Protest and student mobilization: exalted optimism

Abstract

The main purpose of this article is to present an analytical reconstruction of student mobilization and protest in the period 2011-2012, based on the testimony of student leaders of Universidad Nacional of Colombia, who were part of the process of the Students’ National Broad Table. For the reconstruction, six in-depth interviews were conducted with three men and three women, recognized leaders of the movement, from a qualitative research framework. There are highlighted, among the conclusions, the strength and optimism at the beginning of the mobilization, the leading role of the students of Universidad Nacional in the articulation of regions and other universities, the use of means and networks of communication, and the great social legitimacy that the movement achieved, before the rapid decline of the protest, and the loss of a great historical opportunity of concerted changes for higher education.