King’s Bench Magazine is proud to announce the launch of King’s College London TV.
Armed with nothing more than a video camera and a voice made for television, Dominic Hatje has produced the inaugral video podcasts which are available to view online either at http://kingscollegelondont.blip.tv or via iTunes (simply search for King’s College London television).
If you would like to get involved in the production of the podcasts, please contact either myself or Dominic ( or respectively).
Look out for the new edition of the magazine shortly.
Yours as always,
Ryan
Last week a video emerged showing Prince Harry referring to one of his fellow soldiers, an Asian man, as a ‘Paki’, whilst he was training with the British Army. This was subsequently followed by an official statement, telling of an apology from the Prince himself who seemingly felt great remorse for his comments. Indeed, viewed subjectively, it seems clear that the Prince himself is not a racist. His remarks were more than likely meant in jest, with the Prince himself stating that the video was intended for his fellow cadets, and that the victim was a close friend.
However, this is besides the point. If one takes the use of the word ‘Paki’ objectively, then there is a clear difficulty in accepting the Prince’s apology and following Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s approach of ‘…giving him the benefit of the doubt’. Whilst Prince Harry has indeed done many wonderful things for charity, in addition to demonstrating his bravery in the Afghanistan last year, it is difficult to forgive the Prince quite so easily. Continue reading “Royal Racism”
The Cold War Modern Exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington has been hugely popular. It shows a not so distant past that has directly impacted our present. Many of the concerns and developments during this period are still very relevant in our society today. The tension between technological developments for the benefit of man versus technology as the means of destroying man is something we are still struggling with. Continue reading “Cold War Modern”
Hello.
So its Christmas, and you’re one of our readers. With that, I offer you warmth and seasonal goodwill for the festive period – enjoy the copious amounts of food, alcohol and family bonding time this December, and remember that too much of each can end in tears. Especially the latter. My Uncle Ray is still banned from family events after his shenanigans last year…dirty bastard.
On with a more significant, and potentially patronising tone… a small mantra for the new year if you will: Don’t stress too much, be merry and, once the feel good factor has worn off, and you find yourself entering 2009 decrepit and hung over, remember that your favourite magazine will be back and better than ever.
That’s right, Private Eye is having a re-launch in January.
However, if paying for a publication isn’t your thing, then look out for a copy of King’s Bench magazine. Armed with the regular, and backed up by the new, readers can look forward to more fashion shoots, short story competitions, high profile interviews and much much more.
So, merry Christmas and a happy new year from all at the King’s Bench team.
Oh, and don’t treat this as a group message. Our magazine is personal like that. If you feel like returning the sentiment, well, just do it.
Yours,
Ryan Wain
Editor & Designer
(Photo by stephendl used under a Creative Commons license)
King’s Bench Magazine Volume 16 Issue 1 is available.
Dear All,
I hope the first issue of this academic year’s King’s Bench magazine has reached you well- if not, be sure to grab a copy from the JJP room in the law school, or from any of the King’s Bench team after lectures, and around campus- it’s definitely not one to be missed!
Looking ahead to the next issue, we are currently seeking contributors, comprising both law and non-law students. The theme of the next issue is ‘Evolution versus Regression.’ Thus, hopefully a topic which should conjure up some interesting discussion points. Possible starting points for this topic could include: the changing political landscape, the economy, culture, and technology, but this list is by no means exhaustive, and we hope to see your ideas extend far beyond these areas.
Additionally we are seeking contributions to the next issue in other areas, which include:
- Features: This would be ideal for students who do not wish to write an article, but have innovative and exciting ideas for our features pages.
- City guide: Do you feel that you know the ins and outs of a city which could be of interest? An off the beaten track guide as it were…
- Events: Are there any events which you have attended/plan to attend, which you would like to write about?
- Societies: Is there a particular society which you feel deserves some recognition? Or maybe, you would like to fill the gap in the existing group of societies by creating a new one?
- Careers: Do you know of any interesting career paths which you feel King’s students ought to know about?
- Speakers’ corner: Got something to say? Why not share it with everyone, or… if you would prefer to be anonymous in doing so, please email .
The reccommended word limit for articles is 1,000 words, and the deadline for all contributions to be submitted to the King’s Bench team is Wednesday 26th November 2008.
Please send your submissions to . If you have any queries, feel free to contact Ryan: 0770873951, or Christina: 07794069183, who will be happy to deal with any queries which you may have.
Kind Regards
Victoria Essien
Communications Officer
King’s Bench Magazine
Peace. A state of harmony consisting of calmness and serenity, the absence of hostility, or a relationship characterised by respect, justice and goodwill. In a society fuelled by hostility and aggression, peace is evidently a utopian ideal: it was not a feature of my forefathers’ generation; nor is it likely to characterise my future. Continue reading “Peace: A Reflection”
Towards the end of February, I had the privilege of attending the Jury International de Conscience pour Le Liban which took place in Brussels over a long weekend. The Jury was charged with investigating the horrific crimes committed by the Government of Israel during the Israel-Lebanon conflict in the summer of 2006. The Jury comprised of five eminent jurists from five separate countries: Colombia, Cuba, Italy, India and Egypt (though the jury was reduced to four after the Egyptian judge was refused a visa to enter Belgium). The tribunal was supported by efforts from all over the world including the US-based International Action Center (founded in 1992 by former US Attorney General Ramsay Clark) and other individuals from Europe and the Arab world. The tribunal took place over three days in the Maison des Associations Internationales in central Brussels. Continue reading “Israel vs Lebanon: Justified Self-Defence?”
The non-participation of a people in the affairs of its country is indicative of an absence of democracy. In Pakistan, democracy was derailed by the suspension of the constitution and the army takeover of October 12, 1999. Ever since, the military government has been more concerned with politics than governance. When General Pervez Musharraf came into power, two of the foremost items on his agenda were bringing back real democracy to the people and promoting freedom of the press. However in his eight years at the helm, he has failed to achieve either. Continue reading “Desperately Seeking Democracy?”
In cases of political conflict, the most difficult task is often separating the good guys from the bad. This can seem impossible as, for one, there is never consensus on the definition of these two terms – it is usually a matter of one’s perspective. Furthermore, solutions cannot be reached simply by identifying an enemy and placing blame. Peaceful resolution of conflict is a product of negotiation and compromise. Continue reading “A tale of negotiation and compromise…”
