FEATURED
The Last Five Years at the Michael Pilch Studio: Reviewed
“Every aspect of this production, from the costume, to the live band, to the acting and vocal performances, is continually firing on all cylinders.” Oliver Martin reviews Manor Road Productions’ staging of The Last Five Years at the Michael Pilch Studio.
WHAT’S NEW
10 Health Tips to Survive and Thrive this Michaelmas
“Among certain circles, I’ve become known as Oxford’s unofficial health-guru, so it was no surprise when The Oxford Blue reached out to me for a piece answering your burning lifestyle…
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In Conversation with Catherine Royle
“If you’re going to be something, be kind.” Lucy Pollock sits down with Somerville College’s new principal, Catherine Royle, to discuss past, present and future – including what’s in store…
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Everything You Need to Know about the Schwarzman Centre
Lucy Pollock reports on the Schwarzman Centre that is set to open imminently. Image by Esther Boon, used with permission.
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Will the Israel/Iran war really stop at 12 days of conflict?
Elana Roberts explores the build-up to and events during the 12-day Israel-Iran conflict. Through evaluating global response to the conflict, the article also considers whether the ceasefire is likely to…
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“I could drink a case of you, and still be on my feet” – Hejira at the Oxford Playhouse: Reviewed
“Championing the charming lightness and churning depth of Mitchell’s music, the band captures the simultaneous free fall and soft land of her jazz journeys so mesmerizingly that the songs unfold…
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The State of African Politics
The narrative of African politics is not singular. It is dynamic, contested, and alive. To understand the state of African politics, one must go beyond the simple stereotypes. Yes, corruption…
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Oxford
Oxford Union: This House Believes that the Commodification of Women’s Bodies Has Gone Too Far
Bee Barnett reports on the recent debate at the Oxford Union concerning whether the commodification of women’s bodies has gone too far. Image by Esther Boon.
Julianna Glasse, CEO of ‘This is What Happens When Women Read’ Funds New Scholarship
Julianna Glasse is a singer-songwriter, inspirational speaker, podcast host, author, founder, and CEO of the non-profit – This is What Happens When Women Read. Glasse recently announced the launch of a new scholarship, enabling a woman to pursue an MBA at the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. The scholarship will fully fund the cost…
“All of the Madness Needs Rooting Out”: Dominic Cummings at the Sheldonian
Aria Chakravorty outlines the subject of Dominic Cummings’ recent talk at the Sheldonian Theatre. Image by Aria Chakravorty, used with permission.
opinion
Is Reading Still Relevant?
“At a university built on reading, in an age where machines can do it for us, do we still believe reading matters?” Ngoc Diep (Alice) explores the impact of AI on our academic approach, questioning whether reading has lost its relevancy. Image by Vincenzo Malagoli via Pexels
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The Peace Dividend is over
“There is no help on the way. No one is going to save us this time. There is no arsenal of democracy across some vast sea, ready and waiting to rush Europe’s defence as the United States did in 1917 and 1941. Europe is alone. It must prepare for the worst.” Arun Lewis discusses how…
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The Inability to Read for Leisure Disease
“I miss the way books used to feel. The weight of a novel in my hand on a rainy Sunday. The joy of finishing a sentence and rereading it just for the pleasure of the cadence. I miss the companionship of characters I used to meet between pages. So I’ve decided, I want that part…
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Global Affairs
Amman: The Sound of Air-Raid Sirens
“Air-raid sirens wailed inside my head. Jolted awake, I stumbled around trying to find my phone. Arabic reverberated unclearly, a Jordanian official’s voice booming from, from somewhere, saying something, I couldn’t make it out.” Eva Morgan gives her first-hand account of the air-raid sirens over Jordan this week, offering a unique perspective into…
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Outside OX1 Week 7: Wagner, Colombia, Los Angeles
The Global Affairs team explore the biggest news from this week, including Wagner pulling out of Mali, the assassination attempt against a Colombian presidential candidate, and migration protests in Los Angeles. Image credit by Evie Fairclough-Clay.
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Redrawing the Line: NATO Shifts Its Defense Spending Expectations
“From 24 to 26 June 2025, leaders will gather in The Hague for the next NATO summit, a meeting that could mark a historic turning point. Discussions about increasing defence spending have been ongoing for some time, kickstarted by the election of Donald Trump. Over the past months, the debate has accelerated at…
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COLUMNS
OVARY IT – Losing my Cycle, Losing Myself
‘My menstrual cycle hates me and, honestly, the feeling is mutual.’
Love Letters: The Last One
‘Perhaps I’m hoping that this column had that effect on someone: the same effect as a kind conversation during an essay crisis. ‘
Cowley Flavors: Mario’s
‘Arrive hungry, order quickly, savor slowly, and have a small chat over espresso with the staff.’
CULTURES
So Bad, it’s Good: Give yourself over to absolute pleasure with Rocky Horror
“When you treat a film as a bonding experience with your community, come up with unique ways to interact with it, and lean into the terrible-ness of it all…it’ll be…
Alice’s Oxford, Oxford’s Alice: Wonderland in Our City
“On Saturday 5 July, expect a day of spontaneous street performances, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland-themed city tours, croquet tutorials at Christ Church, and the famous Wonderland Afternoon Tea at the…
Iago: Working Class Villain?
“This piece is an expression of my distaste for Coleridge’s ‘motiveless malignity’. It is a rebellion against the usual ideas thrown at English students when studying Othello for A-Level. Instead,…
LIfestyle
Breakups and Burnout: A guide to term-time heartbreak
“The college environment might seem the worst place possible to go through a breakup.” Judith Hamilton tells her story of heartbreak, and offers advice to others going through the same…
Celebrity Wine – The Good, the Bad, and the Pricey
From offerings by Gordon Ramsey to Snoop Dogg, Jack Wharton shares a humorous review of the celebrity wines on the market.
The Student’s Guide to Oxford’s Cafés
Alexis Wood reveals Oxford students’ favourite cafes by food, drink and ambience—and crowns Oxford’s best cafe.
Identity
Oxford: Love in the Rearview
What would you do if you had a relationship with a time limit? If, on a predetermined date, all that was your love and your life would cease to exist?…
Inadequacy
January — a month that often has been disregarded as boring, was something that once offered me solace. When I was younger, the thought of becoming an adult excited me…
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