When Does Protest Make a Difference?

American history credits protest with ending segregation and the Vietnam War, securing women the right to vote and the LGBTQ+ community a path to equality, and building one nation out of 13 colonies. It’s a national tradition enshrined in the Constitution and fiercely protected by the legal system. But protest can also be violent, messy, and contested, and frequently ends with the status quo remaining in place. How—and perhaps when—can you know if a protest is working, or has worked? What makes some protests more effective than others, and how do protestors balance the desire for peace and the attention force receives?

Last spring, protests led to a number of outcomes on college campuses, from clashes with administrations, police, and counter-protestors to divestment agreements. With students and faculty returning to campuses across the nation, Zócalo will convene two back-to-back panels moderated by KQED correspondent and co-host of “The California Report” Saul Gonzalez