The Gaza Protests: A Crucible for Higher Education

A Personal Perspective on a Painful Rupture

My time at Columbia, from 2007 to 2012, offered a glimpse into its vibrant intellectual heart. It was a place of thrilling discourse, enriched by the dynamism of New York City and the diverse perspectives of its students. The proximity to Harlem fostered community engagement, creating a palpable sense of purpose and conscience.

Recent events, however, have cast a shadow over this vibrant landscape. The past two years have witnessed an erosion of trust and dialogue, leaving the university fractured and in dire need of renewal. This isn't just another campus controversy; it's a personal loss – a stark departure from the institution I knew and admired.

Columbia: The Epicenter of a National Reckoning

Columbia's historical weight and activist legacy have placed it at the center of a national debate. The Gaza conflict ignited protests across the country, but Columbia became a focal point. The protests highlighted critical issues: academic freedom, institutional neutrality, and moral responsibility – all converging with powerful intensity.

Gaza became a symbol, not just of geopolitical conflict, but of the deeper tensions within elite universities. At Columbia, these tensions were magnified, exposing the divides between activism and administration, faculty and trustees, and the university's ideals and its responses. The protests didn't create these conflicts; they revealed them, laying bare the cracks in our understanding of the modern university's mission and moral obligations.

Echoes of the 1960s, Confronting the 2020s

The protests of 2023 and 2024 evoked memories of past campus upheavals, yet they felt different – more fraught, more fundamental. Like the Vietnam protests, the demonstrations surrounding the Hamas-Israel conflict transcended expressions of outrage over a distant war.

They exposed a profound crisis within American universities: a crisis of identity, authority, and moral purpose. From Columbia to Harvard, Gaza became a lightning rod, igniting long-simmering tensions over race, colonialism, academic freedom, and the evolving role of the university in a polarized world.

The question is not just how universities manage dissent, but whether they can still foster principled disagreement in an era of moral urgency.

Gaza: Catalyst for Institutional Reckoning

The Gaza-Israel conflict became a volatile flashpoint because it intersected with a complex web of unresolved issues: colonialism, identity, justice, trauma, and the contested mission of the university itself. No other recent issue has activated so many deeply held, often opposing, convictions.

The conflict is viewed through the lens of colonialism, raising questions about Zionism, Jewish identity, and the reawakening of student radicalism. It exposes tensions within the Democratic Party and challenges the very definition of academic freedom and the university's mission.

The Roots of Campus Conflict

The Gaza protests have exposed long-simmering tensions within higher education. They reveal a clash of visions regarding the university's role and purpose. The rise of the activist-scholar, the campus as a site of protest, the globalization of student identity, and the influence of donors and trustees all contribute to this complex dynamic.

The protests have highlighted the lack of a shared understanding of the university's fundamental mission. This lack of consensus creates an environment where every controversy becomes existential, challenging the very essence of the institution.

University Stewards Without a Strategy

University leaders have struggled to respond effectively to these protests, caught in a perfect storm of moral urgency, institutional fragility, and political volatility. The nature of the protests, the stakes for international students, deep divisions among faculty, and overwhelming external pressures all contribute to the challenge.

Underlying the chaos is a fundamental crisis of mission. Without a clear sense of purpose, universities are ill-equipped to navigate these turbulent times.

American Liberalism in the Dock

The campus protests, while ostensibly about Gaza, represent a deeper reckoning with American society, its values, and its unmet ideals. They reflect a growing disillusionment with liberal ideals, the shadow of Trumpism, and the complexities of diversity, power, and inequality.

A generational divide in activism further complicates the situation, as do evolving notions of the university's role in society. The protests expose a fundamental tension between the university as a neutral arbiter and the university as a moral actor.

From Protest to Pedagogy: Reclaiming the University's Purpose

The path forward lies not in suppressing dissent but in transforming it into structured inquiry. Universities must "academize" the conflict, creating spaces for rigorous study and thoughtful dialogue. This requires moral clarity, pedagogical courage, and a renewed commitment to the university's core mission: fostering learning and dissent.

Columbia, with its rich history of intellectual engagement, is uniquely positioned to lead this transformation. By creating courses that explore the complex ethical and political questions raised by the Gaza protests, universities can transform a moment of polarization into an opportunity for renewal.

This is not just an academic opportunity; it is a democratic imperative.

Steven Mintz is professor of history at the University of Texas at Austin and recipient of the AAC&U’s 2025 President’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Liberal Education.