Taught by George Fourlas
In this course we will first analyze traditional philosophical perspectives on punishment alongside critical genealogical descriptions of how it is that certain penal mechanisms emerged and determined our present: namely, the prison-industrial complex and the militarization of police forces. We will then take up the abolitionist question and reflect on how things could be otherwise. That is, we will spend a great deal of time in this class discussing restorative or community approaches to issues of justice as a viable alternative to those methods currently being deployed.