Generation Z and the New Politics of Protest

In this episode of the World of Higher Education Podcast, host Alex Usher speaks with Donatella della Porta, Professor of Political Science at the Scuola Normale Superiore in Florence, about the global rise of youth- and Gen Z-led protest movements.

From Serbia and Bangladesh to Italy and beyond, they explore why today’s movements are increasingly described as “Gen Z protests” rather than traditional student uprisings. Donatella argues that this generation has come of age during a period of “polycrisis”—climate change, economic instability, war, democratic backsliding, and corruption—which has shaped a distinctive form of activism rooted in injustice, inequality, and uncertainty about the future.

The conversation examines how social media enables rapid, leader-light mobilization across borders, why universities may be losing their historic role as hubs of political socialization, and how online and offline organizing now work together. They also discuss the Gaza protests, differences between North America and Europe, and the evolving relationship between campuses, repression, and broader civil society movements.

👉 Episode Links:

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