Embodiment and the Carceral

This module introduces notions around carcerality and migrant detention within the context of broader questions of embodiment. It is informed by, and extends, theoretical developments across a range of geographical debates. Carceral spaces can include institutional spaces of formal imprisonment and detention, such as prisons and immigration removal centres, and also spaces outside of such institutions but which are also affected by carceral processes, such as family, community and urban spaces. You will select from a range of theoretical frames within which to investigate these topics, including, for example, spatial theorisations of gender, embodiment and temporality, considered in ‘carceral’ contexts.

By the end of the module you will be able to:

  • Demonstrate a critical understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of carceral geography, and its relationship to relevant theories within contemporary human geography.
  • Demonstrate a critical understanding of carceral practices both in relation to ‘mainstream’ imprisonment, immigration detention, and other circumstances of confinement.
  • Critically analyse and evaluate scholarship around embodiment, gender and temporality, drawing on appropriate literatures and case studies.