Political theory has a reputation of being inaccessible. This is at least in part because some great theory and creative planning work is difficult to find outside of social circles where such work is regularly discussed. In reality, literary works that do the necessary work of explaining and supporting political movements; history; community building; and creative approaches to resistance are highly variable. Some is dense, some centers around academic thought and philosophy, some is lightweight, and some comes from and is suited for the practical needs of everyday activists trying to build functioning interdependent communities. Theory can be helpful for beginner activists to get a better hold on the basics of their beliefs, but it can also be helpful for more experienced people trying to address the nuances and practical needs of the movement.

This column of The Nightly aims to investigate and shed light on political theory. For the sake of this column, that can include any work of literature that is relevant to the leftist cause (be it anarchist, socialist, or something else entirely). It can be historical, philosophical, a how-to guide, or self-reflexive. Welcome to the first The Nightly Review! This review will feature Angela Y. Davis’s Are Prisons Obsolete?

This book is a quick read. It’s thin, lightweight, and accessible for newcomers to the prison abolition movement. It tackles the most common arguments against prison abolition and misconceptions about the carceral system in general. Davis splits the novella into 6 chapters. The first acknowledges many people’s difficulty imagining a world without the prison system. Davis writes that her hope in writing the novella is to “encourage readers to question their own assumptions about prison” (Davis, 10). It delves into a cursory history of the United States’ prison system including how former president Reagan’s “tough on crime” policies led to mass incarceration. The second chapter brings in the prison system’s historical ties to slavery. In this chapter she compares incarceration to slavery, noting that their abolition used to be as inconceivable for many people as prison abolition is for many today. The third addresses prison reform as opposed to abolition and why reform doesn’t sufficiently challenge the system. The fourth considers the ways that womans’ prisons have normalized and institutionalized regular sexual assault (such as cavity searches and sexual abuse by prison guards), directly challenging assumptions that the prison system adequately punishes and prevents rape. The fifth explores the ways that corporations and the United States Government financially benefit off of the prison system, and therefore take steps like cutting welfare to keep the money flowing. The sixth and final chapter explores possible options for replacing what people think the prison system accomplishes in terms of safety (though in all reality it only accomplishes harm). Davis suggests a “...constellation of alternative strategies and institutions…” rather than a one size fits all solution to the social problems the prison system claims to address.

This review is only a quick summary of Davis’s incredible novella, and her work is infinitely more worth reading. Her writing style is elegant and easy to grasp even for beginners to the anti-carceral movement. More importantly, her ideas are practical and illuminating. Davis’s suggestions aren’t idealist fantasy, but true and serious work that can be accomplished. For these reasons, I would recommend this book to beginner leftists who struggle with theory or are simply inexperienced and want to take a good look at the principles of common leftist beliefs.

Published 11/13/23