Date of Award

2022

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Sociology

First Advisor

Master of Science (MS)

Abstract

Abolition as a theory and practice-whether in relation to the institution of the prison, systems of policing, or the carceral state as a whole-has received relatively little attention or serious appreciation within the discipline of Sociology. Calls for the abolition of policing and prisons are often taken for granted as naïve and radical demands, perceived as being disassociated from the material conditions of reality. Nonetheless, abolitionist analyses provide a unique and critical perspective from which to explore alternatives to addressing pervasive police violence and mass incarceration through strategies which do not rely upon, or increase the power of, the criminal justice system. Furthermore, in the wake of the devastating effects of the FBI’s domestic counterintelligence program, many radical activists and abolitionists recognized the necessity for either going underground or developing a more de-centralized organizational structure which would be harder to infiltrate and disrupt. This change in structure led to the development of new techniques and strategies in addition to the re-emergence of previously used forms of communication. One of these forms, prominently utilized today, is that of the ‘zine’. This thesis aims to address how zines operate as a mechanism of organizing for abolitionist activists and authors. More specifically, I am interested in exploring how activists use zines to spread abolitionist theory, build networks and solidarity with organizations and individuals throughout the country, and ultimately attempt to provide interested parties with the knowledge and resources to advance abolitionist objectives in their communities.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

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