Private Universities, Public Protests: Spatial Negotiations of the July Uprising
In: Journal of Bangladesh StudiesSearch for other papers by Musharrat Hossain in
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Abstract
The history of student protests in Bangladesh has been a cornerstone of every major social movement, with private university students emerging as a dynamic force over the past decade. During the July Uprising of 2024, following the forcible suppression of the “quota movement” at public universities on July 16th, private university students assumed a decisive role that was surprising for many given the public perception of the social category. This paper examines the evolving history and spatial contestations of student resistance from the ostensibly “non-political” private universities of Bangladesh. It explores how student activists navigated a certain spatial politics in the course of the movement and reclaimed public spaces of political and discursive or sensorial significance, fighting both against an authoritarian rule and its cohorting conglomerates controlling their neighborhoods. Thus, by shifting assumed boundaries, they redefined political and non-political spaces both within their campuses and in the broader urban context of Dhaka. Furthermore, the paper investigates the ways students negotiated spatial contestations: transitioning from social media to university campuses and public roads, thereby asserting their “right to the city”. By analyzing their integration of art and activism during the July uprising, this study offers insights into how private university students have reshaped the landscape of contemporary student movements in Bangladesh.
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| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 387 | 387 | 14 |
| Full Text Views | 17 | 17 | 2 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 55 | 55 | 6 |
Private Universities, Public Protests: Spatial Negotiations of the July Uprising
In: Journal of Bangladesh StudiesSearch for other papers by Musharrat Hossain in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
The history of student protests in Bangladesh has been a cornerstone of every major social movement, with private university students emerging as a dynamic force over the past decade. During the July Uprising of 2024, following the forcible suppression of the “quota movement” at public universities on July 16th, private university students assumed a decisive role that was surprising for many given the public perception of the social category. This paper examines the evolving history and spatial contestations of student resistance from the ostensibly “non-political” private universities of Bangladesh. It explores how student activists navigated a certain spatial politics in the course of the movement and reclaimed public spaces of political and discursive or sensorial significance, fighting both against an authoritarian rule and its cohorting conglomerates controlling their neighborhoods. Thus, by shifting assumed boundaries, they redefined political and non-political spaces both within their campuses and in the broader urban context of Dhaka. Furthermore, the paper investigates the ways students negotiated spatial contestations: transitioning from social media to university campuses and public roads, thereby asserting their “right to the city”. By analyzing their integration of art and activism during the July uprising, this study offers insights into how private university students have reshaped the landscape of contemporary student movements in Bangladesh.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 387 | 387 | 14 |
| Full Text Views | 17 | 17 | 2 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 55 | 55 | 6 |
