FEATURED
Inanimality – by Amy Sab
This text is the last confession of Amy Sab, the Cat of a North Italian Benedictine Abbey, set in 1327 in the universe of Umberto Eco’s ‘The Name of the Rose’. Translated from the original cat by Laurence Britton.
WHAT’S NEW
Black History Month – Why Do People Push Back Against It?
October is a key month of the calendar for the celebration of Black History in the United Kingdom. Increasingly though, I have noticed people both in-person and online pushing back…
Keep reading
Ballon d’Or 2026: Harry Kane Wins Football’s Most Coveted Prize Amid Controversy
Thomas Russell takes a look at the highs and lows from this year’s Ballon d’Or ceremony. Image credit to Bryan Berlin, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 License.
Keep reading
University of Oxford Quantum Spinout QuantrolOx Secures €12 million In Funding
University of Oxford quantum spinout, QuantrolOx, has recently secured €12 million (£10 million) from a major early-stage investor during a Series A funding round. The London-based investors, IW Capital, are…
Keep reading
The Gang of Three at Oxford Playhouse: Reviewed
In this article, Nancy Pierre reviews Oxford Playhouse’s production of ‘The Gang of Three’. Photograph taken by Nancy Pierre, used with permission.
Keep reading
Oxford Ranks 4th In The World For AI Research
Oxford is the world’s 4th best city for AI research, ranking above other global powerhouses, such as Shanghai, London, and New York, according to a new study carried out by…
Keep reading
Oxford University Refuses to Send Representative to Comment on Sexual Harassment Motion at Conference of Common Rooms
The motion follows multiple stories in the past 12 months relating to sexual harassment at the University, including academics being hired by the University despite having resigned due to sexual…
Keep reading
Oxford
Worcester College Hosts Anthropic Board Member And Ex-Trump Aide Chris Liddell
The most recent instalment of Worcester College’s ‘Provost’s Role Models’ speaker series saw Anthropic board member, Chris Liddell, interviewed by Worcester College’s provost, Sir David Isaac CBE. These events are open to students, staff and members of the public alike, aiming to impart valuable experience. Shealeah Craighead, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Oriel College Breaks Silence on Hosting Nathan Cofnas in November
On 26 October, Oriel published an official statement on their website, stating that “Oriel College is committed to upholding freedom of speech”, including perspectives that “many find deeply offensive.” However, the statement contains a disclaimer that even when an event is booked, it “does not imply endorsement … of the views of its speakers.” The…
Stand Up to Racism Unity March Draws Hundreds
Behind chants of ‘say it loud and say it clear, refugees are welcome here’, there was the high energy of a marching samba band – setting a morale-boosting rhythm to the parade. Pedestrians passing by also joined in by cheering and expressing their support, with significantly fewer hecklers. Image by Ben Taylor. Used with permission.
opinion
Joint Honours Degrees: Double the Work or Double the Indecision?
Joint honours students deserve more respect. Why, you might ask, when they are clearly just dithering between two subjects? As one particularly blunt tutor put it, I must only care about history to a limited extent compared to my single honours compatriots. When even tutors view joint honours students as less committed to their cause,…
Keep reading
We should have left ‘whimsy’ in 2025
Whimsical. Around a year ago, this word (and all its variations) sprouted roots on the internet. It somehow blossomed amidst the backdrop of heightened global seriousness, with people using it to share creative projects and spontaneous endeavours. It was not long before brands latched on, and the word started popping up in adverts, in TikTok…
Keep reading
Britain’s prophet steps forward
“Oh, oh! Agony, agony! Again the awful pains of prophecy are on me, maddening as they fall… What if no man believe me?” Thus cries the tortured Cassandra in Aeschylus’ seminal tragedy Agamemnon. Cursed by Apollo with a gift of prophecy which is never to be believed, Cassandra is one of the most tragic figures…
Keep readingGlobal Affairs
Outside OX1 : Week 2
Welcome back to Week 2 of Outside OX1. I hope the weather hasn’t got you too down, but if it has, here’s a weekly round up of some more positive news stories…. First Angelica Ratcliffe recounts Japan’s Mars mission to gather moondust samples. After that, Dillon Shukla reports on Alberta’s decision to remain…
Keep reading
Leka, Crown Prince of the Albanians: Protests in Tirana, Albania’s Path to the EU, and the Targeting of the Diaspora
Leka, Crown Prince of the Albanians takes a wander of New College with our Editor-in-Chief Noah Allerton, discussing Albania’s current protests, it’s European future, and his hopes and fears for the diaspora.
Keep reading
A Big, Beautiful Irony: DJT Climate Warrior in Wolf’s Clothing?
When Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement, rolled back drilling restrictions, ordered the expansion of coal mining, and dismissed the authors of the Sixth National Climate Assessment, many worried that the American president was an enemy of climate activists. How silly …
Keep reading
COLUMNS
Second Draft: Um Hello Again
“I think I’ll start this column by telling you about my conundrum. You see, I began Second Draft last year, when I was brand new to Oxford, kept getting things wrong, and liked the idea that I could go back in time, do things again, and get them right. Hence the title. But now I’m…
Second Draft: Teary-eyed goodbyes
“For the past 20 minutes, I have been staring at an empty word document. This was categorically not the plan. When I started writing my first column way back at the beginning of Michaelmas, I had a vision of myself sitting demurely in the Radcliffe Camera, gently tapping away on my keyboard with an effortless…
Risk Appetite: On Gratuities and Goodbyes
“All the courses add up to something, and by the time dessert comes, you know your meal is coming to an end. It’s bittersweet.”
CULTURES
Chekhov’s The Seagull: A Review
Rooted in a modern-day setting, Lighthouse Productions’ vision is creative and clever. Director Alys Young uses the vast playhouse stage to her full advantage; she creates moments of quiet intimacy,…
The Misanthrope: A Review
In this article, Hazel Morpurgo reviews The Misanthrope translated by Martin Crimp, put on at the Royal National Theatre in London.
Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro: A Review
In this article, Natalie Perera reviews Oxford Opera’s production of Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro, put on at the Oxford Playhouse.
LIfestyle
The Joy of Commuting
Like many second-years from Turl Street, I don’t think I realised how lucky I was to live in the city centre as a fresher. I was spoilt last year with…
Reap the Benefits of Freshers’ Week (And Sports) with Plush
Freshers’ Week has come and gone, and with it, the introduction of hundreds, if not thousands, of new students to Oxford’s diverse nightlife scene. As a 2nd Year watching both…
Saying Goodbye But Never Moving Away
“I never knew that playing Piano Tiles, a nostalgic game I downloaded on a whim, could evoke such intense feelings of homesickness for a place I don’t live in. For…
Identity
The Sympathetic Ear: Growing Up Around My Mother’s OCD
I remember walking home one autumn evening when I was eleven years old, holding my mother’s hand as tears welled up in her eyes. Though I did not have the…
The Experience of a ‘Country Bumpkin’
Molly Finch discusses the experience of a ‘Country Bumpkin’, and how it could co-exist with the bustle of the Oxford-mindset.
Are you a student at Oxford University interested in journalism? Join the Oxford Blue.
Apply here to be a junior editor this MT26.
We are the Oxford Blue, an Oxford University award-winning online newspaper. | A new voice for a new decade. | Est. 2020. We want journalism to be an inclusive space, open to all, no experience needed. If you are interested in writing, editing, illustrating, or want to learn more, please get in touch.