The Politics of Abolition Revisited

Rezensionen / Stimmen

'Forty years after its original publication in English, Thomas Mathiesen's The Politics of Abolition Revisited boldly re-enters the debate on the future of imprisonment. With the rise of a global prison industrial complex, contemporary engagements with the prison - from the U.S. to Australia and from Europe to Africa - have been compelled to address not only issues of class, but of race and gender as well. This classic text reminds us once more of the importance of deep critique and of the "visionary nature of the unfinished".' - Angela Davis, Distinguished Professor Emerita, Department of History of Consciousness and Feminist Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz, USA

'In an age of mass incarceration and dismally low expectations for penal reform, Thomas Mathiesen's book shines like a beacon of hope and inspiration. Mathiesen's commitment to abolition, his concept of the unfinished, and his insider's account of Nordic penal politics make for thrilling reading and serve to renew our sense of what should be possible. Forty years on from its first publication, there has never been a better time to revisit The Politics of Abolition.' - David Garland, Professor, School of Law and the Department of Sociology, New York University, USA

'This book is as indispensable as ever in demonstrating how to defend against repression by the state. In this new edition Thomas Mathiesen elaborates on the inspiring concept of "negative reform". Those who fight for the essentials of civil society might seriously consider using Mathiesen's theory of the "unfinished".' - Karl F. Schumann, Professor emeritus of Criminology, University of Bremen, Germany