Rhetoric of Resistance to Prison Education: How the "War on Crime" Became the "War on Criminals"

This book explores the discourse and rhetoric that resist and oppose postsecondary prison education, positioning prison college programs as the best method to reduce recidivism. It highlights the history of rhetorical opposition to prison education, analyzes how convictism, prejudicial and discriminatory bias against prisoners blocks education access, and discusses the implications of prison education for understanding and contesting cultural discourses of criminality. It is a valuable resource for scholars, graduate students, and upper-level undergraduates in various fields.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 90 pages
\n Publication date: 30 November 2021
\n Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
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This comprehensive exploration delves into the intricate discourse and rhetoric that challenges and opposes postsecondary prison education. Positioning prison college programs as the most effective means to reduce recidivism, the book reveals the persistent opposition from the public, including politicians, to public funding for these initiatives. Furthermore, it sheds light on the internal resistance prisoners encounter when pursuing higher education within prison walls.

Through a multi-faceted approach, the author employs critical rhetorical history, media analysis, and autoethnography to examine and critique the discourses that hinder prison education. Cultural discourses, perpetuated through media portrayals of prisoners, dehumanize them and perpetuate the notion that they are always a threat to the public. This book underscores the historical backdrop of rhetorical opposition to prison education, meticulously analyzing how convictism, prejudicial and discriminatory biases against prisoners, impede access to education and contribute to the perpetuation of the prison-industrial-complex, ensuring an ongoing supply of free prison labor.

Furthermore, the book delves into the profound implications of prison education for understanding and challenging cultural discourses of criminality. It serves as a valuable resource for scholars, graduate students, and upper-level undergraduates in the fields of Rhetoric, Criminal justice, Sociology, Media and Communication studies, Politics, and Education studies. By shedding light on the complexities and barriers to prison education, this book contributes to a more informed and nuanced understanding of the criminal justice system and its impact on individuals and society as a whole.

\n Weight: 360g\n
Dimension: 216 x 138 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781032039527\n \n