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The Anthropology of Prisons

Module description

This module focuses on anthropological and sociological approaches to prisons and imprisonment. The anthropology of prisons is closely bound up with sociological and criminological work on imprisonment, and we explore some of the key theorists and ideas these disciplines share. Importantly, though, the module investigates what we might consider to be the distinctive contribution that anthropology makes to our understanding of prisons by using a variety of ethnographic case studies to explore experiences of imprisonment in diverse cultural contexts. We will look at case studies of prisons Papua New Guinea, India and Bolivia as well as other settings to gain a sense of the diversity of carceral environments and of experiences of incarceration.

There are no prerequisites for this module. It is suitable for both specialist (e.g. sociology or criminology) and non-specialist students. It can be undertaken as part of an interdisciplinary pathway.

Module aims - intentions of the module

Prisons and their operation, purpose and value are topics of great interest and importance in the contemporary world. The primary aim of the module is to introduce you to key anthropological and sociological concepts relating to experiences of imprisonment, and to a wide range of ethnographic work on prisons in different geographical and cultural settings. What commonalities do we find, and in what ways are prison lives different in these settings? What kinds personhood, and what types of social relationships are forged through prisons, their environs and aftermaths? What bearing do ethnicity, kinship and group membership, for instance, have on experiences of constraint? We will also think about how prisons relate to other carceral environments in contemporary society, such as detention centres, psychiatric units and zoos. The module aims to equip you with the necessary knowledge and skills to enable you to understand and evaluate the differing views expressed by established anthropologists and sociologists in relation to prisons. You will be empowered to use anthropological work as a tool in the development of your own thinking around carcerality.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Display a knowledge of specific theoretical concepts and methodological approaches in the anthropology and sociology of prisons and the intellectual debates concerning them
• 2. Display an awareness of, and sensitivity to, cultural diversity in relation to prison experiences and a reflexive appreciation of the complexity of these experiences
• 3. Demonstrate an ability to contextualise particular prison ethnographies in relation to the anthropology of prisons more widely, and to critically evaluate examples of ethnographic work on imprisonment

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. Demonstrate a competence in using major theoretical perspectives and concepts in anthropology and sociology via the application of appropriate theoretical models in the analysis of ethnographic case studies
• 5. Demonstrate a recognition of the issues relating to ethnographic representation, the politics of language, indirect forms of communication, forms of power, theoretical statements and claims of authority, showing an ability to analyse these
• 6. Plan, undertake and present scholarly work that shows an understanding of anthropological aims, methods and theoretical considerations

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 7. Express your own ideas orally and in writing, summarizing the arguments of others and drawing distinctions between them
• 8. Engage in constructive discussion in group situations and seminars
• 9. Evaluate your strengths and weaknesses in learning and study skills and take action to improve your capacity to learn

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:

• Core theory in the anthropology and sociology of prisons: Foucault, Goffman and Sykes
• Getting into prison: evaluating ethnographic research as a methodology for the study of imprisonment
• Case study: Bomana Prison, Papua New Guinea.
• Case study: Unnamed Prison, Kolkata, India.
• Case study: the Feminine Penitentiary Centre, Miraflores, La Paz, Bolivia.
• Case study: the design of carcerality for Aboriginal people in Australia and Canada
• Sensory penalties
• Prisons and their relatives: detention centres, psychiatric units and zoos.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Reed, Adam. 2006. Papua New Guinea's Last Place: Experiences of Constraint in a Postcolonial Prison. Oxford and New York: Berghahn. 

Rhodes, Lorna A. 2001. ‘Toward an Anthropology of Prisons’. Annual Review of Anthropology 20: 65-83.

da Cunha, Manuela. 2014. ‘The Ethnography of Prisons and Penal Confinement’. Annual Review of Anthropology43: 217-233.

da Cunha, Manuela. 2008. ‘Closed Circuits: Kinship, Neighbourhoods and Incarceration in Urban Portugal’. Ethnography 9(3): 325–350.

Spedding, Alison, L. 1999. ‘Dreams of Leaving: Life in the Feminine Penitentiary Centre, Miraflores, La Paz, Bolivia’. Anthropology Today 15(2): 11-17.

Bandyopadhyay, M. 2010. Everyday Life in a Prison: Confinement, Surveillance, Resistance. New Delhi: Orient BlackSwan.

Feldman A. 1991. Formations of Violence: The Narrative of the Body and Political Terror in Northern Ireland. Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

https://www.informa.com.au/insight/the-cultural-needs-of-the-aboriginal-prison-population/

https://moa.ubc.ca/2021/12/an-oral-history-of-moas-prison-program-an-interview-with-reva-malkin/

Key words search

Anthropology, sociology, prisons, imprisonment, carcerality, ethnography