15th of September, indie trash-punk band Bonaparte conquered the Ekko stage in Utrecht. I’m afraid there is no mental preparation for a band like this. Anything goes in the land of Bonaparte. Surreal costumes, masked musicians and a bit of confusion are just a few things you can expect from this Berlin-based band fronted by party king Tobias Jundt. Bonaparte might interest peeps who dig the sound of bands like Timid Tiger, Of Montreal, or Chikinki. However, those who are not comfortable with interpretative dance, in-your-face aggression, or a random man gyrating in a silver sequined banana hammock are advised not to attend. For in the words of the band, they can indeed be “much, too much, too much.”
Book Review
Out of Place: The Paradise of In-betweens Aboud Hamayel
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n 1994, three years after listening to his doctors informing him of his terminal disease, Edward Said began writing his memoir, Out of Place. His memoir not only gives us glimpses of a great intellectual and his experiences but also focuses on how his new rather paradoxical identity was shaped. His dislocation from Egypt back to Palestine and then to the United States, his constant moving around from and into different worlds shaped him into a unique self-prescribed identity that he framed as Out of Place. As I put down the Dutch book “Het Schnitzelparadijs” or “Schnitzel paradise” written by Khalid Boudou, I cannot help but see many similarities in the constant struggle between two different worlds. Nordip, a Dutch man from Moroccan origin has to reconcile between the familial structure of traditional Moroccan society and the search for his own individuality within a society that condemns him for being him: a Moroccan immigrant. Although Nordip is totally oblivious and confused on what to pursue in the future, he still decides to challenge himself by taking up a physically challenging job as a dishwasher in the “Blauwe Gier”. This act was an act of rebellion: Nordip, seen by his counterparts as the successful one, decides to pursue a differ-
ent course than the one anticipated by those around him. Edward Said frames it perfectly when he says that “all families invent their parents and children, give each of them a history, fate, and even a language.” Adding that there are always discrepancies of what we expect from those around us and what really happens. Nordip rejects his parent’s invention of him, the child who is an example for all other children, the one that is a blessing from God because of his good grades and seemingly bright future as represented by the constant praise in the book. Nordip works hard, sometimes coming late, sometimes getting angry within a setting of constant harassment by his colleagues and usual confrontations. Mainly what Khalid Boudou wants to tell us is that the kitchen is were the first confrontation between different sectors of society happens, the Dutch, the Turks, the Moroccans and others work together and against each other, signifying the hardship of integration from the many to the one. The only thing that stops everyone from erupting is the occasional comedy. In this context, the comedy is a way of transcending beyond differences, it is a way in which cultural and ethnic identities could be overlooked in the rather obscure setting of a kitchen. This book highlights the paradox of iden-
tity as Said saw it, a paradox that presents itself due to the ongoing process of globalization and the increasing interconnectedness of different cultures, peoples and ethnicities. This constant mix and remix results in a new identity, an identity that could be described as having a foot mark in more than one world, in being ‘here’ and ‘there’ at the same time. In understanding the differences between different cultures, backgrounds and the tension that these differences produce and in trying to reconcile between them by being or having “double consciousness” as W.E.B. Du Bois framed it. Consciousness of oneself and of others, it is being in-between in a framework subtly framed as Out of Place. In the end Nordip worked in the “Blauwe Gier” to learn as he says, the hardship, the struggle and the audacity of work. He does not get paid; however, he does leave as a free man. Free from the kitchen, from that small yet all encompassing setting. But also free from prejudice, free from narrowly looking at “the other”. Nordip is the ‘new Moroccan youth’ who in Khalid Boudou’s mind will also be free. The hope remains that this freedom or this sensation will occur between different sectors of Dutch society, in which a new identity that preserves the past but sees the other as part of the future could be formed and maintained.
pressive background and prominent place on Neude though, the bunny is often taken for granted. But there is more to this
piece of art than the scarf it wears during wintertime.
Thinker on a Rock Emma Gans
C
ities across the globe are adorned by art in public spaces. Utrecht is no exception.
The remarkable thing about artwork outdoors is that people have the ability to overlook the pieces despite their incredible size. I am inevitably about to surprise many people with this statement: there is a six-meter high bronze statue of a hare on Neude. If you have never seen it either, I recommend you take your bike and cycle to Neude. If you stand with your back towards the square facing the Voorstraat, the hare is impossible to miss. This statue, Thinker on a Rock, was designed and executed by Barry Flanagan. He specializes in hares and was inspired by one of Rodin’s most famous works of art, The Thinker. The resemblance between the works of art can be found in their pose. While The Thinker is a statue of Dante in front of the gates of hell, pondering his great poem, Utrecht’s bunny seems to have less to worry about. It is not only surrounded by cafés and pubs: it often gets decorated with carrots, or a scarf in winter. Hell appears to be the last thing this thinker has on its mind. Barry Flanagan started casting bronze hares in 1979, and has since then created an extensive collection. Dublin, New York and Chicago have all had the pleasure of displaying one of his hares. Despite its im-
A University College Magazine
Humour in IR Gerard van der Ree
U
sually we see international politics as a pretty humour-less place. It is about conflict, confrontation, and at best about rational cooperation. It deals with anarchy, self-preservation, and utterly boring objects such as states. Even when we focus on the social aspects of IR, when we for instance discuss the ways in which we create norms and meanings in international relations, and how they affect our own identities- we’re still not screaming with laughter. Come to think of it, most of our academic endeavours tend to be somewhat dour. We work with co-variation and dependent or independent variables, distinguish complexity in microbiology, or discuss Hegel’s interpretation of the progress of history, but none of this is triggering our sense of humour. Academia does not seem to be designed to be funny in a serious way. Of course this is not completely true. Teachers make jokes. Not very good jokes, mostly. Usually they make functional jokes, designed to be exactly funny enough to lift you from your state of classroom paralysis but not to take your mind away from the otherwise boring academic material. Jokes that produce a faint smile, but leave no trace otherwise. Sometimes these jokes only provide you with an opportunity to change your facial expressions in ways that would otherwise look inappropriate. Finally an opportunity to flex my zygomatic muscles... Not exactly ROFL material. It is interesting that this should be this way. Is there anything in the nature of academic inquiry that forbids the inclusion of human emotions such as humour? Are International Relations necessarily humourless? At times we can see attempts to get to the level of the humoristic. Recently, Daniel Drezner attempted to be funny in a Foreign Policy blog titled ‘the problem of dames in world politics’. In this post, he argued that since it has been established that the cognitive functions of men tend to collapse in the presence of a beautiful women, it is no wonder that the Cuban missile crisis took place when Jackie Kennedy was first lady. And that consequently Michelle Obama and Carla Bruni can be viewed as probable causes of war in the 21st century. Apart from not being particularly funny, Dezner’s post met with immediate opposition. At the IR blog ‘Duck of Minerva’ Laura Sjoberg argued that Denzer was not being funny at all, as he did not take gender studies seriously, nor the role of women in IR, and was being sexist. Maybe here we can find a key to our questions. Of course, Sjoberg is right on all three accounts. However, that doesn’t tell me why Denzer’s post cannot still be funny. If taking things seriously and being politically correct are the prerequisites of being funny, the future of humour in IR certainly looks grim.
Why shelving ‘Star Wars’ constitutes neither ‘treason’ nor ‘weakness’.
The Cold War is Hot Once More Matthijs Maas
O
n September 17th, US president Barack Obama announced plans to scrap an ambitious and extensive missile shield that was to be based in Poland and the Czech Republic. The alternative missile system proposed consists of a network of the less powerful naval Aegis and land-based Patriot systems. To no one’s surprise, Russian Prime Minister Putin immediately praised the decision as ‘Correct and brave’. Obama has faced steep criticism both in the US and abroad, with the move condemned and called at best, weak or naïve; and at worst ‘treasonous’. The proposed interceptor missile defence system— an heirloom from the Bush-era which in turn was an artefact from Reagan’s comprehensive ‘Star Wars’ program—was officially intended as a counter-measure against longrange ballistic weaponry from ‘Rogue States’ (read: Iran). Despite the majority of Czechs and Poles opposing the plan, Prague and Warsaw looked upon the plan as a totem of sorts; symbolizing US protection against a resurging Russian aggression. The Russians, unfortunately, agreed with this interpretation. In the ensuing debate, deterioration of relations with the US went so far as to dub the issue a ‘new Cold War’ and even threatening the installation and deployment of Iskander nuclear missiles near the Polish border if the USA actually went through with it. For what they are worth, these later plans, too, were cancelled in response to Obama’s an-
What Can We Do?
Swine Flu Victor Evink
T
hey’re almost there: the long-awaited swine flu vaccines. The Dutch government has invested in 34 million of them, more than twice its population, to fight the worldwide pandemic. Also antiviral agents like Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) are in great demand. How wholesome are the different weapons we have? Since June 11, the swine/ Mexican flu, or more correctly the novel H1N1, is an official pandemic. Scientists from the European Scientific Working Group on Influenza (ESWI), have been warning for years that a worldwide influenza pandemic comparable to the 1918 one, is likely to occur at some point in the near future. Flu viruses which are endemic in animals, birds, or pigs, can mutate or reassort genetic material with human flu viruses, generating new strains which can infect humans. Such viruses can then mutate or reassort further such that they can readily spread from human to human. Behold the birth of a pandemic. The H1N1 virus which originated in pigs (swine) is a strain which was not previously been lethal humans. This fast spreading strain has claimed 4,100 lives from around the world since its outbreak in March 2009 in Mexico. The ESWI urges governments to be prepared and take every possible preventative measure. As after all, the 1918 pandemic struck with a deadly second wave, after a milder first. The two main strategies to fight an infectious pandemic are containment and response
nouncement, and ties between the two nuclear powers have considerably improved. But despite all the consequent positive rhetoric, and their recent and unprecedented harsh criticism of Iran, Russia has yet to make real concessions when it comes to backing the West against any Iranian nuclear ambitions. If the results are so questionable, was the move worth it? Polish newspapers are calling the development an ‘American betrayal’, and many conservative US pundits feel as though the US has ‘wussed out’ and caved in to the demands of the growling Russian bear. ‘It’s better these days to be a U.S. adversary than its friend’ commented the Wall Street Journal on september 18th. However, putting patriotism and the Cold War-paranoia aside, what is being overlooked is the simple fact that Mr. Obama is quite right. To put it bluntly, the full American ‘Star Wars’ program, after costing well over 100 billion dollars, simply doesn’t work. It’s ‘killer vehicles’, designed to destroy incoming ICBM’s (InterContinental Ballistic Missiles), still cannot reliably distinguish between real nukes and decoy warheads, or track a missile that changes course mid-flight. Ergo, the system was never technologically capable of intercepting Russian weapons, and thus couldn’t have played any role in deterring Russia. If Russia ever wanted to ‘(re) conquer’ eastern Europe, they’d hardly need to resort to using strategic long-range missiles and raise all sorts of international indignation at the use of nuclear weaponry. ‘Conventional’ war would suffice.
Iran, on the other hand—and for that matter any other ‘rogue nation’—is still light years behind on the development of ballistic missiles. Even if Iran managed to construct actual nuclear weapons (which, again, is doubtful), it would still lack the technological capability to strike Europe—let alone America. And against the kind of weapons which Iran is known to posses—primarily short- to medium-range scud missiles—the proposed missile shield would have been overkill, since the already existing low-tech interceptor missiles will easily do the job.
and vaccination. The first one involves primarily hygiene and quarantining of confirmed cases. Response entails treatment once the symptoms have started to manifest. The quarantine approach is obviously limited. As the number of infections rise, quarantine centres become overloaded. However, the prohibition in the Netherlands to enter a doctor’s practice with suspected swine flu is a good example of the containment approach in mild form. Treatment with antiviral agents seems to be a provide a good cure, but not without its drawbacks. Firstly, the outcomes of clinical trials with Tamiflu are greatly divergent and relatively poor. Nobody seems to really knows how well it actually works. Secondly, Tamiflu impedes reproduction of the virus, whereas, once the symptoms arise, the virus already has propagated to such extent that there is little left to treat. Vaccination seems more promising, but it is not fully without its dangers. Due to a H1N1 virus killing US army recruit David Lewis in February 1976, President Gerald Ford wanted to vaccinate the entire American population. By December 16, Ford had to suspend this program: 25 people had died from the sideeffects of the vaccination and cases were reported of the Guillain-Barré syndrome, a neuromuscular disorder. The actual flu killed only Mr. Lewis. Other factors obstruct the benefits of vaccination, like egg-allergies, as vaccines are developed using chicken eggs. But there is more to contend
with. Next to the unlimited zeal of some scientists and for example the Dutch government, there is also a great deal of scepticism towards the “flu hype”. The impartiality of organizations like the ESWI is doubted and they are blamed for “disease mongering”, in favour of the pharmaceutical industry. Be it a serious threat or not, the swine flu season is at hand. If anything will protect us, it’s not our gate.
So, the question which critics should ask themselves is this: why spend billions on a system which is insufficient, improper and ineffective, and in the process aggravate a major world power when you might just as well opt for co-operation?
Jaël Oterdoom
Column
GLOBAL DYNAMICS 11
QUAD
What did you do this summer? I went to Peru and introduced Freddy to a lot of short girls.
QUERIES
Do you want to win unity week? Yeah, that would be nice.
What is your mantra for this semester? There ain’t nothing to it but to do it.
Ricardo Martins, 3rd Year, SSC
Miguel Salcedo, 2nd Year, SCI
Sam Moore, 3rd Year, HUM
Do you miss MJ?
How many words can you type per minute?
Do you believe in evolution?
Yeah, of course!
2000 words in 90 minutes, including thinking time… so around 40 I guess.
Jamila Mammadova, 1st Year, Utrecht School of Business and Economics
Michael Witczak, 1st Year, SSC
Malwina Grobelna, 1st Year, SSC
Would you go to New York by sea?
Do you lounge in the DH lounge?
What is your latest obsession?
Only if she comes with me.
Never use it.
Just drinking I guess.
Frederico Torracchi, Profession: Being a UC alumnus
Øystein Kristiansen, 3rd Year, HUM
Brian van Hulst, 2nd Year, SSC
The Boomerang Team 2009|2010: Editor-in-Chief Aboud Hamayel Managing Editor Sabin Dragonman Managing Editor Sindhoo Rangarajan Manager Team Building Aldona Bermúdez Art Director Andrea de Ruiter Lay-Out Manager Sarah Wells & Andrea de Ruiter
In what? Evolution? Of course.