#449 Adaner Usmani: Mass Incarceration, Black Subordination, and Modern Democracies
Dr. Adaner Usmani is Assistant Professor of Sociology and Social Studies at Harvard University. His research is driven by two questions: Why do some people flourish while others suffer? And, what explains why, in some places but not others, movements or policies emerge to challenge or moderate this inequality? In one project, he explores when and why ordinary individuals manage to coordinate collective action, and how well these patterns explain the forward march of democracy and the extent of economic redistribution.
In this episode, we focus on topics like mass incarceration, discrimination against black Americans and the root causes of their subordination, modern democracies and their weaknesses, creating a Left that does not deny human nature, and the viability of communism in current political systems. We discuss the causes and motivations behind mass incarceration in the US. We talk about the contentious issue of high crime rates in black communities, and the causes behind them. We address the narrative of the destruction of the nuclear family and a culture that go against personal responsibility, coming from the conservatives. We talk about praise and blame. We discuss modern democracies, the major threats to democracy, the democracies that distribute power among their citizens, and the ones that withhold it. And we also discuss political struggle and communism. And, finally, we talk about the need to include biology in sociological analyses, and about a potential biologically-informed Left.
Time Links:
Intro
Mass incarceration in the US
The causes of crime
Is mass incarceration a racial issue?
Is there over-policing in black communities?
The welfare state and its effects on black communities
Taking biological aspects into account
On systemic racism
“Black” culture, single-parent families, free will and personal responsibility
Black subordination, slavery, and reparations
The Black Lives Matter movement
Is democracy at risk?
Do we need more class struggle?
Is there still room for communism?
A biologically-informed sociology?
A biologically-informed Left?
Follow Dr. Usmani’s work!
Follow Dr. Usmani’s work:
Faculty page: http://bit.ly/3ravZPO
Website: http://bit.ly/37xqiDO
Works on ResearchGate: https://bit.ly/3qmnWym
Articles on Jacobin: http://bit.ly/3so3H54