A curation of articles, essays, book reviews and interviews on critical geographical concerns.
This essay argues that to understand how, despite the grave consequences, certain communities and individuals continue to act out against police power and colonial violence, we need to take into consideration the invigorating power of inspirational hauntings. These hauntings draw strength from the spirits of past resistance, rebellious subjects, and defiant figures who permeate the present, serving as potent political and ethical resources that encourage and embolden ongoing resistance.
The 2022 mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, sent shockwaves nationwide, in part because the police did nothing to stop it. This essay argues that by revealing the social uselessness of the police, their connection to border enforcement, and the community alternatives posed by the courageous actions of parents and bystanders, Uvalde has much to teach contemporary abolitionists.
This contribution examines an illustrative example of a community effort to address police violence in Brazilian favelas, that of the grassroots NGO Redes da Maré in Rio de Janeiro’s Complexo da Maré favela. Focusing on two of the NGO’s efforts, it reflects on the limits and possibilities of its rights-based approach to preventing and mitigating violence in Maré. The essay argues that abolition, as a radical horizon, demands the dismantling of existing structures and the construction of alternative infrastructures that will make policing obsolete, adding that, at least in the Third World, this horizon will also depend on the power and capacity of a truly democratic state.
In solidarity with abolition and anti-racist movements, the following EPD: Society and Space articles on racism, racialization, and policing are free to access through September 2020. We will continue to use our resources to support critical scholarship on these topics.
During the unprecedented crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic, the editorial collective at Society & Space has made the decision to 'press pause' on our normal working practices. We believe that to continue as usual right now would be untenable and unethical.