50 pages 1 hour read

Angela Y. Davis

Are Prisons Obsolete?

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2003

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Essay Topics

1.

Davis published Are Prisons Obsolete? in 2003. How has prison activism developed since then? Are demands for abolition stronger, or do activists still see abolition as impossible? Why or why not? Reference the text in your answer.

2.

How does the US prison system support repressive patriarchal ideals and structures? What does Davis argue are the dangers of applying gender equality models uncritically to men’s and women’s prisons? Use the text to support your answer.

3.

Davis connects modern prison systems directly to slavery and white supremacy. How does the justice system continue to uphold these racist institutions? Why does the system disproportionately affect Black people and people of color? Reference the text in your answer.

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