Prison Abolition - The Uses and Abuses

Speaker: Professor Tommie Shelby (Harvard University)
Series: Institute of Law, Political Science and Philosophy

About the paper:

Across the political spectrum, many think that prison systems, around the globe, are in need of major reform. But some have come to believe that prisons should be abolished altogether. Angela Davis, perhaps the most influential thinker in this latter group, has defended prison abolition as a morally required political goal. My aim is to critically examine (part of) the case she makes for this position.

About the speaker:

Tommie Shelby is Caldwell Titcomb Professor of African and African American Studies and of Philosophy at Harvard University. He received his B.A. from Florida A & M University (1990) and Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh (1998). Prior to coming to Harvard in 2000, he taught philosophy at Ohio State University (1996-2000). He is the author of Dark Ghettos: Injustice, Dissent, and Reform (Belknap, 2016) and We Who Are Dark: The Philosophical Foundations of Black Solidarity(Belknap, 2005) and coeditor (with Derrick Darby) of Hip Hop and Philosophy: Rhyme 2 Reason (Open Court, 2005).

About the Institute:

The Institute brings together political and legal theorists from Law, Political Science and Philosophy and organises regular colloquia in terms 2 and 3.

Note that the total time allocated for this event will be devoted to discussion of the paper. To receive the paper, please email the UCL Laws events team a week prior to the session.

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