<p>Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Analysis of historical legacies of incarceration and its many intersections with science, and how incarceration exacerbates inequities within health and longevity. Learning about the ways that science has advanced or profited off mass incarceration and working with community partners are fundamental steps towards rebuilding the relationship between science and public safety and accountability. Incorporates community engagement, guest speakers, and laboratory-style meetings. Students pivot from acting as individuals to working as part of a team to make small and humble steps towards bending the arc of history away from structural racism and towards more robust systems of accountability. Letter grading.</p>

Society and Genetics

College of Letters and Science

Society and Genetics, Institute for

SOC GEN 150XP - Science, Mass Incarceration, and Accountability

Science, Mass Incarceration, and Accountability

Have hands-on experience in conducting community-engaged research. Students will leave this class with an understanding of:
a) the politics of study design and critical data studies basics;
b) how to critically abstract and analyze public records related to surveillance and incarceration; and
c) how to work collaboratively towards a common goal.

Improve their ability to interpret and critically evaluate scholarly articles about incarceration and public health.

Deepen their understanding of dominant conceptions of accountability and public safety and how those deep seeded ideas might need to be changed.

Improve their ability as scientists and researchers to listen to community partners and build research agendas that align with community questions and goals. 

Broaden their understanding of the history of mass incarceration, and specifically how science has been used to justify inhumane treatment, experimentation, or criminalization.

General Catalog

Science, Mass Incarceration, and Accountability

SOC GEN 150XP

4 units