Authors' Workshop "From Campus to Confrontation: Youth Movements against Authoritarianism in Asia"

On June 26–27, 2025, the Arnold Bergstraesser Institute (ABI) hosted a residential authors’ workshop in Freiburg, bringing together 15 early-career scholars working in and on Asia. The workshop marked a key step towards the development of a special issue of the journal International Quarterly for Asian Studies (IQAS), titled "From Campus to Confrontation: Youth Movements against Authoritarianism in Asia." The workshop was supported by the Heinrich Böll Foundation (HBS, Brussels).

The workshop provided a dynamic and intellectually stimulating space for peer engagement, critical feedback, and tailored guidance to strengthen the manuscripts for publication in 2026. Participants explored a diverse array of topics that reflect the vibrancy and complexity of contemporary youth resistance in Asia - ranging from food politics in India and artistic dissent in Hong Kong, to the LGBT rights movement in China and the pro-democracy youth protests in Thailand.

A keynote address was delivered by Professor Samina Luthfa from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Drawing from the recent historic July 2024 uprising that led to the fall of Sheikh Hasina's decade-long authoritarian regime, she offered powerful insights into the evolving role of student activism and identity politics in South Asia. 

In addition to thematic discussions, the workshop underscored broader structural shifts shaping youth movements across Asia. Participants examined the increasing transnationalization of resistance, the strategic use of digital platforms, and the political implications of Asia’s burgeoning youth demographics. These insights provided a comparative lens through which to understand both the persistence of authoritarian rule and the innovative modes of resistance it continues to provoke.

The workshop reinforced the importance of studying youth activism in Asia - a region marked by its demographic vibrancy, ethnic and religious pluralism, varied political regimes, and often brittle democratic institutions. At a time when dissent is increasingly criminalized, understanding the contours of youth-led movements offers critical perspectives on both resistance and reform.

The forthcoming special issue of IQAS 2026 aims to consolidate this rich body of work into a cohesive scholarly contribution that captures the dynamism of youth political engagement in the region. It seeks not only to document resistance but also to anticipate future trajectories of youth mobilization in the face of enduring and emerging forms of authoritarianism.

The ABI’s Asia Team, Teresa Jopson, Anas Ansar (Special issue editors at IQAS), and IQAS Editor Ann Philipp, organized and moderated the event. In total, 24 participants attended, including contributors from 10 Asian countries. Anton Türk, Millicent Hughes, and Jessica Villarreal supported the ABI in the event organization and documentation.