DeepSummary
The podcast discusses the recent protests by college students against Israel's war in Gaza, drawing parallels to the student protests during the Vietnam War era in the late 1960s. It features interviews with students involved in the current protests at colleges like Occidental and the University of Michigan, who cite inspiration from the activism of the 1960s.
The podcast explores the similarities and differences between the two eras of student activism, such as the absence of a draft in the current situation, but also the common tactics like campus encampments and calls for university divestment. It also examines the impact of the 1968 protests on university policies and the escalating police response to the current demonstrations.
The episode includes perspectives from a history professor at Columbia University, who teaches a class on the legacy of the 1968 protests and reflects on the potential consequences of the current activism. The podcast also touches on the challenges faced by university administrations in addressing the protests and the broader implications for higher education and society.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- The recent college protests against Israel's war in Gaza have drawn inspiration from the student activism of the 1960s during the Vietnam War era.
- Both eras of protests have employed similar tactics, such as campus encampments and calls for university divestment, despite the absence of a draft in the current situation.
- The potential impact of the current protests on university policies and the broader society remains uncertain, with some drawing parallels to the positive changes resulting from the 1968 protests and others expressing concerns over the institutional response.
- The escalating police response to the current protests, with hundreds of arrests nationwide, echoes the clashes between authorities and student activists during the Vietnam War era.
- The protests have reignited discussions about the role of student activism, the dynamics of campus dissent, and the relationship between universities and social movements.
- The episode highlights the enduring legacy of the 1960s student activism and its influence on subsequent generations of protesters, as well as the ongoing debates surrounding the efficacy and consequences of such movements.
- The parallels drawn between the two eras underscore the cyclical nature of social and political activism, with each generation drawing inspiration and tactics from previous movements while adapting to contemporary contexts and issues.
- The episode explores the complexities of balancing freedom of expression, institutional policies, and public safety in the face of widespread campus protests, a challenge faced by university administrations across different eras.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “Most of the palestinian saudi movement have taken direct tactical and sort of moral inspiration from the movements of the sixties. I think the parallels cannot be more obvious.“ by Matthew Vickers
- “And that was followed by thousands of arrests similar to this moment. And that goes to show that if we are willing to do something for others, for Palestinians, we can do it.“ by Matthew Vickers
- “I think that for Columbia, even though the central administration really has never publicly acknowledged 68 in any significant way, I would argue that it actually produced a better campus environment for the subsequent generations of students than what existed before.“ by Frank Gariti
Entities
Location
Company
Person
Product
Event
Episode Information
Consider This from NPR
NPR
4/29/24
What do the campus protests of today have in common with those of the sixties? How might they affect the policies of their universities and the US government?
Thirty years ago, South Africa became an emblem of a multiracial democracy. Decades on, how is that legacy holding up?
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices
NPR Privacy Policy