“Why Prison Gangs Dominate Life in California's Prisons,” a Lecture with David Skarbek
On Monday, February 25, Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and the Political Theory Project at Brown University, David Skarbek, will visit Endicott College for a talk that offers a fascinating look into the seemingly irrational, truly astonishing, and often tragic world of life among the society of captives. The lecture will be held at 6 p.m. in the Klebanoff Auditorium in the Ginger Judge Science Center.
When many people think of prison gangs, they think of chaotic bands of violent, racist thugs. Few people think of gangs as sophisticated organizations—often with elaborate written constitutions—that regulate the social and economic life of the prison. Yet, as Skarbek argues, gangs form to create order among outlaws, producing alternative governance institutions to facilitate illegal activity.
“Dr. Skarbek is a great example of how we can use academic knowledge to craft real world responses to some of our most urgent social problems” says Endicott’s Assistant Professor of Sociology and Assistant Dean of Social Sciences, Joshua McCabe. “Our students pursuing careers in corrections, homeland security, and public policy will be able to carry Skarbek’s insights with them into their internships—a hallmark of the Endicott experience.”
Skarbek is the author of the award-winning book The Social Order of the Underworld. His work has been featured widely in national and international media outlets, such as the Atlantic, BBC, Business Insider, the Economist, Forbes, The Independent, and The Times.
This lecture is free and open to the public. Attendees can register online via Eventbrite.