The Invention of Incarceration
Prisons have been controversial since their beginnings in the late 1700s — why do they keep failing to live up to expectations?
50 Years On: How Angela Davis’ Focus Changed in Jail
In a 2012 interview published in Social Justice, Angela Davis spoke about her detention in jail and how it informed her work on abolition and feminism.
Let’s Talk About (Your) Crimes
Asking yourself about what you've "gotten away with" may change how you think about "criminals."
The Tragedy at Buffalo Creek
The historic Buffalo Creek flood tore through a region often exploited by industry—and stereotyped by outsiders.
The Detroit Rebellion
From 1964 to 1972, at least 300 U.S. cities faced violent upheavals, the biggest led by the League of Revolutionary Black Workers, in Detroit.
The World’s New Private Security Forces
The global private market for security has brought with it the need for hiring, measuring, and monitoring security workers in unprecedented ways.
Rereading the Story of the Crack Epidemic
As policymakers seek solutions for the ongoing opioid epidemic, it's worth remembering how sensationalist reporting can lead to troubling responses.
Mexico’s Radical Women Artists
Art by Mexican "Radical Women" artists capture the turbulent times of the feminist movement in Mexico in the 1970s and still ring true today.
The Case for Open Borders
Is a world without borders an idea so crazy it just might work? Scholars weigh in on how open borders might solve the world's immigration problem.
What if We Acknowledged That People Use Drugs Because They’re Fun?
In the modern Western world, drug use fits well into economies that divide our days into disciplined, production-oriented “clock time,” and leisure time.