Artist profile: Jeff Koons

Photograph: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra via Flickr

The term ‘kitsch’ is quite recent. In essence, it refers to material objects that exhibit poor taste: kitsch art is necessarily cheap, sentimental, and tacky. It’s a concept that Jeff Koons does well.

That’s not to say that Koons’ work is in bad taste, though many believe it is. In 2014, an exhibition review in The Guardian of ‘Jeff Koons: Retrospective’ commented on the art’s ability to generate ‘an agreeable queasiness’. Koons draws criticism, too, for the presentation of women in some of his work. Indeed, the same reviewer commented on the ‘cheap, tone-deaf’ misogyny of his ‘Made in Heaven’ series (1989-91)). This comment springs to mind when one looks at the use of the female body in his 'Banality' series — Pink Panther (1988), for example, or Fait D’Hiver (1988). If not misogynistic, then 'Made In Heaven' still evokes a theme running through much of Koons’ art – that of commodification, or consumerism. ‘Made in Heaven‘ is a series depicting Koons making love with his ex-wife Ilona Staller. Staller is a porn star, amongst other occupations. In the context of Koons’ other work, it is difficult not to see ‘Made in Heaven’ as a commentary on the commodification of sex in the porn industry and other venues.

In some of his other work, such as the early series ‘The New’ (1979-83), the critical examination of consumerism is clearer. ‘The New’ depicts brand new vacuum cleaners encased in plexiglass and lit by fluorescent lights. It immediately raises one question: is this art? Perhaps that’s what Koons is trying to provoke. His work exploits popular art to redefine ‘high culture’, and to challenge what is and isn’t art. His work isn’t about representation so much as re-presentation. He presents objects of modern materialistic life outside of their domestic setting, against the white walls of a gallery. In essence, he commodifies consumerism. As one of Koons’s early works, the series has attracted much attention in light of more recent projects. It has become a pinnacle of Koons’ work, to highlight the overwhelming presence of materialism in all areas of society— including high art itself.

Koons might present commentaries about consumerism, but he cannot escape the self-conscious consumerism that surrounds his art. Some of his most well-known achievements have been monetary. Selling for $58.4 million, for example, his sculpture Balloon Dog (1994-2000) became the most expensive artwork ever sold by a living artist. Felix Salmon wrote last year about Koons’ ability to turn money into art. As well as highlighting Koons’ perfectionism, Salmon also drew attention to the expense of his work. He has bankrupted several art dealers, as well as losing enormous amounts of money himself. He is not afraid to ask investors for more money to complete his projects – they are expensive to run, often containing multiple editions of one piece and employing a number of people to help carry out his artistic duties. He’s been called ‘the smooth salesman of surrealism’ by Edward Helmore, not just reflected in the cost of his art: his retrospective exhibition at the Whitney in New York in 2014 set attendance records by the time it closed.

Kitsch art will always attract as much criticism as it does appreciation. For some, it is tacky—indeed, it takes a certain eye to see refined art in Michael Jackson and Bubbles (1988). For others, it is clever. Koons is, indeed, intelligent about his art. It is gaudy; it certainly isn’t ideal for display in the average living room. But like all good art, it communicates an underlying narrative about social issues. For Koons, one of those social issues is materialism, and the self-conscious nature of his art highlights this by becoming an example of it.

Originally published on The Global Panorama. Edits from original are my own.

After The Storm: Vince Cable at Durham Book Festival 2015

Image: Liberal Democrats via Flickr.

The Conservative Party’s origin story of the financial crisis has always been that the Labour Party had a significant role to play. Speaking with Chris Mullin at the Durham Book Festival sell-out event at Durham Town Hall on Saturday, Vince Cable was quick to dispute this myth. “It is not true that the Labour Party grossly mismanaged finances up to the crisis of 2008,” he claims. Rather, the Conservatives’ claim was swept up by the right-wing media and soon became the “established story” of the crisis.

The event was organised to discuss Dr Cable’s new book, ‘After The Storm’, which looks back at the financial crisis seven years on. In discussing the crisis, he was keen to emphasise his high regard for Gordon Brown, complimenting his “basic integrity” in the face of public scrutiny. He praised Mr Brown’s passionate concern for the economy in Europe, claiming that his good work has been largely forgotten in the UK. The former prime minister’s first two terms, he maintained, “did create a framework of stability” that has led to a highly-regarded reputation abroad that continues to this day.

Asked about the 2010 coalition government, Dr Cable said that the collaboration was inevitable. “We were propelled by parliamentary numbers and a sense that this was where the national interest lay.” Meanwhile, he said, the Labour Party made it clear that they had “no trust” in the coalition, and instead wanted to “get back into opposition and sort themselves out.”

Turning to his new book, a sequel to his 2009 bestseller ‘The Storm’, Dr Cable made it clear that it is not a memoir, but rather “an attempt to be serious about the economy.” He commented on the importance of reviewing the 2008 financial crisis at a greater distance: “The shock that we had back in 2008 was much more profound than any politician has looked at in the short term.”

With the focus of the interview turning to the current Conservative government, Dr Cable was critical of George Osbourne’s upcoming financial decisions. Commenting on the growing housing crisis, he said: “When you’ve got a fire blazing out of control, you stop putting fuel on it.” Asked whether he would halt the sale of council houses, he expressed his anxiety about the loss of affordable housing, calling it a “great tragedy”. He told Mullin that the sales are missed opportunities – that if councils were given the freedom to operate, they could be building more affordable housing to counter the growing housing emergency, particularly in the South East.

He was also critical of the spending cuts planned by Osbourne and the Conservative Party. In 2011 and 2012, some of the planned cuts were wiped off by Osbourne after extensive Liberal Democrat opposition. Now, without the balancing force of a coalition to restrain them, Dr Cable expressed his concern for the severity of future cuts, stating that Osbourne has “redefined what the deficit is in a much more extreme way” than what was originally planned under the coalition government.

For the last fifteen minutes of the session, Chris Mullin opened up the floor for questions. Inevitably, the issue of tuition fees was raised. Dr Cable expressed his unhappiness of being faced with such a decision. “Any government was going to be faced with that problem,” he said. He was tasked with making 25% cuts to the sector, and to take funding away from universities would have had an “absolutely crippling effect” on the quality of university teaching. “What we created”, he suggested, “was a more progressive system.”

One of the final questions of the evening was whether Dr Cable could see his party returning to popularity in the future. He offered a hopeful reply, suggesting that the movement of the left to a more radical space under Corbyn, and the potential movement further right under a new Conservative leader, could leave an “enormous space” in the centre with a chance to expand into it. Already, Newcastle has a “changing mood” under the new government, and Dr Cable expressed his belief that his party’s local government base will be restored. Although there is hope, he said, “it’s not going to be easy”.

Review: Chris Mullin, 'The Art of Political Leadership', Durham Book Festival 2015

In his sell-out event at Durham Town Hall, ex-Labour MP and Minister Chris Mullin told his audience: “One thing you should know about life in the stratosphere is that it is rarefied.”
The former Labour Minister and South Sunderland MP delivered his touring talk, The Art of Political Leadership, at the venue for Durham Book Festival on Saturday afternoon.
He began the session with a few well-received jokes about the refined life of a politician, before talking about the key attributes needed to be a successful politician.
 Drawing from examples of leaders such as Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair and Clement Attlee, Mr Mullin shared what he had learned from his years in politics, beginning with his first lesson: “No matter how high you rise, keep your head on the ground.”
He also emphasised the importance of clear vision, citing Mr Blair as an example of this: “He had a capacity, which he never lost, to think strategically.”
Mr Mullin served in Tony Blair’s government, and his admiration for the leader’s early governing actions was apparent in the talk. Blair, he said, was ‘young, dynamic, brave, and most of all moderate.” He added: “His aim was to drag the Labour Party to the foreground of British politics, and to keep it there.” 
Mr Mullin also discussed Clement Attlee in his speech. He said that while Attlee was “utterly lacking in many of the qualities required for political leadership”, he “helped to get results and to get the best out of his colleagues.”
Mr Mullin was, however, more critical of Margaret Thatcher, claiming that “the longer she was in office, the more imperious she became.”
After the 30-minute talk, Mr Mullin opened the floor for questions. As expected, the recent election of Jeremy Corbyn to Labour leadership gained attention in the context of Mullin’s 1982 novel ‘A Very British Coup’, the plot of which is very similar to Corbyn’s surprise appointment.
Commenting on Corbyn’s leadership skills, Mr Mullin said that while he is a “lovely fellow”, he is “a man utterly lacking in many of the basic skills for political leadership.” 
Asked whether he thought Corbyn could become Prime Minister in four years, Mr Mullin said: “Jeremy has inhabited a small, fairly dark corner of British politics for many years.” He added: “The jury’s still out.”

Students hope to earn their crust with winning sandwich design

Image via The Northern Echo

FOOD technology pupils have come up with a winning idea for a sandwich to be sold in a high street butcher’s shop.
Three students from Park View School, in Chester-le-Street, designed the Royal Bite sandwich as part of a project working with Dicksons Pork Butchers, who will now sell the winning butty in their shop in the town.
The Royal Bite was a combination of coronation chicken, cheese and crunchy cucumber with the addition of sweet chilli sauce for a slight spicy kick.
The three members of the winning team received an Odeon Cinema voucher prize.
Park View School teacher, Rebecca Howe said: “The aim of the project was to give our GCSE food technology students the opportunity to see food manufacturing processes in a real commercial environment and bring our theoretical work to life.
“To support this, Dicksons welcomed our students to tour their large production facility in South Shields and learn more about how products are actually made.
“All of the students were very engaged in every stage of the project and the final designs showed real thought had gone into the commercial appeal, taste and flavour of each sandwich."
Michael Dickson, managing director of Dicksons, said: “We always aim to involve local schools in food education projects where possible as our large facility in South Shields offers a great environment for young people interested in a career in food production to learn more about the everyday processes involved in getting food from the factory to the shop floor.
“The students at Park View School went above and beyond to submit what was an incredibly detailed project with colourful, delicious ideas for new sandwiches to sell in our stores."

Originally published in The Northern Echo (under Tony Kearney, News Editor and work experience supervisor).

Local champions celebrated at annual sports awards

Image via The Northern Echo

SPORTS enthusiasts will celebrate their success at an awards event.
The annual County Durham Sports Awards, which recognises the contribution local people and groups make to sports in the area, takes place on Friday.
Sports clubs, community groups, volunteers and individuals will compete for the county title at the event organised by Durham County Council and Leisureworks.
Those attending have already taken part in local award ceremonies, and range from new starters to clubs that have achieved national success.
The categories represented at the awards include table tennis, dance, badminton, horse riding, swimming and fell walking.
Bill Lightburn, Culture and Sport Service Manager at Durham County Council, said: “Congratulations to all of this year’s nominees, who have all used their love of sport to make a massive contribution to communities across County Durham.”
The awards will be held at Ramside Hall Hotel in Durham on the evening of October 9. Tickets are available from 03000 264 619 or countydurhamsport@durham.gov.uk.

Originally published in The Northern Echo (under Tony Kearney, News Editor and work experience supervisor).

Service to honour miners' leader

AN annual service to honour the leader of the first mining trade union will be held this weekend.
The Thomas Hepburn Memorial Service will be held in St Mary’s Church, in Heworth, Gateshead at 11am on Saturday.
Neil Findlay, Labour Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Lothians, will lead the service.
A pupil from the Thomas Hepburn Community School will read a lesson, and children from Lingey Lane Primary School will perform a song at Mr Hepburn’s graveside.
The service will also feature the Durham Miners Association Band, who will play the Miner’s Hymn, Gresford, prior to the laying of the wreath. 
Thomas Hepburn founded the Northumberland and Durham Pitman’s Union in 1825 until it was broken by the coal owners in 1832.
Although he was forbidden to partake in trade union activities after 1832, Mr Hepburn dedicated his life to the education of miners, and achieved shorter working hours for mine workers before his death in 1864.

Originally published in The Northern Echo (under Tony Kearney, News Editor and work experience supervisor).

Corbyn reaction has reached "near hysteria" claims former MP

Image: The Northern Echo

THE author of a novel portraying a fictional coup staged against a left-wing British Prime Minister says the media response to the election of Jeremy Corbyn has reached “near hysteria”.
Former MP and minister Chris Mullin said the reaction of the media to the unexpected election of the new Labour leader mirrors that predicted in his 1982 novel A Very British Coup.
Mr Mullin is to give a sell-out talk on The Art Of Political Leadership, examining the careers of 20th Century political leaders, on Saturday as part of the Durham Book Festival.
He said that he expects Mr Corbyn’s name to be mentioned when he answers questions from the audience after his talk.
A Very British Coup centres on the surprise election of left-wing Labour candidate Harry Perkins and the attempt of MI5, the City and the press to bring him down.
Mr Mullin said: “The reaction of much of the media to the Corbyn leadership has been more or less along the lines predicted in my novel, written 35 years ago – near hysteria.
“Some of the military are behaving predictably, too”.
Asked whether there is a difference between a good political leader for the north and one for the south, Mr Mullin told The Northern Echo: “The fates of the north and the south are linked.
“When the south catches a cold, we get flu up here.”
He added: “Actually, the north has done a good job of reinventing itself since the disappearance of our traditional industries.
“Nissan in Sunderland has been a particular success. 
“The recent arrival of Hitachi, fitting out railway carriages in Newton Aycliffe, is also good news.”
Chris Mullin will speak at Durham Town Hall on Saturday at 3pm. He will also interview Vince Cable in the Town Hall at 7.30pm the same day.

Originally published in The Northern Echo.

Banquet fun

Sunderland Minster will be hosting a medieval banquet on October 30, organised by the Rotary Club of Seaburn satellite group. Inspired by Game of Thrones, the evening will include entertainment, re-enactments and a three-course banquet of traditional dishes. 
Tickets cost £55 from www.rotarysr1.co.uk, or call Andy Bradley on 0191 515 4880 for further details.

Originally published in The Northern Echo (in print).

Trust launches new flu video

Staff at a North-East NHS Trust have launched an animated video as part of their campaign to raise awareness of the flu vaccine amongst staff.
The video, from Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, follows a successful campaign last year that saw the most nurses vaccinated in the north east. 
The Trust hopes that this year’s campaign will inspire more staff to receive their vaccination.
Dr Damian Robinson, Director of Infection Prevention at NTW, explained: “Despite running a very successful campaign last year, we were concerned about the adverse reports in the media about the effectiveness of the vaccine.”
He added: “We want to keep everyone safe from flu this winter.”
The video can be viewed on YouTube or by following a link on the NTW website.

Originally published in The Northern Echo (in print).

Walk to School children will head to centre

MORE than 70 children from primary schools across the North East will march to Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead on Wednesday, as part of the Walk to School project.
The children will walk to the Baltic from 10am.
They will also take part in a number of creative sessions in the arts centre, as well as a treasure hunt.
The project, run by UK charity Living Streets on behalf of Schools Go Smarter, will coincide with International Walk to School Month.

Jenny Wiles, North East Director for Living Streets, said: “We’ve been working incredibly hard with the local authorities throughout the North East to get more children walking to school over the past 20 years.“This event is a celebration of the enjoyment and health benefits the children we work with get through walking to school.”

Originally published in The Northern Echo (print).

Ceremonies mark start of students' university career

Image: Tom Banks via The Northern Echo

THOUSANDS of students have been taking part in ceremonies to mark the start of their university career.
More than 6,000 Durham University students formally entered the university as five matriculation ceremonies took place in Durham Cathedral.
The ceremony began at 9.45am with students from St Hild and St Bede, St Mary’s and Van Mildert colleges. The last session started at 4pm with Hatfield, St John’s and Ustinov.
Each ceremony is introduced by the Dean of Durham, and features a speech by the Durham Student Union president.
The new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Stuart Corbridge, addressed the students throughout the day.     
An undergraduate and postgraduate representative from each college signed the matriculation book on behalf of their college, which marks the formal beginning of the students’ university membership.
A student from Josephine Butler College, said: “It’s very special. We looked up and looked around, and while we’ve seen cathedrals before, this is different.”

Originally published in The Northern Echo.

Police project to be showcased at conference on alcohol harm

Image: The Northern Echo

POLICE work to reduce alcohol-related crime is to be showcased at an international conference.
Representatives from Durham Constabulary’s Alcohol Harm Reduction Unit have been invited to speak at the Global Alcohol Policy Alliance Conference, taking place in Edinburgh this week.
Sergeant Mick Urwin and PC Claire McNaney will present their work at the conference, which brings together professionals working on the issue from around the world.
Sergeant Urwin said: “We have developed projects to tackle alcohol-related crime in County Durham and Darlington that are ground-breaking.
“To be asked to present at this international conference is not only an honour, but also a reflection of the hard work and dedication of officers from Durham Constabulary to tackle this issue”.
He added: “By sharing our good work, other professionals can learn from our experiences and replicate the tactics that work well.
“We also hope to come away from the conference with fresh ideas to put into practice in the future.”

Originally published in The Northern Echo (under Tony Kearney, News Editor and work experience supervisor). Also in print.

Children's author gets region's biggest book festival underway

Image: Tom Banks

THE biggest book festival in the North East opened a new chapter today with a talk by a children’s book author and illustrator.
Students from Hardwick Primary School, Bowburn School and Shincliffe Primary School attended the opening event of Durham Book Festival, which was hosted by Durham Johnston School.
Writer Simon Bartram began the session by reading from his first book, Man on the Moon, and looking at the illustrations with the children.
He then went on to read from his second book, Bob’s Best Ever Friend.
The session was interactive, with the author asking questions and engaging his audience with each turn of the page.
Afterwards, Mr Bartram said: “It was really good fun. It always is with the kids.
“I try to create a bit of a pantomime. You find that kids are a good audience wherever you go.”
A theatre adaption of his book is touring the north of England until the end of October.
The tour runs from September 26 to October 31 and stars Matthew Gundel as Bob, the Man on the Moon.
It will include newly-adapted songs and music to accompany the story as it is brought to life on stage.
Commenting on the tour, Mr Bartram said: “I just saw it, actually. It’s really brilliant.
“The music and songs were all really good, and the kids loved that as well.”
Durham Johnston School hosted two other events today by Pip Jones and Linda Newbery.
Durham Book Festival runs until October 17 and will feature popular authors such as Bill Bryson and Philip Pullman.

Originally published in The Northern Echo (under Tony Kearney, News Editor and work experience supervisor). Also in print.

Animal charity appeals for furniture

A CHARITY shop is appealing to supporters to donate furniture to help fund its work with animals. 
Staff and volunteers at the Chester-le-Street branch of the veterinary charity PDSA are asking for good-quality furniture with a fire warning label in exchange for a free collection service.
The appeal comes from efforts to raise vital funds for the charity, whose work includes providing PDSA-funded veterinary treatment in the local area.
A charity spokesman said: “If you’ve recently redecorated, had a clear out or moved house and have unwanted furniture taking up your valuable space, then why not donate your items to PDSA?
“All donations will help us raise valuable funds to care for the sick and injured pets of local people in need.”
Supporters who want to donate their furniture should contact the shop on 0191 3881676 to arrange a free collection.
Donations can also be taken directly to the shop on Front Street between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Saturday.
For more information about PDSA, visit www.pdsa.org.uk.

Originally published in The Northern Echo (under Tony Kearney, News Editor and work experience supervisor). Also in print.

Child labor: Israel's farm settlements

Photograph by Wagner T. Cassimiro “Aranha" via Flickr

A report from the Human Rights Watch released in April has stated that Palestinian children working on Israeli farm settlements are subjected to dangerous working conditions that violate international standards.

Children from the age of 11 have reported being exposed to potentially harmful pesticides and, in some cases, have to pay for any medical treatment they need as a result of work-related illness or injury. The organisation interviewed children who have experienced nausea, dizziness, vomiting and breathing difficulties as a result of their working conditions. The issue has been described by Sarah Leah Whitson, the Middle East and North Africa director for Human Rights Watch as a human rights abuse.

Many of the children exploited by Israeli farms have a common economic background. According to the report, they belong to communities that have suffered as a result of Israel’s settlement policies, and in many cases have left school to work on the farms in order to provide for their families. The children are paid low wages in return for their labor, and 21 of the 38 children interviewed by the organisation had not completed the 10 years of basic education compulsory under both Palestinian and Israeli laws.

Israel is not alone in exploiting children for cheap labour. Figures published by the International Labor Organisation show that 168 million children undertake exploitative work globally, with 85 million of them in conditions classified as hazardous. While 78 million of these incidences occur in Asia and the Pacific, Sub-Saharan Africa remains the region with the highest occurrence of child labor: 59 million children—which is more than 21% of their child population—undertake exploitative work.

Agriculture is the most prominent sector in employing child labour around the world. Competition between producers of global goods is so high that child labour is seen as an effective tool to lower costs and keep their prices competitive. This is certainly the case for the cocoa trade in Western Africa, where 60% of the Ivory Coast’s export revenue comes from cocoa, according to the Food Empowerment Project. Children on cocoa farms, like those working on Israeli settlements, are exposed to agricultural chemicals without protective clothing. The project also reports that the children use chainsaws and machetes as standard tools, which violate international labour laws and a UN convention on child labour.

Like the Palestinian children, too, some of the children working on the cocoa farms do so because they need work to help support their families. In some cases, they are sold to farm owners by their relatives. That families are willing to subject their children to child labour is reflective of the great financial need many face in some of the poorest countries in the world. Although in most cases, the children’s relatives are unaware of the dangers involved in farm work.

The Human Rights Watch report suggests that countries in Europe as well as the United States, should take responsibility in ensuring that they do not contribute to the human rights abuses against children by ending business relationships with settlements. Products produced under child labour are already monitored by the US in an attempt to address this issue, but they do not include Israeli settlement products among these. It is essential that countries around the world are aware of the extent of child labor and take action to ensure that they do not benefit from it: the Human Rights Watch report is a hopeful step towards this.

Originally published on The Global Panorama.

India's unreported police brutality

Photograph by nevil zaveri via Flickr

On April 15, 2014, India’s Supreme Court recognised the country’s transgender community as individuals in their own right. It passed a law that declared the transgender community to be a third gender. The law was regarded as a significant step forward on the civil rights front, and became a talking point for those looking to introduce similar laws in some European countries who had not already done so.

The law came only four months after the Supreme Court re-criminalised homosexuality and bisexuality, which led to a considerable increase in police violence against transgender people across the country. This re-criminalisation is still in place, presenting a danger in the LGBTQ community: while transgender people do have legal recognition, it is still against the law for them to engage in gay sex.

Following the Supreme Court’s recognition of the transgender community, there have been issues around implementing the law, particularly with regards to the fundamental rights transgender people should, by the court’s ruling, enjoy. In an interview with DW, Jayshree Bajoria, a researcher for Human Rights Watch, called attention to abusive colonial-era laws still underlying some Indian states today that make transgender people vulnerable to police abuse.

Transgender people in India have often had to engage in begging and sex work due to the lack of opportunities available to them in working life, and these activities can increase their susceptibility to police abuse. In November 2014, the Indian police detained 167 transgender women in a beggars’ colony in Bangalore. The police claimed that the event was part of a ‘crackdown’ on public begging, but a report from Orinam claimed that many of the women detained were going about their daily chores; some were allegedly dragged out of their homes by the police. Orinam speculates that the ‘crackdown’ merely disguised the police’s real objective to target transgender women in general.

Newspaper reports on the Supreme Court’s recent decisions concerning transgender rights have been decidedly vague about the levels of police violence against the community in India. Most reports refer to a general increase in police abuse of transgender people, but give no specific details. Even Amnesty International’s annual report at the end of 2014 was unable to elaborate on the issue, claiming only that since the ruling in April 2014, ‘cases of harassment and violence against transgender people continued to be reported.’ It is notoriously difficult to find details about specific cases demonstrating the issue many transgender people face in India. This is perhaps a reflection of the conservative position news avenues continue to take when addressing the plight of LGBTQ people in India, no matter how liberal they may otherwise be.

Originally published on The Global Panorama.

Bhutan's commitment to conservation

Photograph by rajkumar1220 via Flickr

Bhutan has rejected the use of Gross National Product (GNP) as a measure of its progress since 1971. This was the year in which the reigning king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, first introduced the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH), and thus made environmental conservation one of the main pillars of Bhutanese society.

GNH encompasses four main factors of societal development: good governance, sustainable socio-economic development, cultural preservation and environmental conservation. It aims to address national development in broad, holistic terms, rejecting economic profit as the only means of measuring progress in favour of other, non-economic areas of wellbeing. It addresses the human element of society that is increasingly being lost in western nations, and it favours an approach to living which gives people a sense of duty to their community and their surrounding environment.

Environmental conservation has a unique position in Bhutanese society because of its strong link to the wellbeing and profit of the nation’s people. The relatively small size of the country, its isolationism, its topography and its heavy reliance on natural resources for its livelihood means that conservation is an indisputably important element of Bhutan. The country’s interest in conservation stems partly from a cultural and religious awareness of the connectedness of nature, and the spiritual importance given to it through Bon Shamanism. This spiritual background means that the country has a deep-seated commitment to conservation extending far beyond that of an interest in economic progress.

The importance given to environmental conservation on a national level is effective. Because the country’s wellbeing and its natural resources form a complex relationship of dependency, the conservation of those resources takes priority. Bhutan’s high reliance upon hydroelectricity, for example—which forms the basis of the country’s energy supply—means that forest conservation is of the utmost importance. The forests protect the headwaters of the river catchments, which are essential to hydroelectricity; the need for forest cover is so great that the 2008 National Constitution pledged to maintain 60% of the country’s forest cover in perpetuity. The forests are key to the wellbeing of the rural poor, too, contributing to economic growth due to its protection and maintenance of soil and water. That over 75% of the country is covered by forest today is an apt instance of the commitment Bhutan has made to its natural resources since 1971.

Bhutan pledged to commit to conservation on a national level, and the 2008 constitution reflected this by bestowing individual responsibility to all Bhutanese citizens for their environment. The central position conservation holds in the nation’s development means that all plans are made around it. Environmental conservation is important on an individual as well as a national level in Bhutan, and it is this level of commitment that has helped the country succeed environmentally over the years.

The importance of a healthy, prospering environment is becoming more apparent globally as research into environmental damage increases. Bhutan is not a perfect example of a country, but its underlying values are true to increasingly important environmental needs on a global scale. Internationally, now, countries must revise their economy-oriented values and measures of progress, and think sensitively about the needs of the environment as a whole; it is important to remember the importance nature plays in every nation, and to follow Bhutan’s example in committing holistically to an effective conservation plan.

Originally published on The Global Panorama.

Why they didn't tell the university

Photograph: It Happens Here Durham

Trigger warning: rape, sexual violence and abuse, alchol abuse. Contains content some readers may find upsetting.

One in seven female students is a victim of serious sexual or physical assault. One in four is a victim of sexual violence in general. Ten percent of these students have reported the assault to the police, and only four percent to their university.

These figures, taken from an NUS ‘Hidden Marks’ survey in 2010, don’t include male survivors of sexual assault: even without these additional statistics, they depict a worrying cultural trend. Whilst sexual violence is disturbingly prevalent, the majority of survivors appear to feel unable to report their attacks to their institutions. Since its publication, the NUS report has sparked conversations in universities around the UK about the level of support offered to survivors of sexual violence and abuse, and about the quality of education that institutions are offering about the issue. It is becoming clear that universities – including Durham – need to offer more in the way of support and advice.

The survey also draws attention to the reasons why the other ninety-six percent of female students didn’t report their attackers: half said it was because they felt ashamed or embarrassed, and forty-three percent thought they would be blamed for what happened. Laura*, a former student who agreed to talk to Palatinate, said that she didn’t tell the university because she felt she wasn’t a ‘good victim’ – ‘I came to university really vulnerable because of lots of things that happened in my life before.’ She became involved in an abusive relationship. ‘I was raped and sexually assaulted a number of times both by him and by multiple other men. I reported the last rape, but I didn’t tell the university, partly because I was about to leave and partly because I don’t think he was a student. All the other sexual violence was from other students who were known to me. I couldn’t tell because I was convincing myself I could cope with it. I told myself I deserved it and could handle it myself.’

It has become clear over recent years that we need to create a supportive, compassionate environment at university which reaches out to survivors. This environment should include a network of people who are trained to deal specifically with sexual violence and support survivors in a positive, constructive way. ‘I can’t imagine how you would just go and tell all of this to a college tutor who has no experience in sexual violence,’ said Laura, of her own experiences. ‘The questions over why I had willingly sought out sex with a stranger, why I’d stayed in a relationship with a man who raped me, why I was abusing alcohol, why I was compliant with some of the violence – as a vulnerable, confused twenty-year-old, I didn’t even have the answers myself.’

Durham’s approach to sexual violence and abuse is changing with the introduction of sexual violence awareness campaigns, particularly the introduction of It Happens Here Durham. The organisation was set up with the aim of educating students about sexual violence and creating a safe place for all members of the community. Since its launch in September 2013, the organisation has led discussions about sexual assault and prompted change in and around the university, and its network of organisers has grown dramatically in recent months. It is creating a culture that gives survivors more options, better support, and a chance to share their story.

Working closely with the university to establish a clear, coherent policy on helping survivors, It Happens Here hopes to explore options for raising awareness about sexual violence and supporting students more directly. The group is using the most powerful tool available at university – the student voice – to initiate action and instigate change. Their hope is that Durham University will continue to engage in discussion and commit to change alongside the campaign. They firmly believe that it is the university’s duty to work to create a culture that supports survivors and educates the student body: It Happens Here, and its affiliated organisations, is the medium through which such a culture can be created.

For more information on the ‘It Happens Here’ campaign and how you can help, visit http://ithappensheredurham.wordpress.com, their Facebook page, or follow them on Twitter (@DU_HappensHere).

*Names have been changed.

Originally published on Palatinate Online. 

Review: Richard Kalich's 'Central Park Western Trilogy'

‘”I couldn’t believe it. It was a complete shock. I had no idea he had that in him.”
‘”And what was it that your brother, Richard, had in him?”
‘“All that sadism, perversity, grotesqueness. I mean the novel was brilliant, but as for the rest… I was totally unprepared.”’

Image source: Betime Books

Central Park Western Trilogy is the collection of three of Richard Kalich’s novels: The Nihilesthete, Penthouse F and Charlie P. They have been described as ‘postmodern fables’, addressing concepts of identity, morality and civility in a way that challenges the reader to review their own perceptions. The arrangement of the books is peculiar, and the narrative techniques vary; it is impossible to settle into the trilogy and become familiar with Kalich’s characters and his plots, because the collection in its entirety is so unsettling that it challenges any conventional approach to writing the modern novel.

The first novel in the trilogy, The Nihilesthete (1987), follows a perverse social worker on his quest first to attain control of a disabled boy with an unusual condition – cri de chat syndrome, we are told – and then to conduct a lengthy ‘game’ in which the objective is to crush the young boy’s spirit using his only joy in life, art. The novel is grotesque and shocking; it tests the reader’s sense of moral righteousness by attempting to justify the unjustifiable and rationalise the insane. Despite its contents, however, the nature of the novel does not deter, but rather compels the reader to read on as the protagonist, Haberman, relates first-hand his thoughts on all aspects of philosophy, art, science and relationships. The Nihilesthete demonstrates the brilliance of Kalich as he creates a masterpiece out of the monstrous and the ugly.

Penthouse F (2010) sees Kalich himself assume the role of protagonist, following an investigation of a young boy and girl who commit suicide together from Kalich’s balcony. The novel continues the concept of a human ‘game’ from The Nihilesthete, but in Penthouse F it is not so coherent. The narrative is jumpy, disorientating, perhaps reflecting the feelings of the interrogator as he interviews those who knew Kalich around the time he took the couple as his charges. The novel serves not as an uninterrupted work of fiction, but as a report investigating the inner workings of the author’s mind. It confuses the real with the imaginary, and it is ultimately a self-conscious piece of art; it addresses the topic of creating a novel even as it goes beyond the conventions of one.

If the first two novels of the trilogy blur fiction and reality together, then Charlie P (2005) destabilises certainty even more. Kalich chooses to create a novel comprised of small chapters with little or no relation to each other, following Charlie P’s life in no specific chronological order. Whilst it is difficult to impose order on any of Kalich’s novels, this one might be seen to be thematically unified in that it consistently addresses the complications of one man’s relationship with women. The novel appears to be less concerned with the twisted themes of the other two works in the trilogy, but there still remains a sense of the unnerving as Kalich delves yet again into the darkest depths of his character’s mind, revealing the protagonist’s shadiest thoughts as the narrative deviates further and further from normality.

Central Park Western Trilogy explores the obscure thoughts and instincts of its protagonists, depicting disturbing situations that we can only hope are limited to a fictional world. Nevertheless, Kalich manages to write a trilogy that is wrought with dark humour and a multitude of literary, philosophical and psychological references. The trilogy is an essential read for anyone who enjoys a challenge: predictable neither in content nor in form, Central Park Western Trilogy is not your average novel.

Originally published at Palatinate Online.

Healthy food options for every hungry occasion

Students aren’t renowned for having great diets. Sometimes it’s just easier to sit back after a long day and order a takeaway, or fill up on crisps and chocolate. What you might not fully realise is that what you eat has a huge effect on how you feel, as well as how you look, especially when all you’re eating is processed food. Try some of the quick and easy ideas below for food that gives you the energy you need to survive a full day of university!

If you’re in a rush…

Image: VegaTeam via Flickr.

Try a smoothie. Blend milk, oats and a banana for a sweet snack (or breakfast!), or add a handful of frozen berries for an antioxidants boost. You could also try adding spinach – but don’t be put off by the colour!

If you get hungry really quickly…

 Image: Rachel Hathaway via Flickr.

Try a meal filled with protein and fats, which keep you fuller for longer and don’t leave you with the energy spike (and crash) that some carbohydrates do. Cook enough chicken for three to four days and store it in the fridge, and before going into university for the day, combine a serving with some spinach, vegetables, nuts and seeds and a tasty dressing (try balsamic or hummus) for a nutritious salad you can take with you.

And if you’re vegetarian…

Image: John via Flickr.

Replace chicken with beans and chickpeas, or try adding tofu to your salads – marinate it in olive oil, salt, paprika and soy sauce, and bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until it’s crispy on the outside.

If you’re craving something sweet…

Image: Migle via Flickr.

Make up your own snack bag to dip in and out of when you feel a craving coming on. Combine your favourite nuts and seeds with some dark chocolate chips (or milk, if you’re feeling decadent) and some dried fruit. The nuts and seeds are also a really great way to stave off hunger if you’re in lectures all day.

If you want chips…

Image: Steven Depolo via Flickr.

Try sweet potato fries, instead. They’re tastier and they contain more nutritional value than normal potatoes. Chop up into chip shapes, add olive oil, salt and paprika, and bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until they’re soft and fluffy inside.

If you want pizza…

Image: Shannon via Flickr.

Have pizza. Life’s not about restricting everything you enjoy, and pizza is the food of the gods. Just maybe try not to eat it every day – it tastes better when you have it as a treat, anyway!

Originally published on Her Campus (images changed).