Left-wing Cambridge colleges

2

I am applying to Cambridge this year, just wondering if anyone knows which colleges have a reputation for being left wing, and if in practice they come across as such?
I'll probably apply to Caius or Emmanuel college

Reply 1

melancollege

Universities Forum Helper

18

Original post

by 4nglerfish

I am applying to Cambridge this year, just wondering if anyone knows which colleges have a reputation for being left wing, and if in practice they come across as such?
I'll probably apply to Caius or Emmanuel college

Most of them are left-wing generally. There are a few that have reputations but generally Cambridge is a very left-wing university.

Reply 2

Stiffy Byng

19

I hear that Peterhouse is not quite as bonkersly right wing as it used to be.

Question: is King's the Wadham of Cambridge, or is Wadham the King's of Oxford?

Reply 3

A Light Lilt

8

Original post

by 4nglerfish

I am applying to Cambridge this year, just wondering if anyone knows which colleges have a reputation for being left wing, and if in practice they come across as such?
I'll probably apply to Caius or Emmanuel college

It is largely nonsense and a joke, with those unable to spot their own confirmation bias or sarcasm as the ones who are pulled into it most. And then when people genuinely believe it and try to spread what they are convinced by, things get murkier.

Here's a few facts:
1) Cambridge students are extremely middle class as a population. The application statistics and online rhetoric goes on and on about state vs private; the reality is that the massive majority of these state school students are from grammar schools and/or affluent areas of the country. They have a totally different background and education to what certain rough comprehensives are like. And while private school kids may seem like they are disproportionately accepted, the majority of these are also from middle class families and there is no secret route to buying your way into the university.
2) Cambridge students are - as a population - very left wing. This is not unusual, all Universities have a very left-leaning student population and (separately) this is often also true of the teaching staff.

As for colleges consider:

•

The winter (and to a lesser extent the summer) pool automatically mixes up the applicant population in a way that is almost completely blind to something like political bias

•

Is there really going to be a very strong correlation between the factors people most care about when choosing a college, and the political orientation of those people

•

Even if politics (matching the college to the applicant) was considered an important factor, do you really think it trumps out certain other objective measurements for a college like its size, location, subjects offered, facilities offered, teams and societies?

I think if you consider these points for more than a few minutes you will realise that the applicant population is at most slightly biased, and its probably biased because of lingering "reputations" which people may try to re-enforce by their own application (e.g. College X is rumored to be Y. I am Y and hear this rumor and so apply to X). What is likely more true than this is that the applicant population is almost indistinguishable from just random noise.

And that was my experience as a student. I met insufferable people (this isnt just speaking politically but across all manner of things) from all Colleges, and made friends among all (undergraduate) colleges. Remove a student's college hoddie and let me talk to them for hours without asking college-specific questions, and i would not be able to do better than randomly guess at the college.

Reply 4

Stiffy Byng

19

Well said.

I add that choosing to live in tribes is a bad idea. University should expand the mind, not narrow it. The exchange of ideas and viewpoints is better than living in a bubble. I say this as an old lefty, and a member of a famously lefty college at Oxford.

Some students (and some academics) at some universities have succumbed to tribalism and intolerance. Some students and academics (by no means all) appear to reject the values of the Enlightenment and have turned against science, reason, and civil debate. They appear to prefer magical beliefs and crank theories, and don't admit of disagreement in some political positions. I am referring to things such as gender ideology, critical race theory, and the Israel vs Palestine (to be more accurate, Israel vs Iran) situation. Some students shout at and sometimes even threaten anyone who doesn't share their beliefs, theories, and positions. I hope that this is just a passing phase, and there are signs that it is.

There's a warning from history about this. German universities cheerfully embraced Nazi ideas in the 1930s. The fish rots from the head.

Reply 5

Picnicl

17

If the students were truly as left wing as they think they are, they'd have more frequently gone to comprehensives rather than giving themselves a leg up by going to fee paying schools. That their parents may have chosen their school is practically immaterial to this.

Reply 6

Stiffy Byng

19

Original post

by Picnicl

If the students were truly as left wing as they think they are, they'd have more frequently gone to comprehensives rather than giving themselves a leg up by going to fee paying schools. That their parents may have chosen their school is practically immaterial to this.

Hardly! Rebellion is not easy. No child should be blamed for choices made by patents.

In any event, affluence does not disqualify a person from holding left of centre views. Would you disqualify Clement Attlee from becoming the greatest Prime Minister in British history because he came from a prosperous family and was educated at an independent school, Oxford, and an Inn of Court?

Reply 7

4nglerfish

OP

2

Original post

by Stiffy Byng

Well said.
I add that choosing to live in tribes is a bad idea. University should expand the mind, not narrow it. The exchange of ideas and viewpoints is better than living in a bubble. I say this as an old lefty, and a member of a famously lefty college at Oxford.
Some students (and some academics) at some universities have succumbed to tribalism and intolerance. Some students and academics (by no means all) appear to reject the values of the Enlightenment and have turned against science, reason, and civil debate. They appear to prefer magical beliefs and crank theories, and don't admit of disagreement in some political positions. I am referring to things such as gender ideology, critical race theory, and the Israel vs Palestine (to be more accurate, Israel vs Iran) situation. Some students shout at and sometimes even threaten anyone who doesn't share their beliefs, theories, and positions. I hope that this is just a passing phase, and there are signs that it is.
There's a warning from history about this. German universities cheerfully embraced Nazi ideas in the 1930s. The fish rots from the head.

You're right, living in "tribes" is a bad idea, and university is for broadening perspectives.
I feel maybe the arguments you're presenting as "crank theories" are a little exaggerated; the majority of people that are against the Enlightenment do not condemn it completely, because of its incredible innovation and its scientific discoveries. Understanding the Enlightenment for its entirety, however, should not be considered far-flung "magical beliefs": I am talking about the fact that Enlightenment thinking is a product of the colonial era, and hence a lot of its scientific theories were steeped in racial bias, especially the pseudo-scientific race theory, social Darwinism, whatever you want to call it, whose impacts are felt today. The issues you bring up here - surrounding gender ideology, critical race theory, Palestine - are very personal and difficult topics for some people; the students who "shout at and sometimes even threaten anyone who doesn't share their beliefs" often themselves relate personally, and as such an emotional response rather than a rational one is triggered, because criticism of their ideas become attacks on their existence, and in some cases attacks on their right to exist. I'm sure you can understand why this can create anger.

As for comparing gender ideology and critical race theory to the beginnings of Nazism, maybe try focus on America babes.

Reply 8

Stiffy Byng

19

The Dwmocrats' embrace of Identity politics helped Trump to win the election.

Idenitarianism is foolish. People should not be ruled by emotions or personalise everything. Genuinely progressive politics are universalist, not identitarian.

Reply 9

4nglerfish

OP

2

Original post

by Stiffy Byng

The Dwmocrats' embrace of Identity politics helped Trump to win the election.
Idenitarianism is foolish. People should not be ruled by emotions or personalise everything. Genuinely progressive politics are universalist, not identitarian.

I agree. No progressive politics is identitarian. Identitarianism is a far-right movement, is it not?
Politics and government decisions shouldn't be made on emotional bases, otherwise debates can quickly turn into arguments that only make either "side" dislike each other more. When it comes to identity politics, or when an identity is brought into the public sphere, it can be very (extremely) difficult to not be upset by everyone suddenly having their own opinions on your existence - something that people on the receiving end feel can't be contested.

Spread the love, you know? Empathy and open-mindedness is, in my experience, the best way to deal with and hence understand other people's views, especially if it is personal to them.

Reply 10

Wired_1800

20

Original post

by 4nglerfish

I agree. No progressive politics is identitarian. Identitarianism is a far-right movement, is it not?
Politics and government decisions shouldn't be made on emotional bases, otherwise debates can quickly turn into arguments that only make either "side" dislike each other more. When it comes to identity politics, or when an identity is brought into the public sphere, it can be very (extremely) difficult to not be upset by everyone suddenly having their own opinions on your existence - something that people on the receiving end feel can't be contested.
Spread the love, you know? Empathy and open-mindedness is, in my experience, the best way to deal with and hence understand other people's views, especially if it is personal to them.

Did you apply in the end? Did you get in?

Reply 11

mxtt_helm

11

Original post

by Picnicl

If the students were truly as left wing as they think they are, they'd have more frequently gone to comprehensives rather than giving themselves a leg up by going to fee paying schools. That their parents may have chosen their school is practically immaterial to this.

Most ridiculous comment ever. Remind me again what age people start secondary school and who usually decides which school they go to?

Reply 12

Picnicl

17

Original post

by mxtt_helm

Most ridiculous comment ever. Remind me again what age people start secondary school and who usually decides which school they go to?

And the 11 year old (who is not a baby) bawled about the privilege? Not usually - they rightly enjoyed it. And later were sometimes hypocritical about it. Grow up with the 'most ridiculous comment ever':hyperbole too. It's uncivil and can surely only be correct about categorically false statements such as 1=2.

(edited 8 months ago)

Left-wing Cambridge colleges

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