Disrupting Carceral Logics Within Higher Education: Black Women's Lawsuits as Resistance to Institution-Sanctioned Violence

• In Event: Campus Racial Climate: Disrupting Institution-Sanctioned Violence in Postsecondary Education and Advocating for Change

Abstract

The author engaged institution-sanctioned violence theory to show how the ideology of carceral logics— rooted in surveillance, control, and punishment— in higher education policies and practices traumatically effect Black women’s educational and employment experiences. Through exploring six different lawsuits filed by Black women against higher education institutions, the author showed how carceral logics are enacted beyond campus police officers. In various roles, Black women have offered their intellectual labor and time for recruitment, retention, programming, and other endeavors for which institutions of higher education have benefitted. To conclude, the author reiterated that carceral logics must be rebuked in order to create and sustain educational and work environments conducive for Black women and other marginalized people to thrive.

Author

• LaWanda W. Ward, The Pennsylvania State University - University Park