Student Political Activism: Review of Two College Studies

Introduction

The two peer-reviewed studies summarized below both address student political activism in higher education, approaching it from different angles — one through a global literature review of student organizing trends, and the other through empirical measurement of how diversity experiences in college shape students' political orientations.

First Study: Student Power and Global Trends in Student Organizing

The first study (Klemencic, 2014) was framed around a central research question reviewing "contemporary trends in student organizing" and examining how student governments and student movements influence the policies of higher education. Prior research cited by the author includes the following findings: national student unions tend to serve as training grounds for future political leaders (Luescher-Mamashela and Mugume, 2014); student activism disrupts higher education and obstructs educational reforms, yet exerts pressure for social change and remains a "recognizable feature of campus life" (Altbach, 1966–2006); and the international economic downturn forced universities to increase income from private sources (Marcucci and Usher, 2012).

The author selected universities where studies had already been conducted on why and how students organize. Because the study was a literature review of existing research, there was no need to obtain informed consent from participants. The research instruments consisted of previously published peer-reviewed papers on the dynamics of student activism. The article drew on existing research to reveal "student political agency" and defined academic institutions as providing both intellectual and social environments. A literature review and critique of available literature were used as the primary procedural approach.

The major results identified three models for student–university relationships: (a) an authoritarian/paternalistic model, in which students hold only an "advisory role"; (b) a democratic collegiate institutional governance model, in which students are involved in university decision-making; and (c) the New Public Management Doctrine, under which student unions hold "considerable leverage." Conclusions from the study indicate that students now have a stronger voice than in previous eras and that students are increasingly demanding accountability from universities. Limitations of the study include a lack of actual data on what influence students have in practice over their own education. Recommendations call for further research into student engagement and related issues (Klemencic, 2014).

Second Study: Diversity Experiences and Political Activism in College

The second study (Pascarella et al., 2012) was built on the premise that students learn social activism through the diversity experiences they encounter within the university environment. The purpose of the study was to measure the "unique effects" of diversity experiences that lead to social activism — experiences that may, in turn, prepare students to participate meaningfully in a democratic society after college. Prior research cited by the authors indicates: (a) that students who enroll in diversity-related courses tend to show advantages in social activism after college; and (b) that engaging in diversity experiences and social activism during college may be complicated by attitudes and beliefs students bring with them when they first enroll.

The sample consisted of students from 19 four-year and two-year colleges and universities drawn from 11 states across 4 geographic regions. The study was conducted under the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education and focused on full-time, first-year students. Participants signed an agreement that the information they provided would remain confidential and received a $50 stipend for their participation. Data were collected through questionnaires administered both before and after students' exposure to diversity experiences.

For data analysis, the researchers instituted a weighting algorithm and established two dependent variables: a nine-item scale to measure students' orientation toward social and political activism, and a second variable asking students to characterize their own political views. The major results, drawn from a sample of 2,974 students, showed a slight decrease in the value placed on political activism during the first year of college. However, students with high scores on political activism were more likely to have engaged in interactional diversity and classroom diversity experiences. As to conclusions, students who entered college with middle-of-the-road, conservative, or far-right political views showed significant movement toward more liberal views of diversity by the end of their first year.

Limitations noted by the authors include the fact that the sample was not nationally representative and that the findings reflected only students' first year of college. Recommendations called for an independent replication of the study on a broader platform, utilizing more schools and extending data collection beyond freshman classes (Pascarella et al., 2012).

References

Klemencic, M. (2014). Student power in a global perspective and contemporary trends in student organizing. Studies in Higher Education, 39(3), 396–411.

Pascarella, E. T., Salisbury, M. H., Martin, G. L., and Blaich, C. (2012). Some complexities in the effects of diversity experiences on orientation toward social/political activism and political views in the first year of college. The Journal of Higher Education, 83(4).