Cycles of Dissent: Unforgetting Student Protest and Educational Governance in California, 1945–2024

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 11:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Towards Global Perspectives on Education

Abstract

This historical study revisits key episodes of student protest in California’s public universities from 1945 to 2024, examining how cycles of dissent shaped institutional governance, academic freedom, and public accountability. Drawing on archival records, oral histories, protest leaflets, and media coverage, the paper traces evolving responses to movements from the Free Speech era to recent pro-Palestinian activism. By situating these events within broader struggles over race, class, gender, and governance, the paper challenges depoliticized narratives of student activism. It argues that California’s educational institutions are not merely backdrops, but active participants in the state's political history. In unforgetting these histories, the paper offers insight into how past power struggles can inform equitable and justice-oriented educational futures.

Author

• Yi Wu, Pennsylvania State University