The University of Edinburgh has welcomed a new debating society which aims to be “discussing what divides.” The Edinburgh Union was founded in hopes of sparking “open dialogue” as political conversations have become “increasingly polarised.” However, the founding of the society does bring up the question: do students at Edinburgh University have a chip on their shoulders for not being a part of Oxbridge?
The Edinburgh University Debates Union, a pre-existing debating society, focuses more on student competitions rather than outside speakers. This is what the Edinburgh Union wants to focus on. They have hosted several debates already, on independence in Scotland, assisted dying, Brexit and more. However, the society’s Instagram page faced a few comments which rang similar to the ones that The Edinburgh Tab faced during its controversy last year.
The President of the Union spoke to several newspapers and announced: “the Edinburgh Union seeks to spark open dialogue in the capital, in a way that is not seen anywhere else in Scotland.” However, speaking to students who attend other Scottish universities, this statement appears to be untrue. One Glasgow student states: “I attend the Glasgow University Union Debating society, and they bring in outside speakers as well as academics to give us new light on the chosen subjects we debate. I also feel as though the free speech in our society is not infringed upon in the slightest, but maybe that is just my opinion.”
A student from St. Andrews agrees: “I attend the Union’s debating society, and every month we bring in experts on a chosen topic so we can hear the opinion of someone who has dedicated their life to the subject.”
The Union has attempted to distance itself from its Oxbridge counterparts. The Edinburgh Union has no specific dress code, unlike the others which require those involved to wear black tie. This decision was made to ensure “the environment remains ‘accessible and inclusive’,” according to the President. The dress code can contribute to a certain level of exclusion; the Edinburgh Union is demonstrating that although their practices are like that of Oxford and Cambridge’s, they do not stop people from attending based on financial issues.
The Union emphasises their mission to protect free speech amid fears of it being threatened at British universities. In the UK, topics around Palestine and immigration have become polarised issues, where some protestors and asylum seekers have faced punishment and danger from simply existing. The Union boasts about debating “divisive” topics like assisted dying and masculinity, topics which do not carry the risk of being arrested if you protest them. Meanwhile, in the UK today, protestors are arrested for showing solidarity with Palestine. Asylum seekers are criminalised. Immigration is weaponised. These are the harmful divisions, and perhaps the more critical issues we should be focussing on.
Image by Kian Sullivan for The Student