Alumna Shares Research on Prison Labor and Political Agency

SHERMAN, TEXAS — On Tuesday, December 3, 2024, graduate of the philosophy, politics, and economics (PPE) program, Alison Boehmer ’19 presented a lecture titled “Work & Political Control: The Political Economy of U.S. State Prisons” to students, faculty, and staff as part of the PPE Lecture series.

Boehmer graduated as part of the first cohort of the PPE program at Austin College in 2019. A Ph.D. candidate at the University of California, San Diego, her research focuses on the relationship between prison labor, political activity, and control within U.S. state prisons. She analyzed 425 political actions by imprisoned people from 1990 to 2019, categorizing them into 16 tactics. Her findings indicate that political actions by imprisoned people lead to changes in prison labor, such as adding facility maintenance jobs and dropping public works jobs. Boehmer emphasized the importance of understanding these dynamics to address the political agency and dignity of incarcerated individuals.

“You should care about imprisoned people's ability to pressure the prison system,” Boehmer said to current students, professors, and others in attendance. “We should be paying attention to the ways that prison crowds are attempting to cycle this political action that could develop into larger scale political change at the prison level. We care about the political agency of people who are incarcerated, and we know that the tactics of political control do not stay confined to prison walls.”

Austin College takes pride in Boehmer’s achievements and her commitment to addressing critical social justice issues. Her work exemplifies the values and interdisciplinary approach cultivated in the College’s PPE program, which prepares students to engage thoughtfully with pressing global challenges.

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, pre-professional foundations, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 44 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 50 percent of students identifying as persons of color. The residential student body of approximately 1,300 students and an expert faculty of more than 100 educators allow a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. Related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA), Austin College cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. The College, founded in 1849, is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.