Student political action in New Zealand

Abstract

It was not so long ago that students were dismissed as apathetic. Yet, today, a new generation of young political actors is making waves in New Zealand and around the world. What explains this apparent shift and what is driving these new forms of youthful political engagement and expression?

Exploring the terrain between activism and apathy, Sylvia Nissen considers what it means to be a political actor from the perspective of students today. Drawing on in-depth interviews with New Zealand tertiary students, she traces their 'desires' for different types of politics, the 'demands' they experience at university, and the 'doubts' that underscore their political engagement.