This article looks into the multifarious character of Tunisian universitiesâ protests against the war on Gaza in the wake of October 7th, 2023, by probing their origins, indices, unfolding, and implications. It maps out and chronologically traces the trajectory of the surge of pro-Palestinian activism that occurred on Tunisian campuses. Based on press and online sources inside and outside Tunisia, and social media platforms, this descriptive qualitative analysis of slogans, paraphernalia, symbols, and mobilizational dynamics answers the following questions: What demands did protestors make? What slogans were used and what protest paraphernalia were displayed? How did protests organize and mobilize for their dissent? What has drawn some students and not others to participate in the protests? What kinds of interactions took place between protestors and university administration? How did protest/counter-protest encounters unfold and intersect?
The findings contextualize Tunisian studentsâ protests in terms of demands pertaining to institutional boycotts, the severance of academic ties with pro-Israeli entities, and the recognition of a free Palestine. Reinforced by the outpour of protests on college campuses throughout the world, Tunisian activism conceptualizes a renewed accountability wherein political awareness is not only implicated in civic and decolonial responsibility but is also a harbinger of change. Students in Tunisia and across the world are writing a new narrative of resistance.
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This article looks into the multifarious character of Tunisian universitiesâ protests against the war on Gaza in the wake of October 7th, 2023, by probing their origins, indices, unfolding, and implications. It maps out and chronologically traces the trajectory of the surge of pro-Palestinian activism that occurred on Tunisian campuses. Based on press and online sources inside and outside Tunisia, and social media platforms, this descriptive qualitative analysis of slogans, paraphernalia, symbols, and mobilizational dynamics answers the following questions: What demands did protestors make? What slogans were used and what protest paraphernalia were displayed? How did protests organize and mobilize for their dissent? What has drawn some students and not others to participate in the protests? What kinds of interactions took place between protestors and university administration? How did protest/counter-protest encounters unfold and intersect?
The findings contextualize Tunisian studentsâ protests in terms of demands pertaining to institutional boycotts, the severance of academic ties with pro-Israeli entities, and the recognition of a free Palestine. Reinforced by the outpour of protests on college campuses throughout the world, Tunisian activism conceptualizes a renewed accountability wherein political awareness is not only implicated in civic and decolonial responsibility but is also a harbinger of change. Students in Tunisia and across the world are writing a new narrative of resistance.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 43 | 43 | 12 |
| Full Text Views | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 0 | 0 | 0 |