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IU Strike Reflections
A collectively written reflection on the IU student, faculty, and staff strike of April 2013. Hopefully of use to students in struggle in California
In April of 2013, a coalition of students, workers, and non-students disrupted the usual flow of business at Indiana University. Months of build-up culminated in two solid days of activities in resistance of austerity policies at IU. Strike participants took one of IU’s class buildings as a hub from which to launch marches, give free classes, serve food, hold assemblies, and generally raise commotion across campus. These actions drew the support of thousands at IU, and drew intense hostility from administrators and university police.
To the outside observer, moments like this often appear ‘random,’ as if they arose suddenly from the impulses of a few political wing-nuts. Those of us who were a little closer to it know that the strike at IU was brought about with many hours of work, done by people with widely differing views. Through it, we hoped to empower each other to stand up against unfair practices at IU, and against the university system as a whole.
As we continue to broaden this struggle, it seems important to reflect on some of the experiences that came out of the strike, to review our methods, and consider what we’ve learned so that we can share it with new allies. The authors of this text offer it as a brief account of events, and as part of an ongoing exercise in self-evaluation, the better to sharpen our tools.
Both imposed (for printing) and screen-readable versions posted below.
To the outside observer, moments like this often appear ‘random,’ as if they arose suddenly from the impulses of a few political wing-nuts. Those of us who were a little closer to it know that the strike at IU was brought about with many hours of work, done by people with widely differing views. Through it, we hoped to empower each other to stand up against unfair practices at IU, and against the university system as a whole.
As we continue to broaden this struggle, it seems important to reflect on some of the experiences that came out of the strike, to review our methods, and consider what we’ve learned so that we can share it with new allies. The authors of this text offer it as a brief account of events, and as part of an ongoing exercise in self-evaluation, the better to sharpen our tools.
Both imposed (for printing) and screen-readable versions posted below.
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