Yesterday, Thursday the 14th, there were nation-wide demonstrations, sit-ins and meetings in Sweden.
All under the slogan #ockuper auniversitetet which translates to #occupytheuniversity. Sweden has never had a real student movement, not
during 68 or the 70’s and not after that. Nothing that compares to the events in France, Italy or elsewhere. The Swedish left wing, also it’s more radical elements, have always contained some skepticism towards organizing as students. In later years the autonomous movement has preferred to organised as precarious workers rather than students. There have been some organisations, currents and struggles, of course.
The #ockuperauniversitetet actions were basically a group of radicals from the autonomous left and a left-wing students organisation close to Vänsterpartiet (reminiscent of Syriza) who made the call earlier this week. The original demonstrations were called by the social democrats student organisation but were poorly organised and conceived. The #ockuperauniversitet actions spread further than them and completely eclipsed their event.
Turn-out was rather good overall, with 300 in Lund which is a university town in the south of 100 000 inhabitants, 300 in Stockholm, 400 in Uppsala which is another big uni town by Stockholm and some others in other cities. This was a big success in general, but it should be noted that it’s a very undeveloped movement still. Both in it’s aims, it’s practice and it’s political understanding.
The basic issue protested against is a reform of the university to become another ownership form, from being directly state owned to becoming organisations in their own right. This reform was first cancelled because of sharp criticism from most of society, including the right wing. However, the critique against the reform was based on formalities rather than a critique of the basic change. This change of ownership form will mean that the state will sponsor and focus more on educational programs and research which is profitable, lessen employee power and threaten smaller colleges and less profitable educational programs and courses. Ie, a general market-oriented reform which will also later make it easier to privatise the universities.
Now the government has withdrawn it’s original reform but is offering a re-work of it which is on an investigation stage. The protests are aimed at withdrawing the investigation and report to government and thus to kill any future reform proposal.
Already people are beginning to discuss also other issues rather than just this reform. Problems including student loans, housing, etc. There are also clear parallells and talk about other student movements in Europe now and in the past (may 68, etc). How much of this is just talk and a media spin is uncertain, however. It’s very early still and the movement is just in it’s infancy. However, hopefully something will come out of it.
You can direct any further questions through the comrade relaying this answer, or we can figure out some means of direct contact.
Solidarity from Sweden