Did Youth Destabilize Politics? Western European Social Democracies and Student Movements in «the Long Sixties»

Abstract

Student movements during «the Long Sixties» had a profound impact on Western politics and societies. One of the major political families in Western Europe, the social-democratic parties, were particularly affected. A major governmental force in a majority of Western European democracies, their post-war views on education, founded on optimistic and careful prospects (democratization of schools, progressive reforms) were destabilized by student protests and radicalism. How did social democrats react to the strong criticism of the universities, pedagogies and hierarchies in educational institutions that they had helped to build? This article is based on archives, documents and publications from the Socialist International, kept at the International Institute of Social History (Amsterdam), and on documents held by several national archives and libraries. It uses a transnational and interdisciplinary approach, linking political history and educational studies.

Retracted: Structural measures to prevent radicalism among youth

“…Traditionally, the phenomenon of radicalism and extremism personifies adherence to extreme views and violent ways of achieving goals (Terentyeva & Nikitina, 2018). However, the multiplicity and variability of forms of manifestation, a significant ability for social mimicry made it necessary to develop approaches that would provide a systemic analysis, would make it possible to develop a conceptual and categorical apparatus that would adequately reflect the essential features, forms, and methods of manifestation of this phenomenon (Ferhat, 2019). The study of this phenomenon is of particular relevance in the youth environment, which is caused by the variability of social needs and interests, political orientations, expectations, and views of the modern young generation (Fayoyin, 2019).…”

Guest editorial

“…Environmental movements, civil rights movements, anti-capitalist and anti-communist movements, and other emancipatory movements that are concerned with what we now call sustainable development, can trace their origins or rallying point to 1968 (Klimke and Scharloth, 2008). Paradoxically, this revolt may have destabilised progressive politics while unifying conservatives, paving the way for the current global neoliberal clamp-down (Ferhat, 2019;Harvey, 2007;Hilton, 2016).Half a century after this spontaneous explosion of global awareness of societal problems, the need for sustainability is more urgent than ever. Consequently, the social and societal role of higher education (HE) in sustainability transitions has been a growing theme in research.…”

“…Environmental movements, civil rights movements, anti-capitalist and anti-communist movements, and other emancipatory movements that are concerned with what we now call sustainable development, can trace their origins or rallying point to 1968 (Klimke and Scharloth, 2008). Paradoxically, this revolt may have destabilised progressive politics while unifying conservatives, paving the way for the current global neoliberal clamp-down (Ferhat, 2019;Harvey, 2007;Hilton, 2016).…”