New podcast from Dr Chantelle Lewis
Interconnecting Islamophobia & Anti-Blackness in UK Prisons
As part of the Surviving Society Productions collective, Dr Chantelle Jessica Lewis and Maslaha have co-produced a podcast series to uncover the persistent silence surrounding the violence and systemic oppression experienced by individuals racialised as Muslim in UK prisons.
The podcast seeks to reshape the narratives around prisons by:
1. Repositioning Prisons in Everyday Discourse
Highlighting the interconnectedness of prisons with spaces like schools and healthcare to bring their impact to the forefront of societal awareness.
2. Global Connections and Solidarity
Examining how the racialisation and securitisation of Muslim prisoners align with global patterns of oppression. Voices from the Global South, including those addressing occupied Kashmir and Palestine, are central to this perspective.
3. Expanding the Definition of Incarceration
Our conceptualization of incarceration extends beyond prisons to include detention centres, asylum hotels, and other hidden carceral spaces within the UK. Recent events, such as far-right protests outside asylum seeker hotels, underscore how these spaces perpetuate systemic violence and inequality.
4. Challenge Carceral Logics
- Examine how systemic racism drives policies that disproportionately impact racialised populations, framing incarceration as a mechanism of state-sanctioned violence and proximity to death.
- Advocate for abolitionist perspectives that envision justice beyond the carceral system.
Partner: Maslaha
Maslaha works to address systemic inequalities faced by Muslim and marginalized communities in the UK, focusing on areas such as education, health, gender, criminal justice, and combating Islamophobia. Their approach recognizes the intersectionality of issues like poverty, discrimination, and lack of access to services, aiming to tackle these through community-driven, practical initiatives that also influence policy and public narratives.
Key highlights of their work include:
Challenging Inequalities: Maslaha addresses disparities in education, health, and employment, recognizing the compounded impact of racism, class, and gender on marginalized communities.
Community-Centered Solutions: They collaborate with local groups, valuing lived experiences to create resources, advocate for systemic change, and amplify voices that are often ignored.
Countering Islamophobia: They actively challenge discriminatory policies, such as the Prevent strategy, which has led to mistrust and profiling of Muslim communities.
Education Initiatives: Programs like "Schools With Roots" bridge gaps between schools and families in marginalized communities, providing multilingual resources to foster inclusivity and support learning outcomes
Partner: Surviving Society Productions
Surviving Society Productions is a dynamic multimedia platform that creates thought-provoking content on the political issues and social histories shaping today’s world. Rooted in both local and global scholarship, the platform draws inspiration from critical studies on race, class, anti-racism, and sociology.
The UK's Leading Sociology Podcast
Recognized as “the most popular sociology podcast in the UK,” Surviving Society uses podcasts to make complex political conversations accessible and engaging. This approach represents a form of public sociology, applying theoretical frameworks to real-world experiences and everyday life.
A Teaching and Learning Resource: The Library
Surviving Society serves as a powerful tool for exploring the structures of inequality that underpin contemporary society, fostering critical discussions and education on systemic inequities. There is now a library which contains all episodes of the Surviving Society podcast from 2017 onwards. You can listen to every episode and search for specific ones that interest you. Use key terms or click each category to find relevant episodes https://survivingsociety.co.uk/the-library/
https://survivingsociety.co.uk/
This project amplifies the urgency of addressing carceral injustice and its global implications while fostering public dialogue and actionable change.
Production team:
George Ofori-Addo, Evelyn Miller and Hermine Kudia
Funding for this work has been funded as part of the Andrew Mellon Foundation
