This symposium brings together specialists in a variety of cultures and disciplines to explore problems of abolition in relation to premodern literary, material, and visual culture. The aim is not simply to trace institutions of punishment, resistance, surveillance, and incarceration; but, rather, to see how abolitionist commitments to the unmaking of structures and remaking of emancipatory communities might shape the very forms and ends of deep historical analysis itself.

Attendance is by registration; contact Luke Fidler (lfidler@ucsc.edu) to register.

This event is sponsored by the Institute of Arts and Sciences Visualizing Abolition initiative. 

Participants:

• Shira Brisman (University of Pennsylvania)
• Seeta Chaganti (University of California, Davis)
• Gina Dent (University of California, Santa Cruz)
• Mayanthi Fernando (University of California, Santa Cruz)
• Luke A. Fidler (University of California, Santa Cruz)
• Ashley Hunt (CalArts)
• Corinne Kannenberg (Restore Justice)
• Savannah Kilner (University of California, Santa Cruz)
• Jason LaFountain (Prison+Neighborhood Arts/Education Project)
• Mark Letteney (MIT)
• Nidhi Mahajan (University of California, Santa Cruz)
• Rachel Nelson (University of California, Santa Cruz)

Image: Stefano di Giovanni (called Sassetta), The Blessed Ranieri Frees Debtors from a Florentine Prison, tempera on poplar wood, fifteenth century. Paris, musée du Louvre.