This episode of Conversations4Citizenship examined from multiple angles the serious educational and social crisis behind the "Cockroach Janata Party (CJP)" movement led by Indian Gen Z. Having lost deep trust in the system due to incidents such as the NEET medical entrance exam paper leaks, Indian youth transformed the insulting label thrown at them into a proactive symbol for non-violent digital solidarity and the restoration of lost dignity. Dr. Rita Shome pointed out that this desperate cry from the youth should not be reduced to a mere political protest, but rather embraced as powerful feedback directed at society and educational institutions. In particular, it was deeply resonant to emphasize going beyond a culture that evaluates an individual student's worth solely based on grades and certificates, and instead actively fostering "capability-centered learners" who can confront injustice non-violently and communicate healthily with others. Furthermore, it was a valuable conversation that made us realize once again how urgent the task is today to practice cyber ethics within social media spaces and cultivate responsible digital citizens.

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How should universities respond to a crisis they helped to create? In this episode of Conversations4Citizenship, Dr Kamille Beye and Dr Stella Cheong are joined by Professor Tristan McCowan of UCL, author of Universities and Climate Action, for a wide-ranging conversation on higher education and climate justice. Beginning with the historical complicity of universities in ecological breakdown, the discussion moves through their projective, expressive, and constructive roles, the nature of climate change as a wicked problem, and the uneven burdens borne by communities least responsible for the crisis. From there, the conversation turns to interdisciplinary collaboration, the tension between green workforce demands and higher education as a public good, and the challenge of engaging climate denial in everyday life. It closes with inspiring examples from Fiji, Tanzania, and Brazil, and a call to shape the post-2030 agenda together. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, and join the global conversation.

This episode is hosted by Dr. Kamille Beye. Please subscribe to the podcast through Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music or Audible. You may also follow @c4cpodcast.bsky.social on Bluesky. We look forward to hearing your feedback. If you would like to explore participating in our podcast and submit your blog post to the C4C, do not hesitate to reach out through the online participation form or email us at conversations4citizenship@gmail.com

If you are curious about Climate Crisis and the Role of University check out his new book, 'Universities and Climate Action' and read his works linked below.

• McCowan. T. (2025).Universities and Climate Action. UCL Press.
• Mccowan, T., & Buckner, E. (2025). Critical Perspectives on Universities and the Sustainable Development Goals. Comparative Education Review, 69(4), 697-702.
• Buckner, E., McCowan, T., Faul, M. V., Welply, O., Jiménez, J., & Denton, F. (2025). Charting the path after 2030: what should higher education’s role be in the future of the sustainable development agenda?. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, 1-20.
• Centre for Global Higher Education

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• Tweet us @c4c_ed and @stellarcheong
• Bluesky @c4cpodcast.bsky.social.
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This episode of Conversations4Citizenship features Dr. Magdalena Fellner, an educational researcher exploring the systemic barriers to higher education within the German prison system and internationally. Interviewed by Kamille Beye, Stella Micheong Cheong and Adam Peter Lang, Dr. Fellner refutes the idea that the academic capability to study is an inherent trait, arguing instead that it is socially and institutionally constructed. She critique-analyzes how gatekeepers limit incarcerated individuals to basic skills and vocational training rather than transformational higher education, pointing out that female prisoners face even fewer academic opportunities. Dr. Fellner advocates for a relational, lifelong learning approach supported by robust university-prison partnerships, which dramatically lower recidivism rates. However, she stresses that education is a human right, not a cure-all, and must coexist with fundamental structural support. Finally, she previews her new research examining why highly educated individuals commit white-collar crimes.

If you are curious about the Higher Education Institution-Prison Partnerships, check out her works below.

• Fellner, M. (2025). Universities as elite allies. Disclosing global patterns of inequality in tertiary education across time. In Wimmer, C. & Rieder, T. (Eds.), Global Inequalities. Leiden: Brill. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004733626_011
• Fellner, M. & Dreisinger, B. (forthcoming). Education Not Incarceration Across Borders: Prison, University and Education Behind Bars. Special Issue, Tertiary Education and Management. https://link.springer.com/collections/afjgeefhde
• This meta-study of the United States shows that individuals who participated in educational programmes were 43% less likely to reoffend than those who did not, and that every dollar spent on correctional education saves taxpayers five dollars in reincarceration costs. See Davis, Lois M., Jennifer L. Steele, Robert Bozick, Malcolm V. Williams, Susan Turner, Jeremy N. V. Miles, Jessica Saunders, and Paul S. Steinberg. How Effective Is Correctional Education, and Where Do We Go From Here? The Results of a Comprehensive Evaluation. RAND Corporation. 2014.

Contact Conversations4citizenship

• Tweet us @c4c_ed and @stellarcheong
• Bluesky @c4cpodcast.bsky.social.
• Email us at conversations4citizenship@gmail.com
• Submit your work us at Crossings
• You can now follow the Conversations4Citizenship on Bluesky @c4cpodcast.bsky.social

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