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$44.88 (as of February 9, 2025 12:43 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)We are living in a time of big changes. Issues like immigration, war, and political divisions are shaping our world. This raises an important question:
How can schools and universities help students think about and discuss these important topics?
I’d rather discuss what happens when schools and universities don’t listen to the voices of students on these global issues. As an education worker, I have seen how students feel alienated from their institutions. They no longer view universities as a place for open discussion but rather as a place where they must fight to be heard.
Why Are Institutions Unprepared?
Your Attractive Heading
Homi Bhabha, a renowned intellectual, recently spoke about how institutions are not ready to handle social justice issues. Problems like racism, censorship, and nationalism have been existing for a long period of time and universities still somehow cannot respond adequately.
This does not make me feel comfortable with the lack of preparedness for such situations. I am much more concerned with the fact that students and lecturers who make their voices are punished rather than supported. That makes us have to ask, how can we make our campus a safe discussion space rather than a place to silence students?
Students as Agents of Change
I have worked closely with students who fight for change. Their protests and activism come from frustration with the lack of action on both local and global issues. Students do not just accept ideas passively. Instead, they use ideas to challenge unfair systems, question traditional ways of thinking, and push for change.
Universities need to stop trying to stifle or disenfranchise student activism and instead view it as an opportunity to learn from. Students should be encouraged to make their voices heard regarding systems that ignore and silence them.
Understanding Today’s Global Issues
The world is facing many complex problems: strict immigration rules, war, extreme political views, and human rights violations. These issues are not just old problems returning. They are evolving in new ways, forcing us to rethink history and its impact on today’s world.
Governments are struggling to manage crises, political groups are becoming more divided, and economic systems are constantly shifting. These challenges are deeply connected to power, identity, and culture, and they influence the way we live today.
Speaking Truth to Power
This is a history-making moment and a challenge before educators and researchers. Education isn’t separated from real-world politics and social movements. Many people work hard towards supporting marginalized voices, challenging an unfair power play, and presenting truth.
However, mere fighting of outer oppression is not enough. Institutions must change from within by having all voices represented. Students form a very essential part of it. Their experience and knowledge drive research and teaching, making the education more practical.
We should be ready to ask tough questions, challenge the old ideas, and have honest conversations about power, readiness, and silence within our institutions.
Knowledge That Matters
Change does not always come from new knowledge but from using what we already know in the present moment. However, today, knowledge is under attack. Political divisions, restrictions on free speech, and limits on critical thinking are growing worldwide. All these tendencies threaten democracy and people’s abilities to make positive change for themselves and their future.
How Institutions Can Support Students
There is no simplistic solution, but here are four key steps universities can take:
Promote Student Activism – Instead of viewing protest movements with dread, make institutions stronger and more resilient.
Establish Safe Spaces for Discussion – Let students freely discuss their fears without any reason to fear punishment.
Engage Students in Global Issues in Services – Equip them with understanding of and challenge of unfair power structure.
Institutional Practice Reflection – Universities must work to solve problems rather than merely watching.
In the final analysis, student activism is not about reacting to what is happening in the world. It is about universities failing to listen and act. It is about institutions failing to take their students up in creating a better future.
