It’s in the Walls

The architecture of Oxford, the grand halls, towering spires, and ivy-covered colleges, is more than a backdrop. It’s a symbol. These buildings don’t only house knowledge; they embody a history of power, privilege, and preservation. It’s in the walls, the unspoken codes of belonging, the centuries of elitism embedded in tradition, the quiet weight of exclusion.

Oxford’s physical space has always reflected its social structure. The high walls and closed gates were designed to separate, town from gown, outsider from insider, the privileged few from the rest. The porters lodge is a symbolic space in this story, behind those gates, generations of leaders, thinkers, and empire-builders were shaped, not just by ideas, but by the assurance that they belonged to something set apart, something superior. This legacy continues to echo in who feels welcome, who gains access, and whose voices are still struggling to be heard.

The beauty of Oxford is undeniable. But so too is its role in upholding systems of inequality. From colonial ties to class barriers, the university has long been a crucible of status as much as scholarship. The architecture itself reminds us of this: libraries named after donors with questionable legacies, colleges founded on the proceeds of empire, and traditions that often resist the need for change.

Yet, within those same walls lies some potential for transformation. History doesn’t only bind us, it can also guide us. The challenge and change is to turn spaces once marked by exclusion into platforms for inclusion. To ensure, the walls that once kept people out now support those coming in.

Oxford’s future depends not on how well it preserves its image of prestige, but on how bravely it reimagines its purpose. The stones will stand for centuries more, what they symbolize is ours to change.

https://www.oxfordstudent.com/2023/02/10/its-in-the-walls