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 traditional genres.
The Role
As Cofounder 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 in 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." As sophomore research fellows, we wondered: how can we talk about abolition without ever mentioning the police or prisons? We mapped connections between policies and social practices across multiple institutions: healthcare, education, housing, and credit & labor markets. We quickly saw that a philosophy of punishment and marginalization not only traced across 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.
A Multi-Disciplinary Approach
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.
Podcast
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.