News
Tom King, BA Politics Research published by the Fractionals for Fair Play campaign has revealed “shocking” findings about the working conditions of Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) and Senior Teaching Fellows (STFs). The campaign conducted a survey of SOAS 94 staff working on fractional contracts and compared the number of hours
Opinion
By Mohammad Tahboub, BA Poltics and Law The aims of both the Justice for Cleaners and lecturers campaigns are legitimate and it is their right to fight for equality and a higher standard of life and in no doubt the majority of students support this. However, it’s time that
Books
By Beth Jellicoe Where do I start? “Orange Trees” is simply exquisite: a tale that understands the complexities of families, the way war and imperialism rip through not only nations but individual hearts, lives and relationships. Raised in Britain and Canada as a third culture child (with an Iraqi father
Books
“The Orange Trees of Baghdad” is Leilah Nadir’s first book, a haunting memoir of a Baghdad she never knew, but which filled her life through the stories her family told her. Set against the backdrop of the Iraq war, the book brings a different perspective on Baghdad’s fate.
International News
By Phillipa Wilkinson SOAS students held a demonstration on Wednesday to show solidarity with protests in Turkey over the death of teenager Berkin Elvan. About 50 students occupied the space in front of SOAS at lunch time with posters and drums to chant slogans against Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan and
features
Wes Anderson’s latest movie is a rollercoaster ride to sit through, but a highly enjoyable one. By Cristiana Moisescu The Phoenix Cinema is London’s oldest continuously running cinema. It opened in 1912 as the East Finchley Picturedome and although the name has changed several times, the building has
features
Expectations are high when going in to see a movie based on a well-loved book, so how does ‘The Book Thief’ hold up? By Dorina Marlen Heller One thing you probably should not do when one of your favourite books is turned into a movie is go and see it
News
By Mohammad Tahboub, BA Politics and Law SOAS SU elections are fully underway with campaigners across campus. However, the elections are marred by student dissatisfaction with the new online voting system. The 2014 election season has seen an unprecedented quiet in both publicity and campaigning with social media increasingly overlooked
Documentary
“Plot for Peace” is a cleverly-built documentary which focuses on the role an enigmatic French businessman, Jean-Yves Ollivier, played in bringing about the end of the Apartheid regime in South Africa and the release of Nelson Mandela from prison. Replete with secret meetings, tense moments and a lot of backdoor
Opinion
SOAS has recently become a newsworthy subject due to a talk which preacher Haitham al-Haddad, PhD, gave here on the 17th of February. Al-Haddad spoke at SOAS on why ‘riba’ (interest) is prohibited in Islam, but he is also known to hold questionable views regarding FGM, domestic violence and homosexuality.
fossil free
Simon Popay, MSc Development Studies The campaign to end SOAS’ investment in fossil fuel companies took a big step forward last week as campaigners met with the School’s finance team. The finance team agreed to discuss the possibility of divestment with the School’s Investment Advisory Panel at its
SOAS SPIRIT EDITOR ELECTION Nominations close Sunday! Nominations to become the new editor in chief of SOAS Spirit Newspaper close sunday the 9th of March 11:59. The SOAS Spirit is the only student run newspaper on campus and as editor in chief you will have the unique opportunity to