Andreas Wenzel
Soc. 122: Social Movements
Democracy Now
Students Stage Sit-In in Support of Movement for Campus Fossil Fuel Divestment
Students at the Northern Arizona University staged a sit-in on campus in the attempt to push the school to start divesting in fossil fuels. One-hundred and fifty students occupied the Student and Academic Services Building for more than twelve hours in part of a larger national movement calling for fossil fuel divestment of college campuses. Eight students were arrested at the protest following another staged earlier in the month at University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where about three dozen students were arrested for their efforts. A total of sixty-two student arrests have been made nationally in support of the student movement.
The students at Northern Arizona University demanded that their school president, Rita Cheng, release an official statement of separation with the two-hundred coal, oil, and natural gas corporations, in support of the students. Students have apparently met with Rita to voice their stance and demands in the past, but say she asked to see more financial information regarding fossil fuel divestment, which they provided. One of the student protesters, Karina Gonzolez, says that what they are dealing with is a 200 year old outdated mentality that fossil fuels are a good investment, which most are seeing is no longer the case. She states that Rita hasn't shared much on which position she takes on the topic, and hopes that she favors the positions of the students and the environment. Unfortunately, because the Northern Arizona University Foundation is a private entity, and a nonprofit corporation, information including the names of the companies invested legally do not have to be released to the public. The protesters say they do not plan to leave until their demands for a public statement are met.
The social movement theory most prevalent in the student protests is framing theory. The movement is framed and aims to separate student and school involvements in business with fossil fuel corporations, in the attempt to prevent students and campuses from contributing to the ecological deterioration of natural environments thanks to the practices of these giant companies. Resource mobilization was also practiced, as students used their bodies and dead-weight to practice the sit in, as well as other resources such as the internet for networking and basic arts and craft supplies for signs and banners.
http://www.democracynow.org/2016/4/29/northern_arizona_u_students_launch_sit
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