Yidi Wu

My dissertation examines Chinese student reactions to the 1957 Rectification Campaign, and its historical resonance with landmark years such as 1919 and 1989. I choose three universities across China to show how different local cultures affect student behaviors in political movements, and seek voices from activists and non-activists alike to illuminate the spectrum of participation in the student movement. Drawing upon archival documents and oral histories, my project investigates a nearly forgotten episode of student movement in the early Maoist era, and contributes to a better understanding of student activism beyond activist narratives and social movements in illiberal political settings.