Seminars (392-0-21)
Topic
Race, Punishment, & Change
Instructors
Sino Vazbakattan Esthappan
Meeting Info
Locy Hall 109: Tues, Thurs 2:00PM - 3:20PM
Overview of class
"Race, Punishment, and Change"
How are global legacies of colonialism, empire, and racism maintained in modern punishment processes? When, how, and why do different organizations seek to measure, evaluate, and change racist punishment practices, and with what implications? In this seminar, we will survey social scientific theories and studies that explain how race is linked to punishment institutions, as well as the possibilities and limits of different models for change. Using the US as our case study, we will investigate how varying definitions of race and racism are applied in research on carceral settings. Then we will explore how race and racism are institutionalized through numerous social control mechanisms, from the rise of algorithmic technologies that enable racially disparate policing practices to the inscription of racist rhetoric in criminal court transcripts. Finally, we will examine approaches to penal institutional change such as incremental reforms and radical reconstructions. This course is designed to equip students with tools to critically interpret and produce data on race, punishment, and institutional change.
Learning Objectives
1. To explain how race and racism are produced and reproduced in carceral systems worldwide.
2. To critically analyze laws and social policies aimed at changing punishment institutions.
3. To engage with local institutions through fieldwork in Chicago.
4. To cultivate data collection, analysis, and writing skills.
5. To create and maintain a safe and fun learning environment for everyone.
Teaching Method
Each class will begin with a brief lecture, followed by group activities.
Evaluation Method
Participation: 20%
Two memos: 40% (20% each)
Two papers: 40% (20% each)
Class Materials (Required)
All materials for this course will be made available on Canvas - no purchase necessary.
Class Attributes
Social and Behavioral Science Foundational Discipl
Social & Behavioral Sciences Distro Area