Comments on: The Anthropology of Prisons? http://savageminds.org/2009/11/28/the-anthropology-of-prisons/ Notes and Queries in Anthropology — A Group Blog Sat, 26 May 2012 03:33:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: K MacLeish http://savageminds.org/2009/11/28/the-anthropology-of-prisons/comment-page-1/#comment-626703 K MacLeish Sun, 20 Dec 2009 06:50:08 +0000 http://savageminds.org/?p=2916#comment-626703 While not technically anthropological, Ted Conover's immersion journalism account Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing has a lot of interesting stuff to say about CO-prisoner relations. Having read it a while ago, my memory of it is a little foggy--I'd be curious to hear what folks who do anthropology of prisons think about it. While not technically anthropological, Ted Conover’s immersion journalism account Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing has a lot of interesting stuff to say about CO-prisoner relations. Having read it a while ago, my memory of it is a little foggy–I’d be curious to hear what folks who do anthropology of prisons think about it.

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]]> By: Tomasjj http://savageminds.org/2009/11/28/the-anthropology-of-prisons/comment-page-1/#comment-626610 Tomasjj Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:50:52 +0000 http://savageminds.org/?p=2916#comment-626610 As an ethnographic contribution, there are chapters in Alen Feldman's "Formations of Violence" from Northern Ireland, and more specifically Maze Prison. IIRC, prison jargon, the roles of inmates/guards, spatial-power relations are just a few of the issues touched upon. As an ethnographic contribution, there are chapters in Alen Feldman’s “Formations of Violence” from Northern Ireland, and more specifically Maze Prison.
IIRC, prison jargon, the roles of inmates/guards, spatial-power relations are just a few of the issues touched upon.

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]]> By: Jason Baird Jackson http://savageminds.org/2009/11/28/the-anthropology-of-prisons/comment-page-1/#comment-625953 Jason Baird Jackson Sun, 06 Dec 2009 16:54:09 +0000 http://savageminds.org/?p=2916#comment-625953 I also really like Spradley's "You Owe Yourself a Drunk." Separate from its early treatment of jail ethnography, it is also a great text for showing what an ethnoscience ethnography looks like. As an ethnography of homeless nomads pursued by police, etc. I like to read it paired with Nels Anderson's "The Hobo" (1923), which is classic example of ethnography in Chicago School Sociology. I also really like Spradley’s “You Owe Yourself a Drunk.” Separate from its early treatment of jail ethnography, it is also a great text for showing what an ethnoscience ethnography looks like. As an ethnography of homeless nomads pursued by police, etc. I like to read it paired with Nels Anderson’s “The Hobo” (1923), which is classic example of ethnography in Chicago School Sociology.

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]]> By: Benni http://savageminds.org/2009/11/28/the-anthropology-of-prisons/comment-page-1/#comment-625951 Benni Sun, 06 Dec 2009 15:39:48 +0000 http://savageminds.org/?p=2916#comment-625951 I much liked James P. Spradley's "You owe yourself a drunk" ( http://www.waveland.com/Titles/Spradley.htm ) about urban nomads / homeless drinkers and their treatment by authorities and esp. in jail in Seattle in the late 1960's. I percieved it as a great introduction to urban anthropology, marginalized groups and drug culture in western societies, maybe viewable as a kind of forerunner to Philippe Bourgois' work on crack/heroin culture. I much liked James P. Spradley’s “You owe yourself a drunk” ( http://www.waveland.com/Titles/Spradley.htm ) about urban nomads / homeless drinkers and their treatment by authorities and esp. in jail in Seattle in the late 1960′s. I percieved it as a great introduction to urban anthropology, marginalized groups and drug culture in western societies, maybe viewable as a kind of forerunner to Philippe Bourgois’ work on crack/heroin culture.

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]]> By: Richard Irvine http://savageminds.org/2009/11/28/the-anthropology-of-prisons/comment-page-1/#comment-625789 Richard Irvine Thu, 03 Dec 2009 03:34:43 +0000 http://savageminds.org/?p=2916#comment-625789 I would very strongly recommend Adam Reed's _Papua New Guinea's Last Place: Experiences of Constraint in a Postcolonial Prison_ I would very strongly recommend Adam Reed’s _Papua New Guinea’s Last Place: Experiences of Constraint in a Postcolonial Prison_

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]]> By: yalie http://savageminds.org/2009/11/28/the-anthropology-of-prisons/comment-page-1/#comment-625778 yalie Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:05:37 +0000 http://savageminds.org/?p=2916#comment-625778 Don Brahman does neat work on prisons. He has a PhD in anthro as well as a JDrom Yale and is now at the George WAshington U law school. http://www.culturalcognition.net/braman Here is his book, Doing Time on the Outside: http://www.amazon.com/Doing-Time-Outside-Incarceration-America/dp/047211381X Don Brahman does neat work on prisons. He has a PhD in anthro as well as a JDrom Yale and is now at the George WAshington U law school.

http://www.culturalcognition.net/braman

Here is his book, Doing Time on the Outside:
http://www.amazon.com/Doing-Time-Outside-Incarceration-America/dp/047211381X

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]]> By: ckelty http://savageminds.org/2009/11/28/the-anthropology-of-prisons/comment-page-1/#comment-625748 ckelty Wed, 02 Dec 2009 05:26:57 +0000 http://savageminds.org/?p=2916#comment-625748 wow. right on folks! thanks for all the excellent suggestions! wow. right on folks! thanks for all the excellent suggestions!

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]]> By: Adam Leeds http://savageminds.org/2009/11/28/the-anthropology-of-prisons/comment-page-1/#comment-625747 Adam Leeds Wed, 02 Dec 2009 05:12:13 +0000 http://savageminds.org/?p=2916#comment-625747 Oleg Kharkhordin's book, The Collective and the Individual in Russia has some fantastic stuff on Soviet prison culture that, from your short message, sounds like it might be very germane. Oleg Kharkhordin’s book, The Collective and the Individual in Russia has some fantastic stuff on Soviet prison culture that, from your short message, sounds like it might be very germane.

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]]> By: Phil Goodman http://savageminds.org/2009/11/28/the-anthropology-of-prisons/comment-page-1/#comment-625734 Phil Goodman Wed, 02 Dec 2009 01:03:51 +0000 http://savageminds.org/?p=2916#comment-625734 Also useful perhaps would be Chad Trulson and James Marquart's recent 2009 book First Available Cell, in which they discuss the desegregation of Texas prisons in the last quarter of the 20th century. Also useful perhaps would be Chad Trulson and James Marquart’s recent 2009 book First Available Cell, in which they discuss the desegregation of Texas prisons in the last quarter of the 20th century.

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]]> By: Ashveer Singh http://savageminds.org/2009/11/28/the-anthropology-of-prisons/comment-page-1/#comment-625665 Ashveer Singh Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:11:09 +0000 http://savageminds.org/?p=2916#comment-625665 Brackette Williams is working on supermax prisons: http://www.soros.org/initiatives/usprograms/focus/justice/programs/justice_fellows/grantees/williams_2008 Brackette Williams is working on supermax prisons:
http://www.soros.org/initiatives/usprograms/focus/justice/programs/justice_fellows/grantees/williams_2008

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]]> By: Barbara Miller http://savageminds.org/2009/11/28/the-anthropology-of-prisons/comment-page-1/#comment-625660 Barbara Miller Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:03:07 +0000 http://savageminds.org/?p=2916#comment-625660 Foucault's book should definitely be on the list--I agree with Chris about that and Andrew about how his ideas about power etc are now in the mainstream of much work in cultural anthropology Foucault’s book should definitely be on the list–I agree with Chris about that and Andrew about how his ideas about power etc are now in the mainstream of much work in cultural anthropology

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]]> By: Pete http://savageminds.org/2009/11/28/the-anthropology-of-prisons/comment-page-1/#comment-625659 Pete Mon, 30 Nov 2009 06:56:48 +0000 http://savageminds.org/?p=2916#comment-625659 Let me echo the earlier commentator who mentioned Bruce Jackson's work. His classic book "Wake Up Dead Man" is a great place to start. http://www.amazon.com/Wake-Up-Dead-Man-Southern/dp/0820321583 Let me echo the earlier commentator who mentioned Bruce Jackson’s work. His classic book “Wake Up Dead Man” is a great place to start.

http://www.amazon.com/Wake-Up-Dead-Man-Southern/dp/0820321583

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]]> By: urbanmkr http://savageminds.org/2009/11/28/the-anthropology-of-prisons/comment-page-1/#comment-625654 urbanmkr Mon, 30 Nov 2009 02:34:00 +0000 http://savageminds.org/?p=2916#comment-625654 See also Sharon Shalev (2009) Supermax: Controlling risk through solitary confinement (Willan Publishing) Paperback ISBN: 978-1-84392-408-1. Shalev is a sociologist (PhD from the LSE which has an admirable critical criminology group); the book isn't based on lengthy fieldwork but it does have a wealth of detail. I found it particularly interesting on the architecture of supermax security prisons. See also Sharon Shalev (2009) Supermax: Controlling risk through solitary confinement (Willan Publishing) Paperback ISBN: 978-1-84392-408-1.
Shalev is a sociologist (PhD from the LSE which has an admirable critical criminology group); the book isn’t based on lengthy fieldwork but it does have a wealth of detail. I found it particularly interesting on the architecture of supermax security prisons.

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]]> By: Andrew Galley http://savageminds.org/2009/11/28/the-anthropology-of-prisons/comment-page-1/#comment-625653 Andrew Galley Mon, 30 Nov 2009 02:15:19 +0000 http://savageminds.org/?p=2916#comment-625653 Foucault is out of fashion? Are you sure he just hasn't become so influential he's part of the background intellectual radiation by now? :) Foucault is out of fashion? Are you sure he just hasn’t become so influential he’s part of the background intellectual radiation by now? :)

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]]> By: Chris http://savageminds.org/2009/11/28/the-anthropology-of-prisons/comment-page-1/#comment-625652 Chris Sun, 29 Nov 2009 23:40:49 +0000 http://savageminds.org/?p=2916#comment-625652 At the risk of suggesting something somewhat archaic, I will note that a classic work is _Discipline & Punish: The Birth of the Prison_ by Michel Foucault. Foucault is out of fashion these days (with good reason), but it's still an interesting work. At the risk of suggesting something somewhat archaic, I will note that a classic work is _Discipline & Punish: The Birth of the Prison_ by Michel Foucault.

Foucault is out of fashion these days (with good reason), but it’s still an interesting work.

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