Always wanted to know more about the history of your college? Dig out the dark secrets of the founders or alumni? Or just want a stab at finding that tunnel between Christ Church and Merton? In Foundation Myths, we invite students to grapple with the long history and legacy of the city and the university.
- The 1970 Ruskin Conference: What Can We Learn from the Flaws of Our Feminist Predecessors?
Daisy Birch discusses the first National Women’s Liberation Conference held at Ruskin College in 1970. - A Brief History of the JCR: How the Common Room Became Common
Emmanuel Campion-Dye discusses the history of the JCR, looking at the progression from private club to political institution. - The Oxford Bulldogs: Bark Worse than their Bite?
Did Oxford University’s bowler hatted police force have any real power? And what does its existence say about the wider university? - “Et in Arcadia Ego”: Brideshead Revisited and Oxford’s 1920s Gay Scene
Brideshead Revisited: Set in Oxford during the 1920s, it is Waugh’s personal reflection on the aristocratic gay scene of the era. But how accurate is it? - Charting Oxford’s History Through its Pubs
Joe Hyland Deeson charts Oxford’s history through its pubs, examining the riots, rules and revelry that are imbibed in the city’s watering holes. - A Town vs Gown Showdown
When this argument occurred, it was not just about wine but rather symbolised a broader conundrum: the town vs gown tension in Oxford. - How Rhodes Rose and Why He Must Fall
Uncomfortable Oxford and Alvin Boateng discuss the legacy of Cecil Rhodes and his statue at Oriel College.