Skin Theory: Visual Culture and the Postwar Prison Laboratory

Studies the intersections of incarceration, medical science, and race in postwar America, focusing on the use of incarcerated test subjects in research institutions and pharmaceutical companies. "Skin Theory" by Cristina Mejia Visperas offers a new framework for understanding the intersections of race, incarceration, and medical science by analyzing the skin as a visual technology, built environment, and official discourse.

Format: Hardback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 12 July 2022
Publisher: New York University Press

In the aftermath of World War II, a significant shift occurred in the United States regarding the use of incarcerated individuals as test subjects in medical research. This practice, which had been prevalent in many research institutions and pharmaceutical companies, gained even more traction in the postwar era. A notable example of this trend was the medical science program at Holmesburg Prison in Philadelphia, which was described by a local newspaper in February 1966 as a "golden opportunity to conduct widespread medical tests under perfect control conditions."

The program, led by Albert M. Kligman, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, involved the enrollment of hundreds of the prison's predominantly Black population in studies aimed at determining the efficacy and safety of a wide range of substances, including common household products and chemical warfare agents. These experiments at Holmesburg were not isolated incidents; rather, they were part of a broader pattern of using incarcerated test subjects in the postwar United States.

Skin Theory, a groundbreaking work by Cristina Mejia Visperas, delves into the prison as a space for the production of scientific knowledge. By examining the "perfect control conditions" of the prison and how they aligned with the visual regimes of laboratory work, the book offers a critical reimagining of visual approaches to race in histories of science, medicine, and technology.

In her analysis, Mejia Visperas approaches science as a fundamentally racial project. She focuses on the privileged object and instrument of Kligman's experiments: the skin. Through a comprehensive theoretical framework, she theorizes the skin as visual technology, as built environment, and as official discourse. By doing so, she develops a compelling framework for understanding the intricate intersections of race, incarceration, and medical science in postwar America.

One of the key insights of Skin Theory is its recognition of the ways in which scientific practices and technologies have been used to perpetuate and normalize racial discrimination. By examining the skin as a visual technology, Mejia Visperas highlights how scientific images and representations have been used to reinforce stereotypes and perpetuate racial inequalities. For example, she notes how medical textbooks and textbooks often depicted the skin as a site of disease and infection, perpetuating the notion that Black individuals are inherently prone to certain health conditions.

Similarly, the book explores how the built environment of prisons has been designed to perpetuate racial segregation and control. Mejia Visperas argues that the physical layout of prisons, with their separate wards for different racial groups, has been used to reinforce the idea that race is a defining characteristic of individuals and that certain groups are inherently more dangerous or prone to violence. This architectural design has had profound implications for the health and well-being of incarcerated individuals, particularly Black individuals who are more likely to be subjected to harsher conditions and higher rates of incarceration.

Official discourse, too, has played a significant role in perpetuating racial discrimination and the use of incarcerated individuals as test subjects. Mejia Visperas examines how government policies, laws, and regulations have been used to justify the use of incarcerated test subjects and to downplay the risks and harms associated with medical research. For example, she notes how the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, which involved the intentional infection of Black men with syphilis, was conducted under the guise of medical research but was in fact a cruel and unethical experiment designed to study the effects of the disease on Black individuals.

Through its analysis of the intersections of incarceration, medical science, and race in postwar America, Skin Theory offers a powerful critique of the ways in which scientific practices and technologies have been used to perpetuate racial discrimination and inequality. By challenging the dominant narratives of scientific racism and rationality, the book provides a valuable contribution to the ongoing conversation about the history and impact of scientific practices on marginalized communities.

In conclusion, Skin Theory is a groundbreaking work that offers a critical reimagining of visual approaches to race in histories of science, medicine, and technology. By focusing on the privileged object and instrument of Kligman's experiments: the skin, Mejia Visperas develops a compelling framework for understanding the intricate intersections of race, incarceration, and medical science in postwar America. Through its analysis of the ways in which scientific practices and technologies have been used to perpetuate racial discrimination and inequality, the book provides a valuable contribution to the ongoing conversation about the history and impact of scientific practices on marginalized communities.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781479810772