election – The Orbital

Why are the women of Brazil so divided on Bolsonaro?

23Nov

By Jasmine CoxNo Comments

Opinion

Why are the women of Brazil so divided on Bolsonaro?

Jair Bolsonaro, nicknamed ‘Trump of the Tropics’, was newly elected as President of Brazil on the 28 October, with 55.1% of voters in support of the far-right politician, eclipsing his rival Fernando Haddad. Bolsonaro, a man of high military profile, has pitched himself as the iron fisted hero who will bring down the soaring crime rates across Brazil. Supporters voted for Bolsonaro on the basis of his pro-gun and nationalist ideals, his defense being the right to self-defense and protection of the much-treasured ‘family’ home. However, when taking a closer look at his aggressive agenda, Bolsonaro is creating more of a heightened sense of tension than ever, especially seen through how he is exploiting women’s fears of crime. Bolsonaro’s popularity amongst women started to grow after the ...

7Jun

By Izzy SwansonNo Comments

Opinion

President Celebrity

At January’s Golden Globes, a new potential presidential candidate was born: Oprah Winfrey. In her acceptance speech for the Cecil B. DeMille award, she projected a message of solidarity and hope addressed to women across the world who have experienced sexual abuse and inequality. Raised by a single mother in poverty, Oprah’s rise from years of sexual abuse as a child to becoming the richest self-made woman in America, is a deeply inspirational story. Her influence on the American public, initially stemming from The Oprah Winfrey Show, which embedded topics such as racism, LGBT awareness and gun control into a national discourse, left Rod Blagojevich, Governor of Illinois, to suggest that she was ‘the most instrumental person in electing Barack Obama president’. With her charitable dona...

2Oct

By Bethany GoodingNo Comments

Opinion

The Ballot Box Advantage

On the 8th of June, an unprecedented number of 18-24 year olds turned up to vote in the general election Theresa May had called for just two months earlier. The following day people took to Twitter claiming that 72% of young people had voted in the snap election. Although this figure is now believed to sit at around 66%, this remains the highest turnout for young people in 25 years. The rise of young voters was also seen in the EU referendum when 64% of under-25s voted. This is still such a small number when compared to the 90% of those aged over-65 who voted. In the referendum, 71% of under-25s voted Remain compared to 36% of over-65s, so it stands to reason that the outcome could have been significantly different if there were a higher number of younger voters. These facts have cause...

7Jun

By No Comments

Opinion

Post it and Politicise.

For many, the General Election was the first opportunity to participate in voting and this, unsurprisingly, led to many using Social Media to share this experience. Facebook allowed users to post that they had voted and alongside this write a message or comment. I saw many of Facebook friends take up the opportunity and comments ranged from paying homage to the Suffragettes, to a more general celebration of being able to vote. This eagerness was somewhat surprising to me as it is often said young people aren’t interested in politics. However, with this eagerness came those who wish to criticise and this is what led to me writing this piece. A minority chose this opportunity to make fun of those who had written their political opinions via Facebook. One is particularly prominent in my m...

2Jun

By No Comments

News

Anti-Tory Article by RHUL Lecturer Causes Controversy

Rebecca Roache, lecturer in Philosophy at Royal Holloway, caused controversy the day after the General Election. In her post, “If you’re a Conservative, I’m not your friend”, on the University of Oxford’s Practical Ethics blog, she writes that she unfriended those on Facebook who had liked the pages of the Conservatives or of David Cameron. She writes that “life is too short, I thought, to hang out with people who hold abhorrent political views, even if it’s just online” comparing Conservatives views with racism, sexism, and homophobia. In spite of this, contextually, the General Election was an emotionally charged evening. Roache recognises this, and states that although she values political debate, at the moment she is “tired of reasoned debate about politics—at...

6May

By Chloe WrightNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Theatre & Performance

A ‘Posh’ Performance by RHUL Drama Soc

Royal Holloway Drama Society will be putting on the play 'Posh' by Laura Wade which is highly relevant in light of the upcoming general election in May. 'Posh' is based upon the infamous Bullingdon club - an exclusive but unofficial all male students' club at Oxford University noted for its wealthy members and riotous rituals such as trashing restaurants and university dorm rooms. The prestigious club has had famous members such as David Cameron, Boris Johnson and George Osbourne (Prime Minister, Mayor of London and the Chancellor of the Exchequer). The 2014 film version of 'The Riot Club' is an adaptation of the play which you may have encountered. So, if you have read the play or seen the film then you know the basic plot; a group of ten wealthy youths from Oxford University go to ...

31Mar

By Beth CarrNo Comments

News

#votebecause

A disappointingly overcast morning last Friday turned into a beautiful sunny day, perfect for the next aspect in Royal Holloway’s #votebecause campaign. Kim Deasy, the Press and Communications Officer, explained that they hope that the campaign will encourage students to register and use their right to vote in the upcoming general election. Today’s task was to spell the word vote using staff and students with an aerial photo, a creative and visually exciting way to involve lots of people in the campaign and raise awareness. I spoke to two students involved in the photo. Jing said ‘As an exchange student, to be part of it, to get involved in politics and activities, to prompt democracy, is worthwhile and brilliant’. Hannah, a first year, emphasised the importance of this campaign: ‘Young pe...