First Year Seminar 191HFA06 - FYS- Prisons and Policing

When it comes to human caging, the U.S. leads the world. There are now over two million people in the nation's jails and prisons. This is a relatively new phenomenon, with the incarceration rate soaring 500 percent over the last 40 years. All of this is happening at a time when the rate of violent crime has been stable or declining. So, what explains these trends? This course will introduce you to the chronological, political, and institutional development of the U.S. carceral state. As such, it will serve as an introduction to this vibrant area of intellectual inquiry and will highlight debates within this field of study around the legacies of racial slavery, the war on drugs, and police militarization. The course will also highlight popular struggles against mass incarceration.

First year students only - (Freshmen or Sophomore status) First year (Fr or Soph)