Definition established in collaboration with students from Radboud University Nijmegen
Those who want to fight injustice have to recognise it first. That may sound obvious, but cultural norms, ingrained patterns, enforced and unwritten rules turn us into ‘fish in water’. We only notice the water once someone makes us aware of it. Many things that we now find absurd and unjust were perfectly normal a few generations ago, or even more recently: the dominance of men over women, the denial and rejection of homosexuality, discrimination against people of colour and ethnic minorities, and so on.
To notice and change the status quo, one needs a healthy dose of rebellion. The first to stand up to injustice can expect to be met with a good deal of resistance. They end up in arguments, are declared crazy, are opposed, and in the worst cases are threatened or even killed.
We live in a time when democratic values are challenged, wars are waged and new authoritarian leaders are on the rise. Facts are opinions and disinformation is deliberately spread. The water is murky. All while there are enormous problems in store for humanity.
High time to study rebels. The social movements that shaped Europe were born out of rebellion. Rebels brought about democratisation and fought for equality and freedom.
What can they teach us? How do rebels achieve their autonomy of thought? What strategies do they adopt, and how do they keep going? What do they accomplish? Are they always ‘good’, or are there bad ones too? In your view, who are today's rebels? And what would you want to change, if you could?
