Opening the Activism and Postsecondary Education Black Box: Relating High-Impact Practices and Student Identity With Activist Behaviors

Abstract

Faculty and administrators at postsecondary institutions continue to grapple with understanding the dynamic nature of student activism. In response, the National Survey of Student Engagement administered a supplemental item set following the 2016 presidential election, in which more than 3,000 respondents were asked about their involvement in activism. Leveraging these data, this study employed multilevel modeling to measure the relationship between activist behaviors and student backgrounds, high-impact practice (HIP) participation, involvement in student activities, and institutional characteristics. The present study adds nuance to and models the connection among HIPs, student identities (e.g., queer, black or African American), and student activism. Implications for practice and research are shared that outline a renewed understanding of student activism as a pillar of civic learning and democratic engagement work in higher education.

Keywords:

• Activism
• high-impact practices
• survey research

Notes

1 This category largely comprises students who identified as Asian (e.g., n = 1 for Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Demetri L. Morgan

Demetri L. Morgan is an Assistant Professor in the higher education program in the Loyola University Chicago School of Education. His scholarship focuses on the role of higher education in a diverse democracy whereby he studies the political development of college students, campus climates, and higher education governance structures.

John Zilvinskis

John Zilvinskis is an Assistant Professor at Binghamton University, State University of New York. His research interests include student engagement and learning analytics.

Brendan Dugan

Brendan Dugan is a Research Associate at Indiana University Center for Postsecondary Research. His work revolves around student engagement and equity in postsecondary outcomes.