Assignment task:
Analyze the documentary, The Prison Within, using theories, concepts, and ideas from the course. The goal is to demonstrate how the course material can be applied to the documentary in thinking critically about social issues related to punishment, politics, and justice.
Provide a brief summary of the documentary and select concepts, theories, or ideas from the class material which you will use to analyze the film in a thoughtful and comprehensive way. While you get to decide what of the course content you integrate into your paper, you must engage 7 ideas/concepts that we discussed throughout the semester. At least four of the ideas/concepts must be taken directly from the Simon, Davis, and Gilmore readings; this material must be cited from the texts themselves. Additional ideas and concepts can come from lecture, group discussion, and other materials (i.e. podcasts, news articles, videos and other readings) and must be cited accordingly. In-text citations for lecture should be (Strong, week or date of lecture) and group discussion should be (group disc., week or date of discussion). The analysis will conclude with general thoughts and takeaways from the documentary.
Provide a brief reflection
Concepts that we discussed throughout the semester.:
1. The Problem of Mass Incarceration
2. Theorizing The Prison
3. Executive Power
4. Legislative Power
5. Judicial Power
6. Crime Governance
7. Incarceration and The Family
8. The Carceral State
9. Prisons and Labor
Readings:
Jonathan Simon's, Governing Through Crime: How the War on Crime Transformed American Democracy and Created a Culture of Fear
ANGELA Y. DAVIS
ARE PRISONS OBSOLETE?
HEATHER SCHOENFELD
BUILDING THE PRISON STATE RACE & THE POLITICS OF MASS INCARCERATION
Is Prison Necessary? RuthWilsonGilmoreMightChangeYourMind5/2/23, 10:17 AM Is Prison Necessary? Ruth Wilson Gilmore Might Change Your Mind - The New York Times