features
By Katerina Veliskova, BA Middle Eastern Studies When we first heard the engine light beeping in our car in the middle of a Lithuanian highway, thousands of miles from our home in the Czech Republic, we knew we’d have stories to tell. It’s been proven numerous times that
features
By Darian De La Cruz, Ba Japanese It is the people that make SOAS the unique place it is. People we might interact with daily without really knowing their stories. In this issue we talk to some members of the “Vernon Tea Party” who are part of an interesting and
features
By Louise Perry, Ba Social anthropology Looking for a first date option that is a little bit different? This edition’s Cheap Chirpse idea… Bit of a weird date idea this one, but hear me out. I’m sure, as SOAS students, you’ll know of Bikram and his yoga
deportation
By Tom King A Level student Yashika Bageerathi has been deported by UK authorities on an Air Mauritius flight from Heathrow to Mauritius. A last minute bid by lawyers to seek an emergency injunction to halt the 19 year old’s deportation was rejected by high court judge Lord Justice
Jeremy Paxman
By Tom King SOAS’ University Challenge team have lost out to Somerville college, Oxford in the show’s semi-final. Competing for a place in the BBC Two academic quiz’s final, the team, made up of four undergraduates and one Master’s student, ended up 85 points behind Oxford’s
features
By Darian De La Cruz, Ba Japenese Most of us think of Vikings as bloody warriors, but the most recent exhibition at the British Museum seeks to disprove that. Think a lot of weapons, jewellery, household objects – and the largest Viking ship found to date. Pirates and raiders. These words
features
By Victoria Brown Ma Anthropology of Food I had a hankering for Indian recently; I hadn’t had a good curry for a long time. Anyone who lives in London knows that finding a good curry in Brick Lane is like finding a guilty pickpocket in Chandni Chowk and I
features
By Fiona Munro, Ba Development and African Studies The Head of the River Race March 29 For the more athletically-oriented SOASians, this is a sporting extravaganza. The Head of the River Race takes place every spring when a staggering 400 crews from all over the globe take to the Thames
Documentary
By Beth Jellicoe “Siddharth” is based on the true story of a boy who went missing, and it made me angry. Furious, even. This film makes no promises, and gives no easy answers. I don’t need to bang on about my relationship to India or the stories of the
features
The Human Rights Watch Film Festival (HRWFF) is underway at the Ritzy Picturehouse, from March 18th to the 28th. One of its nights was dedicated to student-made documentaries, and the SOAS Spirit was there. By Paloma Rao This event, created in association with the Human Rights Watch Film Festival and
features
Jonathan Glazer’s sci-fi thriller “Under The Skin” is being celebrated as “astonishing”, “unforgettable” and a “masterpiece”. Is that really true? The SOAS Spirit had a look. By Dorina Marlen Heller I am not going to pretend that this film made any sense to me while watching it, or that
features
The SOAS alumni column seeks to track down what the alumni are doing after they graduated from SOAS and tries to elicit crucial advice on how to survive in the “real world”. This issue we interview Dr Hongxing Zhang who works as a Senior Curator at the V&A