Intersectionality, Tensions, and Learning: Internal and External Struggles in the Contemporary Student Movement of Pakistan

• In Event: Youth Movements, Political Parties, and State Interactions: Comparative Insights from South Asia and Latin America

Proposal

Progressive Students Collective (PSC) is a student-led collective based in Lahore, Pakistan, advocating for the restoration of student unions, campus-based issues as well as broader democratic transformation of society. Since 2015, PSC activists have grown to become a country-wide network with an overwhelming presence in public universities as well as private universities. Their novel forms of resistance rooted in intersectionality, popular education and grassroots mobilization, while maintaining independence from mainstream political parties, is rich with pedagogical and political implications not only for higher education, but more broadly for the political culture of the country.

Drawing from ethnographic research conducted in Lahore between 2020-2023 across multiple higher education institutions where PSC activists are studying, a key finding that emerges from contextualizing the internal and external struggles within PSC is that these conflicts and contestations are fundamental to social movement learning. PSC operates in a complex and precarious socio-political landscape, therefore, its internal tensions and power dynamics intersect with relationships involving external actors, including the state apparatus, NGOs, other burgeoning social movements and fellow student-led collectives. This paper delves into the intricacies of these relationships, examining how they shape the trajectory of the movement and its responses to issues of representation, particularly concerning class, gender, and ethnicity. Against a backdrop of divisions, mistrust, and antagonism toward mainstream politics, these challenges are opportunities for constructivist learning and critical reflections, informing the student movement’s ideological clarity, cadre development, and future strategies for social change. Internal debates and tensions surface as student activists navigate their own backgrounds, ideological leanings and interpretations of the challenges facing PSC’s growth, encompassing aspects related to its organizational structure, alliances and relationship with the state. The intersectionality of ethnic, racial, and gender identities adds further layers of complexity to PSC’s internal dynamics. As activists confront racialization and patriarchy, discussions around representation and solidarity become central to fostering an inclusivity and equity, both within and beyond the collective. Interactions between different generations of activists also reveals intergenerational tensions and differing approaches to activism, advocacy and network-building in the Left community of Pakistan. This is evident in PSC’s autonomy from mainstream political parties and strategic use of social media and performance art, illustrating the evolution of repertoires of action as activists adapt to current needs of the collective and the availability of resources and political opportunities. Negotiating these divergences requires a nuanced understanding of historical contexts and evolving socio-political landscapes, shaping the constant process of development and collective learning. In light of this, the paper illuminates the intricate web of internal tensions at PSC and external alliances that shape the contemporary student movement in Pakistan. By critically examining issues of representation, negotiating relationships with allies and political parties, and resisting co-optation, activists engage in ongoing processes of constructivist learning and ideological reflection, laying the groundwork for a more robust intellectual armament for social transformation and the ultimate goal of restoration of student unions.

Author

• Mariam Parvez Sheikh, Stanford University