Palatinate

Durham University invests half a million pounds in top plastic polluter Unilever, Palatinate can reveal.

The Boathouse Inn’s mural was recently saved by a government inspector.

Durham Professor Clare McGlynn weighs in on recent Pornhub lawsuit.

Palatinate discovers Students for Life society’s campaign plans, despite telling DSU they wouldn’t when registering

Durham University opposed changes to Turnitin’s license agreement which could have seen student work used to train AI, Palatinate reveals.

Durham honorary graduate Navanethem (Navi) Pillay has been awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize.

Cecilia Martinelli argues that Rory Stewart’s intense aversion to the wealth tax may be closer to home than he realises.

Scott Bartram will be watching Ash Dykes kayak the Sangha river because it’s dangerous – and so were the Victorians.

Avesta Atshari-Mehr argues strategic reserves can buy the West time, but they can’t fix its dependence on fossil fuels.

Grace Sherwin contemplates on how a conversation between two strangers revealed that body image doesn’t get easier with age.

Finlay Seeman argues that two decades on from To Catch a Predator, reality TV has changed platforms, but not its playbook.

Victoria Travers examines how Olivia Rodrigo has created a festival that allows the pointed rejection of pop’s favourite rivalry narrative.

Toby McTurk discusses the Liberal Democrats’ place in the current political landscape.

Sasha Macmillen discusses the potential for electoral reform in Britain, and analyses its implications.

Holly Doran analyses the consequences of Brexit, and discusses the future of the UK-EU relationship under Burnham.

Rhianna Gorman analyses the “rupture” to the global order, and assesses changing international alliances.

Poppy Reed explains how Australia’s government is aiming to keep apace with technology and the right to privacy

Thomas Jolly writes about the issues holding back Britain’s infrastructure.

Contributor George Smith discusses Tom Kim’s Asian Games success.

Former DUCC Captain Charlie Wilson talks us through the miraculous rediscovery of the ‘Prijon Avenger’.

Palatinate Sport sits down with Times writer Alyson Rudd, who tells how she broke into the sports journalism industry.

Barny Weeden considers the F1 prodigy’s rise to pole position.

The North East race celebrated its 45th anniversary with a staggering 63,000 runners in attendance.

Lyra Coulthard considers the sporting happenings of the year 1948.

Profile Editor Mason Beirne examines how a single page on the Rev. R. R. Williams began Profile’s long tradition of asking who is in charge and what they believe.

From painted yellow lines to beer brewed under colleges, Editor-in-Chief Milly Moore asks Richard Adams and Geoffrey Howard how life as rebellious students at Durham University in the 1960’s compares today

News Editor Gussie Coulter joins development economist and GiveDirectly founder, Paul Niehaus, to explore the tractability of extreme poverty, direct cash transfers and his recent paper, ‘What would it cost to end extreme poverty?’

Puzzles Editor Joseph O’Keeffe talks all things cryptic crosswords with the puzzle crafters.

Palatinate Profile explores Dr Luke Evans’ call for a Minister for Men and Boys, examining the debate over masculinity, mental health, and the growing influence of the ‘manosphere’ in modern Britain.

Jennifer Bailey speaks exclusively to Durham alumni and Sixes founder about how he has built his business around charity involvement and friendship.

Victoria Travers delves into the upcoming COP31 meeting – but what outcome can we expect?

Savanah Neal discusses what excavations in the Scottish Island of Lismore have revealed about its hidden medieval past.

Constance Talbot discusses cancer research and its treatments across the centuries.

Noah Heywood discusses the evolution of household solar panels and what the future holds.

Xabi Arthur discusses Durham’s part in exploring the relationships between global corporations and political environment institutions.

Blythe Sharman delves into the evolution of the millipede.

“Through the tracing of this familial past, I can trace national history, and the changes that created the country I know today…” Clara Kearney uses the oral history of her family in Ireland to explore independence activism.

“Every day, we will undertake the potentially mundane task of dressing ourselves, but we will never dress in a vacuum…” Ellie Hardy uses the 2026 Met Gala to explore the politics of fashion.

“We should not need another six decades to recognise the next Claudette Colvin…” Avesta Afshari-Mehr explores the story of Claudette Colvin and what it can tell us about activism.

“Certainly, it is collective action which brings liberation…” Deputy Comment Editor Meg Thomas reflects on the ability of student bodies to enact change.

“So what was my legacy? That is a question I am both exclusively uncertified and uniquely qualified to answer…” Ellie Hardy explores what a time capsule can tell us about legacy.

“The grass opposite the supermarket is only grass, but it has very nearly outlasted both the memory of the policy and the council that wrote it…” Joe Cannon explores the legacy of the Category D policy and the impact it has had on County Durham.

‘A witty, but ultimately troubling depiction of mental health’ – Emilia Birch comes to terms with the echoing voices of Muriel Spark’s ‘The Comforters’.

‘The beginning of a very bad and incredibly confusing joke’ – Zeinab Elnemer listens out for the voices of The Waste Land.

‘Years of conversation trapped beneath the paint- of friendship, death and most importantly, survival’ – Sophia Charchalou tunes her ear to the whispered voices of the unusual object.

Thomas Pearson explains the polyphony of voices and argument in Ted Hughes’ imaginative translation of Alcestis .

‘A reminder that everyone has a voice’ – Madeleine Nicholson explores the tragically misunderstood voice of Septimus Warren Smith.

“While sometimes a little unsettling, these issues are exceptionally eventful” – Anna Hebb takes an intrepid dive into the legacy of Palatinate.

Zara Mason discusses the different critical voices that determine whether a food is deemed worthy. She questions whose voice is authoritative, as many new voices now have the ability to comment.

Annabelle Coates on her rendezvous with Big Bird fast food.

Food and Drink Editor Chloe Goodwin revisits student food and drink culture in conversation with a 1980 alumnus.

“The restaurant’s flexibility is part of its appeal.” Food Editor Alexandra Shemagina reviews the newest French-inspired addition to Durham’s food scene

‘St Chad’s has the cheapest bar, with St Mary’s the most expensive.’ Oliver Rothnie finds the best drinks prices at each college bar.

“The moment cooking shifts into a visible, performative setting, the dynamic changes.”Food Editor Alexandra Shemagina asks why men get the fame while women get the dishes?

“East of Eden delivers stunning cinematography.” Edie Sudlow is impressed by Netflix’s recent adaptation of Steinbeck’s classic novel.

“Sets an example for what all theatre recordings should be.” Film & TV Editor Emily Hatwell loves the Hadestown pro-shot.

“The complications of this concept are much deeper than casting” Aralia Jogiya explores colourblind casting in period dramas.

“If the visual is so important to film, then this begs the question: what about the dialogue?” Lucy Hambler explores the role of dialogue in a visual art form.

“Art has always been an indispensable instrument in the activist’s tool kit” Phoebe Johnstone explores the intersection of art and politics.

“Everyone should see those films, and that speech, at least once” Eleanor Waters-Jones explores dialogue in The Two Towers.

“Comedic excellence” Stage Editor Ralph Hargreaves is entertained by the Durham Revue.

Stage Editor Anna Pile has a conversation with Nish Kumar about being a Durham student and his time in the Durham Revue.

Stage Editor Anna Pile talks with alumni Richard Lintern, Nish Kumar, and Xanthe Gibson about their time performing in Durham.

‘resonates long after the curtain falls.’ Stage Editor Anna Pile enjoys The Misanthrope with National Theatre Live

“Polished and bursting with heart.” Stage Editor Alex Roy concludes her journey with Palatinate, with a 5 star review of DULOG’s Sister Act.

“Electric intensity.” Stage Editor Alex Roy discusses BTC’s RENT.

“Fashion is politics made visible.” Ellie Hardy examines the deeper messages conveyed through garments, and the polarising effect of the 2026 Met Gala.

“Now that £5 top suddenly looks rather different.” Avesta Afshari-Mehr investigates into the grim realities of the fashion industry.

“People respond not to reality, but to performance.” Polly Cecil discusses the harsh underpinnings of Eva Perón’s iconic look.

‘Blumarine feels like the womanhood that I envisioned for myself as a little girl.’ Style Editor Milly Hale examines the subtle yet strong legacy of one of the most era-defining y2k designers.

‘The most fulfilling element of it all was to remember the difference we were making.’ Anna Hind discusses the legacy she left behind as the fashion director of the St Cuthbert’s Charity Fashion Show.

“Whimsy is the natural antidote to our current era of digital fatigue.” Esme Jones explores the paradoxical nature of whimsical fashion, the trend currently booming online.

“We are condemned to losing our own voices”. Helena Rise debates the existence and ethics of AI art.

“It feels like stepping through a portal into the magical, ethereal world of his paintings” Imogen Sabharwal explores how artists’ design their homes to be havens of inspiration and sanctuary, an ‘elsewhere’ from reality.

“A displaced, otherworldly figure, dropped into the London night.” Shade Bannigan Davis investigates the glam rock star’s visual artistry.

“Women are on the rise in the art world.” Gabrielle Stein presents 26 pioneering women artists.

“Unpolished representations of reality as he experiences it, it’s the visual equivalent of Dylan’s unique and untrained voice.” Hannah Andrews analyses Bob Dylan’s visual artworks.

“Radiohead’s cover art acts much like the art on the cover of a puzzle box, helping us find and fit together all the pieces within.” Bea Hipson Holder explores Thom Yorke Stanley Donwood’s artistic collaboration.

“That’s the power of music, especially Dolly Parton’s music.” Ty Tollman explores the country singer’s unerring legacy.

“These small acts of girlhood found at Daisy Chain Fields symbolise something greater.” Style Editor Onella Nicholas explores the legacy of female artists championing women’s rights through music festivals.

‘Is this trend helping artists innovate, or are they just baiting us into liking their music without having to put real creativity into it?’ Saskia Fellowes considers the wave of nostalgia-focused music today.

“How wonderful it is to have something constant, like a song, to remind you how far you have come.” Connor Petts writes on Big Thief’s impact on understanding his life experiences while reviewing a recent concert.

‘I will always associate this song with this feeling I had beneath the cathedral.’ Stella Fenwick explores the songs that soundtracked her time in Durham.

“Left in awe of the timeless, enduring, and unifying talent of Pixies.” Grace Sherwin enjoys Pixies’ 40th anniversary tour at the Barbican in York.

As Iqbal Hadiya moves into her new university home, a mysterious letter slips in from beneath her from door…

Isobel Atkins feels the voice of her ancestors through her moving poem.

‘My tongue ingrown so no more
words’, Marianne Cao reflects on the domestic tension and things left unspoken.

‘Sometimes, it’s easy to forget things that lie around.’ Natasha Ranawake reflects on the simpler things that bring meaning to life–such as her family’s old van.

‘You can’t erase history even as it’s being made.’ Imogen Sabharwal’s poem illustrates how the legacy of ancient illumination appears in her own life

“The ripples of love endure, forever, racing against time”, Depy Indigo Editor Kashish Fatima reflects on how love and compassion is the ultimate legacy in one’s life

“Legacies are made every single day” Andreea Goian reflects on the Ancient Greek legacy.

“I am not quite over Durham; there are days I fear I may never be.” Travel Editor Mya Downing reflects on Durham one last time.

“The Iran I carry in my memory was last updated nine years ago, and I am increasingly uncertain whether what I am missing still exists in the form I remember it.” Avesta Afshari-Mehr discusses the haunting beauty and eternal longing experienced by those in the diaspora.

“It’s not often that you find yourself surrounded by friends and can just pop to Dublin to buy a Guinness”. Harriette Puddy-Jones details the glories of making a quick hop across the Irish Sea and travelling from Durham to Dublin.

“Whilst I could be blinded by my year abroad bliss, the sun and my limitless access to churros and three-euro wine, one thing that is certain is that I am truly in awe of the Easter week I have just experienced.” Scarlett Rawbone experiences the famous festivities of Easter in Seville.

“We pass cafés, restaurants, mosques and churches all in close proximity, defying the misconception that the Middle East is religiously homogenous”. Noor Younes takes us to her home and her favourite place in the world: Syria.

‘The community spills beyond the pub’s walls.’ Interview Editor Isobel James and Colpitts’ landlady Kate Page reminisce over a Taddy.

‘Set aside time to feel the fear,’ says Lily Cecil-Wright, blogger and content creator, in this interview about how to deal with burn-out, phone addictions, and self-doubt.

“You may not end up where you first imagined, but it’s important to embrace every step.” Interview Editor Poppy Reed talks business with Van Mildert alumna Philippa Jackson.

Jennifer Bailey speaks to Olympian and Ealing Trailfinder’s player, Ellie Boatman about her mission to spread awareness about eating disorders in sport

Palatinate spoke to ex-Reform DCC councillor Nick Brown. Cllr Brown discussed his experience within Reform UK, and the leadership issues currently present throughout the Party.

“I know the answers, and it’s a demonstrable way that I can help.” Interview Editor Isobel James in conversation with our Overheard oracle, Prof. Sara Uckelman.