Amid worries over the growing threats to political freedom both globally and at DePaul, students gathered at a conference for “Resistance Under Authoritarianism,” on Thursday, April 9 to reimagine the power they hold.  

Student-led research shared at the conference spanned several DePaul departments — Women’s and Gender Studies; Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies; Latin American and Latino Studies; and African and Black Diaspora Studies — exploring topics such as women’s activism, social media interaction, and community building as methods of resistance.

The conference, held at DePaul’s Lincoln Park campus, consisted of both student posterboard and powerpoint presentations. These were followed by a speech from keynote speaker Victoria Agunod, a DePaul professor. A panel for questions about implementing such methods closed the conference. 

The Council on Foreign Relations, a national nonpartisan organization for policy analysis, attributes growing concerns about authoritarianism to regimes banding together “to undermine civil society groups, international institutions, and election monitoring.” 

The effects of this can be felt on a worldwide scale. According to a 2025 report from Freedom House, a nonprofit organization promoting democracy, “54 countries experienced deterioration in their political rights and civil liberties during the year.” 

In the context of current global and national politics, Rosbel Garza, a graduate student and conference organizer, said he hoped the conference would encourage students to explore their collective and individual power. Garza said global youth movements that resist authoritarian oppression and pressure elected officials also provide inspiration.  

“Despite being different, we are all inheriting the world that is currently being built or destroyed,” said Garza, who is an International Studies student. “Regardless of what we’re studying, there’s a place for all of us in building a more just world.” 

Garza hopes the conference will allow students to not only recognize their collective power, but recognize that spaces do exist to think critically to fight for the world that they want to live in. 

“Community building is critical to social change,” Garza said.

 Sophomore Rebecca Buttell, a presenter at the conference, was ultimately driven to participate by such a community, with her peers encouraging her to explore forms of resistance. 

An international studies and Chinese language student, Buttell’s research examined transnational discussions about authoritarian oppression, which made her feel “more emotional and determined to research” these topics, she said.

 At the conference, she presented her analysis of “The Feminist Five,” a Chinese women’s rights activist group who were arrested in 2015 for planning a protest against sexual harassment on public transportation. Buttell said the conference’s commitment to including students’ voices at the forefront inspired her to participate. 

“At DePaul, students’ voices can sometimes get lost,” she said. “It’s important to spotlight that.” 

Rebeca Acosta, a senior sociology and philosophy student, also presented at the conference. Her research explored the practice of “calling in” rather than “calling out,”  a practice of responding to hate with compassion rather than more hate to build community instead of polarization. 

She noted that “the alienation of social media,” where “call out” and “cancel culture” thrives could be transformed into “calling in” with  a willingness to understand rather than dismiss as a small way to challenge authority and ultimately lead to social change.

 As authoritarianism takes hold throughout the world, Garza emphasized the necessity of “capital R Resistance.” Unlike “lowercase r” resistance,  everyday subtle acts of defiance,  a “capital R” emphasizes community organizing and awareness of current injustice. Garza said even when domestic and international  events are “discouraging,” connecting struggles across borders can bring about social change. 

“It’s important to allow ourselves to feel the suffering these systems cause,” Garza said. “But also, it’s extremely valuable to build community with people who imagine something different.” 

Ultimately, Garza said the conference’s main goal was to create spaces and dialogue for change. 

“We need to be close to each other. We need to hold each other accountable,” Garza said. “We need to have faith and confidence in each other and show up for each other.”

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