ZZ Packer and Nafkote Tamirat on France’s Ongoing Student Protests

American writers ZZ Packer and Nafkote Tamirat join co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell from Paris to discuss recent mass student protests in France. The movement began at the start of the academic year with high school students protesting the state of education, which then expanded to include broader agitation over poor socioeconomic conditions.

Packer and Tamirat provide insights into the history and structure of the French education system, explaining how students are dealing with crumbling buildings and outdated textbooks. The writers also reflect on the narratives surrounding property damage versus harm to people and share personal experiences navigating teargas and confusion amidst the protests.

Packer, who briefly attended the American University of Paris, and Tamirat, who is affiliated with the university and lives in France, discuss the role of the police in escalating violence and respond to questions about the potential impact of the protests on the spring elections and the possibility of real change.

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