Carceral Studies

The Carceral Studies collection focuses on the lived experiences of individuals, families and communities who have experienced the impacts of incarceration, in the United States and across the world. The collection editors seek titles that explore mass incarceration, policing, and the wider structures and dynamics of the carceral state, including the levers of social control and political discourse. We aim to center the voices of those most impacted by carceral technologies and methodologies including the modern correctional system, surveillance, and policing. We welcome titles that explore the intersections of incarceration with other systems of social control such as child welfare, education, immigration, and policies such as the “war on drugs.” Our approach is influenced by intersectional perspectives that examine the influence of factors such as race, gender, sexuality, class, and disability (including mental health), and their role in the expansion and maintenance of the carceral state.

Our role as editors will vary depending on the experience and needs of authors. For new authors, we will be available for idea development, coaching, support, and orientation to the process of academic writing for course curriculum; for more experienced writers our role will be more hands-off and will check progress and review drafts as needed. Our goal is to center voices that have been historically excluded from mainstream academic texts, including the voices of those currently experiencing incarceration.

Proposal Guidelines

Ready to get started? Reach out to our Collection Editors using the form below, or get more detail in our proposal guidelines.

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About the Collection Editors

Ian Cummins PhD is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Health and Society at the University of Salford. He has researched and written extensively about the experiences of people with mental health problems across the Criminal Justice System. His books include: Serial Killers and the Media: The Moors Murders Legacy, Palgrave Studies in Crime, Media and Culture, Palgrave Macmillan 2019 and Welfare and Punishment: From Thatcherism to Austerity, Policy Press, 2021. Ian has also contributed to the BBC Radio 4 podcast series Thinking Allowed.

Louis Mendoza is a Professor of Latina/o literary and cultural studies in the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University. He is the author and editor of numerous books, including raúlrsalinas and the Jail Machine: My Weapon is My Pen and Memoir of Un Ser Humano: The Life and Times de raúlrsalinas. His research and teaching interests encompass U.S. prison literature, immigration, and oral histories. His most recent book, published by Lived Places Publishing, is (Re)Constructing Memory, Place, and Identity in 20th Century Houston: A Memoir on Family and Being Mexican American in Space City, U.S.A.

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Please fill out the form to contact Ian and Louis directly: