Luster by Raven Leilani has been framed as a ‘millennial novel’, but it is has received a lot of hype this year. Zadie Smith and Candice Carty-Williams have both praised Leilani’s debut novel, and their stamps of approval have been highlighted on the front cover of the text. The author endorsements demonstrate the instant literary success of Leilani’s novel.
The novel is set in New York, and it is narrated from the perspective of Edie, who performs the role of narrator and central protagonist. Luster follows Edie as she navigates life, modern love, and unemployment. Leilani’s protagonist is a young Black woman, and her story offers sharp insights into a fictional version of pre-pandemic New York.
Modern love and Luster
Edie delves into the world of online dating and meets an older married man named Eric. The relationship between Eric and Edie ebbs and flows throughout the novel. The terms of their dates and sex life are controlled by Eric’s wife, who implements the boundaries around their open relationship.
Leilani’s protagonist loses her job at a publishing firm following a disciplinary meeting. Consequently, she enters financial hardship and struggles to pay her steep rent rates in New York. In order to pay the bills Edie starts to work as a delivery driver. The work involves dropping off bowls of ramen to boujee New York post codes.
Luster navigates flexible employment and the gig economy. Edie is unable to financially support herself despite the grind she puts in with her Deliveroo-style job. As a result, Leilani’s protagonist is placed in a vulnerable position with limited options. Edie’s precarious situation leaves her homeless, so she turns up at Eric’s family house to seek accommodation.
Rebecca (Eric’s wife) is hospitable and lets Edie stay in the house temporarily. The novel focuses on Edie and Rebecca’s strained relationship. The two women are pitched in competition with each other. However, they also share moments of friendship which is an aspect of the novel that I really rated.
‘I relished denying the call’
The affair between Edie and Eric is a bit of a cliche. For this reason, the relationship between Edie and Rebecca is far more striking in comparison. The older man falls for the younger girl but still actively chooses to remain committed to his wife. The romance between Edie and Eric is dull, and I found myself skimming the sections that covered it. The antagonism between the two women is pronounced at the beginning of the novel. Edie confides that, “I relished denying the call” from Rebecca on Eric’s phone. However, the hostility dissipates.
Eric and Rebecca have an adopted child named Akila. Akila, like Edie, is Black. However, the young girl has grown up in a predominantly white household and neighbourhood. Edie and Akila develop a close relationship during the course of the novel.
Leilani’s protagonist plays a big sister role to Akila. In particular, Edie shows helps her to care for and condition her hair. Akila chemically burns her scalp when she attempts to relax her hair, but Edie shows her how to heal the damage.
‘They were dying inside their own bodies, and now all these dead components are my inheritance’
Edie becomes inserted into Eric’s family dynamic. Leilani’s protagonist continually reflects on her own upbringing during her stay at the house. In particular, Edie agonises over her relationship with her mother. She reflects on the matriarchs in her family, and observes that, “they were dying inside their own bodies, and now all these dead components are my inheritance”.
The family is the only social structure that Leilani’s protagonist navigates in the novel beside the workplace. As a result, I felt that there was an isolated or limited development of character. Edie never discusses friendship in the course of the novel and her own family has deceased.
However, Edie’s isolation is reflective of a patriarchal and capitalist society which sees individuals only in relation to their family life and their work. To a certain degree, Leilani’s novel shows how systems alienate individuals and create social exclusion.
Luster is a bold debut novel which offers a powerful insight into one woman’s precarious relationships and employment. Leilani has crafted an elegant story which is both sharp and sweet in equal measure.
A trip to an independent bookshop is about so much more than simply buying a book. If you ask any literary lover I’m sure they will tell you the same.
A bookshop is the gateway of all gateways, and a place you can get lost in for hours on end. My local bookshop is where my love of reading first began. Independent bookshops contain some of the most beautiful and unique works you can find, and they exist as an escapism in its ultimate form.
Independent bookshops offer the opportunity for the flourishing of conversations and relationships between strangers, and they unite people with a shared love for books. This is particularly true when attending literary events which are often the perfect opportunity to support local writers. Not to mention the booksellers who dedicate themselves to finding you the perfect book to take home and fall in love with.
Besides, it is wonderful to know you have been considered by another human rather than merely processed through a faceless algorithm.
However, it remains the case that in today’s world, less and less people choose to spend their time reading. Considering this, alongside the proliferation of morally corrupt but undeniably convenient services like Amazon, I question how much longer our beloved independents have left.
The current coronavirus pandemic has seen the closure of all non-essential shops. But, there is something exceptionally painful about seeing independent bookshops close their doors. Even before the pandemic there was an awareness of the difficulties the independents were facing. The nostalgia and calm I felt when visiting one was always tainted by an undercurrent of anxiety.
Manchester independents
I fear that the current lockdown may simply be the last straw for independent bookshops. This has been tragically evidenced by the recent closure of Manchester’s very own Magma bookshop. Magma enjoyed eighteen years of business on Oldham Street, and it sold unique works on art, design, and culture. However, the financial damage brought on by the lockdown has proven detrimental.
Magma’s recent closure is a sobering reminder of the impact of the pandemic on local culture. However, all hope is not lost. If you are wondering how you can help, many of the bookstores have set up online shops. Crucially, this offers consumers the opportunity to keep independents going until they are able to open their doors again.
Chorlton Bookshop, for example, have set up a click and collect service which is ‘proving popular’. Despite this, bookseller Jo admits that unfortunately it in ‘no way makes up for regular day to day trade’.
Equally, you could buy a book through Bookshop.org. The virtual bookstore is an online platform which offers financial support to independents.
We must not let this pandemic widen the existing gap between the industry giants and the independents. Moreover, we must all try to support bookshops if we can. Supporting the independents means supporting friends and neighbours.
I urge us all not to forget the joy of the independent bookshops, and I can only hope that nearly losing them will remind us of their importance.
The music industry and artists alike have been hit hard by the coronavirus. With live gigs out the window, music consumption has almost entirely been digital. Musicians and people in the business have been forced to find new and creative ways to promote their music.
Most of the revenue that boosts the music industry comes from gigs and tours, as well as the ability to sell merchandise at the venues musicians play at. Despite it being old news, the near closure of beloved grassroots venues such as Gorilla and The Deaf Institute is still shocking. A new wave of digital marketing has forced musicians and producers to make a dominant standing on social media platforms in order to promote sales and streams. Since lockdown, venues and artists have resorted to livestreaming gigs so fans can still enjoy their favourites from the comfort of their own home, but it’s just not the same.
The boom in social media presence from a lot of artists has also seen gigs streaming on popular sites such as Instagram TV and YouTube. Streaming platforms have also accommodated to the loss of physical shows by enabling membership to artist channels that allow exclusive access to new releases and virtual gatherings. Bandcamp, a streaming service for bands to have total control over music and pricing, has been a light to the artists in these times. It offers a way to keep revenue while promoting new material without fully losing out. This is a streaming site I personally love, and I hope people begin to turn to such sites to give a little back to artists.
It is clear that everyone is missing the energy and community feel of physical live performances from their favourite artists and the possibility to find new underground bands in the scene. Zak Davies is a rap artist who produces under the name of Saint Nusu. He opened up explaining how he missed all live performance; not just his own, but also seeing other musicians do what they do best, in great venues, and how it all feels heartbreakingly far away. Davies added, “I miss meeting up with other artists and creatives to make something, no second guesses around whether it’s safe, feasible or worth the risk.” Creativity, according to a number of musicians, has come in ebbs and flows.
Tilda Gratton, one-half of atmos bloom and head music editor of The Mancunion, has admitted that “sometimes it’s amazing and other times it’s hard to find motivation”. But she also points out that the pandemic has allowed more time to listen to a lot of different kinds of music and to enhance new ways of writing and producing music.
As head editor, this year should have involved a choice of passes to live performance but she admits that although it’s disappointing, it’s opened up opportunities to livestreams of bigger artist and gigs to review. However, Tilda expresses that with the amount of interview opportunities, there are only so many times you can ask how an artist is finding lockdown. She also expresses how tricky it is to ensure that each interview isn’t boring given the circumstances.
Blake Crompton, member of Rock Music of Canada and self-proclaimed “wailing spirit” explained that despite the dampening effect of having no one to collaborate with, and the fact that no matter how much you write or produce it won’t be heard properly for a long time, the past year has brought amazingly introspective months. He shares how it has striped artists “down to the roots of their inner monologues with a lot of amazing things coming out of it”. Personally, he believes his lifestyle has been enhanced creatively, claiming that when this is all over he is probably going to create “a political concept album, just about the blunders of the last year and a bit and it will be hilarious and satirical and hopefully brilliant.” I for one, cannot wait for this creative masterpiece to materialise!
We have all felt the highs and lows of lockdown and the strains that the coronavirus has implemented on the arts. Going forward as an entire industry, we need to view the situation with a different approach; with the possibility of live gigs unavailable, money needs to be made elsewhere. It is clear the business is doing well by working around this with streaming bringing in more revenue as ever. But the thought of a sweaty venue filled with fans and loud music is definitely keeping everyone going. When the floodgates open for such opportunities, hopefully our beloved music community will benefit greatly.
If anyone is alien to the world Bandcamp opens up, please don’t hesitate to check it out and give some support to your favourite artists.
In celebration of International Women’s Week, the Muslim Arts and Culture Festival (MACFEST) are hosting a week of free digital events which you can enjoy from the comfort and safety of your own home. The events appreciate and promote the work of incredible women from a range of different cultures and backgrounds.
PROGRAMME OF EVENTS:
SUNDAY 7 MARCH
Women of all faiths celebrate International Women’s Week and their cultural heritage.
Join the event for art and cultural activities: poetry, comedy, readings and showcasing of cultural artefacts. Guest speakers; Gabrielle Adlestone, Marie-Banzon Prince Foundation for Ethnic Understanding.
Join Dr Amineh Hoti, an author and executive director of the Centre for Dialogue and Action in a presentation about Pakistani women and their stories, including women from The Kalash valley.
A presentation on ‘The Black Queens of Islam’ by Ismeal Lea South.
An exciting event of the Untold History of The Black Queens of Islam. This presentation celebrates Black (African & Afro-Caribbean) Muslim women who were trailblazer scholars, academics, activists, artists, entrepreneurs, warriors and artists. Through his talk, Ismael challenges the ignorance, misconceptions and negative perceptions in society.
Ismael Lea South is an independent cultural researcher on Black (African & African Caribbean) British history and British Muslim History for over 10 years. His work has been used by publication houses, academic papers, heritage organisations, cultural community organisations and archiving initiatives nationwide.
A panel event with five women who converted to Islam from different backgrounds and countries.
Find out how their lives were completely transformed in a positive way by their conversion. Discover their stories and the challenges they had to face.
Panel discussion is followed by Q&A from the audience.
Panellists:
Yvonne Ridley: (British), author, and freelance columnist
Sherifa Tamsin Madgwick: (American/Emirati), Cultural Public Speaker & Events Cultural Consultant, Dubai
Amna Jameel: (Polish), a puppeteer
Sara Adio: (British), Muslim Heritage Researcher, Managing Director
Women politicians and Life in Afghanistan: Hello from Afghanistan.
Join Fawzia Koofi, author of ‘The Favored Daughter’, Member of the Afghan Parliament and Chair of the Women, Civil Society and Human Rights Commission, for a special MACFEST International Women’s Week event. In conversation with Qaisra Shahraz, Fawzia will talk about her life as a politician, fighting for women’s rights, girls’ education and the challenges faced under the threat of the Taliban.
Hosted by: Qaisra Shahraz MBE, Novelist, Women’s rights campaigner and Educationalist.
Chief Guest: Yasmin Qureshi, MP for Bolton & Shadow Minister for International Development.
‘Muslim Women and Politics’ with speakers from Greece, Pakistan and the UK.
Special International Women Week panel about ‘Muslim Women and Politics’ with Anna Stamou from Greece, Munaza Hasan from Pakistan and three UK politicians: Julie Ward, Yasmine Darr and Dzidra Noor, as they discuss, their lives, achievements and challenges faced by them in the world of politics.
Dr Amina Easat-Daas, a lecturer in ‘Politics, People & Place’ at Leicester De Montfort University will discuss Muslim women’s political participation in France and Belgium and compare this with the situation in the UK.
She will outline how popular narratives frame Muslims as outsiders to Western society and Muslim women as oppressed.
A celebration with Muslim women of Greater Manchester as they celebrate their cultural heritage. They will share their personal stories, poetry, paintings, recipes, artefacts, music, performance, celebrate famous women from their country of origin. Learn about ‘Bakhoor’ ceremony, the women craft of Egypt and of course food even digitally.
As a former student of the University of Manchester, and having spent a year working for the Students’ Union to improve the student experience, it brought me great sadness to hear of the forthcoming student referendum to oust Nancy Rothwell and the University’s SLT.
I, like most people, have found the past year highly challenging. I can only imagine how frustrating it would have been if I were still a student. My sister is currently an undergraduate in her final year at Newcastle. Her final two years have been heavily disrupted due to Covid restrictions. As a result, she has not had the student experience she wanted and has not had the same student experience that I had. It has not been a good time to be a student anywhere this year.
Nonetheless, I believe that voting for the removal of Nancy Rothwell and the SLT would be absolutely the wrong course of action.
“There were things that we did agree on and things that we did not agree on. However, the main point is that she made time for student reps and she listened to what we had to say.”
As General Secretary of Manchester SU, I had frequent 1-2-1 meetings with Nancy and other members of the SLT. I was also a member of numerous University committee meetings and a member of the Board of Governors.
This gave me a great insight into the workings of the University, and more specifically its leadership. I still feel extremely lucky to have worked with a University which worked hard to engage with its Students’ Union, and which made every effort to listen to students. In every meeting I attended with Nancy, she came ready to listen, discuss and engage.
There were things that we did agree on and things that we did not agree on. However, the main point is that she made time for student reps and she listened to what we had to say.
The SLT at Manchester provided my team and I far more opportunity to engage with it than most other universities did with their student reps. I have worked extensively with student reps from other SUs, most of whom were only too keen to share their negative experiences of the senior leadership at their institutions.
Many of them told stories of being shut out from meetings and/or completely ignored. Their demands went unheard and student voices were shut down.
In sharp contrast, Nancy helped to ensure that the elected sabbatical officers at Manchester had their own, regular meeting with the SLT, where we could openly discuss student issues and find solutions. Once something had been agreed, it was actioned in a proactive, professional manner. This was as a direct result of the leadership of Nancy Rothwell.
Other members of the SLT had a similarly positive approach. Simon Merrywest, another target of the upcoming referendum, was excellent in pushing forward a student led agenda. He helped me to produce a University Board paper, where we highlighted a range of student related issues to Board members.
He then helped prepare a series of recommendations, to be actioned by the University. Over the same period, the Students’ Union secured the addition of a second student Board member and initiated an annual session for Board members to meet a wide range of regular students.
This has ensured that student issues are high on the agenda in a way that they are not in other institutions. These changes were encouraged and supported by the University’s SLT, whereas many other universities would have pushed back against them. This is something which makes Manchester different. Despite the things that have gone wrong this year, I can say categorically that Manchester is led by a leadership team that cares about students.
I have often felt that Nancy Rothwell receives more flack for things that go wrong than other vice chancellors. She leads from the front and makes herself known. She has long engaged directly with students through Q&A sessions which are laid on for every faculty. These give each student the chance to raise their concerns with her directly. Not all vice chancellors do this; this type of engagement is often left to other staff members. From my experience of her, Nancy Rothwell spends pretty much every waking moment working.
She is extremely time-poor and the fact that she chooses to dedicate a significant amount of time to 1-2-1 meetings with student reps and engaging directly with the wider student body is a credit to her. It is not an attribute of a leader who deserves to be ousted.
Several articles which have suggested that Nancy Rothwell is not fit for the job and isn’t suitable to lead the University. This is not the case.
Universities are clunky and bureaucratic in their nature. Yet, for over 10 years, Nancy has driven positive change and got things done. She is passionate about the University, capable, and incredibly hardworking.
That said, the right of students to protest and campaign on issues of importance is critical. Recently, direct action helped result in the rapid removal of the fencing at Fallowfield. It has also resulted in a rent reduction in student halls. In contrast, however, voting to overthrow the Vice-Chancellor and the SLT will achieve nothing and the campaign to do so is utterly misguided.
Looking back on my time working for the Students’ Union, I am deeply grateful for the approach the University took to working with us under Nancy’s leadership. In these difficult times, I can’t think of anyone more suitable to be leading the University and working to tackle the immense challenges of Covid and Brexit, whilst also dealing with the day to day issues affecting a student body of 40,000, equivalent to a reasonably sized town.
If students really want to see positive change at the University, rather than voting to remove the Vice-Chancellor, I suggest they focus attention on engaging with the upcoming Students’ Union Sabbatical Officer elections. Choose the right candidates and they can make a real difference, not least because of the positive engagement that they should expect from Nancy Rothwell and the SLT. Proper discussion and focused campaigning get results. Witch-hunts do not.
Alex Tayler was the General Secretary of the Students’ Union between 2017-2018. He worked closely with Nancy Rothwell and the wider SLT over that time. He has since left the University and now works as a town planner, having completed a master’s at UCL.
Since September, the University of Manchester has been rocked by scandal after scandal. In October, the University’s Fallowfield Campus, which is home to thousands of students, had the highest number of infections in the country. This was followed by the Fallowfield Fences fiasco – a national scandal which saw students tear down ‘prison-like fences’ that had been erected without any prior warning.
These instances were then followed by the racial profiling of Zac Adan by security guards, another national scandal which saw our Vice-Chancellor, Nancy Rothwell, who is very much the public face of the University, lie on national television. To make matters worse, this took place alongside an occupation of the Owens Park Tower by Rent Strikers. Rothwell initially dismissed this as a trivial non-issue, however, after a two week occupation, more national headlines and a rejected offer which one BBC News presenter described as a “slap in the face” – the University capitulated to the rent strike demands. It turned out to be another preventable PR disaster for the University of Manchester.
What I have outlined here is only a snippet of the scandals, fiascos and numerous ‘-gates’ that the University of Manchester has faced since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, there is one common thread that runs through this repeating cycle of scandal, PR disaster and embarrassing apologies, and that is the absolute abdication of leadership by the University’s Senior Management team, led by Vice-Chancellor Dame Nancy Rothwell.
The case for the prosecution:
In my view, Nancy Rothwell’s leadership has been incompetent, inadequate and has contributed to the worsening of relations between students and senior staff. For evidence of this, we should look no further than Rothwell’s Newsnight interview in November which surrounded the racial profiling of Zac Adan by security guards.
In the interview, Rothwell stated that she had written to Mr Adan to apologise for the incident but would not meet with him so as to “not prejudice the investigation”.
However, it was later revealed that she had not written to him. This response was indicative of the slow-motion car crash that the interview symbolised. By refusing to even meet with Zac Adan, Rothwell, made it clear where her priorities seemingly lied. What would it have cost to have had a conversation with him? Would it have prejudiced the investigation Rothwell spoke of? After reading Regulation XVIII, which outlines the procedure for complaints, I don’t think so.
By refusing to meet with Zac Adan, Rothwell sent a message to the students at this institution that she does not care about us. Whether this was intentional or not, an “us versus them” mentality has developed amongst the student body, particularly within the first-year population of Fallowfield, of which I am a part. Nancy Rothwell has done nothing to mitigate it. Instead, she has only exacerbated these tensions.
Rothwell is the Vice-Chancellor of the University and oversees its administration and day-to-day operations. Her role is more comparable to that of a CEO in a Fortune 500 company than to the Prime Minister. A Prime Minister is (supposedly) accountable to the electorate – us, the people – because we can actually vote them out. A CEO, however, is only accountable to a select group of shareholders and board members, and with the marketisation of education which the New Labour and Conservative governments have presided over in the last 20 years, it seems a Vice-Chancellor’s role is less to do with education and more to do with maximising profits.
“If education is a product and we are its customers then why should we buy a faulty product?”
We pay £9,250 a year for the privilege of studying at this once-coveted University. Why should we settle for incompetent leadership? If education is a product and we are its customers then why should we buy a faulty product? If this University wants to treat us like customers then we should at least get the same rights as them.
If Rothwell was the CEO of a corporation then she’d have been shown the door months ago. Her failure of leadership has led to the continuation of scandals that have damaged the University’s reputation. It baffles me as to why a prospective undergraduate would want to attend a university they have to shell out approximately £15k (including accommodation) where they are treated like prisoners, scapegoated for the inaction of incompetent leadership and corralled into their halls like cattle by police.
“I and many others have not even stepped foot in a lecture theatre.”
Some may argue that Rothwell is not to blame and that there was no way she could have foreseen the issues the pandemic has exposed in this University’s internal structures.
I disagree. Firstly, the University promised blended learning if we came back to campus. I and many others have not even stepped foot in a lecture theatre as the limited face-to-face teaching we were promised was promptly cancelled during welcome week due to the monumental increase in Covid infections borne from the mass migration of students across the country.
The infection rate was only exacerbated by students partying in their halls of residences – a form of socialising that is extremely undesirable in a pandemic.
However, it doesn’t take a PHD thesis to recognise that students are social creatures. Many of them away from home for the first time and eager to experience the “uni life” that is one of the main draws of a University education.
Instead of attempting to recognise these painstakingly obvious flaws, the University’s Senior Management team seemed to expect everyone to behave like a main character from an Aaron Sorkin screenplay – strictly adhere to social distancing, only keep to their flat, not make friends and just stare at the pixels on their laptop screens in their rooms (some of which are glorified prison-cells) without any complaints.
A sensible policy, especially after everyone had already gotten Covid, might have been to denote blocks or floors as bubbles – or even just provide adequate mental health support to those struggling with lockdown. Sensible is clearly a word unknown to the senior leaders.
The failure to address the Covid-crisis on campus was the first in a chain of events which has culminated in this article and the Student Union’s motion of no confidence in Nancy Rothwell.
Secondly, there was inadequate support offered to students self-isolating. There have been countless reports of students being moved into flats that were self-isolating alongside the absence of meaningful support offered. Students were given food parcels that would expire the next day, they were also told to break the law and go shopping if one flatmate wasn’t as ill as the others. The list goes on.
The PR mentality of the senior leadership is to stick its head in the sand and pretend the room isn’t on fire. This is damning. In a global pandemic and digital age, in which information technology and communication is the foundation of our current lives, the fact that the University of Manchester refuses to acknowledge the importance of clear communication to its student body is shocking.
Through its disastrous PR strategy this institution has allowed its public image to be one of scandal and incompetence. Its failures have also led to students losing faith in critical services such as mental health support. In January, the University’s official Instagram, which has 62,000 followers, and is one of the primary sources of information for its student body, released a disgraceful infographic on mental health encouraging students to treat lockdown as a retreat.
This prompted a flurry of criticism on social media with many rightfully asking why this was ever thought appropriate to post, especially since a student tragically took his own life in his Halls of Residences after experiencing mental health issues. The University eventually deleted the post but by then the damage had been done.
As my colleague Laura Thompsonrecently pointed out, the Instagram post likely deterred students from seeking mental health support (which is already a taboo subject even amongst young people), thereby endangering lives and also mischaracterising the actual, incredibly important support the mental health services offer.
Now, it would not be fair of me to pinpoint the blame for this incident solely on Nancy Rothwell because she is not individually responsible for every single Instagram post or press release. However, it is indicative of the management culture she presides over. A culture of scapegoating, of cover-ups, of misconstruing the truth. It is the onus of the leader to set an example and lead the institution in the image they want to present to their onlookers.
In this case, it is Nancy Rothwell’s responsibility to set an example and actually lead. She has had every opportunity to recognise her failures, admit to her mistakes and implement change. But she hasn’t. Instead, as I have outlined, her leadership (or lack thereof) has led to the complete state of disarray that the University of Manchester is in, and most importantly, has led to staff and students losing faith and confidence in the institution they build their lives around.
The Universities and Colleges Union (UCU) has already declared no confidence in Nancy Rothwell and her leadership team. There has also been multiple articles in national outlets detailing the unprecedented opportunity University of Manchester students have. We have already made history, thanks to UoMRentStrike, by receiving the largest rent rebate in modern history. Let’s do it again by ousting our Vice-Chancellor and having a chance at building a University that works for all.
Currently, what we have are senior leaders who collect six-figure salaries and preside over a crisis that is only getting worse. Students continue to be ignored, isolated and intimidated by a Police force who have already arrested a student for questioning their authority.
Now, as others have pointed out, Nancy Rothwell is not solely responsible for every bad decision made at the University of Manchester. However, she is the public face of the University, and has the ability to shape and implement policy, thus making her accountable and responsible for the University’s failings.
Nancy Rothwell earns over £200,000 a year. That is more than double the Prime Minister’s salary. Over 4x the average salary of a lecturer. No Vice-Chancellor should earn that much, especially one who is as incompetent as Nancy Rothwell.
Put simply, it is her job to provide the overarching management for the institution, and as I have pointed out, she has repeatedly failed at this. The motion also encompasses her leadership team so it would not just be her that we are declaring no confidence in, but the entire upper echelons of the management which has failed us.
This is unprecedented. Never before have students been afforded the opportunity to oust the University of Manchester’s Vice-Chancellor. If successful, this could mark a symbolic victory for students across the UK. Students who have been treated as cash cows, scapegoated for the failings of Vice-Chancellor’s and the government and, most of all, it would demonstrate that we can do something about it. These protests will not go away. We have the spark that will light a fire. What it burns down is yet to be seen. But one thing is clear: ‘the times, they are a changin’.
Matt Haig has achieved another No.1 Sunday Times bestseller with The Midnight Library. The book is not one to be missed. The author of the bestselling books Reasons to Stay Alive and Notes on a Nervous Planet has once again blessed us with an empowering novel.
Finding herself in a sense of hopelessness, due to getting fired from her job, losing her beloved cat, and being in constant conflict with her brother, Nora Seed believed her only escape was to end her life.
Nora unwittingly lands herself in purgatory; a library full of books which contain all her possible life paths. Upon opening each volume, she enters an alternate reality, existing in that moment, as different versions of Nora Seed. From an Olympic swimmer to a polar bear’s dinner, Nora’s potential lives are infinite. She must decide, before time runs out, which life is meant for her.
‘You can’t have one without the other’
Haig draws on the Socratic method of questioning which provides the reader with a way to philosophically contemplate their own life and its meaning. As such, it prompted me to reflect on existential questions; are we fully in control of our lives? Are we responsible for every single detail that goes wrong? Can we truly feel happiness, without knowing the feeling of sadness, too? For Haig, it appears not, as Nora quickly learns that ‘you can’t have one without the other’. Nora’s ‘book of regrets’ dissipates as she lessens the burden on herself upon learning that some things are simply out of her control.
Studying philosophy myself, like Nora, I related to her journey of realisation and enlightenment. This novel, however, is not only for the keen philosopher, or those with regrets, but for anybody wishing to partake in Nora’s journey and get lost in her story. If you are looking for a little burst of lockdown positivity, you should definitely give this book a go.
‘WOULD YOU HAVE DONE ANYTHING DIFFERENT, IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO UNDO YOUR REGRETS?’
This cleverly crafted novel leaves you wanting more. Every time I put the book down, I wanted to pick it back up again. Haig welcomes you to explore your own life and feel content with your past decisions. The Midnight Library is February’s book choice by popular Facebook group Gals Who Read. The page is a space for female and non-binary individuals to share their favourite books and have discussions about them over Zoom.
You certainly won’t regret picking up Haig’s book to read and reflect upon. After all, ‘would you have done anything different, if you had the chance to undo your regrets?’
The ‘typical West Ham signing’ tag is often afforded to ageing players whose predicted stardom never quite realises itself. Jesse Lingard certainly matched this stereotype and arrived in London with everything to prove.
In Lingard’s first four games for West Ham, he picked up three goals and an assist, an admirable haul for any player in the league. However, these weren’t just any mid-season games.
When Lingard made his debut for the Hammers in a battle against fellow high-flyers Aston Villa, it was fair to say expectations were not high.
However, by the end of the game, Lingard’s impact was immediately obvious having scored two goals in a 3-1 victory against the Midlands side.
At his parent club Manchester United, Lingard proved to be a versatile and loyal player, racking up 33 goals and 20 assists in 210 games across seven seasons for the Reds.
Jesse Lingard rests on the pitch against Everton. Photo: Ardfern @Wikimedia
Notably this spell also included 5 different managers, holding his spot through the most tumultuous period in the clubs recent history, following Sir Alex’s retirement.
This period culminated in the zenith of his career, representing and starring for his country at the World Cup. He earned cult-like status over this memorable summer, scoring for the Three Lions in a 6-1 thrashing of Panama in the group stages, helped to convert many of those quick to criticise him over his puerile antics.
Alas, this high was followed by a low in the 2020-2021 season, with Lingard being cut from the 13-time Premier league winning side almost entirely. Only picking up three appearances in the half season led to a loan-move in January.
This frustrating fall from grace for the homegrown talent was seemingly a long time coming. Fanbases became increasingly more attentive to younger players in the squad, disapproving of these spaces being filled by players of Lingard’s profile.
This entire process was a part of the facelift given to the club’s midfield after the arrival of talisman Bruno Fernandes in the start of 2020. When revitalising the playing-style, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer clearly had other plans for Lingard.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Photo: Gyjo gate @ Wikimedia
Is it too early to call this move a success? Definitely. His form will obviously undergo much fluctuation, with West Ham’s transfer business often leading to more questions than answers.
But for now, Lingard can look back at his start for the Hammers with pride. At least for a short period, aided by his contributions, they sit fourth in the best league in the world.
In this series, our columnist Anna Jin brings attention to the unique and talented people of colour working in fashion.
The pandemic and political polarisation have left many of us with ‘compassion fatigue’, as we are finding it increasingly difficult to be considerate towards ourselves and others.
Dominique Crick’s slogan t-shirt brand is encouraging us to do exactly that. Her mood-boosting, tie-dye prints and joyful messages are injecting some much-needed positivity into our lives.
Dominique is the founder of The Pelican & The Rose, a clothing and lifestyle brand based in South Wales that is striving to spread “kindness, empowerment and love” with its garments.
The name of her brand pays homage to Dominique’s mixed-race heritage. She is half-British and half-Bajan, which is commemorated through the image of the pelican (the national bird of Barbados) and the English rose.
Photo: Dominique Crick
Dominique has never been a fashion lover: “I was the type of person who would pop on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and joggers and just get on with it”, she says with a laugh.
However, she understands how fashion can be a way for people to express their values. This is especially the case for a slogan tee – this wardrobe staple can instantly showcase what you’re thinking and feeling to the world.
After struggling with anxiety herself, she is eager to use this empowering form of clothing to spread kindness. She knows from personal experience how assisting others in feeling good also helps herself, and a simple act of kindness can really go a long way.
She wants to use The Pelican & The Rose to share this message with others. Judging from the brand’s success and loyal customer base, it’s a message that many can relate to and desperately need in a time of global struggle.
On her view on kindness, Dominique says: “Sometimes I just feel like this world is completely on fire, and it’s really important to teach our kids and people around us that it is important to be kind to others.”
“While you can disagree with people, that doesn’t matter because everyone has differing opinions, which I actually think is a beautiful thing.”
Photo: Dominique Crick
Dominique comes up with most of her joyful slogans herself, each one aligning with her ethos. “There is no point for me to put a slogan on a top that I wouldn’t actually wear and that I believe in,” she says.
The first slogan that she created for her brand was “Be Kind Always”, which embodies her brand identity and personal mantra.
One current bestseller is the slogan “Be a Nice Human” printed in rainbow colours, which comes in either plain white or tie-dye t-shirts, and can also be purchased as a mug.
The Pelican & The Rose’s products can be ordered via their website, and they can also be found on Instagram.
Throughout history, we have been blessed with many scientific breakthroughs which have changed the way that we live forever. However, we rarely think about how these findings came to be, so you may be surprised to find out the number of everyday products which came into existence purely by accident. Here are some examples of these happy accidents that are still relevant to us today.
Penicillin
Widely recognised as one of the greatest medicinal breakthroughs, Alexander Fleming birthed the era of antibiotics when he discovered penicillin. Upon returning from his holiday in 1928, he found a strange substance in his Petri dishes containing the bacteria Staphylococcus which appeared to kill and prevent any bacterial growth. This accidental finding of penicillin was shown by Fleming to kill a wide variety of bacteria but was only first purified into the life-saving drug we know it to be today in 1939.
Viagra
Maybe not the most life-changing drug but definitely a lucrative one, Viagra first hit the market to treat erectile dysfunction in 1998. When a drug developed to treat cardiovascular problems was used in patients, many men were found lying on their stomachs in their hospital beds in embarrassment at their erections. Scientists had gotten the drug exactly right, except it was working in the wrong part of the body, introducing the multimillion-dollar drug for Pfizer.
Anaesthesia
Before the invention of anaesthetic, surgery was a very frightening prospect and usually a last resort due to the agonising pain. In the 1840s, medical students and dentists would attend ‘ether frolics’ where people would inhale ether and nitrous oxide to have a good time. They later realised that not only did it give the intoxicating effects, they also seemed to feel no pain. A dentist, William Morton, first experimented using ether on himself before using it on his patients to subside pain during surgery, revolutionising the field of surgery.
Coca-Cola
John Pemberton was just a chemist looking to cure headaches when he discovered the sugary beverage that we now all know and love. The original recipe was made with wine, but due to growing concern of alcohol addiction, he was forced to remove the alcohol. When using the two ingredients coca leaves and cola nuts, his assistant accidentally mixed them with carbonated water and hence Coca-Cola was born.
Microwaves
The majority of people will have one of these in their kitchen, students especially, but did you know that microwaves were only found to heat food by accident? When Percy Spencer was visiting a lab with magnetrons, he discovered that a peanut bar was cooking his pocket. He then tested his theory on several foods including popcorn and eggs before filing for patents on the use of microwaves. This lead to the commercialisation of microwaves.
It’s a Sin is a Channel 4 drama series written by Russell T. Davies which follows a group of five friends in 1980s Britain who are affected by the AIDS crisis.
Davies describes the story as one of “friends, lovers, and families too – especially Jill, the girl who loves them and helps them and galvanises them for a battle to come”. Jill, played by actress Lydia West, is the only female member of the quintet. She lives alongside four gay men, Ritchie, Roscoe, Colin, and Ash in the heart of London. Throughout the series, Jill shows support for the countless victims of the AIDS epidemic by researching what at the time was a mystery illness, organising protests, and caring for victims without family or friends. Jill represents a true ally of the LGBTQ+ community and that is why she has captured the hearts of viewers.
Shortly after the show first aired, Davies shared the hashtag #BeMoreJill which went viral every time a new episode of the series was released. Since then, the hashtag has been used to share stories of the real-life ‘Jills’ who supported the LGBTQ+ community throughout the epidemic. These inspiring women came in the form of carers, friends, and relatives.
Jill’s character is also believed to have been based on Davies’ real-life friend, Jill Nadler. Similarly to the character, Nadler lost three of her dearest friends to AIDS. During an interview with the Independent, Nadler stated, “I went on endless hospital visits. You’re taking the place of a family member because you become that family together.” Nadler made an appearance on the show as her namesake’s on-screen mother.
Whilst there has been progress in the fight for equal rights for members of the LGBTQ+ community, and knowledge of HIV and AIDS has vastly improved since the 1980s, we still need “Jills” in our world. Being an ally to the LGBTQ+ community has never been more important. A recent YouGov survey revealed that one in five LGBTQ+ individuals have experienced a hate crime or incident because of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity in the last 12 months. Additionally, almost half (48%) of Brits would feel uncomfortable kissing someone with HIV, while 38% would feel uncomfortable going on a date with someone who is HIV positive.
So how can we #BeMoreJill?
The most important thing we can start by doing is educating ourselves through conducting our own research as Jill does in the show. It’s a Sin highlighted the need to distinguish the difference between AIDS and HIV. Furthermore, there is a misconception that still exists today that HIV and AIDS only affect men in the LGBTQ+ community. We also need to show our support for LGBTQ+ charities such as Elton John AIDS Foundation, Mind Out, and The Proud Trust. Moreover, we need to confront our own prejudices and bias, even if it is uncomfortable to do so. Jill’s courage to stand up in the face of adversity is something that we all must do for those in our community who are being discriminated against today. There is no place for bigoted views in our society. We need to show compassion, love, and support for the LGBTQ+ community as we continuously strive to #BeMoreJill.
February 11th marked the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. This micro-holiday aims to celebrate the contributions of women and girls in STEM fields around the world. The scientific, academic, and professional spheres have historically been subject to male dominance – and still are today. The initiative to close the gender gap in science is an issue at the forefront of economic, political, and social agendas globally, and awareness and action are key in striving for equality.
In honor of this day, this article highlights some of my favorite women in science that have often been overlooked, consigned to the footnotes of science history.
Enchantress of Numbers: Ada Lovelace
Ada Lovelace [Photo: Aristocrat @ Flickr]
Computers are ubiquitous in developed countries. From online banking, shopping, and schooling, computers are the cornerstone of a world growing ever more virtual.
A pioneer in mathematics and computing science, Ada Lovelace is regarded as the world’s first computer programmer. She worked closely with famous mathematician Charles Babbage, who dubbed her the “Enchantress of Numbers”, on his Analytical Engine, which is considered a precursor to the modern computer. Lovelace’s detailed notes outlining the calculating machine’s functionalities, and several early forms of ‘computer programs’, made up a majority of Babbage’s publication of the Analytical Engine.
Her work would later contribute to Alan Turing’s study of modern computers, giving us crucial knowledge to eventually create the modern computer processing systems we know today. Ada Lovelace Day is on the second Tuesday of October every year, dedicated to celebration of the careers of women in technology, similar to the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
The First Lady of Physics: Chien-Shiung Wu
First female physics instructor and first woman to receive an honorary doctorate from Princeton. First Chinese-American elected in the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. First to receive the Wolf Prize in Physics. First living scientist to have an asteroid named after her.
Chien-Shiung Wu is a woman of many firsts. Her participation in the Manhattan Project solidified her as a pioneering force in radioactive physics and atomic science. Additionally, Wu disproved the “Law of Conservation of Parity” in physics, a Nobel-worthy breakthrough that was bestowed to her male colleagues instead. Despite this snub, Wu still earned her esteemed title as the first lady of physics.
Admiral of the Cybersea: Grace Hopper
Computer scientist and Navy Rear Admiral, Grace Hopper is referred to as the Admiral of the Cybersea, or Amazing Grace, for her novel innovations in computer science. She is the inventor of the compiler, a technological translator between human written language and computer numerical code. Her contributions to early programming languages and computer system testing makes her work invaluable in a technology dominated world today.
She is one of a very few women to have a US military vessel named after her, the USS Hopper, and is a recipient of the National Medal of Technology and Presidential Medal of Freedom. Author Katherine Broome Williams wrote a biographical novel about Hopper, which covered her work with the Navy and Department of Defense after retirement, standardizing computing languages across all computers, and continuing innovation on the intersection of technology and national security efforts.
The Girl Who Loved to Count: Katherine Johnson
Katherine Johnson [Photo: NASA APPEL Knowledge Services @ Flickr]
A woman was responsible the first man on the moon. For her contributions, and her over thirty years of service to NASA, Katherine Johnson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015. Her illustrious career included hallmark calculations for the first US human spaceflight, the 1961 Freedom 7 mission, and the 1969 Apollo 11 moon mission.
As one of the first black women to integrate West Virginia graduate schools and receive credit as an author on a space research report, Johnson broke barriers of race and sex in the pursuit of scientific innovation. The 2017 film Hidden Figures highlights Johnson’s irreplaceable role in the Space Race, where she was personally called upon by astronaut John Glenn to recalculate the flight trajectories, ensuring his safety and the success of the first American to orbit the Earth.
The girl who loved to count stands as not only a pioneering woman in science and a symbol for gender equality, but also a testament to racial equality in the workforce.
Women of the Future
Learning from historical women and girls in STEM will help us continue their legacy in breaking barriers of gender. Today, women and girls in science have continued to impact society. Youth climate activist Greta Thunberg was named Time’s 2019 Person of the Year. In 2020, the first all-female spacewalk was conducted by astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir. Female scientists and doctors on the frontlines of COVID-19 research were the focus of this year’s International Women and Girls in Science Day event, hosted by the United Nations. In these women, we find main characters with stories worth telling. In these figures we find inspiration.
