NCJ Number
8979
Date Published
Unknown
Length
11 pages
Annotation
COURSE AND CHARACTER OF THE AMERICAN STUDENT LEFTIST MOVEMENT DURING THE TWENTIETH CENTURY.
Abstract
ATTACKS ON AMERICAN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS DATE FROM THE BEGINNINGS OF THE INSTITUTIONS THEMSELVES. FOR INSTANCE, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY WAS SUBJECT TO SIX REBELLIONS BETWEEN 1800 AND 1830. HOWEVER, THESE AND OTHER CAMPUS DISRUPTIONS DURING THE NINETEENTH CENTURY FOCUSED ON THE UNIVERSITY ENVIRONMENT AND WERE SELDOM LINKED TO ISSUES OUTSIDE THE UNIVERSITY CONTEXT. IT WAS NOT UNTIL THE TWENTIETH CENTURY THAT THE AMERICAN STUDENT MOVEMENT TIED INEQUITIES IN THE UNIVERSITY TO THE LARGER SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC ILLS IN SOCIETY. THIS ESSAY SUMMARIZES THE EARLIER CHARACTER OF STUDENT LEFTISM AND THEN DESCRIBES HOW THE 'NEW LEFT' DEVELOPED, ITS CONSTELLATION OF BELIEFS, AND ITS TACTICS AND OBJECTIVES. A PRINCIPAL CONCLUSION IS THAT HARD-CORE STUDENT ACTIVISTS QUITE CONSCIOUSLY SEEK CONFRONTATIONS AND THAT UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS FREQUENTLY PLAY INTO HANDS OF THE DISSIDENTS BY CALLING IN THE POLICE BEFORE TRYING OTHER ALTERNATIVES FOR RESOLVING THE CONFLICT. ACCORDINGLY, THIS ESSAY SUGGESTS THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF DEVELOPING NEW STRATEGIES OF THE TYPES THAT LEAD TO THE MANAGEMENT OF CONFLICT WITHIN INSTITUTIONALIZED DEMOCRATIC PROCEDURES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT - MODIFIED). (SNI ABSTRACT)