Dangerous Discourse: Students, Violence, and Higher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa

• In Event: Moving Toward Complexity: Examining Constructions of Diverse Identities Within African, Caribbean, and U.S. Academic Institutions

Abstract

Educational institutions are often victims of violent conflict, targeted because of perceived connections with government apparatuses or may be seen as opportunities to destabilize communities. However, education may also incite conflict. Students may be victims or perpetrators as well: they are often used by politicians and paramilitary groups to advance their political agendas on campus – through the use of ethnic, religious, and tribal rhetoric – often fomenting discord and violence at the institution. The purpose of this work is to explore how universities respond to violent conflict, with a focus on managing student political discourse in fragile contexts.

Author

• Ane Turner Johnson, Rowan University