Qatar: Student Activism “for Cafeterias and Covered Car Parks” · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Universities are renowned for being the epicenter of student activism. Qatari Esraa Al Meftah talks about how Qatari university students’ only form of activism is in asking for “opening cafeterias on campus and installing car shades in the student parking lots.”
In a series of tweets, Al Meftah says:
..
She gives an example of the student movement at the American University of Beirut (AUB) in 1969. She says:
صور من الحراك الطلابي في الجامعة الامريكية في بيروت في ١٩٦٩.. وضم ذلك الحراك اقتحام المباني وإضرابات عن الطعام pic.twitter.com/PVXF0Bkl
She said the university tried to absorb the students’ anger by allowing for more freedom of expression, by setting up a Speaker's Corner, which allowed for debate and discussion on campus.
Photographs shared by Al Meftah on Twitter showing student activism at the AUB in 1969. Seen are students on hunger strike (top) and students demonstrating (bottom)
She further adds:
Returning to the present, Meftah notes:
She adds:
In conclusion, Meftah says:
وللأسف هذه المؤسسة التي يفترض ان تكون محرك التغيير في المجتمع ليست الا انعكاس لمؤسسات الدولة.