Student Politics: Activism and Culture

Student movements and organizations at the postsecondary level have an immense and often ignored impact not only on students and student cultures but also on academic institutions and sometimes on society.1 The most visible student organizations are activist political movements, which received considerable attention particularly in the aftermath of the volatile 1960s. Activist movements have not only had a significant impact on universities, but have occasionally created social unrest and sometimes revolution. However, there are many kinds of less dramatic student organizations, ranging from cultural and social organizations (including fraternities and sororities) to student publications, newspapers and athletic groups. This chapter is mainly concerned with those organizations that have an impact on politics, culture and society. It does not deal with the purely social element of extra-curricular life—although for many students this is the most important aspect—or with the changing attitudes and values of students, which may influence the scope and nature of organizational life. It is focused on the organizational aspects of extra-curricular life in higher education and stresses those parts that have a wider impact on both the university and society (Horowitz, 1987).