"I Wouldn't Classify Myself as an Activist": Reflections on Studying Contemporary Student Engagement. (August 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chalhoub, Hailey; Ciavattone, Domenique; Wetzel, Christopher
• Is Part Of: Humanity & society. Volume 41:Number 3(2017:Aug.)
• Page Start: 299
• Page End: 312
• Publication Date: 2017-08
• Subjects: student -- activism -- tactics -- social media; Sociology -- Periodicals; 301.05
• DOI: 10.1177/0160597616639711
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0160-5976

Abstract

Looking beyond the increasingly common trope of "slacktivism" that frames students as weakly "liking" causes or "tweeting" support through social media, our research analyzes how current students in the United States perceive and participate in action on college campuses. This action note reflects on three insights our research yields about contemporary student engagement: their ambivalence about embracing an "activist" label, their disinclination for direct action, and their thoughtful approach to digital tools. Complicating the view that college students are apathetic or disengaged, we find that students continue to be passionate and engaged, perhaps just not in ways that scholars of social movements might anticipate.