Prison Industrial Complex

Spring 2025

Description

This course is designed to introduce key issues of mass incarceration and the prison industrial complex (PIC), to critique efforts that uphold and those that attempt to dismantle it, and to study contemporary writings about the PIC. We focus on a number of ideas regarding the economic, social, political, and cultural consequences of U.S. mass incarceration. Additional objectives for this course include: clarifying core issues of the PIC; investigating its impact on society; examining theoretical and activist approaches to challenges of the PIC; studying ways in which race and racism, social class, gender, immigration policy, and capitalism are profoundly woven into the PIC; and practicing and improving written and verbal communication skills; and exercising analytical thinking.

Class Notes

The class is offered entirely live online and meets at set days/times. Students may attend the live class online synchronously OR watch recordings of the class asynchronously.

Class Details

Location

Class Registration Information

Class #
5028
Course
MCGS 488 -
SECT 72
Units
3
Fees
Price TBA:
  • $ / unit
Capacity
3/10
Class Meeting Dates

01/21/2025 - 05/16/2025

Days

Times

MCGS 488 - SECT 72

Prison Industrial Complex

Class: 5028 Units: 3 Fees: $0.00

M-F 01/21/2025 - 05/16/2025

This course is designed to introduce key issues of mass incarceration and the prison industrial complex (PIC), to critique efforts that uphold and those that attempt to dismantle it, and to study contemporary writings about the PIC. We focus on a number of ideas regarding the economic, social, political, and cultural consequences of U.S. mass incarceration. Additional objectives for this course include: clarifying core issues of the PIC; investigating its impact on society; examining theoretical and activist approaches to challenges of the PIC; studying ways in which race and racism, social class, gender, immigration policy, and capitalism are profoundly woven into the PIC; and practicing and improving written and verbal communication skills; and exercising analytical thinking.

Class Notes

This course is designed to introduce key issues of mass incarceration and the prison industrial complex (PIC), to critique efforts that uphold and those that attempt to dismantle it, and to study contemporary writings about the PIC. We focus on a number of ideas regarding the economic, social, political, and cultural consequences of U.S. mass incarceration. Additional objectives for this course include: clarifying core issues of the PIC; investigating its impact on society; examining theoretical and activist approaches to challenges of the PIC; studying ways in which race and racism, social class, gender, immigration policy, and capitalism are profoundly woven into the PIC; and practicing and improving written and verbal communication skills; and exercising analytical thinking.

Location