The Beaver - #916 by The Beaver

Issue 915 916 || MT Issue MT Week Week11 9

Newspaper of the LSE Students’ Union: Making Sense of LSE Since 1949

“We’d prefer to teach”

Jack Beeching Features Editor Photographed by Jack Love

rom 1-3 December, through bright, cold, and rainy weather, academic and administrative staff from the University and College Union (UCU) went on strike. The LSE branch is one of the 58 universities that voted to do so, and its members have been picketing and marching throughout the week. If you’ve been on campus at all during that time, you can’t have missed them. Their fight is twofold – proposed cuts to pensions are the headline issue – but UCU members are also striking over the “four fights” of “falling pay, the gender and ethnic pay gap, precarious employment practices, and unsafe workloads”. I followed the strikes, speaking with organisers and strikers. This is what I learnt. Continued on page 6

INSIDE TODAY NEWS LSE announces mask requirement, page 5 SU votes in solidarity with UCU strike, page 4

FEATURES Creating a culture of consent? Consent.Ed Training at LSE, page 8 Labour Soc co-chairs talk Starmer vs. Corbyn and politics on campus, page 9

OPINION Kant, Locke, and Morrissey walk into a bar, page 12 The nationalist media outlets silencing Chinese international students, page 11

& flip for

@MEMESOFLSE

Meet the team Executive Editor Angbeen Abbas executive.beaver@lsesu.org

www.thebeaverlse.co.uk

Editorial: We stand in solidarity with LSE UCU

ith a vote of 89% in favour of strike action and 95% in favour of acManaging Editor tion short of a strike, LSE staff are Gustav Brincat striking for the first time since the managing.beaver@lsesu.org last two waves of industrial action. In fact, this is the first time they reached quorum for a vote in years. Flipside Editor Beatriz Silva It’s been a busy week at The Beaver editor.flipside@lsesu.org as we’ve been covering UCU action, and it is disheartening to see many of the concerns we’ve previously covBeaver Editor ered being echoed at the pickets a Jocelyn Tsang year later. LSE’s academics continue editor.beaver@lsesu.org to run the university on short-term contracts, facing inequality in pay, and now, facing a 35% reduction to Multimedia Editor pensions. Our editors have had the Vaneeza Jawad opportunity to speak to students multimedia.beaver@lsesu.org and staff about what these strikes mean to them and why they matter. What becomes immediately clear News Editors is that the treatment of university Aarti Malhotra staff is untenable, and it will have consequences for all of us at LSE. Aysha Sarah Opinion Editors Edouard Chardot Sonja Belkin

When we discuss the precarity of higher education staff, it is also worth noting that the largest impact is bound to be on voices already

Features Editors Bora Bayram Jack Beeching Part B Editor Ambre Pluta Sport Editors Matt Sudlow Sofia Gerace Social Editors Alina Chen Sadia Sheeraz Review Editors Inayah Inam Vani Kant photos by Jack Love

Editorial Assistants Nicole Lim Klaudia Stefanska Tom Walsh

Any opinions expressed herein are those of their respective authors and not necessarily those of the LSE Students’ Union or Beaver Editorial Staff.

Room 2.02 Saw Swee Hock Student Centre LSE Students’ Union London WC2A 2AE 020 7955 6705

It is understandable that for many students who are returning to campus after a year and a half of online classes, strike action seems like a nuisance at best. But it is important to remember that those striking have had to continue teaching through precarious working conditions, declining pay, and their own experiences of bereavement and loss, during the same pandemic that

we experienced. We need to recognise that the staff at the pickets are our allies in the fight against the marketisation of higher education, which impacts all of us. As students, it is our responsibility to encourage accountability, especially in a political climate where workers’ rights are constantly under threat. We do not believe that we, as representatives of a student body that largely voted in favour of industrial action at a recent SU vote, can choose to be neutral. At this critical juncture in the future of higher education, standing with the academics who make LSE a better place is crucial.

Signed,

The Beaver Editorial Team Angbeen Abbas, Executive Editor Jack Beeching, Features Editor Sonja Belkin, Opinion Editor Alina Chen, Social Editor Vaneeza Jawad, Multimedia Editor Aarti Malhotra, News Editor Ambre Pluta, Part B Editor Aysha Sarah, News Editor Sadia Sheeraz, Social Editor Jocelyn Tsang, Beaver Editor

If LSE truly wants to prevent further disruption to teaching, the School must take its staff seriously. While the strikes may have ended for now, as long as students and staff support each other, the fight is not over.

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All I want for Christmas is you (to Seasonal solidarity read The Beaver) The issues are complex but clearly Gustav Brincat Managing Editor

Angbeen Abbas Executive Editor

elcome to the Christmas edition of The Beaver!

This term could not have gone by quicker for me, and I’m sure most of the third-years reading this feel the same way. It’s a strange feeling thinking about how the next term is my last one at LSE, knowing so much uncertainty lies ahead. It’s no secret that as Michaelmas Term goes on, no matter what year you’re in, you just start feeling like you’ve fallen behind and won’t be able to catch up. Whether that means watching people get spring week offers or send off master’s degree applications, it’s pretty easy to feel like you’re permanently falling behind everyone else.

The Beaver is issued under a Creative Commons license. I went to a UCU teach-out last Friday because one of its organisers is Attribution necessary. Printed at Iliffe Print, Cambridge

marginalised in academia. With a 15% pay gap between men and women, as well as a 17% pay gap between Black and white academics, we need to consider how higher education at large is shutting out minorities. The issues of pension cuts and a 20% staff pay cut since 2009, which are central to these strikes, will affect marginalised groups in academia, who are already not being paid wages equal to their white, male, able-bodied colleagues, far more. When LSE champions itself as ‘inclusive’, do these disparities not raise questions regarding how this is possible when its academics who are working class, women, disabled, or people of colour face such stark inequalities?

an academic that I admire. A decently sized crowd of us were under a marquee in front of the Centre Building, listening to students and staff read out radical texts and poetry, some even playing songs. It was ridiculously cold and I didn’t really personally know anyone there, but it was a reminder of the fact that we belong to such a wonderful community. It is very easy to feel detached from your fellow students and lecturers at LSE, and seeing so many standing together made me remember that as much as I hate it here, I will miss having spaces such as this one when I’m gone.

But enough sentimental garbage: it’s Week 11 and all of us can finally get some sleep! We’ve beefed up our final issue of the term for this occasion, going from 24 to 32 pages. As a result, most of our editors have been working 24/7, and I am endlessly grateful for everything that they, and our contributors, put into making each issue happen. Inside, you’ll find some excellent reporting, analysis, and commentary on everything from the industrial action of last week to the dark side of the Enlightenment. But most importantly, make sure you flip to Flipside for our exclusive interview with Memes of LSE himself! Lastly, it wouldn’t be a Christmas edition without a joke page and some very exciting Christmas puzzles – our Managing Editor Gustav is the person to thank for that. Over this winter break, catch up on some well-needed time for yourself. And if you’re interested in getting involved at any point in the academic year, feel free to reach out to any of us. We can’t wait to see you again next term!

here’s nothing surprising about workers striking when they’ve got a bad deal, and swathes of the academy certainly do. University labour is characterised by low pay, insecurity, and unmanageable workloads. But the effect of the strikes will be limited so long as the problems lack clear accountability. Strikers rightly complain that universities consistently reject more secure employment contracts, but universities are forced by a tuition fee-centric system to see staff expenditure as one column on the balance sheet. Academics are also right to point out that they’re often paid far below the hours they actually worked, with universities making use of the abundance of doctoral graduates in a tight labour market. Of course, universities are incentivised to maintain a high PhD intake to boost tuition fee payments and increase their low-cost labour pool. Pensions are a knottier issue. The long-term settlement will inevitably be unpalatable to some. Either scheme members will increase their risk appetite and bear costs for fund fluctuations; academics, universities, or the government will pay more into the pensions; or the pension payouts will be reduced. The abstruse debate over pension fund risk is unlikely to see UCU activists triumph over USS trustees and The Pensions Regulator.

high stakes. Though LSE staff fare better than most, they are still suffering. Nevertheless, the acute suffering of students over the past two years, whose education, job prospects, and mental wellbeing have been razed by the pandemic, is an important factor in these debates. The SU’s affirmative vote to support these strikes is welcome, but the issue of proportionality must still be carefully considered. While three days of striking is a useful reminder to students and policymakers that there is righteous discontent in the academy, the longer strikes suggested for 2022 are less likely to command such wide support. It is difficult to endorse sustained industrial action when the problems are this complex, intractable, and inert, with grave consequences for the already decimated student experience.

Our coverage of the UCU strikes, where Jack Beeching’s cover piece is a particular highlight, sits within this expanded 32-page Christmas edition. Particular highlights in The Beaver include Sadia’s foray into racist scholarship in Opinion, Alan’s Features exploration of the factors affecting students’ career choices, and the various news updates supplied on a quick turnaround by the News editors, Aarti and Aysha. In Flipside, I especially enjoyed Ambre’s heartfelt piece on writer’s block and the wholesome term review in Sport. I should, of course, also point out the Christmassy novelties Vaneeza and I conjured up for the middle spread: I hope at least a few of the Broken News jokes land.

NEWS

News Editors Aarti Malhotra Aysha Sarah news.beaver@lsesu.org

Postgraduate students made up the apparent majority of the students at the pickets. A master’s student suggested that the relatively small number of undergraduate students was due to them not spending enough time with teachers outside the classroom and thus having insufficient information about conditions faced by staff. He said, “The strikes have come up a lot both inside and outside my classrooms. A lot of people that teach me are on very precarious contracts and the working conditions make it very tough for them to provide the best possible experience for me. This is a worthy cause to support to make [education] better.”

UCU strikes kick off on campus Aarti Malhotra News Editor Photos by Jack Love and Metta Ni

ollowing the University and College Union (UCU) vote backing strike action over pension cuts and working conditions, staff at LSE went on strike between 1 and 3 December. The four primary demands of the UCU industrial action are as follows: • Address the gender, ethnic, and disability pay gap • End contract casualisation and rising job insecurity • Tackle academics’ rising workloads • Raise the wages of staff by £2500 across all pay points As a result of the industrial action, a significant proportion of classes and lectures across departments were cancelled on the three days of strikes. This included the Departments of Anthropology, Government, Geography, International History, and Sociology, amongst others. However, some staff members, such as non-members of the UCU and certain graduate teaching assistants (GTAs), chose to not strike and ran classes as normal. Some in-person classes were administered online during the strike, including office hours from the Department of Economics and classes from the Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method. Staff members on strike at the

pickets ranged across all ranks, from professors to graduate teaching assistants. A professor from the Sociology Department commented: “The disputes are relevant to all faculty. There may be things disproportionately affecting junior staff with casualised contracts but that’s more reason for senior staff to show solidarity.” A member of the LSE UCU Committee added, “None of us enjoy striking. This is an occupation you go into because you enjoy teaching and love working with young people – that’s a privilege of the job. Hence, when you don’t want to do it, it has to be a really serious step.” Striking staff will face salary deductions for their labour withdrawal. At the request of the LSE branch of the UCU, LSE has agreed that the salary cuts from the industrial action will go towards the student hardship fund. In addition to withdrawing their labour, LSE staff members led various teach-outs and pickets across campus on all three days of the strikes. Staff members, with the support of some students, formed pickets of around 30 people each outside campus buildings such as the Library and Centre Building and handed out pamphlets, explained the causes of the strike action, and dissuaded students from crossing the picket lines. When asked about the objective of the pickets, an LSE faculty member said: “We aim to raise consciousness among staff and students

about the future of education and hope that these actions will continue until the university returns to the negotiating table.”

strating student solidarity with staff strikers and that they disagree with the way the university has been treating staff members.

Although many students agreed with the staff and students’ right to strike, some raised questions about the practice of dissuading people from entering campus buildings. One such student said, “I saw a couple of students being booed for entering the library during the first day of the strikes. I agree with the UCU decision to strike, but is shaming students really the way to go about it?”

The LSESU held an indicative vote in late November to decide whether it would support the UCU industrial action in which members voted “overwhelmingly” in favour of the strikes. The LSESU General Secretary Josie Stephens valso appeared on talkRADIO on 2 December to discuss the School’s strike action and the LSESU’s support. The SU encouraged students to support staff strikers by joining pickets, attending teach-outs events, emailing the heads of departments, and signing the NUS petition.

However, a postgraduate student at one of the pickets explained that the purpose of preventing students from entering campus buildings is to further pressurise the administration by demon-

A student leading a picket in front of the New Academic Building explained that he supported the strikes because university education had become an “exploitative, overcharged affair”, where students are forced to go into exorbitant debt and overworked staff face substandard working conditions. He said, “I would rather stand with professors that I have relations with...and try to build that as grounds for better education for everyone.” Another student at the picket explained that she showed up in solidarity with the staff as a “duty” to reciprocate the support demonstrated by the faculty during the student protests against the LSESU Debate Society’s event in early November.

In concurrence, the member of the LSE UCU Committee said, “A rising proportion of education is fulfilled by people who do not have permanent jobs and hence don’t have a vested interest in the future of the institution and its development. A far too high proportion of your degree is being taught by people on casual contracts.” According to the picket organisers, the student response to the strikes has been largely supportive. The LSE UCU member said that across his tenure at LSE, these picket lines witnessed the highest level of support and turnout. The professor from the Department of Sociology said: “All the students across our 6-7 MSc programmes came together to write a letter in support [of the strikes]... [for] my programme which is Inequalities and Social Sciences, almost half of them were here this morning.” However, another student pointed out that some students were apathetic to the picket lines and cited their workload as a reason to cross them. She also observed that many students “simply did not know enough” about the strikes. For students who believe they are unable to take a firm stance on the issue, another postgraduate student encourages them to engage with the pickets and ask questions: “We’re not here just to shame students. We’re here to provide information and explain what’s going on.”

4 News SU meetings address response to Israel-Palestine event protest Aysha Sarah News Editor Celia Saboureau Contributor Photo by Matt Sudlow

he LSE Students’ Union hosted two student meetings in November last month: first the student members’ meeting on 11 November, followed by a town hall event on 18 November. Both events were dominated by the discussion of the LSESU Debate Society’s hosting of the Israeli ambassador to the UK, Tzipi Hotovely, and the protests that followed. The student members’ meeting Beginning with the student members’ meeting that took place on 11 November, students expressed concerns about the LSESU’s initial approval of the event.

voiced their unease with how political figures called for a police investigation and for the protesters to be put on a watchlist: “Students need certainty that the LSE will effectively protect their right to protest and defend them publicly.” Another student mentioned that LSE and the SU’s response to the student protest was ironic since they “have always encouraged students to take initiative and make their voices heard”. Responding to these concerns, LSESU General Secretary Josie Stephens apologised to those who felt unsafe and conceded that the one-day notice of the event’s approval was inadequate. The General Secretary assured students that the SU would make sure that controversial events are known about in advance and that people involved be acknowledged beforehand. Although matters of controversial speakers go straight to the LSE administration, she agreed that the SU should have been more proactive in creating a safe space for all students. The SU had also obtained confirmation from LSE that students will not face any disciplinary action for exercising their right to peacefully protest.

A student explained that the SU “failed to inform the Palestinian Society, who had a one-day notice to grapple with the situation”. Whilst the student recognised that the LSESU Debate Society, as an organisation, had an obligation to uphold freedom of speech, they also pointed out that according to the LSE Code of Practice on Free Speech, free speech did not apply in the event of “unlawful The town hall event activities” including the “expression of racial or religious hatred, The primary concern at the town or incitement to such hatred”. hall event, which took place on 18 November, was the kind of reAnother concern was that students form the SU would implement felt that there should have been in light of the protest. After a more protection given to protest- week of processing students’ coners, especially since the protests cerns, the sabbatical officers came were characterised as violent and with a defined course of action.

the SU to work towards: 1. Lobbying LSE to issue a statement of support. Whilst LSE had confirmed that students would not be investigated, the sabbatical officers emphasised the need for LSE to publicly and explicitly assure the student body of their right to protest. 2. Looking into support mechanisms for students, working with organisations such as the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Office and the Faith Centre to communicate with societies. 3. Meeting with the directorate and looking into the current SU policy of the processes on inviting controversial guests, based on concerns which were addressed in the student members’ meeting held the week prior.

The SU expressed understanding that they lacked a clear process towards such events, and thus needed to prioritise changing the administrative procedures for potentially controversial events to ensure student safety. The SU communicated that they wanted to implement a process where controversial events would be referred to the sabbatical officers before going to LSE to mitigate potential ramifications.

LSESU votes in solidarity of UCU industrial action Sofia Lammali Contributor Photo by Jack Love

on whether we should support industrial action next week. Our members voted overwhelmingly in favour of support. Thus, we stand firmly with staff and support their strike against national pension changes and the 4 fights.’’

The news was welcomed by the LSE branch of the UCU who gave their “warmest thank you to LSE students for standing with staff and rejecting attempts to divide us.”

anti-Semitic in the media. This was part of the wider issue regard- Drawing ing the right to protest. A student outlined

he LSE Student Union voted to support the upcoming strike action set to take place between Wednesday and Friday this week. LSE along with 56 other universities across the UK face three days of industrial action late next week after the University and College Union announced that its members will stop work over disputes over pension cuts, pay and working conditions. If no resolution is found there remains potential that even more strikes may occur in the new year. The LSE SU General Secretary, Josie Stephens tweeted: “This week the LSE SU held an indicative vote

on feedback, three steps

they for

A student mentioned that whilst the sabbatical officers had outlined in their statement that students would have the opportunity to question the ambassador, the “ticketing system’’, where ticket sales were not openly advertised, and “the way in which the event was run by the chair” made doing so difficult.

There has been a divide amongst universities with Imperial, Birkbeck and SOAS having voted to support the UCU strike action. Whilst universities, namely UCL and King’s College, whose Student Unions’ have voted to not support the upcoming strikes. The statement from the UCL Sabbatical Officers emphasises the impact the strike will have on students: ‘’Strikes lead to lost learning, delayed teaching, in-

In response to this, the sabbatical officers acknowledged the event’s shortcomings. They stated that a briefing had taken place with the chair but suggested more attention should have been given to how the event would be conducted. Another student called for LSE ‘‘to set an honest stage’’, commenting on how the event was presented on social media. The consensus amongst the students present was that LSE is fearful of potential repercussions in the face of public opinion towards the event, especially regarding the government’s views on the protests and calls for an invvestigation.

The Beaver is awaiting comment from the sabbatical officers; due to ongoing staff strikes this has been delayed.

creased assignment stress – students suffer as a way to add pressure on UCL during negotiations.’’ The LSE Sabbatical Officers have reassured in a statement released post-solidarity vote acknowledging the impact of strike action on students: ‘’We will work with colleagues across LSE to minimise the impact of strikes on students. For example, we will be lobbying LSE to ensure exams and assessments do not contain content which was not taught as a result of strikes.’’

News

LSE announces mask requirement indoors, reaffirms in-person January exams Aarti Malhotra News Editor

Other campus measures, such as the four-day testing requirement, will stay in place. Social and graduation events will also continue “with increased testing restrictions requiring a valid negative test from the day of, or the day before the event”. The enhanced testing requirements were reflected in events such as the Athletics Union (AU) Carol, which took place on 3 December.

n an email to the student body on 29 November, LSE announced changes to its Covid-secure measures on campus. Starting 30 November, the School stated that it would “expect” students and staff to wear masks at all times when indoors in campus buildings, unless they are exempt.

The announcement comes following the UK government’s introduction of precautionary measures in response to the identification of the Omicron variant in the UK. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Omicron variant, which was first reported in South Africa on 24 November, poses a significant threat globally due to its “highly mutated” nature.

LSE further stated that in-person January exams will be administered as planned. Students will be required to wear masks during these exams and present evidence of a negative Covid test. The School will provide further information regarding the January assessments through its FAQ page in the coming week.

The UK government also announced that beginning 30 November, people in England would be required to wear face coverings in settings such as shops, banks, and public transport, unless exempt.

The email stated: “By taking early action – strengthening our measures and following the UK government’s lead, our aim is to slow the spread of Covid and help minimise the need for more intense restrictions over the holidays and into the new year.”

The LSESU Hayek Society has issued a statement in light of the new restrictions, calling the new

Dessert Cafe opening marks first exclusive alcohol-free social space

he LSE Dessert Cafe opened its doors for the first time on 19 November. Situated on the sixth floor of the Saw Swee Hock Building at the Weston Cafe, it is an alcohol-free space that also offers vegan options to students. The cafe will be open every Friday evening from 5pm to 9pm and promises “pancakes, waffles and good vibes”.

ture. The SU instituted the cafe in response to student observations that the majority of social activities on campus revolve around drinking, such as society socials at the Three Tuns or the Athletics Union (AU) club nights on Wednesdays. Thus, the Dessert Cafe serves to offer an environment for students who may wish to socialise in other ways. Moreover, the cafe’s provision of vegan options also caters to students with specific dietary requirements.

This cafe opening marks one of first initiatives at LSE to provide an alcohol-free alternative to socialising amidst the School’s drinking cul-

A member of the Islamic Society commented: “As a Muslim student at LSE, it is incredibly difficult to find halal food options

Aysha Sarah News Editor Photo by Aysha Sarah

around campus. This initiative of a non-alcoholic cafe opens up options that satisfy my dietary needs. It will be a place where you can meet people, have a good time, and get great halal food.” A second-year student commented: “I don’t mind drinking; however, the opening of the cafe gives more choice and definitely increases inclusivity. I am able to socialise with my non-drinking friends in an environment that they feel comfortable in.” The cafe is also hosting a dessert pop-up store on Sheffield Street next week at the winter festival.

mask requirements a “disappointing example of a knee-jerk decision made without evidence”. The LSESU Hayek Society said, “Through a low danger profile [of the Omicron variant] thought to be little more than that of seasonal flu, we must now head towards the reopening of society, not further draconian measures.” The society further called for a reevaluation of the “model” to minimise harm to education: “...no cost benefit analysis has taken place. Students are suffering from measures implemented by both the central government and those local to us at LSE.” LSE is set to review its Covid measures again on 13 December.

FEATURES

Features Editors Bora Bayram Jack Beeching features.beaver@lsesu.org

“We’d prefer to teach” Jack Beeching Features Editor

continued from page 1 Firstly, why is this happening? The most obvious answer is pensions. Peter Skrandies, the branch membership secretary, told me in a personal capacity: “The proposed changes to the pensions system mean that on average members stand to lose up to 35%… of their pension income.” That figure of 35% is based on analysis conducted by the UCU, but their employers, represented by Universities UK (UUK), have worked to undermine it. On 8 November, the Vice-Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University told a press conference that the cut to pen-

essential. Junior staff will be those most affected by the proposed pension changes, as they will be making a higher proportion of their total pension contributions into a less generous scheme. They are also those affected by casualisation: the practice of employing staff on temporary contracts as opposed to making permanent hires. The result is a precarious work environment, lower pay, and limited options for career progression. Speaking from the picket line, an associate professor told me that she is “really concerned about the early-career researchers”, as “the conditions of pay and work have been dreadful for these last two years”. The UCU’s demands recognise this: £2.5k flat pay increase may not be essential for more senior staff, but for those at the

“I want to fight for the university as a place that does the politics that we espouse" sions would only be between “10 to 18 percent”. Michael Otsuka, an LSE professor on the UCU’s negotiating team, emphatically rejects this claim. His modelling shows how the proposed cap on inflation protection could make the cuts far deeper given current market forecasts. Even if the UUK’s figure were true, however, numerous staff interviewed stressed that it would still greatly affect them. But are changes necessary? The dispute is over the value of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), a pensions fund worth £85bn. When the financial markets took a downturn in March 2020, the scheme’s risk trigger led to a new valuation of the fund. This is the fundamental point of disagreement: the USS’ trustees and the pensions regulator argue that the scheme will not be able to meet future commitments to contributors, hence the need for cuts. The UCU disagrees. It argues that the valuation was excessively pessimistic owing to when it was conducted; “they did that evaluation at the worst possible time, at the height of Covid,” as Peter put it. This isn’t the whole story. Pensions are important, but “what really gets me out here every day are the four fights,” said a striker who asked to remain anonymous. Here, solidarity between staff is

bottom of the pay scale, it would mean an increase in salary of 14%. This emphasis on justice extends further: the strike also hopes to address the gender, ethnic, and disabled pay gaps for university staff. Marginalised voices were central to last week’s strike action. The teach-out included events such as “Extractivism and Coloniality in Knowledge Production”, and “Feminism and the Political Struggle”. At the latter event, a speaker described to the audience that “central to this UCU strike are questions of gender, race, and class inequality… it affects early career members more than it affects people of my age”. In keeping with the theme of solidarity, a delegation from QMUL arrived to show their support mid-way through the speech. The mood was summarised by one striking academic, who told me: “I want to fight for the university as a place that does the politics that we espouse”. The position of students is somewhat conflicted. As consumers of education, missed learning is obviously a detriment. Despite this, the strikes have had broad student support. Notably, the LSESU voted to support this industrial action. “It’s incredible!” said Jo Taplin-Green, LSE’s UCU branch chair, which was a sentiment echoed by all strikers

interviewed. Although such votes of solidarity were not replicated across all London universities, polling by the National Union of Students (NUS) finds 73% support for the strikes amongst students nationally.

been a source of hope for many of those striking. “I’m optimistic because my students are amazing. Every day I walk out of the classroom, and I feel energised by them,” an anonymous striker told me.

A key rallying cry for students and staff alike is that “our working conditions are your learning conditions”. When asked how she felt about classes being cancelled, Elizabeth, a student on the picket line, told

The most pressing question is what happens now. Negotiations are difficult because of the fundamental disagreement over the USS fund’s value. Presently, Jo is hopeful that LSE would be receptive to

"It’s a small price to pay if you think about what’s at stake" me: “It’s a small price to pay if you think about what’s at stake – [proposed changes] will really narrow the field of who can be an academic. That’s a far worse prospect than me missing class for three days”.

strikers’ demand for manageable workloads – a local, achievable change. From a sector-wide perspective, she stressed the importance of individual universities “putting pressure on the employer body…that’s why it’s so imporPeter also shared this belief in a tant that every branch comes out”. common ground between students and staff, citing student loans with The UCU is currently re-balloting high interest rates as symptomat- at universities that missed the 50% ic of a wider malaise in academ- threshold legally required for indusia. “What’s the point of an edu- trial action, with plans for another cation?” he posited. “Is it only to wave in the spring. “We’re expecting prepare you for the job market?” more strikes next year.” Jo told me, Despite a sense of disappointment “Really crucial is February for USS, at the direction of higher educa- which is when decisions are made tion, the support of students has around the pensions.” If the UCU

is able to credibly threaten further industrial action, a settlement becomes a more realistic possibility. “We’d prefer to teach!” was the refrain of many on the picket line, emphasising their reluctance to cancel classes. “We’re doing this as a last resort,” Peter said. On the final day of the strike, I asked Jo whether she felt hopeful. “If we weren’t, we wouldn’t be here. It’s December. It was freezing yesterday. Who would want to be outside?” But she added: “We’ll take action for as long as we need to.”

Features

“I don’t belong here!” – on feeling like an imposter Lara Wiebecke Staff Writer Illustrated by Vaneeza Jawad

hen I left a message in a few social media groups to find some students to interview about imposter syndrome, I was expecting zero responses. 20 minutes later I opened my phone to seven replies. As the day went on, the messages didn’t stop coming. This is when I first realised how widespread imposter syndrome at LSE actually is. People with imposter syndrome doubt their abilities and feel like fraudsters pretending to belong to a group they have no place in. There is a common feeling among affected students that they got lucky in the application process, but actually do not have the talent or skills needed to succeed in higher education. Many of my interview partners explained that these feelings were amplified during seminars. Surrounded by bright students making meaningful contributions to seminar discussions, they felt like they had nothing of value to add to the conversation themselves.

So what can students do to beat imposter syndrome? Emma recommends first to take a step back and reflect. “When you feel like an imposter, you might start creating the narrative that people are judging you, that the university made a mistake when they accepted you and that everybody else around you is very smart. It is important to realise that this is a projection. Feelings aren’t always facts.” Next, it can be helpful to share your struggles with peers or a mentor

that you trust. Most students interviewed for this article agreed that talking to others helped them overcome their initial doubts and nervousness. As one student remarked, “Don’t be shy to meet people and initiate a conversation over social media even if it feels a bit awkward. Everyone at university is experiencing the same things.” Approaching another person can be made difficult by the stigma surrounding imposter syndrome, but according to Emma

According to Emma Nabavian, a co-manager at LSE’s Student Counselling Service, people affected by imposter syndrome tend to believe that they are the only ones struggling with it. In reality, imposter syndrome is relatively common at university in her experience. The second paradox lies in the fact that “very successful people can have it, even if there is absolutely nothing to indicate that they should feel this way”.

the “chances are that half of your seminar is having these feelings”. Another obstacle can be the worry that one’s own experience may not be severe enough to really classify as imposter syndrome and that it is consequently not worth talking about. One of my interview partners succinctly summarised this sentiment by explaining that she felt like an imposter while talking about imposter syndrome. Even if feelings of inadequacy may not be overwhelmingly strong, it is worth reflecting on them. Emma explains that self-compassion can feel like a weakness in high-pressure environments when it is actually vital for your wellbeing. In many cases self-care in the form of exercising, connecting to people and getting enough sleep can go a long way. When feelings of self-doubt are accompanied by persistent anxiety or low mood which is having a signif-

Emma from Student Counselling remarks, personal traits that are not strictly related to academics such as empathy, kindness, and capacity for deep thinking are also valuable. Placing equal emphasis on academic skills and other personal strengths can help to take some of the pressure off and improve one’s self-esteem.

Other systemic problems, such as According to Emma, the term “im- class and racial identity, arise when poster syndrome” can be somewhat we talk about imposter syndrome. An problematic, since it “pathologised LSE student called Tina shared with me that “as a woman of colour I used to feel a lot of imposter syndrome”. In her previous workplace, she had sometimes felt like the “token Chinese girl” who could have easily been replaced by another girl from a similar background. Seeing other women of colour speaking out on social methe individual” instead of looking dia about this issue has helped Tina to at broader systemic issues. Sophie, feel more empowered. The LSESU also a student at LSE, believes that some offers additional support for Black of her insecurities stem from her and ethnic minority students through experience back at school: “I was their BME Mentoring Scheme that never lauded as smart, because I connects students to alumni who wasn’t good at maths or science. Afcan offer support and reassurance. ter starting an arts degree I remember people, particularly men, asking Finally, LSE students struggling with me how I would ever get a job.” This imposter syndrome should take to made Sophie question whether she heart what Tina’s professor told her: belonged in higher academic in“Everyone here deserves to be here.” stitutions. One way of overcoming this kind of uneasiness could be to challenge how society measures ‘intelligence’ and ‘worthiness’. As

“Even if feelings of inadequacy may not be overwhelmingly strong, it’s worth reflecting on them.”

“People with imposter syndrome doubt their abilities and feel like fraudsters pretending to belong to a group they have no place in.”

In some cases, imposter syndrome can strongly impact a person’s wellbeing. A postgraduate student shared with me that she would love to pursue a PhD, but her feelings of inadequacy were standing in her way. Her friendships had also been affected, due to her wanting to avoid talking about academics with her friends.

icant impact, however, students may want to consider taking advantage of the support offered by the Student Wellbeing Service. Apart from that, students can receive academic support from LSE Life, speak to fellow students through LSE’s Peer Support Scheme, and attend workshops about anxiety or self-esteem offered by the Student Counselling Service.

Features

Creating a culture of consent? Consent.Ed training at LSE Natasha Porter Staff Writer Photo via @lsesu on Instagram

for some participants and that sometimes facilitators would not know how to deal with these situations. “It can be problematic sometimes if you don’t know how to deal with it and I don’t want to do more harm than help someone at that point,” she said.

uring the first weeks of Michaelmas Term, over 1000 LSE students participated in Consent.Ed workshops. These workshops took place both online and in-person and aimed to educate students on consent, sexual violence, and being an active bystander. The online workshops consisted of informational graphics and several short videos with a quiz at the end, while the in-person sessions were 90-minute long interactive conversations led by student facilitators. The in-person Consent.Ed workshops were open to all LSE students; however, first-year undergraduates and core committee members of SU clubs and societies were required to attend. According to figures provided by the SU, 90% of participants found the sessions worthwhile and 99% said they would feel confident to act in situations as an active bystander. The Beaver spoke to three student facilitators about the impact of these workshops and how they can be expanded in the future. “The biggest issue that the Consent.Ed workshops help with is informing people, because I don't think students go out thinking that what they're doing is against the rules of consent,” said Swasti Mustafi, one of the student facilitators. The workshops began with the facilitators explaining to participants that every student has had different experiences with sex education and consent training, and that the workshops are designed to ensure that every LSE student has the same level of knowledge on consent. “There is an assumption that people come into university with the knowledge that they need, but they often don't, especially when you have a community like LSE where there is such an international background – and even different legal systems when it comes to things like consent,” said Hannah Brown, another student facilitator. “Even within the UK a lot of students would not have had consent training as part of their schooling,” she continued. When asked about the successes

There was also a desire to expand the programme to create an ongoing conversation around consent, and to also ignite conversations on sex education, sexual health, power dynamics, and same-sex relationships. “Sometimes with consent training if you don’t have practical information on sex then you can only consent to a certain extent. If I don’t understand STIs then to what extent can I consent to sex without protection?” Brown asked, emphasising the need for increased sexual health awareness in addition to consent training. While the interviewees were positive that the Consent.Ed workshops have been largely successful, they also recognised that more needs to be done and that the workshops were just one step in the journey to creating a safer community for all LSE students. “We need LSE to step up, rather than just the SU,” stated Aravind. Consent.Ed workshops are still available both online and in-person and can be booked on the SU website. of the Consent.Ed workshops, the student facilitators interviewed were very positive about their impact. They believed that being able to engage with students who might not have otherwise taken part in conversations about consent was a major success of the programme. They also emphasised the importance of having students facilitate these workshops. “It was very interesting to have students teaching students so that everyone feels comfortable and everyone feels like they’re not being patronised or talked down to,” Brown commented. The workshops were also praised by Hands Off LSE, a campaign that aims to support survivors and lobby LSE for increased support for those who have experienced sexual violence on campus. Namitha Aravind, a lead campaigner for Hands Off and a student facilitator of the Consent.Ed workshops, praised the content of the workshops, noting that they supported “an intersectional range of sur-

"...a lot of students would not have had consent training as part of their schooling”

"Sometimes with consent training if you don't have practical information on sex then you can only consent to a certain extent. If I don't understand STIs then to what extent can I consent to sex without protection?" vivors” and were “suitable for an international audience”. She also explained that Hands Off were directly involved in planning the workshops. They worked closely with the SU to ensure that they were directly in line with the goals of Hands Off and “supported survivors as sensitively as possible”. Despite the clear successes of the workshops, the student facilitators interviewed believed that much more needs to be done to tackle issues of sexual assault and harassment on campus. “LSE has repeatedly failed to provide clear channels of communication and support for survivors,” Aravind stated. She acknowledged that some improvements have been made but claimed that it was “really difficult” for survivors to receive adequate support

because the people providing the support “are not well-equipped or well-trained to give survivors what they need”. This concern was shared by Mustafi who stated that LSE needs “a better system of reporting and dealing with complaints”. When asked about the future of the Consent.Ed workshops, the student facilitators interviewed had several ideas on how to improve them for future LSE students. They all emphasised the need for increased funding to allow more students to participate and to improve the effectiveness of the programme. “We need more training,” Mustafi said. She also expressed interest in having a professional in each workshop for participants to talk to if they felt distressed by the content. She explained that the content could be triggering

Features

Labour Soc co-chairs talk Starmer, Corbyn, and politics on campus Bora Bayram Features Editor

t’s fair to say that for the past few years the Labour Party hasn’t been in its prime. Amid anti-Semitism, infighting, and trailing performance in the polls, the party had its worst election result since 1935. However, a lot has changed since the party’s catastrophic defeat in 2019: most significantly, the election of a new leader in the middle of the worst pandemic in a century. What hasn’t changed is that almost two years on, the Labour Party is more divided than ever. For my part, this interview is an effort to understand where students stand in the great rift that divides Labour. Before going into the Media Centre, I can guess the general line the co-chairs of Labour Society, Lola Fayokun and Tilly Mason, are going to follow given LSE’s reputation as a leftwing university. In the half-hour that follows, their wide-ranging criticism of Keir Starmer and defence of the Corbyn-era goes beyond my expectations. Covid has not been easy on anyone, especially societies. Labour Society was no different: “During Covid, there was a lot going on… but it was hard to mobilise around anything because everything was

online,” Tilly says. Even with the new year and fewer restrictions, Labour’s place on campus can be confusing, as it’s not always clear to what extent the party itself can be represented by students. “We don’t necessarily have to represent the whole of the Labour Party… we are a home for people who vote Labour but we can take that in our own direction,” Tilly adds. Lola says, “We don’t want to represent internal Labour conversations – we want to be more open.”

This small example of the disconnect between what Labour currently represents and students’ views foreshadows even larger discrepancies. “This is a tricky one,” is Tilly’s initial reaction when asked about Keir Starmer. Lola interjects: “I don’t think that the direction Keir Starmer is going in is one that’ll win him the next election.” She argues Starmer’s previous career as a prosecutor has shaped how he reacts to many issues: “His [approach] is to have

Lola and Tilly make no secret of their support for Corbyn. But the million-dollar question of why Labour lost the 2019 election seems to elude them. Lola says that there are “probably a lot of immediate and historical reasons that led to us losing” before quickly moving to talk about the election’s silver linings, namely that it led many young people on campus to be involved with politics. They also disagree with the idea that Corbyn was too leftwing to be elected. Instead, giving the example of free wifi, Tilly says that “people had in their brains that it wasn’t feasible, even though I think it is”. “I think it was diffimore authoritative reactions… cult to present that vision in a way it’s clear to us who those reactions which felt realistic and honest, and end up harming, particularly those people felt was possible,” Lola adds. from marginalised backgrounds.” On the Hotovely protests, Tilly “It’s one of the most vivid memsays that his reaction shows “he is ories of my life,” says Tilly as she losing the original base of Labour”. describes sitting in Latimer Road

“We were just pointing at Grenfell, like ‘have people forgotten about this? How can you vote Tory after that?’” One manifestation of this was the protests against Israeli ambassador Tzipi Hotovely. While Labour has been surprisingly critical of student protests, with Keir Starmer calling the protests “completely unacceptable”, Lola and Tilly don’t share this perspective. “I’ve never witnessed that before where nothing happens and the media [sensationalised it]…just because it was majority non-white people protesting,” Tilly says. “A lot of the stuff she said is really upsetting for a lot of people because it represents the oppression they face,” adds Lola.

stand, he is easy to subscribe to but it’s kind of doing the opposite. It’s disenfranchising people from Labour,” adds Tilly. Labour’s answer to their catastrophic defeat seems not to have impressed the pair.

What the pair see as Starmer’s “lack of vision” really stands out. “If you look at Blair or Corbyn, at least you could identify a particular vision…and I think, for most people, Keir Starmer represents the vacuous politician,” says Lola. “He thinks, by not having a

Station, in full view of Grenfell Tower, when the exit poll came out. “We were just pointing at Grenfell, like ‘have people forgotten about this? How can you vote Tory after that?’” Through the laughter of describing how Lola walked into a lamppost and broke a bottle of wine, ruining her ‘Jez We Can’ bag, you can make out the sense of disappointment they still feel today. Lola emphasises that Labour should “learn lessons” from the election defeat. However, as I question them further about Corbyn’s legacy, I can’t help thinking that they refuse to acknowledge his shortcomings. With the theme of young people in politics running throughout our conversation, I ask them whether, conversely, Corbyn also alienated some older people. Lola responds by saying that “he alienates some people, in the same way Keir Starmer alienates some people”, adding “I think it’s too early to tell what the actual trend is in terms of voting patterns.” However many Labour members loved and elected Corbyn – which Tilly cites as a reason for why his vision

“He thinks, by not having a stand, he is easy to subscribe to but it’s kind of doing the opposite. It’s disenfranchising people from Labour" “couldn’t have alienated that many people” – it's also true that the wider public generally didn’t think the same. Aside from two lost general elections, the fact that Corbyn’s approval rating was at some points as low as -60% also indicates this. As the interview comes to an end, I find myself struck by how profoundly Lola and Tilly’s perspectives differ from that of the Labour leadership. Time will tell if Labour can overcome these differences and once again present a united front. Winning over young people, many of whom share Lola and Tilly’s opinions, may be Keir Starmer’s biggest challenge, and one which he is evidently failing.

10 Features ‘Investment banking and consulting are very temporary jobs’: what factors determine an LSE graduate’s career? Alan Nemirovski Staff Writer

SE has a reputation for sending a large number of graduates to prestigious finance, consulting, and law firms. As a result, the topic of career pathways is on the minds of many students as they work towards their degrees. This stresses the need for a discussion on students’ and graduates’ motivations to pursue their chosen careers. What drives students and graduates to follow the career pathways LSE is known for, or, alternatively, to pursue career pathways off the beaten path? According to statistics gathered from 2017-18 graduates and published on the LSE Careers website, more than 50% of graduates pursued a career in either “professional, scientific, and technical activities” or “financial and insurance activities”. Shaun Harris, one of the two Heads of Career Education at LSE Careers, believes everything from family to peers and “wider societal trends” can influence our career decisions, and that even “sometimes you don’t know what the right thing is until you do it”. High graduate salaries attract prospective students entering the university and can serve as a motivator for LSE students. Data from a report released by the Institute for Fiscal Studies in 2018 shows LSE graduates make more than graduates from any other Russell Group university, including Oxford and Cambridge. On average, male graduates make approximately £60,000 per year and female graduates make approximately £55,000 per year by the age of 29. “Even from summer internships, you get a ton of money...Internships could pay something like [thousands of] dollars per month,” says Yiyan Zhao, a second-year Politics and Philosophy student. Yiyan explains how high potential and actual salaries motivated her to apply for a hedge fund internship, even though she has minimal background in finance. It was ultimately her lack of passion and enthusiasm for the profession that deterred her from pursuing such an internship later on. But she acknowledges that being at LSE influenced her decision-making: “If I wasn’t at LSE, and went [somewhere else] instead, I would have never considered applying for any internships at a hedge fund.”

External pressure also appears to influence the career decisions of many students. “Particularly with undergraduates, among some, there is a pressure to go into certain types of careers at LSE,” notes Shaun Harris. “A lot of this is peer pressure to go into finance, consulting, or law. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with any of those careers...but sometimes students are kind of swept along.” He adds that post-graduate students studying more specific programmes often have a clearer picture of the careers they want to pursue and are less likely to fall into this same trap as undergraduate students at LSE. Careers in finance, consulting, and law, seem to be highly sought after by many LSE students, but others appear to get caught in the middle of the spring week frenzy. Additionally, being around the same people off-campus as on-campus can intensify this pressure, which is why Shaun Harris and Arnaud De Vogue, a third-year student and president of the Alternative Careers Society, believe living in halls of residence is a contributor to this social pressure. De Vogue adds that even in intercollegiate halls, “you could see a difference between the LSE people and the others”. He further elaborates on how as an undergraduate student he “became stressed to the point where it became ridiculous”. He agreed it was a result of peer-driven pressure. De Vogue thinks this rein-

forces the need for societies such as the Alternative Careers Society, which aims to explore career paths that are “not conventional for LSE”.

corporate careers. Ashley instead points to various factors such as genuine interest and personal circumstances ultimately being motivators for many students to purHowever, it can be difficult to ex- sue these ‘conventional careers’. plore truly unconventional career paths when careers in fields such Whilst Shaun Harris predicts some as marketing have been deemed careers like finance will remain as “alternative”, for which the Al- popular for a long time, many caternative Careers Society hosted reers change as time goes on. Techevents last year. This contrasts nological advances and the evoluwith students at surrounding uni- tion of our society are paving the versities such as King’s College way for new, unimaginable careers, London and University College and have created careers today that London, who, according to De didn’t exist ten years ago. As such, Vogue, consider such careers com- career aspirations and pathways petitive and extremely sought after. will change, and different careers will be sought after than today. Ashley*, a fourth-year Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) Daniella Smith, a first-year Psystudent has a different take on the chology and Behavioural Sciences pressure students face at LSE. She student believes that our increasing says this external pressure could use of technology, “our evident inabe a result of students hearing the bility to adequately deal with public loud voices of a minority, and not health crises such as the current one, hearing the voices of their peers and the increasing use of behavpursuing other career paths. She ioural sciences in policy-making” discusses her cohort of fourth- will contribute to the development year PPE students and points to of new careers in her field. Indeed, the diverse careers each person Covid has already created new inshe knows is planning to pursue. terdisciplinary careers between health/medicine and other fields, Ashley argues that those like the ranging from pandemic-related infamous “finance bros” may say policy analysis to research of econwhat they feel, but it’s up to each omies throughout the pandemstudent to think critically and ic; many of these fields are taught evaluate which career they tru- as degree programmes at LSE. ly want. She ends by saying that “people aren’t necessarily ‘selling Smith doesn’t know the extent their souls’” – no one can fully un- to which her career may develop derstand the motivations of every in the future, but she “nevertheindividual pursuing high-paying less [looks] forward to exploring

any opportunities that might be available to [her]”. Ashley points out that consulting careers (which are often considered part of LSE’s ‘conventional careers’) are “more open” to people from academic backgrounds, which can lead you to work in many different industries. ‘Conventional careers’ can be great careers. They simply shouldn’t be perceived as the only option. Whilst the conversations around the question of what makes an LSE graduate’s career can sometimes be reduced to a couple of specific factors, the issue is vastly more complex. Factors affecting students’ decisions could include LSE’s reputation, graduate earnings, personal circumstances, external pressure, all of the above, or none of the above. For those who aren’t sure of which career they want to pursue, Arnaud De Vogue encourages them to join different societies and to “be open-minded to the experiences you can get [in these societies].” Shaun Harris likewise encourages students to “take a curious attitude to explore different things,” both on- and off-campus, through internships and experience. In the end, “it’s not difficult for [students] to look into multiple careers,” says Harris. “That message is not out there in the student body – that your career can develop in extraordinary ways.”

OPINION

Opinion Editors Sonja Belkin Edouard Chardot opinion.beaver@lsesu.org

Shut up international Chinese students! Q. Cherrie Contributor

here is a huge gap between mainland China and the outside world. This leads to international Chinese students facing strong pressure from their often ignorant and fearful domestic society. This pressure is particularly reflected by the rise of unofficial nationalist media in China, which silences the voices of international Chinese students. Earlier this month, several unofficial Nationalist Chinese media rushed to report on the ‘sex worker session’ at Durham University. I was not surprised by the cunning rhetoric employed by these journalists: they translated the title of Durham’s Zoom event ambiguously, misleading the Chinese readership into thinking that Durham had set up a degree called ‘Masters in Prostitution’. As expected, the story spread massively on social media. On Bilibili, a popular Chinese video streaming platform, a news video uploaded by one such news outlet attracted more than 800,000 hits. Thousands of Bilibili users (mostly middle school teenagers), as well as netizens from other platforms, have enjoyed ridiculing what they see as the moral decay of Britain. For these nationalist Chinese media, this was considered a victory. What appalled me was the outpouring of anger that came from many netizens, who also delighted in humiliating international Chinese students (especially female students) in the UK. In particular, commenters under the news video claimed that international Chinese students had been ‘contaminated’ by British culture, which they believed was defined by anti-traditionalist views, indecent knowledge and immoral behaviour. A few international Chinese students tried to refute these fanatic claims, but they received mostly hateful comments in response. While I am glad to hear that Durham’s Chinese Students and Scholars Association strongly protested against these false reports, I am saddened by the lack of solidarity on the part of other international Chinese students, most of whom stayed silent.

This is by no means an isolated incident. Chinese students abroad have repeatedly been a target of choice for unofficial nationalist media in China. Just last year, some Chinese LSE students were labelled as ‘Taiwan supporters’ on WeChat and Weibo simply because the current Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen had graduated from LSE. Once again, most international Chinese students kept silent, making no effort to discredit these claims. When I personally attempted to combat this opinion on WeChat by listing the members of the mainland Chinese government who had graduated from LSE, the responses I received were dismissive. After being repeatedly told to shut up, I chose to delete my comment.

create tension between Chinese and foreign cultures, under the guise of ‘defending the Chinese nation’. Perhaps the readers of such news voluntarily interpret the message to criticise other cultures, or perhaps they just want to release their repressed personal desires for sex, violence, and to challenge the upper class. Either way, overseas Chinese students are their first victims. There is an old Chinese fable that I heard when I was a child. It goes something like this: when a man wants to feed paprika to a cat, the best way is neither to forcefully feed the cat nor to feed the cat a dumpling with paprika. The first method will make the cat feel passive, and the second will make the cat feel deceived. The best way is to apply paprika to the cat’s body and let the cat lick the paprika off itself.

I have discussed this with my Chinese friends from the mainland, Hong Kong and Australia. They all shared the opinion that no overseas Chinese student has enough power to openly criticise the unofficial nationalist Chinese media’s tendency to produce misleading and distorted reports. One of them suggested that the Communist Party may own these nationalist media corporations Many private Chinese media corand, as a result, international Chi- porations never directly attack nese students may fear challeng- international Chinese students. ing the party’s authority. Howev- Instead, they manipulate domeser, the truth is that such private tic Chinese society to hate on and media corporations are a far cry from the party, which has publicly criticised the capital power behind these organisations. Indeed, the failures of these private media corporations in legal disputes further demonstrate their lack of strong support from the party. Most importantly, as the party already has influential official media channels with countless subordinate local outlets, the party has no reason to care about the successes or failures of these private companies. alienate these overseas students. Under the noble coat of ‘Chinese This then begs the question, what nationalism’, journalists cunningreally makes international Chinese ly take advantage of the sensitivistudents reluctant to speak out? ties of China’s high-pressured and high-disciplined society. Thus, I have observed unofficial nation- rather than fearing these media alist Chinese media’s ploys to as- corporations or the Communist sociate Chinese nationalism with Party’s authority, it seems that what repressed sexual cultures, anti-for- international Chinese students eign sentiments, and hatred of truly fear is the duress of a misled wealth. By focusing on topics that domestic society, where millions are sensitive in the mainland, such of people have not been overseas as sex education and citizen activ- and have no connections with the ism, they encourage their reader- outside world. Moreover, the lack ship to shame other cultures. By of support from other students, selecting international Chinese who are also reluctant to comstudents as targets, these corpo- bat these distorted claims, makes rations have been able to subtly speaking out even harder: facing thousands of irrational attackers

alone would make anyone silent. When I discussed the Durham incident with a Chinese friend, she said in astonishment: “My mom told me to watch out for classmates around me who learnt to be prostitutes!” I honestly was not surprised by her mother’s horrible impression of the UK. Though most

“I have observed unofficial nationalist Chinese media’s ploys to associate Chinese nationalism with repressed sexual cultures, anti-foreign sentiments, and hatred of wealth” international Chinese students do not believe in these distorted reports, they still face pressure from their friends, families and others back home. If they associate too closely with foreigners, they may be shamed. As a result, Chinese students may often be perceived as overly shy – not only on account of poor language skills, cultural differences, and social network issues, but also because they fear the backlash they may receive from home. Perhaps, then, international Chinese students feel they must stay neutral by keeping silent and smiling at others. As Iris Johansen said, silence and a smile are two powerful

tools for avoiding many problems. I am certain that many international Chinese students have very kind and tender minds under their taciturn appearances, but this context prevents them from speaking out about their anxiety and discomfort. But not every overseas Chinese student maintains silence. Currently, like hundreds of other overseas students, I am streaming my daily life in London on Bilibili, where we gain the support of many young Chinese viewers. Changing mentalities is a difficult yet necessary endeavour. I will continue to try, even if it means occasionally receiving “shut up international Chinese students!” in reply.

Opinion

Kant, Locke, and Morrissey walk into a bar. Sadia Sheeraz Staff Writer

ou have to like Kant the way that I like The Smiths. You see, I am a proud Mancunian. With that comes the heavy burden of appreciating the musical output of Manchester. So, of course I love The Smiths – an indie band that was formed there – but I make sure to do it begrudgingly. “I hate Morrissey!” I rush to say when I am found out. It is much the same for philosophers, my political theory teacher tells me. Her friend, who focuses on Kant in his work, often asserts his anti-racism before launching into deep discussions of Kant’s philosophical ideas and contributions. This rush to disclaim, to absolve ourselves, is our responsibility. It is the cost of enjoying the content. We must be ready to engage with, and accept criticism from, those who call us out on our bullshit: I do not have to be a far-right British supremacist to listen to Morrissey, but I do have to acknowledge the moral inconsistency of listening to the music of a man whose ideology I so vehemently oppose. It is much the same with many ‘Enlightenment’ thinkers: to suggest otherwise is ridiculous. When teaching or discussing ‘the canon’, topics such as the influence of racism, colonialism, and the British Empire on liberalism are often treated like tangents, diversions and subplots. But what if they were the main point all along? Even if the goal is not to centre them, it shows a lack of true understanding when somebody can discuss liberalism and justice without mentioning the relationship between race and the accessibility of these principles. Many fans of The Smiths feel conned by Morrissey. With albums titled “The Queen is Dead” and “Meat is Murder”, as well as a stage

presence that stood in the face of the hyper-masculine expectations of male celebrities, it appears almost criminally inconsistent for him to be anything other than a vegan anti-monarchy leftist. Similarly, it’s hard not to be disappointed by the personal convictions of some mainstream philosophers. For example, Kant, a central Enlightenment thinker on issues of peace, equality and morality, also wrote extensively about the biological ‘inferiority’ of people of colour and is sometimes referred to as the father of modern scientific racism. Another example is Locke, who is regarded as the father of liberalism, but also justified stealing land from the Native Americans and invested in slavery. Both writers refused to extend personhood to people of colour, a belief that was once justified and is now simply ignored. How can their conception of liberalism and justice be imagined to apply universally when clearly, they were only conceived for white European males? The use of Enlightenment principles to justify the exploitation of non-white people by white people is too often ignored by philosophers as something insignificant, or uncomfortable to address. Similarly, listeners of Morrissey’s music can become numb to the truth about their icon: dismissing the problematic things he has said and done, and choosing instead to focus on the Morrissey content and facts that are comfortable to digest. But Morrissey’s behaviour isn’t some ridiculous moral inconsistency, and would not surprise those who have properly followed him from that socially liberal era. Morrissey writes music that self-victimises, and he seems to be driven by image over moral convictions. The rich sense of injustice he portrays is something people who experience oppression can relate to, despite him not intending to represent them. When I hear “please, please, please, let me get what I want”, I am thinking of

Morrissey appeals to both the left and the far right because both believe in a grand scheme of injustice, and Morrissey has always simply joined whichever side is least popular – chasing the position of the outsider. Similarly, Kant and Locke are cited by thinkers on both the left and the right, as inspiration for their conception of a good society.

explains. Likewise, Locke’s ideas of natural rights have not yet achieved great equality and freedom for these marginalised groups because liberalism has excluded them, both theoretically and practically. I would go as far as to say that liberalism was constructed, as it has been practiced historically, entirely in opposition to these people. Social contracts are not signed universally; instead, they are contracts between the powerful to cooperate and collaborate in their exploitation and abuse of everybody else. Caroline Pateman calls this the “patriarchal contract”, signed amongst men to reinforce and support their collective power over womankind. Mills further extends this, calling it a “racial contract”.

But much like Morrissey’s fans, these thinkers must accept that Kant is not being a little bit inconsistent when he writes the principles of justice whilst fathering scientific racism. In fact, he is being entirely consistent, because his principles of justice are not universal. His definition of personhood deliberately excludes white women and all people of colour, as the philosopher Charles Mills

My point is that, perhaps much like Morrissey’s musical ability, Lockean liberalism and Kant’s conceptions of justice are often overindulged as the foundations for an ideal society. Centring Enlightenment ideas in political philosophy as the saving grace of humanity is akin to behaving as though The Smiths are the pinnacle of Northern music. Personally, I much prefer Pulp. Morrissey

my experiences of yearning as a disabled, working-class, person of colour, who has often found myself wanting the sense of security, peace, and health that I see in the lives of the more privileged. I am not thinking as Morrissey seems to; what he wants these days is a far-right nationalist state which keeps Britain for ‘the British’.

Do we know celebrities ‘All Too Well’? Lila McNamee Staff Writer Photo via @taylorswift on Instagram

n 12 November, Taylor Swift released her latest re-recorded album: Red (Taylor’s Version). This sparked worldwide excitement as fans were able to relive their younger years

by hearing her older songs with a new perspective. One song that caught the attention of many was the ten-minute version of “All Too Well”. This new version gave fans a deeper insight into what is often regarded as one of her best songs, as well as one of her past relationships. As her fans fell in love with this extended version, their attention quickly turned to berating Taylor Swift’s exes.

The deep emotional intimacy that Taylor Swift allows her fans to hear can certainly account for her widespread popularity. Her fans feel as though they truly know and can relate to her. While many people applaud Swift for how she has curated her fanbase, their dedication to her personal life invites the question: how close is too close when it comes to fan connections with celebrities?

“All Too Well” is widely speculated, though not confirmed, to detail the relationship Swift had with actor Jake Gyllenhaal. Throughout the song, the singer goes to great lengths to tell listeners about her heartbreak and, one can argue, emotional trauma. With lines like “And then you wondered where it went to as I reached for you/ But all I felt was pain and you held my lifeless frame”, as well as “Time won’t fly it’s like I’m paralyzed by it/ I’d like to be my old self again but I’m

doesn’t hold a candle to Cocker. I enjoy the results of liberalism much like I enjoy Morrissey’s music – tentatively and self-critically. I limit the indulgence, I don’t encourage my friends to explore it the same way I might promote other music (stream Mitski’s “Working for the Knife” now!). I do not centre the limited and often contradictory concepts of liberty and justice in the forms these writers gave them to us. I prefer to discuss the more realistic work of contemporary critical theorists such as Charles Mills. It is our moral duty as humans, whose ideas and behaviours have real life impacts, to acknowledge the limits and failures of these founding philosophers. Only when we recognise the irresponsibility and dishonesty of this excuse-making and denial can we stop to look at why such grand notions of freedom are compatible with slavery and colonialism. And maybe then, we will be ready to ask how these ideas have not only failed to prevent the exploitation, abuse, and even murder of the marginalised, but how they are continually maintained.

still trying to find it”, the parallels she draws to physical pain demonstrate the severity of pain the end of their relationship caused her. As fans heard and saw what they believed to be Swift’s relationship with Gyllenhaal play out both in the song and its music video, many became angry at the way Gyllenhaal had allegedly treated the singer. This led to many antagonising comments thrown his way, which ranged from lighter tones like “it’s a bad week to be

Opinion jake gyllenhaal”, to harmful comments such as “I hope you hear the new lyrics of All Too Well and throw up” and “no one loves you”. While Gyllenhaal has not publicly commented on these remarks, one can assume they are having a negative effect on the actor.

but that does not give me the right to send them distressing messages. The only real impact these people will ever have on my life is the production of a good breakup song. Neither I, nor anyone else, has the right to make harsh criticisms and threats like these.

Gyllenhaal isn’t the only one of Taylor Swift’s ex-boyfriends to receive this kind of treatment. John Mayer, who is rumored to be the subject of her song “Dear John”, has been sent similar messages. He recently publicised one of these messages on his Instagram which read: “f**k yourself you ugly b***h i hope you choke on something.” Clearly, this is a very aggressive stance to take against someone you do not actually know. While some Swift fans were quick to denounce this behavior, others stood by the messages; due to the close relationship that has been garnered between her and her fans, many fans feel the need to defend the artist they support, even though they hear only one side of the story.

Examples like these are just the tip of the iceberg, though. There have been countless celebrities who have had to file for restraining orders, increase their security levels, or even cancel events because of fans. Furthermore, the paparazzi, who feed celebrity news outlets, have caused many issues for famous people throughout the years. One recent story detailing this concerns not the celebrity themselves, but their children. George Clooney released a statement to the press this November pleading to the paparazzi to stop taking and releasing photos of his children. His main concern was that the publication of their photos could lead to safety issues for his wife, Amal Clooney, who is a human rights lawyer.

I am not the first Taylor Swift fan to say that I am not the biggest fan of Jake Gyllenhaal or John Mayer,

Why was there a demand for the photos in the first place? His and every other celebrity’s children are

pictures and stories, even if all of it is a lie. People feel they have a right to know every single detail of strangers’, albeit famous strangers’, lives. This leads to incredibly invasive practices, often by paparazzi. They surround celebrities doing simple daily tasks, and attempt to pry into their social lives, as if there is any reason they should have that information. They know there are plenty of outlets that will give them money for the latest scoop so consumers can learn the latest juicy details of celebrity life.

often put into focus by the press, but they have done nothing other than be born. There is no need for the public to know anything about them. But because there are so many images and ‘inside sources’ about these celebrities provided by paparazzi, fans feel closer to the celebrities, making it

seem acceptable to have access to such intimate photos and stories. Currently valued at $2.1 trillion, the lives of the rich and famous have become a highly valued commodity. In fact, it is even projected to grow to $2.5 trillion by 2024. As paparazzi see this market grow, they have a higher incentive to get

In a fractured Britain, tradition is more relevant than ever Stevan Balac Contributor Photo courtesy of Julia Volk

t’s a cliché of the human experience that you never really appreciate the value in something until it’s gone. In the heated stasis of Britain’s ‘culture wars’, debates about history and tradition can easily be caricatured – often into an unfair dichotomy between prudish Conservatives and wild greenhaired student hordes. However, discarding the products of bias, demagoguery, and political partisanship shows that these debates ultimately boil down to a fundamental question: is tradition for tradition’s sake justifiable? In other words, whilst we broadly accept traditions with a clear positive societal impact and oppose ones with a negative impact, the real battle is waged on ‘neutral’ traditions which have no obvious effect on people. For example, there is little controversy regarding harmless cultural traditions such as charity donations made during Armistice Day services, and likewise near universal opposition to what are seen as harmful traditions such as the historically sexist power dynamics within

marriage. However, what should our position be towards traditions of pure symbolism and ceremony, which, at least on the surface, have no significant meaning? On a political level, it seems that traditions of unity and collective identity have regressed, largely as a result of the vast increases in economic, material, and technological wealth in the 20th century. Generations that formerly relied existentially upon institutions such as the Church and the nuclear family for spiritual and economic security have found no real need to collectivise and share resources. This reduction in the importance of community was precipitated, for instance, by a decrease in armed conflict from the early 20th century: no longer having to face the daily possibility of death meant religion’s importance declined for many individuals. It would, of course, be lunacy to regret these processes of modernisation, which have brought relative comfort, peace, and safety to millions of people in the UK. The point I make, however, is similar to Martin Luther King Jr’s famous observation that our technological and material abilities have exponentially superseded our spiritual and social ones. So successful was the process of modernisation

that we have forgotten the centuries-old truths of communal tradition, such as the institutional importance of the Church. It is for this reason that I would defend institutional tradition in a way I hope rises above political debate, focusing instead on a spiritual or philosophical value inherent in us all. Tradition is not simply a political issue, nor the preference of one cultvure over another – it is valuable in a very human sense as a universality of our psychology. I remember vividly spending endless hours waiting, as a year 7 student, amongst the cold stone pillars of the cathedral closest to my school before our annual carol service. These visits may have seemed unnecessary – if not bizarre – at the time, but it was only upon leaving the comfortable social nest of school and its corresponding traditions that I truly began to appreciate their inherent value. In this case, what seemed an antiquated tradition to a child became a fond memory to a young adult. (Seven hundred snotty-nosed children in a 14th century cathedral now seems an experience of the sublime.) I feel traditions such as these which connect us to our history in a visceral way give us a sense of the interconnectedness of humankind. The inherent value of tradition, then, is that it

Our opinions of celebrities should amount to nothing more than pointless gossip to pass the time. The industry that has created criticism and the entitlement for people to tear others down has become incredibly harmful in recent years as social media has allowed fans to feel more connected to their favorite celebrities. The vicious cycle of demand and supply of celebrity news has led to multiple public breakdowns and is entirely unnecessary. We need to start seeing these people as just people, no matter how big a spotlight they receive from their work.

Opinion

fundamentally makes us aware of something greater than ourselves, thus justifying its necessity. In this personal example, those cold stone pillars signify generations of children and worshippers in that local community. It is this reciprocity of experience, the mutuality of partaking in idiosyncratic traditions, which on a social level connects us all. Think, for example, about friends made at LSE: it’s rare to form relationships with people who we have no shared experiences with. In our case, this often takes the form of sharing courses, hobbies, and, of course, the coincidental lottery

of student accommodation flats. I mention this not because it is a particularly intuitive or perceptive discovery, but because this aspect of our collective relationships is the same as the one that gives an inherent value to tradition. In J S Mill’s famous essay “Utilitarianism”, he memorably declares that “it is better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied”, posing the existential question: why aren’t we, and why shouldn’t we be, blissfully ignorant? If a pig, for example, can be made completely happy with enough food and shelter to express its natural instincts, should we not wish to be a pig? Mill, of course, concludes that we

should not – there is a seemingly unexplainable facet of human nature which can have every material and physical comfort yet desire much more; we are at our highest form being Socrates dissatisfied. Hence, humans are unique in the animal kingdom for having a longing awareness of something greater than themselves, and this understanding of otherness is so valuable and intrinsic to our being so as to actually warrant immediate unhappiness, or ‘dissatisfaction’. This fundamental spiritual truth also reveals our inherent desire to connect and express, thus supporting the upholding of tradition. One could think about it like med-

itating – and this observes Mill’s suggestion by allowing us to connect with the atmosphere around us, making us believe we are part of a larger plane of existence. In the same way that an artist wishes to express themselves by showing how their world collides with others, the practice and appreciation of the Armistice service, for example, connects our drastically different world with those who fought in the black mud of the Somme or Passchendaele. One of the obvious ironies to this is that those who champion communal or socially inclusive forms of politics often shun such national traditions for being overly exclusive.

To refer back to the original ‘cliché of human experience’, I suggest that clichés, much like traditions themselves, often become ignored because they contain so much inherent truth. Tradition is not only justifiable, but is a necessary aspect of the human experience; it is one that we all unwittingly observe anyway on some level. In other words, tradition ‘for tradition’s sake’ can be intrinsically valuable to everyone because it is an acknowledgement of our shared experience, an admission of both our abilities and our vulnerabilities, and a celebration of the uniformity, yet simultaneous diversity, of people.

but will only serve to mitigate one’s symptoms. The impartial empath is misanthropic, fearful, and has little sense of humour. By placing one’s hope for satisfaction and inner peace in the resolution of the biggest political problems at any one time, one ceases to be an autonomous individual. I often see the sentiment communicated that social consciousness comes with the cost of unhappiness and, conversely, that ignorance is bliss. I argue, thankfully, that this is not true: it is possible to be in touch with the universal effort for progress and maintain a fulfilled subjective experience.

tunate all the same. Many opportunities for rich experience adjacent to suffering come to mind: the Greek Tragedy, Prince’s ‘Sign ‘O’ the Times’, even ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’. To the empathetic and the pessimistic I say: live the subjective life. Cherish your peace, learn to make peace with the pain of others, while attempting to lessen their suffering so that they also may live the good subjective life. The force of progress cares what you can achieve, not how much you bleed on the way. Hold steadfast to your principles while embracing subjective values: put family first, yet recognise it better to be a good samaritan over someone who only looks after their own. Most of all, feel proud of your empathy and learn to use it best for yourself and others.

Empathy in activism: can you care too much? Joseph Kelly Contributor Photo via Fred Murphy

observe the scope of activism today; the discussions we have both online and face to face, the information we feel obliged to share and the gestures we feel obliged to reciprocate. Common criticisms of this form of activism focus on its co-optation by corporations or individuals for their own personal gain. Such profiteering is universally hated and also quite often, visible. I argue that there is another way competing personal motives and urges hurt the activist cause: the way empathy can create unfocused and ineffective activism while stifling authentic responses to suffering in the world. As I write this, I imagine the reader is hesitant to follow a criticism of empathy in any capacity. In my opinion, it is precisely the intuitive praiseworthiness of empathy which makes the issue of deconstructing it politically and morally all the more pressing. The point is understanding where empathy is useful and where it is not. It is helpful to begin by breaking down what empathy actually is. While sympathy (compassion) is an intellectual state of recognising someone else’s feelings, empathy refers to the emotional act of feeling someone else’s feelings alongside them, or conceiving these feelings as they were one’s own. One may say that sympathy uses the brain, while empathy invokes the heart. Due to its personal nature, empathy is used partially: we feel it in our day-to-day lives with people around us whom we are close to. Therefore, we usually feel less empathy for people we do not know. Some people seek to make us feel empathy for all on the basis of equality – if all are equal,

wouldn’t feeling more empathy for some than for others be unjust? A basic model for a total, ‘rational’ sense of empathy with the world is the ‘impartial empath’. The impartial empath gives up the special importance we give our personal wants and goals in order to see – and feel – the world from a neutral standpoint. A champion of total empathy would desire that each person feels the urgency of the world’s gravest scenarios, putting them above our significantly less important individual concerns. In a sense, empathy is to see an issue through the lens of the oppressed. It is to be outraged, passionate, and engaged at all times. This supposedly creates an emotive and rational dedication to social action. However, in theory, one could practice all the same meaningful actions and hold the same values as the impartial empath, without feeling the passions made necessary by taking on the world’s suffering. I argue that these passions, only as valuable as the actions they inspire, can be detrimental to the activist cause. In the context of activism, empathy is useful both in gaining a moral perspective on the world, and in inspiring moral action within bystanders by capturing their hearts. This much is clear. However, not all empathy creates positive action. The way passions drive ‘bad’ activism is exemplified by a kind of saviourism in activism; rather than acting constructively, allies feel an urge to ‘make a difference’ solely to comfort themselves after experiencing the second-hand pain of empathising. Arguably, the notion of intersectionality has also been hijacked by the passionate for their own ends. What ought to be a device for understanding how the marginalised may be subjected to interconnected modes of discrimi-

nation, is now often used as a competitive tool among socially progressive types. This is to say that activists deem themselves more virtuous than others by co-opting increasingly diverse social justice movements, insisting that one is invalid without the other: one must center and advocate on behalf of the marginalised, the homeless, the poor, the disabled, the brutalised all at once. It has not occurred to these activists that it is futile and problematic to attempt to personally capture the experience of the oppressed in order to help them. Not only is the ideal of the impartial empath damaging to social activism at large, but also to the individual who aspires to it. The burden of constantly carrying the pain of the world can take a significant toll on them. Pessimism and perpetual anxiety is likely to take hold and, as many find, anxiety can result in a crushing inertia as much as it can inspire action. Such action won’t be rational though,

I think it is important to reconcile oneself with the suffering of others in order to embrace life. A healthy individual is able to find humour, irony, absurdity, and joy in situations where others suffer, as opposed to becoming another casualty. This, of course, applies insofar that one is not blind to the imperative of helping the unfor-

photographed by Ed Unwin & illustrated by Vaneeza Jawad

Library rats announce annual LSE administrator suggests Christmas dinner will go ahead striking junior academics can Rodents at the LSE Library have announced supplement their income by that their much-celebrated Christmas dinner “starting an OnlyFans” and will go ahead despite the Omicron variant. Feasting on Doritos crumbs and apple cores, “doing birthdays on Cameo” the rats’ annual gathering will make use of the library’s “peace and quiet” on Christmas Day, said one rat. “It’s surprising that the space is available on a busy day like Christmas – we’re very lucky.”

by Charlie To

LSE set to replace library stairs with rock climbing wall in 2022

Disclaimer: Broken News is not real news edited by GUSTAV BRINCAT & illustrated by VANEEZA JAWAD

Pictured above: LSE Library’s Sisyphean staircase

Vegetarian Hare Krishna guy Marshall Building nominated refuses to serve turkey even for architecture award though it’s Christmas The Marshall Building has been nominated Tinder discontinues Tinder Gold, releases sequel Tinder Frankincense LSE struggles to deliver student satisfaction amidst supply chain crisis The LSE Directorate is worried that it will be unable to deliver student satisfaction in time for Christmas. “The supply chain crisis has affected the availability of all sorts of things, and that unfortunately includes student satisfaction,” said an LSE spokesperson.

LSE goes for gold at World Christmas Championships The giant red ball in the New Academic Building has once again been nominated for “biggest bauble” at the World Christmas Championships. Law School academics who drafted the application hope that the giant red ball will secure LSE’s 13th consecutive win. The School had also hoped to win an award for its stars, but all of LSE’s potential stars went to Oxford. Pictured right: LSE’s championship hopeful

Students campaign to ban supercars from campus on “environmental grounds”

for a leading architecture award, with judges praising the construction’s “avant-garde exterior”. One judge said: “We don’t usually see prisons of this size built in city centres, but they’ve maintained the classic motifs through the barred windows.”

A student campaign to ban supercars and their drivers from campus has gained popularity. One student involved with the campaign explained: “Any student that drives a Ferrari to campus is obviously a knob. I think allowing them on campus negatively affects the social environment.”

Pictured right: HMP Belmarshall

Senior academic under inves- LSE to mandate jingle bells all tigation after inappropriate year round to encourage social request during office hour distancing

A senior male academic is being investigated by a School panel after making an inappropriate LSE unveils radical anti-racist request to a third-year undergraduate. The academic, who The Beaver will not name, undergraduate brochure allegedly asked the student to “send a first LSE has announced its “most far-reaching draft of her dissertation before Christmas”. plan in decades” to combat systemic racism. The School aims to “materially improve the Director town hall event lives of people of colour” by pledging to make the 2022 brochure its “most diverse ever”.

planned for Christmas Day

“It’s important for us to listen carefully to student feedback,” said the Director. “That’s why I’m giving students the opportunity to roast me as hard as they like at such a public event.”

LSESU Food and Cooking Society runs popular career development session The session’s organiser coached the City hopefuls in how to effectively present their “thyme management”, “cuminication”, and “oreganosation” skills.

Christmas Word Scramble

by Charlie To

LSE set to replace library stairs with rock climbing wall in 2022

Disclaimer: Broken News is not real news edited by GUSTAV BRINCAT & illustrated by VANEEZA JAWAD

Pictured above: LSE Library’s Sisyphean staircase

Students campaign to ban supercars from campus on “environmental grounds”

Pictured right: HMP Belmarshall

Senior academic under inves- LSE to mandate jingle bells all tigation after inappropriate year round to encourage social request during office hour distancing

planned for Christmas Day

Christmas Word Scramble

social

edited by Alina Chen & Sadia Sheeraz

Lonely Christmas? Here’s four things you can do by yourself this festive season by ELA HEELEY & illustrated by VANEEZA JAWAD

There are so many things to see in London, and that goes double for Christmas time. But it’s also a time when things are ramping up – January exams, spring weeks… You name it! So it’s not always practical to go with friends. But fear not! I’m here to spread the festive cheer. In no particular order, here are five things to do in London before the end of the year. 1. Borealis The Aurora Borealis lights at Guildhall Yard promise to be one of the best visual displays this year. The immersive installation, inspired by the Northern Lights, will light up the city sky from 11 to 22 December. It’s the perfect event to sit in the soundscape and take some great pictures for your Instagram stories. There are free tickets available on the day between 5.30pm and 10pm. 2. Christmas at Kew It’s a pretty long tube journey (about an hour from campus), but if you can find your way to the Royal Botanical Gardens, there’s an adorable array of lights and projections that’ll be around until 9 January. It’s a magical walk to take by yourself, with thousands of LEDs and plenty of winter beverages available for the trail. It’s £26.50 (well worth the price, I promise!) and tickets are selling fast, so be quick to book this one.

friendly fake snow looks terrific in the evening, and there are less tourists in the later hours if you’re Covid-conscious. There’s also an outdoor market with almost student-friendly pricing and an abundance of holiday treats (the churros and mulled cider were my personal highlights).

4. Frozen If your budget stretches a little further, the Covent Garden markets are just a snowball’s throw away from the Theatre Royal Drury Lane where you can 3. Covent Garden Christmas Village catch a performance of Frozen, an award-winning musical, for as little as £25. Covent Garden is decked out in glitter and lights this season, right up until Seeing a show by yourself is just as exciting, and the atmosphere at this time of 8 January. Its snow flurries have had mixed reviews, but the environmentally the year is brilliant.

Gift ideas for THAT person in your life

by ANNA BERKOWITZ & illustrated by VANEEZA JAWAD Gift-giving can be difficult for a brain that’s been sucked empty of creative juice by relentless essay deadlines. But, if you run into these six oddly specific situations this holiday season, the Social team has you covered with gifts that are tailored to that special person in your life. For your communist friend who is applying for a job at Santander: Could I recommend a Karl Marx piggy bank, available for less than £15 on Amazon; a juxtaposition you know they will dig! You can help them advertise how much they want to start a revolution: “I’m changing the system from the inside out!”

For your crush who is dating someone else: This is a delicate one. You need something to perfectly convey that you notice what they’re into, but in a casual cool-girl way. I would recommend some Etsy-esque merch, based on their favourite (probably indie) film. What? That sounds more oddly specific than the rest? No it doesn’t! I am definitely not speaking from experience...

For the girl who is in the friend group, but you don’t like: Sometimes there’s just no getting around it. Even though you really can’t stand her, a present is nonetheless expected. Don’t wanna spend the time to come up with a gift idea? Don’t want to spend time on a personal gift? Well you can’t go wrong with an edgy and very niche tote bag. Basic bitches can’t resist! Bonus point if it’s from a bookshop.

For your friend who seems stressed all the time but does less work than you: If they’re “like, so busy,” but you’ve never seen them sit down and do any sort of work in your life, I would recommend a colouring book. A gift that passive aggressively says “you have too much time on your hands” disguised as “here’s something that’s gonna help you destress!”

Secret Santa gift for the person who is in your study group that you don’t know that well: Don’t you hate it when you’re struggling buying a gift for someone who you only know from their opinions on the module you’re both in? For them, I would say socks. They come in so many varieties, just pick one pair and go with it. No-brainer!

For your rugby friend who identifies as a feminist: For him, I recommend Feminism is for Everybody, by Bell Hooks. Nothing would help this boy more than some foundational intersectional feminist texts that discuss how important it is for men to be involved in the liberation of women!

So good luck! Go forth to Oxford Street and please don’t buy anyone an Amazon gift card.

Recipe for busy LSE students starved of good home cooked meals: Episode Mushroom Risotto! by ANNABEL ALDER & photo by ANNABEL’S MUM

Ingredients: Risotto rice Box of mushrooms White onion Vegetable stock cube Garlic Olive oil White wine Parmesan or vegan alternative (optional)

When you’ve reached your breaking point with the LSE trilemma (maintaining a social life and good grades while feeling like a real human being), no mind-body self-care is quite as nourishing as cooking. There is something so soothing about the physicality of washing, chopping, stirring, and then eating – as well as the satisfaction of knowing you’ve saved some cash for a bad decision on the weekend. After spending an afternoon in the library’s “Silent Zone” with 11 tabs open at once, be the grown-up of your study group and make the dinner plan. Risotto! It’s comfort food at its very best – warm, slow and totally plant-based. It sounds fancy, but the whole recipe serves three people and actually works out at less than £1 per portion. Reach for a bag of risotto rice, a basic box of mushrooms, one white onion, a vegetable stock cube, garlic, and some olive oil from your local grocery store, and you’re all set for cooking an easy and delicious meal. Apart from the rice-to-stock ratio, all the ingredients are flexible, so feel free to add more of what you like; that leftover white wine from last week’s pre’s finally has a time to shine! Wash and slice the mushrooms, and ask a friend to dice the onion, while your other Spotify celebrity friend with 100 followers connects their phone to the speaker. Turning the hob onto a medium heat, add a glug of oil to the base of a large wok or saucepan. Wait for it to get shiny, then slide the onions into the pan and watch them soften to a light golden colour, for about 10 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and a sliced clove of garlic, and wait another 10. Take a ¾ cup of risotto rice and stir it in slowly so the rice is covered in oil, all while you explain how that new LSELove post just *has* to be about you. Pour in a half-glass of wine, and dole out the rest to your friends while you wait for the rice to absorb it. In the meantime, boil 600ml of water, and nod along to the tune while your friend explains at length what consulting actually means. Pour out a cup or mug of hot water, stir in half of the stock cube, and pour this over the risotto once the wine has been absorbed. Stir the rice as often as you want (it’s gorgeously therapeutic after a day of typing and clicking) and once this cup has been absorbed, repeat with another cup. Keep stirring, or give this job to the friend who’s just realised they missed their internship application deadline. After the second cup has been absorbed, test the rice – if the grains stick to your teeth, it’s not quite cooked yet, so add another half cup of hot water. Otherwise, take it off the heat and stir for a few minutes. Stir in some parmesan or vegan hard cheese if you want, then serve into three bowls. My mum says mushrooms are good ‘brain food’, so maybe that problem set will solve itself when you get back.

The SFC (Sex-Free Club) by BEN HELME

After some standard grouchiness from the bouncer, you make your way into the first room. You dance for a bit, and suddenly there’s another person in your party. He’s joined the circle, leering at the people you’re with. You realise that everyone has paired off, or they’re looking around for someone to latch onto. The music is great, but now there’s a cloud hanging over the room. The pressure is on. The atmosphere gets heavy with horniness, and you see people starting to panic.

You feel like an anthropologist, observing an awkward mating spectacle that you never opted into. Are we in the wrong place for dancing? Is it wrong to only want to dance? If you can relate, then I might just have the thing for you: The Sex-Free Club. Just as the child-free have rejected the moniker ‘childless’, our club renounces the term sexless. It is not devoid of sex but unencumbered by it.

Now, I’m not describing some sort of awkward half-club, half-bar where nobody approaches you because everyone is seated, separate, and unspirited. The SFC would be a proper club. There would be three rooms: one for techno, one for R&B, and one for pop classics. People still drink, and dance, and sweat, and scream to make themselves heard. When you eventually stumble out of the SFC in the early hours, your ears still ring, and you still feel as if you’ve been underwater. It’s still a hard night out. You just end up in your own bed, and that’s not a failure. It’s the goal. Sex culture and club culture aren’t synonymous, and they’re not interdependent. Sure, some people want to go to a club and find someone to shag. Power to them. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, provided the others want to be approached. They have plenty of clubs tailored exactly to their disposition. But what about those of us who just want to dance with our friends? Or at least don’t want to neck a stranger every time. The beautiful thing is that the SFC will self-regulate. Nobody looking to get off is going to go to a club where no-one’s up for it. For the annoying stragglers who can’t get the message, we shall hand out lifelong bans like Halloween candy. The SFC isn’t, of course, an actual solution to awful people in clubs. Like all nightlife, it will only properly function when stronger mechanisms are implemented to keep people safe. And as a platonic club, inclusivity is a given. With no need for delineation according to sexuality – we all just dance together. If you prefer the culture in Heaven, fair enough. You can still head there. But if the sex-focus of other clubs puts you off, you’ll know there’s somewhere for you. The time will come when I sell my genius business idea to a billionaire and we can watch it materialise. Or maybe I’ll have to wait until I succeed at [tba] and become wildly rich, then set up the SFC myself. The ultimate club for people who just wanna dance and have a good time. See you there, (platonically of course), somewhere down the line.

A brief guide to the best bathrooms on campus by ANNA BERKOWITZ & illustrated by SADIA SHEERAZ

If you’re like me and enjoy taking your time in the bathroom, you deserve the best of the best! Here are my top three bathrooms at LSE, based on nothing but my own experiences, with a dishonourable mention thrown in for good measure. A short disclaimer: These are all women’s bathrooms. Sorry men, you’ll have to do your own review. Third place: The Fawcett Building bathrooms This is your standard school bathroom. Slightly cold, a little dark, with some sinks that only dispense cold water, but with nice functioning hand dryers. It gets a few points for reminding me of my American public school. Second place: The sixth floor bathroom in the Old Building This toilet near the Anthropology department and down the hall from the Shaw Library is a hidden gem, partly because it’s so hard to find. You’ve got to make the right turns, and there is only one tiny sign indicating where to go. It’s a single bathroom, always clean, and nobody is ever up there. Forget those awkward encounters when the door swings open just as you are walking in and you run right into a stranger. This is the place to go if you just need to get some space away from people for a few glorious minutes. First place: The bathrooms in the Centre Building above floor two If your department is based here, you’re already ahead. They have a far superior set-up, which I personally believe should be adopted worldwide. You enter a hallway, and there is a row of self-contained stalls – sinks and all! The privacy is really unmatched, making it a good spot for a cry after a particularly horrible office hours meeting. Dishonourable mention: The basement bathrooms in 20 Kingsway Yes, I know they are in the process of renovating the bathrooms on floors one to five, but in the meantime, there is only one toilet in the basement. It’s dark, dank, cramped, and you always look a little distorted in the mirror. Also, there are some lovely gaps between the stall door and the wall, so unless you like people watching you, stay away.

review

edited by INAYAH INAM and VANI KANT

‘I’ll be taking flowers to the cemetery of my heart’: Adele’s 30 by NATASHA PORTER

bers. Despite this, Adele’s ability to explore different sounds and genres throughout the album kept it varied: no two songs felt similar. “Woman Like Me” and “Hold On” are both anthems for the heartbroken, though “Woman Like Me” deals with the underlying feelings of resentment, whereas “Hold On” instead focuses on the inner turmoil caused by heartache. The album definitely ends on a peak. “To Be Loved”, the penultimate song, is a serious ballad describing the tragic victory of deciding to end a relationship after trying to piece it back together for so long. Adele’s vocal performance on this 6-minute-43-second track was truly impressive. The final song, “Love Is A Game”, would not feel out of place on an Amy Winehouse album with the old soul feel, deep husky vocals, and heartfelt lyrics. In this track, Adele reflects on her previous experiences and expresses a desire to fall in love again. It was a perfect song to end with, the final lyric “I’d do it all again like I did it” giving listeners a sense of hope for the future. If love is a game, it can, in all its tragedies, be played again and again. While a very enjoyable listen, 30 does not immediately seem to have the impact Adele’s previous albums had. In spite of this, the diverse and varied tracks in combination with Adele’s unique ability to convey such raw emotion through her voice makes this album definitely worth the wait. Adele’s vulnerability allows us to better understand the highs and lows of life, and the personal spoken conversations littered throughout allow us as listeners to better process our own emotions. The album ends on a clear message of hope for the future. After all the tears, Adele persuades us to find beauty in this game we call love.

Zadie Smith’s The Wife of Willesden is a raunchy homage to community and the Canterbury Tales by ANNA BERKOWITZ

image via @adele on Instagram

To be completely transparent, I went to this production for my contemporary literature class with zero expectations and no idea what it was about. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this modern take on a Chaucer tale, complete with an unforgettable fifteen seconds when I watched three middle-aged men dance to Cardi B’s “WAP” while sitting next to two of my professors.

“I’ll be taking flowers to the cemetery of my heart” – the first lyric we hear is a perfect representation of Adele’s fourth studio album. 30 builds on her previous work with similar themes of romantic loss and heartbreak alongside her trademark floating melodies and personal lyrics. Adele persuaded Spotify to remove the automatic shuffle button from album pages, nudging the tracks to be played in order. She tweeted: “We don’t create albums with so much care and thought into our track listing for no reason. Our art tells a story and our stories should be listened to as we intended.” And it makes sense – the album doesn’t allow you to invade Adele’s story at random points; you must embark upon this journey with her. The album begins with “Strangers By Nature”, which sounds like a mix between a lullaby and the leading song in an old Hollywood movie – wistful and melancholic. The first single of 30, “Easy On Me”, follows – a song that feels very much like an Adele classic with passionate vocals accompanied by a piano. It is clear to see why this song was released as the first single as it is easily one of the best songs on the album, and encapsulates the themes of the album concisely. “My Little Love”, 30’s third song, controversially contains snippets of Adele’s conversations with her son, an addition that has been described as “uncomfortable” by critics. Despite this, I think these sections add rawness to the album and introduce another layer to the Adele music we are used to hearing. As she explains her woes to her son, listeners are reminded of the harsh impacts of separation beyond the people in it. Similarly, the spoken section in “I Drink Wine” feels like you’re listening to a personal therapy session, highlighting Adele’s mission to create a brutally honest album. As with many albums, there were some skip songs in the middle, namely “Oh My God” and “Can I Get It” that pale in comparison to the album’s more powerful num-

image via @kilntheatre on Instagram

Zadie Smith has created a love letter to the local area of Kilburn and Willesden in an updated version of one of the most famous Canterbury tales, The Wife of Bath. Essentially, the play is an hour and forty five minute monologue from the protagonist, Alvita, played brilliantly by Clare Perkins, whose stage presence is simply captivating. In contrast to the supporting cast who are constantly moving around the stage and changing costumes, Alvita stays center stage in a distinctive red dress. Combined with Perkins’ sharp comedic timing and booming voice, she does an excellent job in keeping the attention of the audience despite the long run time. Her monologue is mainly about the power of her body and her experiences with the five different men she has married over the course of her life. Set in a real, local pub that is just down the road from the Kiln Theatre, the dialogue is raunchy, hilarious and spirited. The absence of an interval helps the play maintain its pace as Alvita muses on sex, femininity, and the patriarchy.

porary state of mind. Similar to Alice, Eloise is introduced as a sheltered, innocent girl who concocts up a dream world, which in her case is the Swinging Sixties. However, she quickly realizes that not everything is as rosy as it seems and is cyclically haunted by the darkness obscured inside society’s colourfully tinted glasshouse, as manifested in Sandie’s imprisonment to the gruesome life of prostitution.

The supporting cast of ten switch between a series of colourful characters, including, but not limited to, St Paul, Alvita’s devout aunt, Zadie Smith herself, and Jesus. They play the dual role of representing the community of Kilburn as Alvita’s pub audience, and the supporting players in the tale she spins.

Content-wise, it weaves in the subject matter of mental health by repeatedly alluding to the suicide of Eloise’s mother and how this grief, confusion, and trauma subconsciously engulfs her mind during her first impression of London. The acting by Thomasin McKenzie (Eloise) and Anya Taylor-Joy (Sandie) is lucidly and intricately spot-on. Eloise is the perfect antithesis of Sandie in the beginning but as the film progresses, they find common ground in female strength and independence, which is empowering to watch.

Even without a complete understanding of Chaucer, it’s difficult to ignore the care that Smith has taken to mimic the verse style and the tangential style of storytelling. Every scene was equal parts captivating and comedic, illustrating the power of Smith’s writing and her ability to fully develop her main character. Throughout the play we get a full picture of a striking, but by no means perfect, woman who has lived a life with few regrets. Combined with a not-so-subtle declaration that women should be able to talk about sexuality in an explicit way that is more commonly associated with men, Zadie Smith delivers a thoroughly entertaining and community-oriented feminist take on this classic tale.

The film is perfectly saturated with plot twists that connect to earlier scenes, present nuanced inferences, and are thematically significant, making it actively suspenseful and thought-provoking. One startling example of this was the unveiling of who the old man - a recurring motif in Eloise’s present day life - actually was, and how it was tragically the polar opposite of Eloise’s pre-determined guess. What’s extraordinary about Last Night in Soho is that every minor character should be carefully analyzed under a microscope lens as they could have more influence than one would expect.

Last Night in Soho is a cautionary tale that illustrates the vices of anemoia, and of intertwining fiction and reality to a cavernous extent. But in the midst of its seriousness, it celebrates the aesthetic beauty of Soho and of coalescing different art forms - from music to fashion - into cinematic narratives. Image via @lastnightinsoho on Facebook

by SHARON ZHENG Last Night in Soho is a polymorphic mural of drama, psychological horror, and comedy, varnished in archaic glamour. Glorifying the Swinging Sixties in the embryonic perspective of the main character, Eloise Turner, and disintegrating this facade amidst the film, Edgar Wright cautions against losing oneself to false illusions and naive expectations. Eloise’s kryptonite is her nostalgia for the 1960s scene; a presumed la-la land of the most exquisite vinyl records and fashion trends. What makes Last Night in Soho a remarkable force of visual storytelling is the attention paid to every intricate detail in lighting, costuming, timing, and musical soundtracking. The transitions from drama to horror are immaculately timed to 60’s music and blazing lights, the camera zooms out for Eloise’s figure to shrink under her covers as she voyages into her dreams, and dynamic musical cues (off-key notes, trembles, etc.) in a pool of silence are used to escalate unease and heighten the intensity of jump scares. Wright plays with perspective when exposing the murder scene, by providing first a flasback from Eloise’s nightmare and later on, the real scene from Mrs. Collins’ reveal. Mirrors are expertly used to capture Eloise’s vantage point in Sandie’s storyline of the past and to unconsciously connect the two characters, despite Eloise not being there in the flesh. It’s Wright and his team’s command of size, angles, and palette that ennobles the motion picture into something originating from The Louvre. Strikingly, the film is reminiscent of the themes, characterization, and artistry of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, reimagining them in a contem-

The Power of the Dog: you might even forget about Benedict Cumberbatch’s accent by ANNA BERKOWITZ I’m not sure anyone has given Benedict Cumberbatch a glance and thought ‘wow, he’d be great in a Western’, but in Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog, he gives an utterly convincing turn as Phil Burbank – a cruel, wealthy rancher from Montana. He delivers a nuanced portrayal of a man dealing with repressed past and present emotions. Campion, the first woman to win the Palme d’Or at Cannes, faithfully adapted Thomas Savage’s little known 1967 novel of the same name, applying her signature sweeping style to a tense family drama. The film follows a fairly basic plotline, in which brothers George and Phil Burbank (Jesse Plemmons and Cumberbatch respectfully) run the area’s largest cattle ranch, living and working together on their family’s land. The peace is disrupted as George marries local widow Rose (Kirsten Dunst), bringing her and her son Peter (an excellent Kodi Smit-McKee) to live on the ranch. The film centers around Phil’s cruelty towards Rose and his viciousness towards Peter. However, what initially seems like a predictable story gives way to continual twists, illustrating Campion’s ability to reveal unexpected layers of her characters. Set in a striking New Zealand landscape, which doubles surprisingly well as the American West, the film delicately deals with the power dynamics of toxic masculinity and homophobia, while developing four incredibly detailed character studies of the leads. Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood crafted a tense, string-heavy score, which heightens the tension throughout. The shots alternating from extreme close-ups to images of the surrounding mountains, courtesy of cinematographer Ari Wegner, exude feelings of Western grandeur, keeping the audience engaged and guessing until the very last minute.

An alternative musical guide to the holiday season by SHARON ZHENG ‘Tis the season to renew interest in Christmas music by discovering new classics! While the traditional Spotify playlist presents a festive, joyful ode to the holidays, there could be a different treasure trove of contemporary releases that are quintessential and specially customised to your Christmas mood. Here’s a list of ‘alternative’ music recommendations to broaden your soundscape to novel, heartfelt dimensions: “Christmas in L.A.” (The Killers ft. Dawes) Whether you’re feeling homesick or wanderlust, “Christmas in L.A.” (The Killers ft. Dawes) is the perfect melancholic soulmate to whisk you off your feet during the holidays. The song is full of descriptive lyrics evocative of precise imagery. Lyrics like “Another Christmas in L.A / Another pitcher of Sangria / In an empty beach cafe” are expertly crafted to be profoundly wistful and sophisticatedly campy at the same time; as a result, the storytelling is consistently enthralling. Sprinkled with existential and reflective elements, “Christmas in L.A.” is a sentimental track that makes you feel cosy at home – wherever you are – by joining you in the mood. When Brandon Flowers and Taylor Goldsmith harmonise with great conviction at the end, embellished with accompanying backup vocals, it creates a warm, celebratory milieu and makes you feel embraced as part of a community; united as one. After all, one of the best ways to bring people together – whether virtually, in reverie, or in person – is the universal connectedness of music. “If We Make It Through December” (Merle Haggard / cover by Phoebe Bridgers) Phoebe Bridgers’ rendition of Merle Haggard’s 1974 tune “If We Make It Through December’’ is as toasty as a pair of mittens and as velvety as eggnog. Similar to “Christmas in L.A.’’, the lyrics are candidly hard-hitting with meticulously chosen words, with lines like “It’s the coldest time of winter / And I shiver when I see the fallin’ snow” caressing the heart with visceral emotion. What makes the song even more endearingly poignant is the vocal arrangement, coupling Phoebe’s ethereal balladeering with excerpts of orchestral, madrigal-like backing vocals making it that much more angelic. While the song appears depressing at first, it is more preferably inspirational, motivational, and hopeful for the felicity of the New Year. Equally, it could be the remedy to find solace in hard times; a warm hug in any cold situation. And some more suggestions below! “River” (Joni Mitchell), “Step Into Christmas” (Elton John), “Winderlude” (Bob Dylan), “Someday At Christmas” (Stevie Wonder ft. Andra Day), “Present Without a Bow” (Kacey Musgraves ft. Leon Bridges), “I Wish It Was Christmas Today” (Julian Casablancas), “Home For Christmas” (Kate Bush).

Courtesy of LSESU Drama Society

LSESU’S Drama Society’s Ring Around The Room by MEGHA ALAM and TILLY MASON

Laughter, confusion, and shock are just a few of the emotions that the LSESU’s Drama Society’s thoughtful and humorous production of Ring Round The Moon took me through. The play, directed by Lara Arencibia Pender and Hannah Inyoung-Oh, depicts the story of poor dancer Isabelle, who is invited to a ball by the aristocratic and heartless Hugo only to find herself trapped in a world of opulence and luxury, with its dark side of clandestine schemes and affairs. The story plunges right into chaos and scheming, setting out love triangles and affairs between multiple characters that left me more lost and confused than amused at the start. However, as the play goes on, the plot begins to materialise to the audience and one is able to sit back and enjoy the witty dialogue and the calculated chaos that begins to ensue. It’s easy to feel empathy for Isabelle, who is just as overwhelmed as I imagine the audience was at the beginning. The acting from all 11 cast members was exceptional, but particularly impressive was Jo Carriat’s ability to take the role of both of the polar opposite twins, Hugo and Frederic. Hannah Brown’s portrayal of Isabelle’s overbearing and self-centred mother never failed to make the audience burst into laughter at all the right moments, working as comic relief from witnessing the distress of the exploited Isabelle played by Madeline Newson. Lola Fayokun effortlessly embodied the domineering character of Madame Desmortes, who expertly ties the pieces of the tumultuous night together. The production of Ring Round the Moon is a triumph. The team’s impeccable work with sound and lighting creates a truly immersive and luxurious atmosphere. The clever costume choices did not go unnoticed as the pale blue dress for sweet and shy Isabelle, and the vibrant red for the jealous and spoilt daddy’s girl Diana Messerschmann, complemented the incredible acting. LSESU Drama Society has produced a delicious, witty satire on the absurdities of class and wealth disparity.

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sport

edited by MATT SUDLOW and SOFIA GERACE

A term in review

by SOFIA GERACE, SACHIN JHANGIANI, and MATT SUDLOW

Michaelmas Term saw the welcome return of sport to LSE after a year of social distancing and postponements. As hard as we tried to adapt, those rugby matches were just not the same over Zoom. We put on our kits, laced up our boots, picked up our lacrosse sticks, and got back onto the pitch! With this, inevitably, came success, upholding the School’s strong sporting reputation. But that was never in doubt. We have seen triumphs from cup runs to running cups, and here we will highlight some of the best bits. One of the most prominent sports clubs at LSE, Men’s Rugby, proved this term exactly why they are held in such high regard. Both the 1s and the “Golden Gods”, aka the 2s, ended the year undefeated, as well as storming into the quarter finals of their respective university cups. And somehow, the achievements stretch beyond this! The 1s are currently top of the league and promotion is almost certainly on the cards. And you wonder why the 2s would have such a nickname? Well, they haven’t lost a match in 3 years, and are also looking likely to be promoted for the second consecutive season. Outside of competition, there are more playing members than ever before, a surplus even. What can these guys do wrong? The LSE Athletics and Running Club had achievement after achievement this term, as a team and individually. First of all, the whole club participated in a 24-hour relay for Movember, along with Hockey. Recently the club also competed in the LUCA (London Universities and Colleges Athletics) Indoor Championship, with Landon Shea retaining the men’s 800m title for LSE and Wenchy Lai winning the women’s 1500m. There has also been strong representation in this term’s LUCA cross country fixtures with particularly strong performances from James Fox. As for LSE Boxing, Grace Oswald, a committee member, was victorious in a headline fight for her amateur club. The club is now looking forward to great achievements during the Lent Term, most notably the most anticipated sporting event in the LSE calendar: Fight Night! The LSE Chess Club have been nurturing their claim for a place in the AU like a tamagotchi. Last month they competed in the first round

Pictured: LSE Athletics & Running of PUCL (Pro University Chess League) and won by a narrow margin of 0.5 against UCL, with the team consisting of Ivan Chan, Rafi’i al-Akiti, Marley Robinson, Ruslan Polovinko. An exceptionally active and social club, members have been following the World Chess Championships currently taking place, learning from the best. And if you don’t think chess is a sport? You should check, mate. Another LSE club that had a great success is the Men’s Football Club, with LSE Men’s FC 5s, 6s, 7s all joint top in the LUSL (London Universities Sport Leagues) Intermediate Premier League, with the 7s also currently top in their Saturday league. And in an extremely surprising twist, LSE 1s and 2s are proud to be leading their respective leagues as well. That’s almost more toppings than a Pizza Hut! The Women’s Rugby team has yet to win any of their games, but we’re sure they will soon turn it around! They have, however, suffered an alarming number of injuries – two dislocated shoulders, a broken elbow, a broken ankle, and several more. We wish them all the best, and their injured players a speedy recovery. The Kabbadi team has also had a standout start to the season. Made up of mostly first-time kabbadi players, they won the London and South Zone Championships this term, beating eternal rivals KCL and Imperial. A highlight of the season was captain Ahilan’s ‘super raid’, a raid in which he took down 5 opponents. And finally: the Rowing Team. The senior men’s eight were the fastest University of London team at a UH time trial, completing the 3.7km course in 11 minutes and 8 seconds. They also won their category at the Cambridge Winter Head competition, completing the 2.5km course in 9 minutes and 21 seconds. The senior women’s 4 also had a successful term, winning their category at the UH Autumn Regatta. They’re certainly a team in very smooth waters.

Pictured: Men’s Football 7s

Chloé Blyth: from the world championships to LSE by SOFIA GERACE

Former athlete for the French national skiing team, Chloé Blyth talks to The Beaver about her incredible sporting experience. Two gold medals, five titles in total at the world championships, and she is now about to graduate from the PPE programme at LSE. “I retired two years ago but I hope my story is still interesting,” she says humbly. But the challenge of winning a world championship is definitely not an everyday story… Can you tell me about your sporting experience? I grew up in Chamonix, and there you have the chance to choose amongst many different snow sports. My father does telemark skiing and I decided to follow in his footsteps – I loved it. It’s a mix between Nordic and alpine skiing. Instead of having your heel attached to the ski, it’s lifted. I started in the youth category, and then made it to the French senior team when I was 15, representing the team for five years. I won five gold medals at world championships over three years. I come from a school where there was a big emphasis on sports, but I decided to come to study at LSE because I really wanted to do something academic and study in the UK. I retired two years ago, but I still do a lot of skiing. What is your best memory as a professional skier? When I was 17, I took part in the junior world championship. I hadn’t been part of the team for that long and I was amongst the youngest skiers in my category at the championship, but I won two gold medals that weekend. I was the youngest ever athlete to achieve this. I was the underdog, and I did not expect to win – it was special. Also, I had a severe training accident only three years before and I was hospitalised for a long time. So, to be able to make it to the French team and to win two gold medals on that occasion was really special. The same year I also did very well in school. Those months were amazing. Would you consider your two gold medals as your greatest achievement? It was definitely a great achievement, but I must say that what is special about achievements are the lessons that you learn from them. Gold medals are very pretty but achievements are also about what you achieve for yourself and the way it shapes you. Sport taught me to handle mental stress and to fight for achievements. It also taught me how to handle failures. Of course, I don’t particularly like failures because I am competitive, but it isn’t a big fear of mine because I know that this wouldn’t define me. I can accept the ups and downs and I don’t think I would be the same if I didn’t have my sport experience teaching me mental resilience, and I am grateful for that. What would your classmates say when you mentioned that you were a world champion? I am not the kind of person to bring this up as a topic of conversation but

Photo courtesy of Chloé Blyth eventually it would come up when I mentioned that I come from the French Alps! They considered it cool, especially because skiing is not very common, and my experience was quite unique. I think my friends always found it interesting since there aren’t many elite athletes at LSE. Excellence in sport also made me feel on par with people who perhaps come from different backgrounds from me. I felt integrated at LSE. I know that I came from a normal background, but I also achieved something impressive in my life. How did you manage to balance studying and training? In my first year, I had to fly to France, Slovenia, and Switzerland for training and races. Sometimes I was having to do exams, interviews, and training camps all in one week, and that was a lot. I was able to do it for two years, and then I decided to focus on my studies. It is difficult to perform well in academia while having important sport commitments, especially since LSE is a very challenging environment, academically speaking. I used to train at the LSE gym, but for skiing, training on the land is not enough, you need to be on the mountains, and the first year of university is not easy for anyone. Looking back at it now, I think I may have been overstressed for nothing, but I think it was very normal to feel like that at that moment. Quitting must have been difficult… It was not easy at first: sport is such a big part of your identity. There are things about high-level sports that you cannot find anywhere else in life. There is something special about it and I do miss that. But then COVID hit, and I did not have to think about it too much. I was home in France and the rest is history. It is difficult but it’s a choice that I made to come here. And it will turn out to be a good one. I will be able to go back to sports in other ways. I am now enjoying my time at university, working hard every day but also loving the social aspect. I still go back to Chamonix for holidays, and I ski with my family and friends.

Photo courtesy of Chloé Blyth

part b

edited by AMBRE PLUTA

The joy of an unexpected Christmas card From HILA DAVIES, Nov 2021 & illustrated by VANEEZA JAWAD

Let me preface this by saying, I love Christmas. I love everything about it, from chaotic tree decorating to the inevitable John Lewis-ad marathon. Growing up in the tropics, the smell of pine was guaranteed to send me into a Christmas-themed trance. I’m that person singing (screaming) “Away In A Manger” at the supermarket check-out, aggressively sniffing the freshly cut trees whilst waiting in line. Recently, I’ve also started a secret love-affair with the postal system. I have a letter-writing drawer, equipped with a wax-seal stamp and a fat stack of Ryman’s envelopes. It is I – the sole user of the international postal service. They regularly stand me up, keep me waiting for days on end, but the reward of hearing the letterbox swing open is oh-so-satisfying. But, there is nothing better than an unexpected Christmas card. It’s the best part of Christmas: trying to guess the author from the handwriting and smudged special edition stamps. Christmas scenes with gold-foil details are always preferred, unless the card involves a Dad joke, in which case, you win Christmas. How has it been signed? With a simple ‘Love,’, the dreaded ‘From’ or a Harry Potter-esque ‘Always’ (a personal fave). Unexpected Christmas cards are like a pack of really cool plasters. They patch up the scars from the year’s cuts and bruises, mending us back together so that we can face the coming year with fire in our bellies and love in our hearts. Living far away from most of my extended family, Christmas cards also mean getting to hold a part of them – getting to touch something they’ve touched from 6,000 miles across the world. The concept of ‘hau’ is the belief that in giving a gift, you also give a part of your soul. That’s what Christmas cards feel like: receiving a little bit of someone’s soul. They connect us in a way that little else can. £2 spent on two bits of paper that say:

‘Hey, I’ve been thinking about you and I’m sending you lots of love this Christmas. And a hug xx’. So here’s my challenge to you today: give someone the joy of an unexpected Christmas card. Send one to that friend you’ve been meaning to talk to for ages but haven’t got around to, or that teacher who has helped you out this term. Pick one up from the supermarket, or if you’re feeling particularly fancy, embrace your inner DIY-queen and whip out the glitter glue gun (see, Mum, I told you it would come in handy at uni!). As students for whom the parameters of life are Pret subscriptions and nights at Tuns, Mariah Carey levels of Christmas joy can often feel very far away. But, I believe there is so much more to it than glitter, crappy Netflix movies and obligatory family time. Unexpected Christmas cards bring back the magic of looking out the window on the 24th, trying to spot Father Christmas flying through the sky. Now, maybe more than ever, we need that sparkle in our lives to feel connected to one another, no matter how many seas stand between us. They remind us that ‘love, actually, is all around…’. Join me in this one-woman sinking ship of keeping the postal service alive. Feel the ‘hau’ no matter how far away you are from your loved ones, and always remember to leave enough space at the top for a stamp.

Other than the fact that you don’t like caramel chocolate, I love you by VAISHNAVI RADHAKRISHNAN & inspired by NAZIM HIKMET

I love you Like dipping puff pastry in sugar milk and eating spoons full of it Like watching a clipping of sea otters cuddling themselves to sleep Like walking too deep into the ocean, losing balance, becoming chaos under waves and then being able to see the sky again, head propped up for a breath I love you Like having a 70x40 inch map unraveled on the floor and encircling upon it all the places to travel to until the world looks like it has more hula hoops than countries

I love you Like finding a comfortable corner in the library and swooning over endless novels warm, safe, home Like words, beautiful words – buttons, bellies, butterscotch – honey soaked, rolling off the pillow of my tongue I love you Like a prayer hymned in silence.

Writer’s block

by AMBRE PLUTA & illustrated by VANEEZA JAWAD

A blank page and a black stick that appears then disappears. A mind burdened with ideas and thousands of words, but none seeming worthy enough to appear on the screen. It would give concrete and tangible life to thoughts that seemed so fragile. Yet, she needed to write something. Anything. Even just a few words. She felt a surge of inspiration that she had feared would never come again. Not exploiting it seemed like a crime. Time was stretching. Silence heavy like the quiet before the storm. All she could feel was the need, the inexplicable and indescribable need, to write. Sometimes, she imagined herself writing something so wonderful that it would be translated and read everywhere in the world. But always, lurking in a dark corner of her mind, the inexorable fear of taking a path already traveled. The pride and the bogeyman of every author. Does the desire to be read spoil the ability to write what you really want to? This was the reason that had prompted her to write with a computer. Typing on the keyboard doesn’t give her enough time to question herself. The barrier between her mind and the page seemed so much more surmountable when the words were appearing on a screen, and not on paper. Admittedly, the pen and paper carried within them an undeniable charm. But the speed of transcribing thoughts to the screen was unbeatable. Yet, on that day, despite the surge of inspiration and the will to write, she couldn’t write a single word. So, she got up, put on her coat, woolen hat and shoes, and left her flat. She spent the day wandering the streets. Seeking inspiration that was already drowning her mind. But no sentence formed and the urge to write persisted like the constant tick tock of the clock. She walked with a rhythmic pace, without avoiding the puddles. She hadn’t taken an umbrella and her woolen hat was soon soaked through. How could she be so inspired and yet not be able to write a single line? It was with this simple question that the idea appeared. An absurd idea, yet surely already used millions of times. But the words finally wanted to come out. She sat on a bench, under a tree, in no way sheltered from the rain. She pulled out her phone. And amid the downpour, on a wet and blurry phone screen, she wrote the story of the writer’s block. It was perhaps very simple and paradoxical. But the feeling of satisfaction was unparalleled. She told a story; her story and that of so many. She wrote that she couldn’t write. Thus, it was on a rainy afternoon, when she was afraid that she would never know how to write again, that she was inspired by her disarray to write a story. This story would probably never be translated. This story would probably never be read. But she was writing it. When it was over, the girl went home with a light heart. She sat down in front of her computer and the words continued to flow from her mind to the screen. The sentences seemed to dance before her eyes as her fingers flew above the keyboard. She finally wrote the last sentence and a full stop: She finally wrote the last sentence and a full stop.

To all the lonely people

by MISS MELANCHOLY & picture by ELIANA RADAELLI I don’t know where you are at this very moment. How are you feeling? I’m sitting in front of my computer screen in my room, typing this sentence. It is an oddly quiet night in my flat. I suppose it is a Monday. After the chaos that washes over Covent Garden every weekend, it feels almost solemn in comparison. There have been many times over the last couple of months when I’ve felt empty. I’ve grown increasingly afraid of spending any time in my own company. Being with anyone – anyone at all – would be better than listening to my idle thoughts. I can detect every tick, every fluctuation of my mood. Time gently slips through our fingers when we are busy, doesn’t it? It ticks away when I’m climbing up the spiral staircase of the library; sprinting to my classes on Kingsway just as they are about to start; chewing on my Pret baguette and throwing the packaging in the bin. Things I do; things I enjoy; things I despise; things I mull over... All feel somewhat inconsequential without the presence of other people. Sometimes I forget why I do the things that I do. What’s missing? Perhaps I want to feel the pulse of a bustling community; the cheer of excitement; the harmonising wave of the common human experience; the vibrating warmth of a jovial crowd. The cheapest way to scratch that itch is, of course, by guzzling an obscene amount of alcohol. Then you feel at once numb and ecstatic, as if seeing the world from the eyes of a kid – everything and everyone is new, stimulating, and infinitely lovable. You feel warm and messy, loud even, ready to give life the biggest kiss from the bottom of your heart. You indulge yourself in an alcohol-induced frenzy, with everyone around you pushing and shoving, dancing like an idiot, sweating profusely in the natural furnace of the club. You open your half-closed eyes and look towards the ceiling past the guy you have been dancing and holding the entire night… Oh live that student life. I don’t know if this is why I drink, why I go clubbing, why I go on dates, why I hook up with people without getting to know them properly beforehand. How do you cope with that emptiness, my dear? What is the cure? I don’t really know. I’ve been trying to sit through those phases, convincing myself I will wake up to a better mood. It comes and goes. Most of the time I get so caught up in the pace of life, it shrinks into itself and evaporates. There are moments in my day when I feel whole, blessed, warm, and genuinely happy. I laugh and feel... whole. Maybe this is just the ups and downs life has to offer. So be it. It will brighten up when it wants to. Hug your friend, go out and get some air. It will get better, I promise.

Sky series: LSE edition by AMBRE PLUTA

Every time I slow down and take a picture of the sky, it reminds me of how inconsequential everything is and how insignificant we are... But it also reminds me of all the tiny beautiful things in life.

Four groups of hands

by KATERINA POLYCHRONOPOULOU Plaster sculptures on wood (25 x 40cm) This sculpture consisting of ceramic hands explores the concept of human behaviour and feelings through different gestures. The hands allude to a group of people, each engaging in different actions and interactions with the rest. The composition is divided into four separate groups of hands. Some hands are seen protecting each other, others are ‘kissing’; others are lifting one up, and others are seen promoting and expressing their pride for one hand.

My female anger by ANAIS LA-CHON

This small body only has so much space I’d like it to be filled with flowery images, lovely smiles, intimate eyes Maybe a snapshot of a field, someone dancing with the swaying leaves, A laugh, a hush, and a whisper Wind tickling my nose, sun caressing my hand, And a twinkle of a melody from the river, Yeah, that’s what I’d like. But, you see, I am afraid. My small body fears you. My head’s filled with hallucinations, slurring lips, uncomfortable stares, Maybe a vision of a face, someone grabbing me under my flowing dress, A laugh, a hush, and a whisper, Breath smothering my ears, hands gripping my waist, And a throb of a headache from my temples, Yeah, that’s what I remember. But, you see, it was my fault. My drink’s filled with innocence, naïve flavours, unknowing glances, Maybe a scene of a club, someone slipping a little pill, A laugh, a hush, and a whisper, Nods concluding in my sphere, fingers suffocating my throat, And an engine of a car starting into the night, Yeah, that’s what I recall. But, you see, I must be hysterical. I must be insane to be afraid.

After all, laws have been set, men straightened. It happens only in such and such places, There’s no way it would be me. “We live in a first-world country, So you don’t have to worry. Do you think I would ever do that to you?” But I swear, if you could, you would. Have you ever feared for your life, when going home alone? Each step, cowering at the slightest movement, Hands gripped tightly around keys, Muscles tensed and eyes alert. Is safety too much to ask for? Have you ever feared for your life, when walking down the streets? Each “casual” compliment, each belittling look, A gaze that strips you down to your animalistic value, A sex fantasy, a reproductive organ, Just a non-durable good. Just waiting to be consumed. A laugh, a hush, and a whisper, A small smile, imbued politeness, A “suggestive” movement, A “provocative” action, …is existing too much to ask for?

BRINGING US TOGETHER THE

POWER OF MEMES AT LSE

interview by BEATRIZ SILVA photography by JACK LOVE

What was the person running the Memes of LSE Instagram account going to look like? I had no idea. Before we met, I had saved his contact on my phone as “memes of LSE dude.” Unlike in previous interviews, I had never seen Boris before, and I didn’t know anything about him except that he is a second-year Finance student, which I found out after shamelessly stalking his meme page. This could either go really well or really badly. And still, everyone on the editorial board was intrigued to learn more about the student who had accepted to reveal his identity through

The Beaver.

For some reason, I had assumed that the person running the page would be a bit presumptuous and entitled. So when Boris came into the Media Centre with a warm smile on his face, I was genuinely taken aback. There he was, standing in front of me, excited to get started and to talk about one of his great passions: memes! Before we delve into my conversation with Boris, and on the off chance that you have never heard of the Memes of LSE Instagram page, here is what you need to know: the account was created around a year ago and has over 6,300 followers, which is around half of the LSE student body. The number of followers has grown exponentially since September, and it posts LSE-related memes on a daily basis. Boris is half-French and half-Russian, but has lived in London since he was five. Aside from the time he dedicates to the Memes of LSE page, which is more time consuming than one might expect, he plays the piano, writes music, and spends his time trading his own portfolio of stocks (as an IR student, I will not even attempt to go further into explaining this). He is also in the LSE men’s fifth football team, but has not been able to spend as much time playing as he would like. Looking back at his experience at LSE so far, Boris shared that he was pleasantly surprised by the diversity of the student body at LSE, which makes this university a very exciting place to be (apart from the insane number of noisy French students this year: “the fourth floor in the library is basically Paris”). But his first year was hard. “I still consider myself a fresher,” Boris shared. “Last year was a bad precedent, because we didn’t know each other...this year it feels a bit weird. There’s a lot of small talk. People are willing to talk to you – they’re friendly, but you don’t know them!” As a fairly extroverted person, Boris struggled a lot mentally during the Covid-tainted year, and had very few opportunities to connect with others. “First year, online at home, I was looking for a way to have some fun.” And so he decided to create Memes of LSE. I really wanted him to break down why he believed the page became so popular and what it is that’s so special about memes as a form of expression. “Memes are often taken from TV shows, series, or pop culture references, stuff that we see on online culture...and the fact that you can understand them without being a native speaker, you can be from anywhere...it just brings people together and memes are relatable.” Boris mentioned here something unique about memes: “You know the quick exhale from your nose? Like when you see a meme and you find it funny? I don’t know what else gives you that.” This might sound like something small, but getting to share with one another memes and laugh together about our collective misery, even if just for a quick moment, as we navigate the ups and downs of life at LSE, may just contribute to a sense of belonging. When you have been in the library for hours, desperately wanting to leave but knowing you have to stay and finish that essay, it’s in those moments that a relatable meme can bring some much-need

comfort and solace. “It helps bring people together. That sense of community, we really need it at LSE, so I am really happy to be able to contribute to that.” What are some quintessential LSE meme topics? “Something that always works is obviously King’s College.” When KCL students meet Boris and find out that he is the one who runs the Memes of LSE page, the reaction tends to be “it’s you – it’s that guy that keeps roasting us”. But KCL has its own banter page, where they mock LSE students unabashadley, so “it’s only fair”. Overall, it’s a healthy rivalry. Apart from KCL, library memes (“when are they going to fix the elevator?”) and its controversial stairs can always be relied upon to provide memeable content. Silent zones have become fruitful terrain for the exploration of memes as well: “They should rename the silent zones non-silent zones – it’s mainly a place to do networking now,” Boris added. What about the obsession with Management students? “They take themselves so seriously that it just works.” Boris has a few friends doing the BSc in Management, which he says makes the situation all the more amusing. Boris admitted that he is sometimes wary of posting certain memes, especially since he knows that it’s not just students that follow the page, but also class teachers and staff at LSE. The most recent one was about faking Covid tests, “It’s funny as long as you don’t do it yourself, even though you know other people are doing it!” Another tricky aspect about memes is that “sometimes I have to take a step back and try to see if a person might not understand the humour cause it could get you in trouble if you meme about something and it’s taken seriously, when it’s not meant to”. Boris explained that although it had never happened before, he would be willing to take a meme off the page if it made someone uncomfortable.

In many ways, memes make use of stereotypes, misconceptions and our own preconceived ideas to produce content that hopefully others will find entertaining. I asked Boris if he thought these memes reinforced stereotypes: “They don’t reinforce stereotypes – they make you aware of those stereotypes and make you have a laugh at yourself. I think it’s very important to, every now and then, laugh at yourself.” As much as there are some recurring themes in his memes that hint at LSE stereotypes, they are there primarily to teach us that it’s okay to not always take ourselves seriously, and to have a good time. “Are you ready for the consequences of this article coming out, and the end of your anonymity?” I asked. “Not really,” Boris laughed. “I don’t know what this entails.” But the page is not just about Boris anymore, which makes him less scared of the effects of revealing who is behind it. Most of the memes he posts at the moment are sent by students, and his friends sometimes reply to the page Q&As. “But I guess I am excited to see what happens.” After being at LSE for more than two years now, Boris was probably the first Finance student I had a proper conversation with, and it was a great one. In the end, regardless of whether you are a Finance, Management or Sociology student, we all enjoy a good LSE meme, and there is something undeniably special about memes that brings all of us together. “There is so much that I still have to discover and meme about – there are so many doors to open, and I am just interested to see where it’s gonna take me.” It’s an exciting world of memes out there, and Boris’ final message to the LSE community is simple: keep sending the memes! And he will continue to bring them to us, and brighten our cloudy days, one nose exhale at a time.

ISSUE 916

MT WEEK 11 2021 REVIEW: ADELE’S 30 PART B: WRITER’S BLOCK

SOCIAL: RECIPE FOR BUSY LSE STUDENTS SPORT: A TERM IN REVIEW

& MEMES OF LSE