College events and activities are full of political and social messages. Theatre productions, clubs and organizations constantly highlight many social issues that we are currently facing.
At Oxford, some huge examples of this are drama productions like “In the Heights” and “Big Love.” These plays highlight issues such as immigration and refugees respectively. Big Love in particular introduces a subtle message on how governments deal with refugees. I pictured the girls as refugees, fleeing their country and their marriages, seeking asylum in another country. The man whose house they end up at represents the government of another country. Finally the men who the women were supposed to marry are the people who caused the refugee problem in the first place, as they are the reason the girls fled in the first place. While this comparison could be exaggerated, the scene between the rich man who owned the large house and the men resembled international politics so accurately. The government that the women are seeking asylum in “tries” to help but doesn’t want the men to destroy their reputation, simply yields, failing to help the girls. In this manner, governments are overly concerned with their own issues, rather than looking to help other people.
In “Big Love,” the girls were completely helpless in the situation and ultimately had to take matters into their own hands, the same way refugees do, all for the sake of survival. An interesting gender dynamic is also brought out in the play. The males are the ones “making the decisions” and the females are victims to whatever the men decide. Ultimately, the women fight against this categorization. The play represents an accurate depiction of the politics involved with refugee crises, and also introduces how gender plays a role in decision-making. This is one of the many productions on my campus that really made me think about current events.
Actually attending such events is valuable and while one may argue that it takes away from study time, remember that college is meant for lessons beyond just books.
