Photograph: Matt Dunham/AP / November 24, 2010
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"Second day of student protests - how the demonstrations happened"
Link to news blog at guardian.co.uk
BLOG
"Second day of student protests - how the demonstrations happened"
Link to news blog at guardian.co.uk
Hi All,
The above is a very interesting blog with live updates on the student tuition hike protests as they unfolded throughout the day in the UK. I am fascinated by the scale of their organization -- much to learn from.
Students march in protest in Glasgow, Scotland
7 comments:
when i read this i just wonder... how did they get enough people angry enough to join in? i feel like we've really lost our steam here when it comes to protesting budget cuts, especially when there was so much energy last year. obviously part of it is just from feeling demoralized because it often feels like our efforts went unheard (protests --> slap them in the face with another fee hike). but also, the strategies to resist have been framed as actions brought about by immature, unruly students. this puts off most students who don't want to be associated with that image.
personally, i think student organizing on this campus needs to do a better job of recruiting, educating, and politicizing their fellow students before taking direct action. without other angry students on our side we won't be able to get very far. after the "chalkupy" efforts, i kept hearing students everywhere talking about how "vandalism" is just costing us more money and about how people always just want a reason to "tear shit up." if we want to organize, we have to get organized first and that starts with creating spaces to discuss exactly why all of this is so screwed up before trying to occupy/march/rally anywhere.
Cecilia, I asked myself the same question - how did they get so many people angry enough to participate? The solidarity amongst students of all ages and across universities is extraordinary. There seems to be a sense of ownership - people believe that the education system is theirs and passionately defend it. We have lost this. We don't feel that our university is "public". This apathy and reluctance to get involved, as well as the lack of leadership that you have noted, is problematic. But there are two events, I think, that show what the possibilities can be: WTO Seattle and the Obama campaign and election.
Its really amazing how many students were actually organized in the UK walk-out. I feel like the people here dont have as much pride when it comes to public education like they do in the UK. We are so used to private institutions.. I agree with Cecilia when you say students dont want to be associated with unruly crazy protestors and then decided to stay out of demonstrations. Im not sure if there was a large facebook page for the UC system budget cut protests..? I think facebook is great in pulling people together and spreading the word.
Its really amazing how many students were actually organized in the UK walk-out. I feel like the people here dont have as much pride when it comes to public education like they do in the UK. We are so used to private institutions.. I agree with Cecilia when you say students dont want to be associated with unruly crazy protestors and then decided to stay out of demonstrations. Im not sure if there was a large facebook page for the UC system budget cut protests..? I think facebook is great in pulling people together and spreading the word.
I do think there is a lack of ownership and solidarity on many issues in our country. I think there is so much individualism that centers around the neo-liberal thoughts of freedom that acts of solidarity and unity get lost in our nation today. There are many examples around the world of successful movements that most often start with universities. They often start small, but youth civic movements have been instrumental in making changes in countries worldwide. I agree with Cecilia - there needs to be a better recruiting and campaigning. Issues often go sidelines and forgotten in peoples daily lives that it is easy for people to put aside because there are finals, and bills to pay and so forth. Awareness is the first step to breaking people out of the daily grind of their own world and brining them into the larger issues that affect our society as a whole.
I too am in awe of the level of their organization. Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that England is a more homogenous country than the United States. Then I started thinking that Britain has significant minority populations also. The level of diversity cannot be the determining factor in why our protests were mostly unheard and Britains were forced to be heard. Perhaps it has something more to do with the fact that the gap between rich and poor (those who have to take out loans vs. those who don't) is much less than the United States. Thus, their solidarity is so much greater because the middle class is the bulk. Many UC schools, as we know, cater to families of first-time college students. Our financial need, as a whole, might be greater, especially considering we pay more for our public education.
I agree with the previous comments, it is amazing the scale and number of people that have joined the movement. There needs to be a more focused and organized movement with a dedicated and strong leadership, that will have productive and effective strategy meetings. I think it needs to be a movement that will take one issue at a time, sometimes the movements here get pinned with too many agendas and creates disagreement and it becomes too broad and not focused. Everyone needs to be on the same page.
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