This course will be offered in the summer and taught by Michele Cadigan. Read on for the description of the course:
Poor communities of color, particularly Black communities have been devastated by the phenomenon called mass incarceration as individuals are being removed from their families and within these communities at a disproportionate rate. Even more, others return from jail and prison often with fewer resources than they started with and face significant barriers in trying to access jobs vital to helping them successfully exit the justice system. Recently, the public has become increasingly aware of and enraged by the massive number of individuals currently incarcerated or under surveillance and the disproportionate effect this has on communities of color. But how did we get here? What role has labored played in constructing the carceral state? And how has the carceral state shaped labor markets? In this course, we will look at how the carceral system and economic markets are tied together through labor. We will not just question the foundation of the carceral state and seek to understand how labor markets are structured by it, but we will think collectively and imaginatively about possible solutions or ways to educate the public about what we learn through the course.