First published 2014
Thirteen scholars from diverse academic fields examine how disability and incarceration intersect across multiple institutional settings. Ben-Moshe brings together researchers who argue that understanding disability is fundamental to understanding imprisonment. The contributors analyze prisons, psychiatric hospitals, institutions for people with developmental disabilities, treatment centers, special education systems, detention centers, and group homes. They make the case for viewing these varied sites through the lens of incarceration rather than as separate systems. The essays explore both historical origins and contemporary effects of these institutional arrangements. Angela Y. Davis provides the preface and Robert McRuer contributes an afterword. The book offers readers a framework for recognizing incarceration beyond traditional prison walls and understanding how disability shapes experiences within these systems.
Genres: sociology, social-issues, non-fiction, social-justice, academic, disability
Vibes: dark, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: institutional-critique, social-commentary
Setting: United States, Canada
313 pages · Paperback · Palgrave Macmillan
Content warnings: ableism, mental-illness