FEATURED
Danny Dorling: “Britain wasn’t a particularly good country to be proud of if you knew what had happened.”
“Right now there is probably more confusion worldwide than there has been since the late 1930s. And in the late 1930s, for the most part, we didn’t know what was happening or what was about to happen, whereas this just feels like a continuous crisis.” The geographer on class, crisis, and why inequality in the…
WHAT’S NEW
Handbagged at the Oxford Playhouse: Reviewed
“Handbagged is definitely a night of laughs (a lot of laughs). But its deft navigation of narrative power, of who gets to tell the story, and its nuanced portrayals of…
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An Imp-pressive Performance: Oxford Imps (“Infinite Jesters”) Reviewed
“Settling onto the stone steps outside the castle on a breezy May evening, to the sound of gentle ‘bardcore’ music, it was easy to embrace the atmosphere of medieval silliness…
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Feeling ‘Maximum Pressure’: Trump’s Sanctions on Iran and the Iran-U.S. Nuclear Talks
“Donald Trump’s return to the Office of U.S President has once again shaken the foundations of global politics. From Ukraine to China, Canada to Panama, Trump’s second term promises a…
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A Climate of Truth, by Mike Berners-Lee: Book review
‘It takes a very talented writer to baldly state the facts, whilst also leaving the reader empowered to take action. In A Climate of Truth, Berners-Lee has done just that’
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Unmasking My Friendships: Not Just A Stereotype
‘I still have a long way to go, but things are improving’ Dhillon Lalji takes a deep dive into how autism has impacted his friendships. Image from Wikimedia Commons by…
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Meet Sushma Jansari, the curator breathing life into Ancient Indian devotional art at the British Museum
‘In the upcoming exhibition Ancient India: Living Traditions, which will run at the British Museum from the 22nd May to the 19th October 2025, past and present collide in a…
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Oxford
Cowley Flavors: Za’atar Bake
‘Laughter, light, aroma—everything is so alive in Za’atar. ‘ Shixin Zhao reviews the well-loved Middle Eastern restaurant Za’atar Bake in Cowley, and converses with the owner, Ahmed.
Musings on Truth: The Finale of the Sheldonian Lectures Series 2024/25
‘In the words of Ludwig Wittgenstein, “The world is the totality of facts, not of things”.’ Esther Boon reports on the final instalment of the first Sheldonian Series, discussing the meaning of ‘Truth’ in the modern age. Image by Cyrus Mower Photography/University of Oxford, used with permission
Breaking: New Pro-Palestine Encampment Established
At around 7 pm on the 16th of May, an encampment was set up on Magdalen College grounds, almost a year after the first encampments by Oxford Action for Palestine (OA4P). The new collective — named Oxford Against Genocide—has set out 7 demands: The first six demands remain the same as OA4P’s. However, the seventh…
opinion
Saying What Is—But Knowing What Matters
“Journalism must reckon with the reality that it cannot reach everyone with facts. However, it must not abandon its core values in the pursuit of those who choose to live in an alternate reality.” Isolde Sellin explores the core journalistic values of neutrality and objectivity, and their added importance at a time when ‘truth’ is…
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Reform UK’s Rise: From Populist Sideshow to Political Power
“For now, the winds are at Reform UK’s back. It has momentum, a media presence, and a political opening. But movements built on populism often face a paradox: the anger that fuels them can be volatile, and, if not carefully channelled, can turn inward. Whether Reform UK becomes a real governing force or another angry…
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Politics Sells Sex
“Acknowledging that who we become is shaped far more by external forces than by innate traits—as de Beauvoir made clear in 1949—is a painful realisation. It forces us to wonder who we might be without society and whether we can ever truly be ourselves. Yet this insight can also empower us to challenge societal authority—a…
Keep readingGlobal Affairs
Portugal Heads to Early Election as Government Collapses… Again
“Just 14 months after their last election, the people of Portugal are heading back to the polls… If one party can present a credible plan for stability and integrity, it could tip the scales in what’s shaping up to be one of the tightest races in Portugal’s recent history.” Sol White takes a…
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Outside OX1 Week 3: Kurdistan, Fishing and Merz
The Global Affairs team explore the biggest news from this week, including the disbandment of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, Merz’s start to European politics, and the EU’s fishing feud with the UK. Image credit by Evie Fairclough-Clay.
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Outside OX1 Week 2 – South Korea, Mali, Kashmir and Gaza
The Global Affairs team explore the biggest news from this week, including the upcoming South Korean elections, Malian leader Goïta’s suspension of political parties, the recent conflict in Kashmir and Israel’s blockade on Gaza. Image Credit by Evie Fairclough-Kay.
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COLUMNS
Cowley Flavors: Real Kungfu Noodle
A bowl of silky, hand-pulled noodles in fragrant beef broth, crafted with centuries-old technique, brings Northwestern China to the heart of Oxford. Carol Zhao explores how Real Kungfu Noodle became a haven for tradition, taste, and homesick hearts on Cowley Road.
Ovary It: Of Course I’m Angry
In the first installment of her new column, Issi Marklew discusses her experiences with menstruation and PMDD on her adolescence and student life at Oxford.
Love Letters: Grey Hair
‘Thinking about the future won’t ever stop terrifying me. And yet… there’s a certain comfort in it.’ Lucy Pollock explores her thoughts on ageing and the future, and the feelings that come with growing older.
CULTURES
Help! I Think I’m a Reading Snob.
“I want to take you down this rabbit hole with me. Am I really a snob? Are you a snob? And if I, or you, or both of us are…
Why Kafka’s The Trial Still Resonates, 100 Years On
“The novel is akin to a Rorschach test: its ambiguity provokes the reader to creatively participate in the book by forming their own interpretation.” Joshua McGillivray proposes two ways of…
Defending A Villain: Fleabag and the ‘Wrong’ Type of Grief
“At first appearance, the Godmother seems an unkind woman who is inserting herself into the life of her dead best friend […] But, rather than see her as a villain,…
LIfestyle
Flavours of Home: My dad’s chicken curry
“To my family, a little more means a little more love.” Aria Chakravorty teaches you how to make her dad’s chicken curry. Image by Aria Chakravorty.
A Guide to Surviving Oxford If You Don’t Drink (Much)
Ngoc Diep (Alice) shares her advice on navigating college life as a sober student. Image by Ngoc Diep.
Making Friends at Oxford for The Socially Inept
“The fact of my loneliness in college was staring me in the face.” Ruby Sampson gives advice for anyone struggling to find their crowd. Image by Ruby Sampson.
Identity
Bad Bunny and Being An Immigrant
“Se oye al jíbaro llorando, otro más que se marchó” I liked Bad Bunny’s new album. Not so much the reggaeton– no, I’m too old for that now–but the…
Words of a Multiple: What is Justice?
Content Warning: Child Abuse, Sexual Abuse. Note: Please note that throughout this article, I may switch between personal pronouns. This is on purpose, which will hopefully be explained by the…
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