Course: Gender(ed) Justice

This course examines the intersections of gender, race, class, and the criminal legal system, with a focus on how policing, incarceration, and legal frameworks shape and regulate gendered experiences. We will explore the historic and contemporary criminalization of Black women and trans and queer individuals, the policing of sexuality and women’s bodies, gender-based violence, the gendered experiences of incarceration, as well as the connected movements to end gender-based violence and mass incarceration/criminalization. We will center the voices of women and LGBTQ+ people with lived experiences as survivors of harm and/or incarceration, to deepen our understanding of scholarly works from fields of history, social sciences, law, and cultural studies. We will also connect to the work being doing locally in New York City and State to learn about the services and advocacy work in which gender justice organizations are engaged through guest speakers and site visits. Students will gain a deeper understanding of gendered experiences within the carceral state and explore alternative visions – and practices – for justice.