Kieran Lawrence looks at autonomous weapons and the effect they could have on modern warfare
Continuing a series on world leaders, Miles Deverson takes a look at Angela Merkel
Ben Bland examines the fallout from the Iowa caucuses and looks forward to the New Hampshire primaries.
In the first of a series on world leaders, Miles Deverson takes a look at Nicholas Sarkozy
After the NUS demonstration against cuts to Higher Education, Adrian’s words seem rather out of joint with the majority. But he is, after all, exercising his right to free speech. What he fails to recognise is that the time-honoured tradition of swarming the streets en masse with banners and pre-prepared chants is not merely the preserve of the football fan, but also the right of the citizen wishing to, as he put it, ‘re-engage in the political process.’
Adrian’s unfortunate non sequitur that organised protest is ‘self-indulgent’ arises perhaps from a very British reticence to make a fuss. Our over-politeness, unwillingness to complain in restaurants and indefatigable ability to wait in queues is familiar territory for stand-up comedians (and probably provides equal entertainment for our continental cousins), but I feel we have stepped up to the plate on this occasion: tens of thousands of students are attended the NUS demonstration. Of course, we will never rival our French friends, who are always game for a little manifestation, but there is no doubt that Brits are beginning to flex their political muscles.
As for ‘what is happening to the Democrats in the United States,’ sure, they might have taken a routing in the mid-term elections, but I doubt Obama and co. will just give up and go home. As W. H. Auden once pointed out, in politics there is a great deal of struggle, and not a lot of love.
And the struggle is just beginning. No one in Britain is denying that cuts must be made; we’re just saying they could be made better. Lord Browne’s heavy-handed pruning of Higher Education funding has demoted arts and humanities to a sort of parasitic growth, draining money that should be going to ‘high priority’ subjects like medicine or engineering. The accusation of self-indulgence has been levelled not only by people like Adrian, but by the many detractors of arts and humanities; ‘we don’t’ need literature students,’ they say, ‘we need people to contribute to the economy!’
Pretty funny, then, when we look at the 2009 graduate employment figures, which were published this month. Guess which university subjects had the highest unemployment figures? IT and computer sciences. Closely followed by physics and engineering. Less than 1 in 10 English and history graduates failed to find a job. And which subject came up trumps? Media studies. Go figure.
Great article!! 'Love' it!! Hehe.
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