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The Oxford Blue

The Oxford Blue

Oxford University's Independent Newspaper | Est. 2020

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      • Objectifying Oxford
      • SaTired: Observations of a Finalist
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Author Archives: Ben O'Brien

Outside of his degree, Ben likes France and most things French, revolutionary critiques of Enlightenment Modernity, and learning to write about these and many other things. As well as writing for The Oxford Blue, he works for The Isis magazine and is currently investigating the 'academic gig economy' and the exploitation of young academics.

Posted inOxford News

University launches Race and Equality Task Force amid criticism of launch event

by Ben O'Brien December 3, 2020December 3, 2020
Posted inCulture

Eating French to be French

by Ben O'Brien October 7, 2020October 7, 2020
Posted inOpinion

Degree Review: Politics at Oxford

by Ben O'Brien July 21, 2020September 19, 2020

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What’s With All the Smoke? Cigarettes on Stage in Oxford and Beyond

Ben O'Brien Feb 21, 2026 6 min read
Two figures, one of them holding a cigarette

“Oxford’s theatre scene has in the past week followed a larger trend in culture, as smoking has made somewhat of a comeback on the silver…

5th Week Blues: Inevitable or Avoidable?

Ben O'Brien Feb 20, 2026 5 min read
5th Week Blues: Inevitable or Avoidable?

“Is it inescapable that there will come a point in the term where we face burnout and exhaustion? Or do we simply feel it because…

Borders and Belonging:  The Obsession With The “Oxford Accent”

Ben O'Brien Feb 20, 2026 14 min read
Borders and Belonging:  The Obsession With The “Oxford Accent”

“Linguistic diversity is beautiful and should be celebrated in all professional and academic spaces. We all wish to live in a society and study at…

Should we really be turning Trump into a meme?

Ben O'Brien Feb 20, 2026 4 min read
Should we really be turning Trump into a meme?

Image credit by Gage Skidmore. Used under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 International License via Wikimedia Commons The meme account Saint Hoax describes “humour…

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