Power and Protest at an American University - Faculty Mobilization

In this review of Power and Protest at an American University, the book is recommended for scholars and practitioners who want a focused case study of successful faculty-led action. The volume examines the 2013 no-confidence movement at Saint Louis University and explains why that episode produced results where many campus protests do not. The review highlights how the collection of essays, written by faculty across disciplines, uses a single institutional episode to illuminate broader questions about motivation, institutional frameworks, and strategy, making it valuable for readers interested in faculty protest and mobilization in higher education.

Key Features

• Case study focus: A detailed, multi-chapter examination of the 2013 Saint Louis University no-confidence movement provides concrete insights into a successful faculty campaign.
• Interdisciplinary contributors: Chapters authored by faculty from many disciplines offer varied analytical lenses and complementary perspectives on protest dynamics.
• Strategic lessons: The book extracts lessons about the strategies and institutional conditions that help faculty mobilize effectively and achieve results.
• Contextual analysis: It situates a local episode within broader debates about protest and mobilization in the field of education, useful for comparative thinking.
• Scholarly appeal: The volume is written to engage scholars of social movements, protest, and higher education policy with evidence-based arguments.

Who It's For

The book is best for academics, graduate students, and institutional researchers studying social movements, higher education governance, or collective action. Those looking for an empirically grounded exploration of how faculty protests can succeed will find the in-depth episode analysis and multiple disciplinary views especially useful.

Readers seeking a general history of campus activism or a breezy, narrative account may want a different title; this volume is oriented toward scholarly analysis and strategy rather than a popular overview. Policy makers and union organizers interested in practical takeaways will still find actionable ideas amid the academic discussions.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Provides a rare, detailed look at a successful no-confidence movement with lessons that can inform comparative research.
• Interdisciplinary authorship enriches interpretation and highlights multiple causal mechanisms for mobilization.
• Connects a particular institutional episode to broader themes in protest and mobilization literature.

Cons

• The specialized, academic tone may be dense for casual readers or those seeking a short narrative history.

Specifications

Title	Power and Protest at an American University
Series	The Mobilization Series on Social Movements, Protest, and Culture
Authors	Ellen Carnaghan, Kathryn E. Kuhn
Subject	Faculty protest and mobilization in higher education
Case studied	2013 Saint Louis University no-confidence movement
Audience	Scholars of social movements, education, and higher education governance

Our Verdict

Power and Protest at an American University is a focused, scholarly collection that turns a single campus episode into useful theoretical and practical lessons about faculty mobilization. Academics and institutional researchers will appreciate its interdisciplinary analysis and case-centered approach, and it represents strong value for those who need evidence-driven insights into when and how faculty protests achieve results.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the book focus on one campus episode?
Yes. The volume centers on the 2013 no-confidence movement at Saint Louis University and uses that episode to draw broader conclusions.

Who wrote the chapters?
Chapters are written by faculty from multiple disciplines at the university, offering varied analytical perspectives.

Is this suitable for non-academic readers?
It is most useful for scholars and graduate students; general readers may find the tone academic rather than narrative.