Dharma + Justice + Abolition
Dates/Times: February 10 (1-6pm) and February 11 (9am-5pm)
Location: In person at Union Theological Seminary
Instructor: Karen G. Williams
Registration Deadline: Sunday, January 29
In the wake of protests confronting racial injustice and anti-black racism in the summer of 2020, a newfound attentiveness towards abolition has reemerged. In this course we will explore how the dharma informs our understanding of abolition and what is the role of dharma in justice? Drawing on contemporary writings from QTBIPOC Buddhist practitioners, feminist scholars, and social justice movements as a way to ground our view, we will collectively imagine a just world. Students will engage in intimate conversations about what is at stake, what do we need to undo and unlearn for liberation.
This course is one in a series of courses offered as part of Thich Nhat Hanh Program for Engaged Buddhism.
About karen g. williams
karen g. williams, Ph.D. is a cultural anthropologist who focuses her research on the carceral state and the aftermath of mass incarceration. Williams emphasizes the experiences of historically marginalized communities across America. Williams has also advocated for mindfulness and meditative practice to cultivate compassionate engagement with the challenges facing society. Williams is interested in building relationships and communities that are thinking through and building a robust abolitionist movement. Through this work she seeks to address avenues to respond to systemic inequalities in ways that highlight the interconnectedness between all life. Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Guttman Community College, Williams also chairs the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee at New York Insight. In her work, “From Coercion to Consent?: Governing the Formerly Incarcerated in the 21st Century United States” Williams investigates the use of evidence based practices in prisoner reentry policy and its impact on prison culture. When she is not teaching or writing, she can be found knitting but mostly caring for her little human.
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