Abstract
This Social Justice Strategy asks students to immerse themselves in abolitionist waters by learning abolitionist perspectives, strategies, and practices from a local abolitionist, transformative justice, or mutual aid organization while providing them a service or fulfilling one or more of their needs. This is a self-paced, term-long project scaffolded by abolitionist histories and best practices for working in community. The instructor uses a student survey as a basis for forming groups and matching them up with local organizations, then students create plans for working together, including how to address conflict restoratively. Groups research their organizations and collaborate with them to determine how best to serve their needs, documenting their work as they go and presenting it at the end of the course. Takeaways include the importance of adaptability and creativity, increased knowledge of the security state, hands-on experience with redistributing resources, and understanding that there are many ways to show up to the work including and beyond direct action. This SJS derives from a course co-created by a professor and an undergraduate to engage students in the everyday practices of abolition, transformative justice, and mutual aid.
Recommended Citation
Horowitz, Katie R. and Johnson, Taryn
(2025)
""Be Like Water": Practicing Abolition on the Ground,"
Feminist Pedagogy: Vol. 6:
Iss.
4, Article 19.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/feministpedagogy/vol6/iss4/19