Free Labour and the UK's Youth

When Cait Reilly refused to work for free at Poundland, the tabloids had a field day. How lazy and idealist are the youth of today! Fancy being on the dole and turning down work! Wasn’t like she had anything better to do, she just couldn’t be arsed… Dossing about, expecting handouts from the state and [...]

Posted by Meghan on January 31st, 2012 | 1 Comment Posted in Uncategorized

The early days of a better nation? – an account of the current situation in Scotland

Turning out to the annual STUC march – held yesterday in Glasgow – I witnessed thousands of people marching in the pouring rain (and it really was monsoon level) for over three hours, and rallying at the end of it. Watching everyone come into the park at the end, and then watching them keep coming [...]

Posted by Meghan on October 2nd, 2011 | No Comments Posted in Uncategorized

The Language of Terror in the Media Coverage of Norway Mass-killings

Before commencing this article which comments on media coverage of recent events in Norway, SSY would like to express our solidarity with those in who have suffered due to these events, and our condolences to those who have lost loved ones. In a conversation on Saturday night down my local, a Scandinavian friend of mine noted that as [...]

Posted by Meghan on July 25th, 2011 | 4 Comments Posted in Uncategorized

Student Wars: Stirling Strikes/Fights Back

Yesterday something unusual occured in the historic City of Stirling – a large march and rally though its town centre. The purpose was to protest job cuts at the University – specifically, 17 compulsory redundancies being made in the Institute of Aquaculture at the University of Stirling: Scotland’s only Instutute of Aquaculture, which enjoys an [...]

Posted by Meghan on April 27th, 2011 | No Comments Posted in Uncategorized

FAT: a Social(ist) Issue

For years now, the observation that media representations of body sizes andshapes do not represent the range of bodies actually present in society, has been a regular part of everyday discourse. The media and the fashion industry’s culpability in building false body-norms no longer passes without comment, and the advent of Size Zero in particular [...]

Posted by Meghan on February 28th, 2011 | 11 Comments Posted in Uncategorized

Where e'er ye be, a piss should be free

Today, dear readers, I would like to talk to you about a pressing need which is affecting millions of people all over the UK right now – the need to use the toilet. When we’re at home – and usually when we’re at work – using the toilet is a relatively uncomplicated process. When we’re [...]

Posted by Meghan on February 10th, 2011 | 5 Comments Posted in Uncategorized

Muslim Women Must Write Themselves: women and the multiculturalism debate

There’s an irony in the above title: I’m not a Muslim woman. I’m white, Western, and the lucky inheritor of an (ongoing) women’s movement. I’m also fully aware of the implications of claiming to speak ‘for’ this group, or any group of under-privileged individuals, from a such removed standpoint. But that’s the point: no one [...]

Posted by Meghan on February 5th, 2011 | 19 Comments Posted in Uncategorized