An Exploration Of Avian Political Economy

Just for a wee change, this post isn't about a protest or an occupation, its about waxwings. This winter saw a huge influx of waxwings into Scotland and the rest of the UK, with regular sightings of flocks well in excess of 500 individuals. This was due to the particularly harsh winter conditions in Scandinavia, Northern Europe and Russia, leading to a shortage of the berries which form the bulk of the waxwings diet and thus causing the birds to migrate across the North Sea in far higher numbers than usual.

Waxwings are incredible birds. They have some of the most striking plumage of any bird regularly seen in the UK and its absolutely amazing to witness a flock of them descend and strip a berry tree of it's fruit. They are intensely social birds and are known for sharing food as a way of strengthening social bonds as well as during courtship rituals, behaviour which can be seen here and in the video below:



Groups of waxwings have also been known to line up along a twig or branch and pass berries along the line from beak to beak ensuring that every bird gets fed, which to me is one of the most beautiful examples of sociability and cooperation in the animal world. In fact I can't think about it without a smile coming to my face.

I'm never a fan of simplistic and reductive comparisons between human society and animal behaviour, and I'm not holding waxwings up as some kind of glorious example of avian communism. Having said that though, the next time that somebody tells me that selfishness and competition are natural, or mutters something about 'survival of the fittest', I'm going to tell them how waxwings get berries from the end of a branch.

p.s. For more on sociability and cooperation amongst animals check out what my good friend the Socialist Cephalopod has to say about ants

Welcome To The Free Hetherington

Last time I was in the Hetherington Research Club I was dancing away at a packed and sweaty club night put on by Argonauts Sounds. It was a quality wee place to go, with the dancefloor looking out of the first floor window on to the trees outside. It was also somewhere students could get decent cheap food and study during the day. About a year ago the university authorities decided to withdraw their funding, all the staff lost their jobs, and its been sitting empty ever since.

Until yesterday that is, when students occupied the building and re-opened it, issuing the following set of demands:

'The Hetherington Research Club to be returned to democratic control by students and staff, with the return of the block grant [ie. the funding the uni gave the club]. All those who lost their jobs as a result of the closure should be offered their jobs back.

Anton Muscatelli [the university principal] should condemn the cuts and student fees and take the average wage of university staff, or resign.

No cuts at Glasgow University. We demand no job cuts, no course cuts, no cuts to student services, no cuts to teaching budgets and an end to the voluntary severance scheme.

Glasgow University must become a democratic place of lifelong learning for all residents of Glasgow.

We demand investment in higher education and wider public services and an end to the Government's programme of austerity.'

I went down to the Free Hetherington at about 10:30 this morning, planning to drop off some food for the occupiers and maybe stay an hour or so to show my support. Instead I ended up spending most of the day there, chatting to folk and getting involved in various wee jobs that needed doing. I can't say enough how impressed I am with the people who've planned and carried out the occupation. Entering the building the general atmosphere is really welcoming but I also quickly got a sense of the seriousness of everyone involved about what they're doing and why they're doing it. Decisions about the practical running of the place as well as the political meaning of the occupation are being made in a democratic and collective way, and its clear that people are in this for the long haul.

This is a space not just for students and staff of the university, but for the wider community as well. It's already beginning to act as a base for the broader anti-cuts movement with meeting by various groups being held. It was great to see the support the occupation already has with people dropping in all day to say hi, see what's happening or donate supplies (well done Campsie SSP for the massive food donation). There are also great events happening like today's brilliant talk by anti-war Iraq veteran Mike Prysner.

Anyway, don't just read what I've got to say about the place. Get in touch, or get down there yourself to find out what's happening and show your support. As someone said to me today "the point of the occupation is the occupation".

EDIT: if you're planning on a visit the occupiers have a wishlist of things that they need

Glasgow Uni Occupied

Students at Glasgow Uni have occupied the former Hetherington research club - a space for postgraduate students and popular venue which was recently closed by the university authorities and was due to be converted to offices. More on this here