Suchergebnisse

In spite of rhetoric about an incipient citizen's democracy in Egypt, civil conditions are such that they militate against organized change. There is a sustained (23-year) state of emergency which limits public protest, political parties and civil organizations. Depressed economic conditions tend to draw people away from social and political concerns in favor of basic survival. In spite of this, a growing minority of citizens do engage in numerous diverse forms of activism. Women form a large part of this cadre. Contrary to the stereotypical depiction of them as passivevictims of patriarchal oppression, women have organized themselves for over a century around various feminist, nationalist and religious causes. They have challenged both state authority, and prevailing gender ideologies and practices that shape their everyday lives (Al-Ali 2003).

In 1968 a major student movement emerged in Mexico, to the surprise of virtually everybody knowledgeable about Mexican student pol. The Instit'al Revolutionary Party (PRI), in power since 1929, had not been seriously challenged while the economy continued to grow at a rate of 7%, one of the fastest rates of growth in the world. The principal moving force behind the movement was the moral outrage of thousands of previously uninvolved students, who responded to what they felt to be the unwarranted brutality of the riot police, & later the army, in quelling a campus disturbance, esp since the students were exercising their legal right to peaceful protest. Additional exacerbating factors were cuts in the already meager budget of the Nat'l Autonomous U, juxtaposed against large outlays for the Olympic Games, as well as the hypocrisy of a gov which mouthed revolutionary slogans while brutally suppressing students & continuing its entrenched pattern of graft & corruption. The movement, after mobilizing hundreds of thousands of Mexicans, came to an abrupt halt with the slaying, jailing & exiling of hundreds of student activists. Since 1968, the main focus of Mexican student pol has been the obtaining of the freedom of the imprisoned students. Modified HA.

In 1968 a major student movement emerged in Mexico, to the surprise of virtually everybody knowledge able about Mexican student politics. The Institutional Revo lutionary Party (PRI), in power since 1929, had not been seriously challenged while the economy continued to grow at a rate of 7 percent, one of the fastest rates of growth in the world. The principal moving force behind the movement was the moral outrage of thousands of previously uninvolved stu dents, who responded to what they felt to be the unwarranted brutality of the riot police, and later the army, in quelling a campus disturbance, especially since the students were exer cising their legal right to peaceful protest. Additional exacer bating factors were cuts in the already meager budget of the National Autonomous University, juxtaposed against large outlays for the Olympic Games, as well as the hypocrisy of a government which mouthed revolutionary slogans while bru tally suppressing students and continuing its entrenched pat tern of graft and corruption. The movement, after mobilizing hundreds of thousands of Mexicans, came to an abrupt halt with the slaying, jailing, and exiling of hundreds of student activists. Since 1968, the main focus of Mexican student politics has been the obtaining of the freedom of the impris oned students.

Activism is a term widely used to describe a broad range of activities carried out by individuals, groups and organizations. No single definition of the concept is fully comprehensive or universally accepted. While certain activities may be termed activism by some, they may not be considered as such by others. What constitutes activism is a controversial issue and is likely to remain a culture- and time-bound concept.