GCS 492 Prisons in Political Thought
Considers the prison in political thought. What are the continuities between plantations and prisons? How do prisons coexist with (and perhaps give form and shape to) American democracy? What are the imbrications of race and the carceral sphere? How should we understand the crucial differences between prison reform and abolition? Readings are drawn from the writings of Black incarcerated (or formerly incarcerated) authors. Centering the voices of prisoners is a core value of this course students will read a range of genres, including conventional political theory, poetry, prison newspapers, and other archival documents.