Topics in African-American Studies (380-0-20)
Topic
The Politics of Abolition
Instructors
Joshua Lee Crutchfield
Meeting Info
Kresge Centennial Hall 2-410: Mon, Wed 12:30PM - 1:50PM
Overview of class
This course explores the history of abolitionist movements as articulated by black radicals, imprisoned intellectuals, activists, and organizers, with a focus on the mid-20th century, the Black Power Movement, and the contemporary era. While the 2020 police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor ignited calls to "Defund the Police" and interest in prison abolition, these demands are deeply rooted in a longer historical trajectory. The first half of this course traces the early seeds of abolition, examining foundational abolitionist ideas and the ways policing and mass incarceration became tools of the state to suppress black freedom movements and oppress those most vulnerable to white supremacy, patriarchy, and capitalism. The second half centers on contemporary abolitionist thought, writing, and organizing, exploring ongoing efforts to dismantle the carceral state and reimagine society. Throughout, the course highlights that carceral state abolition has always been grounded in intersectional analyses of power, identifying carceral institutions as reflections of broader systems of oppression. It also emphasizes abolition's vision of freedom and liberation from these systems, alongside the creation of a new society rooted in transforming oppressive systems and the ways that we relate to one another.
Learning Objectives
• Students will understand the historical development of carceral state abolition as articulated by black radicals, imprisoned intellectuals, activists, and organizers.
• Students will be able to define the full extent of the carceral state and its role in systems of oppression.
• Students will distinguish between abolitionist demands and non-abolitionist approaches (reformist reforms and non-reformist reforms).
• Students will analyze the broad scope of political claims and visions advanced by abolitionist movements.
• Students will gain insight into contemporary abolitionist organizing efforts and strategies to dismantle the carceral state and reimagine society.