SEARCH RESULTS

How an unprecedented election has followed a very American pattern by Timur von Polach Description: Made on photoshop "Downfall" illustrates Donald Trump's fall from grace in the uncertain environment we currently find ourselves, how this "fall" will manifest itself remains unknown for now. Trump's continuing denial of his position demonstrates his god-like complex and causes us to question, not for the first time, the true meaning of his intentions. With Joe Biden’s electoral win as the 46th President of the United States, President Donald Trump has achieved a new political hat-trick as the only President to; have lost the popular vote; be successfully impeached by Congress and not to have won a second term in office. With the precedent of 2016, this election cycle held more anticipation, compounded by both parties arguing that the future of America itself was at stake. It was also in no way the victory that many had expected and has again humiliated pundits, guilty of making the same fundamental mistakes that did not even consider a Trump victory in 2016. Trump has achieved a new political hat-trick as the only President to; have lost the popular vote; be successfully impeached by Congress and not to have won a second term in office. An article by The Washington Post recently showed that, due to the electoral college, a vote in Wyoming is worth 3.6 times the vote of a Californian. Once again, this election has brought the demographics of America and their importance to an election campaign into sharp relief. Joe Biden clearly out-performed Hillary Clinton due to his particular appeal and success with suburban and rust-belt voters, just as President Obama had done in 2008 and 2012, but which Clinton had fatally lost in 2016. This even included the Republican heartland of Georgia, which has not voted Democrat in three decades. Were Georgia to flip, commentators have coined it as Trump’s defeat, at the last minute, by a dead man; the late former Democratic congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis, who’s Georgian 2nd District was the turning point in the state. There are many reasons why Biden won, far too many for any singular commentary to account for. Personally, I cannot overstate the role of COVID-19 and the importance of the suburban and rust belt voters who have decided (at least) the past four elections. By the same token, it is wrong to believe that there was anything special about the Biden campaign - to many it offered more of the pre-Trump status quo. The best way to view this election therefore, as both Biden himself and the Associated Press put it, was as a referendum on the Trump presidency. I cannot overstate the role of COVID-19 and the importance of the suburban and rust belt voters who have decided (at least) the past four elections. We saw record voter turnout this year, as more people have been drawn into the political conversation in these tumultuous times. Perhaps, it was these people who were the true “silent majority”, who did not anticipate a Trump win in 2016 and have rallied around supporting or tearing down one of (if not the most) controversial American President. It should also be noted that this is one of the rare cases in American history where an opposing party or President has been elected during a time of national crisis, as crises typically favour those already in power. In 2016, Trump ran on a campaign disabusing the American people of the idea that politicians were best at running the country, and that a (perceived) successful outsider could rewrite the rules on governance. His campaign was also deeply racial. He became the Republican nominee, despite the self-proclaimed 2012 Republican Party “autopsy”, which dictated a “...need to reach out to minorities”. As Harvard law professor Michael Klarman told Business Insider: “What Trump intuited was that he could, instead, double down on a disaffected white electorate”, as well as negative partisanship for the Republican party (whereby even if voters did not explicitly support him, they resented the Democratic candidate and party more) to squeeze out a final electoral victory. As the London School of Economics observed; ‘Instead of running on a platform that amounts to “more of the same”, a party with a damaged reputation can propose a radical alternative. With this policy shift, the party sheds its old image as a purveyor of poor-quality mainstream policies and gains a new reputation as the party best qualified to deliver sweeping change. We call this phenomenon “tactical extremism”.’ A practice, they allege, which began with the Republican Party in the 1960s. However, after 4 years of polarisation, consistent scandal, a pandemic and, frankly, a lack of governance (Trump has enacted the fewest actual laws of any first term President), a second term was not to be. Political commentators on the States, particularly those who foresaw President Trump’s shock 2016 win, have frequently cited a “pendulum-esque” model regarding the Presidency and public opinion. Each swing to the left has been followed by a sharper, more extreme swing to the right. Carter, immediately followed by Reagan, and Obama by Trump are the two most prominent examples. Obama has even pointed to this in his recent memoir, ‘A Promised Land’, writing: “American’s [were] spooked by [a] black man in White House” and that “[his] presence in the White House created a deep seated panic”. But, just as Reagan’s wave of conservatism (which ended with the presidency of his Vice-President George H. W. Bush) would be beaten by a moderate Bill Clinton, so too would Trump’s campaign be defeated by a moderate Joe Biden. It seems then, that the antidote to extremism is a moderate candidate, not extremism in return, as many had thought. It seems then, that the antidote to extremism is a moderate candidate, not extremism in return, as many had thought. However, this tight win by the Democrats is still damning. With such a close election, it is easy to imagine a climate without COVID-19 in which President Trump might have easily won re-election. The economy, and his handling of it, was after all his rallying cry. Furthermore, it is unclear to what extent this is a Democrat victory, as although the presidency is wrapped up, Democrats have performed poorly down-ballot (thanks, in no small part, to the extreme Republican gerrymandering of Senate districts). The Congressional (above) and Senate (below) results paint a gloomy picture for the Democratic Party. This means that they have a slim control of Congress (having in fact lost seats), but not the Senate as expected. Any commentator cannot overlook the fact that without the Senate, Biden flirts with the same powerlessness for which the more popular President Obama drew criticism from both sides of the aisle from 2011 onwards. However, as Senator Sanders told CNN: “Trump has shown the power of the executive order” and it falls to Biden how he wishes to use the same power. The true election will, therefore, only finish in January, with the conclusion of Trump’s legal challenges and the final elections for the Senate. Interestingly, Republican sources suggest that the main reason for Republican support of Trump’s electoral disputes is to gain his approval so that he might help to continue campaigning for a Republican control of the Senate in January. The sights also now narrow on the race for 2024. At 78 years old, the oldest elected President, Joe Biden’s second election campaign at 82 years old troubles credulity. It seems highly unlikely that Trump will run either, with the possibility that by 2024 he could be a convicted felon (if not pardoned by himself or declared innocent by his many appointed and loyal judges). Questions are, therefore, raised for the future of both parties. The Republican party has not groomed a true thought leader, other than Trump, the likes of which Senator Bernie Sanders brought to the Democratic party. While it should have been obvious that an independent, self-proclaimed socialist senator from Vermont would not win a presidency in America, he has invigorated the Democratic party’s future. The choice for the Democrats therefore, falls into two categories. The first, a centrist approach, for which Kamala Harris could be a clear choice, now armed with evidence that this approach can win, which was doubted by the radical arm of the Democratic party. Or, the second, a grass-roots powered, progressive, Sanders-esque candidate. President-elect Biden will elucidate much of the future of the party as his cabinet manifests as well. The sights also now narrow on the race for 2024. At 78 years old, the oldest elected President, Joe Biden’s second election campaign at 82 years old troubles credulity. A large influence on the decision will also be the movements of the Republican party, where Trump has left no clear successor either. The question will be whether the Republican factions rally around a previously traditional candidate, or if Trump has not been pervasive enough to throw a collaborator, or even one of his own children, into the fray. I believe it would be ignorant to immediately discount the latter, especially given Ivanka Trump’s suitability as a running mate. While he may be defeated, we would be remiss not to understand that the domestic, global and cultural movement President Trump brought with him over 4 years has been more significant than the combined effect of many historic two term Presidents. This is especially with the appointment of three Supreme Court Justices, as well as a long list of smaller circuit judges (which he will hope to augment in his last months in office). Trump’s defeated glance to the White House press corps on his way back from post-election golf, where he learned of Joe Biden’s victory. Timur von Polach is a third year Biological Sciences (Biotechnology) BSc student at the University of Edinburgh.

Kirsten Provan explores the mental health of Amazon Prime's Mr Robot and how the series portrays dissociative identity disorder. 'The title of this piece translates as 'numb' in Irish. The artwork shows a sense of fragmentation of self that often comes with mental illness. I have depicted the fragmentation through imagery.' Amazon Prime’s Mr Robot is many things. It’s a high-stakes hacker show that manages to be both incredibly cinematic and fundamentally indie. It’s a cult classic with a killer soundtrack and a diverse cast. It’s essentially Fight Club for the depressed, tech-obsessed, streaming generation. It’s gripping. It’s exciting. It leaves you completely breathless. In all four seasons, it never once drops the ball. But, as well as all that, it also offers the most accurate, sensitive portrayal of mental illness that I have seen on both the big and small screens in recent years. Rami Malek, of Bohemian Rhapsody fame, stars as Elliot Alderson, an anxiety-and-depression-ridden, hacker-extraordinaire suffering with a severe dissociative identity disorder. Embroiled in a plot to outsmart and burn down capitalist society, it’s fair to say that Elliot is a bit of a mess, and he’s in way over his consistently-unreliable head. It also offers the most accurate, sensitive portrayal of mental illness that I have seen on both the big and small screens in recent years. Malek’s performance ranges from the stammering, bumbling, rom-com-era Hugh Grant-type; to badass hacker stepping into his place as the Chosen One, à la The Matrix’s Neo; to emotive, troubled young man struggling to survive in a corrupt world where both society and his mind seem pointedly against him. In the starring role, Malek is the whole package, and his navigation of Elliot’s mental health issues only gets better as the series goes on. Mental illness, particularly dissociative identity disorder, has truly made a name for itself on the silver screen, utilised, more often than not, for horror or suspense purposes. With the popularity of films such as M. Night Shyamalan’s Split and even David Fincher’s Fight Club, such issues are consistently reduced to little more than a plot device, where protagonists are either something to be feared or are miraculously cured by the time the credits roll. Crucially, Mr Robot doesn’t do this. At no point is the audience scared of Elliot; at no point does he not feel human. The series creator Sam Esmail is careful never to exploit his central character for a cheap thrill. Across the four seasons, we see Elliot muddle along with therapy, turn to drugs to cope, and suffer one breakdown after another. While the premise of the show may be a highly illegal, highly dangerous hack, the real story lies in one man’s quest for sanity. And he’s not alone. In this world governed by social pressures, social media, and the need to constantly be connected, it’s no surprise that every single character is falling apart at the seams. Across the board, poor mental health is used not for plot or drama or tear-jerking scenes, but to flesh out the characters, allowing them to grow into people that viewers can empathise with and struggle alongside. Esmail deftly navigates the fine line between important representation and voyeurism. The balance between heart-racing action and more quiet, emotional moments, is perfectly struck so that the instances in which characters are vulnerable never need to be overly dramatised. Throughout the series, Malek’s character is constantly speaking to us, the audience, referring to us as ‘friends’, creating an environment in which we feel secure. As such, Mr Robot simultaneously offers escapism through its intricate, adrenaline-inducing storylines, and acts as a safe space for those struggling with a bad brain day/week/month/year; it’s a place in which we can feel understood. Esmail deftly navigates the fine line between important representation and voyeurism. As someone who’s having a bad brain decade, I typically don’t love shows which go down the mental health route, and as we collectively become more aware of how widespread such issues are, this kind of television seems to crop up all the more. Seriously, I don’t think I can watch another bad depiction of PTSD, panic attacks, or a spot of depression that sticks around for a few episodes to create a bit of drama, only to never be mentioned again. For me, Mr Robot is not guilty of this. There is no magic cure for Elliot’s condition, there are peaks and troughs and there are times when he spirals out of control, but it never feels overdone. In our contemporary society, everyone is struggling with something, and Sam Esmail uses this to connect us with his characters, and in return, he offers up a sliver of hope. Despite our brokenness, despite the dark tunnels we fall down, we will always have these moments of pure, unabashed joy. In our contemporary society, everyone is struggling with something, and Sam Esmail uses this to connect us with his characters, and in return, he offers up a sliver of hope. And despite the heavy subject matter, we do get joy from Mr Robot. Every aspect of the show, from the supporting cast to the scripts, the cinematography to the soundtrack (which cheekily features Pixies in homage to Fincher’s classic), works in harmony to create an unmissable drama; truly the most accomplished piece of television I have seen in recent years. The portrayal of mental health is unapologetic and real; the questions raised about the state of contemporary society are poignant and ever-relevant. Whether its Sam Esmail himself stepping in front of the camera in the final series to say “goodbye, friend” to his protagonist, or Malek spending one episode running for almost an hour straight (from the police, he’s not doing Couch to 5K), this show has the potential to give you chills and leave you completely breathless all at the same time. The portrayal of mental health is unapologetic and real; the questions raised about the state of contemporary society are poignant and ever-relevant. Running for only four series and stopping whilst the programme still thrills, Mr Robot is a rare breed. Such a positive, sympathetic depiction of mental illness really highlights how far we’ve come since Edward Norton effectively punched himself in the ear. While we can’t talk about Fight Club lest we break both the first and second rules, Esmail makes it crystal clear that we should be talking about mental health. In amongst all the hacking and the cybercrime, we learn two very important things: we are not robots, and we all desperately need therapy. Kirsten is a Creative Writing MSc student at the University of Edinburgh.

Amy Houghton outlines what SARs is and why there are protests against it. Voices from the University of Edinburgh Nigerian society give us an insight into the feelings amongst the local Nigerian community and explain in what ways the rest of the world can practice solidarity. 3 weeks ago the hashtag #ENDSARS gained spectacular momentum across social media platforms as footage of frustrated Nigerian citizens marching the streets began to circulate. To an outsider looking in, it appeared as though this movement was a sudden reaction to an isolated event. However, much like the Black Lives Matter protests that caught the world’s attention, this was a result of a collective tiredness of a much deeper institutional problem. What is SARS? SARS is a unit of the Nigerian police set up in 1992. It stands for the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad and was founded with the intention of tackling armed robbery and violent crime. It has since become notorious for its corruption and lawless brutality against citizens, largely as a result of the freedom it was allowed from the outset. Why the protests? The organised movement against this police unit first materialised in 2017 when a petition, with over 10,000 signatories, was submitted to the country’s National Assembly urging for SARS to be disbanded. Its reform and reorganisation was officially ordered but little actually changed. Three years later, the protests were reignited and intensified by graphic footage, posted in October, of SARS officers dragging two men from a hotel in Lagos and shooting them in the street. The protesters have been peaceful, yet they have been subject to shamelessly horrific instances of violence. Most notably, the Lekki Toll Massacre on 20th October saw authorities open fire on a crowd, killing at least 12 people and injuring countless more, though officials have refused to disclose the actual number. As the movement continues and judicial panels are in session, The Edi reached out to the University of Edinburgh Nigerian Society to get a sense of the feelings amongst the local Nigerian community and to ask in what ways the rest of the world can practice solidarity: “Initially muted as a social media campaign in 2017 but without the scale of success recorded in the latest protests, the fact that nothing changed over the three-year period is enough proof of why something as serious as these prolonged protests was needed to get the nonchalant Nigerian government committed to any meaningful reforms. The problem with police brutality in Nigeria is more entrenched than most people outside the country would believe. Two quick examples would drive home the point. First, about four months ago, a bus conveying passengers in Rivers state was stopped by police officers at a checkpoint. One of the passengers in the bus, a 24 year old widow, was forcibly ejected for not wearing a facemask and the driver asked to leave. The lady later accused the leader of the police team of raping her in a hotel where he took her. In defence, the officer claimed it was consensual sex. He remains a working officer. Second, in Nyanya, Abuja two years ago, police officers killed a civil defence officer in broad-daylight. The offence of the deceased, who was with his wife and children, was that he drove against traffic. To this day, these officers, who are known, are walking free. Real life occurrences such as this abound in Nigeria. Hence, it was not surprising that protests aimed at ending it gained that much traction, including from the international press, even if their intervention was belated and minimal. To a large extent, I believe that similar protests organised by Nigerians in the diaspora contributed to the attention from the international community. The most important point that seems to be getting overlooked is why this brutality persisted so long. The reason is that when these officers maim and kill innocent citizens, they face no consequence despite the hues and cries from the public- so it is not surprising that this unacceptable wickedness gets repeated endlessly. While it is true that the welfare of police officers in Nigeria is nothing to write home about, attributing their harassment of Nigerians to mental derangement, as some have, is completely off the mark as they almost never assault prominent citizens such as governors, senators, representatives and popular celebrities. Their targets are usually poor and helpless Nigerians. I do not know of such ‘selective psychosis’ that is able to differentiate between the have and have not, then choose the latter for all sorts of harassment. What the protesters should expect is that ending police brutality has only just begun and the battle is far from being won. However, through the protests, enough attention has been drawn to the menace. So much, that curbing it has become a possibility through a continuous demand for accountability on the part of those who have supervisory roles over these malevolent officers. Yours sincerely has a passion towards ending police brutality and this will be thoroughly pursued (As an aside, about a month ago, I contacted Scotland Police on how they can assist our movement in Nigeria on ending police brutality and their response was that they could be of no help…).” From Dr Adedeji Adesope, 35 years (an Edinburgh-based professional) “I think the feeling [amongst Nigerians watching from abroad] has been one of disgust at the Nigerian government for the lack of decisive action towards treating some of the prevailing issues that borders on Police malpractices; and the government’s irresponsibility and lack of will to find a lasting solution. Given the horrendous incident of the 22nd of October 2020 that saw a lot of peaceful Nigerian protesters being shot at by the men of the Nigerian Army, it is nothing short of horror for many of us Nigerians abroad and we are quite terrified, sad and angry at the government for abusing the fundamental rights of its people and treating them with so much lack of rest for their human life and dignity. I think the Western media response to what is happening in Nigeria is quite slow and hesitant. Although CNN, BBC and a few other western media started reporting about the protest after videos of the Lekki Massacre of the 22nd of October went viral, I believe not enough has been reported about it. And may I say that I am not surprised at all about that – there seems to be a lot of crisis going on in a lot of countries across Africa (Ghana, Congo, South Africa, Sudan etc) with a lot of human rights violation issues being perpetuated, but you don’t hear so much of it in the media because it doesn’t exactly fit with the mainstream narrative and is not of much direct benefit…..sad! The western government can be of good use through serving as external pressure to compel internal governments in Africa to sit up and find solutions to some of the problems – but again that is not exactly in their interest. African problems can only truly be solved by Africa and its people. I think the media can do more to report about some of the crisis going on in West Africa – a lot of children die everyday in Congo as a result of exploitation of the Coltan resources by big tech corporations, there is violations of human rights of women in South African and Ghana, there is human rights violations in Northern Nigeria. I think the media needs to speak up more about these issues. The media is very much the voice of the people and can be a voice for the voiceless and so they need to rise to the occasion. Just like any other movement, traction can be gained towards achieving the demands of the agitation when a lot of awareness is created which can then mount pressure on the government to act. So, a lot of awareness needs to be created in the media. Government needs to be held accountable. People need to push for petitions against erring officers of the Police unit. Donations should be made to support organisations and coalitions, such as the Feminist Coalition, who are taking up the responsibility to cater to those who are victims of the Police Unit malpractices. I would like to see that justice is done. Everyone who has unfortunately been a victim of the police brutality needs to get justice. I would like for the notorious Police unit to be disbanded; the men of the unit to be taken through thorough reassessment; and for those found guilty to be prosecuted. However, I think this movement is beyond just a clamour for the end of the notorious Police unit, it is an agitation and call for more responsible leadership in Nigeria. So, I see this as a wake-up call for every Nigerian youth to take the challenge and demand for better government and be more active and participatory in deciding their future.” From Emmanuel Oni (an Edinburgh-based professional) To learn more and to keep up to date: Follow @feminist.co @nowhitesaviours @nigeriansociety_uoe @republicjournal Read A day by day timeline of events so far: https://nairametrics.com/2020/10/25/endsars-protest-a-timeline-of-all-the-major-events-from-october-3rd/ The vital role of LGBT youths in the protests: https://i-d.vice.com/en_uk/article/g5pz9q/nigerias-queer-youth-and-the-endsars-protests Why the world must care: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/16/black-lives-matter-everywhere-support-endsars-nigeria Why Western interference is not the solution: https://thenativemag.com/communities/dangers-western-interference/ Action If you wish to help please be aware that Nigerians have requested for people in the UK to avoid signing petitions calling for the government to make sanctions against the country. There is justifiably a lot of suspicion around Western intervention and they urge that this would only harm the situation. Petition for President Buhari to be charged for crimes against humanity Petition stating that United Nations should remove Hussain Coomassie UN ambassador for peace and social justice Verified crowd-funding initiatives

Clara Sablitzky provides some tips on how to look after our bodies and minds during midterms, winter weather and the current pandemic. Artwork caption: Throughout the pandemic, I have allowed myself a small £2 bouquet of carnations and a regular supply of crosswords when I order groceries. As someone on the Shielding List, it's the little things once taken for granted that have really helped to keep me sane. (Acrylic on canvas.) As midterms hit and winter sets in, this time of the uni year is always the hardest. Add the global situation on top and it’s easy to see why many of us are struggling right now. Some days are better than others, but sometimes we just need to look after ourselves. Here are some tips to do on the days when you just need to get through the day. 1. Take a Minute Uni is a lot at the best of times. Seniors have honours to deal with and Freshers are trying to navigate a completely new life, but this time amid a pandemic. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and let things build up in your head without knowing what to do about it. Meditation: Taking a minute, or ten, every morning to sit and breathe with no distractions can help with mood, stress and focus. Daily meditation requires nothing apart from you, your body and your brain, but if you do want guided practices to get you into it there are apps, like Headspace and Calm, or thousands of YouTube videos to choose from (I like Michael Sealy and Jason Stephenson, but it’s important to find what you prefer). As you learn to observe, rather than react to your thoughts, it should become easier to manage those days where your brain feels like it’s going a million miles an hour. Learning to meditate is basically just learning to apply the brakes and take a breather. Journaling: Dumping your thoughts and feelings on paper can often help you look at them from a new perspective, as well as being an incredibly cathartic exercise when something’s really wound you up. Over time, daily journaling can help us become more self-aware and make it easier to identify when we might be slipping into old habits or a lower mood, and the more self-aware we become the easier it is to deal with off days. It’s also fun to journal the good days, so there are amazing memories to look back on when our uni days are far behind us. *While meditation and journaling can help relieve feelings of anxiety and low mood, it is so important to reach out to people you feel comfortable with if you feel like you really need help. No issue is too small. If you need professional advice, please have a look at these resources: · Samaritans · Calm · YoungMinds · MIND · BEAT · Or go to your GP 2. Move Your Body Exercise releases endorphins, endorphins make us happy.. We know this but sometimes it is easier to close our eyes and pretend we do not see it and spend a couple more hours in bed scrolling on TikTok. While the gym is open, it’s understandable if it’s not exactly appealing at the moment and going for a run in this weather might not be your ideal Monday morning either. Exercise doesn’t have to be intense to be beneficial – even stretching is better than nothing. Yoga and Pilates are about as uni-room friendly as exercise goes, and if you’re not bothered about your downstairs neighbours you could try a body-weight home workout (actually, please do be considerate). Again, YouTube really is the gift that keeps on giving if you’re stuck for ideas. Even just having a one-man dance party in your bedroom counts and is probably the most fun out of all of these options. (Not house parties though, please don’t have house parties right now…) 3. See Friends We may have lost the Pear Tree and the Library Bar for the moment but at least we still have Black Medicine and good old Amphion to serve us decent coffee and give us somewhere to meet our friends. While a Sunday studying in Teviot isn’t quite the same as a Saturday night at Big Cheese, getting out and spending time with people you like is an easy way to feel better. There’s still time to join a sports club or society too if you haven’t already (I reckon Zoom socials are actually better than a Wednesday night in WhyNot). It’s easy to shut yourself off when you’re not feeling great - sometimes being on your own is actually the best thing for you in the moment. However, if you’re finding yourself withdrawing beyond your normal level, maybe try organising a movie night with your flatmates or a coffee with your uni friends or a call with your home friends. It’s important to really be there for the people you love, and the people you love will be there for you too. 4. Get Outside I know, I know, telling you to get outside in Edinburgh in Winter to help you feel better seems counterproductive, but I promise you it helps. Sometimes getting out of your house is the best way to get out of your head, so you can completely walk away from whatever’s bothering you (literally). We are so lucky to have beautiful parks and beaches that make you feel like you’re out of the city completely. Holyrood Park and Blackford Hill are stunning walks if you’ve got more energy in you and walking around the Meadows just isn’t cutting it anymore. You could even take a trip to Portobello or Cramond Beach - not quite the summer holiday we’d all hoped for but it’ll do. Even the five minutes of sun we get during Edinburgh Winters can make all the difference (I have a SAD lamp, that’s always an option too.) 5. Do Something Else Sometimes the best thing to do is just close your laptop and put your phone away and just do something else for a bit. How can you expect to do your best work when you’re sat stressing that you’re stupid and you can’t do it and you might as well just drop out now and become a goat farmer in the Andes? 1. You’re not stupid, 2. I reckon you probably know a lot more about your degree than goat farming, and 3. There are easier things to do to take your mind off things than move to Peru. Now the pubs are closed, I’ve started doing crosswords to relax in the evening (yes, I am a grandma) and I love to read in my spare time. My flatmate knits (another grandma) but honestly it doesn’t matter what you do to switch off. Drawing, painting, singing, dancing, running, walking, crocheting, baking, sudoku-ing (that’s definitely not a word), poetry-ing (yeah, that’s not either), writing, playing music, skating, cycling, colouring, windowsill gardening, jewellery making, video gaming, literally anything you can think of that you enjoy doing, just do it. You don’t even have to do it well. Just do it because you want to. Clara is a third year French and German student at the University of Edinburgh.

Pranavi Hiremath explores the use of sex education to prevent child abuse in a powerful piece. Caption (Fabiana Duglio: Artistic co-ordinator): The artwork by Ellie Ibbotson portrays her childhood trauma regarding her fear of bath-taking. It represents the power of disturbing memories in unleashing an overwhelming sensation of fear. Likewise, sexual violence and abuse have similar traumatic psychological impacts on victims - thus correct sexual education is key to overcoming the phenomenon and its lasting consequences on an individual and collective level. “With trust, I let you in With innocence, I believed But you played with me You misused Blinded by innocence I never realised you made me a victim But soon to be shattered Soon to be in pain and regret As my innocence grew to knowledge” Most children victims of child abuse are unaware of the crimes being done to them, which leads to them realising too late or is some cases not at all. The fact that most people have a story to tell about their experience of sexual violence is extremely scarring and devastating. Although there isn’t an exact definition for what sexual violence or sexual assault is, the bottom line is that any intentional act of sexual advance: physical, verbal or imagery, towards an un-consenting or unaware individual, is a crime. Here, I say ‘unaware’ because unfortunately, even children are victims of sexual abuse and in most cases, children are not aware of what is happening. Eradicating sexual violence from our society is a battle that has only begun. The most important step that should be taken to do this would be by teaching children about sex and sexual violence in schools. Sexual abuse towards minors usually occurs because they are vulnerable, unaware and most of the times the abuser is known and trusted by them. Even more alarming is the fact that the victims usually do not report or inform their guardian because either they are ashamed, confused or do not know that they have been abused. Therefore, providing education in schools about what is wrong and what is right, educating them about sex, sexual abuse, what constitutes ‘good touching’ and ‘bad touching’, relationships and most importantly what they must do if they ever find themselves or their peers in such a situation, will help children set boundaries and will help prevent abuses and the consequent trauma. This will also help them grow into responsible citizens who are aware of how to treat others and not indulge in such a crime themselves. Interviews and research have shown how due to lack of sex education, young girls and boys do not know about contraception, sexually transmitted diseases and most importantly, are unaware of the importance of consent. Studies have also shown that being sexually abused at a young age causes mental health issues like depression, PTSD, substance use disorders, anxiety, eating disorders. Sex education and awareness at a young age can prevent harm and consequential mental health issues. Sex education is still a controversial subject in most countries and has not been made compulsory to learn about, including in European countries as well. It was only in 2019 that the UK government’s Department for Education made sex education mandatory for primary and secondary schools in England. The curriculum was revised after almost 20 years (last revised in 2000). Sex and sexual violence education have many obstacles such as economic factors, religious beliefs and differences in opinions. Even countries that have made sex education compulsory face backlash from parents because of their opinions and religious beliefs. For now, at an individual level, we have to be responsible citizens by trying our best not to cause any harm and not be harmed by taking measures to stay safe, talking to people you trust or professional counsellors in case of an unfortunate event. Do what you can to educate and spread awareness about sex and sexual violence. Further action: Students at University of Edinburgh: All the help and guidance the university provides. https://www.ed.ac.uk/students/health-wellbeing/crisis-support/sexual-violence https://www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/support_and_advice/the_advice_place/harassment_safety_and_crime/bulling_discrimination_and_harassment/sexual_harassment/ More about how not having access to sex education will ultimately harm children and teenagers. This article includes how different communities react to sex education in the UK and how the victims and possible victims themselves are not being given a chance to have their say. Includes interviews of teenagers, young victims in the UK: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/5050/backlash-against-sex-education-uk-will-ultimately-harm-children/ Sexual violence against children and prevention: https://www.unicef.org/protection/sexual-violence-against-children https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childabuseandneglect/childsexualabuse.html For more information on sex education in European countries, UK: https://www.debatingeurope.eu/2020/02/12/should-sex-education-be-compulsory-in-every-school/#.X5p95oj7Q2w https://populationmatters.org/news/2020/06/16/can-relationships-sex-education-help-save-planet Sex Education in UK: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn06103/ https://www.fpa.org.uk/relationships-and-sex-education/our-views Sexual Abuse and Mental health: https://www.mhanational.org/sexual-assault-and-mental-health Pranavi is a second year Astrophysics student at the University of Edinburgh.

After experiencing being the only male taking ‘understanding gender in the contemporary world’, a gender studies module at the University of Edinburgh, Antony Haslam makes the case that “gender issues must be the concern of everyone: men; women; and non-binary alike. ” Art caption: "What a wonderfully complex thing! this simple seeming unity- the self! (...) some queer long-forgotten sensation of vein and muscle, of a feeling of vast hopeless effort, the effort of a man near drowning in darkness." H. G. Wells, The Sleeper Awakes (p.21) Enrolling in Understanding Gender in the Contemporary World, an undergraduate Gender Studies module at the University of Edinburgh, as a bloke, and discovering the abysmal turnout by men, ought not to have been a surprise to me. Although data on gender identity isn’t recorded on enrolment, there is a general trend that more women than men tend to take these types of courses. Despite the best efforts of course convenors, there is a wider perception that Gender Studies (and feminism) equals ‘women’. So, when I first looked at my Gender Studies tutorial group (digitally, of course- HybridTeaching™) and realised that I, a man, was the anomaly; I felt compelled to make the case that gender issues must be the concern of everyone: men; women; and non-binary alike. We need to start conversations in which guys aside their masculinity; this toxic mindset is a key reason so many of us are frightened (yes, frightened) to openly embrace feminism and gender issues. There is, however, undeniably a challenge presented. Being outnumbered on a gender-imbalanced course does make you second guess the validity of your opinion. Do I really have the same right to comment on gender inequality as the women and the non-binary individuals on the course? I don’t know if I can answer this correctly, and I can’t speak on behalf of my peers, however, it has certainly been my experience that what I’ve had to say has been welcomed. Also, I wish to be clear that I am not painting myself as oppressed by this; I am merely presenting what I see as the potential challenges in getting more men engaging with Gender Studies. Studying gender and recognising the privileges afforded by my maleness doesn’t make me (or you) a militant, ‘man-hating’ feminist. Rather, it has allowed me to recognise that gender issues affect men, too. I want to make the case that we need more of us engaging with these issues, to help us to break down the stereotype that the concealment of emotions is part and parcel of being a ‘man’. It is this, our attempt to be ‘men’, that translates into the tragedy of male suicide in the UK. Therefore, the first question we must ask is: “Why should men be concerned with learning about gender inequality?” Well, in life, we needn’t be directly affected by an oppressive force to feel a deep sense of anger or discomfort at the injustice. For example, as a white student living in Edinburgh, I am not directly affected by violence at the hands of the Nigerian Special Anti-Robbery Squad. Yet, I still feel a gross sense of injustice that not a single SARS officer has been prosecuted for human rights violations, torture or extra-judicial execution, despite countless documented incidences (1). This idea that we can (and should) support social causes, even if we aren’t explicitly affected, is no different with gender issues. As a man, I would have continued to happily earn my salary after Equal Pay Day (which, last year, happened to fall on November 14th). Equal Pay Day represents the point when women effectively stop earning their salaries, while their male colleagues continue to do so, because of the wage gap. Despite not personally suffering in the situation, I still feel it is a gross injustice that women spent the last 48 days of last year essentially working for free. Despite progressive legislation, the gender pay gap and ‘motherhood penalty’ (the reality that women’s careers suffer for having and raising a child) are real inequalities that still exist. These are inequalities that everyone should be opposed to, regardless of how you identify. A University of Bristol study found that fewer than a third of women return to full time employment (or their self-employed status) after having a baby, compared to over 90% of men (2). Being opposed to such inequalities does make you a feminist, and this really shouldn’t be something that scares men. Despite the images that the media love to portray of feminists as aggressive, feminism isn’t anti-men. Realising that the title ‘feminist’ isn’t something to fear and isn’t something that undermines your masculinity should represent an empowering first step towards engaging with gender issues and overcoming our toxic tendencies.. Having more men embrace feminism and engage with gender issues isn’t solely about increasing male enrolment in Gender Studies at university. It could simply mean more men engaging with relevant literature and discussing feminism and gender issues more readily. These changes provide a great starting point for more men to realise that gender issues affect us, too. Masculinities are an important part of Gender Studies and a greater understanding of how they work would be hugely beneficial for all men. The key issue with masculinity, for many guys, is the toxic idea that real men don’t cry; we ‘tough it out’. We keep a brave face on the exterior, trying our utmost to project the image that we don’t suffer with mental struggles. But we do. Everyone does. It is this perception, that the ‘masculine ideal’ is a man who doesn’t display his emotions, which is extremely harmful. Men often won’t have an open and frank conversation about how they really feel with their friends, for fear that this public display of emotion may undermine their masculinity and result in castigation by the Gods of ‘lad culture’. It is this suppressing of natural emotions which is so detrimental to our mental health. I therefore see conforming to this toxic ideal as a key cause of the tragic reality that men in the UK are three times more likely to take their own lives than women (3). Critically engaging with gender issues will help men to challenge the status quo of masculinity and explore why this desire to feel strong, in control and ‘manly’ has had precisely the opposite effect; crippling one in every eight men with mental health problems and making suicide the leading cause of death for men under fifty in the UK (4). So, what now? I want to see more men picking up feminist literature. I want you to stop fearing what other guys might think of you as you read Feminism is for Everybody (5) on the train. As I’ve already argued, feminism isn’t exclusionary of men and reading feminist authors’ work isn’t emasculating. Fact. We need more men to realise that our gender doesn’t have to mean abstaining from compassion, and it certainly doesn’t mean we have to conceal our emotions and tears in public. My personal call is to see more young men signing up for gender modules. It is my hope that this will help us all to break the stigma around men’s mental health. So, I leave you with the simple message: read something feminist and make sure to look after your own and others’ mental health. With this in mind, the following may be of use for anyone who wishes to further engage with some of the topics I’ve discussed: GenderED General information on GenderED (the cross-university hub for gender and sexualities studies at the University of Edinburgh): http://www.iash.ed.ac.uk/gendered Searchable database of gender & sexuality courses at the University: http://www.iash.ed.ac.uk/gendered/courses Mental Health Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). A leading stand against suicide and a great general resource: https://www.thecalmzone.net/ More information regarding the link between masculinity performance and male mental health issues: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/m/men-and-mental-health Feminism Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s TED Talk ‘We Should All Be Feminists’- a thought provoking talk covering many of the same ideas that I have suggested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg3umXU_qWc A simple myth-busting guide to feminism that clarifies some key ideas and is aptly named “A Beginner’s Guide To Feminism”: https://oxwomin.wordpress.com/2017/11/08/a-beginners-guide-to-feminism/ A short transcript of an interview with Kimberlé Crenshaw which begins to introduce the nuances and complexities of feminism, including intersectionality theory: https://www.law.columbia.edu/news/archive/kimberle-crenshaw-intersectionality-more-two-decades-later References: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/06/nigeria-horrific-reign-of-impunity-by-sars-makes-mockery-of-anti-torture-law/ https://www.pbctoday.co.uk/news/hr-skills-news/gender-pay-gap/81441/ https://media.samaritans.org/documents/SamaritansSuicideStatsReport_2019_Full_report.pdf https://www.england.nhs.uk/blog/tackling-the-root-causes-of-suicide/ https://www.amazon.co.uk/FEMINISM-EVERYBODY-Passionate-bell-hooks/dp/0745317332 Antony is a second year Geography student at the University of Edinburgh.

Kirsten Provan reviews this semi-autobiographical novel about a young Glaswegian boy growing up in the Thatcher era, which explores oppression towards women, the working class, and the LGBTQ+ community. Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart is tipped to win the 2020 Booker Prize. But that’s not why you should read it. You should read it because it’s a Scottish tour de force with an anorak-wearing protagonist for the ages. The novel follows Shuggie, from young boy to teenager, charting his attempts to survive 1980s Glasgow with a broken, alcoholic mother and the ever-increasing weight of his own difference. This is a book in which the kids very much aren’t alright and the parents aren’t doing so well themselves either. Functioning like Scottish Billy Elliot but without the crowd-pleasing ending and toe-tapping soundtrack, Shuggie Bain is a novel that holds nothing back. Being a Scottish text, the dark, sarcastic humour comes in droves. Whether it’s teenage, supermarket-worker Shuggie bitterly fantasising about spearing his rudest customers and roasting them like rotisserie chickens or the image of young Shuggie’s desperate, frantic dance moves, there is comic relief hidden here. However, sometimes it’s hidden deep within and the moments of Shuggie Bain that are without humour are often very heavy indeed. The novel is semi-autobiographical, with Douglas Stuart himself having grown up in Glasgow and faced many of the same issues and prejudices as his young protagonist. Readers be warned, there is a fair amount of violence and suffering throughout but Stuart seems committed to telling the most accurate tale he can, warts, bruises, and all. Functioning like Scottish Billy Elliot but without the crowd-pleasing ending and toe-tapping soundtrack, Shuggie Bain is a novel that holds nothing back. It’s a story about a boy whose only friend is his mother, their relationship acting as the emotional through-line of the novel. What is so heartbreaking is that however much the mother loves the boy, a lifetime of poverty and abuse has worn her down and forced her to look for an escape at the bottom of several lager bottles, as well as a few half bottles of vodka for good measure. Let’s not beat around the bush here: this is not a happy book. If you’re looking for escapism, sunshine, and rainbows, I would not recommend. It is raw and unflinching. It is at times quite disgusting. Frequent, rambling descriptions of the colour and texture of phlegm were really not something I was missing from my fiction and yet, for some reason, Stuart goes to town. Indeed, at times, perhaps because of the abundance of phlegm, the book is quite difficult to swallow. We very much get bogged down in the doom and gloom of working-class life. The journey through poverty, sadness, and aggression screams the failures and inhumanity of the Thatcher era. Through the exploration of alcoholism, abuse, sexism, and homophobia, we see how those working-class men emasculated by the state sought less powerful individuals (namely, women and the LGBTQ+ community) to assert their dominance and maintain the illusion of superiority. Stuart perfectly outlines how we as humans will always find ourselves punching down. The journey through poverty, sadness, and aggression screams the failures and inhumanity of the Thatcher era. While this novel does offer a heart-breaking and all-too-familiar LGBTQ+ storyline, it ultimately doesn’t matter whether Shuggie Bain is queer or not. The people surrounding him don’t know him and they don’t care to know him. He is looked upon by everyone around him as ‘no right’ because he prefers to play with dolls and cares about the way he looks. Though the book is set in the 80s and 90s, it serves as a stark reminder for how gendered society still is. I’d forgotten what hope was as I neared the end of this book. There was no way you could have convinced me that there was any light at the end of that dark, dark tunnel. However, the note the book ends on completely changed how I felt about the entire thing. Somehow in that very last sentence, Stuart manages to turn a book that I felt was important and thought-provoking but nonetheless bleak and joyless into something profoundly moving. As I put the book down, came out of that world, and allowed myself to feel it, I realised that Shuggie Bain had my heart firmly in his grasp. As I put the book down, came out of that world, and allowed myself to feel it, I realised that Shuggie Bain had my heart firmly in his grasp. Wee Shuggie Bain is certainly one of those great literary characters that you’ll carry with you for the rest of your days. He is someone you want to protect; someone you want to keep safe; someone you want so much more for. But, against all the odds, his constant failure to be anything other than his whole, true self is something that will make you proud to have known him for those four-hundred-and-thirty pages. Kirsten is a Creative Writing MSc student at the University of Edinburgh.

Chloe Lawson describes the experience of feeling trapped in your own house, observing neighbours existing, and life passing by. 20th November 2019 NB- short piece written at not so great a time which, happily, is behind me! Artwork: Part of a series of photographic works exploring dynamics of the outsider and the questions raised of observing interactions without hearing them. This piece documents my mother and sister speaking in our kitchen during her final school exams. There are times when I find myself absent-mindedly observing the lives of strangers through the single glazed window of my bedroom. Small glimpses into unknown lives, mere snapshots of an existence as convoluted as mine own. From my bed, I am as transfixed by these illuminated rectangles across the street as if I were watching a sit-com or reality tv. Separated by street and a transparent yet tangible barrier, I am too distanced for them to know that I am watching, unless they too were taking part in the same preoccupying diversion. This particularly grey and dispirited afternoon, sitting in my whitewashed, rectangular bedroom, I can see a kitchen, glowing with a comforting yellow light. A figure listlessly passes the window at intervals, going about the business of their day in no great hurry. Aside from my deductions, it is impossible to know what they are thinking, what preoccupies them, when their birthday is, if they are in love or lonely. From this distance, there are no revealing clues. Sometimes, they move into the next room and I see them continue their dealings through another rectangular frame. A tiny fragment of their life is revealed to me in minimal detail, but it allows me to wonder. Below, a whole row of windows is lit with harsh, white, industrial lighting. A spacious and crowded office, three rows of people answering telephones, chatting together, laughing, or transfixed by their screen. Occasionally, a small group will gather in the corner around the photocopier, sharing an anecdote or morsel of workplace gossip. As the heavy clouds of the early evening descend, they will all gradually leave and the lights will flicker out. If I were to leave my room, go down the corridor to the sitting room, I could sit at the table and look out at the quaint top floor flat above the dry cleaners. The windows have bright blue panes, and one of them is rounded. At Christmas, there will be a sparkling tree in the rounded window. The room visible to an onlooker looks like a small, dimly lit, yet inviting, sitting room and the inhabitants appear to be an elderly couple. If they looked up from their crosswords, they could very easily see me looking at them, but they remain caught up in their own endeavours, in each-other, to wonder about the figure in the opposite window. To me, these lives are mysterious and remote; their thoughts are unattainable. To them, my life is equally unknown. Two objectively insignificant lives separated by panes of glass. Living alongside each other in such close proximity and yet so distant. Neighbours, yet strangers. I move away from the window, yet the transparent barrier does not always disappear. It feels as if I am observing people in my life through a cage of windows. I am physically present and close, yet something invisible makes me a spectator, watching them interact as if watching a play. In the same room, noticing their actions, yet distant from their thoughts. At times, they seem as far away as the unknown neighbours. To me, they are able to be light with joy aside from the occasional piece of work or relationship problem. This feeling now seems foreign to me, their laughter is something that I cannot translate. Inhabitants of the same house, yet I can see only snippets of their lives. I wonder, when they look at me, if they see me as the neighbours would through the windows? The barrier, like the windows, is transparent yet tangible. I am close yet inexplicably distant. Together, but separate. Neighbours, yet strangers.

Maddie Noton details the unrealistic portrayals of body image and falsified media through photoshop and the online world. As a 19-year old female student and regular user of social media networking sites such as Instagram, I am a typical target of countless marketing endorsements circulating image and appearance: makeup advertisements; nutritional posts; tips on how to alter and amend cellulite, fat or other bodily aspects of myself deemed unattractive by modern social standards. Alongside a constant stream of obnoxious, artificial pop-ups encouraging me to subscribe to their lifestyle-altering fitness programmes are the continual posts from celebrities, social media influencers and public role models sporting glamorous self-portraits of their sculpted physiques, picture-perfect faces and enviable lifestyles. Although perhaps harmlessly seeking admiration from fans and followers, these photos have some dark and dangerous repercussions; ones that have provoked discussion both online and in the less-so picturesque reality. Although perhaps harmlessly seeking admiration from fans and followers, these photos have some dark and dangerous repercussions Taking flight in the early 1990s, the term “Photoshop” has become increasingly colloquial alongside the ever-developing digital age. Despite sparking controversy, most often when detected in poorly edited images posted by online icons, photoshopping itself is routinely used by individuals and professionals alike. A recent proposal by a UK MP has called into question the ethics of this method. It detailed that online users should be forced to make their photoshopped, airbrushed and otherwise modified images public knowledge. Perhaps through the appearance of a symbol or watermark attached to the photo in question. Something recognisable to adoring fans – those who long for the unachievable features presented before them. This suggestion follows the claim that links the deterioration of mental health with the steady growth of falsified images rotating across our screens like clockwork. However, this supposedly sensible retaliation to unrealistic beauty standards has highlighted a number of issues surrounding not only body image and the pressure to conform, but also the general lack of authority we possess over the Internet itself. Would this punctuate the idealistic fantasy we have of celebrities? Do we not already live in an accepted, online universe where the ability to digitally organise our online presence according to modern beauty standards is worshipped and endorsed? Sites such as Pinterest and Instagram financially thrive off their organised aesthetics, filtered images and attractive digital spaces. Furthermore, how would we go about policing and monitoring these images? The authority that sites hold over every post put online does not stretch nearly as far and wide enough as would be needed. The internet has intrinsically spun its (worldwide) web into every corner of our lives and it would seem perhaps unreasonable to expect popular networking sites to ensure all images which we are exposed to have been checked and regulated by a “photoshop-regulating committee”. Do we not already live in an accepted, online universe where the ability to digitally organise our online presence according to modern beauty standards is worshipped and endorsed? However, some may view this new implementation as beneficial on a wider scale. It could target bigger companies and co-operations who market themselves through a dominant online presence. Advertisements may have to submit to this the next time they edit a flat tummy in the hope of promoting their dieting regimes. Certainly, we cannot police each individual post; most of us are not even aware of the number of images we are exposed to on a daily basis. Yet the widely distributed ones, posted by established online presences and seen by many could be more affected by this proposal. Imagine: a social media star poses in front of a camera, assisted by an already facial-flaw-erasing glamour squad and directed by a professional photographer, who has built his/her career on how to look in the modern age. The photos, taken alongside a complimenting backdrop and angled to exaggerate idealised features, are then worked upon by a team of editing professionals. They wipe away unflattering moles, spots and pores all with a couple of clicks and subconsciously perpetuate the unnatural as the ideal. These edits and touch-ups are so small and subtle, they become unnoticeable to the untrained eye. The products of their work become the subject of internationally sold magazines, distributed across communities both on and offline. Meanwhile a vulnerable young adult (for example) receives a notification which informs him/her that their favourite celebrity has posted a photo. It depicts a version of a human which ticks all the boxes of how we physically manifest beauty in the 21st century. It has over a thousand likes and comments and is steadily gaining in numeric popularity. Perhaps they scroll past this image, acknowledging its disproportionate relationship with a realistic human. But it’s unlikely. Perhaps they refuse dinner tonight, feasting instead on sites which glorify unhealthy dieting regimes. These edits and touch-ups are so small and subtle, they become unnoticeable to the untrained eye...It depicts a version of a human which ticks all the boxes of how we physically manifest beauty in the 21st century. It has over a thousand likes and comments and is steadily gaining in numeric popularity. This (perhaps extreme) example draws attention to the damaging nature of photoshop. It is, however, not the intention of this idea to eradicate the use of image-editing apps and indeed, many are used for entertainment purposes whereby the editing itself is the subject of interest rather than producing an achievable reality which we seek to replicate. Where the presence of an icon alerting viewers to its edits could be argued as informative, this proposal seems a logical response to the demands of beauty in an already pressurising society. We cannot deny the powerful influence that online media has over our lives, and its effects should therefore be taken into consideration, especially as generations are now growing up alongside a world of media marketing and new technological advances. This regulation aims to move away from unrealistic portrayals of both body image and general falsified media which we regularly come into contact with. Although the likelihood of this rule being taken any further than word-of-mouth is small, it remains a poignant discussion-topic on the dangers of photoshop and perhaps discourages us from using it altogether: refocusing and re-grounding viewers’ perception on reality and fantasy.

Maddie Noton writes a witty tribute to a cup of tea. The raindrops are beating against her head, The wind is rushing, roaring and punching, It thrashes on down from a stormy bed, Her hair is fighting the hood it’s scrunched in. The stairs stand at a height never-ending, While her door-keys scratch a red-raw knuckle, Her boots ache from the puddles she’s stepped in. The door screams a malevolent chuckle. Yet a shimmer of light graces her eyes, Then a click, a splash, a grumble and smoke. The angel that waited for her to arrive, Does cosy and homely feelings evoke. Her thoughts ponder the prospects of supper, But first she’ll enjoy her much-sought cuppa.

Harrison Woodin-Lygo explains the Spring Week finance application process, highlighting the benefits he drew from the experience but its flaws in failing to connect with state-educated students and so growing more in its elitism. At the time of writing this, I am a third year, State Educated Economics Student at the University of Edinburgh. This article expresses an opinion on UK-based Investment Banking Spring Weeks; it should not be considered objective, nor absolute. A Spring Week, also known as an Insight Week, is an official introduction to a firm and a role, offered by most major Investment Banks, Law Firms, Consultancy Firms, and others. It is the first stage for a career in Banking; followed by Summer internships, and then Graduate Analyst Positions. Many Springs convert directly into Summers, locking you into a firm at an early stage. They are highly competitive, with some programmes receiving over 5000 applications for less than 30 places. I was fortunate enough to be selected to participate in a few Banking Spring Weeks; therefore, my opinions in this article are a reflection of my experience and peer sentiment. Despite Coronavirus, I gained a lot from my Spring Weeks. Virtual coffee chats, group pitching projects, and introductory sessions all provided a wealth of insight into the firms. I met great friends and ultimately solidified my aspirations to work within the Investment Banking industry. I even received a hoodie to flex on campus. Win. The opportunity to ‘convert’ all my Springs to Summer internships at assessment centres was offered, to take place before the general Summer application window was even open. As a concept, Spring Weeks are invaluable for a student pursuing a career in Banking. They introduce the firm, the industry, the day-to-day, but they also act as a week-long networking event. One can mingle with students at other Universities and build relationships with bankers already employed at the firm. As the saying goes; It’s not just what you know; it’s who you know. Having someone in your corner come Summer application time is powerful, and whilst networking can result in this opportunity, Spring Weeks provide you with the chance to demonstrate your value to Senior Bankers first-hand. It is the possibility of networking benefits in parallel with those already having access through cronyism, or nepotistic contacts. For most; one would apply for a Spring Week in their first year of University, and to be considered a strong profile they should probably attend a specific set of Universities known as ‘Target Schools’. Target Schools have a legacy of on-campus recruitment for Banking, and as such, they are a target for HR. Edinburgh is considered a semi-target – Prestigious and sufficiently ‘elite’ to allow entry into the firm’s culture, but on-campus recruitment is limited to a select few banks. It is, therefore, proportionately more difficult for an Edinburgh student to be recruited into Banking than it would be for a target student (Oxbridge, LSE, etc.). Of course, one could argue that this has already been considered by those who were genuinely passionate about Banking from a younger age, as they would apply to Target Universities for these career prospects. However, this would not rationalise the disadvantage of those who decided to pursue a Banking career after applying to University. In more recent years, you can see a more concerted effort by Banks to recruit from outside targets, but I noted that during one of my Assessment days I was the only student out of 8 not to attend Oxbridge or LSE. Perhaps this will improve with the current transition towards online recruitment. To get an interview, one must pass a capricious evaluation of a candidate’s prospects, based solely on a 300-word cover letter and a one-page CV. Most applicants are ~18, and many 18-year olds don’t know what they want to do, let alone already have the relevant experience for a strong application. This is the fundamental concern; the system favours ‘the connected’ as they have greater access to experiences. Unfortunately, ‘the connected’ are generally a select group tending to be privately educated. A 2014 Boston Consulting Group study, on behalf of social mobility charity The Sutton Trust, shows that for a lot of British-educated students from state schools, a career in financial services remains out of reach. 70% of those hired into the sector went to a top-30 University, with a large proportion of these going to Oxbridge. Around 42% of Oxbridge students are privately educated, yet they make up 65% of those securing a job in financial services. It is difficult to determine if this fault is inherent to the industry or the result of a systemic flaw. A solution, though only for domestic applicants, is a more concentrated effort to introduce A-Level and Highers students to prestigious careers such as Banking and Law. Some companies (upReach, Generation UK, SEO London, etc.) are already actively offering social mobility platforms for those seeking these careers. Still, not enough is being done to raise interest in the first place. Equality of opportunity is somewhat maintained at the University level if all parties are in the know when starting. The greatest injustice is the pressure of a full commitment from students to a career in Banking within the first two months of starting University. Internships become a metric of success, with many students falling trap to a cultish obsession with Banking. Early exposure to alternate careers paths relieves some of the pressure, but given their social prestige, Banking internships will always be competitive. Spreading the introduction to careers over two years, contrasted with the present 2-month standard, should cultivate a more inclusive, meritocratic internship system. The primary oversight in the above solution is to expect this availability heuristic to be exclusive to UK students. Edinburgh has a broad international student body with many also pursuing a career in the finance industry. From conversations with friends, students do not know the specific sector they wish to work in, and therefore easily miss crucial opportunities to gain exposure. Tunnel vision for Investment Banking leaves other roles unexplored, so students are not only pursuing the most competitive division on paper, they may well be doing it in vain. To be educated on the differences is to return the power to the students applying. Correct exposure is the solution. Spring Weeks are a fantastic platform for a successful career in Finance. Direct conversions and formal introductions are two clear benefits. I do not have any issue with the programmes and content, in fact, quite the opposite - I am very grateful for every opportunity I have had so far! Yet, we must recognise that the current application system is not sufficient. Banks have the responsibility to connect with more schools, especially state schools, using expertise, influence and prominence to create tangible progress towards building awareness of a possible career in Finance. Note: When discussing this article with friends, there were several suggestions for content to include. Popular examples include video interviews (‘Hirevues’) and Minority Programmes. I decided not to comment on these as I do not have sufficient knowledge nor opinions on the matter. It would be interesting to see a follow-up to this article discussing alternate themes.

All of us have had body image issues. Pranavi Hiremath provides reasons for why we should be grateful for them. “I sit in front of my reflection, staring back at me is a body I don’t approve of. I have fallen prey to comparison and a sense of perfection that has led me here, led me to not accept what I have.” All of us have dealt with a sense of incompleteness or dissatisfaction with the way we look. I am not here to say, “don’t compare yourself with others”, “you’re prefect just the way you are”, “embrace your imperfections” because we have heard it all before. Rather, I am here to give you a different perspective about your own body which may help you deal with your insecurities. The human species can hardly distinguish itself from any other species in the animal kingdom in terms of physical capabilities. We aren’t the strongest nor the fastest for example. What distinguishes us and has brought us to where we are today is our mind. Our species is the only one on the planet that has gained intelligence. It is our gift. Our body may not have been designed to fly but our minds have made it possible (technically). There are honey bees that can solve basic math but they don’t know quantum mechanics so, boo you honey bees! The point being, our mind is what distinguishes us. This little box in our skull questions and is trying to figure out the entire freaking universe. The whole cliche about “what is inside is what matters” is true. An example I would like to give is Stephan Hawking. He was diagnosed with motor neurone disease due to which he lost control over his body. Yet with the power of his mind, he was able to revolutionise the field of physics. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not just maths and science but our brain is able to make strides in art, literature, engineering, medicine, music, you name it. Just the fact that you are able to read and comprehend these paragraphs already distinguishes you, makes you more mentally capable than any other species on the planet. So it’s really all about your brain. Your body is just a holder for this magnificent creation of nature. So does it really matter what it looks like when it’s the brain that holds true value? If you would like to read more of Pranavi's articles, please visit her website here: https://pranavihiremath.wordpress.com/