School of Oriental and African Studies

London

SOAS anyone?

Socrates

School of Oriental and African Studies

anyone applied here? What for?

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Reply 1

missgalaxy

I remember to have seen a similar thread.

yep found it http://thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=63404

School of Oriental and African Studies

London

Reply 2

nb86

Accepted unconditional offer for Econ a week ago.

Reply 3

Longshoredrift80

I have no interest in going there, because of what I regard as a terrorism-supporting, hate-spouting student union in full operation.

Reply 4

sghoa

Anyone due to go to SOAS in September 2005 to study either A&A or Linguistics BA?

Any current students with a view/opinion on the departments? courses?

(How about a sub-category for SOAS? It needs to step out from under the shadows a bit.)

Reply 5

treff

I was thinking of applying, but because it's London and therefore quite expensive, I decided not to apply anymore :smile:

Reply 6

ellomoto

Reply to JonathanH, re: SOAS and terrorism!

it amazes me that people with such a low level of understanding have enough brain to go to university.. i guess all u have are grades, not common sense.. which is the real virtue!

how dare you say that just because SOAS is all about O.A. and the Middle-East it is about terrorism?

it is people like u that catalyse hate in our world by always mentioning matters such as terrorism and associating it with certain groups of people!

of course matters such as terrorism, racism, sexism etc should not be forgotten about. such matters should be helped resolved e.g. education, charity and so on!

anyway, i don't want to waste any more type-breath! but i'm sure my point has been made, and say what you will in response to this matter - i am a firm believer in freedom of expression etc. but you are just being arrogant!

anyway mr. cancer-of-hate, good luck

you need it!

Reply 7

Socrates

JonathanH

I have no interest in going there, because of what I regard as a terrorism-supporting, hate-spouting student union in full operation.

Mild amusement for the rest of us. You obviously do not realise the prestige of the institution and have never been there.

Reply 8

pggirl

Applied for MA in international studies and diplomacy but am yet to hear from them. Anyone else applied for a similar course and have gotten a reply??

Reply 9

Madjdy

oh dear ellomoto, i don't think jonathan think's SOAS is terrorist supporting because of it's middle eastern focus, rather because it has a bizarre collection of students espousing outrageous views. May i remind you that in the SOAS magazine, the SOAS spirit, an article was published in the last issue advocating terrorism in eretz yisrael? may i also remind you that the student union voted in livingstone as president after he made those foul remarks to a jewish daily mail reporter, comparing him to a nazi guard?

Rather than jonathan catalysing hate as you claim, I believe that you - by turning a blind eye to overt prejudice - encourage a cycle of intolerance.

Finally, noone needs luck to get into SOAS, just bad english and a worse sense of style
M

Reply 10

Hughski

Madjdy

oh dear ellomoto, i don't hink jonathan think's SOAS is terrorist supporting because of it's middle eastern focus, rather because it has a bizarre collection fo students espousing outrageous views.

Finally, noone needs luck to get into SOAS, just bad english
M

Take it you got in then :p:

Reply 11

Madjdy

real funny mate, ever heard of typos?

Reply 12

Hughski

Madjdy

real funny mate, ever heard of typos?

I don't think SOAS is as bad as your making out. Do you have something against it or something?! I know a few first-rate students who are going there next year and have met a few from there whilst studying at another UoL College. The views of some students are strange. Indeed, I do not believe that the economic approach favoured by students going there is a very good one. Nonetheless, I think the vast majority of students there are nice people; a few of them are perhaps a little misguided.

Noone's ever heard of a typo! :biggrin:

Reply 13

ellomoto

Madjdy

**Thank you for expressing your opinion.

But clearly, I have been misunderstood. I strongly suggest you read what I wrote again and interperet it correctly!

1) I believe the fact that Livingstone compared the repoter to a Nazi guard was innapropriate but not racist! Clearly, he believes the reporter was a horrible person for whatever reason, clearly, he believes Nazi's were horrible people! Therefore, his comments were not racist as they were not meant to deliver hate towards this persons religion! .. If you know what I mean? Furthermore, the fact that the SU voted Livingstone as president needs to be looked at in a bit more depth... could it be possible that they voted for him because they believe he's good at his job?? Must you believe that they voted for him because of the innapropriate remarks he made? Thats just you believing what you WANT/CHOOSE to believe (hence catalysing hate)...

anyway, forgive me for cutting this short but as an active supporter of charities (since the age of 15) fighting against matters such as racism, poverty etc. I am confident in myself bla bla bla!

Lastly, prejudice can only be abolished if we fight it as people, not groups of people (segregated by religion, sex etc). We are all human; we all breathe the same air, sleep under the same stars and feel the same feelings!

lets stop feeling sorry for ourselves or "our people" and start doing something about matters we apparently feel strongly about as a "team"! i.e. less talk more action! :smile:

Reply 14

Madjdy

ellomoto

Therefore, his comments were not racist as they were not meant to deliver hate towards this persons religion! .. If you know what I mean? Furthermore, the fact that the SU voted Livingstone as president needs to be looked at in a bit more depth... could it be possible that they voted for him because they believe he's good at his job?? ........Lastly, prejudice can only be abolished if we fight it as people, not groups of people (segregated by religion, sex etc). We are all human; we all breathe the same air, sleep under the same stars and feel the same feelings!

lets stop feeling sorry for ourselves or "our people" and start doing something about matters we apparently feel strongly about as a "team"! i.e. less talk more action! :smile:

REgarding Livingstone being racist: i am not claiming he is a racist, but he is outrageously rude, and having found out that the person he compared to a nazi guard was jewish, he ought to have apologised. i think the reason that livingstone WAS chosen as SU president is simply to prove a point and alienate a certain group fo SOAS students.

As regarding prejudice and fighting it as people not sects, well that is exactly WHY i condemn what happened at SOAS. For your information I am not Jewish, but a Muslim Middle Easterner. the Jews aren't 'my people', far from it. But I find it intolerable that they suffer from prejudice directed at them by some members of the SOAS student population. Besides the Livinsgtone example I can point out that an Israeli society wasn't allowed to form until this year, while a 'palestinian' one has been going strong for ages. when the said society invited an Israel speaker some members of the SU exec tried to ban him until the SOAS director Colin Bundy rightfully stepped in. Do you still not think that there is a serious problem within SOAS student ranks?

Reply 15

ellomoto

As regarding prejudice and fighting it as people not sects, well that is exactly WHY i condemn what happened at SOAS. For your information I am not Jewish, but a Muslim Middle Easterner. the Jews aren't 'my people', far from it. But I find it intolerable that they suffer from prejudice directed at them by some members of the SOAS student population. Besides the Livinsgtone example I can point out that an Israeli society wasn't allowed to form until this year, while a 'palestinian' one has been going strong for ages. when the said society invited an Israel speaker some members of the SU exec tried to ban him until the SOAS director Colin Bundy rightfully stepped in. Do you still not think that there is a serious problem within SOAS student ranks?
*********************************************************
If what you say is true, then please accept my apologies.

I must say however that what you accuse SOAS of is quite serious, therefore I find it hard to completely accept. Why has no action been taken against the School ?

Furthermore, although I have apologised, I once again urge you to read all my messages to date and understand my point of view as well.

I can't really say anything else because my facts are not based on facts, instead they are based on emotions and common sense. I do not know much about SOAS other than its prestige (internationally recognised), therefore, in regards to the comments you have made, i can't comment.

Reply 16

nb86

http://www.soasunion.org/main/yourunion/updates1

I do think that your comment "noone needs luck to get into SOAS, just bad english and a worse sense of style" is pretty offensive.

Reply 17

Madjdy

ellomoto

If what you say is true, then please accept my apologies.

I must say however that what you accuse SOAS of is quite serious, therefore I find it hard to completely accept. Why has no action been taken against the School ?

I think my name is gives away my ethnicity, so I assure you I am who I say I am. Regarding everything else i mention, look up SOAS on the 'times', guardian, or telegraph websites and read for yourself. it's made the national press around 20 times this year. especially when a student wrote those horrific things in the school magazine about justifying terrorism, as i mentioned earlier.

Just to point out I am not accusing the school itself of anything, rather the student population. the SU is independent of the university, and it's the 'student activists' who usually get things heated. The school director is brilliant, and a very tolerant and impressive person, as are most of the staff.

Reply 18

nb86

Again, after saying what you did about bad english and "worse sense of style" (what does that have to do with anythign anyway?), I don't think you have a lot to say about tolerance.

Reply 19

Madjdy

nikibary

Again, after saying what you did about bad english and "worse sense of style" (what does that have to do with anythign anyway?), I don't think you have a lot to say about tolerance.

Hmmm so you're equating anti-semitism with my mocking of people who walk barefoot and wear slashed 'HIZBULLAH' t-shirts? Do you not think that people's command of english reflects their level of academic achievement in non-science subjects? No apology forthcoming.