Chapter 8 Youth Vanguardism in Repressive Regimes Across Decades of Social Movements
-
Hank Johnston
Abstract
This chapter looks at the mobilization–repression nexus in autocratic regimes, focusing on student and youth participation. It argues that the role of young activists, and especially students, is a key factor in understanding the development of antiauthoritarian oppositions. Based on research in a range of repressive national contexts, including several Eastern European states of the last century—the former Soviet Union, Francoist Spain, China and Hong Kong—I discuss a common pattern in antiauthoritarian mass movements, namely, that student and youth-initiated protests are often at their vanguard. I suggest that this pattern is related to how young activists break patterns of silence and fear by publicly criticizing the status quo and voicing aspirations for change. I introduce the concept of the resistance repertoire to capture the various creative forms of their vanguard collective actions. It has three dimensions: duplicity, creativity and triggering. Duplicity refers to the ‘double-minded’ quality of public discourse in repressive states, where only among trusted friends, and with careful vigilance, can one ‘speak the truth.’ Otherwise, duplicity is a way to circumvent state surveillance. Creativity refers to repertorial changes that young activists often innovate to express their resistance and dissatisfaction. Triggering refers to breaking the ‘veil of silence’ that often is drawn in repressive states. For less risk-adverse citizens, it opens opportunities to take initial steps of collective action to express dissatisfaction and opposition in public spaces.
Abstract
This chapter looks at the mobilization–repression nexus in autocratic regimes, focusing on student and youth participation. It argues that the role of young activists, and especially students, is a key factor in understanding the development of antiauthoritarian oppositions. Based on research in a range of repressive national contexts, including several Eastern European states of the last century—the former Soviet Union, Francoist Spain, China and Hong Kong—I discuss a common pattern in antiauthoritarian mass movements, namely, that student and youth-initiated protests are often at their vanguard. I suggest that this pattern is related to how young activists break patterns of silence and fear by publicly criticizing the status quo and voicing aspirations for change. I introduce the concept of the resistance repertoire to capture the various creative forms of their vanguard collective actions. It has three dimensions: duplicity, creativity and triggering. Duplicity refers to the ‘double-minded’ quality of public discourse in repressive states, where only among trusted friends, and with careful vigilance, can one ‘speak the truth.’ Otherwise, duplicity is a way to circumvent state surveillance. Creativity refers to repertorial changes that young activists often innovate to express their resistance and dissatisfaction. Triggering refers to breaking the ‘veil of silence’ that often is drawn in repressive states. For less risk-adverse citizens, it opens opportunities to take initial steps of collective action to express dissatisfaction and opposition in public spaces.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Contributors XI
- Introduction to the Handbook 1
-
Section 1: Key Concepts and Theoretical Approaches to Youth Activism
- Section 1: Key Concepts and Theoretical Approaches to Youth Activism 9
- Chapter 1 Still Relevant? Youth as an Analytical Tool in Studies on Political Participation 15
- Chapter 2 Agency and Young People: Challenging Conceptual Problems and Normative Commitments 25
- Chapter 3 Theorizing Ageism, Adult Power and Intergenerationality in Youth Social Movements 37
- Chapter 4 Structural Opportunities and Constraints for the Development of a ‘Democratic Disposition’ by Youth in (Neo)Liberal Democratic Countries 49
- Chapter 5 Youth of Color Organizing and Affirmative Governmentality 61
- Chapter 6 Young Carers’ Crip Wisdom 71
- Chapter 7 The Irresistible Rise of Youth Activism 81
- Youth Activist Narrative #1: Building Solidarity in Spite of Pinkwashing 91
-
Section 2: Temporality and Historicity of Youth Activism
- Section 2: Temporality and Historicity of Youth Activism 103
- Chapter 8 Youth Vanguardism in Repressive Regimes Across Decades of Social Movements 109
- Chapter 9 Young People’s Activism and (Digital) Repression 121
- Chapter 10 Black Youth Activism and the Reconstruction of America: Leaders, Organizations and Tactics in the Twentieth Century and Beyond 131
- Chapter 11 Youth Activism in Turkey’s New Authoritarianism 143
- Chapter 12 Temporal Diversity and Intergenerational Responsibility Across Youth-Led Social Movements 155
- Chapter 13 Studying Activist Temporalities in the Post-2008 Context: Hermeneutic Phenomenology of Tradition and Invention 167
- Youth Activist Narrative #2: The South as a Birthing Place for a Black Feminist Pan-African Future 179
-
Section 3: The Making of Youth Activists
- Section 3: The Making of Youth Activists 185
- Chapter 14 Divergent Approaches to Political Socialization in Youth Activist Spaces: Contexts, Cultures and Organizing Infrastructures in the US and Latin America 191
- Chapter 15 The Youth Paradox: Young People’s Political Activism in Europe 201
- Chapter 16 From ‘Fridays For Future’ to Climate Summit Protests: Researching the New Subaltern Activism of Young People 213
- Chapter 17 Queer and Trans Youth Political Activism 229
- Chapter 18 Against Righteousness: Finding Activism Through Drama Pedagogies 243
- Chapter 19 From the Other Side of the Street: Negotiating Difference in Youth Activism 255
- Chapter 20 Disabled Youth Participation Within Activism and Social Movements 265
- Youth Activist Narrative #3: Inuk Youth Activism: Structural Inequities and Vulnerabilities 275
-
Section 4: Contemporary Youth-Led Movements
- Section 4: Contemporary Youth-Led Movements 283
- Chapter 21 The Youth-Led Movements of the 2010s: Foundations for Radical Democratic Structures 289
- Chapter 22 Student Protests and Youth Action Against the Pension Reforms in France (2023) 299
- Chapter 23 Political Action and Everyday Life Between Separation and Continuity: Approaches to Participation Among Young Activists 311
- Chapter 24 The Precarity of Hope at the End of the World: Young Climate Activism in Search of a Future 323
- Chapter 25 Driving Change: Young Feminists in Latin America 333
- Chapter 26 Political Practices in African Cities: The Future for Street-Living Youth 345
- Chapter 27 Black Youth and Activism in North America 357
- Youth Activist Narrative #4: Becoming the Mentor: Sharing Power 367
-
Section 5: Digital Platforms and Youth (Activist) Cultural Production
- Section 5: Digital Platforms and Youth (Activist) Cultural Production 377
- Chapter 28 Youth Activism in the Internet Age: Promises and Perils 383
- Chapter 29 Youth Political Worlds: Digital Media, Cultural Production and Activism 393
- Chapter 30 Everyday Cultural Expressions of Youth Politics on the Chinese Internet 403
- Chapter 31 Beyond Neoliberal Futures: Insights for How to Advance the Conversation About Young People’s Future with Educators, Policymakers and Youth Activists 413
- Chapter 32 Neuroqueer Youth’s Online Activism: Challenging Discursive Normalizations 427
- Chapter 33 “The Street Had Its Own Story . . . And They Say It Was Written by Children”: Graffiti and Street Art and/as Youth Activism 439
- Youth Activist Narrative #5: Becoming the Leaders We Needed: Lessons from the Climate Strikes in Aotearoa 451
- index
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Contributors XI
- Introduction to the Handbook 1
-
Section 1: Key Concepts and Theoretical Approaches to Youth Activism
- Section 1: Key Concepts and Theoretical Approaches to Youth Activism 9
- Chapter 1 Still Relevant? Youth as an Analytical Tool in Studies on Political Participation 15
- Chapter 2 Agency and Young People: Challenging Conceptual Problems and Normative Commitments 25
- Chapter 3 Theorizing Ageism, Adult Power and Intergenerationality in Youth Social Movements 37
- Chapter 4 Structural Opportunities and Constraints for the Development of a ‘Democratic Disposition’ by Youth in (Neo)Liberal Democratic Countries 49
- Chapter 5 Youth of Color Organizing and Affirmative Governmentality 61
- Chapter 6 Young Carers’ Crip Wisdom 71
- Chapter 7 The Irresistible Rise of Youth Activism 81
- Youth Activist Narrative #1: Building Solidarity in Spite of Pinkwashing 91
-
Section 2: Temporality and Historicity of Youth Activism
- Section 2: Temporality and Historicity of Youth Activism 103
- Chapter 8 Youth Vanguardism in Repressive Regimes Across Decades of Social Movements 109
- Chapter 9 Young People’s Activism and (Digital) Repression 121
- Chapter 10 Black Youth Activism and the Reconstruction of America: Leaders, Organizations and Tactics in the Twentieth Century and Beyond 131
- Chapter 11 Youth Activism in Turkey’s New Authoritarianism 143
- Chapter 12 Temporal Diversity and Intergenerational Responsibility Across Youth-Led Social Movements 155
- Chapter 13 Studying Activist Temporalities in the Post-2008 Context: Hermeneutic Phenomenology of Tradition and Invention 167
- Youth Activist Narrative #2: The South as a Birthing Place for a Black Feminist Pan-African Future 179
-
Section 3: The Making of Youth Activists
- Section 3: The Making of Youth Activists 185
- Chapter 14 Divergent Approaches to Political Socialization in Youth Activist Spaces: Contexts, Cultures and Organizing Infrastructures in the US and Latin America 191
- Chapter 15 The Youth Paradox: Young People’s Political Activism in Europe 201
- Chapter 16 From ‘Fridays For Future’ to Climate Summit Protests: Researching the New Subaltern Activism of Young People 213
- Chapter 17 Queer and Trans Youth Political Activism 229
- Chapter 18 Against Righteousness: Finding Activism Through Drama Pedagogies 243
- Chapter 19 From the Other Side of the Street: Negotiating Difference in Youth Activism 255
- Chapter 20 Disabled Youth Participation Within Activism and Social Movements 265
- Youth Activist Narrative #3: Inuk Youth Activism: Structural Inequities and Vulnerabilities 275
-
Section 4: Contemporary Youth-Led Movements
- Section 4: Contemporary Youth-Led Movements 283
- Chapter 21 The Youth-Led Movements of the 2010s: Foundations for Radical Democratic Structures 289
- Chapter 22 Student Protests and Youth Action Against the Pension Reforms in France (2023) 299
- Chapter 23 Political Action and Everyday Life Between Separation and Continuity: Approaches to Participation Among Young Activists 311
- Chapter 24 The Precarity of Hope at the End of the World: Young Climate Activism in Search of a Future 323
- Chapter 25 Driving Change: Young Feminists in Latin America 333
- Chapter 26 Political Practices in African Cities: The Future for Street-Living Youth 345
- Chapter 27 Black Youth and Activism in North America 357
- Youth Activist Narrative #4: Becoming the Mentor: Sharing Power 367
-
Section 5: Digital Platforms and Youth (Activist) Cultural Production
- Section 5: Digital Platforms and Youth (Activist) Cultural Production 377
- Chapter 28 Youth Activism in the Internet Age: Promises and Perils 383
- Chapter 29 Youth Political Worlds: Digital Media, Cultural Production and Activism 393
- Chapter 30 Everyday Cultural Expressions of Youth Politics on the Chinese Internet 403
- Chapter 31 Beyond Neoliberal Futures: Insights for How to Advance the Conversation About Young People’s Future with Educators, Policymakers and Youth Activists 413
- Chapter 32 Neuroqueer Youth’s Online Activism: Challenging Discursive Normalizations 427
- Chapter 33 “The Street Had Its Own Story . . . And They Say It Was Written by Children”: Graffiti and Street Art and/as Youth Activism 439
- Youth Activist Narrative #5: Becoming the Leaders We Needed: Lessons from the Climate Strikes in Aotearoa 451
- index