2025/07/28 by Cristina Mazzero · 1 voice
Social Sciences · #Higher Education Governance and Development #Sociopolitical Dynamics in Russia
paper · pdf · doi:10.1080/13642987.2025.2536517
openalex publication_date 2025/07/28 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/02
This article systematically integrates theoretical conceptualizations and empirical findings to explore the situated, lived experiences of academic freedom and its violations from the perspective of university students in authoritarian contexts. Focusing on the Belarusian context prior to the 2020 Presidential Election, the study highlights the impact of systemic erosion of academic and individual rights on students’ university experiences in a country characterised by a longstanding authoritarian regime. Qualitative interviews with Belarusian students reveal that the authoritarian logics within higher education limit both the individual and the collective components of student academic freedom, including their independence as learners, their autonomy as adults and critical thinkers, as well as their role within the academic community. Findings also indicate that students sporadically engage in informal practices that create spaces for individual autonomy and freedom, yet they are unable to promote any substantial change. This study suggests a context-sensitive definition of student academic freedom encompassing the individual dimension of capability development and the collective dimension of students’ membership of the academic community.