There must be 50 ways: Participating in democracy #4: Student nonviolent direct action

When activists decide to enroll in school, they frequently find they no longer have time for activism, which can be especially ironic when one reason some students begin formal studies is to become more effective activists, and possibly to become paid professional community organizers.

A recent study in the UK suggests that ways to offer academic credit for student organizing can produce community-based engaged participation in democracy, with deeper knowledge gained by the groundtruthing of student-organized nonviolent direct action (Jarvis, 2024).

This is not without risk. If a supervising professor has little life experience in this andragogical endeavor, it can backfire. If there is no supervising professor, it is just as chancy. Ideally, community partners capable of closely and professionally mentoring students in this can avoid the severe costs that some ill-informed direct action can produce--ranging from citations, arrests, incarceration, large fines, and physical harm. 

If, however, students are mentored by community partners with outstanding track records, well designed strategic nonviolent campaigns, and care to manage risks, a student can become a powerful and experienced community organizer over time, and can add any successes to their c.v. 

This can be amplified if a student who is working on public policy issues forms bonds with public officials in the context of one or more campaigns. The student who understands the professional need for deep respect for the humanity of everyone, and who is taught to use best conflict transformation practices while organizing for that public policy change (or protection of a public policy that is being threatened), will emerge with a toolkit that will indeed be a powerful way to participate in democracy.

References

Jarvis, H. (2024). Community organising in higher education: activist community-engaged learning in geography. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 48(3), 368–388. https://doi-org.proxy.lib.pdx.edu/10.1080/03098265.2023.2250996