CALL FOR ARTICLES

 
WOMEN AND PRISON: A TOOLKIT FOR RESISTANCE

 

A group of Chicago-based educators, activists and women former prisoners are inviting submissions for an anthology to generate dialogue and action to address the growing numbers of women being criminalized in the United States.  The collection of essays and oral histories will challenge stereotypes of imprisoned women and examine the contexts, causes and effects of their incarceration.

 

The stories of women in and after prison are often invisible in public dialogue. Consequently, the struggles and triumphs of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women and their families are not adequately known or valued.  This book will make women's stories visible and, through this, we hope to challenge the public to think in new ways about the crisis in the criminal justice system and seek new solutions.

 

In 2000, Visible Voices, a support group run by and for formerly incarcerated women, worked with Beyondmedia Education to create an award-winning video titled What We Leave Behind.  Women and Prison: A Toolkit For Resistance is an outgrowth of the video and part of a larger project aimed at raising widespread awareness of the complex issues surrounding imprisoned women in the United States.

 

Intended for general audiences, community groups, high school and college classrooms, Women and Prison: A Toolkit For Resistance will incorporate essays with oral narratives and poetry by women prisoners and former prisoners. Each section will have its own introduction.  Articles should be short (5-10 pages) and written for general audiences.

 

Women and Prison: A Toolkit For Resistance is supported in part by grants from The Funding Exchange and the Illinois Humanities Council.

 

If you would like your work to be considered for publication in Women and Prison: A Toolkit For Resistance, please contact us at:

 

Beyondmedia Education

6960 N. Sheridan Rd, Storefront B

Chicago, IL 60626

Voice: 773-973-2280

Fax: 773-973-3367

Email: women-prison@beyondmedia.org

 

DEADLINES

Sept. 15, 2002 for bios, titles and abstracts

Jan. 15, 2003 for articles

 

We are especially (but not exclusively) looking for articles on the following topics:

Criminalization of Immigrants

Death Penalty

Reentry

Lesbians in/after Prison

Prostitution

Detention

Visitation Rights and Realities for Women

Birthing

State Violence

Drug Policy

9/11, the INS and Criminalization of Women

Historical Overviews

Global Perspectives/International Comparisons

A Day in the Life of a Woman Prisoner

 

Outline for Book

I.  Introduction by Beth Richie

II. Women and The Prison Industrial Complex

A. Prison Industrial Complex - Gender / Race / Sexuality

B. Criminalization and Women

C. Treatment v. Incarceration

 

III. Motherhood and Mothers in Prison

A. Incarcerated Mothers - Issues and Injustices

B. Voices of Children of Incarcerated Mothers

 

IV. State Violence / Private Violence

A. Domestic Violence, Racism, and Incarceration

B. Sexual Abuse / Rape / Harassment in Women's Prisons

C. Women's Health and Criminal Justice

 

V. Sexuality - Stigma and Punishment

A. Prostitution and Criminalization of Women

B. Lesbians Inside / Outside

 

VI. Activism and Social Justice - Inside and Outside

 

VII. Study Guide, Community and Legal Resources

 

VIII. Bibliography and Glossary of Terms