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New Allegations of Racism and Sexism Emerge at Exeter University

Common Sense Contributors
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New Allegations of Racism and Sexism Emerge at Exeter University

Content warning: Some may find the language quoted in this article as offensive or troubling due to invocations of racial slurs and sexual violence. 

 

By Alex Davenport

A student at the University of Exeter has spoken out about the alleged use of racist and sexist language among members of an on-campus law society. Arsalan Motavali, a law student at the university and committee member of Bracton Law Society, wrote a Facebook post outlining comments made by fellow committee members on a WhatsApp group, as well as sharing screenshots which are purported to be from the group in question. Motavali stated that the offensive comments had been posted over a long period of time, and that he had only recently worked up the courage to speak out on the issue.

 

Examples of the comments from the WhatsApp group shared by Motavali (Source: Arsalan Motavali/Facebook)

Among the comments shared by Motavali were racial slurs about people of Black and South Asian origin, jokes about raping women and, on one occasion, a suggestion of regret that a fellow student who had been stabbed was not more severely injured. Among those accused of making the comments are the general secretary of Bracton Law Society, as well as a member in the running to be the next general secretary and three other society members.

The response to this scandal and those implicated in it has been swift. Bracton Law Society has already announced that it has resolved to remove all those accused of perpetrating the offensive comments from its committee, as well as banning those involved from the society as a whole, and preventing the candidate mentioned above from running for the general secretary position. The University of Exeter has also made a statement on Twitter, announcing that in condemns racism in all its forms, and that it will take action pending an internal investigation conducted by the University’s Student Guild.

These allegations merely represent the latest events in a series of controversies to take place in educational establishments over recent weeks. Seven pupils were suspended, albeit temporarily, from a school in Bath for tying up, whipping and holding a mock ‘auction’ for a Black classmate. Meanwhile, Rufaro Chisango, a student at Nottingham Trent University, recently shared a video from her student halls in which two fellow students chanted “we hate the Blacks”. This led the University to suspend the students in question, while Nottinghamshire police made arrests on suspicion of racially-aggravated public order offences. Motavali praised Nottingham Trent University’s quick and decisive reaction to the issue reported by Chisango, and expressed his hope that the University of Exeter would act in a similar fashion with regard to his own complaint.

This issue will undoubtedly raise questions of when jokes in poor taste and so-called ‘lad culture’ spill over into genuine bullying and flat-out racism. Universities have long been regarded as the home of progressive, cutting-edge ideas and social tolerance. Yet this issue also underlines the darker side of higher education: a place where young men arrive having left home for the first time, freed of all the constraints of parents and teachers. Many try to forge new identities based on how controversial, or ‘edgy’, they can be, as a means of standing out from the crowd; their clear and deliberate lack of empathy an exhibition of their masculinity, usually underpinned by insecurity. Finding a way of curbing this need to show off to other ‘lads’ is surely essential to achieving the long-overdue goal of making students who do not fit into this group feel as safe and welcome at university as they should.

 

David Akinwolemiwa: Racism at university rears its ugly head again

Following the well-publicised furore stemming from Rufaro Chisango suffering racial abuse in her halls of residence at Nottingham Trent University, fresh allegations of racism have emerged against students at the University of Exeter. Partly inspired by Chisango’s bravery in sharing her experiences, Arsalan Motavali decided to make public the racism he had witnessed at Exeter. Prior to the information being made public, Arsalan launched a complaint to the University of Exeter after obtaining multiple screenshots of students at the University of Exeter Law School racially insulting their peers, and making similarly disgusting comments about other racial groups in general.

Further examples of the comments made on the WhatsApp group (Source: Arsalan Motavali/Facebook)

The screenshots came from participants in a group chat started by Motavali, who claims that the content of the chat became “increasingly racist and deplorable” as other students were added. The parties involved are: Matthew Bell (who was administrator of the group chat), Ash Chandrahan, Alex Crawford, James Cranstone, and Bailey Grant. They are accused of making disparaging comments towards their peers, such as Ash Chandrahan remarking that he wished “the jabs finished” Ikenna Henry Onyebuchi, a fellow student at the University who had been stabbed earlier in the year.

Arsalan claims he stayed in the group chat primarily to collect evidence of the things being said, and did not leave the group immediately due to “consistent anxiety and worry of how to deal with the situation”,  as well as the anxiety that third year brings. He says his contributions to the chat were rare, and pertained to “football and exam advice”. It has to be said, as good as it is that Arsalan has compiled evidence and made a complaint to the University, there are obvious questions to be asked as to why he never once voiced his displeasure at the statements made by other people in the chat. Especially given that the comments were targeted at his “close friends”, and the perpetrators “depicted them as an official societal belief” of Bracton Law Society, which he is a part of.

An excerpt from Motavali’s Facebook post (Source: Arsalan Motavali/Facebook)

Perhaps it’s harsh, but until he notified authorities, and named and shamed the involved students on social media, one could argue that he was a bystander in the negative sense by allowing them to make such vile comments freely. It’s commendable that he eventually “refused to by and let such people who speak in these terms go on to recruit at future law firms or be part of University culture”, given that Matthew Bell and Alex Crawford are on the Bracton Law Society committee, a future trainee solicitor at Hill Dickinson LLP and a brand ambassador at RPC respectively. The University and their prospective employers must be forced to reiterate a commitment to ensuring their institutions are open, tolerant spaces, and the whole affair goes to show just how much work remains to eradicate the institutionalised racism at Britain’s universities.

 

Tia Lewis: My experience as a student at Exeter

Over my 3 years at the University of Exeter, I am certain that there has been at least one major racist incident each year. Last year, there was an anti-Semitic issue where a student had engraved a swastika into the door of their student accommodation, and a social involving students wearing t-shirts that said ‘Don’t talk to me unless you’re white’. At the time I was on the committee for African-Caribbean Society (ACS), and we raised the issue with the university. Their response was a campaign claiming that “We Are All Exeter” and banning white t-shirt socials. After this, though, the issue received little attention, and there was much ambiguity over the eventual consequences for the students involved.

This year, the new ACS committee have tried to resolve racist issues with the university following a blackface incident which deeply upset students who saw this. I am told that there were improvements such as the university changing their code of ethics, and I was approached by the student newspaper after I had put the incident on my Snapchat. However, the fact is that these issues have continued, and so many go unnoticed as these recent group chat messages have shown. The University has been very unhelpful in resolving these incidents and any attention paid towards the matter has faded over time. At our recent ACS meeting, I had asked the prospective committee how they would deal with these issues and they said social media, and it is disgusting that only through social media will our voices, and the voices of other students at these universities, be taken seriously.

Below are more screenshots that were posted on Twitter and Facebook by Arsalan Motavali: 

In Pompeo, Trump will have a more loyal Secretary of State

Alex Davenport
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In Pompeo, Trump will have a more loyal Secretary of State

It would be fair to say that the only surprising thing about Donald Trump’s recent sacking of secretary of state Rex Tillerson is how long it took to happen. The tension between the two men had been building since the early days of the Trump administration, with clashes on issues of policy and personality.

On the one hand there were awkward and embarrassing personal conflicts between Trump and Tillerson. It is fairly well established that Trump is not one of the more thick-skinned public figures, and did not appear to take well any slights on his character from Tillerson. In particular, reports surfaced that Tillerson described Trump as a “moron” during a Pentagon meeting, reports which Tillerson did not go on to deny. Trump’s response to this was “we’ll have to compare IQ tests. And I can tell you who is going to win.”

Trump conferring with Tillerson, the man he recently sacked (Source: PBS)

Arguably more important, though, were the disagreements between the two on US foreign policy. When discussing the sacking of Tillerson, Trump pointed to their difference of opinion over Iran as an important factor, stating “when you look at the Iran deal, I thought it was terrible. I guess he thought it was OK”. Tillerson had been in favour of the deal brokered under the Obama administration which set back Iran’s potential nuclear capability while lifting sanctions on the country, while Trump has clearly been a vocal opponent of it. The president’s relationship with his secretary of state was also unlikely to have been helped by the former’s tweeting of the futility of negotiating with “Little rocket man” Kim Jong-Un, at a time when Tillerson had been attempting to conduct talks with North Korean counterparts.

It is this kind of animosity Trump will be hoping to avoid with his new nominee for secretary of state, current CIA director Mike Pompeo. The President seemed optimistic that his relationship with Pompeo would be better than it had been with his predecessor, describing he and Pompeo as “always on the same wavelength”.

Pompeo seems a natural pick for the position, provided the main criterion is being a die-hard Trump loyalist, with the two men sharing a close association in a number of ways. For one, they come from a similar ideological background, representing the kind of nationalistic, right-wing standpoint which was so marginalised just a few years ago. Pompeo was elected to the House of Representatives in 2010 as a ‘Tea Party’ Republican, at a time when that particular wing of the party was on the rise.

Pompeo also has Trump to thank for his appointment to the position of CIA director, being sworn in to the post three days after Trump’s own inauguration after having been selected during the transition period. The two appear to have formed a strong working relationship since then, with Pompeo meeting Trump on a near-daily basis for his presidential security briefing. It is likely that over the course of these meetings Trump decided the two were of a similar mindset and prioritised Pompeo should changes in personnel (which are certainly not uncommon in the Trump administration) take place.

Pompeo being sworn in as CIA director last year (Source: The New York Times)

It seems likely that Pompeo’s views on Iran were also an important factor in securing him this new post. His reputation for being a hawk on foreign policy is nowhere more clear than in his statements on the Iranian government and how it the US should treat it. He has claimed that the country is the “biggest state sponsor of terrorism in the world”, and called the Iran deal “disastrous”, words which no doubt pleased Trump. With president and secretary of state thinking as one on this issue, then, it may be that the recent thawing of US-Iranian relations is reversed.

It will be certainly interesting to see whether Pompeo recognises the need for diplomacy and moderates some of his more extreme views as secretary of state. He may decide that Tillerson’s act as a modest counterbalance to some of Trump’s more extreme rhetoric remains a better way of making progress in talks with other nations than simply reinforcing whatever the President says. He should also be aware, though, that he was hired because of his credentials as a Trump loyalist. Push back against his boss too much, and he could find himself suffering the same fate as Tillerson.

Is it Back to the Drawing Board for Frida Kahlo?

Common Sense Contributors
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By Dolline Mukui.

Barbie’s manufacturer, Mattel, are under fire from the relatives of Frida Kahlo. Mattel recently released dolls to their inspiring women series. Alongside Frida Kahlo is Amelia Earhart, an aviation pioneer and Katherine Johnson, the NASA mathematician.

Frida Kahlo was a Mexican artist who painted self-portraits. She was also known for being a feminist, her iconic long dark monobrow and her pride in donning a light mustache.

Kahlo’s great niece, Mara de Anda Romeo states that the toy company do not have the rights to use her images. However, that is disputed by Mettel, as they express, ‘The Frida Kahlo Corporation actively participated in the process of designing the doll, Mattel has its permission and a legal contract that grants it the rights to make a doll of the great Frida Kahlo’.

De Anda Romeo is requesting for the doll to be redesigned. The statement by her lawyer, Pablo Sangri, says ‘We will talk to them about regularising this situation, and by regularising I mean talking about the appearance of the doll, its characteristics, the history the doll should have to match what the artist really was’.

As Frida was a communist and feminist, those who knew what she stood for would have never seen her associated with a product, let alone a Barbie doll. This has left some people irritated because what she worked so hard for is now linked with toy that has been criticised for producing unrealistic body expectations.

Photo: Mattel

We have to understand that this release was intended to coincide with International women’s day on March 8th, a time where women show their strength both individually and in unison.

Although their use of Frida’s image is up for debate, I think that it shouldn’t be overlooked that Mattel’s intentions were for the greater good; to create modern and historical role models for present children and generations to come. It’s to inspire them so that they can say ‘I can do it too’ regardless of societal pressures.

 

Dolline recently graduated with an MA in Broadcast Journalism. She is an ITV Breaking into News finalist whereby she reported on the Manchester Arena attack. Currently she is a voluntary co-host/contributor on a show called a ‘Chat with Elle Celeste’. She also has a blog, where she talks about her life and travels.

Twitter: @ceraz_x

Putin Undeterred By International Pressure As Election Approaches

Alex Davenport
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Putin Undeterred By International Pressure As Election Approaches

As Sunday’s Russian presidential election nears, the country finds itself embroiled in a number of diplomatic controversies. President Vladimir Putin is seeking his fourth term of office and the outcome of these incidents may come to define the nature of his rule over the coming years.

Tensions with the UK have been rising over the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, and his daughter Yulia. Skripal, alleged to have been a double agent working for British intelligence services, was administered with a deadly nerve agent in Salisbury last week. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has denied any involvement on the part of his government, instead offering to help investigate the issue on an official basis. However, in a statement to the House of Commons, Prime Minister Theresa May said it was highly likely Russia was involved in the attack, which also risked the lives of British citizens.

Alongside this is continuing friction with the US over alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election won by Donald Trump. This escalated when US Special Counsel Robert Mueller, investigating the claims, indicted 13 Russian citizens for their influence in the election, including one, Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin, known to have close ties with Putin. The Russian President was recently pressed on this issue in an interview with NBC’s Megyn Kelly (see video below). He claimed unsurprisingly that his government had nothing to do with the election controversy, as well as adding that he wasn’t friends with Prigozhin. Putin also suggested he would not have the power to deal with those indicted even if he was convinced of their involvement, as bringing criminal charges against them was the role of Russia’s chief prosecutor. In arguing this, he was likely giving himself a legal basis for not aiding the US investigation into the supposed interference, however implausible it is that he would have no means of bypassing his country’s legal system.

Yet despite the fact these may be viewed at least outside Russia as scandals, they will not have damaged his prospects at being re-elected later this week. For one, many have accused the whole election of being heavily rigged in Putin’s favour. Among many other suggestions of corruption, many have pointed to the fact that Russia’s main figure of opposition to the government, Alexei Navalny, has been barred from standing in the election, leaving only little-known figures to challenge the titan of Russian politics.

However, it is also worth remembering just how popular Putin is with the Russian people, regardless of any election fixing. The allure of a strong leader such as Putin is particularly difficult to resist, particularly one who appears to stand up for their country at an international level the way he does. The international controversies currently playing out with Western counterparts just go to show how happy he is to put Russian interests first, rather than bow down to the pressures of the international community. The fact that his government will not hang its own citizens out to dry, or exercise leniency against those who have wronged the country, at the whim of nominal ‘allies’ can only have gone down well with the majority of voters.

Putin poses for a selfie with members of the military (Source: Getty Images)

Of course, it is important to recognise that much of his popularity comes through the propaganda of state-run media sources (although, with the current state of some of our own media, people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones…) as well as the effective removal of many opposition leaders which prevents Russians from comparing Putin to potential alternative presidents. Yet at a time of severe instability in various countries around the world, many Russians will undoubtedly view the stability and continuity of the Putin regime as even more valuable than usual, regardless of how this stability has come about. Far from diminishing his good reputation among his citizens, these international scandals and Russia’s cold reaction to them likely serves to boost it.

The Fashion Industry Is Getting More Diverse, But Who Started It All?

Common Sense Contributors
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By Tanya Mwamuka.

Featuring diversity seems to be as popular of a trend as pastels are this spring. It’s an occurrence that seems to have transcended from 2017 and is spilling into 2018. Take for example New York fashion week which saw Hijabi wearing model Halima Aden, plus-size model Ashley Graham and 74-year-old Lauren Hutton ruling the runways and magazine covers. This band of women seems to be just the beginning of the growing representation of people from diverse backgrounds in the fashion industry.

Christian Louboutin was perhaps iconic in their launch of nude heeled pumps. Four years on from their original launch, in 2017 they released a wider range of skin tones, catering to women of darker skin tones.

Photo: Courtesy of Christian Louboutin

High street brand Missguided has also jumped on the bandwagon this year with its #KEEPBEINGYOUARMY. The campaign featured mannequins with vitiligo, Hijabs, stretchmarks and freckles as an attempt to promote body confidence.

Photo: Missguided

The talk about Diversity has been around for decades now, but in recent times its definition has seemed to have evolved. No longer is the attention just on race but rather, there’s a need for more representation for age, size, gender which are quickly filling the headlines. It would be stupid for the fashion industry to ignore this demand and economic opportunity. Over 60’s have particularly been an afterthought in the realms of fashion but global business consultancy A.T Kearny would argue in favour of they’re increasing importance. According to them over 60’s are the world’s fastest growing consumers. It’s expected that in 2050 there will be 2 billion people in the over 60’s age bracket.

This sudden burst of inclusivity and revolution of diversity has had me question the true intention of some of these brands, and for some reason I can’t shake off the feeling. Is this just another passing trend which designers are capitalising on? After all, the issue of representation in the fashion industry has been an issue for decades yet it only now seems to be being addressed properly. It’s no doubt that featuring inclusivity is guaranteed to gain mainstream attention because “If you’re not getting into diversity, you’re going to get left behind” – James Scully.

Fashion house Lanvin Paris were accused of this when in the AW17 they suddenly began featuring black models, not because of an evolving mind set but rather as a way of covering their bases after getting a scolding from renowned casting director James Scully. Scully exposed the brand on Instagram for allegedly telling agents not to send black models for consideration. Jennifer Davidson of the Fashion Spot touched on this commenting about the AW 2017 fashion season. She said:

“Anecdotally you think it was a great season; but when you look at the numbers, it wasn’t so good. It’s just that designers who used (a more diverse range of models) got a lot of attention.”

But surely it doesn’t matter right? I’m sure you may think that I’m being petty, at the end of the day what does it matter the reason as long as the fashion industry is moving towards more inclusivity.

While we may be proud to see that the fashion industry is finally evolving, albeit slowly, let’s not forget about those who pioneered and catered to those on the fringes when it wasn’t necessarily fashionable or profitable to do so. Let’s take a look at who they are.

1. Christian Siriano

Siriano studied in London under Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen and went to launch his first collection in 2008. Siriano has since been a spokesman of body positivity and diversity, a notion he has implemented not just in words but also action. In 2016 he cast five plus size models in his shows including Precious Lee and dressed Ashley Graham who sat front row at the show. Perhaps one of his prominent moments was dressing Leslie Jones who couldn’t find a designer to dress her.

 

Photo: Kevin Tachman

“But whether its Leslie or Gwyneth Paltrow, I don’t think about women’s sizes when I dress her. I ask myself ‘Am I a fan?’”

2. Aerie – American Eagle

Aerie is a lingerie sub-brand. It was founded in 2006, belonging to the parent group of American Eagle. Aerie became iconic with their #aerieREAL campaign centered around body positivity. They achieved this with a promise to stop retouching their models photos as a way to show consumers that they too could be sexy.

Photo: Aerie

3. Nubian Skin

Nubian Skin was established in 2014 by Ade Hassan, from an idea she had been working on since 2011. Her aim was to provide women of deeper complexions with their own nude complexion lingerie and hosiery. When we think of the word nude, it is generally lighter shades which are exclusively catered for.

Photo: Nubian Skin

“Nubian Skin founder, Ade Hassan, decided it was time for ‘a different kind of nude’.”

In 2015 Nubian Skin extended their range to include up to 40” backs and A cups. In 2016 they went one step further and launched their Curve Collection.

4. Smart Glamour

Mallorie Dunn, founder of Smart Glamour, may be one of the most exemplary in promoting inclusivity. She founded her brand in 2007 and relaunched Smart Glamour as it is today in 2014. Dunn used her brand as a platform to discuss the lack of accurate representation of women in the media. She is known for featuring women of varying races, sizes, and also featuring disabled women down New York fashion week runway. http://www.smartglamour.com/about/about-the-designer/

Tanya is currently studying Biomedical Sciences at the University of Manchester and hopes to get into science journalism and media after her degree. She loves fashion and travelling and enjoys learning new languages in her spare time. Right now she is learning French and Swahili.

Champions League Round Up: The Students Still Have a Lot to Learn

Common Sense Contributors
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By Jireh Antwi

Juventus and Real Madrid proved last week why the master is still in charge and the student still has a lot to learn. Tottenham Hotspurs and Paris Saint-Germain showed a lack of experience in their Champions League campaign this year.   

Champions League Logo – http://img.uefa.com/imgml/2016/ucl/social/og-default.jpg 

PSG with the acquisitions they got this summer, such as record transfer fee signings of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe were looking to take the Champions league by storm. In the group stages, they showcased their display of talent and dominance. With the last 16 stages being picked and them being drawn against Real Madrid, it would be the first opportunity for them to be tested and cement themselves as a powerhouse in this competition against the previous Champions. 

With the French team’s chances already slim, as result of the first leg where they lost 3-1 to Real Madrid.  The second leg at the Parc de Princes proved to be a tough challenge, with their star player Neymar being injured against their rivals Ligue 1 side Marseille a few days earlier. He suffered a fractured metatarsal and a sprained ankle with no estimated time for his return.  

Alas, Real Madrid didn’t even need their star players to see them through to the quarter-final. They achieved a 2-1 win with the likes of Bale and Kroos being substituted on rather than starting and their best midfielder Modric not even playing.  With a goal from Cristiano Ronaldo in the 51st minute making the match for PSG an uphill challenge, especially with Marco Verratti being sent off with a red card at the 66th minute mark, Cavani the striker equalised for PSG even with ten men.  However, a second goal from Casemiro at the 80th minute sealed the game for Real Madrid.  

Real Madrid win

Casemiro and Ronaldo both secured goals against PSG (source: AFP)

Now there are questions to be asked what PSG should do going forward? Do they need to go back to the drawing board? All their star players didn’t step up and tactically they looked lacklustre and it looked like Real Madrid were fairly comfortable throughout the game.  On paper, PSG are better than most teams in the world but if they can’t win when it really matters, then that’s a problem. There are also rumours of Neymar looking for an exit back to Barcelona, which is sure to cause distress in the PSG camp.  

 

Tottenham Hotspurs vs Juventus   

Tottenham Hotspurs away tie to Juventus in the first leg was a very interesting game, Juventus managed to score 2 goals form Higuaín within the first 10 minutes of the game, it looked to be all over before it had even started. A Harry Kane goal at the 35th minute looked to be a consolation in the first half, in the end, Eriksen’s goal at the 71st minute gave them two crucial away goals and the lead. If they replicated such a performance at Wembley it would have seen them through to the quarter-finals.

Paulo Dybala of Juventus celebrates scoring his side's second goal

 Dybala celebrating after scoring the killer goal, to end Tottenham’s Champions’ League dreams. (Source: Getty Images) 

However, what looked like it was going to be a dominant performance by Spurs going 1-0 up in the 39th minute from Son Heung-min and the team having several shots on goal. However, Juventus’ substitution of Ghanaian Kwadwo Asamoah for Stephan Lichtsteiner and the changing of the back 3 defence into a back 4, allowed Juventus to have more width. This tactical change was a catalyst for Juventus’ victory. Almost immediately, in the space of 4 mins, Higuaín and Dybala scored goals at the 64th and 67th minute, capitalising on two big mistakes by Tottenham.  This really dented Spurs’ spirit and morale and they couldn’t equalise to take the game to extra time.   

The vast amount of experience showed in the Juventus side to see the game out through the end with Giorgio Chiellini commenting that ‘Tottenham have always created many chances to score – but they miss always something at the end’.  Chiellini’s quote is indicative to their Premiere league title challenge in the 2015/16 season where they came up short against Chelsea to allow Leicester city to win the Premier League Champions.  With Spurs always getting there but not quite making it, how long can the club keep their star players before they decide to go to bigger clubs that consistently challenge and win? And how long before Real Madrid come knocking for Harry Kane’s services?

PSG definitely have another attempt next year as they’re set to win their domestic league. Likewise, can Tottenham hold out long enough for a top 4 finish, to secure their place in next year’s Champions league?  

 

 

 

 

  

  

Birmingham ACS: Political Correctness Gone Wrong or Much Needed Diversity?

Common Sense Contributors
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Birmingham ACS: Political Correctness Gone Wrong or Much Needed Diversity?

This week, Birmingham Univiersitys ACS ( Afro-Caribbean Society) came under fire for allowing a non Afro-Caribbean student to run for a position on the ACS committee. Our journalists Muhammed Oleolo and Munya Raradza give their views on the scandal.

No Door Should Ever Be Closed at University – In Defence of Dita

by Muhammed Oleolo

So this girl, Dita, has apparently done the unthinkable. She’s encroached on a space meant for black people exclusively. She, in merely announcing her running for the role of Secretary of the University of Birmingham’s African-Caribbean Society, has chosen to occupy a space that was not her’s to take.
I don’t buy that point of view for a second.  In fact, the people attacking her right to run are playing a very dangerous game.  I’ve worked on successive ACS committees and I can say that in my experience, I have seen few stand for a position with a motivation as altruistic as this:

That’s not to say I am personally excited by her platform. Is there something extremely cringed about the phrase, “intergration & unity”? Absolutely! Does “cultural awareness” actually mean anything? We shall see.
My point is that the very nature of university is that it opens doors to the wider world. Who are we to close any of those doors on people, especially without hearing them out.  One could say, she has a right to run, but she’s unfairly taking one of the very few positions of leadership that black people occupy on campus.

There are two reasons why I disagree. First of all, finding a place on a university society is often a democratically acquired office. The only requirement is to be a member and to do one’s job diligently. There’s nothing about being white that precludes one from executing a secretarial role for the ACS effectively. Secondly, ACS is not a monolithic cultural society in essence but operates that way de facto. Would we have the same outrage for White Africans? Arab Africans? Perhaps people that don’t look stereotypically Bantu or West African like Habeshis and Somalis? Almost certainly, most ACS’ are cultural only in that they serve as a link-up spot on campus for the Nigerian and Ghanaian diaspora. Most ACS committees need to depart from the London-based, West-African Christian Identity that they embody in order to embrace the pan-cultural ethic they are meant to embody.

A voice speaking in a different tune to everyone else is never a bad thing. Let Dita stand and we’ll see if her vision can bring diversity to the mono cultural ACS landscape!

 

Sorry Dita There’s a Waiting List

Munya J. Raradza

In recent days, the debacle over a white student running for a secretary role in Birmingham’s ACS sparked a lot of reaction on twitter. It caused many black students to reflect and think about the significance of Afro-Caribbean societies within UK universities. As an alumna of the university, the events that unfolded were frankly embarrassing. It was a shame to see my ACS mistake people’s criticisms, for hate speech or bullying. On one hand, I agree with the society’s stance to allow for any paid member to run for a committee position. However, there is a bigger question at hand. Why would such an individual feel responsible for spreading ‘cultural awareness’ for an ethnic group of which she is not part of? Supposedly, all in the name of ‘integration’ and ‘unity’.

Yes, this particular student may have all the administrative skills needed to fulfil the duties of this role. However, is she ideally suited for it? No. Although, many Afro-Caribbean students primarily join their university’s ACS to make friends and party, the society also has social/political duties as well. Whilst I was at the university, the ACS organised a plethora of career events. Highlighting to me a demand for black talent within a variety of industry sectors. They proved to be extremely helpful. In the organisation of such events, what insight can a white student offer? What about when black students become victims of racism and prejudice. As what was suffered by a black student at Nottingham Trent University. What practical advice can she offer to help the committee address these issues? As ACS secretary, part of her role will be to inform students of such opportunities, as well as make them aware of such instances.

I am sure she means well. But it is clear that her cultural experience is incompatible with furthering the cause of Birmingham’s ACS. It is not invalid, but it is definitely incompatible. ACS’s were created in the spirit of ‘integration’ and ‘unity’ primarily amongst black students within UK universities. Of which, there is still a plentiful amount of work that needs to be done. Frankly, we still need to get more Carribean and Afro-Latino students involved in such societies. As well as improve black Muslim representation and also integrate black LGBT students. So sorry ‘Dita’, I’m afraid there’s a waiting list.

 

UPDATE: Since these articles were written, Dita has tweeted the following:

Would you like to join in on the conversation? Have your say on Twitter. 

Is Trudeau losing his Magic?

Alex Davenport
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Is Trudeau losing his Magic?

Justin Trudeau’s political rise has been meteoric. The son of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau burst onto the political scene in 2013, when he won the leadership of the Liberal Party with over 80% of the vote. His most remarkable feat came at the 2015 federal election, when he steered his party from having third-most seats in the House of Commons, and being third in the polls even at the start of the campaign, to winning an overall majority, becoming Prime Minister in the process.

Since taking power he has remained popular among Canadians. Through a combination of appearance, charisma and policy, he has developed a substantial and dedicated online following and can make the news with anything from his views on feminism to his choice of socks. As well as this, since the election of Donald Trump in 2016, Trudeau has carved out a successful identity as his antithesis in many ways. Trudeau has portrayed himself as tolerant, progressive and charismatic, while in the eyes of many Trump is the polar opposite of these things; Trump retweets anti-Islamic videos from neofascists, while Trudeau breaks down in tears meeting Syrian refugees. In a country which prides itself on being more liberal-minded than its immediate neighbour, this has gone down particularly well.

However, all is not well in Trudeau’s court. He recently embarked on an error-strewn trip to India, which was apparently as high on family photo opportunities as it was low on substantive meetings and official business, making the state visit seem like a family holiday. If that were not bad enough, it later emerged that a radical Sikh separatist by the name of Jaspal Atwal, who had been convicted for attempting to assassinate an Indian cabinet minister in 1986, had been invited to official events held during the visit. Awkwardly for Trudeau, pictures even emerged of Atwal posing alongside his wife Sophie Grégoire, leading to questions of how such a breach of security protocol took place.

The controversial India visit is unlikely to help his party’s position in the polls, which is already beginning to look under threat. Since the Liberal Party’s election victory in 2015, they have led the opinion polls almost without fail, often by margins of up to 20 percentage points. However, their main rivals, the Conservatives, are starting to catch up and even overtake the Liberals in recent opinion polls, with aggregations giving the Conservatives a slight lead overall. Such ratings cannot help but beg the question of whether Trudeau has turned out, as some have argued, to be a politician of style over substance, nailing every speech and photo opportunity but offering very little in terms of tangible policy differences.

The Trudeaus at the Taj Mahal, one of the much-maligned photo opportunities during the state visit (Source: NDTV)

Yet it should be noted that his own approval ratings are strongly ahead of those of his party, along with the fact that Canadians still hold a significantly higher opinion of Trudeau than any of his rival party leaders. Judging by these statistics, it appears that Trudeau remains a popular figure. It may then be the case that the Liberals’ declining poll ratings are more a result of other, less popular members of the party, such as Finance Minister Bill Morneau, whose tax proposals for small businesses angered significant sections of the electorate.

Also, as next year’s election approaches, it would not be surprising for us to see the Liberals’ ratings rise again. For one, this is the usual cycle of support for parties in power, with support increasing at the end of a term of office as many voters compare them with possible governments led by other parties and decide to opt with the devil they know. Also, as the 2019 election campaign takes shape, Trudeau as a party leader will increasingly take the limelight in representing the Liberals, which can only be a good thing for them given his continuing popularity and his natural ability as a campaigner; you only need to look at his turnaround at the previous election to see what he is capable of during a campaign. While he and his party should not take this wobble lightly, Trudeau’s Liberals do not have the feel of a one-term government about them.

Anok Yai, the First Black Model to Open a Prada Runway in Over Two Decades

Common Sense Contributors
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By Deborah Adeniyi.

  • Anok Yai, 19 year old college student, became the first black woman to open Prada’s runway show in over two decades since Naomi Campbell did so in 1997.  
  • The 19 year old was discovered through social media where a picture of her quickly became viral causing the industry to take her under wing. 
  • Yai was only aware that she would be heading the showcase an hour before the show commenced. 

 

In an interview with Refinery29, Yai revealed, “I’ve always wanted to model since I was young, but I didn’t know how to get into the industry.” Yai was discovered after a photo of her at Howard University’s homecoming celebration went viral on social media platform, Twitter. Vogue’s contributing casting director, Ashley Brokaw took charge in securing Yai’s booking for the Italian luxury fashion brand. A few months after being scouted she was able to make her ground breaking debut, opening at Prada’s Menswear Fall 2018 show. 

Yai told Vogue, “I will remember the experience of opening the show as my breakthrough moment. Just modelling for Prada alone is a huge opportunity and the fact that Miuccia and Ashley put me front and centre sets the tone for my career.” Yai is now signed with Next Models and is currently working exclusively with Prada this season. This opportunity has allowed the Egyptian born , Sudanese model to quickly build up an extremely strong portfolio which now boasts of three Prada campaigns and two shows. 

 

Yai’s success is a step forward when looking at diversity within the fashion industry. Traditionally, and even up until recent years the fashion industry has struggled with pushing models that show a wide spectrum of culture and ethnicity. It is only now that we have seen a push on diversity within fashion with brands such as Coach, Miu Miu and Dolce and Gabanna recently diversifying their 2017/18 campaigns. Yai told Vogue, “It was an honour and I’m proud that I was the one chosen to open, but this is bigger than me. Me opening for one of the top fashion houses is a statement to the world – especially for black women – that their beauty is something that deserves to be celebrated,” she told Vogue of the moment. Despite this step forward, it is clear that more work needs to be done in order to have more racial diversity across the fashion industry as women of colour only accounted for 37.3 % of all castings at this season’s Fall 2018 New York Fashion Week. Essentially the fashion industry is making progress and is heading in the right direction however; it needs to be questioned how quickly will these changes become normality in fashion. Will it be a another twenty years until we are graced with the next Anok Yai? 

 

Deborah is a first year university student studying Fashion Buying and Merchandising at the University of Manchester. Her interests lay in textiles, fashion, contemporary visual arts and fashion business. Her Nigerian roots alongside her upbringing in South East London, have shaped her perspective on cultural issues allowing her to express both liberal and traditional stances on various current affairs. 

Twitter: @deborah_aden 

PFA Player of the Year: The Case for Mo Salah

Common Sense Contributors
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By Mike Banks.

Kevin de Bruyne and Mo Salah are the two frontrunners for the PFA Player of the Year going this season, and understandably so. Both players have been in sensational form. Kevin de Bruyne has been the standout performer for the swashbuckling champions-elect Manchester City, while Mo Salah is arguably the most in-form wide forward in European football.

The likelihood is that de Bruyne will win the award, but I want to make the case for Mo Salah.

When he was signed by Liverpool last summer, few would have expected him to have the impact that he has had. The stats make for handsome reading for the Egyptian. He has scored 24 goals in just 28 Premier League games and 32 goals in all competitions. This includes goals against every other team in the Premier League’s top 6 this season, bar Manchester United – and he has the chance to change this when Liverpool play Manchester United on Saturday. In fact, including United, Salah has only failed to score against 4 of the Premier League sides he has faced this season – Brighton, Swansea City and Crystal Palace being the other three.

In the 2007/08 season, Cristiano Ronaldo scored 42 goals in all competitions for Manchester United – 31 of these coming in the Premier League. Salah is on course to match and possibly exceed these numbers with 9 Premier League games still to be played.

He has already scored more goals in a season for Liverpool than Luis Suarez, Michael Owen and Daniel Sturridge and he is only one goal behind Fernando Torres’ best tally for the Reds. What is notable about this is that these players are all out-and-out center forwards, Mo Salah is not. He has also provided a respectable 8 assists in the league, a number bettered by only 4 other players, meaning he has been involved in more goals than any other Premier League player this season – 32.

Mo Salah celebrates opening the scoring against Spurs at Anfield (Source: Liverpool FC)

His performances back up these stats. This isn’t a player who is productive, but offers very little else to his team. He is a tireless runner, who is willing to do the dirty work whenever required.

Whether it’s slaloming past three defenders and scoring, a routine one-on-one finish, or an effort from 25-yards out, Salah appears capable of scoring virtually every goal possible. He has performed to such a level, that his very presence now strikes fear into the hearts of defenders.

His detractors will point to the fact that he has missed more big chances than any other player in the Premier League this season (19), but even the very best goal-scorers can be profligate at times. Harry Kane, who is already regarded as one of the finest finishers of this generation, has missed 16 big chances in the Premier League this season, while players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suarez have been criticised for occasionally being wasteful in front of goal.

His detractors might also highlight his supposed overreliance on pace, but this has been overstated. Teams often set-up against Liverpool with a low-block, but Salah’s incredible movement and goal-scoring instincts mean that he has regularly scored against these sides.

Salah has transformed himself from a Chelsea ‘flop’ to a superstar and you get the feeling that there is more to come from the Egyptian King.

 

Mike is a Politics PhD student and takes a keen interest in social issues, all things British politics and Liverpool FC. He is also a born-again Christian, and one of his favourite bible verses is Matthew 6:33.

Twitter: @mxkes_

Seven Years of Bombardment for the Syrian People

Common Sense Contributors
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By Ruth Foster.

The 15th of March 2018 will mark the seventh year of civil war in Syria. As of February 2018, the Syrian Government held 55.1% of Syrian territories while 11.4% was controlled by rebel groups – the remaining areas are controlled by the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria (SDF) and ISIL.

Although the international meeting on Syria in Kazakhstan in 2017 made some believe that the conflict was coming to an end, in the past few weeks a very different story has come out of Ghouta – the informal name for suburbs of the capital of Syria, Damascus, that has been held by rebels since the beginning of the conflict. On the 2nd of March 2018 the United Nations reported that “war crimes, potentially crimes against humanity, are likely being committed in east Ghouta and elsewhere in Syria”, with around 400,000 civilians trapped and facing the terror of airstrikes and reported release of toxic agents. As a convoy of 46 trucks carrying health and nutrition supplies was due to arrive to the besieged victims of this terror on 5th March 2018 – the question remains of when and how will the civil war in Syria end?

Syrian Refugee Crisis

After the deaths of approximately 250,000 Syrians and displacement of millions, the sectarian nature of the conflict in Syria means that the obvious solution would be partition, with the creation of various new states defined along ethnic and sectarian lines. However, history shows us that the obvious solution is by no means the right one – in many ways it may not even end the conflict in Syria.

Partitioning countries to achieve peace has been used throughout the twentieth century. Scholars like Chaim Kaufmann have argued that this solution works perfectly in theory, solving the ethnic security dilemma through the physical division of land and ethnic groups. However, recent examples show that such a simplistic view and solution to a complex situation has the power to perpetuate the conflict itself. In order to work for long-term stability in a region, partition of a state is not the solution. For example, since the partition of Sudan and creation of independent state South Sudan in 2011, more than 2 million Sudanese people have been displaced with an estimated 5 million of those who remain in South Sudan requiring food assistance in 2017. For the international community looking at Syria, there needs to be a focus on mediation that considers the fragile nature of the shaky state borders established at the end of the First World War.

South Sudan 2011 © Gaël Turine / VU

In order to protect the civilians and prevent further bloodshed, physical partition along ethnic lines cannot be seen as an option, and the Syrian people can no longer be treated as collateral damage. So far, problems have occurred over the course of mediation efforts due to questions of legitimacy, state capacity and the protection of civilians. After nearly seven years of bombardment, being used as pawns by the global superpowers, it is time for the Syrian peoples’ lives and livelihoods to be taken as priority if a stable, peaceful, and united Syria is to be seen in the near future

 

Ruth is a final year undergraduate student at the University of Edinburgh, originally from Northern Ireland. Her aim in life is to try and make the world a little bit better and care about important issues affecting real people, which includes (but is in no way limited to) storytelling, politics, culture, and coffee.

Open vs. Closed: The New Divide?

Alex Davenport
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Open vs. Closed: The New Divide?

A recent study published by Global Future has concluded that the divide between supporters of Labour and the Conservatives at the 2017 UK general election was characterised by differing attitudes to the outside world. Where previously the economic left-right spectrum appeared most important in deciding voters’ preferences, such a division has arguably been eclipsed by issues such as immigration, the EU and foreign aid. While the importance of these issues has been increasing for several years in the UK, Brexit has certainly sped up the issue, bringing it to the forefront of public debate.

The authors of the study suggest this represents a redrawing of voters’ loyalties, making them more likely to swing from one party to another than ever before. Those with a more internationalist identity and a positive view of immigration tend to be younger, better educated and located in urban areas, while those with a more nationalistic outlook are generally older, and living in either rural areas, or traditionally working-class heartlands which have suffered from the UK’s industrial decline. Voters’ wealth, meanwhile, seems to be less influential than it has been previously in deciding which party they vote for. This explains some of the surprising results we saw in June last year, with Labour winning in the affluent yet urban Kensington, while the Conservatives gained in traditionally Labour-supporting working-class areas such as Stoke-on-Trent.

An election graphic showing the narrow margins of Labour’s unexpected victory in Kensington (Source: Daily Mirror)

What’s more, is that this trend is certainly not confined to the UK. Across Europe and North America, globalisation is redrawing the political battle lines. The French election is a classic example of this – the two traditionally leading parties, the Socialists and the Republicans, both failed to get past the first round of voting, perhaps representing the outdated nature of the left-right platform on which they have always fought elections. Instead the final stand-off was between the liberal Emmanuel Macron and far-right Marine Le Pen, representing almost perfectly the growing struggle between ‘Open’ and ‘Closed’ worldviews. There have also been similar developments in many other European countries, such as Germany, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic in recent years. In many such cases, we have seen the rise of far-right parties, whose rhetoric has elicited strong reactions among their more liberal-minded counterparts, setting the tone for the political competition that followed.

Let us also not forget the success of Donald Trump, one of the best examples of this new ‘Open-Closed’ divide. Looking back to the 2016 presidential election campaign, it certainly wasn’t Trump’s views on economic issues which garnered most attention and discussion. Instead it was his nationalistic, ‘build-a-wall’ rhetoric that defined much of the debate with Hillary Clinton and the Democrats. It was also likely this rhetoric that won him over conventionally Democrat-leaning voters in former industrial states such as Michigan and Ohio, further testament to the shifting allegiances we are witnessing.

Donald Trump with opponent Hillary Clinton before a presidential debate (Source: AP)

This is certainly not to say that traditional ‘left-right’ issues do not apply to people or politics any more. The popularity of politicians such as Jeremy Corbyn and Bernie Sanders proves that there is still an appetite for classical left-wing policies of state intervention in the economy, particularly among the young.

The interaction between these older issues and the newer ones may prove interesting. It may be the case that the likes of Corbyn and Sanders, for example, should combine their left-wing politics with an open, internationalist message in order to maximise their potential support base. Yet while this may fit together well on some issues, such as an openness and tolerance regarding immigration and multiculturalism, other elements may not sit together as comfortably. For example, left-leaning politicians may not look as favourably on internationalism when it comes to free trade agreements, going against their own protectionist instincts. The conventional Right and the ‘Closed’ side of the new divide also have their own inconsistencies: for one, the benefits immigration can bring to a free-market economy. Whether the open-closed divide usurps the classic left-right one or not, or some confused mess of the two emerges, it is certainly interesting to consider what our own priorities are when choosing who to vote for.

Safe Shoes to Wear in Cold and Slippery Weather

Common Sense Contributors
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By Hannah Bamgbala.

Although the worst is behind us for those in London and the South of England, in these recent terrible weather conditions, it’s important that we know how to stay well protected. So, how well have you been protecting your feet? Snow and ice can be extremely dangerous and slippery, especially if you aren’t wearing the correct shoes to keep yourself safe.

Here are a few simple shoe options for this recent snowy weather, and even if not for now, it’ll come in handy the next time you’re considering a winter ski vacay.

1. Wellington boots

These shoes are mostly worn in rainy weather conditions. They are long and water proof, protecting your feet and a certain length of your legs from getting wet in the rain. These shoes are also good for the snow because they have a surprisingly strong and structured grip underneath to prevent slipping.

2. Timberlands

This particular shoe is always in and out of trend, so it’s great to have a pair, especially for both winter and summer. They are strong shoes that are protective in harsh environments and also cover your ankles. They are great for snowy and icy weather and have a fantastic grip structure under the shoe to provide stability when walking. Although they are a bit pricey, you don’t necessarily have to buy this particular brand, as many shops sell similar versions for less.

4. Snow boots and Mountain boots

Snow boots and mountain boots, aren’t the best looking footwear and may not be in fashion, but they are both fantastic shoes for snowy and icy weather. Real mountain boots are designed to conserve heat, making them particularly warm inside. The grip underneath also makes it nearly impossible to slip and fall. You will also find that most come up above your ankles to lock in that extra bit of heat.

5. Trainers

Last but not least is trainers. There are honestly so many brilliant trainers that have been designed for multiple purposes, but they’ve become such a fashion statement we tend to not see their versatility. Some are built for comfort but the good ones are built to last and provide great balance. Of course, not all trainers are designed for though weather but there are some good ones with well designed grips, water proof material and good support to get you through the snow.

All in all, if you are unfortunate enough to still be battling the cold and wet weather, make sure that your choice in footwear has a good amount of grip underneath and are of course water proof.

 

And don’t forget your socks!

Hannah Bamgbala was born in London and is of Nigerian descent. She is passionate about freedom of expression in both Africa and photography. Hannah is currently a Fashion Media and Promotion student at The University For The Creative Arts Rochester and is looking to pursue journalism, photography and styling once she graduates.

 

A Wild Wilder

Common Sense Contributors
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A Wild Wilder

by Akwasi Appiah

Deontay ‘Broze Bomber’ Wilder KO’d Cuban Heavyweight Luiz Ortiz in the 10th round. Ortiz, dubbed King Kong, was ahead on the cards at the Barclaycard Centre in New York, and almost knocked out Wilder in the 7th round. But Wilder (32 years old) showed resolve and toughness by coming through the storm to knock out Ortiz (38 years old) in the 10th round. The win means that the ‘Bronze Bomber’ has knocked out all 40 men who have faced him, many in the first round itself.

The fight started slow with both fighters acting with caution. Ortiz, the left-handed southpaw and Wilder, the right-handed orthodox fighter both pumped crisp jabs to line up their strong backhands. Boo’s began to ring from the crowd by the 4th round, but this only served as ignition for the fight and made it into the barnstormer it was. At the end of the 5th round a straight right wobbled Ortiz and staggered him. He was lucky to be saved by the bell.

https://twitter.com/EtremeFan/status/970166019015757825

However the 7th round became the talking point of the fight. Both fighters landed their punches at the same time but Ortiz had greater effect. Wilder held on until the end of the round, but it was the first time since turning professional in 2008 that we have seen Wilder in trouble.

https://twitter.com/punchdrunkpauly/status/970150501479211008

The fight was closed out in the 10th round. Having displayed tremendous fitness to recover by the 8th Wilder started to apply more and more pressure. And ultimately the pressure paid off and in the 10th round he clipped the Cuban with a sweet right hand. Ortiz beat the count but this was to be his last act of bravery. Wilder once again caught Ortiz and referee David Fields instantly declared King Kong unfit to continue.

The implications of Wilders win are huge. It increases pressure for the showdown with him and Joshua to come to fruition by the end of the year. Wilder showed he is able to come through adversity, and has a solid chin. But questions still remain as to whether his lack of boxing ability, will stand up to a young and fresh fighter who has more gears than the elderly Ortiz.

Also on the weekend Kell Brook defeated Sergei Rabchenko in his first fight after back-to-back defeats to Gennady Gennadyevich Golovkin often dubbed GGG and American superstar Errol Spence Jr. A sweet uppercut finished the affair in the second round and leaves Brook in a healthy position to challenge once again for a world title at 154lbs.

Sergey Kovalev and Dmitry Bivol have also had notable wins over Igor Mikhalkin and Sullivan Barerra respectively.

 

 Akwasi Appiah is a 3rd year Economics student at Queen Mary University. He has a strong passion for talent development and music. He has his own blog ‘akwasiappiah.com’ and has written for discussion outlets such as @OGGM_ and @DesiringGod.

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