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Student protests against Israeli action in Gaza: a cross-European analysis of newspaper representations

Abstract:
Research into student political activity across Europe has shown how the media can play a key role in shaping how such activity is framed. For example, newspapers have often focused on the violent nature of student protest, which has had the effect of diverting attention away from the specific concerns of students, and presenting students, rather than the issues that they were protesting about, as a threat to society. This article develops this analysis – of the role of newspapers in mediating student protests – by focussing on coverage of protests against Israeli action in Gaza, which took place in many European countries in the spring and summer of 2024, inspired by similar action on US campuses. It draws on articles from four European countries (France, Ireland, Spain and the UK) to argue, first, that there is considerable cross-national variation in constructions of protesting students, raising questions about the sometimes-assumed homogenisation of European higher education; and, second, that it is erroneous to assume that the media always serves to delegitmise student protest – noting the celebratory discourses evident in both Ireland and Spain.
Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Publisher copy:
10.1080/13676261.2026.2643217

Authors

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Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
SSD
Department:
Education
Oxford college:
Linacre College
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0002-8692-1673


Publisher:
Taylor and Francis Group
Journal:
Journal of Youth Studies More from this journal
Pages:
1–17
Publication date:
2026-03-13
Acceptance date:
2026-03-05
DOI:
EISSN:
1469-9680
ISSN:
1367-6261


Language:
English
Keywords:
Pubs id:
2385473
Local pid:
pubs:2385473
Deposit date:
2026-03-05
ARK identifier:

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