From the Classroom to the Street: The Politics of Space in Sudan’s Uprisings and Revolution

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 1:45 pm
  In Roundtable Session: From the University to the Neighborhood: Activism and Mobilization to Remember, Resist, and Reimagine Educational Justice and Renewal

Abstract

This study examines youth political mobilization in Sudan through an analysis of two key institutions: schools and Neighbourhood Resistance Committees (NRCs). Drawing on qualitative interview data, the findings reveal that while educational institutions were originally designed as mechanisms of state control, students successfully appropriated these spaces for political and educational resistance. Key themes influencing political consciousness include government-backed student unions, school uniforms, and formal curricula. Conversely, the NRCs emerged as accessible and inclusive alternatives to adult-dominated arenas, encouraging intergenerational resistance. This paper demonstrates how spaces and youth agency are mutually constitutive in political and educational transformation, revealing how young people both navigate existing spaces and actively reshape their political possibilities.

Author

• Sara Nouri, The Child Advocacy Center of Greater Rochester