Empowering Ecopedagogies in the Age of Mass Incarceration

Abstract

This research explores the intersection of mass incarceration, ecopedagogies, and liberation pedagogy. A gardening and food skills course, using liberation pedagogy and ecopedagogies for curriculum design, was implemented at a transitional home for recently incarcerated men. The study sought to understand the impact of the curriculum on participants using a qualitative research approach. Narrative data was collected through group dialogue and one-on-one interviews. Interviews were recorded, analyzed, and coded for emergent themes and categories. Researcher observations and notes support interview data analysis. The study yields implications regarding both the value of this kind of curriculum and its feasibility in carceral settings. The research indicates that the curriculum has strong potential to support empowerment, personal agency, ecotherapy, the strengthening of community, and interest in health. Correlating data with research on recidivism and reentry indicates that the curriculum can support successful reentry for the incarcerated. The research suggests the need for adaptable liberation-oriented interventions in carceral settings, which are inherently resistant to liberation work and are rife with lack of predictability and inconsistency.