“Never Go Back”: An Ode to Returning
Sat in my stuffy English classroom, with its chipped yellow wallpaper and alarmingly stained carpets, I read Carol Ann Duffy’s poem ‘Never Go Back’ for the first time. The name might ring a bell—most of us remember the onion metaphor, perhaps not so fondly, but there’s more to it than just
American Decadence
Every time I open the fridge at my grandmother’s house, two Country Crock margarine tubs occupy the middle shelf. One of the familiar taupe containers holds margarine, while the other no longer does; instead, it is filled with chicken curry, a staple in my grandmother’s household. Within
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Carys Barclay Young
‘High Tea’ Experimental film, 7680 x 4608px ‘High Tea’ is a surrealist short film with an edited soundtrack titled ‘Flying Teapot’ by the band Gong. In this nonsensical reality, an innominate pink individual places an offering to a zoetic antique c
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Lillian Tagg
‘Untitled’ Pointillism illustration, 6″x6″ This piece is a study of traditions of female connection in folklore. I’m interested in rituals which centre the female experience (without essentialising physical traits) in the earth and nature. This im
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: ‘Birthday Party 80’
Oil on board, 40 x 23.5cm My Mum, several years after the apocalyptic Flixborough Disaster, throws a birthday party. I treat the family photo album with a Northern sense of humour and folkloric outlook. The beauty of local legend emerges between the industrial fallout and historically preserv
“Starmer is unremarkable, in every sense of the word”: Your verdict on the general election
On the day the 2024 general election result was announced, The Isis released a poll. We wanted to know how you voted, why you voted, and how you felt about the state of UK politics going forwards. The results are in. First, let me remind you of what went down on July 4th. […]
In Conversation with the Naked Diplomat, Tom Fletcher CMG, Principal of Hertford
There are rumours that he is being courted by the Labour party to rejoin the world of government, that he will be the next ambassador to the US. Slightly more exciting than the news coverage of your average Head of House at Oxford, many of whom we dismiss as excessively wealthy reminders of old Oxfo
Maybe I’m an anti-intellectual
A year ago, a friend from home visiting Oxford took a deep breath after my new friends left the room. She said “you all speak really fast.” That “I’m on the last thing, and you’re onto the next. It’s all going over my head.” I was embarrassed. I realised only lat
Equus: Talking to director Marianne Nossair
Bestiality. Making out with horses. Sweaty, sexual intercourse fantasies atop their backs. Dreams, nightmares, and the sacred deification of them. Not exactly what I was expecting from my Saturday afternoon; but instead of being horrified or repulsed, I came out of Equus strangely sympathetic toward