Higher Education for American Democracy and the Channels of Student Activism

The twenty-first century has seen a surge in scholarship on Latino educational history and a new nonbinary umbrella term, Latinx, that a younger generation prefers. Many of historian Victoria-María MacDonald's astute observations in 2001 presaged the growth of the field. Focus has increased on Spanish-surnamed teachers and discussions have grown about the Latino experience in higher education, especially around student activism on campus. Great strides are being made in studying the history of Spanish-speaking regions with long ties to the United States, either as colonies or as sites of large-scale immigration, including Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the Philippines. Historical inquiry into the place of Latinos in the US educational system has also developed in ways that MacDonald did not anticipate. The growth of the comparative race and ethnicity field in and of itself has encouraged cross-ethnic and cross-racial studies, which often also tie together larger themes of colonialism, language instruction, legal cases, and civil rights or activism.

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Higher education after neoliberalism: Student activism as a guiding light

Policy Futures in Education ◽

10.1177/1478210318767459 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 90-116 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Rose M Cole ◽

Walter F Heinecke

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

College Student ◽

Student Activism ◽

Social Imaginary ◽

Racial Justice ◽

Creative Imagination ◽

Student Activists ◽

The Past ◽

College Student Activism ◽

Almost All

Contemporary college student activism has been particularly visible and effective in the past few years at US institutions of higher education and is projected only to grow in future years. Almost all of these protests and demands, while explicitly linked to social and racial justice, are sites of resistance to the neoliberalization of the academy. These activists are imagining a post-neoliberal society, and are building their demands around these potential new social imaginaries. Based on a discourse analysis of contemporary college student activist demands, to examine more closely the ways that student activists understand, resist, critique, and offer new alternatives to current (neoliberal) structures in higher education, it is suggested that student activists might be one key to understanding what’s next for higher education in a post-neoliberal context. The activists’ critiques of the structure of higher education reveal a sophisticated understanding of the current socio-political, cultural, and economic realities. Their demands show an optimistic, creative imagination that could serve educators well as we grapple with our first steps down a new road. Using their critiques and demands as a jumping-off point, this paper offers the blueprint for a new social imaginary in higher education, one that is focused on community and justice.

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“We Shall Be Outspoken”: Student Political Activism in Post-Independence Ghana, c.1957–1966

Journal of Asian and African Studies ◽

10.1177/0021909618806542 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 54 (2) ◽

pp. 169-188

Author(s):

Emmanuel Asiedu-Acquah

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Student Activism ◽

Political Activism ◽

University Student ◽

Student Movement ◽

Political Order ◽

The Other ◽

People's Party ◽

Kwame Nkrumah ◽

The Government

This paper looks at student political activism in Ghana in the late 1950s and 1960s. Using Ghanaian and British archives, it examines how students of Ghana’s universities politically engaged with the government of Kwame Nkrumah and his ruling Convention People’s Party (CPP). Student activism manifested most in the conflict between the Nkrumah government, on one hand, and university authorities and students, on the other hand, over the purpose of higher education, university autonomy, and nationalism. The conflict coalesced around the idea of educated youth as model citizens. Contrary to the denial in existing literature, the paper argues that a nascent student movement and tradition of student political activism had emerged since the late 1950s. University student activism established itself as a fulcrum of the country’s evolving postcolonial political order and a bulwark against governmental authoritarianism. In the larger context of the global 1960s, Ghanaian student activism belonged to the wave of youth protests against governments that favored stability and opposed all dissent.

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Shifting Perspectives on Student Activism

Student Activism as a Vehicle for Change on College Campuses - Advances in Higher Education and Professional Development ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-2173-0.ch004 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 52-65

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

College Students ◽

Student Activism ◽

Faculty Members ◽

College Administrators ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Use Of Technology ◽

The World ◽

Societal Expectations ◽

Independent Thinking

This chapter explores how activism is positioned within the world and within higher education. Societal expectations of college students are discussed and include the idea that student's mirror the larger world around them. This leads to students' use of technology as a form of activism, and ultimately, how students balance their own independent thinking and their relationships with faculty members. A second perspective presented is how activism looks to college administrators and policy makers, noting that technology-based activism may draw upon a larger collection of students, but may actually result in less disturbance and impact on campus. The chapter concludes with projections as to what activism will look like in the future.

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Faculty and Student Activism

Exploring the Technological, Societal, and Institutional Dimensions of College Student Activism - Advances in Higher Education and Professional Development ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-7274-9.ch011 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 183-195

Author(s):

David V. Tolliver ◽

Michael T. Miller ◽

Jennifer M. Miles ◽

Daniel P. Nadler

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Higher Education Institutions ◽

Student Activism ◽

Colleges And Universities ◽

Education Industry ◽

Higher Education Industry ◽

Faculty Mentors ◽

Academic Content

Colleges and universities can be important social drivers in the functioning of society. Through their efforts and activities, they can educate an electorate and teach behaviors that ultimately benefit the society in which they work. Additionally, students can learn from their faculty mentors not only academic content, but important behaviors about how to be involved activists in seeking change. This chapter explores how faculty and students are activists, how they learn and interact with each other, and ultimately, what impact this has on the operation on individual higher education institutions and the higher education industry at large.

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Adult Learners

Exploring the Technological, Societal, and Institutional Dimensions of College Student Activism - Advances in Higher Education and Professional Development ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-7274-9.ch008 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 114-132

Author(s):

David Deggs

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Adult Learners ◽

Real World ◽

Adult Learner ◽

Student Activism ◽

Upper Class ◽

Traditional Student ◽

Societal Issues ◽

American Higher Education ◽

The 1960S

Student activism is mostly thought of as an activity that engages and motivates the traditional-aged students in American higher education to action. The emergence of student activism in the 1960s occurred when enrollment in American higher education was still primarily limited to youth from middle- and upper-class families. The demographics of American higher education have shifted, and the adult learner or non-traditional student now represents a significant amount, if not the majority, of most campus populations. The adult learner brings unique perspective to the higher education classroom based upon their real-world experiences that directly impacts their values, beliefs, and ideas about societal issues. Adult learners in American higher education have the potential to change the ways, means, and longstanding outcomes related to activism in American higher education.

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Activism and College Student Mental Health

Research Anthology on Mental Health Stigma, Education, and Treatment ◽

10.4018/978-1-7998-8544-3.ch037 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 628-643

Author(s):

Abby L. Bjornsen-Ramig ◽

Daniel B. Kissinger

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Higher Education ◽

College Student ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Student Activism ◽

Media Campaigns ◽

Student Activists ◽

College Student Activism ◽

The 1960S

Activism on college campuses in the United States is a long-standing phenomenon rooted in the counterculture movements of the 1960s. Today, local, regional, and national issues and sociopolitical influences remain closely aligned with activism in higher education, with contemporary issues shaping student activism efforts on campus. College student activism ranges from organized marches and protests to more widespread social media campaigns, targeting issues ranging from inclusion and diversity to sexual assault and intimate partner violence. Involvement in activism can influence the mental health and overall wellness of college students who engage in these activities. This chapter focuses on contemporary activism in higher education, specifically as related to the potential impact of activism on the mental health and wellness of college student activists. Also discussed are implications for student affairs professionals, university-based mental health professionals, and higher education administrators.

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Student Activism Remains a Potent Force Worldwide

International Higher Education ◽

10.6017/ihe.2014.76.5518 ◽

2014 ◽

pp. 2-3 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Philip G Altbach ◽

Manja Klemencic

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Education Policy ◽

Higher Education Policy ◽

Arab Spring ◽

Student Activism ◽

The Arab Spring

Student activism remains a potent force worldwide. Recently, students were instrumental in the collapse of the regime in Ukraine, and were key forces in the Arab Spring movements. Students, however, are unable to ensure that their views will be reflected in the governments that emerge from unrest. Students also are active participants in campus events, and have often been instrumental in shaping higher education policy.

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