WORKSHOP: Social Justice and the University
Are academia and activism two worlds at odds with one another? From the revolts across European and American campuses throughout the 1960s, to the mass demonstrations throughout the Middle East and North Africa, and even to the long history of the Quebec student movement, universities tend to be a breeding ground for activist work and critical thinking. At the same time, they remain elite and powerful machines for reproducing the status quo. Is the University and student activism able to break free of this cycle of reproduction; does fighting for social justice require abandoning this institution altogether, or rebuilding it with a focus on justice and resistance; what roles/responsibilities do academia and academics have in the struggle for social justice?
This panel discussion will examine the University as an institution of power and privilege, while also looking to how it can be an inspirational site of radical transformation. Come join fellow students, local activists, community members, and academics in this timely and crucial debate.
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