PHIL2230 · Philosophy

Mass Incarceration: Philosophical and Theological Perspectives

Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences

This course will explore problems of justice in relation to incarceration in the United States with particular attention to attention to race, social class, gender, and immigration status. Students will read authors writing on the philosophy of race, gender, and class in relation to incarceration, the phenomenology of solitary confinement and the concept of "social death," church documents and theological works on incarceration, and works on restorative justice and other models of justice that serves the common good. Catholic Social Justice teachings and discussion will also be a part of the course. The course will also address interconnections between immigration and incarceration. This course will be offered as a PULSE elective, in which students undertake four hours per week of service in the City of Boston at institutions such as Suffolk Country Jail and non-profits that provide transitional services for returning residents or formerly incarcerated individuals or that advocate for prison reform. The PULSE office will vet and coordinate students' placements and serve as a liaison with community partners.