The Education
Grown out of research, students work to stay informed and practice regular discussion of new theories and events.
The Art
The MJLC publishes fiction, non fiction, fine arts, poetry, and contemporary criticism that expands beyond academic essays.
My Role
As Cofounder in relaunch and Co-Editor in Chief, I managed a staff of 19 and facilitated study groups of ~30 undergraduates.
The Purpose
This work aims to build community awareness around reducing punitive responses to social harm, like incarceration.
The Work
The MJLC is an abolitionist, student run literary magazine and study group at University of Wisconsin, Madison.
About the Project
A Research Based Initiative
What grew into a collective began as a partner research project under the UW-Madison English department. After the death of George Floyd in 2020, the rise of abolitionist movements also sparked a rise in divisive buzzwords like "defund the police," often distracting the public from truly understanding the principles of abolition. As sophomore research fellows, my partner (Ria Dhingra), Professor Ingrid Diran and I wondered: how can we talk about abolition without ever mentioning the prison industrial complex? We mapped connections between policies, social practices, and corporate trends across multiple institutions and social spheres: healthcare, education, housing, and credit & labor markets. We quickly saw that a philosophy of punishment and marginalization traced across not only all institutions but also across laws, policy, and social norms. Abolition is so much more than defunding police and prisons. Punitive practices are used interpersonally, in our communities, federally, and globally. Seeing the scale and connections between why and how people punish must guide us in how that harm is remedied.
Multi Disciplinary Approach
Podcast
Ray Kirsch interviews Ria Dhingra and Anna Nelson to discuss what an abolitionist is, the history of the MJLC, and why literature, arts and criticism are necessary for social change.
Discussion Based Learning
As a consciousness raising group, education is the foundation of our activism. See our lesson plans here.
Organizing
MJLC actively organizes, participates in, and supports local and nationwide activist movements that support abolitionism.