Violent student protests at Higher Education Institutions in South Africa

This book offers a multidisciplinary examination of violent student protests in South African universities, tracing their roots to the nation’s longstanding protest traditions shaped by apartheid resistance. While situated within the field of higher education, its chapters draw on perspectives from politics, history, communication, and youth mobilisation. Central to the volume is the complex balance between students’ right to protest and the risks posed by violence, intimidation, and gangsterism. Collectively, the contributions advocate for reimagining student activism through democratic and constructive forms of engagement that strengthen, rather than destabilise, the academic project.