Historical and Current Contexts for Identity-Based Student Activism on U.S. College Campuses

In this chapter, we explore the history of campus-based activism and its relationship to current organizing on college and university campuses in the United States. To set a context for this book, we provide a brief overview of the evolution of higher education, explore the influence of identity-based student activism on institutional structures and practices, and highlight the evolution of institutional responses to identity-based student activism. We conclude by highlighting notable identity-based college student activist movements on campus between 2010 and 2018, showing how they relate to larger and broader national movements.