Sisters Outside

Jodie Michelle Lawston

Description

How can radical women activists for women prisoners be a "voice and a presence" for people so different from themselves? The radical activists who envision a postprison society are predominantly white, middle class, and well educated; the prisoners they advocate for are predominantly disenfranchised women of color. While the activists lead lives of relative comfort, conditions in women's prisons may include sexual and emotional abuse and medical neglect. Jodie Michelle Lawston examines the dilemmas that arise as activists attempt to challenge injustices and oppression in these prisons. Activists question their place in leading organizations speaking for incarcerated women of color, and they question whether they will be accepted by these women as legitimate representatives. Knowing that their radical goals are generally not well received by the mainstream public, activists realize they must cast their efforts as a credible social movement when dealing with that public. Lawston maps the discourses that activists from a radical group in California generate in order to overcome these tensions and provides comments from the activists themselves.
Acknowledgments

1. Introduction: Struggling for Credibility

2. Ideological Origins of Network for Prisoners: From Reform to Revolution

3. Negotiating Racial Privilege: (Re) Framing Feelings of Illegitimacy

4. “We’re All Sisters”: Bridging the “Gap” between Activists and Prisoners

5. Reconceptualizing Prison and Prisoners: Attempts to Resist “Get Tough on Crime” Discourse

6. Conclusion: Contributions and Reflections

Appendix A: Methodology
Appendix B: Interview Guide for Activists in NP
Appendix C: Interview Guide for Prisoners

Notes
References
Index

Sujets

• Charities
• Charitable organization

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 02 juillet 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781438427089
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 4 Mo

Extrait

Sisters Outside

RADICAL ACTIVISTS WORKING FOR WOMEN PRISONERS

Jodie Michelle Lawston

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Sisters Outside

SUNY series in Women, Crime, Criminology

MedaChesney-LindandRussImmarigeon, EDITORS

Sisters Outside

RADICALACTIVISTSWORKING FORWOMENPRISONERS

Jodie Michelle Lawston

Published by State University of New York Press Albany

© 2009 State University of New York

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.

For information, contact State University of New York Press, Albany, NY www.sunypress.edu

Production by Diane Ganeles Marketing by Fran Keneston

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Lawston, Jodie Michelle, 1977–  Sisters outside : radical activists working for women prisoners / Jodie Michelle Lawston.  p. cm. — (SUNY series in women, crime, and criminology)  Includes bibliographical references and index.  ISBN 978-1-4384-2709-6 (hardcover : alk. paper)  1. Women prisoners. 2. Social service. I. Title.  HV8738.L38 2009  365'.43—dc22 2008045856

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Contents

Introduction: Struggling for Credibility Ideological Origins of Network for Prisoners: From Reform to Revolution Negotiating Racial Privilege: (Re) Framing Feelings of Illegitimacy “We’re All Sisters”: Bridging the “Gap” between Activists and Prisoners Reconceptualizing Prison and Prisoners: Attempts to Resist “Get Tough on Crime” Discourse Conclusion: Contributions and Reflections

Appendix A: Methodology Appendix B: Interview Guide for Activists in NP Appendix C: Interview Guide for Prisoners Notes References Index

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Acknowledgments

ompleting this project would not have been possible without the con- C tinued support, confidence, and help of a vast array of people. First and foremost, I wish to thank the activists in the group under study, with- out whose agreement to be interviewed this project would have not been possible. I also want to recognize and thank all of the incarcerated women with whom I talked. Without these courageous and generous women— who continually amaze me with their strength—I would not have come to more fully understand the power and oppression of the prison system. I have enjoyed many conversations with these women, through which I have developed understanding and a stronger resolve to pursue social change. I would also like to thank Jeff Haydu, Christena Turner, and Amy Binder of the University of California, San Diego, David Pellow of the University of Minnesota, and Paul Frymer of Princeton University, who were instrumental in providing guidance and support during the entire life of this project. Jeff Haydu in particular continues to serve as a valu- able mentor in my scholarly development. My mentors at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, including Sally Sternglanz, Temma Kaplan (now at Rutgers University) Helen LeMay, Patricia Whitaker, and Paul Wortman, encouraged me and gave me strength during my time as an undergraduate at SUNY Stony Brook. If it were not for their encouragement and belief in me, it is likely that I would not have pursued my doctorate. My good friends and colleagues have also contributed to this proj- ect. Linda Torres, David Klowden, Gabriel Jones, Tanya Kravatz, Jessica Tagarchi, Ashley Lucas, Traci Schlesinger, and Anya Mukarji-Connolly listened to various renditions of this work and supported me when I needed

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it most. Linda encouraged me when I was experiencing a maelstrom of emotions because I was sure I would never finish this book. Together we would reflect on the ways in which the social class into which we were born impacted the way we see ourselves, which would somehow give us the drive to continue our work. David and Gabriel worked with me on variations of the finished product, with Gabriel providing editorial assis- tance in the first and final stages of the process and David helping to cre- ate a title that spoke to the subject matter of the book. Both have provided support and friendship for which I am eternally grateful. Tanya has been supportive since I met her during graduate school, and continues to be a very good friend and colleague. We’ve collaborated and shared countless laughs over the past nine years. Jessica stood by my side during the entire journey, helping me to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Anya provided constant support during the last stages of my writing, which helped me to press forward. Ashley Lucas, a trusted colleague and confidant, provided much needed support and grounding reassurance during the time I was writing this manuscript. Traci Schlesinger reinvigorated my own prison activism. My Aunt Lynda and Uncle Stephen, grandmother and grand- father “Reggie,” and Aunt Anne were very encouraging throughout this entire process. My brother and his wife Allie provided some good laughs. Special thanks goes to my students, especially Heidi Schneider, Diane Richards, Gloria Salazar, and Lostydia Porter, who over the years have provided encouragement and assistance in ways that I would not have thought imaginable. Their supportive words while I was finishing this project helped me tremendously. Their humor is something I will always cherish, and their commitment to social justice, after learning about the many injustices in our prison system, is both admirable and inspiring. They give me more reasons to continue my own social justice work. I want to also thank Heidi Schneider for excellent research assistance. My appreciation goes to Nancy Ellegate at SUNY Press for her work in publishing this book, as well as Diane Ganeles for excellent editorial assistance. I am also grateful to anonymous reviewers for their invalu- able feedback and encouragement. Finally, I wish to thank Ruben Raymond Murillo, my colleague and partner. He listened to me as I obsessively read passages aloud and ran ideas by him. Ruben read countless drafts of this book and continually encouraged me. He cooked for me, forced me to take breaks, bought me brownie sundaes, and helped me to appreciate the here and now. Our daily walks on the beach, with our beloved cocker spaniel Spike, helped clarify my mind and gave me the energy to finish this book. For the beautiful walks with Ruben and Spike, I am most thankful.