Student Activism in the Global South : The Formation of Political Capabilities in Higher Education

This book makes an original conceptual and empirical contribution to debates on the role of student activism in enhancing social justice within education in the Global South, using South Africa as a case study.

This book makes an original conceptual and empirical contribution to debates on the role of student activism in enhancing social justice within education in the Global South, using South Africa as a case study. The book explores the development of higher education students’ political capabilities through student activism – that is, the freedom to express political ideas and engage in protests, including the following key capabilities: participation, dialogue, practical reasoning, voice, emotional expression, contextual knowledge and physical wellbeing. The author considers the possibility of enhancing justice and democracy in higher education through the formation of such student freedoms. The book will be of interest to academics and researchers in student activism, higher education and social justice, as well as institutional staff members with knowledge of student governance, members of student representative councils and higher education administrators.