Insidious Islamophobia
Islamophobia is real, but not in the way you might think. Mark Lee reports from Malaysia on its many faces. A week ago, I was being driven around in a Grab, the Southeast Asian...
Arts and Culture
Like the arts? This section’s for you!
Three Cheers for 2016
When people chalk up 2016 as a bad year, they are lacking a fundamental sense of perspective. 2016 has been a fantastic year! This is not a sentiment you will hear expressed very widely;...
Leonard Cohen: He’s the Man
With the recent loss of Leonard Cohen, there is no better moment for us to recognise the enduring impact of his legacy. I recall vividly the moment I first heard Leonard Cohen’s seductive baritone...
Going Gaga for Gaga
With Lady Gaga releasing a fifth album, Casey Kroll discusses her ever-changing musical style and her immense cultural influence. It’s the summer of 2008, and a group of people has gathered at The Bitter...
Dylan is Deserving
Denying Bob Dylan’s historical achievement is as good as denying literary convention. Awarding the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature to a cultural icon like Bob Dylan has, indubitably, cemented his legendary legacy as a...
Culture Chasm
Appropriating cultures assists cultural integration, not cultural denigration. From the very depths of Tumblr to online newsrooms, the phenomenon of “cultural appropriation” has taken social media by storm. Most contemporary arguments made against cultural...
Art Attack
The arts are under attack from the Department for Education. It’s time to stick up for them. On 4 July 2016, a debate was held in Westminster after over 100,000 people signed a Parliamentary...
Laughing in the Face of Death
Jamie Stainer explores a genius who disguised his criticism of Stalin’s brutal regime as praise, and saved his life in the process. That genius was Shostakovich. The date was 26th January 1936. For many...
Pride’s True Colours
Over-commercialisation, a drinking culture, and hedonistic non-LGBT attendees have left many feeling alienated and disenchanted with Pride. Pride festivals emerged following the Stonewall Riots in 1969, which saw LGBT people take to the streets...
Celebrities Back Remain: So What?
Politicians, economists and business figures have all voiced their opinions on the European Union debate; last week it was the turn of celebrities. But should we care what they think? The Bank of England,...
Don’t Bash The Beeb
With the government aiming to further control the BBC’s activities, Antony Tucker argues that we need to stand up for the organisation, or risk losing it. The BBC is undoubtedly one of Britain’s greatest...
Disco Inferno
Shameera Lin has one simple message: You should be dancing, yeah. “Now I know why disco died,” said Uncle Jesse from Full House with a smirk, as Danny Tanner did the hustle to “Shake,...
Can’t Get No Satisfaction
With the Rolling Stones finishing their recent tour of South America, and talk of a new album in the near future, Jamie Stainer asks: is the group past it? Back in September, Keith Richards...
The Oscars aren’t Racist. They’re Meritocratic.
This year’s Oscar nominations have caused controversy due to their lack of diversity. They’re not institutionally racist, argues this writer. They’re simply meritocratic. The Oscars have always been a fairly controversial awards ceremony, and...
Goodbye, You Pretty Thing
To me and so many others, David Bowie, was an icon. But to the LGBT community he was even more than that – he was a hero. He will be remembered by so many,...
