Hello and welcome to this week’s Student Hub email digest.
In this week’s edition we ask whether we have racial equality in the Irish workforce; Ed Power reviews the 2 Johnnies; writer Megan Nolan writes about a decision by the Frankfurt Book Fair to cancel an award ceremony for Palestinian author Adania Shibli; we have a review of Sandra Newman’s novel Julia, a reimagining of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four; Una Mullally writes how the bombing of Gaza is a continuum of the dehumanisation of Palestinians; Dr James Fitzgerald, Associate Professor of Security Studies at the School of Law and Government, DCU, writes about disinformation and the propaganda war; we also have articles on Mary Lou Retton, IMRAM, Killers of the Flower Moon, and more...
Is there racial equality in the Irish workforce? Up to a point...Ireland, for a long time, was a country that people left for better opportunities, often drawn by the shiny goal of “making it” elsewhere. But, for some time now, it has been a place people come to – be it for a better living situation, education or a job opportunity.
The 2 Johnnies Late Night Lock In: Laddism is especially jolting in this attempt to bring 1990s British TV back: Everyone has their own pain threshold and watching the 2 Johnnies Late Night Lock (RTÉ2, Thursday 9.35pm), it takes all of 30 seconds for mine to kick in.
Cancelling an award ceremony for a Palestinian writer is hateful and absurd: I have long been fascinated by the vanishingly thin veneer of radicalism that certain institutions adopt and discard at will. There are the most obviously transparent cases of this, such as Shell or Nestlé throwing on some glitter for Pride week.
Julia by Sandra Newman: Retelling Orwell’s 1984, but from the viewpoint of Winston Smith’s lover Feminist retellings of classic works hinge on the author’s ability to pay homage to the original text while offering a new perspective on material events already known to readers.
The US and EU have given Israel a free pass to flatten Gaza: At some point during one of the pandemic’s lockdowns, I reminisced about places I had travelled, and thought about where, once the opportunity was available again, I’d like to visit. This was a completely privileged activity, of course. And then I thought about what I do when I travel.
We may never have seen a propaganda and disinformation war like the Israel-Hamas conflict: A toxic mix of political tribalism and social media means most people have decided which side to take and what content to share, shifting realities be damned.
Mary Lou Retton - the legendary Olympic gymnast who tumbled out of favour: She was criticised for opposing legislation to protect vulnerable young athletes, and her current illness in hospital has led to a rash of conspiracy theories
Imram 2024: Aistear draíochta ó phár go stáitse: Tá méadú mór tagtha ar líon na leabhar a fhoilsítear sa teanga agus cé nach ionann foilsiú leabhar agus soláthar dea-litríochta, tá dámh mhaith scríbhneoirí ag cur saothar den scoth ar fáil i nGaeilge go tráthrialta anois.
Killers of the Flower Moon review: Exquisitely mounted, impeccably finished and just a little worthy: Writers are sometimes advised, for reasons of narrative economy, to begin their stories in media res. Dumping your character amid already ongoing drama is supposed to kick things along a bit.
Clúmh an imleacáin: Ach sinn a bheith inbhreithnitheach, cúngaigeanta, ag déanamh cúraim dár n-imleacán féin?
