Students in Paris are turning blockades into pop-up universities, offering lectures on debt and Macron, challenging traditional education with grassroots learning.
Students hold lectures during blockade
Students at the École normale supérieure d'Ulm in Paris are gathering for lectures on topics like "debt blackmail" as part of a student-organized "people's university" during an ongoing blockade. The initiative, described as a university "by the students and for the students," operates with a non-hierarchical, collaborative structure.Economists and students discuss the movement
Arthur Jatteau, an economist and teacher at the University of Nanterre, noted that political decisions are often hidden behind economic pressures. Elvire, an art history student, said the blockade is not an end in itself but a way to promote educational conferences linked to the mobilization.Inspired by past free universities
The people's university at ENS is modeled after the experimental free university of Vincennes, established after May 1968 and later demolished in 1980. The university's courses cover diverse subjects, including "the utopian city in cinema" and "the rhetoric of Macron: is he joking with us?"Administrative conditions not met
The ENS administration stated that the people's university must follow the school's rules, such as not occupying the premises and respecting guidelines for associative activities and guest speakers. However, these conditions are reportedly not being followed.Student demands for more radical action
Maxime, a social sciences student, criticized the current lectures for being "not radical enough" and expressed a desire for the mobilization to be "political, not symbolic." He and others are pushing for more direct political engagement.Blockades spread across France
Since the start of the high school movement, students have blocked or occupied several universities, leading to online or canceled classes. In cities like Lille, Lyon, and Rennes, thousands of students continued to demonstrate on Tuesday.People's universities take place outside
Near the Boulevard Saint-Germain, a people's university organized by students from the University of Paris Cité is held on the sidewalk under blue tarps. Attendees sit on pallets or cross-legged, facing yellow and green bins that still block the entrance to the Saint-Pères building.Sociology teacher analyzes youth movement
David Gaborieau, a sociology teacher, is presenting an "attempted analysis" of the current youth movement. He emphasized the importance of maintaining connections with students and continuing to reflect within the movement.Participants find value in the experience
Students like Marie, a social sciences undergraduate, and her classmate Gabriel highlighted the value of combining protest with learning. Two students attended a lecture out of curiosity with friends, having only had three weeks of classes since September.
